dutifully cooking...

a trinity of pizza

before they head into the oven...ouch!

toppings included...

tomatoes and mushrooms

chicken and pineapple

why?

I had some left over cheese and tomato salsa from the mexican dinner I made on Sunday. And pizzas came to mind. However, despite the fact that even when I always wanted to make pizzas from scratch, the concern that I do not have a pizza pan or a granite stone or even a wood fire oven bugged me so much that I never got down to making them. But I guess a foodie like me would hate to let good food go to waste and my 'Just do it' Nike attitude found myself in the kitchen producing such fabulous results and my fears of not getting a crispy thin, wood fire oven base were totally unfounded!

success?

This is so easy, fun and cheap to make!! Totally would make this again and anytime. I do not need a pizza pan, wood-fire oven or a granite stone to achieve that crispy thin base. So what are you waiting for? Get down to Mama mia!!

failure?

I probably got a little too excited with the toppings, that made my pizza look like a hill! But I really do not care, the more the merrier. I say "Pile them on!"

beef stew

burritos

sangria

caramalising

dusting and rolling

downside

upside... pear tartin!

DIY sushi handroll

cold shabu shabu

Mentaiko Onigiri

Mentaiko - Fish Roe

Skills....

Dusted Mochi with Azuki Beans

Rolling & Boiling

Dusting

Okonomiyaki Chef Chisako

In the pan

In the bowl

Peanut Happy Cookies

Milky Fish

M&M Oatmeal cookies

mango mashie cake

why?

I saw this on Do What I Like's blog and thought it was a cheesecake, but upon reading further, I discovered that it is a 'pirated' cheesecake! The white layer is actually made up of mashmallows and whipping cream. I love cheap thrills and making this would be such an opportunity :)

success?

I brought it to class and most of them love it! Especially this girl who abhors anything cheese.

failure?

There were a few areas I would most definitely improve on. Firstly, I might bake the biscuit layer as pouring the second layer did make the biscuit a tad too moist. Secondly, I would also definitely not whisk the second layer because it became a little foamy and light and could not firm up nicely and did not produce a smooth consistency. Thirdly, I will never trust my springfoam cake pan to retain liquid again, it leaked and i had to wrap the aluminium foil and still quite a bit of both the second and third layers were wasted.

Mango Mashie Cake

Ingredients for Base:

200 gm digestive biscuits

80 gm melted butter

2 riped mangoes

Method:

1. Crushed digestive biscuits and mix well with melted butter.

2. Press into a 8” cake pan.
(I would bake this for 10min at 180 degrees in future)

3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Line the base with sliced mangoes.

Ingredients Marshmallow filling:

300g white marshmallow

150ml milk

300ml whipping cream

2 tsp of gelatine powder

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients into a pot.

2. Doubleboil over small fire until gelatine is dissolved.
(Stir gently and do not whisk!)

3. Cool for 20min, then pour it into cake base.

4. Chill it for at least 2 hours.

Ingredients Jello topping:

1 pkt of Mango pudding

Method:

1. Prepare the pudding as per instructed by the packet/box.

2. Cool for 15min

3. Gently spoon the pudding over the second layer.

4. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

tomato soup

pumpkin soup

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.

apple crumble

peach and cheese salad