20111224 Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

This holiday season was a mellow one for me. I just put my feet up and enjoyed the company. I only cooked something simple on Christmas Eve night - stuffed portobello mushrooms as starter, roasted new potatoes as side dish, grilled rib eyes as main course, and some fruit yoghurt as dessert. I was even too lazy to find a recipe for the stuffed portobellow mushroom, and simply made one up myself. To be very honest, it was definitely not a WOW dish, but was a good and simple starter for sure.

INGREDIENTS
2 large portobello mushrooms
vegetable oil
1 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 fresh parsley, roughly chopped (leave some for garnishing)
1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
salt and freshly grounded black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven grill to high. In a small bowl, mix the cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, and tomatoes together. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Spray a small oven dish with vegetable oil. Lay the mushrooms gill side down in the dish, and grill for about 4 minutes.
3. Turn the mushrooms and stuff them with the cheese filling. Return to the oven and grill for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with some roughly chopped parsley and serve.

20111217 Banana Bread

I just can't ask for a nicer breakfast for a lazy Saturday morning. I am listening to Diana Krall's Christmas Songs and enjoying these warm slices of heaven, while my husband is sleeping in and snoring away. I just can't praise this recipe enough, as it takes only 15 minutes to prepare and less than an hour to bake. I am making banana bread almost twice a month, and we are never tired of it!

20111215 Cauliflower Casserole

I wanted to cook loads of comfort food because of the winter weather. I wanted meatloaf, chilli, sloppy joe, beef stew...But on the other hand, I wanted to cook something healthy before stuffing our face with food during the holiday seasons. Because of this dilemma, I have been struggling to find cooking inspirations. So I made this casserole tonight - the tomato-y meat sauce and cheese topping satisfied (some of) my crave for comfort food, and the cauliflower and carrot helped to make the dish (a bit) healthier.


INGREDIENTS
300g potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 carrot, shredded (leave about 1 tbsp of carrots for garnish)
1 small onion, finely diced
300g lean minced beef
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp tomato puree
250g canned tomato blocks
100ml vegetable stock
75g grated cheese
salt and freshly grounded black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C.
2. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Cook the cauliflower in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. In a large pan, brown the beef in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the basil, tomato puree, tomato blocks, and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, and simmer for about 15 minutes with a lid on. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. In a large casserole dish, throw in the potatoes and cauliflower. Cover with the meat sauce and grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven. Garnish with some shredded carrots and serve.

20111211 Banana Muffins with Poppy Seeds

In an attempt to make healthier muffins, I used bit less butter here. To make sure the muffins are moist, I used more bananas and yoghurt. The result was...erm, not that good. They still tasted alright and moist, but they were very pale. I could have left them in the oven for longer until they were golden brown, but I was afraid they would be overbaked and became all dry. It is tricky to alternate baking recipe!

INGREDIENTS
250g self raising flour
125g packed white sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
50g butter, melted
1 1/2 ripe banana
2 eggs
5 tbsp yoghurt

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 200 degree C. Mix together the flour, sugar, and poppy seed in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mash the bananas. Mix in the melted butter, yoghurt, and eggs.
3. Add the banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well with a fork, then divide them into the muffin tins.
4. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

20111129 Meatballs in Curry Sauce

(SOURCE: Bill Granger - Relax)

I got this wonderful cookbook, Bill Granger's Relax, for my birthday - thanks Heather! His recipes are so easy to follow, so I couldn't help but try one of them right away. Tonight I made half the meatballs but the same amount of sauce. I served my meatballs with some steamed basmati rice, and wish I had some roasted cashew nuts to go with them. As my husband was late from work and we had to dash out, I simply made him a meatball ciabatta sandwich to go - the fragrant sauce and the fresh and crusty ciabatta, yummmm. Next time I may just make those meatballs alone as finger food at parties!

INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs - 
300g minced pork
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small egg, lightly beaten
25g breadcrumbs
1/2 red chilli pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the curry sauce -
3 tbsp curry paste
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
4 tomatoes, finely chopped
200ml coconut milk
200ml chicken stock
lemon juice and brown sugar, to taste

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 220 degree C.
2. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the meatball. Then make about 20 little meatballs. Grease a roast pan with some olive oil (about 1/2 tbsp) and toss the meatballs in. Cook the meatballs in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
3. In the meantime, cook the curry paste and ginger over high heat until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the coconut milk and stock. Bring it to the boil, and then let it simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes.
4. Throw the meatballs into the curry sauce and let it simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with lemon juice and brown sugar, and scatter with roughly chopped coriander leaves.

20111123 Pear and Honey Muffins

(SOURCE: Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson - Pear and Ginger Muffins)

What's best to do when you wake up at 4am? BAKE! Nothing says a good morning better than some warm breakfast muffins. I had had a flu for the last couple of days, and have been living on hot tea with honey. So this morning I wanted some warm muffins served with honey. And looking at what I have in the kitchen, I figured I could simply make pear and honey muffins. They were SO GOOD, especially when they are still a little warm. I used a very ripe pear so the muffins are very fragrant. As the muffins are very sweet already, don't smear it with any more honey - unless you have a very big sweet tooth, of course. Perfect muffins for this misty fall morning.

INGREDIENTS
250g flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
75g brown sugar, plus 1/2 tsp per muffin for sprinkling
1tsp ground ginger
142ml sour cream
125ml vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
2 eggs
1 large pear (about 300g), peeled, cored, and cut into 5mm dice

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 200 degree C, and line muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, caster sugar, brown sugar, and ground ginger).
3. In a measuring jug, whisk together the sour cream, oil, honey and eggs. Then fold into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix in the diced pear, and divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases.
5. Sprinkle each one with 1/2 tsp of brown sugar and bake for 20 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.

20111113 Cake decorating workshop

My sister in law always wanted to learn how to decorate a cake with marzipan and how to make roses with marzipan. So this year I decided to take her to a cake decorating workshop as her birthday present, and she LOVED IT!

I was not particularly interested in marzipan cake, but enjoyed the workshop nonetheless. It's like playing play-doh for 3.5 hours, and the best part is, I could eat what I crafted. So here is my fall cake with pumpkins and porcupines.

My sister in law did an absolutely amazing job with those marzipan roses on her oilily cake. Seriously, you can't tell that this was her very first time decorating a cake with marzipan.

Okay I am still not crazy about marzipan, but have to admit that I am tempted to decorate cupcakes with marzipan just for the fun of it. Now I just need to find the audience to eat them.

20111109 Zoervleis

(SOURCE: AH.nl - Stap-voor-stap zoervleis volgens Robin Berben)

As I am not feeling 100% and it is getting cold, I wanted to make something warm and meaty tonight. I never had or even heard of zoervleis (literal translation: sour meat) before. It is a traditional dish from Maastricht - which is a stew of beef with onions, vinegar, ontbijtkoek, and apple (or pear) syrup. It is usually served with apple sauce, and (home-made) fries with mayo. Another way is to pour the zoervleis all over your fries, and serve it with a simply green salad. As I was feeling lazy, I simply served this with boiled potatoes and steamed broccoli. This recipe was picked as the "best recipe of traditional Dutch dish", but it just didn't work for me. I didn't like the sweet and sour taste at all, as in my opinion beef stew should always be hearty. Maybe I didn't cook it right, but no more zoervleis in my kitchen for sure!

INGREDIENTS
700g stew beef, cut into 3cm blocks
300ml red wine vinegar
3 bay leaves
3 cloves
butter
3 medium onions, cut into chunks
3 slices of ontbijtkoek (Dutch spiced cake), broken into crumbs
3 tbsp appelstroop (apple syrup)

METHOD
1. Add 300ml of water, vinegar, cloves, and bay leaves to a large bowl. Add beef, and season with salt and pepper. Let it marinate for at least 24 hours in the fridge.
2. Remove beef from the bowl and dab dry. Remember to save the marinade for later.
3. In a Dutch oven, brown the onions with some butter. Remove and set aside.
4. Brown the beef, then add the onions and marinade. Bring it to the boil, and let it simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally.
5. When the beef is done, add the ontbijtkoek crumbs to thicken the sauce. Season with appelstroop, and salt and pepper to taste.

20111105 Peanut Butter Cake Bars

(SOURCE: Taste of Home - Peanut Butter Cake Bars)

For some reasons, I really wanted to bake these days but am not really up to eating loads of baked goods. As my friend loves peanut butter cookies, I looked for peanut butter baked good recipes so I can satisfy my need to bake and hopefully her stomach. I read a lot of reviews saying peanut butter cakes tend to be a little dry, but this recipe got a lot of good reviews so I gave it a go. As I could only find mixed chocolate chips here and couldn't be bothered to pick out the milk chocolate ones, I simply threw in 200g of a mix of white/milk/dark chocolate chips, instead of 300g of milk ones. The cake bars were finished by my friend and family yesterday - all family members ate 2 to 3 bars yesterday, so they bars must be okay. I wonder if I could replace the chocolate chips with Smarties or peanut M&M's next time...

INGREDIENTS
150g butter, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
200g mixed chocolate chips

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Then gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Spread the mixture into the baking pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars.

20111104 Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

(SOURCE: Baking Bites - Halloween Oreo Cheesecakes)

Though I love cheesecakes, I just can't seem to make them right and they always look awful. Argh! One of the biggest challenges is to know when it is done. For muffins and cakes, you can test if they are done by inserting a toothpick in the middle. But how do you know when cheesecake is "set"? I think I have overbaked these mini cheesecakes. They still tasted alright and my husband liked them - there are Oreo cookies in them, so what not to like? But they were just not cheesecake-y enough for me, as my cheesecake craving was still there after eating two of them. One tip: make sure you have some spare Oreo cookies in case you have enough batter left to make more mini cheesecakes.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar
450g cream cheese, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups chopped Oreo cookies
16-20 whole Oreo cookies

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. Line 16 to 20 muffin cups with paper liners, and place one Oreo in the bottom of each muffin cup.
2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, cream cheese, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until very smooth. Then blend in flour, and lastly stir in the chopped Oreo cookies.
3. Top each muffin cup with 1/4 cup cheesecake batter. Bake for 16-19 minutes, until cheesecakes are set. Cool in pan.
4. Chill cheesecakes for at least 2 hours before serving.

20111103 Chicken with Tomatoes and Courgettes

(SOURCE: Simple Daily Recipes - Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini)

This was a refreshing dish. Next time I may add some roughly chopped fresh basil leaves to the tomato sauce to give it more fragrant. There was plenty of sauce, so we simply used some fresh ciabatta bread to soak up all the sauce and clean our plate.

INGREDIENTS
For the tomato sauce -
800g can whole tomatoes
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 large red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
For the veggie and chicken-
1 large courgette, sliced lengthwise, 1/2 inch slices
remaining 3/4 bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch slices
grated cheese
olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breasts, cut into 8 evenly sized strips
slices of bacon

METHOD
1. To make the tomato sauce. Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, and cook the onion and bell pepper until soften. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and dried spices, and bring to a boil. Cover with lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. While the sauce is simmering, prepare the vegetables and chicken. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Heat the oven to 220 degree C.
3. Toss the courgette and bell pepper slices with a little olive oil, and then spread evenly in the dish. Season with salt and pepper, and cover them with a layer of grated cheese.
4. Lay the chicken strips across the courgette, then lay a piece of bacon over each chicken strip. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. The sauce should be done when the casserole is baking in the oven. Remove the sauce from the heat, and then puree the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth.
6. Pour sauce all over the casserole, covering everything. Then bake in the oven for another 20 minutes.

20111102 Gingery Catfish

Another home alone evening when I indulged myself with fish - yup, all 300g of white catfish for me! As usual, I didn't want to cook up a storm for just myself, so I simply marinated and fried the catfish. The freshly grated ginger did wonders and the fish was so delicious. I just served them with some steamed green beans and basmati rice, and it was a very satisfying dinner for one!

INGREDIENTS
300g white catfish, dabbed dry and cut into large pieces
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
sea salt
white pepper

METHOD 
1. In a small bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, salt, and white pepper. Rub the gingery mixture all over the fish and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Heat some olive oil in a pan over high heat, and fry the catfish for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

20111029 Baked Parmesan Garlic Little Chicken Drumsticks

These were good...finger-licking good! They were so simple to make but so tasty. I served them with some brocoli and baked potatoes. But they would be great finger food to serve at a party too.

(SOURCE: Steamy Kitchen - Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings)

INGREDIENTS
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried rosemary
1/2tsp ground cumin
1/2tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1kg little chicken drumsticks
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4cup grated parmesan cheese

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 220C. Slightly bruise the dried herbs. Season the little drumsticks with the dried herbs, cumin, and salt and pepper.
2. Bake the chicken drumsticks for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the drumsticks turn golden brown. While the drumsticks are baking, mix together the oil, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and salt in a small bowl.
3. When the drumsticks are cooked through, toss them with the garlic/cheese mixture sauce.

201111017 Chicken Drumsticks with paprika potatoes

(SOURCE: GoodFood 101 One-pot dishes)

The recipe called for a roasting tin with a rack, so the potatoes can be cooked on the roasting tin while the chicken drumsticks are roasting nicely on the rack above the potatoes - this way the potatoes would have absorbed the juice from the chicken, and the chicken would have been more crispy. As I don't have such a roasting tin, I had to improvise - and the result was not bad. (By the way, apologies for the photo. It looked alright on my computer but refused to turn upon uploading...after several attempts to fix this, I gave up!)

INGREDIENTS
10 chicken drumsticks
2 lemons
2 tbsp dried tarragon
2 tbsp olive oil
500g small new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
1-2 tsp paprika

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 220 degree C. Slash each drumstick 2-3 times.
2. Finely grate the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze the juice from both. Mix in a shallow dish with the tarragon, 1 tbsp of oil and some salt and pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the marinade.
3. Spread the potatoes over a roasting tin. Toss in the remaining oil and sprinkle with paprika. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Lay the chicken drumsticks on another roasting tin. Place the tin with potatoes to the bottom rack of the oven, and the tin with chicken drumsticks in the middle rack. Roast for 40 minutes until the chicken is well browned. (check on the potatoes halfway, and cover them with foil if they get too dry)

20111012 Italian-style Beef Stew

(SOURCE: GoodFood magazine 101 Meals for Two)

I didn't feel like cooking but really wanted a proper home cooked meal, after surviving on takeaway and microwaved dinner for the last few days. I needed something that is easy to prepare and quick to cook. I flipped through a few cook books and finally found this one. I didn't have high hopes for this but was pleasantly surprised. The slightly bruised rosemary and thinly sliced garlic gave this dish such fragrant - what little bit of herb/spice can do! It was the perfect dinner for a lazy Wednesday evening.

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic clove, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
250g pack beef stir-fry strips
1 yellow pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
400g can chopped tomatoes
dried rosemary, slightly crushed

METHOD
1. In a large saucepan,soften the onion and garlic until turning golden.
2. Tip in the beef strips, pepper, tomatoes and rosemary, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the meat is cooked through, adding some boiling water if needed.

20110905 Chicken Wings with Onions and Tomatoes

We went grocery shopping at another supermarket last weekend, and guess what we found - chicken wings! I know it sounds silly to get excited about finding chicken wings, but you have no idea how many butchers and supermarkets I have been to to look for them. So I have made a stew with this recipe again, and added a dash of paprika powder and simmered for 2 hours instead. The chicken wings were so tender and the meat fell off the bone upon touch - exactly how I wanted it. I think I have made enough to feed 6 people, so now I have leftover for my lunch tomorrow and dinner for 2 on another evening!

20110904 Chinese-style braised beef

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food - Chinese style braised beef)

I sometimes miss the braised beef noodle (牛腩面) in Hong Kong. My husband and I tried a few Chinese noodle places here in The Netherlands, but none of them got it right because the beef was not tender enough. Many chinese recipes call for many unfamiliar ingredients that I have no idea what they are and where to find them, so I never give chinese style braised beef a go. I found this simple recipe at BBC Good Food website by accident and decided to give it a try. It got thumbs up from both myself and my husband! Okay, it was a little sweeter than the braised beef in Hong Kong, but it was still really good. My husband had it with udon noodle, and I had it with rice - and both were fantastic!

INGREDIENTS
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp shredded root ginger
3 tbsp oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1kg beef, cut into large pieces
1tsp five-spice
2tsp sugar
3tbsp dry sherry
3tbsp dark soy sauce
500ml beef stock
2tbsp plain flour
salt and freshly milled black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 130 degree C. Toss the beef in flour, and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a Dutch oven, heat 2tbsp of oil and fry garlic, onion, ginger, and chilli until fragrant. Set aside.
3. Add another 1tbsp of oil to the Dutch oven, then brown the beef in batches. Set aside
4. Fry the five-spice and the ginery mixture over high heat until fragrant, then add sugar and beef. Stir well. Splash in the sherry and scrape up any meaty bits. Pour in the soy sauce and stock, and bring to a simmer.
5. Tightly cover the Dutch oven and cook for about 1 hour. Stir well, then cover and cook for a further 1 hour.

20110831 Chicken Biryani Pilau

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food - Chicken Biryani Pilau)

It was a week when I wanted to have decent meals every evening, but did not have the time to cook anything after work because of the usual 2-hour commute from work. So on the day I worked from home, I went grocery shopping and cooked up a storm in the evening. I made several one-pot dishes, so I simply had to reheat them (or microwave them if I feel really lazy) after work. As I have been craving warm food for lunch these days, I made huge one-pot dishes so there was always enough leftover for my lunch.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
10 chicken drumsticks (poked all over with a fork to let the curry flavor in)
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp curry powder
350g basmati rice
700ml chicken stock
250g frozen peas

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 180 degree C.
2. Fry the chicken over high heat in a casserole, then lower the heat to medum and cook onions for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over curry powder, stir in rice, and pour over the stock. Bring the dish to a boil, then cover the pan and bake the dish in the oven for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the dish from the oven. Stir in peas, leave the rice to stand for about 5 minutes with the lid on. Then serve.

20110830 Root Vegetables and Lentils Casserole

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food - Spicy root & lentil casserole)

The original recipe called for 2 parsnips, but I couldn't find them so simply replaced them with 100g more potatoes. It was a very fragrant (and filling) dish, as the potatoes and lentils absorbed all the flavor. I served it with some plain white rice and steamed broccoli.

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800g potatoes, cut into large chunks
4 carrots, thickly sliced
2 tbsp curry powder
1L vegetable stock
100g red lentils
fresh coriander, chopped
yoghurt

METHOD
1. In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat and cook onion and garlic until fragrant. Tip in potatoes and carrots, and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle curry powder and pour stock, then bring it to the boil. Reduce heat and add lential. Cover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until lentils are soft. If it was still too watery, cook without a lid for about 10 minutes, until sauce is thicker. Serve with chopped coriander and yoghurt.

20110823 Chicken and Rice Casserole

I remember reading a recipe about chicken and rice casserole before, and was too lazy to look it up on the internet. So I simply gave this a go without knowing if I got the ingredients right - daredevil me in the kitchen! As my husband was home late, I left the dish in the oven for a little too long, so the chicken was a bit dry. Other than that, it was okay so I was pleased.

INGREDIENTS
700g chicken, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
225g mushroom, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream
1 cup raw rice
1tsp thyme
1tsp basil
1tsp Italian dried herbs
1/2tsp paprika

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 190 degree C.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown them in a pan over high heat. Remove to a plate. Lower the heat to medium, and cook onions and garlic until the onions are soft. Remove to a plate. Add mushroom and dry saute them to release some moisture. Remove to a plate.
3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and heat to reduce to about 1 tbsp. Add stock and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, then add cream, sour cream, and dried herbs.
4. In a casserole dish, mix together rice, onions, mushroom, and sauce. Then lay the chicken over the top in a single layer. Cover the dish and bake for about 45 minutes in the oven. If the dish is still a bit watery, uncover the dish and cook in the oven for a few more minutes.

20110821 Braised Beef Goulash

(SOURCE: Delia's Complete How to Cook by Delia Smith)

This was SO GOOD! The meat was so tender! I find this kind of dish perfect for days when I work from home, as it takes only 20 minutes to prepare then I can get back to work while it is slowly stewing in the oven. I think this will be a perfect dish for a dinner party too as it allows you to multitask - while the dish is cooking away in the oven, you can clean the kitchen counter, prepare for the appetizer and side dishes, and set up the table for a cozy evening with friends/family. I served this with simply some boiled potatoes, so we could mash the potatoes on our plates to soak up all the finger licking sauce.

INGREDIENTS
1kg braising steak, cut into 4cm cubes
1 tbsp hot paprika powder
1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 bay leaves
650g can chopped tomatoes
handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 medium red peppers, cut into strips (about 2x5cm)
salt and freshly milled black pepper
sour cream

METHOD
1. Mix the basil leaves into the chopped tomatoes, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a casserole over high heat until i is sizzling hot, then brown the beef in batches. They need to be a good, deep nutty brown color. Remove to a plate.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the onions and cook them for about 5 minutes until they carmelize at the edges. Then stir in the garlic and return the meat to the casserole. Sprinkle in the flour and papika powder, and give it a good stir.
4. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and season well with salt and pepper. Let it all come slowly up to simmering point, then cover the casserole and cook in the oven for 2 hours.
5. Then stir the peppers into the goulash, cover and cook for a further 30 minutes in the oven.
6. Just before serving, take the casserole out of the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then stir in the sour cream to give a creamy effect.

20110820 Chicken Cacciatora

(SOURCE: Delia's Complete How to Cook by Delia Smith)

To be honest, I was a little disappointed at this dish as the chicken tasted a little bland - just a tomato-y dish. I guess it was my fault that I didn't use freshy rosemary leaves, which could have made a huge different. Also, I was too lady to chicken a whole chicken into 8 pieces, and used chicken drumsticks instead. The chicken drumsticks might not have soaked up the sauce as well, so I should have poked them all over with a fork.

INGREDIENTS
1kg chicken drumsticks
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium-large onions, thickly sliced
700g ripe red tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp dried rosemary, bruised
1 bay leaf
275ml dry white wine
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and freshly milled black pepper

METHOD
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in the casserole over a high heat and brown chicken in batches. Remove them to a plate.
2. Lower the heat to medium and cook onions for 8-10 minutes, until they are softened and nicely browned at the edges. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, rosemary, bay leaf, white wine, and white wine vinegar. Season and bring to the boil, then let it bubble and reduce to about half its original volumne (which will take about 20 minutes).
3. Add the chicken into the casserole and stir them around, then put the lid on and allow to simmer gently for 60 minutes.

20110817 Creamy Chicken

(SOURCE: SimpleDailyRecipes.com - Creamy Herb Chicken)

The original recipe mentioned that the cooking process could be speeded up by baking the dish for 1.5 to 2 hours in an oven of 160 degree C. But I thought cooking the dish slowly may make the chicken more tender so I opted for the time consuming version. I am telling you, the wait is worth it! Too bad I couldn't find fresh oregano, or the dish would be even more herby!

INGREDIENTS
1kg chicken legs, each cut into two
2tbsp butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp flour
1 cup warm milk
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2tsp dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 120 degree C. Place chicken pieces in a buttered casserole dish.
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and cook mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, add in warm milk, and continue stirring until the flour and milk make a smooth sauce. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.
3. Bake uncovered for 2.5 to 3 hours. Serve chicken over a bed of rice with cream sauce on top.

20110814 Chicken Stew with Onions and Tomatoes

I wanted to make a chicken stew with chicken wings, but unfortunately couldn't find chicken wings anywhere - can you believe that?! So I went for little chicken drumsticks instead. I cooked the dish for a very long time as I wanted the chicken to be so soft that the meat would easily fall off the bones upon touch. I served this with some plain potatoes, so we could mash the potatoes with our forks and mix them with the yummy sauce. But I think this dish would go well with some fresh, warm bread too. Next time I may add a teaspoon of paprika powder or chilli powder to give this dish a richer flavor.

INGREDIENTS
1kg little chicken drumsticks
750g onions, sliced
800g can of whole tomatoes, peeled
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
60ml white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the chicken drumsticks and then remove from pan. Throw the onions and garlic into the pan, and fry until they are lightly browned. Add the tomatoe and white wine, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a simmer, then put the lid on and cook over low heat for about 70 to 90 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Serve with plain potatoes and steamed vegetables.

20110808 Glazed Lemon Bread

(SOURCE: SimplyRecipes.com - Glazed Lemon Bread)

I had a really rough night and am having a very bad headache. So I felt like having some warm baked goods to make my day a little more bearable. So I made this bread at 5 in the morning, and had a big fat slice for breakfast and then another slice for afternoon tea. The combination of honey and lemon creates a very soothing and "homey" flavor. I definitely like this recipe better than this Lemon Drizzle Cake.

INGREDIENTS
110g butter, softened
1 cup minus 1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
For the glaze -
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp honey

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. Butter a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar and honey, and continue to beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. On low speed, slowly beat the milk in. Mix in lemon zest.
3. Sift together flour, salt, cardamom, and baking powder. Add to wet ingredients, and beat until smooth.
4. Place batter in the loaf pan, and bake for an hour.
5. While the bread is baking, heat the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
6. Once the bread is removed from oven, poke holes all over the top, then spoon glaze over the hot bread.
7. Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan, and slice to serve.

20110805 Oven-baked meatballs

(SOURCE: SimpleDailyRecipes.com - Meatballs Baked in the Oven)

I mixed all the ingredients together and let the mixture sit in the fridge for an hour for "flavor melding". I thought of making meatballs as my husband usually has afternoon events at work on Friday and hence only wants snacks at night. So I thought I will have meatball spaghetti for dinner and my husband can munch on the meatballs. But as he didn't have any events tonight, I simply cooked a big pan of spaghetti and tossed the meatballs in some ready-made pasta sauce - dinner served! These meatballs were super garlicky, so I would recommend using 2 garlic cloves instead.

INGREDIENTS
450g ground beef
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp dried parsley
2 tbsp dried basil
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 205 degree C. Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients well together.
3. Use a tablespoon to scoop out meatball onto the greased sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.

20110803 Campers Casserole

(SOURCE: SimpleDailyRecipes.com - Campers Casserole)

It has been a while since I tried out new recipes as I had been feeling tired for the last months. I start to feel a bit more energetic these days, so it is time to get back into the kitchen. It has been grey and rainy all day, so I wanted something warm and filling for dinner. Looking at one of my favorite food blogs, Simple Daily Receipes, I found this dish that is so easy to make. Only 10 minutes of preparation, then the oven did all the work for you. As Jill suggested on her food blog that this dish needs a bit more spices, I have added some green bell pepper and fresh basil leaves. This was really yummy, but I find the combination of rice and cheese a bit odd.

INGREDIENTS
450g ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
400g can of kidney beans
800g can of diced tomatoes
handful of basil leaves
1 cup grated cheese
salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. Puree the diced tomatoes and basil leaves. Season with some salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Brown the beef, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic in a pan over medium heat. Season with chilli powder, salt and pepper. Stir in kidney beans and rice. Transfer everything to a casserole dish.
3. Pour the pureed tomatoes over the casserole. Cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
4. Uncover, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

20110524 Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken

This simple pasta salad is perfect for this busy and warm week. If I had had more time, I would have used home-made pesto instead so I could season it accordingly to my taste.

INGREDIENTS
250g pasta, cooked and drained
350g grilled chicken breasts, cut into small pieces*
1/3 cup ready-made basil pesto

1/3 cup canned sweet corns, drained

80g rocket leaves, roughtly chopped

handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered

12 mini mozzarella balls

extra virgin olive oil

salt

freshly ground 4-season pepper

parmesan cheese

METHOD
1. In a small bowl, make the ready-made pesto thinner with some extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
2. In a large salad bowl, mix the cooked pasta, sweet corns, rocket leaves, tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and chicken together. Spoon the pesto sauce over and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese and serve.

How to make grilled chicken?
Marinate the chicken breasts with 1 crushed garlic clove, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side.

20110523 Pizza Chicken Melts

(SOURCE: GoodFood 101 One-pot dishes - Pizza Chicken Melts)

I had a very relaxing day cleaning the house, taking a walk, and working the crosstrainer! I had to make dinner for today and the next two days ahead, so I have decided to make something simple tonight to maintain my zen-like calm! So I made this yummy chicken and served it with a simple green salad and mashed potatoes.

INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
50-100g grated cheese
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tsp pesto sauce
salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat the grill to high. Place the chicken between 2 pastic wrap sheets and beat firmly with a rolling pin to flatten. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chicken and cooking for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
2. While the chicken cooks, mix the cheese and tomatoes together. Transfer the chicken from the pan to an oven dish, spread each breast with a teaspoon of peston, then pile the cheese and tomatoes on top.
3. Put under the hot grill, until the cheese has melted.

20110522 Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

Another dish that does not really need any recipes to follow. Quesadillas are so yummy, and can be made with anything that tickles your fancy - cooked meat, scrambled eggs, roasted vegetables, etc.. Serve the quesadillas with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and a beer!

INGREDIENTS
400g grilled chicken breasts, sliced *
2 avocados, sliced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup salsa sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
4 flour tortillas
fresh lemon juice
grated cheese
olive oil

METHOD
1. Grease one side of the flour tortilla. Lay the tortilla on the grill machine, greased side down.
2. Over one half only, spread with some salsa sauce, scatter with some chicken/avocado/red bell pepper, dot with some sour cream, and finally sprinkle some lemon juice and grated cheese all over it. Carefully fold the tortilla in half and grill it in the grill machine for 3 to 5 minutes.

How to make grilled chicken?
Marinate the chicken breasts with 1 tsp of paprika powder, 1 tsp of garlic powder, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat up the grill and grill some chicken!

20110519 Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joe is so easy to make and no recipe is needed - just throw in whatever you can find in your fridge/freezer! I used green bell pepper this time, but 1/2 cup of frozen mix vegetables would do the work too. Sloppy Joes are best served with potato chips and a cold beer!

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
500g minced beef
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small green bell pepper, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 rounded table spoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp tomato paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of cheese
Worcestershire sauce
Tobasco sauce
4 Freshly toasted buns

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat, and brown the beef. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Add ketchup, brown sugar, chilli powder, tomato paste, and water. Combine well and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with Worcestershiree sauce, Tobasco sauce, salt and pepper.
2. Spoon meat mixture over the buns, and top with a slice of cheese.

20110518 Beef Soup Udon Noodles

I got some frozen, thinly sliced beef from the Chinese supermarket and wanted to make something like the Vietnamese pho. But as I forgot to get rice noodles, I used Udon noodles instead and threw in a few fishballs. If I had some spring onions and deep fried onions, I would have garnished the dish with them too.


INGREDIENTS
400g instant Japanese Udon noodles
200g Chinese broccoli
400g frozen, thinly sliced beef
4 fish balls
800ml + 500ml beef stock

METHOD
1. Bring 500ml beef stock to a boil in a saucepan. Cook the Japanese Udon noodles as per instructions on the package. Remove the noodles into two big bowls.

2. In the meantime, in another saucepan, bring 800ml beef stock to a boil. Add the Chinese broccoli and fish balls, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the broccoli and fish balls from the pan into the big bowls. 

3. Bring the beef stock to the boil again, then add the frozen beef and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the beef to the big bowls, and spoon the hot beef stock over them.

20110506 Blondies

(SOURCE: SimplyRecipes.com - Blondies)

For my husband's birthday, I have made him some blondies! I don't really like making brownies or blondies, because their edges always rose too much so I could only get two normal-looking blondies out of one batch. Argh! And I always make the same mistake with brownie/blondie - I don't wait long enough. Everyone is saying that you should let the brownies/blondies sit for at least a few hours or even overnight. But they are soooooo tempting when they first come out of the oven. This time I waited for an hour only, so you can see in the picture that it was still a bit runny. But well, the birthday boy loved them and cleaned the pan anyways.

INGREDIENTS
110g butter, melted
1 cupe tightly packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degree C. Lightly butter and flour a 20cm X 20cm pan.
2. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the chopped walnuts.
3. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

20110504 Fried Vermicelli with Chicken

It has been busy in April/May, so I haven't tried out many new recipes lately and hence my silence here. Also it has been warm and sunny for a few weeks, so we have moved most of the cooking from the kitchen to the barbecue in the garden. But today I wanted a "regular" dinner, so I just cooked up this dish using all the ingredients I can find in the fridge and cupboard.

INGREDIENTS
250g vermicelli
2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g mixed Chinese vegetables
200g cooked, shredded chicken
6 baby corns, cut into 2cm pieces
2 tbsp soy sauce
curry powder
sesame oil
Tobasco sauce
2 eggs

METHOD
1. Put the vermicelli in a large bowl and pour over boiling water. Let it soak for about 4 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wok, then fry the eggs for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the eggs to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the wok, then add the Chinese vegetables and fry for about 5 minutes. Throw the chicken, baby corns, and soy sauce in, then fry for another 5 minutes. Add the vermicelli and heat through.
4. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, curry powder, and Tobasco sauce. Add the fried eggs, heat through and serve.

20110420 Curry Rice with Smoked Chicken

(SOURCE: Albert Heijn Recepten - Kruidige rijst met zalm en ei)

I wanted to follow the original receipe and make curry rice with smoked salmon, but I was very sure my husband would not even touch the dish. So I replaced the smoked salmon with smoked chicken instead. I expected the flavor to be richer because of the yummy yellow color. But for a 20-minute quick dinner, this is good!

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium leeks, cut into rings
1 tbsp curry powder
750ml chicken stock
180g smoked chicken, cut into small cubes
handful of parsley, roughly chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the leeks over medum heat for about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and fry until fragrant. Add the rice and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then lower the heat to simmer with a lid on for about 15 minutes. If the rice is still a bit hard after the liquid has been absorbed, add a bit more stock.

2. Add the smoked chicken and parsley, and heat through. Serve with eggs and some chopped parsley.

20110418 Tamatar Chaaman (Paneer in Thick Tomato Sauce)

(SOURCE: Indian Cookbook by Pushpesh Pant - Tamatar Chaaman)

This dish is from Jammu and Kashmir. Last time when I fried the paneer for my palak paneer dish, it was quite a disaster as the paneer cubes were broken and they stuck a bit to the pan. So this time I used more oil and waited till the oil was piping hot before putting the paneer in. The paneer fried beautifully, but I think I fried them too long as they were a little too hard. Next time will be better!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup vegetable oil
250g paneer, cut into small cubes
2 cloves
1 tsp cardamom
1 cinnamon sticks
350g pureed tomatoes
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
salt
some coriander leaves,  for garnish

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the paneer and fry golden brown all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add the whole spices to the pan and stir fry for about 1 minute.
2. Add the pureed tomatoes to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in 1/2 cup hot water togehter with all the ground spices, except the garam masala, and season with salt. Bring to the boil and add the paneer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle over the garam masala and stir gently, then simmer for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

20110418 Chicken Tikka Masala

(SOURCE: BigOven.com - Chicken Tikka Masala recipe)

I am in love with the tandoori masala spices, so have replaced the spices in the original recipe with 3 rounded tablespoons of tandoori masala spices. I found the sauce a little too sour, so I seasoned it with some more sugar. Remember the sauce would taste so much richer after adding the chicken, so don't go too crazy on the seasoning. This is my favorite Indian dish so far, and second comes the Butter Chicken v2!

INGREDIENTS
For the chicken tikka -
800g chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 tsp salt
1 cup plain yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 tbsp tandoori masala spices
dash of lemon juice
For the masala sauce -
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala
750g crushed tomatoes
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup heavy cream
roughly chopped coriander leaves

METHOD
1. In a Ziploc bag, combine all the ingredients for the chicken tikka and mix them well so chicken cubes are well coated. Refrigerate overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until light golen. Add garlic, ginger, chilli, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook until fragrant. Add crushed tomates, sugar, turmeric, and salt. Bring to the boil, and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with spices and salt and pepper.
3. In the meantime, cook the chicken cubes (they should be coated with thick layer of yoghurt) in a preheated oven of 230 degree C for 5 to 9 minutes. Flip them, and bake for another 5 to 9 minutes until the exterior is lightly charred in spots. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
4. While the chicken is resting, stir cream into the sauce and simmer over low heat. Stir the chicken into the sauce, and remove from heat. Stir in coriander leaves, and serve over rice.

20110416 Beef Enchiladas

(SOURCE: BigOven.com - Enchilada Casserole)

I modified the recipe quite a bit to make the enchilada filling a bit more cheesy and a bit more spicy and a bit less beefy. Oh man, is this dish filling or what?! I should have known as refried beans could be so filling. Next time I may halve the refried beans, and add a spoonful of fresh guacamole to each enchilada instead. And maybe a dash of lime juice and some roughly chopped coriander leaves too. Note to self - next time I should cut the enchiladas into halves to make a nicer picture!

INGREDIENTS
500g ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
410g can refried beans
salt and pepper
chilli powder
tobasco sauce
1 tbsp sunflower oil
6 corn tortillas
1 tomato, diced
100g grated cheese
For the cheese sauce -
200g grated cheese
45g butter
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
tabasco sauce
2 cups milk
420g taco sauce

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. In a large pan, brown the onion and beef, then stir in refried bean and season with salt and pepper. Cook the meat mixture over low heat for about 10 minutes. Season with chilli powder and tobasco sauce.
2. In the meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter then blend in flour and seasonings. Cook over low heat till smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk and taco sauce. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Add tobasco and cheese, and stir until cheese melts. Set aside.
3. Set up an assembly line for enchiladas: a skillet warming a corn tortilla, the pan of meat mixture, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, a lightly greased casserole dish.
4. Warm up each tortilla in the skillet over low heat. On each warmed tortilla, spoon the meat mixture in the middle, top with some diced tomatoes, and sprinkle with some grated cheese. Roll it up tightly, and place rolled tortilla - seam down - in the casserole dish.
5. When all the tortillas are lined up in the casserole dish, pour cheese sauce over the top. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.

20110415 Pasta Casserole with Mozzarella

(SOURCE: Koken & Genieten Magazine - Pastaschotel met mozzarella)

We were not crazy about this dish as it was quite bland. It was not bad at all, but we just like strong flavored dishes better. I think I like to serve mozzarella with slices of tomatoes and fresh basil leaves than to use it for pasta dishes. In my opinion, parmesan or cheddar simply goes better with pasta or casserole dishes.

INGREDIENTS
250g tagliatelle, cooked and drained
salt and pepper
500g broccoli, cut into small florets, cooked and drained
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
150g thick slice of ham, cut into blocks
3 eggs
375ml milk
50g dried tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
200g mozzarella, sliced

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 175 degree C. In a small bowl, beat the milk and eggs together. Add the dried tomatoes and oregano to the bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Toss the pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, and ham in a lightly greased casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture all over. Cover the dish with foil, and bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes.
3. Top the casserole with sliced mozzarella, and bake it in the oven uncovered for about 25 to 35 minutes, until piping hot.

20110415 Carrot and Sweet Corn Congee

I have been staying home for two days fighting a recurring headache, so I made a huge pot of typical Chinese comfort food - congee! - using ingredients I can find in the fridge and cupboard. Last time when I was unwell, I whipped up the same congee too. I wonder why I seem to always have some carrots and sweet corns at home. This time I simply scrapped the vegetable oil, and replaced the chicken stock cubes with vegetable ones and dried parsley with a handful of freshly chopped parsley.

20110413 Tomato and Crispy Crumb Chicken

(SOURCE: GoodFood Magazine - Tomato and crispy crumb chicken)

I was lazy and used ready-made breadcrumbs instead, which made the chicken not very crispy. I still really liked the tomato coat and it went well with the simple mashed potato and cooked spinach I served it with. But my husband didn't like the taste of balsamic vinegar - another one to add to his already very long list of food he dislikes, sigh.

INGREDIENTS
3 chicken breasts, split and opened out
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp tomato puree
handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 170 degree C. In a bowl, the breadcrumbs with the dried herbs. In another bowl, mix the tomatoes with the garlic, vinegar, basil leaves, and puree.
2. Put the chicken in a lightly greased ovenproof dish. Spread the tomato mixture over the chicken, sprinkle with the crumbs and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until tender.

20110412 Beef and Lentil Stew with Tarragon

(SOURCE: TastyKitchen - Beef and lentil stew with tarragon)

The sauce tasted really good, but I found the beef not soft enough. I like my beef so soft that it simply melts in my mouth, and this one just didn't do. So next time I may stew the beef for 60 to 90 minutes first, and then add the lentils and simmer for another 45 minutes.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp oil
1 whole onion, chopped
750g beef, cut into cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
240g carrots, sliced into thin rounds
4 whole celery sticks, chopped
1 cup dried red lentils
800g can crushed tomatoes
1L beef stock
1 cup red wine
3 whole bay leaves
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dried tarragon
salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Saute the onions, then add the beef and garlic. Brown the meat, stirring regularly.
2. Add the carrots, celery, lentils, tomatoes, beef stock, wine, bay leaves, thyme, cayenne pepper, and salt.
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

20110410 Tuscan Chicken in Tomato Sauce

(SOURCE: Koken & Genieten Magazine - Toscaanse kip in tomatensaus)

The tomatoes I used were not ripe enough, though they looked so red and yummy. So the sauce tasted a bit sour, which was a pleasant surprise on a warm spring evening. This went so well with some fresh and crunchy garlic bread. I may use skinned roma tomatoes next time if I want a softer and sweeter sauce.

INGREDIENTS
800g chicken fillet
2 tbsp oil
salt and pepper
paprika powder
4 onions, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1kg ripe tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp tomatopuree
4 tbsp balsamico vinegar
50g parmesan cheese
4 tbsp pinenuts
basil leaves, roughly chopped

METHOD
1. Dab the chicken dry and cut the big pieces into go. Heat the oil in a pan, and brown and seal the chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika powder. Remove chicken from the pan, and set aside.
2. Add the onions and garlic into the pan. Add the sugar and tomato puree, and fry briefly. Add the tomatoes and balsamico vinegar, and season well with salt, pepper, and paprika powder.
3. Lay the chicken in a casserole dish, then pour the sauce all over it. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Garnish with the basil leaves and serve.

20110406 Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

(SOURCE: GoodFood Magazine - Chicken & broccoli pasta bake)

I found the combination of Boursin and sundried tomato paste a bit odd, but I tried it anyways as recipes from the GoodFood Magazine rarely fail. And this was really good. The sauce was very special. And the spring onion/almond topping was new to me and it gave the dish a unique character.

INGREDIENTS
250g pasta, cooked and drained
300g broccoli, cut into very small florets and the stems thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
350g chicken breasts, thinly sliced
200g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
4 tbsp sundried tomato paste
80g Boursin
280ml single cream
For the topping -
bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
100g grated cheese
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
50g flaked almonds

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degree C. Bring a pan of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes. Drain well, and set asidee.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pan, add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned. Tip in the mushrooms and stir fry for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, cheese and cream. Gently simmer, stirring, until the cheese has melted to thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the sauce over the pasta, stirring gently until coated, then tip into a shallow ovenproof dish and level the top.
4. Mix the spring onions, cheese, garlic and almonds for the topping and sprinkle over the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

20110403 Lemon Quark Cheesecake

(SOURCE: BBC GoodFood Magazine - Lemon quark cheesecake)

I labelled this "baked goods" but this is actually a no-bake cheesecake. This weekend has been so sunny and warm, so I wanted something lemon-y and lighter. As I wanted to make more cheesecake, this lemon quark cheesecake is the perfect choice. The base is a little too thin so I may double the digestive biscuits and butter next time. Note that this cheesecake is quite sour. I may make them into separate cocktail glasses for a hot summer barbeque party!

INGREDIENTS
80g digestive biscuits
50g melted buttter
200g soft cheese
500g quark
200g icing sugar
zest of 2 lemons, juice of 3
4 gelatine sheets

METHOD
1. Crush the digestive biscuits and mix with the melted buter. Press into the base of a 20cm springform tin. Chill to firm for about 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the soft cheese with the quark and icing sugar, then fold through the lemon zest.
3. Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water, then melt in the lemon juice over a low heat. Beat into the cheese mix, then spoon on top of the biscuit base. Chill until set.

20110403 Bohri Chicken (Mild-tasting Chicken)

(SOURCE: Indian: Cookbook by Pushpesh Pant - Bohri Chicken)

This was not good, especially when this was accompanied by the yummy palak paneer dish. When I cook Indian food, I expect the food to be so fragrant and flavorful - that's what all Indian food is like at local Indian restaurants or take-aways, right? This dish was just...different. When I read the recipe, I was a bit doubtful about the special cooking method. But hey, cooking is all about experimenting, right? The spice paste smelled so strong, but the chicken was disappointingly - as the recipe said - mild tasting. I guess, at least I tried.

INGREDIENTS
1kg chicken drumsticks, pricked all over with a fork
1 tbsp lime juice
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup double cream, lighly whipped
3 tbsp oil
salt
For the spice paste - 
3 onions, chopped
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 galic clove, chopped
handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
2 tsp dried mint

METHOD
1. To make the spice paste, put all the ingredients in a blender and process. Add a little water if necessary to make a paste. In a bowl, mix half the spice paste with the lime juice. Set the remaining spice paste aside.
2. Rub the spice paste/lime juice mixture over the chicken, then cover and set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
3. Place the marinated chicken pieces into a large pan, spread the remaining ground paste on top of the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Pour the cream over the top and add the oil around the sides of the chicken. Cover and seal with foil to make it tight fitting. Cook over low heat for about 40 to 60 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.