Honey Balsamic Chicken

Serves 2

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g Chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 1/4 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp water
• chopped parsley for garnishing

Method

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Heat skillet on medium heat and slowly pan fry chicken, skin side down, until both sides of the chicken become nicely browned and crispy. Remove the chicken and discard the chicken fat.
3. Add the olive oil and butter to the skillet, sauté the garlic until slightly browned, follow by honey, balsamic vinegar and water.
4. Add chicken back to the pan, lowering heat to simmer to reduce the sauce until slightly thickened, completing the cook of chicken (~2 mins). Flip chicken to coat both sides.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley.

Recipe from https://rasamalaysia.com/honey-balsamic-chicken/

Mushroom Risotto

Serves 5
Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
Mushroom:

• 400g mushrooms, sliced
• 150g mushrooms, quartered/ 1/8th
• 35g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt & pepper

Risotto:

• 10g butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup (65ml) dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) arborio rice, uncooked
• 5 cups (1.25L) low sodium chicken broth

Finishes:

• 1/2 cups (125ml) cream
• 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

Methods

Mushrooms:

1. Add 1/3 of oil and 1/3 of butter in large pot over high heat. Once melted, add 1/3 mushroom and cook until almost golden brown (~4 mins). adjust heat, don't let too much liquid out.
2. Add 1/3 garlic, salt and pepper, then continue to cook until golden brown (~1.5mins). Then remove into bowl.
3. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.

Risotto:

1. Turn heat down to medium, In the same pot, melt butter then add garlic and onion.
2. Cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent but not golden.
3. Add wine and allow to simmer rapidly for 2 minutes, scarping the base of the pot, until mostly evaporated.
4. Add rice and stir for 1 minutes until semi translucent.
5. Add about 1.5 cups of stock. Stir then leave for 3 minutes, stirring a few times, until mostly absorbed (~3 mins). Repeat once.
6. Repeat step 5 with 1 cup, twice. Left it for 10 minutes at the end. Until rice is just cooked but risotto is still creamy and sloppy.

Finishes:

1. Add cream and stir vigorously to make creamy.
2. Stir in parmesan, taste, then salt and pepper if need.
3. Stir through 3/4 of mushrooms. Consistency should be creamy, not stodgy.
4. Spoon risotto into bowls and top with remaining mushrooms. 

Recipe from https://www.recipetineats.com/mushroom-risotto/

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf
Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup plain whole-milk Greek yoghurt (or sour cream or mascarpone)
• 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3-4 large ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped chocolate (or choc chips) (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°. Lightly coat loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. Sift flour, add baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, whisked.
3. In mixing bowl on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, yoghurt, and butter until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition.
4. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture bits at time, mix until just combined. 
5. Add bananas and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate if using. 
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top.
7. Bake bread for 45 minutes, put aluminium foil on top if it is already brown enough, then bake for another 15 minutes, until centre is no longer gooey. 
8. Let bread cool and then eat. 

Comments: This banana bread tasted pretty good but it was a bit spongey so a bit hard to slice. But the top is nice and crisp. 

Recipe from https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/banana-bread

Beef and Veggies Stir Fry

Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 450g beef flank, cut into strips
• 1 tbsp plain flour (or cornstarch)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 carrot, julienned
• 1.5 bok choy, quartered
• cooked rice/noodle for serving

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup light soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (or honey)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp plain flour (or cornstarch)

Methods

1. In a bowl, combine flour, water, and cooking wine until smooth. Add the beef and mix until fully coated. Set aside while chopping the vegetables.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef and stir fry for 3-5 minutes, or until its mostly not pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, stir fry the vegetables, from the ones that takes longest to soften first. Add more oil if needed. Fry for 3-5 minutes. Return beef to pan.
4. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the sauce and pour into the edges of the pan. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until everything is fully combined and the mixture is simmered.
5. Serve with rice or noodles. 

I used leftover Japanese rice and it went incredibly well with this. Will try it with flat rice noodle next time so I'll update and see how that goes. 

update: Tried it with flat rice noodle, boiled the noodle until almost al dente, poured the water out and added the left overs and put back on low hit, combine the noodle and sauce, take it out when the beef and veggies are warm. It was just as good as with the Japanese rice. going to save half as leftovers to let the sauce soak in the noodles, see if it tastes better! :) 

Recipe from https://gimmedelicious.com/quick-15-minute-beef-and-broccoli-tiryaki-stir-fry/

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

serves 6

time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15g) butter (or olive oil)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 4 cups (1L) reduced salt chicken broth/stock (or veggie stock)
• 1.5 cups (325ml) water
• 700 g broccoli florets (around 2 broccolis), peel and dice stem
• 2 potatoes, peeled & diced
• salt & pepper
• 1.5 cups (150g) cheddar, shredded (or other cheeses)
• 3/4 cup (165ml) cream or milk

Method

1. Melt butter in large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until onion is softened.
2. Add broth & water, broccoli, potato, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, then place the lid on, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the broccoli is soft.
3. Turn the stove off (but leave on stove). Puree using a stick blender until smooth.
4. Stir in cream, then add cheese a handful at a time, stirring in between to melt.
5. Taste and add more salt if needed.
6. Serve with drizzle of cream.

Recipe from https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-broccoli-cheese-soup/