Easy Cook: Steak Sandwich with Mushrooms

Woke up this morning and it was raining... as usual felt so lazy i sat around doing nothing for almost 6 hours.. and suddenly i feel like having so muffins.. but..i got only 2 eggs left in the fridge.. not that i cannot do muffins with 2 eggs.. but then thinking that i won't have egg in the fridge till i go buy some (which i don't know when) kinda stopped me from using it for muffin.. yes i'm that weird that i must have eggs at home at all time (among few more other things)

anyway, i decided to try on the bagel recipe that i saw on pinterest the other day.. and i still have 1/2kg of the wholemeal flour, so why not.. it's super easy. i follow 100% from the recipe.. the only thing i change is the flour.. i use wholemeal..

i turn out perfect! so i had some plain bagel for brunchea (breakfast/lunch/tea). :P

and for dinner of course i wanted to use my "bagel".. so i made some steak with mashroom..

Ingredients (serves 1 or 2 person depending how hungry you are)
100gm beef steak
4/5 button mushrooms
1 medium size red onion
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp paprika
Virgin olive oil

Steps
1. Cut your steak to smaller pieces
2. marinate them with garlic salt
3. caramelize your onion in the olive oil
4. add the beef in
5. on medium heat, cook the beef about about 3 - 5 minutes
6. Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes
7. Add paprika

toast your bagel.. and it's ready to serve... :)

Note:
1. You can add more salt when you add the paprika if you want..
2. also can replace paprika with black pepper.. i'm not a black pepper person.. so i prefer paprika..

Baking: Perfect Bread Base Recipe

I've been neglecting this blog farrrr too long.. tonight i tried a new bread base recipe.. and i must say, it's the easiest and almost perfect. fact: that i made them during rainy day and at night. i have a feeling if i do it on sunny day, it will turn out perfect... so before i forgot, i think i must share it here..

Fish floss and cranberry bread.
you can find the recipe here.

Note:
1. Not a good idea to bake savory and sweet bread at the same time.. the smell of savory ones gonna spoil your sweet bread.. but it still taste great.
2. I put everything together except for the wet ingredients. Egg and butter were added after i add the water.

Easy Cook: Anything That You Got in Your Fridge

Sometimes you just bored with the same dish everytime.. and sometimes you don't even know what to cook..

recently i tried to make my all dishes as healthy as possible.. so i have lots of vege in the fridge.. i have to admit.. i used i hate vege... but now.. i can eat them.. not love but i tried to have as much as i can.. and chicken breast is one of the thing i have i my fridge.. i hate chicken breast.. i can never eat those that has not been cut.. unless i have lots and lots of chilli sauce.. so i usually make soup out of it.. or tomyam...

tonite i wanted grilled chicken.. and there's no way i can eat grilled chicken breast... so i improvised.. chopped them into pieces and pan grilled them...

Ingredients
Chicken breast cut into smaller cubes
Veges.. a few will be better... (i put long bean, potatoes, and capsicum)
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Steps
1. Marinate chicken & potatoes with salt and garlic powder
2. Pan grilled with very little vege oil (i use canola)
(How long it's really up to you.. but i like mine to be a bit burned..)
3. Add salt & pepper
4. Put vege wait until it's cooked..(i like mine a bit al dante.. so i didn't wait till it fully cooked)

and your are done! easy huh??
you can eat it just like that or with some white rice..

Easy Cook: Cranberries and Nuts Granola

Got the recipe when i went for breaking fast at Ben's... so i tot of giving it a try... as usual, i alter the recipe a bit..

Ingredients
5 cups rolled oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp salt
1cup honey
2tbsp vege oil (i used canola oil)

Steps
1. Preheat oven at 150degrees
2.Mix well all dry ingredients
3. Mix well dry ingredients with wet ingredients
4. Flatten it on a tray lined with greased paper
5. Bake for 30minutes. Flipped them after 15minutes if u want.

Easy Cook: Sandwich Bread

Lately, i'm into making breads.. i have no idea why... i found this delicious sandwich bread recipe and give it a go... it turn out to be so awesome!

you can find the recipe here...
i followed exactly like what written on the recipe.. but i change the mixing a bit..
i add all the dry ingredients first then start mixing... and then i put water. After a while i add egg.. once they are all mixed well then i add the oill..

it's so easy that you should try it! Suitable for bread making beginners! have fun trying and eating..

1st Wedding Cake

sorry for the long silent.. i've been super busy!!!

recently me, the not-chef got an opportunity to do a 2-tiers wedding cake.. for someone who doesn't even have any basics on cake decoration at all i think i did ok...

after doing this.. i feel i wanted to learn cake decoration with fondant more.. maybe figurines classes too.. :)

Easy Cook: Orange Curd

Do you stumble upon the days when u have too many orange and you just don't know what to do with it? well orange curd is on of the best option (other than making them into juice or smoothies...)

not long ago i tried to make lemon curd... is sooooo delicious... so i use the same recipe and change it a little bit...

i got the lemon curd recipe here: http://kitchenconfidante.com/simple-sundays-lemon-curd-recipe

Ingredients
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp of orange zest
4 tbsp butter, cut into small cubes
1 tsp vanilla essence

Steps
1. Whisk egg and yolks in sauce pan
2. Add orange juice and zest, sugar, and vanilla essence into egg mixture
3. Whisk until it's thicken
4. Switch off your stove and put in butter and continue whisking until it melt.
5. Put into jar and wait for it to cool and store it in your fridge.

Note: Use low heat all the time when making this..

 u can make pie with orange curd.. also u can also put it on your cake... or the easiest make it as jam.. put on your bread or biscuits...

Easy Cook: Garlic Butter Noodles

if you've been to William Corner in Tmn. Mayang, PJ. you might have try this before.. this is one of my favorite dish at William..
since i like lots of dishes there and i can't be ordering this all the time, i replicate the dish.. and this is my version of garlic butter noodles.. this recipe is for 2 serving..

Ingredients
4pieces of Vits dried noodles
3tbsp chopped garlics
3tbsp butter
2tbsp thick salty soy sauce
2tbsp water 1 cup thin sliced beef (william uses beef bacon tho')
a bit of cili padi if you like spicy foods
*no salt needed since u already use the salty soy sauce
*i sometimes add potatoes that i cut into cubes.

Steps
1. Cook your noodles. Make sure u don't overcook it.
2. Put butter in pan on low heat
3. Once butter melted, add garlic and use medium hit. (put chili after if you want it to be spicy)
4. i like my garlic to be slightly burned, but if you don't just wait for 5 seconds and put the beef
5. when the beef cooked put the soy sauce and water
6. mix well then add the noodles.
7. mix everything together and when the sauce already dry that mean it's ready

good serve while still hot.. :)

Cooking Experiment: Nutella

i'm so into pinterest now.. it is soooo much easy to look for recipe on pinterest!! and one thing for >sure they look very yummy...

and i found this recipe: http://awoodennest.blogspot.com/2011/03/homemade-nutella.html to make nutella...

sometimes when i cook, i just need to finish whatever that i have in the kitchen without buying a new one.. and this one doesn't work for me as i don't have some of the ingredients..

so i create my own.. this is my first time trying doing this... it taste good for me.. so i'm just gonna share it here

Ingredients
250gm chopped milk chocolate
4tbsp peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped roasted nuts
2tbsp vegetable oil (i use canola)

Steps
1. Using double boil, melt the chocolates
2. Add oil and stir
3. Add peanut butter and stir
4. Add chopped peanuts and stir
5. Once all ingredients are well mix pour your nuttella mix in a jar.

easy peasy right?

Shopping Tips: Stand Mixer

i've been busy travelling and i didnt have time to cook! or even say hi here. sorry about that.

when i was away i tried so so many new foods and it all went into my notes to try cooking them.. and when i do, i will definitely share the recipe here.

ok back to the point. if u read my previous entry i did mention that i'm using a hand mixer. I've been using it since i first started living on my own and wanted to try baking a brownies..

When my trip was confirmed i was wondering if i can get a cheap stand mixer there and start doing my research. Here's the thing, most popular brand for mixer in Malaysia is Kitchen Aid and Kenwood. I actually fell in love with Kenwood when i saw it 2 years back. But it was ridiculously expensive. Like RM3000++ for a mixer. how crazy is that??

if you are going to the US, Kitchen Aid is cheap. But since the voltage is different you need to buy a transformer to use it here..

and if you are going to the UK, Kenwood is cheap. Voltage is the same, so u can just use it here..

Things that you need to do before you go:

1. Check out what brand and model of the mixer you want to buy

2. Check the price in your local shop

3. Make sure u have enough baggage allowance (a stand mixer can be 10kg - 15kg heavy)

Things that you do before you go:

1. Ask the hotel you staying if you can get people to deliver things to you there even before you arrive. (they might ask what the thing is)

2. If yes, get the hotel address

3. Go to ebay and start shopping for your mixer!!

4. and make sure the item arrives while u are there or before u arrive

5. if the hotel said no, look for ebay seller located at the place u are going

6. Contact them and ask if they do COD.

7. If yes, get them to reserve the item and get their address and contact no and let them know when you will be coming.

Things that you do after you arrive

1. Go and collect your item!!

you can check in your mixer without any problem. i however, did a the security wrap at the airport just to make sure nothing will be missing from the box.

bare in mind, things on ebay usually will be cheaper than normal shop. well, u can also check online how much will it be in normal shop.

if there is no ebay seller at the place you are going, you can always check what shop selling it online. and don't ever forget to get their address!

i bought mine at about RM1100. It's Kenwood Chef Premier KMC510. I even get a flexible beater and a liquidiser attachment with the mixer. and yes i bought it on ebay and i went to collect it from the seller. in their normal shop, the same mixer without the flexible beater and liquidiser cost about RM800 more. Still cheaper than the one sold in my beloved home country, malaysia.

Product Review: Mak Nyonya Instant Portugese Sytle Steamed Fish Sauce

I hardly use any instant mix.. and then i went to my mom for lunch and have this delicious steamed fish.. i asked for recipe and she gave me this..

have u ever try those portugese grill fish that is cook in aluminium foil? well this is exactly like that.. that yummy sour-ish taste.. really delicious.. well at least to my taste..

when i made this, i just use a non-stick pan.. i don't have a steamer.. but it tastes the same.. i also usually add some vegetables in it.. so i don't have to cook too may dish..

have a try and you won't regret it.. it's available at tesco for Rm4.80..

Easy Cook: Teriyaki Beef

do u remember that we used to have a japanese restaurant called Yoshinoya? i love their beef rice.. since they closed all the outlets the only time i get something like that will be when i make a trip to Indonesia. They have a restaurant called Hoka Hoka Bento and they have the teriyaki beef bento set.. and it is almost as good as the one in Yoshinoya...

i was crazing for it the other day so i google for teriyaki beef recipe.. most of the recipes are with spices that i don't have at home.. so i try to make my own.. and guess what.. it works! so i want to share it here..



Ingredients
200gm beef (sliced thin. you can also just buy the beef slice at supermarket)
5tbsp salty soy sauce (add more if u think its not enough)
3tbsp teriyaki sauce
2medium size big red onion / yellow onion
1tsp corn flour
1/2cup water
1tbps vegetable oil

Steps
1. Marinate beef with soy sauce. Keep in fridge for 1hour
2. Slice onions
3. Pre-heat oil and sautee onion (don't have to wait till the onion is brown)
4. On low heat, add the marinated beef & teriyaki sauce
5. Mix the corn flour to the water and add to the beef mixture
6. Cook until the beef is cook and it's ready to be serve

Easy Cook: Smoked Salmon Open Sandwich

Ingredients
Smoked Salmon (as many as u like)
Salad (anything to your liking and as many as u want)
1tbsp capers
Pinch of salt
1tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Fine grated parmesan cheese
2slices bread
(i usually use the pre-packed pre-washed salads. it's available at most supermarket and will cost u about RM6 - RM7. A bag of salads usually can feed 3 - 4 people.

Steps
1. Mixed your salad in mixing bowl with salt, capers, and EVOO
2. Toast your bread with butter. i usually make my garlic toast.
3. put the bread on a plate, put salads on top of it.
4. put the smoke salmon on the salads
5. sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top

Cooking Experiment: Smoked Salmon

smoked salmon is one of my favourite foods... last year i went to Melbourne i try this amazing smoked salmon open sandwich at one of the cafe there... i'm not a vegetable eater.. and this particular sandwich has loads of it.. and somehow i love it!! and when i came back i kept thinking about it.

so i tot why not make myself. it won't be that hard.. i'll just buy those store-bought smoked salmon.. easy peasy.. and when i went to Cold Storage (Tesco Mutiara doesn't have smoked salmon) i was shocked with the price.. nothing less thank RM15 and only few pieces in it.. then i remembered Paul once told me his colleague made smoked salmon.. and i go and asked him how.. and after that i google to have a better idea on how.. since i don't have smoked machine i combine the technique Paul told me and the one i found on internet.

Things that u'll need:

1. salmon (of course)

2. salt

3. sugar

4. rice

5. tea

6. aluminium foil

7. steel wire with stand

8. wok

note 1: i don't really have measurement for it.. but for 2 pieces of 5"x4" salmon i use 1tsp of each sugar and salt

note 2: you can put some pepper too if you like

note 3: if u can find chipped wood at your place you can use chipped wood instead of rice and tea

what you need to do:

1. if you have a good knife, sliced your salmon into thin layer. I don't have a good knife or even a good cutting skill. so i just de-boned the salmon.

2. then you need to cure your salmon by putting the salt, sugar (and maybe pepper) on your salmon. and the keep it over night.. like more than 12hours.

3. the next day, put a layer of aluminium foil on your work and then put the rice and tea on top of it.

4. put you steel wire on the wok and you can arrange your salmon on top of it.

5. use medium heat and wait till smokes start coming out from you rice.

6. then take something and cover your work so the smoke will stay inside the wok. i use my non-stick lid to cover my wok. the process is very quick, in 1 minute you should finish smoking your salmon.

easy right??

Baking: Carrot Cake

i got the recipe from one of the cooking website when i first started baking. i think it was http://www.myresipi.com/.
after few tries i changed the recipe slightly to get a better texture and taste. :)


Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oils
1 1/2cup castor sugar
4 medium size eggs
2 1/4 cups multipurpose flour or cake flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped toasted walnut
2.5 cups grated carrot
2 tbsp vanilla extract
you can put some raisin if you like.. maybe 1/2 cup. i don't really like raisin in my foods.. so i never put them in my cake unless if it's an order.

Steps
the best thing about the recipe you don't need a mixer for it! u can just use you whisk..
1. Preheat oven to 185c
2. Beat egg and sugar together, then add oil and beat it again.
3. Mix flour, all the powders, and salt then add it in you egg mix.
4. Put it your carrot and mix it with your batter and lastly add in the walnut.
5. I usually use a 10" square pan. Generouly greased your pan with butter then put in you batter. Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes.

*i made the cake in cups for my best friend's engagement.. this is how it turn out..
my 2nd try on fondant decoration..

cream cheese is the best topping for carrot cake.. but you can also use chocolate topping... it's really good.. :)

my cream cheese recipe is very simple..

just mix all these ingredients together. beat it until sugar dissolve in the cream..

1 block Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 cup icing sugar ( u can put more if you want it sweeter)
1 tbsp vanilla extract