Tomato & Egg Mushroom Soup

Homemade fresh tomato soup will surely be everyone's favorite when the preparation for this recipe requires just a few ingredients; and all of these ingredients are usually in our refrigerator.

Ingredients:
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
2 tbs oil
1 tbs soy sauce
1tsp salt
2 green onions, chopped
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbs cornstarch, 3 tbs water for thickening the soup

Directions:
In a medium pot, heat oil. Sauté the tomato and white onions. Add soy sauce, mushrooms and stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the thickening solution and stir. Slowly stir the eggs in a thin stream, stirring lightly in a clockwise direction and turn off the heat immediately. Ladle the soup into a serving bowl; sprinkle the green onion, black pepper and sesame oil.

Vegetarian Egg Rolls (Cha gio chay)

Ingredients:
1 firm tofu about 1 lb.
1/2 cup dry mung beans, soaked
1 red onion thinly sliced
1 cup jicama
1 sweet potato
2 oz dry shitake, soaked
1 oz bean thread, soaked
1 cup carrots,
1 cup white cabbage,
1/2 cup cooked corn
2 eggs
Salt, pepper, soy sauce to taste
2 tsp tapioca and 1/4 cup water mixed
35 egg roll wrappers
4 cups of oil
Garnish with vegetable plate

 Directions:
To prepare vegetables:
Remove skin of carrots, jicama, and sweet potatoes, washed, thinly shredded.
Wash the cabbages and red onions and then shred.
Chop soaked bean thread and so shitake mushrooms.
In a large mixing bowl, mash tofu and mung beans. Add carrots, jicama, sweet potatoes, cabbages, shitake, corn and eggs. Mix to combine and season with salt, pepper, sugar and soy sauce.

In a small bowl, mix tapioca starch with water. Cook in microwave for 5 minutes. This mixture is used to "glue" to seal the edges of the wrapper.

Assembling the egg rolls:
On the working surface, place an egg roll wrapper in front of you.

 Working with the side towards you, place about 2 tbs of filling on it.

Using your fingers, mold the filling into a cylinder about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Fold both sides of the wrapper in and roll to enclose.

 Dab a little tapioca mixture along the edges and seal the roll. Repeat the above until filling all the egg rolls.

Preheat a large wok or deep fry. Add oil. When reaching 350°, carefully place the egg rolls into the hot oil. Do not crowd the wok or pan. Fry the egg rolls until the filling is cooked, turning often until they are nicely brown (about 5 minutes each side). Remove the fried egg rolls and drain on the paper towels. Serve with sweet soy dipping sauce

Pumpkin flan

I love pumpkin so when fall on it way pumpkin flan is the dessert that I love to prepare and replace pumpkin pie for the Thanks giving dinner.
Ingredients:
Caramel sauce:
1/3 cup sugar
Custard:
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup solid pumpkin ( the one to make pumpkin pie)
1 cup skim or whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1tsp ground Cinnamon
Glass baking dish 9x 6 or 6 4 oz ramekins
Baking pan 12x 13
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 °
Spray cooking oil into baking glass. Set aside
To make caramel:
In a small sauce pan over low heat cook 1/3 cup sugar until golden brown. Quickly pour into baking glass. Don't worry if the caramel become hard. It will melt when bake.

whisk eggs and pumpkin until combine. Add Cinnamon and vanilla.

In another sauce pan over medium heat bring milk and 1/2 cup sugar until almost boil. Whisking slowly into the egg mixture then drain through the fine sieve. Pour the eggs milk mixture into the baking glass.

Place the baking glass onto the baking pan. Pour enough hot water until reach  half way of the baking glass. Bake in the preheat oven for 40 minutes. Let flan cool off and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The flavor will develop better if flan can be made a day ahead.

Steamed Fish Rolls

Ingredients:
3 eggs, beaten
4 nori or seaweed
3 tbs oil
1 cup fish paste
1 finely chopped hot chilies
2 scalion, thinly slice
1 cup mushroom thinly slice
1 cup red onion, thinly slice
salt, black pepper to taste
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sake' (japanese rice wine)
Directions:
In a 9 inch non stick pan over medieum heat make 4 thin omeletes and set aside
In the same pan add oil and cook mushroom until wilted. Remove.
Add the rest of oil and onions and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until onion start to brown. season with salt and pepper.
In the bowl mix the fish paste, scalions and chilies.
Divide the fish paste, the red onions and mushroom into 4 equal portions.

To assemble:
Cut the omelet the same size as the nori sheet.
On the working surface, lay the nori sheet on top of the omelet. Spread the fish paste, mushrooms, and red onions evenly on top of the nori sheet. Roll up firmly.

 Repeat the same until all sheets are rolled up. Place the fish roll onto the plate .
Set the steamer on high heat and steam the fish rolls for 10 minutes. Serve with sweet soy dipping sauce.

Soy dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs water
Chopped garlic, chopped hot chilies

Chicken Fried Rice

When it is time to clean up what is left over in the refrigerator, chicken fried rice is the dish that I like to prepare. Chicken, soy sauce, rice and egg will make a tasty meal in no time.
Ingredients:
2 cups cold, cooked plain rice
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cooked chicken
3 tbs oil
1 cup cut up of carrots, cooked corn, green beans
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 green onions, sliced
Coriander

Directions:
Heat 1 tbs oil in frying pan over medium heat, and cook the eggs into a thin omelet. Let it cool and cut into thin shreds.
In the same pan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add carrots, corn and beans. Cook for a few minutes. Drain.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Sauté' onions, and garlic until fragrant. Add cooked rice, breaking it up and frying until heated thoroughly. Season with soy sauce and salt. Stir in chicken and carrots mixture, tossing to distribute them evenly with the rice. Add the shredded omelet and green onions, and keep tossing until they all combine in heated thoroughly. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

Pumpkin yeast bread is my favorite. During the fall season when pumpkin is available, making this bread is healthy and much better than quick pumpkin bread. Using a bread machine to make this bread is both time and money saving.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup fresh or canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs soft butter or margarine
3 cups bread flour
2 tsp active dry yeast

Directions:
Place all the ingredients into the bread pan machine as listed above or follow the instruction manual for your bread machine. Press the dough button to start. When the machine finishes kneading, mixing and rising for first time, remove the dough and use your fist to punch down on the dough to remove some air. Put the dough into a lightly oiled 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover and let it rise until double in size (about 40 minutes).
Preheat oven to 350° and bake bread for 30 minutes.

This dough can be used to make sweet pumpkin dinner rolls.

Fried Tuna in Savory Tangy Sauce

Thai food is so full of herbs and spices. Therefore, it is recognized as nutritional and should be added into the daily diet. The various herbs and spices contained in each Thai dish naturally enhances the unique taste of each one. Now famous Worldwide, Thai herbs and spices are available everywhere in both fresh and dried forms so making healthy Thai food at home is very easy.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of oil
Lemongrass chopped
Two 8 oz. tunas or trout fillets, cut into 2 inch lengths

Garnishes
1 shallots, thinly sliced
3 green onions, cut into 4 inch lengths
1/4 cup coriander
1 tomato sliced
1 cup Shredded lettuce
Spices:
3 gloves garlic
2 hot chilies
1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced

Stock liquid:
1 tbs oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbs lime juice
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt

Thickening solution:
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

Directions:
To prepare sauce:
Combine coarsely minced garlic and hot chilies together. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté' garlic and chilies until fragrant. Add red onions and stir for a few minutes. Add stock liquid. Bring to boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce. Set aside.
In another pan, flavor the oil by adding the lemongrass stirred until fragrant over medium heat. Remove the lemongrass and add shallots. Fry shallots until golden brown. Remove and set the crispy shallots aside.
In the same pan, fry the fish and reduce to medium heat. Fry fish until golden. Remove and drain fish on paper towel to remove some excess oil. To serve, arrange shredded lettuce on the bottom of the plate and place the fried fish on top of the lettuce. Top with garnishes. Spoon the sauce over and serve with steamed rice.

Granola Bars

Granola is a healthy breakfast, snack and quick workout food, and a good supply food for hiking, biking and camping. Recently, granolar has become very popular in the health food section in supermarkets. It consists of rolled oats, honey and nuts. Homemade granola bars are even better because the ingredients are of your own choice. The only thing left is your imaginations. Homemade granola bars should be top of the list for healthy living.
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup walnuts and peanuts chopped
1/2 cup combination of sunflower and pumpkin seeds
1 cup combination of reasons, dried cranberries, dates, dried cherries.
1/4 cup sesame seeds.
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°.
Line a 13" x 10" baking pan with foil. Make sure the foil comes up and over the pan to easily remove the granola bars. Spray with some cooking oil.

Place oats onto the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Add coconut, sesame seeds and chopped nuts and bake for another 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
While the oats mixture is baking, heat the oil, honey, maple syrup, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook this syrup until becoming almost caramel.
Remove the oats mixture and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar liquid and 1 cup of dried fruit. Mix well to coat.

 Pour the whole mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Let it cool completely before cutting into bars. Store in a cookie jar. The granola bars will last for weeks.

Sauerkraut Bread

This sauerkraut bread is very moist and delicious. The sauerkraut makes it taste like sour dough bread. The caraway seeds or fennel seeds, which pair very well with sauerkraut, make this a distinctive hearty bread
Ingredients:
1 cup sauerkraut rinsed and drained
1/2 cup milk
2 tbs molasses
2 tbs butter or margarine
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp caraway seeds or fennel seeds
1 cup rye flour
2 cups bread flour
2 tsp active dried yeast
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a bread pan machine in the order listed above or follow your bread machine instruction manual. Press the dough start button and let the bread machine do the kneading, mixing and rising.
When the dough is done, remove from the bread machine. With your fist, punch dough to remove some air. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface. Shape dough into a long log about 12 inches
long.

Cut dough into 10 small pieces weighing about 4 oz each.

 Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Spray the baking sheet with oil. Place dough onto the prepared
baking sheet and spray more oil on top of each ball.

 Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 40 to 50 minutes or until double in size. Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes.

You can bake in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and serve as sandwich bread.

Aloe Vera Dessert (Che long tu)

Aloe vera is a natural vegetable source of vitamin B-12 and has the most minerals vital to help the growth and health for all parts of body organs. Asian people consume aloe vera more than any other group of people in the world because this plant grows very well in hot climates. Because the juice inside aloe is very bitter, it is not easy to add to daily diets. Scientists have already approved many products on the market to bring the tremendous health benefits of this plant into our life in the form of juices, pills, skin care, etc. Vietnamese people have enjoyed this dessert for many years. I want to share this aloe recipe if you happen to have this plant in your garden.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried mung beans (skin removed)
2 cups aloe vera, washed and drained well*
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
tbs vanilla

Directions:
Wash mung beans really well and drain.
In a small pot over medium heat, bring mung beans with 2 cups of water to a boil. Quickly pour into sieve to wash under cold water. This procedure will ensure the mung beans are very well cleaned. Put mung beans back into the pot 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil again. That means simmer for 15 minutes or until all the beans are cooked. Add aloe. Bring back to a boil again and simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, syrup, and vanilla. Cook further for the sugar to completely dissolve. Serve hot or cold.

* Use a sharp knife to cut the aloe vera leaf into a few pieces to handle easily. Peel off the skin and cut into 1/2 inch wide matchsticks. Wash aloe under cold running water. Add 1 tsp salt to remove all the slimy juice and only leave the jelly-like solid. Completely clean until not sticky when touched.

Salmon Baked in Béchamel Sauce

Béchamel sauce, also known as a white sauce, is used as a base for many other sauces, such as cheese sauce and lasagna, that are used in French and Italian cuisine recipes. This simple sauce is for beginner cooks who need to learn how to make this sauce to pass the cooking skills. Traditionally, this sauce is made with flour-butter-roux and hot milk, and the possibilities of expanding this simple sauce into different sauces are endless. Salmon baked in béchamel sauce is simple and healthy.

Ingredients:
Two 8oz salmon fillets or halibut, Cod
1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper and turmeric mixed
2 tbs olive oil
1 tomato sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
Panko bread crumbs (Japanese brand)
 Garnish with chopped chives
Béchamel sauce
1 tbs butter
1 tbs flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
To make the béchamel sauce: in a saucepan over medium-low heat, cook butter until melted. Add flour and stir until smooth. Stir constantly until it turns into a light golden color. The mixture should look like wet sand
In another small pan, heat milk until just boiling. Slowly add hot milk to the butter-flour mixture. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and nutmeg. The béchamel sauce is now ready for any recipe.
To prepare fish for baking:
Rub both sides of fish with turmeric. Salt and pepper and olive oil. In a small baking dish, place fish on the bottom. Place one layer of tomato slices and thinly sliced red onions. Pour 1/4 cup of béchamel sauce and top with panko breadcrumbs.
Preheat oven to 375 ° and bake fish for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped before serve

Blueberry and Backberry Muffin

Ingredients:
2 cups quick mix
1/2 cup sugar
6 tbs soft butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh bluberries
3/4 cup milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Line 12 muffin tins with 12 paper muffin cups.

In a large mixing bowl, use electric mixer. Beat eggs, sugar and soft butter until light and fluffy. Add quick mix all at once with milk. Divide dough in half. Fold in blueberries and blackberries into the cake mix. Scoop into muffin tins, leaving about 1 inch on top for room to rise when baking.

 Bake in oven for 25 minutes.         

Vietnamese Corn Pudding (bap cha)

This corn pudding is very popular all over the street of Viet nam. I love this corn pudding, but have no idea how to replicate this recipe since the dried white corn has to come from Asia. Lately, when the Vietnamese community growns larger so their grocery get bigger with more traditional items on the shelves such as dried white corns.I start looking for this recipe, and finally I have found the corn pudding recipe using crock pot. Since then, I prepare this recipe for breakfast and it never fail me.

Ingredients:
6 oz dried white corn (bap da)*
6 or 7 oz coconut milk
2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
3 tsp small tapioca peal
Garnishes:
1/2 cup shredded coconuts
2 tbs roasted sesame seed
Directions:
Put all the ingredients into crock pot, accept the tapioca pearl. Turn on to low. Let cook over night. In the morning, wash tapioca peal in water. Add to the crock pot. Let it cook further until the tapioca peal is cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with shredded coconut and sesame seed.

* To make this dish. There is no substitution for the corn accept the one sell at Asian grocery. Picture as follow:

Sweet and Sour Fish

This sweet and sour dish is popular in Southeast Asia. Often using a whole deep-fried fish and served with sweet and spicy sauce, it is well-known in Thai cuisine. This recipe which uses fish fillet is a great way to cook, and its touch of sweetness makes this dish super.

Ingredients:
½ lb firm white fish, such as monk fish, sea bass, or tilapia skin removed
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dry sherry or shaoxing wine
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp chopped ginger
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp chili flakes
1/4 tsp sesame oil
Cilantro
Directions:
Pat dry fish, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch cube, and marinate fish with salt and haft of dry sherry for 30 minutes.
Combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar,sugar and the other haft of the wine. Set aside.
Beat the egg and flour with 1 tbs water to form a smooth batter. Coat the fish cubes with the batter.
In the wok, heat 1 cup of oil to 350°. To check if oil is ready, drop a piece of bread into the oil and it brown in 10 seconds. Carefully lower one by one piece of fish and stir gently to make sure they do not stick together. Cook until they golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove fishes and drain well on paper towel.
In the same wok, pour out the oil , wipe the wok clean  reserving 1 tbs oil.
Heat wok in high heat. Add ginger, chilli and scallions saute' for few minutes. Add the liquid mixture and bring to aboil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minutes. Add fishes and cook for 2 minutes. Combine the cornstach with 1 tbs water to make a paste, add to the wok and cook until thick. Sprinkle the fish with sesame oil and cilantro and serve.

Breakfast Egg Custard

Egg custard is a light cake made with eggs combined with various ingredients from sweet to savory and served as a main meal like quiche or dessert. My version of egg custard is made without crust. I invented this recipe to get rid of the leftovers that need to go from making chicken roulade, ham or bacon. This quick and easy recipe when whipped up in the morning will make a very good and healthy breakfast.
 
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 cup combination of: chopped ham, cooked spinach, mushroom.
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1/4 cup cheese (any kind of cheese)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs chopped chives
Butter or cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray or butter 4 medium muffin tins. Set aside
Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Pour into the prepared muffin tins.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

*Add 1 tsp lemon juice in 1/2 cup of milk (if buttermilk is not available)

Chicken Mushroom Roulades

This recipe is simple enough to make every day or to turn into a feast to serve guests. The smooth creamy garlic sauce will give a more delicate flavor to this dish. Replace the heavy cream with skim milk to lower the calorie intake.

Ingredients:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup cooked baby spinach, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/ 2 cup parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbs cup all-purpose flour
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, pepper
1 tbs fresh chopped parsley
1 tbs chopped chive
Directions:

Place each chicken breast between plastic wrap. On the smooth side of meat, pound the chicken meat into about 1/2 inch thickness.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken. Set aside

In a sauce pan over medium heat, cook oil, chopped onions, and garlic until fragrant. Add mushrooms. Stir and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and add spinach and chopped parsley.
Divide the mushrooms and spinach mixture equally into two portions.
Place the mixture in the middle of the chicken breasts. Top with cheese and roll up. Tuck both ends tightly to secure the filling and use kitchen twine to tie up.

In a large ovenproof sauté' pan over high heat, add oil and brown the chicken roulades on all sides. Put pan in preheated oven at 375° for 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken and cover with foil to keep warm while making the sauce.
Over medium heat, add white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce in half. Add garlic and butter. Stir for 1 minute. Add flour to make a roux. Add chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil. Whisk and simmer until thick. Drain through a fine sieve to make sure there are no lumps in the sauce .Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the kitchen twine from the chicken. Cut crosswise into 2-inch thick pieces. Place onto plate and pour sauce over pieces of chicken. Sprinkle chopped chive and serve.

Coq Au Vin

Coq au vin is classic of France braise chicken begin in the Burgundy region known as super cold-weather, and the chicken cooks with red wine, garlic, mushrooms and pearl onions. Coq means rooster in France , so the chicken is tough and benefit for braising. During a cozy holiday or an special weekend with friends Coq au vin is served and the burgundy wine use for braising the bird will be served at the meal as well. Just like many recipes that I learn to prepare. I want to create coq au vin as simple as I can by using chicken legs and thighs, and using what ever wine that I  normally drink . The cooking time will be shorter than normal to braise the tough chicken and the taste guarantee  stay the same as classic Coq au vin.

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken legs and thighs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
2 clove garlic, mashed
1tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
8 oz white button mushroom stems removed
1 white onions cut in chunk about 2 inch
Bouquet garni(combination of fresh herbs)
Bay leave, parsley, thymes.
Directions:
Rinsed the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
Mix flour,nutmeg, salt and pepper on a plate. Coat the chicken both side with the seasoned flour . Shaking off the excess and set a side.
In a large heavy pot over high heat, add haft of butter and olive oil. Add chicken in batches and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. As the chickens are browned, then add red wine, garlic and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil,cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until the chicken are cooked through.
In a sauce pan, add butter and oil to cook mushrooms, onions and sugar for about 8 to 10 minute.
About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, stir mushrooms and onions to the chicken. Adjust a seasoning before serving, Sprinkle with some chopped parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Tuna in Braised Red Onions

Braising the red onion with a little lemon juice will make the red onion release its natural sweetness. This sweet onion can accompany any kind of fish to bake in the oven and is definitely well worth trying.

Ingredients:
2 tuna fillets
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbs fresh chopped thyme
1 tbs fresh chopped chives
1 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine

Directions:
In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add red onions, thyme, chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the onion with all the seasonings. Sauté' until soft. Cover and lower the heat, stirring occasionally to keep the onion from browning. It takes about 20 minutes.
Season the tuna with salt and pepper on both sides. Divide the soft onion into equal portions.
Layer the soft onion in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with fish. Add red wine to each fish. Bake in preheated oven at 375°. Uncover until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. It takes about 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

The Best-Ever Potato Bread

Potato bread is an all-time favorite, producing a rich, soft texture and a thin, crisp crust. Prepare a plain mashed potato before making the bread. I found this recipe in an old bread machine cookbook, and it turned out very good.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mashed potatoes*
1/2 cup reserved potato water
2 tbs milk powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbs margarine or soft butter
2 cups bread flour
2 tsp active dry yeast

Directions:
In a bread pan machine, add all the ingredients in the order listed above or follow the instruction manual of your bread machine. Press the dough button to start. Let the machine do the mixing, kneading and rising in the machine. When it is done. Remove the dough from the bread pan. Punch the dough to remove air with your fist. Shape dough into the same size as the loaf pan seam-side down. Put the dough into lightly-buttered 9" x 5" loaf pan. Let dough rise a second time until double in size (about 40 minutes).
Bake loaf of bread in preheated oven at 375 ° for 30 minutes.

* To make mashed potatoes, peel and quarter a medium-sized baking potato. Boil in water until tender. Drain, reserving potato water. Use masher to mash potato until smooth. Cool to room temperature before using.

Hot and Sour Soup

This soup has a lot of different flavors in it. The spicy comes from freshly ground white pepper, and the sour comes from black vinegar. For heath benefits, add ginger and serve this soup for colds. This soup seems to have every family's own recipe. Everybody claims that their soup is the best. Some use wood ear fungus and pork. Some don't. To make this soup vegetarian, leave the meat out and use vegetable stock. Try different recipes for hot and sour soup, then come up with your own like mine here.

Ingredients:
4 oz medium-firm tofu
1 chicken breast, thinly shredded
2 tbs cornstarch
5 dried shitake mushrooms
1 tsp salt
1 tbs cooking wine: dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs freshly ground white pepper
2 tbs black Chinese vinegar or balsamic vinegar
5 cups homemade chicken stock
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup can shredded bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
3 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Soak dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Then drain and squeeze out any excess water. Remove and discard the stems and shred the caps. Reserve 1 cup of soaking mushroom water.
Combine chicken, salt, and half of the cooking wine and half of the cornstarch. Set aside.
Cut bean curd the same size as the bamboo shoots and the dried mushrooms. Set aside.

Bring the stock to a boil in a pan or a large clay pot if serving in that clay pot. Add the chicken and stir to separate the meat. Then add the bean curd, mushrooms and the bamboo shoots. Return to a boil. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, whisking in the eggs clockwise to form the thin threads.
Combine the remaining cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water. Pour into the soup and simmer until thick. Sprinkle with white pepper and chopped scallions.

Guacamole (Avocado salsa)

Avocados have so many health benefits that one each day might keep doctors away. An avocado is a powerhouse containing at least 20 different vitamins to help both satisfy taste buds and contribute to healthy living by preventing breast cancer and lowering cholesterol. I could go on and on describing all of the nutrient benefits available from Avocados. I think knowing a few easy recipes will help to adding an avocado to our daily life, and the most popular dish is guacamole.
Ingredients:
2 large, ripe avocados
10 cherry tomatoes, rough chopped
2 tbs lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cut avocados in half lengthwise and remove the pits. Peel and then cut into cubes.. Place cubes in nonmetallic bowl. Pour lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Using a fork, mash the avocados until reaching the desired consistency – smooth or chunky. Add olive oil, garlic, onions, tomatoes and cilantro. Then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.
To prevent discoloration, sprinkle with more cilantro and a few drops of lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap.

Dark Coffee Chocolate Cake

It is super good and super easy to impress friends and family for any occasion when showing up with chocolate cake. The following creamy frosting recipe goes with any cake or cupcake. Whether feeling sad or happy, chocolate cake is the answer.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Hershey coco powder
3 tbs instant coffee
1/2 tsp baking soda
1and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sour milk*
1/2 cup vegetable oil or 4oz apple sauce
Frosting:
6tbs soft butter
1/2 cup coco powder
2  cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350°
Butter two 9 inch round cake pan. Set aside
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a mixing bowl with electric mixer beat eggs, sugar, oil and sour milk until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in hot boiling water, vanilla and flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Pour the batter equally into the prepare baking pan. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until tooth pick insert in the center come out clean. Let cool before frosting.

* To make sour milk by add 1tbs lemon juice in one cup and fill the rest with milk. Let stand for 15 minutes .

To make frosting:
Combine all the ingredients accept milk. Mix  them well together, adding milk slowly until desire consistency.

Vietnamese Sponge Cake (Banh bong lan )

On the streets of Saigon, Vietnam, a little dessert is made on a cast iron mold with charcoal on top and underneath. It was exciting while waiting for the baker first to prepare the batter and then to finish baking. Sponge cake reminds me of this little cake that I had when I was young. Maybe it is a little different in taste because of the way it is prepared. Either way, I like them both,

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp salt
4 eggs separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Grease and line with parchment paper a 9 inch diameter round or 9 inch square baking pan. Set aside
Sift floor, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg white and put in different bowls.
Divide the sugar equally into two portions.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg white while adding sugar until stiff.
With the electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks while adding sugar until pale yellow or double in volume. Add flour and vanilla. Mix to combine. Lightly fold egg white mixture into egg yolks mixture. Pour batter in prepared baking pan and bake in preheated oven set at 375° for 30 to 40 minutes.