Green Tea Cookies with Recipe!!!

I love green tea and matcha and I actually bought some green tea powder at a local Asian grocery store a few months ago and finally found a great use for it: GREEN TEA COOKIES!!!! I was so excited when JapaneseCooking101.com posted the perfect recipe for Japanese green tea cookies. I thought I would share it with all of you! ^-^

Here's what you will need:

-5 Tbsp. butter at room temperature

-1/2 Cup powdered sugar

-1/4 Cup of sugar

-2 egg yolks

-1 Tbsp. milk

-3/4 Cup cornstartch

-3/4 Cup plus 1 Tbsp. cake flour (or mix flour and cornstarch)

-4 tsp. green tea powder

-white chocolate

First, sift the cornstarch and and green tea powder together and set it aside.

Next, beat the softened butter in a mixing bowl and then add in the powdered sugar and keep mixing!

I also wanted to mention that mixing this can be quite a task!
This is because there are more dry ingredients than wet ones. If you have a Kitchen Aide, that's wonderful, but if you're like me and have to mix with your hands, be prepared for a challenge! My boyfriend and I just kept taking turns :P


Next add in the sugar and you guessed it: keep on mixin'! :P

Add in the egg yolks and milks and mix some more until completely combined.

Add in the flour and mix well (*DO NOT OVR MIX) If the dough is too dry, you can always add in a little more milk and mix until you get the desired consistency. 

Wrap the dough in parchment paper or saran wrap. If you use saran wrap like I did, make sure to put some flower on it before wrapping it around the dough so it doesn't stick! Allow it to rest in the fridge between 30-60 minutes. Also during this time, pre-heat the oven to 350º while waiting. 

Okay! After you remove the dough from the fridge, flatten it out using a rolling pin to about 1/4" thick. Proceed to cutting with the cookie cutter of your choice. I chose a heart! ^-^

Here they are waiting to go into the oven...

In they go for about 10-13 minutes or until they begin to brown on the edges. This will depend on the thickness of the cookies so be sure to check them a few times to make sure that they don't burn! 

Here they are! But we are not done yet; we still have to frost them!!! :D

For the frosting, I bought pink white chocolate! Bring a small pan of water to a rolling boil and place the chocolate in another (preferably) larger pan. Place the pan with the chocolate on top of the smaller one with the the boiling water and continuously stir the chocolate as it gradually melts into a delectable frosting! :)

It's so cool to watch this process! Take it off the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

Now, let's get to frosting these cookies!!! 

This part is fun because you can just go crazy frosting these cookies so have fun with it and be creative!!! :)

THEY ARE DONE!!! :D

This cookies were an instant hit in my household and I ended up making them twice in the span of two weeks! I plan on making some more as soon as I can get my hands on some more green tea powder! These are definitely one of my favorite cookies of all time!!! You should try making them too! :3

My Homemade Mac & Cheese with Recipe!!!

This is a very special recipe that my grandmother has handed down to me! It's easy and so delicious! Especially if you're a cheese lover like me ;)

Here is what you will need:

-1 package of elbow noodles

-1 can of diced tomatoes

-Sharp cheddar cheese (I like to use Cabot's Seriously Sharp)

-Milk

-Salt & Pepper

-Spray oil 

Okay! First, boil the noodles until they are al dente, rinse, drain, and set aside. Also set the oven to pre-heat at 350º or set to broil.

Next, spray the pan with some cooking spray and wipe it all around the sides and bottom of an oven safe casserole dish. Add in all of the pasta.

Start slicing the cheese into the dish over the noodles. You can add as much cheese as desired. After that, mix the cheese around so everything is mixed well!

Because my uncle and boyfriend do not like tomatoes, I usually leave 1/4 of the dish without the tomatoes. Carefully mix the tomatoes in with the cheese and noodles.

Add in a little milk and generously sprinkle on some salt and pepper!

Next place the mac & cheese into the pre-heated oven and allow the cheese to melt and brown for about 10 minutes or until it's the way you want it. ALMOST THERE...

AND....DRUMROLL PLEASE..

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....

.....

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IT'S DONE!!! :D

See how easy that was? I make this quite often at my house and everyone loves it! It's also a great lunch to bring to work :)

Enjoy! ^-^

Yaki Soba with Recipe!!!

Yaki soba is Japanese fried noodles and it's so easy to make! I used RunnyRunny999's recipe to make this delicious meal! Please visit his cooking channel on YouTube; it's one of my favorites!!! :D

I also need to apologize in advance because I didn't expect to post this on my blog so I did not take enough pictures! >.<

Here's what you will need: 

-Cabbage (I like to use Nappa)

-Carrots

-An Onion

-Chinese Noodles (or soba)

-Pork belly (or chicken)

-Sesame oil for the noodles

-1 Tbsp. oyster sauce

-1 tsp. soy sauce

-1 tsp. ketchup

-1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. sugar

-Salt & pepper

-Aonori (optional)

-Benishouga (optional)

*For this recipe, the only things that I measure are the ingredients for the sauce*

Okay, first prepare and measure everything ahead of time so you don't have to spend too much time at the stove! Cut the meat and vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

Next, bring a pit of water to a boil and parboil the veggies until soft. This will make them sweeter and make them as crispy as you want them! Dry them off and set them aside. 

Now, it's time to make the tasty seasoning sauce! In a bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, sugar, salt, and pepper. Be sure to mix everything well! Set it aside.

Now, in a non-stick wok or pan, add in the chopped garlic on medium high heat and stir until fragrant. Next, add in the pork and continuously stir until completely cooked. 

After the pork is cooked, add in the vegetables and continue stirring until everything is mixed well. Set it all aside on a nearby plate. 

There is no need to wipe the pan! Parboil the noodles, drain, and add some sesame oil to them and mix it using kitchen chopsticks. Add the cooked noodles to the pan and stir fry for about a minute. Add in the meat and veggies and stir until everything is well blended. Now add in the seasoning sauce and stir until completely combined! IT'S DONE!!! :D

It's perfect just the way it is...

It goes well with tea...

Below is the version with the chicken! I also put some aonori and benishouga on top! ^-^

This recipe is so simple and it tastes fantastic!!!! You should give it a try! You can also add in or sub other veggies to make your own unique yaki soba! :D