Surf and Turt Anyone?

Once in a while, I like to indulge myself and my hubby over a western dinner since it is much more enjoyable to eat at home rather than in the restaurant where we tend to fuss around the kids and trying so hard to make them sit down so we could sink our knife into our steak. I always excited over the planning on the ingredients and side dishes to accompany our steak although the steak and mashed potatoes are never changed.

So, today I decided to serve the surf and turf style by using the tiger prawn that I bought at the market...8 pieces of big prawn at only $2.50.. geess..just imagine those margin that the restaurant make!

Surf & Turf

Steak

Piece of tenderloin/sirloin

marinate in kecap manis (or sweet soya sauce)

pour over red wine/tiger beer

spirnkler with black pepper

Marinate at least 1/2 day

Use the marinate and use it as gravy by frying some onion, and season with salt, pepper & thicken with corn flour.

Mashed Potatoes

boil the potato

milk

salt

pepper

cheese

Fry garlic in butter

Fry Prawn

Medium Prawn, minus the head and split the back.

Marinate in Garlic, Lime juice, salt & pepper

Fry in olive oil + butter.

Salad

Just do whatever you want for that.

I had no time so just use those frozen veggies.

Well what can I say, at $5/portion...it's definitely a good deal and not to mention.. we don't have to worry about the kids. Just open the bottle of wine and enjoy!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I always been a big fan of creamy soup especially mushrooms & clam chowders! But seriously...I never know how to make them coz they look so complicated. Well..confession...I did try it few years ago which put me into a phobia.. Because when I mix the butter with the flour and turn into clumps..i was stumped and throw everything down the bin...coz I thought I did it wrongly. And that's it...Campbell soup is what I depend on when I crave for it.

So, I picked up a courage to try again and this time I determined to make it happen and ..... It turned out nice and yup...look & taste like creamy soup!! Hooray..and gosh...it is actually darn easy and yes the clumps were part of the process.

Cream of mushroom soup

Ingedients

Fresh mushrooms - shitake/whitebutton/champignon

Plain Flour (all purpose flour)

Butter

Garlic

Onion

Milk

Chicken Stock

How to cook?

1. Chop onion, garlic & mushrooms and fry them in oil until soft. Put aside.

2. Ehmm..this is the part that puzzled me last time...but don't worry if it turns out like this..mean u are doing it right.... melt butter in a pan...then stir in flour (no need to mix with water)..and it will turn into clumps. Don't worry....it's supposed to be like that...you make around half a fist of your hand.

3. Pour in milk and stir in slowly (use slow fire) and stir until there is no more clumps. and you will finally see the "creamy" look in the pan.

4. Pour the chicken stock and stir together.

5. Finally put the mushrooms & onion & garlic...and season to taste with salt & pepper & parsley (optional).

6. One last trick....after you switch off the fire...put in a piece of butter and before you serve, just stir it again.

7 . Serve with garlic bread and enjoy!

Moral of the story : Don't give up in your first attempt and have faith in those instruction in cook books!

So, Canned soup? I need you no more....and now...wonder where I could find clams.....anyone?

P.s You could serve this soup as the "sauce" for spaghetti. I serve this soup with spaghetti and put some steam brocolli & carrot for the kids...a big big hit with them!

Solo Lunch

Treat yourself to a deli-style sandwich for lunch today! I think sandwich is the easiest and most versatile food in the world! Coz you could put anything that you like and leave anything out that you don't like.

So, just sharing of what I have today..

Focacia Tuna & Egg Sandwich

1. Focacia bread -- just buy in the supermarket/bakery nearest to you. Can use any other bread. But I love Focacia as they are huge and love the herbs taste. Spread a bit of margarin & toast until crisp.

2. Filling - Can be anything from Ham, tuna, salmon, egg, chicken roast, or even just salad. I use Tuna & Egg today.

3.Egg - Hard boil and mashed. Mix it with mayonaise with spring onions & salt & black pepper.

4. Salads - Lettuce, tomatoes, onion, anthing that you fancy at all!

Easy? Yes, Filling? Definitely, Healthy? Hmmm..depending on what you put, Satisfying? --Ohhhhh yessssss.....

Best of all..put me in a jolly good mood for the rest of the day....:-)

Stir Fry Veggies with Oyster Mushrooms

I just love it when I just got back from quite a big groceries trip which left me with so much choices of veggies to choose from.

And we particularly loveee mushroom..any kind any shapes...

Basically you could just do stir fry with anykind of veggies.but do have a combination of colours...red, yellow,green, white...i just love playing with the mix and match.

Ingredients :

1. Carrot chopped

2. snow Peas/french beans/asparagus

3. Sweet Corn

4. Garlic

5. Mushroom (shitake, oyster, champignon, straw)

6. Light soy sauce, salt, pepper, oyster sauce, sugar.

Have colourful fun!

Pork Patties

Press for time?

This is one dish thah I always do...

Ingredients :

1. Mince Pork /chicken/beef

2. 1 Onion chopped

3. spring onion - chopped

4. Mix them all with corn flour, salt, pepper and dash of lea perrins/any light soy sauce.

Then what?

Get a spoonful and make a patty out of it and fry in shallow oil.

That's it lhor!!!!

Stir Fry Cabbage with Eby and tang hoon

hmm..this is one dish that I always see at those economic rice....So, why not make myself..since they taste pretty good and definitely beats the normal stir fry garlic veggie.





Ingredients





Cabbage


Eby (Dried Shrimp)


Tang Hoon (Vermicelli)


Garlic


Sal & pepper





Stir Fry garlic and eby until fragant.


Put cabbage until soft and the taste mixture well


Soak the tang hoon separately until soft


Season with salt & Pepper


Just before it's cooked, put the tang hoon for last minute stir.

Ok, I'm having my economic rice meal today...

Cod Fish with Garlic Butter

Aiya..i regreted that I didn't take pictures of it because it was a colourless dish but yet the taste is so good that even my kids keep asking for more!

Anyway, just use your imagination and hope you enjoy this easy dish...

Ingredients

cod fish - I bought one quite big piece from the market and cost me $11!!! ouch! But they are really meaty..
Onion
Gralic
Butter - unsalted or salted depending on your preferene
olive oil
Salt & pepper
Parsley flakes

Fry the Cod fish with olive oil until it's half cooked and put aside
Stir fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant
and put the Cod fish back into the wok and put the butter until it melts.
sprinkle salt & pepper & parsley...

That's it!