Thick & Chewy Chocolate Cookie Bars

Hey everyone, do you know Christmas is just about 2 months away? So, have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Or some of you already planning for your Christmas menu or dresses for the party! To whom may already bought your dresses or gowns!!! Are you sure you will be able to fit in after 2 months time? Frankly, as a food blogger self control is very important. When you came across something like this (as shown as the above picture), you should get off from this screen immediately...... but WHY AREN'T YOU???? hahaha.... I know you're still watching and staring at that piece.....and your saliva is floating in your mouth right now! And you're starting telling yourself just once! Alright! Just once!

Ingredients :

2-1/8 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tspn salt

1/2 tspn baking soda

170gm butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg york

2 tspn vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

*some milky chocolate bar pieces for topping

Method :

(1) combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a big bowl.

(2) in another bowl whisk melted cool butter and sugar untill combined.

(3) add in eggs and vanilla untill well mixed.

(4) then fold in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

(5) stir in chocolate chips and mix well.

(6) pour batter into a 9x13" tray lined with grease proof paper.

(as shown in the picture)

(7) decorated the top with milky chocolate bars chunk.

(8) bake at preheated oven 160'c for about 25-30mins or untill brown.

(9) leave cool and then divide them into 16 pcs.

And don't tell me that you're now chewing some milky chocolate bars in your mouth! I am so sorry if you did that. But do remember, you need to fit in to your Christmas dresses in another 2 months time. LOL! haha... Naaaa....Don't blame me for this! It's not my fault!

Mint Pesto & Sun Dried Tomatoes Focaccia

A few days back, hubby saw me making bread and just standing aside watching me. Well, he doesn't did that often. Ha! Then all a certain he asked me, when I was younger what I wish to become? Just reminded me of someone, someone who has asked me the same old question when I was younger. Without thinking twice, I answered him : "I wanted to be a successful person!". He was like, "Huh!, that it!". Yes, that it.... the same old answer to whom may asked me the same old question. Guess, he was expecting something else! haha..... For me, being a successful person is tougher than anything else..... it's also included being a successful mother and a successful human being. I especially salute to those whoever survive through hard times in their lives and still standing strong here today, without giving up!

Luckily, this is a very simple flat bread recipe. Or else will take me hours to finish making it while chatting with hubby. haha...

Ingredients for Dough :

2 cups bread flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1-1/2 tspn yeast

1/2 tpsn salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup lukewarm water

*1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes

*3 tbsp Mint pesto

Method :

Combine all ingredients and mix well to form a soft & smooth dough. Leave to rest for an hour. Then punch to release air from dough. Add in sun dried tomatoes and knead well. Press dough to a 10x14" oil coated baking tray.

Bake at preheated oven 200'c for 30 mins or untill brown.
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Hmm.... love the smell of pesto! I think I'm obsessed. haha.... Yes, I'm loving it more & more everyday.

I'll have to say no one is perfect! But at least we tried to be a good human being with a heart. I mean even a doctor or teacher without a heart, they're not considered as successful. Well, this is of coz my personal opinion! I would love to listen to yours if you have anything to say about this!

Before ending this, I would like to give Chaya @ My Sweet & Savory a big THANK for passing me this wonderful award. I am truly honoured to be apart of this. Thank you very much, Chaya.

Hereby, I would very much like to share this lovely award with all of my foodie buddies. Oh just too many of them but I can only name a few. If your name is not listed here, doesn't mean that I am forgetting you. You'll always on my mind. Always!

(1) Claudia @ What's Cooking Italian Style Cuisines

(2) Claudia @ Foodessa

(3) Dimah @ Blossom Orange Water

(4) Karen @ Tasty Trials

(5) Rebecca @ Chow & Chatter

(6) Lyndsey @ The Tiny Skillet

(7) Elin @ Elinluv Tibits Corner

(8) Alison @ Alison's Trials

(9) Megan @ Foodalution

(10) Tammy @ 3 Sides of Crazy

(11) Martha @ Seaside Simplicity

(12) Ann @ Pig Pig's Corner

(13) Zoe @ Bake for Happy Kids

(14) Jet @ Slacker

(15) Wai Kitt @ One Day Three Meals
(16) Biren @ Roti & Rice

(17) Little Inbox @ Eating Pleasure Recipes

(18) Barbara @ Barbara Bakes

(19) Emily @ Cleanliness is next to Godliness

(20) The Chambs @ He cooks I eat

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Please feel free to drop by to collect your award button. Thank you all!

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And wishing all a HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

Homemade Green Tea Pasta With Mint Pesto

Green tea which also called as matcha, neither the name is my family's favourite and it's a risk making something with it. haha.... Yes, I dare to take the risk for this time and see what they have to say about it. I've reduced two third of the green tea powder and that is why the pasta doesn't look as green as what I'm expecting. Hopefully, my picky eater will not reject this.

Now, here's the recipe

Ingredients for Green Tea Pasta :

300gm all purpose flour

3 tspn green tea/matcha powder (I used 1 tspn)

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

a pinch of salt

Method :

Place all ingredients in a big bowl. Mix untill ingredients untill well combined. Remove dough and knead on a flat surface to form a soft, smooth and elastic dough. Leave to rest for 30 mins. Divide into 4 portions. Then cut the dough into shape as desired by machine or by hand.

Ingredients for Mint Pesto:

2 cups cilantro leaves

2 cups mint leaves

1 cup olive oil

1 tspn salt

4 tbsp hazelnut meal

2 tbsp lemon juice

(Blend all ingredient untill well mixed and store in a jar and keep refrigerated)

*

FOR THE PREPARATION :

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta untill all dente. Strain and add in 1-1/2 tbsp of pesto and some cherry tomatoes, mix well. And serve with Parmesan cheese and shredded guava paste.

Pasta rolling is never an easy task for me. A lot of energy is needed. I think I should get a pasta machine soon. The hand made pasta looks a little thick but it's still Ok! I'll have to say the combination between green tea and pesto is excellence. It's totally GREEN and it very delicious! The addition of guava paste is a bonus. It's like having a brownie with ice-cream! haha.... GET IT! Thanks Lyndsey for your lovely guava paste. Still keeping some for something else! And about my picky eater, he loves it. I'm planning to make some on next week with more green tea powder. yay....

*Yesterday, my boy accidentally press on the publish button on this post while I'm half way down loading the photos. I only realized it a few hours later. Thanks so much for your comments.

Almond & Hazelnut With Prune Friands

Friand is one of the popular tea cake in Australia and New Zealand and it's actually something quite similar to Financier, a small French cake. It is made mainly with nut-meal, egg white and small amount of flour. Unlike any other cupcakes, this recipe is absolutely easy to prepare and perfect for any occasions.

Ingredients :

6 egg whites

185gm butter, melted

90gm almond meal

30gm hazelnut meal

220gm icing sugar

75gm flour

some pitted prunes

Method :

(1) combine all ingredients and stir untill combined.

(2) divide batter into 12 muffins tray and place in pitted prunes.

(3) bake at preheated oven at 190'c for about 15-20mins or untill brown.

Friands are best to bake without the paper cups. Just leave the batter touches directly to the muffins tray. So that the cake turns out with a total crisp crust, unlike mine! ^_^

Due to the use of egg white, the outer layer of this little cake became real crisp while the inner is spongy. Plus, the addition of meal nuts just giving it a total kick. Over more, this is an extreme easy recipe to follow and kids friendly. I'm sure this is something that you would love to share & enjoy with your family. So, have fun!

Old Time Egg Tart

The old time egg tarts I love the most. My dad will purposely travel all the way to the same old coffee shop to buy these, each time I went home to visit. Thank you, dad! I miss home a lot. I have once tried making this with pastry puff crust but it isn't the way I keen of and wasn't the exact crust I want. So, I tried something else.

And here's what I did.
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Ingredients for Pastry Skin :
Dough (A)
120gm all purpose flour
60gm shortening
(divide into 8 portion)

Dough (B)
120gm all purpose flour
30gm icing sugar
30gm shortening
60ml water
(divide into 8 portion)

Method :
Follow instruction from here and then divide each dough into half.

TO ASSEMBLE :
(1) flatten each dough and press them to the pastry cup coated with flour.
(2) cut away the access dough at the edges.
(3) pour in egg mixtures and then bake at 185'c for about 20-25 mins.

Ingredients for Egg filling :
3 eggs
2 cups milk
180gm sugar
1 tspn fresh ginger juice
1/2 tspn vanilla extract
(Boil milk & sugar over low heat untill dissolved. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and ginger juice once the milk has cooled.)

This kind of egg tart is totally different from the common egg tart which is available at most of the cake shop that has soft buttery French pastry crust. These are best to serve warm when the crust is still crispy. And the best thing is the ginger flavour custard filling. Absolutely marvellous!

Crispy Pizza With Homemade Ricotta Cheese & Pesto

The first thing I wanted to try with my homemade ricotta cheese is this healthy rustic looking pizza. With very light and simple topping! I have yet tried anything with pesto before. So, this is my first attempt and I am loving it. I should have try more recipes with pesto sauce after this. Guess, what's in my mind right now? Mint Pesto! ^_^

Ingredients for Cilantro Pesto :

1 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp roasted ground hazelnut

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tspn salt

2 tbsp chopped garlic

(blend all ingredients together untill well mixed)

Ingredients for Pizza Dough :

400gm bread flour

100gm all purpose flour

1/2 tbsp yeast

2 tspn sugar

1 tspn salt

320ml water

30ml corn oil

Method :

Combine all ingredients together to form a soft dough. Knead untill smooth & springy. Then place dough to a large floured-dusted bowl, and sprinkle some flour over the dough. Keep the container covered and leave aside for an hour or untill dough has doubled in size.

Then remove dough from container and knead the dough lightly. Divide dough into 4 portion and wrap with plastic sheet separately. And I only use one portion for this mini size pesto pizza.

TO ASSEMBLE :

(1) divide one portion of the dough into 4 mini size dough.

(2) flatten and place it to oil coated baking tray, leave aside for 15mins.

(3) spread on pesto sauce, follow by chopped sausage and then cover with sliced tomatoes.

(4) add in homemade ricotta cheese and top with shredded mozzarella cheese & sprinkle a dash of crashed black peppercorn.

(5) Bake at 230'c for about 10-15mins or untill brown.

The pesto sauce smell terrific! Oh.... can't wait to take a bite on it.

I think the tomato slices work so well with pesto and the cheese. And the addition of chopped sausage in the middle just about the right amount to flavour up the whole thing. Absolutely marvellous! From top to bottom, everything homemade. And I'm proud to feed my kids with these. Enjoy and remember to have fun!

Savoury Swirl Bread Loaf For WBD

Today is World Bread Day which is created by Zorra of kochtopf . I am inspired by all the participants and have made one to join in the crowds for this special day. This is a very fluffy and yet delicious bread. Instead of making with whole sausage, I made it with chopped sausage and with lots of shredded cheese.



And here's what I did.

Method :
(1) combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a big mixing bowl.
(2) heat milk with butter on low heat untill the butter is jsut melted.
(3) remove from heat and add in water & vanilla extract.
(4) stir milk mixture into flour untill evenly moist.
(5) then add egg little by little untill well incorporated.
(6) now, add in the remaining 3/4 cup flour to form a soft dough.
(it should be a little sticky)
(7) leave it aside to rest for an hour or untill double it size.
(8) punch down the dough and place dough to a floured working table.
(9) knead dough untill smooth.



(10) roll the dough out flat in a long rectangle shape and cut in 3 portion.
(11) spread on the melted butter and sprinkle chopped sausage, shredded cheese and onion onto dough.
(12) roll it up one by one continuously untill it form a gigantic swiss roll.
(13) place roll dough to a 8" round tray lined with parchment paper.
(14) let it rest for about 30 mins
(15) finally, bake at 170-175'C for about 25-30 mins or untill brown.
(16) leave the bread stand in the tray for about 10 mins before removing it from the tray.

The bread turned out perfectly and it's actually out of my expectation! ^_^ And am glad everything went well.

Here is a little contribution from me! Hope you guys will love it too. Wishing all having a wonderful World Bread Day!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

My first attempt in cheese making! It is way so easy and simple. You should try it at home too! The whole process only took me about 30mins and you have a nice batch of fresh ricotta cheese to fill in your stomach. Isn't it great we're learning something new everyday! Ricotta cheese and cottage cheese look very much alike but actually they aren't the same. Ricotta cheese is more crumble while cottage cheese is curd-like and moist in texture, and it's made from pasteurized skim milk.

Ingredients :

1Litre full cream milk
1/2 cup yoghurt ( I used 150gm)
1 tpsn vinegar/lemon juice
1/2 tspn salt

Method :
(1) combine all ingredients in a pot and mix well.
(2) bring mixture to a boil and then boil over low heat untill the milk is curdled.

(3) meanwhile, line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl or container.

(4) pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for about 15mins.

(5) Now, gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid called WHEY.

Finally, transfer the cheese to a clean container and keep refrigerated up to 3-4 days. And it's best to serve it warm.

And here's the Whey water! Whey is the remaining liquid after milk has been curdled and strained. It is high in protein and it's a wonderful supplement for type 2 diabetes. Whey protein (derived from whey) is often sold as nutritional supplement in the sport of bodybuilding. Ahhh.... the guys would most probably interested in this one! haha.... And this whey water is best to use them in bake goods like bread and scones.

Mini Savoury Buttermilk Mint Scone

What do you do when you runs out of buttermilk? Ahhhh, simple.... just go and get one from your nearby supermarket, right! But I'm not that lucky! There's no way I can get buttermilk here (I mean around my living area). I'm glad there's still something what we call homemade buttermilk. ^_^ And I am making these scones with my first batch of homemade buttermilk. yay.... The recipe is shown as below this page.

So, here we go!

Ingredients for scone dough :

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tspn salt

1 tbsp baking powder

110gm cold butter, cubed

3/4 cup homemade buttermilk

1/4 cup chopped sausage

handful of mint leaves

*shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Method :

(1) blend together milk and mint leaves.

(2) combine flour, baking powder and salt in a big bowl.

(3) add in butter and rub in using fingertips untill combined.

(4) stir in milk mixture and chopped sausage to form a sticky dough.

(5) place soft dough onto a floured working table.

(6) press dough into 2cm thick and divide dough by using cutting mould.

(7) brush on egg glaze and top with shredded cheese.

(8) bake at 200'c for about 15-20 mins or untill golden brown.

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Oh my, these babies are HOT! Super love the minty and cheesy aroma. Just add in an extra spread of butter. Perfectly yummmm...... I am trying to imagine if there's a scoop of hot mashed potatoes in the middle of these scones. Oooo...... lala.... *slurp* Frankly, Scones aren't something popular here in Malaysia especially small places like this. And I'm glad scone making isn't complicated at all. It is best to prepare this an hour before tea time so that you can have them straight from the oven. And I love them sweet or savoury! Hope you all will love it too. Enjoy!

Can anyone tell me is this the right texture????

Ingredients for buttermilk :
2 cups full cream milk

2 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice

Method :

(1) boil milk over low heat for about 10mins, the most 20mins.

(2) then add in lemon juice/vinegar and off the heat immediately.

(3) leave the milk aside for 15 mins at room temperature.

(4) the milk will begin to curdle a bit, as shown in the above picture.

(5) and it's ready to use in any recipes.