Monday, August 31, 2009

Clothes Alteration

For those who love to buy ready to wear clothes but which does not fit perfectly on you sometimes, there is help available. We offer clothes alteration services. You can resize blouses, shorten your skirts or pants and copy your favorite dress! Call us at 65=64488058 or send us an email at ejoy.sales@gmail.com.

Fried Noodles

This is a simple dish one can whip up when some unexpected guests are coming.

Ingredients:

Chicken breast 2 pieces
Cabbage - sliced thinly
Green peas
Carrot - 1 pc
Onion - 1 pc , sliced thinly
Garlic- 2 cloves
Small lime - for flavoring
Black pepper
Dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp
Noodles , yellow type (can use any type )
Chicken broth , 1 cup

Procedure:

1. Dice the chicken breast .
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan.
3. Saute garlic and onions with the chicken breast
4. Keep stirring till chicken turns opaque.
5. Add some chicken broth to prevent drying up and sticking to the pan
6. Add some soy sauce , about 2 tbsp
7. When chicken is tender, add the vegatables
8. Put some more broth till vegetabkes are cooked but still crisp
9. Add pepper and the noodles.
10. Stir well till noodles are cooked.
11. Serve with small lime.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Boiled Pork Belly Soup - "Nilaga" a Filipino dish

Want a very simple recipe, very tasty and really so easy to prepare! It is a staple dish in the Philippines and you'll enjoy the soup and the green vegetables mixed in it! Try it!

Ingredients:

Pork belly - 300 grams or more
Pechay - 1 pack , dark green variety
Potatoes - boiling type potatoes, 3 pieces
Onion - 1 pc , cut into quarters
Salt

Procedure

1. Cut the pork meat into cubes.
2. Remove the pork skin and discard.

3. Boil the pork cubes in water till tender. Remove the frothy scum that shows up on the
water surface , skim them off and continue to boil the pork. Add onion.

4. When pork is tender, peel the potatoes and cut into quarters.
5. Prepare the pechay, wash it thoroughly and chop off the base of the vegetable.
6 Add the potatoes and continue to simmer. When pork and potatoes are tender, add
salt to taste and add in the pechay.
7. When pechay is cooked, serve . Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Pork Potato patties

I have something to share with you. I did this for breakfast this morning and my family loves it!

Ingredients:

Minced pork - 200 grams
Potatoes - Idaho type , 1 pc, chopped finely
Black pepper -ground 1 tsp
Chili powder - ground, 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Rosemary , dried, 1/2 tsp
Egg - 1 pc
Bread crumbs
Olive oil for frying


Procedure:

1. Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon till well mixed.

2. Sprinkle more breadcrumbs till the mixture is of the right consistency to shape into patties.
I use Progreso plain breadcrumbs. They are so convenient and of good quality.

3. Take about a handful and shape them into round patties, depending on the size you want.

4. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan, add just enough to grease the surface of the pan.

5. Fry the patties till outside is browned and crisp and inside is fully cooked.
.

6. Serve with scrambled eggs and garlic fried rice.

Really satisfying breakfast!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Pancakes for breakfast

Ever try cooking pancakes for breakfast? I recommend White Wings Hotcake mix. They always turn out fluffy, soft and tastes good. They come in 2 bags inside the color blue box. I use 1 bag only and save the other one for the next day. One bag will be enough for 4 persons. Just need to add a cup of water and mix well using a spoon and cook using medium heat. I use a very small amount of butter (1 teaspoon) on a hot pan and spread it before I put the batter. Let each side cook about a minute or until firm. Keep warm. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Yummy for breakfast!

Yummy chicken rice and chicken noodles

There is a stall at Fork n Spoon at Toa Payoh central near the community library that sells really good chicken rice and chicken noodles. The rice is tasty and not so oily and the chicken is always cooked right. It is always cooked well and yet the meat is tender and not dry. The chicken noodles are cooked al dente and the secret is in the sauce. It's worth it, try it!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Bacon wrapped pineapple

Here is a recipe for an appetiser kids would surely love. It is very simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

Streaky bacon - 1 pack
Pineapple chunks

Procedure:

1. Cut bacon to divide into half crosswise.
2. Wrap a piece of pineapple with the bacon, in a roll fashion
3. Anchor the roll with a toothpick
4. Line a microwaveable plate with kitchen paper
5. Arrange the rolls in a circular fashion around the plate.
6. Cover with another piece of kitchen towel to preventy spattering
7. Cook inside microwave till browned and crisp.

Enjoy!! Sure love this one. Use it also for appetisers during parties!

Kids sure love them !

Monday, August 24, 2009

GOLDEN CORN MUFFINS

Here is a good recipe for golden corn muffins, really tasty and texture is very similar to those corn muffins served at Kenny Rogers' restaurant. Try this!

Ingredients

2 eggs
corn polenta 3/4 cup
corn essence 1/2 tsp
Milk ( evaporated cream milk or low fat cream milk ) 1/2 cup
Honey 1/4 cup
Sugar , 3/4 cup
All purpose flour 1+3/4 cup
Whole kernel corn , 1 cup
Butter , 1 stick
Salt , 1/2 tsp
Baking powder , 1/2 tsp
Heat oven to 200 deg C .

Grease muffin pan with margarine using a brush. Remove excess butter.
Cream sugar and butter together by hand till bright yellow. Add the corn syrup.
Add in whole 2 eggs, sugar and honey. Continue mixing.
Add flour and cornmeal together with baking powder.
Add salt to the flour mixture.
Add the flour mixture to the batter.
Keep blending while adding milk gradually.

Add in the corn and mix well to distribute the corn .
Divide the mixture into 12 pieces and fill up the miffin pan.
Bake for 18 minutes and voila! Freshly baked corn bread!

Really tasty and yummy!

If you are interested, we can do it for you. Call me to discuss.
My handphone number is 96479559.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Home made juicy hamburgers

Sometimes, we would crave for having good beef burgers for dinner on warm buns. Let me tell you how I make juicy hamburger.

Ingredients

Minced beef , 500 grams
Tomato sauce , 3 tbsps
Egg , 1 pc
Black pepper , 1 tsp or according to taste
Salt , 1 tsp or according to taste
Onion, minced (optional)
Bread crumbs ( 2 tbsp)
Rosemary leaves , dried , 1 tsp

Burger buns
Margarine or butter for spreading
Lettuce , washed thoroughly
Tomatoes, sliced

Procedure
Place the minced beef in a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients together and mix them thoroughly. Shape a handful into patties. Heat pan using medium heat and put a bit of oil. When hot enough, put the beef patties one at a time on the hot pan. Do not cover while cooking. It takes about 2 -3 minutes per side . Invert when patty can be moved freely and inverted to cook the other side. When cooked, put a slice of cheese on top of the hot patty to melt the cheese.

Warm a piece of bun, spread some butter or margarine , add sliced red tomatoes and a piece of lettuce. Put one patty with the cheese on top. place another slice of tomato and a piece of lettuce. Serve with ketchup. Yummy!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Microwave uses

Hi , let me tell you about a wonderful gadget, the microwave oven. Some may think that the microwave is only good for heating cooked food. Actually, I am so grateful with this piece of invention as it make cooking a breeze . Here are a few tips.



Baked potatoes
Wash potatoes well and dry them with a kitchen towel. Poke several holes through the skin of the potatoes to allow steam to escape. Wrap the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and put them directly on the revolving plate. Set oven for medium high, for a few minutes usually 3 to 5 minutes for 3 potatoes. Timing really depends on the oven rating but as a guide, try to press on each potato using a wooden spoon while still wrapped with the towel. Use oven gloves so as not to burn yourself. When almost soft but still firm, take them out of the oven and wrap them with aluminum foil and leave them on a plate outside. The potatoes will remain warm on the plate kept outside the oven and the retained heat will continue to cook the potatoes. For up to about half an hour, potatoes will still keep warm.

This same method will apply for eggplants. You may do the same method of preparation. Remember to poke small holes into the eggplant before cooking inside the microwave, while wrapped with clean kitchen towel.



Scrambled eggs
Place a bit of butter on a small bowl. Add beaten eggs , preferably do one egg at a time.
Put in the microwave , medium heat for 30 secs. Stop oven, open and stir with a wooden spoon. Continue for another 30 secs medium heat if still runny. Remove from the oven and serve, sprinkle with a bit of salt of desired.

Beef stew
Prepare all the ingredients called for in the recipe. Start by searing the meat using conventional stove. Once browned on all sides, usually takes about 5 minutes only, transfer into a microwave proof casserole ( corningware can be used). Include all the ingredients called for in your recipe leaving the salt and some vegetables you want to add last. You can tenderize the meat in the oven, use medium high setting for 5 minutes just to build up the heat. Lower to medium heat till meat is tender. Leave a small opening ( do not close fully ) for the steam to escape. Check on the stew every 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Add the remaining vegetables. Repeat the process, giving 5 minutes every time until the gravy is thick enough and the meat is tender. Remove from oven and add salt if desired. Remember adding salt during the early stages of cooking will toughen the meat. Keep the oven to medium heat as too high will cause the beef to become tough.

I hope you will enjoy using the microwave oven.. it is really a wonderful kitchen helper. You can also cook rice, bacon, steaks ( best using a browning dish , checkout Corningware browning dish), melt chocolate for baking, steam fish and endless ways to use it just as you would use your tabletop stove. So try exploring and using the microwave when cooking. But remind you, do not use metal utensils and metal pots inside the oven and do not use it to fry food
( high oil content for microwave is not advisable ).

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Filipino cooking - Chicken and Pork Adobo

Let me share with you how to cook a popular Filipino dish. Every household in the Philippines enjoy this dish very much and it's so easy to cook.

I will explain the steps involved but I will not be so specific with measurements as most will depend on your own liking, how salty , sourly or peppery you want it to be. There are several versions of preparing adobo . Some like the dry version where the gravy is simmer ed till almost dry and the meat has absorbed most of the flavors coming from the garlic, vinegar and soy sauce. I particularly like the wet type with a bit of gravy left. The gravy is so tasty especially when mixed with steamed rice,


The ingredients are :

Pork , cut into cubes
Chicken , cut into bite size pieces or bigger if you wish
Black pepper
Vinegar ( balsamic vinegar is best )
Soy sauce ( dark)
Garlic , whole clove , peeled and minced
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil ( about 3 tablespoons)
Bay leaf ( can substitute rosemary also)
Note : ratio of vinegar to soy sauce is 1:3 . For every 1 measure of vinegar, add 3 similar amounts of soy sauce. Quantity varies, have just enough to cover the meat.


How to cook the adobo.

Heat the pan and saute the garlic till fragrant but not burned.
Add the meat ( pork and chicken) and stir fry for about 10 minutes. Add a bit more oil if it is too dry.
Add soy sauce ( 3 parts ) + vinegar (1 part) + a bit of water.
Sprinkle black pepper, (I like to put a lot of it ) and add 1 bay leaf for fragrance.
Let simmer till chicken and pork is tender and cooked.
Add water bit by bit if the mixture becomes too dry. Use medium heat and stir occasionally.
When chicken and pork are tender and cooked, taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Be careful not to add too much salt as soy sauce makes it salty already.
Let it continue cooking at low heat (about 5 minutes more) till gravy becomes thickened but not dry. Remove from heat. Serve with steamed rice.


I hope you will like this recipe, Try it and you'll be amazed at the taste of Adobo!
Truly, this is a simple dish to prepare and especially when you don't have ingredients, you will need garlic only and since your cupboard is stocked with vinegar, soy sauce , pepper... there is always this bright idea to be able to convert the pork or chicken in the freezer into a quick lunch or dinner dish everyone will love. Let me know if you like it.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Alteration services

If anyone is looking for alteration services at reasonable price. Shorten pants or skirts, resize clothes , edging services and sew simple cushion covers . Call me at 96470559 or 64488058. Trelly

Thursday, August 13, 2009

PASTA IN A HURRY

I want to share how you can prepare dinner very fast! Use ham and hotdogs with fresh tomatoes. Mince garlic, lots of them and saute in little oil. Add chopped tomatoes, those big red ones , seeds included. Saute till tomatoes are soft , add pinch of salt, herbs ( you can use Bolognaise herbs available in supermarkets) , add pepper (black). Add sliced hotdogs and honey baked ham. Add some water, a bit of tomato sauce ( 1/4 cup ) just to add color. Add some flour and stir till simmering.
Let simmer for a few minutes. Boil the spaghetti following box directions and put the sauce on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and voila! Tasty , fresh pasta for dinner!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Baker's Paradise

Yesterday, I went to Toa Payoh to check out what my colleague has told me about the
store inside Fairprice supermarket... and believe me it is a baker's paradise! It has in stock everything you will need to do baking, from utensils, to ingredients, to pie fillings, to different flour types , baking tins, muffin cases , sugar candy cake decors , everything! It is Phoon Huat store, I hope I remember the name right. Go check it out, it's a baker's paradise! If you love baking, that is!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Chocolate cupcakes

I am looking for a good recipe for chocolate cupcakes...anyone has something to share? I make good ones using ready mixes but I want one that is made from raw ingredients. Oftentimes, those in the recipe books does not turn out as good as mixes...in texture and taste!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Jennifer Aniston

I really like Jennifer Aniston. I wish she and Brad were still together. I can't bear the sight of Brad with his now partner, I think Jen is so much more beautiful and sweet and lovable.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Croissants _ make your own

I would like to congratulate Sunshine for a very good product , Frozen shortcrust pastry! It saves so much time and you can enjoy making croissants at home. I usually keep 2 or or boxes of this product inside our freezer and during weekends, I can just pop them into my microwave and defrost them. Do not be scared to defrost them in the microwave... simply use 2 minutes at defrost setting. You have to take out the wrapper and put the whole block onto a plate. No need to cover. Now assemble your utensils, pastry cutter, baking pans, nonstick baking sheet. Cut the pastry block into 6 smaller blocks and then divide each of the 6 blocks again into half. Use a rolling pin and roll each small block of pastry into a square. Make ready your filling . I highly recommend cream cheese , any brand. Easier to use those individually wrapped triangular types. Roll the pastry to about 4x4 inches square and make like a curry puff shapes , putting the cream cheese filling inside each one. You can also use sausages, hotdogs as filling while rolling the pastry into a cylindrical shapes. Set your conventional oven to 200 deg C to preheat. Let the pastry rest for about 20 minutes ro relieve stress. When ready, brush an egg wash ( beaten egg) on the entire surface of each pastry. Line your baking pan with nonstick paper so it will be easy to take them out after baking. Bake as directed , 200 deg C for about 20 minutes and voila! Freshly baked , flaky croissants! Try them and enjoy!

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