Sesame Oil Chicken with Kale

You will need...

• 4 pieces skinless boneless chicken tights, cut into bite size
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cups kale (add more if you like more veggies)
• 2 Tbsp. Sesame oil
• 1 cup cooking sherry wine or white wine
• pinch of salt and black pepper to your taste

Make it...

• Heat a medium saucepan on high, add sesame oil and onion. Then, add bite size chicken tights, cook on medium heat until chicken turn golden brown. Add sherry or wine, stir. Add kale and stir until kale turn dark green and soft. Add pinch of salt and black pepper to your taste. Serve with steamed rice.

You may add any your favorite veggies, such as bell pepper, carrot, celery, cabbage, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. It is not necessary to add any water.

Ono Ice Cream Cheesecake

It only takes less 20 minutes for make it. It is a cheesecake with strawberry ice cream and shortbread cookies. No bake needed.

You will need...

• 1 package of shortcake cookies (about 9 oz.)
• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
• 1 package 8 oz. Cream Cheese, soften
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 gallon strawberry ice cream

Make it...

1. Crash the shortcake cookies in a food processor until no big pieces. Combine butter and crashed cookies together well. Press onto a 8-inch spring form pan.
2. Cream the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer (or stand mixer). Then, add ice cream and blend together.
3. Pour the mixture over the crashed shortbread cookies and smooth the top. Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Inspired by www.kraftbrands.com

Miso Chicken Bites

Miso is a Japanese salty soy bean paste. You may purchase from Asian Grocery stores and some major supermarket. You may not need to add any salt to your dish since miso is already salty.

You will need...

• 4 boneless and skinless chicken tights, cut into cubes
• 2 green onions
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar (or white sugar for lighter color)
• 1 Tbsp. miso (I used yellow miso)
• 1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine)
• pinch salt to your taste

Cook it...

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix sugar, miso, soy sauce and mirin together, whisk and blend well. Add chicken cubes in the mixture and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
2. Heat a medium saucepan on high, add cooking oil and green onion, then add chicken and brown both side. Stir and chicken fully cooked, and the sauce is thicken. Add pinch of salt to you taste. Don't add any water for bold taste. Serve with steamed rice.

Decorate you chicken plate as creative as you like. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Chocolate Mousse Cake

A great sweet treats for your Valentines! It is a Red Velvet cake top with layer of milk chocolate mousse and white chocolate mousse.

For the Red Velvet Cake Layer:

• 1 box of Red Velvet cake mix
• 1 box (16 oz.) sour cream (or fat free sour cream for less fat)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1/2 cup warm water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal later.
Mix all above ingredients with an electric mixer and blend well. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a chopstick comes out clean from the center of the cake layer. Set aside to cool.

For the milk chocolate mousse layer:

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 cup Heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small cup; let stand several minutes to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool 5 minutes.

In a medium microwaveable bowl, heat milk chocolate 1 minute until melted. Whisk until smooth. Set aside, cool.

Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until thickened; pour in gelatin mixture and beat until stiff. Then, fold in the melted milk chocolate chips until no streaks remain. Pour over the red velvet cake. Refrigerate until set.

For white chocolate mousse layer:

• 1 package of unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 

Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Let stand at least 5 minutes to soften. Heat in microwave for 1 minute until hot. Add white chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Beat the remaining 1 cup heavy cream with an electric mixer to soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted.
Fold the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture until no streaks remain.
Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the milk chocolate layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Chill the cake in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.

Ono Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Oven Ready Lasagna (no boil necessary, the pasta sauce will cook the noddle while baking) 
• 1 lb. Italian Sausage
• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 1 small box fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 jar Ragu Paste sauce, Garden Combination
• 1 can Diced Tomato
• 1 small can Tomato Paste
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup sugar (add more sugar if you like more sweet)
• Salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste as you desire
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil 
• 1 jar of Ricotta Cheese, about 16 oz.
• 1 pkg. of shredded Mozzarella cheese, about 2 cups
• 2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat cooking oil on high, add yellow onion and cook until onion turns soft. Add meats, stir and fully cooked. Add mushrooms, stir and cook until mushrooms turn soft. Add pinch of salt and black pepper. Then add Ragu pasta sauce, diced tomato, tomato paste, soy sauce and sugar in the mixture, bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. In a medium bowl, mix eggs, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese together.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. To assemble, spread 2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Arrange 4 lasagna noddles lengthwise over the meat sauce. Spread 1/2 of ricotta and mozzarella cheese mixture, top with 1/3 of meat sauce. Repeat another layer and cover with 2 sheets of foil.
5. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foils, sprinkle with 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake another 20 minutes or until the Parmesan cheese turns golden brown. Cool before cutting to serve.

Note: you may use less meat or only one kind of meat, or add more cheese for cheesy lasagna.

Ono Butter Bread

Easy and quick way to make the dough - using the bread machine!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water or milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 3 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 4 Tbsp. dry milk powder
• 4 Tbsp. Sugar
• 2 tsp. Instant dry active yeast

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into the bread machine in above order. Set the bread machine on Dough/Pasta section and press start. After it is completed, dough should be raised and soft. Transfer the dough to a floured cutting board or counter top.
2. Lightly spray two non-stick loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin to a 9x13 inch sheet. Cut 1/2 block butter or margarine (about 1/4 cup) into thin slice, place on the center of sheet. Fold 1/3 of one end to the center, then fold another 1/3 end to the center. Flatten with a rolling pin to a 6x6 inch sheet. Cut into 6 strips, braid 3 strips together. Place in a lightly non-stick loaf pan.
4. Brush the top with one egg yolk. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wired cooling rack.

Egg Crepe Rolls

Makes 6 crepes.
You will need...

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil

Make it...

1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Let it set for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a 8 or 10 inch crepe pan over medium heat. Lightly spray with no-stick cooking oil. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, turning and tilting the pan to coat bottom evenly with batter. Cook until top of crepe appears set and bottom is firm. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side.
3. Wrap with any kinds of lunch meat, bacon and veggies as you desire. Serve hot.

It also can be served with my Sweet Soy Sauce Dressing.

Mochi Rolls 驴打滚儿

This is one of my favorite childhood dessert from Beijing, China. It is gluten Free! I made this easy vision so that I can make it anytime I want. Most of the ingredients can be purchased in the Asian Grocery stores.

You will need...

• 1 cup Glutinous Rice flour (also called Mochiko)
• 1/2 cup Rice flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 can Red Bean Paste (also called koshian or kobashian)
• 1/2 cup ground almond meal (or soybean meal, peanut meal)

Make it...

1. Mix all ingredient (except Red Bean Paste and almond meal) in a medium bowl together. Whisk until blend well. Spray a microwaveable container with no-stick cooking oil. (I used a 6x8 container).
2. Pour 1/2 of the batter in the container. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or until the batter turns clear, soild and no white liquid spot.
3. Place 1/2 cup of almond meal on a cutting board. While the mochi is warm, place mochi on the top of almond powder. Place about 1/4 cup Red bean paste on the top of mochi, flatten with the back of a spoon and roll.
4. Cool the mochi roll before cutting. Storeage in a tight covered plastic container before serving.

Makes 2 rolls (8 pcs.)

Note: if you don't have rice flour, you may use all glutinous flour instead. There will be more Red Bean Paste left, you may make more mochi batter to make more rolls.

Coconut Mochi

You will need...

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Make it...

1. Spray a 8x8 or 6x6 microwaveable pan with no-stick cooking oil. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisker until well blend. Add food color(s) as you desire.
2. Pour 1/4 of batter on at a time. Cook 1-2 minutes each time until the center is cooked and set. After add the last layer, you may cover with plastic wrap and cook 2 more minutes until the center fully cooked and set.
3. Cool completely and cut into small pieces. Wrap in the shredded coconut and keep at room temperature to remain soft texture.
4. You may separate the batter to drop different colors and make multi layers. Cook 1 minute in the microwave for each layer. Add another layer after the bottom layer is cooked and set.

 

Bootty Bars

I adopted this recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookie Book, chocolate-pecan squares. They are so yummy and one bite is not enough. They are not for dieters...that is  why one of my friends called it "Booty Bars". It is so simple and easy to make, They are the best bite when you have sweet cravings.

Make the crust:

·         1 cup flour

·         1/2 cup brown sugar

·         3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, soften

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat above ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed until blend. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until crumbly. Press evenly in bottom of ungreased 8x8 pan.

Make the filling:

·         1/2 cup brown sugar

·         1/2 cup butter or margarine

·         1 cup chopped pecans

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         1/2 cup mix chips, such as chocolate chip and butter scotch chips

Cook brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour over crust layer in the pan.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until topping is bubbly. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.  Bake 2 minutes longer to soften chips (don’t spread). Cool 10 minutes; loosen edges with knife. Cool completely before cutting to bars. Store covered in the refrigerator.