Baked Rigatoni

You will need...
  • 1 box (1 lb.) Rigatoni
  • 1 lb. Italian Sausage
  • 1 yellow onion, minced
  • 1 small box of fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 jar Prego chunky garden Italian Sauce (24 oz.)
  • 1 small can Diced Tomato
  • 1 small can Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup sugar (add more sugar if you like it sweeter)
  • 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  • Salt and ground black pepper to your taste
  • 1 bag (16 oz.) shredded cheese, Italian mix
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
Make it...
  1. Cook Rigatoni in a large pot as the cooking direction on the box. Remove from the heat when it is 80% cooked and drain the water. Pour in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Don't raise with cold water.
  2. In another big pot, cook yellow onion and sausage with 1 Tbsp. cooking oil on high heat. Add mushrooms after sausage is fully cooked. Then add Italian sauce, diced tomato, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, salt and pepper together, bring to boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Pour the meat sauce over the cooked Rigatoni and mix together. Sprinkle shredded Italian cheese mix over pasta, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F, for 20-30 minutes until the cheeses are melted.

Cheesy Roast Beef Egg Rolls

You will need...
  • 1 package of Black Pepper Roast Beef for sandwich, sliced to stripes (about 8 oz.)
  • 1 Package of shredded sharp cheese
  • 1 pkg. Spring roll wrappers (about 25 pcs.)
  • 1 egg york
  • Cooking oil for deep fry
Make it...
  1. Place about 2 Tbsp. beef strips and 1 Tbsp. shredded sharp cheese along one corner of spring roll wrapper. Shape into about 2-inch stick. Roll tightly, folding in wrapper ends while rolling. Brush edges lightly with egg york to seal the egg roll closed. Repeat with remaining filling.
  2. Heat the oil in a deep fry pan on high until hot, then turn down to medium. Fry in deep hot oil until golden brown.
  3. Serve with sweet and sour sauce that can be bought from grocery stores, or dip in melted cheese.

Pork and Beef Lumpia/Egg Rolls

You will need...

Filling ingredients:
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 4 green onions, minced
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
 Also need...
  • 2 packages of spring roll wrappers (25 pcs per pkg.), at room temperature
  • 1 egg york (for seal the edge when wrapping)
  • Cooking Oil for fry
Make it...
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix all above filling ingredients with a fork or chopstick until well mixed.
  2. Spoon about 1½-2 tablespoons meat mixture to place along one corner of spring roll wrapper. Shape into about 2-inch stick. Roll tightly, folding in wrapper ends while rolling. Brush edges lightly with egg york to seal the Lumpia closed. Repeat with remaining filling.
  3. Heat the oil in a deep fry pan on high until hot, then turn down to medium. Fry in deep hot oil until golden brown and meat is cooked inside.
  4. Serve with sweet and sour sauce that can be bought from grocery stores.
Makes about 40-45 pcs lumpias/egg rolls.

For healthy cooking:
Place lumpia on a cooking sheet, spray with no-stick cooking oil. Bake at 325 degree F until both sides turn golden brown. Flip once if necessary. It's about 25-30 minutes. They turn out as juicy as the fried ones, but less oil.

Spam Musubi


You will need...
  • 4-6 cups cooked Asian brand rice or sushi rice
  • 1 can Turkey Spam
  • 8 sheets Nori for Sushi
  • 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. Sugar
Make it...
  1. Cut Turkey Spam into stripes.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp. cooking oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Lightly brown the spam, add soy sauce and sugar. Cook until the sauce deduced and thick. Cool.
  3. Place 1 sheet Nori on a sushi mat with the shiny side down. Spread 1 cup cooked rice on the Nori, place 4 to 6 stripes of spam on the rice. Roll it up like making sushi. Seal the end with few rice.
  4. Cut into the pics. as you desire.

Strawberry Mousse Cake

Ingredients make two round 8-inch cakes.

For cake layer:
  • 1 box Duncan Hines Strawberry Cake Mix
  • 2 Eggs
  • 8 oz. Sour Cream
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup hot water
For Mousse Layer:
  • 1 package of unflavored gelatin
  • 2 Tbsp. cold water
  • 1 bag (16 oz.) White chocolate chips, about 2 cups
  • 2 1/2 cups Heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
For Jelly Layer:
  • 1 small box of strawberry Jell-O
Directions:

For cake layer:
  1. Place parchment papers on the bottom of two 8-inch non-stick springform pans. Lightly spray with no-stick oil for easy removal later. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Whisk the cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream and hot water together with an electric mixer at medium speed, until just blend.
  3. Pour the mixture into two prepared springform pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Cool.
For Mousse layer:
  1. In a medium microwaveable bowl, sprinkle getatin over 2 Tbsp. cold water and set for few minutes until bloom.
  2. Add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour 1 bag of white chocolate chips in the hot cream mixture. Stir until melted. Microwave a minute more if necessary. Set aside to cool.
  4. In another medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup sugar and pinch of salt together. Whisk with an electric mixer on high until peak form and no streaks. Fold the whipped cream 1/3 at a time into the cooled white chocolate mixture, until well blend.
  5. Pour the mousse over the cooled cakes. Refrigerator for about an hour until the mousse is set. 
For Jelly layer:
Follow the instructions on the jell-O box to make the strawberry jelly and cool. Pour over the mousse cakes and refrigerator at least two hours, or overnight.

Optional: Top with white chocolate crumbs, coco powder and strawberries as you desire.


 

Green Tea Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Pillsbury Ready-to-Bake Sugar Cookies (24 cookies)
  • 2 packages of Cream Cheese, 8 oz. each, soften
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Egg white
  • 2 Tbsp Green Tea Powder (can be purchased from Asian Grocery Stores)
  • 1 drop Green food color
  1. Preheat over at 325 degrees F.
  2. Line 24 cupcake liners in muffin baking pans. Lightly spray with no-stick cooking oil. Shape and press the raw cookie doughs to fix the bottom of the cupcake liners.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk cream cheese and sugar with an electric until fluffy.
  4. Add one egg at a time, beat until well blend. Then, add green tea powder and food color, mix until just blend. Spoon the mixture over the cookie doughs in the muffin cups.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven about 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake cups cool in the oven while making the toppings.

 You can use your favorite toppings. I made this Black Sesame Yogurt topping that give this cheesecake cups more Asian twist. Here is the recipe:

Black Sesame Yogurt Cream Cheese Toppping:
  • 1 (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, soften
  • 1/2 stick butter (4 Tbsp.), soften
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 can (16 oz.) vanilla yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. Black Sesame paste powder (can be purchased from Asian grocery stores)
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk cream cheese, butter and sugar together until blend. Beat in yogurt and sesame powder. Mix until well blend.

Decorate cheesecake cookie cups with the toppings. Refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

Green Tea Cheesecake


Crust:
  • 12 Chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed.
  • 4 Tbsp. Butter or margarine, melted.
Combine above ingredients and press onto the bottom of 8x8 pan. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the next layer.

Cheesecake layer:
  • 2 (8 oz.) packages Cream Cheese, soften
  • 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup green tea, chilled
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg white
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixture until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk. Add green tea and mix well. Add eggs and eggs white, beat on low until just combined. Pour over the cookie crust.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake with water bath (place a pan of water on the lower shelf below the cheesecake pan) for 45-50 minutes. Cool while making the topping.

Topping:
  • 1 package of unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
In a small saucepan. sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold heavy cream. Set for few minutes until bloom. Heat gelatin mix to boil until gelatin melted. Remove from the heat. Place white chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Pour hot gelatin mixture over the white chocolate chips. Stir until chips melted.
Whisk remain 1 cup heavy cream with an electric mixer on high until soft peak form. Fold into chocolate mixture 1/3 at a time until smooth. Spoon over the cheesecake. Refrigerator at least 2-3 hours.

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake on Cake

This is a rich 3-in-1 dessert:
  • chocolate cake
  • chocolate cheesecake
  • white chocolate mousse
If you don't want this dessert too rich, you may choose reduced fat ingredients. It will still taste great!

Cake Layer (bottom layer)
Ingredients:
  • 1 pkg. of Betty Crocker Milk chocolate cake mix (you may choose other kinds of chocolate cake mix, such as Devil's Food, German Chocolate or Dark Chocolate cake mix)
  • 1 3/4 cups Sour Cream
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup coffee (any flavor) 
  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spray no-stick oil on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springfrom pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper for easy removal later.
  2. Mix all above ingredients with a electric mixer until well blend.
  3. Pour the mixture in the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool (not necessary cool completely). 
Chocolate Cheesecake Layer ( middle layer)
Ingredients:
  • 2 blocks of Cream Cheese (8 oz. each), at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • pinch of salt 
  1. Melt the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Once melted, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 2-5 minutes.
  2. With a electric mixer, whip the cream, 1 Tbsp. sugar and pinch of salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds.
  3. Beat cream cheese and sugar with a electric mixer until smooth. Add 1 egg, mix well.
  4. Fold in whipped cream 1/3 at a time until no streaks remain.
  5. Pour the chocolate Cream Cheese mixture into the springform pan over the cooled cake. Tap gently on the counter few times to remove air bubbles. Gently smooth the top with a spatula.
  6. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from oven and Cool completely. 
White Chocolate Mousse Layer (Top Layer)
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
  1. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Let stand at least 5 minutes to soften. Add white chocolate chips. Melt the chocolate chips and gelatin over double boiler. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature.
  2. Using a electric mixer, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted.
  3. Fold the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture until no streaks remain.
  4. Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
  5. Chill the cake in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.  
Optional: Sprinkle with cocoa powder or chocolate fudge topping before serving.

Green Tea Yogurt Mousse Cake

For Cake
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Yellow Cake Mix
  • 1 3/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup Green Tea
  • 4 drops of green food color
  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x13 pan with no-stick oil.
  2. Mix all above ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed.
  3. Pour in the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Set aside, cool.
For Green Tea Yogurt Mousse
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of plain gelatin
  • 3 Tbsp. water
  • 1/4 cup powder sugar or sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Black Sesame Paste (can be bought from Asian grocery store)
  • 6-8 oz. vanilla yogurt
  • 1 1/3  cup heavy cream

  1. In a heatproof bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and set aside for about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream and sugar, heat over a double boiler until sugar and gelatin melt. Remove from the heat, add black sesame paste until mixture well blend. Set aside and cool. Add yogurt to the cooled mixture and mix well. 
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk remain 1 cup heavy cream on high speed until spring form peak. Fold whipped cream to the yogurt mixture with a plastic spatula until well blend.

Decorate the cake with the mousse mixture. Cool in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.