How to Fold Christmas Tree Napkins – A Festive Holiday Tablescape and Place Card Idea

Are you ready for the holiday?  If you’re hosting a Christmas party this year, I have a wonderful tablescape and place card idea for you.  I promise, it’s quick, easy, and festive!  After all, we don’t want to spend all day fixing/setting the table while we have a feast to prepare, don't we?  On a side note, my kids are into origami (art of paper folding) and therefore they totally enjoyed folding these Christmas Tree Napkins.  So, you might want to put your little helpers to work as well!  Yes, it’s so easy that kids can do it too!



See how festive this table setting is?  In addition to the visual, I wish you can smell it too.  Because I added a cinnamon stick to mimic the tree trunk and the whole plate simply smells wonderful.  I think cinnamon is one of my favorite aroma for the holidays!  It’s warm and earthy.  I feel so relax and calm sniffing it in!   



I tied a little bow tie with Christmas colored ribbon on the cinnamon stick (or you can use kitchen twine as well) so that your guest can take it home and hang it on their Christmas tree after the party!
  


The step-by-step pictorial above give you an idea of the steps.  But since I created a video tutorial for you, I think it’s even easier to just watch the video and follow along.  Have fun with this little project! And below are the materials you’ll need for this Christmas Tree Napkin!  Stay tuned for more festive recipe next week!


Christmas Tree Napkins:
Makes: 1 tables setting (simply multiply with number of guests/settings needed)

1 square green napkin  (Click here for more information)
1 cinnamon stick (Click here for more information)
1 (12-inch) long ribbon or kitchen twine (Click here for more information)
1 Gold star sticker (Click here for more information)
1 Christmas Berries sticker (Click here for more information)
1 small holiday post-it (Click here for more information)
Green Handle Flatware (Click here for more information)
White Dinner Plates (Click here for more information)
Silver Charger (Click here for more information)



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Holiday Gift Guide For Foodies

Have you started your Holiday shopping yet?  Honestly, I do most of my shopping online these days.  After all, circling around the shopping mall parking lot looking for a parking spot and lining up long queues at the cashiers aren’t exactly my favorite things to do around the holidays!  I would rather spend the time with my family or bake up a batch of holiday cookies like these and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa!  If you love shopping online like I do, I have a few wonderful picks for you to surprise the foodies in your life (or if you want to treat yourself to a wonderful gift this holiday)!  Just a quick note, I do own most of the products that I listed here and love their quality.  These products either make my life easier, or they’re just simply cool!  For your convenience, simply click on the title or the image and it'll take you to the product page.    

1) Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin
Perfect for the OCD baker in your life who wants everything perfect and in precision!  After all, it’s much nicer if your sugar cookies come out in even thickness than lop-sided!  I totally understand the frustration.

Image from Web

2) Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker

It’s the latest trend for the home cook who is a restaurant chef “wanna be”!  Well, pretty much anyone who wants to produce restaurant quality food without paying the high price or dining out!  I got this as a birthday gift and totally love it!   After all, I think my brother knows me well!  I love that you can connect to the app on your phone to control the settings and browse for hundreds of recipes that go along with it! 

Image from Web

3) Zojirushi Rice Cooker

For the foodie who owns every single piece of small appliances in the kitchen!  This is a wonderful gift for the Asian cuisines lovers!  I use it almost every single day.  You can program it to cook regular rice, brown rice, sushi rice, mixed rice, porridge, etc.  Never have to burn another pot of rice on the stove or wash up the sticky pot!  The bowl of this rice cooker is super non-stick!  Perfect for someone who loves rice but hate washing dishes!

Image from Web

4)  Japanese Antique Cast Iron Teapot with Trivet

This stylish and unique Cast Iron Teapot set is perfect for the clumsy tea lover!  I used to have many sets of ceramic and glass teapots and somehow, they don’t last long in my kitchen!  I have a cast iron teapot since my college year and I still use it until now!  Beside being unbreakable, I also love the heat retention of the cast iron. 

Image from Web

5) Tolovo 6 Piece Sphere, Colossal, and Highball Ice Mold Set

For the sophisticate whisky and cocktail sipper who like to keep their drinks perfectly chilled without diluting it too quickly, you’ve come to the right place.  I personally love these ice molds and use them all the time.  Check out this cocktail, it’s perfect for the holiday too!

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6) Japanese Matcha Tea Ceremony Gift Set

A fine gift for the adventurous foodies!  Take them to experience the Japanese tea ceremony without a plane ticket!  There are many benefit of drinking matcha green tea.  I found that the tea ceremony is very therapeutic as well. 

Image from Web

7) Russian Piping Tips Set with frosting Nozzles, Pastry Bags, and Gift Box, etc.

For the serious cupcake bakers who love taking their cupcakes to the next level but hate fondant decorations (a.k.a.: ME)!  This complete Russian Piping Tips Set has everything you need, and then some.  I’ve tried a few of these piping tips and totally love them.  So easy to use and the result are gorgeous.  You can check out my recipe and tutorial here: Chocolate Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Flowers

Image from Web

8) Electric Bubble waffle Maker

These Bubble Waffle are one of the latest trend on snacks!  You can serve them as is, turn them into a cone for ice cream, or break them apart and add to other desserts.  No matter how you serve them, they are fun to eat and very delicious.  Plus, who needs boring regular shaped waffles when you can eat Bubble waffles? Check out my recipes here: Chocolate Bubble Waffle Cone Ice Cream and Classic Hong Kong Bubble Waffle 

Image from Web

9) French Crepe Maker

French Mille Crepe Cakes are the most gorgeous and most fascinating (probably most time consuming too) cake trend in the baking world.  That’s why the infamous crepe cake bakery can sell their cake at almost USD$100 and people still line up for it!  I like to make my own as I can control the flavor and ingredients that I use.  With this Crepe Maker, it’ll make the whole process much easier!  Check out my Mille Crepe Cake creations here: Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crepe Cake, Mango Mille Crepe Cake, and Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

  Image from Web

10)  Himalayan Salt Plate with Holder and Cookbook

We all can use a little bit more flavor in life!  This Himalayan Salt Plate is so much fun to use and add so much flavors to your food!  You can cook it on the stove, in the oven, or even on the grill!  You can serve your food directly on the salt plate as well.  It’ll be a nice conversation starter to any party! 

Image from Web

11) French Pastry Cookbooks: Modern French Pastry, Patisserie French Pastry Master Class, Bachour The Baker
For the baker who is ready to take the next challenge!  You’ve got to check out these cook books and cook along!  You might be the lucky taste tester someday when you give these cookbooks as a gift!   Not a bad return, right?

                                

Image from Web       Image from Web        Image from Web

12) Molecule-R Cuisine R-evolution Kit

It’s a perfect starter kit for someone who loves science and loves to ask why all the time!  Just kidding!  This is a fun starter kit to get into the molecular cooking.  It sure is fascinating and exciting to get your hands on these fun tools!  A perfect starter kit to cook with the curious kiddos as well.

Image from Web

13) Infrared Thermometer

I love my infrared thermometer and I do use it quite often.  I use it when I temper chocolate, make my ice cream base, or when I make candies (yes, ditch the candy thermometer, that thing is a pain to wash!) or when I want to look cool and professional in the kitchen.  But seriously, it’s so convenience that you won’t go back to the traditional thermometer!

Image from Web

14) Kitchen Scale

You might not think much of kitchen scales (unlike their cousins, a.k.a. bathroom scales), but it is a must-have in my kitchen.  There are quite a few recipes that calls for weighting ingredients (especially in baking) rather than using measuring cups for precision.  I measure all my ingredients when I make the French Macarons!  When I need to divide batters for multi-layer cakes, or bread dough for buns, having a kitchen scales will make your life much easier.  If you know someone who loves baking or getting serious about baking, this will make a wonderful gift!

Image from Web

15) KitchenAid 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Stand Mixer

If you want to make someone really happy, you can’t go wrong with gifting a KitchenAid mixer!  I use mine often and they truly last for a long time, definitely worth the investment, in my humble opinion.  Since it’ll probably be sitting/residing on your (or the lucky someone’s) kitchen counter (it’s way too heavy and bulky to store in the pantry or move around), I suggest that you pick a color that matches the rest of your/their kitchen appliances.  I tested out both the Bowl-Lift style (Professional Series) and the Tilt-Head style (Artisan Series), I would definitely recommend the Professional Series.  Not only it is more powerful, it's also more steady compared to the Artisan series.  Best of all, it has a bigger capacity on the Professional Series.        

Image from Web

I hope you enjoy my recommendations.  They are all unique and fun gifts that foodies will enjoy!  Which one is your favorite so far?  Leave me a comment below and happy shopping!

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Flowers - Featuring Russian Piping Tips

Have you heard of Russian Piping / Icing Tips before?  They are my latest discovery and obsession!  Think about it, for someone who is not very good at decorating with buttercream and frosting, I actually managed to create these gorgeous flower cupcakes!  It’s got to be a foodie blogger’s dream comes true!



The piping tips are quite easy to use and the results are simply stunning!  Look at these cupcakes for a second, aren’t they gorgeous?  I say they are definitely the most beautiful cupcakes that I’ve ever created!  



The icing/piping tip set that I’ve got online comes with 10 metal tips, and one plastic tip that allow you to put 3 different colored icing in 1 pastry bag.  In this recipe and video tutorial, I’m only testing 2 of them and the rest have got to wait for another time.  The 2 piping tips I used for this post are the roses and tulips shaped ones.  The buttercream flowers that I created using these piping tips are simply breath taking!  If I can do it, anyone can definitely do it as well!



Besides trying out new icing tips, I’m also testing out these “Color Cups” cupcake liners for the very first time.  I’m definitely in love with them.  As you can see, the cupcake liners truly stay vibrant even after baking!  They are just as easy to use when compared to everyday paper cupcake liners.  They are only slightly more expensive than the regular liners. In my humble opinion, they are totally worth the extra bucks especially if you’re baking for parties and gatherings!



These cupcakes are simply scrumptious!  The cupcakes are dark chocolate cupcakes using my favorite Valrhona Unsweetened Cocoa Powder for the deep chocolatey flavors.  The cupcakes are super easy to put together and they are moist and fluffy!



The cupcakes are topped with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream that are smooth and silky!  I dyed it into 4 different colors using some store-bought all-natural food coloring.  You can see all the products that I used in today’s video tutorial above and I’ll also list them out at the end of this post for your convenience!  If you’re not sure about creating your own gorgeous cupcakes for your next tea party or for someone’s birthday, think again!  These Russian Piping Tips definitely boosted my confident in cake/cupcake decorating and I can foresee more cupcakes in my kitchen in the near future!



Thank you so much for stopping by today!  Remember, Eat, Drink, and Be Happy!  See you all next week with another fun recipe!

Tools and ingredients used:
Cupcake Pan (Click here for more information)
Color Cups Cupcake Liners (Click here for more information)
Valrhona Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Click here for more information)
Cake Flour (Click here for more information)
Ice Cream Scoop (Click here for more information)
Whisk (Click here for more information)
Russian Piping Tips Set (Click here for more information)
Wilton #67 Leaf Piping Tip (Click here for more information)
Disposable Piping Bag (Click here for more information)
All Natural Food Coloring (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Heat Proof Measuring Cups (Click here for more information)



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.

Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bars–Healthy and All Natural Toppings

Next Thursday, March 17th, is St. Patrick’s Day.  I love special occasions because they give me reasons to indulge, without feeling too guilty.  That’s the only time of the year when I prepare Corned Beef and cabbage for my family.  Yes, only once a year.  How about you?  Do you serve Corned Beef more often than once a year?  Speaking of celebration and indulgence without guilt, this Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bar definitely fits these categories!  Click on the YouTube video tutorial above to check out how to make it.  It’s super easy and fun!
 


My Daughter and I were working on her school project “Trap the Leprechaun” for St. Patrick’s Day.  She decorated her project with a hugh 3D rainbow across a shoebox (a.k.a. the trap).  My Daughter’s plan was to put gold pots at the end of the rainbow and doubled sided tapes inside the shoebox to “trap” the Leprechaun.  Will this trap work?  I am not sure.  But one thing I know for sure is that the colorful rainbow makes me feel happy and its so pleasant to look at!  That inspired me to create these Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bars.



These Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bars are topped with colorful and all natural toppings that are healthy and good for you.  You can use any ingredients that you like to create the rainbow color pattern.  I simply used whatever I had on hand.  Also, I tempered the dark chocolate to make the chocolate bars, click here to read more about tempering chocolate if you’re interested.    Did you know that there are many health benefits of eating dark chocolate?  It’s packed with antioxidants and can help lower blood pressure.  Of course, moderation is the key to any treats.  You can read more here if you’re interested.  



Here are the ingredients that I used to create the rainbow pattern; freeze dried strawberries for the red; orange zest for the orange; lemon zest for the yellow; Matcha (Japanese green tea powder) for the green; dried Blue Mallow for the blue; and dried lavender buds for the purple!  Also, be sure to use organic oranges and lemons especially when you’re using the zest.  As for the dried blue mallow, I got them from a tea shop.  It creates the most beautiful and dreamical blue colored tea!  You can read more about its benefits here if you’re interested.  The flavor is subtle and slightly floral.  I’ll list all the ingredients and tools that I used at the end of the post for your reference.



I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and video tutorial.  Thank you for reading and stopping by!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Tools and ingredients used:
Chocolate bar mold (Click here for more information)
Dried Lavender Buds (Click here for more information)
Dried Blue Mallow Tea (Click here for more information)
Freeze Dried Strawberries (Click here for more information)
Matcha Powder  (Click here for more information)
Dark Chocolate (Click here for more information)




Disclaimer: Health and General
No information, ingredient or product mentioned on this site is meant to diagnose, treat or replace professional medical advice.  They are my experience, my journey, and my opinions.  Please consult with your doctor before using any of the ingredients or products mentioned here. 

Everyday Bento Book Review and Giveaway

I love and enjoy packing lunches and snacks for my Kids.  Not only that it is way more economical compared to ordering lunches from the school; I can also ensure the quality and quantity of each ingredient that goes into the lunch boxes.  But let’s be realistic, it could also be challenging when you run out of new ideas of what to pack to keep things excited.  I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to review this fun book, Everyday Bento!



There are 50 fun and adorable lunches idea that you can follow from the book, with step by step and great tips from the author, Wendy Thorpe Copley.  This book really inspires me with great new ideas in making lunch boxes to become more fun.  All you need are some cute bento containers, simple bento tools (or cookie cutters that you already have), and simple everyday supermarket ingredients!  Packing beautiful lunches has never been so easy!




Ever since I've received this book, I’m pretty sure that my Daughter looked through the pages more often than I do!  She enjoys looking at all these amazing bentos and picking her favorite ones that we can make together for her school lunches.  It’s great bonding time and fun projects that you and your kids will surely enjoy.  




Today is your lucky day!  Because I’ll be giving away a copy of Everyday Bento to one lucky uTry.it reader, courtesy of Tuttle Publishing.  

Here are the details on how to enter.
One lucky uTry.it reader (worldwide) will win a copy of “Everyday Bento”.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me if you usually pack lunches for your family.  If not, do you plan to give it a try?  Deadline to enter is February 8th, 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 Pinterest.
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)
That’s all and Good Luck everyone!





Disclaimer:  I received a copy of “Everyday Bento” for the purpose of this review and I was not compensated in any way to write this post.  All comments and opinions are 100% my own.

How to Make Fortune Cookies with Video Tutorial!

My Kids and I adore Fortune Cookies!  They are crisp and unique shaped cookies with a piece of paper, a "fortune", or words of wisdom,  tucked inside.   Fortune cookies are often served as a dessert or a little sweet treat after meals in Chinese restaurants in the United States.  However, you won’t find them in China nor Hong Kong!  Isn't it interesting?  No matter what, these are some fun cookies to eat, and to make.  Today, I’ll show you how to make them, step by step with pictures and a video tutorial! 




There are only a few simple ingredients in these cookies.  But I guaranteed that you’ll be amazed how good they taste.  These are definitely the most delicious Fortune Cookies I've ever eaten, and my Kids totally agreed.  They said these are way better than the ones we get at the Chinese restaurants.  Of course, that’s because these homemade ones are freshly made with real and quality ingredients!




Part of the fun and excitement of eating Fortune Cookies is the process of cracking one open and find out what fortune you get!  The Kids and I had so much fun writing the “Paper Fortunes” together.  I wrote some well wishes and blessings mainly used for Chinese New Year as well (this year, CNY falls on February 19th).  I’m sure anyone would be pleased to receive some of these Fortune Cookies for the celebration.





Ready to see how to make these adorable cookies? Follow me to the kitchen!

1)  Using parchment paper and edible Candy Decorating Pens, prepare 24 “Paper Fortunes”.

2) Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Line a baking sheet with Silpat, or non-stick baking mat.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and egg whites until sugar dissolved, about one to two minutes. 

3) Add kosher salt, vanilla extract, almond extract and heavy cream, whisk until well incorporated.




4) Then, whisk in flour, until just combined.  Then, add the melted butter and whisk until batter is smooth and incorporated. 

5) Place one heaping teaspoon of batter onto prepared baking sheet.  With the back of a spoon, spread batter into a 4-inch circle in an even layer. 

6) Alternately, you can use a 4-inch circle template and a spatula to spread the batter.  Leave a couple of inches spacing between the batter.  I usually make 3 cookies on each baking sheet.




7) Bake until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Rotate the baking pan half way through baking to ensure even heat distribution.
Remove baking sheet from oven onto a wiring rack and work as quickly as possible.  Be careful, the baking sheet and cookies are hot.  With a small spatula, I use a silicone one for cookies, lift the cookie from the baking mat.  Place a piece of the fortune paper in the center of the cookie.  Fold the cookie in half and slightly pinch the edges with your left hand to form a loose semicircle. 

8) With your right thumb and middle-finger, gently pull the "corners" of cookie together while using your index finger, pushing the cookie in the middle to form the fortune cookie. 

9) The shaping should takes less than 10 seconds.  Once the cookie hardens, it's impossible to shape it.  That is why I only make 3 cookies per baking sheet.  Place the shaped cookie in the muffin pan to hold its shape while cooling.  Repeat the shaping process with the rest of the baked cookies.  Repeat until the batter is used up.  To speed up the process, staggering 2 sheets of cookies by 4 minutes.  That gives you enough time to shape the cookies.  Store cookies at room temperature in an air tight container for up to one week.  Enjoy!




Here’s the video tutorial on how to make these Fortune Cookies.  After watching the video, please spend a split second to click 'like' if you find it helpful!



I hope you like today’s post, recipe and video tutorial.  If you like my video, don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.  Other than making these Fortune Cookies for Chinese New Year, I think they are super cute if you write the paper fortunes for your Valentine’s, too.

What are your favorite Asian treats?  Is there another recipe you would like to see the tutorial in a video?  Leave a message in the comment below and let me know.  I would love to include more video tutorials and How-To's in the future.



 

Tools and Props used in this post:
 
Wilton Candy Decorating Pens (Click here for more information)
Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat (click here for more information)
Calphalon Baking Sheet Pans (Click here for more information)
Ateco Offset Spatula (Click here for more information)
Cookie Spatula (Click here for more information)
Circle Template (Click here for more information)
Muffin Pan (Click here for more information)

Lemon Raspberry Meringue Bubbles—Easy Entertaining Recipe

 
 
 


Have you start with your holiday baking yet?  I have sort of, kind of, already started.  I know there are still a few weeks before Christmas.  But it’ll be here sooner than you know it, so I better start planning early.   What I mean by “started” was testing recipes and figuring out what to include in my final holiday baking marathon.  One of the recipes that I tested was these Lemon Raspberry Meringue Bubbles, and I absolutely loved them. 

 


You might ask why I love them so much?  Very simple, these Lemon Raspberry Meringue Bubbles are light as air, super refreshing and quite tangy.  The tartness came from the freeze dried raspberries that I added into the batter and on top.  The lemon zest really brightens up the flavors and complement the raspberries well.  As soon as I bite into one of these Lemon Raspberry Meringue Bubbles, it melted in my mouth.  It’s crunchy, light and airy, sweet and tart at the same time.

 


Besides tasting wonderful, this is also a “busy baking schedule friendly” recipe because you can (and should) bake these ahead of time.  Simply store them in an air-tight container and in a cool place.  They will last for a while, that is, if you don’t finish them sooner. 



Here’s how I made them (please see pictorial below):

1) In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until frothy, about 2 minute.

2) With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Then, add the vanilla extract.  Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick, shiny and holds stiff peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

3) Gently fold in 1/2 of the lemon zest

4) Then, fold in the freeze dried raspberries. 

5) With a small (1 tablespoon) ice cream/cookie dough scoop, scoop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet.  Leaving the meringue  1-inch apart from each other.

6) Top each cookie with a piece of the reserved freeze dried raspberry and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of the lemon zests evenly onto each cookie.  Bake for 1 hour.  Rotate the pan and bake for another 1 hour. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours, or preferably over night. 
 
 
 


Super easy, right?  Yup, you can whip up a batch in no time.  I love to bake these at the end of the day so they can cool and dry up in the oven overnight while I dream of other desserts and cookies to bake the next day.  That way, they won’t use up my oven space during the day when I’m busy baking!




Another big plus?  They really packaged well and makes a very unique homemade gift.  For sure you won’t find these at the store….hm….unless a manufacturer copied my recipe and mass produce them!  Wakakaka….alright, I better stop day dreaming and test out some other recipes.  Until next time, take care and stay tuned for more easy and entertaining recipes, and homemade gift ideas.