The Best Choc Chip Ever! (At least That's What I Think)

When the children were small, a friend of mine called them cookie monsters (like in Sesame Street). & they truly adored chocolate chip cookies.

All their lives I've been making these cookies, throwing out recipes one after another once I found a recipe that tastes better than the previous I have tried. And I've tried many, believe me. These days I dont try them as much - the children are so blasé about choc chips anyway (except for Amos' or those great ones by Peppridge Farm if I am not mistaken..)

So if you love choc chip cookies, try this recipe:

250g butter, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3c (130g) firmly packed brown sugar
2/3c (150g) castor sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2c (375g) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/2c (60g) chopped walnuts, toasted (if you like)
2 cups chocolate chip cookies

1. Beat butter, essence, sugars & eggs until smooth.
2. Stir in dry ingredients and mix.
3. Stir in nuts and choc chips and mix well.
4. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet.
5. Bake about 10 - 12 mins in a preheated oven (180degrees C)

Enjoy!!

*****

A Tinge Of Humor

I went to pasar malam yesterday to get some - yum-yum - fresh popiah at the mamak stall. While there I looked for some lettuce for my caesar salad, which coincidently is very popular at home, even with Eirfan although he'll just take the croutons. (Check out the recipe that I have here.. http://a-passion-for-food.blogspot.com/2008/01/caesar-salad-and-anchovies.html)

As I understand it (what do I know about these things anyway..?) if it is caesar salad, only romaine lettuce is used - not iceberg or butterhead or coral or anything else.. please correct me if I am wrong, anyone..

I thought I saw romaine in one stall but they looked small (and a bit wimpy maybe that's why they looked a bit different). I asked the girl manning the vege - ni sayur apa? She said oay-mak-tom or something that sounds something like that. I cant help myself and laugh. Defensively, the girl said betul, oay-mak-tom. I said ok, then left to laugh elsewhere.

I laughed because I only knew that the lettuce is called romaine (you know, like so foreign - even that rhymes - romaine, foreign..) and I'm going to make caesar salad with it (like so glam..) and even my daughter cant quite catch the names (let alone spell 'em) - but here is a girl who told me it is called oay-mak-tom! ha-ha. Padan muka makcik yang tak sedar diri tu..!

Nevertheless I went back to the stall and bought the lettuce - and they cost me only RM1! I can only get it for about 5 bucks in Carrefour or ColdStorage.

Must ask again if it is really oay-mak-tom.. and the vege in the pic above was the culprit..

*****

My Baked Chicken

Long ago I cant survive baking / barbequing without my fave barbeque sauce ie Kraft's or Hunt's. I mean, how would I marinate my chicken?

Then one day we had a bbq get-together with some friends. I learnt that instead of spending big bucks on the sauce I can make it myself. You simply mix your oyster sauce, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, ground black pepper and some dried oregano. You can add some steak sauce if you have it - or even your black pepper sauce - if not, no worries.

If you like you can also add some honey for a bit of sweetness. Or add chilli flakes if you prefer it spicy. I like to add grated lemon rind and even some lemon juice to have that extra tangy taste. Rosemary and thyme are great choices for the sauce too.

.

Basically you can let your imagination rule the day..

.

I baked these chicken when the boys were home last CNY break. And a couple of days after that we bbq-ed (more) chicken, meat, shrimps, cockles and clams. We had that with baked potatoes and coleslaw. What can I say but yumm..?

.

ps - previously I baked the chicken on my baking sheet; but the other day I went to Ikea (my fave store) and saw this baking pan with the wire rack (pic). No kidding, the chicken is nicer with the new pan. I think heat circulates better..

*****

More Herb

I used to buy this dried by McCormick's. These days I plant it. It's called dill and I dont know what it is called locally. Will ask my mum one of these days. It smells like fresh tumeric aka kunyit in a way. Or even mustard.

I use it on my boiled potatoes and in my baked chicken. Unfortunately my boiled potatoes looked limp here although it tastes not bad.

*****