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.


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Matcha Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate - for Chinese New Year

Happy New Year!  Did you go somewhere fun to count down to the new year?  As usual, we stayed home for the count down and had a wonderful feast along with some bubbly to ring in the new year!  While the vacation and days off might be over for some people, the celebration is still going on in my house.



This year, January 28th marks the first day of the Chinese New Year!  In Asia, Chinese New Year is the biggest celebration of the year, comparable to Christmas and Thanksgiving in the U.S.  It’s a 15 days long celebration!  Schools, most shops, and businesses are closed during the Chinese New Year so that everyone can spend time with the family to celebrate. 



Although we don’t get any days off for Chinese New Year in the States, I try my best to pass down the traditions and culture to my Kids, mostly through story telling, and more often, through food.  There are many traditional food and special dishes that we prepare mainly for the Chinese New Year.  But some are so good that I pretty much make them all year round, such as these Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate.



These cookies are quite simple to prepare.  They are the “slice and bake” type of cookie which you can (and should) prepare the dough ahead of time.  When it comes time to bake, you simply slice the cookie dough into disks and bake them off.  If you haven’t done so, watch my video above to check out my secret/tip on how to keep the cookie dough nice and round instead of having a “flat bottom” while it’s chilling in the fridge.  And you’re very welcomed!  Consider this tip as my Chinese New Year gift to you!  



If you like Matcha, you’re going to love these cookies.  They are packed with the matcha flavor and go nicely with a cup of hot tea.  However, Matcha could be an acquire taste for some people though. 



These matcha cookies are not too sweet, therefore, the white chocolate chips add a nice touch of sweetness to balance out the flavors.  The dried cranberries not only add a nice contrast of color to the cookies, but also a little tartness and texture as well. 



Make a batch to share with your friends and family during this Chinese New Year.  I’m sure they’ll love these gorgeous and fun cookies.  What other family traditions do you celebrate?  Do you have any special Chinese New Year dishes that you would always prepare for your family?  Leave a comment below and let me know.  I can’t wait to hear from you!





Ingredients and Tools used:
Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)
Dried Cranberries (Click here for more information)
White Chocolate Chips (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Silpat (Click here for more information)
Rolling Pin (Click here for more information)
 

Frosted Cranberries (Candied Cranberries)

Are you ready for the holidays?  I can’t wait to spend some time with my family and friends.  We all need some time off, I guess.  Today, I wanted to share this easy recipe with you that will make your holiday treats a lot more festive! Say hello to these Frosted Cranberries!  They are gorgeous, festive, edible jewels, in my opinion.  Best of all, they are quite easy to make.  Be sure to check out my YouTube video above for the step-by-step instructions.   

These Frosted Cranberries are made with the fresh ones, not frozen.  If you’ve tried a fresh cranberry without anything else, you know they taste super sour.  That’s why you usually see them dried or turned into sauces.  For the same reason, these frosted edible jewels are perfect with the sugar coating!  The sweet and tart taste balance each other out really well.  I used some vanilla sugar in the soaking syrup (click here to see the vanilla sugar recipe).  Or, you can simply use regular sugar.

So besides eating these candied cranberries as is, you can also use them as a festive holiday garnish for your cakes and treats. 

They turn a regular bundt cake into a festive holiday centerpieces!  The Frosted Cranberries are also great in punches and cocktails!  I’ll post the Classic Bundt Cake (picture above) recipe on my next post.  So please stay tuned!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you enjoy the post and the recipe.  Until next time, please take care and stay warm!

Broccoli Salad

I hope most of you had checked out my YouTube Channel by now.  If not, yes, you are missing out!  Simply click on the video tutorial above to learn how to make this healthy and hearty Broccoli Salad, and many other yummy recipes with step-by-step tutorials.  I know it’s Fall, as it said so in the calendar.  However, my thermometer said otherwise!  I can’t quite believe we’ll be bearing another triple digits temperature this weekend.  My solution to beat the heat?  Eat some salad. Not any salad, but this Broccoli Salad, which is packed with Fall flavors and wonderful goodness.




There are only a few simple ingredients, as you can see from the picture below.  Simple, clean and healthy.  And what I love most is how easy it is to prepare.  If you make them ahead of time, it’s equally good the next day as the broccoli stays nice and crispy even with the dressing tossed in.  Thus, make this Broccoli Salad a great pot luck item or perfect for your up coming gathering!  You can easily double or triple the recipe. 



In the recipe, I only blanch the broccoli for one minute and transferred it to a bowl of iced water.  The iced water helps stop the cooking process and helps the broccoli stay nice and green.  So, that’s an important step not to miss.



The dressing is simple with just a few ingredients.  Noticed in the video that I used Japanese Mayo instead of the regular ones.  I am partial to the Japanese Mayo.  It’s more flavorful and rich, since it contains higher ratio in egg yolks compare to the regular ones.  You can find it in most Asian supermarkets or ethnic isle in major supermarkets as well.  If not, you can also order it online.  I’ll provide a link at the end of the post for your reference.




Last but not least, don’t’ forget to check out the 2 current giveaways on my blog.  One is for the awesome Paleo Italian Cooking cookbook (worldwide) and the other one is $100 Visa gift card (U.S. only)!  Click on the links below for details on how to enter!

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway
Paleo Italian Cooking Cookbook Giveaway



Tools and Ingredients used:

Japanese Mayo (Click here for product information)
Wood Salad Bowl with Servers (Click here for similar product)
Small Glass Bowls (Click here for similar product)
Core Bamboo 3-Piece Cutlery Set  (Click here to see product information)
Wood Print Photography Backdrop (Click here to see similar product)

Almond Cranberry and Macadamia Protein Bars

How are you all adjusting to "back to school" life thus far?  For us, I guess we’re doing alright.  (I am hanging in there!)  For some reasons, it seems that my kids are adjusting way better than I do.  My body is not quite willing to adjust to the super early wake up time!  Plus, I miss them terribly during the day….and dealing with homework after school isn’t all that fun!  Shhh….don’t tell them though.  If you need to pack your children (or grandchildren’s) lunch and snack boxes like I do, that’s another level of challenge!  It’s not always easy to keep things interesting and healthy!  Today, I have a solution for you on the snack box!  Say hello to these Almond Cranberry and Macadamia Protein Bars!



They are quick and easy to put together and oh so good.  They are crunchy, chewy, slightly sweet and a little salty at the same time.  These bars are the perfect thing to pack into the snack boxes for school or office, or when you are on the go.  You can simply grab one and take it anywhere with you!  I made them gluten free with the brown rice crisps cereal and brown rice syrup.  If you want to make a vegan-friendly version, substitute the honey with an equal amount of agave and you’re good to go (please see details on the recipe at the bottom of this post). 
 


There are quite a few advantages of making these bars at home.  The obvious ones are that you can control what ingredients you add into them and the cost is cheaper than packaged protein bars from the market.  Another reason for making them yourself is that you can cut them into any shapes and sizes you want!  I cut some of mine with a small heart shaped cookie cutter (see picture above).  Not only they are super adorable, they also have the perfect portions for the kiddos.  Ready to see how I made them?  Please click on the video tutorial below!







I hope you enjoyed watching my video tutorial.  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. 




Thank you for reading.  Please stay tuned for more fun recipe and giveaway in the near future.


Ingredients and Tool used:
Roasted and salted almonds (Click here for more information)
Dried cranberries (Click here for more information)
Macadamia nuts (Click here for more information)
Organic Brown Rice Crisps (Click here for more information)
Organic Brown Rice Syrup (Click here for more information)
Organic Honey (Click here for more information)
9 by 13-inch baking pan (Click here for more information)
Small sauce pan (click here for more information)
Parchment paper (Click here for more information)
Heat proof spatula (Click here for more information)

Rudolph’s Cranberry Fizz

♪ ♫ Rudolph the red nose reindeer, have a very shiny nose ♪ ♫….I have been listening to this song quite often lately while the kids practicing their Christmas songs for the school’s holiday performance.  Over the weekend, I’ve borrowed some children’s books from the library, all with the Christmas theme as well.  Plus, we’ve just put up the Christmas tree and the Kiddos help decorated it (you might have seen it if you follow me on my Instagram).  I say, we’re pretty much ready for the holidays.  Are you?   



If you’re not in the holiday mood yet, this Rudolph’s Cranberry Fizz will surely help!  This drink is not only adorable to look at, it’s refreshing and packed with the holiday’s flavors.  While I was cutting some rosemary springs from my little garden, the gorgeous and earthy scents filled the whole kitchen.  I can’t help it but took a deep breath to savor the aromas whenever I passed by the kitchen.  See the cute little Rudolph floating on top of this drink?  They are easy to make and here’s what you need (please see picture below).    



Ready to do a little crafts with me?  My Kiddos helped me in putting these Rudolphs together while we munch on some marshmallows and cranberries here and there in between the process.  Here’s how we made the Rudolph.

1) Break the toothpick in half, and insert one side half way into the cranberry.

2) Insert the other side of the toothpick into the middle of the marshmallow to create the nose.

3) Insert 2 cloves above the cranberry to create the eyes.

4) Remove a few leaves from the bottom of the rosemary springs.

5) Insert the rosemary on top of the marshmallow to create the antlers.



Super simple, isn’t it?  This is such a fun and simple craft to do with the kids, too.  I say, the edible Rudolph makes the perfect decoration for any Holiday drinks.  This Rudolph’s Cranberry Fizz (see full recipe below) is a cocktail for the grown ups, but you can easily make a kids friendly version.  Simply mix equal parts of cranberry juice with club soda or lemon lime soda (for the fizz portion), it’ll be equally festive and delicious! 




I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and crafts.  Please stay tuned for more fun holiday recipes and craft ideas in the near future.  Cheers!

Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Cranberry Sparkling Martini

Can't believe it's only a few days from Christmas!  Are you in the Holiday mood yet?  If not, give this Cranberry Sparkling Martini a try and you will be in the Holiday mood for sure.  Forget about the holiday baking and chaotic shopping malls for a while.  Let's relax with a Holiday drink, and cheers!



I love the slightly sweet and tart flavors from this Cranberry Sparkling Martini.  First, I prepare the cranberry syrup by cooking up some fresh cranberries with some water, sugar and orange peels.  Let the syrup steep a little so the flavor really infused into the syrup.  When you're ready to put the cocktail together, prepare the orange zest sugar rim for the martini glasses.  The orange zest is so fragrant and refreshing, and truly brightens up this drink.  Not only the sugar rim tastes wonderful with this drink, it makes the martini glasses super festive as well.



I finished up the drink by shaking up some vodka, sherry, and the cranberry syrup along with some ice.  Then, top off the glasses with some champagne, or you can use processo as well.  The bubbly is so refreshing and makes this Cranberry Sparkling Martini really sparkle, fun and festive.



Now, you've got a festive and refreshing cocktail under your sleeves, hope you'll give this a try on your next gathering.  Cheers!




Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.