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Nov 29, 2012

Full House Take 2

I thought this drama was a sequence to Full House so I did begin watching it when the 1st ep was subbed. When I went home over the break my mum was watching this and did was good.

I just watch the 1st ep, the pilot episode, was a success well for me because I'm hook.

LINK:
http://www.viki.com/channels/536-full-house-2

VIKI SUM:
A home holds many precious memories of your family and the loving memories you shared there. Tae Ik lost his parents and their family home at a young age. As he grows into a popular idol star as half of the K-pop duo Take One, Tae Ik dreams of achieving enough success to reclaim his childhood home. When Man Ok, a newly hired stylist, comes between Tae Ik and his singing partner Kang Hwi, the ensuing love triangle complicates matters. Can Tae Ik stay focused on his lifelong goal?

Nov 27, 2012

Sweet Potato Fest Cont...

Sweet Potato Rice Donuts by BK

Her picture is awesome too, but I think an orange inside would be great too.

I would totally make think for my sweet potato day because I still have some uncook ones left but I don't have rice flour. I was so excited when I read the name too. :[

Ingredients
3/4 lb sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
2 cups glutenous rice flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1 1/3 cup hot milk
Oil for frying

For the cinnamon sugar:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Mash sweet potato and add to the flour mixture and rub together until the flours become fine crumbs.
Slowly add hot milk (1/4 cup of milk each time) to the mixture and mix together with a spoon first, then using hand bring the dough together to form a ball shape. The amount of milk depends on the moisture level of your potatoes. It should resemble the bread dough consistency.
Make them into 1" balls with the dough. Set aside and cover with a towel.
Heat oil in a wok or fryer over medium low temperature. Drop a few dough balls and start rolling with a metal utensil to brown them evenly, about 5 minutes. Make sure your oil is not too hot. About 145ºC is ideal temperature.
Transfer the donuts to a plate lined with paper towel to remove extra oil on the surface. Roll them in cinnamon sugar to coat evenly all over. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I remember I posted a orange ball too which I found it also had sweet potato in it but then again I don't have rice flour or palm sugar.

Outsider 鬥魚 1 and 2

I used to love this show, my parents bought the series so I watch it a few times but it has been awhile now. I remember I really like Ady An then but she just started out and so could't find any of her in lead roles but now there is a bunch.

SEASON 1 LINK:
http://sugoideas.com/drama-2004/the-outsiders/

SUGOIDEAS SUM:
Story revolves around three sworn brothers namely Yu Hao, Shan Zi and Yang Xiong Qi. They are delinquents, fighting to gain what they want, though they have never officially joined any triads yet. Their leader Yu Hao falls for Xiao Yan Zi, who is the opposite of everything that the boys are. She is from a family with very good background and has a bright future as a budding pianist. An ambush on Yu Hao by a rival gang brings them together when Yan Zi saves Yu Hao. So the story revolves around how they fall in love and how Yu Hao, in a bid to protect Yan Zi, ends up joining the triads in order to get protection.

SEASON 2 LINK:
http://sugoideas.com/drama-2004/the-outsiders-2/

SUDOIDEAS SUM:
After Dan Zi kills the guy whom Ah Bao sent to rape Yu Yan and gets locked away in prison, as a result of that, everyone’s life changed. In order to not let herself be Yu Hao’s burden any longer, Yu Yan tries diligently to get rid of her delicate and weak image and turns herself into “the big sister”. Even though Yu Hao doesn’t like Yu Yan’s transformation, yet he is unable to stop her. Yu Yan is not willing to let Yu Hao know that she was raped before and for this reason, it is harder to convince him of the reason why she has to change. As a result, misunderstandings and conflicting opinions gradually draws a barrier between them…

Sweet Potato Fest!

I finally have bought some sweet potato. I was craving for them. They were only .39 per pound at Walmart. My mom told me that my father bought like 6 bags of it which fill up 2 boxes.

I only know how to bake it and make the sweet potato sago soup.

I bake it at 400 degree F for at least 2 hours or more depending on the size. When you eat it is should be moist and soft if it's bit solid and dry than you need to bake it longer. As you can see the picture above I press to see it's soft enough.

For the soup the ingredient are sweet potato cut into short strips, (rock) sugar, and sago pearls. My first try of making it wasn't a success but this time I think I nailed it. The potato had the perfect softness.

Direction:
I used 2 large sweet potatoes. Last time I cute them into triangle-like shape and didn't like them so this time it's into strips. Add enough water to cover the potato then add an inch of height more of water. Let the "substance" boil for a few minutes and then add your sugar and sago. The sago might take awhile to be transparent so don't rush which I did the last time. So this time I turn the heat from high to medium and let it sit with the cover for like 30 minute or so. You might want to check on it once in awhile to see if the sago is ready. When the sago is done the potatoes should be the right firmness well it was for me.

Extra Note:
If it's cold out and you want to warm your internal system you can add slices of ginger with the potatoes, I would have, but I thought of it at the last minute.

Overall my sweet potato fest was a success. Everything turn out right, nothing burnt or taste nasty. And the left overs will last for a few meals. I might even get sick of eating sweet potatoes. >.<!

Nov 20, 2012

The Legend of Chinese Zodiac + Hot Pot

This was on my list of wish to see list and I began watching over winter break over hot pot on PPS with my dad ^^.We saw few of the episode. I thought the drama was okay but I didn't continue to finish it after the night.

LINK:
http://www.viki.com/channels/3242-the-legend-of-chinese-zodiac

VIKI SUM:
Xing Hu was an orphan and he was brought up by a tigress. After Shen Nung's revealing, Xing Hu took the emperorship which called "The twelve medical folk". He started to look for the 12 zodiac animals with Shen Nung's apprentice–Xue Lian together and they hoped they could save the world.

Paradise 水月洞天

Season1 LINK:
http://www.viki.com/channels/3716-paradise-1

Season2 LINK:
http://www.viki.com/channels/3718-paradise-2-the-legend-of-magic-mirror

DRAMAWIKI SUM:
Taking place in about 294 A.D., during the Western Jin era, it is the story of three young men, the Tong brothers, who live with their clan and family in a secluded valley protected from the outside world. No one in the valley has left it for five hundred years, ever since the mighty general Long Teng brought them there for protection. Since the dawn of time, members of the clan had used their gifts of divination, spiritual intuition and magic to serve the Emperors, but were betrayed by an ambitious, half-mad relative. Now, the boys venture to the forbidden outside world in search of healing magic for their dying father, discovering mortal danger, friendship, and passionate love. A branch of their own family remains powerful in the martial arts world, and an ancient enemy still lives.

Ru Yi

LINK:
http://www.viki.com/channels/6490-ru-yi
http://sugoideas.com/drama-2012/ruyi

jolecole blogspot SUM:
Madam Tan, the principal wife of a wealthy merchant,feels the intense pressure to bear a male heir for the Tan clan. Otherwise, her status in the Tan household will be severely undermined by a concubine and her son. When she gives birth to a daughter, she orders her personal maid to bring back a baby boy to switch with her daughter and raise as her own. Her biological daughter gets adopted by a impoverished tea farmer and is named Ru Yi. To her dismay, Madam Tan's surrogate son falls in love with this "lowly tea girl," Ru Yi. 

Dream of Red Mansions 2010

When I was in China I watched it even though I did not know what they were saying half the time. And my mother told me that dream of red mansions was a poetic story and that is had a lot if character to get straight and a difficult story to understand. I watched it any but then stop.

LINK:
http://www.viki.com/channels/7240-the-dream-of-red-mansions-2010

VIKI SUM:
Jai Bao Yu is a male heir who grew up in a wealthy feudal clan dominated by women. His love affairs with his cousins Lin Dai Yu and Xue Bao Chai happened in the midst of his family's struggle to remain influential.

Nov 19, 2012

My plain old sweet rice cake soup

This very simple food can be be made in few minutes. I was tight on time. I needed all the minutes I had to finish my final paper, I'm a slow writer.

Ingredients:
rice cake
water
sugar
frozen corn
egg (optional)

Procedure:
Have enough water to cover the rice cake. Let the water boil and then add rice cake let it boil for a while until ready than put in the corn, sugar, stir once in awhile. Then crack the egg into the pot, let it boil longer if you want to the yolk to be cooked but stir carefully to not break the yolk.

Nov 16, 2012

Highs And Lows 雷霆掃毒 HKD

LINK:
http://www.gooddrama.net/hong-kong-drama/highs-and-lows

GOODDRAMA SUM:
As a Senior Inspector of the Narcotics Bureau Operation Unit, HEUNG WING (Miu Kiu Wai) profoundly abhors evil. He and WAI SAI-LOK (Raymond Lam) – Senior Inspector of the Intelligence Unit have closely co-operated with each other as peer mentors, frequently solving drug trafficking cases for the Police Force. During an operation to knock down the targets, SAI-LOK discovers clues that HEUNG WING is most likely the corrupt cop in a collusion conspiracy with drug dealers. Apart from launching a secret investigation into HEUNG WING, SAI-LOK is also alienated from him by the evil-willed Chief Inspector of the Operation Unit – PUN HOK-LAI (Ben Wong). Having undergone various disputes against each other, the long-term brotherly relationship between SAI-LOK and HEUNG WING appears full of contradictions. On the other hand, following an investigation, SAI-LOK falls in love with a snitch – CHAN KA-PIK (Kate Tsui), who suffers from low self-esteem due to her humble beginning. Deliberately denying her affection to SAI-LOK, KA-PIK gives up on him so that his secret admirer – KO HEI-SUEN (Ella Koon), a rookie police officer, can have the chance, leading to a subtle relationship among the three. Feeling life is so dreary, KA-PIK ultimately digs her own grave by becoming a new generation of drug dealer, involved in drug trafficking and provoking the Police Force. With intense sorrow, SAI-LOK then joins forces with HEUNG WING against KA-PIK, waging a chain of bitter battles.

Nov 15, 2012

My Simple Steam Eggs

In my childhood my grandparents and parents would always make this dish. The egg texture would be firm, hot, just full of yumminess. When I make it at home I always have trouble with replicating the texture. Sometimes the texture is loose with filled with water but I found a recipe technique from KimcheeBeyond that helps but there wasn't any liquid based soup after cooked maybe I need to add a bit more water. My parents don't use the aluminum foil technique. I didn't have a wok so I used a pan or a wire thing so I put the bowl directly onto the pan.


Ingredient:
2 eggs, beat
water
salt and granulate chicken bouillon 
oil
soy sauce

Instruction:
In a ceramic bowl beat the eggs. add the rest of the ingredients, by instinct and intuition but the oil and soy sauce are optional, carefully beat agian. Cover the bowl with aluminium foil (optional) and then cover the pan to steam it for 10 or less minutes. Check for readiness by using a spoon or knife to see if egg mixture is fully cook.

add soy sauce if not salty enough like I did (bottom picture)

Steamed Egg Tofu with Minced Meat

ADAPTION RECIPE FROM NOOBCOOK and another one I don't know where I found it.

I combine two recipes into one. Mostly because I didn't have the ingredients and made due of what I have and what I want in it.

The meat mixture I used ground turkey which is what I had in hand. I also added dried black fungus, dried shiitake mushroom, mince carrot maybe, salt, chicken granule bouillon, maybe soy sauce, olive oil, chinese cooking wine, cornflour, and white pepper powder.

For the tofu I only had my favorite one I always buy. So I steamed as it instructed and follow pouring the excess liquid in bowl and heated some oil to pour over it and add some soy sauce.

Self Note:
It seem like the final liquid was enough but it wasn't I should have added more sauce and oil. The tofu tasted great and made me think I should cook more steam tofu dishes drizzled with hot oil and soy sauce.

2 Steamed Tofu with Pork Mince recipes I combine these two:


Ingredients:
75 gm pork mince
15 gm Tianjin preserved vegetable
3 slices silken tofu
a dash vegetable oil, heated in a small saucepan

Marinade Meat:
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornflour
a pinch white pepper

Method:
1. Rinse preserved vegetable and squeeze out excess water. Mix pork mince with marinade and preserved vegetable well. Divide pork into three equal parts and make a small disc with clean hands.
2. Place tofu slices on a plate. Carefully put pork onto tofu. Steam in a wok over high heat for 20 minutes, or until pork is cooked through, colour changed. Discard excess water in the plate if necessary, sprinkle spring onion for garnish. Drizzle with hot oil and soy sauce. Serve hot.

Ingredients:
- 1 tube silken egg tofu 蛋豆腐 (150g)
- 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 15 wolfberries, soaked in water till puffy (about 20 minutes)
- 1/2 stalk spring onion, sliced thinly or cut to wispy strips 

(A) Meat and marinade:
- 50g minced pork (can substitute with chicken) and shrimp (optional)
- 1/2 stalk spring onion, sliced thinly
- a few thin carrot slices (peeled using a vegetable peeler, stacked together and finely chopped)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornflour
- dash of white pepper powder
- 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine 

Directions:
1. Cut egg tofu in half along the “dotted line” (if any), remove packaging and cut to thin and even slices (see detailed step by step photos). Arrange tofu pieces on a steaming plate (with a bit of depth).
2. Mix ingredients in (A) evenly in a small bowl and allow to sit for at least a few minutes.
3. Mould a small amount of the marinaded meat mixture (about 1 tsp or less) into a ball and place on top of tofu slices. Top each meat ball with a wolfberry. Drizzle 1/2 tbsp light soy over the tofu slices.
4. Steam over high heat for about 5 minutes (starting from the time the water in steamer is boiling), or until the meat is cooked (see cooking note 1 below). Before serving, use a spoon to drizzle the soy liquid collected in the plate over the tofu slices. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Nov 14, 2012

Marbled Red Vinasse Eggs 紅糟蛋

Pig Pig's Corner | Marbled Red Vinasse Eggs 紅糟蛋

The picture are so astonishing, spider-web like. In modern Chinese culture if I remember correctly buy or make red-dye eggs to give it as a gift to people who celebrate a child's first birthday and for weddings.

Nov 13, 2012

sweet rice cake with butternut squash


I wanted something sweet with rice cake. I wipe something random and simple. It taste kind of bland, I need to put more sugar in it. I'm not sure if this is a healthy meal or what. At least it doesn't have meat or does egg count?

I cut my finger when I was slicing the butternut.  It wasn't deep or bleeding, like a paper cut that doesn't sting but it did

Ingredients:
silk tofu, cubed
butternut squash, sliced
rice cake
egg
sugar

Directions:
In a pot have water, let it boil. Add the butternut. cook for a while. then add tofu, rice cake, and sugar and let it cook and stir occasionally for the rice cake will stick when the rice cake floats to the top add the egg just crack it into the pot. If you want the yolk well cook then let it cook if not then let it tumble for a sec.

Side note: I think I put too much things in. It didn't taste to my liking. If I had to make this again I would take out the egg, and tofu and add more sugar.

My Morning Misfortune


I had a terrible morning. I woke up and found that my thunder-something ehternet adaptor broke. And I only had it for about 3 months at least my laptop work, just no online access in my room....that thing was expensive too, $30. I wonder if the warranty would replace it.

To cheer myself up I had chocolate cheerios for late breakfast. Then I knock the cup bowl over, it was a good thing it spill in the other direction not towards my precious apple.

I had to clean that spill. It got some some on the vacant mattress, not mine. I hope I clean it good and doesn't smell afterards.

Nov 12, 2012

Pasta with mushroom and okra

I was in the mood for pasta!

For the sauce I just randomly put in what I thought might be good combination and I have to used up some of the okra I had left and I really wanted mushroom in it.

Pasta Sauce Ingredients:
5 pieces okra, sliced
handful of ground meat, I used turkey
veggie stock or water or other stocks
5-7 mushrooms, the white ones, sliced
half an onion, diced
salt and pepper and granulated chicken bouillon for taste
milk 
grated cheese
oil

Directions:
  1. cook pasta as directed
  2. Let the oil heat in pan and put in the meat, used your spatula to separate the meat into pieces, mine were chunky. 
  3. When most of the meat's surface is cooked add onion and okra, stir fry 3-5 minutes, then add mushroom, stir a bit
  4. then add stock and milk to cover the stuff in pan. and then your spices for taste and then let it cook until you think is good
  5. garnish with shredded cheese

When I finished cooking I remember I forgot the tofu!

Nov 11, 2012

Pizza Dip with Pita

LINK:
http://www.phemomenon.com/4-layer-pizza-dip/

Ingredient:
pita bread
6 ounces ricotta cheese
6 ounces finely shredded Italian cheese blend (I used provolone, mozzarella and Parmesan)
3/4 cup pizza or marinara sauce
pepperoni slices to cover the top

Direction: Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread ricotta cheese in an even layer in a baking dish with high sides (for deep dish version it should be no more than 6-inches across approximately).

Pour pizza sauce over ricotta cheese and spread evenly. Layer shredded cheese over pizza sauce. Layer the top with the pepperoni slices. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.

Recipe/Food Blogs

These food blogs I'll be listing are my favorites, frequently visit, and on my Google Reader.

Asian Food Blogs:
http://www.noobcook.com/
http://en.christinesrecipes.com/
http://www.beyondkimchee.com/
http://belachan2.blogspot.com/
http://rasamalaysia.com/
http://www.rotinrice.com/
http://www.tastehongkong.com/
http://www.smokywok.com/
http://belachan2.blogspot.com/

Veggie-tarian Blogs:
http://www.pure2raw.com/

Western/other Blog:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/
http://www.laaloosh.com/
Baking Blogs:
http://joyofbaking.com/

Sweet Butternut Squash Soup

My mom made this and brought it for me. I live on campus. I really love it. I love the texture when biting into the butternut squash.

I tried to remake it. I was really simple and quick. The only thing I didn't have on hand was sago pearls and coconut milk. So I had to make without it. It would have make the soup thicker and more fulfilling. But I will write as if I have it. ^^

you can also add sweet potato, acorn squash, taro, or pumpkin if you don't have butternut or you want a variety of tubers/squash.

Ingredients:
small butternut squash, skin peeled and cut into rectangle prism
rock sugar or regular sugar
water
coconut milk or just plain milk
sago pearl

Procedure:
  1. I only used half of my butternut. It was hard for me to cut in half but I did it and used a peeler to peel it twice around.
  2. you should add water to cover the butternut and a bit more in the pot. Let the water boil. Then turn the on medium heat and let it heat for 5 or 8 minutes with cover on.
  3. Add sago, don't want too much or the soup will be too thick. Let it heat with cover on until the sago it almost transparent. you also want to stir occasionally they wouldn't stick.
  4. Then add coconut milk/ milk, I used 2 Tbsp. then taste for sweetness. Add sugar if not sweet enough. Let the sugar melt and stir gently here and there.

Pita bread Pizza recipe

RECIPE ADAPT FROM NOOB COOK

I'm not much of a pizza eater but my roommate likes making pizza, she used a dough mix that is specifically for pizza crust. I really wanted to try and make pizza too but the dough part seem to much. This recipe looks easy and no dough making. I was so hyped up in making this and dejected when I couldn't find the pita bread at walmart or copps. :(

I made some tweaks to my liking.
List:
(makes 1 pita pizza)
1 pita bread
tomato-base sauce - I would use spaghetti sauce (with onion, Gochujang/hot pepper paste, meat, white pepper powder)
assorted mushrooms, sliced or diced
corn
white sausage, thinly sliced
shrimp, slice in half
shredded mozzarella cheese (any cheese you like/have)

Directions

1. Place a piece of pita bread on a flat oven-safe tray.
2. Spread some tomo sauce evenly over the pita bread using the back of a spoon.
3. Arrange mushrooms, corn, sausage, and shrimp evenly all over the pita bread, followed by a layer of cheese or the other way
4. Bake in preheated oven of 200C (392F) for roughly 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Fish Cake Omelette Recipe


RECIPE FROM NOOB COOK

This looks good and easy to make. Now I only need fish cake...

SERVES: 2-3PREP: 6 minsCOOK: 6 mins
This is a super quick and easy recipe for fish cake omelette you can cook with just a few ingredients and under 15 minutes. Goes well with porridge.

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs beaten
a dash of white pepper powder
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cooking oil
2-3 fish cakes (鱼饼) (about 50g each), diced
1 tbsp chopped spring onions

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine eggs, white pepper and light soy sauce in a small bowl; mix well.
Heat oil in wok and stir fry diced fish cakes for about a minute.
Pour egg mixture over the fish cakes. Gently tilt the wok to ensure the fish cake dices are well coated in the egg. Cook a few minutes on one side until dry and nicely browned, then flip to the other side and do the same. Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Steamed Egg with Minced Pork From NOOB COOK

RECIPE FROM NOOB COOK

Ingredients
(Serves 2-4)

- 150g minced pork
- 1/2 tsp vegetable/olive oil
- 1 carrot (but you’ll be only using some of it)

A) For the egg custard mixture
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup water or stock
- 1/2 tsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp light soy sauce (for seasoning the egg mixture, exclude or use less soy sauce if using stock)

B) Marinade for the minced pork
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp Chinese cooking wine
- a bit of Chinese white pepper
- 1/2 stalk spring onions, finely chopped (use the green upper part)

Directions

1) Using a vegetable peeler, shave some carrot slices, then stack the slices vertically, cut them to thin strips and then chop to smaller pieces to get finely chopped carrots.

2) Preparing the egg custard mixture

i) Break the eggs into the bowl. To minimize bubbles, do not beat the eggs but gently stir the eggs with a pair of chopsticks using a cutting action.
ii) Add the rest of the ingredients from (A) to the eggs mixture. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve.

3) Preparing the minced pork

i) Combine marinade (B) with minced pork and mix well. Leave for at least 10 minutes.
ii) Heat wok with a bit of oil, then stir fry the minced pork till they are no longer pink, breaking them to smaller bits using your spatula. Do not overcook.
iii) Arrange the stir-fried minced pork in a thin layer on a shallow dish. Then pour the stained egg mixture over gently. Top with some chopped carrots prepared in step 1. If you see any bubbles, “flatten” the surface gently with the back of a spoon.

4) Cover the dish with transparent food wrap or aluminum foil.

5) Steam the egg custard over high heat for about 15 mins. To test if the egg mixture is cooked, insert a bamboo stick into the mixture: if a little clear liquid comes out, it is cooked. Serve with warm rice.

Nov 10, 2012

Sweet Potato Glutinous Rice Balls

RECIPE FROM Christine's Recipes

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Yield: 10 to 12

I love her pictures. This looks absolutely yummy and chewy!

Ingredients:
200 g red sweet potato
100 g glutinous rice flour
10 to 12 cubes (each about fingertip sized) palm sugar
sweeten shreded coconut, for coating

Method:
  1. Steam the sweet potato over medium-high heat in a wok, until it's softened. If it’s easily poked through with a chopstick or skewer, it’s cooked through. Cut into two halves. Spoon out the sweet potato flesh and place in a large bowl. Let it cool until warm.
  2. Mix in the glutinous rice flour and knead into a dough. If it’s too dry, add water bit by bit. If it’s too wet, add a bit of glutinous rice flour.
  3. Cut the dough into 10 to 12 equal portions. Wrap a small cube of palm sugar with each dough portion. Knead into a small ball. Repeat this step with the remaining dough.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully place the balls into the pot. (Note: If your pot is not big enough, cook in two batches.) Immediately stir the water, make sure each ball doesn’t stick to the bottom. Cook over medium-high heat, until the balls float onto the surface of water. Reduce heat and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Drain out the balls onto a lightly greased plate. Make sure they are not stacked together.
  5. Roll each ball with desiccated coconut and coat evenly. 
Her Notes:
As every sweet potato contains different amount of water, add some water if the dough is too dry, or vice versa, add some flour if it’s too wet. No matter whether you add water or flour, it has to be added by a small amount at a time.

The leftover glutinous rice balls can be kept in an air-tight container in fridge for up to a few days. When needed, remove from the fridge and place in room temperature for about an hour, the balls would return soft.

To shorten the cooking time of sweet potato: Peel and cut the sweet potato into small cubes before steaming. Smash the flesh with a large spoon, a potato masher or potato ricer.

Sword Art Online

LINK:
http://www.animeseason.com/sword-art-online/

ANIMESEASON SUM:
Trapped and fighting for their very lives in a Virtual Reality MMORPG, Aincrad Online, the story explores the mishaps and adventures of the greatest one handed swordsman of the VR world, Kirito. Together with his friends, the solo swordsman strives to finish the game, which in turn will release all the minds trapped into Aincrad.

Nov 8, 2012

Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

4 cups Friendly Farms 2% Milk
4 tbsp. Baker's Corner Baking Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Baker's Corner Granulated Sugar
6 tbsp. Berryhill Hazelnut Spread
1/2 tsp. Stonemill Essentials Ground Cinnamon
1/2 cup O'Donnells Irish Cream (optional)
Friendly Farms Whipped Dairy Topping
Choceur Milk Chocolate Bar, shaved (optional)

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, combine all the ingredients except the whipped dairy topping and shaved chocolate.
Stir occasionally until sugar and hazelnut spread are dissolved and the mixture is heated through.
Garnish with whipped dairy topping and milk chocolate shavings.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Michelle,
ALDI Test Kitchen

Coffee Truffles


This look easy and simple to do.

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yields: 20 truffles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Friendly Farms Heavy Whipping Cream
5.29 oz. Choceur Dark Chocolate Bar, broken into squares
7.05 oz. Choceur European Chocolate Coffee & Cream Bar, broken into squares
1 cup Southern Grove Chopped Walnuts
1/8 cup O'Donnells Irish Cream (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Reduce heat and add 6 squares of the dark chocolate and all of the coffee and cream chocolate. Stir until melted.
  2. Remove from heat, stir in the walnuts and Irish Cream.
  3. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the chocolate is firm.
  4. Meanwhile, finely grate the remainder of the dark chocolate.
  5. Roll the chocolate mixture into small balls, roll in the grated chocolate. Serve chilled.         


Recipe courtesy of Chef Michelle,
ALDI Test Kitchen

Holiday Cocktail Sausages

This looks good.

LIST:
2 onions
2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 tsp.  Sugar
1 pkg. Cocktail Sausages
1 bottle BBQ Sauce
3 tbsp.Grape Jelly
2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

HOWTO:
Melt butter in saucepan. Cook onions slowly over medium heat about 25-30 minutes stirring often until onions are brown and caramelized. Use care not to let onions burn. Add sugar and cook until well incorporated, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Place onions and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Heat covered on high heat until completely warmed through (about an hour), then reduce heat to low until ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

LINK:
http://aldi.us/us/html/service/2744_16108_ENU_HTML.htm

Simple Spaghetti


This recipe looks simple enough and most of the ingredients I have on hand.

Prep time: 15 min.
Cook time: 15 min.
Total time: 30 min.
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
8 oz. Reggano Spaghetti
1 cup Season's Choice Sweet Peas, divided
1 cup Fit & Active Fat Free Chicken Broth
4 tbsp. Carlini Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
8 oz. edenVale Fresh Mozzarella, small diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
  1. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until just tender, drain and keep hot.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and frozen peas. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  3. Heat broth in a small saucepan.
  4. Put half of the peas into a blender and mix at low speed. Gradually add the chicken broth and olive oil. Process until smooth.
  5. Add the mint, remaining whole peas, mozzarella and sauce to the pasta. Toss well.
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve with a simple tomato salad and garlic bread.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Alyssa,
ALDI Test Kitchen

Flaky Pie Crust - Pots and Pans

Flaky Pie Crust

If you don’t need to prebake your crust simply add your filling after freezing for 20 minutes then bake as desired.
Ingredients

1 1/3 cups All-purpose flour
2 tsp Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Cold unsalted butter cut into small bits
3 tbsp vegetable shortening Cold
1 tsp Cider vinegar
3 1/2-4 tbsp Ice Water
Recipe Details

Directions

  1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and shortening and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork until a loose dough forms. Knead the dough in the bowl 1-2 times so that it comes together then press it into a 4-inch diameter disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch diameter circle. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie pan, then crimp the edges to form a rim. Prick the bottom of the crust a few times with the tines of a fork. Freeze 20 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  4. Line the pie crust with a 12-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans. Place in the center of the oven and bake 15 minutes; remove the foil and beans. Return the crust to the oven and bake until lightly golden but still slightly undercooked, 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.


RECIPE FROM POTS&PAN

Nov 3, 2012

Cao Jun


I couldn't recognize him in lotus lantern. He is all grown up even thought he is older than me ^^. I absolutely loved him in The Magistrate Who's Nine when I was little.

Benny Chan

I used to love the drama Benny Chen act in Gods of Honour 封神榜

Return of Condor Heroes 神雕侠侣

LINK:
http://www.gooddrama.net/chinese-drama/legend-of-the-condor-heroes-2008
http://www.gooddrama.net/chinese-drama/return-of-condor-heroes

GOODDRAMA SUM:
This is a sequel to Legend of Condor Heroes and a prequel of sorts to Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre. The story concerns the adventures of Yang Guo, an orphaned boy in a mid-13th Century China. From his humble beginnings, the street wise Yang Guo gets passed around from one prestigious master to another but none of them will teach him any kung fu. While escaping from a tortured experience under Quan Zhen Sect's Zhao Zhi Jing, he meets Xiao Long Nu, the girl who will become his kung fu master and eventually the love of his life.

The other versions I like the ones below. My parents bought the dvd series when I was young and I used to love watching them.
Legend of the Condor Heroes 1994 HK
Return of the Condor Heroes 1995 HK

Shu Chang

When I first watch one of her drama, I thought she look so pretty.

I have watch a lot of her dramas. My most recent of her was in Gong 2, she was absolutely stunning and wicked acting as Concubine Yun and Mudan.

Gong 2 LINK:
http://sugoideas.com/drama-2012/palace-2/

Dicky Cheung

Here are some drama Dicky acted in that I have watched and loved. He was one of my favorite actor as a child and the drama plot was good too so I would watch it over and over. I could only find one of the dramas in eng sub. I haven't keeping up to date with his dramas if there any recent release anyway I recently saw his in a popular Chinese variety show called Happy Camp. He looked older and bulkier compare to the photo above but still got his charm.

http://www.gooddrama.net/actor/2555_dicky-cheung

The Duke of Mount Deer 2000
The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra
http://www.gooddrama.net/hong-kong-drama/monkey-king
The Handsome Siblings
http://www.gooddrama.net/hong-kong-drama/handsome-siblings
Shi Da Qi Yuan

we fondled ourselves

Nov 2, 2012

Japanese hot cake recipe from scratch

I found this recipe somewhere, and tried it out, and fairly like it. Only difference is that I used plain greek yogurt and didn't have baking powder. Because of no baking powder the pancakes weren't fluffy looking. Also the recipe was in metrics, I had to roughly convert the measurement to the lousy usa measurements.

Ingredient:
1 egg
3 tbs sugar or more if want sweet
pinch of salt
.5 cup (overflowing a bit) milk
2 tbs plain yogurt
1.3 tbs butter
1.2 cup cake flour or make your own: (1cup of flour - 2tbs of flour)+(2tbs of cornflour)
1.5 tsp baking powder
oil for pan

Purpose:
1. sift(mix) together cake flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. set aside.
2. microwave together butter and milk until melted then add in yogurt and mix well.
3. in another bowl, whisk egg and sugar until thick & pale.
4. add milk and egg mixture into flour mixture. briefly fold and cut
through the mixture and do not overmix.
5. heat skillet over low heat. grease and drop a landful of batter onto the skillet, cook until bubbles appear on the surface. flip over and cook for one or two minutes until cooked and golden brown. repeat until all batter has been used up.
6. serve with butter and maple syrup.

How to make giant octopus sausage video

Siesta manga

LINK:
http://www.mangahere.com/manga/siesta/

JanimeS SUM:
The world of Siesta is set in fantasy Europe where there are people called bullet users who were discriminated against badly for reasons unknown to readers as of volume 1. The discrimination has gotten much weaker due to Grande Corp's efforts to wipe out the decades-old pirate faction with the help of Bulletron, a battle suit designed exclusively for bullet users. The story begins as the protagonist Dia Canto tells you a little bit about herself: how she became an orphan, how she met her foster family, and how she is very much in love with her step brother, Loe. However, her affection toward Loe is brutally crushed before it would even bear fruit and she goes out to vent her sadness. This is when she encounters Cid Leon, who she would ultimately be paid to "protect".