Yorkshire Pudding - Pop Overs

Yorkshire pudding or here in America is called Pop Overs is my hubby's family tradition whenever they have special feast dinner like Thanksgiving. It's a must side dish to have, and I am so glad to get the recipe.

I found out that making pop overs is so easy if you know the trick, and most of the ingredients uses are available in your pantry and refrigerator.
I have shared this recipe with some of my friends and they love it, some even modified it by adding green onion.

Yorkshire Pudding - Pop Overs

INGREDIENTS :
1 cup of flour
1 cup of milk
2 large eggs
dash of salt
Cooking oil

METHOD
Set the oven 400F
Prepare the muffin pan, fill each cups/cavities with 1 tsp of cooking oil, and heat it in the oven.
In the mean time, whisk the eggs and milk until well mixed, then gradually add flour and salt and keep whisking until the batter texture is silky smooth. Make sure there are no more clumps in the batter.
You can use blender to do the job, but I love using just regular whisk.
Once the batter settled, you can pour the batter into each muffin cup (about 3/4 full)
Make sure the oil inside the muffin cup are really hot, but not burnt. This is the most important step that you have to pay attention to, if the oil is not hot enough the pop overs wont be rise.
Bake it until rise and brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Inside the oven, halfway trough

We enjoy this with some gravy for dinner, but if there are some leftover, I can heat it up then fill it with some jam for breakfast.
Bon Appetite!!

Tri-colored carrots with honey glaze and parsley

My kids love love love this side dish, it's so obvious because of the sweetness and the color is so interesting. I was so happy to got tri-colored carrots, it's not available all the time here in Bellingham. You can use baby carrots if you could not find tri-colored carrots.

Anyway, the cooking method is similar to Green Beans Amandine, in term of blanching the vegetable, so you can prepared this process ahead of time, put it in the refrigerator and ready to toasted in honey glaze the next day.

Tri-colored carrots with honey glaze and parsley

1lb of tri-colored carrots

2 tbsp unsalted butter 

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp lemon juice and about 1/2 tsp lemon zest 

Black pepper

dash of salt

1/4 cup of flat leave parsley, chopped.

Method

Blanch the carrots, set aside

Melt the butter in a pan then add honey

Add the carrots and stir or toss it

Add the remain ingredients, stir again to make sure every carrot is coated by honey glaze.

Remove from the heat and ready to serve. Enjoy!

Green Beans Amandine

This is definitely my favorite thanksgiving side dishes, it's very simple to make yet very tasty. I love the toasted almond in it, it gives a nutty flavor... Love it love it!!

I use the recipe from this website, did not reduce or add anything at all, it's just perfect as it is!!

1-1/2 lb. haricots verts (thin French green beans) or green beans, trimmed 
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter 
2 Tbs. pure olive oil 
1/2 cup slivered almonds 
1 tsp. minced or pressed garlic (1 medium clove) 
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (from 1 small lemon) 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

---

Bring a 6- to 7-quart pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until bright green and barely crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cool. Spread the beans on a clean kitchen towel and dry thoroughly.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the foam subsides. Add the almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown all over, about 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the almonds to a plate. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, increase the heat to medium, and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender and lightly browned in some places, 5 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the almonds, and serve.

make ahead tips

The beans can be blanched (boiled until barely crisp-tender) up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate wrapped in paper towels in a plastic bag.

Butterscotch chip cookies topped with chocolate drizzle

I use basic chocolate chip recipe for this cookies, but I did a little twist to it by accident.
I was actually lanned to make strawberry covered chocolate for thanksgiving dinner dessert, but my youngest son keep eating the strawberry and left only its stem on the table, and I already melted some chocolate.
So I use the chocolate to topped this butterscotch cookies I made day before. Turned out great because whenever I made chip cookies I always reduce the sugar and chips, so it didn't come out too sweet at all. But hey, it's Thanksgiving!! the day when you can eat everything and it's forgiven :P

Ingredients :

2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
2 stick of butter (1 cup)
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of sugar
vanilla essence
1/4 tsp each of baking soda and baking powder
1 package of butterscotch chips (I use only 3/4 pack)
1 large egg and 2 yolks

Method :

Turn on the oven to 325F
Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.
In a separated bowl, xix the sugar, butter and vanilla and turn the mixer on medium high, then gradually add eggs one at a time.
Add the dry ingredients into the mixture
Spoon it into baking sheet, and flattened gently it with fork
Bake it until done for about 10 - 12 minutes, more if you wanted the cookies to be crispy.
Let it cool in a wire rack, then drizzle with melted chocolate on top.

Pumpkin mini cupcakes with vanilla and cream cheese frosting

I use the recipe from food network, and I omit the maple syrup and pecan for the frosting, I use vanilla beans instead. But nevertheless my family love it!!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Kosher salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I omit)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Vanilla seeds 
• Chopped toasted pecans, for topping --> (I skipped this)

Directions

For the pumpkin cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 (12-cup) muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the butter and the sugar. Beat with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and the vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time. Incorporate the dry mixture into the wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full. Bake until the tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting .

For the cream cheese frosting: Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla beans, and salt to a large bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until thoroughly combined.

Top the cupcakes with the frosting.

Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving everyone ^__^
Our thanksgiving dinner this year was super scrumptious! despite what has happened to us this week. Started with hubby got so sick on Sunday before thanksgiving, continued with my oldest son then my second son they are all so sick and missed the last couple days of schools.
To make it worst my baby is also getting so sick, then my asthma doesn't seems to go away... *sigh* Dealing with sick family and preparing thanksgiving dinner was quite a challenge. But I think I managed to pull it together.

I brine to turkey on Sunday, and I use this recipe for guidance since I made my own vegetable stock.

http://bbq.about.com/od/turkeybrinerecipes/r/bl71116d.htm

I am tellin ya ... I am stick with that recipe! turkey always turn out super moist and very tasty. My hubby usually eats dark meat on Thanksgiving because he think that the most moist part, but since I use this method he loves the white meat too.

Before you decide to brine turkey, I'd strongly suggest you to read THIS  article because there are so many things we have to pay attention to, like what kind of turkey, how long you brine it for, etc. But it worth every efforts.

So here's how my brining vegetable stock recipe, using the recipe form the above link as a guidance, I made about 2 gallons of stock

Ingredients :

Carrots, cut into large size (you can use whatever vegetable left in the frige)
Onion, quartered
Garlic
Celery, chopped
Bunch of fresh sage, thyme and rosemary
1 cup of salt
1 cup of sugar
2 gallons of water

Method :

Boil the water, then add all the ingredients and let it simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Remove from the heat, covered and let it cool completely.

Wash the thawed turkey thoroughly and place it in the plastic container or stainless steel large pot. Pour brine over top, brine it for 1 hour per pound.
I did mine for 4 days and turkey came out perfect!! love it!

How to cook the turkey :

Wash the turkey again with cool water, pat dry it with paper towel, then rubbed it with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. You don't need to add anything since the turkey is already seasoned.
Place the turkey in the roasting rack.
Slow bake it in 325F oven until done. I put stuffing in mine so I went for 5 hours.

I also made these following side dishes :

Roasted potatoes
Pop overs - Yorkshire pudding
Sweet onion gravy (with garlic, rosemary and dripping juice from the turkey)
Tri-colored carrots with honey glaze and parsley
Green beans amandine

Desert :
Pumpkin pie
Pumpkin mini cupcakes with vanilla and cream cheese frosting
Butterscotch chip cookies

Okay, it's 1.30 right now and my kids still do not want to eat lunch, they were too stuffed from last night dinner ... LOL

Happy Thanksgiving again everyone !!!

Strawberry cupcakes with vanilla creme frosting

Last week we celebrate my oldest son birthday, and I made this simple yet delicious and surprisingly moist strawberry cupcakes, with vanilla creme frosting
I wasn't sure when I baked it, and not even plan to post it here! but once it came out of the oven then I tasted ... and I was like .. OMG I can not believe how moist it is, knowing that this cupcakes recipe isn't calling for any egg yolk. YES it only use white eggs.

I know so many Indonesian use lots of egg yolk to make some Indonesian cake like Lapis Surabaya or Lapis Legit, so if you have any leftovers white eggs, don't waste it baby ... but try this recipe.

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA CREME FROSTING
Recipe adopted from http://yummycakesbylynn.com/?p=204

Makes 12 cupcakes

2 tbsp strawberry jam or preserves (You will need to strain or buy seedless for making frosting or you can use seedless for both cupcakes and frosting)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh strawberries, more for garnish
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla pure vanilla extract
4 drops of food coloring (I used pink food coloring paste)
1/3 cup whole milk

METHOD :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position a rack in the middle of the oven

1. In a small bowl, stir together jam and chopped fresh strawberries.
2. In a second bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Using mixer beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 mins. Add egg whites, vanilla, and food coloring and beat until combined. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk in two additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape sides of bowl as needed. Fold in strawberry mixture until just combined.
4. Fill cupcake liners in your cupcake pans ¾ full. Bake about 25 minutes, until centers bounce back when touched or when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for five minutes or the paper will fall away from the sides of your cupcakes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about one hour.
5. Frost with Vanilla creme frosting (I use vanilla beans to a regular butter cream recipe)