Easy Breakfast: Banana Wheat Germ Muffins for Three

Combine 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 4 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of wheat germ, 1 mashed ripe table banana, 1 tablespoon of water and some crushed peanuts in a soup bowl.

Blend till smooth and pour into 3 large-sized waxed muffin cups. Fill each till they are half an inch from the brim.

Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with your favorite drink.

Milo Ice Cream

Combine 1 cup whipping cream, half a cup of milk, five tablespoons of granulated sugar, half a cup of Milo, and a handful of nuts and chocolate chips (optional) in a smaller bowl inside a bigger bowl filled with ice.

Whisk the ingredients together till you get a thick consistency. (I used my hand-held mixer to mix everything together, but you can use a whisk if you’ve got the stamina for it.)

Pop the mix in a large resealable bag and leave for an hour or two in the freezer. (Since my fridge was full, I dipped my resealable bag in a bowl of ice and left it there. Of course, this took longer for the ice cream to form.)

Run the ice cream through the mixer one last time before placing it in a bowl.

Add additional toppings, or eat it as it is.

Easy Breakfast: Corned Beef Bread

The dough:

1. Dissolve two teaspoons and a half of active dry yeast in a cup of warm water. Whisk in two tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of vegetable oil.
2. In a separate container sift two cups and a half of all-purpose flour with a teaspoon of salt.
3. Gradually combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and knead the dough with your fingers.
4. Divide into five to six balls and leave to rise.

The filling:

1. Saute some grated ginger (about two tablespoons) and minced garlic (out of five cloves) in vegetable oil. Use medium heat.
2. Add corned beef (an eight of a kilo or one can) and fry lightly.
3. Put in the potato (a big piece cut into small squares).
4. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Fry everything till cooked.

To make the corned beef bread:

1. Flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand.
2. Scoop a tablespoon or two of filling into the center.
3. Lift the dough on each end and press them together to seal.
4. Repeat for all of the remaining dough balls.
5. Place the dough balls on a lightly greased baking tray and live to rise.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for a little over half an hour.
7. Store the bread in the tin till you are ready to serve them.

Father’s Day Chocolate Cake

1. Sift dry ingredients (a cup and a half of all-purpose flour, a teaspoon and a half of baking powder, and a teaspoon of salt) and set aside.
2. Get four large eggs and separate the whites from the yolks.
3. Whisk the egg whites till nice and fluffy and add a quarter of a cup of granulated sugar. Continue whisking till stiff.
4. Fold in half a bar of melted butter, half a cup of milk, half a cup of brewed coffee straight from the percolator (note: if, for whatever reason, you prefer to use instant coffee, dissolve three tablespoons in half a cup of warm water), five tablespoons of chocolate powder, an eight of a cup of brown sugar, two bottlecaps of rum, the yolks, and the dry ingredients.
5. Blend till smooth, pour in a greased pan, and leave till everything levels out. Top with crushed walnuts.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Let the cake cool before removing it from the pan.

Frosting:

1. Melt chocolate bar (about an inch thick) in a tablespoon of warm butter. Use low heat.
2. Spread evenly on the cake.

Ginger Chicken with Bokchoy

Saute a head of onion (chopped) and some slices of ginger in 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil till very light brown.

Put in the chicken breast fillet (I used two slices) and fry till light brown.

Add in 2 to 3 bunches of bokchoy (remove the ends).

Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and a dash of black pepper.

Leave to cook. Serve on top of steamed rice.

Chocolate Indulgence: Baking Muffins For Two

Based on Kristi Rimkus’ Recipe, “Chocolatey Cake in a Cup”
(Link to source: http://bit.ly/bAYfTP)

• Combine 4 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 3 tablespoons of sugar, in a small soup bowl, then whisk in 1 medium-sized egg, 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and, if you want, half a teaspoon of vanilla. (Note that the original recipe did not call for baking powder, but I added a teaspoon for poofiness. I also replaced vanilla with 3 tablespoons of powdered milk, used 3 tablespoons of water in lieu of low fat milk, and included about a handful of crushed walnuts.)
• Pour into 2 big muffin cups and bake in a pre-heated oven, at 150°C for 10 to 15 minutes (or until the cakes are poofy and cooked).
• Serve as is or with whipped cream on top.

More about Kristi Rimkus at this link: http://bit.ly/cSr2q9

Quick and Easy Pineapple Sponge Cake

• Get 4 eggs and separate the whites from the yolks.
• Beat the egg whites in a bowl till they are light and fluffy.
• Whisk in half a cup of sugar, a teaspoon of baking powder, half a teaspoon of salt, half a bar of melted butter, the egg 1/3 pineapple juice with chunks, and 2 cups of flour.
• Blend till smooth and pour in a greased baking tray.
• Bake in a preheated oven, at 165°C for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite tea or coffee.

Pan-fried Yummers

Combine:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 cup flour sifted with 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• some nuts, if you prefer

1. Mix till smooth. Add a handful or so of flour and knead till it has the consistency of dough.
2. Shape into 1-inch balls then flatten with the palm of your hand.
3. Press a point in the middle of the ball with your thumb and fry lightly till golden brown. (Alternately, you can use the back of a measuring spoon to create the depression in the middle, and place linear patterns from the core going outwards with the tip of a spatula.)
4. Drain on a paper towel, dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar and place your choice of jam at the middle point. Serve with coffee or tea.

Bagels

Good for two people, and then some…

• Sift 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour with a teaspoon of salt
• In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 teaspoons of instant yeast dissolved in a cup of water, 1 1/2 teaspoons of granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Gradually mix the wet and dry ingredients together with your fingers and knead till all the dough is incorporated.

Directions from John D. Lee:

1. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic, then divide into 8 balls.
2. Leave it to rest for about 10 to 20 minutes as you preheat your oven to at 170°C.
3. Roll the dough into logs and press the ends together to form an “o” shape.
4. Leave to rise for about 20 minutes as you boil a pot of water.
5. Boil each bagel for about a minute or so.
6. Drain and place them on a greased sheet and bake for 10 minutes on each side.

(Link to his page: http://bit.ly/41LJiH)

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Have a fantastic Mother’s Day!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (For Those Who Don’t Like Vanilla)

Combine 1/2 cup of butter (or 1/8 cup of butter with 2 tablespoons of palm oil), 1/4 cup of brown sugar (I used muscovado sugar), 1 large egg (or 2 small eggs), 2 tablespoons of condensed milk, 2 tablespoons of powdered milk, 2 cups of quick-cooking oatmeal, 1 cup of all-purpose flour (sifted with a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder), and a handful of chocolate chips and walnuts (or any nut of your choice). Blend till everything is properly incorporated in the mixture. Scoop on a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 10 t 15 minutes (or until it is light brown). Take out of the oven. Leave them to cool before removing them from the tray. Serve with a glass of milk or your favorite cup of coffee.