Lemon cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

Frosting

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well.

Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick).

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/2 cup of batter.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, combine the butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add more confectioner's sugar, or lemon juice to adjust the consistency as needed.

My review:

This is really soft and creamy.. The lemony feel is just perfect. I used plain yogurt instead of sour cream. I made it for Jihan's birthday ant the guests simply love it!

chocolate cupcakes (1st attempt)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.


2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.


3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

My review:

This is a moist cute chocy cuppy...Tastes great but sweet. I only used 1 cup sugar because I used normal sweetened cocoa powder. I put icing on top of it to make it more interesting and Jihan loves looking at it....

Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups butter
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Grease and flour a baking pan. Do not preheat oven.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. add vanilla.
4. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Pour batter into pan.
5. Place cake into cold oven, set the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for 60 to 90 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
6. Top with confectioners sugar or glaze

My Comment:

It's simple but superbly delicious! Very moist and i love the crust....You can reduce the sugar to only 2 cups....I think it's sweet with 2 1/2 cup...Be careful of overflow...I used to bake this using 2 baking pans to avouid overflow- 1 nine inch pan and 1 six inch pan and it doesn't overflow and turns just nice..

Baked Macaroni

Ingredients:
150g macaroni
150g broccoli florettes
1 can tuna

Sauce:
40g margerine
40g flour
500ml milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cheddar cheese
Parsley to sprinkle on top

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius.
2. Boil the macaroni until tender and remove.
3. Dip the broccoli florettes in hot water for 4 minutes and remove.
4. Heat the margerine in a pan, add in flour and stir until it becomes slightly thick in consistency.
5. Add in milk and boil and stir on medium heat until it thickened.
6. Add in salt and pepper according to taste
7. Put in the boiled macaroni, broccoli and tuna. Mix it together.
8. Put the mixture in a casserole.
9. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and parsley on top
10. Bake until it turns golden brown

My review:
Jihan's favourite! I always add in fishballs and chopped tomatoes to make it more colourful. You can add other ingredients to suit your tastebud. Easy to make and delicious and nutritious!!

Beef Layered Bread Pie (updated)

Ingredients:
1 loaf of bread (jumbo)
500g mince meat/chicken
1 can evaporated milk
1 can water
1 small can of tomato puree
1 small can green peas
1 can button mushrooms, chopped
grated cheedar cheese to sprinkle on top
salt, balck pepper to taste
6 eggs
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter for frying

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
   
2. In a large bowl, mix the water and milk. Add eggs, salt and pepper.
3. Soak the bread into the mixture.
4. In the meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan.
5. Add onion, mince meat, tomato puree and salt.
6. Once cooked, add mushrooms and green peas. Fry for another 3-5 minutes
7. Remove from heat.
8. Arrange a layer of bread mixture in a baking dish.
9. Layer on top with the meat.
10. On top of the meat, layer with the bread. Continue until you finish both mixture. At the end, make sure that the bread layer is on top.
11. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese
12. Baked until golden brown for about 45 min- 1 hour

My review:

This has always been my favourite since i was a little kid. I used to beg my mum to make this during my childhood. I love the yummy consistency of the bread plus the sweet and sour taste of the meat. Just a correct combination. Great as breakfast, tea or anytime you wish.

Lemon Grass Prawn Soup (Tom Yam)

Ingredients:
16 large prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp cooked chilli paste
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 stalks lemon grass, cut into slices
4 kaffir lime leaves
2-3 cili padi, chopped
6 fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
8 young corns, sliced
1 tomato, cut into 8 wedges
4 cups fresh chicken stock
5cm knob of galangal, sliced

Methods:

1. Bring chicken stock to boil
2. Add lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and boil for 1 minute
3. Put in mushrooms, corn, fish sauce, chilli paste, lime juice, cili padi and boil for 3 minutes
4. Add prawns and tomato and boil for 1 minute or until prawns are just cooked
5. Serve

My review:

I found this recipe in the NST many years ago. I always use this recipe to make a tomyam dish. Instead of too many prawns, I reduce the amount and add some chicken slices. I also put some cauliflower and carrot to add to the colour of the soup. A very delicious tomyam recipe by only using natural flavour! No tomyam paste used!

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

2 satisfied customers who finised my cake in 1 day!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot, strong coffee

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla, mix until smooth. Stir in the hot coffee last. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean

My Review:

This is a very easy peasy cake. Has been our family's favourite since i was small. No need to use cake mixer to make this. Just use a wooden spoon to mix everything together. If you don't want to use hot coffee, you can substitute it with just hot water. Can be a "last minute" preparation to serve dessert to your guests.

Mango Chilli Chicken

Ingredients:
500g lean chicken, sliced
2 potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup water
1 tomato, diced
3 tablespoons chicken curry powder
1 stalk curry leaves
1 ripe mango, shredded
salt and sugar, to taste
3cm ginger, 3 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 3 red chillies > blended

Methods:

1. Heat oil in pan


2. Fry blended ingredients until fragrant


3. Add water, tomatoes and curry powder


4. Boil for 10 minutes on slow fire


5. Add sliced lean meat, potatoes and curry leaves


6. Once lean meat is cooked, add mango, salt and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes


7. Remove from fire and serve

My review:

This is absolutely delicious. I found this recipe in the NST many years ago and it turned out perfect. A mixture of sweet and spicy. A surely mouthwatering and succulent chicken dish.

P/S: Will post the picture later..