Creamy Spinach Chicken

Chicken and cream make really good dinner combination when your kids love creamy dish like mine do. They were so happy when they saw what I served them at dinner tonight. Both Os raised up their thumbs and said "Good, mummy good" haha and i think thats the best rewards for a mummy that spend an hour in the kitchen preparing, cooking and cleaning.

Simple preparation and cooking steps, which requires less than an hour. I always use drumstick because i find the meat is more tender and juicy but you can substitute with chicken breast if you preferred.

Ingredients

1 drumstick with tight (De-bone and cut into bite size)

1 cup Spinach

1 tsp salt 

4 tbsp Corn Flour

2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder

1 clove garlic (chopped)

Creamy Sauce

1 can F&N evaporated milk

1tsp curry powder
1tsp corn flour

Marinate

2 tsp Salt 

dash of Pepper

Methods

1. Marinate chicken with salt & pepper for 15 minutes.

2. Mix Chinese five spice powder and corn flour is a dry clean bowl. Add in chicken cubes and coat all with powder.

3. Heat clean wok with cooking oil (enough to cover the chicken). When oil almost warm, add in chicken cubes. Fried for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, keep stirring. Drained from oil. Set aside when done.

4. Blanch spinach in water for 3 minutes. Drained and set aside.

5. In a clean saucepan, heat little oil, add in garlic, stir till you smell the aroma of the garlic or when the garlic turns golden but not brown. Add curry powder, corn flour & milk, mix well and pour it into the saucepan. When the cream is boiling add in chicken. Stir and cook for 5 minutes till chicken well coated with milk. This is not a thick cream base but kind of milky.

6. Arrange blanched spinach at the bottom of a dishware, pour creamy chicken over it.

7. Serve with white rice.

Stir Fry Broccoli Cauliflowers with Scallops

Broccoli and Cauliflowers are my daughter's favourites. She will always asked for these two vegetable to be cooked for dinner. And recently she started to love scallops too, I think she has got this from his dad the seafood lover in our family.

Well as most of you already know that Olivia is a picky eater when she was little and fingers crossed, she is getting better and at a normal pace now (laughing). So if she requested certain food or dish, I will definitely try my best to fulfilled her with. And Oliver is a vegan lover, he loves everything from vegetables to fruits which gives me less headache.

This dish is very simple to prepare and its very nutritious too. Most of the ingredients you could get it from the market or any supermarket will do. Just that you need to get the frozen boiled scallops at the specialist store or completed supermarket that sells imported seafood. I bought the frozen boiled scallops at Jaya Grocer. 

Frozen boiled scallop

Ingredients


1 Cup of  Broccoli
1 Cup of Cauliflowers
1/2 Cup Boiled Scallop
1 tbsp  chopped garlic
2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1/4 Cup water
1 tsp Rice Wine 紹興酒

Methods
1) Cut vegetables into small bite size. Blanch them in hot water for 3 minutes. drained and set aside.
2) In a clean wok, drizzle some cooking oil that covered most of the wok surface. When the wok is warm, add in garlic, stir fry for 1 minute and add in scallops. Keep stirring for 1 minutes, add vegetables. Mix oyster sauce and water. Turn to high flame, stir in oyster sauce that diluted in water. Stir for another 2 minute, turn to low flame, add in rice wine, stir for a while and you can serve.

Black Fungus & Potato Chicken

Black Fungus or Cloud ear fungus is very commanly used in chinese cooking. Chinese believed that this fungus will benefit our health by adding in our diet. Some say it will reduce LDL cholesterol and some even said it could eliminate bad clogged blood in the uterus. That's why this is the key ingredient of confinement food. I personally like the texture of it, jellyfish yet chruncy. 

Surprisingly my children love it too. Normally cooked with chicken, and I added potato as well. These 3 ingredients go pretty well too.

Ingredients 

Kampung Drumsticks X1

Black Fungus medium X1

Potato medium X1

Oyster Sauce x3tbsp 

Corn starch x1tbsp

Water x2 cup

Rice wine x1tsp (optional)

Garlic x2 cloves (chopped)

Methods:

1) marinate chicken with 2tbsp oyster sauce.

2) soak black fungus with hot water for 30min. Throw away water, thinly slice black fungus.

3) slice potato as desire. I slice thin and half circle.

4) blanch black fungus and potato in hot water for 5minutes. Drain out.

5) In a cooking pan, drizzle with little cooking oil. Add in garlic, stir fry, add in chicken. Stir fry for 3-5min, add black fungus & potato. Stir well.

6) add water, dark soya and the remaining oyster sauce . Cover with lid. Let it simmer  in medium flame for 3min.

7) mix corn flour with some water and become starch. Add in to chicken. Stir well. Last add in rice wine, if you don't like wine, you may omit.

    

My little patron, can't wait it try some.

Lentil Cauliflower Millet Soup

Lentil, cauliflower and millet have been the staple food in my kitchen. Whenever the kids asked for this comfort food, I can straight away made it for them. Thus is very simple, I always mix and match these ingredients with pumpkin, potato or  spinach if you like.

Both Os finished fast today. Nothing could be more rewarding than seeing 2 empty bowls of soup.

I normally soaked beans before cooking them just to cut down the cooking time. And it worked! And Mcvite's digestive biscuit made a great pairing as well. Kids dip the biscuit in the soup or cracked it and sprinkle right on the surface. Yummy!

Ingredients

2 cups Lentils - wash and soak with water for 15min

1 cup Millets

11/2 cup Cauliflowers 

2 cloves of garlic - crashed 

4 cups Water

Salt to taste 

Dried Thyme

Methods

1. Drain lentil, millet  & cauliflower then send aside.

2. Use a deep saucepan, preheat with oil. Fry chopped garlic till aromatic add in lentil, millet and cauliflower stir fried till you smell the aromas. Add water. When boiling turn the flame to low, keep cooking for 30minutes. Please make sure the water level is not dried up. If the water is at the same level as the solid then u may off the fire of the stove. Let it cool down then transfer to the good processor and blend till smooth.

3. Transfer back to saucepan and turn on low flame add salt & herbs to taste.

Pan Fried Meat Patty with Cuttlefish 煎鱿魚豬肉餅

Pan Fried Meat Patty with Cuttlefish 煎鱿魚豬肉餅

I'm a Hakka and growing up with my grand parents were such an honored because I could speak fluent Hakka Dialect and had enjoy so much yummy Hakka Cuisine since we were young. We Hakka loves pork very much especially 'Fat Pork' 肥猪肉 that would not be missed in most of our dinners.

And today, I was trying out this dish for the very first time, Pan Fried Meat Patty with Cuttlefish 煎鱿魚豬肉餅. It's a very simple dish that requires only pork & cuttlefish. When I served this during dinner tonight, it was finished like hot cakes and hubby said it tasted so "Homely" 家的味道 probably because we hardly get to eat this simple dish outside.Or this patty really taste good (laughing)

Ingredients

11/2 cup Mince pork (I used the combination of  fat & lean)

1/2 cup Dried cuttlefish (You can find it at local grocery shop)

- soak the dried cuttlefish for 1 hour or 30 minutes with some water to soften it before cutting them into small pieces.

1/4 cup Breadcrumbs

2 tbsp Flour

2 tbsp Water (I used water I used to soak the dried cuttlefish)

Salt to taste (approximately 1 tsp)

- you might not need to put some much salt as the cuttlefish are salty.

Methods 

1. Mix the pork, dried cuttlefish that has been cut into small pieces, water (I used water that used to soaked the dried cuttlefish), flour, breadcrumbs and salt well.

2. Heat the pan with some cooking oil. Move the pan around so the oil could cover most of the pan's surface.

3. I molded the patty into round with spoon or if you prefer hand. Then slowly put it into the pan. Use the flat ladle to slightly press in down into a flat patty. My patty is about 2cm thick or if you might want to have a thinner patty then you have to press it flatter. I like mine slightly thicker so that the inside of the patty is moist and juicy.

4. Pan fried both side for 3 minutes and turn the flame to high and pan fried both sides for 1 minute to achieve the crispy-skin.

5. Set aside and cut it into desire shapes when its not hot.

6. Serve with white rice.

Steam Chicken Rice

Olivia is mummy's number 1 fan. 2 thumbs up!

Today's weather is getting a little chill after a heavy pour this evening. It would be nice if we could have a hot pot of chicken rice for dinner, just that simple. I always stocked up my freezer with chicken because with chicken your ingredient nothing can go wrong.


A simple but comfort dish put a big smile on my kids' faces as well as my hubby's. Here goes the ingredients & steps.. happy cooking!

Marinate chicken with rice wine & salt

Add water to rice, garlic & ginger and cook.

Add in chicken when water is boiling

Keep cooking until water is reduced.

After 15-20 minutes when water has been absorbed by rice

A comfort food is DONE

 Ingredient:
2 free range chicken leg (marinate with salt & some rice wine)
1 cup uncooked rice
1 1/2 cups water
3 cloves garlic 

1 medium ginger
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method
1. Cut chicken into small pieces. Marinate the chicken with some salt & little rice wine.
2. Heat oil and saute the garlic and sliced  ginger until fragrant.
3. Add in rice and mix evenly.
4. Add in water and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 7 mins, till the water reduce by half.
5. Place the chicken on top of the rice. Cover the pan and continue to simmer for 15-20 mins.
6. Turn off heat and rest for 5 mins before serving.

Baked Cauliflower Mushroom with Rice

My daughter loves Cauliflower and Mushroom, so anything that cooked with these two will be finished fast. Today I made the kids lunch with these two ingredients and added some cheese and bake it and guess what? They finished this dish fast as predicted. I did asked my daughter why is she loves cauliflower so much, and her answer is "I love flowers, mummy".. haha okay, she is so cute isn't she? I think I should start experimenting lily and roses then..(gotcha)

Line cooked rice at the bottom of the oven proof dish

Cooked Cauliflowers, mushroom and milk until boiling

Pour the mixture over the rice

Sprinkle grated cheese on top of it and bake till it turns brown

Baked rice, ready to be served

Yummy rive topped with baked cauliflower & mushroom

Baked Cauliflower Mushroom with Rice

Ingredients
11/4 cup Cauliflower, chopped
1/4 cup Button Mushroom, chopped
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup grated cheese
2 cup cooked rice
salt & pepper to taste
some oregano herbs

Methods 
1. Cooked rice earlier, set aside to let it cool down. Place the rice at an 8" round oven safe dish.
2. Using a medium saucepan, boil some water and put the chopped cauliflower. Boil for 2 minutes. Drained and set aside.
3. Pre heat the Oven at 180 degree for 15 minutes.
4. Pre heat a cooking pan in a medium flame. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil, put in cauliflower and mushroom. Keep stirring for 2 minutes, add salt, pepper and herbs. Pour in milk and let it boil. When the milk is boiling turn off the flame. Pour all the mixture on top of the rice. The sprinkle the grated cheese on top of it. Put in the pre heat oven and baked for 15 minutes or till the cheese melted and brown.

2 Flavours in 1Quiche (Wholemeal Bread Crust)

 

I'm a typical mother and housewife that believe in recycle and "DON'T WASTE FOOD" could be my favourite phrase. I have some Mascarpone, some broccoli, a few slices of bread and some mushroom left in my fridge from my previous meal. So why not make something out of these superb staples. And sometimes you will never know how this new recipe could bring smiles on your children's faces or even hubby's. And Bingo! my family loved this 2 Flavours in 1 Quiche. I made a half Seafood and a half Vegan quiche with a healthier crust this time, wholemeal bread for it's crust.

Ingredients for quiche

Sauteed Mushroom & Broccoli

Sauteed  squids, prawns & tomato bits

Toppd with Mozarella Cheese before bake

2 Flavours in 1 Quiche, wholemeal bread crust

A decent dinner

Ingredients

6-8 slices of Wholemeal Bread

4 tablespoon Margarine

200 gm Seafood of your choice

1/2 cup Broccoli

1/4 cup Mushroom, sliced

100 gm Mascarpone Cheese

3 Eggs

1 cup Mozzarella Cheese (grated)

1/2 Tomato, sliced

1/2 Tomato, chopped chunks

1 Medium Onions, chopped chunks

Salt & Pepper to taste

Dried Oregano & Parsley

Methods

1. Greased bread with either butter.. Line them in a Oven proof glassware or pan.

2. Pre-bake them in a 160°C Oven for 5 minutes. You don't want to toast them brown, just need to harden the bread, so they will not turn soggy.

3. Cut the seafood, I used squids and prawn. Marinate them with salt & pepper. Precook the seafood, to avoid sogginess when baking because seafood then to release liquid when cooking. Do not saute for too long, do not cook the seafood. Set aside.

4. Use a pan, drizzled little olive oil, to sauté the Mushroom and broccoli. Saute for 2 minutes or till the broccoli is soft or you prefer crispy broccoli then you might sauté them for shorter time. Set aside.

5. Use an oil free non stick pan, grill the tomato slice, so they look dried.

6. Mix Mascarpone Cheese & Eggs together, whisk them well and add salt & pepper to taste.

7. Put seafood on one side of the baking pan and broccoli mushroom on the other side, pour egg mixture and 1 cup of cheese on top of the fillings. Lastly, Sprinkle some Mozarella at the top.

8. Bake for 40 minutes at 200°C. Use a sharp knife, cut the middle of the quiche, if knife comes out dry then your quiche is done.

What to pack/cook for my 7 year old daughetr

What to pack/cook for my 7 year old daughter?

Hi I’m a working mother to two children and currently I’m running my own design studio and a blogspot that shares healthy recipes and living. Being a mother is not easy at all, and if you are one of us then you will understand what I’m going through. Motherhood is intersting and I enjoy this journey so much, nevertheless all the broken nights and cracking your head for what to feed your picky eater.

I have passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy, easy, tasty and fun meals for my children, mostly my 6 year old daughter. She is always picky on food and I guess it's something good since she only put good and nice things or food in her mouth and tummy. 

To me it is a good challenge, and I have set some targets for myself like how fast I could make her finished her meals, perhaps we could have a record breaking time tonight by serving sushi? I don't mind the hassles of going through websites, cooking books and classes but to come up with new recipes. Actually this has benefits me as well, as I has polished my cooking skill from a beginner to the intermediate. So her meals will not be so boring anymore and 

I will pack her lunch or I will make something fancy for her lunch or dinner.

Most of my cooking will include the balance pyramid which consistent of Vegetable (fiber), Meat (protein),

She loves soup, pasta and soft solid food. So what I will do is, make something that hits her taste bud and don’t forget the presentation are very important as well. Just like us adult, we prefer nicely presented food as well.

Bunny Burger

Ingredients

o   Bread

o   Mince meat for patty

o   Spinach

o   Tomato sauce and mayonnaise

Seafood Marinara Soup

 

If you love seafood as much as we do then this is the dish you might wanna try. Marinara or tomato base soup with seafood. My children love this soup specially when I serve with a plate of warm rice. They preferred rice instead of bread maybe because we are Chinese. (laughing)

Ingredients are simple, you could use whatever you could find in your fridge. I use Scallops, Squids, Dory and Mussel mostly from the frozen section. And this is so convenient.

Ingredients

Seafood

Scallops - 10pcs

Mussels - 10 pcs

Dory - 1 Medium fillet

Squids - 1 Medium size

*Marinate the seafood above with:

2 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp salt & pepper

TOSHIBA Microwave Oven - Chicken Patty Recipe

Orange Cod Fillet

If you like orange or citrusy then you can try this dish. I used orange but you can replace it with lemon. Citrus will go well with fish, I use cod fish because my kids love the smooth textured flakes.

Kids will definitely appreciate the sweet and sourish gravy. It's very appetising. 

Ingredients

1 fillet of cod fish (apx 300g)

1/2 cup corn flour

1 egg 

1/2 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp pepper

Sauce

1 orange (squeeze juice, keep pulp)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp corn flour

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil for frying

Methods

1. Cut fillet into small pieces. Mix corn flour, salt & pepper in a bowl. Beat egg in another bowl.

2. Dip fillet in egg mix, then coat with corn flour. Dap away excessive corn flour.

3. Heat pan with little olive oil, fry fillet that has been coated with corn flour. Fry both side till golden. Set aside.

4. Use the same pan without cleaning, pour in Orange Juice, water, corn flour, sugar, salt pepper to taste that has been mixed well in a bowl. Till boiling, add in fillet. Mix well till fillet is nicely coated with sauce.

5. Serve with white rice. Bon appetite!

Spinach Ball cooked with Hairy Gourd

Spinach Ball cooked with Hairy Gourd

Ingredients for balls

1/6 cup chopped spinach

100g mince pork

80g fish fillet (chopped) I used Garoupa

1/2tsp chopped garlic

11/2tsp soya sauce

1/2tsp corn flour

2tsp water

For Hairy Gourd Gravy

1/2 medium Hairy Gourd (peel & clean seed, cut in small cubes)

1/2tsp chopped garlic

2tsp Oyster Sauce

1/4cup water

Methods

1. Mix all ingredients for spinach balls.

2. Use a saucepan, boil water. Put balls in boiling water for 2-3minutes or till balls floating on water. Set aside.

3. Use a clean pan, when it's warm add oil and then add in chopped garlic. Stir fry, add in chopped hairy gourd. Keep stirring for 1-2minutes add in oyster sauce and keep stirring. Add in water, cover with lid, turn flame to medium. Let it cook for 5 minutes or till gourd is soft.

4. Add in spinach balls into the gravy. 

5. Serve with white rice.

Roll the meatball in between palm. (Make sure wet palms with water so the meat will not stick at your skin)

Blanch meatball in boiling water. Set aside when balls started to float.

Ultra-Moist Banana Cake with Greek Yogurt

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt

3 Big banana (mashed)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a large bowl, cream together butter with sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vegetable oil and vanilla extract.

4. Stir one third of the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, followed by the yogurt. Stir in another third of the flour mixture, followed by the mashed banana. Stir in remaining flour mixture and mix until no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Papaya-Banana Smoothies

Ingredients

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

a few drops of vanilla extract

2 medium ripe banana, peeled and sliced

1 cup of ripe papaya )peeled, seeded and chopped)

1/2 cup ice cubes

Methods

Combine the milk, yogurt, vanilla, banana, papaya and ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a large glass.