Chocolate Chestnut Cake 朱古力栗子蛋糕

I'm glad that my birthday is in winter because it is the season for chestnuts. Chestnut cream cake is my favorite cake second to chocolate cake. I can't really find a bakery that makes good chestnut cake around my area. It either doesn't have much chestnut in it or the chestnut doesn't taste like chestnut at all  : (

I've tried making my own chestnut puree, but it is just too much work: crack open the outer skin, boil the chestnut and remove the inner skin (that's the most tedious part) then puree it...

Baked Char Siu Bao 焗叉燒包

Baked Char Siu Bao

Every time I make char siu, usually I make more so that there will be leftover for char siu bao. My hubby likes savory bao more than sweet bun. It is very good to have it for breakfast or afternoon snack. I made whole wheat tang zhong with flax seed as the dough to add more nutritional values.

Hokkaido Milk Toast 北海道牛奶吐司

I have never been to Japan, but I know that the dairy from Hokkaido is very famous. They have a special kind of beef which can fetch more than $20/pound. Although I don't have the privilege to try the beef, I still can make the bread recipe that derived from Hokkaido ! You can, too !

Egg Tart in Puff Pastry 酥皮蛋撻

Egg tart is one of my all time favorite pastries. It is best to have it right out of the oven (maybe after a few minutes to cool ^_^). The egg custard is sweet and soft while the crust is buttery and crisp. I prefer puff pastry crust to cookie crust. Those layers of crust are just superb and irresistible. The way to make the crust is the same as other puff pastries in which a slab of butter is sandwiched in between a dough and rolled out. But for this type of crust, the slab of butter is mixed with some flour before rolling out with the flour dough.

Guilt-free Chocolate Chiffon Cake 朱古力雪纺蛋糕

This chocolate chiffon cake has been rated the best in my household for a chiffon cake. Light and full of chocolate flavor, this cake can be served plain or with chocolate ganache glaze or whipped cream. Chiffon cake is often preferred over other buttery cakes because it is free of animal fat and therefore much healthier. Whatever way, it is good as a dessert or an afternoon snack.

Turnip Pudding 臘味蘿蔔糕

This is the season for turnip and various squash. This recipe for turnip pudding has been my favorite for over 20 years...( I started early in the kitchen, when I was 13) The texture is just right, not too mushy, not too hard. You can eat it right after steaming or cut out a thick slice and fry it in a pan. My picky eaters at home do not eat other turnip dishes but they can finish this in no time.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Ground Pork 焗釀磨菇

This is a very simple and easy to do dish. It is a great appetizer to any dinner. You can also use different ingredients for the stuffing. For this one I used ground pork, but ground beef or sausages(without casings) can be used as well. Chopped onions and green onions will be great additions as well ( I did not include them because of one of my picky eaters does not like them).

Tiramisu 提拉米蘇

It is time to count our blessings. This year I am very thankful to God for giving me the ability and determination to launch this blog. For those who know me, I'm not a computer person. I use it mainly to send emails, Google once in a while and check out what my friends are up to on Facebook. For me to be able to set up this blog is a real BIG STEP. It doesn't mean that I'm an expert now.

Meat Lasagna

I like to cook. Cooking is fun and it is especially fulfilling when others enjoy the food. But to decide what to cook is another story. If you are like me, the main chef of the house, you must know what I mean. I rarely repeat what I cook day after day. Variety is important to me and my family. No one likes to eat the same food day after day.

French Apple Cake 法式蘋果蛋糕

In different seasons there are different cakes. In summer time, the abandunce of fruits becomes the center of attention: mango cake, blueberry pies, etc. Now comes fall and winter: apples and pumpkins become the stars. They are the main ingredients of pies. But I always wonder why there are not that many cook books that have recipes for making cake with apples.

Dorie Greenspan has a newly published book called, "Around my French Table".