Pinterecipe mood: 2 ingredients chocolate cupcake

Who’s not familiar with Pinterest? Well I guess no one! I myself have always been hooked with this site, and it also came to a point where I've spent half of my day pinning and surfing. {You can follow me here}

So one day, I was in a baking mood and have decided to try this 2 ingredients cupcake. Yes you heard me right only two ingredients!!!
You only require:

1. cake mix
2. pure canned pumpkin

Original recipe calls for a cake mix but apparently I don’t have one, so I just use the muffin chocolate mix, hoping that it will also work…

So here’s the step-by-step procedure:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the 2 ingredients.
3. Grease your muffin tin and line it with your cupcake liners.
4. Spoon into greased muffin tin and (optional) top with some chocolate chips or walnuts.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Verdict: I find it OK, but it didn’t really WOWed me. It’s not fluffy (unlike what others are saying) and it is somehow a moist texture (but not really moist). For me sweetness is just OK for my preferences. But my hubby and my friend said that it needs more sugar. So if you have a sweet tooth, I guess you have to modify this and add some more chocolate chips or sugar. But overall, it’s OK considering that it’s so easy to make and it’s a healthy alternative to your normal cupcake/muffin. Next time, I will try to make it with a cake mix (as the original recipe calls), maybe result will be different.
But I'd still recommend that you give it a try, especially during the days where you crave for some sweets.

xoxo

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everythingtastiful recipe for this week: Cashew Chicken

Who doesn’t love Chinese food, today I’m going to save one of your lunch/dinner dining out by sharing one of my favorite recipe. And I’m also gonna share some secret....

Ingredients:
500grams chicken breast cut into small cubes
1 medium size green bell pepper cut into small square
1 small onion diced
slices ginger
1/3 cup unsalted roasted cashew nuts
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste


Marinade:
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Instructions
1. Clean the chicken, I always clean my chicken with distilled vinegar to get rid of any potential smell/germs and clean again in a running water.
2. Cut the chicken breast into cubes.

3. Now I'm going to spill the bean for the main secret of this dish - Marinate the chicken with the baking soda for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse the chicken thoroughly into a running water, make sure that you have removed all the excess baking soda. Baking Soda does the trick for making the chicken very tender.

   
4. Pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
5. Marinate the chicken with cornstarch and rice wine vinegar. Let it seat for 15 minutes.

6. Prepare the sauce. Combine all the ingredients together. Set aside.
7. Heat up a wok with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and stir-fry the chicken until half-cooked. Set aside.

8. In the same wok, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add in the ginger slices, bell peppers and onions.

9. Stir-fry until you smell the aroma. Add the chicken. Continue to stir and toss the ingredients for about 5 minutes.

10. Add in the sauce and stir continuously until they are evenly coated.

11. Add in the cashew nuts and do a quick stirs.

12. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
13. Finally, add the sesame oil.
14. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

15. And lastly, enjoy the meal!! Bon a petite!

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Everythingtastiful recipe for this week: Fresh Za'atar Salad

One of the best parts with Lebanese cuisine is that most of their foods are healthy and are being prepared using the freshest ingredients. Wanna share one of our favorite salad, we seldom make this salad 'coz the za'atar leaves are not always available in the super market. So what is Za'atar?  If you live in the Middle East region or probably have eaten in any Middle Eastern restaurant, Za'atar is commonly being served and use in salads, breads, and as a seasoning. It belongs to the family of Middle Eastern herbs - oregano, thyme and Satureja. I first encountered Za'atar in a dried herb form, mix with sesame seeds, dried sumac, salt and other spices. I love mixing it with some olive oil and spread it with toasted bread. And later on, discovered that one of the Lebanese restaurant here occasionally sells fresh Za'atar. Za'atar has a long green leaves and has similar flavor like thyme.

I was told by a Lebanese friend, that there is an old belief that za'atar makes the mind alert and makes the body strong. That's why her mom used to tell her to eat za'atar sandwich in the morning before she go to school. Well, up till today there's is no actual study which will proof that this is a fact. But anyhow, like any other herbs Za'atar has a good benefits,- such as eating it with bread helps digest the heaviness of the bread and can prevent many digestive and allergic reactions related to bread. Mixed it with boiling water and sweetened with honey, the fresh herb is a safe cure for stomach problems and cough/sore throat.

Well for me no matter what is the health benefit that za'atar can offer, I always consider any green leafy vegetable as a great nutritional boost to any diet.

Bone a petite!

Ingredients:

one bunch of fresh za'atar* leaves

1 medium size white onion (sliced)
1 cup green olives (stoned and sliced lengthways)
1 tsp sumac*
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 c lemon juice
1/2 c olive oil
salt to taste

1. Removed the leaves of the zaatar from the stem and clean in a running water.
2. Drained the leaves/pat dry and place in a salad dish.
3. Add the onion and olives.

Salad dressing:

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt.
5. Pour the lemon dressing in the za'atar salad.
6.  Sprinkle with sumac.

You can service this with grilled chicken or meat or eat it with pita, or enjoy as is!

*You may find this with your local Middle eastern food shop

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Recipe of the week: Meghli

Last Challenge before I travel

For the last time my hubby requested for a sweet called Meghli. Me being not familiar with this kind of dessert I need to use my resources to find out on how to make this. Thanks to my lovely friend Rou’a who shed some light over me.

Just to share the info, according to my friend Meghli is usually being serve on the birth of the child or in Christmas time. Meghli is an authentic and traditional Lebanese sweet dish made from rice and caraway, anise and cinnamon. Meghli, which means “boiled” in Arabic, was so-called because of the long time (up to an hour) it must be continuously stirred while boiling.

After doing this dessert I can say that the long stirring part is the fun part for me, coz it symbolizes that this dessert was really made out of love and patience.:)

Here’s the recipe hope you’ll enjoy it as much as my hubby enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
1 cup white sugar
8 cups water
1 tablespoon ground caraway seeds
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon anis seeds

For the toppings: raw almonds, pistachios, and coconut flakes

1.In a mixing bowl, put 1 cup cold of water. Add the rice powder, mix until dissolve. Add sugar and spices.
2.In a cooking pot, put the remaining water (7 cups) to boil, and slowly add the spice/rice mixture.
3.Keep stirring. (This is the fun part ;) )
4.Stir until it thicken. It will cook for about 45 minutes to an hour. When the back of the spoon is already coated with the mixture its an indication that it already cook.
5. Transfer it into serving bowl and let it cook.
6. Meanwhile, add water to almonds and pictachios and let them sit until they soften. (about half an hour)
7. Before serving the pudding garnish it with coconut falkes and soften almonds and pistachios.

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Everythingtastiful recipe for this week- molten lava cake

One day my hubby challenge me to do the molten lava cake and he even said that he doubt that I’ll be able to make it since it’s difficult. Oh how I love being challenge specially with cooking/baking, so I’ve decided to make molten cake and surprise him. as they say- "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach..."

(I have updated this post since my family requested for this cake so pictures has been updated).

Ingredients:

4 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
1/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
8 ounce(s)-220gms semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces (I prefer Lindt 75%cocoa)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour (sifted)
pinch of salt
cocoa butter for ramekins

Garnish: Powder sugar, slice of strawberry, a small scoop of ice cream of your choice, mint leaves

1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F).
2.Butter the ramekins, then dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
3.In a double boiler, on low heat, melt the butter and chocolate. Stirring occasionally.
4.Once the chocolate and butter are all melted, turn off the heat and set aside.
5.In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sugar and salt. Gradually add chocolate mixture; whisk to combine.
6.Add flour, and whisk just until combined (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared ramekins. Fill them about 1/2 to 2/3 way.
7.Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet.
8.Bake for exactly 11 minutes. (until a toothpick inserted 1/2 inch from edge of ramekins comes out clean, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out wet,(do not overbake)).
9.Cool for about 5-10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around inside of ramekins to loosen. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Dust with powder sugar; with a slice of strawberry, a small scoop of ice cream of your choice, mint leaves. Serve immediately.
10.Bon appétit!

And the outcome, (drumroll), a nice perfect molten lava cake! My hubby was so surprise! Verdict A++

Update: July 2012: This time I've done it for my family during my recent visit to them.

May 2012: This was done my original post when I surprise my hubby

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Everythingtastiful recipe of this week: Tabbouleh

Since because of my health issues this past few months (well I need to look for an excuse), but seriously this caused me to gained weight! So I’ve decided to try Dukan diet, my online analysis says that I need to undergo 4 days of Attack Phase (AP) and 55 days Cruise Phase (CP). During the 3 days of AP, I've lost 3 pounds, which I'm guessing I've only lost my water weight.

Then I reach to the point that I don’t feel it’s a healthy diet since I'm depriving myself to eat fruits (which I LOVE). And also reach I reach to the point where I don’t want to see any chicken or any food. There’s a weird taste in my mouth, unexplainable, like iron taste (weird). So in my 4th day I decided to eat fruits and vegetable this is the only food that I can tolerate. So this past few days I'm just eating lentil salad from Starbucks. I somehow continue my diet since I’m seeing some result, basically I am not eating carbo and cutting down my sugar intake. And ofcourse, exercising!!

In lieu with my dieting, I've decided to make my first tabbuoleh (very healthy) all time favorite salad in Middle East country. It’s a bit challenging for me since my hubby is a Middle Eastern guy, so he does know the real, authentic taste, so lets see what will be his verdict.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon bulgur wheat
3 spring onion
1 medium size cucumber
juice of lemon (3 lemon)
1/4 cup olive oil (or add more)
4 tomatoes, fine chopped
2 bunch of parsley
2 tablespoon of mint
salt and pepper to taste


1.Clean well the parsley, mint, tomatoes, and spring onion, set aside.
2.In a separate bowl, place the bulgur wheat and put a hot water just enough to cover the wheat. Set aside.

 3.Cut the cucumber into small pieces. Finely chop the tomatoes and spring onion, set aside. Squeeze the lemon in a small bowl, set aside.


4.In a food processor, put the parsley and mint, until finely chopped.
5.In a separate mixing bowl, place the chopped parsley and mint.
6.Mix other ingredients.

7.Put the olive oil and lemon. And salt and pepper to taste.
8.Remove the water from the bulgur wheat and combine it with the salad mixture.
9.Arrange it by putting some lettuce leaf. Serve.

And (drum roll please) my hubby's verdict.... A-, not bad for a first timer! :-)

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Everythingtastiful recipe of this week: Ensaladang Manga (Green Mango Salad)

My friend invited me for a lunch at her house but ofcourse I need to share something. Since I know that she's cooking some grill stuff, I’ve decided to make Ensaladang Manga, which can be perfectly associated with grilled foods. Lucky I found green mango in supermarket which is very rare! (oh I just I miss my home country, we have the best mango!!). As expected, our lunch turned out to be "everythingtastiful"!.

Ingredients:
1 green mangoes
1 medium tomatoes
1 medium red or white onion
1 tbsp (shrimp paste) of your choice

1.Peel and chop mangoes into small cubes and place into salad platter.
2.Chop tomatoes into small cubes as well and mix with mangoes.
3.Cut red onion into two and discard half. If using white onions, use both halves.
4.Cut onions into thin slices and put on top of mango-tomato mixture.
5.Top with shrimp paste. (you can find shrimp paste in local asian store)

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Celebrating Weekend!

I love cooking!!! (except washing the dishes) It’s like my second therapy outlet (ofcourse first one is SHOPPING! Who doesn’t love to shop!!!????). So this weekend, I made spaghetti Alfredo with garlic bread. I’ve decided to do a healthier version of Alfredo sauce and still turned out so good… in addition, I made my very own peach ice tea, perfect for summer days!

Spaghetti Alfredo
Ingredients
2 tablespoon of "I cant believe it's not butter"
2 tablespoon of flour
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (light)
2 cups low fat milk or skimmed milk
2 slice of low fat cheese or 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon
Pasta (spaghetti, penne)
1/4 cup Parsley

Directions
1.Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well; keep warm.
2.Cook bacon in oven until crisp. Once cooked. Crumble the bacon or cut in small pieces; set aside.
2.Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
3.Add flour to form a roux. Mix. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
4.Add cream cheese, stirring until smooth.
5.Gradually add milk, whisking to smooth out lumps.
6.Add bouillon cubes. Stir constantly. Stir in cheese. Add pepper and salt if needed
7.Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.
8.Add pasta and 1/8 cup of parsley, tossing gently to coat. Transfer pasta mixture to a platter, sprinkle with  remaining parsley and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Garlic Bread
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of butter
2 teaspoon sugar
3 pieces of garlic
any bread of desire

Directions
1.Finely chop/mashed the garlic.
2.Melt the butter.
3.Combine all ingredients.
4.I used brown square bread, spread the garlic butter, cut bread into 3 pieces (to form like a bread stick)
5.Put in the oven toaster. Cook for about 5 minutes.

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Recipe - Peanut butter chocolate bar

First thing I want to blog and share my review is about the rave of peanut butter chocolate bar. It's quite popular on Pinterest .

First time I tried it, I ran out of powder sugar. So I need to do it from the scratch, so in a food processor I put half cup of sugar and mix on it 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. But apparently I did not get the proper consistency of a powder sugar. Maybe because I need to put a small amount at a time only, but since I'm running out of time I processed the half cup of sugar in one shot.

The taste is in between of butterfinger and reese peanut butter cup . My friends really like it. But I still need to try using a real powder sugar.

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