Seasoned With Love

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-01-14T08:48:00.000-08:00

I was looking all over for a good recipe for chocolate chip cookies, and I came upon this one on Allrecipes.com.

For some reason I've been screwing up my cookies a lot lately and they turned out soft.

But these ones were perfect! Jesse loves his cookies crunchy too, and he told me to make a million of these lol! =p

And I love them too, dipped in cold milk! Mmm yum!

(I've tweaked the recipe just a little, after reading suggestions from reviewers on the website)

Oh and these make your house smell soo heavenly while baking!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled to abt room temperature (so as not to melt the choc chips!)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a little less than 1/2 cup, for less sweet)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg (room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temperature)
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (that's 1 and a quarter, not 11 quarters)
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional if you don't have this)
1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice (optional, up to ur preference: walnuts, pecans etc. *if using nuts, reduce amount of chocolate chips used accordingly)

1) Preheat oven to 325 F (approx 160 deg C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2) Mix flour, baking soda, salt & cream of tartar in a bowl; set aside.

3) In separate medium bowl, cream together melted butter, brown sugar & white sugat till well blended.

Beat in vanilla, egg & egg yolk til light & creamy.

Mix in flour mixture til well blended.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using) by hand using wooden spoon.

Drop cookies onto prepared cookie sheets by the teaspoonfuls (or tablespoonfuls - up to ur size of choice) & flatten slightly.

4) Bake for about 14 minutes, or longer for bigger cookies. Cookies will appear slightly soft after removing from oven, but will harden after cooling.

5) Cool cookies completely on wire rack.

6) Kick back on your couch with a big jar of these cookies, and a cold glass of milk, and enjoy! =p

*Here's a tip I read about on one of the websites: If you want your cookies to be crunchy, expose them to air until cookies are cooled. If you want them to be soft and chewy, store them immediately after removing from oven. I don't know if it really works, but it's something to try if you like soft cookies.

**If you're using salted butter instead for this recipe, just omit the salt.

Tater-topped Casserole

2008-11-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Jesse refuses to eat this if I refer to this as "tater-topped caserole" lol he says it has to be called Tater Tot Hotdish.. cos that's what they called it growing up when his mommy used to make it for him. (Yeah I have to deal with his nonsense all the time lol)

This is so simple too and really quick to prep.

What you need:

1lb ground beef (healthy option: use lean ground beef)
1 small onion, finely chopped (not shallot but smaller-sized bawang besar)
1 can (10.75oz) condensed cream of muchroom soup ( use reduced fat for healthier option)
1/4cup milk
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1lb (1/2 of 32-oz pkg.) frozen bite-size seasoned potato nuggets ie. Tater Tots!

1) Heat oven to 375 deg F. Brown meat with onions in skillet, stirring occasionally; drain.
Spoon into 8-inch square baking dish.

2) Mix soup and milk; pour over meat mixture. Top with layears of mixed vegetables, cheese and potatoes.

3) Bake 45mins or until potatoes are golden brown and casserole is heated thru.

Cheesy Chicken & Salsa Skillet

2008-11-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

(Taken off Kraft Food & Family magazine)

This is so simple to make. And good for you too!

prep: 10min. Total: 30min. Makes: 4 servings, 2 cups each

What you need:
2 cups multigrain penne pasta (or any small pastas, like shell or macaroni), cooked
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/4 cups Chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 large green pepper, cut into short thin strips
1 cup shredded mexican style cheese / cheddar cheese

1) Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-heat.
Add chicken; cook and stir 2 min.
Stir in salsa, corn and peppers.
Bring to boil. Simmer on med-low heat 10 mins. or until chicken is cooked thru, stirring occasionally.

2) Add cooked pasta to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese.
Remove from hear; cover. Let stand 1 min. or until cheese is melted.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies Balls

2008-11-22T17:52:00.001-08:00

The name is quite a mouthful but boy, do they taste so good.

And easy to make too!

I got this recipe off the O magazine (Oprah's mag), and she suggests that this would make a lovely Christmas gift (or for any occasion) when wrapped up in gift paper as such:

I made this tonight to try it out and Jesse loved it, and so did I. I'm not a big fan of peanut butter, but I think this is even way better than regular rice krispies treats.

Here's what you need:
2 (1.4-ounce) chocolate-covered toffee candy bars e.g Heath
2 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
16 regular-size marshmallows
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Canola oil

1) Leaving candy bars in wrappers, use a rolling pin to pound and crush bars into small pieces. Place Rice Krispies in a large bowl and set aside.

2) Place peanut butter in a medioum-size microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high until hot, about 45 seconds.
Add marshmallows and microwave on high until softened, about 30 seconds.
(Alternatively, place peanut butter and marshmallows in a heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.)

3) Working quickly, stir to combine mixture with Rice Krispies. Stir until evenly coated.
Add crushed candy bars and chocolate chips. Stir until combined.

Coat your hands with oil and shape mixture into spheres the size of golf balls, making 16 treats. Pack in decorative tins or arrange on waxed-paper-lined wrappers and tie ends with ribbon. The balls will keep up to one week at room temperature.

( Makes 16 balls )

Cajun Chicken

2008-06-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are always great for you!

Very low in fat, and the protein in chicken helps build muscle.

What you need:

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cajun seasoning
2 tbsp italian seasoning
2 tbsp lemon pepper
garlic powder, to taste
10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness

Mix all ingredients and marinade for 1/2 hr in the fridge, covered.
Grill or oven bake 350 deg F for 15-20 mins.

Sloppy Joes

2008-06-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

What you need:

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp brown sugar
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
dash of worcestershire sauce

Brown ground beef, onion and green pepper. Drain fat.
Stir in other ingredients, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 mins.
Season with salt & pepper.
Serve between burger buns!

The art of hard-boiling eggs

2008-06-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

This method is fool-proof. I followed the steps and my eggs came out perfect!

Hard-boiled egg yolks are supposed to be yellow.

If the yolks turn out with a grey outer-layer, they are over-boiled.

You know, I used to go to Malay weddings all the time when I was little and we would get hard-boiled eggs to bring home, and the yolks always came with a grey outer-layer.

And I always thought that's how hard-boiled eggs are supposed to look like.

Now I know different. Lol.

Place eggs in single layer in saucepan.
Cover with at least 1-inch of cold water over top of shells.

Cover saucepan with lid and bring to a boil over medium heat.

As soon as the water comes to a full boil, remove from heat and let stand.

Let stand in hot water (covered) for 15-17 mins.

Drain off hot water.

Immediately cover with cold water and add some ice.

Let stand until completely cooled (hard-boiled).

For soft-cooked eggs, at step 5: Let stand in hot water 1 - 4 mins, depending on your taste. Skip step 8.

Tips!

2008-06-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

If you're trying to peel off the garlic skin and it doesn't come off easily, place the knife blade flat-side down on the garlic and smash it with a little force.

The skin will come off easily. (Rachael Ray viewers totally know this!)
When browning ground beef, add a teaspoon of water to the skillet. It will help pull the grease (fat) away from the meat while cooking.
This one I thought of myself. I don't know if there's any truth to this, but it always, always works for me. It's the old "how to not tear up when chopping up onions" question.

Well my answer is to chop onions with contact lenses on!

Everytime I chop onions with my contacts on, my eyes don't sting and I don't tear up all.

Glasses don't do the trick tho.

Yeah that's all I got for today!

Mrs Geraldine's Ground Beef Casserole

2008-06-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know who Mrs Geraldine is, but all I know is she has a recipe that is oh so good!

Found this recipe online by the way.

This is one of my favourite pasta recipes (that I know how to make) bcos it doesn't weigh you down after you eat it, like how most other pasta recipes do. And you don't miserable after your meal (unless you eat way too much of course!).

It's got plenty of veges in it, so it's good for you!

And I took some pictures too for some of the steps! =p I do not have a pic of the end (baked) product bcos I kinda left it in the oven a little too long this time so the cheese kinda browned. Not so picture perfect.

Jesse like it that way tho. He liked the cheese a little browned and crispy.

What you need:

1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers (capsicum)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 (8 oz) can mushrooms
2 tbsp brown sugar, or sweet pickle juice
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup sharp (or mild) shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz) package thin spaghetti, cooked
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
salt & pepper

Brown meat with garlic. Drain off fat.

Add onions, pepper and celery, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer in skillet for one hour.

Place cooked pasta in bottom of large casserole dish.

Spoon mushroom soup over pasta and toss to evenly coat pasta with soup.

Pour sauce over soup + pasta mixture and top with cheese.

Bake in oven 350 deg F for 30-45 minutes.

Can sizes do not have to be exact. Just as long as they are within a close range, everything will work out.

Cheeseburger Soup

2008-05-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty country American soup i think. For those who are not familiar with it, it's not literally cheeseburger dunked in soup! Lol There is cheddar cheese and burger meat(ground beef) in the soup, hence the name cheeseburger.

And it's a pretty healthy meal too (I think! haha) cos of all the veges and stuff in it. And just a bowl of it fills me up pretty good!

What you need:

1/2 lb ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley

4 tbsp butter/margarine

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 cups cubed potatoes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups cubed cheddar cheese (or shredded, don't really matter)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

In large pot, melt 1 tsp butter, cook & stir veges & beef, till beef is brown. Drain fat.
Stir in basil & parsley. Add broth & potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer till potatoes are tender, about 10-12 mins.
In separate bowl, melt remainder butter & stir in flour. Add milk, stirring til smooth and clear of lumps.
Gradually add milk mixture to soup, stirring constantly. Bring to boil & reduce heat to simmer.
Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream & heat thru. Do not boil.
Serve hot in a bowl and top with croutons. Yum!

Metric converter

2008-05-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a link for metric conversion for those that use celsius instead of fahrenheit, Kg instead of pounds, etc.

Metric converter

It will be added to my favourite links on the sidebar for your easy access.

Easy Tuna Casserole

2008-05-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture for this one yet, but it's easy to make.

Casseroles are easiest to make because all you gotta do is throw a bunch of things in a baking dish, pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes and voila! Dinner is ready.

Serve it with veges on the side, of course, for that nutrients and vitamins that you need! =p

What you need for this recipe:

3 cups cooked macaroni / 1 pack cooked egg noodles

2 (6oz.) cans tuna, drained

1 (10.75oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (10.75oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cup french fried onions

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
In medium bowl, mix soups, milk, mayo, powders and S & P well.
Combine number 2 mixture with macaroni & tuna in 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Mix well and top with cheese.
Bake for about 25 minutes til bubbly.
Sprinkle with fried onions, and bake for 5 minutes more.

Chicken Tortilla Stew

2008-05-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Time to add a little spicy Mexican flavour to your dinner plate!

What you need:

4 to 5 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (abt 6 cups)

3 cans (14 fl. oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cans (10 oz. each) mild/hot red or green chile enchilada sauce [I always get the hot red sauce]

1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk

2 cups matchsticks or shredded carrots

1 cup uncooked long or medium grain rice

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

1 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips

Fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onions (optional)

Combine broth, enchilada sauce, evaporated milk, carrots, rice and cumin in large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture begins to simmer.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 - 20 mins, sirring occasionally, until rice is tender.

Add chicken and corn; stir well.

Spoon into serving bowls; top each serving with tortilla chips, cilantro leaves and green onions, if desired.

Makes enough for about two 4-5 serving meals.

Tips

2008-05-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

Basic tips when handling chicken/poultry:

Wash hands and utensils (knife, cutting board) thoroughly after handling raw chicken to decrease risk of salmonella infection.

Salmonella infections usually are caused by eating under-cooked poultry or eggs, or other foods that have been contaminated by raw poultry or eggs.

For example, if you handle raw chicken on a cutting board and then prepare salad vegetables on the same surface, you could contract Salmonella from eating the salad.

Therefore always cook poultry and eggs thoroughly.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

2008-05-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe is taken off the Kraft food & family magazine that I got. The picture is taken off there too.

I tried this recipe like a week ago and Jesse LOVED it. Great for quick lunch. I even made it a second time already. It is that good and easy to make.

You will need:

1lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts for the healthier option)
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup Kraft original barbecue sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 French bread baguette, 16 to 20-inches long [you can substitute with italian bread]
4 Kraft cheese singles [or substitute it with velveeta cheese]

Cook chicken and onions in lightly greased skillet on medium-high heat for 8 mins, stirring occasionally.
Add barbecue sauce, water and sugar; stir. Reduce heat to medium; cover. Cook an additional 7 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165 deg F)
Remove chicken from ckillet. Shred chicken with 2 forks or chop into small pieces. Return to skillet; stir until evenly coated with sauce.
Cut baguette crosswise into 4 pieces. Cut each piece lengthwise in half. Fill with chicken mixture and cheese singles.

Makes 4 servings, 1 sandwich each.

Welcome to my cooking blog!

2008-05-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Last night in bed I had this brilliant idea of jotting down all my recipes on a blog. Well it's not THAT brilliant an idea. Lol it's a no-brainer, really. Quite practical for me.

For one, when I put them online, it will never disappear/burn in some unfortunate incident/etc lol! Hey you gotta think for the worst. =p

Second, when I go back to Singapore, I won't have to lug my cookbooks and recipe books, in case I wanna cook for my sisters or friends. Hey, I'm no seasoned cook, I unfortunately don't have recipes off the top of my head, I'm still learning!

Cooking is a new-found passion for me; and in this blog I will occassionally add cooking tips for people who might be beginners, or just tips that could be useful to any cook really.

Bon appetit, mon ami!