woo family birthday strawberry cake

Hi i'm back. my second one, Naomi, turned one couple of weeks ago. time sure flies. I thought I just gave birth like yesterday... haha. In our family, we make this cake because they LOVE strawberries!  This recipe was from a magazine, but it's been used so many times, it's starting to fade. So I decided to post (before it's gone!)

Ingredients: 

[For meringue]
Egg whites - 6 large (room temperature)
Sugar - 3/4 cups

[Other ingredients for cake]
Egg yolks - 6 (room temperature)
Sugar - 3/4 cups
Lemon juice - 3 TBS
Vegetable oil - 3 TBS
Water - 2 TBS
All purpose flour - 1 and 3/4 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp

[Whipped cream]
Heavy whipping cream - 2 cups
Confectioners' sugar - 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Strawberries - 3 cups sliced & 2 cups whole (if you want to top the cake with whole strawberries)

Prep:

1. Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl and egg yolks in another bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare baking pan - use either 10-in tube pan or 2 loaf baking pans.
3. Make whipping cream beforehand - mix all ingredients until soft peak forms. Keep in the fridge for later use. 
4. Slice strawberries.
5. Preheat the oven to 325F.

Bake: 

1. [Yolks mixture]: Beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in lemon juice, oil and water. Add in flour and salt to the yolk mixture. Mix until just well blended (use wooden spoon or batter attachment)
2. [Meringue] Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peak form. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 TBS at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form. 
3. Fold a 1/4 of the egg whites meringue into the batter, then fold in remaining whites. When folding the remaining whites, don't over mix it. The color of the batter should be marble (yellow and white).
4. Gently spoon into an ungreased pans **see TIPS. Smooth the top. Bake at 325F for 35-40 minutes for tube pan and 33-35 min for loaf pans. Insert cake tester or toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean, it's done!
5. Immediately invert pan; cool completely. **see TIPS

Serve:

1. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan; remove cake. **see TIPS
2. Split into desired # of layers (usually 2 for loaf pans, 3 for tube) layer the cakes with whipped cream and strawberries. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer; spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. 
3. Arrange remaining sliced berries on sides of cake or on top (or top it with whole/half strawberries) 
4. Store in the refrigerator **see TIPS

TIPS 

• Make sure your egg whites don't have any yolks inside -- it won't make a nice peak if you have yolks.
• Line your baking pans (loaf ones are easier) with parchment paper for easy handling & clean up
• The way we like to do it is use two loaf pans. I don't invert them, but just remove the cake onto baking rack right after. I cut of the edges and top layer to make a smooth surface. Each loaf will make one cute square-ish mini cake. You'll have two cute cake. Pan also allows you to cut out in any shape, too. 
• This cake tastes much better when chilled for over a day. So make it in advance. :D

caesar grilled cheese sandwich

I've been craving for grilled cheese, but when I make only with cheese, it seems like it's missing something. So I was looking through my fridge to see what I could add. Caesar salad dressing, as you know, is my favorite dressing so I thought, why not? It turned out really well. Or maybe it tastes good to me because I'm pregnant and eats weird stuff. If you have any ideas for grilled cheese sandwich additions, please share them with me!

Ingredients (for one sandwich):

Bread - 2 slices (use the bread with lots of grains - it gives nice crunch to it!)
Cheese (American) - 1 slice
Caesar dressing - 2 TBS

Butter - 2-3 TBS

Prep/Cook:

1. On each slice of bread, spread 1 TBS (each or less if you want more cheesy taste). 
2. Add cheese on one side and put the other slice of bread on top (dressing facing the cheese)
3. Heat under medium heat 1-2 TBS of butter on a frying pan. when it's melted, put the sandwich on it and fry one side for about 3-4 minutes.  Check using spatula to make sure it's not burning.
4. Before you turn to the other side, add in another 1 TBS of butter on the frying pan. Make sure the butter is place on the butter. Fry for another 3 minutes. It should be nice and crunchy.

Serve:

1. Serve with a bowl of fruits or chips. A bowl of soup will be a good addition for dinner.
2. Or you can just eat it as is. 

strawberry jello salad

It tastes better than it looks (I promise)!

When we were students in Utah, we tried all sorts of jello salads & desserts. Some were really good (like this recipe we got from our Utah family) and some were... let's say, 'interesting.' This jello is more like a dessert, but I don't mind having it as a salad, too! Our very good friends in Utah made this for Thanksgiving dinner one time and ever since then, we make it every Thanksgiving & Christmas (and other special occasions).

Ingredients:

Mini Pretzels - 2 and 1/2 cups (crushed)
Butter - 3/4 cup
Sugar - 2 TBS

Cool whip - 1 small tub (8 oz) **see TIPS
Cream cheese - 1 (8 oz) **see TIPS
Sugar - 2/3 cup

Strawberry or Raspberry Jello - 1 box (6 oz)
Hot water - 2 cups
Strawberries - 2 cups (sliced)
Crushed pineapple - 1 can small

Prep:

1. Put pretzels in a Ziplock bag. Use rolling pin and crush them. 
2. Take Cool Whip and cream cheese out of the fridge/freezer and let it soften.
3. Slice strawberries. 
4. Open pineapple can, but do NOT drain. 

Crush pretzel with rolling pin

Cubed butter will melt evenly

Cook:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a microwavable bowl, heat butter for 45 seconds. It should be somewhat melted and soft. Mix crushed pretzels, butter and sugar. Press down on 13"x9" pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 7 minutes. Let it cool completely.
3. In a Kitchenaid or in a bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar (2/3 cup). Blend it until smooth. Add in Cool Whip and mix together. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Cream cheese tends to stick to the bottom. Mix until smooth. 
4. Spread cream cheese mixture on the pretzel. Cover and keep it in the fridge.
5. In a separate bowl, combine jello and hot water. Let the jello powder melt. Add in crushed pineapple can and mix. Let the jello sit in the room temperature for an hour, or in the fridge for 20 minutes (let the jello sit a bit). 
6. Take out the cream cheese/pretzel, and add sliced strawberries on top of cream cheese layer. Slowly add in jello mixture on top of the strawberries. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. 

Before going into the oven

After 7 minutes in 400 F

Let jello sit for a while

Pretzel + Cream cheese layer

Blurry picture of three layers from the side

Serve:

1. Just scoop it out and enjoy! It can get messy, see TIPS for some option.

It serves 12 good size portions

TIPS

• You can make your own whipped cream instead of Cool whip. Just add 8 oz of it. 
• You can use low fat cream cheese and whipped cream. It gives lighter cream cheese layer, and still tastes good!
• If you want a clean scoop, line your baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Let the paper or foil come out of the pan a bit so you can lift them up later. You can also use spring-form pans. You can also make individual cupcake.

bakkwa (singaporean/malaysian bbq pork jerky)

My husband can cook well, and so can my brother-in-law! He made us one of my favorite foods (probably in my top 5), bakkwa. It's Singaporean/Malaysian pork jerky. It was sooooo good! Thank you, Keith! 

Ingredients: 

 Ground pork - 1 lb

[Marinade/seasoning]

Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
White sugar - 1/2 cup
Soy sauce - 1 TBS
Oyster sauce - 1 TBS
Five spice powder - 1 tsp
White pepper - dash
Sesame oil - 1 TBS
Dark soy sauce -  1 TBS
(Paprika/Cayenne pepper - 1 TBS [optional for spicy kick])

[Glaze]

Honey - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 TBS

 

(Sorry, not very clear picture)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prep:

1. Mix the marinade in a bowl. Mix until all ingredients are integrated.
2. In a larger bowl, mix the marinade and ground pork. Using your hands or Kitchenaid, mix it well. 
3. On a baking sheet, put parchment paper or silicon pad. Spread the meat mixture on the baking sheet until about 0.5mm in thickness (thinner the better). 
4. On a separate bowl, mix honey and water for the glaze. Set it aside.

Mix the marinade together

Mix with the meat

Spread over baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon pad

Cook:

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Bake the thin-layered meat mixture in the oven for 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes - make sure it's not burnt. 
3. Take out the meat from the oven, let it cool completely. 
4. Peel off from parchment paper or silicon pad. Cut in desired shapes & sizes. 
5. Heat the grill (or use BBQ charcoal grill) or broiler. Fry cut-up individual bah kwa and brush on the glaze as you grill (both sides). If it's cooking too fast, lower the heat or put on a different level (further away from the heat). 

Bakkwa out of the oven after 45 minutes

Cut in desired shapes

Honey/water glaze mix

My awesome brother-in-law brushing the glaze on bakkwa.

Serve:

1. Let it cool a bit so it'll harden a bit. 
2. Eat it plain or with a toasted bread. 

TIPS 

• It's so good, it'll be gone in a second! So make sure you keep some for yourself, too. 
• You can use other ground meats (beef, chicken, turkey, etc)