Homemade Sandwich Bread

Why buy bread from the store and you can simply make a fresh loaf of bread at home? You may already have all ingredients at home. Toast the slices bread, then make your own delicious sandwich your way.

Ingredients for the Bread:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cups luke warm milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. active yeast
• pinch of salt

Make it: I use a stand mixer to make the dough and so easy.

1. Mix milk and sugar in the mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over the milk and about few minutes. Add flour and salt, mix with the dough attachment on low. After flour mixture form into a smooth dough, cover and place on a warm place in kitchen. Let the dough double the size.
2. Punch down the dough and knead to a loaf shape. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking oil. Place the dough in the pan and rest for another 20 minutes with cover. Brush some butter on the top.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the pan to cool.

After the bread is cool, slice it and make your own sandwich.

I like use salad dressing to coat the lettuce first, then spread mayo on both sides of the bread, add lunch meat and marinated roasted red bell pepper...yummy and fresh!

 

Oreo Pudding Cheesecakes

For this recipe, I add Oreo Pudding in the basic cheesecake recipe. It is light and fluffy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Oreo cookie crumb (crush about 12 Oreo cookies with a food processor)
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 box of Jello Oreo Pudding
• 1/2 cup milk

Make it:

1. Spray 6 mini foil loaf pans with non-stick cooking oil. Place 3 mini pan in a 9x13 baking pan. other 3 in another 9x13 pan.
2. Mix cookie crumb with melted butter and press on the bottom of each mini loaf pan. About 2 Tbsp. in each pan.
3. Cream sugar and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with a standing mixer or an electric mixer. Then, add one egg at a time and 3 eggs are will blend. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and Oreo pudding mix until blend. Slowly add 1/2 cup milk, continue to beat until well blend and fluffy. Evenly pour the filling to each mini loaf pan.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1 cup of water into each 9x13 pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool before top with chocolate mousse toppings. Chill in the refrigerator until toppings set. Sprinkle with coco powder.

Here is how to do the "water bath" easy way:

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Blueberry Bottom

Like making any other cheesecake, it takes time to make a GOOD one, but it worth it! Place fresh or frozen blueberries on the bottom, it makes this cheesecake with soft and juicy crust. Serve with some sliced almonds and give you some crunch for each yummy bites...enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of crushed cookie crumb (any kind you like, crush with a food processor)
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 cups blueberries, enough to cover the bottom of baking pan
• 4 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 1 bag white chocolate chips, about 2 cups.
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Make it...

1. Place a parchment paper on the bottom of 9-inch spring form baking pan, lightly brush oil or butter on the side of the pan.
2. Combine cookie crumb and 2 Tbsp. butter in a small mixing bowl, then press them down with a spoon on the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing filling.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and cream cheese together with a stand mixer. Then mix in vanilla and lemon juice. Add one egg at a time, beat until blend, then add another egg. After all eggs well beat and blended, add sour cream and flour, mix few minutes until well blend and fluffy.
4. Crush 1 cup white chocolate chips with a food processor, and mix in cheesecake mixture.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven.
6. Take the pan out of the refrigerator, place the blueberries on the top of the cookie crust. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the blueberries. Place it on the middle rack of the oven.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven until cool completely.
8. Place other 1 cup of white chocolate chips with 1/2 cup heavy cream in a microwave. Heat 1-2 minutes until melted. Pour over cheesecake and place in the refrigerator for at least overnight, until set firmly before cut into slices.

Captain Crunch Cookies

This cracked and cakey cookies are easy to make. I put this recipe together just because I had some leftover ingredients from previous baking, and want to clean up my cabinet. But they turn out really good! I can't help it to have more than one cookie...

 

Simple ingredients:

• 1 stick butter (about 1/2 cup), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups Captain Crunch cereal, crash with small food processor
• 1 1/2 cups ground almond meal
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup raisin, or cranberries (optional)

Easy to make:

1. Cream the butter and sugar with a stand mixer, then add egg and vanilla, blend well.
2. Add the rest of all dry ingredients in the wet mixture and mix well.
3. Roll the dough with hands into balls, about 1 Tbsp. size. Place on cookie sheet with lined parchment paper 1-inch apart. They should be easy to roll into balls without stick on your hands.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven, cool until you can touch with your hands, but still warm. Coat warm cookies with powdered sugar.

Quinoa Stir Fry

Quinoa is considered a superfood. Protein content is very high (14% by mass), yet not as high as most beans and legumes. Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein. Furthermore, it is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

You will need...

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 1 cup water

Cook Quinoa with 1 cup of water in a rice cooker. Set aside when it's cooked.

In a non-stick wok or medium saucepan, drizzle some cooking oil on the bottom of the pan on medium-high heat. Stir fry any choice of chopped meat and chopped vegetables as you prefer, such as chicken breast, broccoli, carrot, soy beans, peas, cabbage, celery, bell pepper, etc. Mix in cooked Quinoa. Stir fry just like when you make Chinese style fried rice. Add seasonings, such as salt, ground pepper, soy sauce, seasoning all, sazon (if you like Spanish rice color), garlic powder, etc. Drizzle some sesame oil when it is done.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

I found this delicious cookie recipe on Pinterest.com and reduce the original recipe in half for smaller batch. Just happened that I have all the ingredients at home from previous baking. They are great for school bake sales or office parties, etc.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, soften
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 cups blend oatmeal (no sugar added)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 12 oz. chocolate chips
• 4 oz. Hershey bar, grated
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

Easy to make:

1. Cream butter and both sugars, then add eggs and vanilla. Blend well.
2. In another bowl, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour into wet mixture and mix well.
3. Fold in chocolate chips, grated chocolate and chopped nuts.
4. Scoop and roll into balls. Place 1 inch apart on cookies sheets.
5. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a cooking rack.

Healthy Tofu Stir Fry 素炒三丝

The combinations of food are important for your daily healthy. When you combine tofu, celery and carrot together, you will get a super healthy dish that rich in vitamin A, C, K, protein and help to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. Use the organic celery or Chinese celery for tender and tasty dish. Don't have to measure everything and just put the amount as you perfer and to your taste.

Simple ingredients:

• Chinese Celery, cut into 1-inch long
• 1-2 carrots, sliced
• 1/2-1 cube of firm tofu, or extra firm tofu, sliced
• 1-2 olive oil
• pinch of salt
• sesame oil to drizzle

Easy to make:
Place enough oilve oil on the bottom of a wok and warm on medium-high heat. Add sliced tofu and brown both sides. Then stir in celery and carrots, cook until celery just turn soft. Sprinkle pinch of salt and drizzle some sesame oil, stir to mix and remove from the heat. Don't over cook if you like the vegetables crunchy.

Goji Cabbage 枸杞炒白菜

This simple diet dish is delicious! Eating cabbage could help you shred up to 1 pound of fat per day. If you want to lose 3 lbs in a week, start with eating head cabbage every meal before eating other dish. If you want to lose 5 lbs. in a week, eat cabbage only for every meal. You may use cabbage to make soup, stir fry, salad, steam, or cook with crock pot. I discovered this recipe from my Mom-the BEST cooker in my world- and I never get tired of eating it.

Simple ingredients:

• 1/2 Chinese round cabbage, cut into bite sizes
• 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• some Goji, soak in water until soft
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil - MUST have to make this dish delicious!
• pinch of salt

Easy to make:
In a large wok, drizzle olive oil on the bottom, then add cabbage, mushroom and goji, cook on medium-high heat. Add some water(about 1 Tbsp. at a time) if getting dry. Stir fry until the cabbage just turn soft. sprinkle pinch of salt to your taste, and drizzle sesame oil at end...hmmm...smell so good and taste so tender!

Note: You may purchase the Chinese head cabbage in Chinese grocery stores. They are more tender than American head cabbage. You may also use organic cabbage. Goji from Asian stores are very hard and take longer to soak. But the Goji that I bought from the Whole Food supermarket is softer, they can even eat as is, taste a little sweet and they are good for your eyes.

Some benefits for Goji:
Goji berries have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China and India to:

• protect the liver
• help eyesight
• improve sexual function and fertility
• strengthen the legs
• boost immune function
• improve circulation
• promote longevity
• rich in antioxidants

You may google more information on the websites.