Thursday 30 June 2011

Herbed Chicken Kebabs



I had some last minute plan to have some guests over for supper and with some quick thinking I ended up pan grilling these wonderful kebabs just within 30 minutes. They are so simple and tasty that everyone was asking for more!! I was contented and happy with this simple creation of mine. Hope you will enjoy it too!


Makes 12 to 15 skewers
Recipe can be halved or doubled

Ingredients:
800 grams skinless chicken breasts - Cubed into similar size
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon ground garlic or garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt (or to your taste)
1/2 tablespoon black pepper (or to your taste)
1 medium red capsicum 
1 medium yellow capsicum 
1 medium green capsicum 
1 large onion 
1 lemon - juiced
3 tablespoon olive
12 - 15 Bamboo skewers


Method:
1) In a large bowl, marinate chicken with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. Set aside. 
2) Clean and cut capsicums and onions to similar size as the chicken cubes.
3) Assembly all ingredients in sequence of your liking. I start with capsicum and alternate with chicken then end with onion.
4) Brush the ready skewers with olive oil.
5) Heat a grill-pan on medium high heat and grill the kebabs until all sides are cooked or browned. I love it a little charred as you can see in the photos for the rustic flavor .   
6) Drizzle lemon juice at the last before removing from the pan.

Served hot. Great with rice, pitas or any other kind of bread. I had it with soft tortilla wraps. 


Try to prepare all ingredients with similar size so that they are cooked evenly with maximum surface contact on the grill pan when cooking.


Linking this to Any One Can Cook : Series 23

 

Monday 27 June 2011

Oreo Cheese Soft Cookies



Some of you might know that I have promised to bake something this week (after my long disappearance). So here I am and pleased to present OREO CHEESE SOFT COOKIES! They are crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. Packed with Oreos pieces and chocolate chips. Glad I made this as they are heavenly! The best part is they are so easy to make and almost fail proof!




These babies are able to stay soft and tasty for days. I used strawberry centered Oreos (that's the only thing in my pantry) but I would recommend using vanilla or chocolate centered ones. Again this recipe is from my dear baking partner, G who help made this a success!


Makes 20 large Cookies


Ingredients:
170 grams butter - soften at room temperature
1 cup fine granulated sugar
120g cram cheese
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup roughly crushed Oreo Cookies (Chocolate or Vanilla Centered) - I used strawberry


Method:
Preheat oven 180 degrees C
1) In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Add egg yolk and whiz at medium speed till well. 
2) Add flour and salt. Continue whizzing till combined.
3) Mix in chocolate chips and Oreo cookies with wooden spoon.
4) Using ice-cream scoop, scoop the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet and flatten a little. Please note that the shape doesn't change even after when it's done.
5) Bake for 12 -15 minutes. Until the bottom of the cookie turned brown. Pleas note that the top of the cookie is not supposed to be brown! DO NOT BURN!


Serves hot or cold as they are equally tasty! You can keep the cookies in air tight canister up to 2 weeks and they still taste wonderfully soft in the center!


I LOVE IT!! Will make them again soon!

Monday 20 June 2011

Where Have I Been?? Away in Hong Kong

HELLO! I am back! It has been 2 weeks and  I really missed my dear blogger-mates! Been busy with work in Hong Kong and I guess I owe you guys some interesting photos... of course related to food... what else :)

Always too tired to think what to eat after work and most of the time ended up grabbing some fast food along the way back to my hotel. One of the most visited was the "Dipping"  Food Store. They serve varieties of fish balls, meat balls, stomach, octopus etc etc in skewers which you can dip them into spicy curry sauce or plain soup. Fish balls in curry sauce being my favorite.


They are usually open up to midnight and day to day they serve slight variation of fresh meats  or seafood that they can find from the local market. The soup or the sauce actually dictate how good is the food. The owner (man in the photo on the left ) has been appearing in the TV for one of the best street food stall.


For those who like more flavors in their food, you can always add mustard, chili sauce or sweet soy sauce provided. Try it if you haven't or when you are visiting Hong Kong.  You will like the authenticity.

Promise I will cook or bake something within this week :)

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Speedy Mango Celery Salad with Mustard Lemon Dressing

It has been days of overeating and my hubby and I are desperate for some light refreshing dinner. No meat, no rice, no noodles nor pastas! We had some lovely ripe mangoes ad here goes... yummylicious detoxifying mango celery salad with mustard lemon dressing.


This recipe serves 2 person

Ingredients:

1large mango
4 small Lebanese cucumber
1/2 head of lettuce
3 sticks celery
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
5 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tsp olive oil

Method:
1)   Cut mango, cucumber, lettuce and celery into bite size. Place them into a large salad bowl.
2)   Combine mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well and drizzle over the salad.

>> Tip to note : 
- You may substitute the lemon juice with lime juice.
- You may substitute 4 Lebanese cucumber with 2 Japanese cucumber or 1 large ordinary cucumber.

Sending this to participate Anyone Can Cook - Series 25
Hosted by - Taste of Pearl City 
http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/2011/07/any-one-can-cook-series-25.html 
 

Friday 3 June 2011

Pan Fried Lemon Sole with Buttered Almond

I was planning to have chicken for dinner but my hubby called on my way home asking for fish...so fish it is.. for dinner.  It's so last minute and I really don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen so here I thought of this recipe :) Pan fried lemon sole drizzled with buttered almond infused with lemon juice.  Yummy!

This recipe serves 2 person

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper
4 pieces of lemon sole fillet - approximately 100g each
2 tbsp olive oil
90g butter
1/2 cup almond flakes
4 tbsp cup fresh lemon juice


Method:
1)   Season fish with salt and pepper. 
2)   Toss seasoned fish in flour. Shake off excess   
3)   Place large skillet with olive oil and 1/3 butter at medium high heat. Cook fish until browned on both sides. Remove, drain on kitchen paper towel and set aside.
4)   Heat remaining butter in same cleaned skillet. Cook almonds by stirring constantly until lightly browned. Stir in lemon juice; drizzle almond mixture over fish.
5)   Serve fish with blenched French beans if you like!

>> Tip to note : 
- You may substitute the lemon sole fish fillet with any other mild white fish fillet.