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Simple Rum and Raisin Ice Cream

Recipe fom wholesome-cook.com

Makes about 0.9L / 1.5 pints.

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup dark sweet rum
  • 2 cups full cream milk
  • 1 cup thickened cream
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions:

  1. Freeze your ice-cream maker bowl for at least 12 hours, or as indicated by manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. Place raisins and dark sweet rum in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat. Take off the heat, transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together milk, thickened cream and maple syrup until blended.
  4. Pour mixture into your ice-cream maker and churn for 20 minutes. Add cooled rum and raisins,. Churn for another 10 minutes or until the mixture is thick and resembles soft-serve ice-cream.
  5. Transfer to a freezer-safe dish, cover and freeze for at least 2 hours.
  6. Thaw out for 5 minutes before serving.
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Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Total Time: 35 min
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 5 min
Cook: 15 min
Makes: 12

Ingredients :

  • Baking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • For the topping:
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Methods:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Spray 2 doughnut pans well.
  2. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
  3. Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

Topping:

  • melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan.
  • Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cinnamon-baked-doughnuts-recipe.html

 

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Inspired!

“Live your life authentically!”

I have heard of this phrase many a time since January this year.

Didn’t pay much attention to it at first, then out of blue, one day I found myself  stare at this phrase and questioned myself the same thing. How gorgeous would it be if we can live our life authentically!

Deep down in my heart, I know I haven’t managed to that in the past, I was younger and inexperienced, many compromises were made and others’ opinions always seemed to matter more than my own thoughts and feelings.

So far, 2014 has proved to be an important year for me personally in many ways. Several big changes, it’s the end of an era!

  • Turning 50! No more being 40 something. I  don’t know about other people, but for me, older I grow, happier I become. I am more sure of myself.
  • Half of my life living in the UK.
  • Married for 25 years.
  • Resolved to respect the actions/decisions my eldest daughter made. Though I don’t necessary agree to those decisions, I learnt to respect them. Everybody has to learn to make their own decisions and be responsible for their own actions after all, who am I to interfere another person’s life? I reckon if I have tried my best to guide her through her growing years, then I should be at ease with my own feelings, no guilt required.
  • My two young babies are going to be 17 in June. How exciting!
  • Sold the oriental grocery business that we built up from scratch 9 years ago. Truthfully, it was not an easy subject to talk about when we first thought of selling it. Through these years, we worked hard to grow it into a healthy business. However, time has come for us to part with it as I don’t think that I hold the same level of enthusiasm as I had that many years ago to push the business to its next level which is what it needs in my opinion.  When there is no sparkles left, it’s time to let go before I fell out of love with it.

All in all, it seems to be telling me it’s me to change.

Feeling inspired, I would love to see this as my ultimate challenge – Live life authentically!

 

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Salmon en croûte with pesto and roasted vegetables

Recipe taken from Mary Berry Cooks TV programme

Ingredients

For the roasted vegetables
  • 3 red peppers
  • 2 red onions
  • 3 courgettes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
For the salmon en croûte
  • 2 x 320g/11½oz packs ready-rolled puff pastry
  • 1kg/2lb 4oz side of salmon, cut from the centre
  • 3 tbsp red sundried tomato pesto
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten
For the sauce
  • 600ml/1 pint pouring double cream
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 4 tbsp red sundried tomato pesto
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Preparation method
    1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
    2. For the roasted vegetables, cut the red peppers in half, discarding the core and seeds, and place in a large roasting tin. Peel and cut the onions into eight wedges, and cut the courgettes into 1cm/½in thick slices lengthwise.
    3. Add the onion and courgette to the roasting tin with the olive oil and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are charred and tender. Allow to cool, then peel away, and discard the skin from the red peppers and cut into bite-sized pieces.
    4. For the salmon en croute, preheat a large baking tray in the oven.
    5. Unroll one pack of pastry and roll a little longer until it is about 2cm/¾in larger all around than the piece of fish (check that it will fit on the baking tray, you may have to place it diagonally.) Place the pastry on top of a sheet of baking parchment so that you can easily slide the pie onto the hot baking tray. Place the salmon on the centre of the pastry and spread with the pesto, top with the courgettes and onion and lay the red pepper on top. Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
    6. Roll out the second pack of the pastry to a rectangle slightly larger than the first one so that it drapes over the fish and filling. Carefully lift it over the salmon, trim off any excess and press the edges well to seal. Re-roll the pastry trimmings thinly and cut out pastry decorations if liked – such as little fishes. Brush the pastry with beaten egg.
    7. Carefully slide the pie onto the preheated baking tray on the non-stick baking paper, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden-brown both on top and underneath. Allow to rest for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
    8. For the sauce, gently heat the cream in a pan, and stir in the lemon juice and pesto. Remove from the heat and then stir in the basil just before serving.
    9. Serve the salmon cut into slices, with the sauce.
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Red Pesto

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 cups

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, drained and chopped
3 cups fresh basil leaves (loosely packed)
3 -4 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup romano cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts or 1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper

Method:

1. In a food processor or blender, blend the tomatoes, basil  and garlic.
2. Add the grated cheese, nuts and 1/4 cup olive oil; blend well.
3. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper; blend well.
4. Store in the fridge, or separate evenly in ice cube tray and freeze.

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Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream

Kitchen Aid ice cream maker in action
Kitchen Aid ice cream maker in action

Saw this recipe on internet, liking the idea very much plus this will give me a good opportunity to test out my ice cream maker.
Final result is good, though I personally prefer to have stronger green tea flavour, so I think I will increase the quantity of matcha powder next time round (double the quantity too!). 🙂

Ingredients: (kitchen aid measure quantity)

3/4 cup milk (1.5 cups)
2 egg yolks (4 yolks)
5 Tbsp sugar (10 tbsp)
3/4 cup double cream (1.5 cups)
1 Tbsp matcha green tea powder – increase to 1.5 tbsp (3 tbsp)
3 Tbsp hot water (6 tbsp)

Method:

1. Mix hot water and green tea powder together in a bowl and set aside.
2. Lightly whisk egg yolks in a pan. Add sugar in the pan and mix well. Gradually add milk in the pan and mix well. Put the pan on low heat and

Green tea ice cream
Green tea ice cream

heat the mixture, stirring constantly. When the mixture is thickened, remove the pan from the heat, cool the mixture.
3. Add green tea and double cream in the cooled egg mixture and mix well.
4. Pour the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze, following instructions of the ice cream maker. Or, pour the mixture in a container and freeze, stirring the ice cream a few times.

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Chinese Sausages 臘腸

Have tried different recipes to make Chinese sausages in the past but none of them actually grab me, so I haven’t made any for a long while. Today I come across this recipe that reminds me the time watching my uncle made them when I was little, plus now I know where I can get natural casing from (didn’t like the artificial ones), I am sure to give this recipe a try.


Ingredients:
2 ½ kg pork shoulder
5-6 metre of sausage casing.
2 ½ tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon soya sauce
1 cup sugar
¾ cup dry sherry or whisky.


Method:
· Remove skin from pork and separate fat from the lean meat and dice the meat and fat with a knife into 6mm cubes. Combine all the seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Add the meat and fat and mix well and let soak overnight in the fridge.
· Tie off one end of sausage casing and attach a funnel to other end and gather casing on funnel tube. Stuff the marinated meat mixture into the sausage casing; tie the casing into 15cm links. Prick the links all over with a skewer to allow air to escape from sausage.
· Hang them to dry in a well ventilated place until partially dehydrated.

Source: http://unclephilipsg.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/how-to-make-lup-cheong-chinese-sausage.html

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Moroccan Style Tagine with Herbs

Bought one of this dinner kit from Ainsley Harriott’s world kitchen range, after tasting it, I am now intrigued to find out how I can make my own from scratch.

Here are the ingredients listed in the dinner kit:
1) Seasoned cous cous with vegetables:
Cous cous, carrot, onion, tomato, courgette, sunflower seeds, salt, vegetable oil, yeast extract, dried parsley, garlic powder, dried riander, onion powder, chilli powder.
2) Fruit & vegetable mix (to be used with meat):
Dried apricot, onion, red pepper, roasted red and yellow peppers
3) Stock mix (to be used with meat):
Tomato powder, chilli powder, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, dried coriander, salt

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All Natural Cleansing Spray

Read this on www.mom4real.com and thought it would be good if I can try to cut down the quantity of chemical cleaners I buy.

It’s so incredibly easy to make your own! You only need a few ingredients, and those ingredients will last for such a long time and yield many bottles of cleaner 🙂 Plus, you can use them for other things as well!

You will need:

An empty spray bottle

3 cups of water

1/2 cup of white vinegar

2 teaspoons of baking soda

10 drops of essential oils (optional) I used lemon.

Add the vinegar to the bottle, then the water. Next, add the essential oils, then the baking soda. Mix gently. Be sure to add the ingredients in that order, or you will have a fizzy overflow from the vinegar and baking soda mixing together. Simply spray down your countertops, tables, sink, toilet, whatever you like, then wipe clean with a paper towel or clean cloth.

The vinegar has a high acidity level which helps to kill bacteria. The baking soda also acts as an antibacterial, and mixed with the vinegar, it’s a really powerful cleanser. The lemon essential oils act as an additional antibacterial, and also as a degreaser, plus it smells super fabulous!