Pork and Bok Choy Stir Fry

After a week of being away for training my hubby finally got home last night.  We were very happy to have him back home, most of the time he is gone for months at a time but this time thank God was very short.  One of his favorite dishes is pork and bok choy stir fry, the first time he ate it was when we first met and my mother had us over for dinner.  I still remember it like it was yesterday...it was too funny he did not want to try it, he saw to many greens and was not used to eating different kinds of food.  But now is one of his favorite dishes, I have to say that now he is not afraid to try any kind of food.  Well I leave you with this delicious recipe and I hope you enjoy it as much as he does.

Pork and Bok Choy Stir Fry

Ingredients:

2 Lbs pork tenderloin, cut into bite-size pieces

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 small slices of ginger

1 Tsp. garlic, minced

1/2 cup of carrots, sliced

1/2 of broccoli, cut small

2 small heads of bok choy, leaves chopped and ribs sliced

1/4 cup of soy sauce

salt

pepper

Directions:

1.  Place sesame oil and ginger in a cold wok, gradually heat over medium-high heat until oil is hot and ginger is fragrant.

2.  Add the pork and garlic and stir fry for a minute or two.

3. Continue by adding half of the soy sauce and stir fry for another 3 minutes until pork is fully cooked

4.  Turn off heat and add vegetables and cover with a lid, leave it cover for 5 minutes and then stir.

5.  Serve with white rice

St. Paddy's Day: Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Baileys Ganache

So.....I have been a bit busy and I am so sorry I haven't been posting, In January I decided to go back to school and I thought it would be easy but the honest truth is that is not.  With the children and the house work and the hubby is just gets a little hard.  I decided to go to school for Pastry Chef (what a change from Electrical Engineer to Baker).  My kids think is "awesome" and I have to agree with them.  My hubby most of the time is not here, he is always in training with the Army and when he is here the only thing he asks is to dedicate ourselves to him, which is understandable since he hardly sees us.  He likes the idea of me going back to school and he likes more the idea that I will be able to make him more delicious sweets.
Yesterday my daughter Nellybe had to take "something" that's what she says to school.  "Nelly, so what do you need to take to school?" and she says "I don't know mom something...something to eat".  Well I decided to make this "something" Guinness Chocolate cupcakes since we are so lose to St. Paddy's Day.  I have to tell you this recipe is so delicious, the cake is so moist and the ganache is just out of this world, I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did, oh yes we had some too.


GUINNESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
Ingredients:
Guinness Cupcakes:

1 Cup Guinness Stout
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
¾ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
¾ Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs
⅔ Cup Sour Cream

Ganache Filling:

8 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate

⅔ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature
3 Teaspoons Baileys Cream
1 Teaspoon of Whiskey

Baileys Frosting: 

3 Cups Confections Sugar
½ Cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tablespoons Baileys
1 Teaspoon of Green Food Coloring

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.

2.  Put the butter with the beer in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. 

3.

Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Cool slightly.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. 

5.  In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs and the sour cream together. 

6.  Add the cocoa mixture and beat to combine. 

7.  Add the flour mixture and beat briefly just to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined.

8.  Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way 

9.  Bake for about 17 minutes, or until a toothpick or a slim knife inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature.

                                                               Very moist and incredible flavor

Make the filling: 

1.  Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. 

2.  Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. 

3.  Add the butter, whiskey and Irish Cream and stir until combined.

Fill the cupcakes: 

1.  Using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer or in my case a cupcake corer cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. 

2.  Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Make the frosting: 

1.  In a large mixer bowl, whip the butter for several minutes until very light and fluffy. 

2.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, letting it incorporate, until the butter becomes thicker and stiff.

3.  Slowly drizzle the Bailey’s and whip until combined. 

4.  Add green food coloring to desired hue. Ice and decorate the cupcakes.

Fried Pork Wontons

I have to say that one of my favorite food is Chinese, and I have learned through out the years to cook some of my favorite dishes.  Fried wontons are one of my favorite dishes, they are just so addicting, once you have one you keep on eating more and more, and before you know it you have eaten about 15 of them,  yup that happens to me all the time.  The best part is that you can fill them with chicken, shrimp, vegetables and my favorite, pork.  My recipe is very simple, and the only thing that is time consuming is folding the wonton wraps, making the filling and frying them is fast and easy.  I hope you guys enjoy them as much as my family does.

Fried Pork Wonton

Ingredients:
40-50 wonton wrappers 
1 lb minced pork
3 Tbsp light soy sauce 
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup green scallions (chopped, small)
1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
2 tsp salt 
1 tsp white pepper
* you can add also to the recipe vegetables of your choice (carrots, mushroom, etc..) 


Preparation:
1. In a small bowl combine all ingredients.

2.  Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper.

3.  Grab a small bowl with water and dip your finger into the bowl of water and run your finger along the edges of the wrapper. Fold bottom corner of the wrapper over the filling  and press all edges to close the wrapper, you’ll have a triangle.

Note:When making these use a damp paper towel to cover the wonton wrappers, otherwise they may dry out before you have a chance to fill them.


4. In a large pot, preheat the canola oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes on each side. 

Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Wasted Cake

We have all heard the say "I want to get Chocolate Wasted" from the movie Grown Ups, well my daughter brought to my attention this cake and begged for me to make it for her.  I have to tell you....you will definitely go into a chocolate coma with this cake.  My son Christopher as soon as he saw the cake he told everyone "No, don't touch it, is mine" and he was not playing around.  I enjoyed just watching him open those big brown eyes and just looking at me as if I was a god, it was a great feeling, at the end everyone got a piece with a tall glass of milk.  It was amazing!
I found this great website where they had a great recipe.  You guys have to definitely try it.  For the recipe click here.

Red Velvet Cookies

Today I made my children these Red Velvet Cookies which were just delightful, I had worked the night before making cupcakes and cake pops for all four classes, I had no help which I usually have from my husband but this week he is in training away from home with the US Army.  Yes, I missed my hubby dearly on this very special day but specially last night when I had to do all the work myself.  Well, I decided just to make a simple but delicious treat for my four beautiful Valentine's and I have to say these cookies did the job, as soon as they walked in the house from school they couldn't stop eating them.
I definitely have to make them when my husband comes back I know he will love them as much as we did.


Red Velvet Cookies


Recipe:

1 box red velvet cake mix  (Duncan Hines preferred)

1 egg plus 1 egg white

1 stick butter melted

1/2 bag white chocolate chips

2 Tbsp of sugar 

Directions:

1.  Mix the cake mix, eggs, butter and  sugar with a spoon 

2.  Add the chocolate and mix 

3.   Spoon 1 Tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper.    

4.  Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees or until right before the edges start to brown.    

5.  Cool for 10 min.

Almond Linzer Cookies with Guava Filling

I am completely excited to let you guys know that I am part of a group of bakers from "Have the Cake" havethecake.blogspot.com/ and this is my first posting on the site.  The blog puts a new recipe every month and everyone that is that's part of the blog can do it and they have the whole month to complete it.  This month challenge is Black and White, Linzer Cookies or Lace Cookies, I decided to do the Linzer Cookies because I just think they taste amazing, whether you use almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans either way they taste wonderful.  I have to tell you making the dough was easy but the rolling and cutting was a  bit stressful.  At first, the dough would brake if the pin did not have enough flour, it would also stick to the pin and I really did not want to over due it with the flour.  I decided to use a technique I saw on http://thedecoratedcookie.com/ where you roll out the dough on wax paper and it worked perfect.  I got the recipe from the Martha Stewart Website but I modified the recipe a little instead of pecans I used almonds and instead of Cherry Filling I used Guava.  The best thing is that you can fill them up with your favorite flavor of jam.

Almond Linzer Cookies (Martha Stewart)
Recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup almonds
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup of your favorite flavor jam (I used Guava)


Directions:
1.  Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse almonds, confectioners' sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

2.  Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2-inch heart cutter; re roll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

4.  Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool.

5.  Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days

Double Chocolate Loaf : Club Baked

Double Chocolate Loaf
From Baked Explorations

Recipe:

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60-72%), coarsely chopped

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F and position the rack in the center. 

2.   Butter a 9 X 5 loaf pan, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour. 

3.  Place the brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Press out any lumps with the back of a large spoon. 

4.   Add the cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure you scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

5.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk until blended, then add the buttermilk,oil, and vanilla; whisk until combined. 

6.  Turn the mixer to low and slowly stream the wet ingredients into the dry ones, mixing just until combined. 

7.   Stir in the dark chocolate chunks by hand.

8.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 

9.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I ate mines with cream cheese and it just taste it delightful.

Lemon-Lavender Shortbread Cookies

A few years ago when I went to Las Vegas with my husband we went to a bakery where they had this delicious cookies (do not remember the name of the bakery).  These cookies were amazing.  I was kinda hesitant to try a cookie that taste like flowers, since lavender has a very powerful scent.  Well I have to say that I don't regret tasting it, because like my daughter would say "it was like heaven in my mouth" The taste of lemon and lavender were just a great combination.  A couple of weeks I order a pound of French Culinary Lavender and I have to tell you when I received the package which was completely sealed in a bag, you could still smell it, I knew right away what it was.  I took the lavender and put it in a container and still, my whole kitchen smells like the lavender... I love it!
These cookies are just amazing , I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.



Lemon-Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Cookie Recipe:
1 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature
1/2 cup powder sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp of dried culinary lavender
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice (can also substitute with lemon extract)

Directions:
1.  Cream together butter and sugar until smooth.

2.  Sift together flour, cornstarch and salt and add it to the butter mixture.  Mix until the flour coats the butter but isn't completely worked in.
3.  Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and the lavender.

4.  Using your hands lightly rub the ingredients together forming a ball.  Do not over work mixture.

5.  Flatten the dough out into a disc and cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

6.  Preheat oven at 325° F
7.  Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly flour covered surface so that its 1/4 inch.

8.  Cut dough into shapes
9.  Place cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

10.  Bake for 15 minutes

Icing Recipe:
1 cup powder sugar
3 tsp dried culinary lavender
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (preferably Meyer lemon)
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1.  Mix sugar, lavender, lemon zest together
2.  Add lemon juice little by little until you get the consistency that you want

Enjoy!!