Seven Things I Have Learned from Life

I have learned from life that I cannot force people to love me, only all the things that I can do to make myself lovable. Life is colorful, just love it

I have learned from life that I can be right to be angry with someone, but it is unacceptable for me to become merciless to them

I have learned from life that even though all my friends have always been nice to me, but someday, they might hurt me, and I need to learn how to forgive them

I have learned from life that if I want to forgive people, first, I need to learn how to forgive myself.

I have learned from life that if people do not love me as I expected, it doesn't mean they do not love me with all their hearts

I have learned from life that it takes a long time for me to build trust with people, but it only takes a second to lose it all.

I have learned from life that I always have to be careful because even minor mistakes will make me regret for the rest of my life.

God created your life. You are in charge to color it – make it beautiful.

 

Source: the petalia.org website

Vit Quay Chay - Roasted "Duck"

This is a veggie recipe using tofu as a replacement for duck meat. This is one of my favorite dishes as a main course and easy to impress guests. The addition of fresh mushrooms contributes to the sweetness of this dish. Other spices, which are added to marinate the tofu, such as ginger, leek, and 5 spice, creates the duck flavor. This is a simple recipe with a big flavor.

Ingredients:
One large 8” x 4” block of tofu (slice block in half into two 8” x 4” thinner blocks)
Dried, skinned sheet of tofu soaked in water and cut into an 8 x 12” rectangle
3 fresh shitake mushrooms
2 king oyster mushrooms
4 oyster mushrooms
1 oz enoki mushrooms
2 oz Korean white mushrooms
2 tbs 5 spice
2 cubes of fermented tofu (chao)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clove
1 tbs vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt and black pepper
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbs medicine Chinese cooking wine (Mai Que Lo)
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup leek
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tbs annato seed oil for color

Directions:
In a sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of oil until hot. Fry leek on low heat until crispy. Remove from the oil. On the same pan, fry one side of tofu blocks until golden. Remove tofu from the hot oil.
In a bowl, combine coconut water, ginger, fried leek, 5 spice, sugar, cinnamon, clove, honey, salt, black pepper, oyster sauce, Mai Que Lo,  fermented tofu and soy sauce. Mix well. Place fried tofu blocks into this sauce and marinade for a few hours.
Cut the big mushrooms, like king oyster, into thick slices. Cut the small mushrooms into big pieces. Keep the mushrooms sizes in mind, which are to be rolled into the fried tofu.
In the same pan with the leftover oil, fry all the mushrooms until wilted. This procedure will insure that the water within the mushrooms evaporate and the mushrooms will keep their chewiness.
Drain tofu from its marinade and keep the marinade to create sauce later for serving.
On the countertop, lay the soaked skinned tofu. Sprinkle with cornstarch to cover entire sheet of soaked tofu. Place one tofu block with the fried side down in the center. Top with layers of mushrooms as you go. Top with the other tofu block with the fried side up. Fold this filling neatly into a rectangle. Use pastry brush to brush the annatto seed oil all over the surface of this "duck".
If not using it right away, wrap it up with plastic wrap and foil and then put in freezer.
In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tbs oil and pan fry this duck until golden brown both sides. You might have to add more oil.

To make sauce:
Add the remaining marinade sauce to the sauce pan. Add more water, if needed. Bring to boil. Season with soy sauce, more oyster sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and add to this sauce. Cook until it is thickened. The taste is like sweet and light sour. Serve with roasted duck.

Upside Down Pineapple Coffeecake

The Pillsbury dough boy has been a part of American households for a very long time. His sweet smile and giggle when a finger touches his stomach is one of my favorite commercials. Before I knew how to make bread by using a bread machine at home, I had been a truly loyal customer of Pillsbury. I think Pillsbury is a fastest way to have wonderful bread for breakfast or dinner. In its website, all the recipes for making cakes are interesting. Its cakes are not just easy, which is what I always like because nobody likes to spend all of his or her time in the kitchen, but they are delicious as well. I learned this recipe from Pillsbury, but instead of apples, which I did not have on hand, I substituted pineapple. This recipe can be served for breakfast or snacking during lunch breaks, and do not forget to have a cup of coffee with it.

Ingredients:

One recipe for cinnamon rolls was posted on 08/19/2011 or use store bought
1 ½ cups pineapple, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbs soft butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries
1 tbs vanilla

Directions:

Roll out dough into a long log. Cut dough into 16 small portions.
Use 1 tbs of soft butter to spread on the bottom and on all sides of a round baking dish.
Place half of the pineapple on the bottom of the baking dish.
In a bowl, combine brown sugar, vanilla, and the rest of the butter. Place dough into the bowl with the rest of the pineapple and the raisins or cranberries (can be both). Mix well. You can pour the whole thing into the baking dish, making sure it covers the bottom of the dish. I like to place the dough one by one, so it looks neat.
Cover and let dough rest for 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° and bake cake for 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely and invert cake onto the serving plate.
To make icing:
Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 1/4 cup milk. Mix well. Pour this icing over the cake.

 

 

 

The Uphills of Life

When you bike uphill, you sweat and your legs are tired. Just after that time, you will experience a wonderful feeling as you approach the downhill ahead. The sweat evaporates in the cool breeze, and you quickly forget all about the tedious uphill struggle.

Life is like a long road. While running on the smooth road, one should not forget to anticipate the uphills or downhills. Many tines in this rapid, stressful society, the feelings of depression, discouragement, and disappointment squeeze out all of our energy and take away the optimism, and you want to drop everything. However, if you stop and look back to the beginning, you will realize all the things you had bean accomplished. At some point, you realize that you are on top of the hill. By taking deep breaths and looking carefully ahead. you don't need to scream out happiness from your lungs, but then you have to remind yourself that you will find many more tops and summits and will not allow yourself to go too fast when it’s time to go downhill.

Our lives are journeys because we always have many choices, but we should not waste too much of our time just to achieve the results that we want. When exhausted, just stop on the shoulder of the road to relax a little. Knowing how to stop and go in the same breath is the fastest way to recharge your energy.

Even though climbing uphill is tiresome and slow, we have to agree that it is safer than going downhill. It is a wonderful feeling that we experience while traveling at full speed towards our destination, but we did not know whether or not there is a the cliff in front of us or the brakes in our car are broken, and we cannot stop on time. There are often hundreds of obstacles, and you may never feel satisfied.

Life is a road, so when you experience difficulties in pain, they should remind of you that you are climbing uphill and that is a part of life.

Of course, when happiness appears, it does not mean that misfortune will not arrive. Because life is a long journey, you must conserve your energy and inspiration for the many different roads ahead

Source: Internet

Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Bo Bia Chay)

The spring roll or Bo Bia Chay in Vietnamese is the most popular snack sold by street vendors in Saigon. It can be made with meat, sausage, or tofu as a meat substitute. When I was young, my mom always took us children to the Temple on big celebrations, like Buddha’s birthday, New Year’s day, or Mother’s Day (le Vu Lan). the celebrations, in the Temple kitchen, Bo Bia Chay was the first course served. I remember how fantastic the taste of this dish was because Saigon during summertime is extremely hot and humid, and this dish is refreshing and perfect for a summer finger food. The spring roll is surprisingly light and full of pleasing texture. Its sweetness is from carrots and mushrooms while the crunchy jicama adds to the fresh flavor. For a simple appetizer, this recipe is must have for any vegan party. In my family circle, my sister-in-law, Anh, has her own recipe for spring rolls, which is fantastic. I had a chance to observe her to prepare this dish on my father’s memorial. I did not write down the ingredients, but hopefully my memory has served me well to re-create this one.

Ingredients:
8 oz firm tofu, drained, fried, and cut as matchsticks
1 carrot, cut as matchsticks
1/2 jicama, cut as matchsticks
2 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in water, sliced
1/2 cup fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced
2 eggs
Leek, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
Salt, pepper, soy sauce, and sugar to taste
1 tsp 5 spice
Basil, julienned
Cilantro
Roasted peanuts, crushed
Rice wrapping papers
Lettuce, cut into small side
Dipping sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup coconut juice
1 tbs peanut butter
1 tbs ketchup
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs vinegar

Directions:
In a small bowl, beat eggs.
In a sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of oil. Add shallots and leek and fry them until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out onto a paper towel.
Remove most of the oil from the sauté pan. Add beaten eggs to make about two omelettes from these eggs. Remove and thinly cut into strips.
In the same pan, add some removed oil from frying the leek and shallots and heat until hot. Add carrots, jicama, and mushrooms. Add 5 spice, salt, sugar, pepper, and soy sauce. Stir and cook for a few minutes or until the vegetables wilt but still hold their shape. Remove from pan and place into a mixing bowl with the egg strips, julienned basil, and cilantro. Mix well.
Use a wet towel to soften the rice paper wrapper and lay onto the work surface. Place a little of the mixture (about 3 tablespoons) onto the wrapper and sprinkle on top some crushed roasted peanuts with a few more basil and cilantro and form into a cigar shape (leaving enough room on each side to cover ends with wrapper folded over). Roll up the wrapper neatly, set aside, and continue with the remaining wrappers and filling. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce directions:

In a small pot, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients and the remaining oil from frying the leek and shallots. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Add some hot chili paste or cayenne pepper or sliced fresh hot chili when serving.

Vegetable-Mushroom Sausage Patties

Some of my family members are vegans, and they like to buy vegetable burgers in the store – like MorningStar or some other brand name on the market. In the month when my family gets together for my father's memorial, I plan to introduce this recipe to them because I think my veggie burger has a much better taste than the one they always buy. Each year, this day is very special for us as a family because cooking "green" is a way of life. We are committed to a good taste, clean environment, and caring for the world. We learn the recipes and draw inspiration from each other. Also, this recipe is a delectable appetizer for entertaining. The sweet potatoes and the nutty black and white sesame seeds make these patties very favorable for any green party.

 Ingredients:
One 8 oz firm tofu, mashed
1 cup cooked mung beans, mashed or any bean of your choice
1 medium potato, baked and mashed
1 medium sweet potato, baked and mashed
1 cup mushrooms, such as king oyster, button, etc.
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup white onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
Enough oil for pan frying
Dipping sauce
1 ripened avocado
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbs lemon juice
Salt, white pepper, and cayenne to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few seconds. Drain and finely chop.
In a sauté pan, heat oil and stir in white onions. Cook for a field minutes and then add garlic and stir until fragrant.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together, except two sesame seeds, and mix well.
Shape into a round 3 inch patty. Wash and drain the sesame seeds. Place each sesame seed into various places and roll each side of the patty to cover with sesame seeds. Decorate the way you want it look like. For crispier, roll patties with crush cornflakes
Heat a medium frying pan with coconut oil or vegetables oil until hot. Carefully put the patties into the hot oil. Turn heat to low because the sesame seeds are very easy to get burned. Flip the patties until each side starts to turn a golden color (about 2 minutes). Remove patties and place onto a paper towel to absorb some oil.
To make dipping sauce 
In a Vitamix machine, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients and pulse a few times. This sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Chicken Meatballs

Food has always been a focal point of every society. However, it does not always provide people with proper nutrition for a good start for most social interaction. A traditional family gathers around the table for meals to share a family quality time. Many churches serve hot meals for the homeless. Many events either big or small start with food. Americans use and abuse food to the point that they become overweight or develop diabetes. They do not know the difference between eating food for pleasure or for nutrition, and many of them do not know how to distinguish between good taste and good nutrition. My love affair with food always believes in simple and healthy recipes. The most important lesson to learn in cooking the healthy way is not to depend on fat to get flavor. There are so many substitute ingredients to combine and to flavor the food. I think this recipe speaks volumes.

Ingredients:
Sauce
32 oz marinara sauce (Costco brand)
4 pieces of sliced button mushrooms
Meat balls ingredients
1 pound ground chicken breast meat
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tbs fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine meatball ingredients and shape into 1-inch balls.

In a large saucepan, add 2 tbs olive oil. Pan-fry meatballs until golden brown.

 Pour marinara sauce on top of pan-fried meatballs, add the pieces of sliced button mushrooms, and bring to boil.

 Cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve meatballs by themselves or with pasta, such as spaghetti, penne, or angel hair. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.