DONGZHI FESTIVAL #2

20/12/2015
SUNDAY

Hasselback Potatoes -  top with cheese and crispy bacon bits (sorry photo missing!)

I had wanted to try this recipe a long time, but with the girls cutting back on carbo and calorie counting (yes, I think it must be any fitness addict's nightmare) did not have a chance to do so.  The potatoes which I had previously bought purposely for this recipe, always ended into something else esp in ABC soup (now that's their favourite one pot meal).    

To slice the potato without cutting through... I placed it against edge of my tabletop but there were a few missed hence the odd slices which fell out.  Next, season with salt and pepper and brush with butter and olive oil and get into each slices if possible.  Roast in oven till golden brown and edges are crispy.  I took them out of oven and stuff the cheddar cheese and fried bacon bits in between the slices (they should have fanned out slightly now). Return to oven and grill till the cheese have melted and serve hot.  

Even though, there will be one or two "white poached chicken" in the menu for the dinner, I decided to cook my version of Chicken Parmesan. (see original recipe from Kitchen Flavours).   I marinated the chicken with salt, pepper and some of the leftover spaghetti sauce overnight.  The chicken are then pan fried till slightly brown and set aside. 

Into the pan, add some diced cherry tomatoes and garlic. Add a splash of  white wine.  Add a can of whole tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Season to taste and pour sauce over chicken. 

Bake in oven @ 200C for around 20 minutes. 

Remove from oven and top with grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Return to the oven and grill till cheese is melted and brown.  Best to serve hot.

As Christmas is drawing near and this year I could not be organising any celebration,  I decided to bake this Mixed Fruit Christmas Log as gifts for each family. (recipe from Guai Shu Shu).

Ingredients for the cake: Mixed fruit which had been soaked in rum overnight; eggs; corn oil, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon powder (I added a teaspoon of all spice as well) and condensed milk

Whisk egg yolks with brown sugar and condensed milk. Whisk egg whites separately till stiff peaks. Add sifted flour and then mix in oil.  Take a small portion of batter and mix into the mixed fruit before returning the the fruits to the batter.  Mix well and pour into tray and bake at 180C for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately turn over onto a piece of greaseproof paper and set aside to cool

The swiss roll was supposed to be filled with cream cheese frosting.  As I did not have any cream cheese, I whipped some thickened cream and added my lemon curd.  In the end, this is not a Christmas Log but a Swiss Roll.

Dinner time.. 

and Happy Dongzhi