Sweet Potatoes Muffins

This recipe is created from a part of my Thanksgiving meal leftovers. The candied yams are already sweet. Use less sugar when making this recipe. However, cook the yams like making mashed potatoes. The substitute for the sweet potatoes can be pumpkin. It is an easy recipe to turn candied yams into a whole new exciting dish for breakfast. Because my candied yams are homemade, I am not sure about the canned candied yams. Experiment with this recipe on your own.

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil, butter, or coconut oil*

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oatmeal

Directions;

Line a 12 muffin tin with 12 small muffin paper liners.  Preheat oven set to 350°.

Combine self-rising flour with cinnamon and whisk well.  Make a well in the center.

In a Vitamix® or other blender, combine eggs, sugar, milk, and oil. Blend for 30 seconds.

Pour the egg-milk mixture into the flour and gently mix.

 Add sweet potato and stir to combine (Do not overmix the batter. Use the old traditional 50 strokes learned from Grandma to make a cake).

Use a spoon to spoon the batter 3/4 full into the paper liners. Sprinkle oatmeal on top of each muffin.

Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy!!

*If using butter or coconut oil, melt the butter or coconut oil and let cool before proceeding.

BBQ Pulled Turkey from Leftover Turkey Using a Crockpot®

This is another easy recipe for leftover turkey legs and bread after a Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe is an easy way to have sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving with BBQ pulled turkey.

Ingredients:

Turkey legs*

1 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or store-bought)

1/2 onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Other seasonings, such as fresh thyme, mustard, and chili flakes

Directions:

Discard the skin and bones from the turkey legs (about 5 cups of meat should remain).

On the bottom of a Crockpot, add the onions and garlic.

Place turkey meat on top of the onion and garlic. Pour the BBQ sauce over the turkey meat.

Close the lid and cook for 3 hours. Use a fork to shred the meat slight. Season the turkey to meat with salt and pepper. Add some lemon juice, mustard, etc. to enhance the flavor.

The turkey is now already baked. It only takes a short time to cook. Enjoy.

*Since we are on the subject of leftover turkey, the turkey bones can make a wonderful broth. Use this broth to make Pho (follow the recipe posted on 04/20/2017 or Crockpot Pho posted on 10/31/2015).

Easy Leftover-turkey Fried Rice

The most frequently asked question after Thanksgiving meal is what to do with all the leftovers. Nothing should be wasted after the big meal on Thanksgiving day. For my family, we always enjoy an easy, healthy, turkey fried rice. Most of the meat left from turkey is from the breast; it is the best part for creating turkey fried rice.  Today, I will now share my recipe with all my blog followers. The joy one feels after eating this dish is the light and easy feeling remaining after a big feast.

Ingredients:

4 cups day-old cooked rice (I use basmati rice for my fried rice)

2 cups turkey, cubed

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbs peanut oil

Other ingredients:

1/4 cup diced carrot

1/4 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup peas

1/2 cup diced white onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

Garnishes:

3 chopped green onions and cilantro

Seasonings:

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Add carrot, peas, and corn kernels; blanch them for 1 minute. Drain.

Heat 2 tbs of peanut oil; then stir in minced garlic cloves and diced white onion, until fragrant.

 Stir in eggs and cook until slightly solid; add turkey and blanched carrot, peas, and 

corn kernels.

 Season with fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and black pepper.

Move the turkey-egg mixture to the sides of the wok.

  Add 1 tbs oil and rice. Cook and stir (adjust the seasonings at this point). Cook for 3 minutes while mixing them well.  Stir in green onions and cilantro. Serve.

Easy healthy Cranberries sauce

Cranberries sauce side  dish is always part of Thanksgiving meal. Some old day recipes use too much sugar. This season, I prepare my turkey with Asian flavor for healthier way to enjoy turkey. This recipe for cranberries sauce is part of eating healthy this season. The original recipe printed on the package of the fresh cranberries are selling on the market for Thanksgiving. However, I change the ingredients a little so it will fit my taste . Here it is

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups water
juice and zest of two oranges
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 tsp fresh ginger chopped
1 cup honey
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon powder

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to boil ; cook until all the cranberries skin pop.

 Stir occasionally every 10 minutes. Cook sauce less time for thinner or longer time for thicker sauce.

Pour sauce in a glass jar with lid.

Asian Candied Yams

Candied yams are a central part of most families’ Thanksgiving meals. The reason I created the "Asian candied yams" is that in the Asian cuisine, we have candied yams throughout the year for snacking. I want to add this recipe to the traditional Westerners’ Thanksgiving recipe for candied yams because Asian cuisine recipe has to be made from scratch with no exceptions.  It also has fresh ginger and honey, which are the two ingredients that are good together.  I hope that these Asian candied yams are always at the center of everyone’s Thanksgiving meal.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. sweet potatoes

4 cups water

Candied sauce ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup honey

1 tbs chopped fresh ginger

Juice and zest of one lemon

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 3 inch-long sticks that are 1/2 inch thick.

Bring water and potato sticks to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain well.

In a sauté pan, add sweet potato sticks and the candied sauce ingredients and cook on low-medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes until the sticks are tender and the syrup has been reduced to 1/2 cup.

Remove the cooked potato sticks and serve with some syrup on top.

No-Knead Cranberry Bread with Yeast and Walnuts

In last minute shopping at Costco yesterday, I tried a piece of the cranberry bread with walnuts.  I almost bought a loaf of this bread for our Thanksgiving meal.  However, I remembered so many bread recipes with the no-knead method that should work for this type of bread to make a Thanksgiving meal much easier.  Therefore, today I made this bread; it only takes time. Other than time, the rest of the preparation is easy. I think this bread is perfect to serve on the table with turkey on this special day.

Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp yeast

11 oz. water

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup walnuts

Others:

2 tbs all-purpose flour

2 tbs cornmeal

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir well.

  Cover the bowl with lid or plastic wrap. Place the bowl on a countertop for at least 12 hours to 18 hours.  Since I mixed the dough the day before Thanksgiving, this bread will be ready on Thanksgiving evening.

After 12 to 18 hours, quick stir the mixture well.

Mix 2 tbs all-purpose flour with 2 tbs corn meal.  Sprinkle 1/2 of this flour mixture into a deep bowl. Transfer the dough into the bowl. Sprinkle the other 1/2 of the flour mixture on top. Cover and let dough rest for another 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450°.  Place a cast-iron pan with lid in the oven and heat the pan for 15 minutes.

Pour the dough into the heater cast-iron pan.

  Cover pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. It now should be done. Enjoy!

Roasted Turkey with Asian Flavorings

This Thanksgiving I decided to prepare the turkey using a variety of Asian seasonings and flavorings. Here is the recipe that I created for my blog. I hope that you and your family will enjoy the resulting meal.

 Brine ingredients:

1 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon water
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 lemongrass strands, cut up
6 garlic cloves, sliced

10 cloves

5 star anise

1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp whole black pepper

1 piece of fresh ginger, sliced

2 stalks of celery, cut up

2 carrots, cut up

1 piece of daikon, cut up

1 cup salt

1 cup brown sugar or white sugar

Place all the brine ingredients in a large pot and bring mixture to a boil.  Boil the brine for 15 minutes over low heat. Let cool completely before adding the turkey. Soak turkey in this brine 24 hours.

Ingredients:

One 10 to 12 lbs turkey

1 ½ tbs salt

1 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/3 cup coconut oil

30 garlic cloves, peeled

5 shallots, peeled

1 white onion, cut into wedges

One 2 inch length fresh ginger, sliced

2 lemongrass stalks, cut up and bruised

Glaze ingredients:

1 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs honey

Directions:

Remove turkey from brine solution. Wash turkey well under cold water and pat dry.

Combine salt, sugar, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Season the turkey inside and out with this seasoning.

Combine coconut oil with salt, sugar, pepper, and paprika. Mix well. Season inside turkey well with the coconut-salt mixture and place garlic, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, and white onions inside turkey.  Continue to use the rest of the coconut oil by placing it under and all over skin of turkey.

Place turkey wings side down in a baking pan with rack. Pour 1 cup of water in the pan.

Bake turkey in a preheated oven set to 350°. Bake for 30 minutes. Then turn oven temperature down to 325° and bake for another 2 hours.

 Combine the glaze ingredients and baste the turkey every 15 minutes during the last hour. Follow the instructions of how to cook your specific turkey because each oven’s temperature varies.

An Easy Nut Pie

Pecan pie is one of my favorite pies on the Thanksgiving table.  Today, I will introduce an easy nuts pie just to have something different. This pie includes mixed nuts, which adds different nutritional benefits other than those from just pecans.

Ingredients:

One 9 in. store-bought pie crust or homemade

3 cups unsalted, unbaked mixed nuts (I use the Kirkland brand sold at Costco)

4 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs butter, cut up (optional)

Directions:

Unfold the pie dough and place into a 9 inch diameter pie pan. Use a fork to flute or make some indentations around the overhanging dough edges.

Preheat and oven to 350°.

In a mixing bowl, place and whisk together the eggs and both types of sugar.  Add cinnamon, vanilla, and nuts. Stir well.

How to make crispy pie dough:

First, pre-bake (blind bake) the pie crust by placing over the pie dough in the pie pan a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil larger than the pie pan.

Next, place and spread pie weights or dried beans in a single layer on top of the parchment paper or aluminum foil enough to cover the entire bottom of the pie crust and bake for 10 minutes (this will prevent the pie crust at the bottom from bubbling up, curling, or shrinking).

Then when cool to the touch, remove parchment paper or aluminum foil with the pie weights from atop the piecrust (remove the pie weights and store them in a jar for future use).

Finally, pour mixture onto the blind baked pie dough. Dot butter, if using, on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until set.

Stir-fried Vegetables with Rice Noodles and Tofu

I think this recipe is a healthy and easy dish that works for people like to enjoy Asian food without having to order it from a takeout restaurant. This dish is full flavored with many choices of vegetables, which are easy to find in most groceries. I use some mushroom seasoning to enhance the favor of this dish, but it can be omitted by using some soy sauce instead.  If tofu is not available, then substitute it with shrimp or chicken. Fresh noodles are recommended for this dish, "banh pho tuoi’; however, dried noodles are acceptable. Soak the dried noodles for a longer time than the fresh noodles. The vegetables used are very much what each cook has in his or her kitchen.  As for myself, I use a little of each kind of vegetable that can be cooked together.  This recipe is very nutritional and healthy, and I am very happy to share it with all my frequent blog followers.

Ingredients;

6 oz. of fresh rice noodles

8 oz. fried tofu, julienned

2 tbs oil for stir-frying

Vegetables;

Red peppers, Napa cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, celery

1 dried fungus

2 dried shiitake mushrooms

1 cup bean sprouts

Spices:

1 garlic clove, minced

2 shallots, sliced

2 green onions, white part chopped

Salt and sugar 11/4 tsp total

1/4 black pepper and cayenne

1 tsp mushroom seasoning or soy sauce

Other ingredients:

Chopped roasted peanuts

Chopped cilantro

Directions:

Soak fresh noodles in warm tap water for 5 minutes and drain.Combine the salt, sugar, black pepper and cayenne and set aside.

Add mushroom seasoning on drained noodles and mix well.

Julienne all the vegetables (about 2 cups of vegetables total) and set aside.

If you do not have fried tofu, slice the tofu and fry them until golden brown, and then slice fried tofu into strips.

Add 2 tbs of oil in a wok. Add shallots, garlic, and the white parts of green onions. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Remove and put this flavored oil in a bowl to use sparingly.

Add noodles into the empty skillet now. Stir and cook while sprinkling with seasoning.

  Add a little water if the noodles appear dry. Remove from the wok.

Add some flavored oil to the wok. Add fresh mushrooms and two dried mushrooms and cook for a few minutes or until the fresh mushrooms have wilted (about 1 minute).

 Stir in carrots and celery (do not forget to season the vegetables each time). 

Add Napa cabbage and bean sprouts and make a quick stir; return the noodles to rejoin with the vegetables.

 Add tofu (do the final seasoning at this point). Serve on a serving plate topped with roasted peanuts and cilantro. Also, include sweet soy dipping sauce with fresh hot chilli slices on the side.

*The reason this dish is cooked this way is that each vegetable has different cooking times. Season each time to make sure all the vegetable are seasoned equally.

If using shrimp, pan-fried shrimp