Italian Bread Crumbs

When I first started learning how to cook, small ingredients like the break crumbs always gave me a headache.  It’s quite expensive and I only need a tiny little bit.  Nowadays I learn to buy bulk at markets so that I will have no leftover ingredients to deal with.  My thanksgiving dinner was a raving success.  I saved money and pantry space!!

Now if your family is anything like mine, you’ll have pieces of bread here and there.  This is a great recipe to get rid of stale bread.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Toasts, stale                  3 slices

Garlic salt                     1 teaspoon

Italian seasoning          ½ teaspoon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 300°F/150°C.

2. Cut the slices of toasts, then put the toasts into a fod processor or blender, pulse until fine. 

3. Add the garlic salt and Italian seasoning into the crumbs, pulse a few more times to mix. 

4. Spread the crumbs evenly onto a baking sheet, bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Let cool completely after baking, the store in air tight containers.

Serving: 1 cup

Thanksgiving Dinner 2012

Some of the dishes only made it till lunch, as you can see, 

we still had a table full of goodies. I miss having my pretty plates, 

they're all still in boxes all over the place!!!

Herb Ginger Brined Turkey

This turkey takes a few days to make. I started defrosting it in the

 frig one week before baking. Two days before it was put in a liquid 

brine and was completely room temp and  herb rubbed before 

going in the oven. This is by far the biggest, most meaty 

turkey I've ever made.  So delicious. 21.15 lbs, 4 hours 

baking time, not bad, eh? 

 

 Coconut Shrimp

with a homemade pina colada dip. This was a huge hit as well.

 Brussels Sprouts Salad

I fell in love with this at Le Grande Orange. This is my

 take on this tasty California fare freshness. ♥

Brussels Sprout Stalks

This is what Brussels Sprout look like.  It's very interesting.

My mom once found a package of Brussels sprouts seeds. 

 She planted them about 1 inch apart thinking it's gonna 

grow into 1 little Brussels Sprouts.  I showed her a google image 

of Brussels Sprout and replanted the seeds much farther apart. 

Well...our hen, Buck Buck dug up the seeds and sprouts

 and ate every single one not long after that.  

 

 Apple Hazelnut Stuffing

This stuffing is a great accompaniment for white meat 

meals. It accentuates the taste. I love the hazelnuts in it!!

Buttery Brussels Sprouts

Ginger, sugar, and lemon made this a recurring dish 

on every thanksgiving, back by popular demand!!! ♥

 

 Almond Green Beans

This recipe is a courtesy of Sondra. My cousin Debbie's 

mother in law. I make this dish for every major meal 

now. It helps digestion. Trust me.

Pecan Crusted Yam Souffle

 I created this dish several years ago and it's the most 

requested dish on my Thanksgiving dinner table. 

 Everyone loves it. 

Turkey Pot Pie

A few dishes went into this delicious pie. 

Butternut Squash Soup, Turkey, Decorating apples. The 

butternut squash soup gave this dish a great looking mouth 

watering natural color. This is a great way to make your 

leftovers, a little less leftover-looking, don't you think?

 Turkey Stuffing Shepard's Pie

Again, a few dishes went into the making of this pie. 
First the apple hazelnut stuffing made a tasty crust, 
then turkey and buttery Brussels sprouts made this 
filling. Last but not least, leftover mashed potato completes 
the top. Drizzled with gravy, made me look forward to 
Thanksgiving Day brunch. Don't you?

Signature Mashed Potato
I've always been a fan of the mashed potato at Cheesecake Factory.  
So I made this similar one at home with red potato.  Everyone
always loves it.  It goes perfectly with many different entrees. 

 Pumpkin Pie
This is my signature pumpkin pie. But tell you a secret, 
this particular one in the picture is made of butternut 
squash instead of pumpkin!! Just this one 
exception. (ran out of pie pumpkins!!!)

These two sheets were the planning worksheets of my 
Thanksgiving meals and shopping list.  It works much better
than having everything in my head. 

Fried Pork Chop
This was the dinner the day before Thanksgiving.  But hey, 
it was worth every calories.  

Pie Pumpkin
I got this cute little pumpkin at Trader Joe's.  It's just the right s
ize for one pumpkin pie, rather than having all the left 
over mashed pumpkins.  But it's petite and cute, 
didn't wanna cut it!!! 

Fried Rice
This dish was planned for dinner but only made it to lunch.  
Everyone's still gotta eat lunch and this way we will be 
able to give each dish more attention.

Sesame Bread Pockets

This is the most popular Chinese breakfast item for hundreds of years.  It’s not that difficult to make.  I love these bread pockets.  I also eat roasted duck with them, too. Delish~

A Ingredients

All-purpose flour                  450 g

Salt                                           ½ teaspoon

Lard                                         15 g

Peanut oil                                 25 g

Hot water (80-100°C; 175-210°F)       225 g

Cold water                           30-50 g

Directions:

1. Measure the all purpose flour and salt into a mixing bowl, add lard and the peanut oil to the flour and break apart the lark into the flour using your fingertips until all the big chunks are broken. 

2. Mix the hot water into the dough, a bit at a time, try to pick up all the loose flour at the bottom of the mixing bowl.  Add enough cold water into the flour to make a dough.

3. Knead until smooth, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temp for 30-40 minutes. 

B Ingredients

Cake flour                  120 g

Peanut oil                     50 g

Lard                             25 g

Directions:

1. Heat the peanut oil and lard in a frying pan until fragrant and lightly smoking. 

2. Add the cake flour into the pan and cook until the raw flour smell is replaced by cooked flour smell and the color is light golden. 

3. Scoop out the filling into a bowl.  Place the bowl in frig until the dough is ready for assembling.

C Ingredients

White sesame, toasted               ¼ cup

Directions:

1. Put the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Sprinkle generously with flour to prevent sticking. 

2. Roll the dough out into a 12x18 inch flat, spread the filling evenly onto the flat, leave a 1 inch edge at the sides empty. 

3. Roll up the dough from the long side into an 18 inch log, sealing the opening by pinching the dough together as the dough roll up, then seal the two ends. 

4. Mark the long dough log with the back of a knife into 12 equal portions.  Snap each portions off with your hand, sealing the opening with your fingers. 

5. Place the dough, sealing-point at the center, on a lightly floured surface, press down with palm, roll out into a long rectangle, smooth side down, fold towards the center like a letter. 

6. Seal side down, turn 90 degree, roll the dough out to a long rectangle, turn the dough over so the smooth side is down, pick up the two short sides, fold towards the center, then fold the dough in half at the center, like a book, this is a book fold. 

7. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.  Seal side down, spray a bit of water onto the top side, then press the water side into the bowl with toasted sesame.  Place the dough on a floured surface, sesame side up.  Roll the dough into a long rectangle about 2x6 inches.  Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, sesame side down.  Repeat for the rest of the dough. 

8. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes, remove the baking sheet, flip the pockets over, bake for an additional 15-17 minutes until puffy and slightly golden. 

Serving: 12

Golden Corn Quiches

 

This is a perfect treat for breakfast, afternoon tea, or just about any other time of the day.  I made some for a before parade snack at home and everyone devoured it in no time. Starbucks French Roast goes perfectly well with it!!!

A Ingredients

Butter, room temp        1/2 cup

Cream cheese               3 oz

All Purpose flour         1 cups

B Ingredients

Milk                        2/3 cup

Whipping cream     2/3 cup

Eggs                           3 heads

Butter                         3 tablespoon

Onion, chopped         ½ head

All-Purpose flour       1 tablespoon

Salt                             1 teaspoon

C Ingredients

Corn kernels                 2 cups

Directions:

1. Mix the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl with a fork until mixed, add the flour in 3 batches, mix with a fork with each addition, until all the flour is absorbed into the dough. 

2. Pour the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface, knead with hands until a dough is formed, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in frig for 1 hour. 

3. Measure all B ingredients into a blender or food processor, beat well, let sit in room temperature before baking. 

4. After one hour, preheat oven to 350°F/180°C, remove the pie dough from the oven and roll into a 10.5 inch circle to fit a 9 inch pie plate.  Pour the corn kernels into the pie, then pour the B mixture into the pie.  Knock the pie plate on a chopping board to remove air bobbles inside. 

5. Bake in the oven. 350°F/180°C for 45 minutes.  Take the quiche out, if the center is still jiggling, then bake an additional 10-13 minutes.  If still not sure, insert a wooden toothpick into center, if it comes out clean, the quiche is ready.  

6. Let cool on a wire rack for 15-30 minutes before slicing.

Servings: 6-8