Cheesecake

I like to make my own cheesecake because I can customize the ingredients. Cheesecake makes nice gift too during holiday seasons. This recipe is good for 2 cheesecakes, I usually make two at a time, one for my family, one to bless someone.

Ingredients:

• 3 packages of cream cheese (250g each),take it out from the fridge and set it aside until soft at room temperature.
• 1 cup sugar
• 4-5 eggs (depends on the size..medium or large)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup lime, another option is 1/4 cup coffee
• 1 cup milk
• 1 can of cherry/cranberry sauce for topping (you can make your own too by cooking your own fresh fruit with sugar and water until the liquid thicken
• For the crust, if you prepare this yourself, you need 12-14 Oreos or graham crackers for each bottom of cheese cakes. Chop or crush the cookies until very fine, mix with some butter. Then press to the bottom of your pan.

You will also need:

- Two 8" round cheesecake pans (can be aluminium foil pan with prepared crust you can buy from the grocery store or your own spring foam pans)

- big rectangular broiler pans are also helpful if you have one, this can prevent the cheesecake from breaking.
- Mixer

1. Mix the cream cheese until soft with sugar in a bowl with medium speed.
2. Beat in the egg one at a time.
3. Mix in your vanilla, milk, lime juice or coffee.
4. Bake in the oven between 325º F - 350º F (162º C - 175º C). If you have broiler pan, pour one inch of hot water to the bottom of broiler pan. Then set the cheesecakes on top of the cover/top part of the broiler pan. If you don't have broiler pan, then you can just put your cheesecakes on top of regular rectangular pan and set a lower heat.
5. Take out from the oven, let them cool , then refrigerate for few hours.
6. Then spread your cherry/cranberry sauce on top. I figured 1 can can be used for two cheesecakes.
7. Put it in the freezer for easy cutting, or use a paring knife dipped in hot water to cut it before serving.

Lemon Grass Chicken

I was just tired of my old recipes, so I created this dish, and it turned out to be pretty good. If you love Thai or other Southeast Asian food, you might like this one.

Ingredients :

1/2 skinless chicken, cut into four, seasoned with salt & lime
1/2 chopped fresh lemongrass
Few chopped lime leaves
Some sliced red chilies or you can use garlic chili sauce
2-3 sliced shallots/ 1/2 big red onion
2-3 chopped garlics
Salt
1-2 tbsp sugar
Lime juice
Cooking oil (I use olive oil sometimes for healthy option)

• Heat some oil in a frying pan (medium heat), fry your chicken until half cooked, cool, separate the meat from the bone, set aside.
• Put 2-3 tbsp oil in the frying pan, and fry your shallots, garlic, lemongrass, lime leaves for few minutes.
• Fry your chilies or chili sauce for 2 minutes, then add your chicken, stir add some salt, lime juice & sugar for taste.
• Enjoy your dish with steamed/cooked white rice.
  

Banana Bread

This is our family favourite, and it's so easy to make, and is guaranteed to turn out good!

Ingredient:

2 to 3 ripe mashed banana

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter/margarine (about 3 tbsp)

3/4 to 1 cup sugar

1 3/4 to 2 cup flour

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp baking soda

a pinch of salt

Raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries, peanuts, almonds, etc (optional)

Mix together the first 6 ingredients for 1 minute with a mixer (at medium speed). Then mix in the rest of the ingredient with slow speed.

If you use a non-stick banana bread baking pan, grease inside the pan with some margarine. If you use a regular pan, then you need to put some margarine and flour.

Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes to an hour.

Shortbread Cookie

These are yoummy cookies for your holidays, especially Christmas.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

3/4 cups butter

1 cup sugar

Beat the butter until smooth about one minute, mix with sugar, beat again for another 2 minutes. Blend in the flour, and knead a little. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Then roll it out on a flat surface (put some flour on it), and cut it with your favourite cookie cutter. Arrange your cookies on wax paper. Bake in an oven at 350F for about 15 minutes. You can decorate them if you like. Enjoy!