Easy Apple Pie Recipe

Everyone loves apple pie! It's tender and crunchy at the same time, amazingly delicious! It might seem very complicated but it's so easy to make. It's a little bit embarrassing to say but this is my first time ever baking and eating apple pie in the U.S. This is also my first attempt trying to bake it but I must say, it's not as complicated as it seems. In fact, it's extremely easy that everyone can make it. So let's give it a try! 

Ingredients:

1. Pastry for 2 crust pie (2 frozen pie crusts) - I'm using frozen pie crusts for this recipe because I didn't have time to make my own pastry, but if you really want to make your own pastry, check out this pastry recipe. 
2. 6 Granny Smith (green) apples (or any other apples, I'm using Granny Smith apples because I don't like my pie to be too sweet)
3. 1/2 Cup brown sugar
4. 1/2 Cup white granulated sugar
5. 2 tsp. unsalted butter
6. 2 tsp. all-purpose flour or corn starch
7. 1 tsp. lemon juice 
8. 1/4 tsp. salt

Recipe:

Here are 6 fresh Granny Smith apples that I got from WholeFood!

1/ Peel and cut each apple into quarters.

Then slice each quarter into thin slices 

Put all the peeled and sliced apples into a big bowl

2/ Add 1/2 Cup of white granulated sugar and 1/2 Cup of brown sugar to the apples 

3/ Add 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. lemon juice and mix everything up well 

4/ Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours 

5/ Place the apples and their juices in a strainers that is placed over a large bowl for another 15-30 minutes. This will help to capture all the juices from the apples. If you bake apple pie right after without capturing the juice, it would be very watery; the fillings and the crust won't be combined.  

6/ Take the juice collected from the apples and boil over medium-high heat along with 2 tsp. of unsalted butter until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 Cup and is lightly caramelized (syrup-alike texture)

(Alternatively, You can also put the juice in the microwave for about 5-7 minutes)

Frozen Pie Crust

Chilled pie crust 

7/ Meanwhile, take out the frozen crust and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften

8/ Mix the drained apples slices with the cornstarch (or all-purpose flour) then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss well. 

9/ Pour the apples and the syrup into the chilled pie crust. 

10/ Place the top crust over the apples. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and them crimp the edges using a fork. 

11/ Using a sharp knife to make 5-6 slits (1.5 - 2 inches) from the center of the pie out towards the edge to allow the steam to escape.  After that, cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill the pastry

12/ Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (225 degrees C) 

*Remember to place a pan or a piece of aluminum foil to capture the juices from the pie* 

13/ Bake for about 35-50 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits. The apples should feel tender when a fork/knife is inserted to test through one of the silts. 

Optional: To make the pie achieves a beautiful golden brown color, lightly beat an egg to make a wash and brush onto the crust. 

Remove the pie from the oven and place on a write rack to cool about 3-4 hours before cutting 

The pie should have a beautiful golden brown color like this! :) 

Close-up on the center slits 

You can serve warm at room temperature with vanilla ice cream 

The fillings is very tender, not to sweet and buttery. The crust is crunchy and flaky. This apple pie is just perfectly delicious. Everyone can make this easy and yummy dish, give it a try! 

Cheers!

Happy cooking

Cher

August 12, 2013 

Banh Canh Cua - Vietnamese Thick Noodles in Crab Soup Recipe

Hello guys! Today I have decided to do something different. I have created a Youtube channel especially for this blog and I've uploaded my first (cooking) video! For this recipe, I have conducted all the information I found online and created my own version of Banh Canh Cua! If you live in any Asian country, lucky you because you'll be able to find every single ingredient from the original recipe. However, for some of you who are currently living in Western countries, I know it'd be harder for you guys to find such ingredients. I feel you haha! It's really hard to find the exactly same ingredients here in the United States, unless you live in California. So I've created this recipe especially for foreigners and studying abroad students. I hope you guys enjoy! 


Here is my video recipe on Youtube: 

Ingredients: 

Shrimp Cakes: 
1. 1/2 lb. of headless shrimp
2. 2-4 garlic gloves (mashed)
3. 1 tsp. of all-purpose flour/corn starch
4. 1 tsp. sugar
5. 1/2 tsp. salt
6. 1 tsp. pork/chicken powder
7. 1 Cup of vegetable (cooking) oil

Broth: 
1. 8 oz. of crab chunks
2. 5-6 shrimps with shells 
3. 1/2 tsp. sugar
4. Salt
5. Fish sauce
6. 1/2 tsp. pork powder
7. Shrimps shells (leftovers from Shrimp Cakes)
8. ~3 bowls of water

Coloring Oil:
1. Cooking oil
2. 1/8 Cup of Paprika 

Toppings: 
1. 6 oz. of crab meat
2. 1 tsp. fish sauce
3. 1 tsp. pork powder
4. Salt
5. 1/3 Paprika oil (from Coloring Oil Step)
6. Udon noodles/Vietnamese thick noodles 
7. 1/2 tsp. corn starch/tapioca starch 
8. Vietnamese Cilantro
9. Green onions/scallions 
10. Bean sprouts 
11. Straw mushrooms (optional)
12. 1/2 lb pork lean (optional)

Recipe:

1. Wash 1/2 lb. of shrimps under cool running water. Take off the shells (but don't throw them away!) and take out the black veins on the shrimps' backs (these veins are basically waste). Wash them once again and dry with kitchen towel. 

2. Mash about 2-3 gloves of garlic in pestle and mortar then put the shrimps in and continue mashing until combined. You can either marinate the shrimps before mashing or marinate the shrimps after mashing (Marinate with 1 tsp. of sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pork powder). After that, add about 1tsp. of corn starch in the shrimp paste to hold everything together. 

3. Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a small skillet over high heat. Shape the shrimp paste into small and round balls (aka "shrimp cakes"). Wait until the oil is hot enough, lower the heat to medium then put the shrimp cakes in. There should be a 1/2 inch distance from each of the shrimp cakes to prevent sticking. Deep fry until the shrimp cakes reach golden brown color on both sides. Take them out and put on a kitchen towel to let the towel absorbs all the excess oil. 

4. Marinate 8 oz. of crab chunks and 5-6 shrimps (with shells) with 1 tsp. of sugar, a pinch of salt, a bit of fish sauce, and 1/2 tsp. pork powder. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

5. In a medium pot, pour in a little bit of cooking oil. Wait until the oil is hot enough, toss in some mashed garlic and stir until golden brown. After that, put in the shrimp shells in and stir until they're cooked. Put the shrimps & crab chunks mixture in the pot and stir until cooked. Then, add about 3 bowls of water (depends on the servings) then bring to a boil. After it's boiled, lower the heat to low and  shimmer for about 30 minutes - 1 hour. Season to your taste; I usually add pork powder/fish sauce.
*For this step, you can substitute the shrimp shells with pork bones/chicken bones. I couldn't get any the day I was cooking so I just improvised (and it also made the recipe easier).

6. Meanwhile, make the Paprika coloring oil. In a small skillet/pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Wait until the oil is hot enough, put in about 1/8 cup of Paprika powder and stir constantly until it's all dissolved and has a nice red color. Turn off the heat and pour the oil into a bowl.
*The original recipe requires annatto oil (from annatto seed) which I can't find it anywhere in the supermarket. But if you have it, you can substitute it with Paprika.

7. Marinate 6 oz. of crab meat with 1 tsp. of fish sauce, 1 tsp. of pork powder, a little bit of salt and 1 tsp. of sugar. You can also add the coloring oil to make the color appear better.

8. Heat up a small skillet with a bit of oil. Cook the crab meat for about 1-2 minutes then leave it aside.

For the toppings, you can also add some straw mushrooms in the broth if you like. Plus, you can also cook a small piece of pork lean in the broth/separate pot and cut it into thin slices to serve with the soup later on.

9. Pour 1/3 of Paprika coloring oil in the broth for better coloring.

10. Mix 1/2 tsp. of corn starch with water and pour it evenly on the surface of the broth then stir well; this will make the soup thicken. If you do not wish your soup to be thick, skip this step.

11. Either drain/cook the Udon/Vietnamese thick noodles in the broth and it out into a nice bowl.

And now, time for assembling!

12. Assemble the bowl of noodles with cooked crab meat, thin sliced pork, some deep fried shrimp cakes, Vietnamese cilantro, bean sprouts, scallions, fried shallots (optional) and pour the soup on top.

There you go, a delicious and traditional Vietnamese noodles in thick crab soup! :)

Happy cooking, 

Cheers,

August 7, 2013 

Dessert Recipe: Almond Lychee Cheese/Green Tea Panna Cotta (Vietnamese Version) - Che Khuc Bach

Photo credits to Mina Le 

Vietnamese Panna Cotta cubes in sugar syrup (also known as Che Khuc Bach - meaning white cubes in sweet soup in Vietnamese) is currently a very hot trend in Vietnam; everyone is going crazy about this amazing yet simple dish. The white cubes (panna cotta) are made with milk, heavy/whipping cream, sugar, almond extract and cheese; these cubes are kept cool in the fridge for about 5 hours before serving with sugar/lychee syrup. I made it by myself, tried it for the first time and felt in love with it right away; the texture is jelly-like (tofu-lookalike) yet chewy, the cheesy taste is just blown-away! Let's get started and make this super easy and delicious dish!

Preparation time: 30 minutes - 1 hour (+ 5 hours Panna Cotta set in the fridge) 

Ingredients:

• 4/5 Cup/200 ml of Milk (unsweetened)
• 4/5 Cup/200 ml of Heavy/Whipping cream 

*I know there's no 4/5 Cup but try using 1 Cup and don't make it too full! (The reason why I do this is because I like my panna cotta to be firm, but if you do like it soft, use 1 Cup each)*

• 1/3 Cup of Sugar (not too sweet, not too plain; about in the middle; alter to your own preference) 
• 1 pack of unflavored Gelatine 
• 1/4 Cup Cold water 
• 1 Cup of Sugar 
• 1 Ginger 
• Sliced almonds 
• 1 Canned Lychee/Longan
• 1-2 drops of almond extract (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoon of green tea matcha powder (optional)
• 2 cubes of La Vache qui Rit (The Laughing Cow) cheese (optional)

Tools:

• 1-2 plastic rectangular molds/trays/bowls/forms - whatever you can find to put your panna cotta in! 
• Waved knife/Regular knife 
• Whisk
• A small saucepan

Recipe:

1. Bloom the Gelatine

Pour in 1/4 Cup of cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle 1 envelope of Gelatine over the surface. Let it set for at least 5-10 minutes 

2. In a small small pan, add in 4/5 Cup of Milk and 4/5 Cup of Whip Cream along with 1/3 Cup of sugar. Whisk them all up over medium heat to dissolve all the sugar. DO NOT bring to a boil. You can also check out my video below: 

3. After that, mix 2 cubes of The Laughing Cow cheese with 50 ml (1/5 cup) milk in a bowl (remember to subtract the same amount of milk from the original basic for panna cotta because we don't want to use too much milk) and heat it up for about 10s in the microwave. Then, mix it up again until it's smooth and drain it in the saucepan and continue to whisk everything up. *This step is optional, but if you like the cheesy taste then do follow this step!*

If you like the green tea (matcha) flavor then do the same as step 3 by substituting 2 cubes of cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of matcha powder. Mix it up well and drain the mixture to the saucepan and continue to whisk them thoroughly like below: 

4. But if you don't like cheese or green tea, you can just leave it as it is now and add 1-2 drops of almond extract to the mixture and whisk it up!

5. After the gelatine has bloomed, put it in the microwave for about 10s. Mix it up well and add it to the saucepan; turn off the heat and continue to whisk for about 2 more minutes.

6. Drain the mixture into the mold (Make sure that there is no lumps in the mixture of panna cotta) 

6. Let the panna cotta for at least 5 hours. The more you let it set in the fridge, the firmer it's gonna be! But not after 2-3 days, haha!

7. Meanwhile, you can prepare the sugar syrup (sweet soup) and the toasted sliced almonds. I prefer using sweet soup instead of the canned lychee's syrup because it's too sweet for me.

Heat up 2-3 Cup of water in a small saucepan along with 1 Cup of sugar over medium heat to dissolve. After that, add some striped ginger to remove the strong odor of the sugar as well as to freshen the taste of the soup. Wait until the soup is completely cool, either put it in the fridge to keep cool or leave it outside and serve with ice afterwards. 

8. In a small pan/skillet, toast the sliced almonds over medium heat until golden brown. You can either stir it constantly or shake the pan up occasionally. A lot of people prefer shaking the pan to keep the almonds in their shapes; I personally used the stirring method and I found out that it was totally fine as well!

9. Time for assembling the dish!

This is how the set panna cotta would look like: Firm yet chewy! Use a waved knife (or regular knife if you can't find waved knife) and cook the panna cotta into 1" x 1" cubes.

Put some ice to the bowl, then add some canned lychees. After that, put in about 10-15 cubes (up to you!) into the same bowl. Now, pour in the canned lychee's syrup and sweet soup we did earlier (the proportion is 1:3 - 1 lychee's syrup goes with 3 sweet soup. Finally, garnish with some toasted sliced almonds on top and you're doneeee!

Tah-dah! This is how the final product should look like... The taste is indescribably delicious and the smell is amazingly fresh!! I've tried this recipe 3 times and it never failed me! 

Happy cooking and happy eating, guys! 

Cheers! 

Cher Vo

07/24/2013 

Acne Causes + Acne Fighting/Curing Tips for Summer! Oily & Dry Skin Acne Skincare

Hey guys! Today I'm gonna show you guys some tips to cure/fight against the annoying acne during the summer! As you guys all know, it's really hot outside in Boston right now so my skin tends to get oily during the day, this is why pimples started to form on my skin's surface recently. I used to have really bad acne condition when I was younger but I have successfully cured it myself. Whenever I find myself having a breakout or a new pimple, I would immediately feel insecure (who wouldn't, right?) because I'm afraid that the same thing in the past would happen to me again... So if you're having a bad acne condition or just a few pimples that you need to get rid of, keep on reading and I'll show you a lot of useful acne fighting tips! :)

Acne Causes

External Causes: 

Hot weather will easily lead to the openings of hair follicles which will allow bacteria to enter our bodies. Bacteria grow in these clogged follicles and causes blackheads/whiteheads on the skin's surface. Acne occurs when the hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. When your body produces an excess amount of sebum (oily substance) and dead skin cells, it can create a perfect environment for the bacteria to thrive. Moreover, hot weather also makes you sweat more and makes your skin produces more oil than it normally does, which also known as overproduction of oil; this is the main cause of acne during the summer.

Weather-changing is also a cause of acne. Changes in environment - humidity or weather can trigger breakouts easily. Especially when you're traveling, changes in atmosphere can really worsen your acne.  But there's actually nothing you can you about it because it's nature! So just keep yourself hydrated.

A lot of people think that Dirty Skin is the main reason of causing acne. Partially, yes but not always. People tend to scrub their skins harder and cleanse their skins more regularly when they have acne  but it actually doesn't help! Scrubbing or over-cleansing the skin with strong chemicals or soaps would only irritate the skin and can worsen acne. In fact, a little bit oil is required because it would maintain the skin's texture and smoothness.

Internal Causes:

Your diet plan and body dehydration! You are either lacking of one of the essential nutrients or your body is not hydrated enough. Those are usually the main reasons to acne. Moreover, if you're a fan of fast food or fried/oily/greasy products, I have a bad news for you: You need to get rid of these food immediately. I know they are yummy but they would worsen your acne condition because they are extremely bad for your skin; they will give you uneven complexion, blemishes and breakouts easily.

There are three main types of food that cause acne: Dairy, Sodium and Sugar.

1. Dairy: Milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, basically any type of cream. 

2. Sodium: Salt products such as Chips, French fries, nuts, etc.

3. Sugar: Soda, Chocolate, Juice, Candy, etc. However, Sugar is not as big a factor as Sodium and Dairy so you can still consume some Sugar. 

*Also avoid eating chili peppers, hot sauce or spicy food because it will stimulate the growth of acne, especially during the summer time*

Acne Fighting Tips

1/ Separate the acne zone and non-acne zone 

Acne is infectious so you need to separate acne and non-acne zones. When applying toner, use 2 different cotton pads, 1 for the acne zone and 1 for the non-acne zone. Even if you have acne almost everywhere on your face, please still use this tip because it'd spread out easily to the non-acne zone. I used to have a lot of acne on my forehead but non on the rest of my face; this trick worked well for me.

2/ Don't touch your face regularly 

Yes, this might sound a bit ridiculous but every single thing, even your own hands are full of bacteria and dirts.
Please avoid touching your face at all costs because it can inflame the skin and increase the oil production. Especially, don't pop your pimples! I know that your skin feels lighter after popping pimples but please don't do it ever again because it'd worsen the acne condition and leave acne scars afterwards. I used to pop my own pimples and let other people pop my pimples when I was younger but I realized that it was absolutely not a good idea. To be honest, I think it's nasty and hurtful. Your skin will be irritated and inflamed after popping. Even though the pimples seem to fade away after a few days, more pimples are on their way.

*And, don't sit down on a wet bathing suit during the summertime, because it would increase the chance of developing butt acne!* 

3/ Clean makeup equipment/tools after using

Please clean your makeup brushes and sponges after every single usage with brush cleanser. Makeup brushes are constantly collecting leftover makeup and gathering bacteria, which can lead to acne. If you don't have time, clean it once a week. But if you have a bad acne condition and you need to put on makeup every day, clean your makeup tools right after to keep them bacteria-free.

4/ Clean your cellphones with Alcohol/Clorox wipes 

Cellphones gather all kinds of dirt and bacteria throughout the day, it is the biggest hidden cause of acne on the chin and around the mouth. You should clean your cellphone every day with alcohol or Clorox wipes to keep it clean and to protect your face from bacteria.

5/ Clean your Workout Gear + Yoga Mats regularly

When you're going to Yoga class where you have to use communal yoga mats, consider all the people who have came before you! You're using a mat that other people have been on and imagine the sweat and everything... urgh. And it's yoga, you will be dripping with sweat and oil and rubbing your face against the bacteria on the mat, this will definitely lead to breakout. So, place a clean towel on the end of the mat where your head and face will be, even if you're using your own yoga mat.

Workout gear/clothing will also cause frictional acne as it constantly rubs against your body making you sweat. However, your skin ends up being irritate and eventually develop tiny little red bumps which are actually body acne. I don't know about you but I actually prefer working out in loose athletic clothing!

6/ Use anti-residue shampoo once a week 

Forehead acne is usually caused by bangs. Yes, they might be stylish but they're also acne-prone skin's enemy. Even styling products or dandruff can all trigger acne along the hairline and on the forehead. So use an anti-reside shampoo once a week (it's really strong so it will really dry out your hair, so use it only once a week). It will remove buildup, sweat and excess sebum that regular shampoo won't. Some recommended products are: Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo and Bumble & Bumble Sunday Shampoo. And most importantly, please pin your bangs up whenever possible!

7/ Use your own facial towel! 

If you're sharing the bathroom with another person, use a separate towel of your own. Acne is infectious, if you have pimples, it's likely that your housemate/roommate will get them too if you guys are sharing the same towel. Moreover, if you're in the process of curing acne, it's highly recommended to use your own CLEAN towel. Never use a strong soap/shampoo to wash your towel, use a gentle skin cleanser product such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser instead!

8/ Drink a lot of water & Supply Vitamin C to your body 

Acne is caused by both external and internal forces so you need to hydrate your whole body during the summer to accelerate the acne curing process. Drink at least 1-2 liters of water per day. You will feel like you wanna pee every 15 minutes but that's actually good because your body is removing all the bad things out. Drinking a lot of water will also help you lose weight easily! You should also supply Vitamin C to your body regularly such as drinking more orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice or taking Vitamin C supplement tablets. Meanwhile, minimize the consumption of oily/greasy food and dairy products. Your skin will thank you later on!

OILY SKIN vs. DRY SKIN Acne Skincare

This is based on my personal experience. I used to have oily skin when I was younger but my skin eventually changed to dry skin ever since I moved to the United States.
According to my experience, oil skin's acne is more intense and harder to cure. However, dry skin's pimples tend to be bigger and more hurtful.

Oily Skin:

For people who have oily skin, you guys can use almost any acne fighting products such as Proactiv, Clinque Acne Solutions, Dermalogica MediBac, Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, etc. because these products are made for oily skin, they will reduce the excess oil, making your skin appears to have better texture.

Exfoliation doesn't help oily skin at all! It actually stimulates the skin to produce more oil, making it worse for your acne condition.

You guys should also find suitable skincare products for oily skin, especially oil-free products. From what I know, Kiehl's provides a whole oil-free skincare collection: oil-free toner, oil-free moisturizer, oil-free gel cream, oil-free lotion, oil-free BB Cream, etc. I've used some products from the regular collection of Kiehl's and I absolutely love it! I'm actually using Kiehl's facial cleanser for all skin types and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. They are very light-weighted and gentle. I will do a review about Kiehl's products soon!

Plus, if you really need to put on makeup, apply a layer of oil-free moisturizer or any acne-fighting product on before putting on makeup to protect the skin from dirt/chemicals. One more small tip is to carry oil-blotting papers around because oily skin will constantly produce oil so it will definitely be really useful! :)

Dry Skin:

For people who have dry skin, I do not recommend you guys to use these acne-fighting products because they would make your skin very very dry. They will remove the oil on your skin. But your skin is already dry so it will end up irritating your skin and worsen the acne condition. Remember, regularly exfoliating is not good for both dry skin and oily skin! Use it only twice or four times a month, don't overuse it because it would irritate and break down the collagen in the skin - making your skin aging faster.

Moreover, pimples on dry skin tend to be red, so I recommend you guys to use Etude House Aloe Moistfull Soothing Gel. This gel contains enriched Baobab Tree extracts and Organic Aloe which will supply moisture to the skin; you should apply it when you feel extreme dryness or right after washing your wash (pimples tend to be really red after cleansing). Moreover, I also recommend using Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX because it's extremely lightweight, refreshing and hydrated. It's a gel-textured overnight mask with Beta-glucan & Snow Water to deeply hydrate, restore clarity and vitality to fatigued and dry skin (1-2 times/week).

According to my own experience, if you have dry skin and a bad acne condition, don't put on heavy-weighted foundation or loose powder because it will only make your acne more visible. Instead of putting on thick makeup, try a light-weighted tinted foundation or BB Cream! It will make your face look more natural and partially cover your pimples.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-light Skin Perfecting Makeup SPF 15 - a perfect tinted foundation for bad acne condition skin

Clarins UV Plus HP - Tinted Foundation & Sunscreen. Light-weighted and easily blended. Highly recommend for dry skin, but not for oily skin. Because this product contains sunscreen and high SPF, it tends to get really oily during the day. 

In general, you CANNOT cover all of your pimples by makeup no matter which skin type you have. You can only make them less visible by choosing the right products or concealing the pimples. You cannot make your pimples face become clean, glowy face using makeup. The things you can do right now is to treat your skin gently and supply water to your body constantly.

One more product that I would recommend for both skin types is the Clarisonic Mia2 Skin Cleasing System with Acne Cleansing Brush Head. It will keep your pores clean and fresh, reducing the chance of getting pimples during the summer. If you don't have this machine, it's still okay! Just remember to wash your face in circular motions and do not scrub because it will only spread the infection around the face and cause more irritation.

Pheww...! 

Such a long post today. I hope you guys enjoy and good luck keep your skin healthy during the summer time. 

Cher Vo

July 6, 2013