chocolate bombs

chocolate bomb ingredients (for 1 bomb):
- dark chocolate chips

- 1 tbsp cocoa powder

- 1 tbsp icing sugar

- 5 - 6 mini marshmallow

- 1/2 tsp salted caramel chips, optional

- some sprinkle, optional

matcha white chocolate bomb ingredients (for 1 bomb):

- white chocolate chips

- 1 tbsp matcha powder

- 1 tbsp icing sugar

- 5 - 6 mini marshmallow

- some sprinkle, optional

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chocolate bomb ingredients (for 1 bomb):
- dark chocolate chips

- 1 tbsp cocoa powder

- 1 tbsp icing sugar

- 5 - 6 mini marshmallow

- 1/2 tsp salted caramel chips, optional

- some sprinkle, optional

1. Melt the dark chocolate chips until all melt, but do not over 90F (32C).

2. Paint the chocolate to 2 X half circle chocolates mold.

3. Store in the refrigerator for 15 mins or until chocolate turns to solid again.

4. Remove the chocolate from the mold, add the cocoa powder, icing sugar, marshmallow, salted caramel chips (optional) and sprinkle (optional) in 1 X half circle chocolates.

5. Use coffee warmer to melt the side of 2nd half circle chocolates, close the chocolate as a chocolate ball.

6. Store at room temperature.

7. When serve, warm a cup of milk at microwave.  Add 1 chocolate bomb in the warm milk and stir to melt it all.

matcha white chocolate bomb ingredients (for 1 bomb):

- white chocolate chips

- 1 tbsp matcha powder

- 1 tbsp icing sugar

- 5 - 6 mini marshmallow

- some sprinkle, optional

1. Melt the white chocolate chips until all melt, but do not over 84F (29C).

2. Paint the chocolate to 2 X half circle chocolates mold.

3. Store in the refrigerator for 15 mins or until chocolate turns to solid again.

4. Remove the chocolate from the mold, add the matcha powder, icing sugar, marshmallow and sprinkle (optional) in 1 X half circle chocolates.

5. Use coffee warmer to melt the side of 2nd half circle chocolates, close the chocolate as a chocolate ball.

6. Store at room temperature.

7. When serve, warm a cup of milk at microwave.  Add 1 chocolate bomb in the warm milk and stir to melt it all.

Pack the chocolate bombs in clear Christmas Ornaments and use ribbons and bells to decorate.

croissants

ingredients:

- 1 pack Pilsbury Ready to Bake Crescents - Reduced Fat Dough for 8

- chocolate chips, jam, or curry butter, optional

1. Preheat the air fryer @ 360F for 5 mins.

2. Open the pack of Pilsburry Crescents, follow the instruction and cut it to 8 pieces.

3. Add chocolate chips, jam or curry butter on the dough or leave it plain, then roll them up as croissant shape.

4. Place the croissants in the air fryer, bake @ 360F for 8 mins.  Ready to eat.

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air fryer fish paste bell peppers

ingredients:

- 4 - 6 mini color bell peppers

- 1 box 4 oz fish paste

- 1 egg

- 1 - 2 tbsp corn starch

- 1 tbsp maggi

- 1 tbsp cooking wine

- 1 tbsp sugar

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- 4 - 6 mini color bell peppers

- 1 box 4 oz fish paste

- 1 egg

- 1 - 2 tbsp corn starch

1. Clean the color bell peppers, cut in half and remove the seeds.

2. Use a bigger bowl, stir the fish paste and egg together, and keep stir it until it's turn thick and sticky.

3. Sift some corn starch inside the peppers to help it stick with the fish paste.

4. Add the fish paste inside each half peppers.

5. Preheat the air fryer @ 360F for 5 mins.

6. Place the fish paste bell peppers in the air fryer with bell pepper facing down.  Cook for 20 mins.

- 1 tbsp maggi

- 1 tbsp cooking wine

- 1 tbsp sugar

7. Cook maggi, cooking wine, and sugar with medium heat, until it boil.  Remove from heat wait to serve.

8. When fish paste bell peppers are ready, dip the sauce and enjoy!!

mashed potatoes

ingredients:

- 2 - 4 potatoes, peel and cut into large cube

- 2 - 4 garlic cloves

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup or more whipping cream, or mixed of butter and milk

- black pepper for seasoning

1. Put the potatoes, garlic and salt in a pot.  Add water until cover everything 1" more.

2. Use high heat and bring it boil.  Reduce to medium low and cook for 20 mins. or until it's easy to poke with a chopstick.

3. Drain the potatoes and garlic to a sieve.

4. Use the same pot, add whipping cream, and lower heat it for 5 mins.  Remove from the heat, add potatoes and mash it with potatoes masher, until smooth.  Add black pepper to season.  Add more salt if need.

note:

i just used gravy mix and follow the instruction to make the gravy for mashed potatoes.

red beans paste whipped cream

ingredients:

- 1/4 cup red beans

- 2 cups water

- 1 - 2 tbsp suger

- 2 cups whipping cream

1. Soak red beans into water for overnight.

2. Rinse the red beans.  Use pressure cooker cook the red bean with water for 25 mins.  Auto release.

3. Use saute mode, add sugar and keep stirring until the red bean turn to fine paste.  Add more water if need.

4. Set it aside until the paste cool down, store in refrigerator.

5. Once the paste is as cold as whipping cream, whisk the whipping cream until soft peak.

6. Add 1 to 2 tbsp red bean paste, keep whisk it.  Add more red bean paste if needs.  If not sweet enough, can add icing sugar too.

7. Ready to use.

note:

Red bean and matcha are perfect match.  So i used the red bean cream as a layer for the birthday cake, and matcha cream on the outside of the cake.

matcha and red beans cake

Taiwanese beef noodle

ingredients: 

- 3 pounds beef shank or brisket, cut into 2-inch chunks

- 2 piece of ginger, minced

- 6 cloves garlic, minced

- 3 scallions, sliced

- 1 onion, sliced

- tomato, cut into wedges

- 1 tablespoon tomato paste 

- 2 tablespoons red yeast rice paste

- 2 teaspoons sugar 

- 1/2 cup maggi or soy sauce 

- 1/2 cup cooking wine

- 6 - 8 cups water, for the broth

- 4 star anise

- 1 Chinese cinnamon stick

- 3 bay leaves

- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds

- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

- 2 tablespoons peppercorns

- 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder

- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

- 4 bundles of knife-cut noodle

- 2 -4 bok choy for each serving

- cilantro, finely chopped, optional

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- 3 pounds beef shank or brisket, cut into 2-inch

1. Boil enough water in a pot to boil all of your beef. Once the water is boiling, add the beef. 

2. Until the water boiling again, then boil 1 more min.  Rinse it in cold water. Set aside.

- 2 piece of ginger, minced

- 6 cloves garlic, minced

- 3 scallions, sliced

- 1 onion, sliced

- tomato, cut into wedges

- 1 tablespoon tomato paste 

- 2 tablespoons red yeast rice paste

- 2 teaspoons sugar 

- 1/2 cup maggi or soy sauce 

- 1/2 cup cooking wine

- 6 - 8 cups water, for the broth

3. Use the pressure cooker, add oil, saute ginger, garlic, scallions, and onions. Cook until light caramelize. 

4. Add tomatoes. Stir.

5. Add beef, tomato paste, red yeast rice paste, sugar, soy sauce, and wine, stir. 

6. Add 6 - 8 cups of water. 

- 4 star anise

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 3 bay leaves

- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds

- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

- 2 tablespoons peppercorns

- 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder

- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

7. Add star anise, cinnamon stick bay leaves, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, five spice powder, black pepper in broth container.  Add in the broth.  Make sure the water line does not reach the max mark.

8. Use pressure cook for 30 mins.  Wait until Auto release.

- 4 bundles of knife-cut noodle

- 2 -4 bok choy for each serving

- cilantro, finely chopped, optional

9. Boil water to cook noodles and and bok choy on stove top.

10. Remove the water from the noodles and bok choy.  Separate into 4 bowls.

11. Spoon broth into bowls, add beef on top.  And add cilantro, optional, to finish.

milk pudding

milk pudding kitties for decoration

ingredients:

- 1 cup milk

- 1 pack of 4 g agar powder

- 2 -3 tsp sugar

- chocolate mold

- black sesame

1. Soak agar powder into milk for 15 mins.

2. Boil the agar milk until all the agar dissolve.

3. Add sugar and stir until dissolve.

4. Pour the agar milk to chocolate mold.

5. Store in refrigerator until it solid.

6. Remove from the mold and decorate the eyes with black sesame.

note: i tried to use the food coloring.  But it won't work.  The color will blend out.

strawberries hotteok

hotteok dough ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup rice flour

- 2 tsp yeast

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp oil

- around 175 ml water

cream cheese filling ingredients:

- 125 g mascarpone cream

- 3 tsp sugar

- 1 lemon zest

strawberry sauce ingredients for dipping:

- 8 - 10 strawberries

- 3 tsp sugar

- 1 tbsp water

- 3 tbsp yogurt milk

strawberries for filling ingredients:

- 12 strawberries

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hotteok dough ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup rice flour

- 2 tsp yeast

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp oil

- water

1. Mix hotteok dough ingredients together, add water until it turn to wet dough.  Cover the dough and place at the warm place stand for 1 hr or double size.

cream cheese filling ingredients:

- 125 g mascarpone cream

- 3 tsp sugar

- 1 lemon zest

2. Whip cream cheese filling ingredients together until it soft and light.

3. Put the cream cheese in a zipper bag. Keep it in refrigerator.

strawberry sauce ingredients for dipping:

- 8 - 10 strawberries

- 3 tsp sugar

- 1 tbsp water

- 3 tbsp yogurt milk or whipping cream

4. Cook the strawberries, sugar and water together, until the water turn to syrup texture. (Keep boiling until see the bubbles look like lava.)

5. Add yogurt milk and stir it.  Cook for 1 min.  Remove from the heat.

6. Once it cool down, keep in refrigerator.

strawberries for filling ingredients:

- 12 strawberries

7. Cut the strawberries in half, spoon a little strawberry from the centre on both side.  (Make a little room in the centre of the strawberries for cream cheese.)

8. When the hotteok dough is ready, pipe the cream cheese in the centre of the strawberries (like sandwich).  

9. Layer some rice flour on the counter.  Separate the hotteok dough to 12 pieces.

10. Flatten the dough, and wrap a filled strawberry inside the dough.

11. Pan fry the dough until golden each side.

12. Dip the strawberry sauce when eat the strawberries hotteok.  Also can add more cream cheese to eat together.

note:

1. Serve immediately at warm temperature.  The bread will turn hard and dry when cold.

2. The dough must make it as thin as dumpling.  Otherwise it will too bland.

ref: Korean variety show 2025,  愛德華李鄉村料理

mixed vegetables in chicken with macaroni

ingredients:

- 1 whole chicken

- mixed chopped vegetables: carrot, celery, onion, chinese green onion, tomato, garlic, shallot, etc.

- 1 lemon

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 cup chicken broth

- a handful of macaroni

- salt and pepper to season

1. Zest just the yellow part of lemon skin.  Add olive oil, some salt and pepper together.

2. Season the whole chicken with the citrus oil.  Set aside at least 30 mins.

3. Chop all the vegetable into cube size.  Set aside.

4. Preheat the cast iron pan on stovetop.

5. Cook the chicken breast first until golden brown.

6. Flip the chicken to another side and cook until golden brown.

7. Add the vegetable and cook a while, add chicken broth.

8. Close the lid and turn the heat to medium-low.  Cook for 30 mins or until inside temperature reach 165F.

9. Add the macaroni into the broth, cook 7 mins more.  Ready to eat.

ref: Korean variety show 2025,  愛德華李鄉村料理

mint oreo mousse

ingredients: (makes 6 mini cups)

- 6 oreos

- 200 ml of whipping cream

- a few drops of peppermint essence

- 3 oreos

- spring of mint

1. Place 6 oreos into a container that can fit them and cover them completely with the whipping cream.  Cover it with plastic wrap or lid.  Store in fridge for 3 hours or more.

2. After 3 hours or more, add peppermint essence to the whipping cream with oreos.  Use a electric mixer to whip the ingredients into a thick mousse.

3.  Take another 3 oreos and put them into a zip lock bag.  Crush the oreos with a rolling pin until it looks like dirt (keep the white filling in the oreo it makes the fake dirt look moist).

4. Put the oreo mousse into a zip lock bag and cut a tip of the ziplock bag, squeeze oreo mousse into the planting pot shape cups.

5. Add the fake dirt on top of each oreo mousse until you have completely covered the mousse.

6. Lastly add the spring of mint at the top of each oreo mousse, make it looks like a plant.

ref: Crazy Sweet Creations, Ann Reardon, Mango Publishing Group

chessy mini donuts

ingredients:

- 1 egg

- 1/8 cup whipping cream or milk

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/8 tsp onion powder

- 1/8 tsp garlic powder

- 1 tbsp sugar, optional

- 1/8 tsp baking soda, optional

- 1/8 tsp baking powder, optional

- 1/4 tsp mustard powder, optional

- 1/4 cup self-rising flour or more

- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

- 1/8 tsp chilly pepper, optional

- tints of  pepper

1. Mix egg, whipping cream, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar baking soda, baking powder and mustard powder together.

2. Add self-rising flour until thick batter.  Add a little more if the batter is too watery.  Add more whipping cream if the batter is too thick.

3.  Preheat the mini-donuts maker.

4. Add cheese and chilly pepper in the batter, add more if need.

5. When the mini donuts maker is ready, pour the batter in the pan and cook it for 4 mins.

6. Ready to eat.

honey preserved kumquats

ingredients: 

- 600 g kumquats

- 1 cup water

- 1 tsp salt

- 200 g rock sugar (冰糖)

- 100 g maltose (麥芽糖)

1. Boil some water in a pan for later use.

2. Remove the stem and rinse the kumquats.

3. Use toothpicks to poke some holes all around each kumquat.

4. Boil the kumquats for 3 mins.  Bring it out and set aside.

5. At the other bowl, melt all the sugar in the water.

6. Add kumquat in the sugar water, keep boiling it until the kumquats skin turn to a bit transparent.

7. Store in a clean container.  Until it cool down, store in refrigerator for 3 days. Ready to eat.

8. Can use it to make kumquats tea or eat it right directly or serve it with yogurt.

note: it can keep it many years.

ref:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBs9J0bOM38&t=1286s