Honey Chicken

Here's the recipe of a dish I have previously tried but it's been a long time since I have tried....honey chicken!!!! Yummy, right??? It is indeed and the recipe isn't difficult to be executed.......
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Ingredients:-

- 1kg boned chicken breasts, skin on
- 2 1/2 tbsps cornflour (cornstarch)
- 125g (1 cup) self raising flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- peanut oil for deep frying plus 1 tbsp for stir frying
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 3x2 cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped or you could sliced it
- 4 tbsps honey
- 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced on the diagonal, to garnish
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1. Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces and put them in a bowl with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cornflour. Shake to coat well, then leave for 10 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and with 310ml (1 1/4 cups) cold water until you have a loose batter.
3. Fill a wok with enough oil to deep-fry the chicken pieces.
4. Dip the chicken in the batter, allowing the excess to drip off. Fry the chicken in batches until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel.
5. Mix soy sauce and remaining cornflour in a small bowl.
6. Drain the oil from the wok and wipe the wok clean.
7. Heat remaining oil, add ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute.
8. Add honey and when it is heated through, add chicken pieces and coat well.
9. Stir the soy and cornflour mixture and cook for 1 minute.
10. Pile into a bowl and garnish with the spring onion. (well, I actually didn't bother)
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Ta da!!!!!
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Butter Cake

For those of you who know me quite well, know that I'm a dessert person. So, I can never seem to be like those model slim girls and am generally on the....what call?? Voluptuous side??? Heheheheh....

Anyway, I have made Chinese New Year cookies before but have never tried making a cake and I thought making a simple cake like a butter cake would be a good start.

The last time I made cookies, the batter were all hand mixed and believe you me, it can be quite tiring. So, 2 weeks ago, I decided to invest in a cheap mixer to give making a cake a shot and of course, to make Yuli and my life much easier in mixing cookie batters. Hhehehehehehehe.....

Anyway, here's the recipe.

Ingredients:-
- 250g butter or 1 block
- 250g self raising flour, sifted
- 170g castor sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsps of vanilla essence
- about 6 tbsps of milk
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1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Line a cake tin of about 8 inches in diameter or you may use butter to grease the tin all over and dust some flour over it. This is to prevent the cake from sticking onto the baking tin. Please remember to shake off the leftover flour.
3. In a mixer, beat butter and castor sugar until white and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs one at a time, alternating with the flour.
5. Add vanilla essence to milk and mix in.
6. Ensure the consistency of the batter that it has dropping consistency and it does not stand hard. If it does, please add a little more milk.
7. Pour into baking tin and bake for about 20-30 mins.
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##NOTE##
- I did NOT use the oven fan as I remembered my mom telling me once that the cake will be very dry.
- When filling up the baking tin, please only fill up to a little less than half of the height of the baking tin or else your cake will burn and crack. (which mine did!!!!!)
- Bake twice if you have to or make into some cupcakes
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Anyway, here is my cake. Surprisingly the inside of my cake tasted really yummy and soft. Very well mixed. Yuli scraped off the burnt top and sliced the cake to put into a container. Other than that, it was a easy recipe to make.



Doesn't look that bad, right???
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Stir Fry Chilli Lala

Here is one of my personal favourites. Not something that I got from any recipe book. Just my own concoction. I've always been crazy over lala, so I decided to dabble on this recipe some time back and since I've more or less perfected it, I've now decided to share this recipe with you....
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So, here it goes.....






Looks yummy, right?
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Ingredients:-
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- 500g to 800g fresh lala
- 5 cloves garlic, diced
- handful of dried shrimps
- 2 tbsps chilli paste (it also depends how spicy the chilli paste is or how spicy you want it to be)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water
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1. Wash the lala properly and throw out those closed lala. Do not force open the lala.
2. Heat up oil in a large wok.
3. When oil is hot, throw in the dried shrimps and stir fry till you smell the aroma.
4. Add in the garlic and stir, followed by the chilli paste. Stir for about 1-2 minutes.
5. Pour half of the water into the chilli paste mixture.
6. Add lala and stir fry till lala is cooked through. The shells should start turning a bit pinkish.
7. Add salt and sugar; and continue to stir. Ensure that the chilli paste is mixed well with the lala.
8. Add the remaining water and continue to stir fry for another 1 minute.
9. Serve.
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See??? Not difficult, right? Even Caitlin tried the lala. She didn't think it was spicy from the looks of it. She was enjoying it....hubby and I were worried she was trying to eat the shells as well!!!! And she had real fun spooning the lala onto hubby's plate......



Anyway, I hope you do try this recipe out and I do hope you like it as much as I do.....
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Cheerios!!!
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Italian Roast Chicken with Vegetables

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As you all know, I have gone MIA for a while and have hardly had the time to cook and am now trying to get back into experimenting new stuff again. Anyway, I came across this recipe and thought I should just give it a shot since it didn't look very complicating and seemed pretty healthy as well.
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Anyway, it turned out well and tasted really yummy. Hubby felt that the chicken was a bit bland because I didn't marinate it....well, first the recipe didn't require marinating and secondly, sometimes having it a little bland is good for the health. Moreover, the juice from the roasting was tasty enough for me.
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Here's the recipe.....
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Ingredients: -
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- 4 chicken breast fillets
- 4 thin slices rindless turkey bacon (I used beef bacon as it's not easy to find turkey bacon)
- 500g cherry tomatoes
- 2 medium (400g) red capsicums, cut into thick strips
- 250g baby potatoes, thinly sliced (you may use regular potatoes)
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced or diced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
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1. Preheat oven to 240 degrees/220 degrees Celsius; fan forced
2. Wrap each chicken breast with a piece of bacon. If the chicken fillet is too large, you can always slice them to smaller fillets
3. Combine tomatoes, capsicum, potatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large, shallow baking dish; mix well.
4.Push the vegetables to the sides of the baking dish and place chicken in the centre dish, turn to coat in the oil from the dish
5. Bake, uncovered for about 20 minutes.
6. Turn the chicken from the bottom, facing the top and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
7. Add parsley to vegetables.
8. Serve.
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Voila!!!! A delicious simple meal. You may want to make some soup to go along with this dish.....
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Home Made Beef Burger Patties

Hubby and I love burgers and we only get to eat them if we buy them or have them at restaurants. Sometimes, just for a quick fix, we'll just get the typical 'Ramli' burger which is a famously sold at almost every nook & corner in the country.

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Then, I came across this recipe of home made burger patties and thought....this would be much healthier and a nice change for dinner.

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So, here's the recipe that I wanted to share. My apologies for not updating anyting lately as life been really hectic for me for the last month or so......

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Ingredients:-

- 500g lean mince beef

- 1 cup breadcrumbs

- 1 onion, chopped finely

- 2 tbsps chopped parsley

- 1 egg yolk

- 2 tbsps smoked hickory BBQ sauce

- 1 tsp fine salt

- 2 tsps grated black pepper

- 1 tbsp oil

- burger buns to serve

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1. In a large bowl, combine beef, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, egg yolk, BBQ sauce and salt & pepper. Mix well and shape into patties.

2. Heat oil in a Grill Frypan over a medium-high fire.

3. Grill burgers for 4 mins on side or until cooked.

4. Serve hot with burger buns.

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You made add it with some fries on the side. I also added to the burger bacon slice with lettuce and tomato slices and believe me; it tasted really yummy!!!!

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Enjoy........

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Steam Savoury Egg Custard with Mince Meat

A dish I made this evening for dinner. A simple dish to make and always taste yummy.

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You may not want to add the fried garlic onto the egg custard if you're not much of a garlic fan. My hubby doesn't like it with garlic. So, this is aboslutely an optional choice for you.

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Here's the recipe.....

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Ingredients:-
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsps of minced meat (marinated with 1 tsp of concentrated chicken stock, a dash of pepper and 1 tsp of sesame seed oil)
- 200ml water
- Salt and pepper
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Topping:-
- 2 tbsps oil
- 2 tbsps chopped garlic
- 50ml water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsps soy sauce
- 2 tbsps sliced spring onions
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1) In a heatproof dish, beat the eggs with water, salt, pepper and minced meat until thoroughly mixed.
2) Prepare a wok / steamer for steaming
3) Bring water to boil, then turn down the flame to low
4) Steam the dish for 10-15 mins, or until eggs are set
5) Heat oil in a pan and add in chopped garlic to brown lightly.
6) Sprinkle the browned garlic on to the custard.
7) Then add soy sauce, water and sugar to the oil which is still in the pan
8) Bring to boil and pour over the custard.
9) Garnish with sliced spring onion.
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Ta da!!!!!

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Penne Pasta with Creamy Meat Sauce

I got hold of this recipe and decided to give it a shot. Turned out pretty well. It's more of a dry recipe and does not have much gravy. So, if you are a gravy person, this is not for you.....
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This dish serves 4.
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Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 8 ounces ground beef (240g)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 2/3 cups milk, divided
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried leaf oregano, crumbled
- 12 oz penne pasta (340g)
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
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1. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened.
2. Stir in shredded carrot, chopped celery, and 1/4 cup water; cook until vegetables are tender and liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Stir in ground beef and cook until browned, about 4 minutes.
4. Add wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in tomato paste, 2/3 cup of milk, salt, pepper and oregano, reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the milk has been absorbed.
6. Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened, gradually adding the remaining 1 cup of milk.
7. Cook until all has been absorbed, about 20 minutes longer.
8. Meanwhile, cook penne pasta in a large pot of boiling water until just tender; drain well.
9. Transfer sauce to a large serving bowl. Add the penne pasta and Parmesan cheese; toss penne pasta gently.
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Ta da!!! Not a difficult dish to prepare.....
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Enjoy.....
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Chicken ala King

I have always love this dish since a child and I was really glad to get my hands on this recipe. You have no idea my anticipation the whole day of eating Chicken ala King!!! And the best part is that it is not a difficult recipe to follow.......it serves about 6.

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For 9 years, hubby has always been watching me eat Chicken ala King at The Ship. Everytime I go there, I will always order the same dish and nothing else. This was the first time hubby tried my Chicken ala King and he liked it....

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Ingredients:
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups white sauce, recipe link below
- 1/3 cup dry sherry
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried leaf tarragon
- pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken

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1. In a saucepan sauté mushrooms and red and green bell pepper in the butter for 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add white sauce, sherry, tarragon, cayenne and salt and pepper.

3. Bring just to the boiling point, stirring constantly.

4. Whisk egg yolks with cream and quickly stir into the sauce.

5. Add the chicken and heat through; do not boil.

6. Serve chicken a la king over butter rice, toast, or pastry shells.

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Do give it a shot if you love creamy stuff. It is not for everybody.....

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White Sauce

This is a savoury sauce and it is used for my next recipe; Chicken ala King.
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Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- salt
- white or black pepper
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1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in flour.
2. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Do not brown.
3. Gradually stir in milk and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
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The above makes 1 cup of white sauce.
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Cheesy Spaghetti Carbonara

Some time back, hubby got hold of this recipe and gave it a shot. Most of the time, people will just go ahead; buy the prepared sauce and just add the necessary meat into it. We decided to make it from scratch and we're happy to say that the results turned out well. Only thing is that you need to eat it immediately once it's cooked because when it is cold, the cheese and cream will harden slightly thus making the noodle a bit lumpy. You may add a little milk or water to smoothen things a bit.

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The reason I call it cheesy carbonara is because it really is and there are many types of carbonaras.....the dry one like this one and the ones with more gravy. Another time, hubby will give the other type of carbonara a shot.

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On another note, when you fry the bacon, please DO NOT add any oil as the bacon will release its natural oil. Just ensure that the pot is hot and when you add the olive oil, just add a few drops.

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Anyway, here's the recipe......

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Ingredients: -
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 cups of whipping cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 500g bacon cut in small pieces
- 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 750g spaghetti or whatever pasta that you would prefer

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1. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Fry bacon with medium heat until most of the heat is released but before it becomes crispy. (Make sure you use a large pot as you will need to add the pasta into later)
3. Add wine and oregano. Reduce the wine at medium to low heat
4. Add onion and garlic to bacon and saute for about 10-15 mins. Add olive oil for the last few minutes.
5. About half way through of Step 4, begin to boil the spaghetti. When the spaghetti is ready, mix into the bacon.
6. Mix in the cream mixture, one half at the time.

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Voila.....you have a homemade spaghetti carbonara, made from scratch and it's yummy. Healthy and yummy....

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A you can see, my little one is attacking her pasta with relish!!!!

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