Sunday, July 20, 2008

*COOKIES ANYONE?

Today i met with my friends.
And i brought them some cookies.
I made & prep them last night and i bake it this afternoon.
Thank goodness they like it hehehe!

Btw, I have a wonderful evening.
Thanks to you guys, You know who you're :)

The recipe came from 500 Cookies recipe book.
I bought it from Costco only $10, Love the price and the recipe book for sure!




Here's the Peanut Butter Cookies & White Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe:
Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 2 Dozen


Rich and creamy...
These cookies are a real indulgence for peanut butter fans.

Ingredients:

- 1 1/ 2 Cups All Purpose Flour

- 1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

- 1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Sweet Butter

- 1/2 Cup Superfine Sugar

- 1/2 Cup Unrefined Light Brown Sugar

- 1 Egg

- 1 Cup (8 oz.) Crunchy Peanut Butter

- Pinch of Salt



Directions:

1. Sift the flour and baking soda together. In a separate bowl, Beat the butter and sugars until soft and creamy. Combine the egg, flour mixture, peanut butter, and salt. Add the butter and sugar mixture and mix until smooth.

2. Wrap the dough in foil or parchment and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs, Preferably overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Shape the dough into 1 1/4-in. (3 cm.) balls and place then 2 in.(5 cm.) apart on baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake 15 minutes or until golden.

4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up 5 days.


---------------------------------

White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 2 Dozen

For all those white chocolate fans, This one's for you :)


Ingredients:

- 1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Sweet Butter

- 1 Cup Superfine Sugar

- 1 Egg

- 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

- 1 1/4 Cups All- Purpose Flour

- 1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

- 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

- 1/4 Tsp. Salt

- 1/4 Cup Oatmeal

- 1 1/2 Cups (8 oz.) Chopped White Chocolate Chunks (I used White Chocolate Chips/Morsels)



Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Beat the butter and sugar and then add the egg and vanilla.

2. Sift together dry ingredients and stir in the oatmeal. Incorporate the mixed dry ingredients and chocolate into the butter mixture.

3. Roll into balls and use your fingers to flatten onto a non-stick baking sheet 2 in. (5cm.) apart.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, Cool 5 minutes. When cool, Store in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.




*Recipe Courtesy of 500 Cookies pg. 23 & 131 By Philippa Vanstone

*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

*ALERT: TOMATOES OUTBREAK

The Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes.

The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella.



The specific type and source of tomatoes are under investigation.
However, preliminary data suggest that raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw round red tomatoes are the cause.

At this time, consumers should limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak.

These include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home.


*UPDATE: June 10, 2008:
The Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw, red tomatoes.

At this time, FDA is advising consumers to limit their consumption of tomatoes to the following types of tomatoes.

The following types of tomatoes listed below are NOT likely to be the source of this outbreak.
1. Cherry tomatoes
2. Grape tomatoes
3. Tomatoes sold with the vine still attached
4. Tomatoes grown at home


Also, FDA recommends consuming raw red plum, raw red Roma, or raw red round tomatoes only if grown and harvested from the following areas that HAVE NOT BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTBREAK:
*(California, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia)*

*(Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, Puerto Rico)*


Consumers who are unsure of where the tomatoes are from that they have in their home are encouraged to contact the store or place of purchase for that information.

Consumers should also be aware that raw tomatoes are often used in the preparation of fresh salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo, are part of fillings for tortillas, and are used in other dishes.


Restaurants, grocery stores, and food service operators have been advised by the FDA not to offer for sale or service raw red plum, Roma, or red tomatoes and products made from these types of tomatoes unless they are from one of the areas listed above.

Since mid April, there have been 167 reported cases of salmonellosis nationwide caused by Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon form of Salmonella.
At least 23 hospitalizations have been reported.




*Articles Courtesy of Here
*Pictures Courtesy of Here

Monday, June 2, 2008

*FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Hey there? How's your weekend? Hope y'all doing just fine.
Couple days ago was my Mom-in law B'day.
So i made this special flourless chocolate cake for her.
Turns out she loves it, Thank goodness :)

Good quality chocolate really makes this cake, So don't skimp.
If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch,
Reduce the baking time to 15-20 minutes.
Here's the pics before and after oven, Enjoyed!

When serving this cake, It helpful to use a sharp, thin-bladed knife and to dip the knife into a pitcher of hot water and wipe the blade clean before making every cut.

Because this cake is very rich, Thin slice are in order :)

And this flourless chocolate cake requires a water bath to keep it from overcooking.

Ingredients:

- 1 Pound Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped coarse

- 16 Tbsp (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, Cut into 16 Pieces

- 1/4 Cup Strong Coffee

- 8 Large Eggs, Cold

- Confectioners' Sugar or Cocoa Powder (For dusting & serving)

- Raspberry & Mint Leaves (For serving, Optional)

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven for 325 F. Lightly coat an 8-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray, Then line the bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with 2 sheets of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

2. Heat the chocolate, butter, and coffee together in a large bowl in the microwave, whisking often until the mixture is melted and smooth about 1-3 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3. Whip the eggs in large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they double the volume, 5-10 minutes. Fold one-third of the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of eggs are visible. Repeat twice more with the remaining eggs, Then continue to fold until there are no streaks.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan inside the roasting pan and smooth to the top. Set roasting pan on the oven rack and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until edges are just beginning to set, A thin glazed crust has formed on the surface and an instan-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center reads 140 F, 20-25 minutes.

5. Carefully remove the springform pan from the water bath and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

6. About 30 minutes before serving, Run a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, Then remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake on a parchment-lined plate and peel off the parchment on the bottom. Flip the cake upright onto a serving platter, Discard the second piece of parchment and let come to room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving and add some raspberry and mint leaves if u desire.

*Recipe Courtesy of The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook pg.551-552

*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

*I'M OBSESSED WITH...

Lately I'm obsessed with Nutella.
You probably wondering, What the heck is Nutella anyway?
Nutella is a Hazelnut spread with skim milk & cocoa.


OMG, I can't get enough of it!

I've been eating it with butter croissant for the past 2 weeks, Crazy yet good hahaha....

And oh yeah it does taste heavenly, Try it for yourself :)


*Pics Courtesy of Mysexykitchen

Monday, May 26, 2008

*HOW TO CHOOSE EGGS?

Which Eggs Should You Be Eating?

I found these helpful articles from Here.
By Alexandra Guarnaschelli

Times have changed. Cage-free? Organic? Brown? White? Omega-3s? Help!

Here are some tips to help you figure out which eggs you should be eating:

1. Brown or white? In actuality, color is simply an indication of the breed of hen. Find the freshest egg with the most flavor and let color be a secondary concern.


2. Extra Omega-3s? Omega-3 eggs come from a hen whose diet has added flaxseed, which yields an egg containing an average of 225 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.

The countless health benefits for humans make these eggs a tempting purchase. My opinion? Eat a piece of fresh fish salmon or sardines or Atlantic mackerel, for example. And get a pure dose of Omega-3's. Let eggs be eggs.


3. Does your egg need exercise? Cage-free and free-range eggs are from hens raised without the confines of a cage, though they may or may not have spent much time outdoors.

Organic eggs are from hens that are raised with the most holistic approach: their feed must meet organic standards, they must be raised humanely and sustainably, and they must be given access to the outdoors. Hey, happier hens do lay tastier eggs.


4. Does local make a difference? Nothing is better than local eggs.

They may have a feather or two stuck to them or a slightly imperfect shape and they may or may not be certified organic; however, they have one quality I prize: I know exactly where my food came from and how it came to be!

In some cases I can even ask the farmer when the eggs were laid and what they were fed. At $2.20 for a dozen large eggs and all the information I could want about my food, I call it a bargain! I refrigerate the eggs the minute I return from the market.


5. Is spending more really worth it? I think so.

Some parts of your diet are hard to manage on a budget. Beef, for example, can make a costly difference if you're looking to go organic at home. Eggs are less significant.

Try making one evening meal a week where your organic eggs take center stage. Make a huge open-faced vegetable omelet, for example, or try a quick chicken stir-fry and fold in a few eggs during the last two minutes of cooking.

*Picture Courtesy of Here

*Article Courtesy of Here

*Meet Alexandra Guarnaschelli , Click Here

Sunday, May 25, 2008

*DURIAN MUFFINS AND CAKE

Hello again folks :)
Today i was in the mood for Durian Muffins.
So i tried this yummy recipe from Here
Some of my friend introduces me to this site (Thanks Tarissima!)

This is a very versatile and fast recipe. Not only its moist and delicious because of the yogurt. The same batter can be used to make a Durian Cake.

Since i still have lots of Durian Flesh, I made a Durian cake :)

Guess what? I think i like the cake better than the Muffins :)
And the yogurt makes both of these Durian muffins & cake taste even better.

Ingredients:
- 100 gr Plain Flour

- 125 gr Cake Flour (I'm using Organic Pastry Wheat Flour)

- 1 Tsp Baking Powder

- 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

- 200 gr Unsweetened Plain Yogurt

- 160 gr Durian Flesh (I'm using frozen durian, Then i puree the durian flesh)

- 85 gr Unsalted Butter

- 2 Eggs, Room Temperature, Well Beaten

- Almond Flakes for sprinkling (Optional)

Directions:

1. Grease/Line 12 muffins pan and small bundt pan, Preheat oven to 180 C (356 F)

2. Sift flours, Baking soda & baking powder. Combine yogurt and durian flesh/puree, Mix well.

3. Cream butter & sugar until light and creamy. Dribble in eggs slowly about 1 tbsp at a time. Beating constantly for about 2 minutes.

4. On a LOW speed beat in 1/3 of flour mixture until just combined. Beat in 1/2 of the yogurt mixture then beat in 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture. Follow by the remaining yogurt. Finally beat in the remaining mixture.

5. Divide mixture into muffins pan and bundt pan.

For Muffins: Sprinkle almond flakes on top. Bake 20-25 minutes.

For Durian cake: Sprinkle almond flakes on the bottom of the bundt pan. Bake 45-50 minutes.

*Tips for Cake Flour substitute, U can peek in Here!

*Recipe Courtesy of Here
*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen


Friday, April 4, 2008

*VEGETARIAN INDIAN FOOD

Today i am making a simple Vegetarian Indian Food.
It's delicious and pretty easy to make :)
L- R: Stir fry garbanzo beans and corn, Roasted baby potatoes with southern Indian spices, Stir fried cabbage with red peppers and peas, Green beans with coconut.


The recipe came from "American Masala"
I bought the recipe book from Costco.
I love the book, Because the recipe is pretty simple, Easy to follow and the results are extraordinary.


*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen

Thursday, April 3, 2008

*PANDAN CAKE (BOLU PANDAN)

Last night, I was going to make a Pandan Cake.
I thought i still have any pandan extract left.
Oh no, I'm totally out of pandan extract.
Yeah, I know i should have known better.
Next time i will double-check for sure :)


It's still a Pandan Cake minus the green paste though :D
I like this yellow plain cake. Not so bad, Actually!


In case some of u guys didn't know what Pandan Cake is?
You guys can peek in Here.

Ingredients:
- 6 Eggs, Room Temperature
- 150 gr White Sugar
- 100 gr Butter or Margarine, Melted (I use unsalted butter)
- 1 Tsp Pandan Extract

*Sift together (Dry Ingredients):
- 150 gr All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

Directions:
1. Beat eggs and sugar until white, thick and fluffy enough.
2. Pour the dry ingredients little by little along with melted butter. Make sure the batter mix thoroughly when u apply dry ingredients & melted butter.
3. Add pandan extract, Mix it together. Grease 20 cm round pan with butter and flour and then pour the batter.
4. Bake 350 F for 30 minutes or until the cake is done.

*Recipe Courtesy of Here
*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

*EASY OATMEAL MUFFINS

This morning i made these easy yet tasty Oatmeal Muffins for breakfast.
I can't get enough of it, Because its freakin' delicious.
And the best part: These muffins has chocolate chips and coconut flakes in it.
Can't get any better eh? Yummy-o :)


These are so
easy to make, Seriously!
Go head try it yourself, The muffins recipe came from here
Thanks for sharing it with me, I love it :)

Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Oatmeal
- 1 Cup Boiling Water
(Mix together and let stand for 20 minutes)

- 1/2 Cup White Sugar + 2/3 Cup Palm Sugar (I use 2/3 Cup Brown Sugar)
- 1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
- 2 Eggs, Well Beaten
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda (I use 1/2 Tsp)
- 1 Tsp Salt (I use 1/2 Tsp)
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
- 1 Handful of Coconut Flakes

Directions:
1. Cream sugar and butter until smooth.
2. Add eggs and beat thoroughly.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together and add the chocolate chips, coconut flakes then add to the batter, Mix well with spatula or spoon.
4. Add vanilla essence, Stir in oatmeal mixture gently. Bake 375 F for 20-25 minutes.

*Recipe Courtesy of Here
*Pictures Courtesy of Mysexykitchen