Monthly Archives: December 2015

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Winter Solstice Festival Dinner

December 28, 2015 9:05 am , Leave a Comment ,
Winter Solstice Festival Dinner

With all the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparation, I almost forgot about our Winter Solstice Festival or Dongzhi Festival dinner! It usually falls a few days before Christmas. When winter solstice falls on a weekday, we would have our dinner the weekend before the actual day. My mom makes a huge Chinese dinner with lots of different dishes. For these dinners, she makes special dishes that she normally doesn’t make for her usual Sunday dinners.

This year, we were also lucky to have my uncle make this special dish called Eight Treasure Duck. The duck is deboned and stuffed with eight “treasures” which consist of lotus seeds, chestnuts, red dates, dried shrimp, glutinous rice, salted duck egg, Chinese mushroom, and Chinese sausage. It’s braised until the meat is tender.

For dessert, we have tangyuan (湯圓) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. My paternal grandmother used to make tangyuan all the time. But my mother buys them from the grocery store since it’s time consuming to make them from scratch.

I look forward to eating these Memorable Dishes every time we have a special Chinese holiday to celebrate. Since we moved to North America, the smaller Chinese holidays and festivals might not be celebrated as prominently as we did in Hong Kong or China. But having these special dinners help us remember the Chinese festivals and special occasions. I am hoping to continue passing on these “eating” traditions to my children 😀img_WinterSolstice2015

Posted in: Special Meals , Tagged: ,

Butter Cookies

December 21, 2015 8:41 am , 6 Comments ,
Butter Cookies

It’s almost Christmas time and if you haven’t done your Christmas baking yet, here’s a great butter cookies recipe. My friend originally found and shared this recipe with me and I have been using it since for my Christmas butter cookies. I love how easy it is to make and the results are always great!

I’ve been making this butter cookies recipe for years and everyone really enjoys them. Usually I roll the dough into a log, slice and bake them. I’ve also rolled them out and cut them into shapes and used icing to decorate them. Being not too keen on sweets, I use a half cup of sugar and use the whole egg instead of what the original recipe calls for. If you just use the egg yolk, the cookie turns out more shortbread-like, which is delicious too.

The kiddies always look forward to this Memorable Treat around Christmas time. I roll them out into a thinner roll and the cookies end up being smaller. The size is great for the kiddies’ hands. However, I end up eating more of them because they’re smaller 😉Butter Cookies

Butter Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

48 Cookies

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces unsalted Butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 large Egg yolk
  • 2 cups all-purpose Flour

Preparation

  1. Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
  2. Mix in the egg yolk until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once.
  3. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.
  4. Scrape onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times, just until the dough smooths out.
  5. Turn onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, wrap up and refrigerate for several hours or freeze.
  6. Before baking, preheat the oven to 325°F.
  7. Line your baking sheets with parchment.
  8. Slice the dough into slices about 1/8" thick and place them on the sheets about an inch apart (they won't be spreading very much, but they need air room around each cookie).
  9. Bake until JUST beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 16-18 minutes.
  10. Note: you can do many things with these cookies.
  11. You could roll the dough out and cut shapes.
  12. You could slice them even thinner and sandwich them with chocolate or jam or lemon curd.
  13. You could make them and then dip them half into chocolate.
  14. You could just make them and eat them, which is my favorite.
  15. Whatever you do, they will be delicious.

Notes

For best results, make sure butter and egg should be at room temperature.

Original recipe from: Food.com

https://www.memorabledishes.com/butter-cookies/

Posted in: Dessert, Snack , Tagged: , ,

Coconut Cupcakes

December 13, 2015 5:21 pm , Leave a Comment ,
Coconut Cupcakes

I absolutely adore these coconut cupcakes. After watching them on Ina Garten’s show, Barefoot Contessa, I HAD to make them. I’ve made them for my own parties and I’ve made them to bring over to my friends. Everyone absolutely loves these cupcakes! When I first saw them on Ina’s show, I couldn’t find the recipe online so I purchased her cookbook. But I’ve since found her recipe on the Food Network’s site. I love that the recipe makes so many cupcakes that you can always save a few for yourself. 😉

When I eat this Memorable Treat, I picture myself sitting at a Paris café, having a café au lait (I know the French drink this for breakfast but it’s my fantasy so I’m having it with my afternoon cupcake 🙂 .) and devouring this giant coconut cupcake in large bites. Then reality hits and one or all of my kids are nearby and I have to share my cupcake with them. The giant cupcake that I was supposed to have for myself diminishes into mere crumbs after each child takes a bite. They must have radar to sense that I’m eating something sweet and decadent.

These cupcakes are actually a great holiday treat! The creamy icing with shredded coconut reminds me of snow-capped houses. After baking them, I can’t wait for them to cool off. So I usually end up eating one without the icing. Yum!Coconut Cupcakes

Coconut Cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

18-20 Large Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
  • For cream cheese frosting:
  • 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  3. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
  4. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  6. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
  7. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter.
  8. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
  9. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts.
  10. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
  11. Frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Notes

Note #1: I used unsweetened coconut because I find that everything else is sweet enough.

Note #2: You can divide the batter to make 24 regular size cupcakes.

Note #3: I also used less icing sugar than the recipe called for. So add enough to your taste.

Recipe courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, 1999 All Rights Reserved Read more at: Foodnetwork.com

https://www.memorabledishes.com/coconut-cupcakes/

Posted in: Dessert, Snack , Tagged: ,

Spaghetti and Meatballs

December 7, 2015 8:19 am , Leave a Comment ,
Spaghetti and Meatballs

My second son has been hounding me to make spaghetti and meatballs. Everytime I said I was going to make them, I ended up making spaghetti and meat SAUCE instead. I know he loves the meatballs but he doesn’t know the time it entails to make them. Meat sauce is easy, fast, and I can make it without much planning. Even though he does help me crush the tomatoes, it doesn’t shave off that much time 😉 Making meatballs, at least good meatballs, takes time.

I’ve made tons of meatballs and followed dozens of recipes in the past. But I find Lidia Bastianich’s recipe easy to make and uses simple ingredients that produce juicy meatballs. I love watching Lidia Bastianich’s show on PBS or the Canadian equivalent of public television. It’s just so comforting watching her describe and cook her Italian dishes. When I search for “Lidia Bastianich meatballs”, lots of different recipes show up. The recipes are all slightly different but I found this one is the closest to the one I saw on her show.

Spaghetti and meatballs is a comforting dish that I wish I could make more often. It always brings a smile to my kids’ faces. When they heard that I was making spaghetti and meatballs, they got so excited and gave me big hugs and kisses. This Memorable Dish is a tribute to my Bubby. This dish definitely describes him to the core. Round (his round face) and comforting. 🙂Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Serving Size: 6-8

Ingredients

  • For Meatballs:
  • 1 medium Carrot, coarsely chopped
  • 2 stalks Celery, coarsely chopped
  • 2 medium Onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 pound ground Beef
  • 1 pound ground Pork
  • 1 pound ground Veal
  • 2 large Eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
  • 2 cups Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
  • For Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 tsp Kosher Salt, plus more as needed
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Peperoncino
  • 3 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano Plum Tomatoes, crushed by hands in large bowl
  • 1 pound Spaghetti

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. In a food processor, combine the carrot, celery and onion. Pulse to make a fine-textured paste or pestata.
  3. Scrape the pestata into a large bowl and add the remaining meatball ingredients.
  4. Mix well with your hands to combine all of the ingredients.
  5. Roll into golf ball sized meatballs and place on baking sheets approximately 1/2 inch apart. You should fit approximately 24 meatballs on your baking tray. This recipe yields about 4 dozen (48) meatballs.
  6. Bake meatballs until browned all over, about 18 to 20 minutes. The meatballs do not need to be entirely cooked through because they will cook more in the sauce.
  7. While the meatballs are baking, begin the sauce.
  8. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  9. Add the onion and sauté until softened about 5 minutes.
  10. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and peperoncino. Let the peperoncino toast for a minute.
  11. Add the crushed tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato cans and bowl with 4 cups of hot water and add to the pot.
  12. Add bay leaf and remaining teaspoon of salt.
  13. Bring sauce to a simmer while the meatballs finish baking, about 10 minutes more.
  14. When the meatballs have finished baking, gently add them to the sauce and return to a simmer.
  15. Simmer, shaking the pan periodically to move but not break the meatballs, until sauce is thick and flavourful, about 30 minutes.
  16. Add 1 pound of spaghetti to boiling salted water. When the pasta is al dente, drain with tongs and add directly to half of the sauce.
  17. Toss and serve immediately with some grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese.
  18. Top with meatballs and extra sauce to your taste.

Notes

Note #1: You could use two out of the three combination of meats. If you like, substitute ground turkey for one of the meats but be aware that the meatballs might be a little bit drier because it has less fat.

Note #2: The original recipe has 1 teaspoon of ground oregano in it. I omitted it so that I can use my extra meatballs for different recipes.

Note #3: After baking the meatballs, I freeze the extra ones to be used in other recipes.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/spaghetti-and-meatballs/

Posted in: Beef, Main Course, Pasta , Tagged: ,
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