Saturday, September 7, 2013

Brown Rice, Asparagus and Salmon with Balsamic Vinegar

This feel good recipe is so healthy, yummy and easy! Try it for your healthy Monday menu! Perfect to bounce back after the weekend!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 salmon fillets, skin on
Dressing:
1 shallot, chopped
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Add the rice to saucepan. Cover with 2 cups cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let sit, covered, about 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

While rice is cooking, preheat grill to high. Oil grill.
Drizzle salmon and asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add salmon and asparagus to grill. Reduce heat to medium high.
Grill salmon until opaque and just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on thickness of fish. Grill asparagus until tender crisp, turning as needed, about 2 to 3 minutes.

ASSEMBLY
To make the dressing: add shallot, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, garlic, honey and olive oil to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning and acidity to taste. Set aside.
Add rice to large bowl, toss with about 3/4's of the dressing.
Cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces and toss into rice. Break salmon into smaller pieces. Delicately, combine salmon into rice and asparagus mix. Drizzle with more dressing.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

     

    Giant cookie

    Few weeks ago the kiddos stayed overnight and I wanted to make them some nice treats. Something that will make their eyes popped! So, I made them this giant cookies with mixed of M & M candies, almonds, oats, milk chocolate, white chocolate and raisins.. One recipe makes two giant cookies and boy it was gone so fast!
    Here is the recipe:

    INGREDIENTS
    2 1/4 cups flour
    1 tsp. baking soda
    1/4 tsp. salt
    3/4 cup butter, at room temperature (unsalted)
    3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1 egg
    1 tsp. vanilla
    1/4 cup oats
    1/4 cup each almonds, raisins, white chocolate, milk chocolate, M&M candy, for mixing into cookie batter

    PREPARATIONS
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two oven-proof (8-inch) skillets with parchment paper. (Alternatively, cook the big cookies, one at a time.)
    Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
    In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and continue to beat.
    Stir in the flour and oats just until combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in almonds, raisins, and chocolates.
    Divide dough in half and add each half to a skillet. Garnish top of each cookie with M & M candies.
    Bake cookies until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.
    Let stand 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

     
     

    Thursday, August 15, 2013

    Italian Meatballs


    I love Italian food! Have I mentioned that?
    Today for dinner I'm making Italian Meatballs..now I just have to decide whether I want to serve it over pasta, rice, or....hotdog buns??? Mmhhhh...

    Ingredients:

    2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
    1/2 cup water
    1 egg
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 tsp  salt
    1/2 tsp  pepper
    1/4 cup  grated Parmesan cheese
    1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    1 lb  lean ground pork
    1 onion, finely chopped
    28 oz  diced tomatoes
    1 cup chicken stock
    1 zucchini, grated
    1/2 tsp  dried basil
    1/2 tsp  dried oregano

    Preparation:

    In a bowl, combine fresh bread crumbs with water; let stand until absorbed, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg, 1 clove garlic, salt, pepper, cheese and parsley. Mix in pork. Roll  into balls.
    Brush large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil; heat over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs, in batches, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
    Drain any fat from pan. Add onion and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
    Add tomatoes, chicken stock, zucchini, basil and oregano; simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Puree in a blender until it's rather smooth then return to the pan with meatballs about 20 minutes.

    Wednesday, August 14, 2013

    Vegetable Biryani Rice

    Ingredients:
    Rice:
    2 cups basmati rice
    3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
    1 bay leave
    1 cinnamon stick
    1 tsp kosher salt

    Vegetables;
    6 cups mixed frozen veggies
    3 tbsp. vegetable oil
    1 large onion, thinly sliced
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 tbsp. minced ginger
    3 cardamom pods
    1 tsp ground coriander
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
    1/8 tsp ground black pepper
    1/4 cup water
    1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
    1 large pinch of saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup of warm water

    Garnish:
    1/4 cup raisin
    1/4 cup cashew
    1/4 cup chopped cilantro

    Preparation:
    Rinse the rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Cook rice in a pan, add spices and salt. Boil until the rice just tender but still crisp.

    Preheat oven to 350F.

    In a large skillet heat vegetable oil over medium heat.
    Cook onion, garlic, ginger, stirring for a minute. Add the spices and stirring for another minute. Add water, vegetables and salt, cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are warmed through.

    In a baking dish, pour the rice and vegetables and mixed it. Drizzle the saffron water mixture on top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.

    Serve the rice with raisins, cashews and cilantro on top.

    Butter Chicken

    BEWARE!!!!
    This recipe will cause addiction! The sauce is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
    You have been warned!

    Ingredients:

    2 onions, diced
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    3 tbsp  butter
    2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
    2 tbsp packed brown sugar
    2 tsp  chili powder
    3/4 tsp ground coriander
    3/4 tsp  ground turmeric
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp  ground cumin
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp pepper
    1 can diced tomatoes
    1 cup  sodium-reduced chicken broth
    1/4 cup  almond butter
    3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless skinless chicken thighs, quartered
    1 cup sour cream
    2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

    Preparation:

    In a blender, combine onions, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper and tomatoes.
    Whisk broth with almond butter, mixed with the puree and pour into slow cooker. Put the butter and chicken into the slow cooker.
    Cover and cook on low up to 8 hours.
    Stir in sour cream. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

     

    Quesadilla Pie

    This recipe is a show stopper and feed the crowd!

    Ingredients:

    1 pkg fresh spinach
    2 cups cottage cheese
    1 egg
    3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    1/4 tsp  pepper
    1 can  red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    1 cup  mild salsa
    1/2 cup  corn kernels
    3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    10 large flour tortillas
    1 large tomato, sliced

    Preparation:

    Trim and rinse spinach; shake off excess water. In large saucepan, cover and cook spinach over medium heat, with just the water clinging to leaves, for 8 minutes or until wilted. Drain in sieve, pressing out moisture. Let cool slightly and chop.

    In food processor or blender, process cottage cheese until smooth. Add egg, 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and pepper; pulse to combine. In bowl, stir cottage cheese mixture with spinach; set aside.

    In separate bowl, mash beans with fork; stir in salsa, corn and 2 tbsp of the coriander. (Recipe can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours).

    Stir garlic into cheese mixture. Place 1 tortilla on baking sheet. Spread with generous 1/2 cup cheese mixture; cover with another tortilla. Spread with generous 1/2 cup salsa mixture; cover with another tortilla. Repeat cheese and salsa layers 3 times. Spread with remaining cheese mixture; top with remaining tortilla. Arrange tomato on top; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

    Bake in 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with remaining coriander.

    Lemon Garlicky Chicken

    This recipe has enough garlics to kill a vampire..but if you love garlic and lemon like I do, give this recipe a try! It's delicious!

    Ingredients


    • 8 chicken thighs with bones and skin, about 3 1/2 pounds
    • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 3 cups thinly sliced onions
    • 30 cloves (about 2 heads) garlic, peeled and smashed
    • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
    • 1 pound pasta
    • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

    Preparation

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Season the chicken thighs with 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the freshly ground pepper.
    Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside.
    In a large wide saute pan with 2 to 3-inch sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the thighs and brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

    Add the onions to the oil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the chicken until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf and cook 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and browned chicken thighs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the lid and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.

    While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for dry pasta. Drain well and toss in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of the parsley and the butter.

    To serve, place a portion of pasta in the center of 4 large plates. Arrange 2 thighs around each serving of pasta and drizzle lemon garlic cooking liquid over the pasta. Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.

    Fish Taco with Mango and Avocado Salsa and Yogurt Sauce

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz (227 g) tilapia fillets
    • 1/4 tsp  ground allspice
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 pinch pepper
    • 2/3 cup  panko bread crumbs
    • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 egg lightly beaten
    • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 8 corn tortillas

    Mango Salsa:

    • 1/2 cup  diced pitted peeled mango
    • 1avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
    • 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
    • 1 tsp grated lime zest
    • 2 tsp  lime juice
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 pinch pepper

    Yogurt Sauce:

    • 1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt
    • 1 tbsp. lime juice

    Preparation

    Sprinkle fish with allspice, salt and pepper. Place panko, flour and egg in separate shallow dishes. Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Dredge in panko, pressing to adhere.

    In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook fish, turning once, until golden and fish flakes easily when tested with fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Break into chunks and keep warm.

    Mango Salsa: Meanwhile, combine mango, avocado, onion, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper; set aside.

    Yogurt Sauce: Combine yogurt with lime juice; set aside.

    Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish among tortillas; top with mango salsa and yogurt sauce.

    Notes:
    If you want super quick and easy version, you can use store bought fish fillets. Heat it up in the oven as per the packaging, cut into cubes and all you need to do is the avocado/mango salsa & yogurt sauce.
     

    Classic Greek Salad


    Greek Salad is one of my favorites. It's colorful, fresh, and super healthy and easy to make!


    INGREDIENTS
    1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 large tomatoes, cut in wedges
    1/2 red onion, sliced
    1 medium cucumber, chopped
    1 green pepper, chopped
    Handful Italian parsley, chopped
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
    Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
    2 handfuls kalamata olives, pitted
    8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

    PREPARATION
    Add tomatoes, onion, cucumber, green pepper and parsley to large bowl.
    Drizzle salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Garnish with black olives and feta.

    Bakwan Udang Sayur (Indonesian Vegetable & Shrimp Fitters)


    All Indonesians love these! It's a savory snack that you can find in almost street corner in Jakarta. But to me, it is also great for dinner.
    If you are vegetarian and want to dismiss the shrimps, that's absolutely fine. But to me the chopped shrimps really added flavor to it.

    Ingredients:
    4 eggs, beaten
    1 1/4 cups rice flour
    4 tbsp. all purpose flour
    1 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp ground coriander
    1/2 tsp pepper
    1/2 cup chicken broth (if you are vegetarian, feel free to use vegetable broth)
    1 pack of shredded cabbage & carrot (coleslaw salad packaging)
    1 pack of small shrimps, chopped
    1 red onion, chopped
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    3 green onions, chopped

    Mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl.
    Add the rest of the ingredients into the batter.
    Heat the pan over medium heat.
    Take a spoonful of the mixture and fry it until golden brown.




    Bakwan Jagung (Indonesian Corn Fritters)


    This is one of my all time favorites. Once you start, you just can not stop eating it, trust me!
    There are so many recipes for Bakwan Jagung out there but this one has been perfected many times. You can rest assure to get a crunchy coating and delicious flavors inside.
    The secret is to use a lot of rice flour and less all purpose flour.

    Ingredients
    4 eggs, beaten
    1 1/4 cups rice flour
    4 tbsp. all purpose flour
    1 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp ground coriander
    1/2 tsp pepper
    1/2 cup chicken broth (if you are vegetarian, you can use vegetable stock)
    3 cups frozen corn
    1 red onion, chopped
    4 garlic cloves, chopped
    2 stack of celery, chopped
    3 green onions, chopped
    2 jalapeno pepper, chopped

    Preparation
    Mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl.
    Then put the vegetables into the batter.
    Heat the pan on medium heat and take a spoonful of the mixture and fry it until golden brown.

    Caprese Pasta Salad


    I love cold pasta salad in a hot summer day! And if you have not tried bocconcini cheese, this is a great recipe that will make you fall in love with this cheese!

    INGREDIENTS

    Tomato Vinaigrette
    1 large plum tomato, roughly chopped
    2 to 3 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
    1/3 cup red wine vinegar
    1 garlic clove, chopped
    1/2 cup olive oil
    Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

    Caprese Pasta Salad
    14 ounces short pasta
    1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
    16 mini bocconcini, left whole or cut in half
    1 small bunch basil, roughly chopped

    PREPARATION
     
    Tomato Vinaigrette
    Add plum tomato, sundried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to food processor. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

    Caprese Pasta Salad
    Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain. Rinse pasta under cold water and drain well. Add pasta, grape tomatoes, bocconcini and basil to large bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.

    Panzanella Salad with Poached Eggs



    If you have left over old bread that starts to get hard, don't throw it away! You can make croutons out of it and toss it in a salad. Like this recipe, Panzanella Salad with Poached Eggs. I love how simple it is but the flavor is bold! The secret ingredient? Anchovies! Yes, you heard me. Anchovies! Wink wink..

    Ingredients:
    Cut your old bread into cubes, about 4 cups
    1/3 extra virgin olive oil
    3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
    4 anchovies, finely chopped
    2 shallots, finely chopped
    2 cloves of garlic, minced
    1 tbsp. capers, drained well
    pinch of salt & pepper
    2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
    2 cups cubed seeded English cucumbers
    1/4 cups chopped fresh basil
    4 eggs poached

    How to poach a perfect egg:
    Bring a pan to almost boil and add 1 tbsp. of vinegar
    Crack an egg in a bowl and place the bowl as close as possible to the water and gently drop the egg to the water. Let it sit for few minutes. The vinegar will help the egg white to come together. When the egg is set, lift it up with a slotted spoon.

    Do this one egg at the time for perfect result.

    Preparation:
    Spread cubed bread on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Bake in 350F oven for about 15 minutes.
    Mixed all ingredients together in a big salad bowl (except the poached eggs), toss to coat.

    When serving in a plate, top the salad with poached egg.


    Vietnamese Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce Dressing


    I love Vietnamese Spring Roll! It's healthy, colorful and yummy! It's also very easy to make; just a lot of preparations to be done.

    Ingredients for spring roll:
    115 gram rice vermicelli
    1 tsp sesame oil
    12 large rice paper wrappers
    36 cooked large shrimps
    1/2 sweet red bell pepper
    1/2 sweet yellow bell pepper
    1 English cucumber, seeded, cut in thin strips
    1/2 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
    1 cup fresh mint leaves
    1 cup fresh cilantro

    Ingredients for peanut sauce dressing:
    1/4 cup crunch peanut butter
    1/4 cup hoisin sauce
    2 tbsp. rice vinegar
    2 tbsp. soy sauce
    1 tbsp. hot sauce (you can adjust this according to your taste bud)
    3 tbsp. water
    Mixed all together in a bowl, set aside.

    Preparation:
    Break rice vermicelli in a bowl and pour hot boiling water on top. Soak until tender about 3 minutes. Drain well and toss with sesame oil.

    Fill in a shallow bowl with warm water. Soak rice paper one at the time in a water until softened and pliable, about 30 seconds.
    Spread wrapper on a clean kitchen towel.
    Along the bottom third of wrapper place 3 shrimps, top with vermicelli, red and yellow peppers, mango, and cucumber. Top with mint and cilantro.

    Roll wrapper over filling. Fold the side over like an envelope. Place seam down on a tray, and repeat for the remaining.




    Wednesday, February 6, 2013

    Home-made Blueberry sauce


    This home-made blueberry sauce is divine!! And so easy to make! Just combine these ingredients and bring it to boil - 5 minutes! Done!
    1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
    1/4 cup apple juice
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    Serve over waffle or pancake..YUM!

    Indonesian Food Fiesta!


    I am missing my Indonesian food! The good part is, I can find all ingredients that I needed here; so last sunday, we invited a couple of friends over for dinner. I wanted to make nasi tumpeng, which is yellow rice shaped in a tall triangle cone; but since I couldn't find a tall triangle cone here, I shaped the yellow rice using a funnel! It was my husband's idea! And he's brilliant!
    So, the first photo is balado kentang, telur puyuh & Udang (translation: potatoes, quail eggs and shrimp in balado chilli sauce), and the second photo is how the plates look like. I decorated the plate a bit with pandan leave then the yellow rice standing tall and proud in the middle, surrounded by all the yummy companions:  Sliced omellette; Chicken in Balinese sauce; Tempe cooked with sweet soy sauce; Potatoes, Quail Eggs and Shrimps in Balado Sauce; and some sliced cucumber to ease the heat.
    It's SO delicious! HAPPY!!

    Bacon, Leek and Shallot Pie (with store bought pie to make it simple)


    In my earlier post, I told you how much I'm into Leek these days. What I have not mentioned is that I love all the onions family! Shallot particularly is my favourite! It has a strong but delightful taste and smell, that I just love! I even told my husband that if I ever going to have children, I will name my little girl.... Shallot! Well, it's a pretty name, don't you think?
    Anyway, again I 'm combining my favourites into one dish. Again, with pie you can add whatever you like, so you can change the filling if you don't like what I have here. And with store bought pie shell, this recipe is just super easy!

    Ingredients
    1 store bought pie shells
    small shallots, cut in half
    1 leek, chopped, white and light green part only (do not use the green leaves, it's hard!)
    5 slices bacon, chopped
    3 tbsp. olive oil
    Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
    1 cup whipping cream
    1 egg
    1 egg yolk
    2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

    Preparation
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    Add egg, egg yolk and cream to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
    Add leek, shallots, bacon and thyme to the pie shell.
    Pour egg mixture over the leek and shallots. Bake the pie, for about 30 minutes.

    Super easy right?

    Ham, Leek and Pesto Pasta Frittata



    With Frittata, you can combine whatever you like, right? Well, ever since I discovered Leek, I can't get enough of this vegetable! I love it! I feel like I want to put Leek in almost all my cooking! I love the texture, the taste..it's not overwhelming; it has a more gentle taste that somehow I love!
    Anyway, I am putting all three that I love in one pan. Ham, Leek and Pesto Pasta! Hubby said it's a TEN!


    INGREDIENTS
    2 cups fusilli
    2 tbsp basil pesto
    4 tbsp. olive oil, as needed
    A handful of button mushrooms, sliced
    1/2 cup ham, cut in cubes
    1 leek, sliced
    6 eggs
    About 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
    2 tbsp. chopped parsley
    Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
    2 roasted red peppers, sliced and patted dry, for garnishing
    Parsley leaves, for garnishing
    Cheddar cheese,  grated, for garnishing


    PREPARATION


    Bring large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt. Cook the  fusili until al dente.
    Drain the pasta and add 2 tbsp of basil pesto. Set aside.
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    Heat non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil when olive is hot, add mushrooms, ham and leeks. Cook until lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
    In large bowl, beat eggs with fork; Add pasta, Cheddar cheese, mushroom mixture, parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
    Heat medium non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil. When olive oil is hot, add egg mixture. Cook until egg mixture starts to just set, about 5 minutes. Garnish with slices of roasted red pepper on top. Finish cooking frittata in oven until eggs are fully set, about 10 minutes in the oven.
    Garnish with parsley and grated cheese, if desired.

    Trust me, one piece is not enough!

    Saturday, January 26, 2013

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake


    My husband loves pineapple. So, to welcome him home, today I made Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.
    In the beginning I was scared that it won't flip nicely; but in the end, it worked out beautifully, as you can see on the photo :) Happy! Happy! Happy!

    Here's the recipe:

    INGREDIENTS
    1 1/2 cups flour
    2 tsp. baking powder
    Pinch salt
    2/3 cups butter, room temperature
    1 cup sugar
    1 egg
    1 tsp. vanilla
    1 cup milk
    1 cup brown sugar
    8 fresh pineapple slices (OR you can buy the canned cut pineapple if you don't want to bother cutting the pineapple)

    PREPARATION

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
    Using a mixer, cream 1/3 cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Then add milk and flour mixture in 2 additions.
    Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/3 cup butter and brown sugar in an 8-inch heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. When brown sugar melts and starts to bubble, remove from heat. Add pineapple rings in decorative pattern.
    Scrape cake batter over top of pineapple rings, spreading with spatula to cover.
    Bake until cake tester comes out clean when inserted into centre of cake, about 30 minutes.
    Let cake stand in pan for 5 minutes, then put a cake plate on top of the pan and flip it.
     

    Thursday, January 24, 2013

    Super easy Raspberry Triffle Parfaits

    If you want to impress your guest but you don't have a lot of time to make dessert, then this is the recipe for you. Because this recipe is using store bought cake, you have very little to do; and it taste amazing!

    Ingredients


    • 1/3 cup orange juice
    • 1 pound  buttercake , diced
    • 4 cups fresh or thawed raspberries
    • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
    • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
    • 3 cups whipping cream
    For Garnish:
    • 1 oz bittersweet chocolate , grated
    • 20 fresh raspberries

    Preparation


    In large bowl, sprinkle orange juice over cake and toss; let stand for 5 minutes.
    Meanwhile, in blender, purtogether 1 cup of the raspberries, condensed milk and sugar; strain through fine sieve into small bowl. In large bowl, whip cream; fold in raspberry mixture.
    Into each wine glasses spoon 2 tbsp of the cake mixture. Top each with heaping 1 tbsp of the remaining raspberries; top with heaping 2 tbsp of the cream mixture. Repeat layers once. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 4 hours.

    Garnish: Top with fresh raspberry and sprinkle with grated chocolate