Happy Halloween

Thanks to the pagent beliefs of the Celts in Ireland, France, and Britiany, and with the Christian adaptation of this festival, we now have a fun interpretation of Halloween where kids and kids-at-heart dress up and roam the neighborhoods tonight, taking candy from strangers, or in failure of this treat, would resort to trickery. Strangely interesting ways of our culture and society to say the least. But fun, none-the-less!

So, as part of this wonderful community, we are celebrating Halloween's trick or treat at our church, and I am enjoying it more than before, especially since I get to dress up with the little ones!;)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!!!

Pumpkin Pies

Been working on a pumpkin pie without pie crust. I love the pastry, but some members of the family don't care for pie shells, so I'm experimenting on these recipes. In the picture above, the one on the right is from Libby's, and the other one is adapted from Lori Delosh's recipe:
Libby's Pumpkin Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) Libby's pure pumpkin
1 can (12 fl oz) Carnation evaporated milk
1 unbake 9-in deep-dish pie shell (I omitted)

Preheat oven at 425 degrees F. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar and spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie dish.
Bake in oven for 50 mins. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours and serve immediately.

Pumpkin Casserole
All ingredients same as above, plus 1/2 cup self-rising four, and 1/2 cup butter, melted.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, flour, eggs, melted butter and spices. Spoon into a casserole dish.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

According to Hubs, the Libby's one is like a pudding, silky, big pumpkin flavor, and very moist, whereas the casserole recipe was easier to slice into, less moist and a more subtle flavor of the two.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

The first time I had oatmeal buttermilk pancakes was at a little restaurant in Colorado Springs. When I came across this recipe on the web at epicurious, I had to try it on the family. Made it with Bob's Red Mill Scottish Oats, and served it with maple syrup and/or 365 's raspberry preserves. The kiddos loved it with their scambled eggs and bacon.

Ingredients
2 C quick cooking oats
1/2 C APF (all purpose flour)
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 C buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Method:
Add the first 6 ingredients into a batter bowl. In a seperate bowl, mix the next 4 wet ingredients. Whisk the buttermilk mixture to the oats mixture. Place it in the fridge to thicken (2 hours to overnight). I had left it overnight, and I added another 1/2 cup of milk as mine was quite thick.
Pour a portion into skillet, and working in batches, ladle batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over; cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Keep pancakes in the oven to keep warm. Makes about 15 pancakes.

Stir-fried Garlic Lettuce

Sometimes, a simple dish like this can add variety to common greens using iceberg lettuce. French and Chinese cuisines sometimes include cooked lettuce. The lettuce still retains it's crunchiness, and is a refreshing change to salads in the cool months. It's a wonderful addition to the meat dishes and rice. Found this adapted recipe of Grace Young in her cookbook, The Breath of a Wok. As a personal preference, I opt to use ketcup instead of sugar in this dish, since they both add sweetness to a dish.

Ingredients:
1 iceberg lettuce, sliced
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp dry sherry
1 tsp sugar (I used ketcup instead)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method:
In a small bowl add soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry and ketcup, and set aside. In a med. hot skillet, sauté the garlic in vegetable oil until fragant. Add iceberg lettuce and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add sauce mixture, sauté for another minute, and serve.

Clown Cakes

After a whole day of chasing around little ones and housekeeping, I decided to bake a peanut butter cake, and some Bailey's Irish Cream cupcakes. I started with scary clowns in mind for the Halloween festivities, but somehow couldn't get myself to do scary at 3am! So I made these instead. The chocolate buttercream was melting by the time I took this picture in the warm kitchen, but nothing a refrigerator couldn't fix!

Halloween Party Snacks

Found this recipe on the back of the can of Philsbury's dinner crescent rolls, and made it into this fun snack. It's not the healthiest, but it's cute and tasty!
1 packet jumbo turkey dogs
1 can refrigerated Pillsbury's dinner crescent rolls (8 count)
2 slices of American cheese
cooking spray
Ketcup or mustard
Heat oven at 375 degrees. Cut a slit and insert a thin strip of cheese into each turkey dog. Unroll dough, seal perforations, and cut into thin slices. Wrap turkey dogs with dough like a mummy, leaving a gap at the top for eyes. Spray with cooking oil.
Bake for 12-15 mins. Add eyes to mummy with ketcup or mustard.

Turkey and Dungeness Crab Lettuce Wraps

My family loves lettuce wraps. I grew up having it at chinese restaurants and it was usually morsels of minced quail that were blended with minced water chestnuts, shitake mushrooms, onion and pepper. Now I love scooping it onto a lettuce leaf, and eating it as a crispy, delicious and cool kind of a 'sandwich'. It's fun and messy and I usually served them in the summer with friends. Hubs has been asking for it again lately, so it's for dinner as a starter. This is my version:

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
3 fresh shitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon soy sauce,
1 can of water chestnut, chopped
1 cup dungeness crabmeat
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
12 large butter lettuce leaves

Putting it together:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion and sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add turkey and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up big pieces with back of spoon. Add water chestnut and cook for 2 minutes.
Add hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and soy sauce; heat through.
Stir in toasted pine nuts and crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer turkey mixture to medium bowl. Place lettuce leaves on platter. Serve with a sauce mixture of 1 part soy, 1 part white vinegar, chilli sauce (to your liking), and 1/2 part chinese mustard.

Halloween Cupcakes

Having little ones around is a great excuse for cupcakes, don't you think? I made some cupcakes for their birthdays earlier this year, and it was a blast! Now I'm onto halloween cupcakes, and it'll probably be a new tradition for us. I am going for cute instead of scary, and made several graveyard cupcakes, scarecrow cupcakes, and spider cupcakes. Loved the icing tip no. 233 for the green grass!

A thoughtful gift

My in-laws stayed with us recently and my mother-in-law politely endured my continuous chattering on my new passion for cakes, frostings, and icings. Before she left, she had mentioned that she had an icing tool for me. In the mail today was the Pampered Chef easy accent decorator from her. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I look forward to trying it this weekend. Thanks JG and JG!

Mom's Ayam Pongteh

I was missing mom's version of potatoes and chicken called Ayam Pongteh using tau cheo which had soybeans that had been salted and aged or preserved, and usually available in bottles at the asian market. It is salty, and commonly used to add flavor and taste in some chinese and peranakan cooking. Like miso, a little of it goes a long way. I was also trying to use up the bottle I had in the fridge. Since I couldn't get hold of her (it's after midnight in her time zone), I decided to make this dish by memory. Here's what I came up with using the ingredients I had on-hand:

What I used:
8 chicken drumsticks with skin removed
shallots, minced
garlic, minced
1 Tbsp tau cheo, minced
3 yukon potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1/2" squares
2 Tbsp Dark soy sauce
2 C Water
1 C frozen peas, thawed
Salt and white pepper to taste

What I did:
Heat oil in dutch oven. Brown chicken in two batches. Remove. Add shallots and garlic and saute till fragant. Add teo cheo and saute another 2 minutes. Return chicken to dutch oven, add potatoes, yellow pepper, dark soy sauce and water. Cover and simmer till chicken is cooked, about 30 mins. Add peas and cook another 10 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. Serve with rice and chilli sauce on the side.

Stir-fry Beef (炒牛肉丝)

Instead of grilling the flank steaks like I usually do in the summertime, I decided to make beef stir-fry. I had mise-en-place all the ingredients and had the wok over med-high heat for this dish. Freeze the steak for 20 mins to ensure easy slicing into thin strips. Used 2 lb flank steak, 1 large red pepper, 1 cup bamboo shoots, 1 red onion, minced garlic and fresh basil leaves, sliced. Mix about 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup chicken broth, 1 Tbsp. chili sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 3 Tbs hoisin sauce. Set aside. With a little oil in hot wok, stir fry thinly sliced onions and 2 Tbsp minced garlic till fragrant. Add the thinly sliced flank steak the hot wok. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove. Add julienne bamboo shoots and red peppers to skillet. Cook for another 2 minutes. Return beef to skillet. Stir the sauce till mixed together, and add sauce to the wok. Stir fry for another 3 mins. Fed 8 with lettuce wraps, corn and crab soup, lo-mein and chocolate cake for dessert.

Lo Mein with Wheat Fettuccine(面)

My girlfriend JB had shoulder surgery recently, and had requested I make her lo mein. As I happen to have some wonderful, fresh, Whole Wheat with Flaxseed Fettuccine by the Monterey company in the fridge, I decided to make lo mein with it. Found this recipe awhile ago, and made some changes to it. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablesppon ketcup
1 packet Whole Wheat with Flaxseed Fettuccine
2 tablespoon sesame oil
6 tablespoons oil, divided
2 carrots, cut julienne
2 red bell pepper, julienne
1 bunch broccoli, separated into flowerets
8 leaves Chinese cabbage, cut in crosswise shreds

Method:

Combine soy sauce, corn starch, sherry, oyster sauce and ketcup. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles, stirring to separate. Cook about 2-3 minutes, until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a wok. Add carrots and stir fry 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and stir fry 1-2 minutes longer. Remove.
Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in wok. Add noodles and stir fry until they are heated through. Stir in vegetables.
Add sauce and stir fry to mix well.

Serve with some Vietnamese chili sauce on the side.

Pasta with Pea Pesto

It used to be so easy to feed my kids. When they were younger (just a month ago!), they would eat tofu, mushrooms, peas, cauliflower, and almost anything I give them. Strangely, they have now evolved into the 'no' phase, including 'NO' to vegetables. But, I am determined to get some greens into them, and since I didn't want to resort to bribery (yet), I have found new ways to hide the veggies so that they will eat them. Thus, the pesto. Since they love rice and pasta, I have been making pesto with peas and carrots, and they consumed it with grilled chicken on the side. I first saw this Pea Pesto recipe in Cook's Illustrated and here is ithe recipe:
Using the food processor, chop 2 medium garlic cloves. Then add 2 cups thawed frozen peas with 1 cup fresh basil leavels, 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. With the processor running, drizzle extra-virgin olive oil into the processor until smooth.
I have used it on brown rice and mashed potatoes also.

Coconut Milk Shrimp and Scallops Soup

Tried this recipe from Everyday Dining with Wine by Andrea Immer for dinner tonight. It's a coconut milk base soup and it's very tasty. Andrea's recommendation for wine is the tropical fruit flavors of California and Washington State Savignon Blancs to compliment the coconut and curry favors of this soup.

I added scallops and corn to the following ingredients. Also omitted the potatoes and served it with brown rice. I am sharing this recipe since it's also available on the web...

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, diced

1 celery stalk, sliced

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen

1/2 pound red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or more to taste

Two 141/2-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth

One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

One 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, with their juice

(I used tomatoe sauce instead)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened and just beginning to brown.
2. Add the shrimp, potatoes, and curry powder, stirring to coat the vegetables and shrimp.
3. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and tomatoes, stirring to break up the tomatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with cilantro, if desired, and serves 6.

Falling Snow in October...

It was the first snow of the season today, we were all bundled up infront of the fireplace reading, and were very thankful that we didn't need to be anywhere in particular. So, when the children went down for a nap, I decided that this would be a great baking day. After making myself a cup of hot ginger tea, I started making a banana bread, pumpkin and pecan muffins using mini bundt molds, and a yellow cake with kahula buttercream icing. It was my first attempt at lettering, and I definitely need more practice!

Baked a Chiffon Cake

The holidays are around the corner, and it's time for me to think about the menus and ponder new ways to enhance traditional recipes. There are so many ideas and so little time in between so many tasks. I'm also testing out new recipes that I might add to my repertoire. One of the areas I'm working on is dessert, and my favorite, the cake. Recently, I decided to return to my joy for cakes by signing up for a class in cake decorating. I have always tinkered in the chemistry of turning out a cake from scratch, and have restricted my frosting skills to cupcakes for lack of confidence and time. Four hours into a hands-on class, I discovered the new world of homemade, flavored buttercream and frosting ideas. And the result is this white chocolate chiffon cake with macadamia nuts and mocha kahula buttercream frosting. I think I've found my calling. Maybe I should think of becoming a baker...

Ginger Honey Salmon

Grilled, broiled, baked, steamed, battered and fried, salmon is my choice of fish. And, with the different selections of farm vs wild, Pacific vs Atlantic, and such variaties as Chinook, Coho, Copper River, Sockeye, etc., it's a feast for a salmon lover like me!
Made ginger honey salmon for my in-laws during their short stay with us. Hubs, whose not a salmon fan, even tried a bite with his special meal. It's salmon filets with pin bones removed, glazed with honey, ginger, cilantro, chipotle chillies, garlic, and soy sauce, then broiled till salmon is just opaque. Once it looks flaky, you will have overcooked it. It had a sweet, smoky and spicy taste that everyone enjoyed. Served with brown rice and roasted vegetables on the side. Received this recipe from a friend. Thank you R.

Scrambled Eggs and Bacon Tostada

Scrambled Eggs and Bacon Tostada with Tomato Salsa.

I believe that every savory dish taste better with bacon. With that said, I came across this easy recipe and made it for breakfast for the six of us. It is a different take on breakfast burritos, and we like the crispy base. Pour about 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet and fry 6 fajita-size tortillas one at a time, until pale golden and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool completely. (Made these at 4 am for breakfast at 8am, and it kept nicely in a air-tight container.) Cook bacon and scambled eggs that is spiced with a hint of curry. Spoon eggs, crushed bacon (or leave it as strips) and tomato salsa and serve.

Japanese Beef Stew

Found this Gourmet Magazine recipe on the web, and tried it, with slight variations. The dashi, ginger and soy sauce gave the stew a great aroma and nice color.
Brown in 2 Tbs veggie oil about 1 1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck that had been cut into 1 inch pieces. Add 1 cup dashi mixed with 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sake, 1 Tbs grated ginger, and 1 bunch of sliced scallions. Cover and simmer, skimming froth and turning beef occasionally, for 75 mins, and adding more water if neccessary. Add 2 Tbs suger and simmer 15 mins longer. Add chopped carrots and celery and cook for another 5 mins. Sprinkle with green onions.
We found this large packet of ramen-type noodles at the asian market, and we liked the texture. Made a nice beef noodle stew using the above recipe. It was a very simple recipe, and tasted great. The original recipe called for triming the carrots with a paring knife or using metal molds to cut carrots into plum blossoms the way that Japanese restaurants would do, but since I couldn't find that mold here, I used medium baby carrots instead.

Cherry Cupcakes

My babysitter says she loves my baking:P Since she's in her third year at CU, and stressing out with chemistry, I decided to bake her some moist cherry cupcakes... Used Cherry pie filling with Wholefoods natural yellow cake mix recipe, and baked at 350 degrees for 15 mins. Here's the recipe for Wholefoods natural yellow cake mix from their site. Replaces 1 box (16 to 18-ounces) commercial yellow cake mix
1 cup unbleached organic white flour
1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
11/2 cups organic evaporated cane juice sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup plus 2 TB softened organic salted butter
Ingredient Options: For a vegan version, replace the butter with natural palm oil shortening. Use all whole wheat or all white flour, if desired.
Place white and pastry flour in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar, baking powder and salt. Process until blended. Cut the butter into 4 or 5 chunks and add to the flour mixture. Pulse and process until the butter is completely incorporated. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Use within one month.

Soy Bean Milk

Today, V made me soy bean milk the way her mom taught her. We used a packet of soy beans, rinsed and soaked it overnight. Then blend in food processor before cooking it over the stove for about 5 mins over low heat. Using a cloth sieve, squeeze and extract the milk, then back to the stove again to cook for another 10-15 mins over low heat. Add a teaspoon of vanilla (optional) and sugar to taste. I like it this way because I could adjust the sweetness to suit my taste. It was easy and delicious. All the girls enjoyed it. Xie Xie V!

Working on Healthy...

Lately, I have been trying to consciously alter my selection of meals towards a healthier blend of ingredients ranging from orangically grown to herbal. I also go to this website to check on what fish to select for dinner. Don't get me wrong, I'll always have cravings for fries, and chocolate! (sigh...)
Back to tonight's dinner. I bought some daikon radish to make soup. It is suppose to promote digestion and soothe sore-throat. Also added a turnip and carrots with a skinless chicken split-breast to make this soup. My mom used to make this tasty soup with pork bones and dried squid. But I omitted that and added a little fish sauce for favoring towards the end of cooking. Most asians believe in having a stock-based type of soup regularly with dinner. I just try to do it a couple of times a week in the winter months. Hubs prefers chunky soups, but he had a few sips. The little ones love soup, and they had a bowl each. Served it with tomatoe and garlic shrimp with asparagus, brown rice, and a salad.

Braised Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

My family love chicken breasts for it's convenience and versatility. We like them brined, then grilled, breaded, stir-fried, buttermilk-fried, oven-fried, or stewed with vegetables in soups. For a easy weekday dinner, I brown the chicken breasts in a hot skillet (make sure it sizzles to retain it's juices), deglaze the pan with white wine, cream, mushrooms, and garlic, return chicken to skillet, and add chopped basil, parsley, scallions, s&p.

Served with rice and garlic gai-lan (or kai-lan) 芥兰, which is a green leafy vegetable also called Chinese Kale, or Chinese Broccoli.

A great time with the in-laws

Yesterday, I made my favorite pumpkin cake for my wonderful in-laws to celebrate their return from a cruise to Alaska. Had skipped the ginger cream frosting as we are watching our waistlines before the holidays that are just around the corner. They have recently returned for a short stay before heading to their second home in Arizona for the cold winter months.

We also metup with more family members from Aspen whom we have not visited with for a while. I even learned how to make quinoa from our new favorite American cousin while her adorable children G and C read to, and played with, our little ones . We had a great visit, as usual, and the kids were saying 'Grandma' and 'Grandpa' all the way home. Will be having my in-laws over for a slumber party next weekend, and I know we will have a blast!

Last of the mooncakes 月餅 ...

Well, it's the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the full moon is shining brightly through the kitchen window as my mooncake making comes to a halt. My very first traditional baked mooncakes still have room for improvement, while the mini snowskin mooncakes were the main attraction with the family. Anne, does the mold look familar? Fortunately for my waistline, I ran out of time to make teochew yam mooncakes, so that will have to wait till next year... In the meantime, here's wishing all of you a very happy full moon gazing!

Autumn Colors and Shepherd Pie

Fall. For a little someone I know, it's a sign of hot, long, lazy summer days coming to a bitter-sweet end, and the dreaded days of school exams at the Coors Event Center. For me, it's a new season of must-watch TV, and pumpkin galore and holidays around the corner. I see the signs of fall in my garden when my huge tomatoe plants finally shriveled up while still trying to hold on to a few small buds. They have given me many a good harvest this summer, but sadly they will be heading for the trash, together with all the potted annuals that gave beauty to the front pouch the last 4 months. As I replaced the summer plants with pumpkins and chrysanthemums, I took a moment to capture the wonderful colors of fall in my backyard...

Today, I wanted Shepherd's Pie. It seemed appropriate, after a day of 'fall' cleaning and kid's activities. It's a great, simple one-dish meal for cool nights and filled with wonderful mashed potatoes, left-over lamb, and vegetables. It's also kid-friendly.
As promised, this is for you Anne. I found this recipe on the web from Scott Kleinman at epicurious.com, and had tried it once before. My variation has celery and corn added to his fast and easy recipe. Enjoy!

Tale of 9 Fishies

Was running errands, and trying to find little lanterns for the kids to celebrate this Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a perfect time of year to indulge on mooncakes. I wasn't going to any lengths for this festival in particular, as I just wanted a to snap a few shots of the kiddos holding the lanterns so I could add to the zillion pictures I'll someday put into a scapebook. But that's another story for another time.

So, back to the fishes. You see, for this year's mooncake festival, it's more of a fun escapade for me to make mooncakes from scratch. A little challenge I gave myself, and one that I'm still working on it during my non-existent spare time. While attempting to do Cantonese mooncakes which have a crust made of flour, thick mooncake syrup, lye water, and oil, I recalled one of my childhood favorite, the "G-Zai Bang" in cantonese, which are little fish or piglet cookies that are usually found alongside the mooncakes. These chewy cookies come with or without fillings, and are encased in a basket made of plastic to make them more authentic. These days, they come in a array of wonderful packaging and designs, although the piglet is still a favorite for many. I love munching on them as a kid, and decided that I would make some for my young-ens. So here are the 9 fishies I baked with red bean fillings today. There were no piglet mold in sight. (Alas!) It's a good thing I kept that little fish mold. Right, Bel?

Sick Day

Poor Hubs caught a terrible cold from work, so he's staying in bed today. Made some chilli and cream puffs and he had some before the meds which knocked him out. Don't think he tasted much of anything, but the rest of the family enjoyed it!

Mango Salsa

I love to make mango salsa. This combination of mango, pineapple, red onions, cilantro, parsley, lime juice, fresh jalapeno, s&p, and olive oil creates a wonderful topping on the grilled fish we had for dinner today.

Easy Scones

Made scones for breakfast today. It's not like the british scones I grew up loving, but more similar to the scones found at local coffeeshops, although not as sweet. I had found this recipe on the web, and made variations. Preheat the oven to 425. Grease baking sheet. Mix 1 1/3 c wheat flour, 2 c quick oats, 3/4 c brown sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1 c raisins in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add 1 beaten egg, 1 stick butter (melted), and 2/3 c milk. Using hands, quickly mix the ingredients together till it forms a soft dough. Divide dough to into two. Roll both dough to thickness of 1/2 inch. Score wedges on each dough. Bake for 15 mins. Serve immediately with your favorite jam/jelly and clotted cream (or use mascarpone or whipped cream).

More Mooncake Molds

I just received a package from my dear friend today! Had requested her to buy me these plastic mooncake molds from Singapore. She is a darling to run this special errand for me within a day, and send them immediately. However the local postal carrier took awhile to get the package to me. Nevertheless, I am so excited to receive them. I am going to make more mooncakes before October 6 for the Mooncake Festival this year using these. Thank you Anne! Sending a package of goodies your way!

Grilled Asparagus

I love the nutty taste of grilled veggies, and it's so easy! I had a bunch of asparagus in the fridge, and decided to put them on the grill. They were seasoned with pure olive oil, s&p, minced garlic and placed onto the grill at medium heat. Mmmmmmm! My kids were munching on them.