braised red cabbage

completed with chicken and pototoes

smoked salmon & potatoes

oven baked pulled pork!

served with homemade coleslaw !

why?

LR and myself love the taste of pork! Also, the times we go to Blooies or Hard Rock Cafe, we would order the Pig Sandwhich, which essentially is pulled pork. I've always put off attempting to cook pulled pork because I don't have a slow cooker, but then one day I chanced open a recipe online that suggested that cooking whatever dish in an oven at a low temperature very similar or almost the same as cooking using a slow cooker! So I was pretty excited and of course it's time to experiment some pulled pork! I also made coleslaw even though am not a huge fan of this salad but it does go well with pulled pork. So i searched through my cookbooks and decided to improvise on Jamie's version :)

failure?

Too flavourful! I think I should have not been too generous with the BBQ sauce, it did steal the thunder of the natural taste of the pork.

success?

The pork was so tender even after only 3 hours in the oven when most recipes called for at least 6 hours and 8 to be perfected! The coleslaw was really refreshing with the addition of fruits and a splash of apple cider, unlike the usual ones I eat that are drowned in mayo. LR really loves the pulled pork but personally I would tweak the recipe more, therefore will just include the recipe for the coleslaw only.

Coleslaw (serves 8)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 red cabbage

2 red apples

1 china pear

3 carrots

2 tbs of apple cider

5 tbs of mayo

METHOD:

1. Thinly slice the cabbage, carrots, apples and pear
2. Mix the apple cider and mayo
3. Incorporate the above sauce with the sliced vegetables and fruits
4. Refridgerate till ready to serve

super quick shepherd's pie

fillings inside

why?

LR and myself are self-professed nerds, we play computer games and invite friends over for boardgames sessions :) But, gamers get hungry too and especially after a competitive and intense session we want to be fed FAST - Fast As a Speeding Train FAST.

failure?

I had help in the kitchen. We were that hungry!

success?

In 45 min dinner was served! Call me a worker! I had to snap a picture before it was all gone! Taste was definitely not compromised.

Super Quick Shepherd's Pie (serves very hungry 3 ppl)

INGREDIENTS

3 medium US potatoes, peeled and halved

200g of pumpkin, cubed

4 tbs of butter

A pinch of nutmeg & cinnamon

1 tbs butter for frying

500g minced beef

1 cup of frozen peas

1 cup of sliced button mushrooms

1 medium white onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped finely

3 slices of cheese / grated cheese (mozzarella would be nice)

(A)

2 tbs of Worcester sauce

2 tbs of sherry

2 tbs of BBQ sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp of rosemary

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Boil potatoes and pumpkin in salted water till soft
3. Drain and mash with butter
4. Add a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
5. Fry the onions and garlic in butter till fragrant
6. Add in the beef to brown
7. Add in (A)
8. Add in the peas and mushroom to fry for another 5 min
9. Lay out the beef in a casserole dish
10. Grate / lay the cheese on top
11. Lay the mash over
12. Bake in the oven till the top is lightly browned.

dinner feast

why?

This year, the church where I am currently working at is challenging us to Bless 50, Connect 25, Win 5 and Disciple 1. LR and myself, are intentionally on our off-days (Tuesday) out to bless anyone, so this Tuesday, we decided to cook for LR's dad and step-mom. Something we have never done before, and instead have always been cooked for. We have been spoiled rotten by his dad's lavish chinese dishes, so in a sense, we want and should bless them back :) I knew cooking Asian cuisine would like me trying to teach Tiger Woods how to play golf. So, it was definately going to be an all out Western affair.

The menu for the night:

Starter

Tomatoes in French Dressing

Entree

Asparagus wrapped in Bacon

Main

Roasted Chicken with

Sweet Potatoes Mash

Dessert

Crepe Suzette

success?

On the whole, the dishes complemented one another, this was more accidental than planned! Also, put together on a dish, it was a masterpiece! The colours looked so pretty and I must say, my presentation skills are on the uphill! Taste wise, I think I did impress my in-laws but LR gave good comments that reminded me that there can always be room for improvement! LR really enjoyed the tomatoes being prepared this way (lightly blanched, remove the skin and drizzle some dressing on top) and the mash as quoted was "velvet-y" ! Pat on the back for 2 out of 3 sides being well executed.

failure?

The asparagus were a little over-cooked, perhaps I should not have blanched them first before grilling them. The chicken was not a juicy as my previous roasts, this could be due to me opting for 2 smaller chickens instead of a jumbo one but yet did not alter the cooking time in the oven. The marinade I used this time included paprika which added some spicy-ness to the chicken, but LR said he prefers a sweet marinade with honey mustard. This boils down to preference I guess :)

2 all beef patties!

duck & chutney

all things colourful and Brit...

pork & apples (after)

pork & apples (before)

mint peas

beef stew

strawberry salad

chicken cottage pie

why?

I wanted to prepare a dish that I could make the day before to serve at the luncheon to save me slogging over the kitchen and leaving me utterly exhausted on the day when my friends arrive. This dish also tastes better the next day after the chicken fillings are allowed to soak in the gravy at least over a day. I have made this dish so many times and it is something that my mom taught me that never fails to WOW my guests. Thanks mom!

failure?

I forgot that the gravy would be lessen with baking and being soaked up by the chicken and potato topping. So personally, I would have preferred the filling to have a wetter consistency.

success?

Never fails and I this dish is a keeper. Here's the recipe:

Chicken Cottage Pie (serves 10)

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken breast, diced in bite size
  
• 2 cups of frozen vegetables
  
• 1 can of mushroom soup
  
• 1 can of button mushroom, sliced
  
• 3 tbs of mixed herbs
  
• 2 medium white onions, finely sliced
  
• 20 cloves of garlic, chopped
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 10 US potatoes, peeled and cut into half
  
• 300g of butter
  
• 1 cup of full cream milk
  

Method

1. Fry the onions and garlic in some butter till fragrant.
2. Add in some pepper and mixed herbs.
3. Add in the chicken and fry till slightly browned.
4. Add in the mushrooms and frozen vegetables.
5. Mix the canned mushroom soup with 1 can full of water and 1/2 can full of milk, and pour in.
6. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 min.
7. Spoon the fillings into the baking pan for your pie.
8. In a pot of boiling water, add a pinch of salt and the potatoes.
9. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain off the water.
10. Mash the potatoes with a fork and add the butter.
11. Add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time till smooth consistency is achieved.

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