Deep Fried Pastry wt Roast Chicken

Most of the time I only bake the pastry I make but never deep fried pastry.This is my first time experimenting deep fried pastry I make from scratch..Oh boy!! this deep fried pastry pouch is really flaky and crispy !! I have some leftover roast chicken and take the advantage to make filling from the meat..if you have roast meat leftover,it's best to use as the pastry filling..well,don't worry about oily or fattening or cholesterol if you eat it once in a blue moon..it's worth to try this method:Deep fried pastry!

Ingredients:
Oil Dough(A)
180 gm all purpose flour
120 gm shortening

Water Dough(B)
270 gm all purpose flour
30 gm margarine or butter
1/2 tsp salt
150 ml water

Filling (C)
2-3 cups boneless roasted chicken diced (or any leftover meat)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp thick soy sauce (caramel sauce)
2 tbsp soy sauce or to taste
ground black pepper
4 tbsp corn flour + 2 tbsp cold water ,mix well for thickening
1/2 cup green pea
1 large onion,peeled and diced
2 tbsp oil
2 cups oil for frying
Method:
1:Heat large skillet at medium heat with oil ,add diced onion and diced roasted chicken,fry for 5 minutes add in all seasoning,then corn flour dissolve,Check the seasoning before dish out to a plate ,set aside to cool .
2:Combine ingredients (A) and (B) knead separately until well .
3:Wrap (A) into (B),then roll out and fold in half.Repeat the same procedure twice.Divide dough into small portion ,about 12-15 pieces.
4:Roll out each portion of the dough thin.Then fill 2 tsp filling in the center before wrap and seal the edges tight.Use crimp or folding style to hold the filling from leaking out.Repeat the same method until all pastry are wrapped.
5:Keep the prepared pouch pastry in freezer until hard.Heat fryer with oil at medium heat.Deep fry each wrapped pouch in the hot oil until golden brown.Dish out to paper towel to drain the excess oil..
6:Serve fried pastry warm..

Note:for the pastry to becomes crispier after deep fried,the dough must store in freezer first!!

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Swiss Roll with Chocolate Cream Cheese

I wanted to bake Swiss Roll for the longest but don't have the chance until now.I have bundle of baking books and was looking for soft,spongy and moist Swiss roll but at last I decided to use Fruit Rolled Cake from dailydelicious recipe but alter some ingredients from whipping cream to cheese cream to suit me.Unfortunately I used a much larger cake pan/tray ,that why my cake is too thin doesn't look attractive and pretty!! I promise myself I'm going to try to bake a better one again... soon!!

For the Original recipe and Step by Step ,please refer to simply-fresh-fruit-rolled-cake-simple :
Ingredients:
3 Eggs (separated)
70g Sugar
40g Cake flour
25g Butter (melted)


Filling:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp coco powder
some colorful sprinkle

Method:
1:Preheat the oven to325 F.Line the base of 30X30 cm pan with baking paper.Remember the batter is not much,don't use large pan.
2:Using mixer, beat the egg white with sugar (add the sugar gradually) until stiff peaks form.
3:Pour the egg yolks into the egg white, beat with low speed for 1 minutes.Sift the flour into the bowl and fold to combine.Pour the melted butter into the bowl, and fold lightly to combine, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4:Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
5:While baking the cake, spray the clean table clothes with water.As soon as the cake came out of the oven turn the cake over the clothes, pull the baking paper off.Roll the cake with the clothes, then let the cake cool on the wire rack.
6:Whip the cream cheese with powdered sugar and coco powder until soft peaks formed and well combined.
7:Unfold the cake and spread the cream cheese frosting over the cake, fill with the fruits or sprinkle.Re- roll the cake.Decorated with sprinkle and whipped cream .

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Seafood Paella

Yesterday I was shopping in Asian market at Queens,NYC.I saw live lobster on sale for $4.99 a pound!! The lobster weight about 1.5 lb said the fish seller.I'm excited looking at the live lobster swimming in the tank and ask the seller to pick 2 reasonable size for me. Actually I plan to stir-fry these lobster in ginger and scallion Chinese style but then again hubby loves Paella.Paella is a traditional dish of Spain and it's has gained considerable popularity throughout most of the Spanish-speaking world and among Hispanics in the United States.Furthermore I have a Paella pan("paellera") which I only used once or twice since I bought it few years back.. So I plan to cook Seafood Paella with yellow rice (Arroz Amarillo)instead of regular rice.I accidentally found using per-packed seasoned yellow rice with seasoning taste much better than regular rice..Not much seasoning needed if you use prepacked yellow rice!! Viola!!

Ingredients:
2 packets x 8 oz Goya yellow rice (arroz amarillio)
5-6 threads saffron
1 can tomato sauce,about 400 ml
1 cup water ,plus extra more
3 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
2 tbsp salt or to taste
1 medium size onion,peeled and diced
1 cup green peas,thawed
5-6 cloves fresh garlic,peeled and chopped
4 tbsp cooking oil
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Seafood Ingredients:

2 lobsters,clean and cut
100 gm shelled off clam
10 large shrimp,shelled and deviened
1 large cuttlefish,clean and cut
3 pieces boneless tilapia,thawed and cut
1/2 lb bay scallop
Method:
1:Heat "paellera" or paella pan at medium heat with oil,then add in chopped garlic.Saute garlic till lightly brown,add in diced onion, yellow rice,tomato sauce,water,saffron and chicken bouillon powder,mix well and cover with lid.

2:Let it's simmer or cook at low heat until the side of "paellera" is lightly brown or the rice is almost cooked.(I used 2 stoves in order for the rice to be thoroughly cook evenly coz the "paellera" is quite wide) Stir the rice from time to time,add water or chicken stock if necessary.

3:Add in lobster,shrimp,cuttlefish,fish,bay scallop and clam onto the rice mixture,cover with lid .Increase the heat to medium and let's cook for another 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and seafood cooked. Spread green peas on the rice and seafood mixture,cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

4:Remove "paellera" or Paella from heat and let's it rest for 10 minutes before serve warm.






clean and cut live lobster

thawed clam

tilapia fish,cuttle fish,bay scallop and shrimp

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Grilled Chicken with Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Recently I saw an interesting new show in Travel Channel:Man vs Food . Adam Richman is the host who travel to various places in US to take great challenge with extraordinary food.One of the episode he had fried sweet potato fries with his steak or burger..At first I thought it's french fries but later found that the fries is sweet potato !! Fried Sweet Potato is as good as french fries as a side dish.Well,summer is almost over,so I better make use of the outdoor grill before pack and store..To my surprised this Fried sweet potato fries is really good:crispy and savoury.Here is my simple Grilled Chicken with Fried Sweet Potato Fries...

Ingredients:
6-8 pieces chicken thigh,fats remove and clean
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp Cayenne pepper powder
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp ground black pepper
*marinate above ingredients in Ziploc overnight*
BBQ sauce for brushing


Sweet Potato:
2 roots sweet potato,about 3-4 lb ,peeled and cut stripe
1/2 cup self raising flour
1 cup cooking oil
Method:
1:Preheat grill at high heat.When grill is hot enough,reduce to medium,then place chicken skin on top of the grill.Grill marinated chicken thigh over medium high heat over the hot grill ..Cover with the lid ,make sure the temperature at least 300 F and above.

2:Grill chicken both side for 15 minutes each or until cooked.Brush with some BBQ sauce before remove and set aside.

3:Heat oil in fryer or skillet at medium high heat.Coat cut strip sweet potato with self raising flour,shake the excess flour before place into the hot oil.Fry sweet potato until golden brown,then dish out and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil before serve warm with grilled chicken.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

I run out of ideas cooking chicken dish(western dish) for hubby..He get tired of having steak all the time ,so I must crank up my head think hard what to do with the family package chicken boneless breast I bought..Suddenly I remember I saw somewhere long time ago about Chicken Cordon Bleu.'Cordon Bleu' is a French term, literally translated as 'blue ribbon', that originally referred to an award for culinary excellence given to women cooks. Well,I'm a woman but not qualified for an culinary excellence award yet!!Anyway,here is my simple "Chicken Cordon Bleu" without sauce.

Ingredients:
4 pieces skinless boneless chicken breast,butterfly and pounded
1 lb ham,cold cut
8 pieces Swiss cheese
2 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp salt
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For coating:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 corn flour
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cooking oil
Method:
1:Season pounded chicken with salt and ground black pepper for 1 hour or longer.Combine corn flour, all purpose flour and salt in a flat tray.Beat egg and add in milk in a deep container,set aside.
2:Placed 4 thin slices ham (you can use lesser if the cut is thick) and 2 pieces Swiss cheese in the center of the boneless chicken breast within 1 inch of the edges.Carefully fold the chicken to cover the ham and cheese.
3:Heat skillet at medium low heat with 2-4 tbsp oil.Dip wrapped boneless with egg mixture then coat with flour mixture thoroughly.Slowly place coated chicken into the skillet,cook the chicken till lightly golden brown on each side,about 3-5 minutes.
4:Preheat oven to 375 F.Place cooked boneless chicken in a oven safe baking dish,bake for 30-35 minutes or until juices run clear.
5:Remove chicken from oven,cut and serve warm I also used some cold cut turkey meat with cold cut ham.

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Strawberry-Laced Vanilla Cake

Last year I was given a year subscription of American Cake Decorating magazine as a Christmas gift by SIL and BIL.Mostly all the cake recipe in the magazine used cake flour.I want to try out the recipe but can't find cake flour in any of our regular market.But last week when I was shopping at a new reface Wal-mart I saw cake flour on their baking shelf.I was excited and quickly grab a box of the cake flour.Con-incidentally Sunday was MIL birthday and I took this opportunity to bake a birthday cake for her using cake flour.I adapted the recipe from the cake flour box and adjust the quality and flavour to suit what I had.This cake texture is really soft and moist..Too bad the weather is quite hot and humid,the icing was slightly melted..

Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour

2/3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter.softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp clear vanilla

3 large eggs

1 cup strawberry jam



Strawberry Cream Frosting:

2 cups butter,at room temperature

1 tsp clear vanilla

2 lbs powdered sugar,about 7 1/2 cups

1 cup strawberry jam

some berries for decoration

some pearl sprinkle for decoration



Yield 12-15 serving.

Method:

1:Preheat oven to 350F..Spray 2x 9 inch round cake pans generously with non-stick spray with flour

2:Sift cake flour,baking powder,salt and baking soda in a medium bowl,set aside.

3:Beat softened butter and sugar with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.Beat in flour mixture,milk,vanilla and eggs on medium speed until blended,scraping bowl occasionally.Beat 2 minutes or longer.Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

4:Bake 19 -23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.Cool 10 minutes,remove from pans to wire rack.Then cool completely before icing.

5:Beat room temperature butter and vanilla in mixer bowl in electric mixer until light and fluffy.Gradually add powdered sugar and strawberry jam.Blend until well combined.Place 1/2 cup frosting in a pastry bag fitted with # 2 or #4 tip for pipping.
decorated with blackberries
and blueberries
Level cake layers as necessary.Cut each cake horizontally to make 2 layers by marking the side of cake with toothpicks and cutting with along ,thin serrated knife.

Place 1 layer of side up on serving plate or tray:spread with 1/3 of strawberry jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge.Top with other half of layer,spread with strawberry frosting/icing.Repeat with remaining of layers.

Frost the side and top of the cake.Pipe the remaining frosting top of the cake level and top with your favourite berries and sprinkle.Refrigerate cake to set frosting.Allow cake to stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving

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String Bean with Almond and Butter

My string bean bed is giving me quite alot of string beans..This year is my first year planting string bean from seeds.To my surprised my organic string bean bed is really easy to maintain not to said the beans is super tender and crisp when cooked..I'm harvesting my organic string bean each day ,when they are about 4 to 6 inches long..I keep track do not to let the string bean over matured..then after harvest the beans I keep it in ziploc bag and store in fridge for future cooking..I try this creation and absolute love this easy cooking beans..If you loves string bean or any beans,you might wanna to try this simple and easy recipe..




Ingredients:
1 lb or more string bean,remove the top and bottom by pull the string along,then cut about 2 inch each,washed and drained
5 cloves fresh garlic,peeled and sliced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp whipped cream
2 tsp seasalt
handful of roasted sliced almond,about 1/4 cup
Method:
1:Heat medium large skillet at medium heat,then add in butter and garlic.Use spatula to stir till garlic turn light brown not burn..then add in whipped cream and follow by cut string bean.
2:Toss all ingredients well for 3-5 minutes..Add in salt to taste..if you want a slightly soft string bean,cook longer than 5 minutes..Check the seasoning,then toss in sliced toasted almond together..
3:Dish out and serve warm..

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Fried Wedges Potatoes with Cajun Spices

I bought 2 bags of 5 pound Idaho's potatoes without realized I still have a bag of red potatoes at home..Well ,so what should I do with all this potatoes..Potatoes is relatively inexpensive and it's a staple side dish for many westerner or American. Hubby loves any kinds of potatoes especially french fries and mashed potatoes.So I decided to experiment wedges fried potatoes and the outcome is really beyond my expectation!!

Ingredients:
5-6 medium size potatoes,scrub clean and washed,then cut vertical to 6 pieces each
2 tbsp Cajun spices
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
1 cup self raising flour +1/4 cup rice flour,mix well
1 cup cooking oil
Method:
1:Season the wedge cut potatoes with Cajun spices,sugar and salt for 30 minutes or longer.
2:Heat fryer or pot with oil at medium high heat.Coated seasoning wedge with flour mixture well,shake the excess flour from potatoes.
3:Then slowly place the coated potatoes into the hot oil.Fry the potatoes until lightly golden brown,then dish out on the paper towel.
4:Serve warm with main dish.

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