Popcorn

What to do when you don't own a microwave and you're sick of the super-oily, super-salty stuff from FamilyMart? Get yourself a bag of kernels and pop them yourself in a wok! It's fun and much healthier than the brand name kind.

• 1/2 c kernels
• 1 T butter
• heavy pan with cover
  
• optional: salt, pepper, butter

1. Melt butter in pan over medium heat.
   
2. Add kernels. Cover.
3. Shake pan continuously.
4. When the popcorn is all popped (maybe 2 seconds between pops), turn off the heat.
5. Transfer popcorn to large bowl.
   
6. Optional: add butter to hot pan. Melt it, and then pour over popcorn. Season with salt and freshly grated pepper.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

No pictures this time. I used half water and half milk. I'm not sure if this made it rise any less than normal, since the milk is basic and the soda needed something acidic (hence the vinegar). I'll try it again with just plain water.

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 c sugar
• dash of salt
• 1 egg
  
• splash of vanilla
  
• 1 c semisweet chocolate chips

• 1.5 c flour
• 1 c sugar
• 1/4-1/3 c pure cocoa powder
• 1 t soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c liquid (water, coffee, milk*)
• 1/3 c grapeseed oil
• 1 T vinegar
• 1 t vanilla

1. For the filling, mix the cream cheese, sugar and salt. Add in egg and vanilla. Stir in chips.
2. For the cake, combine the dry ingredients. Add the remaining in a well in the center and mix.
3. Pour batter into lined muffin tins, 1/2 full. Drop a tablespoon of filling into center or dropped evenly over top.
   
4. Bake 180C/350F for 25 minutes or until done. Makes 18 cupcakes, depending on size.

Variations

• Bake as cake in square pan. 9x9 for 40 min. 8x8 for ??.
  
• Next time, a splash of cinnamon in the cake mixture?
  

Notes

1/11/11 Made this again with Almond Milk (sweetened) for the liquid, canola oil, apple cider vinegar, and 1/2 c mini choc chips. I softened the cream cheese in the microwave, which made it too gooey. Next time just let it be room temperature. Made 12 cupcakes and 1 ramekin-cake.

Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

I usually make pumpkin cheesecake, but without easy access to pumpkin filling in Taipei, I decided it was time to try something new. And since I don't have a springform pan, I splurged on a premade graham cracker pie crust (also impossible to find graham crackers here) at the local gourmet shop. So here's a cheesecake in pie format.

• 1 ready made graham cracker pie crust (or make your own)
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2-2/3 c sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 3/4 t almond
• 1/2 c chocolate chips, melted

1. Blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth (I did this by hand and it came out a little lumpy, which doesn't affect the taste so much as the presentation).
2. Mix in eggs.
3. Stir in chocolate and extracts.
4. Pour into pie crust. Spread evenly.
   
5. Bake 45 min at 180C (until set). Cool 10 minutes.
6. Refrigerate until set.

Variations
A lot of recipes use sour cream or heavy cream. Both of these are hard to come by here, so I used this relatively simple recipe. Instead of the extracts you could try a splash of Baileys.

Quick and Ugly Snack

I needed a quick snack that wasn't sweet. It turns out ugly, but at least it's done in half an hour.

• 1/2 c flour
• 1/8 t salt
• scant 1/2 c milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 T butter, melted or cut into small pieces
  
• splash of almond extract
• dash of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Mix flour and salt in bowl. Add milk and eggs.
   
3. Stir in butter.
4. Add flavoring.
5. Pour into greased 8x8 pan (up to 9x13). Bake for 25 min or until lightly browned.
6. Eat plain or top with chopped apples, cheese, etc.
   

Bagels by hand

My first time making bagels. Because of my mini oven, I had to make it in two batches. The second one looked better - plumper, and because of the baking tray, browned better (the first one I put on aluminum paper on the sliding grill. I got the recipe online here.
12/11/23 Better to not use baking soda in water. Grease pan just before baking. DBD likes sesame seeds (and would like poppy seeds). Onion tastes good. XBD likes plain.

• 4 c flour
• 1 T sugar
• 1.5 t salt
• 2 t instant yeast
  
• 1 T oil
• 1 1/4-1/2 cup warm water
• optional: coarse salt, sesame seeds, chopped onion (just a sliver)

1. Mix all the ingredients together (no need to proof with instant yeast). Dough will be stiff - add extra water if needed.
2. Knead 10 minutes.
3. Separate into 8 balls. Rest 10-20 minutes.
4. Roll each ball into a snake, longer than widths of both hands. Wrap around the hand, overlap the tapered ends and roll to smooth out. [Note: Alternative method is to poke a hole in middle of ball and make even and round. However, this does not turn out as plump as the primary method]
5. Let rest on lightly floured counter for 20 minutes.
6. Boil wide pot of water. Preheat oven to 220C/425F.
7. Drop bagels in (1-4) at a time. Cook each side for one minute. Remove from pan and dry for a bit.
8. Optional: Place wet bagel on dry plate of toppings.
   
9. Place topping side up on lightly greased pan.
10. Bake 10 minutes. Flip. Bake another 10 minutes.
11. Cool before eating.

Variations

• Slice, toast and serve with cream cheese.
• Slice, top with sauce, veggies, cheese, and bake to make pizza bagels.
• Slice thin and bake on lightly greased tray to make bagel chips.

May 2009


Here's a version where I used baking soda in the water for half the batch (on the right). They turned out a more yellow color.

Dec 2023

Related
- Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

These were simple to make, though I'd like to tweak it next time to reduce the amount of oil. It's also a bit of a chocolate overdose for me - I could probably do with less chips. Though they are melt in your mouth good straight out of the oven. Will have to see how they taste tomorrow.

• 1 3/4 c flour
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/3 c cocoa, unsweetened
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1 c milk
• 1/3 c oil
• 1 t vanilla extract

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in center.
2. In a small bowl, beat the egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.
3. Pour wet ingredients into well. Mix until flour is incorporated (but don't over do it).
4. Pour into 12 muffin tins (greased or paper lined).
   
5. Bake at 200/205 for 20 minutes.
6. Eat warm while the chocolate chips are still melted, or cool for an hour+.
   

Double Chocolate Muffins

March 2023 Can apply baking technique to other muffins - heat at super high heat for 3 min to give highest initial rise, then reduce to normal temperature to cook evenly.

• 2 c flour
• 3/4 c cocoa powder
• 2.5 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1.25 c sugar (scant)
• 2 eggs
• 1.25 c buttermilk (milk + lemon juice)
• 1/4 c butter, melted and cooled (55 g)
• 1/4 c oil
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c chocolate chunks/chips

1. Butter or line muffin tin.
2. Melt butter in medium bowl and let cool.
3. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
4. In butter bowl, add buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
5. Pour wet into dry and stir just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
6. Fill muffin cups almost to top. Bake 3 min at 220C/425F. Reduce heat to 180C/350F and bake for 12-17 min more.
7. Transfer to wire rack. Rest 10 min. Remove from pan and continue to cool.

White Bread

I just made this in the bread machine. It tastes wonderful! It rose too much though, so I need to adjust this recipe in the future. Probably less sugar.

• 2 t yeast
• 4 1/4 c flour
• 3 T sugar (use less next time)
• 1.5 t salt
• 1 c milk, scant
• 1/2 c hot water
• 2 T butter

1. Dump ingredients in bread machine. Set to 2 pound medium crust basic white. Done in 3 hours.
2. Slice. Serve warm with butter or cool down and eat later.

Notes
1/13/2010 I ran out of flour, so only used 3 c bread flour and less than 1 c all purpose flour, plus 2 T sugar, 3/4 c milk and 2 T oil.

Chewy White Bread

9/23/15 Made this bread to serve with the Beef Stew II. It was crusty and the inside was chewy. Had put it on delay and when it was done it was a bit lumpy which probably means it was a bit dry. 1.5 lb loaf, medium setting. *** (or **** if you purposely want a chew bread with lots of bubbles). 
NOTE: Used Canadian flour

• 1 c warm water
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T sugar
• 1 t salt
• 2.5 c flour
• 2 1/4 t yeast