BANANA TRIPLE BERRY ALMOND CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES RECIPE

yields 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup blueberries, washed
• ½ cup raspberries, washed
• ½ cup blackberries, washed
• 1 banana, peeled and sliced
• 4 extra large eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup 1% low fat milk
• ¼ cup sugar (optional)
• 1 ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup almonds, sliced
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• 1 salted butter stick
• fruit jam (optional)
• frosting (optional)
• other fruits of your choice, washed and seeded if needed (optional)

PREPARATION:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

2. Line a muffin tray with 2 baking cups for each cupcake. Butter and flour baking cups.

3. Using a food processor, grind fruits. Add baking soda, almonds, and chocolate chips. Mix.

4. Meanwhile, microwave butter in a bowl for 15 seconds.

Add sugar and mix (optional).

Transfer this mixture into a larger bowl. Add 1 egg, ¼ cup of flour, ¼ of fruit mix, and 1/8 cup of milk. Mix. Repeat 3 times for remaining ingredients.

5. Fill baking cups with batter.

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

7. Stick toothpick in each cupcake. If toothpick comes out clean, it is ready.

8. After cooling, take cupcakes out of tray.

9. Remove baking cups from cupcakes. Spread fruit jam, frosting, and fruits on top of cupcakes (optional).

10. Enjoy!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RICE SOUP RECIPE

This recipe was taken from createengwp(2012) BUTTERCUP SQUASH SOUP RECIPE.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Butternut squash, stemmed, halved or quartered, and seeded

• 3-5 layers small onion, stemmed, halved, peeled, and chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons chicken starch
• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• olive oil or cooking spray
• 1” water in baking pan
• water about 1” away from the top of the pot
• 3-4 bowls cooked (brown) rice

PREPARATION:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°.
2. Put enough olive oil or cooking spray to cover the bottom and sides of baking pan. Add water.
3. Face the interior of the butternut squash down on the pan.
4. Bake squash for approximately 45-50 minutes.
5. Open the oven door completely for cooling.

6. Meanwhile, boil water in pot over low heat.

When squash is cooled, remove from oven, flip, scoop out flesh, and transfer it to pot of boiling water.

7. Add butter, salt, chicken starch, onion, mayonnaise, garlic, and black pepper.

8. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tip: For extra flavor, cook longer.

9. Add cooked (brown) rice and stir.

10. Test taste; add additional seasoning or water to your liking and stir.
11. Remove from heat.
12. Serve.

BELL PEPPERS, GROUND BEEF, AND TOFU RICE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ pound ground beef, defrosted and chopped
• 1 package firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes
• 1 ½ teaspoons corn oil
• 2 extra large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 5 bowls cooked rice
• ½ red pepper, seeded, washed, and chopped
• ½ green pepper, seeded, washed, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dumpling sauce (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5 shredded pieces salted spicy radish, chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chicken starch
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/8 cup red cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon (light) soy sauce

PREPARATION:

1. Heat corn oil in pan over low heat. Add beef and red cooking wine.

2. When beef is no longer red, add tofu, bell peppers, and other remaining ingredients except rice. Stir.

3. Add rice. Stir.

4. Test taste.

Note: The red cooking wine and sauces have seasoning so tweak recipe if necessary.

5. Serve.

COFFEE TEA EGGS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 extra large eggs
• sufficient water for eggs’ surfaces coverage
• 4 teaspoons French roast coffee
• 2 Lipton tea bags
• 3 tablespoons Tie Guan Yin tea leaves
• 10 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons Longjing tea leaves

 

PREPARATION:

1. Place eggs into a pot of water. Boil eggs on medium-high heat for 15 minutes.

2. Discard water. Allow eggs to rest in pot and decrease in temperature. Clean eggs with cold water.

3. Using a fork’s end, crack eggs. For presentation and flavoring purposes, make lots of cracks in them.

4. In a pot of water, add coffee, tea bags, Tie Guan Yin tea leaves, 3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, and sugar. Boil on low heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Due to evaporation, additional water might be necessary.

5. Place eggs into mixture and let it be for 3 hours and 45 minutes. If you prefer subtle flavor and light brown hues, skip steps 6-8.

6. Leave the pot of eggs and mixture in the refrigerator until the following day.

7. Add 7 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of light soy sauce, and Longjing tea leaves. Re-heat on low setting for 2 hours. Again, additional water is required.

8. Allow eggs to sit in mixture for 3 hours.

9. Take eggs out of the pot.

10. Peel eggs’ shells and membranes.

TOMATO SOUP RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tomatoes, washed and chopped
• 10 baby carrots, washed and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, washed and chopped
• 1 Idaho potato, peeled, washed, and chopped
• 4-5 pork neck pieces, defrosted, washed, chopped, and cooked (Any pork part will do but I think the shoulder and thigh taste best.)
• 5 tablespoons vodka sauce
• 2 teaspoons chicken starch
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, grounded
• 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
• ~1 small pot of water

PREPARATION:

1. Add tomatoes, carrots, celery, potato, and pork into a pot of water. Heat on medium or high for 10-15 minutes.

2. Add vodka sauce, tomato ketchup, chicken starch, and black pepper.

3. Decrease to low heat and stir while cooking for 45 minutes.

4. Taste to test and add seasoning, if needed.

5. Serve.