My 'Little Kitchen Helper'....

It begins with simple recipes and a little direction and supervision, and leads to an adeptness in navigating the kitchen. Baking or cooking with your own kid is an art that has gone by the wayside for most busy households.

As a Mom, I often yield to the interests of my daughter when it comes to exploring her interests in the kitchen, and baking has become a pleasure ...and a 'talent' for my girl.

Baking with her, at times, can be rewarding or challenging...maybe both.

My philosophy of teaching any baking or cooking technique begins with a person's interest - my daughter's interest. I allow her interests to be my guide - and she developed her own 'strategies and styles' (whatever that means...!). I noticed that she will make some observations and I may ask questions while in the process.

Like, why did this texture happen? Do you like it?
Which way would you make this next time?

The moist chocolate cuppies baked and iced by my daughter.... (clap...clap...clap...!)

I guide her through a very basic and simple cake and cupcakes recipes closely the first few times. Then allow her to consider how to adjust. I gave her some options, including vegetable oil, butter, or a combination. As the cake and cuppies were eaten, she will notice the difference in product each time. U-huh... practice makes perfect..!

This also led to many 'what ifs'.

Mummy, what if we are out of milk?

Can we use water in the recipe in place of milk?

Can we use different oils or fats?

Look at that....! Not bad Girl.

I am not allowed to 'touch' this cake, 'coz this was made especially for her dorm-mates..!

I hope over time, my daughter can become confident and capable, building from one experience to the next, and growing into adulthood with the ability to manage her culinary interests and needs.

Remember Girl... "way to a man's heart is through his stomach.!"

Blurrr kejap.....

Hari ini tak ada resepi

& tak ada celoteh...

After 10 hari relax....this weekend start balik baking...

... sampailah Hari Raya....

...macam-macam permintaan designs for cupcakes & cakes... blurr kejap...

...customers nak ...

...itu... ini...

...begitu... begini...

...anak-anak buah yang free tu..., meh datang tolong Mak Lang..!

I feel like singing... yes lets sing...

Listen to my Playlist... and lets sing together...

BARAKA ALLAHU LAKUMA..

We’re here on this special day

Our hearts are full of pleasure

A day that brings the two of you

Close together

We’re gathered here to celebrate

A moment you’ll always treasure

We ask Allah to make your love

Last forever

Let’s raise our hands and make Du’a

Like the Prophet taught us

And with one voice

Let’s all say, say, say

Baraka Allahu Lakuma wa

Baraka alikuma

Wa jamaah baina kuma fee khair

Barakallah hu lakuma wa baraka alikuma

Wa jamaah baina kuma fii khair

From now you’ll share all your chores

Through hardship to support each other

Together worshipping Allah

Seeking His pleasure

We pray that He will fill your life

With happiness and blessings

And grants you kids who make your home

Filled with laughter

Let’s raise our hands and make Du'a

Like the Prophet taught us

And with one voice

Let’s all say, say, say

Baraka Allahu Lakuma wa Baraka alikuma

Wa jamaah baina kuma fee khair

Barakallah hu lakuma wa baraka alikuma

Wa jamaah baina kuma fii khair.

French Onion Soup anyone....?

French Onion Soup & Garlic Bread....

...what a 'lethal' combination for Buka Puasa..!

This is a pretty standard, classic dish.

Everything about this dish works for me...

– its innate frugality, everyday ingredients and lack of pretension.

Seasonings are up to you, so make them personal.

If you are a Vegetarian - no problem - use vegetable broth instead of beef or chicken stock, or if you are just looking for lighter fare, use chicken stock.

My version is 'very' heavy on the onions - so reduce those if you are having this as a side dish.

I like mine as a Main Meal.

The recipe:
2 bulbs of Yellow Onions

(or you can use Red Onions for the sweetness)

1 clove of Garlic

2 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Flour

6 cups Beef or Chicken stock

(no time to make the stock so I use Maggi cubes- disolved 3 cubes in 6 cups of hot water)

1 or 2 sprigs fresh Thyme

1 Bay leave

1 cup water

2 tspn Sugar

Baguette to toast (my leftover from two days ago..!)

Salt and Pepper

Gruyère Cheese

(this cheese is difficult to get in our local supermarket - but Hock Choon @ Jln Ampang will never fail you.!otherwise you can substitute with Parmesan)

Method:

Peel and thinly slice onions

Saute them to soften in butter and olive oil over a low to medium heat.

Stir them regularly.

They are ready when they are soft, sticky, sweet and deep gold in colour.

Throw in thyme, basil leave and garlic.

Add a pinch of sugar at this point to help the onions caramelise.

Stir in flour, cook for 3 or 4 minutes, then pour in boiling beef/chicken stock and water. Partially cover with a lid and leave to simmer for a good 45 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, ladle into deep, heatproof bowl, place several thin slices of toasted baguette on to each, then cover with thinly sliced Gruyère (or shredded Parmesan Cheese). Parmesan in place of Gruyère produces a less fatty but just as tasty crust.

Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes until the bread is toasted and the cheese has melted but not browned.

The trick to getting this soup right is that the onions caramelise – they must cook for at least 35-40 minutes over a low to moderate heat. Only when the onions are soft enough to crush easily between finger and thumb can you add the flour and stock.

What is probably the world's best-known soup has much to offer if we get it right... well almost..!

Enjoy..!

Pasta Salad & Bruschetta...

I learned how to make a pasta salad when I visited my friend in Amsterdam in year ....hmm... lets see.... yes..2004... In those days we called it 'leftover kraft dinner'...!

As time goes by, I became 'more sophisticated' and minimised the ingredients and still have a great tasting dish. They make great side salads or full meals.

If the heat of the Ramadhan is getting to you, this is a lovely cold pasta salad for a hot day.

I made this fettucini pasta early in the afternoon and then let it marinate all afternoon in the fridge. By Buka Puasa time, it was a snap to quickly pull together.

It is easy to prepare, and even the novice cook can put together this delicious salad.

... and ...it is hearty enough to serve as the main course...

...and this is what we had for our Buka Puasa yesterday...

"An easy, yet very yummy pasta salad. Almost any type of pasta may be used. Best if left to sit overnight."

COLD FETUCCINI PASTA SALAD
Fettuccine Pasta

Shredded roasted chicken (leftovers will do)

Ripe Tomato - chopped (keep the juice)

Basil leaves - chopped (fresh tastes better)

Cilantro (Corriander leaves)

Extra Virgin Oil

Cloves of Garlic

Ground Pepper

Salt to taste

Method:

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

Throw in the pasta and cloves of garlic, boil until al dente, drain and run under cold water to cool. Put the garlic to one side for dressing.

Place the pasta into a bowl.

Chop the tomatoes, basil, cilantro and add to the bowl.

Add shredded roasted chicken.

Squash the garlic cloves out of their skins and mush in a pestle and mortar.

Add the extra virgin oil, salt and pepper.

Drizzle this over the salad, adding a little more seasoning to taste.

... and for Buka Puasa Appetizer, we had...BRUSCHETTA

Bruschetta is one of the simplest things in the world to make, and can be very satisfying if you have good extra virgin oil.

With an appetizer this simple, quality ingredients are key - use ripe tomatoes, extra virgin oil and Baguette (a long thin loaf of French bread" ). I customized the recipe to my own taste (isn't that almost the case..!) and use riped tomateos and chopped them by hand, rather than in food proccessor.

BRUSCHETTA

1 Baquette French Bread

2 ripe Tomatoes - chopped

1 clove of garlic - minced

1 tbspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh Basil leaves - chopped

Cilantro (corriander leaves) - chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the baquette on a diagonal about 1/2 inc thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on cooking sheet - olive oil side down. Toast until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

While bread is toasting. Prepare the toppings. In a mixing bowl, add chopped tomatoes, basil, corriander, garlic and olive oil and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive side up. Top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Done..! How easy is that..!

Out of Africa... and onto Your Grill

At this point in the month of Ramadhan, I start feeling like I'll lose my mind if I have to eat one more piece of chicken or a plate of rice. I mean, I love chicken and rice, but it's just so ... duh... unless you 'dress' it up.

This dish, which sounds way more complex and exotic than it really is, was the result of 'what to cook' for Buka Puasa.... I have a whole lot of chicken in the freezer, a whole lot of spices, and one of those ideas...."I wonder what would happen if...." :P

It turns out that what happens when you mix the flavour of Morocco with a good, old American grill, is something that will save you from chicken and rice boredom.

MOROCCAN GRILLED CHICKEN

4 pcs Chicken Breast

1 cup Plain Yoghurt

Juice of 1 Lemon, plus 1 tspn grated Lemon Zest

2 tspn Ground Cumin

1 tspn Ground Cardamon

2 tspn Ground Corriander

2 tspn Tumeric

1 tspn Ground Ginger (you can also use fresh ginger)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Trim off any gross bits from the chicken, then butterfly it or pound out any thick parts, so it's a uniform thickness (this ensures more even cooking).

Mix together all the remaining ingredients and devide marinade in half.

Place chicken and half of the marinade in Ziplock bag, press out all the air and marinade for at least one hour or as long as overnight (longer is definately better). The chicken is going to turn a little yellow the longer it sits - don't be alarmed - its just the tumeric doing its thing..!

Pre-heat grill, medium-low... do whatever you normally do when you grill chicken.

Grill chicken for 6-8 mins per side, or until its cooked through.

Top with a dollop of the balanced of the spiced yogurt

(not the stuff from the Ziplock bag unless you have a death wish..! :P)

Serve with baked potatoes or beans soup, as a side dish.

Its even better with Lemon Mint Couscous.

(Went to Giant today looking for the Couscous-the salesgirl don't even know what couscous is...!)

Try this savoury, quick, easy, healty and great taste Beans Soup

BEANS SOUP

Assorted Dry Beans (I prefer to use organic Beans)

- you can get all these at Isetan KLCC or Hock Choon

1/2 cup Onion - diced

2 cloves Garlic - diced

4 Carrots - diced

2 Celery ribs - diced

6 cups Water

1 tspn - Rosemary

1 tspn - Thyme

1 tspn Basil

1 can crushed Tomatoes

Cilantro (Corriander leaves)-chopped

Method:

In a large stockpot, cover dry beans in water.

(Lima Beans, Yeallow Split Peas, Mung Beans, Pinto Beans, Adzuki Beans, Garden Pea & Red Lentil)

Bring to boil and cook for 2 mins. Cover the pot and let stand for 1 hour - Drain and rinse.

In a small sauce pan, saute mixture: beans, carrot, cellery, rosemary, thyme, basil - bring to boil - add water, cover and let simmer for 1 1/2 hrs, or until tender.
Stir in peas, lentils and tomatoes and cook for another 30 mins. Add cilantro.

Enjoy..!