Stir-fry Spaghetti with Minced Pork

Spaghetti is another good food keeper in my pantry.Most of the time I cook red sauce with meat spaghetti or other western style dish for hubby but today I decided to stir-fry spaghetti with minced pork for myself; Asian style! Here is my simple recipe West Meet East Pasta; Stir-fry Spaghetti with Minced Pork. Ingredients:

1/2 box Spaghetti

1 lb minced pork

3 cloves garlic(minced)

2 eggs

1/4 head cabbage (shredded)

3-4 shitake mushroom( soaked and cut)

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp thick soy sauce

1 tbsp chicken bullion powder

1 tsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp cooking oil(divided)

1 red pepper(for garnish or on side)

1 stalk cilantro for garnishing

Method;

1:Cook spaghetti as per instruction on the box.Drain set aside.Soaked shitake mushroom in warm water for 1 -2 hours or microwave 2 minutes .Cut shitake mushroom to small pieces.

2:Prepared wok or skillet with cooking oil at high heat.Crack in eggs,make scramble egg for 1 minute,removed and set aside.Add in ,oil,minced garlic,fry until fragrant,add in minced pork and shitake mushroom,stir-fry for another 1 minute before add in spaghetti.

3:Add in cabbage,thick soy sauce,oyster sauce,chicken bullion powder ,scramble eggs and ground white pepper .Stir fry ,mix well for another 2 minutes.Adjust the taste and drizzle with sesame oil before removed from heat the heat.Garnish with sliced red pepper and cilantro.Serve warm.

Note:

I find using spaghetti is great to replace regular soft noodles.It's another option for us who can't get soft noodles easily or don't have any Asian market nearby. This meal is easy,simple and cost saving for both my lunch and dinner!

I also submit my entry to Presto Pasta Nights #87 to Cooking Diva who host this week event and created by Once Upon a Feast ,Ruth.If you're interested in joining the event ,hop over to their blog ! See yea!

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Easy Kung Pao Chicken / 宮保雞丁

It's been a long time since I cook Western-style Kung Pao chicken.I bought few packet of premixed "Lee Kum Kee" Kung Pao chicken sauce last year and still sitting in my pantry.In my opinion,a ready premixed sauce is really great and easy to cook Kung Pao chicken rather than to order from Chinese restaurant or make your own sauce from scratch.I excerpt this information from wikipedia to differentiate westernize Kung Pao and traditional Sichuan Kung Pao;The original Sichuan version of Kung Pao chicken, uses chicken as its primary ingredient.The most important component of the dish is handfuls of the Sichuan peppercorns .While Westernized versions, usually called "Kung Pao chicken," commonly consist of diced marinated chicken stir-fried with skinless unsalted roasted peanuts, red bell peppers, sherry or rice wine, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and chili peppers.Here is my easy and simple dish; Kung Pao Chicken.

Ingredients:

2 whole boneless chicken breast ( diced)

2 carrot (peel and diced)

2 pc broccoli stump (peel and diced)

1 cup can water chestnut(diced)

1/2 lb roasted peanut

3-4 cloves garlic (minced)

4 tbsp corn flour(DIVIDED)

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp soy sauce

4-5 dried red pepper

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 pack Lee Kum Kee "Kung Pao chicken sauce"

2 tbsp oil

Method:

1:Marinate diced chicken breast with 2 tbsp corn flour and soy sauce for 5 minutes,set aside.

2:Prepared wok at high heat,add in oil,garlic and dried red pepper ,stir-fry until aromatic,then add in marinated diced chicken.Sauteed for 1 minute,then stir in Kung Pao chicken sauce , corn flour dissolve with water; toss and stir until it thickens into a glaze .

3:Add in sugar,salt ,diced water chestnut,broccoli stump and diced carrot.Stir and mix all the ingredients well for another 2 minutes before remove from heat.Adjust your taste before remove from heat.

3:Sprinkle some roasted peanut on the dish . Serve warm with rice.

Note:

I prefer to sprinkle peanut on top of the dish instead of mixing it's together to prevent the peanut from getting soggy.For me a premixed ready Kung Pao sauce is really easy and simple to cook .All you need to prepared is meat and vegetables

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New York Style Sour Cream Cheesecake

I recalled years ago when I was working in Manhattan NYC,my friend recommended me to Baby Watson Cheesecake.We both like their cheesecake,rich and creamy! It's also know as "Best Cheesecake on Earth"! Now I try to recreate the thick, creamy, silky, and tangy rich but not too dense with a lip smacking thick texture cheesecake but mine is nothing near Baby Watson Cheesecake! Anyway,I baked mine New York Style Sour Cream Cheesecake.Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4 cup(1/2 stick)butter,melted

1 cup sugar

3 pack(8oz each) cream cheese

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 container(16 oz) sour cream

4 eggs

2 tbsp sugar powder for sprinkle / garnishing Method:

1:Preheat oven to 325 F.Combine crumbs,butter and 2 tbsp sugar in pan: press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.I used springform round pan.

2:Place cream cheese,sugar and vanilla extract in mixer bowl,mix until well blended.Then add in sour cream,mix well.Stop and scrape bowl.Add eggs,one at a time,beating just until blended after each addition.Pour over prepared crust.

3:Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set.Cool completely, refrigerate 4 hours or overnight..

4:To serve,used knife to lift removable springform pan surround from the cheesecake.Sprinkle some sieve sugar powder on it as garnish.Store left over cheesecake in refrigerator.

Note:

You can use regular square pan or round pan instead of springform pan.Also you can add chocolate or strawberry instead of plain or regular cheesecake.

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Stir-fry Squid in Black Beans Sauce

Last weekend when I was food shopping in Elmhurst,Queens,I saw frozen squid on sale for $1.69 per pound! I quickly grab 2 per packed frozen squid and throw in my shopping cart.I like to get this type of squid, coz it's save me cleaning time.As we all know cleaning and cutting squid is really a nuisance and time consuming.I also bought a can of dried black beans paste.I like the smell of fermented black beans ,it's really fragrant for me maybe pungent for some people who not use to it. Black beans paste or sauce have become very popular as an ingredient as well as a main dish in Asia or Chinese cooking.Here is my Stir-Fry Squid in Black Beans Sauce... Ingrendients:

1-2 lbs squid (clean and cut)

5 cloves garlic ( minced)

2 tbsp dried black beans (wash and soak in warm water)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 red pepper (clean and sliced)

1 bell pepper (wash and cut)

1 large onion ( wash and cut)

2 tbsp oilMethod:

1:Wash dried black beans with warm water and soaked for 10 minutes,sieved set aside.

2:Prepare ,wash and cut all the vegetables,set aside.Wash and cut squid (to make curly design,cut halfway thru your squid on each cut,repeat each cut at opposite direction until the end.Then cut 2 inch on each piece)

Prepared skillet or wok at high heat with oil,add in garlic and black beans,fry until fragrant.

3:Add in clean squid,fry for 3 minutes until it's curl,add in all the cut vegetables ,sugar and salt.Stir-fry for another 2 minutes,adjust the seasoning to your taste before remove from heat.Serve warm with rice. Dried Black Beans ~a reader email me a question what is the different between fermented dried black beans and GOYA brand black beans in can.Hope this photo will help him to identified the different between both beans.Photo speak thousand word,right?

Note:

You can use ready mixed black beans sauce or paste in bottle or can,to save the extra step or procedure to soaked and add in extra seasoning in your main dish.Ready mixed black beans sauce or paste is widely sold in any Asian market.

I also submit my entry to Med Cooking Alaska who host Weekend Herb Blogging for this week and also thanks to Kalyn who are the created of Weekend Herb Blogging.If you're interested to submit your entry,hop over to her blog now!

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Fresh Tomato and Oregano Sauce with Seafood Linguine

My neighbour gave me a quite alot of their own grown tomatoes.My tomato plants from garden produce some tomatoes but not as much as my neighbour.I crack my head thinking what should I do with all the overripe fresh tomato.Well,I love a special red tomato sauce serve with seafood pasta at a Italian restaurant in Brooklyn where I used to lived but I can't remember the name of this seafood pasta dish .I keep "googling " sort of red sauce name but still no luck! Anyway,I created my own red tomato sauce with fresh tomato and fresh Oregano from my own garden .Here is goes...Fresh Tomato and Oregano with Seafood Linguine . Ingredients For Tomato Sauce:

2 lb Fresh Tomato- (wash,cut and blend)

1 cup Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 sprig fresh Oregano-(remove leaves and wash)

8 clove garlic (sliced)

3 tbsp olive oil

Ingredients:

1 box/pack linguine

I lb clean frozen clam

15 clean and deviened shrimp

Parmesan cheese for sprinkle Fresh Oregano from my garden
Method:

1:Fill a large stockpot with water. Add in salt ,let the water rolling boil,add in pasta ,cook until al dented,sieved set aside or cook accordingly to the box instruction

2:Blend the clean and cut tomato until fine or puree.Prepare stock pot at high heat with olive oil,add in garlic ,fry until brown not burn.Add in blended tomato sauce,reduce heat to medium.Add in salt,sugar ,fresh oregano and Parmesan cheese into the sauce.Let it simmer until boil,then add in shrimp and clam.Cook for 5 minutes.

3:Add pasta into fresh tomato sauce ,mixed well.Sprinkle some pameseran cheese on the top.Serve warm.

Note:

I find homemade fresh tomato sauce is really freshening and mellow compare with ready made pasta sauce.This fresh tomato sauce with fresh oregano was surprisingly tasty, really good.I definitely will make this tomato sauce again. Although it might be soupy for the pasta but I really like the texture and flavour of fresh tomato and oregano.

I also submit my special dish- Fresh Tomato and Oregano with Seafood Linguine to Andreas Recipes for Grow Your Own entry for this month! Home grow Fresh Oregano! See you there!

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Blueberry Cake

I have one punnet of blueberries leftover and decided to bake Blueberries Cake.I know it's not much blueberries,I should use half recipe instead of full cake recipe.Anyway,here is my humble blueberries cake. Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter ,softened,plus extra for greasing

2 punnet blueberries

1 cup sugar

2 eggs,lightly beaten

1 1/4 cup self-rising flour

3 tbsp vanilla

3 tbsp milk

Method:

1:Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.Grease a bread pan or 7 inch round pan and line with parchment paper.

2:Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

3:Add in eggs,one by one ,whisk well,Gently fold in the flour,vanilla and milk.Pour the batter into the prepare pan.

4:Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes,or until the skewer inserted into the center comes our clean.Let it cool slightly.Turn out the cake onto the a cooling rack.Let cool completely before serving.

Note:

This cake is flavored with vanilla and blueberries,creating a rich buttery cake bursting with fruit flavour.You can replaced with other fruit like orange,lemon and berries.

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Fresh Philly Roll Sushi Platter

Almost everyday we heard the stock market all over the world is plunging down and down.Stock prices plunged,investors concern about deteriorating economic conditions.Yesterday our Fed Chairman said in his speech“Stabilization of the financial markets is a critical first step, but even if they stabilize as we hope they will, broader economic recovery will not happen right away,”.Well ,that's news is really grim..Okay let's go back to food topic.Hubby love sushi,usually once a month we will order take out sushi at local Japanese restaurant but not for several months now since the gas price spike $4.00 a gallon.But I still make sushi for him at home.At least the price is cheaper than eating out,right?

I used fresh salmon for Philly Roll instead of smoked salmon.You can find my other sushi and maki recipe and method @Yellowfin-kihada-tuna-sushi and Salmon-nigiri-zushi and Assorted-sushi-and-maki and Assorted-sushi-and-rolls

Fresh Salmon Philly Maki~cucumber,fresh salmon and cream cheese wrapped with sushi rice and nori

I guess I'm so use to make my own sushi by now,it's took me approximately 30 minutes to make a sushi platter.It's cheaper than going out and can be quite fun.But when you make sushi at home you can tailor your own ingredients to your preference and your affordability.

Don't worried about your skill when making sushi at home,it's take hours of practise to master the perfection but who care?.Be adventurous, you should have fun all along the way while still enjoy your own your sushi at home!

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Sauteed Chicken with Sweet Pepper and Onion

It's time of the year for long pepper,bell pepper,sweet pepper,hot pepper and etc.Fall is the best season for harvest- pepper is one of the vegetable which is relatively cheap and abundant .Recently a friend ,Zuriada mail me some sweet red pepper.Love from Penn!! Thank you very much,Zue.I never cook or taste any type of sweet pepper in my kitchen.I find this sweet pepper is really crunchy and sweet! .I like is very much when I cook with Thai's version(fish oil) chicken! Ingredients:

1 whole boneless chicken breast,sliced

2 sweet pepper ,cut square

4-5 clove garlic,minced

1 large onion,cut quarter

2 tbsp fish oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chicken bullion powder

2 tbsp cooking oil Method:

1:Prepare skillet or wok at high heat with oil and garlic.Sauteed garlic until golden brown,add in sliced chicken,stir fry for 5 minutes.

2:Add in sweet pepper ,onion and all the seasoning,stir fry for another 3 minutes,mix well. Adjust the seasoning to your taste before removed from heat.Serve warm with rice.

Note:

Do not overcooked the sweet pepper and onion in order to taste the crunchiness.This dish is easy to cook and prepare,less than 30 minutes I can have my dinner ready!.

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Vegetable Achat (Vegetable Pickles with Peanut Gravy)

Do you know what is Malaysia version of Vegetable pickle?.Well,Vegetable Achat or Vegetable Pickle is various vegetable cook with turmeric powder and spicy herbs with peanut sauce.The last time I had Vegetable Achat ( Spicy Vegetable Pickle with Peanut Gravy) was made by my mom in Kayel aka Kuala Lumpur.Well,she gave me her recipe but I adjust her recipe to suit my taste and convenience.

Ingredients:

1 lb skinless peanut(fried/roasted and pound coarsely)

2 liter water

1 cup vinegar

3 medium cucumber (removed seeds,cut 2 inch each )

2 carrot (peel and cut 2 inch)

2 lb cabbage or 1/4 cut cabbage

2 tbsp spicy sambal belacan HERE

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 tbsp sugar

1-2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp oil

Method:

1:Roast or fried skinless or blanched peanut until golden brown or fragrant.Pound peanut coarsely,set aside.

2:Wash and cut cucumber,carrot and cabbage,set aside.Prepare 3 liter water in large pot with vinegar at high heat.Add in cut vegetable in the pot when the water rolling boil for 2 -3 minutes.Removed vegetables from heat ,sieved ,squeesh water from vegetables,set aside.

3:Prepare skillet with oil at high heat.Add in 2 tbsp spicy sambal,turmeric powder,salt and sugar then add in vegetable and crush peanut.Adjust the seasoning to your likeness.Removed from heat immediately.Serve at room temperature or chill.

Note:

You can use any vegetable like brinjal/eggplant,turnip,jicima or any root vegetables to you preferences.

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Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Today our economy are really in bad shape.Eating out or buying ready made food is really out of question ! Despite of all the financial bad news,we all still have to eat! But eating our favourite food at budget price or from our homemade still taste much better,right?.Hubby love cheesecake but I rarely bake cheesecake for him.I know a sliced of cheesecake in NY cost about $3.00 or higher! Well, usually I buy cream cheese at sale price for $1.00 each to store in fridge in case I want to bake.The fact is,to make our own cheesecake is really easy ,simple,tastier and cheaper!Ingredients:

2 pack (8oz each) cream cheese(softened)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 square semi-sweet chocolate,melted,slightly cooled

1 ready to use graham cracker pie crust 9 inch or 6 oz Method:

1:Preheat oven at 350 F.Beat cream cheese,sugar and vanilla with medium speed until well blended.Add in eggs ,I at a time,mixing at low speed after each addition just until blended.

2:Stir melted chocolate into 3/4 cup of the cream cheese batter.

3:Pour remaining cream cheese batter into crust.Spoon chocolate batter over cream cheese batter,cut through batter with knife several time for marble effect.

4:Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until center is almost set.Cool down or refrigerate 3 hours or overnight before cut and serve.
Yield for 8 pieces

Note:

The cost of this cheesecake is less than $5.00! Isn't great we can save some $$$ for each little item and we still can enjoy the yummy-delicious cheesecake that we crave at this critical time?

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Braised Chicken Wing with Ginger and Garlic

Northeast weather is getting cooler and cooler especially at night. We Chinese believed ginger root is good to consume during winter time or during confinement (gave birth to child) to warm up our body.The Chinese have two basic classifications of food, cooling and heating. Too much cooling food such as leafy vegetables and melons is believed to produce wind, muscle cramps and rheumatism.oh! I ate pound and pound of ginger root cooked with different type of dish during my confinement(luckily my mom was here to cook for me),but I don't mind coz I love the ginger flavor ! Now days I like to add ginger root to my cooking to infuse the extraordinary fragrance.To know more about ginger ,look here. I love this special dish- Braised Chicken Wing with ginger and garlic that have savoury tangy sweet taste and little spiciness which I added to this dish. Ingredients:

10 chicken wing(cut to 3 pieces )

6 cloves fresh garlic(sliced)

3 inch old ginger root( peel and sliced)

5-6 dried red hot pepper

5 tbsp cooking wine

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp thick soy sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oil Method:

1:Wash and cut chicken wing to 3 pieces,cut at the joint.Set aside.Wash,peel ,slice garlic and ginger root.

2:Prepare skillet or wok at high heat with oil.Add in ginger and garlic,fry until fragrant or golden brown,add in red hot pepper and cut chicken wing.Then add in cooking wine,soy sauce,thick soy sauce,salt and sugar.Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes at medium heat.Cover with lid for quick and easy cooking while it braise.

3:Stir the wings few time to prevent the gravy from drying out .If you want extra gravy,add in 1/4 cup water.Adjust the seasoning to your taste before serve.Serve warm with rice.

Note:I submit my dish entry "Ginger"to Weekend Herb Blogging created by Kalyn and host by The Well Seasoned Cook for this week WHB!.If you would like to participate ,check out their site ! see yea!

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Hibachi Shrimp Zucchini

I love hibachi style cooking(show by the chef) , the food taste ,fragrant buttery flavor aroma and ambiance at the hibachi table(sharing table with strangers). Unfortunately eating out at Japanese Hibachi restaurant is quite pricey now especially with the dilemma of our currant economy .Last week I bought 6 zucchini on sale in a bag for $1.00 only.Actually I never cook any zucchini or hibachi style at home , this is my first time!!.Well,I should ask for the authentic hibachi recipe from my friends who are hibachi chef..maybe next time...Anyway,here is mine recipe...
Ingredients:

3 zucchini (peel and cut )

10 large shrimp (clean and deviened)

1 carrot(peel and sliced)

5-6 garlic(peel and minced)

4 tbsp butter(soften)

2 tbsp heavy cream

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp white pepper

2 tbsp soy sauce

Method:

1:Peel,wash and cut all the vegetable,set aside.Mixed minced garlic with butter and heavy cream ,store at freezer in advance.

2:Prepare skillet or wok(I don't have flat iron pan) at high heat.Add in butter mixture and let it sizzle ,be careful don't let it's burn.Add in shrimp ,stir fry for 2 minutes before add in carrot and zucchini.

3:Sauteed for 2 minutes,add in soy sauce,white pepper powder and salt.Let the vegetable simmer for another 3-5 minutes.Adjust the seasoning to your taste before remove from heat.Serve warm with hibachi fried rice or hibachi fried noodles.

Note:

The main key or secret to cook hibachi is the butter mixture.You can use bean sprout,onion ,broccoli and other green for the vegetables.

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Halloween Rich Carrot and Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Halloween is around the corner.As we know all children including Mishu love Halloween -Trick and Treating.I love Halloween because I can bake and bake whole month long until Christmas.Well,I have overripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter and I also have bunch of carrot tips turn black sitting in my fridge.What should I do with both of this fruit and vegetable?.Well,maybe I should bake something from this ,right? Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp plain yogurt

4 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup cashew nut-chopped

8 oz carrot -grated

1 banana-peeled and mashed

2 cup all purpose flour(sieved)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp baking soda

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tbsp salt

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese(soften)

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 1/2 lb confectioners' sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp water/milk

1 tbsp meringue powder
Method:

1:Preheat the oven to350F/180C.Prepare cupcake liner over muffin pan.Beat butter,sugar,eggs ,yogurt and vanilla extract together in a bowl until pale or well .Beat in carrot,cashew nut and banana.

2:Sift in flour ,salt,baking powder,baking soda and cinnamon powder together and gradually beat into the batter.Pour into the the prepared cupcake liner.Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until firm and a fine skewer inserted into the center comes our clean.

3:Removed the cupcakes from muffin pan,and let's cool down completely on cooking rack before frosting.How to make frosting:

1:In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and water or milk; beat well. Gradually add sugar,one cup at a time beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, if icing is dry, add additional water or milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

2:Used any Star tip with pipping to decorate the icing.Then top with some Halloween sprinkle.

Yield 15 medium size cup cakes.

Note :

I adapted this recipe from "The Home Baker-Rich Carrot Cake" but changed few ingredients to suit my taste and product availability at home.For eg: walnut to cashew nut,sunflower oil to butter,omit lemon juice and lemon zest,omit oatmeal,omit extra egg yolk and reduced sugar in the cakes.I like my cupcakes version better,it's soft,moist and not too sweet carrot cupcakes!

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