How to Make Creepy Eyeballs Halloween Brew – Kids Friendly Party Recipe 鬼異眼球萬聖節特飲

Will you be hosting a Halloween party this year?  If you do, you’ve got to check out this Creepy Eyeballs Halloween Brew Recipe 鬼異眼球萬聖節特飲!  When I tested out this recipe with my kids, they were so excited and had so much fun with it!  Yes, this is a kids friendly recipe.  But if you want to turn it into a cocktail for the grown ups, you can add 1/2 a cup of liqueur of your choice, such as vodka, tequila, or gin.  Or, simply substitute the club soda with some sparkling wine.  It’ll be just as delicious!



This recipe is so easy to prepare!  If you haven’t watch the tutorial yet, you’ve got to check it out now.  Not only you’ll see how simple this recipe is, but you'll also get to check out the special guest who demonstrated the tutorial for us.  Since I made this recipe just for my family, I kept it to a rather small portion.  If you are serving this at a party, you might want to multiply the recipe to accommodate the number of guests that you have. 



In today’s recipe, I added some dry ice for the smoky and spooky effect.  It’s so much fun to use and it’s simply amazing.  It totally transformed the drink and took it to a whole new level.  The dry ice is actually easier to obtain and more affordable than I thought.  I was wondering and googling where to buy the dry ice.  Turned out, it was available in several local supermarkets near me.   If you plan on using dry ice in your drinks, I suggest that you call your local markets to make sure they have it in stock before driving there.



I kept the dry ice in an insulated ice chest as suggested by the packaging (do not keep in the freezer or a closed environment as the dry ice will release carbon dioxide when it “melts”.)  I highly recommend that you get it right before or a couple of hours before the party if you plan to use it.   And make sure you follow the safety instructions on the package.



Ever wonder what dry ice is made out of?  Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide.  It sublimates at –109.3F.  With its extremely cold temperature, we need to handle it with cautions and never touch the dry ice with your bare hands as you might get frostbite!  I was wearing gloves and using tongs when I had to add the dry ice to my drinks.  Don’t worry, the dry ice is totally safe!  Because of its heavier weight, the dry ice immediately dropped to the bottom of the glass/punch bowl.  Just make sure to sip your drink slowly so the dry ice is all melted by the time you finish your drink.  And it mostly will.  And please refrain yourself from getting the dry ice inside your mouth because it can burn your skin/mouth! 
 


Moving on to anther ingredient of this drink, the creepy eyeballs!  They are made out of canned lychees filled with fresh blueberries.  Lychee is one of my favorite tropical fruit to enjoy (check out this lychee martini recipe that I shared in the past and see how they look when they're fresh).  With a little bit of grenadine syrup added to the lychees, they sure looked like bloody eyeballs!  I’ll list the ingredients used at the end of the post for your convenience.



I hope you enjoyed today’s fun and easy recipe!  Leave me a comment if you have questions or if you’ve tried the recipe.  I would love to hear from you.  Remember, Eat, Drink, and Be Happy!  Stay tuned for more fun recipe next week!  Wish you all a happy and safe Halloween! 

Ingredients and Tools Used:
Grenadine Syrup (Click here for more information)
Cranberry Juice (Click here for more information)
Club Soda (Click here for more information)
Halloween Beaker Glasses (Click here for more information)
Halloween Glass Flask (Click here for more information)
Large Slant Cut Glass Bowl (Click here for more information)
Stainless-Steel Tongs (Click here for more information)
Insulated Foam Box (Click here for more information)


Disclaimers
Please follow manufacturer and safety instructions when handling dry ice.


Disclosure: uTry.it is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crêpe Cake 獨角馬彩虹法式薄餅千層蛋糕

If you want to see something magical, such as an unicorn flying over the rainbow, you’ve come to the right place!  Check out my video tutorial above and you’ll see that magic!  Okay, maybe I’m not really a magician, but I can certainly make a magical cake!



Have you been seeing everything Unicorn lately?  I sure have and there’s one particular “Unicorn Treat” that I saw on Pinterest that I couldn’t forget!  Yes, the Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crêpe Cake! 



According to the posts that I saw on the internet, there’s an unicorn themed café in Thailand that serves this unicorn cake.  It’s dreamy, whimsical, and definitely stole my heart!  Since I won’t be travelling to Thailand any time soon, my only solution to ease the craving is to recreate this stunning cake, based on the pictures I’ve seen on different social media websites.



Let me reassure you, this cake tastes amazing and just as magical as it’s look.  I don’t know how the cake in the Thailand café tastes like, but I sure know mine tasted wonderful and all these layers are made with natural ingredients! 



I’m not great in cake decorating, so I tried to keep the design of this cake rather simple, just like the one I saw on the internet.  But with the interior of this cake being so stunning, it’s better to keep the outside of this cake simple.



It’s so exciting to cut into this cake to reveal all these different colors and layers!



There are 4 different flavors in these layers of crêpes.  The pink ones on top are strawberries, follow by lemon, then matcha green tea, and last but not least, blueberries on the bottom.  If you eat the crêpe layers separately, you can definitely taste each of the different flavors.  If you taste all these layers in one bite, you’ll get the hints of berries, along with the earthiness of the matcha, and a very refreshing citrus flavor from the lemon.  



If you have a spring party, celebration, or know someone who is crazy about rainbow or unicorn, you’ve got to make this cake!  It is somewhat time consuming to cook all these crêpe layers, but nothing too difficult at all.  If you follow my tips on the video tutorial and use the right tools, your crêpes and cake will turn out just as beautiful!

I hope you enjoy today’s post and tutorial.  If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my Youtube channel here.  That way, you won’t miss out on any future videos and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new tutorial published.  Stay tuned for more fun and delicious recipes!

Link to All Natural Red Food Coloring Video:

https://goo.gl/qs4phF

Ingredients and Tools Used:

Crepe pan  (Click here for more information)

Crepe Spreader (Click here for more information)

Crepe Maker (Click here for more information)

OXO Egg Turner (Click here for more information)

Lazy Susan (Click here for more information)

10-inch Ribbon Cake Stand (Click here for more information)

Marshmallow Twists (Click here for more information)

Silver Dragees (Click here for more information)

Pastel Color Butterflies Sprinkles (Click here for more information)

Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)

Mascarpone Cheese (Click here for more information)

Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)

Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)

Microplane for lemon zest (Click here for more information)

Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)

Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)

Matcha Whisk (Click here for more information)

Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)

Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)

Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)

How to Make Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your family and friends yesterday!  Did you have a chance to check out my previous post to discover the 3 secrets to making tender and fluffy pancakes?  If not, simply click here before you read on!   Yes, those tips are important and will guarantee you to tender and fluffy pancakes, every single time!



See how light and fluffy these Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes turn out?  Every bite is heavenly!  The lemon zest in this recipe really brightens up these pancakes and compliment beautifully with the blueberries.  Make sure you serve these pancakes with some warm maple syrup.  A must!  I love a little dab of butter as well, but that’s truly optional. 



Ready to see how I made these Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes?  Simply click on the YouTube video below for the step-by-step tutorial!





I hope you enjoy today’s video tutorial and recipe.  If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my YouTube channel here.  You’ll be the first to know when I have new video tutorials published.





These pancakes are my absolute all time favorites.  They have the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.  Quite refreshing with the lemon zest, yet decadent with the buttermilk richness.  What do you usually like in your pancakes?  Chocolate chips and strawberry?  Bananas and walnuts?  Or just simple plain ones?  Leave a comment below to let me know.  I can’t wait to hear from you!


Ingredients and Tools used:

Crepe Pan (Click here for more information)
Maple Syrup (Click here for more information)
Mikasa Something Borrowed Salad/Desert Plates (Click here for more information)
Large Spatula (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)



Don't forget to enter the current Giveaways:

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway (Open to U.S. only, ending 12/31/2015)

Ultimate Paper Airplanes for Kids (Open Worldwide, ending 12/6/2015)

3 Secrets to Making Tender and Fluffy Pancakes!

What is your family’s favorite breakfast?  Lately, we’ve been devouring our fair share of pancakes.  From simple plain ones, to banana walnut chocolate chip loaded ones; all wonderfully fluffy and scrumptious!  I have to say, my personal favorite are these flavorful and fluffy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes.  Before I post the the video tutorial and recipe, I wanted to share with you the 3 secrets to making super tender and fluffy pancakes first!  The secrets are quite simple, and if you follow them, I guaranteed that you’re going to fall in love with your homemade pancakes all over again!  They are even better than those at the pancake house.  No exaggeration!     




Secret #1:  Use room temperature ingredients!                
With room temperature ingredients (especially the wet ingredients), your batter will combine smoothly without big lumps.  Imagine if you add melted butter into icy cold buttermilk and egg, the butter will seized up into lumps and it’ll be a mess when you add the liquid into the flour mixture!  Please don’t let that happen!

 



Secret #2: Use buttermilk!
What is buttermilk?  Buttermilk is simply the liquid left behind after cream was churned into butter.  Lactic-acid bacteria is usually reintroduced into pasteurized buttermilk, hence the tangy flavor.   When you use buttermilk in baked goods and pancakes, it adds a subtle tang and increases the rise when it interacts with baking soda!  That’s what makes your pancakes more fluffy! 




Secret #3: Do NOT over mix the batter!
After adding the wet ingredients to the flour mixture.  Only mix the batter until just combined, about 20 seconds or so.  When you over mix the better, the gluten will start to develop in the flour and that will make the pancakes tough and chewy!  I guess no one would appreciate cardboard texture pancakes, right?  So, please do NOT over mix.  It’s okay if you still see some lumps in the batter! 




Now, the 3 secrets to making tender and fluffy pancakes are not secrets anymore!  I promise to post the video tutorial and recipe of these Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes soon.  Stay tuned and have a beautiful weekend!

Prosecco-Blueberry-Lemon Pops and a Giveaway!

Still remember this gorgeous Nutella Melt Winter Cocktail that I shared (<—click on the name for the recipe) a while ago?  Great news!  The author of Winter Cocktails, María del Mar Sacasa,  just published her new book, Summer Cocktails!   With L.A.’s crazily hot temperature over the past few months, I’ve been longing for refreshing summer cocktails, way before summer arrives!  If you love to host summer parties, this book is a must have and I’ll tell you why.




As I read through the book (yes, I am a nerd and I read cookbooks like they’re novels), this Prosecco-Blueberry-Lemon Pops really caught my attention.  I love prosecco and always have a bottle or 2 chilled in the fridge, in case of emergency!  So, I gave this recipe a try and it was amazing.  You can serve these boozy pops as is, or as Sacasa suggested, add them to your glass of Prosecco to keep your drink chilled and add some wonderful flavors at the same time.  What a great idea!



Summer Cocktails is one of the most gorgeous books that I’ve came across as it’s filled with gorgeous photography and design that will give you lots of inspiration on things to serve for a cool summer party.  Of course, you’ve got to have cocktails and small bits at the party while your guests mingle.  Summer Cocktails includes many familiar classics, throwbacks, and modern updates.  It also covers punches and pitchers that are perfect for entertaining.  The frosty drinks, infused liquors, gourmet snacks sections all include tutorials to guide you through the preparation process!  Best of all, the recipes are clear and very easy to follow.  You’re going to fall in love with this book, just like I did!  




You can purchase your copy by clicking here.  Or, try your luck in winning a copy of “Summer Cocktails”, courtesy of Quirk Books!

Here are the details on how to enter this giveaway.

One lucky uTry.it reader (with an U.S., Canada or U.K. mailing address) will win a copy of “Summer Cocktails”.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me what’s your all time favorite cocktail (mine is apple martini). Deadline to enter is May 4th, 2015 by mid-night PST.  Winner will be selected through Random.org and announce shortly after the giveaway is closed.

For extra entries, do any or all of the following (leave a separate comment for each extra entry):
1)  Add me to your Google+ circle here
2) "Like" uTry.it's Facebook Page, click here.
3) Pin a picture from this post onto your Pinterest board.
4) Share this giveaway on Facebook (with a link back to this post please)
5) Share this giveaway on Twitter (with a link back to this post please)
6) Subscribe to my Youtube channel here and never miss a video
7) Subscribe to my email updates and never miss a post (see the right hand side bar right below my profile picture)

That’s all and Good Luck everyone!  Please stay cool this summer and cheers!





Disclaimer:  I received a copy of “Summer Cocktails” for the purpose of this review and I was not compensated in any way to write this post.  Quirk Books is providing a copy of the book for the giveaway.  As always, all comments and opinions are 100% my own.
Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Triple Berry Mini Pavlova

 


I love the berry seasons!  I mean, who doesn’t?  Well, probably my hubby is the only one around here who doesn’t really care about berries.  But then I couldn’t help it but to grab a few basketful of berries home when the vibrant and juicy berries are weaving at me at the farm stands.



If you are not familiar with Pavlova, it’s a meringue based dessert, filled with a whipped cream filling and top with some fruit or fruit sauce. Pavloca is named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavloca. This dessert was created in honor of the dancer during her tours to Australia and New Zealand back in the 1920s.  So, thank you Anna and whoever created this dessert.



How good are these?  Well, my tiny little girl ate two of these in one sitting (a batch I made without the liquor).  Alright, these Triple Berry Pavlova are not that big (I made them in 3-inch diameter).  But still, I didn’t expect my little girl to finish two of these all by herself!  Plate licked clean!  Okay, that’s a bit exaggerated.  But she really did finished the very last crumb on her plate. 



In this Triple Berry Pavlova, I used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. The ripe and juicy berries are beautiful and the hint of tartness is perfect. Let me tell you, you need to make this Triple Berry Pavlova real SOON. More like, go grab your berries now and run to the kitchen and make this Triple Berry Pavloca, kind of SOON!  You’ll be glad you did.  And yes, you’re very welcome!



When I was piping the meringue shells, I got a tiny little bit of batter left, but wasn’t quite enough for another shell.  So, I piped dollops of meringue drops and use them as garnish on top of the pavlova, as shown in the picture above.  Nothing goes to waste in this house. 



Piping the meringue shells is super simple (refer to the picture above).  I used a piping bag with a Wilton 1M star tip.  See the purple line in the above picture?  Simply start piping from the middle moving outward to make a 3-inch round.  Pipe an additional round of meringue on the edges to create the “shell” so you can put fillings into the shell after it’s baked. 
 


For the meringue shells, I added freeze dried blueberries to add more flavor.  I didn’t use any food coloring so the color of these shells are not as purple as I want them to be.  These are all natural colors from the blueberries.  If you’re serving the pavlova for parties and want them to look their best, feel free to add a few drops of food coloring. 
 


While the meringue shells are baking, you can go ahead and prepare the orange cream and berry sauce. Both of them are decadent on it’s own. Imagine what they can do when put together in a mouthful…along with the meringue shells! It was totally a flavor and texture explosion in my mouth.  This time, I’m NOT exaggerating!   
 


Make sure you get a little bit of everything in each bite.  You’ll taste the sweet and tart berry sauce on top, and a few juicy berries bursting in your mouth, along with fragrant and creamy orange cream, then the crunch from the light, airy and crispy meringue shell.  Tell me that’s not a flavor and texture explosion in my mouth, I don’t know what is.  It was totally a party for my taste buds.
 

Are you convinced to run to the kitchen to make these Triple Berry Mini Pavlovas yet?  Don’t wait any longer.  I think I’m going to make some more….now! 
 
 

uTry.it Turns One! More Macarons…Oh yeah…and a Giveaway

uTry.it turns one today!  Woohoo!  It’s amazing looking back to the past 365 days.  365 days of happy memories because of you, every single one of you, my dear readers and food blog friends. 


When I wrote my very first blog post a year ago, I’ve never expected I would gain so much from writing a food blog (besides gaining the weights from testing out recipes, hahaha…). I’ve made so many news friends and fellow bloggers. I truly cherish all of your friendship, comments, supports, feedbacks and kindness. It’s overwhelming, but in a very positive way.





Did you know, the post that received the most comments and feedbacks in the past year was The Culinary Smackdown Battle-Cookies.  It was such a fun event/contest.  I really love to see all those scrumptious cookie recipes that you shared on my blog.  Maybe I’ll host another similar event again in the near future.  What do you think?


Speaking of cookies, the French Macaron was the type of cookie that got the most recipe posts in the past year from the cookie category.  Probably because it’s a plain canvas that I can create so many different flavor combinations in these little cuties.  What can I say, they are absolutely addictive.  If you haven’t make these cuties before, here’s the post for some basic Macaron making tips. 




To extend my appreciation for your supports of my blog, I’m hosting a Giveaway on uTry.it’s Birthday.  The prizes from the giveaway will help you to a step closer to making these Macarons as well.  That is, if you haven’t make them before. 


This Giveaway is now Closed. Thank you for everyone who participated.


Prize #1: Silpat Non-Stick Silicone Mat 11 1/2-by-16 1/2-inch.  It fits perfectly on my 12 by 17-inch baking sheets.  A must have for Macaron making. Of course, you can use the Silpat when you make any other cookies, breads, meringues, etc.

Product image from Amazon

Prize #2: Bourbon Vanilla Powder 2.5 oz. by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. A key ingredient for Macaron making.  Adding lots of flavor but not moisture, which is essential for successful Macaron making. 

Product image from Amazon

Rules for the Giveaway:

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world.  1 winner will be selected using Random.org and the winner will get both prizes. Must be a uTry.it public follower/member through Google Friends Connect to participate.  (See the right hand side bar under “Follower” with the button “Join this site”).  You have until Wednesday, August 31st, 12 midnight PST to enter this giveaway.  Winner will be contact via email shortly after the giveaway is closed.

Mandatory Entry: 

Leave a comment and tell me what kind/type of recipes you would like to see more on my blog.  Is it desserts,entrée, or entertaining appetizers? Do you like Chinese, Asian, French, Italian or whatever you can think of?

Additional Entries: (you can do any or all of the following, just leave a separate comments for each)

1) “Like” uTry.it’s Facebook page.  Here’s the link. 

2) Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook.  Please include the link to this post when you share.

3) Follow uTry.it on Twitter.  Here’s the link.

4) Tweet about this giveaway.  Please include my Twitter handle @utry_it and the link to this post in your tweet.

5) Subscribe to my blog via email.  You’ll receive an email to verify the subscription.  

6) Subscribe via RSS feed.

Easy Mixed Berries-Kiwi Sorbet with Meyer Lemon and Basil (no ice cream machine needed)

I love living in California.  Mainly because of the sunny weather, and not so much on the traffic.  Sunny days make me smile and happy most of the time.  Unfortunately, three digit temperature is also something we need to deal with sometimes, especially during the summer months.  What’s the best way to cool down?  To me, indulging in some frozen treats and iced drinks are the solutions.



This Easy Berries, Kiwi, Meyer Lemon and Basil Sorbet is perfect to enjoy in hot summer days.  It’s sweet from the simple syrup, balances by the tanginess from the berries, kiwi and lemon juice.  Thanks to the wonderful blueberries that gives this sorbet the vibrant purple color.  The fresh basil leaves add a wonderful fragrant and aroma to this sorbet; Bringing this dessert to a whole new level and add flavors to the overall taste.  If you haven’t try any dessert with basil in it, this would be THE recipe to start and I guaranteed you’ll love it. Even though my hubby hates dislikes berries, he loves this sorbet.



Another bonus to this dessert?  It’s super easy to make and doesn’t require an ice cream machine (because I don’t have one yet!  LOL)  I’ve been wanting to invest in one because my family loves frozen treats.  However, with so many frozen treat recipes out there without using an ice cream machine, I’m still debating if I really need one.  What do you think?