How exciting for me! A little more than a year ago, an editor approached about using my “How to Make Your Own Screen Protector (for less than a nickel)” in a new book.  Of course I said yes! It turns out that she was the editor for a book for Popular Science Magazine,  THE insight for the newest technology and gadgetry! With articles and photos ranging from up-to-date technology, the most recent scientific breakthroughs, and home improvement projects to just the all-inclusive life improvement hacks, Popular Science is one the best sources. In other words, this magazine reports the future before the future happens (magic!). In other other words, I was ecstatic that I could be apart of this amazing book.

Titled The Big Book of Hacks, this page turner holds 264 DIY projects, all of which are simply amazing! It really is awesome to see how innovative and genius those other authors are. I received a copy directly from the editor’s stock, and I definitely want to try some of these life hacks out.

Number one on the (wishful) to-do list? I’m still trying to figure out how this innovator turned his old laptop into a tablet! Anyways, check this book out at your local bookstore! Can you find out how to make a screen protector for less than a nickel? 

Whew! It has been almost three years since I started food blogging. I have to say that the quality of my photos, a very essential component of being a foodie journalist, have gotten better.

So here’s some advice for some new bloggers out there: in addition to creating mouth-watering recipes, take some awesome pictures that do your creations justice. How? Well, there’s no better way to learn than to learn by example!

Shown above is a picture generously donated to ChrysN over at Instructables. And here are some of my thoughts on the photo.

Thoughts on photo:

• I was a bit surprised why this photo wasn’t the title picture of the instructable (which was the close up of just the cookies). I really like the compositions more in this photo and here’s why
  • I like that you can see more of the mug in this photo. It gives it more of a “lived in” feel, which is important when photographing food.
  • This shot allows you to see more of the cookies and doesn’t have a sense of overcrowding.
  • It layers the textures and colors better than the other photo as well.
• The set up of the cookies is appealing to eye as well. If you pay attention, the placement of the tree makes the onlooker focus on that. The tree also helps guide the onlooker’s eyes to the star. That is good because it pulls the reader in by focusing on the more “unique shapes.”

Photo Editing and Other Ways:

• I would add some color to this photo. There’s a lot of browns and neutrals that can seem dull. ChrysN did a nice job of having different shades of brown though. I would add a colored cloth napkin somewhere to give it some color.
• As for photo editing, this photo is great as is. I might increase the color temperature (think yellow light bulb vs white light bulb) a bit for the more home-y feel. The lighting is great in this picture and the shadows are almost nonexistent (which is good as well).

Main Idea:

Add some color to give your photo some life and pay attention to layering different colors and textures. And great lighting makes great photos.

Have an idea of how to start now? Awesome! And welcome to the food blogging world!

Click here for a quick summary of five of my food photography tips.

So we all know food fads are always coming and going, usually faster than we can follow them. Some have a long shelf-life, such as the classic cupcake. Some are crazy and unique (the gummy glasses fit into this category Others are just amazingly innovative that blog posts should be dedicated to them, such as the new craze, the cronut. 

For those of you who do not know what a cronut is (and don’t worry I didn’t either), it is essentially a perfect combo of a croissant and a doughnut. Going into more mouth watering detail, the unique dough of croissants is formed into the known shape of a dougnut and then fried. Sweet pastry cream is then squeezed so it oozes between the layers of the croissant dough. Sounds good doughnut it? (Get it? Doesn’t it…doughnut it. Alright  

However, these little desserts are in HOT demand right now. Recent reports have said that on the black food market (sounds appetizing, no?) cronuts go for $40! At Dominque Ansel’s Bakery in NYC (the originator of the cronut), the line goes for seemingly miles and the bakery runs out sufficiently quickly. 

Come on Mr. Hansel, send one over to this dessert-loving food blogger?

Are you ready to check out the innovative new food fad for yourself at Dominque Ansel Bakery (if you can outlast those lines!)?

Happy New Year! This post is an oldie at Instructables, but new here! Make some bread for the New Year?

I am so happy to share this recipe with you. Asian Sweet Bread is a staple in all Asian bakeries. The bread is soft and pillow-y and just melts in your mouth with a slight sweet flavor. The crust is perfectly brown and flaky. It’s gorgeous to look at…and delicious to eat. A perfect snack on any occasion and it can hold its own next to any store bought rolls or loaves.

This recipe is close to my heart as well. I have always gotten some sweet treat when going to Asian bakeries. I always came home with all kinds of bread…all of which derived from this simple recipe.

Asian Sweet Bread (otherwise called Hong Kong Pai Bao or Hokkaido Milk Bread) is a staple in Asian bakeries and it should definitely be a staple in your household Delicious, fluffy, soft and everything bread should be.

Ingredients

For this delicious sweet bread:

• 5 cups bread flour (all purpose flour will also work: the kneading time will need to be increased though)
• 1/3 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 4 teaspoons instant yeast (this is usually two packages of yeast)
• 6 tbsp butter (cut the butter into small pieces and make sure it is softened at room temperature)
• 1 serving of  tangzhong: this is a separate recipe and you will use all the tangzhong made with the recipe

For the tangzhong:

1/3 cup of bread flour (all purpose will work as well)
1 cup of water

Making the Tangzhong

These are some simple steps to make the tangzhong:Mix the 1/3 cup of flour and water together. Whisk until the flour is completely dissolved there are no lumps.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly as the mixture heats up. Cook the tangzhong until the mixture thickens. You should be able to draw “lines” in the mixture and the indent should remain for a little bit (it will be noticeable). It is the best to use a thermometer. The mixture should be perfect at 149 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius).

Once the mixture is just right, take it off the stove and step aside.

Combine and Kneading

Combine the flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add in all wet ingredients (milk, eggs and the tangzhong).Use the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer. Begin mixing on medium speed until the dough comes together. Then add in the butter and continue mixing/kneading.

Keep kneading until it is a smooth dough. It shouldn’t be too sticky and have some elasticity. It took me around 30 minutes to mix the dough in the mixture. I would also knead for a little bit by hand. I added some more flour to keep the dough from being too sticky.

You can knead the dough by hand totally, but it can be very, very, very tiring

Creating the Form

Knead the dough into a ball shape. Take a large bowl and grease with oil.  Place dough into the greased bowl and cover with a wet towel. Let it proof until it’s doubled in size, about 40 minutes.After proofing, move the dough to a clean surface and split up the dough into four equal portions. Knead  and form this dough into balls. Cover the book with the wet towel again and let it rest for 15 minutes.

To form the shape shown in the picture below (with helps create the fluffiness of the layers):

Taking the rolling pin and roll each portion of the dough into an oval shape. Then take one end of the oval dough and fold it to the middle of the oval. The other end should then be folded to meet top of the other end of the dough (as seen in the picture below).

Now in order to further create the fluffiness of the layers, flip dough over with the folds facing down. Flatten the dough with rolling pin and flip it over again.

Finally, it’s time to roll the dough in the shapes shown below.

Alternative shapes

Place the dough into a greased pan.Throughout this entire process, you can have fun with it! I formed my dough into rolls, a regular loaf, and even a funky small combination of rolls, as shown in the third picture.

Proofing the Rolls in the Pan

Now it’s time to place each of the rolls into the bread pan. After, put a wet towel over the rolls and let them rise until they are double the size, which is about 50 minutes.Before baking the final proofed break, beat an egg until thoroughly combined. Brush the egg mixture on top of the bread in order to create the beautiful brown shiny finish after baking.

Finally, bake the bread at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes.

Finish!

You finally accomplished making Asian Sweet Bread (otherwise known as Hong Kong Pai Bao or Hokkaido Milk Bread). Don’t they look great?!They have the perfect texture on the inside, with a perfect combination of fluffiness in the center and the shiny, beautiful crust. I love making the rolls and peeling back all the different layers in the bread.

This recipe is versatile, so you can use the dough to create different shapes and forms. You can even try making bread with different fillings!

Try out this recipe to create the perfect loaf or the perfect roll! If you do, be sure to drop a comment below and tell me how it turned out!

Happy baking!

Things you need to make these delicious treats:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of Nutella
• some butter for greasing
• some extra decorations- I used some white chocolate. Use some almonds, sprinkles, chocolate, or anything else you want to add.

You might want to have some parchment paper, candy thermometer, kitchen shears on hand for later too.

First start by cutting out a piece of parchment paper. I greased the paper too, just in case. In a saucepan, combine corn syrup and water. Stir with a spoon and place the saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar.

Prepare the Nutella in a bowl. Cook the mixture until the mixture becomes clear, while stirring constantly. Wait until it comes to a boil, stop stirring, and measure the temperature with the candy thermometer. Change the heat to high and heat the mixture up to 310 degrees Fahrenheit. Then remove the mixture from the heat.

Add the Nutella to the mixture and mix well. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and smooth to the thickness you like. I used a pizza cutter to score the mixture but the kitchen shears were definitely easier to use when cutting the candy. Cut the candy into whatever size you like. I made some mini ones and regular sized ones too.

Prepare whatever decorations you want to use on the nutella butterfingers. I melted some white chocolate and drizzled it over the candy. it created a great effect. You can add some extra nuts, sprinkles, or other decoration. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool.

You’re finished! When I was done making mine, I couldn’t believe they tasted so much like the real thing. i didn’t want to cover the entire piece in chocolate so the white chocolate was perfect. They were perfectly flaky and have no peanuts! Try out this recipe soon and discover another great candy (PS: My dad loved them too:)

Some things you need to make this delicious candy are:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 cup of light corn syrup
• 3 ounces of water
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of flavoring- try extracts, natural juices, and any other flavors you want to try
• 2 drops food coloring (this is optional)
• extra butter is necessary for greasing the cookie sheet later

Some other things you need:

• a saucepan
• a wooden spoon
• a candy thermometer (remember when I won CHOW’s Thanksgiving contest? Well, I finally got a chance to use that thermometer and it works great)
• waxed paper or plastic wrap- this it for storage (warning: these candy pieces stick to the most inconvenient things, especially each other)
• a cookie sheet
• kitchen shears for cutting the candy

Mix together sugar and cornstarch in the saucepan. Add  the light corn syrup, water, butter, and salt. Stir with the wooden spoon to mix evenly. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the mixture becomes clear.

Turn the heat to high. Take this time to grease the cookie sheet well with butter. Stir the mixture until it boils then stop stirring. Measure the temperature of the mixture with the candy thermometer. When the temperature reaches 270 degrees Fahrenheit, take the mixture off the heat and add the food coloring and flavoring. Stir in gently.

Pour the mixture onto the greased cookie sheet. Wait until the mixture is cool enough to handle.Then take the candy out of the cookie sheet and start pulling it. Stretch it out, twist it, and have fun with it. I pulled the candy into a rope and twisted it multiple times to get the right texture I want. If you have little ones , this step is great for them to help with.

Once you have your “perfect” twist to your rope, start cutting it. Use the kitchen shears to cut the rope into piece size you want. Wait until the candy starts to stop sticking and wrap them up in the wax paper. There you go you’re finished!

Classic Hard Candy Chews are the perfect candy for any day. They’re easy to make and can be changed up anyway you want. Try different flavors, colors, or even both! The twists make them unique and they taste delicious too. Share with your family and friends and they’ll be sure to love them.

“I was skimming through all my dessert cookbooks one day. I desperately needed a good party dessert. I stopped to look at a delicious lemon pound cake, some chocolate chip cookies, and a very good-looking pear pie. I was thinking to myself,”

That was an excerpt from my instructable version of Pomegranate Cake Tarts. Believe me they are delicious. If you need a link, here it is.
Now, in that instructable, I said that I loved all the photos I took. I uploaded to best but still have some other shots I have rejected.

I also posted this instructable on my blog. You see, in the “food blogging world,” there is a great site called foodgawker and another one called tastespotting. These sites showcase the best of the best in food blogs. The pictures are sharp and perfectly lit. The composition is impeccable and leaves your mouth-watering. The editors of that site hold very high standards for photos and reject plenty of them.

Pomegranate Cake Tarts made it onto foodgawker (amazingly) and I was beyond happy I’m still learning the ropes for photography but I have some quick ten tips on food photography for anyone willing to learn:

1. Get some great props- Food alone is great but the photo really shines when a carefully placed fork or colorful napkin is placed in the photo. I know this really works. When shooting one of my recipes, I was at a loss. A white background and the food. Then I replaced the background with some textured red and added a fork in there and poof! Magic

2. Composition, composition, composition- In truth, this is the part where I struggle the most (this and lighting). When running into problems, don’t be afraid to play around a bit. Move this left, take the green away, move this forward…whatever works.

3. Lighting- Oooo. Don’t even get me started on this one. Lighting is one of my biggest issues, especially when shooting at night. Shadows are terrible for food, I tell ya. Make sure to shoot when it’d daylight. If not, try moving the camera around until you find an angle that hides the shadows the best.

4. Messy can be good- Sometimes food can look too perfect. You know what I’m talking about…the almost fake pie that you’re afraid to cut…or the perfect iced cake that has absolutely no marks? Well I’m telling you, it’s okay to mess it up a bit. Slice the cake and take a bite out of it. Place a fork next to it and the photo looks more “friendly.” Almost if you can picture eating it yourself!

5. Add some color- Photographing savory foods can be a pain. Rice and curry look plain but you can always spice it up. Add a dusting of herbs or even throw some fresh garnishes in. Put a colored napkin on the bottom or utensils.

6. Try different angles- Have you ever tried a top down shot? I will tell you it is hard to get right. If one angle doesn’t please you, move around. Stand on a chair is you have to! It’s fun to experiment with different angles. One time I hung the camera around my neck and set the self timer and started adding ingredients. Cool effect!

7. Get inspiration- Where did you come up with the recipe? What are the recipe’s origins? Use the answers to these questions to add some life into the photo. For example, my Asian-Style Tomato Soup photo has some chopsticks to reflect on the origin of the recipe.

8. Shoot clear images- Make sure your camera is focused. No one like blurry photos, not even blurry photos of good food. Try out the differences between manual focus and automatic. Play around and get to know your camera!
9. It’s the person not the camera- Don’t worry if you’re not a professional photographer. I’m not one either. Put your personality into it and it will come out looking like your did. You don’t need some fancy camera (although it helps). Use your imagination.

10. Have fun- I know this sounds very cliche, but have fun with it! There are so many ways to capture your beautiful work of art/food. I know I had fun jumping on and off chairs to get a better look at the food. Trying out different fabrics and even using a calendar as the background for one. It was definitely fun

Well I put my two/ten cents in. I’m not a professional but I’m working at it I love taking pictures of the food that I made! I hope this helps and good luck!

Pac-man is a classic game for everyone! It is truly an “oldie.” There are Pac-Man shirts, bags, hats, costumes; you name it. Mini Pac-Man Pizza Bites are perfect for a get together with friends to discuss the latest strategies for Pac-Man or an after school snack. They’re fun, easy to eat and make.

However, an added bonus is that these pizzas are also (somewhat) healthy for you. This recipe for pizza uses wheat flour for grains, cheese for dairy, and the toppings can cover anywhere from your vegetables to proteins.

Enjoy!

These pizza bites need:

• 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (plus a little extra to cover your work area and to “rescue” wet dough)
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons of yeast
• 1 cup of warm water (this is essential for the yeast to activate)
• 2 teaspoons of sugar (another big part in activating the yeast)
• 1/2 tablespoon of salt
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Corn meal (this is to sprinkle onto your pan)
• Pizza sauce (this is to your taste)
• Cheese (see above)
• And any toppings you would like (I used traditional pepperoni)

Some equipment you need is a rolling pin and a baking sheet. Also glasses, cookie cutters, and anything else circular would be great for cutting the shapes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the yeast to the warm water. Add the sugar and stir gently until the yeast dissolves. Let it sit for at least five minutes.

While the yeast is starting to activate, measure out the correct amount of all purpose flour and wheat flour. You can sift the flour into the bowl if you like. Add your salt and olive oil to the mixture. Stir a little until the flour is coated with the oil.

By now the yeast should be activated. There should be foam or bubbles at the top of the yeast mixture. Add this to the flour and mix. Add extra flour if necessary (see pictures below for examples of dough that is too wet). Knead (push down the dough, turn it and push down again) the dough for about five minutes. Let the dough sit for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes, roll out the dough using your rolling pin. Make sure the dough is thin enough to your liking. The next part is to cut out the Pac-Man shapes. Be creative with your cutters. I tried bowls, glasses, cookie cutters, and many other things around the kitchen. You can even take a knife and cut out Pac-Man ghosts. Once you used up as much of your dough as you could, roll out a circle with the scraps (you don’t want to overwork the dough).

Take out whatever toppings you’re using for your pizza. I had swiss cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni. Be creative for your toppings! This is also when you start preparing your baking sheet. I used a cookie tray but anything flat bakeware will work. Dust the pan lightly with the cornmeal.

Place all the dough onto the baking sheet and start adding your toppings. Your oven should already be preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put your pizzas in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. After they are done, you can cut the pizzas into Pac-Man shapes and you’re finished! I made so many different sizes and they were so delicious. They are easy, fun, not to mention cheap and very yummy so why not give it a try!

Don’ they look delicious? Well I love all my photos that I took of my final product this time but I want to know what you guys think. Leave a vote or comment saying which one you like best!

Well I know you’re anxious to get started , so here’s what you need to make these yummy tarts:

For the cake:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cookie:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 tablespoons of finely chopped white chocolate

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
• 1 package (or 8 oz) of softened cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Gather all the ingredients for the cookie part of the dessert. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, add the 1/2 cup of butter (or 1 stick) with the brown sugar. Make sure the butter is softened a bit. You can leave it out at room temperature for about 10 minutes or heat it up for 20 seconds in the microwave.

After the mixture looks like a crumble, add the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, along with the salt and baking powder. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes pr just until the mixture starts clumping up a bit. Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture as well.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface and make sure your rolling pin is floured as well. The dough shouldn’t be too thick (just thick enough to prevent ripping). Use a bowl that has around a 4 inch diameter to cut circles in the dough. Grease a cupcake tin with melted butter. This step is very important; you don’t want those gorgeous cake tarts to stick to the pan! Put each of the circles in its own cupcake spot and even out the sides (like you would do when making mini pies or tarts). Make sure the cookie goes all the way up the sides. Place the cookies in the oven for 10 minutes. Don’t w0rry if they’re not done because they are going in the oven again after adding the cake mixture.

Now for the cake part. Gather all the ingredients for the cake (use the measurements for the cake part ). Add all three eggs and the cup of sugar and blend until creamy. Sift your flour and add it to the mixture. Add the vanilla too. Beat until well combined.

Add the cup of pomegranate juice to the mixture and beat on high for 30 more seconds. Add the baking powder and the melted butter and mix until well combined.

Take the cookies out of the oven after the 1o minutes. If they have risen up use a fork to flatten them out a bit. Pour the cake batter into each of the cookie crusts. It’s okay to overfill the crust a little (as long as you greased the pan well). Put the tarts into the oven for about 5 minutes or just until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Let cool.

Gather the ingredients for the frosting while waiting for the tarts to cool. Cream the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer until smooth and insert into a plastic bag or piping bag.

You’re done! Whew what a journey. I had so much fun coming up with this recipe and in the end it paid off! You should have seen my beaming face when I took these cake tarts out of the oven. They are so cute and when you bite into them its a mixture of crunchiness and moistness. I love the contrast of it and the two layers are appealing visibly too! Pomegranate Cake Tarts are the epitome of desserts: A combination of the best desserts that everyone loves definitely did not disappoint. Try making these sometime and with that cream cheese frosting, these are sure to please anyone who has any inkling of a sweet tooth.

Enjoy!

Here’s what you need to make your next dinner

• 1 package of vermicelli- this can be found in most of the Asian section of your local grocery store or you can also go to an Asian supermarket
• 2 pounds of tomatoes- about 2 to 3 tomatoes but you can add/subtract the amount accordingly to your taste
• 6 cups of water
• 2 teaspoons of tomato paste-  for a richer taste, add more
• 1 pound of ground meat- to your taste
• 1 pound of shrimp- again add how much you want
• 3 slices of ginger
• 2 ounces of dried shrimp- this can be found in an Asian supermarket
• salt, sugar, oyster sauce, olive oil (these are the seasonings for the dish so add how much you like)

The ingredients below are to add more substance to the dish so you can mix and match however you want. These are some of my favorites:

• any vegetables- such as mushrooms, celery, carrots, mint leaves
• fish- salmon goes very well this dish and tilapia is great too
• tofu- to add a more vegetarian taste
• herbs- basil, green onion, garlic

Cut up your tomatoes and any other vegetables you have. Prepare the shrimp (defrost and peel if needed) and any fish or tofu you’re going to add. Slice up the ginger and any other herbs as well.

This is also the time to season the ground meat. Sprinkle a bit of salt and sugar (I’d say about 1/2 teaspoon each) and add about 1 teaspoon of olive oil and oyster sauce (each).

In a large pot, add just enough olive oil to cover half of the bottom. Then add the 3 slices of ginger and dried shrimp. Then add your sliced tomatoes and stir.

Then add the 2 teaspoons of tomato paste to the tomatoes along with the six cups of water. Boil for about 5 to 7 minutes and then add the other vegetables (like celery, mushrooms, etc.). Cover and let simmer.

Meanwhile in a large pot, add the vermicelli or rice noodles. Pour enough water to cover the noodles and boil until the noodles start to separate from each other. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Now back to the tomato soup. Add the shrimp and any fish you decide to use. Then start rolling your meatballs (scoop the meat mixture with a tablespoon and roll in your palm to form a ball). Once you’re done with the meatballs add those the the soup. Season the soup with some more oyster sauce, salt, and sugar but you can be creative and add other flavors as well. Simmer for about 3 more minutes.

Then add the drained rice noodles/vermicelli to the tomato soup and keep warm until serving.  Asian-Style Tomato Soup with Rice Noodles is a great family meal that is easy to make and customizable as well. The dish is delicious enough to impress but simple to enjoy as comfort food. Enjoy!