~ Shrimp Alfredo

Taken from:
Tiff's

Description:
Simple alfredo sauce over prawns and spaghetti

Ingredients (serves 1):
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp of oil
8 prawns, deshelled and deveined
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/2 tbsp potato starch
Dash of pepper and salt (or herbs)
75 g wholemeal spaghetti
Handful of cabbage, chopped
Handful of corn

Directions:
1) Cook spaghetti in salted water till al dente. Add in cabbage and corn to blanch. Drain spaghetti and veggies and set aside.
2) Sauted garlic in oil till fragrant in a saucepan. Cook prawns till pink, and set them aside.
3) Dissolve starch in milk before adding to the saucepan. Bring to boil, and then simmer till desired consistency (~5-10 min) before adding in the prawns. Adjust taste with pepper, salt or herbs.
4) Pour alfredo sauce over spaghetti and veggies, and serve.

Remarks:

Great for one person, and throw in anything you like to the simple alfredo base :)

(alfredo base)
+

(spaghetti with veggies)

~ Toasted Tuna Sandwich

Taken from:
Tiff's

Description:
Filling sandwiches packed with heart-healthy tuna!

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 cans (185g) chilli tuna, drained
3 eggs, hardboiled and cubed
2 medium onions, diced
Lettuce leaves
Slices of processed cheese
Wholemeal bread slices

Directions:
1) Mix tuna, onions and egg together.
2) Place one slice of bread on one side of a sandwich maker. Top generously with tuna mixture, and place a slice of cheese and lettuce leaf on top before sandwiching with another piece of bread.
3) Do the same for the other side of the sandwich maker.
4) Process as per manufacturer's instructions.

5) Savour sandwiches hot with a cup of coffee/tea

Remarks:

I do not know why my family loves this sandwich, but I'm mightly glad that this simple dish can be so satisfying for them. Anyway, the sandwich maker is a good investment, as many types of fillings can be added and there is no hassle of cutting the sandwich into two (and burning one's fingers while trying to do so). I made an extra-special sandwich for myself. Guess what the filling is?

Peanut butter and cheese!!!

~ Gingered Pek Chye with Mushrooms

Taken from:
Tiff's

Description:
Quick greens to go with Mum's fried rice!

Ingredients:
2 bundles of Pek Chye, stalks and leaves separated
1 tbsp of ginger
1 big dried mushroom, soaked and sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce

Directions:
1. Fill pan with a thin layer of water, and add in ginger and mushroom. Cook for 5 min.
2. Place stalks in, cover and steam for 3 min, followed by leaves for another 3 min.
3. Add in soysauce and serve.

Remarks:

It's kinda spicy but it's a fast and healthy addition to any dish that lacks greens. Mum's fried rice's good, but the lettuce garnishing the dish will never be able to satisfy my appetite for veggies :)

Mum's fried rice seemed so much more appetising than my veggies:

~ Ham Sandwich (2)

Taken from:
Mum's

Description:
Ham sandwich, need I say more?

Ingredients:
1 medium tomato, sliced
2 sliced processed cheese
2 slices of picnic ham
1 lettuce leaf
1 tbsp of ketchup
2 slices of wholemeal bread

Directions:
1. Assemble ingredients in the order: 1 bread, 1 cheese, 2 ham, tomato, lettuce, 1 cheese, 1 bread.
2. Wrap sandwich in clingwrap to hold its shape and for easy mess-free enjoyment.

Remarks:

After drooling on Mum's ham sandwiches, I've decided to make them myself! Cheap and on-the-go! The recipe is very versatile, customise it the way you like it!

~ Egg Custard Pudding

Modified from:
Suite101

Description:
Smooth, creamy custard~

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 C milk
1 tbsp tapioca flour
1/2 tbsp sugar

Directions:
1. Scald 3/4 C milk in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Beat egg and sugar. Dissolve tapioca flour in milk and stir into the egg mixture.
3. Pour the scalded milk into (2) and whisk for even heat distribution to avoid egg coagulation/clumping.
4. Once smooth, bring the mixture back to the stove, stirring till desired consistency.
5. Serve warm or cold.

Remarks:

To me, it's a protein meal! I had this for my breakfast and gosh I was so full after which! I added 1/2 tbsp of sugar (original was 1 tbsp) after being in a dilemma for quite some time over whether or not to omit the sugar. The custard may seem runny when its hot, but it will get thicker once cooled. Don't let the innocent-looking picture fool you with its smooth runny-like surface! The custard turned out really thick (depending on how much time you want to cook it), and egg-licious~ Some other spices/condiments such as cinnamon or nutmeg could be added, but it was so good warm that I just licked it clean before I can do anything else to it! Never knew egg custard can be this easy to make! Next time I shall try the caramel egg bread pudding!

The pudding firmed up slightly after refrigerator. But the sweetness and eggy taste seemed to be milder. I still prefer the warm version :)

~ Ham Sandwich

Mum's yummy sandwiches! I didn't eat any as I had my oatmeal before Mum made them and that Bro greedily took extra for himself! Nevertheless, I just took a picture as they looked really tempting! The secrets to successful food preparation? A dedicated mind and soul, a good recipe, a kitchen of fresh ingredients, and a ravenous eater (aka M.E.).

~ Mixed Veggie Sauce on Spaghetti

Modified from:
Allrecipes and Suite101

Description:
Fusion of Ratatouille and Marrakesh vegetable curry minus the curry~

Ingredients:
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium carrot, sliced
200 g baked beans with sauce
30 g baby French beans, sliced
Some cabbage leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp raisins
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1. Fill the bottom of a heavy saucepan with some water, and bring to boil.
2. Add in sliced carrots, tomatoes, eggplant and ginger to steam them for around 10 min, stirring occasionally and making sure that the water does not run dry.
3. Add in cabbage and french beans and cook for another 5 min.
4. Stir in baked beans with sauce and also the raisins, and simmer for 5 - 10 min more.
5. Cook spaghetti in salted water till al dente.
6. Toss spaghetti in sauce and serve warm.

Remarks:
It's just a medley of items that I have to clear from the fridge. I particularly liked the raisins inside and thus added more for sweetness. Sauce-wise, it's ok for me but Mum doesn't like the taste at all though.

Ended my spaghetti breakfast with an orange juice and milk shake (1:1):

~ Simple Fruit Salad

Taken from:
-

Description:
Simple salad tossed in Nature's finest - lemon juice!

Ingredients:
1 plum, diced
1 apple, diced
1 bunch of grapes, halved
Juice of a 0.5" slice of lemon

Directions:
1. Toss all together and refrigerate for at least half an hour to let the flavours blend before serving with a dollop of yoghurt or cream.

Remarks:

Just tossed whatever I can dig out of the fridge together to get this refreshing and light dessert after breakfast! No cream for me though!

I adore the lemon juice stained violet at the bottom of the bowl after I've finished my fruits~ Tasted just like lemonade sweetened with natural fruit sugars and made me so happy! ^ ^ (before bad news befall on me during the day and i find that Life is so unfair to me!)

~ Egg Oatmeal

Modified from:
Chowhound forum

Description:
An unusual oatmeal variation with an egg boost!

Ingredients:
1/2 C milk
1/4 C oatmeal
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Cook oatmeal and milk together.
2. Add a small amount (1 tbsp) of oatmeal mix into the beaten egg, and stir into the oatmeal mix on the stove. Cook and stir till desired consistency. Serve warm.

Remarks:

Eggy and custardy! But it's a tad bit dry as I left it on the stove for too long. Try not to cook till the egg is coagulated, do the way like how you would scramble an egg - slightly runny and not dry.

~ Red Bean (Kachang) Milk Konnyaku Jelly

Modified from:
Belachan

Description:
Kachang encased in pearly jelly~

Ingredients:
1/2 C red beans, soaked overnight
1 package (150g) konnyaku jelly powder (prepacked with sugar)
Milk

Directions:
1. Boil red beans in water till soft but not mushy.
2. Remove the red beans and retain the liquid. Add the red beans into the moulds.
3. Try to evaporate some of the liquid till 300ml by boiling, and pour into a measuring cylinder. Top up with milk till 550ml mark.
4. Bring the mixture to boil, stirring occasionally and turn down the heat.
5. Stir in the konnyaku powder and stir for 5 min.
5. Pour into prepared moulds and cool in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

Remarks:

I don't know why the red beans are such a pain in the butt! Despite soaking overnight, I had to cook them from 8am to 2pm to soften them! And they are totally overcooked without any taste but still hard as stones! Something must be wrong, maybe they have been sitting around in the cupboard for too long already? This of course affect the taste of the konnyaku, which turned out more like a pudding with some bland grainy red particles. The addition of milk made the jelly custardy and to my liking though!

Hope I can find some tips on de-moulding the jellies, for I always destroy the smooth surface with my clumsiness =x

~ Steamed Banana Cake

Modified from:
Amanda's

Description:
Spongy and moist banana cake.

Ingredients:
60 g sugar
2 eggs
150 g flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 bananas, mashed
2 tbsp oil

Directions:
1. Whisk eggs and sugar till ribbon stage, and stir in mashed bananas.
2. Sift dry flour and powders together, and stir into the banana mixture.
3. Stir in oil carefully and make sure that it is well-incorporated before pouring into a well-greased and floured tin.
4. Steam on high heat for 45 min.

Remarks:

Images are deceiving. If only the cake can taste as well as it looked! I think that I didn't whisk the eggs and sugar till ribbon stage and that I didn't mix the oil in well, resulting in a dense collapsed "undercooked" cake. Perhaps the raising agents were too much and I over-estimated the steaming time. Changes I would make: Steam for 20-25 min; add in one tsp of banana essence, omit one egg, change to 100 g flour, add one or two tbsp of oil more.

These few days I'm so tired. How I wish I can just rest and relax like the kitty that I've been seeing lately while climbing up the stairs home:

~ Steamed Tofu

Modified from:
Crystal

Description:
Smooth, delicate tofu dish~

Ingredients:
100g firm tofu, steamed or boiled
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp bonito flakes
Parsley

Directions:
1. Mix soysauce and oil together in the serving bowl.
2. Place tofu over and top with sesame seeds, parsley and bonito flakes.
3. Serve warm or cold (after refrigeration).

Remarks:

Simple steps, simple taste, simply healthy.

But I don't like the soysauce with sesame oil taste =x

~ Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

Modified from:
Allrecipes

Description:
A taste of India~ vegan and spicy

Ingredients:
1 small eggplant
1 tomato, diced
2 leaves of bok choy, chopped
1 handful of baby French beans, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 med onion
1/2 tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp curry powder (with salt)
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 tsp mixed herbs
1/4 milk

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients except the milk in a claypot. Bring to boil (carefully as a claypot is very unpredictable), and simmer for 15 min.
2. Stir in milk and bring to boil again before serving with rice or bread.

Remarks:

Whoa I almost developed GERD from this! A real spicy kick! I served it with a toasted wholemeal bread (and prayed that I wouldn't get a tummyache as it was expired 3 days ago), and an apple after which. It didn't taste like the ones that I have tried before from Indian stalls, but it's still a notable first attempt at making vegetable curry and there was not weird aftertaste or dryness in the mouth or throat too (msg-free)!

I've tried to reduce the portions but the final quantity was still suitable for two people. So here's one more bowl for your viewing pleasure:

Despite the rave review, I still feel that a good curry requires a little meat to truly bring out the flavour, say, chicken! ^ ^ and also a very good curry powder mix. Mine's ok only, hope I'll be able to find some nice mixes next time around!

~ Veggies and Raisin Oatmeal

A random and lazy breakfast :p I amaze myself sometimes over the things I do:

May I grow tall with every weird breakfast I take! So that I can pluck the mangoes found wasting on trees planted by the government, and pickle them in spicy vinegar sauce:

~ Fruited Curry Chicken Salad

Modified from:
Allrecipes

Description:
Tasty curried chicken salad to tickle your tastebuds!

Ingredients:
100 g chicken fillets, cooked and diced
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp dried raisins
25 seedless red grapes, halved
3/4 apple, chopped
2 1/2 tbsp miracle whip
1 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:
1. Mix all together, adjusting proportions to one's taste and refrigerate overnight.

Remarks:

I like more curry powder in my salad so I added more~ Omitted the onions to avoid any bad breath throughout the day and there was no celery and nuts at home argh!

~ Tofu Sandwich Spread

Modified from:
Suganya

Description:
Spicy vegan tofu sandwich filling~

Ingredients:
150 g silken tofu, drained well
1/4 C red/green peppers, diced
1/2 carrot, shredded
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp chilli flakes (depending on preference)

Directions:
1. Drain tofu well by squeezing it between kitchen towels.
2. Mash it well into cream-like consistency, and mix in everything else before refrigerating for at least 30min.
3. Serve on toasted bread and with a smile :)

Remarks:

I modified much of the original post for simplification and accommodation to the limited varieties of ingredients in Mum's kitchen. It's quite a novel taste for my palate, but I seem to like it.

~ Mum's Fish Curry

Taken from:
Mum's

Description:
Fish and veggie curry served with warm wholemeal bread~

Ingredients:
-

Directions:
-

Remarks:

Yummy~ I love Mum's homemade fish curry!

~ Pappa al Pomodoro (with tofu)

Modified from:
Dinner Tonight and Sparkpeople

Description:
Tuscan tomato bread soup, with a tofu and parsley twist :)

Ingredients:
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Handful of red and green peppers
150 g silken tofu, mashed (optional)
1 piece of stale wholemeal bread, cubed
1 tbsp parsley, chopped (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1. Bring everything to boil except bread. Simmer till the onions are translucent (if you can see any), and stir in the parsley. Try to mash up any chunks, or puree the soup before returning to boil.
2. Take off the stove and stir in bread cubes, or just dip the bread in soup.

Remarks:

Disclaimer: The recipes I provide are based on what I used to make the dish and I'm not responsible for ruining the taste of any traditional recipe. For true-blue authentic recipes, please refer to the source stated under "Modified from" or "Adapted from". =]

In this case, I've substituted the basil that the original recipe called for with parsley and also thrown in some tofu to jack up the protein content and to thicken the soup. The results? Lip-smacking good. (though I had to cover my mouth the whole day)

Ended breakfast with a finale - fruit cocktail with a generous heap of smooth Thepprasit honey: