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!!

Peruvian Caramel Custard/Crema Volteada

Since I can remember my parents "get-together" where always memorable.  My uncles and aunts coming to our house to have dinner, dessert and then listen to music with wine or some pisco.  My mother since she was the oldest was always host to these dinner parties and sometimes it would be to hectic for her because  my uncles would show up with three or four guests without letting my mother know (she was not a happy camper).  My mother would cook in the big pots (calderos) all day and for dessert she would make the fastest, easiest dessert she new, which was "Crema Volteada" a delicious caramel custard that kind of resembles to the French Creme Caramel (Creme brulee).  I hope that you guys enjoy this recipe as much my family does.

Peruvian Caramel Custard/Crema Volteada
Recipe:
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
8 eggs
1Tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup of sugar


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F
2.  Make the caramel by cooking sugar in a saucepan, cook it until sugar turns golden brown and thickens to start sticking to the spoon.
3.  Put the caramel into the bunt pan and cover the entire bottom and sides.

4.  In the mixer, mix eggs and vanilla extract together in low speed.

5.  After beating the egg mixture add both evaporated milk and condensed milk and mix on low speed until well incorporated.

6.  Pour egg mixture into the caramel bunt. and put bunt into a baking pan filled with water half way. 

7.  Bake for 45 minutes, until mixture has set.

8.  Remove the custard from the water immediately so that it can cool.  Place in the refrigerator and once is cool, you can remove it from the pan.

Enjoy!!

Oreo and Cheesecake Pops

Oreo and Cheesecake Pops
Recipe:
1 (1 lb 1 oz) package of Oreos, minus about 6-8 cookies
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
7" plain cheesecake
1 bag of cocoa candy melt

Directions:
1.  Crush the Oreos (including the creme filling) in the food processor until finely ground.  Also crush the 6-8 cookies but set aside.
2.  Mix together Oreo crumbs and the cream cheese until completely blended. ( I used my fingers)

3.  Using the measuring spoon (1/2 Tbsp) of the Oreo mixture and roll into balls.

4.  Place them on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes
5.  Now for the messy part, when Oreo balls are ready, scoop 1/2 Tbsp of cheesecake, flatten a little, add the Oreo ball and mold the cheesecake around the Oreo ball. Mold until the cheesecake is completely around the Oreo ball.

6.  Place them in a flat sheet pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper.
7.  Roll the cheesecake balls on the crushed Oreos that you set aside earlier.

8.  Refrigerate the cheesecake pops for 20 minutes
9.  While the Cheesecake balls are in the refrigerator, melt the cocoa candy in the microwave as directed in the instructions.
10.  One at a time dip a candy stick into the candy coating about 1/2 inch then push stick into bottom of cheesecake ball.  Just be careful you don't push it far that it goes through the cake ball.
11.  Remelt the candy in microwave and completely dip into candy melt and remove quickly, once is done place them in baking sheet or in foam block.

12. Refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes

Enjoy!!!!