During the holidays, one of my favorite things to do is baking.  It’s this beautiful meditation as baking takes a patient heart, a careful eye and most certainly a sweet tooth.  When the weather is cold outside, the kitchen becomes my favorite place of solace — as it’s always been my most sacred spot to relax.  I always believe that homemade gifts are the ones people remember, so what better way to spread the love than baked homemade gifts?  For years I’ve searched long and hard for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, the kind that you can’t stop eating, the ones with just the right about of crunch, chewiness and chocolate.  I’ve tasted some great chocolate chip cookies in my lifetime but never found a home recipe to match.  But ALAS, right in time for the holidays I’ve finally stumbled across the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever tasted.

Jacques Torres, Mr. Chocolate himself was kind enough to share his chocolate chip cookie recipe via the NY Times.  Thanks to the Master Pastry Chef, this recipe will now become a family tradition for me and I can hardly wait for the memories that’ll surround these cookies.  I’m not sure if the magic lies in the combination of cake flour and bread flour in the dough, or that it HAS to be refrigerated for a solid 24 hours — but whatever it is, don’t change a thing.  I haven’t tasted a better masterpiece.

(If preferred, you can add a whole vanilla bean in place of the extract as I’ve done.  Just simply scrape the seeds and mix into the dough!)

The best part about cookie dough is it’s simple to make and you can portion ahead.  What I did was quadruple the recipe, freeze overnight, slightly defrost the next day and portioned out around 75-65 3 ounce cookie balls using a cookie scooper.  Then I refreezed for an hour and placed half a dozen to a dozen in individual ziplock bags.  Don’t forget to write the date!  Then you can simply bake a batch whenever needed as they take only abou 10-12 minutes in the oven and VOILA!  The best chocolate chip cookies will be ready for delivery .  Whether its for a party, a gift for family or friends — this recipe will leave any loved one with a happy tummy and full heart.  Thank you Jacques Torres for the genius recipe and NY Times for sharing the love.  Happy Holidays!

It’s a common belief that only children tend to be awkward, many times introverts and apparently always selfish.  Well whoever said that was obviously jealous- speaking from personal experience being the only child was pretty freaking awesome.

Sure I’m weird (I prefer quirky), and on some days I’m definitely one of the most introverted people you’ll ever meet and when it comes to food, you bet I’m selfish — DONT YOU BE TOUCHIN MY BROWNIES. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of days when I’d feel so painfully lonely — until the age of 7 most of my friends came in stuffed animal form.  Laugh it up chuckles but it really forced me to explore my creative side as a result. Plus it was nice to be king like all the time and to this day I love nothing more than spending time alone by myself, with my books, my words and my imagination.  It’s a beautiful thing folks, that is until your life is turned upside down and suddenly the 2 people you love most in the world sadly drift apart.

It was hard.  My parents’ divorce that is.  And at the time when it happened (I was 18) I remembered feeling my heart had been torn in half.  To make matters worse, I go off to college and the first Summer back both my parents had moved on and SURPRISE!  I suddenly had a new mom, a new dad AND a younger sister?  NOW HOLD ON A MINUTE.  I do not share my throne of greatness and especially not with this weird little bugger that was 9 years younger than me.  What the hell does a 18 year old and a 9 year old have in common?  Oh right.  Nothing.

It was awkward.  Everything felt all out of whack.  I’d hang out with mom and her new beau and then have to switch to dad and his new family.  Trust me, I wasn’t amused.  I’ve never felt so uncomfortable and out of place.  It’s as if they both started brand new lives but without me.  *Enter pity party here*

But with time, comes change and eventually acceptance.  I now had 2 moms, 2 dads and a little sister TT.  In my mind I was convinced she was evil.  Out to steal my reign as the favorite and eventually my awesomeness would be replaced by this little bugger with beady eyes, I’m on to you TT don’t think I don’t see your tricks! Yet no matter how hard I’d resist, year after year she’d grow on me.  She made me this really sweet card for my birthday this one time and would climb into bed to cuddle with me in the mornings.  Trying to tug on my heart strings I see, well played TT, well played.

Then something strange happened.  I found myself actually enjoying having a sister.  What once was a foreign and uncomfortable feeling morphed into something bigger and definitely better and you know, it’s pretty awesome.  I finally have someone I can put make up on, take shopping, go out to eat, give boy advice to and my favorite, bake cookies with.

Most importantly, life didn’t feel as lonely anymore.  It was nice to have a partner-in-crime, someone to snicker with when the parents were being silly, someone to talk to when you were feeling a little sad and someone to love and accept whole heartedly and unconditionally.  Man, I should start writing Hallmark cards.

Plus being a big sister means I can boss her around anywhere anytime any day, AM I RIGHT?

Before TT started her last year of high school she came up to Dallas to visit.  We ate at Fearing’s, Marquee Grill, Royal Sichuan.  I gave her $100 bucks and taught her the art of “bargain shopping” (she bought 3 dresses, jeans and a top) and I showed her some simple recipes that’d be perfect for her when she went off to college.  My mother in law gave me an antique cookbook from the 1930s where there was a recipe for Snickerdoodles.  Since cookies are one of the easiest things to make I opted to teach TT that one. 

These cookies are spectacular, with crispy edges and chewy centers it’s one of those cookies that fill your tummy with warm fuzzies.  And what better way to bond with friends and family than with a large plate of freshly baked cookies washed down with tall glasses of cold milk?  Plus I told TT if you want a boy to fall for you hard and take you out on an epic date, these are the cookies that’ll tug on his heart strings. Happy baking folks, until next time…

A few months an excerpt from the Wallstreet Journal caught my eye: “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” which was written about Amy Chua, a Chinese-American mother/lawyer/author about her controversial parenting guide titled “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”.

While the general population took great offense to what her book had to say, in many ways I completely related to her experiences and even further, the excerpts lead me to a moment of clarity about the constant conflicting relationship with my father.    I was that girl who practiced piano an hour a day, attended summer school every year since I was 4 and when homework was done, there was more assigned work — ranging from advanced math problems to memorizing new vocabulary words.

While my mom was mostly in charge of teaching me manners, how to maintain a household and how to cook, my dad was in charge of school work, piano and art.  I’d remember he’d be so intense about grades – “Straight As or nothing!”  Any time I knew I had a possible B coming up on a report card I’d cry on the way home, my stomach would be wrangled with anxiety. I remember one time I even tried to smudge my B with an eraser – “Joy what does this say?  Why can’t I see this letter??” I never got away with anything.

And that’s what it’d always felt like — I was a constant disappointment and everything I ever did always felt like it was never good enough.  It was always “You know, Nancy’s son Michael, he’s going to Duke and making $70,000 a year from stock, how come you don’t do this?” or “You hear about Jenny?  She won 4 piano contests.  FOUR how come you do not win?” For the longest time I held that grudge against my father, I couldn’t wrap my mind around why he couldn’t be a positive parent like all my non-Chinese friends’ parents were.  It seemed as if my friends could do no wrong, if they made a B they never got grounded or yelled at – some even got money for Bs.  At school recitals the parents would always congratulate them on what a good job they did while my dad would point out “I heard that mistake towards the middle.”  They even didn’t have to practice, like ever – while I had to be stuck at home on weekends playing endless hours of scales, chords, and Bach.

But then that moment of clarity hit me like a ton of bricks: it was never about him being disappointed in me, it was his hope that his daughter could exceed what he felt were her own limitations.  He pushed me because he wanted me to reach my personal best and I was just too afraid.  Afraid of failure, afraid of disappointment, whatever it was, I often regret for not trying harder.  My parents came to the states at the end of the Cultural Revolution with one goal in mind: to succeed in this new country and provide a promising future for their child.  There was no time for fancy family vacations, birthday parties at Chuck E Cheese, or new outfits every season; instead the money was saved for my piano lessons, summer school and all the books I could possibly want.

Sure there were problems with some of my parents’ parenting styles, but what parent is perfect? They try with their best intentions with all the hope that their children will have a good future.  When Collin and I settle down to have kids, I hope to combine the best of our two cultures, The Eastern and the Western, into something beautiful.

I wished for my parents to adopt Western parenting so much as a child and I realized it was mostly for the constant open affection: the I Love Yous, the hugs, the kisses.  Whereas Eastern parenting mostly lacks such affection – for my dad to utter I love you would be like pulling teeth.  I remembered my mom being almost embarrassed when I’d give her hugs and kisses but after years of my constant coaxing she now hugs me so hard sometimes it hurts (she has ungodly strong arms).

With Eastern parenting it’s the constant push and discipline with just the right amount of negativity, enough to drive the child’s need to be the best and dedicate themselves fully to any tasks they commit themselves to.  I wanted to quit piano so many times as a child but my parents never let me until I left the house, I didn’t understand why until now.  My god do I thank them for it.  Dad might’ve been tough on me but now I understand why he’d accept nothing less, because his daughter has half his brain and anything with half his genes has to be damn smart because he is by far the most intense and studious man EVER (he really is).  But what I learned from him is to never settle for mediocrity and to commit every ounce of yourself to a task you’ve committed your heart to and excel at it.

This cookie recipe made me think of dad: a soft, crumbly ginger spiced cookie with a bold dark chocolate ganache.   Though during my childhood (especially during adolescence) we often butted heads, what started off bitter ended up sweet.  The heart mends itself when you allow it to feel compassion towards others and being able to relate to other perspectives besides your own.

Ingredients for Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate Ganache (about 18 sandwich cookies)

Prep time: 15 minutes; Total cooking time: 1 hour

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger, plus ¼ cup for garnish
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar

Combine flour, sugar, spices and salt in medium bowl. Combine crystallized ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar on work surface; chop finely.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Add orange zest and vanilla. Beat in crystallized ginger mixture. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture in 4 additions. Transfer dough to floured work surface and divide it in half into two 6-inch logs. Shape each log into 2x1x6-inch-long rectangular log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets and cut 1/3-inch-thick pieces from each dough log.  Transfer the cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart (cookies will spread slightly during baking). Mix raw sugar and reserved ¼ cup of chopped crystallized ginger in small bowl, set aside. Place cookies in oven and after 10 minutes sprinkle sugared ginger mixture on top of cookies and bake until golden brown on edges, about 8-10 minutes longer. Cool cookies on baking sheets, about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to racks. Cool completely and sandwich with Dark Chocolate Ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

• 8 ounces of high quality dark chocolate, cut into small pieces
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl and set aside.  Heat the cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling, about 3-4 minutes.  Immediately pour hot cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir until smooth and allow to cool for 10 minutes before spreading.

Last week someone extended a wonderful act of kindness to me that touched me in several ways; it reminded me the importance of helping and giving to others. In our busy world today it is easy to become wrapped up in ourselves and lose sight of the fundamental importance of doing good for others. With the media ramming the image of “Generation ME ME ME” down our throats, it’s no surprise we’ve become so enveloped in ourselves. So many times we are caught up in our own lives where we find our time and money so valuable that we keep it to ourselves. Honestly speaking, it’s just the easier route – look out for yourself, save money to buy things you want, why not?

But what about the people that are less fortunate than you? Sure we can turn a blind eye, forget that they’re there, but a failure to fix the problem doesn’t make it disappear. When we choose to ignore the uneducated, the sick, the poor, it not only makes the world a more negative place to live in but it affects the future of humanity. I recently re-read Giving by Bill Clinton – with political views aside, one cannot deny the positive influences this man has bestowed for our nation and for the world. In this book, President Clinton teaches us the importance of giving – “how each of us can change the world” through the gifts of time, skills, things and ideas to promote positive changes to the less fortunate.

Since middle school, I’ve been active in volunteering for my community. One of my favorite volunteering jobs was playing piano for the patients of M.D.Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Though I may not have been a champion award-winning pianist, the patients sure made me feel as so. I felt fortunate to share my gift of music to the ones that needed it the most. Being able to provide a brief moment of solace in their world of stress and pain gave me a sense of responsibility and understanding that every time I sat in front of that piano, I had to play my best as if I were performing for a concert. One evening, a woman came up to me with a huge smile on her face after I played Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat Major and tightly held my hands in hers  “Thank you. Thank you for letting my mind rest and making me smile, it’s been awhile.” Even after 10 years, I still remember that moment and it made me realize how the simple gift of time can ultimately be priceless.

All around us help is needed – whether it’s helping to clean up a neighborhood park, or teaching low-income students how to read, or going even further and help educate the poor and build schools in third world countries – think about the effects we could make if each of us stepped forward and gave a little time to help those in need, think about the future it would create for our children, for our world. As a tribute to a great man, I found this recipe for “President Clinton’s Oatmeal Cookies” from Desserts by the Yard by Sherry Yard, the executive pastry chef of Spago. I love that this recipe calls for “fat raisins” and the addition of brown sugar gives these cookies a nice chewy consistency.

Here’s to you Mr. President, thank you for striving to make this world a better place, I leave you with this quote:

“So much of modern culture is characterized by stories of self-indulgence and self-destruction. So much of modern politics is focused not on honest differences of policy but on personal attacks. So much of modern media is dominated by people who earn fortunes by demeaning others, defining them by their worst moments, exploiting their agonies. Who’s happier? The uniter or the dividers? The builders or the breakers? The givers or the takers? I think you know the answer. There’s a whole world out there that needs you, down the street or across the ocean. Give.”

-President Bill Clinton

Ingredients for President Clinton’s Oatmeal Cookies (makes 48 small cookies or 24 large cookies):

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 7 ounces (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 ¼ cups rolled oats
• 1 ½ cups fat raisins

Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter on high speed until lemony yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle or beaters. Add the sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Continue creaming the mixture on high speed until it is smooth and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Beat on low speed for 15-30 seconds, until the eggs are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. On low speed, add the sifted flour mixture, beating until all of the flour is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, mix in the oats and raisins.

With a rubber spatula, scoop out the dough and divide it in half. Center one half along the bottom of a sheet of parchment paper and roll it up in the paper, creating a log about 2 inches wide and 12 inches long. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Fold over the parchment, creating a sausage. Twist the ends over and wrap in plastic. Chill the dough logs for a minimum of 1 hour. (At this point the dough will keep nicely, wrapped well, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or up to 1 month in the freezer.) You can also simply spoon the dough onto parchment-covered baking sheets and bake at once.

Place racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. When the dough is chilled, remove it from the parchment paper. Using a chef’s knife or an offset serrated knife, slice ½-inch rounds off the log. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back, and bake for another 5-8 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and carefully slide the parchment off the sheets and directly onto your work surface. Cool the baking sheets between batches. Wait a minimum of 5 minutes before eating, or allow to cool completely before storing the cookies in an airtight container. (The cookies will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature.)

NOTE: Instead of forming the logs and chilling, you can also scoop spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined sheets. Spoon teaspoons for small cookies, tablespoons for large.

Ingredients for Fat Raisins (makes 1 cup):
• 1 cup golden or Red Flame raisins
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Combine the raisins, wine, orange juice, rum, and sugar in a small heavy saucepan, bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring all the while. Lower the heat so that the liquid is at a bare simmer and poach for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Since I am still pretty jet-lagged I figured I’d soothe my insomnia with a post .  I had actually meant to post this entry while I was in China but apparently they do not allow blogging websites there.  I was also unable to access Twitter and Facebook as well, thank god for the whole “Freedom of Speech” thing we have going for America eh?

Shanghai was a blast, I come to realize that I will always be a big city girl at heart.  I loved the energy, the endless amounts of delicious (and cheap) food, and the shopping — oh my god, the shopping.  Surprisingly, it was Collin who lost himself this time.  Yes, you heard correctly, my fiance was completely out of control compared to me.  You see, in China you can always bargain for your price, it’s like gambling, except the ultimate goal is to get a stinkin’ good deal.

He made two custom fitted suits for a whopping $96 dollars each along with several custom tailored dress shirts for about $10 each.  He also purchased belts, watches, wallets, polos — he literally came back with an entirely new wardrobe.  NOW the good child (me) had a tailored jacket made for $60 and had a custom wedding dress made for $85, the one I found here in the States was $3500.  This convinces me to never buy clothes in the States ever again, (okay not really because I love shopping) but it is amazing as to what you can have made there and for such a good price!

We didn’t have enough time to visit HangZhou so that will be saved for next time, but we ventured all throughout Shanghai and stopped by Wuxi and ShuZhou.  I took over 1200 pictures while I was there, now that I am editing through them I am becoming a little regretful about my trigger happy finger.

Everytime I go back, I am always amazed as to how much changes around Shanghai.  Highrise buildings magically sprout out of nowhere, old restaurants replaced by new, and there always seems to be more people.  Always. The traffic is a constant clusterf*ck and you always think someone’s going to die, yet there are minimal car accidents and pedestrians and bikers always seem to come out alive.

I shall save the many adventures of Shanghai for the following posts, seeing that I have thousands of pictures to go through as well as numerous information pamphlets to read I should probably get started… I would also like to pose a warning for the following cookie recipe: they are extremely addictive.  Collin ate about a dozen to himself in one sitting, these cookies will make you lose all self control so plan wisely

I found this recipe in Frank Stitt’s Southern Table — these cookies are melt in your mouth delicious and using only 4 simple ingredients they are not only easy to make but can be paired with any dessert and goes great with coffee.

Ingredients for Shortbread Cookies:

(Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies)

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.  Sift the salt and flour, then add to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.

Form the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter.  Wrap the log with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours to overnight.  Freeze for up to 2 months.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and slice the dough into 1/4-inch disks.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake until the bottoms of the cookies just turn golden, about 10 minutes, turning the sheet 180 degrees after 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.

VARIATION: After removing the dough from the refrigerator, slice as above, then roll each disk into a ball.  Moisten a thumb and press into the center of each ball.  Fill each indentation with high-quality raspberry or other fruit preserves.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake until slightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

You can also use other preserves like apricot, cherry, strawberry — and since Easter is this Sunday this would also make a delightful dessert to bring to any party.  Easy to make, delicious to the max, trust me these cookies will become the hype of any party !

You know what girls like more than getting flowers?  — Beautifully crafted, delicious edible treats, I mean you can’t eat flowers…  Once again Sucré has sent me more of their wonderful, artisanal crafted sweets: dark chocolate raspberry ganache and king cake french macaroons.

Sucré (which is French for sugared) is a New Orlean’s based confectionery that is an emporium of “artisan” sweets. Their goods range from hand crafted chocolates, to glorious cakes and breakfast pastries — which are designed with much love and care by the highly talented Tariq Hanna, head pastry chef of Sucré.

I think aside from the obvious exceptional flavors of their products, they are also packaged with extreme care a detail.    I receive Sucré’s goods it honestly feels like Christmas.  The boxes and packaging are always in vibrant colors and designs finished with a perfectly tied bow.  Each piece of art is carefully nestled in its own “cubby hole”, to prevent any damage during the shipping process.

The first box I opened were the King Cake French Macaroons.  Even before I saw the actual macaroons I was overwhelmed by the amazing smell  of these tiny wonders– was I suddenly in Sucre’s kitchen?  Were these macaroons really that magical?  Yes.  They really were that magical.  Perhaps they don’t have transporting powers but I have never tasted anything like this before.

Did I also forget to mention that I’ve attempted to make French Macaroons and successfully failed three times?  Cuz I did.  Who the heck knew THIS was what they were SUPPOSE to taste like?  Now, where do I begin?  After getting over the amazing smells (and burying my nose deep into the box multiple times) I finally unraveled the delicate white tissue and revealed a colorful glittery array of King Cake Macaroons.

Oh man guys, I need to take a second here and collect my thoughts.  The first bite…how do I even describe this.  The first bite.  MY EYES ROLLED TO THE BACK OF MY HEAD AND I ALMOST PASSED OUT FROM SUCH HEAVENLY MACAROON PERFECTION.  I can’t believe this is what a good French Macaroon tasted like!  I have never tasted anything like it, I was hooked!  I watched helplessly as I popped one after another into my mouth, I just couldnt stop.

They were tiny pillows of heaven, when you take them out of their cubby holes you have to be careful to not crush the delicate shell.  The texture is crispy yet chewy, I would compare it to something but I dont think I’ve tasted anything like it.

And then, there was that rich, decadent, silky buttercream.  Oh that buttercream, I blame you for the intoxicating smells.  I am not sure why this buttercream tastes so darn good, probably because of Sucre’s use of high-quality ingredients or it’s magical powers, who knows?  But I could bathe in this buttercream and die a happy (wo)man.  My only complaint is that I wish I had 100 more of these, it honestly was hard to share but I did…and my honey and friends enjoyed them just as much as I did.

Now…onto the dark chocolate raspberry ganache.  I don’t like chocolate.  No, I should rephrase that comment — I don’t like CHEAP chocolate.  It’s overbearingly sweet and it leaves this weird “film” in your mouth.  People look at my crazy when I tell them I am not a fan of chocolate.

But when it comes to Sucré, I am ALL about the chocolate.  Back in December when they sent me their holiday truffles I was having a field day with those bad boys.  Godiva has nothing on these chocolates.  Just the appearance alone is enough to convince me.  They are just absolutely beautiful, almost too beautiful too eat but I get over that pretty quickly.

These heart-shaped chocolates were a rich burgundy color with a nice iridescent shimmer and nestled inside the beautiful shell was a dark raspberry ganache.  People, this ganache is phenomenal.  I don’t know if its the high quality cocoa or the magical fingers of Tariq, but its out of this world fantastic.  The chocolate is not too sweet, which is often my complaint about many chocolates.  It’s rich and comforting, and the strong scent of raspberry resonates in each bite.

As I’m writing this, I am staring longingly at my empty boxes — though I killed the goods right when I got them, the flavors and feelings are still fresh in my mind.  It is refreshing to find a company that really puts love, attention and detail into their products.  All their efforts really shine through, the taste is undeniable — simply perfection.

I’d like to give a huge thanks to Andy and the rest of the Sucre team for sending me these wonderful products to review.  It is always such a delight to review products as beautifully crafted as these, it makes my job much easier   For my readers, you guys can take a look at their products here and explore their delicious goods.  Have fun and remember, Valentine’s day is just around the corner so for all you guys out there looking for some brownie points?  I’d say ordering artisan sweets is definitely the way to go, remember sweets can be eaten, flowers…cannot.

My goodness it’s good to be back!  Work has been busy (hurray!), but unfortunately has left me with little time to tend to my blog (booo!).  It’s been a blast though, I feel fortuate to have a job that allows me so much creative/artistic freedom — it is a nice change from scrubbing grease chunks off of kitchen equipment and cleaning out moldy freezers…

At Mealtime Market we’re  selling Iced Sugar Cookies, heart-shaped sugar cookies to be exact! So I have been busily experimenting in the kitchen for the perfect sugar cookie recipe.  After many trials and errors I have finally found the winning recipe for the ultimate sugar cookie!

I think the thing I love most about sugar cookies are that they are so versatile and serve as a great “base” dough .  You can make use these cookies to make some ice cream sandwiches, or even use this recipe to make tart shells for desserts, or the way I like them best — plain, with a nice glass of milk.

I have never used shortening in any cookie recipes before and actually found this recipe on the back of a Crisco shortening label, ( I know, what are the odds?) the only thing I changed was that I used half cake flour and half all purpose flour.

I found that it improved the texture of the cookie by a lot.  Anyways, I gave it a shot and was completely shocked as to how moist, melt-in-your-mouth delicious these cookies were.  INCREDIBLE, some would say…  They are best fresh out of the oven, or you can zap them in the microwave for a few seconds for the best warm sugar cookies you will have ever tasted.

Recipe for the Ultimate Sugar Cookies:

(makes 6 dozen)

• 1 stick or 1 cup shortening (you can also use butter)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

Beat shortening and sugar in large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Beat in egg, milk and vanilla extract until well blended.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture at low speed until well blended.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.

Heat oven to 375F.

Roll 1/3 of dough at a time on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut dough with 2 to 3-inch floured cookie cutters.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Sprinkle with sugar, if desired (I used turbinado sugar).  Bake 5 to 9 minutes or until edges begin to brown.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Transfer cookies to cooling rack ( or your stomach).  Frost and decorate as desired.

I actually whipped up a batch just before Collin left for his first international over seas trip (exciting!), you know, so he can have snacky snacks on the plane!  He actually left me a message a couple days ago on my phone calling from Japan saying — “Honey, thank you for the cookies.  They remind me of home.” Aw shucks, come on now! It really made my heart melt

If any of you are interested in making heart-shaped cookies for Valentine’s day it is really simple to do!  You just have to get a heart-shaped cookie cutter, any size you prefer, if you are going to decorate the cookies I would recommend you picking a big enough cutter where you have ample room to decorate! Cut and bake the dough as listed above and once the cookies are cooled you can decorate them with different colors of royal icing.

Royal icing is basically egg whites, powdered sugar and a little bit of lemon juice.

Place the desired amount of confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl.  Beat in the egg whites, a little at a time, until the sugar forms a smooth paste.  You will need 2 to 3 oz egg whites per pound of sugar.  Keep unused icing covered with a damp cloth or plastic film at all times to prevent hardening.

I just made pink colored icing — you can make any color you’d like using food coloring.  You pipe the cookies using either a pastry bag with a fine tip or you can make parchment triangles.  You can also use fruit roll ups, sprinkles or small candies to use as decorations as well, have fun with it and like I always say BE CREATIVE! This is a great project for kids or friends and the best part is you get to share your creations at the end, sugar cookies makes anyone happy

I started getting gray hair when I was 12, and now at 24 I’m about a quarter gray.  I am lucky to have a mother who’s a hairstylist that dyes my hair to hide my secrets, she is worried I will go completely gray before her.  The time a person develops gray hair is dependent on your genes, but my mother is convinced it’s because I have a deficiency in my body.  So for years she made me eat black sesame seeds claiming it would restore pigment into my hair.  Going back home this time around she gave me another tub of ground sesame seeds “You don’t forget to eat hei zi ma (black sesame seeds) it is good for grey hair!” I never argue with my mother, I hear they know best

Granted, black sesame seeds don’t seem to have slowed down my gray hair production it does have a lot of healthy nutritional benefits.  They are high in many minerals like iron magnesium and calcium which help promote bone and joint strength.  In Chinese medicine, black sesame is used to promote health to the kidney and liver, and to treat constipation and promote regular bowel movements! T.M.I.? Perhaps…but you’ll be thanking me when these cookies make you regular

Ingredients for Black Sesame Cookies:

• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 cup black sesame seeds, ground

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl, beat shortening and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.  beat in vanilla and egg.  In another bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly incorporate dry mixture with wet mixture, be careful not to over beat the batter or it will change the texture of the cookie.  Dump in the ground sesame and mix until evenly dispersed throughout cookie dough.  Drop tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11-13 for crisp cookies.  Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Total Cooking Time: 20-23 minutes

Who says cookies aren’t good for you?  These are also a great recipe for vegans, I have recently switched to vegetable shortening instead of butter because it contains less saturated fat than butter does.  It also increases the shelf life for cookies and it does not need to be refrigerated.  In the past, vegetable shortening has gotten criticism for containing trans fat but there are a lot of products out there that do not contain trans fat like Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks.  I also felt it gave my cookie a much lighter and crumb-ly texture than usual — I like it!

The Thanksgiving Feast was a great success — thank you to all my guests for coming! I always enjoy holding a Thanksgiving get together with friends and family every year, it always brings me happiness to cook for the people I love .  Another big reason is because being Chinese-American, my very Traditional Chinese parents do not celebrate Thanksgiving!   I would always remember getting out of school for Thanksgiving break  yet never going anywhere while all my other friends went out of town.  The day of Thanksgiving I’d watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade with the gigantic Turkey float and that was the only turkey I usually had for the day.  One year my mom made a turkey — I remembered it being in a bag and we had two weeks worth of leftovers since only the three of us ate it.

But then one year during high school, I had a close friend invite me over to have Thanksgiving with her family.  It changed my life — I finally understood why this American holiday was so coveted by so many: there was so much AMAZING FOOD.  I mean there were four different kinds of pie alone, not to mention the countless sides surrounding the gigantic turkey and the delightful appetizers before — it was beautiful.  It wasn’t until then that I finally understood the term “comfort-food“. One of the few times of the year when family gets together and creates one gigantic meal filled with love and memories, creating food that truly brings you comfort to your heart and soul when you eat it.  The anticipation of waiting to sit down and finally digging into the collection of wonderous glorious Thanksgiving food is always my favorite part of the meal — I always plan out my method of attack (potatoes and gravy in the middle, protein on one side, vegetables and misc on the other– potatoes and gravy go with everything) and always make sure to save room for dessert.

I will be making this a two part post since I made quite a long menu — I tend to go overboard at times -_-.  I will be featuring appetizers and cookies  today and the sides tomorrow.   In planning this party, a lot of these items were able to be planned and prepped beforehand so you are not rushing around the day of.  I will show my prep list later on.   Here is the menu that I’ve planned:

Appetizers

• Rosemary Basil Bruschetta
• Sweet Potato Phyllo Cups with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Magic Salad
• Devil Eggs Two Ways – Caviar and Dill + Garlic and Peppercorn

Desserts

• Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake
• Fruit Salad with Ginger and Mint
• Three Kinds of Cookies – Double Chocolate with Peanut Butter Chips, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Cranberry Almond White Chocolate
  

Let’s start with the Appetizers!

Ingredients for Rosemary Basil Bruschetta: (serves 12)

• 6 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
• 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade (I used Thai Basil)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large bowl mix the vinegar, oil and sugar together until sugar is dissolved.  Combine the remaining ingredients and toss well.  Place in glass container, cover and allow mixture to marinate for 1-2 days. You can make this up to two days ahead of time.

The day of the party, buy some fresh baguettes and slice them at a diagonal.  Brush with olive oil and bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until a light golden brown.  Set aside and cool.  Serve with tomato mixture and garnish with chopped basil.

Prep Time: 10 minutes    Total Cooking Time:30 min

When picking appetizers for your party, remember to pick items that can be pre-made and assembled quickly the day of the party.  These phyllo cups are a great example.  You can make the phyllo cups up to 5 days beforehand — I did it 3 days before and after baking I kept them in an airtight container until the day of the party.  I bought the pumpkin seeds pre toasted, but if needed you can also toast nuts 4-5 days beforehand.  I baked the bacon and made the sweet potato puree the night before — you can make the bacon bits up to 3-4 days before hand keeping them refrigerated in an airtight container.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Phyllo Cups with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: (serves 12)

• 12 – phyllo sheets, thawed
• olive oil to brush
• 3 sweet potatoes, chopped 1″ cubes
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 6 slices Applewood Smoked Bacon, cooked
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sour cream, garnish

For those of you who have never used phyllo, it must be thawed before using.  Do not try to unroll it while it’s frozen or the dough will crack — (I have been impatient and tried this before).

Preheat oven to 350F.  Take any sized muffin pan and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Once the phyllo dough is thawed, be sure to keep the dough moist with a damp kitchen towel — it dries out very easy.  Brush phyllo with oil or butter and using a pizza cutter cut the dough into equal squares similar to the size of the individual muffin tins.  Place two seets of phyllo in each tin and lightly press down.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

For the puree, place the diced sweet potatoes in a large pot of water.  Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium, cook until soft, about 15 minutes.  Drain and shock with cold water, this will help retain the bright orange color of the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a food processor and blend in the honey milk and cinnamon.  If the mixture is too thick simply add more milk until you reach the desired consistency.  Place mixture in glass airtight container and refrigerate.  This can be made up to two days ahead.

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Total Cooking Time: 1 hour

The day of the party all you’d have to do is spoon the sweet potato mixture into the phyllo cups and bake at 350F for 5 minutes to reheat.  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, some bacon bits, and sliced scallions and voila you are done!

I love deviled eggs, the eggs can be boiled and peeled 2 days before hand and the mixture can be made and piped the day of.

Ingredients for Garlic and Peppercorn:

• 6 eggs, hard boiled
• 1 large garlic clove crushed
• 3 tablespoons creme fraiche or heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp green peppercorns crushed, for garnish
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Ingredients for Caviar and Dill Eggs:

• 6 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp caviar plus more for garnish
• 2 tsp dill, chopped plus more for garnish
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For the eggs, you can pick to cut them horizontally or vertically, whichever you prefer.  I chose to cut mine horizontally — you would have to slightly cut the base of the eggs so they are able to stand up.  Separate the whites and yolks in large bowls, be careful not to rip the whites.  Carefully place the whites in a cold water bath.  Meanwhile blend the yolks with the ingredients and taste with salt and pepper.

Quick Tips on How to Properly Boil an Egg:

• Always cover the eggs with COLD water before cooking.
• Bring the water to a boil and quickly remove from heat.  Allow the eggs to sit for 20 minutes before peeling under cold running water.
• Eggs that are very fresh tend to be harder to peel, use older eggs if possible.
• Placing the eggs in a ice water bath may also help with hard to peel eggs.
• Store peeled hard boiled eggs in a large bowl of cold water, can keep for up to a week.  It is preferable to peel them when you want to use them.

When ready to serve, remove the egg whites and drain on paper towels.  Carefully assemble them on a plate and pipe the two different types of egg fillings.  Garnish and serve cold.  I cut the eggs the night before and made the mixture with the yolks the day of.  Then all I had to worry about was just mixing the yolks and piping my eggs.

Prep Time: 20 minutes   Total Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Now, onto Desserts!

Cheesecake are one of my favorite desserts to make because honestly, who doesn’t love cheesecake?  It can also be made several days in advance and kept covered in a freezer, I made mine 3 days in advance.  This cheesecake is nice and creamy with hints of cinnamon and pumpkin.  I was going to make a maple cream to go with it but ran out of time and went with what I thought were butterscotch but turned out to be peanut butter chips, it actually worked out really well!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake: (Serves 12)

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cakes

• 6 graham crackers or 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Grease the bottoms and sides of the 9-inch springform pan.  Cover the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, making sure to seal the bottom so water does not leak through when you place the cake in a waterbath.  Prepare a roasting pan with 4 inches of water that is deep and large enough to hold the cake pan.  If you are using whole graham crackers, place them in a large ziplock bag and with a rolling pin (I used a wine bottle) crush the crackers until they form fine, uniform crumbs.  Pour crumbs in a bowl and measure out 1 cup.  Add the melted butter and mix evenly with crumbs.  Pour the mixture into the pan and press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of the pan using your fingers.  Bake the crust until it turns slightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.  This process allows the crust to dry out so it does not abosrb too much liquid from the filling, leaving you a crunchy crust opposed to a soggy one.

Beat the eggs thoroughly until yolks and whites are well blended.  It is important they are at room temperature so the eggs do not clump with the cream cheese which results in white specks in the cheesecake.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until mixture is well blended, about 1 minute.  Make sure that every bit of the mixture is well beaten, scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Add the flour and blend well at a low speed and then add half of the eggs until well incorporated then add remanining half and repeat.  Add the cinnamon, ginger and dark rum and mix just until incoporated.  Add the sour cream and pumpkin until the filling is an even golden orange color.  Set aside.

Pour the filling onto the prebaked crust, using a spatula to scrape all of the mixture from the bowl.  Put the filled springform pan in the roasting pan and slide the roasting pan onto the oven rack.  Slowly fill the roasting pan with water until it reaches about 2 inches up the sides of the springfoam pan.  This process is known as a water bath, it prevents the cheesecake from cracking and gives an even, delicate and moist texture to the cheesecake. 

Bake undisturbed for 551 hour and 20 minutes.  If the cake looks like it is firm, give the pan a gentle shake to see if the batter moves.  Be careful to not splash any water onto the cake! If the top is wobbly, put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes, repeat process until cheesecake is done.  Remove the cheesecake together with the water bath onto a wire rack.  Allow the cheesecake to cool for an hour then lift the springfoam pan from the water.  Remove the foil and allow the cake to cool for an hour longer.  Seal tightly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer.

The day of the party, take the cheesecake out of the freezer and allow it to defrost in fridge.  When ready to serve, run a knife along the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake, keeping the knife tightly pressed against the side of the pan.  Release the pan sides and carefully lift off.  Using a thin knife, loosen the crust from the pan bottom and slide onto a serving plate.  For the best results, allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature a couple hours before serving so the cheesecake can ”ripen”.  You can make cheesecake up to a month ahead of time, once defrosted it can last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Prep Time: 1 hour   Total Cooking Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Now On To Desserts!

Preheat oven to 350F.

Ingredients for Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla on medium speed using handheld mixer.  Beat in eggs until light and fluffy.  Mix in flour, baking powder and salt on low speed until well incorporated.  Stir in the oats and chocolate chips and form dough into 2 inch balls.  and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes until edges turn a slight golden brown and center is soft.  Set aside and cool on wire rack.

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granualted sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  In another bowl, mix the flour cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  Incorporate well and slowly blend into butter and sugar mixture.  Once dry and wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed, fold in the peanut butter chips.  Roll cookie dough into 2-inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet, leaving about 2″ of space in between each.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients for Cranberry Almond White Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light sugar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup almonds, slivered

In a large bowl cream together sugars and butter until mixed well.  Add in egg and beat until light and fluffy.  In another large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt and slowly incorporate into the wet mixture.  Fold in the oats and cranberries until well incorporated.  Roll dough into 2″ balls and place on cookie sheet 2″ apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Set aside and cool on wire rack.   Makes about 3 dozen.

Cookies are always great to make for parties because cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for a long period of time.  The day of the party or even the night before, all you have to do is cut the dough and bake! You can make different cookie doughs and store them so you will have a variety the day of the party.

A couple weeks ago I signed up to compete in Foodie Fights .  Every week, the authors Nick and Dan pick two new ingredients and ask the chosen competitors to submit their top creation using the challenged ingredients and the winner is decided by guest expert judges as well as the general public vote.  Being new to this blogging world, I thought this would be a great way to meet new people and have some creative fun !

This week is Battle 16 (My lucky number!) and the two featured ingredients are: Chestnuts and Kumquats.   Unfortunately I was unable to find Kumquats anywhere in Dallas — many stores said it was too early in the season so I had to settle for oranges instead.  I just bought some ramekins over the weekend and instantly knew I wanted to make some type of brulee.  After much thought over the weekend I finally decided on making a Chestnut Brulee and topping it with some brandied soaked oranges for an extra punch, pow!

It turned out to be a pretty whimsical dessert, the nutty brulee served as a nice contrast with the sweet and tartness of the brandied oranges.  I also added a pinch of cinnamon to compliment the nuttiness of the chestnuts.  I think the best part of a creme brulee is cracking into the burnt sugar crust, nothing is better than the little “crunchies” of burnt sugar mixed with the creamniess of the custard.

If you enjoy this recipe, please do not forget to vote for me, it would be much appreciated ^_^!!!

Ingredients for Chestnut Brulee:

• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, hot
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 oz chestnut,peeled, skinned and pureed

Preheat the oven to 350F.

For the Brulee, mix the egg yolks and sugar until well combined.  In a medium sauce pan, heat the cream at a medium heat.  (Be careful to not burn it).  Pour the hot cream gradually into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking until thoroughly combined. Slowly fold in the chestnut puree and mix well. Set 4 shallow ramekins in a sheet pan and divide the custard mixture equally amongst the dishes.  Pour water into the sheetpan high enough to come up halfway to the side of the ramekins.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set.  (You can test this by lightly hitting the side of the sheet pan and seeing if the how much the custard “jiggles” to the force, if it does not move much it is ready)

Take custard out of the oven and place in the fridge to cool, about 1 hour.  When ready to serve, evenly coat the surface with sugar and using a hand-held torch, burn the sugar until it forms a thin caramel brown crust.  Be careful not to burn your fingers!

Ingredients for Brandied Oranges:

• 1 orange, peeled, sliced into 12 sections
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp of brandy

Mix the oranges with the cinnamon and soak in brandy for 20 minutes.  Serve with Chestnut Brulee.

I hope you guys enjoy my creation for Foodie Fights, it was definitely a fun challenge.  I had a blast looking for the featured ingredients and brainstorming ideas and flavor combinations and am happy with what I have created.  I hope everyone enjoys this recipe as much as I have, I love how the burnt sugar harmonizes with the brandied oranges and it was fun using chestnuts in a new way!  Thank you to Ed and Dan for letting me participate and I look forward to competing again

Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Cooking Time: 1 hour 50 minutes