IHCC: Chocolate Cookies

Been a while since I submitted any entries for anything. Since Xmas is coming closer, I decided to submit something for IHCC, using Donna Hay's recipe. I decided on her Candy Cane cookies since I was planning to let my gal do some deco for them.

It is quite a simple recipe, and I omit the melted and chopped chocolate as I don't want it  overly chocolatey for the kids. I have 2 upcoming trip for year end so don't want them falling sick again since they took a while to recover from episode of cough and flu.

I gave my gal some sweets and it sort of 'lure' my boy over who also wanna kpo a bit. He helped with putting some hearts sprinkles and licking his fingers as he does. Definitely a treat for him.

The cookie harden as it cool and it is quite soft when it is just out of oven. Advisable to let it cool on tray before removing them. I reduce the sugar slightly and it is not too sweet. The kids definitely enjoyed them..

I am submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC).

Chocolate Cookies (adapted, modified from Donna Hay)
110g Butter
150g Brown Sugar
150g Plain Flour (I use 100g plain and replace remaining with bread flour as I ran out of plain flour)
25g Coco powder
1 Egg
1tsp Vanilla Extract

2 mini candy came, crushed
1 mini pkt M&M
3 Caramel Eclairs
Some hearts sprinkles

1) Mix butter and sugar til light. Add in egg and vanilla extract.
2) Fold in flour and mix well.
3) Put spoonful of mixture n flatten slightly. Put on deco as desired.
4) Bake at 180deg for 15-20min. Cool on tray.

IHCC - Creamy Chix w/Apples, Carrots & Potatoes (Yotam Ottolenghi)

This week, I am using this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi cos the pic of the dish really makes me drool. I love the way the marinates, potatoes, carrots and Chix looks after roasting theme over stove. Simply delish. 

The chef uses Bay Leaves & Tarragon & Chervil to marinate the dish, but I couldn't find fresh Bay Leaves & Chervil so I substitute with Fresh Tarragon & Italian Herbs instead. I added a little lemon juice as usual to my Chix to make it less oily and appetizing. I omit mustard as the kids don't really like the taste of it. 

The end result yields a very yummy & fragrant Chix, and goes well with the butter croissant (tomato & hard-boiled egg with mayo dressing n cheese) that I got from Cold Storage. Try it, very easy to prepare and hassle-free meal when you want to be lazy yet serve a sumptuous dinner. I believe it can replaced the turkey tt we have for Thanksgiving. 

Creamy Chix w/Apples, Carrots & Potatoes (recipe from guardian.co.uk)

***i halve recipe for 1/2 chix***

20g unsalted butter
2½ tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and very finely chopped 
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 6cm x 3cm batons 
2 medium turnips, peeled, halved and cut into 2cm-wide wedges *omit & replaced with baby potatoes*
2 eating apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 3cm-wide wedges
2 medium pears, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 3cm-wide wedges *omit*
400ml good-quality chicken stock
2 tsp Dijon mustard *omit*
10g fresh tarragon tied in a bundle, plus 1 tsp extra chopped
10g chervil, tied in a bundle, plus 1 tbsp picked chervil leaves to garnish
2 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
8-10 skin-on boneless chicken thighs
3 tbsp double cream *i replaced with lo-fat milk*

**i replace the herbs in blue to Italian herbs**

1) Put butter & olive oil in pan, sauté onions, then add carrots & potatoes. Stirring occasionally. Add apples when carrots start to soften.

2) Add in stock, mix herbs, salt & black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4min. Then leave aside.

3) Heat up another pan, rub Chix with salt & black pepper with a little olive oil. Then roast the Chix in pan til it changes colour, about 4-6mins per side.

4) Take Chix and put into the same pan with the veg, pushing it down to cover with the stock and simmer for 4mins. Dish out Chix and veg. Add cream and bring sauce to simmer. Pour the sauce over chix, serve warm.

I am submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Club on this week theme - Root Vegetables.

IHCC - Broccoli, Carrot and Quail Eggs (Yotam Ottolenghi)

The other day at Cold Storage, I was searching for Betty Crocker Pancake mix when I come across this pancake mix - Marie Callender's Corn Bread/Muffin Mix. It is selling at $1.20, I think, clearing stock as it is expiring on the 14th this month. So I took a pack to try and intend to make Roast Chix at home, to imitate those you have at Kenny Rogers. Verdict - it's not bad for a quick n fuss-free cornbread!

As I was decided what else to go with the Roast Chix and Corn Bread, salad was my 1st choice til I stumble upon the post by Joyce of Kitchen Flavour. That was my 1st encounter with IHCC (stands for I Heart Cooking Club). It is a group of cooking lovers who have a theme and free choice of what recipes to use, that features or is from the guest chef that is chosen. I briefly browse and saw this - Asparagus with celery and quails' eggs. 

I was intrigued to make this, simply toss on olive oil and sprinkle black pepper over blanch vegetables.  And I replace the apsaras and celery with broccoli and carrot. It is light, simple and yummy. I didn't use the olive oil ultimately, I toss it in the Chix oil from roasting the Chix, to get some of the marinate 'taste' from the Chix. Then I topped it off with black pepper and I am done.

The combination of Roast Chix, Corn Bread and Broccoli, Carrot & Quail Eggs salad goes very well. Light and flavourful. I would definitely recommend this to lazy ppl who want to impress guests that they invite over for dinner. Haha~

I am submitting this recipe to IHCC on the theme of 'Loving the Leaf' by guest chef Yotam Ottolenghi

Aparagus, Celery and Quail eggs (adapted from Guardian.co.uk

400g medium asparagus, woody ends removed (net weight)
Olive oil
¾ tsp celery salt (or fine sea salt)
12 quail eggs
10g celery leaves, roughly chopped (ie from about one head of celery)
2 tsp lemon juice
Black pepper

1) Cut and blanch vegetables in water. Using the same water, put quail eggs in to boil

2) Cook for about 5mins, pour away the hot water and soak in cold water.

3) Using the same pot after roasting the Chix, put blanched veg into pan and grill til you get charred mark. Toss over lemon juice and black pepper. Serve warm with Chix.