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

Oven Baked Fries

Why go out for fries when you can make this simple and healthy one at home?? Give it a try.  Let the oven do most of the work!! 

A Ingredients

Potatoes, russet         3 heads

Olive oil                    2 tablespoon

B Ingredients

Garlic salt                       1 teaspoon

Garlic powder                 1 teaspoon

Smoked paprika              1 teaspoon

Ground black pepper      ½ teaspoon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 450°F/230°C.

2. Clean the potatoes well with a brush, then cut into the size of fries.  Don’t cut too thick or else the baking time will be longer.  Place the fries into a big mixing bowl, drizzle the olive oil onto the fries, toss well. 

3. Measure all B ingredients into a small mixing bowl, reserve one teaspoon of the mix, then sprinkle with rest onto the fries, toss well. 

4. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with Pam or brush the foil with olive oil, pour the prepared fries onto the baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then take the baking sheet out to toss the fries a bit for even baking, place the baking sheet back into the oven for 15 more minutes. 

5. Shook the fries into a big mixing bowl, sprinkle the reserved B ingredients on top, toss well.  Serve Hot.

Servings: 4

Rugelach

This is not an easy cookie to make.  But once you are more experienced, you’ll love how easy it is to make it!!  This cookies has become an all time favorites in my family!!!

A Ingredients

Cream cheese, room temp              8 oz

Butter, room temp                         ½ cup( ½ lb)

Sugar                                             ¼ cup

Kosher salt                                     ¼ teaspoon

Vanilla extract                                 1 teaspoon

All purpose flour                             2 cups

B Ingredients

Sugar                                 1 tablespoon

Brown sugar                      1 tablespoon

Ground cinnamon             ½ teaspoon

Raisins, chopped               ¾ cup

Walnuts, chopped             ¾ cup

Apricot jam                       ½ cup

C Ingredients

Egg                        1 head

Milk                       1 tablespoon           

D Ingredients

Raw sugar                    3 tablespoon

Ground cinnamon        1 teaspoon

Directions:

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until blended, beat in the sugar in batches, then salt and vanilla extract.  Beat the mixture until fluffy.  Then fold in the flour in 3-4 batches.  Do not over mix or the cookies won’t be crispy. 

2. Scoop out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a ball and divide the ball into 4 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a round ball and wrap with plastic wrap.  Chill them in the refrigerator for one hour. 

3. During the hour, measure all B ingredients into a bowl.  Beat C ingredients in another bowl.  Also measure D ingredients into a small bowl for later. 

4. After 1 hour, take out one dough from the refrigerator at a time.  Pat the dough down on a floured surface and roll into a 9 inch round.  Try to touch the dough as little as possible to keep the temperature down or else the dough will be very sticky.  Spread apricot jam onto the rolled out dough, sprinkle with B mixture.  Try to scoop up as much loose sugar from the B mixture and sprinkle onto the dough.  Cut the dough into 12 equal portions like a pie, then roll the cookies up from the rim to the center and form a crescent shape.  Place the cookie onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Repeat steps for the rest.  After all the cookies are made, chill the baking sheet with the cookies for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.  This is a good time to preheat your oven  to 350°F/180°C

5. Brush the each cookie with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the cinnamon raw sugar on top.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes; turn the baking sheet around, bake an additional 3 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool 5 minutes before moving the cookies to a wired rack to cool completely. 

Serving: 4 dozen

San Gabriel Humane Society Artwalk

This is the first year of their Annual Artwalk.  We were so lucky to be invited.  The shelter feels clean and neat.  And we’ve learned that commitment is the number one factor in reducing the number of homeless animals.  So please be sure you can give 14-16 years to a dog and 18-20 years to a cat before you adopt!!!! 

St. Bernard!!!!

Oh...I want one of these....

Julia, Bella, Pat, Lillian, and Stacy

This dog is super cute!! Such a gentle dog!!!

She is quite the little princess!!!! 

Dalia...look at the camera, not my fingers...though they smell like chili cheese fries from the food truck!!!

And the lucky winner is....

I was pretty much soaked at the end of the day!!!

Stacy and guest!!!

Grrrrr................

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Grilled cheese sandwiches is a very economical way of making do with a meal.  But being economical doesn’t mean this can’t be a five stars dish.  Click on the film and see for yourself!!!

Ingredients 

Toast                                    4 slices

Mayonnaise                          1 tablespoon

Dijon mustard                       2 teaspoon

Swiss cheese slices               2 slices

Cheddar cheese, shredded   ¼ cup

Salted butter, chilled            1 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Spread the toast with Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, then place the swiss cheese slices and shredded cheddar in and close the sandwich.  Spread the salted butter onto the surface in blotches with a spreader, then place the buttered side onto a hot skillet, spread butter on the other side, then slowly grill to golden brown, around 2-3 minutes, flip, grill the other side, around 2 minutes.

2. Cut the sandwich in half, serve with sliced Gala Apples and milk, serve hot. 

Servings: 2

Banana Split Sundae

Last Saturday, I swung by Nana’s house and took her to ice cream at Fosselman’s.  We shared a Banana split but I didn’t really have enough.  There it is, home made chocolate fudge sauce and as much ice cream as I want.  Wish Nana were here to share with me!!!  

Ingredients

Vanilla ice cream                8 scoops

Banana                                4 pieces

Whipped Cream                     to taste

Chocolate Sundae Sauce    1 recipe

Peanuts, chopped               ¼ cup

Maraschino cherry               4 pieces

Directions:

1. In the container of choice, scoop a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream. 

2. Peel the skin off the Banana, then cut into long wedges to decorate next to the scoop of ice cream. 

3. Drizzle with Chocolate sauce, then a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle some chopped peanuts onto the very top, then finish with a maraschino cherry on top!!

Servng: 4

Related Recipes: 

Chocolate Fudge Sauce