Lazy Girl's Little Munchies

Ever since I joined my current company, time is never on my side. I have been travelling extensively and left not much of quality time in my kitchen.

If you are following, my posts have been reduced significantly since June. Less time at my kitchen but more time experiencing life in foreign city. The above is latest visit to Shanghai, China. Such vibrant city with lot's of energy. I took the photo from my hotel room.. pretty yeah?

Okay back to my recipe. This again is a recipe provided by my baking pal, G. She has been craving for something sweet and easy with minimum ingredient... the lazy girl's recipe :)

We had fun cutting the dough with a glass. Very therapeutic indeed after a hectic day. Yeah.. that's G in action!

All ready to be shallow fry. We used peanut cooking oil and frying on medium high heat.

Makes 12 small munchies

Recipe can be doubled

Ingredients:

2.5 cups flour

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 tbsp superfine sugar

1/2 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup cooking oil

Method:

1) Add yeast and sugar into warm water and set aside for 30 minutes

2) In a large bowl add oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well with wooden spoon.

3) Add in the yeast mixture. Combine well with hand. Add flour or water if required to make it into a nice dough. Let it stand for 1 hour covered with a wet clean kitchen towel.

4) Roll dough with pin until it's about 1cm thick.

5) Cut dough with a small glass and leave it for another 10-15 minutes.

Shallow fry on medium high heat until both sides are golden brown. Dust with icing sugar when completely cool.

Great with a cuppa!

Yogurt Centered Butter Cake

This is a creation by my baking partner , G. Instead of the usual butter cake, she has decided to be a little innovative or adventurous ~ That is by adding an unconventional yogurt filling to the butter cake. The result? Outstanding!!  It's so delightful and refreshing. Thanks G!!

Just cut the cake in the middle horizontally and pour in the flavored yogurt.. It's that simple !! Try it and let me know if you like it as much as we did. This recipe is definitely a keeper for me.

Makes 1 Small Cake
Recipe can be doubled

Ingredients:
Butter Cake

3 large eggs - saparate yolks from white

175 grams granulated sugar (can less if you like it less sweet)

1/2 tablespoon boiling water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

70 grams butter - at room temperature
1 cups all purpose flour - sieved 

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Yogurt Filling

1 1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon icing sugar

Method:
Butter Cake

Preheat oven 180 degree Celsius

1) In a large mixing bowl, whip egg white till fluffy. Add yolk, sugar, water and vanilla. Continue whipping in medium high speed.

2) Add butter and continue whipping. Mix well. 
3) Add yolks and continue whipping. Mix well. 

4) Add flour and baking powder. Whip to mix well.
5) Pour 2/3 of the mixture into a 9" greased round baking pan.
6) Add cocoa into the remaining mixture and mix well. Pour mixture into the pan and stir a little for a nice contrast of color.

Bake for 40 - 50 minutes. Ready when toothpick comes out clean. Do not burn! Remove cake from baking pan once completely cooled and cut into half horizontally.

Yogurt Filling

1) In a large mixing bowl, mix well yogurt with vanilla essence and sugar.
2) Pour mixture on to the bottom half of the cake then place the top half of the cake. Ready to be served immediately! 

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. 

3 Steps Walnut Chocolate Squares

I have been very busy and didn't really have time to make dessert for the past weeks. But today after my  early dinner I have decided  to make some really simple chocolate squares for my dear hubby .It's easy as 1 2 3! But really satisfying... Crispy crust...Warm and moist in the inside. Top up with a scoop of ice-cream would have been perfect!

Ingredients:
220 grams unsalted butter - Cut into small cubes
170 grams (6 ounces) Semi Sweet chocolate - Coarsely chopped
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence 
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup walnuts / pecans - coarsely chopped
Icing sugar for dusting


Method:

Preheat oven 325 degrees F ( 160 degrees C)

Step 1) Place sauce pan on low heat and melt butter and chocolate, stirring until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.

Step 2) Beat eggs and sugar with electrical mixer until fluffy then add chocolate mix, vanilla and salt. Continue beating till mixture is combine then fold in flour with spoon. Mix well.

Step 3) Pour batter into a greased 9'x9"x2" non-stick baking pan and sprinkle with walnuts.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely and dust with icing sugar before serving.

>> Tip to note : 

- To ensure the properly baked. Test with toothpick - insert into center and come out with crumbs attached.

- You can substitute walnuts with other nuts of your choice

Speedy Broccoli & Cauliflower Cheese Salad

There are times that you feel like a light meal after weeks of carbs and meats. My mom brought over some really beautiful broccolis so why not a 5 minutes cheese broccoli salad? Here's the recipe to share.

Ingredients:
1 small head of broccoli - cut into bite-size flowerets
1 small head of cauliflower - cut into bite-size flowerets

1 1/2 cups shredded any type cheese of your liking ( I used Cheddar )
2/3 cup mayonnaise (I used reduced fat mayonnaise) 
1/4 cup wine vinegar

2 tsp fine sugar

2 tsp white pepper

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 

Chives for garnishing.

Method:
1) Boil a pot of water until boiling then blanch broccoli for 2 minutes. Remove from bolling water and drain with colander. Cover broccoli with a clean tea towel and side aside to steam dry.
2) Prepare dressing in a medium microwave oven proof bowl by whisking together the cheese, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, pepper and lemon juice for a minute. Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for 40 seconds.
3) Remove dressing from microwave oven and stir till smooth.

4) Place broccoli on a salad bowl and pour the dressing over.

5) Garnish with chives  before serving.

Hearty Chicken Drumsticks Weekend Brunch

It's weekend and got off the bed late... It's too late for breakfast and too early for lunch - so let's do brunch instead! Super simple dish that I can place all the ingredients into a baking dish and start cooking in the oven till late noon.  Incrediblely frequent and healthy ... just great as brunch.  Try it!

Serve 2 person 

Ingredients:
5 chicken drumsticks
1 large onion - sliced and separated into rings
2 medium ripe tomatoes - Cut into small cubes
1 large (approx. 14 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp freshly grind black pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
2 tbsp fresh chive for garnishing - minced


Method:
1) Place chicken into baking dish. Arrange onion rings over chicken. 
2) Pour stewed tomatoes and fresh tomatoes on top.
3) Combine chicken stock, oregano, basil, black pepper ad garlic salt. Pour mixture over onions.
4) Cover baking dish with foil and bake at 200 degrees C for 2 hours or until tender. 
5) Garnish with chives before serving.


>> Tips to note : 
Can always skip the salt entirely if you are health conscious .
I baked it for 3 hours as I like it really really tender :)