Crispy chicken squares

For mom's like me, who gives importance to serving home cooked meals, we have an ongoing battle with burger joints. Though I have proven my home made burgers to my 9 yr. old, the chicken nugget is still something I have not even tried my hands on.
So after long months of promising to make it, I finally did! I hope you enjoy this too.

I mixed:

400 gms ground chicken
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 egg
2 tbsp. fresh milk
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Using 2 spoons, I scooped about 2 cm. thick patties and rolled it in about 100 gms. of Panko (chunky bread crumbs) then fried it hot oil until golden brown.
Makes at least 20 pcs.

That easy! Throw in some vegetable sticks and salad dressing in small dipping bowls. 

Tips: 
* If you want this to be adult-friendly, then add 1 tsp. of cayenne pepper to the mixture. 
* Fry it halfway, let it cool, and freeze them until ready to eat. You can then just put the thawed pieces in the oven until golden brown. 180 degs. C.
* Panko can be found in Asian shops. Used for Japanese cooking.      

Power Scrambled eggs

Another one from my previous blog site. Simply delish!

Ingredients and tools:

1. a small sauce pan
2. a wooden spoon
3. 2 eggs separated
4. garlic infused oil (if not available, just crush 1 clove of garlic and let it heat up inside the pan with the oil for 2 mins. take it out before putting the eggs)
5. a tbsp. of chives or chopped basil or chopped dill.



1. Heat up the pan in medium high, and pour about 1 tbsp. of oil. Swirl it around at least halfway up on the sides of the pan. (to keep the eggs from sticking)

My stove temp is 1 to 9. Medium high for me is 7.



2. Pour in the egg whites first. Keep stirring the egg whites to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. When the whites are about to coagulate    (runny) pour in the egg yolks.








3. Keep on stirring.








4. To gain a more fluffy texture, add about ½ tbsp. of butter. Keep stirring.






5. When the egg whites and yolks have been mixed, wait till the texture is crumbly but not stiff, then its ready. It has to be airy.




6. Topped with your favorite herbs, serve it with some tomatoes, and your favorite salad veggies, toast, or here, a freshly baked scone! Yum!!!

Syllabub

Found this from my old blog site, and thought you might wanna try.

Inspired by Nigellas Syllabub, I tried making the same with the liqueur I could find in my alc. cabinet. I found a cranberry and cherry liqueurs. And it was a huge success! So here it goes. I hope you enjoy this too.

1. Juice 1 lemon and strain the pulps and seeds, place the juice in the mixing bowl and add
3/4 cups of sugar.

2. Whisk in a 250 ml tub of Mascarpone cheese.

3. Add 1/4 cup (well... go nuts!) of cranberry or cherry liqueur and a 250 ml whipping cream. Continue to whisk until thick. Set aside.

 

5. Arrange 6 pcs. of dessert glasses. Crumble about 1 pc. of a vanilla biscuit to the bottom of each glass. Digestive will also do.

 

6. Layer it with the cream mixture about 1/2 inch thick.

7. Add a layer of raspberry sauce.

I used a small bag of frozen raspberry (if using fresh, you need about 1 ½ cups) run it in a food processor with about 1/4 cup sugar. Strain to get rid of the seeds. 

 

8. Add a thin layer of crumbled biscuit and almond flakes. (for texture)

9. Add another layer of cream.

10. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. Preparing this a day before, works well.

 

11. Top with some cherries and some more almond flakes. Enjoy!!

 

 

Mallas Limppu

 

Malt Loaf
(Mallas Limppu)

This is one of the easiest loaf bread. I would actually bake this on a whim. This recipe is in deciliter, as this is what they normally use here in Finland. If you don't have a dl measuring cup, just use your ml.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

To make 1 big loaf:

500 ml warm milk or piima (buttermilk)

25 gms. fresh yeast (or half of the usual cube)

50 ml  dark syrup 

50 gms. melted butter

100 ml malt flour (1 dl)

150 ml rye flour (1.5 dl)

700 ml to 1000 ml of wheat flour (7 to 10 dl)
1 tsp. salt

* In the mixer bowl with hook attachments, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk/piima.

* In medium speed, slowly add syrup, melted butter, malt and rye flours.

* Continue to mix adding wheat flour 1 dl at a time, plus the salt. 

* No need to finish all the wheat flour (after the 7th), if the dough is already elastic, or when finger is pressed, it bounces back. 

* Mold the dough into one or two loaves depending on your tray.

I don't use the loaf tin for this. I like the way it looks as a free shaped loaf. It is quite compact, so it holds its shape quite well. Be warned though, it swells twice its size. :)

Bake in a pre heated oven at 210 degs C. for 30 to 40 mins. lowest rack.

When done, brush the outer covering with butter then cover with aluminum foil for about 10 mins. before serving. 

 

Tips: 

~ serve with butter

~ with garlic infused olive oil and Spanish ham

~ salsa of tomato, onion, garlic and coriander

~ whatever your heart desires!   

 

Baked eggs with Chorizo

Breakfast haven!

Been craving for this the past 3 mornings already. So today, I gathered up the ingredients and started cooking!

I have those medium sized flat ramekins I got from Ikea which are perfect for single servings. I brushed it all over with garlic infused 1.) olive oil. Then I placed a few thin slices of 2.) Spanish Chorizo before I cracked 3.) 2 eggs on top of it. I then added a few more slices of 4.) Spanish Chorizo on top of the eggs. Sprinkled some 5.) salt and pepper. Then off to broil (highest possible - and the top most rack) settings of the preheated oven for about 10 mins.





Once the eggs are set to your liking, take it our of the oven, top it with 6.) 1 tsp. of Creme fraiche (sour cream). Sprinkle a few finely chopped 7.) fresh rosemary (you can use parsley or dill, for as long as it is fresh). And some 8.) arugula leaves (for that nutty flavor).




Serve this with toast.