Sweet Potato & Leek Soup

Hellos!

I am back with another soup recipe, remember back in Dec 2009 I made Potato Leek Soup well here is another version using not potatoes but sweet potato! I made a pot of this for mum when she wasn't well ... errr long time back - early 2010 and I made it again last weekend... A great diet soup as it fills you up.

The main thing is that it came out as wonderful as using potato and the taste just right! I expected it to be sweet but it wasn't.... So, here is my recipe to share...

Ingredients:
3 medium size sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 medium size leeks, diced
2 large onions, diced
Water
1 chicken stock cube
salt and pepper for taste

Method:
1. Place the diced sweet potatoes, leeks, onions and the chicken stock cube in a pot.
2. Pour in the water till it covers all the ingredients and boil until it turn soft.
3. Once it is soft, blend the soup and return it back to the pot to simmer another 5 minutes.
4. Season the soup with salt and pepper for taste. Serve it hot or warm :)

Yums in my tums!

Keeping Sane!

As some know I cook and bake to stay sane and looking at my blog posts it seems I haven't been cooking haven't I?. I have, it is just I haven't got the time to post them.

No worries I am back! So be prepared for some culinary journey of a middle management executive in the year 2010....

Pssstttt...... Been making lots of hearty filling soup for the soul :)...Will share more :D

Recipe: Mille Crepe Cake

My Masterpiece

This was my challenge last weekend... Beautiful right....and taste heavenly too... I did a post on this cake here and here. So, now to share this awesome recipe... So easy, I got it from What's Cooking America. Go ahead and try it!

Crepe Batter:

6 tablespoons butter

3 cups milk

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

7 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch salt

NOTE: Prepare the crepe batter either several hours or one day in advance.

In a small pan, melt the butter until lightly browned; remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate, small pan, warm the milk until steaming; remove from heat and set aside to allow to cool slightly. 

In a large bowl using your electric mixer at a low speed, mix together the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt. Slowly add in the warm milk and browned butter. Pour the batter into a tightly-sealed container to refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Pastry Creme Filling:

1 egg

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon hot water

2 tablespoons heavy cream, whipped

In a small bowl, add egg, flour, sugar, and cornstarch; beat until smooth.

In a saucepan over low heat, bring milk almost to a boil (simmer). Immediately remove from heat and slowly whisk the milk into the egg mixture. Return all ingredients to the saucepan, while constantly stirring, for about 5 minutes, until thickened and comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add vanilla extract and hot water; stir until dissolved into the mixture. Set aside to cool until firm.

When the Pastry Creme has cooled, fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate mixture until thick (best if refrigerated overnight).

Assembly of 20-Layer Crepe Cake:

Crepe Batter

Pastry Creme Filling

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Powdered (confectioners') sugar

To prepare and cook the crepes, remove the Crepe Batter from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a nonstick or lightly-oiled crepe pan over medium-low heat. Evenly distribute approximately 3 tablespoons Crepe Batter; swirl to cover the surface of the pan. Cook approximately 1 minute or just until the bottom of the crepe becomes lightly browned. Using your clean fingers, gently and carefully turn the crepe over and continue cooking for a few minutes longer.. Cook on the other side of the crepe for no longer than 5 seconds. Remove the cooked crepe onto a prepared baking sheet (do not stack the crepes on top of each other). Repeat this process until you have 20 perfect crepes. NOTE: You might need to prepare a few practice crepes in the beginning.

Remove the Pastry Creme Filling from the refrigerator. Whip the 2 cups of heavy cream with the 1 tablespoon sugar. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled and thickened Pastry Creme Filling.

Place one (1) prepared crepe on a large cake plate. With a small spatula or wide blade knife, completely cover the crepe with a thin layer of the pastry cream mixture (approximately 1/4 cup). Cover with another dry crepe and repeat covering with the pastry creme until you have reached 20 layers. The 20th crepe will be the last or top layer.

Refrigerate the prepared cake for a minimum of 2 hours. Allow to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered (confectioners' sugar).

When ready to serve, slice into individual servings. Garnish the plate with fresh berries.

Spaghetti with Tomato Plum Sauce

I have been making spaghetti with tomato sauce all the time but it is always differ from one another as I like experimenting with different kinds of tomato produce that is out there in the market. From fresh tomatoes to the pureed one and the canned souped one. I can never feel satisfied with the outcome as it was never the same compared to the restaurants one when we go out to eat.

Watching some of my favourite cooking shows on the Travel and Living and AFC channels, I noticed that when they make the tomato sauces for spaghetti these chefs uses plum tomatoes. I wondered why... So, I ventured out to get my hands on these plum tomatoes. Since I couldn't get them fresh, I opt for the canned version...Whole plum tomatoes in tomato juice.

Verdict: I must say using plum tomatoes are way better than any others. They make the sauce taste whole and awesome. Never again I am using any other....

Since I made this, I might as well share.... :) the recipe :))

Ingredients:
Spaghetti
1 can of plum tomatoes (I used whole ones)
Minced beef
1 clove of garlic, diced
2 onions, diced
10 Button mushrooms, sliced ( I like a lot of them)
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Oregano
Basil
Parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions.
2. Heat up the pan and add in the onions and garlic, cook until transparent.
3. Next, add in the minced beef - cook till done.
4. Once cooked add in the canned plum tomatoes. You can mash the tomatoes. I left mine looking roughly mashed as I love them looking like homemade :). Leave it for 5-7 minutes till it thickens up.
5. Add in the oregano, salt and pepper.
6. Depending how you like, one can serve the spaghetti and sauce separately or add the spaghetti into the sauce.
7. Garnish the spaghetti with basil, Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Ready to be served.

Aglio Olio - Basil, Bell Peppers and Beef Bacon

Aglio olio is basically pasta with olive oil and garlic. The magic of this pasta is that it can be transformed to any kind of pasta that you want it to be.... you can add mushrooms, veggies, shrimp and more according to your likes!

Mine I added some chili flakes, I like it with a bit of tang since I am Asian. I threw in a couple of things too - basil, bell peppers and beef bacon to give it some body.

Aglio Olio with Basil, Bell Peppers and Beef Bacon

Ingredients

A fist of  spaghetti

1/4 Cup of Olive oil

2 Cloves of garlic, sliced thinly (if you like more add in more)

Chili flakes

1 Bell pepper, sliced thinly

Beef bacon

Basil

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instruction but not to over cook it. Just about half cooked.

2. Heat a pan and cook the beef bacon till crisp with the olive oil.

3.Next add in the sliced garlic and chili flakes, cook till the garlic slice looks transparent.

4. Once the spaghetti is ready, drain and keep some of the water that the pasta was boiling in.

5. Add in the pasta into the pan full ingredients and add in the water bit by bit.

6. Then add in the bell peppers and season the pasta with salt and pepper.

7. Serve the pasta and garnish it with basil and Parmesan cheese.

Note: 

- Make sure you don't burn the garlic when cooking or you have a bitter taste pasta.

- Adding in the pasta water will help the binding of the pasta with the oil. It will look soupy but trust me it is ok once it's done

- I added in the bell peppers last because I wanted the crunchiness to be retained .