Bella's Review of Year 2014

This past year was very eventful.  A lot has happened to me and after all that I’ve finally found a piece of myself back.  Can you believe it?

Enjoy the film!!!

Nutter Butter Cookies

I remember we ate so much peanut butter when we first moved to California from Taiwan.  It was super affordable, along with Milk and Orange Juice.  Ahh...good times...

Serving: 25g x 36 cookies

A Ingredients

Unsalted butter.           1/3 cup

Brown sugar.              100 g

White sugar.               100 g

B Ingredients

Eggs.                             1

Vanilla extract.             1/2 tsp

Butter flavoring.           1/2 tsp

Peanut butter.             265 g

C Ingredients

All purpose flour.         215 g

Baking powder.              1/2 tsp

Salt.                              1/2 tsp

Directions:

1. Cream A Ingredients in a stand mixer.

2. Beat in B Ingredients until consistent.

3. Fold in C Ingredients.

4. Using a teaspoon scooper to scoop out cookies around 25g each.  Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets 1in apart.  Using a fork to press the cookie dough down and create a checkerboard pattern.

5. Bake at a 350 degree f oven for 12 minutes until golden brown.

Bubble Waffles

I know it’s been a while but I’m back now.  This is where I belong...

A Ingredients

Egg                              4 pieces

Vanilla custard            ¾ cup

Sugar                       100 g

Buttermilk                 160 cc

Vanilla extract               1 teaspoon

Salt                              ⅛ teaspoon

B Ingredients

Cake flour                 160 g

Sweet rice flour           20 g

Potato starch               20 g

C Ingredients

Beer                        ¼ cup

Coconut oil             40 g

Directions:

1. Measure all A ingredients into a mixing bowl according to recipe order, beat slightly before sifting B ingredients in, mix well but do not over mix.  

2. Add beer to lighten the batter, then beat in the coconut oil.

3. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

4. Seperate the egg waffle molds onto two stove tops to preheat, bruch lightly with vegetable oil, when it’s hot enough, pour around ¾ cup batter onto the bottom mold, rotate to cover the whole area, top with the top mold, invert immediately, rotate slowly to coat.  Keep cooking for about 2 more minute or until the waffles are golden brown or crispy.  

5. Invert the waffles onto a wired rack to cool 1-2 minutes, serve while hot!

Serving: 4-6

Vanilla Custard

A Ingredients

Eggs                          3 pieces

Sugar                       30 g

Milk                         200 cc

Potato starch              1 teaspoon

Cake flour                    1 teaspoon   

B Ingredients

Vanilla paste              ½ teaspoon

Vanilla extract            ½ teaspoon

Butter                         10 g

Directions:

1. Measure all A ingredients into a big glass bowl, heat over a water bath, beat constantly until thicken, around 4-7 minutes or longer, remove from heat.  

2. Mix in B ingredients, let cool slightly and cover with plastic wrap.  Remember to lay the plastic wrap directly on top of the custard.  Refrigerate 2 hours.  

Serving: 1 cup

google03f9d31109ff4141

google03f9d31109ff4141.html

Chocolate Cupcakes Tower

While I was vacationing in beautiful Payson, Arizona for a week during Chinese New Year, my friend, most trusted photographer, Albert, called and told me, "don't freak out, but Nana is in a hospital." What??? So Nana probably had fallen somewhere in the house and cracked the second vertebrate of her spine.  I went to visit her the day I arrived back in Southern California.  When I got to the hospital, a nurse was trying to comfort a crying Nana.  "I am all alone. "  When Nana turned and saw me and my friend Jeremy, her tear soaked face broke into a huge smile and held out her arms for a big hug.  Aww...she might not remember my name all the time, but she knows who I am, well, that and I cook.  I handed her the bouquet and goodies, and sat down to chat with her while she finished her dinner.  Nana accidentally dropped her corn muffin on the floor, and Jeremy magically return with a new corn muffin.  Didn't ask.  Then we wheeled her around the hospital to cheer her up, even bought a packaged M&M from the cafe vending machine.  That was fun.  We stayed until visiting hour was over and promised Nana we'd return the very next day.  Two days later, Nana was released from the hospital and went home happily.  Doctor had prescribed her a new medication that helped her paranoia and memory loss.  She's now able to remember some recent facts and that she had had dinner.  Huge improvement.

So for her birthday, I made her a cupcake tower.  I was given these beautiful three tier cake stands as a gift in Payson, Arizona by Auntie Sunny.  And I thought, why not put them to good use.  So here we are.  The rest of the party is in the video clip!! Don't forget to comment and like!!

Related Posts

Chocolate Cupcakes

Caprese Salad

Bella’s favorite photographer and friend, Albert, loves Caprese salads.  So before filming Lasagna rolls, we stopped at the store and he was drooling over the mozzarella cheese logs.  That gives me the perfect excuse to make a Caprese salad and film it!!

A Ingredients

Mozzarella cheese log, thick slice           1 log

Sweet basil                                               1 bunch

Tomato, thick slice                                  3 heads

B Ingredients

Olive Oil                                          1 tablespoon

Balsamic Vinegar Glaze                  2 tablespoon

Salt and pepper                                   to taste

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated         to taste

)

Directions:

1. Place the A Ingredients in such an order, Tomato, Mozzarella cheese, and sweet basil and place onto pretty platter.  Repeat with remaining A ingredients. 

2. Drizzle and sprinkle with B ingredients.

Servings: 4

Venetian Almond Biscotti

This recipe is super easy to prepare.  I’ve given them out as gifts in boxes or cello bags and these cookies always win over anyone who’s ever tasted them. Makes some great party favors, too.  So don’t wait another minute before you try this.  Make more than one batch cuz these biscotti cookies goes lightening fast!!!

A Ingredients

Unsalted butter          ½ cup (115 g or 1 stick)

Sugar                        175 g

Eggs                             2 heads

Vanilla extract             ½ teaspoon

B Ingredients

All-purpose flour       240 g

Baking powder          1 ½ teaspoon

Salt                                ¼ teaspoon

C Ingredients

Almonds                  110 g (1/2 cup)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.

2. Measure and sift all B ingredients into a bowl.  Toast the almonds in a small dry pan until fragrant and the almond skin looks oily. 

3. Cut the butter into chunks and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.  Then place the butter into a mixing bowl, beat until fluffy, beat in the sugar in 2 batches, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in two batches.

4. On low speed, fold in B ingredients in three batches until no loose powder in the bowl.  Then add the almonds into the batter with a spatula.  Fold by hand to avoid breaking the almonds. 

5. Scoop the batter into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and form two-three long logs.  If the batter is too sticky to handle, put the whole baking sheet into the frig for 15 minutes.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. 

6. Let the cookie blocks cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cookie blocks onto a wired rack to cool completely, around 20 minutes.  Then slice the each cookies blocks into 12 equal portions into long sticks.  Pace the sticks onto the baking sheet again, flat side down, cut sides to the side, bake in the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes, until crispy on all sides. 

7. Let cool on wired rack, store in air-tight container for a couple of weeks. 

Serving: 2 dozen