Corn Polenta and Broccoli Cheddar Bake

This recipe is the synergy of Cheesy Cheddar Corn Polenta and Twice Baked Potato with Broccoli and Cheddar. It didn't take me much time to whip it up since I was using leftover polenta from the Cheesy Cheddar Corn Polenta.

I started with broiling the polenta. As it broiled, I cooked the broccoli as I did with Twice Baked Potato with Broccoli and Cheddar. To make this more breakfast-sy I added an extra step:

• In a separate bowl, lightly beat one egg with one 1 tablespoon of buttermilk (lemon juice + milk). Fold cooked broccoli over egg mixture.

Once the polenta top turned golden in color, I sprinkled it with chopped basil leaves. This was followed by broccoli-egg mixture and grated cheddar cheese. I also added chopped fresh thyme and rosemary, and grated Parmesan over the top.

Berries Apricot Crisp

We had a very hearty lunch at this organic Thai vegetarian restaurant called Khun Churn at Ekkamai this afternoon. I didn't think we'd have dinner except something small. So I decided to make this Berries Crisp based on the Apple Crisp recipe I liked very much.

I substituted apples with fresh strawberries, frozen raspberries and frozen apricots. Instead of using walnuts for the crispy topping, I used macadamia nuts.

I didn't think much about this knowing that it would not fail. Perhaps that's why when Adrian said "I would wear it as a perfume if they had that", I was pleasantly pleased. He also likes the resemblance of its smell to some berry jam that his mother used to make - anything that stir up good childhood memories must be good, right?

To make two servings, I quartered the amount required in the original recipe. I wanted just enough topping to provide a crispy texture to go with the soft filling. Besides, it's more of a sport eat rather than anything substantial.

Bear Heart Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Today, 16th November 2009, is our 2-year wedding anniversary. Or, as I prefer to call it: 730 days as Mrs Cox. Adrian arranged for us to stay a night at the Shangri-la Hotel. People wonder why would we do that given that our apartment is literally a stone throw away from the hotel. At least Shangri-la is at the other site of the river as our apartment; we get to see different view of the city from another angle.

Since it's our anniversary, and upon Mr Cox's permission, Mrs Cox decided to "take the day off" and not cook for the day. So we rode the apartment boat to the hotel, stormed straight into the Next 2 riverside cafe for breakfast buffet; we got a Spa appointment at 9.30am. Breakfast was good although Mr Cox thought "nothing is as good as your cooking".

We had a 3 1/2 hours couple spa treatment. It was way too long. I was terrified when they placed the 5th layer of mask on my face after the 8th cleanse (or whatever they were for). It was a huge relief for us when the masseurs finally let us go.

The rest of the day was spent chilling by the pool, eating free snacks and drinks at the club lounge, and watching TV (we kind of have this thing with TV while we travel to make up for the lack of TV back home). It wasn't exactly an exciting day but we both felt refreshed by the end of it. I think the occasional isolation from the "world" is necessary for the soul.

Someone once told me honeymoon is over after two years of marriage. There may be certain truth in that. In any case I prefer to see our marriage as an adventure. I'd be straight up lying if I say everyday has been great in this two years. But every time we fight it makes our relationship stronger than before; it makes me appreciate our relationship even more; I come to realize how truly I am in love with this man.

I panicked the day Adrian told me he had plan for our anniversary. What should I do then? I thought of a symbolical way of telling Adrian my wish of truly becoming one with him - no "he" no "I"; just "us". I'm keeping a little privacy here as to what I gave him. Along with that, as a gesture to commemorate our anniversary, I baked this oatmeal cookies in Bear and Heart.I adjusted the recipe to suit the Bear and Heart molds. You may double the amount to make 18 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 50gram of butter, soften at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
• 1/2 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp pure Vanilla
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 cup Oatmeal
• 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
   
2. Add a pinch of salt to the softened butter. Beat together with sugar until creamy.
   
3. Stir in egg, pure vanilla, flour, baking soda and oatmeal. The dough should not be too sticky.
4. Fold in chocolate chips, walnuts and cranberries.
5. Transfer dough into molds or drop by rounded teaspoons onto parchment paper.
6. Bake for 20minutes if using molds, or 7 - 11 minutes for cookies-size.
   

Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Cheddar

One of the great thing about this dish is that you can prepare it way in advance, refrigerate it - or freezing - and pop it into the oven when you need it. It works both as main and side dish. For breakfast, simply add a poached or fried egg over.

These twice baked potatoes are moist, luscious and creamy. The cheddar gives a good sharp bite, and and the sour cream keep them perfectly moist. I added lemon zest for a bit of extra flavor.

Ingredients:
(serves 2 as main or 4 as sides)

• 2 Large Potatoes, cleaned and scrubbed
  
• 1 Cup Broccoli florets
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 C sour cream
• 2 TB milk
  
• 1 C cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven at 200C. Lightly oil potatoes. Poke the potatoes over both sides using a fork. Let bake until tender, about 60 minutes.
2. While potatoes are baking, sautee broccoli florets with a teaspoon of salt. Add minced garlic and fry until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
3. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool. Cut potatoes into halves and scrap the flesh out using a dessert spoon. Leave about 1/4" around the edges. Return the skins to the oven and let bake for another 10 minutes until slightly dry and crisped.
4. Mash the potato flesh with a fork. Fold in broccoli, 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese, lemon zest, sour cream, milk and Dijon mustard. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove skins from the oven. Divide broccoli mixture into 4 portions and spoon over the skins. Sprinkle with the other 1/4 Cup cheddar and return to top rack of oven.
6. Broil for another 10 - 15 minutes. Let it cool slightly before serving.
   

Sticky Date Pudding

It's an Australian thing. How do I know? Because my American husband never heard of it. And, a American chef has testified to that being English/ Australian.

Sticky Date Pudding is one of those things that gives me fond memory of winter in Australia; Melbourne to be more specific. Warm and sweet; the best thing to caress one's tummy. I remember having sticky date pudding after every dinner. My friend, Ken, was the real champion: he requested frozen sticky date pudding from Sara Lee's as souvenir - a good 8 hours flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur. I tried to make my friends did that but it hasn't happened yet.

I once had a slice of sticky date pudding at this fancy restaurant down in Silom soi Convent. It was way too sweet. So sweet it gave me a headache and nausea. I don't have to tell you how disappointed I was. So my search for sticky date pudding remained at large.

A couple of weeks ago I made this Upside Down Cake. In many ways it's a reminiscent of sticky date pudding - the caramelized sauce. One fine morning, I told my neighbor Alan Cooper I had day-old Upside Down Cake for dinner and that it was much better than fresh. And so the conversation went on to his overweight Australian friend whom is a foodie and good cook, who happened to have mailed him a few recipes with Sticky Date Pudding included!! I insist he should give me a copy of the recipe and so he did.

This recipe is an adaptation of Alan's friend's and this site. I had a lot of expectation for this recipe for all the reasons you can find from above. I literally watched while Adrian was having it for breakfast. There was the expression that one couldn't fake and the verbal approval of "top class". It turned out to be just moist and not overly sweet. I feel proud, relief, happy, sentimental, accomplished - all at the same time. It also makes me wonder how can a restaurant failed so miserably?

If you, like me, don't have self-raising flour and don't necessarily want to buy one, use this following recipe. It works.

For homemade self-raising flour:

• 3/4 C all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Combine all the ingredients together. May double or triple the amount if more flour is needed.

For the Pudding:

• 250g pitted dates, chopped
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 125g butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups White Wings Self-Raising Flour, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 9" springform pan.
2. Place dates and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Pour over boiling water. Allow to stand for 20 minutes.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a large metal spoon, fold through date mixture and flour until well combined.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake for 40 to 50minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn onto a plate.

For Caramel sauce:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 60g butter

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until sauce comes to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Pierce pudding all over with a skewer. Pour 1/2 cup of warm sauce over warm pudding. Stand for 10 minutes.
   
3. Cut into wedges. Serve with remaining sauce.

Fresh Strawberry with Balsamic Reduction

One of my favorite dinner dessert recipe is non other than the Grilled Peach with Ricotta Cheese and Balsamic Reduction: the taste is exceptional, it looks fancy but takes little time and effort to make. This time, I'm using balsamic reduction on fresh strawberry. With just the right amount of black pepper, this dessert is sweet, peppery, sour and even just a bit salty.

I never knew balsamic vinegar comes from reduced grape juice. Actually, I never gave much thought about how it comes about. Some of the thin balsamic vinegars being sold are actually a mix of conventional white wine vinegar with coloring and flavoring - I can now stop feeling the pinch of having to pay for the good quality stuff.

When you make this, bare in mind you'll need approximately 1 teaspoon of balsamic reduction for each 1/2 pint strawberries, and the balsamic vinegar will reduce by half (or more).

Ingredients:

• 1 C balsamic vinegar
• Fresh strawberries, sliced or whole
• 1 teaspoon natural cane sugar
• Ground black pepper

1. Combine strawberries and sugar in a bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
2. Place the balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. When the vinegar comes to a boil lower the heat to simmer. Cook for about 30 - 40 minutes until reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool.
3. Divide the strawberries into individual serving bowls when ready to serve. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon of the vinegar and a pinch of ground black pepper.
   

Cheesy Cheddar Corn Polenta

I have to date made savory polenta with Parmesan: Polenta Fries, and Parmesan Polenta with Chili-roasted Mushroom. This time, it's done with sharp Cheddar and corn. The corn niblet give this crispy polenta an interesting texture: crunchy like nuts.

I served this with a side of Camembert and Cranberry Stuffed Mushroom with Pesto. You knew it's good when two hours after the dinner, Adrian said "dinner was really good".

Ingredients:
(makes 1 9x9" pan)

• 4 cups miso soup
  
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh corn niblet from 1 cob of corn
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  
• 1¼ cup uncooked polenta
  
• 1½ cups old cheddar, grated
• ¼ cup fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Line a 9x9" pan with parchment paper.
2. In a pot, bring stock and cream to a simmer and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, saute onions with butter until soft. Add garlic and corn niblets and cooked until corn is tender. Pour in apple cider vinegar for deglazing.
4. Add the stock and cream mixture to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a slow, steady stream, add the cornmeal and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheddar and fresh herbs. Season with salt, to taste.
5. Pour mixture into pan. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours. Turn out the polenta and cut into desired shapes.
6. Pan fry the pieces in olive oil and a little butter until lightly browned on both sides or broil in the oven until browned.