Cookbook Recipes

Babies are usually given solid food starting at 4 months but I think it is safer to start them at 6 months. This is because many babies are not ready to eat at 4 months and it can be frustrating trying to feed them solids.

To start them on solids, cereal is an ideal choice as it is easy to swallow and digest. You can mix cereal with breast milk or formula or boiled water to produce a thick consistency.

Weetbix can be crushed and mixed with breast milk, formula or boiled water to produced a desired consistency and given to babies too.

As your baby began to show more interests in eating solid food, you can start cooking porridge. You can use rolled oats. Mix it with water (1 tbsp oats to 3 tbsp water) and boil and then simmer for a few minutes. Puree with enough breast milk or formula to produce the consistency suitable for your child. Oats are more nutritious compare to white refined rice. I sometimes would puree some bananas and mixed with the oat porridge. It makes it sweet, more tasty and also more nutritious.

Stewed fruits are very good for babies too. Peel, core and slice 1 apple, peach or pear in a small pan with 2 tbsp of water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until soft and pulpy, adding more water as required. Puree with a little boiled water to make 1/2 cup of stewed fruit.

You can combine rice cereal with stewed fruits or mashed banana. Add some breast milk or formula to achieve a soft but not runny cereal.

For older babies, mix baby cereal, stewed fruits, baby yogurt and breast milk to produce the desired consistency.

For older babies, you can try the following combinations of puree, they are yummy for most babies. Always puree using breast milk, formula or boiled water.

Mashed advocado and cottage cheese.

Sieved tomato and advocado. First, blanched tomato in hot water to make the skin peel off easily. Then remove the seed and press them through a sieve.

Pureed apple, pear and banana.

Pureed papaya.

Pureed pumpkin and potato.

Pureed vegetables and cooked fish.

This version of cheesecake is slightly lighter considering that one one 250g pkt of cream cheese is used. You can have change the base of the cake too. Instead of using digestive biscuits, you can use muesli biscuits, chocolate chip biscuits, walnut biscuits etc. You can also top with sliced fruit, chopped nuts and drizzle chocolate on it. Since this is a no bake version and raw eggs are used, it is better to use grade A eggs and clean the eggs before using it.
Crust:

100g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed (Put biscuits in a plastic bag and crushed with a rolling pin.)
50g melted butter
Filling:

225g cream cheese
100g castor sugar
2 eggs separated
100g plain chocolate, melted
2 tsp gelatine powder
150ml double cream, whipped
For decoration: 150ml double cream, chocolate curls, icing sugar

Method:

Mix biscuit crumbs with melted butter and pressed onto an 18cm springform tin. Chill until firm about 10-15mins.

To make filling, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, egg yolk and melted chocolate . Dissolve gelatine in 2 tbs of hot water and add to the cheesecake mixture. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold in with a metal spoon. Finally fold in the cream. Pour into tin and chill to set.

Unmould cheesecake onto a serving plate. Whip cream and pipe a border around the top edge of the cheesecake. Decorate the centre with chocolate curls and sprinkle with icing sugar.

This recipe looks difficult due to the long list of ingredients. But once you manage to get all the ingredients, the recipe is very easy to cook and worth cooking too. I tried buying ready made green curry sauce but none is as authentic and nice as home made ones like this. On top of that, the paste can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can make more paste and keep them in portions in the freezer and then use it whenever you need it!
Ingredients:

Curry paste *This quantity is for 2 portion of green curry. Half is to be stored in freezer for next use.
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tsp coriander seed, toasted
1/4 tsp white peppercorns
5 fresh coriander roots
3 tbsp chopped fresh galangal
10 fresh long green chillies, chopped
1 stem lemon grass, chopped
6 red Asian shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1 tsp grated kaffir lime rind
2 tbsp peanut oil

1 cup (250g) thick coconut cream
500 g chicken fillets sliced
2 cups water
125 g snake beans cut into 2 cm lenghts
150g broccoli cut into small florets
1 tbsp palm sugar
2-3 tbsp fish sauce
5 tbsp fresh corriander leaves

Method:

Place cumin seed, coriander seed and peppercorn in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind into fine powder. Blend in a food processer with the remaining paste ingredients and add 1/2 tsp salt until smooth.

Place coconut cream, water, chicken , half of the above curry paste, and boil and simmer for about 5 mins. Then add broccoli and snake beans and simmer for another 5 mins or until chicken and vegetables are cooked. Add fish sauce, palm sugar, coriander leaves. Best served with steamed rice.

There are few basic steps for cooking the perfect steak. First, use the right cut. Second, meat preparation and cooking method. The followings are guides to cooking times and touch testing. Soon, you will learn if a steak is cooked to your liking by feeling the steak with the back of tongs and by its appearance. After cooking, allow steak to rest for 2-3 minutes.

RARE
Cook each side for 2 mins, turn once only.
Description : Internal very red, moist and with red juices.
Touch test: very soft to touch.

MEDIUM RARE
Cook each side approx 3-4 mins. Turn once only before pink beads of moisture appear on top surface of each side.
Description: Internal lighter red colour, moist, pink juices.
Touch tests: Soft and springy.

MEDIUM:
Cook 4-6 mins each side. Turn only once.
Description : Internal pink red colour, moist, clear to pink juices.
Touch test: Firm and springy.

WELL DONE
Cook 2-4 mins each side, then reduce heat and cook further 4-6 mins.
Description: Internal stone grey colour, dry, clear or no sign of pink juices.
Touch Test: Very firm to touch.

This dish is healthy and at the same time tasty. The flavour comes mainly from the mixed herbs so be sure to be very generous with the herbs and also the sweetness of the tomatoes and vegetables.
Ingredients:

500g beef shin cut into cubes
1 large brown onion (chopped)

3 cloves garlic (chopped)

2 large carrots cut into cubes

2 potatoes cut into cubes

5 large tomatoes (blanched, skin and seeds removed and cut into quarters)
1 cup mixed vegetables

3 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of red wine

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp Mixed herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary)

5 cups water

salt and pepper

Method:

Marinate beef in oyster sauce, worcestershire sauce, herbs, salt pepper and cornstarch and set aside for at least 30 mins.
Heat oil and fry onion and garlics until soft and fragrant.

Add beef shin and fry until brown. Add red wine and fry until a little dry. Add water, carrots and mixed vegetables. Boil and simmer in low heat for about 1 1\2 hours. Be sure to add water if it is too dry. Add tomatoes and potaotes and boil for another 20 mins or until potato is soft. Add salt and pepper to taste and more cornstarch if you want the stew to be thicker.

This is an ideal dish if you have young toddlers. The adult and the child will love the dish.

Ingredients:

Fillings:

300g minced beef

2tbsp tomato sauce

2 tbsp barbecue sauce or Lea and Perrins sauce

1\4 tsp salt or pepper

2 tsp oil

2tsp soya sauce

50 g frozen peas

100g finely chopped onions

Topping (mix well):

5 Large potatoes

4 tbsp fresh milk

50g butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 200C

Marinate beef with tomato and babecue sauces. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 mins.

Heat some oil and stir fry onion until soft and fragrant.

Add beef and mix well for abt 30 secs.

Add peas and continue stir frying for a min until mixture is a little dry. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Spread beef mixture in a baking dish and top
with potato mixture. Bake for 10-15 mins.

My kids like this pizza cuz’ it is sweet with pineapples and delicious with ham and cheese!

Ingredients

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce or ketchup.

1 sweet brown-skinned onions  sliced

200gm ham sliced

1/2 cup fresh or canned pineapples cut into cubes

1 cup grated mozarella cheese

Italian herbs

Method

Prepare 4 individual pizza crust using the recipe I had posted. Spread sauce over each crust.Layer with onions, ham and pineapple and then top with cheese. Sprinkle with herbs.

Bake at 230 C for 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is brown and cheese is brown and bubbly.

Don’t buy frozen pizza crust. They are not as tasty as those you make yourself and very costly. It is really easy to make the pizza base. This is how:

Ingredients:

1 egg beaten

1 cup warm water

2 tbsp pure virgin olive oil

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 package  10 gm dry yeast

3 cups all purpose  flour

Method:

Mix water, oil, sugar and salt in  a big bowl. sprinkle yeast into the mixture and stir until dissolve.

Add egg and stir. Add flour gradually. Mix well.

Turn dough onto a floured wooden chopping board or counter top. Knead until smooth, shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Turn the ball of doughover to coat with oil. Cover with a  kitchen towel and let it rise until it double in size.

Punch dough down and divide into quarters. Lightly oil your hands and pat dough into 7 inch pans for individual pizzas. Form crust edge by pinching the sides.

Check out my other pizza recipes for toppings and baking instructions.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 tbsp margerine or butter melted

1 cup crushed Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies
(about 20 cookies, crushed and then blended in food processer with butter).

Tip: Best way to crush cookies is to put them in a polythene bag and crushed with a rolling pin.
Filling:

4 pkts Philadelphia Cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

12 - 15 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich cookies quartered

Method:

Crust: Mix crushed cookies and butter and press onto the bottom of 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 165 c for 10 mins.

(Line springform pan with greaseproof paper for easy removal of cake. Use the bottom of a straight-sided glass to evenly pressed cookie crumb mixture onto the bottom of pan.)

Filling: Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, mixing on low speed until blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies. (Do not blend the biscuit, just break into quarters) Pour over crust. Bake at 165 C, middle rack for 1 hour or until center is set.

Run knife around rim to loosen cake. Cool before removing from pan. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with COOL WHip topping or additional cookies.

A no cook, no brainer, all delicious cake! Very chocolatie with black cherries to give the fresh and sweet taste. If you have no time to bake a cake and need something fast, this is good.

Ingredients:

200g dark chocolate, chopped

200ml whipping cream (prefer thickened cream)

1 can black cherries in syrup

60ml kirsch, brandy or rum (if you don’t have them, the dessert will still taste good but it’s alot nicer with liquer.)

20 sponge fingers

Method:

Place chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to boil and immediately pour over chocolate. Let stand for a few minutes and then stir until smooth. Chill covered for 1 hour.

Drain cherries, reserving syrup. Stir liquer into syrup.

Take a 1.5 litres loaf tin and line with plastic wrap, leaving a generous overhang. Dip sponge fingers in the syrup mixture and place a layer of sponge finger in the pan, trimming to fit.

Whisk chocolate by hand until slightly paler and spoon half into the loaf tin. Scatter cherries on top. spoon remaining chocolate mixture over.
Place another layer of sponge fingers dipped in syrup mixture on top of the chocolate. Fold plastic overhang over cake. Freeze until very cold, at least 3 hours.

To serve, fold back plastic wrap, unmould onto a plate. Peel away plastic wrap. Slice with a sharp knife.

Serves 8 normal people or 5 chocoholics