Appetizer

Recipe: Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

/ icookandcode / 13 Comments
Bacon cinnamon rolls

Bacon cinnamon rolls

Time: 40 – 50 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
When: Breakfast

I love this recipe because it simply requires two ingredients!

My Suggestions

  • Serve warm for best taste
  • Fry the bacon for only a few minutes (do not fully cook!)
  • Do not overcook the cinnamon rolls or the bottoms will burn

Ingredients

  • 1 can Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls (5 count)
  • 5 bacon strips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place bacon strips in skillet and fry for 2-3 minutes until still soft but slightly cooked. Remove bacon and pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Pop open the can of cinnamon rolls and unroll them into long strips. Lay one strip of bacon on each cinnamon roll strip, then roll them back up. Place each bacon roll in a greased pie pan.
  4. Cook according to package instructions, then drizzle with icing from the package.

Recipe by: Gimme Some Oven

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Recipe: Stuffed Baked Tomatoes with Ricotta, Sweet Corn and Pesto

/ icookandcode / 3 Comments

Time: 40 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
When: Appetizer | Snack | Lunch

My Experience

I made this recipe awhile ago so be aware that my experience is a bit forgotten. Nonetheless, I really love this recipe for its unique aroma and taste. The smell of basil makes this recipe an absolute favourite. More importantly it is a great vegetarian option!

My Tips

  • Do not overcook the tomatoes or they will become dry
  • I always say this: taste, taste and taste as you mix the ingredients to ensure a perfect taste
  • Use a spoon or knife to scoop the insides of the tomatoes (I would reuse the insides in the mixture or for a salad)

Ingredients (makes 12 pieces)

  • 6 small tomatoes
  • 8 tbsp Ricotta cheese
  • 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp store bought pesto
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 6 tbsp Sweet corn
  • Salt, pepper (keep in mind that the parmesan and pesto already have salt)
  • 10 tbsp Bread crumbs, I used Italian garlic and herb bread crumbs.
  • Butter or olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 f.Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out the flesh using a spoon. Dab the tomato cavities dry (See pictures above). In a bowl, mix together all other ingredients except tomatoes, bread crumbs and butter/olive oil.  Spoon this mixture into each tomato half. Top with bread crumbs (approximately 1 tbsp breadcrumbs per tomato half). Gently pat the bread crumbs down. Drizzle a little butter or olive oil on top of the stuffed tomatoes.

Place stuffed tomatoes in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and broil till the tops are golden, about 1 minute.

Recipe by veggiebelly

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Recipe: Chinese Tea Eggs

/ icookandcode / 10 Comments

Time: 2 – 10 hours (depending on seeping)
Difficulty: Easy
When: Brunch | Breakfast | Snack

My Experience

It took three attempts to get this recipe right. A few tips I learned along the way:

  • Seep the eggs overnight for best effect
  • Use Chinese five spice powder for more flavours (I did not!)
  • Crack the eggs enough so the sauce can enter
  • Do not use green tea, use black tea
  • Simmer or refrigerate overnight
  • Use the back of a spoon to crack the eggs

The pattern is unique, but the taste is not much different than regular boiled eggs. This might be due to the absence of Chinese five spice powder which I did not use.

Ingredients

  • 6-8 eggs
  • 4 table spoons of loose black tea leaves
  • 2 table spoons soy sauce
  • 2 table spoons salt
  • 1 tea spoon Chinese five spice powder (adjust according to taste)

Directions

  1. Boil eggs for 12 minutes until they are thoroughly cooked. Afterwards set eggs aside in cold water to let them cool down.
  2. Once eggs are cooled, crack the shells of the eggs, but make sure not to let the shell come off the eggs. Make sure to make cracks all around for a prettier cracked egg shell look as a result. This is tricky, what you want are cracks that are deep enough for the taste to get into the eggs, but not to much to the eggs shells won’t fall of the egg itself during cooking.
  3. Lay the eggs in a cooking pot and fill water to about one inch or 2.5 cm above eggs. Add more water later on if needed.
  4. Bring to boil the water with black tea leaves, salt, soy sauce and chinese spices. The latter you can usually find in any grocery store. If not, check out your local asian supermarket. If you can’t find this at your local asian grocery store.
  5. Cook the tea eggs for two hours (this is really the minimum) with all the ingredients on a low simmer. Keep lid on, this will avoid the liquid mixture from evaporating.
  6. Afterwards let the pot cool down and let the boiled tea eggs sit overnight for about 8 hours) in the fridge to fully absorb the flavors.
  7. The next day, you have to boil, and cook at a low boil for an additional 1-2 hours.

Recipe by teasenz.com

Recipe: Simple Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

/ icookandcode / 6 Comments

Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
When: Appetizer | Snack | Lunch

My Suggestions

  • Serve warm for best taste
  • Marinate the water chestnuts over night (but not necessary)
  • Try adding chillies to the sauce to add spice to it

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 pound bacon
  • 2 (8 ounce) cans water chestnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup.

Wrap one slice of bacon around each chestnut. Secure the bacon with a toothpick. Arrange the water chestnut wraps in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Pour or spread the sauce over the wraps.

Bake the water chestnut wraps for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy.

Recipe by allrecipes.com

Recipe: Simple Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes

/ icookandcode / Leave a comment

Time: 1 Hour
Difficulty: Easy
When: Appetizer | Snack | Lunch

My Experience

I based this recipe off of Gordon Ramsay’s recipe. Since I didn’t have all the ingredients I made some substitutions. It turned out great!

My Suggestions

  • Make more spicy mayonnaise sauce
  • Add more spring onions and basil

Ingredients

  • 1 Boiled Potato
  • 2 cans (15 oz) good-quality canned tuna
  • 3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
  • 1 tsp sriracha sauce or as needed
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 basil leaves
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
  • 1/4 tablespoon of sriracha sauce

Directions

First make the dipping sauce. Mix together all the sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust the flavours as necessary. Set aside. 1/4 tablespoon of sriracha per 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise or adjust to your liking.

Drain the tuna and place in a bowl; use a fork to separate the chunks. Add the spring onions, boiled potato, sriracha sauce, and basil and season with salt and pepper. Add the beaten eggs. Mix well.

Squeezing the mixture to tightly compress it and get rid of any excess liquid, shape it into balls the size of golf balls. Flatten them lightly into patties. THIS IS CRITICAL!

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and shallow-fry the fishcakes on each side for 1–2 minutes until golden on all sides and heated through. Serve with the dipping sauce either on the side or on top.

Recipe: Crostini – Bocconcini & Chilli

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Time: < 20 Mins.
Difficulty: Very Easy
When: Appetizer | Snack

My Experience

A simple appetizer with authentic Italian tastes! Aside from the presentation this recipe is not very impressive.

My Suggestions

  • Presentation is key
  • The basil gives this recipe authentic Italian flavours

Ingredients

  • 3×150 g buffalo mozzarella balls
  • crostini
  • 1 red chilli
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • a little fresh basil

Directions

Tear 3 x 150g balls of buffalo mozzarella into quarters, then top each of your hot crostini with one of the quarters. Deseed and finely chop a fresh red chilli and sprinkle this over the mozzarella. Add a little seasoning and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Lovely with a little fresh basil torn over.

Recipe from Jamie Oliver