Swans Samplings

Banh Xeo - Vietnamese Pancakes

2010-06-27T11:05:00.004-04:00

Vietnamese style pancakes yesterday for dinner. Ban Xeo mix and stir-fry scallions, pork, shrimp, mung beans, and bean sprouts.

Fried Shrimp Wontons in Hot & Sour Sauce

2010-05-18T15:49:00.003-04:00

Yes, I made these, and no you may not have the recipe. It's my mom's special recipe. But you're welcome to come over for a tasting.

Crumbs Cupcakes from NYC

2010-05-08T20:23:00.004-04:00

Finally, I get to try Crumbs Cupcakes from NY! The famous, famous crumbs. It's very moist and fluffy, and I'd have to say it's excellent, but the frosting is a little to sweet for my taste. But then again aren't all American cupcakes too sweet?

The Bellagio Fountains

2010-04-06T10:54:00.003-04:00

This is the view from my hotel room inside the Bellagio. Over and over again. Every night, every 30 minutes the fountain blasts out a spectacular display of water. Over and over again I'd watch in awe, never getting tired of it. Afterall, this is a must-stop for everyone visiting Vegas right? Why not enjoy it from the comfort of my room. Although, I must confess I did run out into the street to experience it too. You just can't beat the full-effect of seeing it in front of your eyes too.

The Bellagio Buffet - Las Vegas

2010-04-06T10:47:00.005-04:00

Oh Bellagio, how I miss you. I would have to say this is one of the greatest buffets of all time in Las Vegas. The food was clean and the selection was out of this world. Ok, so they didn't have hot crab legs, but the other items made up for it. This wasn't my first time at the Bellagio Buffet either. It was my second time and I came back for a third time as well.

Surprsingly my favorite item was the shrimp pizza, and I NEVER eat shrimp pizza, but this was GOOODDDD.

The Wynn Buffet - Las Vegas

2010-03-31T14:22:00.005-04:00

I don't get what all the fuss is about. I'm a buffet-lover and this one was just OK for me. Yes, they do have cold king crab legs, and yes the food was clean, but other than that I much preferred the lunch and dinner served over at the Bellagio Buffet. Overall, I thought it was overly-priced for the selection they had. If you love cold king crab legs, then this is a must-stop for you.

Jean Philippe Bakery in Las Vegas

2010-03-25T13:27:00.003-04:00

Sinfully delicious. This was my first time, and I wished I would've discovered this earlier on my previous trips to Vegas. Oh please, please open a location on the east coast!
Crepes are expensive at around $9, but worth every dime. The flavors are fresh and intense. I had the exotic crepe, which had mango, pineapples, and cocount. To die for! I also went back again for the raspberry souffle, which I thought didn't measure up to the exotic one, but that's just me.

They just opened another location in the Aria hotel, and it's less crowded than the one in the Bellagio. I highly recommend making this stop when you're in Vegas. One of the best bakeries I've been to in my life. Oh yes, and they also have the world's largest chocolate fountain inside. Worth the stop as well, even if you aren't planning to get any sweets.

Jean Philippe Crepes

2010-03-24T13:04:00.002-04:00

This is by far the best crepe I've had in my life. It was a mango, pineapple, and coconut crepe from Jean Philippe in Las Vegas. They have several locations in Vegas, but this one inside the Bellagio was the only one I saw that had crepe. I could be wrong though.

Please, please open a location near me soon Jean Philippe!

The World's Largest Chocolate Fountain

2010-03-22T10:50:00.005-04:00

I was eating inside the Bellagio Bakery in Las Vegas, when low and behold I was drawn to a chocolate fondue display. When I looked closer, it actually turned out to be the world's largest chocolate fountain. Sitting below my hotel room was a Guinness World record item and I didn't even know it.

Kimchi Fried Rice by Steamy Kitchen

2009-11-12T12:20:00.005-05:00

I cannot give you the recipe for this dish, because I got it from Steamy Kitchen's new cook book. I encourage you to buy the book and try out some of her recipes. This Kimchi fried rice was a hit and very easy to make. I think I liked the egg part the best. Here are some photos of me prepping the dish.

Look at the beautiful colors from the toppings

Buffet Style Chinese Doughnuts

2009-10-15T21:19:00.004-04:00

One of the simplest dessert recipes that the kids will enjoy. I love Chinese doughnuts when I go to the buffet. They taste best at a warm temperature and even better when just taken out of the fryer. I actually googled this recipe and got it off the recipezaar.com site. To my amazement it was just too easy I don't know why it took me so long to attempt it.

1 can Pillsbury Biscuit refrigerated mix
Sugar

Open the can and roll the dough into medium-sized balls
Deep fry each dough until crispy brown
Drain on a paper towl and roll them into sugar

Water Spinach - Rau Muong

2009-10-05T13:08:00.003-04:00

Water Spinach is locally grown in Southeast Asia. Commonly referred to as the "poor people's food" because it is grown in such abundance. It can also be thought of as comfort food to many. I love water spinach b/c it is quick and easy, and tastes best stir-fried as a side dish with rice or poultry. I find it is expensive here in the US and is hard find.

Korean Pancakes w/ Shrimp - Pajeon

2009-09-08T11:59:00.002-04:00

I had a Korean Pancake obsession over the long holiday and made Korean Pancakes. I can't really give out the recipe because I cheated and used the pre-made Korean Pancake mix. Hey, it tastes just as good, so why not. It was mmmmm, so good.

I mixed it with shrimp, chives, and peppers. The key is to fry it sizzling hot, so that it's a little burnt on the edges.

Spicy Hoisin Chicken Wings

2009-08-31T11:10:00.007-04:00

Package of chicken wings
1/2 cup Hoisin Sauce
5 T Soy Sauce
2 T Garlic Powder
1 T Sesame Oil
1 T Rice Vinegar
3/4 cup Korean Pepper Powder (Adjust according to spicy factor)

Mix all ingredients together depending on your tasting and how spicy you like your wings. On average, I'd say 1/2 cup of Korean Pepper Powder is fine.
I use a lot of the heavy ingredients, since I like my food flavorful. You might want to double-up on the ingredients if you like it very flavorful.
Marinate overnight or at least 3 hours before baking
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Spray a light layering of cooking spray on to the baking tray
Stack wings side-by-side on baking tray
Bake at 390 degrees for about 40 minutes, depending on your oven temperature
Make sure to turn the wings once in the middle of the cooking time

Korean Style Dinner

2009-08-31T11:06:00.002-04:00

Alright, I can't take credit for making this, but whenever I want an authentic Korean dinner, my friend alwayssss comes to the rescue. If I wasn't there myself I'd think that this is a restaurant.

Tofu Soup w/ Chives and Shrimp - Canh Dau Hu

2009-08-17T20:58:00.001-04:00

Red Velvet Chocolate Cake Balls

2009-08-17T20:47:00.003-04:00

My aunt made these for a party at my house last week. They are too DIE for. They remind me of my favorite dessert, petit fours. Red velvet cake dipped in chocolate.

More Stained Glass Jello

2009-06-23T09:47:00.001-04:00

I made some more stained glass jello this week for Father's Day.

I Love Barcelona Spain

2009-06-19T13:59:00.004-04:00

Fresh Paella anyone?? Oh my favorite meal of the entire trip. It was worth the $80 Euros.

Real Sangria! That thing was gigantic.

The most succulent seafood I've had in a long time.

These were flowers they sold on the streets. So cute!

La Sagrada Familia. A church that's been under construction for a long time.

Thai Shrimp in a Blanket - Tom Cuon Cha Gio

2009-06-18T19:23:00.002-04:00

Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant

2009-06-08T15:49:00.006-04:00

Gadsy's Tavern a little piece of history in Virginia. We went here recently for a work luncheon, and I probably won't ever come back. The food was too salty or too bland for my taste. You can read about the rich history of the restaurant from my link. If you absolutely want to eat where President George Washington and the others ate back in the 1800's, then this is a must try. Other than that the food tastes pretty bland and boring, probably like it did back in the 1800's!

A little peanut soup anyone? I didn't order this, but I was told it tastes like peanut butter soup, what a surprise!

My trip to Monte Carlo - May 2009

2009-06-08T15:47:00.005-04:00

Casino Royale 007!

So many nice yachts in the French Riviera

Stained Glass Jello

2009-06-04T09:28:00.006-04:00

I was bored yesterday and decided to make this from a recipe I found in a magazine

Ingredients:

Jello mix of any flavor you want to create the different colors (use the 3 0z. box)
2 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1) For each flavor dissolve the mixture into 1 cup of boiling water and stir well
2) Pour each flavor into square molds and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or over night
3) Cut the jello into cubes and mix into container
4) In a separate bowl place 2 packets of the unflavored gelatin and mix 1/2 cup of cold water
5) Wait until the gelatin becomes a little solid and mix 1 1/2 boiling water
6) Dissolve and add 1 can of condensed milk
7) Stir well and cool for about 15 minutes before pouring into cubed jellos
8) Chill over night and cut into square cubes or use cookie cutters

European Cruise w/ Royal Carribean International

2009-06-01T15:16:00.004-04:00

Get fat on Royal Caribbean cruises! The best food of all.

Pineapple Fruit Basket Burst

2009-05-18T08:19:00.002-04:00

For a small party I went to I made pineapples, strawberries, kiwis, and longans!

Pineapple Basket

2009-05-12T10:18:00.001-04:00

Pineapple basket with longans and kiwis

Snapple Green Tea

2009-04-23T13:36:00.002-04:00

Mmmmmm, my new favorite "healthy" drink! Good substitute to drinking soda during lunch.

501 Must- Drink Cocktails

2009-03-27T11:16:00.003-04:00

I was browsing the book store yesterday and found this neat (cheap) book! Even BETTER than the previous book I purchased. Can you imagine 500 recipes in just 1 book! Who's ready to get their drink on??

Bo 7 Mon - Seven Courses of Beef in Vietnamese

2009-03-25T21:28:00.003-04:00

Bo 7 Mon, literally means "Seven Courses of Beef" in Vietnamese. It's considered a "higher-end" dish. Think of it as a kind of Beef Buffet, but Vietnamese style. I've heard of this, since I was a little girl, but have never tried it until California. Considering, I'm not much of a meat-lover I thought it was ok. Nothing about it really wowed me, or made me want to go back for more.

The beef is cooked in front of you, then wrapped with rice paper, a variety of fresh herbs, lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers, and then dipped in "mam nem", which is a heavy fish sauce.

Van's Bakery - Westminster, CA

2009-03-25T21:17:00.007-04:00

If it's one thing I love most in life it's dessert! I'm rather picky about my dessert though. I like dessert, but it cannot be too sweet, or else I'll have a couple of bites and that's it. I like it the "french" way, which is semi-sweet, often preserving the rest of the flavor. My favorite types of dessert I'd have to say are any type of cake and fruit tarts!

Here it is a window of fresh fruits tarts. This was taken as we made a pit stop at Van's Bakery in Westminster, California.

Nem Nuong Cuon - Grilled Shrimp Paste Rolls

2009-03-25T21:11:00.003-04:00

Another one of my favorites was the Nem Nuong Cuon in Westminister, California. Oh my goodness, it was too DIE for. Never have I tasted anything that compares to this recipe. I think what really kicked off the flavor was the secret sauce it came with. I'd tell you the name of the restaurant, but I don't remember!!! However, ask the locals in Westminister and they should know. It's a really famous place.

Favori Restaurant - Best Catfish on the West Coast

2009-03-21T20:52:00.004-04:00

What's this you see? Fried Catfish from Los Angeles, California. This was my first time eating at Favori Restaurant, and not my last. Whenever I go back to the west coast I plan to dine here again.

Singapore Noodles - Sing Chow Mai Fun

2009-03-09T13:04:00.004-04:00

I've been having a curry obsession all week, so I decided to make this. This is a very authentic recipe that I found online, and altered it a little to my tasting. The recipe is normally made from Vermicilli noodles, but I ran out, so I used the regular small-sized noodles, so I guess you can say this is not that authentic.

This is a recession-proof dish, b/c you can use almost any veggie or poultry left in the fridge. In this version, I used chicken breasts, but normally you'd use shrimp, and possibly pork as well.

Recipe to be posted later......

Mango w/ Sticky Rice - Thai Dessert

2009-03-09T13:02:00.006-04:00

My all-time favorite easy to make and simply delicious to eat desserts. Let's not forget healthy too!

Sticky Rice (Glutinous Rice)
Fresh sliced mangoes

Tapioca Starch

Coconut Milk

Salt and Sugar

Sesame for topping

Banh Tam - Vietnamese Steamed Tapioca

2009-02-17T14:30:00.002-05:00

In case you haven't noticed I am a junk-food addict. Banh Tam is basically steamed Tapioca/Cassava layered with shredded coconut, and dipped with sugar and peanuts. For years, I've been making this from the pre-shredded cassava bags, but my mom has been making them from scratch. I have to say they are much better made from the fresh cassavas. So, since this isn't my own personal recipe I'll only be posting the pictures.

It's a fun snack. Tastes kind of soft and chewy. I know they look like colored worms in the picture, but they are good and great for kids!

Food from Royal Caribbean Cruise

2009-02-13T08:57:00.002-05:00

I was planning to brag about every single meal I had from my Bahamas cruise last week, andddd guess what? My beloved camera dropped and broke on the second day of the cruise. So, this is all the pictures I have to post after gaining 5 pounds last weekend.

Apple & Cucumber Shrimp Salad - Goi Tom Tao

2009-02-03T14:24:00.002-05:00

Apple & Cucumber Shrimp Salad

Happy Velvety Birthday to Me!

2009-02-03T14:19:00.003-05:00

My birthday came up, and no I'm not going to tell you how old I am. The husband ordered me this delicioussssssssss red velvet and chocolate cupcakes. Oh, how I wish I was talented enough to create something this beautiful, but I'm not, so I had to order from a lady that is.

Regardless it was moist, creamy, not too sweet, and the highlight of my birthday celebration!

Drink Obsession of the Month - Kai Lychee Vodka

2009-01-23T09:08:00.003-05:00

So you like Lychee huh? For those who don't know it's an exotic fruit that comes from Asia.

Have you tried Lychee Vodka? It is to die for! Normally, I don't like vodka, but this is an exception. This spirit tastes exactly like what it's described as........Lychee with Vodka!

My friends have recently found this tropical liquor and we've been hoooked. Oh, it's not easy to get though. For you lucky ones who live in Hawaii or California it is probably sitting in your neighborhood supermarket. For the rest of us we have to order it online, or go to the original source in Vietnam. That's right. This is made in Vietnam!

Fried Red Onions - Hanh Phi

2009-01-23T09:05:00.012-05:00

You might not recognize what this could be, but it's my homemade dried red onions. They either come preserved in a can like pictured above, or you can make them fresh like me. Fried red onions, are normally used as a topping on many Vietnamese dishes. You can use it on just about anything from soups to stir-fried dishes. It makes a crunchy and tasteful topping.

Crab/Fish Cake Congee

2009-01-23T09:05:00.009-05:00

Any dish that has crabs I cannot pass up. Have you ever thought of what crab congee would taste like? Well, this is my own little creation one winter day when I wanted congee, but I had nothing else in the fridge to work with. Crab congee!

OK, maybe not real crabs, but the imitation crabs, or otherwise called "fish cake" crabs. This Osaki brand is the only brand of fake crabs I would ever use in a dish. I think this brand tastes the best and the most real-to-life crabs you can get in your grocery section. I normally find these at the Asian/Korean supermarkets around my area. It's a little pricier than the other brands, but hence the taste is extraordinary during those cold, cold winter days.

Congee:

Fresh or canned Chicken Broth
1 cup of rice
Dried Red Onions

Broiled Salmon

2009-01-09T13:49:00.004-05:00

Broiled Salmon topped with Scallions, Olive Oil, and crushed Peanuts. Recipe is courtesy of my fellow blogger Joy of Food. Nutritious and delicious!

Vietnamese Style Chicken Currry - Ca Ri Ga

2008-12-12T13:06:00.006-05:00

Vietnamese curry is not as thick as your typical Indian curry. I think it has a little more coconut taste to it. We normally dip it with French Bread. Again another one of my favorite dishes.

1 pound Chicken Legs/Wings
1 Onion
2 Garlic cloves
1 Lemongrass stalk
3 Potatoes, sliced
2 Carrots large, sliced
½ can Coconut Milk
½ can of condensed milk or regular milk
1 large can of Chicken broth
Madras Curry Powder
Curry Paste

1) Marinate the chicken with a dash of salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons curry powder
2) Leave overnight to marinate, or let stand in fridge for 2 hours before cooking
3) Peel and cut carrot and potatoes into chunks
4) In a large pot, add oil, garlic, sliced onions, sliced lemongrass and sauté chicken pieces for about 10 minutes, to allow the skin to firm up
5) Add potatoes and carrots in, being careful not to over-stir or you will break up the pieces
6) Add water into pot, just enough to fill the chicken pieces
7) Add 1 tablespoon curry powder
8) Add 3 tablespoons curry paste and stir
9) Pour in 1 can of large chicken broth
10) Spoon about ½ can of condensed milk, or you can substitute with regular milk
11) Let mixture cook for about 30 minutes until chicken is done
12) Pour in ½ can of coconut milk towards the end and stir well
13) Stir on low heat to allow the coconut milk to absorb
Serve with French bread or side of rice

Waldorf Salad

2008-11-25T09:56:00.001-05:00

Vietnamese Homemade Soup Stock

2008-11-25T09:52:00.006-05:00

OK, so these are bad pictures, but you get the idea. I made my own homemade soup stock. Except this is pork stock, used for one of my noodle dishes, and not chicken broth like most people would use.

Directions:

For 6 cups of stock

2 pounds of pork bones or chicken wings
Boil 6 cups of water
1 Tablespoon of salt
1 Daikon cut into large cubes

Make sure you skim off the fat and the foam bubbles every 15 minutes. Cook the bones for 2 hours. In case, you're wondering Daikon is this vegetable that I use to enhance the flavor of the stock even more:

Food in Vegas

2008-11-20T09:51:00.005-05:00

While in Vegas I did nothing, but stuff myself with Vegas buffet. With the skyrocketing prices they have, you can't help, but think a $30 buffet is a steal. Especially, when there's Alaskan snow crab legs on the menu! Yummmmm.

I would highly recommend Mandalay Bay if you like your crab legs hot, and at your dispense. I tried the Bellagio buffet, and I thought it was highly overrated. Yes, the selection was vast, but if you're there for the crabslegs, like me, then I find waiting 5 minutes for the chef to re-steam your crablegs, is rather time-consuming. So, yes you can get your crablegs hot at the Bellagio as well, but you have to wait in 10-minute intervals, which I wasn't willing to do.

Can you tell which one is Lychee and which one is Coconut?

The hubby and I stopped for a sorbet break while in the Venetian hotel. Oh myyyy, the selection they had. I had a hard time narrowing my choices down to two!

A well-plated dessert selection from the Mandalay Bay Hotel

Las Vegas Trip - Part 1

2008-11-20T09:44:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted in awhile, b/c I've been busy on vacation on the west coast. We went to Vegas for a few days, and it was enjoyable. This was my 3rd trip to Vegas. I think this time I was more relaxed because I've already taken in all the touristy sites previously.

No, I did not go on the gondola ride

The hotel I stayed at

Red peppers as decorations inside the Bellagio. What a neat idea.

I never get tired of seeing the Bellagio watershow at night. I think I could sit there for hours and watch this.

Honeymoon - Honolulu Hawaiian Lua

2008-11-07T09:27:00.003-05:00

I finally have a chance to post some leisure pictures. This is from my honeymoon in Hawaii in May of 2008. What's Hawaii without a Lua right? This is from Germaine's Lua in Honolulu.

Roast Pig anyone? Mmmmmm, it was good. Believe me it was!

What's a Hawaiian dish without Poi (In the little purple container above the tray). Poi is the staple food of the Polynesian people. It's made from basically from Taro. Our host from the lua insisted that everyone MUST try the Taro at least once before leaving Hawaii. I tried it, and my conclusion is it tastes like NOTHING. It had no taste to it. Just a creamy-like texture added to enhance the food we were eating. If you ask me would I eat it again, sure why not, but it's not something I would die to eat again, nor something I miss from my trip either.

Cupcakes and Fondant

2008-11-07T09:17:00.003-05:00

These are homemade cupcakes from my aunt's friend. Pretttttyyy right? The red velvet was my favorite one. These were from my little cousins' 4th birthday.

Eggs in a Basket

2008-10-28T21:23:00.009-04:00

This dish was inspired by my friend SushiMonkee. Ok, so it's not an original recipe, but it's famous, and if you're not into cooking fancy breakfeast foods I still highly recommend trying this dish. It's quick, delicious, and tastefully presented.

The recipe is so easy I think even the husbands will be able to make you breakfast in bed. I made the hubby this the other day and being the healthy person he said it was too heart-clogging for his taste buds. Oh well, what does he know? I live for buttery and fattening food!

Butter the frying pan, or you can use olive oil
Cut the bread in the middle with a cookie cutter. You can make fancy shapes and try hearts as well!
Place the pieces of bread into the pan and crack the eggs in the hole (Make sure you toss in the round pieces of bread too)
Drop a tad bit of extra-virgin olive oil on top of the yolk, so when you flip it, the eggs don't stick to the pan
Serve with pepper and the extra left-over bread

Orange Glazed Scallops in Soy Sauce

2008-10-21T14:04:00.002-04:00

Fruit Tart

2008-10-18T19:00:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite recipes from my friend Joy of Food. She should just name her blog Joy of Baking, because I refer to her as the Queen of baking. I think maybe that blog name was taken already.

Fruit tart is my all time favorite desserts. This is the most simple and delicious fruit tart recipe ever. Pictured is my attempt without the nice fancy fruit tart shell, because baking the shell is considered to me as "too much work". In fact anything that involves baking from scratch is either too much work, or not considered real food to me. Below Joy of Food's crust tastes much better than mine. Since I'm constrained for time I used the pre-made shortbread crust from the supermarket.

For the filling:

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1) In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and smooth
2) Add the heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla and beat until soft peaks forms
3)Just before serving, spread filling into the tart shell and top with fresh berries or cut up fruit

Dim Sum in Queens- Jade Asian Restaurant

2008-10-07T12:37:00.005-04:00

If you’re ever in Queens NY, be sure to stop by Jade Asian Restaurant. It’s one of my favorite Dim Sum places to dine at. They recently renovated it, and I’d have to say the service is much slower than it used to be. The décor is very high-class, not your typical Chinese restaurant, you’d find in New York.

Dim sum is a Chinese cuisine which has a wide range of light dishes, almost like what westerners call appetizers. Best served alongside with teas. Normally, it’s offered in the mornings until about 2 pm. Dishes come served in a bamboo steam basket or tiny plates. They vary from shrimp dumplings (my favorite!), Chinese pastries, steamed chicken in lotus leaf, and even chicken feet.

Yes, I know chicken feet sounds gross, but it’s actually pretty tasty and has a fatty-like texture.

The Ritz Carlton Tea Time

2008-09-30T21:18:00.007-04:00

One of my girlfriends is getting married. What better way to throw an intimate bridal shower then having tea time at the Ritz! Yeah, I talk like I"m a pro, but last weekend was our first experience ever with it.

I was expecting a bunch of old, rich people, drinking tea, and wearing hats. It was nothing close to that.

It was all women, and it seemed like they were either celebrating Bridal Showers or Baby Showers too. The options came in 3 price ranges. I can't remember what, but you can find the menu on their website.

The tea itself was good. The little cucumber and lunch sandwiches were excellent. In fact, we wish they served us more of those, than the sweets they hounded us with.

Dessert with tea was good, but I've had much better desserts at other places. There was nothing really exotic about the dessert. Just your usual fruit tart, eclairs, and chocolate cake. Overall, it's a nice atmosphere if you want to spend the afternoon munching and drinking tea with your friends. However, I highly recomment it for a special occassion, and not just because you want to spend $50 on tea and sandwiches one afternoon. hehehe.

Crabcakes from Costco

2008-09-25T11:04:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I cheated on this recipe a little at one of our dinner parties. It consists of Jumbo Lump Crabcakes from Costco, French Beans, and Corn. Not really being my own creation, but it still looks good right! And healthy tooooo.

Goi Cuon - Vietnamese Summer Roll with Peanut Sauce

2008-09-18T13:15:00.020-04:00

This is a pretty mainstream Vietnamese appetizer. Not sure what the correct name for this would be, but many people call it "Vietnamese Summer Roll", so we'll go with that.

I think of it as a more healthy appetizer to it's more greasy sister, the eggroll (Cha Gio).

Ingredients Needed:

Package of Rice Paper (Banh Trang)

Shrimp, Boiled and Peeled

Pork Loin, boiled

Lettuce

Vietnamese Herbs (Any type)

Vermicelli Noodles

1) Boil shrimp for 10 minutes, or until slightly pink

2) Boil pork for about 30 minutes and then slice in thin pieces

3) Boil Vermicelli noodles for about 15 minutes, then drain in cold water until not soggy

4) Dip rice paper in water and make sure it's not too soggy

5) Place all the lettuce, vermicelli, shrimp, and pork and roll like you would normally an eggroll

I've seen this sauce made with other ingredients such as tamarind and mung beans. This is my mom's recipe I inherited, and it's the quickest and most authentic tasting, so I just stick with it. Just make sure it's not watery or it will kill the entire dish.

This is good for 6 portions/guests:

1 bottle Hoison Sauce
4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Tapioca Starch (Bot Nang)

2/3 cup water

1) Heat up a sauce pan to medium heat and pour in Hoison Sauce and Peanut Butter
2) Stir vigorously until it melts and does not clump together, if you're using chunky peanut butter make sure to process in a blender, until smooth
3) Pour in the water, sugar, and taste, add more if you like it sweeter
4) Pour in Tapioca Starch and stir until mixure is slightly thick

*Serve at room temperature or slightly warm
** The sauce should be slightly thick, and not watery

Margaritas, Mojitos & More

2008-09-18T13:15:00.007-04:00

So you like to entertain? Like mixed drinks? But you’re not skilled like me? Well, I highly recommend this book. I just ordered it a few months ago, because I’m one of those people that like to drink Mai Tais, but I’m not too confident about my mixing capabilities. Well, this book came to my rescue!

I spotted it at my local World Market store, and after skimming through it I ordered it online. Because you know everybody knows that books are always cheaper online right? I love the full page color photos of the drinks, easy-to-follow recipes, and creative drinks like Kiwi Mojito! And they even have non-alcoholic drinks like Lemongrass Lemonade. Mmmmmmm, you know you wanna try.

Bo Luc Lac - Shaking Beef

2008-09-17T09:17:00.005-04:00

A Vietnamese beef dish, typically served over rice. The "shaking" part name for this is literally translated into English. I've never really understood where the "shaking" part originated from, but it's good still!

Filet Mignon tastes BEST with this dish, but if you don't have the budget for it I find beef shank works well too.

1 lb beef filet mignon or beef shank

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ onion

Sesame Oil

Vegetable oil, butter, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper

1) Dice beef into cube-sized pieces
2) Mix with minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, pinch of sugar, pepper, and sprinkling of sesame oil
3) Marinate 4 hours or overnight
4) Heat oil and 1 spoonful of butter over a wok
5) Add garlic and onions and stir until onion is slightly translucent
6) Add in beef (You can do the entire batch or half at a time)
7) Turn or shake to cook all the sides, add onion to cook
8) Throw in your choice of veggies (I added some sliced tomatoes in mine)
9) Can be served with tomatoes or cucumbers on the side as well
*Serve over rice

Drink Obsession of the Month

2008-09-15T14:56:00.011-04:00

A mojito. Yes, that's my current drink obsession of the month. A relaxing night is when there's a mojito waiting after dinner.

Seafood Pan-Fried Noodle - Mi Xao Gion

2008-09-11T09:50:00.008-04:00

One of my FAVORITE dishes in the entire world.

This is typically a Chinese dish, but since we have varations of it in Vietnam, I'm calling it a Vietnamese dish. There are many variations of it, but since seafood is my favorite I'm only posting the Seafood part.

1 bag fresh chow mein1 small can chicken broth
1 dozen Shrimp1 package cuttlefish 2 medium tomatoes, sliced1/2 yellow onion
4 springs of Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage)
1 small package of Oyster Mushrooms (Or any other type you prefer)
1 red or green bell pepper (Red is usually better for coloring the dish)
1 large carrot
Handful of fresh minced parsley
3 Tablespoons oyster sauce

1 Tablespoons corn starch mixed with water

3 cloves garlicSoy sauce, salt, pepper, sugar

1) In a large pan, fry the Chow Mein Noodles until brown
2) You might want to do this in portions to allow the noodles to fit flatter on your plating
3) Place on paper towels to drain oil

4) To prep slice all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces
5) Stir-fry with oil, minced garlic and sliced onions
6) Stir in shrimp, cuttlefish, and any other seafood you’d like to the dish
7) Add in carrots and bell peppers first, since they take longer to cook
8) Add in oyster sauce and a dash of salt and sugar
9) Pour in 1 can of chicken broth and ½ cup of water
10) Add the rest of the vegetables and mix
11) Add your corn starch mixture in be sure that you added some water to the corn starch before doing so. Sauce should be slightly thick
12) Taste and add more salt or soy sauce as necessary

Garnish with green onions or parsley

The sauce should be thick like this:

Parmesan Chedder Bowls

2008-09-10T21:45:00.008-04:00

This creation was from my friend PeachyMangoDelight. Created during one of our dinner parties.

It's baked Parmesan cheese, that's been shaped into a bowl.

Prettttyyyy right? I think it's a perfect compliment to any salad dish, and tastes delicious too.

Cucuzza Squash Soup - Canh Bau

2008-09-10T14:52:00.008-04:00

This is a Vietnamese squash soup that is normally a compliment to an entrée during dinner. The Chinese have it too, but since I’m Viet I’m going to say that it’s Vietnamese squash. You can add ground pork or minced shrimp to the dish. Pictured is my plain version of it. Cucuzza Sqash can be found in most Asian grocery stores.

Also known as "Italian Squash"

1 Cucuzza Squash
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 dozen shrimp heads
Fish Sauce, Salt Pepper to taste

1) Boil 3 quarts of water
2) Mince shrimp by hand or in a food processor with pinches of salt and pepper to marinate
3) Cut squash into long strands
4) Once water has come to a boil spoon bite-sized pieces of the shrimp into the water, until small clumps form
5) Add 1 cup of chicken broth and stir for more dense flavoring
6) Add squash and simmer on high for about 15 minutes, until you feel the squash softening

* Top with hot peppers or green spring onions and serve over rice entrée

Swans' Fruit Arrangements with Fondue

2008-09-09T10:16:00.009-04:00

I found inspiration for this from:

http://www.ediblearrangements.com/

One of my favorite desserts to make. I wouldn't say that it's quick and easy, more like very time consuming, but the results are worth it in the end, don't you agree?

These are two different arrangements I made to dip with fondue, or to simply eat alone. I often like to do this when I'm entertaining a large group of people, and it's often a hit at the majority of my parties.

Can you tell the difference between them?

My New Backsplash - Loving It!

2008-09-09T09:34:00.007-04:00

The highlight of my hard day of work is coming home to my kitchen. I like it clean, sleek, and cleannnnn. The hubby worked 2 weeks upgrading "my space in the house" and here are the fantastic results. Having the backsplash gives the kitchen the extra Ooomph it needs to create gourmet meals and inspires this blog.

Shrimp Simmered in Garlic Onion Sauce - Tom Kho Tau

2008-09-09T09:24:00.006-04:00

1 lb shrimp or large prawns

2 Tablespoons Shrimp Paste in Soya Bean Oil Sauce

2 shallots2 cloves garlic

2 green onions

Salt, pepper, fish sauce, sugar

Heat frying pan on high
Mince garlic and dice onion pieces about 2 inches long
Stir-fry garlic and onion rapidly for a few minutesPlace shrimps or prawns into pan and toss until golden
Add shrimp paste with soya bean oil in and stir (Paste can be found in most Asian supermarkets)
Season with fish sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar to your tasting
Simmer for about 5 minutes

*Can be served with your choice of veggies. I added stir-fry squash in mine.

Vietnamese Asparagus Crab Soup - Sup Mang Cua

2008-09-09T09:22:00.007-04:00

A Vietnamese soup normally served at dinner parties or special events.

For a 5-quart stock pot:

1 can of frozen lump crab meat

3 cans of the large chicken broth

1 cup water

1 can baby corn

1 small bunch of fresh asparagus

2 or 3 eggs

3 tablespoons tapioca starch (bot nang), dissolve in water

Salt, pepper, fish sauce

1) Boil the chicken broth on medium heat, or you can use fresh cooked broth as well (works even better)

2) Wash asparagus and remove the hard bottoms. Drain and wash baby corn. Slice corn and asparagus into bite-sized chunks

3) Beat 2 or 3 eggs, depending on how many egg drops you want in your soup. Set aside for use in last step

4) Add corn and asparagus to the pot

5) Dissolve about 3 tablespoons of tapioca starch (bot nang) to 1/2 cup of cold water. Add the mixture to the pot and stir rapidly, until you see the soup becoming thick. You can add an additional tablespoons of tapioca if you like your soup extra thick, but remember after it cools the soup will thicken more than what it is currently

6) When your soup pot starts boiling, add in the crab and start stirring the ingredients

7) Slowly pour the bowl of scrambled eggs into the pot, while stirring rapidly in large strokes to create long egg strands

8)When the eggs are all in, turn the heat down to medium to simmer for 10 minutes

9) Add a pinch of salt and about 3 tablespoons of fish sauce to your desiring and taste the asparagus and corn to see if they have by now softened enough to your liking

Korean Glass Noodles - Jap Chae

2008-09-09T09:21:00.005-04:00

I like the chewy texture of these noodles

1 bag “Malony” Japanese noodles

3 Carrots

3 Celery Sticks

1 pound Shrimp

1 Red PepperSeasame Oil

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce

5 tablespoons Oyster Sauce

2 teaspoons Granulated Garlic, Dried Onions, Scallions

1) Cut carrots, Red Peppers, and Celery into desirable pieces

2) Boil hot water, add a pinch of salt, then add celery, pepper, and carrots (Boil until slightly done)

3) Drain over strainer w/ cold water

4) Boil shrimp seperately until done

5) In a big mixing bowl place shrimp, peppers, celery w/ sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce (about 3 tablespoons or until desired taste)

6) Boil noodles about 10 minutes until soft, then drain w/ cold water

7) Mix noodles with, some more oyster sauce to your tasting and a teaspoon of virgin olive oil, and granulated garlic

8) Put in vegetables and shrimp into noodles and mix well

9) Add dried onions, pepper, dash of sesame oil, and scallions to garnish

Korean Pickled Cucumber - O-I Keem Chee

2008-09-08T09:26:00.008-04:00

A recipe I inherited from my neighbor. One of my quick and delicious recipes.

1 English Cucumber

½ Yellow Onion

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablsespoon Honey

2 Tablespoon Korean Red Pepper Flakes

2 Minced Garlic Cloves Seasame Oil

1/2 Teaspoon White Vinegar

1) Slice cucumbers into rounds and slice onions into thin strips

2) Pour red pepper flakes, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and sesame oil and mix together until well coated

3) Let stand in refrigerador for 15 minutes

4) Pour white vinegar and mix one last time before serving

Pate Chaud

2008-09-05T15:21:00.008-04:00

A Vietnamese meat pastry, inherited from the French

½ pack ground pork
1 small onion
1 tablespooon garlic powder
2 boxes of Pepperide Farm square pastry shells
Salt, pepper, sugarRegular fork for decorating the edges of pastry shells

1) Mix pork with, chopped onions, and garlic powder
2) Flavor w/ pinch of salt/sugar/pepper and let marinate for 1 hour
3) Cut pastry shells into fourths
4) Spread meat mixture into spoon-sized pieces into pastry sheets
5) With the other cut square place on top, and close with the edges of a fork
6) Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes
7) The shells should start to puff out
8) Spread yellow egg yolk onto top layer of each shell about 5 minutes before done
9) Let sit in oven for another 5 minutes, so that the egg yolks can set
10) Can be served at room temperature or hot

Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Fried Rice

2008-09-05T08:25:00.010-04:00

One of my favorite all-time easy dishes to make. Good for lunch or dinner. I think this is normally a Thai dish.

1 can of Phillips lump crabmeat
4 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 bag frozen peas
4 eggs
2 onions
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
5 tablespoons Soy Sauce, or depending on saltiness

1) Cook 4 cups of jasmine rice and set aside to cool slightly
2) Drain crabmeat juice
3) Stir-fry crabmeat for a few minutes (Be sure to fry separately or crabmeat will separate)
4) Stir-fry frozen peas, set aside
5) Scramble the eggs and pour into pan and scramble directly in the frying pan, set aside
6) Combine rice and fry until crispy
7) Add onions, garlic powder, fish sauce, and soy sauce to your tasting in the rice
8) Combine peas, eggs, and crabmeat and stir-fry

*You can add other veggies to your liking as well

Kimchi

2008-09-05T08:21:00.008-04:00

1 napa cabbage1/2 cup salt
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 bunch green onions
4 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1.5 cups gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)

1) Clean, rinse, and cut the napa cabbage in half, and slice into wide strips
2) Place a layer of cabbage into a large bowl and sprinkle salt onto each layer of cabbage, and repeat until all of the cabbage is salted
3) Let stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours
4) Rinse the salt thoroughly from the cabbage
5) In a small food processor chop the garlic and ginger together
6) Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of salt in
7) Mix cabbage, green onions, garlic, ginger, gochugaru and fish sauce in the large bowl
8) Put the kimchi into a sealable container and let stand at room temperature over night
9) Place the container in the fridge for 1 more day
10) Kimchi should be good to eat and left in fridge for another week or so

Eggplant with Shrimp Paste (VN style) - Ca Tim Nhan Cha Tom

2008-09-04T13:17:00.013-04:00

3 Japanese eggplants
½ pound shrimp for 3 eggplants
2 cloves minced garlic
Fish sauce, sugar, salt

1) Peel shrimp, add 2 cloves of garlic, ½ teaspoon fish sauce, pinch of sugar, into food processor until well blended

2) Marinate for 15 minutes or you may leave to marinate overnight

3) Wash an slice eggplants diagonally

4) Sprinkle lightly with salt, wash, and drain

5) Rinse the eggplant pieces and shake to dry. Spoon chunks of shrimp paste over the eggplant slices

6) Place in steamer tray and steam for about 15 minutes until the shrimp paste turns pink

7) Serve with soy sauce or sweet red chili sauce

*You either can bake them in the oven for an additional 20 minutes or pan-fry for 15 minutes.

**When the eggplant becomes slightly smushy and turns dark it’s ready!

Sweet Potato Fries

2008-09-04T09:05:00.007-04:00

Sweet potato fries are my new love at the diners!

3 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon paprika, or other hot chilies of your choice
Salt

1) Cut sweet potato into wedges
2) Mix them with extra virgin olive oil, chili flakes, and a dash of salt and mix thoroughly
3) Bake in preheated oven at 375F or until crispy for about 30 minutes

*You can also deep-fry them for extra crispiness for 10 minutes, but baking is healthier of course

Quick Strawberry Cheesecake

2008-09-04T08:23:00.007-04:00

Here's my quick and easy recipe for a strawberry cheesecake. Tastes delicious and easy. What more could you ask for?

Ready Made Graham Cracker crust

8 Strawberries
8 oz cream cheese
2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

8 oz sour cream

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1) Preheat oven to 375°

2) Beat eggs until thick

3) Beat 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and cream cheese into the eggs, until smooth

4) Pour filling into crust

5) Bake at 375° for 30 minutes and cool about 20 minutes until firm

6) Mix sour cream, 4 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla, and place in 400 degree oven

7) Pour on top of cream cheese layer and smooth out

8) Bake at 400° for 10 min or until firm

9) Cut strawberries into halves and decorate on top

10) Chill overnight

Vermicelli Snail Soup - Bun Oc

2008-09-04T08:08:00.007-04:00

Bun Oc translates into Snail Soup with Vermicelli. Depending if you like tart soups, this will be the flavor for you.

3 cubes rock sugar
3 packs of frozen periwinkles snails
9 spoonfuls of chopped lemongrass
1 big garlic, grounded
6 spoonfuls of chopped ginger
2 cans of chicken broth
1 ginger, sliced
1 large canned whole tomatoes
1 handful of dried shrimp, soaked
2 spoonfuls of paprika powder (sautéed in oil to get the color)
Fish sauce
Ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 can of beer (any brand, but I prefer Heineken)
¼ package of Fresh tamarind or tamarind powder
3 Lemons
5 lbs chicken bonesgreen onion, cut
1 inch lengthGreen onion + parsley finely chopped
Mam tôm shrimp sauce

1) Defrost periwinkle snail and rub with salt to clean. Cook snail in chicken broth + sliced ginger until softened. Turn to low when boiled, slow cook around 1hr. When the snails are soft, drain and discard broth. Season snail with chopped lemongrass, fish sauce, ground pepper, rock sugar, sugar, chopped ginger.

2) Use chicken bones to make broth, add dried shrimp, slow cook without covering.

3) Add oil to skillet, when boiling, add green onion, garlic. Add tomato, paprika, saute’ until tomato get soft. Whenever the broth is almost done, add sauteed tomatoes.

4) Mix tamarind with hot water, drain to get just the juice. Mix tamarind juice with beer evenly and pour into broth. Taste broth accordingly to get a mixing of sour, sweet and salty.

5) Saute’ the seasoned snails. Keep separate as topping.Cook noodle, prepare vegetable.