Strawberry Cake

1 box strawberry cake mix (make as directed on package, 2 layer 8"cakes)
2 cup strawberries , hulled and sliced thin (save some for top of cake)
4 cups whipped cream (beat with 1 or 2 tablespoon sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla, until thick)

Fill bottom layer cake with whipped cream,  place strawberries all over as much as you desire,
place top layer over bottom layer top with whipped cream, and strawberries.




* I like to slice each layer through the middle so I can make 3 layer cake but you will need more strawberries and double the whipped cream. Same process as above but you will 3 layer I like this because you get a lot more strawberries & whipped cream.

Easy Chicken Curry

5 pieces chicken thighs or drumsticks thawed
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ginger grated or chopped fine
1 large potato peeled and cut into cubes
1 large carrot peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 to 4 tablespoon curry powder ( curry powders vary some are stronger than others so add in to whatever suits your taste)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or 1 teaspoon chili powder or fresh chili if you like it hot diced small seeds out)
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup water

If I am using thighs I like to take off the skin and cut the bone out then cut the chicken into cubes but, I still use the bone to cook the curry so that you get all the flavor so don't throw them away. If you use drumsticks you don't have to prep them just cook as directed in the recipe below.

In a large pan/pot heat oil on medium heat, cook onions for a couple of minutes then add ginger and garlic continue cooking for 1 minute add cubed chicken and the bones, brown chicken for about 10 minutes then add potato & carrots. Cook on medium heat about 15 minutes turn down heat to low add curry powder, paprika, chili flakes and water, stir until chicken mixture is well coated cook another 15 minutes or until potato & carrots are tender.

* serve with rice or if your lucky to have it in your grocery store Naan bread or my personal favorite  Roti.

Fried Chicken

I love fried chicken! I was 12 yrs old when I made my first fried chicken dinner with potato salad & corn..and it was a mess the chicken was raw in the middle and the potato's were not cooked all the way..that's what happens sometimes in cooking ,you just have to try and try again until you get it right,
Fried chicken is one of those recipes that anyone can make their own version meaning put what ever seasoning  you have on hand or your own preference...this is my version

6 to 8 chicken pieces completely thawed.
1 1/2 cup flour 

Seasoning for your flour, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp. Paprika ( or cayenne pepper if you want spicy)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
about 4 cups of oil depending on the size of your pan.

I like to set up a flat plate or pan for my flour mixture and a flat dish with sides for my egg mixture

1 1/2 cup flour, seasoned flour

beat 2 eggs & milk with salt & pepper together in a flat dish/pan with sides.

take your largest frying pan (or wok or a pot if no large frying pan or wok available)fill halfway with the oil
heat on medium high for about 8 to 10 minutes (keep an eye on the oil stoves vary, sprinkle a little flour in it, if it sizzles really fast it should be ready.

dip pieces of chicken one at a time into egg mixture, shake off excess and roll into flour mixture until well coated. Drop one at a time into hot oil don't over crowd the frying pan lay chicken next to each other not touching (usually I can fit 4 to 5 pieces in one batch so I do 2 batches) turn down to medium heat. fry about
10 to 15 minutes on each side (if pieces are different sizes the smaller pieces will be cooked faster) you can cut a piece of chicken in the middle to make sure it is done.

* I love fried chicken with either creamy mashed potato's or potato salad...or any side dish or vegetables you like...possibilities are endless!

Cinnamon Rolls

DOUGH

1/4 cup warm water

1 packet dry yeast,

1 tablespoon sugar

½  packet vanilla instant pudding mix, small size

1 cup milk (room temperature)

1/4 cup butter softened 

1 egg slightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour (a little more for rolling) 

In a small bowl combine warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved,

set aside  for 10 minutes and prepare the rest of ingredients

In a large  bowl  add pudding mix , milk, egg and butter, beat until blended

Add in  yeast mixture, gradually add flour and salt mix by hand or mixer until

everything is well blended, turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead  for 10 minutes

If dough is too sticky sprinkle more flour over it until it is smooth and elastic, Dough should be

spring back when touched.  Lightly oil a bowl and place dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth, set in a warm place to rise 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

After dough has doubled in size, place it on a floured surface and roll out a long 

rectangle shape approximately 16” x 10”.

 

CINNAMON SUGAR filling 

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter Softened

Spread softened butter all over dough leaving ½ inch border un-buttered . Spread the sugar mix all over the butter.

With the long side of the dough, roll up very tightly, as tight as you can get it. With a knife or bench scraper cut the roll in half , then half again so there are 4 pieces then slice each piece into 3 so you will have 12 pieces. Lightly butter a 9” x 13” pan, place the rolls in the pan (not too close so there is room to rise) and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth set aside in a warm spot to rise again. 30 to 45 minutes until rolls have doubles in size.

PreHeat oven to 350f/180c when rolls has doubled place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes,

Rolls should be golden brown in color or 195f to 200 in temperature if you have a thermometer, 

Let cool 15 minutes while rolls are still warm, Spread Cream Cheese Frosting all over

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

½ packet cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar (Icing sugar)

2 – 3 tablespoons milk

Cream all ingredients together until smooth

Enjoy!

Puligi

Puligi

I found this recipe from http://www.samoa.as/recipe8.htm

the only thing I changed was the spices amounts, it's a great recipe!

Burnt Sugar mixture

2 cup sugar

2 cup water

2 teaspoon vanilla
In a saucepan over medium heat, measure 2 cups sugar 

stir until it dissolves into a brown syrup.
Turn heat down to simmer, then slowly add water and vanilla,

Briskly mixing until blended, set aside to slightly cool.

In a large bowl blend together,

7 cups flour                 

4 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda 

3 tablespoon Cinnamon                         

1 tablespoon Nutmeg                                      

                              

In a separate bowl cream together,                            

2 cups Sugar

1 cup butter (2 sticks of butter)

4 eggs 

2 x 12 oz. cans evaporated milk (3 cups)

1 cup water

Instructions:

 Mix flour, baking soda and cinnamon & nutmeg.
Cream butter and sugar then add milk, water and eggs.

 Add flour mixture to butter mixture. 

 Add burnt sugar mixture to the above. Mix well.

Pour batter into 2 round fluted pans, cover pans tightly with foil so steam doesn’t escape.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean…Enjoy!!

Optional:
 add 1 cup of raisins (soaked in hot water for an hour until they're plumped up) into batter

Edmunds Custard sauce:
2 cups milk, 2 tablespoon Edmund custard, 2 tablespoon sugar

in a medium size pot add milk, custard powder & sugar. heat on a medium heat stirring constantly until custard starts to bubble. remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

* if you can't find Edmund custard, you can use Jello heat & serve vanilla just add a 1/2 cup more milk & 1 teaspoon vanilla and follow directions on packet.

Chicken Long Rice

I love this soup it's very comforting and filling and I love the long rice it, it makes it very thick.
I hope you will too..
perfect for those cold, NZ and Australian winters.

Ingredients:
4 to 5 pieces of chicken, thawed with skin removed (I cut as much of the meat off the bone as I can, but I still use the bone for the flavor or, you can also use a whole chicken cut up.)  
1 tablespoon butter
1 carrot (sliced thin)
1 onion  (chopped)
4 stems spring onion
2 teaspoon ginger (grated or sliced and chopped as thin as you can)
5 cups chicken stock (I use 5 teaspoons of powdered stock or cubed to 5 cups water)
1/2 can corn (I use the whole can so I don't have too store it, if you like corn use the whole can)
1/2 lb. Vermicelli (Lia Lia, Long Rice noodle, depends on where you live these are the names I've seen. Soak in 2 cup warm water to soften then cut, not too small add to soup with the water)
salt & pepper to taste

on high heat brown chicken about 3 minutes, add onion and ginger cook another 2 minutes ,
add chicken stock, cook on high until it boils about (20 minutes) add carrots & corn 
cook another 10 minutes then add lia lia cook for another 10 minutes or until it boils.
served topped with spring onions

*Check the flavor to make sure there is enough salt & pepper sometimes I add a little bit of chili flakes for some spice or Kikkoman or any Soya sauce it depends on your taste, possibilities are endless that's the great part of cooking your own food...Enjoy!

4 Layer Lemon Cake

Mock Cream Topping:
4 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar (granulated )
Dash of salt
2 tsp. vanilla
Mix flour with milk in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until very thick (like paste). Set aside to Cool.Cream butter add sugar and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the cooled flour mixture and beat about 4 minutes or until thoroughly mixed and icing appears like whipped cream. Add a dash of salt and vanilla to cream.

1 white cake mix (make according directions, I use the whole egg not just the white)

1 can lemon pie filling


divide cake batter into 2 round cake pans  bake as directed, cool completely . Slice first cake through the middle (sideways) to make 2 thin layers on a large plate place the top layer slice on the bottom so that the inside slice is facing up, spread with 1/3 of lemon filling, place other half on top, spread another 1/3 of the lemon filling. Slice the other half of cake the same way only place the bottom slice on top of the layer on lemon filled cake, add the last of the filling on top of 3rd layer then top with the last layer cake, top side up. Spread Cream on sides and top of cake.

* should be stored in refrigerator after slicing

ColeSlaw

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cabbage (around 2lbs)
1 to 2 carrot shredded
1/2 bunch spring onion chopped (about 5 stems)
1 can crushed pineapple (med size can)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar


Sauce: (make ahead so the sugar can dissolve)

In a small bowl, add pineapple, mayo & sugar
beat all ingredients together. set aside while you prepare
the vegi's

Salad:

In a large bowl add cabbage, carrots & spring onion
make sure to cut the core off the cabbage, slice as thin as you can
peel and clean carrots before you shred
chop spring onion small

pour sauce over cabbage mix stir to coat all the vegi's ..refrigerate for 1 hour to half hour.

B.B.Q Pork Ribs

2 slabs pork ribs (4 to 5lbs)

BBQ Sauce:

1-1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons Mushroom Soya Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbl. vinegar

Heat all ingredients in a small pot, until sugar is dissolved (set aside to cool a little)

 season ribs with salt & pepper.

Coat both sides of the ribs with the sauce, saving 2/3 cup for basting.Arrange the ribs, meaty-side up, in 1 layer in a foil-lined baking sheet.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the ribs 1 hour at 350 degrees (180 c). Remove foil, baste with the remaining BBQ sauce and bake the ribs (uncovered) another hour.

Allow the cooked ribs to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

* these are great with any sides, rice, taro, corn anything...my personal favorites are potato salad & coleslaw... Enjoy.. sorry no pics next time I make them I'll post it.

Sugar Cookies

I love making cookies they are fun to do with the kids they can decorate and frost for you, definitely great quality time!

3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, soften (2 sticks butter or 1/2lb. butter)

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

* powdered sugar or flour for rolling out

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Place butter & sugar in a large bowl beat until light in color. Add egg & milk beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed and add flour gradually, beat until mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Divide dough in half wrap in plastic wrap and chill in freezer (1 hour) refrigerator (3 hours) or make up to a week ahead, then bring it out of the freezer for a hour or hour & a half to soften enough to roll out. Sprinkle some sugar/flour lightly on the surface you're rolling on,roll out dough about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, cut out with cookie cutters (sometime I just use a glass if no cutters) make sure to dip cutters/glass in flour so they don't stick to the dough. After cutting out cookies place on a cookie sheet put in freezer for 10 minutes bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan. you can eat them plain our glaze them, put sprinkles on or colored sugars, let them dry before eating or packing.
makes about 3 doz. sometimes more depends on how thin they are rolled.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk,( if it looks too thick add a little more milk or too thin add more sugar, you can also
add food color if you're going for a theme...Enjoy!

Hi everyone!

Sorry I've been away for so long! I will try to keep up my posting again every weekend...hope everyone is doing good. Congratulations to Jr & Shannon Baby Mataio was born on 7/25/12, 7lbs 5oz., 20 inches...all doing fine. I love you all...Mom Mona