Potato Salad

April 28, 2015April 28, 2015Leave a comment

I always find it so fascinating that food not only bring people together, but also reminds us of special moments in life.

This salad is one that reminds me of a close friend whom I hold very dear to my heart.

I was given the pleasure of being introduced to this salad as a result of one of the many potluck sessions my high school friends and I have had over the years.

At one point, I made it compulsory for every person who came to these catch ups to make the dish. No take away allowed. 😛

It was a challenge many of my friends grumbled and whined about with “do we really have to?” or “I’m not a good cook” or “I can’t cook”. Especially the friend who came up with this salad.

After all the whining and pleading every girl brought something to the table that they made. And so the tastings began.

I think this salad surprised her as much as I was delighted to have a new go to salad in my life.

Madeleines

April 25, 2015May 25, 2015Leave a comment

Madeleines are a rich little French butter cake, characterised by its shell like shape with ridges on one side and a little buldge on the other.

They take time and patience to create (you have to sift the flour ingredients 3 times!!!)

But as a result you will be rewarded with madeleines with crispy browned outsides and soft spongy insides 😀

Some say a cross between a soft baked cookie and a dense Victorian sponge.

A little background on these pillowy delights.

They were made famous in a novel ‘Remembrance of Things Past’ by Marcel Proust. Their origin is a little hazy, therefore different versions of its origin exist. The most common one is that they originated from the town of Commercy in the 18th century, in the region of Lorraine. A girl by the name of Madeleine served them at a high tea to the Duke of Lorraine, Stanislaw Lezczynski. He loved them so much, he named the little cakes after her.

After making them for myself, I think I know why he loved them so much. They snack size and are so good with a cup of tea!

Chicken & Bean Salad

April 21, 2015April 29, 2015Leave a comment

This salad was invented by Mama Choy, she makes it for potluck parties or when she brings home 2 or 3 roast chickens because they are on sale.

This salad has won an award at a potluck event before, for being the “most healthy dish” of the night. 😀

It’s a salad that always gets a lot of praise, as it is super healthy, but when you eat it, it feels super naughty. 😛

The combination of roast chicken, the sweet fruits and corn combined with creamy mayonnaise. Not sure what it is, but it doesn’t taste as healthy as it sounds.

Seriously, it’s like a party of flavors inside your mouth! 😛

Baked Lemon Mini Cheesecake

April 18, 2015April 18, 2015Leave a comment

I’m always on the prowl for new recipes to try, but sometimes my mind wanders.

I find myself reminiscing old tried and tested recipes, which brought me to share with you this favorite of mine.

There’s something satisfying about eating these mini baked cheesecakes.

I’m not sure if it’s the satisfaction of cutting into the cheesecake with my fork and knowing that it was not over baked 😀

OR… if it’s the thick yet melting consistency with all its apricot lemony goodness, combined with the buttery biscuit base in my mouth when I take that initial mouthful.

When I make these, I limit myself to one a day, usually because I do want to share these small packages of joy and to stop myself from eating 12 cupcakes in one sitting 😛

These little babies are pretty irresistible you won’t be able to stop at one though!

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Overnight Oats

April 14, 2015April 12, 20153 Comments

As winter approaches here in Melbourne, it gets more and more difficult to haul ones self out of bed for work in the mornings.

So, there must be some sort of motivation to get up and moving, right? 😛

Making up this yummy concoction the night before, will surely get you excited about the morning to come!

Overnight oats is simply oats that is soaked in the liquid of our choice overnight. They literally absorb the liquid you put them in, and grow into a bowlful of wonderfulness.

The best thing is NO COOKING involved!!! 😀 They are so easy.

Another great thing is there are so many variations you can try too. Switch up the liquids for different thickness and change up the fruits and fillings for variety.

Rhubarb Compote

April 11, 2015April 11, 20151 Comment

I only discovered rhubarb mid end of 2014!

This discovery has resulted in quite a few yummy breakfast creations, that I hope to share with you in future posts.

I spend a lot of my little free time hanging out at my neighbors kitchen (Baking & I), where over time we’ve become each others taste testing lab rats. 😀

On one particular hang out session, she was preparing to make rhubarb and strawberry tarts. It was here that she introduced this foreign plant, rhubarb.

In its raw form rhubarb is extremely tart and unappetizing, but with some love and care… The rhubarb compote created is tart, tangy and sweet all at the same time ^^.

It is good with natural yogurt or on oats for breakfast. This encouraged me to go home and try my own version.

Almond Bread

April 7, 2015April 7, 20151 Comment

Almond bread is a twice baked thinly sliced biscuits served with coffee or on its own.

Its delicate light texture and crispy almonds makes it hard to stop at just one.

Personally, if I were allowed to I’d consume a whole bag in one sitting, 😛 BUT that was not really possible until I discovered how easy it was to make them!

As a child my mother would buy them on a rare occasion, because it was a tad expensive for our family’s budget. She’d ration it out to me as rewards one or two at a time, maximum 3 in one sitting.

So……! You can imagine my shock, horror and delight when I found out how to make them.

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Happy Easter!

April 4, 2015April 4, 2015Leave a comment

Easter is a little different for me this year, 2015.

Every year my high school friends and I would gather together on one of the four days we have off, to spend time together.

It’s usually pot luck or like 2014 we had pancakes. Mostly though, it is time set aside to come together as a big bunch and catch up on each others lives.

I’ve found that over the years since graduating high school, that it gets more and more difficult to keep in touch. So these biannual meetings (Easter and Christmas) are a way to be in each others lives distantly.

This year however, I sprained my right wrist the week before this Easter 😦

Choyful.

Joyful food for thought

Month: April 2015