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Monday, 26 November 2012

Bacon Apple Stuffing Recipe


Bacon & Apple Stuffing Recipe


Bacon & Apple Stuffing Recipe

Serves 15-20 
Prep time: 30-60 minutes 
Cook time: 55 minutes 
Cool time: 10 minutes 
You’ll need: 15x10” baking dish

INGREDIENTS 
2 (12-ounce) packages bacon, chopped
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped finely
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2” cubes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely*
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped finely
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped finely
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped finely
2 (24-ounce) loaves white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2” cubes, dried**
5 cups chicken broth
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper 
*Tip: Substitute a teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh herbs.
**Drying Tip: Spread the bread cubes on baking sheets, and place in a pre-heated 300°F oven for 30-60 minutes. Allow them to cool before using in the recipe.
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Grease a 15x10” baking dish with butter and set aside.
  2. Place rack in the center of oven, and pre-heat to 400°F.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 12 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain and discard grease.
  4. Melt butter in the skillet, then sauté celery, onion and apples until softened, about 10 minutes.
  5. Add parsley, sage, thyme and marjoram. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
  6. Add bacon, bread cubes, chicken broth, eggs, salt and pepper to the large bowl and toss gently to evenly combine ingredients.
  7. Pour mixture into the baking dish, and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake again until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
  8. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Tip: To make up to 24 hours ahead, assemble stuffing in the dish, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stuffing sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, and remove plastic wrap before baking.

White Chocolate Cherry Cookies


White Chocolate Cherry Cookies




Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour $
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • large eggs $
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted $
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips 
  • 3/4 cup dried cherries

Preparation

  1. Place a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at time, mixing well after each addition; then add melted chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture. Stir in white chocolate and cherries.
  2. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly; then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread


Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread



Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits

Preparation

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour and salt just until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.
  2. 2. Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart, pressing down lightly on each one with a moistened palm.
  3. 3. Bake until cookies are firm and just golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Haystack Cookies


Haystack Cookies



Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (not all natural)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups cornflakes
  • 1/2 cup sweetened coconut, lightly toasted

Preparation

  1. In a large saucepan, stir together corn syrup, honey and peanut butter. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add cornflakes and toasted coconut to saucepan and stir until cereal is well coated with peanut butter mixture.
  2. Drop cornflake mixture by heaping teaspoons onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Transfer to refrigerator and let cool until firm, at least 20 minutes. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Friday, 9 November 2012

Honey Walnut Shrimp / Walnut Prawn Recipe

Honey Walnut Shrimp Walnut Prawn Recipe


Recipe: Honey Walnut Shrimp/Walnut Prawn


Ingredients:

1 lb. 31/40 count shrimp/prawn
1/2 cup Walnut halves (make sure you get the walnut halves)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon condensed milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 egg white
1/2 cup corn starch (for coating the prawn)
Oil for frying

For the Walnuts:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Method:
Peel and deveined the shrimp/prawn. Pat dry with paper towels, add the egg white, mix well with the shrimp and set aside.
Rinse the walnut halves with water, drain and set aside.
Heat up the water until it boils and add in the sugar.
Keep stirring until it turns thick and golden color and then add the walnut.
Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet/parchment paper to dry. (Regular paper will not work as the walnut will stick to it).
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.
Coat the shrimp with a thick layer of corn flour and then and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown. Remove the shrimps from the wok and drain on paper towels.
In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey, condensed milk and lemon juice.
Add shrimp and toss with the mayonnaise sauce.
Transfer to a serving plate and garnish the candied walnuts on top of the shrimp and serve immediately.

Chinese Honey Chicken

Chinese Honey Chicken

Chinese Honey Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
Oil, for deep-frying
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons of water, for sauce thickening
Salt and sugar to taste
Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Marinade:

1/2 teaspoon salt
3 dashes ground white pepper

Frying Batter:

1 egg white
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup water, ice cold
1 tablespoon peanut oil, or regular cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Honey Garlic Sauce:

2 cloves garlic, sliced or lightly bruised
1/3 cup pure honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine, or dry sherry wine
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup of water

Method:

Marinate the chicken cubes with the Marinade for 5 minutes.

Make the Frying Batter. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg white, and mix in the rest of the Frying Batter ingredients. Batter should not be lumpy, nor too runny, but smooth. Place another bowl with ice cubes underneath the frying batter bowl. Drop in the chicken cubes, mix well until they are well coated. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Prepare to make the Honey Garlic Sauce mixture. Mix all the sauce ingredients well and set aside.

Heat up a wok with deep-frying oil. Gently drop in the battered chicken cubes, one by one, making sure it is spread out to prevent sticking, overcrowding the wok, and not fried properly. Turn the heat down to medium-high, and continue to deep-fry until the color changes to golden brown and completely cooked. Dish out and drain on paper towels.

Reserve 3 tablespoons of deep-frying oil in the wok, and stir-fry the garlic until it is browned and the oil is fragrant. Dish out the garlic, and discard. Leave about 2-3 tablespoons of garlic oil in the wok.

Heat up the wok with the garlic oil from previous step, gently pour in the Honey Garlic Sauce mixture, and bring to a light simmer, add in the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce, give it a quick stir and adjust salt/sugar/water to taste.

Here, you can either dish out some sauce for dipping later and just keep enough to coat the fried chicken cubes in the wok, OR, toss in the chicken and briefly stir well, making sure the chicken is well coated in the sauce, dish out and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and serve. Alternatively, you can also keep the sauce separate from the chicken, and dip as you eat. Serve Chinese Honey Chicken with a bowl of hot steamed Jasmine rice or serve as is, with extra toasted sesame seeds to garnish.

General Tso’s Chicken

General Tso’s Chicken


General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

10 oz boneless skinless chicken meat (thigh or breast), cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup cornstarch
Oil for deep frying
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
3 slices peeled ginger, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
4-5 dried red chiles, rinsed and deseeded
2 stalks scallion, white-part only, cut into 1-inch lengths

Sauce:

2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine
1 scant tablespoon corn starch

Method:

Marinate the chicken meat with the Shaoxing wine and salt for 15 minutes. Mix all the ingredients for the Sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

Coat the chicken generously with the 1/3 cup cornstarch. Heat up the oil for deep-frying. Deep fry the chicken until they turn light brown. Dish out with a strainer, draining the excess oil by laying the chicken on a dish lined with paper towels.

Heat up a wok with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and dried chilies into the wok, stir-fry until you smell the spicy aroma of the chilies. Pour the sauce into the wok. When the sauce boils and thickens, add the chicken, stir to combine well with the sauce. Add the scallion and stir a few times, dish out and serve immediately.

Orange Chicken Recipe

Orange Chicken Recipe




Orange Chicken Recipe (Orange Peel Chicken)


Ingredients:

1/2 pound chicken breast (cut into bite-size cubes)
5 dried red chilies (cut into 1.5 inch length, seeded and soaked in warm water)
1 teaspoon minced orange zest
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 inch ginger (minced)
1 stalk scallion (use the white part only, cut into thin threads for garnishing)
2 teaspoons oil
Oil for deep frying

Orange Sauce:

1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
5 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon corn starch
Salt to taste

Frying Batter:

1/2 cup water
2 oz. all-purpose flour
1 oz. corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 egg
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 small pinch of salt

Method:

Mix the orange sauce ingredients and set aside.

Mix the frying batter and dip the chicken meat into the batter. Heat up a pot/wok of cooking oil. When the cooking oil is hot enough for frying, drop the chicken pieces into the oil and deep fry them until they turn golden brown or crispy. Transfer them out onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

In a wok, add 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and quickly stir-fry the minced garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add in the dried red chilies and toss around until you smell the spicy aroma. Follow by the minced orange zest and then chicken. Quickly stir the chicken around before adding the orange sauce mixture. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce thicken. Dish out, garnish with the scallion threads and serve immediately with steamed white rice.