Serve The Lord With Gladness

Oodles of Zoodles! This is a healthy and delicious way of having pasta. No, I didn't buy another nifty kitchen gadget called spirilizer to spirilized the zucchini. I use a vegetable shredder which works just as well.

To keep this meal healthy, I have it with a quick home cooked tomato stew and buttermilk roast chicken.

Zoodles In Tomato Stew for one

1 large tomato
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme/rosemary(I used both)
1 tsp of chopped garlic
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste.


Method

• Chop tomato into small cubes. 
• Minced garlic and chop the fresh herbs
• Heat the oil in the pan, fry garlic and add the chopped tomatoes. 
• Throw in the herbs and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook tomatoes in low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the zoodles.

Maple Buttermilk Roast Chicken For Two

4 chicken thighs

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 tsp of sea salt to taste

freshly grind black pepper

1 sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary

1 crushed garlic

Method

• Combine all ingredients in a bag ( taste the marinade to check if more maple syrup or salt/pepper needed)
• Keep in the chiller for a day or two.
• Roast in 190-200C oven for 35-40 mins.

You need carbo to fuel your day? then have it with dauphinoise potatoes which is also simple and easy to prepare.

Simple Dauphinoise Potatoes for One

2 large potato

1 crushed garlic

1/4 milk

1/4 cream

salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Slice potato thinly in even slices.
• Heat up milk and cream, Add the crushed garlic
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Throw in the potato slices and let the mixture simmer.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a baking dish,discarding the garlic.
• Pour over the cream mixture, just enough to seep through the layers. 
• Bake in a pre heated 190C oven for 30-45 minutes till top is browned.

Serving God is a great privilege, and service to Him must be rendered with excitement and enthusiasm. 

In His Great Mercy

 Last week was holy week where Christians across the world commemorated Good Friday and celebrated Easter Sunday.

The Lord Jesus died on the cross for our mankind. He endured pain and sufferings.  His death on the wooden cross is proof of the powerful love that God has for each of us. Therefore, let us glory in His cross, and praise the Lord for what He did for us. He has paid our debt, those who place their trust in Him for salvation are delivered from the debt of sin. All can be saved if we come to Him by faith.
"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."

I baked these chocolate hot cross buns with recipe adapted from Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover.

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

350g bread flour
40g caster sugar
20g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
240g fresh milk
25g unsalted butter, room temperature

Flour paste

40g cake flour
40g fresh milk
15g melted butter
Method

• Preheat oven to 170C. Add in all ingredients except butter. Knead till smooth.
• Add in butter, Continue kneading until dough is shiny and smooth. 
• Cover and proof in a greased bowl until double in size.
• Punch down the dough and divide dough into 9 portions. Roll in round balls and rest for 15 minutes.
• Shape the dough into roll and place on baking tray.
• Make the flour paste for the cross. Mix the ingredients till smooth. Fill in piping bag and draw cross lines on top of the bread.
• Bake at 170C for 20-25 minutes.

Christ is risen! What joy we have on Easter Sunday as we celebrate Jesus' Resurrection.  All who have believed in Him have been raised to a new life in Christ. Christ has transformed the lifeless and gives all new birth, a living hope through the resurrection of Christ.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"1 Peter 1:3

These mini vanilla cupcakes with strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream were baked for Sunday school Easter party.

I always like my vanilla cupcakes recipe. I think they're great! moist and soft. These cupcakes were baked in my new oven and I noticed they were very unevenly browned:(  This recipe yields 36 mini cupcakes.

Swiss Meringue Butter Cream(Strawberry)
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients
5 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar
220g unsalted butter, cubed,
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tablespoons strawberry jam or home made strawberry puree
red gel coloring

Method

• Combine egg whites and sugar in a pan over a pot of simmering water.
• Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm and sugar is non grainy. 
• Transfer to the mixer bowl with whisk attachment and beat on low to medium speed.
• When bowl is cool, add the butter cubes, one at a time. Add in vanilla extract.
• Switch to paddle attachment and continue beating on low speed until mixture is smooth.
• Add strawberry jam/puree and gel coloring.( use a toothpick to dip gel)

Leftover butter cream can be kept in freezer for 3 months.  To use, bring butter cream to room temperature and beat cream until smooth. 

Consider It Pure Joy

 A fast cooked dinner for son before he goes to work. Chicken Katsu, Salmon Teriyaki, Mesclun Salad and rice.

Chicken Katsu is so easy and fast to prepare. To cook for one, you  need one chicken breast cutlet, 1 beaten egg, 1 cup of panko, salt and black pepper to taste.

Pound the cutlet with a rolling pin or a heavy meat cleaver if you have one.
Season with salt and pepper.
 Heat the frying pan with cooking oil until the temperature is about 180C.
 Dip the chicken cutlet into the beaten egg, and coat it with panko.
Shake off the excess and repeat the process.
Gently drop chicken cutlet into the pot and deep fry until both sides turn golden brown.
 Dish out when chicken is done and lay it on a paper towel or greaseproof paper.
 Slice the chicken and serve.

Salmon Teriyaki

Heat up a non stick pan or grill pan till very hot. Pan sear and cook the salmon.  Spoon sauce over the fish until sauce is syrupy. Dish and plate.

To make the Tonkatsu sauce and Teriyaki sauce for single serving, these are the ingredients. The measurements are estimated. Taste as you mix.


Tonkatsu sauce
1 tsp English mustard
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1/2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1 tsp water (optional, mix to taste)

Whisk all ingredients until smooth.



Teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp corn starch + 1 tbsp water


Whisk soy sauce, mirin and sugar and bring to boil. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk briskly. Reduce sauce to the consistency you like.

Book of James

Bible study for this month is on the Book of James.  James wrote his Epistle to challenge his readers to examine their faith to see if it was genuine saving faith. For Christians to survive suffering and grow in maturity, we must have genuine faith.

All of us face testing and trials which are unavoidable. We cannot face them effectively without Christ, our Lord and Saviour. He allows trials to come into the lives of His people. But he gives us the attitude of joy and ability to persevere if we have true faith and trust in Him.

Consider it pure joy,my brothers and sisters, whenever you  face trials of many kinds, because you  know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1-3

God Made Him

Happy Lunar New Year to all! I'm back!!!

This Rose Chiffon cake recipe is created by my friend Angeline. I met Angeline during a food event about 2 years ago and we have been keeping in touch on Facebook and whatsapp.

Angeline is a very talented and creative homecook, and this recipe was even featured in The Straits Times. I have baked this cake countless time because this is now my favourite cake to bake. I just love the colour and flavour.

Do you believe me when I said I baked this cake with the oven turn off? My oven temperature setting has gone kaput, and when the power is on, it becomes very hot even at the lowest temperature. When this cake was ready to bake, I said my 'oven prayer', switched off the power and left in the oven to bake. I have no oven thermometer to check the temperature too. After 30 mins in the oven, I turned the oven on for 5 minutes and off again. The cake was done in 45 mins time and I have no idea at what temperature!

My oven prayer is answered! This cake is very tall for a 5 eggs recipe in a 23cm tin. It is light and fluffy, the perfect texture of a good chiffon.

This cake is just as good on its own but with the fresh cream, it taste even better. The fresh cream is whipped with condensed milk and sweetness can be adjusted to your taste.


Rose Chiffon

Ingredients A
100g cake flour
5 egg yolks

15g castor sugar
20ml rose syrup
80ml milk
70ml oil
1.5 tsp rose essence


Ingredients B
80g castor sugar
10g corn flour
5 egg white


Method

• Mix 20ml rose syrup with 80ml milk.
• Combine egg yolks and sugar and mix well.
• Add the milk mixture, oil and essence and mix till well combined.
• Add flour into the yolk mixture and mix till combined.
• Make the meringue. Combine sugar and cornflour.
• Beat egg white till foamy then add half the sugar and flour mixture, continue to beat for a few minutes then add remaining sugar/flour mixture.
• Beat till stiff peak.
• Add the meringue in 3 additions to the yolk mixture, fold in gently till all whites are incorporated.
• Pour into a 20/21cm chiffon pan and bake at 150C for 40-45 minutes. When done turn the pan over and cool it upside down.

Condensed milk Chantilly Cream

300ml whipping cream

condensed milk to taste

Pour 300ml of whipping cream into a cold mixing bowl and whipped till soft peak, slowly drizzle in the condensed milk till stiff peak.

The Book of Philemon

Our recent study on the book of Philemon teaches us to receive and forgive those who have sinned.
We were once runaways ourselves like Onesimus. We have to do what is right, even facing the consequences of our own sinful actions. The gospel is a message of second chances, and we don't hold past sins against people who have repented.


Jesus took our debt upon Himself. He was created without sins to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

These Are My Words

Red Velvet Cake is always a crowd pleaser. There was once much hypes surrounding the red velvet cakes. People love the moist and tangy buttermilk cake with a bit of cocoa and the cream cheese frosting, and they go gaga over the red colouring in the cake.

Red Velvet Cake has its humble beginnings and the cake dates back to the 19th century. It is red because a man from Texas wanted to sell more food dye and he figured red cakes could sell more!

Red velvet cake is a dessert that everyone oohs and aahs over whenever I bring it to church functions. These are no exception. I baked for the Filipino fellowship monthly birthdays, and I was glad they enjoyed the cakes very much.



There are many good red velvet cake recipes around. This is one which I like. After testing many red velvet cake recipes, I prefer one with a mixture of butter and oil. I find it more flavourful and denser than all vegetable oil recipes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

makes 12-18 cupcakes

85g unsalted butter
170g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
160ml butttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs food colouring
190g all purpose flour
2 tbs cocoa powder.sift
1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

250g cream cheese, softened
55g unsalted butter
55g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Method

• Preheat oven to 180g
• Cream butter,sugar and salt until well combined.
• In another bowl, whisk in oil,egg,egg yolk,butttermilk and food colouring. Mix well.
• Add flour, baking soda and cooca to the mixture and mix gently until well combined. Do not overmix.
• Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake till just firm, 18-20 minutes.
• Let cupcakes cook in pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

• Whisk cream cheese, butter and icing sugar till combined.
• Add in vanilla extract and whisk on high speed till frosting is light and fluffy.

My bible study group has just completed the Bible timeline study and we are now on the book of Psalms. Why we choose to study Psalms?

We choose to study Psalms to help us gain a fuller appreciation for worship. The Psalter is the favourite book for all whatever our circumstances maybe. We find words which are so appropriate to our needs to glorify, seek and talk to God.

Martin Luther once said, " Psalms are a little Bible, and the summary of the Old Testament"
Our Lord Jesus himself also pointed out salvation in Him is written in Psalms.


These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Luke 24:44 

All Your Children

I finally bought a waffle maker! It is a single rotating waffle maker which doesn't take too much space on my small kitchen counter top. This is a made in China brand with a weird name(Rohe) but I'm very happy with it. It is not very expensive and comes with an indicator light which tells you when the waffle maker is ready to use and done. The non stick grids make it easy to remove freshly cooked waffles and clean too.

Prior to the delivery, I looked up some waffles recipes and came across this. The name caught my attention, and this is the only recipe that I have tried. There was no turning back to others. This recipe yields only 3 waffles which is just right for me. Crisp, light and fluffy which is the texture everyone likes.

You can have waffles in many ways and I like it sweet and simple. Pure maple syrup with fruits, or plain with butter and syrup. These waffles do not taste nice on its own. The batter is really basic and easy to mix. It uses buttermilk and I always use real buttermilk, never substitutes.
It is fun to make waffles at home and even my children are making them for breakfast and tea. I bet they will not be ordering waffles at cafes anymore! These are like cafe standard or even better!

Waffles
serves 3

Ingredients

105g all purpose flour
30g cornflour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup corn oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Method

• Mix and stir all the dry ingredients together.
• Mix and lightly blend wet ingredients with a whisk
• Pour wet ingredients into dry. Whisk until smooth and lump free.
• Rest mixture for 30 minutes.
• Pour waffle mixture into pre heated waffle maker.

Children need the peace that comes from knowing they have a loving Heavenly Father who sent His son, Jesus Christ, to bring light and hope into the world.

All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Isaiah 54:13

For I Am Sure

Kaya Butter Toast is our local people ultimate comfort food. Kaya is a traditional jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Some like to eat Kaya butter Toast for breakfast, others prefer it for tea. This toast set is usually accompanied by two soft cooked eggs eaten with a dash of dark soy sauce and white pepper.  The eggs are a perfect complement to the sweet toast. The thick kopi (coffee) or teh(tea) completes the meal.

White bread is usually toast on a hot grill and spread with a generous dollop of salted butter and thick kaya.
You can eat this toast by dipping into the soft boiled eggs, and slurp the rest down.  This kaya toast set is easily available everywhere in local kopitiams(coffee shops),food courts and shopping malls. But if you have sudden cravings of sweet kaya like me, you can make it at home too! This recipe doesn't require you to slave over the stove and stir the kaya for hours. Try! and you be amazed by how easy and quick you can prepare it!

Kaya

45g white sugar
45g palm sugar, chopped
4-6 pandan leaves, cut about 3 inches long
5 big yolks
200ml freshly squeezed coconut milk


Method

• Separate egg yolks from the whites
• In a non stick pot or pan, heat coconut milk with pandan leaves. When coconut milk is simmering, add the two sugars.
• Stir and cook for about 10 minutes until all sugars are dissolved. Remove the pandan leaves and set the coconut mixture aside.
• Lightly whisk the yolk until smooth and well mixed. Add a little coconut milk and whisk until blended.
• Using a double boiler, continue to stir yolk mixture and slowly add in coconut milk. 
• Stir until desired thickness and colour.

Recipe adapted from themeatmen

Nothing can separate us from God's love! God's love is steadfast, sturdy and inseparable! Paul is utterly convinced of God's love for us that he says.....

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor ruler, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8;38-39

I Will Ascend Above

Move over, Egg Benedict! Make way for Cloud Egg or Soufflé Egg. I have never seen this or heard of cloud egg until my friend who was on holiday in Croatia sent me a photo of what she had for breakfast.

After watching a YouTube video on how to make cloud egg, I quickly made a portion for dinner. Yes, Dinner! I wanted something quick and light with minimal washing up. I'm not sure if my cloud egg tastes like hers but it sure looks the same. The meringue is slightly crisp and fluffy. The yolk is done just right. This dish is exactly like what it is called. Cloud Egg!


Cloud Egg with Ham and Chives
serves 1

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 piece of ham, chopped
Small handful of chives, chopped
Pepper and salt to taste
Chili powder and chopped parsley to garnish(Optional)

1 toast or burger bun

• Preheat oven to 160C
• Separate egg yolk and white.
• Whisk egg white, add seasonings to taste. Whisk egg white till stiff peak.
• Fold in ham and chives.
• Place half a buttered bun or toast on a lined baking tray. Spoon meringue onto the toast. Make a small dent in the center for the yolk. Bake for 15 mins until slightly browned, remove from oven and gently pour yolk in the center.
• Bake for another 5 minutes or until yolk is done to your liking.

Note: I used home made garlic buttered bun.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the most high. Isaiah 14:14

We Live By Faith, Not By Sight

These Almost Famous Amos Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies are almost there! That is quite close to Famous Amos, and because there's no shortening added, the textures will never be quite like Famous Amos. They're are very crunchy and very addictive.

The recipe is shared by a member of a cooking/baking group on Facebook. It receives many likes and comments and many have baked and shared photos too.

This recipe makes a huge batch of cookies and like most cookies, it can be prepared in advance and kept in freezer. The ingredients used are like most chocolate chip cookies except of one secret ingredient, Chocolate Emulco which must be added to taste like Famous Amos. Chocolate emulco is an ingredient to add flavouring and colour to your baking. It is thick and concentrated.


Almost Famous Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies


Ingredient

500g self raising flour (sift with bicarbonate soda)
320g unsalted butter (I use salted)
240g brown sugar
20g caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon chocolate emulco
2 eggs
200g chocolate chips
5g bicarbonate soda
Pinch of salt (omit)


Method

• Preheat oven at 160C. Put butter, brown sugar, caster sugar and salt in mixing bowl and cream till blended.
• Add in eggs, one at a time and mix till well blended (eggs are incorporated into mixture) then mix in chocolate emulco.
• Pour in self raising flour (sifted with baking soda) mix till incorporated. Lastly mix in chocolate chips.
• Bake at 160C for 15 minutes.

Those Who Hope In The Lord

This is the only picture I have of this home cooked dish.  Kam Heong Clams or Golden Fragrant Clams is the family's favourite at seafood restaurants. This is my first time replicating it and I hope you can try this too if you had not cooked it at home.

A very quick stir fry dish which is best to be eaten while it is still hot and fresh from the wok. Hence, the only picture I quickly took seconds before the family tucks in. This is also one of the dishes which I observed my DH ate heartily with his rice and even complimented me. A very rare occurrence indeed!


Kam Heong Clams (Golden Fragrant Clams)

800g - 1kg venus clams
2 -3 sprigs curry leaves
10 red chillies or a mix of bird's eyes and red, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of dried shrimp, soaked in water, drain and minced
8 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Seasoning sauce
2 soybean paste
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 1/4 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sugar


Method

• Clean and soak clams in salt water for 30 minutes. 
• Mix all the seasoning ingredients, stir well and set aside.
• Stir fry curry leaves in a hot wok with oil. Add chillies and dried shrimp until fragrant. Add in chopped shallots.
• Toss in clams and seasoning sauce. Continue to stir fry until clams are coated with the sauce. Cover the wok and let the clams open up. Do not over cooked clams.
• Give a quick stir and serve immediately.

Above measurements are an estimation cooked to suit the family.

The eagle is the king of the birds. Have you seen an eagle soaring above? Do you notice its speed, strength and power? Do you wish you can soar like the eagle?

An eagle knows when a storm is approaching. It will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. It will then spread its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. The eagle does not escape the storm but uses the storm to lift it higher.

We can be like the eagle soaring above storms.  Isaiah 40:31 reads those who place hope in the Lord shall soar on wings like eagles.

Let us rise above all challenges and difficulties that come our way and hope in the Lord to strengthen us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and focus on God's unfailing love for us.

I have seen these Devil's Food Cupcakes around but never get to bake them. Yes! they're devilishly good and rich!  This is a classic American chocolate cake, and I guess it get it's name because it is very dark and decadent?

I have been very busy lately, and would have missed this week Bake Along if not for reading Ann's post. I like she adapted the recipe and used yoghurt in the cake and frosting. These cuppies are definitely healthier than most other chocolate cupcakes.

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

makes 8-10 cupcakes

Ingredients

25g unsweetened cocoa powder
30g semi sweet chocolate(4 oz)
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup natural yoghurt
1/2 cup plain flour(cake flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil (sunflower)
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Methods

• Preheat oven to 170C and line muffin cup with paper liners.
• Combine cocoa powder and chopped chocolate together and pour boiling water over it and whisk till smooth. Whisk in the yoghurt.
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt together. Set aside.
• Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, oil,sugar, egg and vanilla until light and creamy. Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with chocolate mixture in additions.
• Scoop batter evenly among paper liners. Bake for about 18 minutes (20 minutes) or until tester inserted comes out clean.
• Let cupcakes cool in the pan and cool completely before frosting it.

Frosting

90g semi sweet chocolate (3 oz)

1 tbsp whipping cream

15g butter

1/4 cup natural yoghurt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 cup icing sugar (15g)

• Stir chocolate and butter in a medium bowl over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from water and whisk in yoghurt and vanilla, then icing sugar.
• Let stand until thick to spread or put in the fridge to fasten the process. Fill a pipingbag with Wilton nozzle star tip 1M and the chocolate cream. Pipe a circular swirl design on the cuppies.

This post is linked to Bake Along 83 Devil's Food Cupcakes hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and Lena from Her Frozen Wings.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7