BRAIN CUPCAKES, SPIDER WEB CUPCAKES AND FINGER COOKIES

Last year i made finger cookies for halloween. This year i made brain cupcakes and web cupcakes.

EYEBALLS : CANNED LYCHEES AND MARASCHINO CHERRIES
FINGERS: ANY COOKIE DOUGH BUT I USED MY EMPANADA DOUGH FOR THESE. ALMONDS FOR THE NAILS. EGGWASH THE "FINGERS" BEFORE BAKING.

My Last Years Fingers!

This years fingers!!! Looks like these fingers got arthritis and jaundice too=;), for some reason my eggwash was so yellow!

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 box of chocolate cake mix (follow the box instructions and ingredients).
**1 box usually yields 12 cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth.
Add the vanilla and slowly add the confectioners sugar until your desired sweetness.

***PIPE SOME DULCE DE LECHE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CUPCAKE FOR A SWEET SURPRISE WHEN YOU BITE INTO THE CAKE.

SPIDER WEB CUPCAKES. I USED DULCE DE LECHE AND CREAM CHEESE FROSTING.
SPREAD THE FROSTING, PIPE THE DULCE DE LECHE AND MAKE 3 RINGS ON TOP OF THE FROSTED CUPCAKE THEN USING A TOOTHPICK DRAW FROM CENTER OUT WIPING TOOTHPICK IN BETWEEN DRAW TO MAKE A CLEAN WEB.

BRAIN CUPCAKES: CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. MIX A LITTLE OF YELLOW AND RED FOOD COLORING TO ACHIEVE THE PINKISH COLOR. PIPE THE FROSTING THEN MAKE A "BRAIN DESIGN"

CHINESE WATERCHESTNUT A.K.A WATER CALTROP

I saw these stuff at every produce market in Chinatown, Chicago last month. We missed the Chinese Moon Festival by a day, i thought i could still buy moon cakes but to no avail, i instead ended up buying these. Well, i actually bought a dozen out of curiosity. I haven't even opened them, they say you need a hammer to open these scary thing.

I swear, i freaked out when i saw these voodoo like item. First thing that went to my mind "are they little bats?" i then looked closer, it looked like an evil head staring back at you!! lol!! then it also look like a bulls head w/ horns and all.

I didn't have the guts to touch nor pick them up, until the lady beside me told me what they were. They are called water caltrop another kind of water chestnuts. They say these are seasonal product sold especially during Moon festival .

BEEF TENDONS

In the Philippines, this dish is usually served as "Pulutan" w/c means foods that goes well w/ beer or hard drinks. I love these served w/ steamed white rice.

Ingredients:

Beef Tendons- about 2 pcs.
½ c scallions chopped (for garnish)
Ginger about an inch (julienne)
2 star anise
4 T soy sauce
1 T sherry wine
2 gloves garlic minced
1 med sized onion -sliced
Pepper flakes or Sriracha hot sauce
Oil for sauté
sesame oil
Salt & P (to taste)
2 T sugar
1 T vinegar

½ cup slurry (cornstarch and water)***
*** slurry is a thickener agent ( estimate only - 1 T cornstarch, ½ c cold water)

Boil and cook tendons w/ ginger, onions, 1 star anise, 1 T soy sauce and S&P about an hour or unitl tendons are cooked. Tendons gets tender and gelatinous when cooked.
Discard liquid used in boiling tendons. Slice tendons in cube-bite sizes. Set aside.
Sauté garlic, onions, ginger until aromatic.
Add in 1 star anise, 3 T soy sauce, 1 T sherry wine, 2 T sugar, sriracha hot sauce, vinegar and S&P and sliced tendons.
At this time you have to taste the seasoning.
Let simmer until all ingredients are incorporated and tendons absorbed the flavor.
Lastly, add the slurry to thicken sauce. Add slurry slowly depending on the consistency you like.
Serve hot and garnish w/ scallions and drizzle a little of sesame oil

ENJOY!!!