Stir-Fry Snails with Black Bean Sauce 豆豉田螺

It's not easy to clean the fresh snails. I bought the Cook Snail Meat at Asian Grocery stores. They may be found in frozen section, vacuum sealed and cleaned, just need to defrost and rinse with cold water. If not cooking right, this dish could be very fish and smell. The keys to make this dish delicious are... boil over hot water 1st before stir fry and use seasonings generously. I didn't measure everything exactly. You can add seasonings as your taste...ex. add more sugar if you like sweeter, add some hot pepper if you like spicy, etc.

Simple ingredients:

• 3 bags frozen Cook Snail Meat
• 2 Tbsp. Cooking oil
• 2 Tbsp. salty dry black beans (豆豉, can be purchased in Asian grocery stores)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 medium fresh ginger, diced
• 1 clove fresh garlic, diced
• 1/2 cup cooking wine
• Salt, soy sauce and sugar to your taste

Easy to make:

1. Defrost the snails and rinse with cold water to clean. In a large stockpot, fill enough water to cover the amount of the snails. Add half of the ginger and 1/4 cup cooking wine. Bring to boil. Add snails and bring to boil again for 1-2 minutes. Drain the water and rinse out with clean cold water. Set aside.
2. In a large wok, heat cooking oil and add black beans, green onion, ginger, garlic, saute until turn soft (about 1-2 minutes). Then, add soy sauce, sugar and cooking wine, stir to mix. Add snails into the seasoned sauce, cook and saute on medium heat until the sauce reduce around the snails. Add pinch of salt to your taste.

Cassava Bites

Cassava is also called Yuca. There are many recipes for cassava cake on the website, sweet and cheesy by adding condensed milk, evaporate milk, eggs, cheese, etc. They can be baked or steamed, I used microwave instead. My recipe below is light and not too sweet, just right amount of sugar for your sweet craving, so that you can taste the natural flavor of cassava. All ingredients can be purchased from Asian grocery stores and they are inexpensive.

Simple ingredients:

• 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen grated cassava, defrost to room temperature
• 1 can (13 oz.) coconut milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. lye water (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. pandan essence (or use vanilla extract)
• Fresh grated coconut (or sweetened shredded coconut) for coating

Easy to make:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine grated cassava, coconut milk and sugar together, whisk until well blend. Then, add lye water and pandan essence, mix well.
2. Spray no-stick cooking oil over a 8x8 microwaveable pan or container. Pour the batter into the container. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 5 minutes at a time for 4-5 times, until no white batter in the center. All batter should turn clear, not solid white look.
3. Let it cool completely in the refrigerator. Cut into bite sizes and roll over the grated coconut. Serve cold.

Rice Cooker Bisquick Cake

Simple and easy...you may already have alll the ingredients in your kitchen. They taste like pancake cake.

Simple ingredients:

• 1 cup Bisquick pancake mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• Optional: honey for drizzle, powdered sugar for dusting

Easy to make:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until well blend and smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat rice cooker by pressing down the "cook" button and it will pop back to warm in a minute or two. Spray or brush oil on the bottom and the side of rice cooker.
3. Pour the cake batter into preheated rice cooker. Cover the hole on the cover with a small wet towel.
4. Press the "cook" button down and set timer for 10 minutes. It will pop up to "warm" in 1-2 minutes. After 5 minutes, press the "cook" button down again. Repeat 3-5 times until the cake is cooked ( a toothpick comes out of center of cake is clean, not liquid batter).
5. Flip the cake upside down to avoid sink in the middle. Drizzle some honey all over the cake. Dust powdered sugar before serving.

The BEST Apricot Bars

I had a can of Apricot Cake & Pastry Filling and browse on the web for apricot recipes. Then, this recipe comes to my mind and I had all other ingredients at home...and turn out AWESOME! They are not TOO sweet and a little sour...Yummmy and easy to make. I hope you will try this recipe to impress your families and friends!

For Oat Bars:

• 1 1/2 cups quick oats (plain or flavored, I used 3 small flavored oats in pkg)
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 sticks butter, melted
• 1 egg

Mix all above ingredients in order and set aside. (no electric mixer needed)

For Apricot cream cheese filling...

• 1 can Apricot Cake & Pastry Filling
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 egg

With an electric mixer, cream and whisk cream cheese and egg together, then add apricot filling, whisk until blend and creamy.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a parchment paper in an 8x8 baking pan.
2. Spread the half of the oat batter on the bottom of the baking pan, press down evenly. Pour the Apricot cream cheese filling over the oat batter, and spread evenly. Then, spread the rest of oat batter over the cream cheese filling evenly.
3. Bake 45 minutes until the top turns golden brown.
4. Refrigerator overnight before cutting into bars.

Pizza Cupcakes

They are made from pizza dough, not sweet cake mix...and taste like delicious pizza, but in a cupcake shape. It's easy to make and perfect size to serve as appetizers at your party, potluck, even to-go lunches.

Simple ingredients:

• 2 packages of pizza dough mix (I bought from Walmart for 50 cent each)*
• 3-4 pieces cooked chicken tenders ( I bought from Walmart after 9 pm for 50% off)
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, optional)
• 1 jar pizza sauce (only use as you need)
• 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Easy to make:

1. Prepare the pizza dough as the directions on the package (only need 1 cup of hot water for each bag).
2. Cut the chicken tender stripes into small pieces. Mix chicken, spinach and pizza sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray non-stick cooking oil over two muffin pans.
4. Divide dough in four pieces. Roll each small dough into a large rectangle roughly 1/4 inch in thickness.
5. Spread chicken mix and cheese evenly across each piece of rolled out dough. Starting from long side of dough, begin rolling the dough up like a cinnamon roll. Pinch ends when done. Slice into 1 1/2 to 2 inch rolls. Place in muffin tins. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on the top of each pizza cupcakes.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and dough is lightly browned. Serve hot!

Variations:

You may also use other your favorite sauces to make Buffalo chicken cupcakes, Ranch chicken cupcakes, honey mustard chicken cupcakes, or teriyaki chicken cupcakes...they are endless...also may use other kinds of meat, too, such as sausages, peperoni, ground beef, etc. If you use raw meat, be sure to cook them first before putting them together.

* You may also use my Soft Bread Sticks recipe to make the dough instead of store bought pizza dough mix.

Pink Velvet Cake Roll

I adopted the cake recipe from Sprinkle Bakes. I like to keep them in the freezer and cream cheese filling taste like cream cheese ice cream.
For the cake:

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup extra fine granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp buttermilk
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 drops food coloring (red or pink)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Make the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13 jelly-roll pan with parchment and lightly spray with non-stick cooking oil.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with a hand mixer for 5 full minutes - set a timer if you need to!  Properly whipped eggs will lighten in color considerably and have the appearance of yellow cake batter.
3. With the mixer still running, slowly add sugar and oil to the whipped eggs.  Next, add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring (add food coloring a little at a time until desired color is achieved). 
4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add to the liquid ingredients.  Mix until well combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and tilt pan to distribute batter evenly.
6. Sprinkle a cotton tea towel with powdered sugar and rub sugar into the towel with your hands.  Terry-cloth towels and towels with texture (such as waffle pattern) are NOT ideal for making cake rolls.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Check at 12 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back when pressed with fingers.
8. When cake is baked turn it out onto the tea towel - do this without delay! Peel off parchment and immediately roll cake into the tea towel, beginning at the narrow end.  Roll tightly and as evenly as possible.  Place rolled cake on a wire rack seam-side down and let cool completely.

For Cream Cheese Filling:

• 1 packages (8 oz. each) of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sweet whipping cream

Whisk all filling ingredients together with an electric mixer until well blend and fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake evenly. Roll the cake back to a roll. Wrap with plastic food wrap tightly. Keep in the freezer for at least one hour before serving.

Double Flavored Cupcakes

Red Velvet cake+Cranberry white cake+cream cheese topping = Ono Happy Hmm...
You may also mix with two other your favorite flavors. Variations are endless...

Ingredients:
For cranberry white cake...

• 1 box classic white cake mix
• 1 small box vanilla pudding mix
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2-1 cup dry cranberry, fold into mixed batter

For red velvet cake...

• 1 box Red Velvet cake mix
• 1 small box chocolate pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup hot water

For cream cheese topping...

• 2 boxes (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 box Cool Whip (whipped topping)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. lemon juice

Make 48-52 cupcakes:

1. Whisk each group ingredients in separate mixing bowls with an electric mixer or using stand mixer. Blend well and fluffy.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake liners in muffin pans.
3. Fill the white cake 1/3 of each cupcake liner evenly, then fill the red velvet cake batter evenly on the top.
4. Bake for 15-18 minute until a toothpick comes out of center of the cupcake clean. Cool before add toppings. Decorate with cocoa powder, marshmallows, etc.
5. Keep in the covered containers for few hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Oreo Pudding Cupcakes

These are not one of those low-fat diet style cupcakes...They are so moist, chocolaty, creamy and so yummm...if you want, you can skip the cheesecake filling...they are one of the BEST cupcakes that I have even had!

 

Ingredients:
for cake...

• 1 box of Duncan Hines' Devil's Food cake mix
• 1 box of JELL-O cookie n' creme pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup hot water

for cheesecake filling...

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cookie n' creme pudding mix

for cream cheese topping...

• 2 packages (8 oz. each) of cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sweet whipping cream

Directions:
for cake...

• Place cake mix, pudding mix(save 1 Tbsp. for filling), 4 eggs, cooking oil and sour cream in a large mixing bowl. Whisk with an electric mixture or stand mixture at medium speed, add hot water gradually. Continue whisk about 5 minutes until well blend and fluffy.

for fillings...

• In a medium mixing bowl, cream sugar and 1 package cream cheese together with an electric mixer. Add 1 egg and 1 Tbsp. pudding mix. Mix until blend and set aside.

for cream cheese topping:

• In another medium or large mixing bowl, whisk 2 pkg. cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla, lemon juice and whipping cream, whisk until well blend and fluffy. Set in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Put together:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 36 cupcake liners in muffin pans. Using a small cookie scoop, fill each cupcake liner with 1 scoop of cake batter. Then, drop about 1/2 Tbsp. cheesecake filling in the middle of each cupcake batter. Top with another small cookie scoop of cake batter. Repeat until all cupcake lines filled.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the cake part clean. Cool. Top with the cream cheese topping. Decorate with chocolate chip crumbs, coca powder, Oreo cookie crumb, or Oreo cookie pieces, etc. Refrigerator few hours in the covered containers (keep moist) until ready to serve.

 Makes: 24-30cupcakes.

 

Here are some of the variations:

• Crush 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a food processor, then fold into the cake batter or fold into the cream cheese topping instead of dipping. Or
• Fold some of the Oreo Pudding into the cream cheese topping to make the muddy look. Or
• For peanut butter lovers, add a Reese peanut butter cup in the center of the cake instead of cheesecake filling.

Self-rising Flour Cupcakes

These cupcakes are made of self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour or cake flour...and softer texture. It's very easy to make. You may use other your favorite fruits instead of strawberries.

Simple ingredients for cake:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 small box vanilla pudding mix
• 1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup strawberry pie filling and topping (in a can)
• 1 cup milk

Make the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake liners in muffin pans and lightly spray with non-stick cooking oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, whisk until well blend. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on medium speed until blend and creamy.
3. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full with the batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out of center of the cupcake clean. Cool on wire racks.
4. After cupcakes are cool, top with cream cheese butter topping and strawberry toppings. Refrigerator until serve.

Cream Cheese Butter Topping:

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick butter (4 Tbsp.), softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Mix all topping ingredients together with an electric mixer until well blend and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.