September 1, 2014
Found some granny smith apples lying in my basket of oranges. What I can do with 3 of them? I've just finished giving the oven a good scrub down (I can't remember the last time I did it, oops) and really not in the mood to make anything complicated, or rather, anything that involves in heavy cleaning up. Hmm...I know... apple crumble! What better way to reward myself than with a warm, delicious dessert with my favorite crunchy granola topping?
August 27, 2014
This is not your typical KFC coleslaw version. Sorry, mayonnaise lovers. I'll make it up to you all in other recipes. Red cabbage is also known as purple cabbage. The color comes from growing in acidic soils. Alkaline soil will produce greenish-yellow cabbages. Well, you get the idea. I prefer to use red cabbage instead of greenish-yellow cabbage in this recipe. However, if you can't get your hands on reddy, feel free to use good ol' greeny. :-)
August 25, 2014
After a heavy week of wine and dine, it is time to detox our bodies (at least for me!). I hereby pronounce this week to be "Salad Week"! Who says it is boring to have salads? Let's chase the Monday blues away with this delicious salad. A classic Caesar salad is a salad of romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and black pepper. The BNF version does not use egg or croutons but rather anchovies and the irresistible bacon. To make it as a meal, protein such as grilled chicken or ham is added. Jerk Chicken is one of my family's favorite topping. Of course in these days, there are so many different versions, there is no right or wrong as long as they taste good, right?
August 20, 2014
I love sprinkling these little gems on everything! Salads, rice, noodles, ice cream, etc. Ok, I'm just kidding about the ice-cream but then again, there really is garlic ice-cream, right? Use this crunchy, savory quinoa as a topping on any of your favorite salad.
August 18, 2014
I fell in love - Quinoa is the first name. Here is why. What is Quinoa? (pronounced as kin-wa). Quinoa is a grain crop grown primarily for its edible seed. The Incas held the crop to be sacred. Nutritional evaluations indicate that quinoa is a source of complete protein. I just simply acknowledged it as a superfood. Since discovering it earlier this year, Quinoa has been a staple source of grain in our household. You will find some really awesome quinoa recipes in BNF blog. In this post, I'm going to share with you this simple yet delicious salad. Toasted quinoa gives this crisp salad of cucumber, green onion and fresh coriander an oomph!
August 15, 2014
Yeah, I know what you are thinking. What the heck is Jerk Chicken? No. This is not a bad chicken. The "Jerk" here refers to the marinade, which is a typical Caribbean marinade used for all kinds of meat and poultry. It is definitely something different from our usual BBQ or Teriyaki marinades and I absolutely love the intense flavors coming from this dish.
August 13, 2014
Hands down this is my family's favorite chicken dish! Or so I was told. It is so versatile, you can serve it warm or cold! Chicken is a staple protein in our household. Papa bear needs it for his daily dietary requirement. In case you do not know, I don't like to eat chilled food. But this is one dish that tastes even better when chilled. Perfect for that blazing summery afternoon heat (actually its that warm in Singapore every day)!
August 11, 2014
This is the start of chicken week! What better way to start it off than with chicken wings?? This recipe is inspired by the famous Portland's Pok Pok Vietnamese Wings. Fish sauce is an amber-colored liquid extracted from the fermentation of fish with sea salt. It is used as a condiment in various cuisines. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in numerous cultures in Southeast Asia and the coastal regions of East Asia, and featured heavily in Cambodian, Philippines, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisine. Today, I’m going to use it as a star ingredient for my wings. It might sounds like a fishy affair but I promise you will love it!
August 8, 2014
Now, except for my best friend who does not like any shell fish, I haven't met anyone who could say no to vongole aka clams. Wow your loved ones or dinner guests with this simple yet delicious recipe! Italians prepare this dish two ways: bianco, i.e., with oil, garlic, parsley, and sometimes a splash of white wine; and in rosso, like the former but with tomatoes and fresh basil, the addition of tomatoes being more frequent in the south. Cream and cheese are never added to this dish. The "creaminess" in this dish is called "emulsione" (emulsion in English), which comes from adding the pasta water and tossing the pasta well. I like mine bianco (with more than a splash of white wine) so here’s a super easy peasy version that never fails. Oh, I usually buy my favorite bottle of white wine so I can finish.. I mean have a glass or two over dinner.
