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hey riders!

apologize for missing in action for a while, but we're back! here is a new recipe video that is now up on youtube! :)

don't forget to like and share! xoxo!

my go to when i'm cooking or baking is that it has to be quick, simple and delicious! as much as i love spending most of my time in my kitchen, i also don't like to be doing the same thing for a long time. so when it comes to recipes, i like it uncomplicated and easy to follow.

this chocolate cake recipe is probably one of the most delicious i have ever made. i didn't go with the traditional chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, instead i made a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. i know there are plenty of recipes, and claims to who has the most delicious chocolate cake ever, but i really think you should give this a try and see what you think!

so, GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

for the cake

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder / unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt

for the frosting

• 1 stick / 1/2 cup butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1 block / 12oz crea cheese ( at room temperature)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 packet instant coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

directions:

1. pre heat the oven to 350F (175C)
2. butter the 8" round cake pan
3. into a mixing bowl, using a strainer, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well
4. then add the oil, the eggs, freshly brewed coffee and vanilla extract. mix well using a hand mixer over medium speed
5. add the cocoa powder and combine
6. add the yogurt and mix well until well combined. about 4 minutes
7. pour the cake mixture into the pan, lightly tap the bottom of the pan into the counter
8. bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean
9. while the cake is baking, make the frosting.
10. add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, instant coffee powder and vanilla extract. Combine until fluffy and creamy.
11. make sure to cool down the cake completely before adding the frosting
12. once the cake cooled down add the frosting
13. and enjoy!

if you end up trying this recipe, let me know what you think! until next time!

xo,s

this homemade one pot mac and cheese is one of my husband's favorite dish. he would always brag about how his mom's mac and cheese is the best mac and cheese ever, and that's because she uses really high quality ingredients and she is just great at cooking overall! (i heard she made a clam chowder the other day and i was super jealous, her clam chowder is the best i've ever had) since i cannot top mudra's mac and cheese, i decided to try some mac and cheese recipe that my husband can still enjoy while away from home.

this is just my way of making the mac and cheese, you may like it or may not like it, but i will suggest to give it a try!

this stove top mac and cheese is super easy to make so let's dive in! GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 1 box elbow macaroni pasta 16oz
• water (for the pasta)
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 lb jack cheese
• 1 rotel tomatoes (diced tomatoes and green chillies)
• 6 tbsp butter
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 tbsp mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

directions:

1. cook the pasta according to the instructions (you can find the instructions in the back of the pasta box) i'm using an elbow pasta
2. while the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese. i'm using sharp cheddar cheese and jack cheese. grinding your own cheese is also the best way to do it. pre shredded cheese usually added with some starch in it to avoid the clumping
3. once your pasta is done. drain the pasta
4. add butter into a low heat pot or pan. once the butter is fully melted, add the milk. stir
5. add the mustard. stir
6. salt and pepper. stir
7. then the cheese (leave some cheese, about 1/2 cup for the last part) and the pasta and rotel tomatoes. mix together
8. add the cornstarch. stir
9. then add the rest of the cheese. stir
10. it may look a little watery but that is okay. turn the heat off, cover the pot and let the pot of mac and cheese sit on top of the stove for about 5 to 10 minutes.
11. then serve and enjoy!

there you have it. a simple and delicious, super cheesy and creamy macaroni and cheese!

xoxo, s

happy friday to all my beautiful readers/viewers! --meaning, new video is up! :)

today, we will be making a pepper steak. it is fast and easy recipe! who does have time to wait? make this delicious pepper steak in just minutes! pair this dish with rice for a powerful yummy combination, or you can wrap the pepper steak with lettuce! and the best part, if you are vegetarian, you can replace the steak with tofu or any veggie meat that you like. so, GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 1 medium onions
• 1 cup chopped scallions (green onions)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 pound ribeye steak (or steak cut you prefer)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 knorr cubes
• 2 tsp sesame oil (total)
• salt and pepper to taste
• minced garlic
• chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any oil you prefer) i'm using lard in the video

directions:

1. start with marinating the steak
2. into a bowl, add the soy sauce, vinegar, a sprinkle of scallions, brown sugar, cornstarch, knorr cubes, water, garlic, onions, 1 tsp sesame oil, salt and pepper. mix well
3. cover with plastic wrap and let the steak marinade in the refrigerate for 30 minutes
4. after 30 minutes, you are ready to cook. heat the pan into medium high
5. add oil
6. once the oil is hot enough add the steak, let the steak cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. if you are using a different cut of steak, cook the meat until it's fully cooked
7. add the marinated sauce and stir occasionally until the sauce is thickened
8. add the remaining sesame oil
9. add more ground black pepper (according to your taste)
10. lastly, add the vegetables (green bell peppers, green bell peppers and onion)
11. cook the vegetables to your likeness
12. sprinkle with scallions for garnish
13. and served!

everyone in the house approved this recipe! so i hope you guys will like it, too! feel free to add spicy sauce to the dish if you like the taste of spice!

happy cooking!

xo,s

it's friday! that means new video is up!

this video recipe is requested by a good friend of mine, zwinglai! if you google "siopao" you can find a million of recipes online, i've tried quite a few times making siopao but it does not taste the same as to how it taste like the siopao i remember. i began to feel like they are hiding the "secret" ingredient. i also tried making changes such us adding some vanilla extract, or using bread flour instead of all purpose, using a butter instead of vegetable oil but the result is still not the same. so i gave up!

but when my friend requested the recipe, i thought i should give it a go. so, i tried playing around with the ingredients, and with just one attempt, i finally was able to make it perfect! so, i am going to reveal some ingredients that i used with you guys!

siopao means "hot buns" it is similar to the cantonese steamed bun called cha siu bao. i'm pretty sure most countries has different versions of siopao. we don't bake siopao, we steam it. there is also a sauce for siopao, however, i decided to make the filling more saucy so we can go ahead and forget about the sauce. as a mom, my time is super limited. :)

you can absolutely use any fillings you prefer! my personal favorite is adobo (here is the link for my adobo recipe.) but i will show you the fillings i used in this recipe.

i suggest you follow my recipe without substitutions. if you substitute any of them, i am not sure how it will turn out. so, below are some of the quick tips i can give you to make the siopao.

1. flour- wheat flour is the key! you can check your asian grocery store and find the korean brand of wheat flour. it is the same flour you use to make dumplings, or ramen noodles
2. pork lard- ditch the vegetable oil or butter. go to your nearest mexican grocery store and grab some pork lard. this will help change the consistency of the dough
3. milk- instead of water, use milk. just do it. :)

so, GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 2 cups lukewarm milk (about 115f to 120)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (for yeast mixture)
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 5 cups wheat flour (more for dusting)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for flour mixture)
• 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup pork lard

for the filling:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 chopped onions
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce

directions:

1. into a mixing bow, add the lukewarm milk, sugar and yeast. combine and set aside.
2. into a different bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and mix
3. then add the pork lard and combine
4. move the dough into a clean surface and start kneading the dough until soft and smooth. if the dough is super sticky add more flour 1 tbsp at a time
5. shape the dough into a ball and place the dough into an oiled bowl
6. cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 hour or so, or until doubled in size
7. at this point we will make the filling
8. into a hot skillet, add the vegetable oil
9. then, saute the onion and garlic
10. once the onion turns transparent you can add the chicken then mix
11. add the vinegar, soy sauce and oyster sauce then combine
12. add salt and pepper to taste (be careful adding the salt as we already added soy sauce to it
13. then add the sweet chili sauce and continue to mix until thickened but not too dry
14. move the filling into a bowl and let it cool down
15. cut the dough into small portions, you will make 16 pieces of siopao for this recipe
16. flatten the dough, then add the filling
17. secure the dough nice and tight to make sure it wont open up while it's cooking
18. lay the dough on top of a parchment paper
19. and repeat the process until you finished
20. add the siopao into the steamer
21. steam for 15 minutes
22. and enjoy!

i hope you will enjoy this recipe! please leave a comment below if you have any questions! see you in my next blog!

xo,
S

check out my previous recipes:

• crispy pork belly
• cookies and cream ice cream
• 3 ingredient cream biscuits

hi! welcome back! today, i will teach you how to make crispy yummy pork belly, you do not need anything special for this pork belly to turn out so delicious! all you need is a nice cut of pork belly, an oil and salt, a lot of salt! so, GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 1 slab of pork belly
• salt
• vegetable oil

directions: video directions for pork belly

1. preheat the oven to 350F
2. make sure you tap dry the pork belly after washing with cold water. dry, dry, dry
3. make a slice into the fat part of the pork, this way it wont explode while inside the oven,
4. massage oil all over the pork belly
5. then add salt, a generous amount of salt is what you want to have a crispy pork belly skin
6. bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes
7. then turn the oven off, and hit the broil settings to hi
8. broil for 2 minutes and you're done (keep an eye on the pork so you wont burn it)
9. enjoy!

for the sauce:

• cut some calamansi, this is highly recommended! however if you don't have calamansi, use a lime
• add some soy sauce and mix together

don't forget your rice! they make a perfect meal together. you can also pair this with steamed okra! yum!!!

i will see you in my next blog! thank you for coming and please stay safe!

xo,
S

this bread loaf is super simple to make, it requires basic ingredients and it's soft, delicious with a touch of sweetness. although it is a lot easier to just buy a white bread loaf at the grocery stores, it is also satisfying to just make on your own. not only you know the quality of ingredients you use, it also leaves a good smell on your whole house and it doesn't have preservatives.

you can make a peanut butter and jelly with this bread, or add some butter, or dip into your coffee, or simply eat it alone. it's super yummy! so GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (room temperature)
• 2 1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4cup butter (room temperature)
• 3 1/3 cups all purpose flour

directions:

1. in a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients
2. knead using a stand mixer, you can knead this dough using your hand however it might be too sticky. you do not want to add more flour for this recipe
3. transfer the dough into an oiled bowl, and cover
4. let the dough rise until doubled in size about 1 1/2 hour
5. punch the dough and cut in half
6. roll the dough into a log and cut, make about 8 pieces
7. roll the dough into a ball and transfer into a prepared oiled baking dish
8. cover the dough and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes
9. pre heat the oven to 350F
10. brush the dough with egg wash
11. bake for 20 minutes
12. and enjoy!

happy baking!

xo, sai

tips:

1. make sure all the ingredients are in room temperature
2. to lessen your dough time rising, pre heat your oven to the lowest temperature, turn it off. cover your newly knead dough with a damp towel and put it inside the oven. usually with this process, my dough is ready in just 30 minutes
3. if you have any questions please feel free to drop it in the comments :)

husband said this recipe is one of his favorites~ i have baked a banana muffins, banana bread and banana cake, so i thought i should try banana cupcakes. i don't have much in my pantry but i have a banana that is going bad soon, and before that happens, i needed it to rescue. although, it didn't look as good as the muffins i have baked, it is so delicious and super moist! i also added a cream cheese frosting since that what i have on hand. :) so GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

for the batter

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (white sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 6 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

for the frostings

• 1 block cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup butter 8 tbsp (room temperature)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

directions:

1. pre heat the oven to 350F
2. in a mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs. beat until fluffy
3. add the milk, butter, sour cream and vanilla extract. combine
4. add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. combine
5. add the mashed banana into the batter and combine. please do not over mixed
6. pour the batter into a cupcake baking pan, about 3/4 full
7. bake to preheated oven fro 20-22 minutes
8. let the cupcake cool down completely before adding the frosting

to make the frosting:

1. add the butter and cream cheese into a mixing bowl. combine
2. add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and combine well

to frost the cupcake:

• simply add the cream cheese frosting on top of the cupcake and enjoy~

some tips:

1. make sure all the ingredients you are using such as eggs, cream cheese, butter is at room temperature, or else it wont be as easy to mix.
2. make sure you smash the banana into really fine pieces, so it wont leave a chunky bites on your cupcakes
3. it is also important that your banana is super ripe. banana flavor can be a replacement
4. bake at no more than 22 minutes, it will be a little jiggly so wait for the cupcakes to cool down
5. do not apply the frostings if the cupcakes are not completely cooled down, your frostings will melt

husband was asking for chipotle the other day, I really don't want to spend my time going to the store and pick it up, or spending money for something that i know i can make at home, and probably better? 😉 i know when my food is amazing because husband would tell me how delicious the food was over and over. so GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can tomatoes (diced tomatoes with cilantro)
• 1 block colby jack cheese (1 pound or more, if you want it to be super cheesy)
• 1 can enchiladas sauce (if you don’t want to make the sauce from scratch)
•  flour tortillas

enchiladas sauce:

• 1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 knorr cube (vegetable)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons flour (dissolve this in the 1 1/2 cup water for easy mixing)
• salt and pepper to taste

directions: https://youtu.be/YhIqvFl-Mqo

1. pre heat the oven to 375F
2. drain the canned tomatoes, black beans and corn. set aside
3. make the enchaladas sauce, add all the ingredients into a pot, and mix slowly until thickens a little
4. to layer: add the sauce first into a baking pan, then add the tortillas,the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and cheese
5. repeat the process until you use all the ingredients
6. cover lightly with tin foil (do not tighten)
7. bake for 45 to 50 minutes
8. let the enchiladas rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving
9. top with your favorite enchiladas toppings. i add sour cream, chopped red onion, cilantro, chopped lettuce, salsa and crunch fritos
10. enjoy!

happy cooking!

xo, sai

p.s here is my other enchiladas recipe: https://www.infortheride.com/cookbook/vegetarian-enchiladas

ooey gooey, gooey ooey is what i like to describe this dessert! it's soft, it's chewy and it's creamy! it's also almost flourless since i'm only using 2 tablespoon of flour in this recipe. you heard me right there! if you know me well enough, you know how much i love my carbs! yup! i usually use so much flour as one of my ingredients in most of my recipes! so, GOOD LUCK!

ingredients:

• 400 grams nutella
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp hot milk
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• salt (for sprinkle)

for toppings:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup caramel candy bars

directions:

1. pre heat oven to 350F
2. into a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and nutella
3. add the cocoa powder and flour, then mix well
4. add the hot milk. mix well
5. add the chocolate chips. mix
6. next, pour half of the batter into the prepared pan
7. add the caramel candy bars
8. then pour the rest of the remaining batter
9. bake for 20-25 minutes
10. while the fudge is in the oven, prepare the caramel topping
11. combine the caramel candy bars and whipping cream in a safe microwavable bowl
12. microwave the mixture in a high power for 1 minute. stir
13. pour the caramel topping on top of the cake fudge
14. sprinkle some salt
15. and ENJOY!

there you have it! i hope that you will enjoy this yummy recipe! have a great day!

xo,

sai

some tips for this recipe:

1. make sure to cool down the cake for at least 10 minutes before adding the caramel toppings
2. you can indulge right away (who would ever want to wait?) but i suggest to let the goodies rest for at least 30 minutes for the toppings to cool down
3. do not over bake.
4. i don't know what i want to call this recipe, fudge cake? caramel fudge? salted caramel fudge bars? if you ended up trying this recipe, let me know what you think would be the best name for this goodies. :)