Cheesecakes

peppermint cheesecake for Christmas time

Post bake--out of oven

spring-form ring off to reveal the entire cake

plain NY cheesecake without topping

blueberry glaze topping

Taro Cake

I have never seen taro cake in an American bakery. Taro cake is popular among asian, specifically Chinese bakeries. The lightly sweetened whipped cream surrounds the mildly sweetened cake.Fresh fruits make this dessert a healthier choice for the health-conscious.

Dragon Fruit

 Derived from the species of cactus, and aka pitayas, dragon fruits carry different names according to their regions of origin--China, Vietnam, Indonesia, or Malaysia. Whether you call it dragon fruit, fire dragon fruit, dragon pearl fruit, sweet dragon, or even strawberry pear, this fruit is originally native to Mexico and Central and South Americas, but many other far east countries and even Australia are not new to the cultivation of pitayas.

Dragon fruits come in few varieties, ranging from sour to sweet. The most commonly seen type is the one shown in the photos above. It is the red pitaya, with red skin and white flesh. It's fleshy texture is similar to that of a kiwi. The seeds are eaten together with the flesh of the fruit. Its taste is mildly sweet and the nutrients to this fruit is astounding, especially high in antioxidants. It is also known to help people who experience hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and high metal toxicity level, among other health ailments.

Vitasoy 70th Year

Happy birthday Vitasoy with your new look to celebrate your 70th year anniversary! I grew up with Vitasoy soy milk with their other variety drinks.

Ruffles Loaded Chili & Cheese

A new twist on flavor.

Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of the most versatile dishes. I prefer a combination of everything--meat, vegetables, spices, roots, etc. So when there is left-over rice, do not waste it. Store it in the refrigerator over night to make fried rice the next day. Left-over rice can stay in the refrigerator for several days. So there is no rush to cook this dish until you are ready. For a twist in this Cantonese style dish, add minced ginger and/or five spice powder to the rice. For more than a twist, add miso or diced preserved fish or even spicy bean curd.

Infested Peaches

Every spring, I have an abundant amount of peaches in my yard. They look pretty from afar, but they are infested with insects (unknown species).

Lasagna

I like using oven-ready pasta for lasagnas. The trick to soft pasta is to add more liquid to the sauce so that the uncooked pasta can absorb the liquid to soften during baking time.The main ingredients to my lasagna are fresh meat, fresh tomatoes and fresh mushrooms. You could make your own home made tomato sauce but here I used store bought tomato sauce for convenience. Choose to make a variety of different types of lasagna with extra or different ingredients such as spinach, chicken, alfredo sauce, etc. Begin stacking!