How to Make Holiday Individual Turkey Pot Pie

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Better Than Bouillon as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.  For more recipes and inspirations, please visit: http://goic.io/GpuqMV

My family loves the holiday season when we get to gather around the dinner table to share our favorite dishes and recipes.  When I host holiday gatherings at my place, I always prepare a main dish while my family and friends would bring appetizers and side dishes to share.  It's always wonderful to share and create memories with my family through food!  If you can't tell by now, everyone in my family are foodies!  I guess you can say that the apples don't fall far from the tree!  This year, I'll be sharing these amazing Holiday Individual Turkey Pot Pies with my friends and family!

If you haven't done so, be sure to check out my video tutorial above.  This recipe is so much fun and so easy to make, yet its super festive and scrumptious!  Best of all, you can prepare them a day in advance.  Simply prepared the pies (without the egg wash), covered, and keep them in the fridge until ready to bake.  On the day of the party, simply brush the egg wash on the pastry and pop them in the oven before your guests arrive.  This way, you can join in and enjoy the party, too!  As much as I enjoy a holiday feast, I don't think anyone should, or wanted to, slave inside the kitchen for the holidays!  This recipe is a perfect solution for you if you are hosting a gathering for your friends and family this holiday season!  Think of how easy it will be for the upcoming Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Christmas, or New Years' parties!   

The flavors of these Holiday Turkey Pot Pies are so amazing that your guests would think that you've spent hours in the kitchen preparing them!  Thanks to the Better Than Bouillon Turkey Base, it adds a depth of flavor in the turkey pie fillings in a cinch.  It truly elevates and transforms the flavors of your ingredients.  You would feel like you're enjoying a traditional slow roasted turkey, but in a pie form, which is a lot more fun to eat than just a traditional roasted turkey (sorry Mr. Turkey!)  Rather than the traditional bouillon cube, the Better Than Bouillon Turkey Base is a paste, which makes it a lot easier to incorporate with the ingredients because you don't have to wait for the cube to dissolve.  The flavor is so concentrated that it won't dilute your sauce at all!  It's truly a flavor bomb, in my opinion!

I'd been using Better Than Bouillon for many years now and always have them on hand.  Besides the Turkey Base, my favorites are Roasted Beef Base and Roasted Chicken Base.  I make my family's favorite beef stew at least once a week and Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base is the secret ingredient that make it tastes so amazing!  Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base intensifies the beefy flavors in the stew without diluting the sauce.  I also use it create a soup base, to build flavor in my sauces, to make a quick beef au jus for roasted beef, and to create gravy with it as well.  Also, you can substitute the turkey meat in this recipe with chicken (and swap in the Roasted Chicken Base) to make chicken pot pies.  And I promise, they will be the best chicken pot pie you'll ever had!  They are so good that my kids always wonder if I ordered and pick up the Chicken Pot Pies from the restaurant!  There are so many different flavors of Better Than Bouillon to explore, such as the Seasoned Vegetable Base, Roasted Garlic Base (perfect for making garlic bread), and Mushroom Base, & etc. Be sure to grab a few on your next grocery run to take your holiday recipes to the next level and make your life a whole lot easier and flavorful!  You can use the product locator on the Better Than Bouillon site or order online to get those hard to find flavors as well! 

For more product information, please visit:

 https://www.betterthanbouillon.com/our-products/?utm_source=Influence-Central&utm_medium=Social-Influencers&utm_campaign=BTB-Social-Influencers&utm_content=holiday-social-influencer

Back to these Holiday Individual Turkey Pot Pies!  Imagine buttery and flaky pie crust, fresh mixed vegetables, and tender turkey meat surrounded by creamy and velvety sauce that has a "cooked all day" flavors, thanks to the Better Than Bouillon Turkey Base. This decadent turkey pot pie is served with sweet and tart cranberry sauce for a contrast of flavors!  Each bit is simply heavenly!   You'll definitely be making this recipe again and again!  What are your family's holiday traditions?  Do you have a family's favorite recipe?  Have you tried Better Than Bouillon products before?  If so, which one is your favorite?  Be sure to leave a commend below and share with me.  Can't wait to hear from you!  Happy Holidays, from my kitchen to yours!








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Holiday Individual Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
Makes: 6 (8 ounces Pies)

4 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup pumpkin (frozen, diced)
1 cup mixed vegetables (frozen)
4 cups roasted turkey (diced)
1 tablespoon sage (chiffonade)
1 teaspoon thyme
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling puff pastry)
2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Turkey Base
2 cups turkey stock (low sodium)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 sheets puff pastry (thawed)
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
Cranberry Sauce (for serving)
Fresh Cranberries and Sage leaves (optional, for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in onions and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add in pumpkin, mixed vegetables, turkey, sage, and thyme.  Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients,  stir gently, and let the flour cook for 1 minute.  Add in the Better Than Bouillon Turkey Base and turkey stock.  Let the sauce cook until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream.  Let the fillings cool off slight while you prepare the puff pastry.

Gently roll out the seams of the puff pastry on a lightly flour-dusted surface.  Place your ramekins up-side-down on the pastry as a guide.  Cut out 3 pastry per puff pastry sheet.  Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet.

Evenly divide the turkey fillings into the 6 ramekins.  Top each one with a cut out puff pastry.  Place the filled ramekins onto a foil lined baking sheet.  Whisk the egg yolk and water to create an egg wash.  Brush a think layer of egg wash onto each puff pastry.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked through.

Let cool slightly before serving.  Be very careful, fillings is extremely hot.  Garnish with cranberry and sage (if using.)  Serve these Holiday Turkey Pot Pies with cranberry sauce and enjoy!

JACK O' LANTERN S'MORES SLIDERS

Disclosure: Thank you King's Hawaiian for sponsoring my video.  All opinions are 100% my own.  For more fun and festive recipe ideas, please visit: http://bit.ly/hallowaiian-19_149d
 Are you ready for Halloween?  Do you usually host or attend Halloween parties?  My family always attend a friend's Halloween costume party every year.  They went all out and decorate their house inside and out!  It's always spooktacular and fun!  My friend's Halloween party is usually a potluck style, so everyone brings a dish to share.  Since my friends know I love baking, they always assign me to bring a dessert or a sweet treat.  This year, I'm planning to bring this festive, yet super easy to prepare, and scarily delicious Jack o' Lantern S'mores Sliders to share with them.

My Kids are huge fans for anything with S'mores flavor!  After all, who doesn't love melt-y chocolate, charred and gooey marshmallows, along with the crunch of graham cracker, right?  My kids inspired me to create this Jack o' Lantern S'mores Sliders featuring King's Hawaiian's Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (#ad), which is something that I always have on hand.  They make a quick and convenience snack.  I also use them to pack kids' sandwich lunches as well.  Since these rolls are slightly sweet, they make the most delicious sweet and savory sandwiches as well.  They go well with so many dishes, in my opinion.

 

These S'mores Sliders are such a cinch to make, and they are so easy to serve too, which makes them the perfect party food.  You can easily grab and go!  No fuss, no mess! So, go check out my video tutorial above on how to make them!  To make these S'more Sliders more festive, I dress them up with some cookie icing and turn them into Jack o' Lanterns!  My daughter loves helping me in the kitchen especially when she can decorate and play with food! I guess the pumpkin doesn't fall far from its vine.

Please leave me a comment below and let me know what's your (or your kiddo's) favorite treat?  Be sure to go grab a (or a few) package of King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and make these Jack o' Lantern S'mores Sliders this Halloween!  Wish you all a fun, safe, and spooktacular Halloween!

King’s Hawaiian on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KingsHawaiian/

King’s Hawaiian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KingsHawaiian

King’s Hawaiian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingshawaiian/

King’s Hawaiian on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kingshawaiian/

JACK O' LANTERN S'MORES SLIDERS:

1 (12 count) King's Hawaiian's Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
1 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
3 graham crackers
1 tube of black cookie icing
sprinkle of your choice
2 bread sticks (cut into 1 1/2-inches)
a few decorative toothpicks (optional)

Take the King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls out of the package.  Cut the roll in half lengthwise (horizontally).  Reserve the top half of the rolls and set them aside.  

Place the bottom half of the sweet rolls in a baking tray.  Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread on top evenly.  Sprinkle the mini marshmallows on top in a single layer.  Toast the marshmallows 6-inches under the boiler for 1 minute.  Rotate the baking tray half way through.  Do not walk away from this process.  The marshmallows can toast up really fast. When the marshmallows are all charred up, remove the baking pan from the oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the graham crackers into a zip top bag.  Seal it up and crush with a rolling pin. When the sweet rolls are cool enough to handle, transfer it to a serving platter.  Sprinkle the crushed graham cracker crumbs on top evenly.  Place the reserved top half of the sweet rolls on top.

Draw the Jack o' Lantern facial features onto each bun.  Decorate with sprinkles and stick a bread stick in between the buns to mimic the pumpkin stems.  Enjoy!

#Hallowaiian #FeedMonstrousAppetites #KingsHawaiian #IC #ad

Mermaid Chia Seeds Pudding (Pitaya Dragon Fruit & Butterfly Pea Flower Tea)

Are you enjoying the Fall weather?  I'm loving the cooler temperature and the fact that I actually needed a jacket in the morning! If you've been following me on Instagram and my YouTube Channel, you probably have seen this Mermaid Chia Seeds Pudding that I shared a while ago!  Sorry for the delay in posting this blog post and recipe.  The weather was still super hot when I created this recipe!  But nevertheless, it's still a delicious recipe, even in this Fall weather.   

Check out my YouTube video tutorial above, if you haven't done so.  You'll see this gorgeous Mermaid Chia Pudding is really easy to put together.  You can prepare it the night before and it's ready for you in the morning as breakfast.  But I personally enjoy this as a quick snack or "dessert" in the afternoon more than as a breakfast item.  Yes, it's sweet enough as a dessert, yet it's still healthy and good for you.  The pink bottom layer is make with whole milk (you can substitute with almond milk, or soy milk if you like), Chia Seeds, a touch of honey for sweetness, and this gorgeous Dragon Fruit Powder that makes it pink.  It's packed with vitamins and anti-oxidant!  I'll list the product link at the end of the post for your reference.   

The upper blue-ish and purple-ish layer is made from Butterfly Pea Flower tea. It's also a vitamin and anti-oxidant rich ingredient that will make you feel beautiful from the inside out after enjoying it!  I love pretty food that also have such health benefit.  But since I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, please don't hold me accountable for that.  You can google it and read more for yourself if you're interested.  The original color of the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea was blue.  After adding the honey, it changed to this gorgeous purple-ish color because of the acid.  

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I'll be wearing pink this month to raise awareness.  Hm....maybe I'll share more pink food and recipes too!  If you want to read more about Brest Cancer Awareness Month, here's the post that I shared last year:

http://utry.it/2018/10/new-meanings-to-breast-cancer-awareness.html

Just this morning, I heard on the news that Beyoncé's Father, Mathew Knowles, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer!  This horrible disease not only affect women, but men as well.  I encourage you to do a regular self check because early detection is important and can save lives!  Check out my last years post on details and symptoms to look for.

Until next time, please take care!

Ingredients and Tools Used:

SunCore Organic White Chia Seeds:

https://amzn.to/2kuHOD7

SunCore Pitaya Dragon Fruit Powder:

https://amzn.to/2kxvBO2

Organic Butterfly Pea Flowers:

https://amzn.to/2lOJZS7

Organic Honey:

https://amzn.to/2kxpXeQ

Mini Bowl Set:

https://amzn.to/2keLGb4

Star Shape Cookie Cutter:

https://amzn.to/2lMkW26

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.

How to Make Baby Kale Shakshuka

What is your favorite vegetable?  For me, it's kale!  Not only it's packed with wonderful nutrients, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Potassium, just to name a few.  Kale is also the power house of  delightful flavors. I love the earthy, refreshing, and unique flavors from their dark green leafs. 

Unfortunately, I've heard many dislike kale because of its tough texture.  Today, I'm going to show you the secret to turn this healthy vegetable into a delectable dish that you would want to make it over and over again!  The secret, is to quickly sauteed them, instead of eating them raw in salads.  Also, I'm using baby kale in this particular recipe, so the leafs are particularly tender. 

Traditionally, Shakshuka is a dish with poached egg baked in a vegetable and tomato sauce.  Today, I'm making it lighter by replacing the tomato sauce with chicken stock instead.  You can also substitute with vegetable stock as well.  This way, you can truly taste the wonderful flavor of the kale and not over powered by the tomato sauce.

As you can see from my video tutorial, I topped the Baby Kale Shakshuka with a sprinkle of sumac for a refreshing and lemony punch.  If you haven't tried sumac yet, I highly recommended it.  It truly wakes up the dish and adds such a delightful freshness to this decadent dish.  I served this dish with a couple slices of toasts made from my 90 Seconds Low Carb Quick Bread.  Serving this dish with a slice of rusty bread or toasts is a must!  They will soak up the sauces and runny yolk in this dish.  You can find my low carb bread recipe in the link below.


I hope you enjoy today's video tutorial and recipe.   Stay tuned for more delicious and healthy recipes soon!


90 Seconds Low Carb Bread Recipe:
http://bit.ly/2WxBzzc

Tools and Ingredients Used:

Individual Baking Dish Set

https://amzn.to/2HLL6up

Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware, Baking Sheet
https://amzn.to/2EG6hMj

Organic Sumac:
https://amzn.to/2VYQdeF

Baby Kale Shakshuka

Servings: 2

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, chopped
8 ounces baby kale
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable stock
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
2 large eggs
kosher salt
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sumac

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant.

Add the kale in 2 batches.  They will wilt significantly as they cook. Continue to stir for even heat distribution. 

When the kale is slightly softened, add the salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, feta cheese lemon juice, and chicken stock.  Stir well and taste the mixture.  Adjust the seasoning if needed. 

Evenly distribute the kale mixture into 2 oven safe baking dishes.  Gently create a well in the center of each one and crack an egg into each well.

Bake, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes.  Or until the egg whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.

Sprinkle sumac on top.  Let cool slightly and serve warm with toasts or crusty bread.

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.

90 Seconds Low Carb Keto Quick Bread

If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that I shared some pictures and videos of this 90 Seconds Low Carb Keto Quick Bread for a few times when I was testing out the recipe.  Well, it's finally here and I am super excited.  Thank you for your patience if you're one of the many that requested this recipe.

Every since I cut down on sugar and carbs after my breast cancer diagnoses last year, I had been testing out new ingredients and different ways to prepare old recipes that I love with healthier alternatives.  This 90 Seconds Low Carb Keto Quick Bread is one of them.  It doesn't contain any refine sugar, it's flour free, and it's gluten free.  Best of all, my kids are loving it too.

Best the fact that this bread tastes great, I also love how easy and quick it is to put together.  And as you can tell in my video, my kids enjoyed making this quick bread too.  This bread is made in a coffee mug in the microwave.  In my video tutorial, I shared some tips and what coffee mug (in terms of sizes) to use as well.  I'll list those information and mug size at the end of this post for your reference.

This quick bread doesn't contain any flour. Instead, I used almond flour as the main ingredient.  Please make sure to use almond flour from blenched almonds and not almond meal.  The texture of almond flour is more tender and smooth because the almond skin is removed.

The texture of this bread might not be exactly like your traditional sandwich bread.  I find it similar to a sponge cake actually.  However, giving the fact that it's so easy to make and only includes healthy ingredients, I would choose this bread, any day that I crave for a slice of bread or toast. 

This quick bread is wonderful for sandwiches, it also toast up nicely.  You do get a hint of nutty flavor after toasting because of the almond flour, which is quite a nice addition to the crunchy texture.  Next, I'm planning to cut this bread into cubes and give them a quick toast and turn them into croutons for salads!  I will share a picture on my Instagram when I do that.  

My daughter loves to use this bread to replace her bagel! Spread a little bit cream cheese, a couple of smoked salmon, top it with capers, chives, and dill and you get a gourmet Open-Face Smoked Salmon Sandwich!  Boy, what a foodie!  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! 

From this picture above, you see the 2 different sized of bread I made using different diameter coffee mugs.  I think the small one is perfect for party food and snacks while the bigger ones are perfect for sandwiches.  If you try this recipe, please kindly leave me a message and let me know how it goes.  Thank you for stopping by today and stay tuned for more delicious and healthy recipes soon.

Coffee Mug Measurements (Please refer to the video tutorial): Mug #1 (Sweetest Mom): 3-inch Diameter X 3 3/4-Inch Height Mug #2 (Star Wars): 3 1/4-inch Diameter X 5-inch Height Mug #3 (Starbucks/Disney): 3 3/4-inch Diamemter X 3 1/2-inch Height https://amzn.to/2Lm9g2z Ingredients and Tools Used in this Recipe: Monkfruit 1:1 Sugar Substitute: https://amzn.to/2WlZCxE Organic Almond Flour: https://amzn.to/2GZaQmI Mini Whisks: https://amzn.to/2LmB0Uz Recommended Starbucks/Disney Mug: https://amzn.to/2Lm9g2z

Aluminum-Free Baking Powder: 

https://amzn.to/2Y4OZjh

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.

How to Revive and Use Dried Vanilla Beans

Let’s talk about Vanilla Beans.  Do you use whole vanilla beans in your recipes?  I personally love and adore vanilla beans.  They have this unique, sweet, floral, and earthy (depending on the regions) aromas that you don’t get from any other ingredient.  They certainly make any baked goods and desserts tasted gourmet.  Ever since the shortage of vanilla beans a few year ago, the price of them had been sky-rocketed.  (That is totally a different topic so I’m not going to go in-depth today).

My point is, since vanilla beans are so expensive, you do want to utilize them the best you could so that nothing goes to waste.  If you live in an area that has a dry climate (such as Southern California), you might have experienced that your vanilla bean dried out before you use it.  No need to panic!  I’m here for the rescue today.  Watch my video below on how to revive a dried vanilla bean and many different ways you can use them. 



If you’ve missed my previous video, click below to watch the tutorial on how to split and seed a vanilla bean and other usage ideas.




If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave me a comment below.  

For more product information and vanilla recipes, please visit www://SingingDogVanilla.com



Vanilla Simple Syrup

Ingredients:
1 vanilla bean
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

1) Place all ingredient in a medium pot.  Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes, stir occasionally.  Let cool completely before use.

2) The simple syrup is wonderful to mix into teas, cocktails, and fruit punches.

Vanilla Spice Poached Pears

Ingredients:
2 Semi-Ripe Pears, peeled
3 Cups water
1 cup Sugar
1 lemon, peel off rind and juiced
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 vanilla bean

1) Place all ingredient, except the pears, in a medium pot. Heat mixture over high heat until it comes to a boil.

2) Lower the heat to a simmer and add in the pears.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until fork tender.

3) Let pears cool slightly and enjoy them warm or at room temperature!  Accompany poached pears with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate sauce, or fresh berries.

Vanilla Lavender Bath Salt

Ingredients:

1 cup of lavender Epsom Salt
1/2 cup sea salt
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
A few drops of purple soap colorant (Optional)
1 dried vanilla bean, break into thirds

Stir all ingredients together until well incorporated.  Transfer to an air tight container until ready to use (preferably after a week to let the vanilla bean infused into the bath salt). 

To Use:
Scoop 1/2 a cup of the bath salt mixture and add into a tub of bath water.  Soak, relax, and enjoy!  















Thank you Singing Dog Vanilla for sponsoring these videos.

How to Make Rose Steamed Buns - Valentine’s Day Recipe Idea

Valentine’s day is less than a week away.  Do you and your loved one celebrate?  My Hubby and I usually prefer staying in and celebrate with the kiddos together with a special dinner.  After all, we didn’t want to head out and dine with the crowds when EVERYONE is out!  hm….is that a sign of getting old?  Perhaps, we are just not romantic in nature, a.k.a. typical parenthood! 



Although we’re staying in on V-day, I still like to prepare something special for my family!  My Kiddos are my little Valentines, too!  This year, I’m making these Rose Shaped Steamed Buns as a special treat.  You’ll find 2 different flavors in my video tutorial.  They are Purple Yam Buns and Rose Flavor Buns, all made with natural ingredients and natural coloring.



In the Purple Yam Bins, I added purple yam powder for the pretty purple color and a hint of purple yam flavor.  It’s slightly sweet and comparable to sweet potato.  For the Rose Buns, I added a little bit of rose extract in the dough.  Just make sure you use a small amount as the rose extract could be quite strong.  If you cannot find rose extract, you can substitute with rose water.  However, the later one is much weaker in aroma and you might need to use more to achieve the same flavor.  I’ll list the ingredients at the end of this post for your reference.



The only thing I was a little bit disappointed was that the pretty pink color in the rose buns turned a little bit orangey after steaming.  You can chose to use store-bought natural food coloring for this recipe is you prefer a more vivid color.  But honestly, I’m sure anyone would be super happy to get these rose buns for Valentine’s Day, despite pink or orange theme!   Wish you all in advance a warm and sweet Valentine’s Day with your loved ones!





Tools and Ingredients Used:
Rose Extract (Click here for more information)
All Natural Food Coloring (Click here for more information)
Grapeseed Oil (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Steamers (Click here for more information)
Active Dry Yeast (Click here for more information)
Purple Yam Powder (Click here for more information)
Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)
Dough/Bench Scraper (Click here for more information)
Rolling Pin (Click here for more information)
Rolling Mat (Click here for more information)
Strainer/Sieve Set (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Spatula Set (Click here for more information)
Measuring Cups Set (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.

How to Make Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake - Super Easy Recipe

Last month, I celebrated my birthday, my 29th birthday!  Oh wait, I think I’m just getting too old that I simply stop counting since my 29th birthday!  What did I do on my birthday?  Besides enjoying a lovely dinner with my family in the evening, I baked myself a birthday cake!  This Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake, to be exact. 



Some of you might think that it’s not right that I have to bake my own cake for my birthday.  But actually, I don’t mind at all.  In fact, it’s quite the opposite.  I quite enjoy spending time in the kitchen, even on my birthday!  Plus, this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake is super easy to prepare, I promise.  It’s pretty much a foolproof recipe to any beginning bakers out there.  It’s super easy to make, thanks to this secret ingredient!  Although this secret ingredient doesn't usually show up in my pantry (as I mostly bake from scratch), it is easy to find and it might appear in the pantry of many homes!  Watch my video tutorial above to find out what it is!  



This cake turned out to be very moist and tender.  It’s packed with decadent dark chocolate flavor and refreshing orange zest.  Dark chocolate and orange flavors are simply the perfect classic combination, in my humble opinion.  I made a chocolate crust on top for a contrast of texture as well.  Each bite, is simply heavenly!  If you’re still looking for a dessert recipe to end your Valentine’s Day dinner with the perfect sweet note, this is THE recipe to make! 



If you make this cake and share with someone, be prepared that they will ask for the recipe!  Yes, this cake is that good!  I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you want to reveal the secret ingredient!  They might be shock that it’s the main ingredient in the cake!  If you have any recipe requests or suggestions, feel free to leave me a comment below.  I would love to hear from you.   Wish you and your loved ones a warm and sweet Valentine’s Day!  Stay tuned for more fun and easy recipes next week!




Ingredients and Tools Used:

10-inch Bundt Pan (Click here for more information)
Edible Gold Leaf (Click here for more information)
Microplane Zester (Click here for more information)
Cooking Spray (Click here for more information)
Whisk (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Devil’s Food Cake Mix (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Click here for more information)
Food Decorating Tongs/Tweezers (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.

How to Make Chocolate Lava Cakes 朱古力心太軟

What is your all time favorite dessert?  Let me rephrase it.  If you can only enjoy just 1 type of dessert for the rest of your life, what would you pick?  I’m sure my whole family would have the same answer….THIS, Chocolate Lava Cake 朱古力心太軟!  



If you get to taste this cake, I’m sure you would have agreed to my previous statement.  This Chocolate Lava Cake is rich, decadent, and so satisfying.  The edges of the cake is slightly crunchy, similar to the edges of a good brownie.  And the center of the cake is light and tender.  When you spoon into the cake, you’ll see the warm chocolate 'lava' oozing out!  The cake itself is not overly sweet but definitely rich and deep in chocolate flavor.  I love pairing it with a scoop of homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream for a contrast of temperature and texture.  



This cake might look fancy and difficult to make, but it’s quite easy to prepare.  I have a foolproof recipe for you and if you follow my tips and tricks in the video tutorial, you can definitely make it too.  If you make this dessert for your sweethearts, you’ll definitely melt their hearts!  Shhh….no one has to know it’s actually so easy to make.  Let them think you spend all day in the kitchen to make this for them!  Since this recipe yields 4 cakes, it might be too many for a romantic dinner for 2.  If you are not planning to bake all 4 cakes, you can prepare the batter the same way and keep unbaked ones in the ramekins in the fridge until you are ready to bake.  So, if you’re planning a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at home, you can prepare the batter ahead of time and bake off the cakes at a later time.



I hope you have enjoyed today’s recipe and tutorial and will try this recipe soon.  Thank you so much for stopping by and stay tuned for more fun recipe.

Ingredients and Tools Used:
6 ounces Ramekins (Click here for more information)
Valrhona Cocoa Powder (Click here for more information)
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate (Click here for more information)
Heart Shape Stencil (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Powdered Sugar Shaker (Click here for more information)
Whisk (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)
Oven Mitts (Click here for more information)
Organic All-Purpose Flour (Click here for more information)
Silicone Pastry Brush (Click here for more information)

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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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