A Garden Eastward in Eden

While Pioneer Woman derived joy from watching a huge grin sweep across her husband's face when he bit into something he finds delicious, I too derived the same joy watching my hungry cowboy younger son who came home from the ranch gym where he is working on his cattle abs, polished off this plate in less than 5 minutes and with a second helping of the potatoes.

Pan Fried Pork Chop
Pioneer Woman Cooks
serves 8

Ingredients
7 pieces or 8 pieces Thin Bone in Pork Chops
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt(Lawry's seasoned salt)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
Extra salt and pepper, to taste


Method

• Rinse pork chops.  Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops.
• Combine all dry ingredients. Dredge each side of the pork chops in the flour mixture, then set aside on a plate.
• Heat canola oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add butter. When butter is melted and butter/oil mixture is hot, cook 3 pork chops a time, 2 minutes on the side. (make sure no pink juices remain.) Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining porch chops.

Note: I serve with smashed new potatoes and iceberg lettuce with homemade ranch dressing. Both sides are also from Pioneer Woman website which will be in the next post.. 

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star 'Pioneer Woman' hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids,
Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out  and Mich from Piece of Cake.

What is a Terrarium?
A terrarium is a collection of small plants growing in a transparent, sealed container. A terrarium is a closed environment, and can actually used to illustrate how an ecosystem works. Inside a terrarium's walls, many different natural processes may be observed: photosynthesis, respiration, and the water cycle. The water in the terrarium is constantly recycled, passing from liquid form to gas and back again. As the moisture in the air condenses on the glass walls, it returns to the soil and is absorbed by the plants' roots.

I attended this workshop in the church organised by the Women Fellowship. The workshop began with the reading of Genesis 1-2:8. The book of Genesis chronicles the creation of the world and God's plan for his people.

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Genesis 2:8

The First and Greatest Commandment

Pandan chiffon was the only cake my late mum ever baked.  She was the neighborhood Pandan Chiffon expert. I don't know where she got her recipe from, but I know she made everything from scratch. She obtained the pandan extract by pounding the pandan leaves in the pestle and mortar and I know she never used cream of tartar in her egg white.
My mum died young and sadly I never get to know her recipe. She was illiterate and I had just started working then.

Although I learnt to bake when I was about 14, I couldn't remember when I first baked pandan chiffon. I have tried many recipes but this recipe works well for me. Family and friends like it too. I have been using this recipe which I got from the Straits Times for many years now and I don't think I will change or look for a better one.

To support Little Thumbs Up 'Pandan' event, I baked a pandan chiffon in a 18cm pan and rest of the batter into 6 cupcakes frosted with gula melaka buttercream. I added lesser sugar in the cake batter which resulted a less moist, fluffy and tall chiffon. It is still as soft and light, and if you have not tried this recipe before, you might not even notice it.

If you like gula melaka as much as I do, you will love this buttercream.on the pandan chiffon. Pandan leaves, coconut milk, gula melaka, they are supposed to go together, don't they?

Pandan Chiffon Cake
The Straits Times


Ingredients

10 pandan leaves, finely chopped
6 tbsp water
96g egg yolk, from about 6 eggs
140g caster sugar (100g)
1/4 tsp pandan paste
40ml corn oil
72 ml thick coconut milk
108 cake flour
240g egg white, about 7 eggs
1/8 tsp cream of tartar


Method

• Preheat the oven to 190C(170C).
• Blend the pandan leaves with water to a fine pulp. Wrap the pulp in muslin cloth and squeeze to extract the juice. Discard the pulp and set aside the juice.
• Whisk together the egg yolk, 60g sugar, salt, corn oil, coconut milk, pandan paste and pandan juice until well incorp[orated.
• Sieve the cake flour into the pandan mixture and continue to whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• Whisk the egg white, remaining sugar(80g) and cream of tartar until stiff, such that a firm peak forms when the whisk is pulled from the mixture.
• Gently fold the egg white mixture into the cake batter until well incorporated.
• Pour the batter into 23cm tube pan and bake for 50 minutes until the surface is browned.
• Remove the cake from the oven and invert it on a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the mould by running a palette knife along the circumference of the cake to loosen the sides.

Gula Melaka Buttercream

1 large egg (optional)

125g butter (softened at room temp)

150g gula melaka, finely chopped

1 pandan leave, knotted

Method

• Into a mixing bowl over a pot of hot water on stove, beat egg and sugar with hand beater. Beat until mousse like(if using egg).
• Remove from pot and continue to beat until mixture has cooled.
• Add in the soften butter one by one and beat until you get a smooth creamy texture.
• Chill in the fridge to firm buttercream if it is runny to frost. Alternatively, you can dip cake into mixture and top with grounded gula melaka.

This post is linked to Little Thumbs Up 'Pandan' hosted by Joceline from Butter,flour & Me, organized by

Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Mui Mui from My little favourite DIY.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22;37

A Wife Of Noble Character Who Can Find?

Buttah + Ree = Buttery.
These Pioneer Woman's Citrus Butter Cookies are delicious but sweet. They are not crunchy but melting soft. I baked these cookies because there are citrus zest in them. I love food that has citrus zest. These cookies are perfect for afternoon tea.

This recipe is found in her second cook book, Food From My Frontier and her website.  

Citrus Butter Cookies
Food From My Frontier

Ingredients
4 Sticks salted butter, softened
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 whole large eggs, separated
4 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons orange, lemon and lime zest ( approx 1 tbsp each)
2 tablespoons orange, lemon and/or lime juice (2 tablespoons total)

Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons orange, lemon, and lime zest
juice of 1/2 lime
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of salt
extra zest, for decorating

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Cream butter and sugar until combined. Add egg yolks and mix until combined (set whites aside for the icing.) Add the zest and the flour and mix until just combined, then add juice and mix until combined.
• Scoop out heaping teaspoons of dough, then roll them into balls between your hands. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep on the cookie sheet for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a spatula and allow to cool completely before icing.

To Make The Icing

• Combine 1 egg white with the rest of the icing ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until combined, adding either more powdered sugar or more juice until it reaches a pourable but still thick consistency.
• Drizzle the icing across the cookies in several lines, then do it again in the other direction.(used piping bag).
• Sprinkle with extra zest before the icing sets.

Note: I halved this recipe and got 38 cookies. Do not over baked the cookies. It should be pale in colour. 

This is linked to Cook Like A Star 'Ree Drummond' hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids,

Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10

She Speaks With Wisdom

Pioneer Woman is like a fairy tale kind of a story of a city girl married to a rancher and became a successful blogger with  a broad fan base. It is a blog by Ree Drummond on her life as a rancher wife and mother, and her cooking. She is famous for her witty and corny writing, superb photography skills and her steps by steps cooking instructions are hugely popular with fans all over the world. She also has a cooking show on Food network and is also author of several books.

Both her Cinnamon Rolls and Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever are her treasured and popular recipes  loved by many who made them. I have baked both several times but for this month's Cook like A Star 'Ree Drummond', I am sharing with you one of my family favourite pasta, Pioneer Woman's Cajun Chicken Pasta. This pasta was featured in the first episode of  her cooking show with Food  network.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

serves 6
Pioneer woman cooks



Ingredients

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun spice mix, more to taste
1 pound Fettuccine (linguine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and sliced (yellow peppers)
1 whole red  bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 whole large red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced' 4 whole Roma tomatoes, diced (local tomatoes)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
cayenne pepper to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
salt to taste
chopped fresh parsley

Method

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente;do not overcook!
• Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer;do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.'Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat. Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed.
• Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/possible as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.
• With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/pr salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!
• Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.
• Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star "Ree Drummond" hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids,
Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

In Proverbs 31, the entire chapter is devoted to what King Lemuel's mother taught him about the ideal woman. She taught him about the ideal woman. and to look for something beautiful in the woman that he would have for his wife because God made all women to be something beautiful.
Beautiful woman may defined as having physical features, but in the Bible we see more about beauty as defined by character.

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:26-27

The Plans I Have For You

Nutella Rugelach and Apricot Jam and Pistachios Rugelach

Rugelach are Jewish pastry and they are holiday cookies traditionally baked on Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday. They are made in the form of a crescent by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling. It can be made of sour cream or cream cheese dough, the latter is more probably of American innovation.
 I have seen rugelach sold in bakeries in Europe and the United States but not in Singapore.  Perhaps specialty bake stores may have them, like bagels which are now more commonly found. Now that I have made rugelach, I would love to try shop made ones so I can make a comparison.

Nutella Rugelach

This rugelach recipe which is from Dorie Greenspan website is fabulous and I am so happy to have made them. This recipe yields 32 flaky,crumbly pieces.  Don't you halve the recipe because they're so so good. I had four warm ones with nutella fillings, paired with a cup of Osmanthus Sencha tea by Gryphon.
What I like about this recipe is that the dough can be made in less than a minute in a food processor and you can bake one half of the recipe and keep the other in the fridge for another day. You can also freeze and bake it straight in the oven. I made one half with nutella and the other half with apricot jam, pistachios and raisins. I baked the nutella first and kept the other half in the fridge to bake the next day.

The next day, I baked the jam and nuts fillings. This time I paired with Gryphon Ginger and Mint Tea.
I also warmed up the nutella batch and they tasted just like freshly baked. Both fillings are equally good! They are best eaten warm.


Rugelach

Dorie Greenspan
makes 32 pieces


Ingredients

Dough
4 ounces (113g)cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces
1 stick (113g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped nut(1/4 cup chopped pistachios, toasted)
1/4 cup plump, moist dried currants (1/4 cup raisins)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Filling
2/3 cup raspberry jam,apricot jam or marmalade (1/4 cup apricot jam)
2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup nutella

To make the dough

• Let the cream cheese and butter rest on the counter for 10 minutes - you want them to be slightly softened but still cool.
• Put the flour and salt in a food processor, scatter over the chunks of cream cheese and butter and pulse the machine 6 to 10 times. Then process, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, just until the dough forms large curds - don't work it so long that it forms a ball on the blade.
• Turn the dough out, gather it into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day (wrapped airtight, the dough can be frozen up to 2 months)

To make the filling: Heat the jam in a saucepan over low heat, or do this in a microwave, until it liquefies. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.

Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats 

To shape the cookies

• Pull one packet of dough from the refrigerator. If it is too firm to roll easily, either leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11- 12 inch circle. Spoon or brush a thin gloss of jam over the dough, and sprinkle over half of the cinnamon sugar. Scatter over half of the nuts, half of the currants and half of the chopped chocolate. Cover the filling a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch.(spread nutella)
• Using a pizza wheel or a shape knife, cut the dough into 16 wedges or triangles.The easiest way to do this is to cut the dough into quarters, then to cut each quarter into 4 triangles. 
• Starting at the base of each triangle, roll the dough up so that each cookie becomes a little crescent. Arrange the roll-ups on one baking sheet, making sure the points are tucked under the cookies, and refrigerate. 
• Repeat with the second packet of dough, and refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes before (the cookies can be covered and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don't defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.)

Getting ready to bake

• Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350F (170C)

To Glaze

• Stir the egg and water together, and brush a bit of this glaze over each rugelach. Sprinkle the cookies with the sugar.

Bake the cookies for 20-25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until and they puffed and golden. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

Storing: The cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. They're are great for sharing! 

This post is linked to Bake Along 'Rugelach' organised by 3 great home bakers. Hop over to Zoe, Joyce and
Lena.

For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm yu, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11