bigideasjust4u

Ketchup Chicken Wings

2012-02-14T08:17:00.000+13:00

Dinner last night, I decided to prepare Ketchup Chicken Wings. This is a simple recipe of mine, surely kids would love it.

Serving: 2-3

Ingredients:
10 Chicken Wings, cut at joints
1/2 Cup Ketchup Sauce

3 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Seasame Oil

Dash of Pepper

1 Onion, cut into chunk

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

2. In a big bowl, mix all seasonings together. Mix well and put in the onion chunk.
3. Marinate the chicken wings with the marinade above for at least 30min or more ( or even overnight)

4. Put all the chicken wings together with the marinade in an oven proof dish.

5. Bake for 90min uncovered. Baste at least twice throughout the baking process.You may cover it with a foil if it has becomes too dry. Serve it while it is hot.

Pandan Shortbread

2012-02-12T16:26:00.001+13:00

After a short hiatus from blogging, I am back. Holiday seems to only makes you more lazy then feeling recharged. However, today I am in a baking mode feel like having some cookies and yet wanted something really simple and not time-consuming. I have bought back a bottle of Pandan Paste from Singapore, decided to experiment it by making Pandan Shortbread. Shortbread is one of the simplest cookies I have baked it uses only 3 basic ingredients-butter, sugar and plain flour. With Pandan Shortbread you add an additional ingredient-Pandan Paste, so a total of 4 ingredients. The baking process is really simple too, even a 10years old can bake it without much trouble.

Let's starts baking:

Ingredients:

2 Cups plain flour

1/3 Cup caster sugar

160g Butter

3/4 Teaspoon Pandan Paste (optional-without it, it is just Shortbread)

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy.

2. Add in a Pandan Paste and mix well.

3. Add flour slowly until mixture resembles a ball of dough.

4. Roll out to desired thickness and cut it out into individual pieces using a cookie cutter.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 10-12 minutes or till it turns lightly brown. Cool and serve.

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love (US Version)

2012-01-13T08:42:00.001+13:00

Back from Perth

2012-01-13T08:42:00.000+13:00

I was away to Perth with Tony for a 2 weeks holiday and was back last Saturday. I was too jet lagged to log in to my blog to do any updating. This trip was mentally exhausting and tired, it was too long and it turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. The only consolation was I got to see my son in Perth. I will try to update my Perth's trip once I have the time, probably after February, I am going back to Singapore tomorrow for Chinese New Year. I am so excited and happy, though I hate to step into the plane again. The flight journey is almost 11h 30min, I am flying back by Jetstar this time. The journey seems to be longer than flying back by Singapore Airlines (SQ), which SQ took about 10h. Anyway, it will be my last time flying long haul using Jetstar. See you soon, my Singapore!

Rihanna - California King Bed

2012-01-13T08:39:00.000+13:00

One Republic - Secrets

2012-01-13T08:33:00.000+13:00

Roxette - Dangerous

2011-12-17T15:54:00.000+13:00

Taylor Swift - Back To December

2011-12-15T10:01:00.001+13:00

Adele - Someone like you (OFFICIAL VIDEO LYRICS) HD Live from Brit Award...

2011-12-14T07:30:00.000+13:00

James Morrison- I won't let you go (Live)

2011-12-14T07:18:00.001+13:00

Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss

2011-12-13T07:40:00.000+13:00

Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You

2011-12-13T07:38:00.000+13:00

Queen - We Will Rock You and We Are The Champion (Live)

2011-12-13T07:36:00.000+13:00

Chocolate Mousse

2011-12-13T07:35:00.000+13:00

Making Chocolate Mousse was not as easy as I thought, the part that I find it most difficult was the ingredient-Whipping Cream/Cream. I was very confused with this term. I adapted a recipe which stated Easy Chocolate Mousse, however one of the ingredient stated " 1 1/4 Cup Whipping Cream, whipped". I have never worked with whipping cream or any sort of cream before, except those whipped cream in a aerosol bottle. I am sure that that recipe of chocolate mousse did not called for "whipped cream in aerosol bottle". I did a search of internet, got the understanding that the term "whipping cream" is result from from whipping up "cream". I told Tony to get a bottle of cream, thinking that that would be simple and solve everything. However, I overbeat the cream (with an electric beater)and it turned out to be like butter and has to be discarded. So I did a second batch with hand whisk, turned out to be good but when I added into the chocolate mixture. It did not looked like mousse to me. I showed my product to Tony, he told me that there were 2 different type of creams in the supermarket-Pure Cream, Thickened Cream and Cream, he was not sure of what I want, he got me a Pure Cream (in fact I was not sure what the difference in them too).

That night, I went to the internet to find some answers on this cream difference, I realised I got more confused..there are so many types of creams available and different countries use different terms. Click here if you would like to know more about types of creams (in America context) or from Wikipedia. In the end, I think the best way to make a chocolate mousse is to stick to a recipe in the country you are in as ingredients will be stated based on the correct term. As I am determined to make a successful chocolate mousse since I have some chocolate leftover. I managed to find a recipe in kidspot.co.nz, which is in NZ's context; which makes buying the key ingredient simpler. This recipe called for "Cream", I went down to the supermarket and found "Cream". No hassles at all.

Recipe adapted from here. I love this recipe, it is simple and straight forward.

Ingredients:
200g Good Quality Dark Chocolate
50g Butter
4 Eggs, separated
1 Cup (250ml) Cream
2 Tablespoons Caster Sugar

1.Melt chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl over a simmering saucepan of water.
Or in the microwave. Stir until all melted and smooth. Set aside.
2.Whip the cream until soft peaks form. (It means to beat the cream until when you pull the beaters out of the cream it makes a little curved peak...like a little point at the top.)

3.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form (similar definition of Cream soft peaks-Refer to above in Green), then sprinkle on caster sugar and whisk until mixture is thick and sugar has dissolved.

Thick and glossy of "Eggs White"

4.Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, then fold through the cream and then the whipped egg whites.
5.Spoon into one large glass bowl, or individual small bowls, cups or glasses!
6.Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Homemade Cheezy Patties Stuffed with Cheese Burger

2011-12-10T15:00:00.001+13:00

These few days, I am in a great mood to cook and bake...starting to enjoy cooking and felt satisfied with the dish I put up on the table. Today, I decided to do my own cheezy burger patties filled with cheese. The result was good just that the patties I moulded was way to big. I need to flatten it down more the next time I made. That was the only setback...

Serving 4-5 Burger Patties

Ingredients:

350g Mince Pork or meat of your choice

350g Mince Chicken or meat of your choice1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder or 1 Clove Garlic, minced

1 Egg

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

A Dash of Pepper

50g(or more) Mozzarella cheese, cut into small flat cubes (depending of how big the patties you are making-refer to photo on the right. That was the size that I cut)

3 Tablespoon Oil

Mushroom Sauce (optional):
1 onion, cut into thin slices
50g Button mushrooms
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste

Other Ingredients to complete your burger (Or you can even eat it alone as meatballs/patties):
Burger Buns
Tomatoes Slice
Lettuce
Ketchup Sauce

1.In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except Mozzarella Cheese and Oil) in a big bowl. Mix well using your hand and set it aside to 30mins in the fridge.

3.With damp hands (Note: When shaping the meat patties, it is best to dampen your hands with a little cold water so the meat does not stick to your hands ), form flat, thin patties with your hands, and place cube of Mozzarella Cheese in the middle. Fold the mixture up around the filling, forming a ball and flatten it to patties size, closing holes as best you can.

4. In a large pan in medium heat, brown the patties for about a minute on each side.

5. Transfer patties into a baking tray (lined with baking paper).

6. Bake for about 30mins or till cooked. Some Mozzarella cheese may be oozing out after baking.

7. Toast burger buns, layer meat patty and your choice of vegetables onto the bun's base, then place the lid on top. Serve with mushroom sauce or tomato sauce.

For the mushroom sauce:

1. Sautee the onions in butter until it is soft. Add mushrooms and sauteefor a few minutes. 2. Add the chicken stock then stir in the cornstarch slowly. Cook until the sauce thickens, season with salt and pepper and spoon over your burger patties.

***Make the patties slightly bigger than the size of the buns as they shrink when they cook.

Oyster Sauce Chicken Thighs with Mushroom

2011-12-07T07:22:00.002+13:00

Last night, I whipped up a simple dish of Oyster Sauce Chicken Thighs with Mushroom for dinner, it is best to serve with boiled rice. However, both of us were cutting down on carbo intake I have substituted the rice with boiled asparagus. I have poured some of the sauce from the chicken over it. It was great.

Oyster Sauce Chicken Thigh with Mushroom Recipe

Serving 2-3

Ingredients:

4-5 Bone in, Skinless Chicken Thighs, about 700g

1 Medium Size Onion, chopped into Chunks

3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1 Teaspoon Grated Ginger

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

3 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce

1 Tablespoon Shaoxing Wine/Chinese Cooking Wine

1 Teaspoon Dark Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Seasame oil

A Dash of Pepper

6 Button Mushrooms (optional)

2 TablespoonOil

1.Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towel.

2. Cut the mushrooms into half (optional). Mix stock, oyster sauce, wine, soy sauce, seasame oil and brown sugar in a small bowl. Set all aside.

3. Heat oil on medium in a large frying pan. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, remove and drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.

4. Using the same pan, add onion, grated ginger and garlic and fry about 5 minutes until onions and garlic are soft.

6. Add in the sauce, bring it to boil then add the chicken thighs back into the pan. Making sure the sauce cover the chicken.

7. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer the chicken until the juices in the thickest part of the thigh are clear when pierced with a fork (which may take about 15 minutes). Stir the chicken occasionally while cooking.

8. Add the mushrooms when the chicken are done, stir the mushrooms into the sauce so the mushroom absorbed the sauce, cook for another 1 min in high heat. Sprinkle a dash of pepper before dishing up.

9. Dish up and serve..with rice or some boiled vegetables.

Parmesan Pork Schnitzels

2011-12-05T17:48:00.001+13:00

Eversince, I discovered that garlic powder can help to remove the "porky" smell in pork(based on my own experience) I am more inclined to whip up pork dishes for dinner. Last Friday, while I was at the supermarket I saw Pork Schnitzels Cut in the meats section I grabbed a pack..though I am not sure when I will cooking it. I have a habit of buying meats and poultry and store it in freezer, it is handy and I can always whip up some meals with it. Last Sunday, Tony and I were too lazy to go as it has been raining since morning. I took out the pork schnitzels to thaw then I remembered I have Parmesan Cheese in the fridge, which I can actually cook a Parmesan Porks Schitzels..using almost the same recipe I had for Chicken Schnitzels but with some slight modification in ingredients. It turned out to be yummy and even looked great when I took a photo of it !

Serving 2

Ingredients:

4 pieces Pork Schnitzel/Pork Loin, about 400g

1/4 Cup Dried Breadcrumbs

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1Tablespoon Parsley, chopped

Pinch of Salt

Some Ground Black Pepper

1 Egg, beaten

1/2 Cup Plain Flour
Oil for frying

1. If using pork loins, place pork between 2 sheets plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until 5mm thick. Avoid this step if you are using Pork Schnitzel cut.
2.Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well.

3.Beat the eggs in a shallow dish and place plain flour in a shallow dish.

4. First coat pork in plain flour on both sides, shaking off excess. Then dip into the egg then coat the pork with the breadcrumbs mixture. Using your fingertips press it on firmly to secure.

5.Place the pork schnitzels in on a plate. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until required.

6.Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the pork schnitzels and cook for 3 - 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

7. Put the pork schnitzels on a paper towels to remove excess oil, served them hot with lemon wedges and fries.

I'll Be There - The Jackson 5 Live At the Forum 1972

2011-12-05T08:16:00.000+13:00

Robbie Williams-Angels, Live at knebworth, England

2011-12-05T08:12:00.000+13:00

Roast Chicken with Chinese Five Spices

2011-12-04T12:00:00.002+13:00

"Roast Chicken" has been most of Tony's reply when I asked him "What's for dinner?". He loves Roast Chicken and would offer to do the roast, however I don't really like that not because I don't like chicken. It is just that he always have chicken cooked with mixed herbs...it is nothing appetitzing and interesting. When he replied "Roast Chicken", I would either keep mum or I will tell Tony you can have the Roast Chickem and I will get myself something else for dinner. As time goes by, I felt I am being mean to Tony by my action.

That day, he suggested to have Roast Chicken again I agreed to it. I offered to cook it since he will be at golf. I wanted to do the roast chicken in Chinese/Asian Style. Internet is always the place I looked for help. Original recipe was adapted from here , as usual I will make some modification. The roast chicken was delicious, tender and moist commented by Tony. The sesame oil which I have subsituted brings out the true flavor of Chinese cooking. You will enjoy it if you love Chinese food.

Shaoxing Hua Tiao

Ingredients:

1.5kg Whole Chicken (I used whole chicken instead chicken parts)

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

1/8 Cup Seasame Oil (Used seasame oil instead of oil, reduced amount too)

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

2 Teaspoons Five Spices Powder

1 Teaspoon Grated Fresh Ginger

1 Tablespoon Shaoxing Hua Tiao/Chinese Cooking Wine (Instead of Dry Sherry)

1.Combine all ingredients except chicken, and use as marinade. Then, marinate chicken at least an hour, but can marinate overnight in an ovenproof dish. I turned the chicken over to ensure that it is thoroughly marinated.

Chicken Ready to go to the oven.

2. Preheat oven to 175 Degree Celsius and bake for 90mins or till it is cooked. Baste once or twice throughout the cooking process..I also turned the chicken over twice to keep the chicken moist and to absorb the flavor of marinade at the bottom of the ovenproof dish.
3. Rest the chicken for 5 mins before carving..

Mc Donald-Chicken Scorcher

2011-12-03T20:22:00.008+13:00

This evening, we went to Mc Donald to have our dinner as I wanted to try their Chicken Scorcher which is a spicy chicken patty as it reminded me of the Mc Spicy which we had back in Singapore. Just before we stepped into the restaurant Tony told me this "Do not have to high an expectation of the burger."

We placed our orders, when I opened up my burger.. A sense of disappointment set in and when I had the first bite..oh dear.. It was not spicy at all.. It was way far behind my expectation. I was very disappointed with it and I don't think I would try it again though it was for a limited period only.

I told myself I must have Singapore Mc Spicy when I go home in January. Singapore's Mc Donald has the best Mc Spicy..

Pandan Creme Caramel-Thai Dessert

2011-12-03T16:25:00.003+13:00

After 1.5years of searching in Auckland, I finally found the Pandan Essence at one of the Asian Groceries stores in Auckland. This store is located in Northcote, near where I work. I frequentl this store very often and whenever I go there I would definitely check out for it at the flavoring section. Everytime I checked, I can't see one there (maybe they have sold out) but yesterday I was in luck and found it. I grabbed it immediately as it ended long search for it. In fact, I have told myself that I must get some back from Singapore when I go home for Chinese New Year next Jan.

I was so thrilled and last night I started to search for some dessert recipes featuring the use of Pandan. The only recipe that I knew using Pandan Essence is Pandan Chiffon Cake which I have baked before. Wanted to try something different using this Pandan Essence. Found this Thai Style Creme Caramel and it sounds good and easy to do as I have most of the ingredients at home except Coconut Milk. I went to get it this morning and started making this dessert the moment I stepped in. I was very happy with the result.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coconut Milk

2 Eggs

1 Tabespoon Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Pandan essence Or 1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 Cup (or more) Maple syrup, table syrup, Or your own syrup made with Thai Palm Sugar

Pinch of salt

A little Oil
4 Small Ramekins

1.Preheat oven to 175 degrees (The website which I adapted the recipe stated 350 degrees, it should be 350 Fahrenheit that they are talking about. Coverted to degree is 176 degree but I set at 175 degree). Lightly grease 4 ramekins with oil.

2.Beat eggs by hand with a fork or with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Then add the salt, sugar, vanilla OR pandan paste, and coconut milk. Stir until well combined. (If you are using pandan essence/paste, note that it will turn the desset a bright tropical green.)

3.Pour a little syrup into the bottom of each ramekin (enough to cover the bottom)

4.Now pour egg and coconut mixture into each ramekin up to 3/4 full. (Do not stir - syrup will naturally remain at the bottom of the ramekin.)

5.Place ramekins in a large glass baking dish or on a deep-sided roasting pan. Pour some water into the bottom of the baking dish or pan - until water reaches 1/4 way up the side of the ramekin.

Ready to go into oven

6.Bake 30 minutes, or until an inserted fork comes out clean. Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (Note: you can also serve this dessert warm - it's delicious both ways!)

7.To serve, run a knife around the inner rim of each ramekin (to loosen pudding). Overturn the ramekins onto individual dessert plates. The pudding should fall out easily, with the syrup naturally dripping down over the coconut custard.

Pork Chop with Mushroom Cheese Sauce

2011-12-01T07:35:00.001+13:00

Pork Chop is one of my favourite "Western Food" in Singapore's food court, saw Pork Chop with bone in at D.H Asian Supermarket and I have been wanting to try cooking pork chops I have been procastinating because I do not like the pork here in NZ. I really had enough of chicken in my meals thes days. I told myself it might be a good idea to have a sauce to go on top of the Pork Chops. With some tasty cheese leftover from my previous baking, I created a Mushroom Cheese Sauce for it it was also goes well over broccoli. One stone kills 2 birds..which incurring additional time to prepare savoury vegetable. Just microwave the broccoli and pours cheese sauce over it. I used garlic powder and pepper to season the pork chops which did indeed covered the "porky" stench in the meat. :)

Serving: 2 persons

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 Thick cut Pork Chops (Optional-Bone In)
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Mushroom Cheese Sauce
6 Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 Tablespoon Flour
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Grated Tasty Cheese
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
Ground black pepper

1. Season the pork chops with pepper and garlic powder for 15mins or more.
2. Melt butter in a pan, over medium heat. Put in the pork chops, fry until no longer pink and the juices run clear, depending on the thickness of the cut. Turn occasionally to brown evenly.
2.Remove chops to a plate and keep warm.
3. Using the same pan, add the flour and stir with a wire whisk for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk. Return the saucepan to heat and stir until the sauce thickens. Add in mustrooms and salt. Season to taste with pepper and add the grated cheese.Taste as you go along and adjust according. Stir until the cheese melts. Remove from heat, pour sauce over pork chop.

James Morrison - I Won't Let You Go

2011-12-01T07:21:00.000+13:00

Adele - Set Fire To The Rain

2011-11-30T14:01:00.000+13:00