Mini Berry Cheesecakes

These little beauties are the easiest, cutest things ever. They make the perfect dessert for parties or birthdays or even if you're just plain craving for them. They are so easy to just pack along in a lunch or a picnic and it's guaranteed that everyone will absolutely love them. Plus if berries aren't your thing, variations of this recipe are more than welcome! Imagine topping them with a chocolate ganache, candied pecans, or whatever you can imagine. The possibilities are endless!

Mini Berry Cheesecakes:

Yields: 24 cupcakes

For the crust:

2 cups of crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup of melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all in a bowl, make sure it is well combined. Press into pre-lined muffin pans, about 1 cm thick. Bake for 4 - 5 minutes, make sure not to burn!!

For the cheesecake:

20 oz. cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

2 eggs

Beat cream cheese until soft and airy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar slowly on medium speed while making sure it is well mixed throughout. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the vanilla and sour cream, mix well. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure it is thoroughly mixed after each. Add the flour and mix well. 

Once the baked crust is cool enough, fill the cups with the cheesecake mixture, leaving about 1 cm free from the top. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Once done, let cool completely for about 30 - 45 minutes.

Topping:

1 lb. or one box of strawberries, hulled and diced

1 box of raspberries, mashed

3 tablespoons of powdered sugar (varies depending of sweetness of berries)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Top cooled cheesecakes with the topping and let it firm in the refrigerator. 

Note:

. Frozen raspberries can also be used

. I would also recommend topping them with extra fresh blueberries

Tales of Summer Over-Indulgence

Ever heard of the Orange County fair? Well if you're a native, not only have you heard of it, you've probably made numerous pilgrimages during the summer. It's a staple to American culture and the culinary offerings never fail to delight, shock, or put into cardiac arrest. Name anything deep fried and I betcha, you'll find it here, along with deep fried poptarts, cupcakes, and frog legs. I'm surprised people still live to talk about it!

Highlights of my visit to the fair this year were the kettle cooked chips and the Mexican funnel cake. Chips... ehh you say? Well that's what I thought I would be saying, who the heck buys chips at a world-renowned deep fried food fair? ME, from now on, every year! There's something about these chips that are absolutely magical and completely addicting. 

The fresh grilled corn is also a part my yearly ritual menu. A vegetable to balance out all of that trans fat goodness. But I guess smothering it in mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, and hot sauce doesn't really help does it? 

Then an epiphany came to me in the form of a Mexican funnel cake. OH MY GOSHHH! Let me say again, many, many times over: oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. It was like a ginormous churro in the form of a funnel cake served with freshly whipped cream that should have basically been called ice cream, it was SO thick and creamy. But take my advice, share this beast with 3+ people (especially if you plan on trying other fair delights). We were so bloated I almost wanted to vomit. But my heart told me otherwise and its love for this funnel cake was undying and enduring... and that ladies and gentleman, was the day I almost died from a food coma.

In the same booth they sold "apple fries," and all I can say is that I shouldn't have wasted my precious stomach space on this. Next year, I'll definitely pass. 

Blonde Euphoria

Obsessions of the moment:

Lykke Li

"Little Bit"

"Dance Dance Dance"

Only best described through her playful visuals:

Basia Bulat

"Oh My Darling"

"Before I Knew"

"Little Waltz"

"Snakes and Ladders"

Basically, I am obesessed with the whole CD. It has literally been on repeat since the moment I accquired it. It's one of those CD's where you are iffy at first listen but as you let the lyrics wash over a couple of times, you understand the beauty of the simplicity. That's exactly how to describe Basia's music, simple yet understatedly elegant and gorgeous. 

"Before I Knew" is a hideously short song that leaves you longing for at least another two minutes, but forces you to loop the song on repeat until the sun goes down. On the plus side, the ukulele makes me eternally happy.

The Ramos House Cafe {San Juan Capistrano, CA}

Located in the heart of San Juan Capistrano is a gorgeously comforting nook known as 'The Ramos House Cafe'. I would compare it to your grandmother's kitchen rather than a restaurant. It is located in a beautifully restored historical house that takes on double duty, serving as a home and as a widely successful restaurant. It's owner can often be seen wandering the small area drinking his beer of choice, which makes for an atmosphere that is both inviting and casual.

The character that is found in the setting also incorporates into the food and dining experience. Sitting under a thatched vine roof makes for a beautifully lit table (just not when the weather disagrees). The menu constantly changes to highlight the season's best produce and is always made of the freshest ingredients, which can even be found in his own tended garden. I have to say that this restaurant is my most favorite in the area; it has never failed to please and always leaves me in a state of complete and utter satisfaction.

On the weekends, they have a weekend brunch menu that is $30.00 per person (an incredibly reasonable price), which includes a drink, a starter, and an entree. They also have sweets to choose from if desired, and trust me, they are most definitely desired!

Most of the pictures are of food already half-eaten due to the fact that I completely devoured it before even thinking about photographing it.

STARTERS:

1. Cinnamon Apple Beignets: basically anything fried is good, but when filled with apples and lain in a perfectly sweetened vanilla sauce, it can be called something better than just "good," maybe even supercalifragilisticexpialidocious... just maybe.

2. Basil Cured Salmon: beautiful pieces of smoked salmon (and not too salty, yay! for getting it right) topped with boiled eggs, a white sauce, greens and served with toast points. The salmon was like velvet on top of the crunchy toast, the eggs gave it an unbelievably creamy texture and the greens also provided a nice, refreshing crisp.

Others Available:

1. Caramelized Fruit Salad

2. Fresh Baked Huckleberry Coffee Cake

3. Sweet Corn Hush Puppies w/ Pepper Jam

ENTREES:

1. Southern Fried Chicken Salad with Corn Bread, Cranberries & Pumpkin Seed Buttermilk Dressing: The chicken was coated in some kind of meal which made it deliciously crunchy yet moist on the inside which went especially well with the tart cranberries. The corn bread were served in the form of Hush Puppies which were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, my favorite part being the whole corn kernels in the batter. The dressing was like no other I have tasted before, tart yet sweet and incredibly strange. It left me with a sense of confused pleasure.

2. Smoked Mac n' Cheese w/ Veggies & Lemon: I don't know what more I could have asked for in a mac n' cheese. It wasn't overly cheesy to the point of sickness but just cheesy enough and had the perfect consistency. What made this special was the addition of the vegetables. It was topped with asparagus which was perfectly cooked with just the slightest bit of bite. The addition of the vegetables allowed for a well rounded meal and not an overly bloated stomach, which I am totally down for.

Others Available:

1. Persimmon Pain Perdu w/ Sweet Pumpkin Seeds

2. Wild Mushroom, Roasted Garlic & Sun Dried Tomato Scramble

3. Smoked Bacon Scramble w/ Rocket & Caramelized Onion

4. Crab Hash w/ Smoked Bacon Scrambled Eggs & Sour Cream Remoulade

5. Fennel Hash w/ Fried Poached Eggs & Goat Cheese Hollandaise

6. Lentil Soup w/ Duck Confit and Gingerbread Crutons

7. Beef Stew w/ Blue Cheese and Truffle Mashed Potatoes

8. Spicy Crab Cake Salad

DESSERT:

1. Berry Banana Shortcake: Every time I make my journey to Ramos House, I always, and I repeat and capitalize, ALWAYS get this fabulous dessert. When I first read the menu I overlooked it because it sounded so simple, overdone, and boring. Simple it may be, but boring it most definitely is not. After a recommendation from the server, we decided to order this and we were not disappointed. It's warm and perfectly sweet and just an all around winner.

Napa Rose {Anaheim, CA}

A couple years ago, I encountered Napa Rose, a hidden restaurant within the depths of the Grand Californian Hotel in Downtown Disney, and it became one of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had. Napa Rose only offers the finest and most seasonal ingredients, best interpreted through Executive Chef Andrew Sutton's modern Californian cuisine, which is well paired with the expanse view of Disney's California Adventure Park within the dining hall. The service was prompt and if you're lucky, like I was, also humorous and a bit witty. If you're looking for affordability, you will not find it here, where meals average $35 - $45 per person. I highly recommend a trip to this hidden jewel whether it be now or fifteen years down the road when you can actually afford it, just make sure to make reservations because trust me, all of the tables will go fast.

By the way, sorry if pictures aren't up to Annie Leibovits par, but I'm still a young working gal, so I'm still saving up for that gorgeous $600 camera everyone else seems to have but me. And to my defense, the lighting was absolutely horrible, as in most all fine dining experiences where dimmed romantic lighting seems necessary (what a crappy excuse). Hopefully these will do...

The Appetizers: The first was served in an extremely large Bento Box and consisted of sizzling shrimp on a hot stone, barbecued short ribs, chicken skewered on sugarcane, and more. I would like to delve into the details but I had this dish in '06 (still available now though) and though memorable, I guess not quite memorable enough. Though to its defense, it was extremely easy on the eyes.

The second:

1. Tuna Handrolls: So velvet-y I almost cried.

2. Pheasant filled Dolmas (Grape Leaves): Being a large fan of dolmas, I was pleased but a little underwhelmed, since I was holding large expectations.

3. Potato Lakes topped with Salmon Roe: Crispy and salty, conclusion: good.

4. Fried Oysters with Buttermilk Ranch: Still gooey and warm on the inside, not the best though.

5. Mini Tacos: So tiny that I underestimated their taste, but to my surprise, they were better than expected.

6. Beef Spring Rolls: THE best on the entire plate, so incredibly tasty and refreshing.

7. Lobster Slaw on Lobster Jelly: personally I thought it was on the verge of disgusting, me and a couple others. But again, that's just my opinion...

Lamb on top of butternut squash ravioli and roasted vegetables. I used to hate lamb because of that game-y aftertaste that always accompanied it. But an intervention was necessary, and this lamb was prepared perfectly, with absolutely no aftertaste! The ravioli was slightly sweet, which went well with the salty lamb. You could tell the pasta was handmade and it was perfectly chewy while still giving enough bite back.

Grilled atlantic salmon on top of a lobster and clam chowder with fennel. I'm not a fan of mis-naming things. So when I expected a thick and hearty chowder and got a broth-y sauce instead, I was semi-disappointed. But after giving it another chance, I was glad I had not completely given up. The salmon was perfectly undercooked, because overcooked salmon is vile. But looking back, "chowder" chowder would have probably completely overkilled the delicate salmon and its counterpart of fennel brothy-ness made a perfect couple.

This dish was part of the "Vinter's Table," which is the chef's personal tasting menu. It was a filet mignon served with a cranberry sauce. First of all, never in my life have I ever tasted something so perfect. It cut with the slightest of ease and the taste...oh the taste! It melted in my mouth like butter, and that's NOT a comparison, that's truth. It was brought into the highest stage of perfection by the cranberry sauce. You would have expected something tart or jelly-like but instead you are surprised by a thick syrup-y sweet accompaniment.

My personal dish was roasted pheasant accompanied by fingerling potatoes, stuffed cabbage, heirloom carrots, and applewood smoked bacon. Even the carrots, a mere garnish to the dish, were exquisitely cooked. The pheasant was moist and not at all overdone. But my favorite part of the dish was suprisingly not the pheasant but the stuffed cabbage. It was filled with a fennel, onion, and bacon mix which was a great addition to the overall theme of the dish.

I also tried the Napa Side of Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Blue Cheddar, Bacon, and Onions. It was kind of like a combination of scalloped and au gratin potatoes, with the best aspects of both. It was full of incredible flavor and I somehow managed to squeeze it into an already large dinner. What can you do when your inner fatty craves it?

Dessert Menu '08

Dessert from '06: A pound cake french toast served on top of raspberry and vanilla sauce. This was the best dessert I have ever had. Warm and crispy on the outside, but completely buttery on the inside. Perfectly rich but not overwhelmingly so.

So for dessert, I opted for the hazelnut creme filled doughnuts with "the best hot chocolate ever." I was extremely disappointed when I was greeted with a doughnut the size of a golf ball and even more so when the hazelnut component seemed to be completely lost. It was a sugary dough, nothing new and nothing special. But, redemption came in the form of its accompaniment, the hot chocolate. It's chocolate to milk ratio was out of this world which made it creamy and dense without over-killing the chocolate flavor.

I had other desserts but the pictures turned out to be crap. The other desserts consisted of:

1. Tangerine Creme Brulee with Grand Marnier Chantilly Cream: the creme was perfectly smooth and it was brulee-d all around. The more the brulee, the better the brulee - at least that's what I always say. The tangerine flavor was quiet but still there, just a perfect little hint.

2. Wine Country Apple Croustada with Walnut Ice Cream and Cider Caramel: definitely the best of its type. The apples were moist and topped with a chunky and crunchy crumble topping. Walnut ice cream...umm YES please? What more can be said about that?

3. Napa "Pick Me Up" Valrhona Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake with Bailey's Irish Coffee "Pot au Creme": If you are a coffee connoisseur, this is definitely for you. It definitely picks you up and in a good way at that. The Bailey's creme was gorgeously smooth, almost as if you had licked a baby's bottom itself. If that doesn't explain it well, you clearly don't know how to use your imagination.

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cakes

The holidays are the times when I: one, have the time to cook and two, enjoy to cook. So it's only fitting that for the holidays, I try to make something incredibly decadent, meaning something that will make me morbidly obese within one bite. Who better to borrow a recipe from than Paula Deen herself, the self proclaimed "Queen of Butter." 

Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake:

Yields: 12 squares

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan 

1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix 

1 egg, plus 2 eggs 

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 

3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder 

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

And the results (Dum Dum Dum):

As you can see there are two unbelievably gorgeous layers, one cake-y and one gooey.  The second layer is similar to a cheesecake (well it basically is, since it has cream cheese in it) and never fully bakes (or hardens) as the bottom layer. But don't worry, that's the beauty of it all. That second "gooey" layer is comparable to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Ok fine, don't mock my comparisons, but seriously, Paula Deen's recipe for this non-conventional chocolate cake is on the verge of perfection, if not divine intervention. It's something all members of Chocoholics Anonymous will love. Am I out of line to say it looks somewhat similar to the snowy peaks of Big Bear? I think not. Substance and beauty, a rare find!

Food from the Motherland

So this past summer '07, I travelled to Vietnam. I have been there two times before this third trip, but never have I experienced the food like this. I guess when I was younger I just never truly looked at food in the same way that I do now. And now, well now, I worship it as a second god. Not really...I just really, really love it, and true love lasts a lifetime. It's one of those things that I need to live, literally to nourish me but also because it makes me eternally happy. And if that's not enough, what is?

So anyways this trip to Vietnam was culinarily fantastic! Here are some pictures:

Freshly caught and steamed scallops off the coast of Mui Ne, topped with a garlic and scallion oil. Not lying here, this was the best scallop that I have ever encountered. You can give me scallops done by Ripert or Wolfgang any day but I dare-say, these will top anything they have to offer. They were simple and fresh; nothing could be better.

Fried Soft Shell Crab: crispy and refreshing when wrapped in lettuce. When dipped into the sauce, it was a delicious salty explosion. But honestly, what isn't good fried? 

Handmade coconut and caramel candies. They made it right in front of us by handpicking week-old coconut, shaving the "meat", and squeezing it to extract the milk. Then they reduce it and let it harden in shaped wood trays.

Freshly made Vietnamese desserts, named Che, made on a wet, sandy street (dirty by most standards) fresh every morning. And yes, I do realize that that does not provide the best of images for you to think about, but trust me, the intensity of the freshness made my knees weak. It's one of those situations where you were always content with what you had because that was all you had ever known, but after finding something better, you never knew how much you were missing out. 

Beirut

Beirut stemmed from the mind of Zach Condon, a high school dropout who fled his life in Santa Fe, New Mexico in search of life's other meanings all across Europe. 'Gulag Orkester' was largely inspired by Balkan folk music and mainly comprised of the continual gorgeous layering of many interesting instruments such as the glockenspiel, ukulele, mandolin, drums, organ, piano, and other various instruments. You'll find that in listening to Beirut's music, surprise is an element that is seen in high rate. One instrument you won't be able to find in Condon's music is the guitar, but trust me, it won't be missed one bit. As a self-taught musician to well over ten instruments you'd expect a rather shitty job on such an album but nope, no such failure. And although you'd expect a full ensemble band, Condon stands alone. It's definitely not the typical album a 21 year old high school dropout produces and is like nothing you have ever experienced. 

A beautifully romantic video directed by Alma Har'el

But since then, he's upgraded in more ways than one. His latest debut 'The Flying Club Cup' was largely influenced by the likes of Jacques Brel and immerses you in a flurry of the accordion, drums, and a sweeping amount of strings (all in thanks to Owen Pallett of The Arcade Fire and Final Fantasy). The album beautifully reminisces in old style folk music while still keeping the music fresh enough to hold the attention span of the modern day person. It's easy to get lost in your thoughts of Parisian cityscapes while listening to the album.

A Take Away show along the streets of Paris

The only downside? He gives off an egotistical bastard vibe when he sings live, but who am I to judge? We all have our own initial demeanors.

Losing My Virginity (Don't get the wrong idea...)

So this is officially my first blog on the world wide web and I'm not going to lie, it's a bit intimidating. But I'll try my best not to fuck it up, as if there were a way to do so but...

I decided that my first blog would be about a classic, but never over-done topic: Christmas. It's that perfect time of year when schools almost out and when you could really care less about anything but those chunky knit sweaters, gaining 10 pounds, and cuddling near a fireplace (even though it's not cold enough in Southern California to need a fireplace).

As a gift to all out there, here's my idea of a perfect Chrismas mix-tape. Some classic songs, some beautifully reworked covers, and some songs that have nothing to do with Christmas at all, but just keep up that feeling of joy and the undeniable urge to dance in your underwear.

Death Cab for Cutie - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

The Nightmare Before Christmas - What's This?

Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton - Baby It's Cold Outside

Stevie Wonder - If You Really Love Me

Wham! - Last Christmas

Run DMC - Christmas In Hollis

Frank Sinatra - I Won't Dance

The Killers - A Great Big Sled

The Weepies - All That I Want

Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby

Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough

Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas

Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around

Madonna - Dress You Up (In My Love)

Britney Spears - All I Want For Christmas

About

Hello! I'm Michelle. (See, that's me below there!)

(photo by cherish chen)

About me.

I'm Vietnamese.

I think honesty in friendship is most important.

I think honesty in general is most important.

Respect is second in line.

My feet are pretty cute, they've taken a beating, but they're still fiiiine.

I think Joseph Gordon Levitt and James Franco are just the bee's knees.

When it's raining, you can find me joyously running through it.

You will find me constantly eating. 

I daydream constantly of travel.

Sloths are my spirit animal... you know, if I believed in spirit animals.
Plane rides make me happy, cause then I know that adventure is just around the bend.

I wish I could afford everything at Madewell.

I want to be Martha Stewart (not in the commit fraud kind of way, but the fabulous homemaker-baker-entrepreneur kind of way).

I love wearing black.

I'm highly attracted to people who enjoy food as much as I do. 

I use a mac and will never, ever go back.

I literally never stress... ever.
Hiking is my favorite pastime.

I'm absolutely enamored with tea.

Love is confusing with people, it's easy with inanimate things.

Except family, with them, my love is endless and enduring.

I've never broken a bone nor gotten a stitch.

I live for cold weather, although I only do well in temperate weather.

Writing lists helps me keep sane.

I like to people watch (in a non-creepy way).

I try to keep an open mind as much as possible.

The trick is to live without an answer, I think...

Sparklers, intense laughs, and a cold beer make me happy.

My favorite TV show is Law and Order: SVU. This either makes me deranged or super cool... I haven't decided.

I have a baby blanket, it's slowly coming apart; this makes me very sad.

I am weird, but that's okay by me.

About this blog.

I used to think baking meant buying a box of Funfetti cake mix, and though I still do love my Funfetti, baking is something entirely different to me now (for the better of course)! While this blog is mainly focused on my cooking and baking, it also has a little bit of fashion, art, photography, music, and love thrown in, all for good measure of course (and maybe a little bit for my own pleasure too).

About the photos.

I shoot with a Canon EOS 30D, equipped with a 50mm f 1.8 lens (basically the only one I could afford at the moment), now concurrently with a 35mm f 2.0. Don't be fooled by it's low price though! This lens takes absolutely amazing pictures in low light and is great for portraits or food photography. I love my camera immensely, perhaps with more love than an inanimate object should receive. I bought this camera with my hard earned money. Yes, it was quite expensive, but I like to think of it as an investment, and it sure has served me well. I hope you do wander and stay a while!

Awards/ Features.

Une-deux senses has been awarded a Kreativ Blogger Award and a Lovely Blog Award and has also been featured in Gourmet Live, Serious Eats, Saveur, Foodista, The Kitchn, Society Social, Anthology Magazine, and the Food News Journal (1) (2) (3) (4). It can be seen in the pages of Tastespotting, Foodgawker, and Pinterest frequently.