The One Who Receives Instructions

This is the family all time favourite pasta though it is categorized under cowgirl food in the Pioneer Woman website. This is one of the earliest pasta dish I took from Ree's.  It was an instant hit with the family especially with my two boys.  I was quite surprised they like the pasta so much that they asked me for the recipe and had cooked for themselves. What amazed me was the pasta has leeks and my sons are very picky vegetables eaters. They will only touch certain types of vegetables and definitely nothing from the leek family. The pancetta and leeks when fry together are very flavourful with the wine and cream. There should not be any runny cream sauce in this dish, it is suppose to coat the pasta.

I always buy Australian leeks( Chinese leek is different kind). Bacon is a good substitute for pancetta though it has a more smoky flavour. I also love Barilla brand pastas.

Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks
Pioneer woman cooks
serves 4

Ingredients
12 oz weight pasta, cooked Al dente
3 oz chopped Pancetta
3 whole leeks, sliced thin
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, shaved

Method

• Cook pasta and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
• Saute chopped pancetta until rendered and it starts to brown. Add sliced leeks and cook for 8 minutes. When you add the leeks, you can also throw in a pat or two of butter if you want to. This'll give the dish some scrumptious flavor. I add it after the bacon is browned because I don't want the butter to brown.
• After 8 to 10 minutes, pour in wine, then cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until reduced. Reduce heat to low, then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
• Stir in Parmesan shavings. Toss in pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with shavings over the top.

Note: It is important to use suitable type of pasta for this dish, not spaghetti for sure. I cook this pasta so often that I do not follow the exact weight of every ingredients. Most times I do not add in shaved Parmesan cheese, but never leave out the butter.

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star 'Pioneer Woman' organised by Zoe, Baby Sumo and Mich

Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.  Galatians 6:6

Set An Example

These cookies are the pinnacle of perfection!  If you want a big, chewy cookie like the kind you see at Subway, then these are the cookies for you!

When I first saw these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies on Pinterest many months ago, I wanted to bake them but I have to look for Rolo caramel candy first. According to the recipe,  Rolo caramel will melt during baking. I can't find Rolo here and got a friend to get them from the US.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
SallysBakingAddiction
makes 15 large cookies (20)

280g all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
170g unsalted butter, melted
150g light brown sugar, loosely packed
100g granulated sugar(80g)
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
180g chocolate chips, divided
15 Rolo candies(20)
Sea salt

Method

• Toss together the flour,baking soda,cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

• In a medium size bowl, whisk the melted butter,brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the  dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft. Fold in half chocolate chips. They may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to have evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory, the longer the better.take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 325F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. Unwrap the Rolos and have your 1/2 chocolate chips in a pile ready to be used.

• Roll the dough into balls, 1.5 tablespoons each. You have about 30 balls, give or take. The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Make a thumbprint into one dough ball and press the Rolo inside. Cover the Rolo with another dough ball and mold the two dough balls around the Rolo, making sure it is completely wrapped inside. Gently press down on the large cookie dough ball to slightly flatten and press a few more chocolate chips on top.

• Sprinkle  with sea salt. Put 7-8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Put one cookie sheet into the refrigerator as you bake batch #1. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes.(13mins) The cookies will look very soft and under baked. Do not bake longer than 13 minutes. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet

• Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.  If the cookies still look too puffy when your remove them from the oven, gently press down on them a little more. Cookies stay soft and fresh for 7 whole days at room temperature. Cookies may be frozen up to 3 months. Rolled cookie dough may be frozen up to 3 months and baked their frozen state for 13-14 minutes.

Totally Transformed


When my children were young, they looked forward to the church children's camp. It was there that they had encountered God's word, made friends and created memories that will last their lifetime. Now that they are in their youth, it is my prayer they they'll serve in the camp for His purpose and glory and spread God's love as they grow in His knowledge.
Camp registration is opened on Facebook and  ex campers will receive their forms in the mail by this week!

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech,in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Whoever Does Not Carry Their Cross

These are the sides to complement the Beef Tenderloin. In the "Rancher's Dinner" episode, Pioneer Woman prepares these two sides while her husband cooks the beef. Her sister in law bakes the brownies. Hmm.. maybe I should bake the brownies too.

Twice Baked Potatoes is found in the Pioneer Woman's first cookbook. We like these potatoes very much.. It has soft filling and crispy skin. These potatoes can also be part of a light meal  with soup/salad. The potatoes are first baked and the flesh is scooped into a bowl mixed with bacon,spring onions, sour cream and cheese. They are baked again the second time with grated cheese topping. These potatoes can be prepared ahead of time which I did the night before cooking. They can be freeze too which is great if you are cooking for a large group to save time.

Corn Casserole is cooked for myself  because my children do not like them. Red pepper, jalapenos, and heavy cream are mixed with the fresh corns and bake in the oven. I couldn't find any jalapenos near me so I left it out. I like that it is sweet and creamy with nice crunch. This dish should goes very well with any grilled food.

Twice Baked Potatoes
Pioneer Woman Cooks

8 baking potatoes, washed
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 sticks salted butter
1 cups bacon bits, fry your own
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar or Jack cheese, plus more for topping
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3 green onions, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cook through. ( I boiled them till half cooked before baking in the oven).
• Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350F.
• With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.
• Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (if you plan to freeze the twice baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)
• Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Note: I did half portion. 

Fresh Corn Casserole with Red Bell Peppers and Jalapenos

Food network

Ingredients

8 ears corn, still in the husk

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 fresh jalapenos, diced

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Remove the corn from the husks. In a large, deep bowl, slice off the kernels of corn with a sharp knife. Turn the knife to the dull side and scrape the cob all the way down to remove all the bits of kernel and creamy milk inside.
• Add the red bell peppers, jalapenos, heavy cream, salt to taste, a generous amount of pepper and butter and mix it well. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake until thoroughly through, 30 to 45 minutes.

Note: Fresh corn is recommended for this dish, but you can also  use frozen corn. Shorten the baking time.

when using frozen corn.

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.

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27

Follow My Example

Don't be alarm if you find this roast too raw. It is rare and this is how we like our beef. I have misplaced my meat thermometer and it was hard to tell the doneness. I decided to do it rare because I can always reheat it if someone wants it more cooked and also not everyone eats at the same time.(although there were just 3 )  I prefer to cook it this way because once beef is overcooked, there is no way you can save it.

Ever since I saw the episode of  "Rancher'sDinner" from the Pioneer Woman show, I have been wanting to try the way her husband Ladd seasoned and cooked the beef. On the show, Ladd Drummond seasoned the beef tenderloin with Lawry's seasoned salt, Lemon and Pepper seasoning and cracked black pepper. The roast which was placed on a large aluminium pan was then given a melted butter 'bath' by the Pioneer Woman. The pan was then placed on a barbecue to roast. On her website, Ree has the same seasoning but the beef is done differently. She sears the tenderloin on a hot pan and rubs crack mixed peppercorns on the beef.  Then she put small slabs of butter all over the roast before leaving it in an hot oven to finish cooking.

When my cowboy army boy son (older son) called and said he will be home for dinner, I was delighted. He has been complaining the bland camp food he is eating everyday.This will be a treat for him. It took me less than 20 minutes to get the beef done. I have prepared two sides, Twice Baked Potatoes and Corn Casseroles and there was also my left over Iceberg lettuce with Homemade Ranch Dressing.  Both of the sides are also featured on the show.

  I wish this cut is more affordable so I can cook it the Pioneer Woman's way again and again and again.



Roast Beef Tenderloin
Pioneer Woman Cooks
serve 6

4 to 5 lbs beef Tenderloin
4 tablespoons salted butter, or more to taste
1/3 cup peppercorns, more or less to taste
lawry's seasoned salt
lemon Pepper Seasoning
olive oil;


Method

• Preheat oven to 475F.
• Rinse meat well. Trim away some of the fat to remove the silvery cartilage underneath. With a very sharp knife,begin taking the Fat off the top, revealing the silver cartilage underneath. You definitely don't want to take every last bit of fat off - not at all. As with any cut of meat, a little bit of fat adds to the flavor.(mine was already trimmed)
• Sprinkle meat generously with Lawry's. You can much more liberally season a tenderloin, because you're having to pack more of a punch in order for the seasoning to make an impact. Start with Lawry's seasoned Salt. Rub it in with your fingers. Sprinkle both sides generously with lemon & lemon seasoning. (there is no measurements because it depends on your taste, but be sure to season liberally.)
• Place the peppercorns in a ziploc bag, and with a mallet or a hammer or a large, heavy can, begin smashing the peppercorns to break them up a bit. Set aside.
• Heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet. When the oil is to the smoking point, place the tenderloin in the very hot pan to sear it. Throw a couple of tablespoons of butter into the skillet to give it a nice little butter injection before going in the oven. A minute or two later, when one is starting to turn nice and brown, flip and repeat.
• Place the tenderloin on an oven pan with a rack. Sprinkle the pummeled peppercorns all over the meat. Press the pepper onto the surface of the meat. Put several tablespoons of butter all over the meat. Stick the long needle of the thermometer lengthwise into the meat. Place it in a 475F oven until the temperature reaches just under 140F, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stay near the oven and keep checking checking the meat thermometer to make it doesn't overcook.
• Let meat stand ten minutes or so before slicing, so the meat will have a chance to relax a bit.
• To serve, you can spoon the olive oil/butter juices from the skillet onto the top of the meat for a little extra flavor.

Note: My tenderloin is 600g for 3 servings.

This post is linked to Pioneer Woman ' Ree Drummond' hosted by Zoe from Bake For happy kids,

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

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

We Are Therefore Christ's Ambassadors

You might think I have added chopped chocolate bits in the Chocolate Cream Pound Cake. No, I did not. Thinking this is an easy cake to bake, I didn't pay much attention to it and have absentmindedly left out the chocolate paste after I have stirred in the flour. To avoid over mixing, the chocolate paste was unevenly blended.  Tsk, Tsk, I have never learnt my lesson of smugness when baking simple cakes.

Fortunately, the cake turned out great and the bits of chocolate paste in the cake didn't feel lumpy at all but taste like strong bitter chocolate chips.
A traditional pound cake consists equal parts of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. In the early days, it was measured a pound of each of the ingredients, giving the name pound cake.
I had my first taste of pound cake from Sara Lee. It was a treat to have Sara Lee pound cake when I was younger. I used to love Sara Lee pound cake for its fine texture and taste(vanilla only)

I baked this cake because I want to know if it tastes like Sara Lee Chocolate Pound Cake.(not really a good comparison).  Like other pound cakes which I have baked before, this neither looks nor tastes like Sara Lee Chocolate Pound. Well, that doesn't mean this cake is ordinary.  In fact, I find it rather nice, the right sweetness(after reduction) and texture and most importantly the intense chocolate flavour which Sara Lee lacks.. If I have blended the chocolate paste well, the taste could have been better and the colour nicer. My cake has an ugly top, so I am not giving it away but to turn it into something else. Chocolate Raisin Rum Balls!

Whenever I want to make Rum Balls, I would use leftover plain chocolate cake or buy Sara Lee chocolate pound. I am too lazy to bake a cake just for Rum Balls. Rum ball is so retro to me. Many neighborhood bakeries used to sell them but now very few do.  Here in local bakeries, rum balls are usually made of chocolate cakes and not biscuits or wafers.


Chocolate Cream Pound Cakes
Cake Keeper by Lauren Chattman

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (valrhona cocoa)
1/4 cup heavy cream (thickened cream)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/3)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

• P{reheat the oven to 325F. Grease a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan and dust with flour ( Ikea loaf pan, dusted cocoa).
• Sift the cocoa powder through a fine strainer and into a heatproof bowl. Place the cream in a micro-wave safe measuring cup and heat until just boiling, 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on the power of your microwave. Pour the hot cream over the cocoa and stir and mash with a spoon to make a thick paste. Set aside to cool.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Beat in the cocoa powder until smooth.
• With the mixer on medium low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes (50 minutes), Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
• Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Raisins Rum Balls

Simmer 100g of chopped raisins with 120ml dark rum. Turn off heat and let raisins macerate for 5 minutes. Crumble the cake (600g) and mix with 3 tablespoons of orange juice. Add in the raisins and rum. Scoop out the cake mixture into golf ball size (35g), shape and coat with chocolate rice. Keep in air tight box in the refrigerator.
*Add in more liquid, rum or orange juice if mixture is dry

This post is linked to Bake-Along 'Chocolate Cream Pound Cake'  hosted by Zoe, Lena and Joyce.

Totally Transformed

The Sunday School Annual Camp will be in held in November 20th - 22nd.  The camp theme is "Totally Transformed". The theme is basically about discipleship which the Sunday School children have learnt from the Child Evangelism Fellowship trainers recently.
We are calling our past campers soon but the camp would still be beneficial for new unchurched kids. The Sunday School children also need to exercise what they have learnt from the trainers and can start by inviting their non Christian friends.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20