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!

Pearl Barley Lemon Water 檸檬薏米水

 


Recently, one of my friends inquired about the different types of barleys as she came across a recipe using a particular one.  I wasn’t sure about the answer so I called Mom for some clues.  Of course, Mom was able to give me some good information and the benefits of adding barley to my diet.  So, I’ve been drinking this Pearl Barley Lemon Water 檸檬薏米水 a few times a week ever since that conversation.   



Pearl Barley Lemon Water is probably one of the most popular choices in traditional Chinese detox drinks.  Many believe this drink helps to even skin tone, with emphasis in minimizing those age spots.  Honestly, I don’t think I have drank enough to notice any changes, yet.  But as summer approaches, this Pearl Barley Lemon Water is a refreshing and delicious way to stay hydrated.  I definitely don’t mind if it provides other benefits such as helping my skin looks better at the same time.  Click on the video tutorial below to see how I made it.  I’ll also show you the two different types of barleys in the video to clarify which one to use. 






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.  I hope you have a wonderful and beautiful summer!  Stay tuned for more fun and yummy recipes. 


 
 
Props and ingredients used in this post:

Weck Juice Jars with Lids (Click here for more information)
Organic Pearl Barley (Click here for more information)
Paper Straws (Click here for more information)


Health and General Disclaimers:
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. 

 
 

Strawberry Lemonade Pops

My Kids and I love the strawberry season.  A couple of months ago, I planted some strawberry plants (those with ready to grow roots), about 10 of them.  Unfortunately, they weren’t growing the way I had hoped.  Well, pretty much they weren’t growing at all, period!  Ahem, yeah, blame that on my “black thumb”!  I always wonder what I am not doing correctly to these plants.  (Shed some light if you have any idea or tips to share)  Anyway, as a back up plan, I purchased a small strawberry plant that is already growing strong.  That way, the Kids still get to pick some fresh strawberries, every day after school.  That’s something that they always look forward to do.



Of course, the unsuccessful strawberry plants didn’t stop us from consuming strawberries…I mean, lots and lots of strawberries.  I usually buy them in multiple pounds from the market and they are all gone in no time!  Besides enjoying them fresh, slicing them to top the waffles, stuffing them in strawberry roll cakes, or layering them to make Strawberry Tiramisu, these Strawberry Lemonade Pops are one of the Kids favorite way to enjoy these sweet and tart beauties.  Want to see how we made these pops?  Check out 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.



Super easy to make, isn’t it?  These Strawberry Lemonade Pops are so refreshing.  They are super cool treats, so much fun to make and to eat!  What are your favorite way or recipe to enjoy strawberries?  Leave a comment below to share with me.  I can’t wait to hear from you.



Props used:
5 Ounce Dixie Cups (Click here for more information)
Pop Wooden Sticks (Click here for more information)

Asparagus Ribbon Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

One of my favorite Spring vegetables is asparagus.  I usually prepare them on the grill, make Green Gazpacho cold soup or roast them in the oven.  And lately, I fall in love with eating them raw as in this Asparagus Ribbon Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.  They are shaved to ribbon thin and the acidic vinaigrette helps soften them a little.  So, the texture of the asparagus holds up and is crisp-tender.  Really refreshing and delightful to eat.       
 


Preparing the Lemon Vinaigrette couldn’t be any easier.  It consists of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a little bit agave to balance out the tartness, extra virgin olive oil (I used a Meyer lemon infused olive oil), kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.  It compliment the flavors of the fresh asparagus very well.



I top the salad with a few shaved parmigiano reggiano and toasted pine nuts.  You can use any other nuts that you like but I love the buttery pine nuts and the slightly salty and very flavorful parmigiano reggiano here.  Each bite is perfect and leave me craving for more!



Here’s how I prepare this salad:
1) In a small pan, toast the pine nuts on low heat until golden brown.  Be careful not to burn them, toss them frequently.  Set aside and let cool.

2) Gently wash and pat dry the asparagus.  Trip off about 1-inch off the root. 
3) With a vegetable peeler, peel off the outer layer on the bottom 5 to 6-inches.  Discard the peels. 



4) With the vegetable peeler, shave along the long strands of the asparagus from tip to end.  Place asparagus ribbons in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
5) In a medium mixing bowl, whisk lemon juice, mustard, agave together. 
6) While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until vinaigrette emulsified.  Add salt and pepper, to taste.  Gently toss enough vinaigrette to moisten the asparagus ribbons.  You might not need all the vinaigrette.  You can toss in the pine nuts, or sprinkle them on top.  With a vegetable peeler, shave a few parmigiano reggiano on top and enjoy!



As simple as this!  I hope you enjoy today’s post and recipe.   Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll love this salad a lot too.  Stay tuned for more refreshing Spring and Summer time recipes to come!



Props used in this post:

Core Bamboo 3-Piece Cutlery Set (Click here to see product information)

Wood Print Photography Backdrop (Click here to see similar product)
Libbey County Fair Drinking Jars (Click here to see product information)
Core Bamboo Cutting Board (Click here to see product information)
Aqus Striped Paper Straws (Click here to see product information)
Salad Plate (Click here to see similar product)

Lemon and Strawberry Cream Sandwich Cookies

Easter is just around the corner.  I truly adore this time of the year as Springs symbolized growth and new lives.  (In case if you wonder...NO, I'm not pregnant, I'm just referring to my plants in the garden!)  Another great news for foodies?  It’s the strawberry season!  Although I pretty much get strawberries all year round in California, I know many of you had been looking forward to the strawberry harvest time for a while.  The inspiration for these Lemon and Strawberry Cream Sandwich Cookies?  The Easter bunny of course.  And I love pairing strawberries with lemons, as the refreshing and citrus aroma compliment well with the sweet and tart strawberries.  Okay, these are not exactly Easter bunnies as you might already knew.  It’s a very famous children books/cartoon character called Miffy.  Click here to the link for the Miffy Cookie Cutters if you’re interested.    



I added some almond meal (almond flour) in the cookie dough for a hint of nutty flavor.  The cookies are packed with lemon zests and the lemony aroma truly shines through in these cookies.  The cookies alone are wonderful and makes perfect ice cream toppers, such as this one.  The strawberry cream filling is one of the easiest fillings I've ever made.  Yet, it’s packed with wonderful strawberry goodness and flavor.  Both the cookies and strawberry cream are not overly sweet.  But if you like yours sweeter, feel free to add a bit more powdered sugar when you make the fillings. 



I can’t wait to take my Kiddos out to the annual Easter Egg Hunt.  I know, that sounds like a big even/outing.  Actually, we usually just “hunt” the goodies packed plastic eggs at the backyard.  However, my kids always look forward to it and enjoy it so much every time.  I love it when little things in life like this can bring so much joy to them.  Do you have any plans for Easter?  I would love to hear from you.  

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.


 
 

Frozen Raspberry Sparkle

This Frozen Raspberry Sparkle is the official Holiday cocktail in my house.  You’ve guessed it right!  Yes, I am the one who made it official.  Why not?  I’m sure we all can use a cocktail in between all these crazy holiday shopping and baking chaos.  Besides, it’s a festive and beautiful drink that you can serve during the holiday gatherings.  Best of all, it’s super easy to prepare.



I love the frosted look of these frozen raspberries.  They are just so pretty to look at.  I freeze up some extras and they made a wonderful snack on their own.  Plus a few of them in your drink will keep your cocktail nice and chilled without diluting your drink with the ice.  Pretty cool, huh? 




I can’t believe Christmas will be here in less than a week!  So, how far are you with the holiday shopping and preparation?  Are you all prepared, almost done, half way through, or haven’t even started yet?  I think I belong to the 'almost done' group, I guess.  I would love to hear from you.





Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Lemon Scented Thumbprint Cookies

March 20th will be the first day of Spring.  With the warm temperature in L.A., I feel like Spring has arrived…last month.    Anyhow, these Lemon Scented Thumbprint Cookies gave me the same feeling that Spring has arrived.  I love the colors of the jams and curds that sit of top of the cookies.  Vibrant, vivid, and very delightful.  They just put a smile on my face. 



I filled these Lemon Scented Thumbprint Cookies with some home made Meyer Lemon curds (recipe here), orange marmalade and raspberry preserves.  I’ll shared the orange marmalade and raspberry preserves recipe in future posts.  If you have your own favorite recipes, by all means go for it.  Otherwise, using store bought jams are just as good.  But I have to tell you though, the curds and and preserves are really easy to make and they taste wonderful. 



These cookies are fun to make.  It’s a great time to get the kids into the kitchen to help rolling and pressing the dough, too.  To make the indentation for the filling, I’ve tried using the back of a wooden spoon and a measuring teaspoons.  But nothing works better than my thumb!  Dah…these are called thumbprint cookies for a reason, I was thinking out loud!    Silly me.

Before you go, don’t forget to enter the current Giveaways on my blog. 

For the $100 Amazon Gift Card (who doesn’t like Amazon, right?)  Click here to enter.  Deadline to enter is March 30th, 2012.

For the Saucy Mama Condiment Kit (delicious products), click here to enter.  Deadline to enter is March 7th, 2012.

Good Luck and Happy Baking!

Yuzu Gin & Tonic

I can’t believe there are only a few days left before Thanksgiving (for those who live in the States)!  Are you ready for the celebration, gathering and fun?  I know it’s quite chilling out there especially for those who live in areas that have already started snowing.  If you are one of the 'lucky' few, you would probably consider serving a pot of hot apple ciders during your gatherings instead.  However, I think it’s also important to offer a variety of drinks at a party.  I mean, what is a celebration without a signature cocktail, right?  With your heater at full blast, I’m sure some of your Guests would appreciate a refreshing cocktail while celebrating the holidays with you.    



I got a bottle of yuzu juice from a Japanese supermarket recently.  Originally, I purchased the yuzu juice to marinate some fish (I’ll post that recipe in the future).  Yuzu is a citrus fruit and plant originated in East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit with an uneven skin, and can be either in yellow or green color depending on the level of ripeness.  The citrus flavor from a yuzu is very distinctive.  It’s a combination of tart, slightly sweet, and a hint of bitterness flavor.  In my opinion, it’s perfect for this cocktail!  If you can't find a Japanese or Asian market that carry the yuzu juice, you can also purchase it online here.



This Yuzu Gin & Tonic is super easy to prepare.  Which means it is perfect for parties and gatherings! Here’s what I did.  I used an 6-ounce glass, filled with about 1/4 cup of crushed ice.  Add 10 splashes of yuzu juice (about 1/2 teaspoon), then add a shot of dry gin.  Last but not least, fill the glass with tonic water.  That’s it.  It’s unbelievably refreshing and tasty.  I’ve been enjoying this goodness ever since the first time I’ve mixed this cocktail up accidentally.



Below is a close up picture of the yuzu bottle.  Make sure to get the 100% yuzu juice but not yuzu marinate or anything that has a “filler”.   If you look closer, you can see that I have almost finished the entire bottle already.  Gosh, I better get a new bottle before it runs out.  The yuzu juice is great in this cocktail and many marinate recipes.



I hope you’ll try this easy and refreshing cocktail this holiday season in your gatherings.  Remember, know your limits and drink responsibly.  The most important thing is to have a fun and safe holiday.  I want to thank you all of you for reading and stopping by today.  I wish you and your family a fun, festive, and blessed Thanksgiving!  Don’t forget to count your blessings.  I know I have a long list and many reasons to be grateful for this year.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Many of you know about the famous Meyer Lemon Trees at my in-law’s place.  There are many recipes that I've created, both savory and sweet, using the Meyer lemons that are harvested by myself.  Such as the Meyer Lemon Curd with Vanilla Sugar, the Meyer Lemon Cake, the Seafood Salad with Meyer Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette, and the Meyer Lemon Macarons with Limoncello Buttercream, to name a few.  I'm lucky that I can get my hands on some fresh Meyer Lemons all year round.

With the Meyer Lemon season approaching, I want to introduce you to another wonderful treat using Meyer Lemons.  The Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies!

Next time when you see these fragrant Meyer lemons in the farmer's stands or supermarkets,  be sure to take a few home to try this recipe out.  This would certainly be another good cookie recipe for the Holidays and/or gift-giving.



These Meyer Lemon Sandwich cookies are one of my favorite sweet treats featuring these lovely Meyer Lemons.  The cookies had a nice crunch and crumbly texture, with just the right amount of sweetness and buttery flavors.  The almond meal in these cookies adds a new depth of taste with its nutty flavor.  The Meyer Lemon Buttercream in between the two cookies is silky and smooth, while packed with sweet and tangy Meyer Lemon flavor.  You can serve these at room temperature and the buttercream would ooze out when you bite into one.  I love them chilled so the cool and smooth buttercream will melt in my mouth slowly and allow me to savor them a little bit longer.  Either way, you're going to love this special treat.

Japanese Apple Salad

Nothing says Fall better than a basket full of apples of any kind.  My favorite type has always been Fuji apples.  They are crisp, juicy and sweet.  I’m indifferent toward starchy food, I guess.  Another favorite fruit of mine in the Fall are pomegranates.  They are sweet, tart and juicy.  I love the way they pop in my mouth.  I say, they’re even better than eating popping candies. Not to mention, they are good for you too.



I’ve been enjoying this salad for many years. Usually, I toss in some cooked shrimps and blenched green beans when I’m serving them as dinner.  But as a light brunch or a meal in between, this is just as delicious and satisfying.  In this recipe, I used the Japanese Mayonnaise and some curry powder.  I found that the Japanese Mayo is more flavorful and creamier than the regular ones; Which fits this recipe much better, especially one without too many ingredients.  The pistachios add a nice crunch and the pomegranate are just fun to eat as they pop in my mouth. 



Join I Wash… You Dry and Southern Fairytale for the California Avocado Cinco de Mayo Recipe Fiesta, sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.