Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients:

500g Fresh Beef Mince
400g Dried Spaghetti
4 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon, finely diced
2 Tins of Plum/Chopped Tomatoes
6 Fresh Cherry Tomatoes
2 Medium Onions, peeled and finely diced
2 Sticks of Celery, trimmed and finely diced
2 Carrots, trimmed and finely diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely diced
1 Medium Chilli (optional), seeded and finely sliced
75g Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for grating over
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 Beef Stock Cube
Glass of red wine (optional)

Herbs:
2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
Handful of Fresh Basil, plus extra for Garnish
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1-2 Fresh Bay Leaves
Olive oil
Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Method:

1. Get yourself a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Add a good lug of olive oil and gently fry your bacon until golden and crisp, then reduce the heat slightly and add your onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Next remove the leaves from the Rosemary sprigs and add them to the pot, discarding the sprigs. Move everything around and fry for around 8-10 minutes until the veg has softened.
2. Next, increase the heat slightly, add the mince and stir until the meat is browned all over. 
3. Stir in your tins of plum/chopped tomatoes, (plum tomatoes are best as they contain less water, but either will turn out great!). Add your remaining herbs, tomato puree, stock cube, chilli and if using, the wine. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and throw them in aswell. 
4. Give everything a stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes as you go and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low-medium, put the lid on and leave it blipping away for about an hour and 15 minutes until the flavours develop into a wonderfully rich tomatoey sauce. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch.
5. Just as the sauce is nearly ready, Add the parmesan and season to taste. Meanwhile add salt to a pan of boiling water and cook the spaghetti according the the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is ready, drain it in a colander and add it to the pan with the sauce. Give it all a good stir, coating the pasta in the lovely tomato sauce. Serve with a little grated parmesan and use the extra basil leaves to make a great little garnish.

Chilli Crabs

a) You will need to blitz the following:

5-8 fresh chillies (and a few bird eye chillies to crank the heat up a few notches depending on your target audience. Kalau ada bau2 Mat Sal celup, kurangkan sikit.

loads of garlic

a thumb-size piece of ginger

a bowl-full of shallots or bawang merah

2 stalks of lemongrass (optional) No lemongrass in the Singapore version btw

2 tblsp peanut oil 

b) For seasoning:

a splash of white vinegar

1-2 tablespoons of palm sugar or brown sugar 

an egg

salt and pepper

Last of all, not forgetting the leading actors in this show … your 1.5 kilo of mud crabs (2 medium size ones).

Heat oil in a traditional Chinese wok (not one of those branded teflon rubbish) till its smoking, add the blitzed ingredients and "tumis" till the oil separates from the ingredients or till the distinct garlicky aroma fills a large part of your show-house kitchen. Add the crabs and toss them around till they are well coated. Cover with a lid and let it cook for a 2 to 3 minutes. Season with vinegar,salt, sugar and moisten with a bit of fish stock/water. At the last minute, stir in a beaten egg to thicken the sauce and serve immediately if not sooner.

Chicken Pot Pie

SERVES 6

ACTIVE TIME 20 min.
TOTAL TIME 30 min.

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups frozen vegetables, (corn, peas and carrots)
3 oz fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp dried parsley
Cheesy Drop Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 oz fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 
2. Melt butter in a (10-inch) oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is browned, about 2 minutes each side. 
3. Add flour and whisk to combine. Slowly add chicken stock while whisking skillet. Whisk until well combined. Add in vegetables and cheese. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium. Allow mixture to come to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile: In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk to combine well. Add butter and milk. Stir to combine. 
5. Drop biscuits by the rounded tablespoon full on top of pot pie. Place skillet on cookie sheet and then slide into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, serve and enjoy.

Carb-stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (6-1/2 oz.) crabmeat or 1 cup frozen crabmeat, thawed
18 medium mushrooms, stems removed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In small bowl, blend Mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cheese and garlic; fold in crabmeat. Evenly spoon mixture into mushroom caps.
3. On baking sheet, arrange mushroom caps. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned.

Apple Slice

Ingredients:

2 cups self raising flour
1 cup sugar
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced (1cm)
125g butter or margarine
1 egg

Method:

1. Toss apples with self raising flour and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. 
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan on the stovetop or in a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in egg. 
3. Pour butter and egg into the apple mixture and mix until combined. 
4. Spoon into a greased and lined slice tin. 
5. Bake at 180 C for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Keeps for about 3 days.

Oxtail Stew

Ingredients:

2.5 kg oxtail, chopped into 4cm chunks
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
2 medium leeks
2 stalks of celery
4 medium carrots
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 fresh bay leaves
4 cloves
2 heaped Tbsp plain flour
2 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes
275 ml porter or red wine

Optional:
1 litre organic beef stock
Worcestershire sauce

Method:
Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7. Place a large roasting tray in the oven to preheat.
Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven, then add the oxtail. Season and drizzle over a lug of olive oil, then toss to coat and place in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.
Meanwhile, trim and halve the leeks and celery lengthways, then chop into rough 2cm chunks. Peel and chop the carrots into 2cm pieces, then place into a large ovenproof casserole pan over a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pick, roughly chop and add the thyme and rosemary leaves, then add the bay and cook for around 20 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, remove the oxtail from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3.
Add the cloves and flour to the veg, stirring well to combine, then pour in the tomatoes and porter (or wine, if using). Add the oxtail and any roasting juices, cover with the beef stock or 1 litre of cold water and stir well. Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil, then pop the lid on and place in the hot oven for around 5 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone, stirring every hour or so and adding a splash of water to loosen, if needed.
Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes. Using rubber gloves, strip the meat from the bones and return to the pan, discarding the bones. Add a good splash of Worcestershire sauce, season to taste and enjoy with creamy mash and seasonal steamed greens.

Tip:

Turn this stew into soup by adding a good splash of boiling water and simmering to your desired consistency. I also love this stirred through pappardelle and served with a grating of Parmesan on top – incredible!

Salmon Teriyaki

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillet, cut into two equal-sized pieces
Oil, for searing

Teriyaki Sauce
Makes 150 ml
5 Tbsp Mizkan (Bonito Flavored) Soup Base
3 Tbsp Mizkan HONTERI Mirin Seasoning
3 Tbsp sake
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients in the Teriyaki Sauce in a saucepan. Stir to blend well.
2. Heat up the saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the teriyaki sauce bubbles and thickens, remove it from heat. Let cool.
3. Marinate the salmon with half the Teriyaki Sauce in a sealed plastic bag for 4-6 hours, or best overnight.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F.
5. Heat up a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the oil and pan-sear the marinated salmon until the surface is charred, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Brush the remaining Teriyaki Sauce on the seared salmon and transfer them to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through.
7. Remove from the oven, drizzle the leftover Teriyaki Sauce on the salmon and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Sop Buntut (Java Traditional Oxtail Soup)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. oxtail
3 inches of ginger, unpeeled but smashed
3 nutmeg seeds, roughly broken
20 cloves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
3 carrots, halved and chopped into 1 inch chunks
2 leeks, chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 scallion, chopped into 1 inch chunks
2 medium all-purpose potatoes, chopped into 8 chunks each
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cup chopped celery, with leaves.
fried shallots
1 Tbsp butter or vegetable oil

Method:

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the oxtail generously and add the ginger. Bring the water to a boil, add the oxtail, and boil for three minutes. Pour out the water and discard the ginger. Refill the pot (still with the oxtail) with cold water and bring to a boil. Add the cloves and nutmeg, and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours until the meat is tender. Remove from heat, cool completely, and refridgerate overnight. Skim the congealed fat from the surface.
Bring the soup back to a simmer. Heat butter/oil in a pan over medium heat, add carrot, leek, and scallion and saute for 3 minutes, then add to the soup along with the potatoes, pepper, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for twenty minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Ladle into bowls and garnish with celery, tomato slices, and fried shallots.
The recipe would probably be even tastier if, before you started, you rubbed the meat lightly with vegetable oil and roasted it for an hour or so at 425 degrees, then deglazed the pan with water, used that for the soup base, and skipped the initial boil-and-dump phase.

Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
400g/14oz beef mince
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
100g/3½oz carrot, grated
2 x 400g/14oz tin tomatoes
400ml/14fl oz stock (made from stock cube. Ideally beef, but any will do)
400g/14oz dried spaghetti
salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and once hot add the beef mince and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the mince until well browned over a medium-high heat (be careful not to burn the mince. It just needs to be a dark brown colour). Once browned, transfer the mince to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add another tablespoon of oil to the saucepan you browned the mince in and turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and fry gently for 5-6 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add the grated carrot then pour the mince and any juices in the bowl back into the saucepan.
3. Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir well to mix. Pour in the stock, bring to a simmer and then reduce the temperature to simmer gently for 45 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and rich. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
4. When ready to cook the spaghetti, heat a large saucepan of water and add a pinch of salt. Cook according to the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is cooked through, drain and add to the pan with the bolognese sauce. Mix well and serve.

Chai Spiced Glazed Doughnut Muffins

YIELD: 12 muffins

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 17 minutes

Ingredients:
For the Muffins
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

For the Glaze
3 Tbsp butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground allspice
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk

Method:

For the Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin, or line with 12 paper muffin cups.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until smooth.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine.
4. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, black pepper, salt and vanilla. Mix well to fully incorporate.
5. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
6. Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the wells nearly full.
7. Bake the muffins in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they’re a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean. Prepare the glaze.

For the Glaze

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, spices, vanilla and milk. Whisk until smooth.
2. When muffins have cooled slightly (about 5 minutes), dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. At this point, you can leave them as is or go for the double dip. I glazed my muffins twice.
3. Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Muffins will keep at room temperature for about a day.

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf (8 x 5-inch loaf pan)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
3 medium-sized bananas, very ripe
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line the loaf pan with parchment, letting the excess hang over the sides. Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray. →If using nuts, toast them in the oven for 10 minutes as the oven is pre-heating.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop. → Alternatively, for a more cake-like banana bread, soften the butter (but do not melt) and cream it with the sugar in a stand mixer in the next step.
3. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until combined. (Or cream in a mixer until fluffy.)
4. Crack the eggs into the bowl. Whisk until completely combined and the mixture is smooth.
5. Whisk the milk and vanilla into the batter.
6. Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl. Using the end of the whisk or a dinner fork, mash them into the batter. Leave the bananas as chunky or as smooth as you prefer. If you prefer an entirely smooth banana bread, mash the bananas separately until no more lumps remain, and then whisk them into the batter.
7. Measure the flour, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Switch to using a spatula and gently stir until the ingredients are just barely combined and no more dry flour is visible.
8. Last but not least, scatter the nuts or chocolate over the batter and gently fold them in.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, using the spatula to scrape all the batter from the bowl. Smooth the top of the batter.
10. Place the pan in the oven & bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Bake until the top of the cake is caramelized dark brown with some yellow interior peeking through and a tooth pick or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Baking time will vary slightly depending on the moisture and sugar content of your bananas — start checking around 50 minutes and then every five minutes after.
11. Set the loaf, still in the pan, on a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 minutes — this helps the loaf solidify and makes it easier to remove from the pan.
12. Lift the loaf out of the pan using the parchment paper "wings." Set it on the cooling rack to cool for another 10 minutes before slicing. Leftover bread can be kept, covered, at room temperature for several days or wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes:
Banana Muffins: To make muffins, line a muffin tin with liners and fill each cup to roughly 3/4 full. Makes 8 to 10 muffins.

Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Snack Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
6tbs butter, melted
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
1/4 cup sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon, combined

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8X8 inch square pan, set aside.
2. Whisk flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and melted butter together.
4. Stir dry ingredients into wed ingredients until just combined. Pour into prepared pan (batter will be thick)
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Spread a thin layer of butter over the top (while warm) and coat with cinnamon-sugar topping.

Pumpkin Bread

YIELD: 2 loaves

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 60 minutes

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8.5 x 4 x 2.5 inch loaf pans.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, vanilla and sugar until well blended.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

NOTES:
This bread is a fantastic base for all sorts of additions. Get creative by adding in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries or whatever else sounds good to you.

Apple Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients:

For Apple cake
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
2 eggs
4 large apples, cored and grated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped nuts (optional- I leave them out)

For Vanilla Sauce (Makes 3/4 cup.)
•1 cup water
•1/2 cup sugar
•1 tablespoon cornstarch
•2 tablespoons butter
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•pinch salt

Method:
Apple Cake Directions

1. Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at time. Add grated apples. 
2. Sift together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 
3. Add in half of flour mixture stir in until incorporated, add second half and still until just mixed. (I stir in the flour by hand to avoid over-mixing.)
4. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. (less if you bake convection)

Vanilla Sauce Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Combine sugar and cornstarch, blend well. 
2. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture to boiling water; reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened. 
3. Remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla, and salt, stirring until butter is melted. Spoon over dessert Enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Asian Braised Beef Short Ribs

SERVES 4 TO 6

TO PREP 15 MINUTES 
TO COOK 9 to 10 HOURS ON LOW OR 6 to 7 HOURS ON HIGH
TO FINISH 10 MINUTES

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
4 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon instant tapioca
5 pounds bone-in English-style short ribs, trimmed
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Combine broth, hoisin, scallion whites, chili-garlic sauce, and tapioca in slow cooker. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
3. Transfer short ribs to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Skim excess fat from surface of sauce. Pour sauce over short ribs and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve with egg noodles or rice.

NIGHT TIME PREP
• Scallions can be prepared; refrigerate.
• Short ribs can be trimmed and seasoned; refrigerate.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Ingredients:

3 to 5 vanilla beans
8 ounces alcohol such as vodka, bourbon, brandy, or rum

→ General Rule of Thumb: Use 3 to 5 vanilla beans per 8 ounces of alcohol and multiply accordingly if making more extract.

Method:

1. Split the vanilla beans: Split each vanilla bean in half lengthwise. If you like, you can leave an inch connected at the end of the bean for an attractive presentation. You can also chop the beans into smaller pieces if necessary to fit in your jar or bottle.
2. Place the vanilla beans in a jar and cover with alcohol: Place the vanilla beans in a clean jar or bottle. Cover them with alcohol, making sure they are completely submerged. Cover the jar or bottle and give it a good shake.
3. Infuse for at least one month: Store the jar or bottle of vanilla beans in a cool, dark place for at least one month, shaking it from time to time. Taste the extract and let it infuse longer if you want a stronger flavor.
4. Strain it if you like: You may wish to remove the vanilla pods and decant the extract into a pretty bottle. The little flecks of seeds can be a nice touch, but if you want a clear extract you can strain them out using a coffee filter.
5. Or leave the pods in the extract: You can also leave the beans in the alcohol and top off the bottle as you use the extract. Eventually all the flavor will be extracted from the original vanilla beans, so you can periodically add fresh beans as well as leftover pods that you've scraped for other recipes.

→ Uses for spent pods. You can also make good use of the spent vanilla pods by drying them and then making vanilla sugar or flavored salt.

What Vanilla Beans to Use?

You can use any vanilla beans, bearing in mind that different varieties and grades will have unique properties.

Bourbon or Madagascar vanilla has the classic, robust flavor that one typically associates with vanilla. Tahitian vanilla is subtly fruity and floral, whileMexican vanilla tends to be smooth and spicy. Create a single origin vanilla extract or invent your own blend — it's up to you!

Although Grade A or gourmet/prime vanilla beans are superior for cooking, in this case Grade B or extract grade vanilla beans are ideal because they have a lower moisture content. Feel free to use whatever you have, though.

A note on pricing and sourcing: Vanilla beans can get expensive. While it's possible to find inexpensive vanilla beans in bulk from places like eBay, I also like to buy Fair Trade vanilla whenever possible. Mountain Rose Herbs is a good source for organic and Fair Trade vanilla beans.
What Alcohol to Use?

Vodka has the most neutral flavor, but you can also use bourbon, brandy, or rum to create unique extracts.

There's no need to use a top-shelf or high-proof alcohol when making vanilla extract. An inexpensive 40% (80 proof) alcohol will work just fine. (Commercial vanilla extracts are typically 35% or 70 proof alcohol.) I prefer using a mid-tier alcohol, not bottom of the barrel but not too expensive, either.
How Long to Infuse?

Let the vanilla beans infuse for at least one month and even a couple of months for a stronger flavor. You can also use more beans to speed up the process. If giving this as a gift before the infusion is complete, tell your recipient to let it mature for a number of weeks. Vanilla extract is kind of like wine in that the flavor will become more complex over time.

Carrot Cake Pecan Cookies with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 2 DOZEN SMALL 

Prep time: 30 MINUTES
Cook time: 9 MINUTES
total time: 39 MINUTES

Ingredients:
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup coconut oil*
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar**
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup pecans + more for garnish, if desired

frosting:
2 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup powdered sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
2. Cream butter, coconut oil, sugar and molasses together until completely smooth. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Stir in vanilla and egg. Then stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape sides and stir again briefly. Stir in carrot and nuts by hand. Scoop onto prepared baking sheets and bake 8-9 minutes or until edges are brown and cookies have poofed up slightly in the center. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.
3. For the frosting, place all ingredients into a small bowl and whip until smooth. Spread each cookie generously with frosting and top with chopped pecans if desired.

*If you do not have coconut oil, simply use butter.
**If you do not have granulated sugar and molasses, simply use brown sugar.

Testing baking soda/powder

Baking soda and baking powder are essentially chemical leaveners that react to temperature and other ingredients, so you are testing to see if the chemicals are still active. All you have to do is drop a little bit of the baking soda or baking powder into hot water (and vinegar if testing baking soda) and look for a bubbling reaction — if there's fizzing, it's still good to use!

Apple Cake

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 40 min. Bake: 50 min. + cooling

MAKES: 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar, divided
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
PRALINE ICING:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 egg; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat oil with remaining sugar and eggs until well blended. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into oil mixture until blended. Stir in apples, carrots and pecans.
3. Transfer half of the apple batter to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan; layer with cream cheese mixture and remaining apple batter.
4. Bake at for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. In a large saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with pecans. 

Oven Baked Denver Omelet

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

COOK TIME: 25 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 35 MINS
SERVES: 4-6

Ingredients:
8 eggs
½ cup half and half cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped fully cooked ham
½ cup onion
½ cup green pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk together eggs and cream. Add in cheese, ham, onion and green pepper.
2. Pour into a greased 9×9 inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Pot Roast

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 2-3/4 hours

MAKES: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)
1-1/2 cups water
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 pounds potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. 
2. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Brown roast on all sides. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk water, gravy mix, dressing mix, soup mix, garlic powder and pepper until blended; add to pan. Bring to a boil. 
4. Bake, covered, 1-1/2 hours.
5. Add vegetables; cook 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Skim fat if necessary. 

Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients:

3 - cups all purpose flour
2 - cups sugar
3 - eggs
3 - cups apples, peeled and chopped
1 - cup canola oil
2/3 - cup apple juice or milk
1 - teaspoon baking soda
2 - teaspoon vanilla
2 - teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 - teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 - teaspoon salt
1 - cup pecans, halves, separated

Icing Recipe:
2 - cups powdered sugar
2 - tablespoons milk
1 - teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees; grease and flour a Bundt pan. In a large bowl, toss apples with flour to coat.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. If using nuts break the pecan halves into pieces and add to the batter {save about 10 pecan halves for garnish }.
3. Pour the mixture into prepared pan; make sure to spread the mixture evenly. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
4. Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to serving plate. When cake is completely cool drizzle with icing and garnish with pecan halves.
5. To prepare icing place place powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a bowl and mix together until smooth. If the glaze is to thick add milk one teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches desired consistency.

If you don't have a Bundt pan you can use two loaf pans.

White Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup milk at room temperature
6 large egg whites at room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Method:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8-inch cake pans.
2. Make sure milk and eggs are room temperature.
3. Pour milk (I used skim) , egg whites, and extracts into medium bowl and mix with fork until blended.
4. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter, cut into cubes and continue beating on low for about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to flour mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat for about 1 minute.
6. Pour batter evenly between two prepared cake pans.
7. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 27 to 30 minutes.
8. Allow cake to cool to room temperature.
9. Frost cakes with favorite frosting.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice
1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

Method:

1. Combine spices in a small bow, mix well to combine. Store in a small jar or spice container.

Raspberry & Mascarpone Cream Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

For the sponge:
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
6 oz (175 g) caster sugar
6 oz (175 g) butter, very soft at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:
8 oz (225 g) raspberries
3-4 tablespoons soft set raspberry jam
1 x 250 g tub mascarpone
1 x 200 ml tub fromage frais
1 level tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To serve:
a little icing sugar

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.
2. Take a very large mixing bowl. Measure the flour and baking powder into a sieve and sift into a bowl, holding the sieve quite high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down. Now all you do is simply add all the other sponge ingredients to the bowl and, provided the butter is really soft, you just go in with an electric hand whisk and whisk everything together until you have a smooth, well-combined mixture. This will take 1 minute but, if you don't have an electric hand whisk, you can use a wooden spoon with a bit more effort. 
3. What you now end up with is a mixture that drops easily off a spoon when you give it a tap on the side of the bowl. If it does seem a little too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of tap water and mix again.Now divide the mixture between the two tins, level it out and place on the centre shelf of the oven. It will take 30-35 minutes to cook – don't open the oven door until 30 minutes have elapsed. 
4. To test if they are cooked or not, touch the centre lightly with your little finger; if it leaves no impression and springs back, the sponge is cooked. 
5. Remove from the oven and after about 30 seconds loosen the edges by sliding a palette knife all round, then turn them out onto a wire cooling tray. Now carefully peel back the lining by gently pulling it back. Lightly place the other cooling tray on top and just flip them both over so that the tops are facing upwards (this is to prevent them sticking to the cooling tray
6. For the filling, combine the mascarpone and fromage frais in a bowl; a balloon whisk will amalgamate them quicker. Add the level tablespoon of sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. 
7. Now spread one tablespoon of jam over one of the sponge cakes, follow this with half the cream mixture then scatter the raspberries all over that. Now add the remaining cream mixture and drizzle it with the rest of the jam. Place the second sponge cake on top. Press very lightly to sandwich everything together, then lightly dust the cake with icing sugar before serving.

Restaurant Style Salsa

Ingredients:

1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel
¼ cup Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, sliced
½ teaspoon Sugar
¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ cup Cilantro
Juice from one lime

Method:

1. In a blender of food processor combine whole tomatoes, rotel, onion, garlic, jalapeno, sugar, salt, cumin, cilantro, and lime. Pulse or blend until desired consistency.
2. Refrigerate for about an hour before serving and serve with tortilla chips.

*This makes a big batch. It filled my entire blender. If you want less, half the recipe.

Best Ever Banana Bread

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 70 min.

MAKES: 16 servings
Yield: 1 loaf.

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, bananas, oil, buttermilk and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in nuts.
2. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. 

Nasi Minyak

Serves: 8

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 25 min

Ready in: 35 min 

Ingredients:
2 cups long grained rice
4 cups (1l) water
100 ml ghee
2 large onions , sliced finely
3 cloves garlic, pounded
2 star anise
5 cloves
5 cm cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods
Ground white pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1/2 cup (100g) sultanas
100g fried shallots

Method:

1. Rinse rice well and drain. Heat ghee in a pot and fry the sliced onions and pounded garlic until soft and fragrant. Add water.
2. Add the cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, cardamom, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add in the rice, stir well and cook covered over low heat. When the rice is almost dry, add the sultanas and mix well then leave to cook. Garnish with fried shallots.

Lamb Kuzi

Ingredients:

1kg of lamb (shoulder)
100g of red onion, blended
20g of garlic, blended
100g of chilli, blended
80g of tomato puree
50g of tomato sauce
2 tomatoes, sliced
20g of aniseed (jintan manis) powder
10g of white cumin (jintan putih) powder
20g of coriander
20g of coriander leaves
a few pieces of mint leaves
150ml of evaporated milk
a dollop of ghee
some cashew nuts and raisins

Method:

1. Put the onions, chilli and all the blended spices in a hot frying pan with the ghee.
2. Add all the leaves and tomatoes and stir well.
3. When the aroma starts tickling your nose, put in the tomato puree and the tomato sauce.
4. You can now add the lamb and lower the flame. This is vital to ensure the lamb is cooked inside out. 
5. When the lamb is almost cooked, put in the evaporated milk, raisins and the cashew nuts.
6. Stir for a while and it is ready to be served.

Note: Be careful with usage of ghee as the lamb's fats will ooze oil too.

Honey Grapefruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

One large ripe grapefruit
One tablespoon of honey

Method:

1. Cut the grapefruit in half, it is preferably to be cold (from the fridge), and remove the pulp with a spoon. Put the pulp of grapefruit and honey in a blender and mix until the mixture becomes smooth.

This magical drink contains useful elements like:

1. Pectin, which contributes to efficient excretion of excess cholesterol (if you eat grapefruit every it day reduces bad cholesterol by 15.5 percent and triglycerides by 27 percent), it also reduces the level of insulin in the blood and stabilizes the metabolism.
2. Lycopene, which helps in fighting toxins and harmful substances in the body.

A few sips of this drink, after lunch (wait 20 minutes after eating), is able to burn nearly half the calories gained during the meal.
The magic drink has healing effects on hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, grapefruit contains a number of ingredients that help us fight cold and it is proven that prevents certain types of cancer and heart diseases.

Bacon Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes

Serves 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
4 large yukon gold potatoes
4 tablespoons salted butter
5 slices bacon, chopped in 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Clean potatoes and pat dry.
2. Cut vertical slices in the potato, 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Make the slices deep but don’t cut all the way through the potato.
3. Slice the butter in thin pieces and then cut in half. Place butter slices in alternating slits of the potato. Season with Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
4. Put potatoes on a sheet pan or in a casserole dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, basting with the melted butter every 15 minutes. Potatoes are done when the skin is crispy and the flesh is easily pierced with a fork.
5. While potatoes are baking, in a medium skillet cook bacon on medium high until golden brown and most of the fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
6. Top potatoes with cheese (you can nestle some of the cheese into the slits) and cover so the cheese melts (or place back in the warm oven for a few minutes). Top the potatoes with the bacon and serve warm.

Walnut Butter Cake

Makes 2 mini loaves or 1 regular loaf or a 6” round cake

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
110g (4 oz) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
125g (4.5 oz or slightly more than 1 stick) salted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
80g (3 oz) fine sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
60g (2 oz) walnut, processed in a food processor until fine
30g (1 oz) whole walnut, for topping

Method:

1. Grease the baking pan with butter. Sift the flour and baking powder, set aside
2. Cream butter, vanilla extract and sugar till fluffy and pale (take about 4 mins using electric hand mixer at speed 2). Add in the eggs one at a time, cream well until well combined before adding another one.
3. Fold the flour, ground walnut and milk, and mix to combine well. Transfer the batter into the greased pan, shake gently to level off the batter. Sprinkle the whole walnuts on top.
4. Bake at a pre-heated oven at 180C (350F) for about 30-35 mins or until a cake tester inserted into the walnut butter cake comes out clean.

Chinese Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 chicken, about 2 1/2 – 3 lbs
4 garlic, lightly pounded
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced

Marinade:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon Chinese rose wine (or Shaoxing wine)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 dashes white pepper

Skin Coating:
1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar (clear in color)
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon Chinese rose wine

Method:

1. Clean the chicken with water and pat dry inside and out. Truss the chicken. (I did only the legs part and not whole body.)
2. Mix the Marinade ingredients well in a small bowl and rub it generously on the skin of the chicken and also the cavity. Insert the garlic and ginger inside the cavity and then transfer it into a Ziploc bag. Pour the remaining Marinade into the bag and marinate the chicken overnight. You can turn the plastic bag to make sure that the chicken is evenly marinated.
3. The next morning, mix the Skin Coating ingredients well in a small bowl. Take the chicken out of the plastic bag, discard the garlic and ginger in the cavity and scald the chicken with hot boiling water by pouring the water all over the chicken (this will remove the Marinade on the chicken skin.) Air dry the chicken for about 30 minutes at room temperature or until the skin surface is no longer wet. You can turn on a fan. Rub the Skin Coating mixture evenly on the chicken skin. Continue to air dry for about 3 hours. Turn the chicken over to air dry both sides.
4. Heat up the oven to 400 Degrees F. Place the chicken in a roasting pan (at the lower rack) and roast for about 10-12 minutes on one side and then turn to the other side. (If the chicken browns too fast in the first 10 minutes, cover the chicken with a layer of aluminum foil and uncover it towards the end so the skin doesn’t get too dark too quickly.) Roast for about 45 minutes or an hour, or until the skin turn nicely brown or golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool a little bit, cut up and serve immediately. Save the juice from the chicken and serve with steamed rice.

Cabbage Roll Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 large head of cabbage
2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups gruyere or monterey jack cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup milk

Method:

1. Brown beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Stir in tomatoes (including juice), tomato paste, seasoning and tomato sauce. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add rice.
3. Meanwhile, coarsely chop cabbage, rinse and shake dry. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add 1/2 of the cabbage. Cook just until softened (about 5 minutes). Repeat with remaining cabbage.
4. Place 1/2 of the cabbage in a large casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
5. In a small bowl combine cheese, egg and milk. Remove foil, top casserole with cheese mixture and bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes.

Honey Sesame Chicken

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Oil, for deep-frying
2 garlic, minced
Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Frying Batter:
1 egg white
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup water, ice cold
1 tablespoon oil
Pinch of salt

Honey Sesame Sauce:
1/3 cup pure honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Whisk all the "Frying Batter" ingredients together until smooth. Set aside. Drop in the chicken cubes, mix well until they are well coated. Set aside.
2. Mix all the ingredients of the "Garlic Sesame Sauce" together and set aside.
3. Heat up a saute pan and add about 2-inch of oil on medium to high heat. When the hot is fully heated, gently drop in the battered chicken cubes, one by one, making sure it is spread out to prevent sticking together. Continue to fry until the color changes to golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towels.
4. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the frying oil in a wok or skillet, stir-fry the garlic until aromatic. Add in the Honey Sesame Sauce, and bring to a light simmer or until the sauce thickens. Drop in the chicken, stir-fry a few times to combine the sauce and chicken, add the sesame seeds, dish out and serve immediately with steamed white rice, or Chinese fried rice.

Butter Boiled Corn on the Cob

Fill your pot with water and add a stick of salted butter and 1 cup of milk. Bring to a rapid boil. Put ears of corn in turn heat to low simmer for 5-8 minutes. It will be the best corn on the cob you have ever had!

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

The Most Delicious Grilled Cheese Sandwiches On The Planet

Doubletree Hotel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 28-30 cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks), softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

1. Pulse oats in a food processor until semi-fine or fine. Set aside.
2. Add butter, both sugars, vanilla extract and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl. Cream together using an electric hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time and mix until you have a smooth mixture. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bottom of the bowl with a spatula at least once.
3. In a small mixing bowl, add the oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly together with a rubbers spatula or wooden spoon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula, being careful not to overmix. Drop in the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until both are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. Again, be careful not to overmix or they will have a cake-like texture.
4. Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons), scoop cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 to 4 hours or overnight even.
5. To bake: Place cookie dough portions onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. Bake 350 degrees F for 14-16 minutes or until desired doneness. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack if storing. Store in a sealed container with a slice of sandwich bread to ensure softness of cookies.

Tip: Freeze cookie dough! After scooping portions of cookie dough, place baking sheet in the freezer. When the dough is completely frozen, place dough into zippered plastic bags and label them with the date, oven temperature and baking time.

Ritz Carlton Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 48 cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter (5 sticks), room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups dark brown sugar
5 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
6 cups flour
4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
4. Stir the dry ingredients in (baking soda, salt and flour) until evenly combined and finally the chocolate chips.
5. Scoop batter onto baking sheet on large mounds, 2-3 inches apart.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers are almost set.
7. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes
Adaptions ~ I chilled my dough for 24 hours. I also used an extra cup of chocolate chips (5 cups total) I used an extra tablespoon of vanilla (2 Tbsp total) I added flaked sea salt on top of the cookie. I portioned out the dough using a large cookie scoop (3 Tablespoons)

Easy Bingka Ubi

Ingredients:

1.2kg tapioca tubers
250g fine granulated sugar
100ml water
300ml thick coconut milk
¼ tsp salt

Method:

1. Peel the tapioca tubers and grate finely but avoid including the tough fibre that runs down the centre of the tuber. Weigh the grated tapioca – you should have a final weight of 900g.
2. Place the grated tapioca in a strainer set over a bowl. Leave aside for 30 minutes to allow juices to drain into a bowl. Carefully pour off and discard the liquid, leaving behind the tapioca starch at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Transfer the drained tapioca into a mixing bowl and add the reserved tapioca starch. Add sugar, coconut milk, and salt and stir well until the sugar is dissolved.
4. Lightly brush the base and sides of a rectangle cake tin measuring roughly 18cm x 26cm with softened butter. Pour the tapioca mixture into the tin, level the top, and bake in a preheated 200°C oven for about 40 to 50 minutes or until top is well-browned. Cool before cutting into neat pieces for serving.

Midnight Sin Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

546g (2 3/4 cups) granulated sugar
4.5g (3/4 teaspoon) salt
69g (3/4 cup) dutch processed cocoa powder
5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
237ml (1 cup) boiling water
237ml (1 cup) canola oil
10ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
2g (2 teaspoons) instant expresso powder or crystals
218 grams (1 3/4 cups, spooned and leveled) bleached all purpose flour
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk

non-stick spray

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and set a baking stone on it. (The stone helps the cake bake evenly and prevents humped tops. If you don't have a stone, the cake will survive don't worry. Just be prepared to trim any uneven tops and make sure the cake gets an adequate amount of time in the oven to fully cook.)
2. You'll need two 9" or two 8"cake pans for this cake. Spray the pans with non-stick spray oil and then line them with parchment (sides and bottom--this is a sticky cake) then spray the parchment with even more non-stick spray.
3. In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, dutch processed cocoa, salt and baking soda. Stir with a whisk until combined and then slowly add the boiling water while whisking. This will bubble up a bit while the baking soda reacts with any remaining acidity in the dutch processed cocoa. Once throughly mixed, place the sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring back to a boil. Then remove from heat and allow to stand for a minimum of 10 minutes. This step makes the dutch processed cocoa even more alkaline, so our cake will be nearly black.
4. While waiting on the chocolate mixture, get your mise en place goin' on! Measure out the flour, buttermilk (no weird substitutions, folks. We need the acidity), and separate the eggs. (If you're odd like me, you'll remove the stringy white chalaza from the yolks. Sometimes they show up as white scrambled egg bits maring my otherwise perfect black cake.) Add the oil and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment (this can also be done by hand with a wooden spoon).
5. When the chocolate mixture is ready, stir in the instant espresso powder. (This won't make the cake taste like coffee, rather it enhances the chocolate flavor of the cake. Dutch processed cocoa has great color but it isn't quite as flavorful as it's light-colored acidic cousin, natural cocoa.) Add the chocolate mixture to your stand mixer and mix on low speed for about 20 seconds. Add the flour and continue to mix on low until combined. With a minimum amount of beating, add the egg yolks, eggs, vanilla and butter milk. The batter will be very thin.
6. Divide the batter between your two pans and place in the oven on your baking stone. Bake for 25-30 minutes (for 9" rounds. Add 5-7 more minutes for 8" rounds) until the center of the cake springs back when you touch it. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and invert onto a flat dish lined with parchment.
7. Allow to cool completely then wrap the rounds individually in plastic and place in the refrigerator to chill before assembling.

Chocolate Mousse Filling

5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Frangelico hazelnut liqueur (non-drinkers substitute 1/3 cup water)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 66% cacao), finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream, chilled

1. In a heat safe bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is uniform and light in color. Place over a double boiler and whisk until slightly thickened. A ribbon of the egg sugar mixture should flow back into the bowl when the whisk is lifted and the sugar should just be beginning to dissolve. Add the Frangelico (or water) and then continue to whisk over the simmering water until the mixture hits roughly 160°F and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir until your arm cramps or the mixture becomes cool to the touch, whichever comes first (roughly 10 minutes). 
2. Set the chocolate aside and beat the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the chocolate, then cover and chill for 4 hours. 
3. Serve in demitasse cups with espresso spoons and a dollop of lightly sweetened whip cream, sprinkled with a little grated dark chocolate. 
4. Or if you're like me... just grab a wooden spoon, scoop up a huge mound of whipped cream and slop it on top. Just overwhelm the little demitasse cup. 

Assembling the Cake
Assemble your cake by placing one round onto your serving platter. Reserving 3/4 cup for garnish (keep chilled), spread the mousse to form an even layer on top of the cake. Top with the second cake round, touching up the sides with an offset spatula if necessary. Place the cake in the refrigerator to keep cool and prepare the ganache.

Ganache
175g (1 cup) bitter-sweet chocolate chips, chopped (don't judge me foodies, I'm low on valrhona)
1/3 cup heavy cream (40%+ milk fat is ideal)
1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted is fine)

1. Measure out the chocolate into a bowl. Bring the butter and heavy cream to a low boil over medium-high heat and pour over the chocolate. Give the chocolate a shake to submerge and allow to stand for 5 minutes without stirring. When the time has passed, then you may gently stir the ganache until smooth.
2. Pour the ganache onto the cake, smoothing over the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the fridge and allow the ganache to cool. 
3. When cool, you can put the finishing touches on the cake. Take the reserved chocolate mouse and fill a piping bag, fitted with a large star tip. Drop 6-8 splotches of mousse around the perimeter of the cake and top with chocolate covered coffee beans or malted milk balls. 
4. Keep the cake chilled until ready to serve. Then allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Store the cake in the refrigerator, covered to keep it from absorbing odors, for up to 5 days.

Cleaning Burnt Pots

Materials
1 cup of vinegar
2 tablespoons of baking soda
1 cup of water (give or take depending on the size of your pan)
A burnt stainless steel pan that was left empty and unattended on a heated hot plate. oops!.
A scourer, because I can't find any way to avoid it entirely

Instructions

1. Fill the bottom of the pan with a layer of water.
2. Add the vinegar.
3. Bring the pan to the boil. It should be looking a bit cleaner already.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda. Expect fizz!
5. Empty the pan and scour as normal; if necessary add an extra bit of dry baking soda.
6. If there are any super stubborn marks that don't come off with scouring, make a paste of baking soda and a couple of drops of water. Leave the paste on the marks for a while and return to clean as normal.
7. Ta-da! Now you can put your feet up and enjoy the many hours you saved yourself standing over the sink.

10 Recipes to Celebrate Julia Child's Birthday

10 Recipes to Celebrate Julia Child's Birthday

Banana Cream Cheesecake

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. + chilling

MAKES: 10 servings

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
3 to 4 medium firm bananas, sliced
1-3/4 cups cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant banana cream pudding mix

Method:

1. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan or 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 5-7 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Arrange half of the banana slices in crust; top with half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers.
3. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set; fold in remaining whipped topping. Pour over the cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until set.

Cinnamon Rolls with Raisins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup softened butter

1/2 cup raisins

4 cup flour

2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. First you'll need to scald the milk. To do so, heat the milk over medium heat until bubbles start to form (do not let boil). Once scalded, remove from heat; set aside to cool until lukewarm.
3. In a bowl combine warm water and yeast. Let this sit until frothy.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, butter, salt and raisins together.
5. Add yeast mixture and stir until combined. Slowly add lukewarm milk, stir again.
6. Start adding the flour slowly until a stiff dough forms.
7. Let dough rise until doubled in size.
8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangle, spread on butter then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. At the top of the dough, make a line of raisins.
9. Start with the top of the dough and roll towards you until the dough is tightly rolled.
10. Slice the dough into twelve pieces, place in a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch pan and allow to rise until they reach the top of the pan.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
12. Spread some cream cheese frosting all over them.

Frosting:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cup powdered sugar

1. Cream together the cream cheese, butter & vanilla.
2. Then add powder sugar & mix until nice & fluffy.