Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Hello everyone. I’m back with my kitchen diaries and today, I’m going to share to you a famous Northern European delicacy, truly a Scandinavian confectionery. Although it’s been baked all over the world but I have never enjoyed it as good as the Swedish Kanelbullar. I got this recipe from my Swedish family and apparently, it’s a very old receipt. Hope you enjoy!

Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
 50 g yeast
100 g butter
2 dl milk + 2 dl water
1½ sugar
1 egg
1 tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp baking powder
16- 17 dl flour

Cinnamon Buns Filling:
100 g butter
1 dl sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

For glazing:
1 beaten egg
pearl sugar (optional)

Method:
1) Crumble yeast in a bowl and mix with melted butter, add milk and water. Add sugar, egg, cardamom, baking powder and flour.
2) Knead the dough for approximately 10-15 minutes. Let the dough rise while covered at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes.
3) Roll out the dough about 3mm thick and 30 cm wide. Spread butter on top. Mix sugar and cinnamon, spread it on top of the dough.
4) Roll the dough and cut into slices and place upward in muffin liners. Place the cinnamon buns in an oven safe/ baking tray. Cover with cloth and let rise for about 60 minutes or until the buns have doubled in size.
5) Brush the top with beaten egg mixture and sprinkle sugar pearls.
6) Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 225 degrees Celsius. Let it cool before serving.

Enjoy! :)

#CinnamonBuns #CinnamonRolls #SwedishBuns #KanelBullar #Scandinavia

Valentines Pizza

They say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! So ladies, if want to do something special and personalized to your boyfriends or husbands this Valentines, make him dinner!

Today's blog, I will be sharing to you my easy Pizza dough recipe. And the toppings? It's up to you! You can put whatever you want or however you like it.

Hope you enjoy my pizza dough recipe and Happy Hearts Day. ♥

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 tablepoon White Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup warm Water
Butter

Method:
1) Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly.
2) Cover the bowl with cloth, let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
3) Knead the dough flat for 10 minutes, add flour if necessary.
4) On a non-stick pan, rub some butter and place the dough carefully.
5) Spread tomato sauce on top of the dough, add toppings like tuna,vegetables, cheese.
6) Place pizza inside the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until dough starts to become brown. 

For my other recipes, click here.

The Benefits of Saffron Spice

For the love of cooking, I collect herbs and spices and usually purchase them from my travels. During my trip to Bali some years ago, I went to a local spice shop. Like a child in a candy store, I was very excited and at the same time, confused on what to buy. Long story short, I took a package of Black Chili, 50 grams of Turmeric Spice, a package of Cinnamon Sticks, 50 grams of Yellow Curry Spice and 20 grams of Saffron. At the cashier, I was quite shocked the bill ended up more than 100 USD. I thought I was being ripped off. It was not until recently I learned that Saffron, apparently, is the world's most expensive spice. I have been using it like crazy! I should have known then I wouldn't have used it like any other spice.

The Health Benefits of Saffron

1) Asthma and Cough: It helps clear the airways making it easier for you to breathe.

2) Cancer: Saffron contains Carotenoids and apparently has an "Apoptosis" effect on cancer cells sending them signals to self destruct.

3) Antidepressant: The active components of saffron makes our body lose its depressing characteristics making it a dietary necessity sometimes.

4) Skin Diseases: Apart from imparting its exotic flavor and aroma to several recipes, saffron possesses beauty benefits. It has natural skin lightening qualities. Saffron can be beneficial for your skin and treats acne and blemishes.

5) Insomnia: Mixing it with tea will help you avoid restless or sleepless nights.

Saigon Cooking Class by Hua Tuc

As I sometimes post recipes about my experimental dishes, I love being in the kitchen! Every time I travel, I would always like to try the local dish. If it's something exotic or bizarre, I try to find an alternative like made of vegetables or seafood instead of something else. And when I get back home, I would recreate the dish with the help of online recipes or simply the cookbook I purchased during that trip.

If you are travelling to destinations with palatable cuisine, I suggest you enroll yourself even just for a day culinary class. It's also fun to shop for some spices that are difficult to find in your local supermarket. 

Two weeks ago, I signed- up for one day cooking class with a three-course menu for only 35 USD at Saigon Cooking Class by Hua Tuc. Aside from the fun experience and making new friends, I learned to create authentic Vietnamese dishes. 

Alone but excited to go in and learn!

Saigon Cooking Class is situated on the second floor of a historical building at an old Opium Refinery in Ho Chi Minh City. The place is very cozy and very full of history.

First Dish: The appetizer ingredients!

Whoa la! Very yummy Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls! :) After we made this dish, we all sat down and enjoyed our creation! lol

The Second Dish: Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken.

The secret to this jagged and creative cutting is in the knife! ;)

Time for me to mix the salad with some Asian sauce! A little different but impressive taste.

Here it is, Salad with Grilled Chicken.

The Last and Final Dish: Fried Rice. I have shared here on my blog on how to make fried rice but this one is different. And as I have said on my post before, Fried Rice is very easy to make. Just mix everything and fry!

I love how they presented our work place, clean and precise.

Here is the tricky part of this special Vietnamese Lotus Fried Rice. Have to wrap it on Lotus Leaf then cut the middle to have like a flower presentation. Very, very creative!

Our master chef teaching us how to cut the Leaf. Looks easy but it's very difficult. You must wrap it tight enough for the rice to stick and not to fall apart. 

My creation! I love how it is presented. Really learned something new here.

After savouring our creation, we were given this dessert (Sorbet) made from exotic Passion fruit.

After the cooking class, everybody will receive this cook book/recipes of the dishes you made.

If you love Vietnamese cuisine, I will share to you the recipe of one of my favorite Vietnamese appetizer- Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls. 

Hope you enjoy!

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Ingredients- Serves 12 rolls.
400 g prawns (about 20 prawns)
240 g rice noodle
12 thick rice papers or more in case if you break some
12 green ettuce leaves cut into "Julienne"
40 g fresh Basil
40 g fresh Mint
100 g Bean Sprouts (remove the yellow part)
1 bunch Chive cut into lengths
Peanut Sauce for dipping

Method:
Prepare The Prawns
In a saucepan bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt.
Add prawns and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until orange.
Remove from pan and let it cool.
Peel and cut in 2 parts.
Set Aside

Wrap and Roll
1) To make the fresh rolls briefly dip a rice paper in a bowl of water until soft or just wet a little bit the rice paper with your fingers.
2) Remove and place on a dry surface and smoothing it with your fingers.
3) Place the lettuce Julienne onto the rice paper with a bit of rice noodles and top with some basil, mint and bean sprouts.
4) Add 2 to 3 pieces of prawns then fold 2 sides parallel and roll up tightly, press to seal with a little bit of water.

Serve Spring rolls with peanut sauce. :)

Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Back from our almost-a-month holiday in Spain and Scotland! Photos will be posted soon.:)
One of the disadvantages of travelling long haul is Jet Lag and right now, it has been really difficult for me to adjust back to Asian time. I wake up in the middle of the night with a growling tummy (So hungry!). Good thing, before we left for the holidays, I baked some healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins and stored them in the freezer. So whenever I feel hungry, I just microwave or heat them in the oven.
This is my very own recipe. Hope you like them!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

2 ripe Bananas (crushed)

2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour

3 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 cup Honey Granules

1 cup Non-Fat Milk 

1 cup Melted Low Fat Butter

1 tsp Salt

1 Egg (beaten)

1 cup Sugar-free Dark Chocolate Chips

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, honey granules, salt. Mix them well.

3) Add egg, milk and melted butter. Mix thoroughly.

4) Add crushed bananas and chocolate chips; stir the batter for 5 minutes until it's thin.

5) Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin pan.

6) Put in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. 

Serve while hot and you can put leftovers in a ziplock bag and freeze them up to 2 months. :)

Butter-Baked Prawns with Cheese and Basil

I have done a collection of Prawn recipes tried and tested in my kitchen but the recipe I'm going to share today is actually one of my cooking ''experiments'' that turned out to be a success! Well, my husband is my critic so if he says it's delish, then I consider my experimental recipe an accomplishment.

This recipe is Mediterranean-inspired and it's very easy, hope you'll like it!

Butter-Baked Prawns with Cheese and Basil

Ingredients:

1 Kg Tiger Prawns

50 g Butter

Salt

Pepper

Grated Cheese

Basil

Method:

1) Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.

2) Wash the prawns, remove head, slice the back but don't remove the shells. Place in a metal/ oven safe container.

3) Season with salt and pepper.

4) Put 100 g butter and bake for 30 minutes.

5) Add cheese and basil on top, bake for another 10 minutes. 

Serve while hot! :)

My Veggie Moussaka

One of the things I love doing, especially when I'm alone, is experimenting in the kitchen. And the recipe I'm going to share today is a healthy Mediterranean dish called Moussaka. Moussaka is an eggplant and potato-based dish dating back to the Ottoman Empire.

There are many versions of Moussaka but with my recipe, I'm only using vegetables. Hope you enjoy! :)

Veggie Moussaka

Ingredients:
2 Eggplants
4 Potatoes
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1 Carrot (minced)
200g Champignon Mushroom (minced)
1 Paprika (minced)
1 Onion (chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Tsp Parsley
2 Tsp Cinnamon Powder
3 Tbsp Red Wine
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Method:
1) Slice the eggplant thinly, marinate with salt.
2) Peel the potatoes, boil them until soft then slice them and set aside.
3) In a large pan with olive oil, fry the thinly sliced eggplants until they turn soft brown. Set aside
4) In the same pan, add a little more olive oil then sauté minced garlic and chopped onions until they are fragrant then add the minced mushrooms, minced carrots and minced paprika. Dash some salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
5) Add the can of tomato sauce, stir for 5 mins , add cinnamon powder and red wine. Then season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Bechamel Sauce:
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Milk
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Ounce Parmesan Cheese
2 Ounces Grated Cheddar Cheese

Method:
1) In a deep pan, turn heat to medium, melt the butter. Add milk.
2) Slowly dash flour into the pan, mixing it with the melted butter and milk.
3) Add Parmesan Cheese and Cheddar Cheese
4) Dash some salt and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't burn.

-Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.
-In an oven safe container (like pyrex), arranged some eggplant and cover the whole container. On top of the eggplant, do the same with the potatoes, cover the container with potatoes. 
-Pour some of the vegetable tomato sauce and spread all over the container. 
-Pour the bechamel sauce all over the container covering the tomato sauce.
-Repeat doing this until they are all finished.
-Dash Parsley on top.
-Then put inside pre-heated oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve while hot! :)

Easy Banana Cake

Some days ago I bought a lot of really nice bananas down on our street and since they start to become overripe, I decided to make a banana cake with a very easy recipe from my grandmother. So when you feel like having an afternoon snack, this banana cake is just perfect with coffee or hot chocolate.

Hope you enjoy!

Easy Banana Cake

Ingredients:

2 ripe Bananas (crushed)

2 cups All Purpose Flour

3 tsp Baking Powder

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Milk 

3/4 cup Melted Butter

1 tsp Salt

1 Egg (beaten)

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt. Mix them well.

3) Add egg, milk and melted butter. Mix thoroughly.

4) Then add the crushed bananas and stir the batter for 5 minutes until it's thin.

5) Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Shrimp Salad with Salsa Sauce

Yes, I know I'm a shrimp lover. Most of my shared recipes here are shrimp dishes. Anyway just came back from an exotic island holiday and guess what I have been eating? Shrimps!!!

Today, will share my Shrimp Salad with Salsa Sauce recipe. Well the truth is, the other night, my husband and I had Mexican take out. Since I really liked the salsa sauce so I experimented, made my own salsa sauce and used it as a dressing on my Shrimp Salad. Why not?!? And believe me, it tastes really good. Hope you enjoy! ;)

Shrimp Salad with Salsa Sauce

Ingredients:

12- 15 pieces Tiger Prawns

2 Tbsp Salt

2 Tbsp Pepper
1 Tbsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic and Herb (optional)

2 Cups All Purpose Flour (or other coating flour) 

Cooking Oil

Lettuce Leaves

1/2 Cup Olives chopped

1 cup Salsa Sauce

3 Tbsp Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Crushed Avocado

Method:

1) Wash and clean the Prawns. Remove the Prawn's head and skin but keep the tail.
    Slice at the back of the prawn, remove intestine.

    Mix McCormick perfect pinch garlic and herb, salt and pepper together with the prawn.     Set aside for 15 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, pour flour.
    Roll prawn one by one in the flour mixture until they are covered.
    Place them on a clean plate.

3) A pan with oil, turn heat to medium-high, until the oil begins to bubble.

4) Place the prawn on the pan, make sure they have enough spaces from each other.
    Fry until golden brown.

5) When done frying, remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain.

6) Prepare salad, chop the lettuce leaves and olives and place salad in a bowl. 

    Put the fried shrimps on top of the salad then pour Salsa sauce, add sour cream

    And crushed avocado on top. Makes about 2 servings.

Homemade Salsa Sauce Ingredients:

3 Tomatoes chopped

2 Tbsp Onion

2 Cloves Garlic minced

1 Jalapeno chopped

2 Tbsp Lime Juice

Salt 

Pepper

Method:

1) Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, peppers, lime juice, 

    Salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to blend flavors. 

    Makes about 2 cups of salsa.

Swedish Glögg

Christmas is fast approaching and one of our Christmas traditions is make our own Christmas goodies. And our usual routine, I'm in charge of the candies and my husband is in charge of the Christmas drinks.

Glögg is a traditional Swedish winter drink made of red wine and some spices, it may or may not have alcohol and it's served warm. This yummy Christmas drink is always present on our table during the Yuletide season. It's very simple to make and it really smells like Christmas! Hope you enjoy our homemade recipe.

Swedish Glögg

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Red Wine
0.5 Liter of Vodka or Brandy (optional)
5 Cardamom Pods
2 Cinnamon Sticks
2 strip of dried Orange Peel
1/4 cup Cloves
1/2 cup Raisins
2 cups of Sugar

Method:
1) Heat the wine, brandy or vodka and spices in a pot over medium heat.
2) Let it simmer for 30- 45 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture.
3) Turn off heat and let it cool down before you separate the spices.
4) Strain the cooled glögg from the spices, pour into a bottle and recap.
5) Store in a cool, dry place.

-To serve, pour glogg into a deep pan or pot and warm over low-medium heat until hot.
-Serve glögg in a coffee mug, add raisins.
enjoy!

Yummy Fried Empanadas

One of my favorite pastries is called  Empanada. Empanada is a stuffed pastry with different fillings. It can be found in many countries like Portugal, Spain, Latin America and some parts of Southeast Asia like Indonesia and Philippines.

Although making empanadas is not easy but it's mouth-watering goodness in every bite. Hope you enjoy my recipe below!

Empanada

Ingredients: (Dough)

2 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 1/4 Tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Warm Water
Butter or Margarine

(For Filling)
200 g Grated Emmental Cheese
1 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms (Champignon)


Method:
1) Combine all dough ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly.
2) Cover the bowl with cloth, let the dough rise for an hour.
3) After an hour, knead the dough flat for 10 minutes, divide into portions
    (make a 2 inch ball), add flour if necessary.
4) Mix the filling ingredients- cheese, onions and mushrooms, set aside.
5) On a floured surface, roll ball into a thin circle then put 1 tbsp of filling
     onto the center.
6) Fold into a fan shape and seal edges by pressing with your fingers.
7) Brush some melted butter on the empanadas.
8) Heat oil in a deep-fryer. Place one or two empanadas into the fryer at a time. 
9) Cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning once to brown on both sides. 
10) Drain on paper towels, and serve hot.

Healthy Friday: Shrimp Sandwich

I always believe in the saying, ''you are what you eat'' and living a healthy lifestyle really improves the mind and body. What you eat and drink is reflected in your appearance so I try to eat the right food to stay healthy.

Today, I wanted to try something different (from salad and Tuna salad sandwich) and since I'm a shrimp lover so I thought why not make a Shrimp Sandwich. They're not only a healthy meal but also low in calories too plus they're full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient called astaxanthin.

Shrimp Salad Sandwich


Ingredients: (Serving Size for 1)
Baguette or any healthy bread 
100 g Shrimps (peeled)
2 Tbsp tomato (chopped)
2 Tbsp Cucumber (chopped)
2 Tbsp Onion (diced)
1 Tsp Garlic (chopped)
Salt
Pepper
Parsley
Olive oil

Method:
1) Deep pan with olive oil, turn heat to low, sauté onion and garlic then fry shrimps.
2) When shrimps are cooked, add chopped tomato and cucumber, dash some salt and pepper. Stir.
3) Turn off heat, put the cooked shrimps on the baguette/bread. Sprinkle parsley on top.

Enjoy! :)

Fried Rice on a Lazy day!

There are times (especially on a day off) when you just want to stay at home, maybe lying on a couch and do nothing. Sometimes we're just too lazy to do things that even taking a shower is too much.

If you're too tired for take-outs and food delivery is just not for you or you're saving money, here's a cheap and fun easy way to cook on your day off!

A healthy meal you can make from leftovers.

Asian Fried Rice

Ingredients:
2-3 cups Leftover rice
100g Shrimps (chopped)
100g Tofu (diced)
100g Corn
100g Carrots (diced)
100g String Beans (chopped)
1 Tablespoon Soya Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

*You can put whatever you want or whatever leftovers! This is just my recipe. :)*

Method:
1) Deep pan with olive oil, turn the heat to low, saute chopped garlic.
2) Add tofu and shrimps, fry them. Then add corn, carrots, string beans, Saute.
3) Add the leftover rice and mix them with the other ingredients.

3) Dash some salt and pepper then add soya sauce. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
4) Serve fried rice while still warm.

Hope you enjoy!!! :)

Filipino Rice Muffin (Puto)

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful dad and to all the dads out there. Since I won't be able to celebrate this special day with my parents, I'm making myself one of my favorite Filipino desserts, Puto (rice muffin).
Hope you enjoy this really yummy rice muffin recipe from my mother... :)

Rice Muffin (Puto)


Ingredients:
1/4 Cup of Butter (softened)
1 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking  Powder
5 Tablespoon Sugar
3/4 Cup Milk
4 Egg Whites
Margarine (optional)
Cheese (grated)

Method:
1) Grease Puto molds (cup cake molds) with butter or margarine, set aside.
2) Mix flour, baking powder and sugar in a large deep bowl.
3) Add softened butter, milk and egg whites then whisk the batter for 10 minutes.
4) Pour the mixture in the Puto molds (cup cake molds) and put grated cheese on top.
5) Steam for 30 minutes until the Puto (rice muffin) is firm,
     also try to insert a toothpick in the center of the Puto (rice muffin),
     if it comes out clean then its ready.
6) Let it cool before removing from the molds.
7) Serve and enjoy!

Shrimps, Shrimps, Shrimps!!!

Ok, I know I'm such a Shrimp fan! I can live only eating Shrimps. And I would get so excited in the kitchen, experimenting Shrimp recipes.
This recipe is called Shrimp in Light Cream Sauce with Bagoong (Shrimp Paste) and Chili rice. More like a Filipino dish.

Hope you enjoy!!! :)

Shrimps in Light Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
 500 grams Tiger Shrimps
1 pack Light Cream Sauce
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
Salt
Pepper
Oil

Method:
1) Peel shrimps but do not remove head. Season with salt and pepper.
2) Deep pan with oil, Turn heat to low, saute garlic.
    Place the shrimps carefully and cook for 10 minutes .
3) Add light cream sauce, dash some salt and pepper (according to your preference)
    then cook for another 15 minutes.
4) Turn off heat then set aside. Place shrimps in a bowl or deep plate.

Bagoong Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked White Rice
2 tablespoons Bagoong
1 teaspoon Chili Sauce
1 tablespoon Oil

Method:
1) Deep pan with oil, turn heat to low, place rice, bagoong and chili sauce.
2) Saute for 5 minutes.
3) Turn off heat, place rice in a bowl or plate. Serve with Shrimps in Light Cream Sauce.

Sunday Caramelized Banana

I miss being home in the Philippines with my family. Usually, we have a Sunday tradition that I find so cozy. We stay at home and relax, listen to old music and eat traditional Filipino desserts. And right now, I am imagining myself sitting on the balcony, reading magazines or painting my nails while listening to the music.

Now that it's Sunday, I thought hmm, why not bring that tradition with me. So I prepared and cooked a simple Filipino favorite dessert called Caramelized Banana or as what we call ''Banana Cue.'' The reason why it's called Banana Cue, like Barbecue, the caramelized Bananas are placed on Bamboo skewers.

Hope you enjoy! :)

Caramelized Banana

Ingredients:
Saba Banana (Asian Plantains)
Brown Sugar
Oil

Method:
1) Peel banana, coat with sugar. Set aside.

2) Heat oil in a deep pan, turn heat to medium until oil begins to bubble.
3) Place the bananas carefully in the Pan and fry them until the sugar melts and turns to brown.

4)  Place them on a Bamboo skewers or put on a plate and serve.

Enjoy! :)

Home-made Calzone

The other night, I made Calzone for dinner. Well I have no idea about Calzone!!!
I just used my pizza recipe, and the result, it was pretty good!

Hope you enjoy! :)


Calzone Dough Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 tablepoon White Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablspoon Olive Oil
1 cup warm Water

Method:
1) Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly.

2) Cover the bowl with cloth, let the dough rise for an hour.
3) After an hour, knead the dough flat and round (like a pizza) for 20 minutes,
    add flour if necessary. Set aside.

Toppings Recipe

Ingredients:
1 can Pizza Sauce Can
1 green Paprika (chopped)
200g Champignon Mushroom (sliced thinly)
4 medium Tomatoes (chopped)
1 Large Onion (chopped)
3 cloves of Garlic (chopped)
3 mini Babybel Cheese
Olive Oil

Method:
1) Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.
    Deep pan with olive oil, turn heat to low, saute chopped onion
    and garlic until golden brown, add chopped paprika, mushrooms and tomatoes.
    Saute for 5 minutes. Turn off heat then set aside.
2) On the flat round dough, add pizza sauce, spread  evenly.
3) Place the sauted paprika, mushroom and tomatoes on top.
4) Grate the Babybel cheese, place it on top of the dough.

5) Then fold the dough and close the sides.
     Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

6) Serve while still hot. :)

Make Your Own Chocolate Candy Dessert

I'm not really a fan of Chocolates but I dunno why I love hamstering chocolates. Its just fun collecting them! Crazy? I know. I always get thrilled every time we are travelling to Europe, its the land of the nice and creamy chocolates. I love visiting chocolate shops and chocolate factories, just admiring how those beautiful chocolates are created. We have lots of chocolates in our refrigerator from our previous European trip and should really eat them since some of them are expiring soon. Anyway, my husband and I made some chocolate candy with MARZIPAN inside. Quite difficult for first timers but it was fun!

Chocolate Candy with Marzipan

Ingredients:
Almond Nuts or any nuts (crushed)
Anthon Berg Marzipan
500 grams Milk Chocolate Bar
1/2 cup Butter

Method:
1) Cut and mold marzipan into small balls. Put in the refrigerator.
    Crush the almond nuts, set aside.
2) Turn heat to low-medium, melt 1/2 cup butter then add 500g chocolate bar.
    Simmer until chocolate is fully melted. Turn off heat.
3) Dip the Marzipan balls into the melted chocolate carefully,
     use toothpicks (melted chocolate is really hot!).
4) Sprinkle some crushed almonds.
5) Put in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
6) If the chocolate candies are hard, they are ready to serve.

Enjoy!!!

New Year's Lasagna

Before welcoming 2013, have you already planned on how to celebrate your New Year?
Well, same as Christmas, my husband and I are celebrating it at home.
As usual, I'll be the one preparing dinner and everything, my husband requested Lasagna again. He likes my recipe and it's made of vegetables, no meat!
When we also have friends coming over for dinner, I serve Lasagna sometimes and most of their comments: it's yummy! *blush* Lol!!!
So I have decided to share my recipe and I really hope you like it. :)

Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 box oven ready Barilla Lasagna plates
1 can Tomato Sauce
4 medium Tomatoes (boiled and chopped)
1 large white Onion (chopped)
5 cloves Garlic (chopped)
2 Carrots (diced)
200 grams oyster mushroom (chopped)
Salt
Pepper
2 Tsp Paprika
2 Tsp Parsley
Olive oil

Mornay Sauce (white sauce) ingedients:
5 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
2 cups Milk
2 cup Whipping Cream
1 Tsp Salt
1 Ounce Parmesan cheese
2 Ounces Grated Cheddar Cheese

Method: (Mornay/ White Sauce)
1) In a deep pan, turn heat to medium, melt butter. Then add milk and cream.
2) Carefully dash some flour into the pan, do it slowly or it will get stumpy.
3) Add Parmesan cheese and Cheddar cheese.
4) Dash some salt and simmer until its thicker.


Method: (Lasagna sauce)
1) A pan with olive oil, turn heat to medium until oil begins to bubble, saute chopped onion
    and garlic until golden brown. Add the diced carrots and mushroom.
2) When the carrots begins to soften, add chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce.
     Dash some salt and pepper. Stir for 10 minutes.
3) Add seasoning (paprika and parsley), and continue stirring, dash some salt and pepper if needed.
    Simmer for 20 minutes.
4) Taste the sauce, if it's ready, turn off heat and set aside,
    if it lacks seasoning, add some salt and pepper.

- Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees for 10 minutes.
- In an oven safe container (like pyrex), arrange ''no cook'' lasagna plates. Pour moderate amount RED
    sauce (cooked sauce) over the Lasagna plates, make sure you cover the plates.
- Pour The mornay sauce over the red sauce and place again lasagna plates over the mornay sauce.
    Repeat doing this until the sauces are finished.
- Dash some Cheddar cheese on top.
- Then put inside pre-heated oven and cook for 20 minutes.

Serve while hot! :)

Enjoy!!!
   

Christmas Chocolate Fudge

Do you want to make your own Christmas candies?

Here's the recipe for Chocolate Fudge... Try it, it's fun and yummy!!! ;)

Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

2 deciliter Whipping Cream

3 deciliter Granulated Sugar

50 grams Butter

1/2 deciliter Cacao

1 tbsp Vanilla Sugar

50 grams Chopped Nuts (optional)

Method:

1) Grease and make a mold with baking paper, about 20 x 30 cm or less if you want it thicker.

2) In a deep pan with high heat, stir sugar and cream together, bring to boil.

3) Reduce heat and continue to cook up to 122 degrees.

4) Once the batter will bubble up and turn to brownish color, continue stirring to make batter a little thicker.

5) Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, cocoa and vanilla, also add some nuts if you want.

6) Stir vigorously to melt the butter.

7) Pour the batter into the mold. Allow to solidify. 

8) Once its already hard, cut into pieces. 

9) Put pieces into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!!! ;)