Another comfort food to enjoy
Ingredients:
4 large good baking apples, such as Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, or Jonagold
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup currants
¼ cup chopped sultanas
1 tablespoon butter
¾ cup boiling water
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Wash apples. Remove cores to ½ inch of the bottom of the apples. It helps if you have an apple corer , but if not, you can use a paring knife to cut out first the stem area, and then the core. Use a spoon to dig out the seeds. Make the holes about ¾ inch to an inch wide.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, currants, sultana, and pecans.
4. Place apples in a 8-inch-by-8-inch square baking pan. Stuff each apple with the mixture. Top with a dot of butter (1/4 of the tablespoon each).
5. Add boiling water to the baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until tender, but not mushy.
6. Remove from the oven and baste the apples several times with the pan juices.
7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or your favorite flavor on the side.
Monday, June 14, 2010
BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE
This is a simple comfort food for someone who is feeling a little down (and you know who you are)
Ingredients:
300 g elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard (Coleman's the best)
3 cups milk
½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
300 g sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Toppings:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
3. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter.
4. Whisk in the flour and mustard and whisk for five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps.
5. Add in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
6. Gradually add in the egg. Stir in ¾ of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Melt the butter in a pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat.
9. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Note:
Remember to save leftovers for Fried Macaroni and Cheese.
Ingredients:
300 g elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard (Coleman's the best)
3 cups milk
½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
300 g sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Toppings:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
3. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter.
4. Whisk in the flour and mustard and whisk for five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps.
5. Add in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
6. Gradually add in the egg. Stir in ¾ of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Melt the butter in a pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat.
9. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Note:
Remember to save leftovers for Fried Macaroni and Cheese.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
WEIGHT WATCHER"S PIZZA
This recipe is for my sister who loves pizza and wants to maintain her weight
Ingredients:
1 12 ounce whole-wheat or whole-grain pizza crust (Can buy at your nearest Supermarket)
¼ cup pizza sauce (Your favorite brand)
½ cup spinach, bioled and drained well
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
6 medium Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup parts skim ricotta
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
6 oz of chopped chicken, (pan fried)
Preparation:
1. Pan fried chicken and cut into small chunks.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
3. Place a large pizza pan or baking sheet on the bottom of the oven to preheat.
4. Spread the pizza sauce on the pizza crust followed by the spinach and onion.
5. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and mushrooms.
6. Dollop the ricotta over the pizza and sprinkle with the parmesan.
7. Spread the chopped chicken over the pizza and finish by drizzling the olive oil all over.
8. Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza pan or baking sheet that is in the oven.
9. Bake until the crust is puffed and beginning to brown at the edges and the cheese is melted.
10. Pull the pizza out and let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar and slice and serve
Note:
You can add sliced capsicum, tomatoes, celery, or any of your favorite veggies
1 12 ounce whole-wheat or whole-grain pizza crust (Can buy at your nearest Supermarket)
¼ cup pizza sauce (Your favorite brand)
½ cup spinach, bioled and drained well
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
6 medium Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup parts skim ricotta
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
6 oz of chopped chicken, (pan fried)
Preparation:
1. Pan fried chicken and cut into small chunks.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
3. Place a large pizza pan or baking sheet on the bottom of the oven to preheat.
4. Spread the pizza sauce on the pizza crust followed by the spinach and onion.
5. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and mushrooms.
6. Dollop the ricotta over the pizza and sprinkle with the parmesan.
7. Spread the chopped chicken over the pizza and finish by drizzling the olive oil all over.
8. Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza pan or baking sheet that is in the oven.
9. Bake until the crust is puffed and beginning to brown at the edges and the cheese is melted.
10. Pull the pizza out and let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar and slice and serve
Note:
You can add sliced capsicum, tomatoes, celery, or any of your favorite veggies
Thursday, June 10, 2010
HAINANESE MUTTON SOUP
This recipe takes a bit of time to prepare but the end result is worthwhile the hard work. The soup is nuritious, healthy, invigorating and wholesome.
Ingredients:
1 kg mutton leg, cubed
500 gm mutton bones
4 tablespoon oil
11 cm ginger, sliced thinly
3 cubes fermented beancurd
2 tablespoon mashed bean paste
2 litres of water
10 pieces liquorice root (gan cau)
5 pieces codonopsis (dang shen)
7 pieces astragalus root (bei qi)
10 gm Solomon's seal (yu zhu)
2 sticks cinnamon
3 pieces angelica root (dang gui)
5 gm Sichuan lovage root (chuan xiong)
4 star anise
10 Cloves
½ tsp Sichuan pepper seed
2 whole cloves garlic
20 cm sugar cane, the thin and hard type for boiling soups, bruised
6 sticks dried beancurd sheet, soaked till soft then drained
30 fried beancurd puffs
10 gm dried wood ear fungus, soaked till soft then drained and sliced
5 gm wolfberries (gou qi zi)
15 dried red dates
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
1. Fill a pot two-thirds full with water and five slices of ginger. Bring to boil.
2. Add the mutton leg and bones and boil for another 10 minutes. Drain and set aside when done.
3. In a heated wok, add oil and five slices of ginger. Fry for a minute until fragrant before adding fermented beancurd and mashed bean paste. Fry for another two minutes.
4. Lower the heat to a small flame and add the boiled mutton leg and bones. Fry for 20 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent the meat from burning, until all the moisture has evaporated from the wok. Set aside when done.
5. In a pot, add 2 litres of water and bring to a boil.
6. Place the herbs-- liquorice root, codonopsis root, astragalus root, Solomon's seal, cinnamon, angelica root, Sichuan lovage root, star anise, cloves and Sichuan pepper seed-- into a cloth bag, tie it up and place in the pot of boiling water.
7. Add garlic, remaining slices of ginger, sugar cane and stir-fried mutton leg and bones to the pot.
8. Bring the pot of water to a boil before lowering the heat and allowing the soup to simmer for two hours. Scoop out the surface layer of oil from the soup every 15 minutes and discard.
9. Add beancurd sheets, fried beancurd puff, wood ear fungus, wolfberries and red dates to the soup and bring to a boil.
10. Add salt to taste
This can be eaten on it's on as soup or with hot steamed rice.
Ingredients:
1 kg mutton leg, cubed
500 gm mutton bones
4 tablespoon oil
11 cm ginger, sliced thinly
3 cubes fermented beancurd
2 tablespoon mashed bean paste
2 litres of water
10 pieces liquorice root (gan cau)
5 pieces codonopsis (dang shen)
7 pieces astragalus root (bei qi)
10 gm Solomon's seal (yu zhu)
2 sticks cinnamon
3 pieces angelica root (dang gui)
5 gm Sichuan lovage root (chuan xiong)
4 star anise
10 Cloves
½ tsp Sichuan pepper seed
2 whole cloves garlic
20 cm sugar cane, the thin and hard type for boiling soups, bruised
6 sticks dried beancurd sheet, soaked till soft then drained
30 fried beancurd puffs
10 gm dried wood ear fungus, soaked till soft then drained and sliced
5 gm wolfberries (gou qi zi)
15 dried red dates
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
1. Fill a pot two-thirds full with water and five slices of ginger. Bring to boil.
2. Add the mutton leg and bones and boil for another 10 minutes. Drain and set aside when done.
3. In a heated wok, add oil and five slices of ginger. Fry for a minute until fragrant before adding fermented beancurd and mashed bean paste. Fry for another two minutes.
4. Lower the heat to a small flame and add the boiled mutton leg and bones. Fry for 20 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent the meat from burning, until all the moisture has evaporated from the wok. Set aside when done.
5. In a pot, add 2 litres of water and bring to a boil.
6. Place the herbs-- liquorice root, codonopsis root, astragalus root, Solomon's seal, cinnamon, angelica root, Sichuan lovage root, star anise, cloves and Sichuan pepper seed-- into a cloth bag, tie it up and place in the pot of boiling water.
7. Add garlic, remaining slices of ginger, sugar cane and stir-fried mutton leg and bones to the pot.
8. Bring the pot of water to a boil before lowering the heat and allowing the soup to simmer for two hours. Scoop out the surface layer of oil from the soup every 15 minutes and discard.
9. Add beancurd sheets, fried beancurd puff, wood ear fungus, wolfberries and red dates to the soup and bring to a boil.
10. Add salt to taste
This can be eaten on it's on as soup or with hot steamed rice.
SATE AYAM BUMBU KECAP (INDONESIAN STYLE CHICKEN SATAY)
Indonesian version of our local favourite satay.
Ingredients:
500 g chicken meat
Juice from 1 Lime
Marinate Ingredients:
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon ground paprika (or chilli powder)
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves of shallot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1½ cup kecap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
Basting Sauce:
½ cup kecap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
¼ teaspoon fish sauce
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced (moreif you want it spicier)
juice of half lime
Cooking oil (for brushing purposes)
Peanut Sauce:
1 cup of roasted peanuts (or use crunchy peanut butter)
1 clove of garlic
2 cloves shallot
3 bird eye’s chilli (Chilli Padi)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
3 tablespoon palm sugar (or replace with brown sugar)
½ teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cut chicken in cube and marinate for 6 hours or overnight in a fridge.
2. Skewer about 4 – 5 pieces on each stick.
3. Squeeze the lime over the skewer meat and set aside for 10 minutes before grilling.
4. Mix the basting sauce well and baste the sate when grilling.
5. Blend all the peanut sauce ingredients in a processor till fine.
6. Pour into a bowl and serve with sate
Note:
1. Soak the skewer in water for 2 hours before using
2. Basting sauce can be use as a dipping sauce for the sate too
3. Grilling is best over charcoal, but in dire strait you can bake it the oven too.
Ingredients:
500 g chicken meat
Juice from 1 Lime
Marinate Ingredients:
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon ground paprika (or chilli powder)
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves of shallot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1½ cup kecap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
Basting Sauce:
½ cup kecap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
¼ teaspoon fish sauce
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced (moreif you want it spicier)
juice of half lime
Cooking oil (for brushing purposes)
Peanut Sauce:
1 cup of roasted peanuts (or use crunchy peanut butter)
1 clove of garlic
2 cloves shallot
3 bird eye’s chilli (Chilli Padi)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
3 tablespoon palm sugar (or replace with brown sugar)
½ teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cut chicken in cube and marinate for 6 hours or overnight in a fridge.
2. Skewer about 4 – 5 pieces on each stick.
3. Squeeze the lime over the skewer meat and set aside for 10 minutes before grilling.
4. Mix the basting sauce well and baste the sate when grilling.
5. Blend all the peanut sauce ingredients in a processor till fine.
6. Pour into a bowl and serve with sate
Note:
1. Soak the skewer in water for 2 hours before using
2. Basting sauce can be use as a dipping sauce for the sate too
3. Grilling is best over charcoal, but in dire strait you can bake it the oven too.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
ROAST LAMB WITH PEPPERCORN CRUST
Ingredients:
3 tablespoon crushed dried peppercorns (equal amounts white, black and green)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup red grape juice (Unsweetened)
1 boned leg of lamb (2.5 kg after boning)
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Preparation:
1. Combine 1 tablespoon of crushed peppercorns, mint, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and grape juice in a shallow bowl.
2. Marinate the lamb for approximately 8 hours, occasionally turning.
3. Remove roast from marinade. Reserve marinade; roll and tie the roast.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Spread mustard over meat and pat 2 tablespoons of crushed peppercorn onto the mustard.
6. Set roast in shallow roasting pan. Pour reserved marinade around the roast and NOT over the roast.
7. Bake 1½ hours or 18 minutes per 500 gm. Roast will be medium rare.
8. Let roast stand 20 minutes before carving.
3 tablespoon crushed dried peppercorns (equal amounts white, black and green)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup red grape juice (Unsweetened)
1 boned leg of lamb (2.5 kg after boning)
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Preparation:
1. Combine 1 tablespoon of crushed peppercorns, mint, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and grape juice in a shallow bowl.
2. Marinate the lamb for approximately 8 hours, occasionally turning.
3. Remove roast from marinade. Reserve marinade; roll and tie the roast.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Spread mustard over meat and pat 2 tablespoons of crushed peppercorn onto the mustard.
6. Set roast in shallow roasting pan. Pour reserved marinade around the roast and NOT over the roast.
7. Bake 1½ hours or 18 minutes per 500 gm. Roast will be medium rare.
8. Let roast stand 20 minutes before carving.
QUICK & SIMPLE DHAL
Ingredients:
200 gm Red Lentils
750 ml Water
150 gm Onion - thinly sliced
4 Cloves Garlic - coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
2 Tomatoes - quatered
2 green Chilli - cut lenghtwise
4 Dried Chilli
3 tablespoon Ghee
Salt to taste
A sprig of curry leaves
Preparation:
1. Wash the lentils and add to water in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add half of the onion and garlic. Set the remainder aside.
3. Add in turmeric, tomatoes, green chilli and salt.
4. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for another 20 minutes.
5. In a pan, heat the ghee on medium high and add the remainding onion.
6. Stur fry for 5 minutes, reduce heat to medium and cook till the onion is brown.
7. Add the remainding garlic, curry leaves and dried chilli, cooked for another 3 minutes.
8. Pour the fried ingredients into the pot of cooked lentils and stir for 2 minutes on low heat.
9. Served with plain rice
200 gm Red Lentils
750 ml Water
150 gm Onion - thinly sliced
4 Cloves Garlic - coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
2 Tomatoes - quatered
2 green Chilli - cut lenghtwise
4 Dried Chilli
3 tablespoon Ghee
Salt to taste
A sprig of curry leaves
Preparation:
1. Wash the lentils and add to water in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add half of the onion and garlic. Set the remainder aside.
3. Add in turmeric, tomatoes, green chilli and salt.
4. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for another 20 minutes.
5. In a pan, heat the ghee on medium high and add the remainding onion.
6. Stur fry for 5 minutes, reduce heat to medium and cook till the onion is brown.
7. Add the remainding garlic, curry leaves and dried chilli, cooked for another 3 minutes.
8. Pour the fried ingredients into the pot of cooked lentils and stir for 2 minutes on low heat.
9. Served with plain rice
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