Halloween Rich Fruit loaf

Celabration of the Halloween isn't something we do here but it's good excuse for me to have a small fruity treat! :D .. Rich Fruit loaf.. Not as sweet as cake but sweeter than bread.. I use both black tea and brandy for the fruits but you can use tea only if desired. I also use less flour and more fruits, my personal preference to bite into flavoursome fruits and less floury taste. You may also add clean items eg. coin, ring, stick, or piece of rag into the loaf for traditional Halloween theme, but I add only coins!

Ingredients

300g raisins

100g sultanas

60g mixed peel

150ml warm, black strong tea

150ml brandy

200g demerara sugar

200g self raising flour

1/4 teaspoon mixed spice

1 egg

Method

Mix the dried fruit, mixed peel, warm tea / brandy liquid in a bowl. Cover and set aside overnight.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

Add the sugar, self-raising flour, mixed spice and egg to the dried fruit-tea mixture; stir well until mixed.

For the traditional Halloween theme, you may add some clean coin, ring, etc.. I only added coins! 

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until it feels firm to touch. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Be patient, if you can and store in an airtight container for a day or two. It really does taste better this way.

Cheesy Potato balls

One of those rainy night, I came home without any plan for tea.. Just dug out whatever in the kitchen.. I felt like hot chips with gravy and some cheese.. Yup, I was thinking of Poutine but there is no cheese curd and hot chips right here.. Righto!.. What can I make instead?.. Got potatoes, got leftover gravy, got cheese, got some seasonings.. Hmmmm Cheesy potato balls with gravy! That will do me :D

Cheese Balls

1 1/2 cup mozzarella, finely grated

1 large potato ( for 1/3 cup mashed potatoes)

2/3 cup plain flour

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp chicken salt

1/2 ground black pepper

1 cup bread crumbs

vegetable oil

Methods

In a small pot, add potato, cover with water and bring to a boil. Check for doneness after about 5 minutes by inserting a knife. It should come out easily. Drain and set aside to cool down.

Peel the skin off the potatoes and pass through a ricer to get finely mashed potatoes. If you don’t have a ricer, use a sieve and a spoon, it takes longer but the result is ultra smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed potatoes (1/3 cup), cheese, flour, egg, garlic powder, nutmeg, curry powder, chicken salt and pepper. Using your hand, mix all ingredients until well combined. It should be slightly sticky but hold its shape well.

Using about 2 tbsp of the cheese potato mixture, gently press and roll in your hand to form balls. Coat in bread crumbs.

Heat vegetable oil in a pot (enough to cover the balls). When it is hot enough to fry but not too hot or it will burn.  add cheese balls, few at a time, and fry until golden for about 2-3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.

Serve with hot gravy.

Cherry scones

One of an easy and quick baking stuff that you can whip it up on Sunday afternoon.. Cherry scones with whipping cream and jam.. and a cuppa to go with it!.. Not bad for a lazy afternoon tea :)

Ingredients

250g self raising flour

2tsp baking powder

2tbs caster sugar

60g butter

1 egg, beaten

100ml, milk 

150g glazed cherry

Preheat oven at 220 c 

Sift flour into a bowl, add baking powder, caster sugar, then rub in the butter

Add egg and milk then combine into soft dough, add cherry.

Lightly knead the dough on the lighty floured working bench, cut the dough into 7-8 small portions then roll them into ball shape and then flatten them a bit into round circle shape ~ 1 inch thick.

Line the scones onto grased baking paper on a baking tray, leave a bit of space between them.

Bake for 15 mins or golden outside.

Leave them until cool, serve with whipping cream, jam and a cuppa.

Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara

I needed an excuse to open a bottle of Chardonnay tonight.. After few glasses, I need something quick, simple and easy.. Creamy Carbonara with a touch of Chardonnay and Spaghetti .. I didn't defrost bacon, so used diced ham instead.. Still remember many years ago I made Carbonara sauce for the first time,  it looked like scrambled eggs with pasta!  .. Epic failed :) 

Ingredients

200g spaghetti 

100g diced ham or bacon 

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)

1/4 cup sliced mushroom

2 tsp olive oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup double cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Methods

In a pan over medium heat, add oil and ham, cook the ham until crunchy , then pour over white wine, let it bubble until a little amount of juice left, remove from heat.

Boil the water, cook spaghetti until al dente.

While spaghetti are cooking, in a bowl, beat together eggs, cheese, cream, salt and pepper.

Once the spaghetti is ready, drain and put them in the ham pan, add the mushroom. On the medium heat, toss them together until all coats with juice..

Remove from heat, stir in the cream mixture into the pan, tossing everything to mix.. Sprinkle more salt and pepper if needed.. Serve immediately.

Gozleme flowers

Credit this recipe to my lovely friend, Rosalie :) Her original recipe use vegan feta cheese but I couldn't find it in my local supermarket today..so I use normal feta cheese.. and also I didn't roll the dough into larger thin circles and close them up, then fry them in the pan but made smaller circles, folded them into flowers and baked them in the oven instead.. It took longer in the oven tho.. My appetite was increasing by mins. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup plain flour

3 tsp baking power

2 tbs olive oil

A pinch of salt

150 ml water

100 g feta cheese, chopped 

50 g spinach, chopped

Methods

Preheat the oven 170 c

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Add water and oil. 

Knead it but not too 

Divide the dough into small balls around ping pong size (will make 8-10 balls).

Sprinkle a bit of flour onto the working space, flatten the ball into flat round circle (using rooting pin to make it as thin as possible)..

Cut the circle in four places diagnose but leave the center for the filling (see pic)

Then fold one size at the time opposite one another to form petals (see pic)

Place them on the baking tray lined with baking paper. 

Bake them in the oven for 20 mins or until they're golden brown..do not over cooked them as they can be too dry..

Simple sweet breakfast crepe with banana, raspberry and ice cream

Trying to eat more fresh fruits for breakfast.. This one is very easy to make and great with fresh fruits.. The weather is getting warmer here.. Adding a scoop of ice cream is perfect for this weather.. Breakfast for champions I reckon :) 

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain flour

A pinch of salt

1 egg

150 ml of milk

10 g butter, melted

Sugar, Sliced banana, raspberry and ice cream to serve

Sifted flour and salt in a large bowl, make well in centre. 

In another bowl, Use balloon whisk mix together egg, milk and butter

Pour the egg mixture into flour and whisk until smooth and well combined.

Cover and put in the fridge for 30 mins

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, grease the pan with butter. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan and swirl to coat the base. Cook for 2 mins or until golden brown, turn it over and cook further for 1 min. Put on the plate and wrap the crepe cover sliced banana and raspberries.. serve with sprinkle sugar and ice cream.

San Choy Bow

Still some minced pork leftover from making wonton soup yesterday.. I decided to use up the rest of minced pork for dinner tonight.. Looking at whatever I have in the kitchen and came up with an easy and simple dish.. San Choy Bow.. Just loving aroma of sesame oil, garlic, onion and ginger in it..a great appetiser or a light meal :) 

Ingredients

300 g of lean minced pork

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp  grated fresh ginger 

1 1/2 tbs spring onions finely sliced

2 tbs grated carrot

2 tbs water chestnuts, finely chopped 

2 tbs mushroom, chopped

A handful of fresh bean sprouts

Few leaves of lettuce 

1 1/2 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs hoisin sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

Methods

In a wok over medium heat, heat the sesame oil, add onion, garlic, ginger into the hot oil, cook until soften.

Add pork and stir well and cook until brown.

Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and hoisin sauce into the pork, stir well

Add carrot, mushroom and water chestnut, cook for further 1 mins

Just before turn the heat off, quickly stir in 1tbs spring onions and half of bean sprouts.

Remove from heat and serve on each fresh lettuce leaves.

Decorate with the rest of spring onions and bean sprouts.

Serve immediately.