Mulled Wine

中文版：

圣诞热红酒

During the Christmas / New Year holiday season, I made several batches of mulled wine.  It is quite tasty and festive, perfect for a layback afternoon by the fireplace.

Most alcohol has evaporated during cooking process, so even people who don’t usually drink can also enjoy it. O(∩_∩)O~ 

The recipe is originally adapted from Ina Garten’s mulled wine from foodnetwork: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mulled-wine-recipe-1950801.  The original version requires more spices, a little too much for my taste.  So I do some minor changes according our preference.  Many thanks to Ina Garten! O(∩_∩)O~

 

Ingredients：

1/2 bottle red wine (I use merlot)
2 oranges
2 cups of apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons of honey
2 cloves

Directions：

Juice one orange and peel the other one.  Arrange orange peel in wine glasses for decoration and more flavors.

Add red wine, orange juice, apple cider, cinnamon, honey and cloves in a stainless steel pot.  Cook over medium high heat until it boils.  Reduce the heat to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

Divide the mulled wine between glasses with orange peels

Serve hot immediately

New Year’s Eve Hot Pot

中文版：元旦火锅

Hot pot is an amazing and authentic way for Chinese people to enjoy food and life.  It is available all year around in China, but it is more popular during winter times.  When cold weather comes, hot pot is not just comfort food, but also very functional.  The pot boils from beginning to the end of whole dinner time so that whatever you eat is always freshly cooked and piping hot. Who doesn’t want that?  O(∩_∩)O~ 

There are so many ways to do hot pot.  It can be as complicated as costing you a couple days to prepare its delicious broth; or it can also be as simple as just adding water to the pot.

I usually go with homemade broth.  Whenever I want to save some time or simply don’t feel like cooking, I buy hot pot kit from Asian grocery stores.

Pick any vegetable and meat you like.  Clean and chop them into small size for easier consumption and faster cooking.  We like thinly sliced beef and lamb, shrimps, Tofu, lotus root, bamboo shoots and snow pea tips. 

This is my go-to spicy hot pot broth base.

I usually prepare two kinds of broth.  One is spicy while the other is not so that everyone will be happy around the table.

Sichuan style dipping sauce usually includes minced garlic, cilantro, green onion, salt and a little bit of oyster sauce.

Everything is ready

Now let’s eat!

Happy New Year everyone O(∩_∩)O~

Smoked Cornish Hen with Five-spice Powder

中文：五香熏鸡

Since the day we got the new Masterbuilt smoker earlier this year,  we've become obsessed trying different recipes smoking a variety kinds of meat O(∩_∩)O~ I did a smoked Cornish hen this time with a little bit of Asian twist in it.  It turns out gorgeous and quite tasty.  It might just  be our new favorite!

Ingredients：

1 Cornish hen
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons rice cooking wine
1 to 2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 to 2 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups of water
salt to taste

 

Directions：

Add ground white pepper, rice cooking wine, sugar, soy sauce and salt to a medium bowl.  Whisk while slowly adding water to the bowl. 

Add Cornish hen.  Massage for a few seconds.  Cover with plastic wrap.

 Refrigerate overnight.  Flip the hen once or twice in between to marinate more evenly.

Preheat the smoker to 225 F/107 C

Add Cornish hen.  Smoke for about 3 hours or until it is golden brown.

I have to tell you this is one of most beautiful smoked chickens I have ever seen O(∩_∩)O~

A duck has been smoked before adding the Cornish hen to smoker.   Here is how to smoke a duck with sea salt and Sichuan peppercorns.

Asian Peanut Butter and Brown Sugar Bread

This is another one of my comfort foods.  Whenever I am under the weather or exhausted, I crave for these little bread rolls loaded with deliciousness and calories.  Or sometimes I just want them, no excuses needed O(∩_∩)O~

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

 

Directions：

Microwave the milk on high for 20 to 30 seconds.

Add warm milk, along with flour, oil and salt to the bread machine.  Sprinkle yeast on top.

Choose dough cycle and start the bread machine.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and peanut butter together

Try to mix as smoothly as possible

Allow the dough to proof for 20 minutes

Transfer the dough to a large well-dusted wooden board

With a large rolling pin, roll the dough into a large flat sheet , 1/4 inch in height

Roll it up

Roll from one end towards the other into a big lollipop of dough.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes

Roll the dough flat and thin again with the rolling pin

Roll it up again

Cut into 1.5 or 2 inches long pieces

Shape each piece into a ball

Gently roll them flat a little bit.  Transfer them to a cookie pan lined up with silicone baking mat

Cover with plastic wrap and allow them to proof for another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F / 204C

Bake in the oven for 14 to 16 minutes

The whole house smells so good when the bread is baked in the oven.