Category: Recipes

Desserts

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

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I love whipped cream cakes. They are delicious! Love how the whipped cream just melts in my mouth. Making whipped cream is easy, but how do you make it sturdy enough for a cake? It’s not hard at all. To make sturdy whipped cream, the key ingredient is instant pudding dry powder. This will make the whipped cream sturdy enough to stay at room temperature.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cold whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding dry powder
  • 3-4 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Food coloring (optional)

Directions:

In a stand mixer, mix in all the ingredients except the food color.

Mix it on medium until it forms a stiff peak.

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

Add food color if desired.

This recipe makes enough to fill and frost a 2 or 3-layer 8-9 inch cake.

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting
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Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Cold whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp Vanilla or white chocolate pudding dry powder
  • 3-4 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  • In a stand mixer, mix in all the ingredients except the food color. Mix it on medium until it forms a stiff peak. Add food color if desire. This recipe makes enough to fill and frost a 2 or 3 layer 8-9 inch cake.
Desserts

Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Everyone has their own preference on how they like their chocolate chip cookies. My husband likes his thin and crispy. He was so motivated to find the perfect thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies recipe. He tried so many recipes and failed many times. I found a recipe that was almost perfect. It was a little bit greasy so I decided to use less butter and that did the trick. This recipe turns out perfect every time.

thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks Butter
  • 1 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups Flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 Cups Chocolate Chips



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar.

Add in the eggs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low.

Add in 1 cup of flour at a time.

When the cookie dough is ready, stir in the chocolate chips using a spatula.

thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies



Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls and place them on the sheet.

thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies

By rolling the dough, you’ll get a nice, smooth surface. If you prefer texture then just scoop the dough onto the sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool down. Don’t worry if the cookies are still puffy. Once you take them off the cookie sheet to cool down, the puffiness will decrease. Enjoy!

thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies

thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies
Print Recipe

Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks Butter
  • 1 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 1/4 Cups Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350.
  • In a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low. Add in 1 cup of flour at a time.
  • When the cookie dough is ready, stir in the chocolate chips using a spatula.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls and place them on the sheet.
  • Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool down. Enjoy!

Appetizers

Hmong Egg Rolls Recipe

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If you have never had Hmong Egg Rolls before, you have to try. It’s so delicious and flavorful that you’ll want more. I have made egg rolls for so many people and every one of them always tells me that it’s very delicious; the best egg rolls that they ever had. Once you’ve tried Hmong Egg Rolls, you’ll want to make them yourself instead of ordering it from Chinese restaurants.

Hmong egg rolls

Egg rolls are a very popular dish to make. Hmong people make it during birthdays, weddings, baby showers, holidays, gatherings, events, etc. It’s always a success because it’s so yummy. Egg rolls are usually served with sweet chili sauce, peanut sauce, or Thai chili pepper sauce. The sauce helps add more flavors to it. My personal favorite is the spicy peanut sauce.

Egg rolls are one of my favorites growing up. Whenever my family makes egg rolls, my sisters and I would help my mom roll them. We probably make about 50-75 egg rolls each time. My mom usually eye ball all the seasonings so it taste kind of different each time. I guess that’s whom I got it from. I eye ball the seasonings too until I decided I needed a recipe for my blog.

You can get the egg roll wrappers and bean thread noodles at any Asian grocery stores. Some grocery stores do carry the bean thread noodles in the Asian isle too.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Pack (25 sheets) TYJ Spring Roll Pastry wrappers (or 1 pack with 50 sheets)
  • 1 ½ lbs Ground meat of your choice (beef, pork, chicken, turkey)
  • 1 large Cabbage, shredded
  • 3 Carrots or 1 bag of shredded carrots
  • 4 Bundles of Bean thread noodles
  • 5 Stalks of Green Onions
  • ½ cup Cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Egg yolk, for sealing
  • 1/4 cup Oyster Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder

Directions:

First, take out the egg rolls wrapper from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. Prep the ingredients by soaking the bean thread noodles, shred the cabbage, shred the carrots, cut the green onions, and chop the cilantro.

When the noodles are soft, let it drain. Then cut the noodles until they are about 2-3 inches and not too long.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, bean thread noodles, ground meat, and eggs. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Add Oyster sauce and hoisin sauce.

Hmong egg roll

Wearing a cooking glove, use your hands to fold everything together until well blended.

Hmong egg roll

Crack an egg yolk into a small bowl. This is for sealing the egg rolls.

egg yolk

Peel the egg roll wrappers into a plate. Wrap the egg rolls tightly (shown in the pictures) and seal it using the egg yolk.

egg roll wrappers

Hmong egg roll Hmong egg roll Hmong egg roll Hmong egg roll Hmong egg roll

Fry the egg rolls on a medium heat (350 degrees) for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Hmong egg roll

When it is cooked, stand the egg rolls up in a bowl with paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Hmong egg roll

Be careful, it is hot! Enjoy!

Hmong egg roll

Hmong egg rolls
Print Recipe

Hmong Egg Rolls Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 Pack (25 sheets) TYJ Spring Roll Pastry wrappers (or 1 pack with 50 sheets)
  • 1 ½ lbs Ground meat of your choice (beef, pork, chicken, turkey)
  • 1 large Cabbage, shredded
  • 4 Bean Thread Noodles bundles
  • 5 Stalks of Green Onions
  • 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Egg Yolk for sealing
  • 1/4 cup Oyster Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

  • First, take out the egg rolls wrapper from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. Prep the ingredients by soaking the bean thread noodles, shred the cabbage, shred the carrots, cut the green onions, and chop the cilantro.
  • When the noodles are soft, let it drain. Then cut the noodles until they are about 2-3 inches and not too long.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, bean thread noodles, ground meat, and eggs. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Add Oyster sauce and hoisin sauce. Wearing a cooking glove, use your hands to fold everything together until well blended.
  • Crack an egg yolk into a small bowl. This is for sealing the egg rolls. Peel the egg roll wrappers into a plate. Wrap the egg rolls tightly (shown in the pictures) and seal it using the egg yolk.
  • Fry the egg rolls on a medium heat (350 degrees) for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. When it is cooked, stand the egg rolls up in a bowl with paper towel to drain the excess oil.
  • Be careful, it is hot! Enjoy! 
Side Dish

Funeral Potatoes

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Funeral potatoes are very popular in the Mormon church. They call it funeral potatoes because it is are typically serve after a funeral. Nowadays it’s very common to have funeral potatoes at gatherings, events at church, or anytime year round.

These funeral potatoes are amazing! It is very flavorful and the cornflakes add a crunch to it. This cheesy potatoes are great as a side dish. I love bacon so I add it in mine. It will be a hit at your dinner table.

funeral potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 30 oz bag of Frozen Hash Brown, thawed
  • 1/2 cup Onions, diced
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
  • 6 tbsp Butter, melted
  • 1 can of Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 cup Sour cream
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 1/2 cup Cornflakes
  • 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 pack Bacon, cooked and sliced (Optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. In a medium skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter and saute the onions until translucent. Add in the minced garlic until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Cook the bacon and cut it into bites pieces.
  2. In a large bowl mixed together the hash brown, onions, garlic, bacon, condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream, parmesan cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, salt, and black peppers.
  3. Spread the mixture into a 9×13 baking pan. Add the remaining cheese on top.
  4. Melt the 4 tbsp of butter and mix the cornflakes with the Panko bread crumbs in a bowl. Spread the cornflakes and bread crumbs on top of the pan evenly.
  5. Bake for 60 minutes or until cooked.
funeral potatoes
Print Recipe

Funeral Potatoes

Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 30 oz bag of Frozen Hash Brown thawed
  • 1/2 cup Onions diced
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic minced
  • 6 tbsp Butter melted
  • 1 can of Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 1/2 cup Cornflakes
  • 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumb
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 pack of Bacon cooked and sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. In a medium skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter and saute the onions until translucent. Add in the minced garlic until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Cook the bacon and cut it into bite pieces.
  • In a large bowl mixed together the hash brown, onions, garlic, bacon, condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream, parmesan cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, salt, and black peppers.
  • Spread the mixture into a 9x13 baking pan. Add the remaining cheese on top.
  • Melt the 4 tbsp of butter and mix the cornflakes with the panko bread crumbs in a bowl. Spread the cornflakes and bread crumbs on top of the pan evenly. Bake for 60 minutes or until cooked.
Main Dish

Beef Pho Recipe

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Beef Pho is one of my favorite comfort food. My husband loves pho so I make it at least once a month. Every time I make it we would have it for lunch and dinner because there’s so much broth for my small family. It is kind of hard to get leg or knuckle bones where I live so I don’t use those when I make mine. Once in awhile I’ll use oxtail bones. They are kind of pricy here.

I remembered my mom making pho with leg bones outside in a large pot. It always took forever for it to be done cooking. It was so delicious that it filled me up every time. Meat balls are always my favorite and one of the best part in pho.

Everyone makes their pho differently so don’t judge. Each pho bowl will taste differently if you add condiments. I like my pho broth to be spicy and sour so my broth will be red instead of brown.

Beef Pho

Broth Ingredients:

  • 1-2 Beef bones with marrow: oxtails, knuckle bones, leg bones
  • 1/2 lb Beef meat: chuck roast, brisket, flank
  • 2 charred onion (rinse and remove black parts before throwing into the pot) or cut in half and throw it in
  • 1 – 4 inch charred ginger (rinse and remove black parts before throwing into the pot – optional)
  • 1 Gia Vi Nau Pho Bac spice packet (small white mesh bag with coriander, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cardamom)

Pho spice packet

  • 1-2 gallon water
  • 1-2 tbsp Pho broth soup base

Other Ingredients:

  • Fresh mint
  • Cilantro
  • Green Onions
  • Basil
  • Bean sprouts
  • Limes
  • Jalapeno
  • Meatballs
  • Vietnamese Ham
  • Peanuts (optional)
  • Peanut butter (optional)

Sauces:

  • Sriracha
  • Ground Chili Oil (spicy)
  • Instant Beef paste
  • Hoisin
  • Soy Sauce
  • Fish sauce

Pho condiments

Directions:

  1. If you don’t want to use any bone that is fine. It will decrease the cook time. Skip step 2-6
  2. Wash the beef bones clean to get rid of any small bones.
  3. Add the bones to a large pot and fill with water until bones are cover.
  4. Boil the bones for 5-10 minutes to get rid of the impurities
  5. Pour the water out and rinse the bones. Be careful, it’s hot!
  6. Put the bones back into the pot and fill the pot with cold water
  7. Add the beef meat (if you want to cook your meat beforehand) to a pot with water
  8. Let it boil and cook for an hour
  9. Add the charred onion, charred ginger, spice packet, pho broth seasoning
  10. Cook for additional 1-4 hours. Cook longer if you want stronger flavor.
  11. Season to your tasting. Enjoy!

Pho Broth

Beef Pho

Beef Pho
Print Recipe

Beef Pho Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Servings: 10

Ingredients

  • 1-2 Beef bones with marrow: oxtails, knuckle bones, leg bones
  • 1/2 lb Beef meat: chuck roast, brisket, flank
  • 2 Charred onion (rinse and remove black parts before throwing into the pot) or cut in half and throw it in
  • 1 4 inch charred ginger (rinse and remove black parts before throwing into the pot – optional)
  • 1 Gia Vi Nau Pho Bac spice packet (small white mesh bag with coriander, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel, cardamom)
  • 1-2 Gallon Water
  • 1-2 tbsp Pho Broth Soup Base

Toppings

  • Fresh Mint
  • Cilantro
  • Green onions
  • Basil
  • Bean sprouts
  • Jalapenos
  • Meatballs
  • Vietnamese Ham
  • Peanuts (Optional)
  • Peanut Butter (Optional)

Condiments

  • Sriracha
  • Ground Chili Oil (Spicy)
  • Instant Beef Paste
  • Hoisin
  • Soy Sauce
  • Fish Sauce

Instructions

  • If you don’t want to use any bone that is fine. It will decrease the cook time. Skip step 2-6
  • Wash the beef bones clean to get rid of any small bones.
  • Add the bones to a large pot and fill with water until bones are cover.
  • Boil the bones for 5-10 minutes to get rid of the impurities
  • Pour the water out and rinse the bones. Be careful, it's hot!
  • Put the bones back into the pot and fill the pot with cold water
  • Add the beef meat (if you want to cook your meat beforehand) to a pot with water
  • Let it boil and cook for an hour
  • Add the charred onion, charred ginger, spice packet, pho broth seasoning
  • Cook for additional 1-4 hours. Cook longer if you want stronger flavor.
  • Season to your tasting. Enjoy!