Recipes to Try

Baking

1. Madeleines
2. 
   

Recipe to Try : Lemon Sponge Cake

Ingredients :
1 cup Cake Flour, sifted
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Cold Water
2 tsp Lemon Rind, grated
2 Egg Yolks, beaten
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Sugar
2 Egg Whites, beaten
1 tsp Lemon Juice

(1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
(2) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together 3 times.
(3) In a separate bowl, add the water and lemon rind into the egg yolks and beat them until they are lemon-colored.
(4) Add 3/4 cup of sugar a little at a time, beating after each addition.
(5) Add the sifted ingredients, slowly stirring to blend them in.
(6) In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form peaks, then add the lemon juice and 2 tbsp of sugar, beating until well blended.
(7) Fold (6) into (5) and pour into ungreased bundt tin.
(8) Bake for 1 hour.
(9) Remove from oven.  Turn pan upside down with tube over the neck of a funnel or bottle.
(10) Cool thoroughly before removing from tin.

Recipe to Try : Fried Chicken

Ingredients :
1 cut-up frying chicken
1 cup sifted flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
shortening

(1) Combine flour, salt and pepper.
(2) Sprinkle some additional salt over the chicken.  Roll the pieces of chicken in the flour mixture.
(3) Melt a few tablespoon of shortening in a heavy frying pan.
(4) Add the chicken and brown on both sides.
(5) Then cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and continue to cook until the chicken can be easily pierced with a fork.

Recipe to Try : Rhubarb- Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:
8 cups Rhubarb, cut into small 1/2" pieces
4 cups Strawberries, washed and mashed
6 cups Sugar

(1) In large pot, cover rhubarb with half the sugar and let it stand for 1 to 2 hours.
(2) Crush the berries and mix with the remaining sugar, then combine with the rhubarb.
(3) Place the mixture on the stove over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly, stirring often to prevent burning.
(4) Cook until mixture thickens.
(5) Remove from heat, pour into sterilized canning jars, and seal while hot.

Recipes to Try : Peanut Brittle

Ingredients :
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Water
1 cup White Karo Syrup
1 tsp Butter
3 cups Raw Peanuts
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Baking Soda

(1) Over medium heat, cook the sugar, water and Karo syrup to boiling
(2) Add butter and peanuts.  Stir and cook just until mixture turns brown.
(3) Remove from stove.  Add vanilla and baking soda.
(4) Spread over a large, buttered cookie sheet and cool.
(5) Cut or break into pieces and serve.

Marble Cake

(Recipe to try in HCP)

MARBLE CAKE

Ingredients:

250g flour

250g butter

250g sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp cocoa powder (mix with 2-3 tbsp of warm water to form a paste)

60ml milk (optional or can add lesser)

Method:

1. Sieve flour, baking powder and salt
2. Grease the HCP
3. Beat butter and sugar till light-colored and fluffy
4. Add in vanilla essence and eggs one at a time, beat and mix well before adding another in. Add in milk (optional)
5. Gently fold in flour in 3 batches (do not over-mix)
6. Scoop about 1/3 of mixture into the bowl of cocoa paste, mix well (do not over-mix)
7. Layer the 2 mixture into HCP, lightly stir with a fork or chopstick to create swirls
8. Bake on low heat for 10-12 minutes, flip and bake for another 5 minutes (bake time may vary due to stove and flame size) Do check after 6 minutes or so and increase timing if necessary before flipping

My Happy Call Pan

I bought a Happy Call Pan (Ocher Deeper) from eBay for $82.99 with free shipping direct from Korea. It took about 2 weeks to arrive.

Think and think and think. Finally gave in to temptation just so I can bake my cakes in it. I am very happy with my purchase. :-)

Anyway, I joined this group on FB that has quite a lot of recipe sharing, so I shall be posting the recipes that I want to try in my HCP.  (^_^)

Banned from the Kitchen

Had problems with my right hand since Nov 2008.  Dec 2011, it was discovered that I have a slipped disc in my neck that is pressing on some nerves that caused my right side to be weak and sore.

A neurologist deemed that a surgery is not necessary.  So now I am on my 3rd month's visit to the chiropractor at least 3 times a week.  I am hoping to see results soon.  I am still in pain once I use my right hand.  So I have been banned from the kitchen.

Also I will be moving in early July.  I hope that I would be back in action and taking over the kitchen once again by August.  

Till then.  Eat well... (^.^)

Meal of the Day - Feb 28, 2012

Stir-fried baby spinach
Pink Grouper
Lotus Roots n misc Soup

Lunch : Feb 27, 2012

Hubby works night this week.

Here's what for lunch and his dinner box :-

Soup : Lotus Roots with Ribs and Red Dates

Stir-fried Lettuce

Pan-fried Pink Grouper

Cause he is not bringing the fish, so added another dish - Eggs with Green Onions

Friday Night Dinner

Fried Thick Vietnamese Rice Noodles

Cold Tofu! Loves!

Prepared organic cold tofu as a dish for dinner last night. Just cubed it n sprinkle generously with green onions. Sizzle sesame oil n light soy sauce and it's ready to be devoured! Haha!

Dinner Time : Feb 21, 2012

Back!  Starting small, just gonna post the daily stuff that I cooked!

Tonight's menu :-

Baked Wings

Apple & Almond Soup

Anyhow Fried Rice

Lock&Lock : Happy Hour Purchase

Yeah!  I saw this for 2 or 3 times on the Happy Hour Specials, but when I tried to get it a couple of weeks back, it was gone pretty fast!

BUT.... I finally got it on September 15!  I am so happy during that Happy Hour (pun intended!)

This is what I got. And in one of my favorite color no less!

The wok that I am currently using is turning a bit greyish at certain places and I am concerned that the black stuff is now in our body, but I shall not go there.

Anyway, when I was in Singapore, I hardly cooked but now that we are back in the States, I cook at least 5 days a week.  I need something that is easy to clean and safe for us too.

Can't wait for it to arrive!

To Try : Salad Ingredients

• Grapes

To Try : Strawberry Muffins

(Makes 12; Prep 15 mins)

• 1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs sugar
• 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour (leveled)
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (leveled)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Prepare 12 cup muffin tin.
2. Toss strawberries n 1/3 cup sugar.  Using potato masher, lightly mash berries; set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  In a glass 2 qt measuring cup/ med bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla; whisk to combine.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture and the berry mixture (with juice).  Fold until combined.
5. Using ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups.  Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.
6. Bake 17 mins or till done.  Cool 5 mins in pan.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

To Try : Ice Cubes for Summer

Basil w Cucumber

• 1 cup water
• 1 cucumber - skinned n seeded
• 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
• pinch of coarse sea salt

Lime n Orange

• 1-1/2 cup OJ
• 1 Tbs lime juice
• 1 tsp freshly grated lime zest

Raspberry w Lemon

• 2 Tbs sugar dissolve in 1 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 6 oz of raspberries into trays
• mint leaf in tray

To Try : Savory Breadsticks

1. Preheat Oven to 375.
2. Thaw 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough according to package instructions and place it on a lightly floured work surface.
3. Brush pastry with 1 beaten egg white, then sprinkle with 1 Tbs freshly grated lemon zest, 1-1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme and 1-1/2 tsp coarse sea salt.
4. Cut into 1/2" wide strips with a pizza cutter; transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 14 - 14 mins or until lightly browned.

Chocolate Berry Tiramisu Cake

Chocolate Berry Tiramisu Cake 

(Serves 8)

Ingredients :

600ml thickened cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup caster sugar

500g mascarpone cheese

1-1/3 cups freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled

2/3 cup hazelnut-flavoured liqueur

500g packet sponge finger biscuits

250g frozen raspberries

250g frozen blueberries

100g dark chocolate, grated

Steps:

1.  Line a 24cm (base) springform cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Whip cream until soft peaks form.  Stir in vanilla and sugar.  Whip until thick.  Add mascarpone and stir gently to combine.
3. combine coffee liqueur in a shallow dish.  Dip biscuits, 1 at a time, into coffee mixture and use to line base of pan (Cut to fit, if necessary).  Top with a third of the mascarpone mixture, half the berries and a third of the chocolate.  Repeat Layers.
4. Top Chocolate with a final layer of soaked biscuits, remaining mascarpone mixture and remaining chocolate.  Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow biscuits to soften and flavours to develop.  Serve.

Notes:

• Mascarpone is a soft Italian cream cheese with a rich, buttery texture and a slightly tart flavour.  Well known for its use in tiramisu and cheesecakes.  It is also great dolloped on fruit.  Take care when mixing mascarpone. - if over mixed, it can separate and become grainy.
• Take care not to over-whop cream lest it breaks down into water and milk solids!
• Hazelnut-flavored liqueur can be replaced with actual rum.  Or add 2-3 teaspoons of rum flavor (syrup in a small bottle sold in baking stores like Phoon Huat) to 2/3 cup of water.
• (Hershey's) Cocoa powder can take the place of dark chocolate int he recipe 
• Sponge Fingers - found in Cold Storage.  Look for them under the label of Cantreau's Lady's Fingers.
• Frozen berries are hard to find - can be omitted from recipe.

Got this recipe from my friend and thought I better type it out before I loose the piece of paper.  She did it for me once using decaf coffee and I loved it.  (^_^)v

Oats Délicieux

Borrowed the above title from the library by Evelyn Tai.  Just started going through it and wanted to jot down some notes.  I love oats, so I tot I wanna look for other things to do with it besides my cookies and the regular oatmeal that I have now and then.

There are some common oats ingredients being used here :

1. Oat Bran
2. Instant Oats
3. Oat Flour
4. Rolled Oats

I think I like all the recipes, except for one which has tuna!  *.*  Not sure what to think of that.  Shall try the recipes out soon.  Nom nom!