tommy crabbie bruschetta

this is another version of mine - tomato crabmeat bruschetta...this time using french baguette

6 slices of french baguette

extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic (for rubbing)

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

a bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped 

5 sticks crabmeat, sliced thinly

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlics, chopped

lime/lemon juice

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese

• preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
• cut/slice the bread and arrange in an ovenproof pan
• rub the garlic on top of each slice of bread, then dash some olive oil on top
• toast the bread in the preheated oven for about 5 min
• meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan, saute half of the onion, garlic and crabmeat.
• remove from heat
• mix the tomatoes, the remaining chopped onion, coriander leaves in a bowl. add in the crabmeat mixture
• add the lime/lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
• remove the toasted bread from the oven. top the bread slices with the crabmeat mixture.
• sprinkle some parmesan cheese
• return back to the oven for another 5 min or until the cheese melted
• serve warm

creamy mushroom bruschetta

this is my very own version of bruschetta...i didn't have baguette at home so i ended up using the normal wholemeal bread cut into triangles...


4 slices of bread (or baguette)
1 garlic, peeled
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
button mushroom, sliced
cooking cream
chopped parsley
parmesan cheese

• preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
• cut/slice the bread and arrange in an ovenproof pan
• rub the garlic on top of each slice of bread, then dash some olive oil on top
• toast the bread in the preheated oven for about 5 min
• meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a frying pan. saute the onion and mushroom till soft. season with salt and pepper
• add 1-2 tbsp of cooking cream until all the ingredients are well coated
• add some chopped parsley
• remove the toasted bread from the oven. top the bread slices with the mushroom mixture.
• sprinkle some parmesan cheese
• return back to the oven for another 5 min or until the cheese melted
• serve warm

spaghetti carbonara

tried out spaghetti carbonara from Donna Hay's book...tip for this recipe, it needs to be served warm immediately...i added some mushroom to add some kick to it..

500g spaghetti
300g beef/chicken bacon strips
5 fresh button msuhroom, sliced
3 small onions, sliced
4 egg yolk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 tbsp chopped parsley
extra grated parmesan cheese to serve

• cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10 min or until al dante. drain and keep hot
• while the pasta is cooking, heat a non stick frying pan over medium heat. cook the bacon, mushroom and onions for 3-4 min.
• whisk the egg yolk with cream and parmesan in a bowl and toss through the hot pasta, coating well. 
• stir in the bacon and parsley and top with extra parmesan

fragrant chicken stew

my kids simple love chicken so much..thus, any chicken dish will satisfy their tastebuds...this is such a wonderful, aromatic, lip-smacking dinner...adapted from Sophie Conran's Soup and Stew book

1 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken cut into 8 pieces
1 knob of butter
3 small red onions, peeled and chooped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
few sticks of baby carrots
4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
500ml chicken stock
2 strips of lemon zest
1 handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1 pinch of saffron threads

• preheat oven to 220 degrees. heat oil in an ovenproof pot with a lid, on a medium to high heat, brown the chicken pieces on both sides. remove the chicken from the pot and put them aside on a plate until needed
• reduce the heat, add the butter to the pot and getly fry the onions until soft
• stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin and cook for 2 min.
• add the potato and carrots and gently fry for 5 min. stir in the tomatoes, saffron and stock and gently bring to simmer, then remove the pot from the heat
• submerge the chicken pieces and lemon zest in the vegetables, then season well with salt and pepper. give a final stir through, put the lid and pop it in the oven for 1 hour
• take out of the oven, season to taste and stir in the chopped parsley

totally terrific tiramisu

another version of tiramisu...i love both of the version..this one taken from At Home Cafe book...

2 oz dark chocolate, grated
1 cup mascarpone
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brewed coffee
20 sponge fingers

• combine mascarpone, cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined
• pour coffee into a shallow dish. dip each sponge fingers lightly into coffee
• place sponge fingers at the bottom of a 20quart glass dish
• cover them with a layer of cheese mixture and sprinkle with little grated chocolate
• repeat layers, finishing with cheese mixture. sprinkle the remaining chocolate and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving

Magic tiramisu

a total hit during Aidiladha...yes, it's magic...because it is sooo speedy, easy to make, yet tastes luxuriously, superbly elegant  and yummilicious! adapted from the Midweek Meals Made Easy...

4 tsp instant coffee granules

100ml boiling water

200g sponge fingers biscuits (saviordi)

2 tbsp caster sugar

160g natural yogurt

500g mascarpone cheese

60-70g plain chocolate, grated or crumbled flake chocolate bars

• dissolve coffee in boiling water
• arrange half the sponge fingers in a 20cm square shallow dish.
• spoon half of the coffee mixture evenly over biscuits
• beat sugar and yogurt into mascarpone, then spread half this mixture over biscuits
• cover mascarpone with remaining biscuits over the second layer of biscuits
• spoon grated chocolate evenly over the top
• chill for 10 min before serving

mushroom, chicken and thyme fettuccine

a yummy, creamy fettuccine...adapted from Donna Hay's pasta, rice+noodles, which i bought at the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale for only RM12...such a good bargain!

500g fettucinne

1 tbsp olive oil

1tbsp butter

3shallots, chopped

2 garlic, chopped

400g mixture of swiss brown mushroom and white button mushroom, sliced

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 cup cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

finely grated parmesan cheese, to serve

• cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 10-12 min or until aldente
• drain and keep warm
• heat a large frying pan over medium heat
• add oil, butter, shallots and garlic and cook for 2-3 min or until soft
• add the chicken, mushrooms and thyme and cook for 5-6 min
• stir in the cream and chicken stock and simmer for further 5 min or until the mushrooms are tender
• add the pasta and toss to combine. top with parmesan and serve warm

fresh mushroom soup

from the Mind and Mood Foods book...

1 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
350g fresh mushroom, sliced
300ml vegetable/chicken stock
300 ml milk
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• melt butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook gently for 3 min
• add the mushroom and cook for 5 min
• stir in stock, milk and seasoning, then cover and bring to boil.
• reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 min until the mushrooms are cooked and tender, stirring occasionally
• remove the pan from heat and allow to cool slightly, then puree in food procesor
• return the soup to the saucepan, stir in the chopped parsley, then reheat gently until piping hot, stirring occasionally
• serve with bread or pasta (which my kids love very much)

cream of pumpkin soup

fantastic, lovely soup...kids love it with pasta...i personally like it with toasted bread...

1.3kg pumpkin, peeled, sliced and seeded
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, shopped
2 garlic, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
700ml chicken stock
creme fraiche (optional)

• cut the pumpkin into chunks. heat the oil in a large pan, fry the onion, garlic and cumin for 2-3 min. add the pumpkin and potato and fry, stirring for 5-6 min. add the dried thyme to the pan
• pour in the stock and simmer for 15 min until the pumpkin and potato are soft. whizz in a blender until smooth, then pour into a pan, heat through and season.

• serve each portion woth creme fraiche, lightly stirred in.

tuna and spinach lasagne

quick and easy...

250g lasagne sheets
2 x 200g cans tuna, drained
450g tomato passata
9 pitted black olives, roughly chopped
225g baby spinach
salt and pepper
250g ricotta cheese
4tbsp low fat milk
2 tbsp grated parmesan

• preheat oven to 200 degree celcius and grease shallow ovenproof dish.
• flake tuna, put into frying pan and add the passata. heat gently. stir in olive and spinach, then add black pepper to taste. cover and simmer gently 5 min to wilt the spinach
• spoon a third of tuna sauce into the dish. cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. spreadh half remaining tuna mixture on top and cover with lasagne sheets, then repeat.
• mix ricotta with milk and season to taste. spoon over top of lasagne, then sprinkle with parmesan. bake for 30 min  or until very hot. serve immediately.

Harira Soup

i made this for Hari Raya and served it with crusty bread..it was a hit...! improvised the recipe form The Star..

2 litres water
500g beef, cut into small chunks
2 onions, diced
1 tsp pounded ginger
1 250g can chickpeas
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stick, chopped
6 tomatoes
1/2 tsp tumeric
juice from1 lemon
100g coriander, chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste

• in a big pot, bring to boil 2 litres of water. add the beef, onions and ginger. let the mixture simmer for an hour
• then add the chickpeas, tomatoes, carrots, celery, tumeric and lemon juice. simmer for another half an hour.
• season with salt and pepper.
• let cool. puree half of the mixture and return back to the pot.
• add the coriander
• serve hot with crusty bread

colourful crab and sweetcorn chowder

the kids simply love this colourful, creamy chowder...serve with crusty bread or pasta...from the mind mood foods book...

1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, crushed
4 sticks celery, chopped
1 green capsicum, seeded and diced
350g potatoes, diced
175g button mushroom, sliced
300ml milk
450ml chicken/vegetable stock
225g canned sweetcorn, drained
225g white crabmeat, flaked
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• heat oil in a large saucepan. add the onion, garlic, celery and green capsicum and cook for 5 min, stirring occasionally
• stir in the potatoes, mushrooms and stock. cover, bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 min, until the vegetables are just cooked
• add the milk, sweetcorn, crabmeat and seasoning. bring back to boil then simmer for 5 min, stirring
• add the chopped parsley, then ladle into soup bowls
• garnish with parsley sprigs and serve with bread (i served with pasta for the kids)

honey and mustard chicken

also from the Mind and Mood Foods Book...sweet and tangy chicken...a lovely dish! it is so finger licking good..!

3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 chicken, cut into pieces
fresh herb sprigs (i used rosemary and thyme)

• preheat grill to high
• put honey, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and seasoning in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly
• cut 3 slashes in each chicken pieces and place them in a pan
• pour in the honey mixture and mix well
• grill for 20-30 min until the chicken is cooked through

potato, onion and herb bake

adapted from the Mind and Mood Foods Book...

a mouthwatering potato bake...a lovely combination of onion and herbs makes it too hard to resist...yummy!

6 potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh/dried parsley
salt and pepper
6 tbps (or more) milk
2 tbsp butter
fresh parsley, to garnish
sliced fresh mushroom (optional)

• preheat oven to 180 degree celcius
• grease an ovenproof dish. add a thin layer of potatoes over the base, top with a layer of onions and mushroom, sprinkle some parsley, then season with salt and pepper
• continue these layer until all ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of potato
• pour the milk over the potatoes and dot the top with butter
• cover with foil and bake for 1 hour
• then remove the foil and bake uncovered for further 30-45 min, until top is slightly browned
• garnish with chopped parsley

paprika chicken stew

this recipe was modified from chef norzailina...it was so delicious!

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlics, chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

3 tbsp paprika

1 chicken, cut into pieces

400ml water

1 can chopped tomatoes

2 sticks celery, sliced

2 tbsp flour

1 small tub sour cream

salt, sugar to taste

• heat the oil in a large saucepan. fry the onion, garlic, chilli powder, paprika till fragrant and translucent
• add in water, then chicken. cook for about 30 min.
• add in tomatoes and celery.
• mix well a little bit of the gravy with flour, then transfer back to the pan. add in the cream.
• simmer till a bit thicken
• serve with rice, bread or pasta.

mee rebus chef wan

i tried the recipe from asian food channel..this recipe was featured in Best Wan!....a real mouth-watering, lip-smacking dish!...

recipe is available here:

http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/bestwan/viewrecipe.php?id=8

try it!

dates and lemon cookies

Jihan helped me to bake this cookies

A:

120g butter

30g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg yolk

B:

1 tsp lemon zest

100g dates, seeded and cut into small pieces

30g coconut flakes

C:

50g ground almond

150g flour

egg yolk for brushing the top

• mix well A
• add in B and C and mix well until becomes a dough
• roll flat and cut into desired shape
• brush some egg yolk on top
• bake in preheated oven 160 degrees for 10-15 min

butter prawn

i tried out this recipe from kak jun's blog...absolutely lip-smacking..!

A:

600g prawn

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

B:

3 tbsp corn flour

1 tbsp fish curry powder

C:

3 egg yolk

1 tbsp evaporated milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp butter

D:

1 garlic, chopped

cili padi, sliced

curry leaves

2 tbsp butter

seasoning:

1 tbsp oyster suace

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp black pepper

• clean the prawn, drain and wipe with kitchen towel
• marinate prawn with A for 10 min
• mix well B and add in the prawn, coat the prawn well with flour. deep fry the prawn till golden. set aside
• heat butter in pan. whisk well C. add in C to the heated pan and keep on whisking inside the pan to get a crispy fried egg crumbs. remove
• heat the remaining butter. add in D. add in prawn and seasoning. mix well. lastly add in the fried egg crumbs. mix well

almond coffee cookies

nestum-based cookies...the tinge of coffee makes it so addicted...!

1 cup sifted self-raising flour

1 1/2 cup nestum

1 1/2 cup ground almond

200g butter

150g caster sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp nescafe mixed with 2 tbsp hot water

100 1000's for decoration

• sift flour, stir in nestum and almond. set aside
• cream butter and sugar. add egg and nescafe mixture
• fold in flour
• shape into small ball and place on lightly greased tray. flatten dough decorate
• bake in preheated oven 180 degrees celcius for 10-15 min

calamari in soy sauce

i added some vegetables into this dish as my little imtiaz loves cubed carrots and potatoes...lovely...

600g squid, cut into rings
1 tsp salt
2 onions, cut into rings
3 red chillies, sliced
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp salty soy sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
carrots and potatoes, cubed

blended ingredients:
6 shallots
4 garlic
2 cm tumeric
3 cm ginger

• marinate the squid with salt for 15 min.
• heat oil in wok. add in the blended ingredients
• add in the vegetables
  
• add in the marinated squid. mix well
• add in the onions and chilli
• add in the soy sauce
• season to taste
• serve with hot rice

creamy leek, mushroom and chicken pie

a one dish meal that can satisfy your hungry stomach...

Filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
300g minced chicken
250g button mushroom, roughly chopped
2 leeks, sliced
3 tbsp flour
200ml chicken stock
200ml milk
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
grated zest of 1 lemon

Top:
5 medium-sized potatoes,peeled and cut into small chunks
100ml milk, warmed
1 tbsp butter

• heat the oil in a large saucepan. add in minced chicken and mushrooms. cook over medium heat, stirring 3-5 min until lightly cooked and browned.
• add in leeks and cooked until softened
• stir in the flour until mix well, then stir in the stock, milk and season with salt and pepper
• bring to boil and simmer gently for 5 min.
• stir in the parsley and lemon zest, remove from heat and set aside
  
• boil the potatoes for 10 min until tender
• drain potatoes and mash with warmed milk and butter. season with salt and pepper
• preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius
• spoon the filling into an ovenproof dish. spread the mashed potatoes over the top
• sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on top
• bake the pie for 20-30 min until the top is golden

carrot and lemon soup

improvised from a recipe in Midweek Meals Made Easy..

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
1 garlic, crushed
600ml chicken stock
juice from a lemon
chopped parsley
salt and pepper

• heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, carrots and garlic until softened
• add stock, juice and half of the parsley. bring to boil. reduce heat, cover and let simmer gently 6-8 min or until tender.
• season with salt and pepper
• allow to cool before pureeing
• puree about 3/4 of the soup until smooth
• return puree to pan and heat until boiling
• sprinkle the remaining parsley

crispy chocolate chip cookies

my first kuih raya this year...simple, yet crispy and absolutely mouthwatering..

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal, blended
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 tsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped almond

• preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius
• cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth
• beat in eggs, one at a time
• stir in vanilla
• dissolve bicarbonate soda in hot water
• add to batter along with salt
• stir in flour, oatmeal, choc chips and almonds
• drop a spoonful batter onto ungreased pan
• bake for 10 min

crispy calamari rings

absolutely crispylicious!

300g squid
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp paprika or more
oil for frying

• cut the squid into rings, wash and drain
• season the squid with salt and pepper
• beat the eggs
• transfer the squid into the egg
• mix the flour, paprika and baking powder
• pour in the squid mixture into the flour mixture
• deep fry for 5 min until golden
  

beef stroganoff

simply delicious!

1 kg top sirloin beef - trimmed and cut into thin strips
salt and ground blackpepper to taste
3 tbsp olivw oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
5 fresh button mushroom, quartered/sliced
1/2 green capsicum, sliced
1/2 red capsicum, sliced
2 tbsp brown sauce powder mix with a cup of water
3 tbsp sour cream/yogurt

• sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and stir fry in a very hot pan with some olive oil until brown. remove and set aside
• melt butter in the same pan, saute the onion until translucent. add in mushroom, capsicum and continued continue sauteeing until slightly soft
• add in the diluted brown sauce and let simmer for 5 min. return the sauteed beef to the pan and simmer until heated through
• stir in sour cream and mix well.
• serve with pilaf rice

• 
  

vegetable rice pilaf

our family favourite's (especially the kids)!....can be eaten on its own! or pair it with the delicious beef stroganoff.. recipe from chef zam..

2 onions, chopped
250g butter
1kg long grain rice/basmathi (washed and drained)
salt & pepper to taste
2 litres chicken stock
2 bay leaf
1/2 green capsicum, chopped }
1/2 red capsicum, chopped }
1/2 yellow capsicum, chopped } saute in some butter and set aside
1/2 cup green peas }
1/2 cup fresh mushroom, chopped }
chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

• melt butter in a heated rice cooker and saute the onions until translucent
• stir in the the washed rice, salt, bay leaves and pepper
• add in chicken stock to the rice
• once the liquid is absorbed, stir in the sauteed vegetables
• sprinkle some coriander leaves
  
• serve with beef stroganoff

chocolate bread and butter pudding

we love bread and butter pudding..this time round, i improvised the recipe and turned it into a yummy chocolate version....Jihan loves picking the chocolate chips, that's why i generously put lots and lots of chocolate chips in it...

1 loaf of bread
300ml chocholate milk
2 eggs
50g castor sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
butter for spreading
generous amount of chocolate chips

• preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
• spread the butter on both sides of the bread slices. arrange the bread slices in a baking dish. you can sprinkle the chochlate chips in between the layers
  
• whisk the milk, eggs, sugar and cocoa powder
• pour the milk mixture to the bread. sprinkle more chocolate chips on top.
• leave to soak for about 30 min.
• bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 min

roasted pepper and potato soup

having hot soup for iftar is really satisfying!...it keeps your body warm and it makes you feel good too..yesterday, i tried this out and it turned out marvellous...i got this recipe from chef zam while attending an event last year...so i modified a bit to suit my taste...

2 potatoes, diced and boiled till tender

1 onion, diced

2 red pepper

500ml chicken stock

60 ml fresh milk ( i used low fat milk)

salt and pepper to taste

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp butter + some olive oil

some fresh parsley, chopped

• preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius, roast the pepper for about 10-15 min with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper
• cool the pepper in a zipper lock bag. once cooled, puree the pepper and set aside
• heat butter and olive oil in a pot. add in the potato and onion, fry till fragrant and the ingredients are coated with butter for about 5 min. add a dash of ground blackpepper and salt to it
• in another pot bring the chicken stock to boil, add the stock to the potato. add in bay leaves and let simmer for 15 min
• add in milk, season with salt and pepper
• remove the bay leaf. puree half of the soup and return the pureed soup to the pot
• add in the pureed roasted pepper to the pot and mix well
• garnish with the chopped parsley

Quick and easy spaghetti bolognese

i've tried many version of spaghetti bolognese and i love them all...this is another version of it...it is always the kids' favourites!

1 packet spaghetti, prepared according to the package
400g minced meat/chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic , crushed
1 onion, chopped
a handful of fresh mushroom, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
400ml beef stock
400 ml passata (Italian tomato puree)

440g can of chopped tomato (i used whole tomato)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp dried oregano or a handful of fresh oregano, chopped
grated parmesan cheese to serve with (optional)

• heat oil in a pan. add in the mince meat and fry till brown
• add in the vegetables - onion, garlic, mushroom, celery and carrot.
  
• add in the passata and beef stock.
• season to taste. add in the oregano
• let simmer till the sauce is a bit thicken
• serve with the spaghetti and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top

creamy potato and leek soup

this is a simple dish that my kids love very much...if you don't have leek in stock, you can substitute with onion...

4 potatoes, cubed
2 leeks, sliced
1 onion, sliced
600 ml chicken stock
2 1/2 tbsp butter
2 celery sticks, sliced
200ml cream (i used low fat cream)

• boil the potato together with the chicken stock until tender
• in another skillet, heat the butter on medium heat and add in leek, onion and celery and cook until soft
• once both are done, transfer the leek mixture into the chicken stock and add cream to it...
• let simmer for another 10 min
• serve warm with toasted crusted bread

* if you don't want to use cream, you can puree some of the ingredients after the soup is done and mix back into the soup...

fried pasta with minced beef sauce

an eye opener for breakfast, i would say...the combination of western and oriental taste in one lip-smacking dish...! the kids love it so much..and the parents too!

200g pasta, prepare according to the packet, drain and set aside

3 fresh button mushroom, sliced

100g minced beef/chicken

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped shallot

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tomato, diced

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp sesame oil

pepper and salt to taste

4 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• heat oil in wok and fry garlic, shallot and ginger till fragrant
• add minced beef and stir fry until fragrant
• add the mushroom, sesame oil, tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper
• add in the pasta and tomato
• lastly, add in the coriander leaves
• fry until all well combined

easy peasy onion soup

when i cooked this soup 2 days ago, the aroma of the caramelized onion filled the entire house...it made everybody felt hungry and their stomachs started growling...this is such an easy recipe without compromising its superb, delicious taste...serve the hot soup with toasted crusted bread and cheese..walla!

4 onions, thinly sliced

1 litre beef stock

2 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup butter

• in a pot, melt the butter
• add in the onions and fry till soft and let it caramelized for about 20 min. cover and stir occasionally
• add in the beef stock and the bay leaves
• let simmer on low fire for about 1/2 hour or more ( the longer you leave it, the greater the taste)
• season with salt and pepper
• serve hot with toasted crusty bread and cheese

chicken with mushroom

this is another lip-smacking dish that will keep your saliva drooling for more.....for a more creamy version, scroll down for amendments...

3 cups sliced mushroom (i used fresh white and brown button mushroom)

1/2 chicken, cut into pieces (or you can just use chicken breasts)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp + 2 tbsp butter

1 cup mozarella cheese, shredded

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 carrot, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced

• preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius
• heat 2 butter in pan, sauté the mushrooms, carrots and bell peppers. set aside
• dip chicken into beaten eggs, then roll into bread crumbs
• in the same pan, over medium heat, brown both sides of chicken (add more butter if needed)
• arrange 1/2 of the mushroom at the base of a casserole dish. place the chicken on top of the mushroom. then, arrange the remaining vegetables and mushroom on top of the chicken.
• add in the chicken stock to the pan
• sprinkle the cheese on top of that
• bake in preheated oven for 30-40 min or until the chicken is no longer pink.

for a creamier version, substitute the chicken stock with a can of cream of mushroom - more lip-smacking!

roasted tomato soup

lovely, lip-smacking soup....a bowl of soup packed with vitamin A and all the goodness of vegetables...yummy!

adapted from 101 low-fat feasts book...

3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 potato, roughly chopped

600ml chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

• preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius
• put the chopped vegetables in a pan, sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. roast the vegetables in the oven for about 40 min.
• when ready, pour a little bit of the chicken stock into the pan and scrape the pan and pour the roasted vege into the remaining chicken stock
• puree the soup till smooth and creamy
• serve with pasta or crusted bread

simple tortilla wrap

fancy a simple dinner yet nutritious and delicious? try this one...

a tortilla sheet

fresh tomato salsa

plain yogurt

cheddar cheese

some left-over chicken or tuna

olive or baby gherkins or any other pickles

• warm the tortilla sheet on grill pan, remove from heat
• spread some yogurt
• top with salsa, chicken and cheese and other ingredients that you fancy in your tortilla
• wrap and roll the tortilla
• warm back the tortilla
• ready to serve

fresh tomato salsa

simple, lovely, aromatic and refreshing taste...!

3 tomatoes

1 cup sweet corn from can, drained

a bunch of coriander leaves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

• combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste
• refrigerate for 1 hour before serving
• serve chill with nachos, tortilla or can be eaten on its own...

spaghetti with chicken, sun-dried tomato and feta cheese

i love the taste of sun-dried tomatoes...this dish can be made with some left-over chicken from the previous night...

1 packet spaghetti (prepared according to the package)

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic, crushed

2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (or more), chopped

feta cheese, crumbled

cooked chicken, sliced

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

• mix in olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, chicken, feta and parmesan cheese. stir in the coriander and season with salt and pepper
• stir into the spaghetti, mix well, serve warm

mushroom and potato soup

Imtiaz's version - with pasta

making your own mushroom soup..? it is not impossible...very easy and nutritious too... i've browsed through a few recipes and in conclusion i've came up with this simple but marvelously tasted recipe...!

150g fresh button mushroom, chopped (you can use can mushroom as well)

1 litre chicken stock

4 potatoes, diced

2 bay leaf

5 tbsp butter

2 onion, chopped (you can use leeks as well)

ground black pepper

salt

1 cup yogurt/sour cream/cream + 1/4 cup flour(optional)

• melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. sauté the mushroom until lightly brown. remove from heat and set aside
• melt the remaining butter. sauté the onion till fragrant and translucent.
• add in the chicken stock and bay leaf. add in the potatoes. cover and let simmer till the potatoes are tender.
• season with salt and pepper
• once the potatoes are done, remove the bay leaf. add in the mushroom. let simmer for a few minutes
• puree half of the mixture and return the pureed soup into the pan.
• mix the yogurt and flour till smooth, add into the soup to thicken.

you can also add some carrots to the soup after you sauté the onions.

because it contains potato, once you've pureed the soup it automatically thicken the soup. the optional yogurt mixture is not necessary. but it added extra taste to the soup. (or you can add the yogurt without the flour)

carrot soup

the kids love the soup so much...they ate them with rice and pasta and even on its own...packed with vitamin A and many more benefits in just 1 bowl!

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1 litre chicken stock
4 cups carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup plain yogurt

• heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
• add in onion and garlic. saute until softened
• add in chicken stock, carrots, thyme. simmer, uncovered until vegetables are tender (about 40 min)
• in batches, puree soup in blender. add salt and pepper
• serve hot and garnish each bowl with yogurt

lovely dish...!

from vegetables for vitality

chicken, peas and capsicums

this lovely dish can be eaten with crusty bread or crackers and you can simply make it with some left-over chicken or turkey..!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large sliced onion
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 chopped garlic
1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green capsicum, seeds removed and sliced
200g cooked chicken, diced
500g frozen green peas, thawed
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
grated zest of 1 lemon

• heat oil in a large frying pan
• add the onion, ginger and garlic, cook for 3 min.
• add the capsicums and cook for 3 min more
• stir in the chicken and green peas
• season with salt and black pepper, cook gently 2-3 min or until heated through
• add coriander leaves and lemon zest
• remove from heat and ready to serve

i ate them with high fibre crackers..i spread some natural yogurt and put this filling on top..yummy!!!

from the midweek meals made easy ...

Strawberry Yogurt Brulee

i like this dessert...easy to make and lovely taste...the kids love them too...!

500g strawberries
juice of 1 orange
500g natural yogurt
100g castor sugar

• slice strawberries and divide between 6 serving glasses
• sprinkle over the orange juice, spoon over the yogurt
  
• chill until ready to serve
• to make the caramel: tip the sugar into a small pan with 2 tablespoons of water. heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. boil the mixture until it turns light caramel colour.
  
• pour the caramel a little over the dessert
• leave for 10 min before serving

took the recipe from 101 low-fat feasts book...