Brownies from scratch

https://gimmedelicious.com/easy-one-bowl-fudgy-cocoa-brownies/

As advertised, easy one bowl brownies.  Actually melted butter, cocoa and sugar and then mixed everything in the pot used to melt the butter... before transferring to baking pan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup melted butter or 1 stick
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup sugar see note
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt leave out if using salted butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 square pan or line with foil and set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and sugar stir until fully dissolved.
• Add eggs one at a time then vanilla and stir until well combined.
• Stir in flour and salt until the flour is fully combine. Be careful not to overmix mix.
• (optional) fold in 1 cup of nuts, raisins, chocolate chips or anything you desire.
• Spread in pan and bake for approximately 20-22 minutes or until the center is slightly set.  Be careful not to over-bake!
• Cool completely then cut into 9 large squares or 16 small squares ( I cut mine into 16)

Bagels

https://www.skinnytaste.com/easy-bagel-recipe/

A little bready, not very chewy.  but pretty good.  We topped with Everything Bagel as well as Honey Sesame Cashew - left over from the Trader Joes snack.

Easy Bagel Recipe

PREP TIME:5 mins

COOK TIME:25 mins

REST TIME:15 mins

TOTAL TIME:30 mins

COURSE: Breakfast, Brunch

CUISINE: American

This easy homemade bagel recipe is made from scratch with just four (5) ingredients – flour, Greek yogurt, egg white, baking powder and salt!  No yeast, no boiling, no fancy mixer. Bake them in the oven or in the air-fryer!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (5 oz) unbleached all purpose flour, whole wheat or gluten-free mix*
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (make sure it's not expired or it won't rise)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if using table salt)
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (not regular yogurt, it will be too sticky)
• 1 egg white (beaten (whole egg works fine too))
• optional toppings: everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes**

Save

Instructions

Oven Method:

• Preheat oven to 375F. Place parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet. If using parchment paper, spray with oil to avoid sticking.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well. Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.
• Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 15 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
• Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels. (or you can make a ball and poke a hole in the center then stretch it slightly)
• Top with egg wash and sprinkle both sides with seasoning of your choice. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Air Fryer Method:

• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well. Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.
• Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 20 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
• Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels.
• Top with egg wash and sprinkle both sides with seasoning of your choice.
• Preheat the air fryer 280F degrees. Transfer in batches without overcrowding and bake 15 to 16 minutes, or until golden. No need to turn. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

*To make them gluten-free I tested them with Bob's Redmill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour mix, see notes above for oven temp and bake time. The points are 4 SP each with this flour.

**Toppings may add calories and points.

Adapted from Bella Gets Waisted

Serving: 1bagel, Calories: 152kcal, Carbohydrates: 26.5g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 0.3g, Sodium: 434mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2.5g

Blue Smart Points: 3

 

Green Smart Points: 4

 

Purple Smart Points: 3

 

Points +: 4

Snow fungus soup

Snow fungus soup

based loosely on the following 2 recipes
https://www.sharefood.sg/2018/10/23/snow-fungus-chicken-soup/
https://www.ahappymomslife.com/recipe/snow-fungus-soup/

1.  First I cleaned the snow fungus -I boiled some water and placed it in the hot water to rehydrate.  After it rehydrated, I cut away the stem and cut the rest into small pieces.

Here's a tip on removing the steam of the snow fungus after soaking it in hot water

Here are some tips to prepare the snow fungus before cooking. Soak the snow fungus in hot water till it softens. Remove the steam on the underside of the snow fungus as it remains firm even after soaking. Cut into smaller pieces and set aside for cooking

2. I cooked the soup base. I had turkey stock on hand.  I also added some rehydrated and sliced shitake mushrooms and a few small slices of ginger

3. I boiled those ingredients - soup stock, snow fungus, ginger and mushrooms together.  I seasoned to taste with white pepper and salt

Butter cut out cookies

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cut-out-butter-cookies

Butter cut out cookies

Dough must be chilled.  Dough gets soft very quickly, but when the dough is chilled properly a lot of detail can be seen in the cut out cookies.  I chilled dough after it was cut out as well, before it went into the oven.  Cookies didn't spread.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter
 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
 
• 2 large eggs
 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
 
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
 
• Royal Icing
 
• Garnishes: sanding sugar, sprinkles, nonpariels, candy beads

How to Make It

Step 1

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar gradually, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Step 2

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl; beat into butter mixture gradually. Divide dough into 4 pieces, and flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 4

Roll each portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out with 3- or 4-inch cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets.

Step 5

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Let cool 3 minutes on baking sheets; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Step 6

Pipe cookies with Royal Icing; garnish, if desired.

Sai fun

Dried shrimp (soaked)
Chinese sausage, cut into small pieces
Glass noodles (soaked until soft)

Stir fry sausage until cooked thru,  remove
Stir fry shrimp
Add soaked glass noodles to shrimp,  stir fry,  then add water until noodles covered,  add salt, add dark soy sauce and white part of scallion
Let simmer till noodles cooked thru,  then add back sausage and green part of scallion

Then serve

Chinese steamed egg

3 eggs 

4 or 5 egg shells worth of water (less water for firmer consistency

Salt to taste

Mix ingredients together,  steam for approx 15 minutes

If you want it without bubbles,  strain it

Pork and Shrimp Siu mai

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/03/pork-shrimp-siu-mai-steamed-chinese-dumplings-recipe.html

doubled all ingredients except for pork fat.  Used pork shoulder.  diced by hand (not food processor).  Needs a bit more seasoning, but filling makes a good wonton filling.  forgot ginger

Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai (Steamed Chinese Dumplings) Recipe

SHAO Z.

Siu mai, the Chinese steamed pork and shrimp dumplings, are one of the most popular items at dim sum parlors. But you don't have to go out just to enjoy them, because they're one of the easiest dumplings to make at home.

Why this recipe works:

• Pork fat makes the filling incredibly juicy and flavorful.
• Soaking the shrimp in baking-soda water ensures they are even mroe plump when cooked.

Note: For a pop of color, I put minced carrots on top of the siu mai and a thin round of sliced carrot on the bottom, but tobiko (flying fish roe), ikura (salmon roe), peas, or chopped scallion can also be used to top each siu mai; if using tobiko or ikura, add those at the end when the siu mai are out of the steamer. To freeze siu mai, arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer to freezer until frozen, about 30 minutes. Transfer siu mai to a zipper-lock bag and keep in freezer until ready to use. To cook frozen dumplings, add to steamer while still frozen and cook until done, about 10 minutes.

YIELD:Makes about 15 dumplings
ACTIVE TIME:1 hourTOTAL TIME:2 hours

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 pound bonesless pork, such as shoulder, cut into large cubes
• 2 ounces pork fat, such as fatback or fatty belly, finely diced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh peeled ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package extra-thin wonton wrappers or regular wonton wrappers
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced into 15-20 rounds and the rest finely minced (optional, see note above)

• Directions

  1. 1.
     In a medium bowl, cover shrimp with cold water and stir in baking soda. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse shrimp under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels.
  2. 2.
     Place the shrimp in a food processor and pulse 10 times, until coarsely chopped. Transfer shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Add pork and pork fat to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer pork to bowl with shrimp.
  3. 3.
     Add white pepper, salt, cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger, and sugar to the pork and shrimp, and, using a spatula or chopsticks, mix well until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. 
  4. 4.
     To wrap the siu mai, place 1 wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Bring two opposite corners towards each other, and press gently to adhere them to filling. Repeat with remaining 2 corners to form a little cup around the filling, gently squeezing to hold wrapper in place. Place one carrot round (if using) on the bottom of each siu mai, add a little bit of the minced carrot on top, and transfer to a plate. Continue wrapping the remaining siu mai. The siu mai can be frozen now (see note above) or cooked; note that frozen siu mai are best made without the carrot rounds on the bottom.
  5. 5.
     To steam, line your steamer basket or tray with parchment paper (Napa cabbage laves can also work). Pour enough water into your steaming pot or wok so that the water is about 1 inch below the bottom of the steamer basket or tray. Bring to a boil.
  6. 6.
     Arrange siu mai in the steamer tray, leaving room around each one and steaming in batches if necessary. Steam fresh siu mai until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
  7. 7.
     Transfer to a plate. Serve. (Note that siu mai are traditionally served without a dipping sauce, though if you prefer one, mix soy sauce with a little sesame oil and fresh scallions and serve alongside.)