Simplied Version of 'Croque-Monsieur'

This is a very simple, quick to make meal.

Ingredients:

3 slices of bread
1 egg
1 piece of ham
1 piece of cheese
mixed herbs
pepper
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut a hole in the middle of 2 slices of bread (hole to be smaller than the size of ham or cheese)
2. Layer the bread. Bottom piece with no hole, then, put the layer of ham and cheese, top with the 2 slices of breads (with hole in the middle).
3. Crack an egg and drop it in the hole.
4. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and mixed herbs to taste.
5. Toast in a pre-heated oven of 160 degree Celsius, cook for 10 mins or till the egg cooked to the texture that you like.

My children love this, so I will put on a lower heat to make sure the egg is properly cooked and the bread is not too burnt!

Cornflake and Raisin Cookies

Children love them. Again, this is the recipe from AnncooJournal
Ingredients:
250g Butter
175g Icing sugar
1 Egg
1tsp Vanilla powder
350g Plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder
160g Cornflakes (crushed)
50g Black currant


Method:

• Combine plain flour, baking powder and vanilla powder together with the crushed cornflakes and black currant, set aside.
• Cream butter, egg and icing sugar together till white.
• Pour in all the plain flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
• Use spoon to scoop the mixture on to the baking tray.
• Bake at 180C for about 15 mins.
  
  

Roast Pork (Siew Yok)

Yummy yummy, gone in minutes! I followed the recipe from AnncooJournal


The receipe :-
1kg Pork belly (best with a little more fats) ~ clean, dry & cut into half

1/2 tbsp Coarse sea salt

1/2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tbsp Five spice powder

1 tbsp Rice wine (Shaoxing or White rice wine)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined

Method:

• Score the flesh part (not the skin) of the pork belly lightly in diagonal lines and rub in the marinade well.
• Place the marinated side down on a container so it can sit and absorb the flavors.
• Use a skewer or satay stick to poke repeatedly on the skin, then rub more salt on the skin only.
• Marinate the pork belly uncovered for several hours or overnight in the fridge so that the skin will dry completely.
• When ready to cook, pat dry if there is any moisture left on the skin and place pork in the middle of the oven. Remember to place a foil and pan underneath to enable fat to drip into the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 45 mins then switch temperature to 200C for another 20 mins.
• The skin will get slightly burnt and charred.
• Once cooked, remove pork from oven, scrape off any burnt parts with  knife ( and leave to rest for 10 mins before chopping

Cooking

I am never a very adventurous cook. Most meals are simple and easy to prepare type of cooking. Our Filipino maids, they are not really good cook. When I discussed with my friends about the maids' cooking, they asked me whether I noticed or not, there are hardly any Filipino restaurants around. Yeah! that's explained whey their cooking are not the best. 

I usually prepared western meal for dinner includes chops, steaks, pasta, fish and occasionally 1 night with fried noddles or tom yam noddles. I cook rice and dishes mostly on Saturday and Sunday. The children's meals are mainly cook by the maids. They usually have rice or porridge with some meat, vegetables or soup and sometimes some simple western food like nuggets, fish and chips or sausages.

I started to be more adventurous when Jack started asking about making cupcakes and bring to school for his friends. I started with cupcakes, then muffin, then cookies, jelly, pudding, then finally ventured into other Western, Chinese dishes or anything that interest me, or the cooking method is not so complicated or the ingredients are not too difficult to find. I started this most probably 2 months ago. I started to have interest in recipe posted on blogs or website. 

I have previously done some other cooking but have forgotten to take some photos of them. However, last Sunday, I tried the roast pork (siew yok), so easy to make and also, a successful one! Then, I decided to make the cornflakes, raisin cookies, too! All Successful! Children loved them, maids and husband approved the roast pork. What can I say more! A very satisfied mother and wife!

So, I am going to share some of these recipes, which I have tried ( approved it) in separate posting. Hopefully, some mothers out there could have a go and enjoy the compliment from your children or family when it is a success case! Also, enjoy the moment to be able to do things with the children like making cupcakes or decorating the cakes!