Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Oh, how my children love this cookie. I was looking for an easy oatmeal recipe and I found this recipe somewhere in the net. Maybe from epicurios.com or from allrecipes.com. Here is the recipe:

Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons instant oats
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter large rimmed baking sheet. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Mix in oats with spatula until evenly distributed (dough will be very firm). Add chocolate chips and knead gently to blend.

Using moistened palms, shape 1 generous tablespoon dough into ball. Place on prepared sheet; flatted to 2 inch round. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing rounds about 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until center is slightly firm and top is cracked, about 14 minutes. Cool on sheet.

CREAM PUFF

I was born and grew up in Davao City and I can never forget the most delicious cream puff I have ever tasted. As far as I can remember, we brought it from Pilar's. I became addicted to it and whenever I have the means I will buy a dozen of it and eat those, alone. It only costs six pesos then. So, when we migrated to Cebu, I really missed the cream puff.

So, when I got the chance, I tried cooking Cream Puff; the recipe which I followed from a fourth year high school textbook.

You have to try this recipe:

CREAM PUFFS

Pastry:

* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 eggs

Heat the water and butter to a rolling boil. When the butter is completely dissolved, add flour at once. Stir vigorously over low heat till mixture forms into a ball and works away from the side of the kettle. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixer. Mix at low speed until the mixture cools. Beat in the eggs one at time till they are well blended. Drop from a spoon on an ungreased baking sheet into mounds 3 inches part. Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 425 degrees F till puffed, golden brown and dry. Allow to cool; split the cream puffs. Drizzle with caramelized sugar.

Filling:

* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup all purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 cups whole milk
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

Mix the sugar, flour and salt. Blend in the milk. Cook and stir over the medium heat until the mixture boils for ten minutes. Remove from the fire. Stir half of the cream mixture into the egg yolks. Pour back into the saucepan and blend. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and stir ten minutes more or till the mixture coats the spoon. Add vanilla and lemon extract. Cool and fill in the baked pastry shells.

Tips for baking successful Cream Puffs

Although the recipe for cream puffs is simple, the procedure must be followed carefully to ensure good results. Carelessness will lead to poor products. Here are some tips towards baking successful cream puffs.

1. Be sure that the fat and water are boiling strongly and that the fat is completely dissolved before adding the flour.
2. Stir constantly after the flour is added and until the paste is removed from the fire. Do not overcook the paste. You will know it is done when it forms into a ball and works away from the sides of the saucepan.
3. The paste has to be cooled first because placing the eggs in the very hot paste will cook the eggs prematurely and lessen its leavening action on the product.
4. Each egg must be absorbed thoroughly by the mix before the next one is added. This increases the emulsifying properties of the mix.
5. The paste will be ready for the baking sheet when it is soft to the point where it is almost ready to spread out and yet retains its shape when spooned out.
6. Before removing the puffs from the oven, tap them gently for crispness. If they sound hollow and feel crisp, they are baked.

Creamy Stir-Fried Pork with Bell Peppers

I am a frequent buyer of Yummy magazine and I happen to encounter this stir fry recipe in their April 2008 issue. I immediately cook it since the ingredients are readily available. And so here it is:

CREAMY STIR-FRIED PORK WITH BELL PEPPERS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 kilo pork loin, sliced into strips
100 grams baby corn, trimmed
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/3 cup condensed cream of mushroom soup, dissolved in
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
freshly cracked black pepper

1. Pour oil in a hot wok then stir-fry pork until no longer pink. Cook for about 5 minutes then add baby corn.

2. Add red and green bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes then pour in mushroom soup mixture. Season with black pepper to taste.

3. Bring to a simmer and serve hot with steamed rice.

beef with broccoli and carrots

i went to the Carbon Public Market this afternoon. it is the place here in Cebu City where fresh vegetables and fruits can be bought at very cheap prices. i found out that broccoli is in season and only costs 35 pesos a kilo. on the other hand, cauliflower costs higher at 50 - 70 pesos a kilo. so i opted to buy a kilo of broccoli.

honestly, i do not know what recipe i should cook for dinner using broccoli. because i only know that broccoli is being used in chopsuey. as i went home, i immediately looked for easy recipes using broccoli. as i browse with the recipes, i chose beef with broccoli and carrots. it may be a simple recipe to some but it's my first time to cook the said recipe.

i wanted to take a picture of my finished product but presently, my camera is broken. so i got no chance to post it together with this blog. anyway, every member of my family enjoyed it very much. it's a new taste for them.

for anyone interested here's the recipe i got from a chinese diy website:

Beef with Broccoli

(The secret to this popular restaurant dish is to marinate the beef in a bit of oil)

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

3/4 lb (375 g) lean beef, sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces

Marinade for Beef:
1 egg
1/3 tsp (1.5 mL) salt
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cooking wine
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch (corn flour)
2 Tbsp water

1 1/2 Tbsp (20 mL) oil

1 1/2 lb (750 g) broccoli, flowerets removed, slice on the diagonal into thin slices
1 cup (250 mL) cooking oil
2 1/2 Tbsp (30 mL) oyster sauce
2 Tbsp (25 mL) light soy sauce
3/4 Tbsp (10 mL) dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp (15 mL) sugar
a few drops of sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch (if desired)

Directions:

Slice beef and mix together marinade ingredients. Add marinade to beef and marinate for thirty minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil to beef, mix in thoroughly, and marinate beef for another thirty minutes. While beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables.

Heat wok and add 1 cup of oil. When oil is ready, add beef and stir-fry until it is nearly cooked. Remove beef and set aside on a plate. Drain the wok and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Add 1/2 cup water to wok. Bring the water to a boil and add the broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is cooked through. Drain the wok.

Heat wok and add oil (about 2 tablespoons). Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add vegetables and beef and mix together. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce ingredients. Add cornstarch, stirring to thicken. Mix sauce together with other ingredients. Serve hot.

Variations
*Add carrots and onion if desired. Boil in the wok with the broccoli (you'll need to add more water)

try it and sure you gonna love it. my 5 year old son is requesting for it again tomorrow. but i already ran out of broccoli so i have to cook again by tuesday as i will be going again in Carbon Public Market on Monday on my way home from work. It is good to go there in the afternoon starting at 5 pm because you can buy goods at low prices.