::: TonKaTsu ::

Ingredients:
3 pieces pork loins
5 tbsp flour
2 eggs - beaten
1/2 tbsp dashida (for beef stock)
5 tbsp bread crumbs / panko / tempura crumbs
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for frying
shredded cabbage
Tonkatsu sauce

Directions:
1). Cut off the excess fat from the pork, then pound the pork with meat mallet until it is tender.
2). Sprinkle salt and pepper in both sides of pork
3). Add dashida to the flour and mix it together. Put it aside
4). Put the egg and bread crumb into different bowl as well.
5). First, dredge the flour to the both side of pork and pat off the excess flour. Then, dip into the beaten egg. Repeat this one more time then to the crumb mix. So, flour-egg-flour-egg-crumb
6). Fry the meat into medium heated oil until it becomes golden brown.
7). Dry oil into the net. Then pat the excess oil from the meat using towel pepper.
8). Dip shredded cabbage into cold water then drain until it is not wet. Put the cabbage into a plate.
9). Cut the meat into pieces then serve it on the top of cabbage.
10). Add tonkatsu sauce on top of meat and serve. Serve with white rice while hot.

It's so easy and yummy! We can't stop eating!

Egg Drop Soup

Serving for 3 -4. Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cups of chicken broth
2 eggs
2 tbsp corn starch
salt and white pepper as needed
green onion (optional)

Directions:
1). In a saucepan, bring 3 3/4 cups of chicken broth to boil. Put remaining 1/4 cup for later.
2). Then add salt and white pepper as needed.
3). Beat egg and put it aside. Meanwhile, add corn starch to the remaining chicken broth and stir together until blended. Then mix it to the broth.
4). Lower the heat to medium and add the egg. Stir the egg into one direction. 5). Garnish with green onion and serve.

I miss Fung2

Long time no see. I was so busy lately. Many things happen during the 1st half year of 2008. It's almost the end of 2008 already. How fast time goes, right?

My sister, Fung2, went home for good already. I was kind of sad. She is my BFF. Though it's sad to see her leave but I am happy for her because she finds her other half. She got engaged this new year and she will get married next year. It's very exciting, right?

I miss my sister so much. I remember I cried a lot when she left back to Indo. But I will see her soon.

I am going back to Indonesia around Feb 09. So, definitely will help her to prep her wedding and some bonding time as sister before she gets marriage.

I miss you, sis...A LOT!

Right now, I'm listening a song by Scott Krippayne called 'May I have This Dance'. That's why it reminds me about her. I think I want to give this song for her first dance. If she doesn't want it, I'll take it.

Here is the lyrics:

May I Have This Dance
~Scott Krippayne~

Maybe it's your laughter
Maybe it's the magic of your smile
Maybe you're an angel
'Cause hope is always dancing in your eyes
I can't imagine a more beautiful girl than you
May I have the honor of sharing a melody or two

May I have this dance
May I lead you across the floor
May I take your hand
And spin you around and round once more
May I hold you close
Before this evening is through
May I have this dance with you

Do you hear the music
Do you like the way they play our song
Do you know how much I love you?
Baby, I could hold you all night long
So close to heaven
My dreams have already come true
I'll treasure this moment
'Cause I'm making a memory with you

Yamada Taro Monogatari

After throughing the month of November, finally I come up with decision. The best drama for the month of November goes to Yamada Taro Monogatari (jdrama).

This drama is starring Arashi members Ninomiya Kazunari and Sakurai Sho based on "Yamada Taro Monogatari" by mangaka Ai Morinaga. Ninomiya plays the title character, Taro Yamada, whose family lives in extreme poverty. But because of his looks, intelligence, and athleticism, others mistakenly believe that Taro comes from a prosperous family. In contrast, Sakurai plays Taro's best friend Takuya, who really is from a successful family and who often helps out Taro in various ways

This drama is so funny and touching. Maybe this is not a romatic drama, but has very good value. After watching this drama, I am interested to know more about the main actor Ninomiya Kazunari. I watched some of his movies too. He is really good in acting. Two thumbs up for this guy!

So, if you want funny family value drama, here is the one! Must watch one.

Ninomiya, kudos to you!

OaTm3aL cHocOLaTe cHiP mUFfin

Yesterday, my friend Lely sent me the pictures we took when she came over to my apt. On that day, I made low fat chocolate chip muffin. FYI, Lely loves chocolate. That’s one of my reasons to make chocolate chip muffin. Honestly, I do not really like muffin. It’s too big and so many calories in 1 muffin. But I had a craving for muffin on that day. So, I search the recipe that is low fat and healthy ingredients. After some adjustments, I made one. It’s so good. I gave some muffins to Lely. And she shared this to her friends. When I heard that, I was so embarrassed. I am not a pro at cooking yet! Nothing can be thrilled about yet. It turned out that her friends loved my muffins. They said it was not too sweet yet so tempting. I can’t stop eating it myself. Once you try, one is not enough. Then you want to take another one and another one J By the way, I bought the 24 pieces mini muffin tin. I like it that way. Regular size is too big for me. Mini is nice. It reminds me with a brownie bite. It looks like that. So, here’s the recipe!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin
(For 24 for mini servings)

Ingredients:
¾ cup all purpose flour 1 egg
1 ¾ cup quick cooking oats 4 tsp baking powder
1 ¼ cup skim milk 3 tbsp coffee (dissolved with 2 tbsp warm water)
¾ cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 tsp salt
6 tbsp apple sauce 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Combine oats and milk and allow to stand for 15 minutes
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease each cup of one 24-cup muffin tin
3. Stir egg, oil, apple sauce, brown sugar, and semi sweet chocolate chips in different bowl. Add oaks and milk mixtures, and then stir until it blend together.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt in one big bowl. Then add the oak mixture into the flour. Stir until just moist.
5. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes (12-muffin tin takes 5 minutes longer to bake).

:: OMURICE ::

Today my older sister didn't have dinner at home. At first, I think to have elbow macaroni as dinner. But without my sister and her BF for dinner, it means it's only me and my youngest sister. Somehow, I have a taste of Omurice (Omelet Rice). Honestly I never try this but as I saw the picture on the recipe, it looks so good.

At first, I'm kind of questioning the ingredients. It's too simple. But it turns out really good. I can eat a lot of this. If I have kids, I will definitely prepare this for their lunch box. It's so fun yet so delicious. Love it and definitely I will make this often.

Omurice (Omelet Rice)
(for 2 servings)

Ingredients:
1/2 carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red/green/yellow bell pepper, diced
80 gram smoked ham, diced
100 gram crab stick, diced
3 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 eggs
2 cups steamed rice
1 tsp extra virgin oil (EVO)

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix tomato sauce with Worcestershire sauce
2. Preheat the saucepan and add EVO
3. Add all diced ingredients and saute for 2 minutes. Then reduce the heat to half
4. Add the rice and mixed sauce. Stir it for another minute.
5. Turn off the heat.
6. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl and add a pinch of salt
7. Heat a frying pan and add some oil. Pour egg in the frying pan. Then spread the egg and make it thin round omelet
8. Repeat the step for another 2 eggs.
9. Place the omelet into a small deep bowl.
10. Then add the rice into the bowl. then wrap it with the rest of the omelet.
11. Place a plate on the top of the bowl and turn it upside down then remove the bowl.
12. Make a cross cut on the middle of omelet and add some tomato sauce on the top of it

:: Br3Ad pUdDiNg ::

After my chocolate chip muffins are gone, I don’t what we have for dessert. I need to have something sweet after dinner. As I was wondering what would I made, I noticed I have plenty bread I haven’t used. So, I decided to make easy bread pudding. I love bread pudding. Last bread pudding I made was too eggy. So, this time I will use less egg than before.

Bread Pudding
(for 12 servings)

Ingredients:
6 slices bread (white or wheat)
2 tbs butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla powder

Directions:
1. Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan
2. In the small saucepan, mix milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla powder together with low heat until the sugar is dissolved (no need to wait until boiling)
3. Turn off the heat then add beaten eggs into the mix. Keep stirring
4. Add bread to the mix then stir.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degree F . Spray the baking sheet with butter/margarine
6. Pour out the mix into the baking sheet and into the oven for 30-45 minutes (until the top springs back when lightly tapped)
7. Serve it either cold or warm (I love it warm though!). Serve it also with vanilla ice cream (or anything you want) at the top of the pudding.