Nutella Ice Cream (3 Ingredients and A Hand Whisk)

*Warning* This recipe is extremely fattening! =)

What happens when you have 1 1/2 tubs of Nutella and kids don’t like it spread on bread? And you don’t like the idea of your kids eating the Nutella straight from the jar? Nutella ice cream is the answer … hehehe

This is so easy to make I am going to make some more. Probably with different flavour too … No ice-cream machine needed, just a hand mixer will do.

Ingredient

1 1/2 cup (300ml) thickened cream or heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup condensed milk (I find it too sweet. You may want to reduce the amount further.)

1 cup Nutella (I supposed 3 tablespoon sifted unsweetened cocoa powder also can. I have not tested this though)

I used this thickened cream

Method

1) Use the hand mixer, beat thickened cream and condensed milk till soft peak (Do not over-beat otherwise the ice cream will not formed. You know you have over-beat the cream when it is lumpy).

2) Add in Nutella (or cocoa powder), continue to beat at lowest speed till well mixed and became pale brown mousse.

3) Pour into container and put in freezer for 4-5 hours, overnight even better.

Adapted from: Nicko's Kitchen

Working As Stay-At-Home-Mom VS Working In Corporate

Yes, I'm a stay-at-home-mom.
Go ahead and ask me what
I do all day long. I dare you.

Solely from the perspective of a SAHM ... that's yours truly =)

On relationship with bosses

Corporate: Friends. Some even very close friends, lunch or drinking kaki.

SAHM: Knows them since they were born. It’s their flesh and blood.

On appraisal review

Corporate boss: You have done well in this KPI, but you still need to improve on this this and this and also go the extra mile before I will even CONSIDER giving you an increment.

SAHM’s boss: Mom, I don’t like this dish you cook today. But it’s ok mom, I still love you.

On reward

Corporate boss: Reward? What reward? You get paid to do your job and do it well!

SAHM’s boss: Hugs and kisses everyday (usually bear hugs).

On job security

Corporate boss: Company is restructuring. There is a voluntary separation scheme and I have volunteered you.

SAHM’s boss: I can’t live without you, mom.

On importance of KPI

Corporate: My KPIs is to achieve 5mil revenue. Your KPIs are so easy. Only need to cook, do house chores and look after kids.

SAHM: If you don’t achieve your KPI, the company won’t die. If I don’t achieve my KPI my children may get hurt/sick/suffer. Or grew up becoming a useless person. By the way, the 5mil doesn't go into your wallet you know ... 

On importance of role

Corporate: I work till 10pm every night and I still have 20 days annual leaves that needs to be cleared.

SAHM: I work 24x7, 365 days a year ... with no annual leaves.

On taking leaves

Corporate: I can’t take leave. I have this important project going on. Your schedule is very flexible, can take leave anytime.

SAHM: Your project can be taken over by anyone if need be. My children cannot be taken over by anyone else.

At the end of each day

SAHM: Go to bed with their boss(es) every night feeling grateful that they are well taken care of.

Corporate: Go to sleep at night (not with your bosses please) thinking how to settle tomorrow’s battle in the office.

Share if you like or agree :) 

Baked Chicken Parcel

Got this recipe from a very good friend when I first started cooking. Need fresh chicken leg. The fresher the chicken, the better the sauce will be. Simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes to prepare.

Sauce is delicious! Chicken meat should not dried up like this if skin is on.

The wrapped parcel. Can prepare ahead and keep in  fridge. Bring out and bake one hour before meal time because it takes about 40-50 minutes to bake.

Ingredient

1 fresh chicken leg. I removed skin but it would taste juicier and look nicer with skin on.

Potatoe, sliced

Onion, sliced

Bunashimeji mushroom

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Aluminium foil large enough to wrap all the ingredients

* Amount of potatoe, onion and mushrooms are according to individual preference. I put more onion because it makes the sauce sweet and tastier.

Method

1) Arrange potatoes on the foil as the bottom layer.

2) Then put onions and mushrooms on top of the potatoes.

3) Pour 2 tsp olive oil all over the potatoes, onion and mushrooms. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

4) Place chicken leg on top. Sprinkle a little more salt, pepper and olive oil on the chicken.

5) Fold the sides of the foil over the ingredients to form a parcel (everything should be wrapped in the foil).

6) Arrange the parcel on a baking pan. Bake at 180 degree celsius for about 40-50 minutes. Larger chicken takes longer time.

* Each parcel serves 1 person.

** I am using a convection oven.

Simple egg and shredded chicken meal

Busy morning so this will have to do for lunch. It's good to also let children learn to appreciate even simple meal. 所谓简单是福!

This is so simple don't think anyone need a recipe =)

Mac and Cheat

Yep, I sticked to my principle of speed and simplicity, although canned cream of mushroom soup may not be the healthier choice ... LOL

You heard right. I cheated ... by using canned cream of mushroom soup as the sauce hehehe ...

Shredded chicken meat. Girls love this and been stealing it before I assemble the dish.

Ingredient

1 canned cream of mushroom soup
200gm elbow macaroni
1 piece (about 100gm) boneless skinless chicken breast meat
Some salt
Some parsley flakes

Method

1) Boil a small pot of water till bubbling. Salt the water generously. This is to season the chicken while it is boiling in the water. Put in whole piece of chicken meat and let it continue to boil at medium heat. About 10-15minutes. Dish out and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred the chicken meat by hand. Set aside.
2) Prepare canned cream of mushroom soup according to instruction. Set aside.
3) Boil a pot of water till bubbling. Salt the water generously. Pour in macaroni and simmer on medium heat according to packet suggested timing, or according to texture you prefer. When done, drain water.
4) Now assemble. Add shredded chicken meat into the macaroni, pour in mushroom soup and garnish with parsley flakes.

Lo Han Guo Drink 罗汉果

It supposed to help with relieving cough

Ingredient

1 luo han guo fruit, crack open
2.5L water
American ginseng "beard" (optional)
Cane rock sugar (optional)

Method

1) Boil water till bubbling.
2) Add in luo han guo and ginseng.
3) Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4) Add rock sugar to taste. Let the rock sugar dissolve then stir well.
5) Serve warm or chilled in fridge. I prefer to serve warm since usually when I boil this it means kids are coughing.

Corn in Bowl ... =P

I use the left over corn from the corm soup I made, add butter and salt.

And tada ... corn in cup, in my case a bowl ... 

Steamed Minced Meat with Preserved Vegetable

I don't have spring onion, so I garnished with parsley flakes instead ... LOL

Ingredient

300gm minced pork

1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tbsp of shaoxing wine

2 tbsp of preserved vegetables (菜圃), roughly minced
1/2 tbsp of corn flour dissolve into 2 tbsp water
Dash of pepper (a large dash I would say)
Parsley flakes to garnish

Method

1) Mix everything together. Put in a deep plate and shape according to your liking :)

2) Boil water until bubbling.

3) Lower heat. Put in pork and steam for about 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the your pork.

4) Dish out, garnish and serve hot. The sauce is yummy!

Adapted from: http://www.nyonyacooking.com/steamed-minced-pork-with-tianjin-preserved-vegetables/

Watercress with Pork Bone Soup 西洋菜猪骨汤

下火汤

Ingredient

200gm watercress vegetable, washed and end trimmed

250gm pork bone or pork rib

1 dried cuttlefish (optional)

8-10 pitted red dates

Some wolves berries 

2.5L water

Salt to taste

Method

1) Boil pork in water for about 5min to remove all the dirty scum.
2) Boil 2.5L water in pot until bubbling. Add in pork, watercress, dried cuttlefish, red dates and wolves berries.
3) Reduce flame to low and continue to boil for about 40 minutes.
4) Season with salt to taste.

Winter Melon Soup 冬瓜汤

冬瓜瘦肉榣柱 ...  落足料!

Ingredient (Forgot to measure the ingredients, so have to guesstimate =P)

Lean pork meat, cut into big pieces

Winter melon, cut into big pieces

4 big dried scallops

8 dried longan

8 red dates

Water

1 tablespoon soya sauce

Salt to taste

Method

1) Boil water in pot. Once boiling, add in all ingredients.

2) Continue to boil for 15 minutes in high heat.

3) Lower to simmer and cover pot. Let it simmer for 2 hours.

4) 10 minutes before turning off heat, add in 1 tablespoon of soya sauce & salt to taste.

5) Serve ... *slurp* ...

Cereal Chicken

Healthier version of cereal chicken ... pan-fried instead of deep-fried

Ingredient

300gm boneless chicken breast meat, pound with back of knife till meat is thiner
Some salt to season chicken breast meat
Some oil, for pan-frying chicken meat

3/4 cup Nestum cereal (original flavour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp milk powder
*Mix these ingredients together and stir thoroughly. Set aside.

1 bird's eye chilli, thinly sliced
8 sprigs curry leaves, remove stalks (important ingredient, do not omit)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Method

1) Season chicken breast meat with salt.
2) Heat oil in pan, then pan fry chicken breast meat till cooked (careful not to overcooked otherwise chicken would turn hard and difficult for kids to chew)
3) Dish out and let it cool. Use kitchen towel to dry out excess oil on the chicken meat (Drying is important otherwise the cereal mixture will be wet when you add in the chicken).
4) When chicken is cooled, cut into bite-size cubes.
5) Melt butter in pan till bubbling and lightly brown.
6) Add curry leaves and chilli. Fry over medium heat till fragrant.
7) Lower heat. Add cereal mixtures. Curry leaves should crisp up by this time. (Cereal mixtures burn quite fast, so ensure you reduce heat to low)
8) Add in the chicken cubes and thoroughly coat with cereal mixture.
9) Dish out and serve ...

Adapted from: http://kitchentigress.blogspot.sg/2011/02/how-to-make-cereal-butter-prawns.html

Stir-fry Shrimps in Tomatoe and Egg Sauce

This dish is very appetising. Kids will love the sauce on the rice ...

Ingredients

15-20 large shrimps

1 tablespoon oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

Sauce

2 tablespoon tomato sauce

2 tablespoon brown sugar (or to taste)

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Method

1. Clean shrimps, shelled and deveined.

2. Mix sauce and set aside. 

3. Heat oil in pan.

4. Add garlic and stir fry till lightly brown and fragrant.

5. Add sauce and bring to simmer.

6. Add in shrimps. Then immediately crack the egg and add into the pan.

7. Stir lightly till egg and shrimps are cooked. (Shrimps are cooked when it turns from translucent to solid white and pink)

Chrysanthemum Drink

Good stuff ... There is seriously no need to buy those overpriced bottled ones outside.

Added some honey suckle flower. In-law said this is good to reduce what Chinese refer to as "heat".

Ingredient

45gm chrysanthemum

About 3.5L water

A small handful honey suckle flower (optional)

Cane rock sugar to taste

Method

1) Bring water to bubbly boiled.

2) Add in chrysanthemum and honey suckle flower.

3) Let it continue to boil in high heat for about 5-10min.

4) Lower heat to medium low and simmer for another 20min.

5) Add in cane rock sugar to taste.