Grand Ma's Apple Fruit Salad

Yummy!

Mixing fruits with whipped cream.

Our family most requested salad and always no left over. You can add any fruits that you prefer.

3  Fuji apples- peeled and cut into small bite size pieces
2- bananas, peeled and cut
1 cup of seedless red grapes halves
1/4 c. sugar(more or less it depends on fruit sweetness)
1c. heavy cream,chilled

Whipped heavy cream with sugar until soft peaks form.Add all the sliced fruits.Chill and serve.Easy!!!

Overnight French Toast

melted butter and brown sugar

Day old challah bread

Adding the custard mixture.

Wrap with plastic and let it sit overnight in the fridge.

Baked French Toast with  powdered sugar.

This is  a make ahead breakfast fit for a crowd.Its like a  pancake,leche flan, bread pudding all rolled into one.Yummy!!!!!!

1/4 c. melted butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 loaf Brioche or Challah sliced into 1 1/2 inches thick
1 1/2c. whole milk or half and half
8 eggs,slightly beaten
1T. vanilla extract
1t. ground cinnamon
1/4t. ground ginger/ or nutmeg(I used freshly grated nutmeg)
1/2c, chopped pecans(optional)
1/8t. salt
maple sugar and powdered sugar for topping

1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour at the bottom of the pan 9x13 dish.
2. Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish overlapping.
3. Combine eggs, milk,vanilla,salt,cinnamon and ginger or nutmeg in a bowl and pour evenly over the bread slices.
4. Sprinkle chopped pecans if you like.(I omit this part.)
5.Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-12 hours.
6.In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge at least 10 minutes while you are preheating the oven to
  350 degrees.
7.Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes.if it starts browning cover foil loosely over the top of the casserole for
   the last 10 minutes.You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don't dry
   it out completely.

8.Remove casserole and cool slightly before serving.Serve with maple sugar and powdered sugar.

Easy Cheese Danish

Topped with my homemade raspberry jam.

My children liked it plain.

Wonderful dough sheets.

Baked cheese danish.

2 cans refrigerated crescent dough

2-8oz cream cheese at room temperature

1c. white sugar

1-large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a choice of your favorite jam/jelly( optional)

cinnamon sugar for the topping(optional)

1.Preheat oven to 350.

2.Press the dough from one can of crescent dough into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

3.In a bowl,mix cream cheese,beaten egg,sugar and vanilla extract, mix until creamy and lump  free about 5
 minutes scraping down the sides of the bowl.

4.Spread the mixture over the dough.Top with the second crescent dough.

5.This is optional,sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top or spread your favorite jam/jelly. Bake for 30-35
minutes.Let cool in a pan.Serve warm. 

Alton Brown Buffalo Wings

Hot wings with ranch dressing.

Chic.ken wings in steamer

Steaming.

After steaming,lay wings on parchment paper to dry.

12 whole chicken wings
3 ounces unsalted buttered
1 small garlic, minced
1/4 c. hot sauce
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt

Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water at the bottom of the pan over high heat,cover and bring to a boil.

Remove the tips of the wings and save for making stocks.Using a kitchen shears or a knife,separate the wings at the joint.Place wings in a steamer basket,cover,reduce heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.Remove wings from the steamer and lay wings in a half sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper.Place in the fridge for an hour to dry.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Roast wings in the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes.Turn the wings over and cook for another 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and skin is golden brown.

While the chicken is cooking,melt butter in a bowl with garlic.Pour this along with hot sauce and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.

Remove wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce.Serve warm with ranch dressing.

Norman's Sugar Cookies

Father in law famous sugar cookie recipe. Very light buttery and easy to make.Good for holiday icing decorating .The recipe makes 6 dozens. We usually ice them,sprinkle,top them with nuts or drizzle with melted chocolates.

Crisp and buttery sugar cookies.

6 dozens of cookies cooling!

Mixing

Roll almond size dough in sugar.

Press the cookie dough lightly.

Flattened dough ready to bake.

Yummy!

1c. sugar

1c. powdered sugar

1c. butter

2 eggs

1c. oil(veg. or canola oil)

2t. real vanilla extract

5c. all purpose flour

1t. cream of tartar

1/4t. salt

1t. baking soda

Cream sugar and butter;add eggs. Blend oil and vanilla.Add the dry ingredients and mix well .Refrigerate for an hour.Roll into balls and flatten with a glass dipped in butter and sugar. Bake at 350 for 10 min. yields:6  doz.

Tostadong Tinapay/Biscocho

Buttery cinnamon tostadong tinapay

Sliced day old sweet Italian bread.

Melted butter.

Dredge both sides in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Lay bread flat and bake for 15-30 minutes or until crisp!

Yummy snacks!

1-loaf  sliced  day old bread(sweet Italian bread/ Hawaiian bread/ French bread/pandesal/challah)look at the markdown rack at your grocery store.

melted butter

cinnamon /sugar

Set oven to 300F, adjust oven rack in the middle.Cover baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.Brush or dunk bread with melted butter and dredge into sugar / cinnamon mixture on both sides. Bake  for15-30 minutes or until crisp and toasted!

Cece's Custard Cake

Yummy dessert!

Baking cake gently using a water bath method.

Custard/Leche Flan on top  and soft mamon cake at the bottom

Baked cake!

Caramel:

1c. sugar

1/4c. water

Custard:

6 eggs at room temperature

1 can condensed milk(13-14 oz)

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 c. sugar

Cake:

6 egg yolks at room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

1- 1/2 c. cake flour, sifted

1t. baking powder

1/2c. milk diluted(1/4c. milk mix with 1/4 c. water)

1t. finely grated lemon rind

Meringue:

6 egg whites at room temperature

1/2t. cream of tartar

1/2 c. white sugar

Caramel:

1. Preheat oven to 350F(180 C). prepare a 9 inch round pan.

2. In a heavy deep saucepan,combine water and sugar(don't stir) over a medium heat until dissolved. 

3. Brushing  down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in cold water.

4. Bring to boil over medium- high heat for 8-10 minutes or until dark amber.

5. Immediately pour onto prepared pan. Set aside.

Custard:

1. In a bowl,mix egg yolks and sugar, do not beat.

2. Stir to blend or until sugar dissolved.

3. Strain through a sieve into caramelized pan . Set aside.

Cake:

1. In a bowl, mix egg yolks and gradually add sugar beating the mixture until light and lemony  color.

2. Add flour alternately with diluted milk (beginning and ending with flour)

3. Add grated lemon zest.Beat until smooth  and no lumps, set aside.

Meringue:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until frothy, add cream of tartar beat until soft peaks forms.

2. Add sugar gradually beat until stiff and glossy.

3. Gently fold meringue to the cake mixture until well blended,scrape the bottom of the bowl as you fold.

4.Pour over custard. Do not stir!

5.Place cake pan in a roasting pan half filled with hot water.

6.Bake for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Transfer pan(roasting pan) to rack. Let cool until room temperature. Remove cake pan from water and let   

    it cool completely.

8. Run a knife around the edges of pan. Invert into serving platter. Chill before serving!

Easy Lemon Pound Cake

Yummy lemony moist cake!

Ready for icing.

Reliable cake mix,always Duncan Hines!

Adding lemon zest!

Incorporating eggs.

Ready for the oven.

Moist,lemony easy pound cake recipe that's right for my budget!

Preheat oven to 350 F,grease and flour 10"tube pan.

Combine cake mix,instant pudding, eggs,water,oil in a large bowl beat at medium speed with an electric mixer.Pour into a pan.Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Cool in pan for 25 minutes. Invert into heat resistant plate.Drizzle icing.Enjoy!

For the glaze icing: 1c. powdered sugar add a tablespoon at a time of milk,mix until thin enough to drizzle on a cake. 

WinningTurkey Chili

Chili cheese dogs!

Chili with Fritos,sour cream,cheese,onions and cilantro

Lean cooked ground turkey breast with a bay leaf.

Adding spices and canned beans.

Diced  canned  tomatoes,beans,spices.

My son's school had a chili cook off festival and their recipe won according to the judges which includes the principal, assistant principal, and the head of the custodian. So we decided to give it a try at home using low fat turkey breast and a little more spices and it was  delicious!


8 oz ground turkey breast or chicken breast
2 -13 oz canned beans
-drained and rinsed(we liked black beans and navy beans)
2-  cans tomato sauce
1-canned chili or diced  tomatoes
1/4 c. tomato ketchup
2  cans full of water
1-bay leaf
3T-chili powder
1 t. cumin powder
1T. garlic powder
1- small diced onion
1T. olive oil
salt,sugar,pepper to taste
a small bunch of cilantro chopped(optional)
sriracha hot chili sauce(opt.)

1. Add oil and cook meat until no longer pink, drain fat.
2.Add onions to the cooked meat and cook until transparent.
3.Add rinsed beans, tomato sauce,tomatoes, and the rest of the spices,using the empty bean can as measuring cup- add 2 can full of water.Put  the lid on and simmer in medium low heat about 30 minutes stirring it frequently.
4. Adjust spices and serve with Frito's,onions,cheese,sour cream,diced avocados or  chili hot dogs or by itself.

Kale Laing

Cooked laing kale leaves.

Chopped kale.

.

Simmering garlic,onions,coconut milk and ginger. 

Curly leaf kale.

Taro leaves, fresh or dried, are hard to find in my local Asian stores so I am replacing it with hearty, peppery flavor kale leaves. Add a mild fresh jalapeno pepper for heat, simmering the dish for an hour in a very low heat with a lid on. Resulting to a delicious  dish that is high in fiber and low in saturated fat. Kale leaves are high in calcium,lutein,vitamins C and a potent anti-cancer properties.Next time it will be baby spinach laing!



1- 13 oz  unsweetened coconut milk
2- bunches of kale leaves(remove stems,washed, and chopped )
2-cloves of garlic,chopped
1- small onions,chopped
1-thumb size ginger sliced thinly
2T.bagoong
a handful of shrimps
flaked boneless smoked tinapa
1-sliced jalapeno pepper
fish sauce to taste

Pour coconut milk in  heavy bottom soup pot,be sure to scrape the cream,add onions,garlic, and ginger simmer in a low heat for 5 minutes. Add chopped kale,bagoong,pepper,flaked tinapa.Do not add any water!Kale leaves give off a lot of water.Cover and cook for 45 minutes in a very low heat.Stir.When kale are tender, add shrimps.Turn off the stove.Serve with rice and fried fish.
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