Butter Crunch Cookies

I am trying out different cookie recipes
to give to my in-laws
for Xmas.
That'll be their Xmas gifts from me.

This butter crunch cookies
are simple to make
and delicious!
It's so easy...
almost idiot proof.
Your kids could do this by themselves!

I'm not a butter cookie person myself
coz when I eat too many of them,
it makes me sick.
But these do not.
The cornflakes and pecans
give it a good crunch.

Recipe taken from Tastes of Home magazine.

Yields : 4 dozen

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt;
gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Stir in the cornflakes and pecans.

Roll into 1 inch balls.
Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Giada's Carbonara

When I saw this recipe on
Giada's new cookbook,
Giada's Kitchen,
I knew I had to try it.
Firstly, because it doesn't
contain any bacon or ham.
Secondly, because it looks simple to make.
And it's absolutely delicious!
Top it with a sunny side up egg,
or half cooked egg...
Yummy!!

This recipe contains raw egg yolks,
which are not recommended for children,
elderly or those with compromised
immune system.

Recipe taken from Giada's Kitchen.

1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed, rubber band left on

Basil Aioli
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 pound linguine (or spaghetti)
1 cup shaved Pecorino Romano Cheese - abt 4 ounces
* I couldnt find this in my grocery store, so I used Shredded Romano.
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 to 6 large eggs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the asparagus bundle and cook for 3 minutes.
Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water
and let sit until cool, about 5 minutes.
Drain the asparagus, remove the rubber band,
and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Make the basil aioli.
While the asparagus cooks, combine the garlic, egg yolks,
mustard, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper and cayenne in a
food processor and run the machine to mix.
With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the vegetable
and olive oils.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the same pot of salted water
used to cook the asparagus and cook until tender but
still firm to bite, stirring occasionally about 8-10 minutes.
Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl.
Add 1 cup basil aioli, the asparagus, the cheese, 1/2 tsp salt
and 1/2 tsp pepper and combine.
Turn out into serving platter.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry to your liking.
Place eggs atop the pasta and serve.

Cornflakes Cookies

This is a classic
back in Singapore.
I remembered my mom making these
cookies during the month of
Ramadan,
in celebration of the upcoming
Eid festivities.
I love it a lot.
Even till now.
I could pop just one,
and 20 minutes later,
I've eaten 20 of this suckers.
Yummy!

Yields about 3 dozen.

4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp honey
3 cups cornflakes, crushed lightly
1 cup peanuts *or other nuts

Heat oven at 355F.
Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan.
Add sugar and honey.
Stir until they dissolves.
Add the cornflakes and peanuts
and stir until all are evenly coated.

Lined the mini muffin cups with cupcake liners
and fill each cups with the cornflakes mix.
Bake it at 9-10 mins.
Let cool on rack.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I am a dip girl.
I like to dip.
Ahem.
I like to eat dips,
I mean.
Chips and dips.
Bread and dips.
Crackers and dips.
Love them all.


I made this a few weeks back,
one day.
And let me tell you,
that's all I ate for the whole
day...
all by myself.
Yum!!

Recipe taken from Katie Lee Joel.

1 8oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 9oz package frozen artichoke hearts
(drained jarred or canned, cooked fresh or frozen but not marinated)
1 cup steamed spinach (1 pound raw or 1 10oz package frozen
chopped spinach, thawed) well drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves
6 large fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shredded mozarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.
Grease a 2 quart baking dish.
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, artichoke hearts,
spinach, mayo, Parmesan, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
Spoon into the baking dish.
Top with the mozarella.
Bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, 25-30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread

I am always on the look out for a
banana bread recipe.
I'm totally obsessed with banana breads.
Always in search
for the best recipe.
The banana nut bread I tried
earlier,
was good and nutty.
This one is definately creamier
and is a bit more moist.
I like it too.

Recipe taken from Southern Living.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
(about 4 medium bananas)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an
electric mixer until creamy.
Gradually addsugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended
after each addition.

2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually
add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended.
Stir in bananas, pecans and vanilla.
Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4inch loaf pans.

3. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in
center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan,
shielding with aluminium foil during last 15 minutes to prevent
browning, if necessary.
Cool bread in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This is my new fave cookie.
Even Shorty,
the pet Giraffe,
loves it too.
It's crunchy and nutty.

The recipe is taken from
Martha Stewart's Cookies book.
I HIGHLY recommend this book,
if you are into cookies
and bars.
What I love about it
is that every recipe comes with a photo.
And the recipes range from easy
to intermediate (not a lot on this).
I have tried a few of the recipes
and so far
I have loved what I made.

Recipe taken from Martha Stewart's Cookie Book.

3 cups old fashioned roll oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups salted whole peanuts
2 cups (12oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda,
baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

2. Put sugars, butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric
mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Mix in eggs and vanilla.

3. Reduce speed to low. Add oat mixture and mix until just
combined. Mix in peanuts and chocolates.

4. Using a 1.5 inch ice cream scoop,
drop balls of dough 2 inches apart on baking
sheets lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through,
until golden brown and just set, 13 to 15 minutes.
Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room
temperature up to 2 days.

Yield: 6 dozen

Mexican Corn Mufins

The first time I had corn bread
or a corn muffin
was when Jeff and I
started dating.
We went down to Anna Miller's
in Hawaii
and they served
corn bread
with their meals.
I was surprised to see him
eat it with his spaghetti.
I mean,
who eats cake with spaghetti?
Isn't that for dessert?
I thought
cornbread is cake.
It looks like a cake.
He assured me in the
South,
it's a side dish.
That was my first encounter
with cornbread.

Now,
10 years later,
I eat cornbread, corn muffins,
corn casserole
as a side dish
to my dinner entree.
I LOVE them.
I dont think it's weird now
to eat them
as a side.

I made these Mexican
Corn Muffins as a side
to my spaghetti
a few days ago.



1 Package (8.5oz) corn bread/muffin mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 ca (4oz) chopped jalapenos or green chiles, drained
1 15oz can sweet corn, drained

In a bowl, combine the corn bread mix, egg and milk just blened.
Stir in cheese, corn and chillies.

Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 3/4s full.
Bake at 400F for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out
clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan
to a wire rack.
Serve warm.

Yield about 8 muffins.

Lemon Basil Potato Salad

I love spinach.
Ahh..
I'll eat it raw,
I'll eat it steamed
and
I'll eat it with just about anything.
So,
when I find this recipe
with roasted potatoes
and spinach,
I'm in heaven!
2 of my fave things.
What could go wrong?

It's divine.
My hubby,
on the other hand,
doesnt like it.
Well, duh!
He doesnt like spinach,
or
raw red onions..
Not to mention
the salad dressing.
The only salad dressing he loves
is the one
that looks like diluted ketchup.
Geez.
I can't remember what it's called.
But
I love this dish.
I thought the lemon vinaigrette
gives the dish
a fresh taste.
And I'm eating my spinach!!
That's healthy right??
:D

This recipe makes a lot.
I would half it if you are eating for 2.

Recipe found in Southern Living 40 years of Our Best Recipes.

Makes 6 servings.

2.5 lb small Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1oz) package chopped fresh basil (about 1/3 cup)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 medium sized red onion, sliced

1 (10oz) package fresh spinach, cut into thin strips if desired
10 thick bacon slices, cooked and crumbled *You can use turkey bacon too. I used fried onions.*

1. Arrange potato wedges in an even layer on a lightly greased broiler pan;
coat wedges with vegetable cooking spray.

2. Bake at 475F for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender and golden.

3. Whisk together lemon juice and next 5 ingredients;
whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream.
Gently toss the potatoes, onion and 1/2 cup lemon mixture.

4. Wash spinach thoroughly; pat dry with paper towels.
Arrange spinach evenly on a platter or in 6 bowls.
Drizzle with remaining lemon juice mixture.
Top with potato mixture and sprinkle with bacon.

Southwestern Pizza

Oh boy!
Where had the time gone to?
Almost 2 weeks of not updating
this blog.
Bad me.
Sometimes I wonder
why I have 2 blogs.
I blame it on my compulsive,
anal
nature.
I need everything to be organised.
:D

Anyway,
I made this southwestern pizza
last week for my hubby.
He saw this recipe in a book
and told me
that looks delicious.
I wasn't convince.
I thought how could
a pizza with salsa on it
be delicious?

But I was wrong.
It was good.
Really good.
Who would've thought?

Recipe from Southern Living 40 years of recipes.

Makes 4 servings

8 (10inch) flour tortillas
1 8oz packaeg shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

1 cup chunky salsa
Black Bean Salsa (recipe below)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
Garnishes: Sour Cream, chopped avocado

Place 4 flour tortillas on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Top tortillas evenly with 1 cup cheese; cover with remaining tortillas.

Divide chunky salsa, Black Bean salsa, chicken and remaining 1 cup cheese
over flour tortillas. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
Garnish, if desired.
Cut into wedges.

Black Bean Salsa Recipe
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp creole seasoning

Stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve.