Serve The Lord With Gladness

Oodles of Zoodles! This is a healthy and delicious way of having pasta. No, I didn't buy another nifty kitchen gadget called spirilizer to spirilized the zucchini. I use a vegetable shredder which works just as well.

To keep this meal healthy, I have it with a quick home cooked tomato stew and buttermilk roast chicken.

Zoodles In Tomato Stew for one

1 large tomato
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme/rosemary(I used both)
1 tsp of chopped garlic
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste.


Method

• Chop tomato into small cubes. 
• Minced garlic and chop the fresh herbs
• Heat the oil in the pan, fry garlic and add the chopped tomatoes. 
• Throw in the herbs and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook tomatoes in low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the zoodles.

Maple Buttermilk Roast Chicken For Two

4 chicken thighs

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 tsp of sea salt to taste

freshly grind black pepper

1 sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary

1 crushed garlic

Method

• Combine all ingredients in a bag ( taste the marinade to check if more maple syrup or salt/pepper needed)
• Keep in the chiller for a day or two.
• Roast in 190-200C oven for 35-40 mins.

You need carbo to fuel your day? then have it with dauphinoise potatoes which is also simple and easy to prepare.

Simple Dauphinoise Potatoes for One

2 large potato

1 crushed garlic

1/4 milk

1/4 cream

salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Slice potato thinly in even slices.
• Heat up milk and cream, Add the crushed garlic
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Throw in the potato slices and let the mixture simmer.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a baking dish,discarding the garlic.
• Pour over the cream mixture, just enough to seep through the layers. 
• Bake in a pre heated 190C oven for 30-45 minutes till top is browned.

Serving God is a great privilege, and service to Him must be rendered with excitement and enthusiasm. 

Love The Lord Your God

Steak Diane is a classic restaurant show stopping dish usually prepared and flambé at the table.
A steak Diane sauce is typically made of shallots, mustard, cognac, butter and cream. The flambé is for caramelizing and browning sauce.

I have never done a flambé before but by accidents on a few occasions. I was so panicky that I doused the flame in water and ruined the dish! So how was my first real flambé experience? To be honest, it was still as scary as those accidental flambés. I have fear of singeing hair and eyebrows.
Despite my flambé fear, I will definitely make steak Diane again. This dish is a classic and retro. Serve with sautéed potatoes and peas, you have a timeless dish.

I love the sautéed potatoes too. It is soft inside and crisp on the outside. Traditionally, the steaks are rolled thin to cook quickly. I cooked for two using sirloin steak of about 230g each and one big russet potato for side.


My thanks to Linda, a blogger friend for giving me the idea to cook this dish. Do visit Linda's blog for some laughter and inspirations.


Steak Diane with Sautéed Potatoes and Peas
Gordon Ramsay
serves 4

Ingredients
4 x small sirloin steaks, approx 200g each trimmed of rind and excess fat
3 shallots,peeled
100g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned
1 garlic clove, peeled
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
50ml brandy
200ml single cream
Small handful of flat leaf parsley
300g peas
Approx 30g salted butter
olive oil
salt and pepper

For the sauteed potatoes
Approx 500-600g small Charlotte potatoes, cut in half
2 garlic cloves,peeled
few sprigs of rosemary (thyme)


Method

• Parboil the potatoes in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out the steaks to flatten and cut off the rind of fat. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a little olive oil in a heavy based pan. Quickly saute the steaks on both sides for approx 1 minute to colour, then remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
• Bring the same pan backup to temperature and add a little more oil if necessary. Slice the shallots and mushrooms add to the pan, season with salt and pepper and saute briefly. Crush in the garlic and stir.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard and heat through for 1-2 minutes. Tilt the pan away from you, pour the alcohol has burnt off, swirl the juices around the pan. Pour in the cream and add the juices around the pan. Pour in the cream and add the steaks and any resting juices back into the pan.Allow the steaks to heat through for 2-3 minutes.Chop the parsley  and sprinkle itinto the pan.
• Introduce the steaks back into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes (depending on how well done you like your steak)
• Heat a little oil in a separate pan and add the potatoes. Season with a little salt and pepper and add the rosemary.Crushing two garlic cloves and saute. Toss the potatoes, add a knob of butter and saute for a further 1-2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Cook the peas for 2-3 minutes, in boiling salted water with a little butter. Drain, and keep warm.
• To serve, transfer the steaks to serving plates and spoon the sauce over. Arrange the sauteed potatoes and peas alongside.

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star 'Gordon Ramsay' hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy  Kids,
Mich from Piece of Cake and Yen from Eat Your Heart Out.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matthew 22:37

Do Not Be Anxious About Anything

Bangers and Mash is a traditional British dish made of mashed potatoes and sausages. The name bangers origins in world war II where sausages were ration food and were made with water, and if not properly cooked, would burst in the pan with a bang.
This ultimate comfort dish works best when it's served just the way it is normally eaten. From the essential pork sausages and onion gravy to the creamy mash.

I have English Cumberland sausages with  sweet onion gravy and sour cream mash. The potatoes are mashed with a mixture of hot milk and butter, sour cream, salt and crushed black pepper to taste, and whipped with a whisk to create a smooth, light and fluffy texture. Sour cream and potatoes are a perfect match.

Bangers and Mash
serves 1



2 good quality pork sausages(English Cumberland Sausages)

• Heat the oil in a frying pan, turn the heat to medium and add the sausages. Turn the sausages and cooked till brown, about 10 minutes.

Onion Gravy
1 large red onion
1 tablespoon of oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegars
1 cup of beef/vegetable broth
1 tsp corn flour
1 tsp water

Method

• Slice onions thinly and pan fry onions in butter and olive oil on medium heat. Cover for 5-8 minutes, making sure the onions turn soft and not burnt.
• Add sugar and balsamic vinegars, fry until onion is caramelized and soft.  Stir in the both. Mix cornflour with water and a little gravy, stir into the mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

This onion gravy can also be used as steak sauce.

Sour Cream Mash
3 Russet potatoes
20g butter
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoon sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add enough salt to the water.Bring to a boil.  Uncovered, lower the heat and simmer the potatoes till cooked and fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
• Heat the milk and butter, making sure it doesn't boil.
• When the potatoes are done, drain and mash the potatoes. Add the hot milk and sour cream.  Whisk the potatoes till smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

This post is linked to Little Thumbs Up 'BUTTER' hosted by Jasline of Foodiebaker, organised by Zoe of
Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

Photo credit: Pastor Kwan

Do not be anxious about anything,but in every situation,by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6




A Reminder To Myself
Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

To This End

What's a Hasselback potato? This side dish gets its name from Hasselbacken, the Stockholm restaurant where it was first served. It is a rather impressive dish with the potatoes thinly sliced, fanned out and baked crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Hasselback potato could be as simple as seasoning with salt and pepper, or with lemon and herbs. I turn it up a notch by loading it with sinfully goodness of butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon. Dieters, health freak may leave this page.

Wash and scrub potato. Place a wooden spoon below the potato if you do not have a steady hand. This will prevent you from cutting all the way through.

Cut thin and even slices

Stuff butter slices in between a few of the slits.

Bake the potatoes for about one hour or until the insides are tender.

While the potatoes bake, fry the bacon.

Slice the spring onion finely

When potatoes are done, stuff the cheese in some of the slits. You can use grated cheese, but not sandwich cheese slices which I'm using. It doesn't turn melty and gooey.

Top with bacon and return to the oven to melt the cheese.

Top with sour cream or Greek yoghurt and some green onions

This post is linked Little Thumbs Up 'BUTTER' hosted by Jasline of Foodie Baker, organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids and Doreen of My little favourite DIY.

To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:29

Our Citizenship Is In Heaven

This has to be the best lunch I ever cook! Steak and Chips. from Nigellisma  TV series 1 episode 1. I have previously cooked an egg dish from the same episode.



TUSCAN FRIES

Tuscan Fries are chips deep fried with herbs and garlic but the method Nigella uses to deep frying the chips is new to me. The cut potatoes are soaked in room temperature oil and leave to cook till the oil boils. Then herbs and garlic are added into the hot oil.

 You may cringed thinking the potatoes are soaked with oil, but it is not. This method of frying is like the double frying method where you get crisper fries on the outside and melting tender on the inside.




TAGLIATA

Tagliata is steak cut into thin slices (tagliare simply means to cut),  is cooked first and marinate later. The cooked steak oozes with juices is then left on a marinade of herbs infused oil, slice and serve.

Tuscan Fries
Nigellisma
serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 kg waxy potatoes
1.5L corn oil or flavourless vegetable oil
1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
8 sprigs thyme, rosemary or sage, or herbs of your choice (I used rosemary and thyme)
sea salt flakes, to taste


Method

• Cut the short ends off each potato(but don't peel it) so that it can sit up vertically, and then slice it downwards into generous 1 cm slices. Cut these slices into chips about 1 cm thick, again err on the generous side. Load up a clean tea towel with the chips as you cut them.
• Put the oil into a wide, heavy based pan (mine is approx 28cm ) and add the freshly cut potatoes. Then put the pan over a high heat and bring to a boil, which should take about 5 mins. Keeps careful watch on the pan at all times.
• Continue to cook the fries, without stirring them, for another 15 minutes. Once the oil temperature reaches 160C, turn down the heat slightly and keep the fries cooking at between 150-160C. The pan will bubbling vigorously. If the oil gets too hot or bubbles too hard, reduce the heat a little, and always keeps close eye on it.
• Now you can very carefully give the chips a gentle stir with a pair of tongs held in an oven glove, moving any that might stuck away from the bottom or sides of the pan. Add the unpeeled cloves of garlic to the pan, stir gently again, and cook for another 5-10 minutes (watching the temperature and making sure the garlic doesn't look burnt or the fries too dark), before testing a chip for crispness on the outside and tenderness on the inside. Do not burn your mouth! You might need another five minutes or so beyond this, but stand by your pan, the chips can turn from a cooked gold to a burnt bronze quickly (mine was almost bronze!)
• At the point when the chips are pale gold, but crisp, toss in the herbs, then after a minute or so scoop everything out- using a couple of perforated scoops for ease, and wearing oven gloves to protect your hands- onto a tray or platter lined with a double thickness of kitchen roll. Once any excess oil has been absorbed, tip the chips off the kitchen paper clatteringly onto the plate and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to taste, serving immediately.

Tagliata
Nigellisma
serves 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,plus some for oiling
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano just under a teaspoon
kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
12 ounces New York strip steak (sirloin)
8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
few sprigs fresh oregano, to serve (optional) (thyme)

• Heat a grill pan or cast-iron or heavy non stick frying pan.
• In a small dish that can take the steak snugly later, combine the evo, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, salt and red wine vinegar.
• Oil the steak lightly and put it in the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side, then remove it to the dish of spicy marinade and sit the cooked steak for 2 minutes a side in the dish. Your steak will be rare, but that's the way it's meant to be - although if you want to cook it for longer, I won't stop you.
• Remove the steeped steak to a board, ready for slicing, and while it sits there, arrange the cherry tomatoes, cut-side down, in the marinade dish. Cut the steak into thin slices on the diagonal and arrange on a serving dish or 2 dinner plates. 
• Smoosh the tomatoes around in the marinade, hen pour them, and the marinade over the ribbons of meat. Add a few leaves of fresh oregano, if you get them, and serve immediately.

Note: I cook for one with 2 potatoes and  230g of sirloin. This meal is cooked for my son and ends with a strawberry frozen yoghurt pop.

This post is linked to Cook like A Star  "All Stars" organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids,
Mich from Piece of Cake and Joyce from kitchen flavours.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Philippians 3:20

Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed

Sometimes I wonder if the food I replicated from celebrity chefs and blogger friends taste like what they cooked. I like to wonder if I get the texture right which is equally important as looks and taste. I try not to substitute ingredients or omit seasonings. When friends ask for a recipe which I have cooked and not tasted, I always ask that they try my cooking first and then replicate. But I have to remind myself, cooking is about creativity. If you can recreate a recipe using your own style and it tastes good, it doesn't really matter. But are we doing these chefs the discredit?

After cooking and trying this Gordon Ramsay's dish, I just couldn't help to have that thought again. Are my Gnocchi like Gordon's? I couldn't help wondering because I was surprised by the taste and texture of this Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi. Never mind the looks( supposed to be handmade and look rustic), but they taste heavenly. I am surprised for I have not made my own pastas or dumplings before. Are Gnocchi pastas or dumplings?' Many are confused.

Gnocchi in Italian means dumplings, and according to Wikipedia are pastas made from various ingredients like semolina,wheat flour,egg,potatoes, cheese.  In short, they can simply made from flour, potato and eggs. Gordon Ramsay added ricotta into the mixture to make it light and fluffy. This is exactly what my gnocchi texture taste like. Light and fluffy with a crisp, not doughy at all!  I am delighted by my first attempt.

Gordon Ramsay makes this gnocchi the star of the dish, and together with a light buttery sauce it is simply magnifico!.  If you're making this dish, I wish you do not leave or substitute any ingredients. Every ingredients and seasonings made the taste so authentically Italian.

Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi
Gordon Ramsay Home Cooking

Ingredients

2 large floury potatoes
50g ricotta cheese
90g plain flour(more)
1 free-range, beaten
1 thyme sprig, leaves only
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

For the sauce

olive oil, for frying
freshly ground black pepper
peas, fresh or frozen
butter
1 thyme sprig, leaves only
zest of 1 lemon

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C. Bake the potatoes in their skins for 1-1 1/4 hours until tender the whole way through.  Remove the flesh from the skins (ideally while still warm) and mash until smooth - a potato ricer works best here.( I used leftover from my baked potato skin. You can boil potato whole to save time) Mix in the ricotta, a pinch of salt and white pepper and the flour.

• Make a well in the middle, add the beaten egg and begin to combine the mixture with floured hands. Work in the thyme leaves and continue until smooth dough has formed. Be careful not to overwork it or the dough will end up too dense and won't expand when it goes into the water.

• Cut the dough in half and shape each piece into a long cigar shape about 1/5cm thick. Using the back of a floured table knife, cut each length of dough into 2 cm pieces to make 'pillows' or individual gnocchi. Gently press each one in the center using your floured finger. The dent will hold more sauce and allow the gnocchi to take on more flavours.

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi, tilting the pan from side to side briefly to stop them sticking together, then simmer for about 1-2 minutes until they stat to float.

• Drain the gnocchi and leave them to steam dry for 1-2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, start to make the sauce. Heat a frying pan over a medium high heat and add a little olive oil. Add the gnocchi to the hot pan with a pinch of salt and black pepper and saute for 1-2 minutes on each side until nicely coloured.
• Add the peas to the pan with a knob of butter and the thyme leaves. Toss to heat through, then add the lemon zest. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Linking this post to Little Thumbs Up 'CHEESE' hosted by Alice from Ilove.Icook.Ibake, organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from My little Favourite DIY

AWANA

Awana stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed and comes from the Bible verse 2 Timothy 2:15.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

The Awana clubs teach the gospel of Christ to children from kindergarten to primary school. Children are group according to their age groups; CUBBIES for preschoolers, SPARKS for lower primary and T&T(Truth & Training) for upper primary.

Throughout the program, children are rewarded for memorising Bible verses and completing their workbook. They also learn through games and crafts. The older children are also introduced to life application of the gospel. This is a club that reaches out to the unchurched too, making it an excellent place for parents to send their children to learn Christian values while participating in a club.

The clubs meet every Saturday during school term and this is a ministry of the church and follows the Awana approved curriculum worldwide. There are uniforms for the children, Coloured T-shirts for Sparks and T&T, vests for the cubbies, which they all can display their awards earned.

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Coq au vin is a classic French dish. It is chicken cooked in wine. The chicken is typically braised in red wine, lardon, mushrooms and shallots. It is a slow cooking rustic dish, and I had this once in a cafe in France. Although this dish is typically cooked in red wine, many regions of France have variants of coq au vin cooked in local wine.

Australian chef Bill Granger has cleverly adapted and twisted this classic to his style of cooking, simple and straightforward.  I highly recommend this dish to you if you like tray bakes like me. This cheat version has all the flavour of a classic coq au vin though the taste is different. This is a dish you want to cook for a fuss free entertaining at home.

You eat this with baguette to sop up the juices and it is good with potato mash. The Creme Fraiche Mash, also by Bill Granger is another mash recipe you might want to try. If you never whip your mashed potatoes, you ought to try whipping it with hot melted butter and milk.  The mash is so much lighter, smoother and creamier.

Coq Au Vin
Saturday Kitchen Best Bites
serves 4


Ingredients

For the Coq Au Vin

1.5 kg chicken, jointed  (2 thighs and 7 drumsticks)
150g diced bacon or lardons (100g bacon)
10 french shallots, peeled (local shallots)
A few thyme sprigs ( 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 rosemary sprig
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
3 tbsp olive oil
250ml white wine
small knob of butter
350g mixed mushrooms (300g oyster,shitake and swiss brown)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
small handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley


For the Creme Fraiche Mash

800g potatoes, peeled and chopped
150ml milk
25g butter
110g creme fraiche or 110ml single cream
sea salt to taste


Method

• Preheat oven to 220C. Arrange the chicken pieces in a large roasting tin and scatter with the bacon,shallots,thyme,rosemary and chilli flakes. 
• Season to taste, with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Drizzle the contents of the roasting tray with two tabelspoon of the olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

• When the chicken has been roasted, add the wine to the tin and cook for another 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Heat the butter and remaining tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for 33-5 minutes. 
• Tip the mushrooms and garlic into the tin and scatter with the parsley.

• Meanwhile, for the creme fraiche mash, boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water until tender.
• Remove from the heat, drain well and return to the hot pan.
• Mash the potatoes until smooth.
• Heat the milk and butter in a smal pan over a medium heat, until the butter has melted (do not allow the mixture to boil). Beat the hot butter and milk into the potatoes, then fold in the creme fraiche or cream.
• Season to taste, with sea salt.

Linking this post to Cook Like A Star 'Bill Granger' organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids,

Mich of Piece of Cake and Yen of Eat Your Heart Out.

Totally Transformed! Camp Day 2

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

Peter had asked the Lord Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who has sinned against him. To answer his question, the Lord Jesus told the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

"I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:22

The king showed mercy to his servant who owed him a huge debt, but the servant was unforgiving of his fellow servant who owed him a small debt. God commands us to forgive our brothers seventy times seven (countless). We must forgive others as God has forgiven us. We must forgive them again and again, just as God always forgives us when we confess our sins to Him.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

As Christians or followers and disciples of Jesus Christ, we are a forgiven people;we have experienced God's forgiveness for all our sins ;we must therefore be forgiving to others. If we have experienced God's mercy and grace; we should then experience a transformed heart that is full of mercy and grace to others. That is why we must be forgiving towards those who have done us wrong and hurt us; that is why we must keep on forgiving them. That is what it means to be transformed by God. So let's forgive others and be TOTALLY TRANSFORMED!