Grateful 2011, Welcome 2012!

My colleagues and friends know i am into cooking and baking, so these are some related gifts that I got for this year christmas. Thanks to all my dear friends! ;)

Today is the last day of 2011 and I'm so looking forward to new year 2012! Let 2011 be bygone and welcome 2012! Happy new year to all that read my blog! Although this is a young blog but I get readers from all over the world and Thank you so much for your support!

You have made my days in 2011, and give me drive to be better in 2012. See you soon and hope to see you more in 2012 and wish you peace, health and happiness.

Merry X'mas! Chocolate and Raisin Cookies

Belated Merry X'mas and Happy New Year!! This is what I baked and gave to my colleagues and friends before Christmas. I baked cookies in three batches: first was with chocolate chips, second batch was with M & M(as nose or mouth) and raisins(as eyes) and third batch was using chocolate chips and raisins.

All these are using the recipe I posted earlier.

Besides cookies, I also baked and gave chocolate cupcakes. This time I used another easy chocolate cakes recipe. Will post the recipe later. Stay tune. :)

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know what to give to my dear colleagues but still tossing with what type of cookies to bake. As X'mas celebration is just in few days time, I need to look for something easy and quick to make. This recipe does not require mixer and is a one bowl formula!

I did not use wheat flour but self raising flour and it turned out pretty good for my first attempt! Just the right texture, not too hard nor soft. As I added orange zest, it did give a hint of refreshing orange flavor. Guessed my colleagues will like it! Very good recipe to adopt.

Ingredients: (make 44-45 cookies)
2/3 cup brown sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 large egg
1 cup self Raising flour (sifted-I omitted baking powder and salt)
70gm dark chocolate chips
Zest from 1/2 orange

Methods:
1. Preheat oven to 175 deg C. Lined with cooking sheet.
2. Mix together brown sugar, oil, vanilla essence and egg. When well mixed, add self raising flour and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and orange zest.
3. Scoop small teaspoon of soft dough onto cooking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Cookies is ready when edge turn slightly brown.
5. Cool on wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

Although it's not very creative, but it's christmasy. Therefore I have submitted this post to very good recipes white Christmas challenge.

X'mas Orange Yogurt Cupcakes

Wanted to get my mom a X'mas present. Since she likes orange colour and likes to eat orange cake, I decided to make her orange cupcakes. As X'mas is around the corner, I need to look for a easy and fast to make, no mixer required orange cake recipe. Among all that I have searched, this Martha stewart's recipe post is one that fits my requirement:

Ingredients: (make 15 small cupcakes)
1 cup all purpose flour(I used 1/3 cup top flour + 2/3 cup cake flour)
1/2 cup 2 tsp caster sugar (I only used 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (equivalent to 1 cup of Meiji low fat plain yogurt)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Zest and juice from 1/2 orange
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 orange (segmented)
Icing sugar for dusting

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175 deg C.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Pour yogurt, oil, egg, vanilla essence, orange zest and juice in a bowl. Stir well with a whisk.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients gradually till well mixed.
5. Fill each cup 3/4 full. Top with orange segment.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, till skewer comes out clean.
7. Let cool on wire rack.
8. Dust cupcakes with icing sugar.

Verdict: this recipe is good for beginner like me. It did not fail me although it was my first attempt. I modified a little if you compared. I like the soft and moist texture. Will definitely bake this again next time. Hope my mom likes it too.

Although it's not very creative, but it's christmasy. Therefore I have submitted this post to Aspiring bakers: #14: Christmas creative bakes(dec 2011) hosted by hankerie and White Christmas by very good recipes.

Easy Curry Tuna Pizza

I like to watch "省时间达人“and always inspired by how the guest chefs cooked. There was a few episodes that showed how to make pizza in different ways. I was inspired and came out with my own version:

Ingredients: (1 serving)
1 pc Spring Home frozen prata
1/2 can curry tuna
1 small onion(diced)
2 tbsp mozzarella sliced cheese

Method:
1. Pan fried frozen prata without any oil till golden brown and fluffy. Set aside.
2. Heat Pan with vegetable oil, fried onion dices till transparent and fragrant. Off the heat.
3. pour tuna in a bowl. Add fried onion dices and stir well.
4. spread tuna evenly on prata. Sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Put in preheated oven at 160 deg C for 5 minutes.
6. Ready to serve.

Verdict: I liked the crispy prata crust! Although it was smaller and thinner than normal pizza, it was very filling. After having one for breakfast, I was already full.

Prawn Pancake

Each time we go to Ding Tai Fong(鼎泰丰）, we will order the prawn pancake. Recently saw a post by wokkingmum, she said that she likes to eat that too and shared her recipe. I get inspired and modified to this recipe:

Ingredients: (serving for 2)
15 medium prawns
1 sheet dried bean curd skin

Seasoning:
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp rice wine
A pinch of salt
1 stalk coriander (chopped)

Method:
1. Remove prawns shell, pat dry, mince and chop prawns to almost paste like.
1. Marinate prawn paste with seasoning. Set overnight.
2. Layer a piece of 15 x 15cm slightly damp bean curd skin.
3. Spread prawn paste at the centre of bean curd skin, fold like a flat spring roll.
4. Dust pancake lightly with Corn flour.
5. Pan fry both side on medium low heat till golden brown and completely cooked.
6. Ready to serve.

Teriyaki Sweet Corn

I remembered during a trip to Bali last year , we had seafood dinner by a beach(don't know what beach). Before dinner were served, we saw a guy selling BBQ corn near the shore and the smell was so good. We can't resist the smell, so each bought one corn. It was not the normal butter corn, taste more like marinated in teriyaki sauce. It was so good, I had 2 in a row before dinner were served. That experience was so unforgettable and I hope to bring back that sweet taste I had. So here is what I did:

Ingredients:
1 corn (cut to half)
Some Teriyaki sauce
Some olive oil and salt

Method:
1. Preheat oven at 180 deg C. (better if you have grill pan)
1. Blanch corn in boiling water with a few drop of Olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blanch for 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. Brush corn evenly with teriyaki sauce and wrap in aluminum foil.
3. Bake/grill for 15 minutes.
4. Ready to serve.

As I baked the corn and not grilled, the corn lacked the burnt taste and smell as the one in Bali. Maybe next time I should marinate for 1 day before grill? Anyway, overall it was good, but can be better. ;)

Papaya Milk木瓜牛奶

I miss Taiwan and hope i can go there for holiday next year. Each time i go, night markets especially 师大夜市 is a place that i cannot miss. Papaya milk in Taiwan is like pearl tea in Singapore, very popular and can find in most night markets. The locals believe that drink more papaya milk can enhance their "assets". Recently, I stumbled upon Carol's post on papaya milk, and it makes me want to replicate, in hope to bring me closer to my long waited holiday.

Ingredients: (make 1 glass)

200g papaya
120g milk (I choose low fat milk)
1 tbs honey
Some ice cubes

Method:
Put everything in juicer and blend well, ready to serve.

Note: I like more papaya in my milk, that's why the ratio is not 1:1 as the adopted recipe.

Chicken Katsu Don

Whenever we eat japanese food, He will order Katsu Don. So I searched for easy recipe that I can replicate. I stumbled upon a YouTube demo and replicated from there:

Ingredients: (for 1 bowl)
1 pc of chicken fillet (Marinate with a pinch of salt and pepper)
1 bowl of rice
1 egg (beat lightly)

A: all purpose flour, beated egg, bread crumbs

B:
50ml water
1 pkt bonito flakes
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp soy sauce (from Daiso)
1 tsp sugar
1 big onion (sliced)

Method:
1. Coat chicken fillet with flour, then egg then bread crumbs. Set aside.
2. Heat pan with oil. Fried chicken fillet till golden brown. Cut into big chunks. Set aside.
3. Boil water with bonito flakes, simmer for 20-30 minutes.
4. Add mirin, sake, sugar and soy sauce, stir well.
5. Add onion and simmer till soften.
6. Add chicken fillet. Then pour lightly beated egg on top.
7. Cover lid for 30 seconds and off the heat.
8. Transfer all ingredients to a bowl of rice and ready to serve.

Note: I did not add sake but it did not affect the taste of Katsu Don, and it did taste like what we eat in any Japanese restaurant. Have cooked this for a few times, and it always taste good.