Creamy Chicken Rice

It's been a few weeks since I've whipped up something new in the kitchen. So, I went through some websites and came across this simple recipe. Didn't even take me more than 15 minutes to cook it.

So, if you're the type who loves creamy stuffs....you should give this recipe a shot.

Ingredients:-

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• seasoning salt to taste
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup water
• steamed mix vegetables
• butter rice

1. Melt butter/margarine in a medium skillet over low heat. Add chicken, onion and green bell pepper and saute all over low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning chicken pieces. Season with paprika, garlic salt and seasoned salt to taste.


2. Cover skillet and let cook until chicken is done and juices run clear, about 15 minutes. When chicken is cooked through add soup and water and let simmer, stirring. When liquid has reached the consistency of a sauce, the dish is done.

Baked Dijon Chicken

Oh my....love this simple recipe. Another easy recipe for you busy people out there. It doesn't matter if you are single or a busy mummy or daddy or you're not the type to spend hours in the kitchen...then, this recipe is an easy one.

All you will need is either some butter rice and steam vegetables of your kind or you may have a  bake potato with some vegetables. It's entirely up to you.


Ingredients:-

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup plain, dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves


1.PREHEAT oven to 246 degrees C. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.


2.COMBINE mustard and evaporated milk in shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs and cheese in separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into mustard mixture, coating both sides, then into bread crumb mixture. Place in prepared dish.

3.BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and no longer pink in center.


Not very difficult, is it??? Hubby loved it...Caitlin loved it....Yuli loved it....

Chicken & Apple Curry

I came across this recipe and who would have thought???? Chicken & Apple Curry??? Damn! Using apples??? Well, it sure piqued my curiosity and gave it a shot today for dinner. Yummy!!! Absolutely yummy! Just have some hot rice and vegetables and you're good to go.....

Ingredients:-

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 small onion, chopped
• 2 apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup hot chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


2.Saute apple and onion in butter or margarine until tender. Add curry powder and saute 1 minute more. Add flour and continue to cook 1 minute longer. Add stock or broth and milk; stir well.

3.Salt and pepper chicken breasts to taste and lay in a single layer in a 9x13 inch (or larger) baking dish. Pour sauce mixture over chicken breasts and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken and bake for another 10 minutes.

So, give this easy recipe a shot! It's easy and it's worth it!

Pulut Inti

I had made this 'kuih' some time back but at that time it was just a 'touch and go' and was still new into cooking. Surprisingly even then, I seemed to have the knack to cook pretty well even though it was a first attempt.

So, I decided to make this traditional dessert for my sister in-law's Open House and it was a HIT!!! A big hit! Finished within seconds. :)

So, here's the recipe.

Ingredient A:-

• 300g glutinous rice
• 300ml water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 pandan leaves
• 80ml thick coconut milk
• banana leaves

Ingredient B:-

• 160g palm sugar (gula melaka)
• 3-4 tbsps water
• 3 pandan leaves
• 200g white grated coconut
• 1 tbsp plain flour

1. From Ingredient A, rinse glutinous rice and drain. Mix glutinous rice and salt. Soak for 30 mins.
2. Add pandan leaves to rice mixture and steam for 15 mins or until the rice is half cooked.
3. Add the coconut milk into the rice mixture and mix well and continue to steam until rice is cooked through.
4. Leave rice to cool.
5. Meanwhile, using Ingredient B, mix the water with palm sugar and  pandan leaves and heat through until palm sugar well mixed.
6. Add grated coconut and plain flour and stir well until mixture becomes thick. Stir during cooking.
7. Put 1 portion of glutinous rice in the centre of each banana leaf and top with coconut mixture.
8. Fold up bothe the ends of banana leaf and serve.

This recipe makes approximately 20 'Pulut Inti', depending on how big each portion is. This is the batch I made.

A really traditionally yummy recipe.

Chocolate Cornflakes Biscuits

It's been a while since I've baked some biscuits or cookies and came across this easy recipe so, I decided to give it a shot. Caitlin helped, too! And it turned out fantastic!!! Crunchy on the outside and soft like cake on the inside.

Ingredients: -

• 125g butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence/extract
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 cup cornflakes; 1 1/2 cups extra for coating (crushed)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sultanas (raisins)
• 1/2 cup chopped glaced cherries (I used a mixture of red and green for more colour)

1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C'. Lightly grease 2 or 3 oven trays or you may opt for baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Fold flour in. Add 1 cup of cornflakes, sultanas, chocolate chips and cherries.
4. On another separate bowl, put the crushed cornflakes.
5. Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls and then toss in the crushed cornflakes. Placed onto prepared trays with about 3cm in distance as the biscuits will expand.
6. Bake for about 10-15 mins or until golden.
7. Cool in trays for 5 mins before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Ta da!!!! Easy...easy...recipe. Gonna make these for festive seasons next time.

Coney Dog

Who doesn't like Coney Dogs. Messy but it's always fun to eat. Hahahahahha....so, I decided to make Coney Dogs for dinner tonight.

Using the same beef recipe which I used to make Sloppy Joes; all I did was get some hot dog buns and fried some sausages and poured the beef sauce onto the sausages and voila!!!!! You can always sprinkle some cheese and just put into the microwave for about 10 seconds for the cheese to melt.

Coney Dog!!!! And yummilicious!

Sloppy Joes

This is an absolutely fantastic and easy recipe. I loved it!!! Everyone loved it.....at the rate I'm cooking, I have to double or maybe triple my exercise regime but trust me, it's all worth it! Using the same recipe, you can also make it like a Coney Dog....just get some sausages and hot dog buns and pour some of this yummy meat over the sausages.....

Ingredients:-

• 455g lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 BBQ sauce
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.

2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

So, what are you waiting for??? Got make some Sloppy Joes!!!

Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Baked Potato

I am an absolute potato lover and love anything potato. Just made the Mini Meatloaves and hadn't got a clue what to have as a side dish besides the usual steam vege. I wanted something additional and there came this Bake Potato idea.

Rummaged through the web for a Bake Potato recipe and added a little of my own.......

Ingredients:-

• 4 medium baking potato
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons butter
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 slices bacon (fried and cut to bits)

 
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Scrub the potato, and pierce the skin several times with a knife or fork. Rub the skin with olive oil, then with salt.

2. Place the potato in the preheated oven, and bake for 90 minutes, or until slightly soft and golden brown. Slice the potato down the center, and serve with butter and black pepper. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese over the top and bacon bits.

So, if you are a potato fan and are thinking to have a different type of potato for a meal or add something different, go make some bake potatoes.....

Mini Meatloaves

I made a meatloaf 2 or 3 Christmas ago and it was yummy and made it a couple of times more for parties and other get-togethers; and have left it on the back burner for some time now and in those days, I didn't even bother to take a picture of it.

Came acorss this really easy recipe to make Mini Meatloaves. Hhhhmmmm....interesting and easy enough compared to the last meatloaf I made which nearly drove me to insanity because it required so many darn things! Hahahahahhahahahahaha..............

  Ingredients:-

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 450g ground beef
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

3.In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.

4.Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes.


So, go ahead and give it a shot. Have some steam vege and a bake potato to top it off....absolutely yummilicious!!! Even if I have to say so myself!

Pork & Mushroom Risotto

I love risottos. Have always loved risottos and they're bad for the hips! Hahahahahha....But who cares??? Life is short.....found this recipe and decided to add pork to it. And for a first timer cooking risottos, it turned out pretty good and not a difficult recipe to manage. So, do give it a shot. :)

Ingredients:-

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 small onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup minced pork (you may substitute the pork)
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup rice
• 3 cups vegetable stock (I used chicken stock)
• 2 teaspoon butter
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 
1.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until onion is tender and garlic is lightly browned. Remove garlic, and stir in the parsley, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook until celery is tender, then add the pork and mushrooms. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking until the  mushrooms are soft.

2.Pour the milk and cream into the skillet, and stir in the rice. Heat to a simmer. Stir the stock into the rice one cup at a time, until it is absorbed.

3.When the rice has finished cooking, stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese, and remove from heat. Serve hot.

Ta da!!! Simple and delicious. Only downside is that you need to eat it hot and it will clump together after a while but nevertheless still yummy! Hubby loved it....Yuli loved it...Caitlin's having it for lunch tomorrow.

Broccoli Fish Bake

An indeed simple and healthy meal. Fish...brocolli and m,ost importantly; some creamy condensed can soup mixed into it!!! I could not ask for a simpler meal and my kitchen is clean. No oil...no salt needed. Only note that go easy on seasoning the garlic powder on the fish as it may turn out too salty.

Ingredients:-

• Garlic powder to season the fish
• 280g broccoli spears, cooked and drained
• 450g-600g fresh or thawed frozen firm white fish fillets (cod, haddock or halibut)
• 305g can Condensed Cream of Chicken & Mushroom Soup (you may use any of your preference)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon butter, melted
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

 

1.Arrange broccoli in 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with fish. Mix soup and milk and pour over fish. Sprinkle with cheese.

  

2.Mix bread crumbs, butter and paprika and sprinkle on top. Bake at 230 degrees C for 20 minutes or until fish is done.

Yummy...yummy...yummy....for those of you who may feel that it may not be filling enough; have some Butter Rice on the side. :D

Garlic Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms

Another new recipe which I tackled. Who could ever resist a good pork chop, right? Simple and easy to cook and you can have it with some steam rice and steam vegetables. Healthy and yum!!!!

Ingredients:-

• 2 tbsps garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 4-6 pork chops (get the thinly sliced ones)
• 4-6 tbsps minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

1. In a bowl, mix the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub the pork chops with the garlic powder mixture and minced garlic on both sides.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, mix the Worcestershire sauce with 1/2 water. Place pork chops in the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove pork chops from skillet.

3. Pour the remainder 1/4 cup water. Mix in the mushrooms and onion and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until onions and mushrooms is cooked. Return the pork chops back to mix with the onions and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.

A yummy dish....

Marble Cake

After baking so many butter cakes, I decided to try another popular recipe. Chocolate Marble Cake. A simple recipe and an all-time favourite amongst family members. First attempt...turned out perfect!!!

Ingredients:-

• 250g butter
• 170g castor sugar
• 250g self raising flour
• 4 large eggs
• 6 tbsps milk
• 2 tsps vanilla
• 2 tbsps cocoa powder

1. Heat oven to 180C/gas 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper. If you want to make life easy, simply put all the ingredients (except the cocoa powder) into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth. If you prefer to mix by hand, beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold through the flour, milk and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.


2. Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir the cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately. When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you'll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren't any air bubbles. Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.

3. Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

An indeed simple recipe. You can't possibly go wrong with this................

One Skillet Pork with Rice & Herbs

Here's another new recipe. Simple and easy. Looks like I am on the roll for trying out new recipes. This is a single dish and will not need anything further unless you want to have a soup to go with it. No frying and no oil required. Just simply healthy....



Ingredients:-

• 300g of pork tenderloin cut into bite size
• A packet of sliced white or brown button mushrooms (about 125g)
• 2 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cup of uncook rice
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• 1 1/2 cup mixed frozen vegetables; thawed
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet or saute pan with a tight fitting lid over high heat; combine pork, mushrooms, chicken stock rice and herbs.
2. Bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 mins.
3. Stir in mixed vegetables and continue to cook until  liquid had been absorbed, rice is tender and pork is cooked through , about 5 mins.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Another simple and easy recipe and yummilicious. No oil whatsoever needed.

Traditional Macaroni & Cheese

A traditional recipe. There are many types of Macaroni & Cheese which have over time been adjusted to local tastes and individual preferences. Well, I thought starting off with the traditional one would be more fitting. Not those that you buy in a box and prepare but here's one of the recipes I had gotten from the internet.

Ingredients:-

• 1 2/3 cups dry, small elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
• 2 tbsps cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsps butter or margarine
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

1.Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Grease 2-quart casserole dish.


2.Combine cornstarch, salt, mustard and pepper in medium saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk, water, and butter. Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted. Add macaroni; mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown.

It was simple and yet yummy!!! Cheesy and just yum. So, give it a shot!!!

Fideo (Mexican Spaghetti)

It's been too long since I've been able to try out new recipes and finally; I get to and I look forward to cooking more new dishes and sharing with you all. Came across this recipe on the internet and it looked real interesting. Not the regular type of pastas, a common dish amongst Mexicans.

Ingredients:-

• 2 tbsps of vegetable oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves
• 1 packet (12oz) spaghetti noodles broken into half
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (you can used those with cajun, celery, etc)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp of chilli powder (optional and you may add more for a more spicy taste)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese (or any of your preference)

1.Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts in the oil until nicely browned on the outside. Remove from the skillet and set aside.


2.Add remaining oil to the skillet, and add the broken spaghetti. Cook, stirring constantly until spaghetti is browned. Drain off any excess oil, and add tomatoes and onion. Dice the chicken breasts, and return them to the skillet. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Pour in chicken stock, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until pasta is tender, and water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Check towards the end, and add more water if necessary.

3.Spoon the chicken mixture into bowls to serve, and garnish with shredded cheese.

Voila!!! An easy recipe and absolutely yummilicious. You can always have it with some garlic bread.

Till my next recipe.

Sago Gula Melaka

This is an all-time favourite local delicacy of mine. I can hardly resist this dessert whenever any restaurants serve them. Hahhaahhaha....so, as usual, I decided to learn to make it!!! Not a difficult dessert to make but it can be quite cumbersome because of the standing by the stove to stir the pearl sago.

How did I actually come about making this dessert? It was because of my niece, Isabelle's 10th birthday. A last minute do which I volunteered to make a Chicken Cottage Pie and since the desserts are normally birthday cakes; I decided to make Sago Gula Melaka. To be honest, I was praying and hoping that it'll turn out well.

And it did!!! It was a real hit!!!

Anyway, here's the recipe. Serves for about 10 people thereabouts.

Ingredients:-

- 500g-600g pearl sago
- 2 1/2 cups of coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 4 pandan leaves
- 400g palm sugar (gula melaka)
- 2 cups water


1. Rinse and soak pearl sago for about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile boil about 3 litres of water.
3. Once water is boiled, add the drained pearl sago into the hot water. Reduce heat to medium heat and stir constantly so that the pearl sago doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. The pearl sago is ready once it becomes transparent in colour which would take approximately 20-30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pound the palm sugar. Add 2 cups of water to a pan and bring to boil. Add the palm sugar and stir till palm sugar dissolves. Pour palm sugar through a sieve into a container and store in the fridge to chill for a while.
5. Take another clean pan and add 1 cup of water and coconut milk and pandan leaves and stir till it boils. Add 2 tbsps of sugar to the coconut milk mixture and then remove from fire and store in a bowl or container and chill in the fridge,
6. Once the pearl sago is ready, pour the pearl sago through a sieve and put the sieve under a running tap till cool. You may need to do it multiple times depending on how big your sieve is.
7. Pour the cooled pearl sago into a bowl; add 6 tbps of sugar and a pinch of salt and stir.
8. You may then scoop the ready pearl sago into small cups or leave it in a big bowl and chill in the fridge.
9. Serve with coconut milk and palm sugar.

Voila!!!!!!!!!

**Do take note that the reason sugar and salt is added into the peral sago is to make it taste better because many a times if you just chill the plain sago, it has this very bland taste. If you are making a smaller portion like only about 250g of pearl sago, then use less sugar. It is entirely up to you.**

Chicken & Vegetable Soup

I came across this recipe. Looked absolutely simple and healthy. Another single dish meal which I absolutely love when I'm not so hot about cooking so many darn things. Hehehehehhehe....

Ingredients: -
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 celery sticks, chopped
- 1.4kg skinned whole chicken
- 2 litres water
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 2 cups rice or pasta
- Fresh chopped parsley


1. Heat oil in a deep pan and garlic and onion. Stir-fry for 15secs and then add carrots and celery. Stir-fry for 4 mins until onion is soft.
2. Add chicken as a whole, water and the vegetable stocks. Bring to boil over high fire, then lower to simmer, covered for 1 ½ hours. Remove chicken from pan to cool.
3. Add pasta and rice. Simmer uncovered for 10-15mins or until pasta or rice is done as desired.
4. Remove meat from chicken, and shred roughly. Return shredded chicken meat to pot with some fresh parsley. Heat until boiling.
5. Serve hot.