Pan Grilled Chicken with Herbs

I did this during a gathering at my place and my friend, Rebecca, liked it. I tried it again, wanting to pair it with vegetable. The asparagus was good but I didn't quite like it with tomato but my hubby said it okay for him. Perhaps if I used cherry tomatoes in a bunch, it might be better. As I find it too wet using cut tomato.

I did it using orange rind and orange juice too and it was good too but personally I preferred the lemon version. I did a fish dish using orange rind and juice and it tasted better for that dish and my daughter finished one half of the fish. More of that in later post.

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken Drumstick or Breast, deboned
• 20 stalks (Thai) Asparagus
• 2 thick slice Tomato (I would suggest using whole cherry tomatoes instead)

Marinade:

• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 2 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
• 1/2 (of a whole) Lemon Rind
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

How to do it:

1. Mix Marinade.
2. Add chicken to marinade and set aside for at least 1/2 hour.
3. Heat grill pan.
4. Grill chicken skin down first, till brown.
5. Turn over and continue to grill the other side of the chicken.
6. At the same time, grill the vegetables using some of the sauce from the grilling of the chicken.
7. If you are using cherry tomatoes, grill till the tomatoes 'burst' to THIS effect.
8. Dish and set aside the vegetables when they are done.
9. When chicken is completely cooked, dish and serve with vegetables.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.
  

Braised Chicken with Mushroom and Chestnut

We love this dish a lot and when I cook this, the dish is always wiped clean. Everyone has a favourite. My son will eat more of the mushroom. My husband the chicken and I finished up the carrot and chestnuts. I love the chestnuts! It adds sweetness to the dish.

It's almost the same as how I did THIS, except I pan fried the chicken slightly before I add it to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Water is added enough to cover all the ingredients and braised in low heat till liquid reduced to less than half.

Best served with a bowl of rice or two! Yums!

Egg Cubes with Carrot and Wolfberries

My kids loves eggs so I'm always trying different ways to present it so it would be more interesting. You know kids get bored easily, even they like a certain food, if I cook the same way too often, I'll see the leftovers getting more.

My daughter kept pinching the egg cubes before I add the sauce so it end up with just this little lot only.

Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 Carrot, sliced
• 20 Wolfberries, soaked to soften
• 50ml Water
• 70ml Stock
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
• Salt to taste
• Cornflour Mixture (thickener)

How to do it:

1. Beat eggs with water and a pinch of salt.
2. Oil the dish to prevent the eggs from sticking.
3. Pour the egg mixture in the dish.
4. Cover the dish with cling wrap.
5. Steam till the egg is set.
6. Remove the egg and cut into cubes.
7. Set aside.
8. While streaming, drain the water from the wolfberries and set aside.
9. Heat stock in wok.
10. Add in carrot and wolfberries.
11. Add sesame seed oil and salt to taste.
12. Thicken the sauce with cornflour mixture.
13. Pour over the egg and serve.

Note:

• Use stock instead of water if you want more flavourful egg cubes.
• Steam your carrot before hand if you prefer a softer bite.
  
• Click HERE for the printer friendly version of the original recipe.

Stir Fried Prawns with Asparagus

I'm back from my short trip and have not quite finished with the laundry from the trip and not to mentioned the daily chores I still have to deal with *faint*. I wasn't in the mood to think of new dishes but it's good too as I still have quite a number of dishes I have not write out and I think I might need to cook the same dishes again to remember how it was done.

This current dish was cooked quite some time ago. I had meant to use the prawns for a salad dish but decided that I wanted to have something hot instead. You may noticed that I had just did an asparagus dish recently. Well, asparagus is not always available in the wet market at my place and sometimes it's just too expensive to buy too. Since it was cheaper than usual, I bought a bunch ... again. How I wish it was so cheap, I could buy a big bunch back to make Cream of Asparagus. I just love it!

Anyway, here's another way to cook asparagus ...

Ingredients:

• 12 medium Prawns, shelled retaining tail and deveined
• 6 stalk Asparagus, skinned and cut into 3
• 1 glove Garlic, minced
• 2 Shallot, sliced thinly
• Oil for Cooking

Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
• 1 teaspoon Sugar

How to do it:

1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in wok.
2. Add in garlic and shallot.
3. Stir fry till fragrant.
4. Add in asparagus.
5. Stir fry for 3 minutes of almost cooked.
6. Dish and set aside.
7. Heat another 1/2 tablespoon oil in the same wok.
8. Add prawns and stir fry till they change colours but not cooked through.
9. Return the asparagus in to wok.
10. Add the seasonings.
11. Stir fry till prawns are cooked thoroughly.
12. Dish and serve.

• Click HERE for the printer friendly version of the original recipe.
  

Chicken with Honey

Quite some time back I bought a bottle of honey for a BBQ session at home and it ended up unused. We are don't really like honey as it is. I tried stirring honey in water, the kids hate it. Drizzle honey on waffles and we didn't like that either. We still prefer Maple syrup. Since I already bought it, I can't just throw it away. Now I have to try finish it in my cooking instead.

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken fillet or breast, debone and cut into chunks
• 1 Bell Pepper or 2 halves Bell Peppers of different colours
• 12 Snow Peas
• 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
• Oil for frying
• Cornflour Mixture (thickener)

Marinade:

• 1/2 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
• 1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Cornflour
• 1/3 tablespoon Rice Flour

Seasoning:

• 50ml Stock or Water
• 1/2 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• 1/3 tablespoon Black Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Honey

How to do it:

1. Marinade chicken for at least an hour.
2. Deep-fry till they turned golden brown and set aside.
3. Heat oil.
4. Stir fry snow peas and bell pepper for 1 minute.
5. Dish and set aside.
6. Add garlic to the same wok you use earlier.
7. Stir fry till fragrant.
8. Add seasoning except for honey.
9. When it start to boil, thicken with cornflour mixture.
10. Add in the cooked vegetable, chicken and honey.
11. Mix well.
12. Dish and serve.

• Click HERE for the printer friendly version of the original recipe.

French Meringue Cookies

No one knows why my husband bought me an oven, other than he said it's an encouragement for me to explore more areas in cooking. Well, he kept telling me about how nice Baked Alaska was and how he will bring me one day to try it. The days, weeks, months and years went by and I still have not tasted that wonderful Baked Alaska he mentioned. That was some 10 over years ago. LOL I haven't stop teasing him about it.

One day, he confessed that the main reason he bought me the oven was to let me do my own Baked Alaska (and stop bugging him) LOL. I went to search for the recipe for Baked Alaska and many have this Meringue covered all over the ice cream. So I guess if I want to do it, I would have to try Meringue first. *wink*

Looks like I should be able to attempt to make Baked Alaska very soon!

Ingredients:

• 9 egg whites
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

How to do it:

• Preheat oven to 150C.
• Beat the egg whites with vanilla, salt and cream of tartar till soft peaks.
• Slowly add in the sugar, whip to stiff peaks.
• Line your baking tray with baking paper.
• Either use a spoon to scoop the batter onto the baking paper or pipe in using pastry bag (I use a clean clear plastic bag!)
• Remember to leave about 1 inch space in between batters.
• Bake for about 40 minutes depending on the size of your batter, till the meringue cookies are slightly brown.
• Let the cookies cool first. It will be easier to remove them from baking paper.
• Store in air-tight containers immediately.

Note:
If you find the cookies sticky and difficult to remove from the baking paper, it would means they need more baking. Just return them to the oven to bake a little longer. Oh! This cookie is for those with really sweet tooth!

• Click HERE for the printer friendly version of the original recipe.

Mango Sago

Everyone at home loves Mangoes. Hmmm ... maybe except my daughter who doesn't like fruits at all. You might have guess it if you visit my blog often. I have a few desserts using mango.

I keep telling myself, I'll try working with another fruit but every time I said that I'm sure to see mangoes and I just can resist buying them. So, here's another mango dessert we have very often.

Ingredients:

• 500g Mango Puree from 3 mangoes
• 250ml Fresh Milk
• 50g Sago
• Syrup to taste (Melting sugar in water)
• Additional cut out chunky mango (optional)

How to do it:

1. Have a pot of water enough to cover the sago.
2. Cook the sago in low heat, stirring in frequently to prevent them from sticking.
3. Once all the sago have turn opaque, strain and wash them in a pot of clean water till you don't feel a layer of starch covering them (about 3 wash)
4. Combine the milk, mango puree and additional chunky mango together.
5. Add syrup to taste.
6. Serve chilled.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe

French Beans with Ham and Bacon Bits

This bag of french beans was the last of the vegetables after I cleared the asparagus. I had wanted to empty the fridge for easy cleaning.

I planned to cook this but realised I didn't have minced pork. So I used the ham and streaky bacon, meant for my son's breakfast, instead.

Ingredients:

• 400g French Beans
• 2 slice Ham, chopped into bits
• 3 slice Streaky Bacon, chopped into bits
• 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Fermented Soybean Paste (try the spicy one if you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar

How to do it:

1. Snap of the ends of the french beans.
2. Deep fry french beans for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat up the wok and add in the bacon.
4. Stir fry the slightly brown. Do not drain the oil.
5. Add in the garlic and ham.
6. Stir fry till garlic is fragrant and the bacon and ham are brown.
7. Add in the French beans, fermented soybean paste and sugar.
8. Stir fry for another 30 seconds to a minute till french beans are thoroughly cooked and season.
9. Dish and serve.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe

Asparagus with Salted Fish

Asparagus is one of my favourite vegetables. When I saw them in the market, I knew I had to grab some. I think I bought to much because I forgot I'm the only one enjoying it.

Anyway, the last few sticks of asparagus were staring back at me when I opened the fridge, begging me to eat them because it would be a shame to die without being eaten.

I had in mind to cook bean sprout so I'm used similar cooking method to do the asparagus instead.

Ingredients:

• 8 Asparagus, skinned and half
• 5g Salted Fish, chopped into bits
• 2 Clove Garlic, sliced
• 2 teaspoon Oil

How to do it:

1. Heat oil in wok.
2. Stir fry garlic and salted fish til fragrant.
3. Remove and set aside.
4. Add in the asparagus.
5. Stir fry till cooked.
6. Dish and sprinkle the earlier cooked garlic and salted fish over.
7. Serve.

Note:

No seasoning required for this dish as the oil will be salty from the stir frying of the salted fish.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe

Chocolate Chips Cookies

I ran out of baking paper and since I was at the supermarket, I went to look around for it. I found the wonderful Glad Bake - Non-stick and cooking paper. No greasing required when I use this. When the cookies are baked, they just slipped off the paper to the wire rack and I could reuse the paper for my second batch of cookies. In fact, I only use two pieces of paper to bake the whole batch of cookies!

Anyway, there's this Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe on the box. Cookies. How can I give it a miss and went ahead to try it. Ooooo ... It's yummy, crunchy, easy and no stopping at one (my son finished a box with closed to 20 cookies at one go!!). I gave some to my friend, Poi San, and she has since requested for a big canister for Chinese New Year. I'll bake some for you for Christmas lah. Don't have to wait so long. *giggle*

Anyone who loves cookies should try this!

Ingredients:

• 200g Butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• 2 cups Self Raising Flour
• 2 cups Chocolate Bits
• 1 cup Roasted Hazelnuts, chopped (I didn't add this)

How to do it:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Cream butter and sugar till pale and creamy.
3. Add in eggs and vanilla essence and beat well.
4. Fold in shifted flour.
5. Fold in chocolate bits and nuts.
6. Roll spoonfuls of mixture into walnut sized balls.
7. Place on tray lined with Glad baking paper *wink* leaving room for spreading.
8. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until pale golden.
9. Cool for 5 minutes then cool completely on wire racks.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe
  

Seaweed Cookies

I actually enjoy baking cookies more than cakes. Well, that's because I prefer to eat cookies than cakes. LOL And I find cookies easier to make for a novice baker like me. Baking cakes have too many rules to follow, one step wrong and your cakes might end up in the rubbish bin.

I won't give up making cakes though. I have a wish to make cute and pretty cupcakes with all those creams and sprinkles for my son's next birthday. I still need lots of practise if I'm going to make that wish come true. Not much time left though.

In the meantime, it will be still cookies that I'll be baking when I have the time. Oh, I've skipped post again as I remembered one of my Multiply friends, San, intends to make these for her son's teachers. Not much time left. Oh! And KF, who is going to 'trade' cookies with San, the next post will be for you. *wink*

Ingredients:

• 100g Unsalted Butter, soften
• 45g Icing Sugar
• 25g Sugar
• a dash of salt
• 1 Whole Egg, beaten
• 90g Cake Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 15g Almond Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• 65g Fresh Milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Seaweed Powder

How to do it:

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Combine butter, icing sugar, sugar and salt together.
3. Beat mixture till fluffy can creamy.
4. Pour in egg over 3 times and mix well each time before adding.
5. Shift in cake flour and baking powder.
6. Stir in almond powder to form batter.
7. Gradually, stir in a mixture of fresh milk and vanilla essence.
8. Add half of the seaweed powder into the batter and stir well.
9. Fill batter into a pastry bag and squeeze onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
10. Sprinkle remaining seaweed powder.
11. Bake for 15 minutes.

Note:

• I find the cookies not sweet enough but it's meant to bring out the seaweed in it.
• You decide if you would like to increase the amount of sugar.
• If you can't get seaweed powder, cut half a sheet of unseasoned roasted nori (those used to wrap sushi) and have it chopped into tiny bits.
  

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.
  

Credits of the recipe goes to Ms Wu Jing-Yen, Author of High-Tea at Home

Green Lime Juice with Aloe Vera

I learned a trick or two from the veggie sellers in the market. How do you cook this? What do you do with this? Just ask and you will be given not just one answer. They are my veggie and cooking consultants. *giggle*

Do you know if you burn, eg, your hand, just take a thin slice of aloe vera and place it over the wound. It helps the healing. This was what they told to me when the sellers saw my scalded hand sometime back. It did help ease the pain.

I had to buy the whole leaf which was very big, I asked what else does it do and what else can I do with it. Guess what they told me? Use it as a mask lor especially if you are pimply, which I have yet to try (no pimple yet :p). It helps reduces inflammation and detoxification too. I have constipation problems so it's good to eat this often too.

However, everyone reacts differently to different kinds of food. It may work for me but not you. So take caution if you using it especially for cosmetic uses. Try out in a small area first. And if you are eating it, eat it moderation or consult your doctor for advise. *wink*

We were having greasy fried food and Lime Juice always help wash out all the grease and adding aloe vera to it to help get rid of excess toxin.

Ingredients:

• 500ml Cold Water
• 120ml Green Lime Juice (those lemon look a like)
• 120ml Lemon Juice
• 1 cup Aloe Vera, skinned and cubed
• Honey or Syrup to taste

How to do it:

1. Add lime and lemon juice to the water and mix well.
2. Sweeten with syrup.
3. Refrigerate to chill.
4. Add aloe vera cube only when just ready to serve.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.
  

* Refreshing Lime and Aloe Vera Drink *

* Aloe Vera Cubes *

Mango Pudding

My friends in Multiply must be glad that I am finally posting this recipe. You see I usually post my new dishes here and here. The former acts as a photo search for the recipe link. I find it easier to search for recipe by looking at the photos rather than the name. I thought regular visitors here might find this useful. The latter is a reminder for me on the outstanding recipes I have yet to post and the order of posting. Sometimes, I do jump post certain recipe first though.

If you didn't know this before, now you know where to go if you want an easier way searching for my recipes here or to see what I'll be posting soon.

Okay, back to this recipe. Sorry guys I took so long to post this. Other than I had many other long overdue recipes to post, the other reason was I forgotten to take the measurements when I did. Then I couldn't find mangoes the next day. *giggle*

Anyway, this is a cheat recipe. It's different from the mango pudding we eat in restaurants which contains milk but it's really easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 200ml Mango Juice (I use Marigold Peel Fresh Mango Juice ... cheat!!)
• 100g Diced Mango (about 1/2 a mango, the remaining can be used for deco)
• 1 tablespoon Gelatine
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 4 tablespoon (Warm) Water

How to do it:

1. Melt the sugar and gelatine in the water.
2. Gradually stir in the sugar content to the mango juice.
3. Stir in the diced mango.
4. Pour into moulds or cups.
5. Refrigerate till the jelly sets.

Note:
Adjust the amount of gelatine used for the firmness of jelly you like. Likewise for sugar.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.

Soba with Chilli Prawns

I love Chilli Crabs but unfortunately or fortunately, I haven't got over the phobia of killing and preparing crabs. Hence, I use other ingredients in replacement of crabs. Just like this previous dish here.

The other day I had cravings for chilli crabs (again). I got the prawns meant for another dish to make Chilli Prawns instead, using the same ingredients and same way I did 0the previous dish but using prawns of course.

I didn't want to have rice. So I grab a bunch of soba and cooked it. Add the prepared chilli prawns to it and voila! Hmmm ... Italian dish with Japanese and Singaporean flavours! Very fusion!

I wished I had used Penne instead of Soba. Why? So I can eat quietly but still be able to grab more sauce in every bite. I was slurping so loudly with my plate of soba I think the Japanese would be happy.

* Chilli Prawns *

Grilled Mussels with Garlicy Parmesan

I love mussels! No mussels fans at home so I always have it all to myself. However, my husband who hates mussels love this and finished a whole dish of it!!

I usually get those cheap mussels from a nearby supermarket. It is really cheap; less than S$2 for a tray! It has about 30 of them. The best part was, after savouring the dish, I have plenty of shells I can use to do crafts with my son.

Oh, be careful when you eat these. You can't stop at one!

Ingredients:

• 30 Mussels, brushed and cleaned
• 2 tablespoon Butter, melted
• 5 tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, coarsely grounded
• 2 teaspoon Fresh Parsley, chopped (optional)

How to do it:

1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Place mussels in a pot with 50ml water and cover.
3. Cook for 5 minutes or till mussels open up.
4. Drain and discard those that remained close (they are bad).
5. Snap the empty part of the shell off.
6. Place the other shell with the mussels on a oven-proof dish.
7. Mix the remaining ingredients together.
8. Place some of the butter mixture on top of each mussel.
9. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top if you like.
10. Grill till the mussels are sizzling and the top mixture are golden.
11. Serve immediately.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.