Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:

225 g skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
20 g fajita seasoning
8 ml vegetable oil
1 green bell peppers, chopped
1 red bell peppers, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
5 (10 inch) flour tortillas
110 g shredded Cheddar cheese
4 g bacon bits
110 g shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the broiler. Grease a baking sheet.
2. Toss the chicken with the fajita seasoning, then spread onto the baking sheet. Place under the broiler and cook until the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the green bell peppers, red bell peppers, onion, and chicken. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
5. Layer half of each tortilla with the chicken and vegetable mixture, then sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and Monterey Jack. Fold the tortillas in half and Place onto a baking sheet.
6. Bake quesadillas in the preheated oven until the cheeses have melted, about 10 minutes.

Makes 10 servings.

Butter Cake

Ingredients:

225g butter

1 cup (225g) sugar 

4 eggs 

1 cup (225g) self-raising flour 

3 Tbsp milk 

1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. Can be made with all-in-one method or old fashioned.  Just make sure the butter is soft (but not melted or hot) if you are throwing in everything at once. Mix all together and put in a lined baking tin. 
2. Bake at 180° for 30-50 minutes depending on size of tin. Square 8" will take about 30 minutes while a loaf pan will take up to 50 minutes. If fan oven reduce heat to 170° or 165°.

For chocolate use: 175g self raising flour 50g cocoa powder

Cherries Jubliee

Ingredients:

1 can pitted black cherries
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. warmed kirsch or cognac
1 qt. vanilla ice cream

Method:

1. Drain cherries, reserving juice. 
2. Mix sugar with cornstarch and add 1 cup of reserved juice, a little at a time. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. 
3. Add cherries and pour kirsch over the top. Ignite kirsch and ladle the sauce over the cherries. 
4. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced carrots (can sub chopped bell pepper)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups tomato sauce (or 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, puréed)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 turns of freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. 
2. Add the carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. (If you are using bell pepper instead of carrots, add those at the same time as the onions.) 
3. Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 more minutes. 
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat. Remove vegetables from the pan to a medium sized bowl, set aside.
5. Using the same pan (or you can cook the meat at the same time as the vegetables in a separate pan to save time), generously salt the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon). Heat the pan on high. Crumble the ground beef into the pan. You will likely need to do this in two batches, otherwise you will crowd the pan and the beef won't easily brown. Do not stir the ground beef, just let it cook until it is well browned on one side. Then flip the pieces over and brown the second side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the ground beef from the pan (can add to the set-aside vegetables), salt the pan again and repeat with the rest of the ground beef.
6. If you are using extra lean beef, you will likely not have any excess fat in the pan. If you are using 16% or higher, you may have excess fat. Strain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
7. Return the cooked ground beef and vegetables to the pan. Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to mix well. 
8. Add ground cloves, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve with toasted hamburger buns.

Nasi Ulam

Ingredients:

1/3 cup dried shrimp
1/2 cup fresh or frozen shredded coconut
2 cups cooked rice, chilled
5-6 medium daun kadok (wild betel leaves), finely sliced
1/4 cup Thai basil leaves, finely sliced
1/4 cup mint leaves, finely sliced
1/4 cup daun kesom (polygonum leaves/Vietnamese mint leaves), finely sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 heavy dashes white pepper powder
3 heavy dashes black pepper powder

Method:

1. Soak the dried shrimp in warm water until softened. Coarsely pound them using a mortar and pestle. Heat up a wok and dry toast the pounded shrimp until they are dry or smell aromatic. Do not burn the dried shrimp.
2. Make the shredded coconut into kerisik by stir-frying them continuously in a wok, until they turn golden brown in color. Transfer to the mortar and pestle and pound until fine. Set aside.
3. In a big bowl, combined the cooked rice and all the herbs, shallots, toasted coconut, and dried shrimp together. Add the salt, sugar, and peppers. Toss to combine well. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Total Active Time: 50 Minutes

Cook’s Note:
For nasi ulam, I prefer to use basmati rice as the rice is drier and less sticky, fluffy, and nutty in flavor compared to Thai jasmine rice. I find the texture of basmati rice the best for nasi ulam. If you use regular rice for this recipe, you might want to chill it in the fridge overnight to lose the moisture content in the rice.

Old-School Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients:

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
¾ cup all purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit baking soda and salt)
1 ½ ounces vegetable shortening
6 ounces chocolate chip morsels

Method:

1. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together.
2. Add remaining ingredients to the dry mixture, except chips. Mix well. Then, add chocolate chips.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Using a teaspoon, drop cookie mixture by spoonfuls onto a non-stick cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 12 minutes. Check and add more time in 1-minute increments as needed.

Other Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ideas

When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, there are many variations on the theme. It all depends on your sense of taste. Let your kids help with creating new and wondrous recipes. Here are some ideas that may tingle your taste buds.

Chocolate chunk - instead of adding morsels, use semisweet or dark chocolate blocks cut into quarter inch pieces.
Chocolate chocolate chip - These cookies not only have the chocolate chips but there is chocolate in the batter. Add cocoa powder to the batter to give your cookies that deep chocolate color. Oatmeal chocolate chip - Add some natural rolled oats to the mix for chewy cookies with a hint of fiber.
Pecan chocolate chip - Add pecans or any other favorite nut to the recipe. Mix in at the end of the recipe along with chips.

There are many varieties of chocolate chip cookies. Add cinnamon, mint chips, peanut butter chips, or raisins to your cookie. It's up to you.

Miang Kham

Ingredients:

Daun kaduk

Filling
3/4 cup roasted grated coconut (this is often available in the baking section of most supermarkets)
2 small limes, unpeeled (try to get limes with thin skin), cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons shallots, peeled and cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons roasted peanuts
6 tablespoons small dried shrimps
4-5 fresh chili padi, cut into small slivers
4 oz fresh ginger, peeled and cut into small cubes

Sauce
1 tablespoon belacan, roasted until fragrant
2 oz fresh galangal, cut into slivers and roasted until fragrant (see note below)
1/4 cup grated coconut, roasted in a low-heat oven until lightly brown
4 oz small dried shrimps
2 oz shallots, peeled and coarsely cut
1.5 teaspoons fresh ginger, sliced
8 oz palm sugar (broken into small chunks)
2 tablespoons table sugar
salt for seasoning

Method:

1. In a mortar and pestle, pound together the shallots and galangal until fine. 
2. Add roasted shrimp paste, ginger, coconut and dried shrimp, and continue pounding until smooth. 
3. Remove the mixture and place in a pot with 1.5 cups water. 
4. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add palm sugar and table sugar, then reduce heat and simmer, wait until reduced to 1 cup or a bit less. Taste, and adjust by adding a bit of salt. 
5. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl.

Nut Brittle

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
12 ounces roasted salted peanuts, cashews, pistachios and/or pecans
Fleur de sel or crushed Maldon sea salt

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is light brown and registers 300° on a candy thermometer, 10 minutes. 
2. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble. 
3. Stir in the nuts, then immediately scrape the brittle onto a large rimmed, nonstick baking sheet. 
4. Using the back of a large spoon (oil it lightly if it sticks), spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. 
5. Sprinkle with salt. 
6. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break the brittle into large shards.

The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Corn on the Cob

Method:

Throw it in the oven at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Leave the husk on, it will trap in the moisture, leaving you with juicy, tender corn. The husk and silk will peel away easily once it’s cooked. Cut off the large end and it slides right out with no silk.

Apple Pie Danish

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
3-4 apples
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Crust
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg-separated
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon cold water
extra sugar for sprinkling

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Melt butter in a small frying pan. Add in brown sugar and cinnamon. Core and peel apples, chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Place apples in frying pan. Stir to coat apples with butter mixture. Simmer over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble, continue to cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. Combine egg yolk with milk and stir into flour until all your dry mix is incorporated.
3. Roll dough out onto a well floured surface. Cut dough into 6 rough squares. Transfer squares to a lightly greased baking tray (or line with parchment paper.) Divide apples with just a bit of the juice between the 6 dough squares. You want to run your apples diagonally across from one corner to the opposite corner.
4. Fold over opposite sides to the middle, and using a dab of water, press those top corners together to secure. Make an egg wash, combining egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush tops of danish with the egg wash. Sprinkle top with sugar if desired.
5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until crust is a golden brown.
6. Combine glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth and a drizzle consistency. Drizzle over warm danishes and enjoy!

Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

10 white or brown mushrooms
1/2 cup white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup orange cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
dried thyme (about 2 tsp)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Wash your mushrooms and take out the stems so they are hollow.
3. Grate cheese into bowl and mix the 2 cheeses.
4. Place mushrooms onto a baking tray.
5. Fill mushrooms with cheese.
6. Top with salt, pepper and dried thyme.
7. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and mushrooms are browning around edges.