Saturday, December 11, 2010

Candy Bar Fudge Recipe

A friend sent me this recipe. I tried it and it's soooooo good! Try it! Thank you my dear Erisha Jezzi for this sweetie fudge^_^.

Candy Bar Fudge Recipe

Rich chocolate, gooey caramel, and crunchy nuts combine to form decadent Candy Bar Fudge. The triple layers of this amazing treat take a little work, but since all of the cooking is done in the microwave, this fudge can be made and enjoyed in no time.
If you would like to make the caramel yourself instead of using store-bought caramels, I recommend using this recipe for Soft Caramels.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 4-1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 14-oz can condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) butter
  • 45 individually wrapped caramels
  • 1.5 tbsp water
  • 1-1/4 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Preparation:

1. Prepare a 9x9 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine 3 cups of chocolate chips, the condensed milk, and the butter. Microwave in one-minute increments until melted, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir until the candy is smooth and well-mixed. Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer.
4. Place the fudge in the refrigerator to cool while you prepare the next layer: unwrap the caramels and place them in a small microwave-safe bowl with the water. Microwave until melted, about 1 minute.
5. Stir the caramels and water until the mixture becomes smooth and loose. If it is very stiff, microwave for another 15-20 seconds until it is easy to stir.
6. Add the chopped nuts to the caramel and stir briefly, then pour the caramel-nut mixture over the fudge and smooth into an even layer. Place the fudge in the refrigerator to cool while you prepare the final layer.
7. Place the remaining 1-1/3 cups chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until melted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth, and spread the chocolate over the fudge, covering all of the caramel and nuts in an even layer.
8. Place the fudge in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours. Once set, cut into 1-inch squares and let sit at room temperature briefly before serving. Store excess fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Baked macaroni with Mozzarella♥♥♥

Baked macaroni with Mozzarella♥♥♥


Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 (250 grams) package of macaroni (pencil like or medium barrel shape)
  • 15 ounces Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 pound shredded mozzarella
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 kilo ground beef
  • 2 big onions ( sliced into small cubes)
  • 1 1/2 cup of Tomato puree 
  • dash of black pepper
  • salt 


For  White Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. butter or Oil
  • 6 Tbsp. flour 
  • 4 cups Beef Broth (2 cubes Beef Broth)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
With a low fire place In a deep pan 3 Tbsp. of butter then add 6 Tbsp. of flour. season with salt and pepper to taste. then stir for 5 minutes then add 4 cups of broth stirring slowly until a smooth soft mixture is form.remove from fire.and add the  egg with the mixture stirring slowly and set aside.


Method:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Macaroni  and cook for 7-8 minutes (you want it to be a little undercooked so it doesn’t get mushy in the baking process; drain and rinse.

2. In another pan ,saute onions,ground beef, 2 beef cubes,tomato puree and a dash of black pepper .  simmer in a low fire until the mixture is cook.

3. In a large  bowl, mix macaroni, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, mix ground beef(step #2), and  1 egg .

4. pour over the white sauce to the mixture and leaving only 1 cup of white saude for later use.mix them altogether.

5. Heat the oven  375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

6. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spoon in the macaroni  mixture. Top with remaining white sauce spread all over covering the macaroni mixture, followed by Parmesan cheese.then beat 1 egg and spread all over slowly.

Bake  in preheated oven for 40 -50 minutes; or until you see the color turns golden yellow as shown in the picture. let stand for 15 minutes before serving.




Chicken Barbeque♥♥♥



Chicken Barbeque♥♥♥

Chicken Barbeque  is a traditional  recipe of chicken breast meat marinated in yoghurt flavoured with curry powder, mustard powder, turmeric and cardamom that's threaded onto skewers with onion and tomatoes and barbecued.

Ingredients

  • 2 whole chicken breasts, skinned and boned
  • 1 tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/8 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp lemon juice 
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 8 thin slices of onion
  •  4 small tomatoes, halved  
  •  
  • Method:
  •  
  • Cut each chicken breast halve into 16 cubes.
  • Combine in a bowl with the yoghurt, salt, turmeric, mustard, curry powder, cardamom, lemon juice and vinegar.
  •  Cover and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
  • After this time thread two chicken pieces onto skewers (if using wooden skewers soak in water beforehand).
  • Add 1 slice of onions, two more chicken pieces and half a tomato.
  •  Repeat this process with eight more skewers, until all the ingredients have been used up.
  • Cook slowly on a barbecue or under a grill (broiler), turning occasionallly and brushing with any left-over marinade for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • When done, transfer to a hot serving plate, sprinkle with a little lemon juice then garnish with fresh tomato halves, green bell pepper rings and fresh parsley.
  • Serve immediately.
  •  

Prawns in Spicy Gravy

Though prawns and shrimps are often used interchangeably, the two are actually different species of shellfish. Both are recommended by nutritionists. The word prawns generally describes extra-large shrimp, which often look more like tiny lobsters. The meat of prawns is often whiter and slightly less sweet than shrimp, with a chewy texture. Certain varieties of freshwater prawns (Malaysian Prawns) can weight nearly a pound each. Shrimps and prawns are best cooked in the shell to seal in moisture and flavor, but then must be peeled at the table. You can de-vein larger shrimp and prawns before cooking by running a sharp knife through the shell along the vein and lifting the vein out with a fork or toothpick.

All shellfish are high in cholesterol and shrimp and prawns are particularly high, boasting around 150-200 mg for 100 g of meat. This amount is still less than the cholesterol contained in one egg and fits within the recommended daily value of 300-600 mg. Despite being relatively high in cholesterol, shrimp and prawns are low calorie and low in saturated fats. A high density of unsaturated fatty acids in shrimp and prawns promotes the formation of “good cholesterol,” which may lower your bad cholesterol levels.


Here are some of the health benefits of shrimp and prawns:
  • Cancer Protection- Shrimp and prawns are rich in selenium, proving 65% of the DV in just one 4-oz. serving. Selenium inhibits the formation of cancer cell and encourages cell repair. The omega-3s in shrimp have also been correlated with reduced cancer risk.
     
  • Cardiovascular Health- Shrimp and prawns are very low fat and contain high levels of vitamin b12, which helps protect blood vessel walls and maintain cardiovascular health. The omega-3s in these shellfish have also been associated with helping to prevent irregular heart rhythms.
     
  • Alzheimer’s Prevention- The omega-3s found in shrimp and prawns have been correlated with a decreased risk of age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Prawns in Spicy Gravy

 

Ingredients:
  • Prawns – 200 gms (cleaned and de-veined)
  • finely chopped onion –
  •  300 gms ginger & garlic paste –
  •  1 tbsp coriander powder –
  • 2 tbsp chilli powder –
  • 3/4 tbsp turmeric powder –
  • 1/4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,
  •  3 tbsp mustard –
  •  1/4 tbsp curry leaves –
  • a few oil –
  •  3-4 tbsp salt to taste
  •  
Instructions:



  1. Cook the ingredients from 2 to 7 together in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles with salt and very little water as onions leave water after cooking.
  2. add the cleaned prawns to the cooked masala and stir it for 10 minutes until the prawns are cooked.
  3. Heat oil in a fry pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and then the cooked prawn masala and keep stirring till the gravy is thick.
  4. Add little black pepper powder and chopped coriander leaves if required.

Fried cauliflower♥♥♥

Fried cauliflower♥♥♥

They’re sooooo tasty. But the secret of their tastiness is in the batter. Let me show you how…

FRIED CAULIFLOWER
  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut in medium sized florets
  • 2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour 
  • 2  eggs
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  •  1 tbs salt or garlic salt
  •  a few grinds of cracked black pepper
  • water – about 2 cups
  • a few sprinkles of paprika –
  • 1/2 cup parsley or celery  cut into small pieces
  •  optional Canola oil ( or any other cooking oil) – for frying
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs,mix the flour, cornstarch and the water. Mix the water slowly, maybe in two batches. The idea is for the batter to be the same consistency as pancake batter.
  2. Add to the batter, salt, celery or parsley, and pepper. Add paprika, if using.
  3. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  4. Dunk the pieces of cauliflower in the batter. Clean the piece of any running batter and place carefully in the hot oil.
  5. Fry the little morsels until golden brown on all sides. It should take a few minutes – this way the cauliflower will cook/soften a bit and the batter will be golden brown and crunchy.
Before frying, wash the cauliflower first and cut into flowerettes. Then  boil them in a deep pan semi-boiled. not too hard and not too soft. Then remove from pan and strain. Then follow the steps above in frying.


Consilva / Pinasugbo / Banana Fritters or Brittle♥♥♥

Consilva / Pinasugbo / Banana Fritters or Brittle♥♥♥

Name it as you like  still it is banana to me*_* The banana is dipped in batter and then deep-fried. In here, what we need is to wrap the banana with a spring roll wrapper or phylo sheets and just deep-fried. Very simple and that’s it ! Just don't eat too much deep-fried items!


Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

  • Ingredients (serves 2)

  • 1 (200g) ripe banana, peeled, halved and cut 6 sections°
  •  6 pieces spring roll pastry skin, 125 x 125mm or phyllo sheets
  •  vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • dash of cinnamon

Method

1. Place a piece of spring roll pastry skin on a chopping board or plate. Place a section of banana on it and sprinkle some cinnamon then  roll up. Repeat for the rest.

2. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok over high heat or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil brown in few seconds. Drop the spring roll into the hot oil and fry in batches until lightly golden brown.

3. Remove the spring roll with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper

.4. Arrange on a serving plate and serve immediately.




You can add some chocolates and nuts to suit your taste. But this is optional^_^


or add some sesame seeds *_*

Monday, November 22, 2010

Orchids, A Perennial Herb

Orchids

Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the Orchid family.The family also includes Vanilla (the genus of the vanilla plant), Orchis (type genus) and many commonly cultivated plants such as Phalaenopsis and Cattleya.



The name comes from the Greek "órkhis", literally meaning "testicle", because its root has a similar shape.Orchidaceae are cosmopolitan, occurring in almost every habitat apart from deserts and glaciers. The great majority are to be found in the tropics, mostly Asia, South America and Central America.













The main component for the sowing of orchids in artificial conditions is the agar agar. The substance is put together with some type of carbohydrate (actually, some kind of glucose) which provides qualitative organic feed. Such substance may be banana, pineapple, peach or even tomato puree or coconut milk. 


After the cooking of the agar agar (it has to be cooked in sterile conditions) the mix is poured into test tubes or jars where the substance begins to jelly. The seeds have to be put in the dish above boiling water, in the steam because that secures sterile conditions. The test tubes are put diagonally after that.










One orchid genus, Vanilla, is commercially important, used as a flavouring.The underground tubers of terrestrial orchids (mainly Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)) are ground to a powder and used for cooking, such as in the hot beverage salep or in the Turkish ice-cream (Dondurma - salepli dondurma).


It has been claimed that the name salep comes from the Arabic expression ḥasyu al-tha`lab, "fox testicles", however, it appears more likely that the Turkish name salep comes directly from the Arabic name saḥlab‎. 


The similarity in appearance to testes naturally accounts for salep being considered an aphrodisiac.Orchids, like tulips, have become a major market throughout the world. Buyers now bid hundreds of dollars on new hybrids or improved ones. Because of their apparent ease in hybridization, they are now becoming one of the most popular cut-flowers on the market.





Vanilla comes from the green seed pod of a celadon-colored orchid.  

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Beautiful Abayas

Beautiful Abayas

" Almighty Allah says: And say to the believing women that they should lower  their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers, or their brother's sons, or their sisters' sons, ..."[ Surah Al-Nur:30]














A very common question about hijaab is ‘does it restrict the movement and participation of women in society?’ A reply to this is that it certainly does not. Dressing modestly is intended to facilitate the participation of women in society by actually removing a major obstacle in their way and that is the misuse and exploitation of their beauty and sexuality.