My Cookery Page

I decided to make a pizza using ingredients which I had on hand and I thought the outcome was pretty awesome, if you don’t mind me saying so myself

I am no pizza expert but I love my pizzas. So if you think this looks yummy-licious, here’s what I did:

I used pastry pizza base and leftover french loaf for the base. Since I didn’t have the proper tomato paste for pizza, I used tomato ketchup instead. I added herbs like basil, thyme and parsely over the ketchup. Then I sprinkled just the slightest of grated cheese over that, next I sprinkled minced chicken meat which was earlier fried with some herbs. Then I added button mushrooms which were sliced. Next I sprinkled more cheese, alternating with sliced cheddar cheese which was tore in smaller pieces.

I used alot of canned pineapples which is my favourite topping, then sliced tomatoes. In between the sprinkling, I added the herbs just to get in between the ingredients. The idea of putting the cheese in between is also to produce the cheesy effect in the ingredients. Bake at 180C. How long you need to bake depends on the size of the pizza or the french loaf. The french-loaf pizza will take shorter time to become crispy so please watch over the oven – use only the top heat if you wish.

So if you are not ready to go on diet yet in 2007, you have got to try this!

When it comes to losing weight, we try to find ways to do it with little pain or discomfort. There is really an easy way to do it. Sure we can opt for the latest diet program or visit the gym or we can simply choose to find out what to eat to lose weight.

Keeping a healthy diet is really one of the wisest decisions you could ever make to keep that weight off. This means eating food that contains a wide variety of foods which includes protein, carbohydrate and fat, as well as vitamins and minerals.

The needs of your body do not change just because you decide to lose weight. So eat sensibly and you can do this by planning your meals ahead of time. As with everything else in life, eat in moderation and according to your body needs, which can be determined according to your gender, age and metabolism. What is key is to be mindful of your calories intake from each type of food.

You do need to consume carbohydrate as it is a valuable source of energy. There are two types of carbohydrates – simple and complex. Complex carbo can be found in cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta and bread and this will serve us better than simple carbo which is found in sugar, chocolate, biscuits, ice cream and soft drinks. So consume your carbohydrate to maintain healthy digestive system and some may even lower cholesterol levels in the blood.

Another essential food is protein, which is useful for the growth, repair and maintenance of cells. Protein can be found in meat, eggs, beans, nuts, milk, fish and dairy products.

Good news is even if you are dieting, fats are still needed to balance your diet. Fats help to insulate and protect the body. What you need to look out for is unsaturated fats to derive this concentrated source of energy. What to eat to lose weight is to consume fats from olive oil, polyunsaturated spreads, oily fish and sunflower oil for your fats. This helps to reduce risk of increased cholesterol level in the blood which could lead to coronary heart disease.

Drink plenty of water at all times as it is vital for your body to function properly and contains no calories.

What you need to eat to lose weight is to set a realistic target and forget about eating just one type of food to accelerate weight loss, like excessive grapefruit as an example.

Eat small portions throughout the day rather than using up your calorie quota for the day in one large meal. This lessens your hunger pangs and eventually will help you to lose weight.

Replace high-fat snacks with low-fat snacks like apple, banana, carrots, chestnuts, cottage cheese, yoghurt, oranges, celery and crispbread. Avoid almonds, brazil nuts, cream cheese, milk chocolate, peanuts, cheddar cheese and chocolate biscuits.

Eat less meat but more potatoes and vegetables. Use skimmed milk instead of full-fat milk. If you need to use cream, use use single cream rather than double cream. Always use the leanest cut of meat and trim off the fat.

In order to lose weight effectively, you do not need to starve yourself or to go for boring foods. Just be mindful of the need for a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrate and fat as well as minerals and vitamins. Then you choose wisely what to eat from each type of food.

I have more tips and information on successful weight loss which you can read about in my other site:

http://rapidweightloss.nmaskuri.com

This is the ultimate Christmas collection. 

I receive many requests for ideas for planning for Christmas, whether its for planning that special meal, or creative gift
ideas or kids’ christmas activities.

Make your holiday planning and gift giving easier with The Complete Christmas Collection. If you would like to check out what ideas are in store, please visit this site.  You can get all the ideas quickly and in one place.  Hurry now!

http://dowager.searchhits.hop.clickbank.net

This rich chocolate pie recipe is an alltime favourite – as the name implies, its chocolatey and goeeey!!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa; 2/3 cup butter; 2 tbsp superfine sugar; 2 tbsp cold water

For filling:  3/4 cup butter; 2-1/3 cup dark brown sugar; 4 eggs, lightly beaten; 4 tbsp unsweeened cocoa, sifted; 150g semisweet chocolate, melted;  1-1/4 cup light cream; 1 tsp chocolate extract.

To decorate:  1-3/4 cups heavy cream, whipped; chocolate flakes and curls.

Method: 

To make the pie dough, sift the flour and cocoa into a mixing bowl.  Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in sugar and enough cold water to mix to a soft dough.  Chill for 15 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured counter and use to line a deep 9-inch loose-based flan plan or ceramic flan dish.  Line with foil and blind-bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 375F or 190C.  Remove the foil and cook for 10 minutes more, until crisp.

To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl and gradually beat in the eggs with the cocoa.  Beat in the melted chocolate with the light cream and the chocolate extract.  Pour the mixture into the cooked pie shell and bake at 325F or 170C for 45 minutes or until the filling is set.  Let the mud pie cool completely, then transfer the pie to a serving plate.  Cover with the whipped cream and chill. 

Decorate with chocolate flakes or chocolate curls. 

This mousse is light and fluffy and has a subtle hint of orange. Serve with fresh fruit sauce. Impress your guests during Christmas.

Ingredients:

100g semisweet chocolate, melted; 1-1/4 cup plain yogurt; 4 tbsp superfine sugar; 1 tbsp orange juice; 2 extra large egg whites; 1 tbsp brandy (optional); 2/3 cup lowfat soft cheese; 1-1/2 tsp vegetarian gelatin; 9 tbsp cold water; coarsely grated semisweet and white chocolate and orange rind, to decorate.

Method:

Put the melted chocolate, plain yogurt, soft cheese, superfine sugar, orange juice, and brandy in a food processor and process for 30sec. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and stir until dissolved. In a pan, bring the gelatin and water to a boil for about 2 minutes. Cool slightly and then stir into the chocolate. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon.

Line a 500g loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spoon the mousse into the pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours until set. Turn the mousse out onto a serving plate, decorate and serve.

Another recipe to try for the holiday season.

Ingredients:

1 whole well-trimmed beef brisket (2.25kg/5 pounds); 2 large onions, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 bottle or 375ml/12 ounces chillie sauce; 1 tbsp or 15ml packed brown sugar; 2 tbsp or 30ml worchester sauce; 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper; 3/4 cup or 187ml beef broth or water.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Place brisket, fat side up, in shallow roasting pan. Spread garlic evenly over brisket – sprinkle with pepper. Separate onions into rings and arrange over brisket. Combine the chilli sauce, worcestershire sauce , broth and sugar and pour over brisket and onions. Cover with heavy-duty foil or roasting pan lid.

Roast for 2 hours. Turn brisket over; stir onions into sauce and spoon over brisket and cover. Roast 1 – 2 hours more or until fork-tender. Transfer brisket to cutting board. Tent with foil , and let stand for 10 minutes.

At this point, brisket may be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day before serving. To reheat brisket, cut diagonally into thin slices with carving knife. Place brisket slices and juice in large skillet. Cover and heat over medium-low heat until heated through. Stir juices in roasting pan. Spoon off and discard fat from juices. (Juices may be thinned to desired consistency with water or thickened by simmering, uncovered, in saucepan).

Carve brisket diagonnaly across grain into thin slices with carving knife. Spoon juices over brisket.

Don’t forget the children these holiday season.  Try this cookie.

Ingredients:

1 cup/250ml peanut butter flavoured chips; 2 large eggs; 2-1/4 cups or 562ml all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 cup or 250ml butter or margarine, softened; 3/4 tsp salt; 3/4 cup or 187ml granulated sugar; 3/4 cup packed brown sugar; 1 package or 337g mini baking semi-sweet chocolate candies; 1 tsp vanilla.

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F or 190C.   Place flour, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl and mix well.  Beat butter, granulated and brown sugars in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once.  Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping down side.

Add flour mixture.  Beat at low speed until well blended, scraping down side. Stir in candies and chips with mixing spoon.  Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough about 3inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Let cookies stand on cookie sheets for 2 minutes.  Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks, and cool completely.

Store tightly at room temperature of freeze up to 3 months.

Ingredients:

1 cup/250ml milk; 2 eggs; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup/250ml all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup/62.5ml) reserved drippings from roast or unsalted butter.

Method: 

Process milk, eggs and salt in blender for 15 seconds.   Add flour and process for 2 minutes.  Let batter stand in food processor at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Place drippings in 9-inch square baking tin.  Place in 450F or 230C over for 5 minutes. 

Process batter for another 10 sec and then pour into the hot drippings.  Do not stir.

Immediately return pan to over and bake for 20 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350F or 180C.  Bake for 10 minutes until pudding is golden brown and puffed.  Cut into squares.  Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

Countdown to Christmas! Here’s one delicious recipe:

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb, well-trimmed, boned, rolled and tied (about 4 pounds/1.8kg); 3 tbsp/45ml coarsely-grained mustard; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1-1/2 tsp/8ml rosemary leaves, crushed; 1/2 tsp/2ml freshly ground black pepper; mint jelly (optional).

Method:

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Combine the garlic, rosemary,mustard, black pepper. Rub the mixture over the surface of lamb. The lamb may be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before roasting.

Place roast on meat rack in shallow foil-lined roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thickest part of roast. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce overn temp to 325F/160C. Roast 20 minutes per pound until roast registers 150F/72C for medium.

Transfer roast to cutting board; tent with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Temperature of roast will continue to rise 5-10F (4.8C) during stand time. Cut strings with scissors, discard. Carve roast into thin slices with carving knife. Serve with mint jelly, if desired.

Useful skills to have during this festive season!

There are two ways in which chickens or poultry can be cut up, one for home use and the other for professional use. The technique can be learned quite easily and it’s a useful skill to have.

The advantages are that it is more economical to cut up chicken or poultry yourself than buying in portions, and you can cut the way you want them in any various combinations such as drumsticks with or without the thigh, or breasts with or with the wings, etc.

A key point to remember is to feel the joints when you have to sever sinews and cartilage. To cut through bones, ideally a serrated knife or poultry shears are used.

The method that is common and popular amongst home cooks is as follows:

Basically there are eight steps to cut up the chicken or poultry. Firstly, by using a large sharp knife, free the leg by carefully cutting the skin between the body and the leg. Cut through the skin as far as the joint, bending the leg outwards with the hand. Then twist the leg until the ball of the joint springs out. After that, cut through the joint, pressing lightly. Cut through the leg at the knee joint to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Separate the wing at the shoulder joint, cutting off a small part of the breast with it. Press quite firmly to split the collarbone and divide the back parallel to the backbone. Cut across the back at the middle point, breaking the backbone with short movements of the knife. Finally to separate the breasts, carefully cut left and right along the length of the breastbone.

The professional cooks have a different method of cutting up chickens or poulty and the following method is based on 1-3/4 pounds poultry, in order to achieve portions of equal size:

In eight steps, firstly make a cut approximately 3/8 inch deep across the back under the shoulder blades. Cut along the backbone at a right angle to this and remove the “chicken oysters”, which is the tender part whose quality matches that of the breasts. Cut through the skin between the body and the leg. Spread out the leg and cut through the joint. Chop off the outermost section of each wing, cutting through the joint with a small chopper or large knife.

Remove the wings with some breast meat, along the breastbone and wishbone as far as the joint. To remove the breasts, first hold the chicken firmly by the wishbone and cut along the breastbone. Turn the carcass 180 degree, then loosen the breast from the front along the wishbone as far as the joint. Take off the breast, making a cut from the joint to the end of the breastbone.

The legs are left in one piece and the wing tips are removed, for the sake of appearance.

The number of individual pieces depends on the size of the chicken. You can use the remainder of the carcass to make stock, soups and sauces.

The two methods above are simple to master and whether you choose to cut your chickens simply or professionally, these are the correct methods to follow.