Jerked chicken wings

Jerk seasoning is a combination of sweet, sour, hot and spicy flavors.

Ingredients

·         900g  chicken wings

·         3 tablespoons jerk seasoning

·         100ml  red wine  vinegar

·         2 tablespoons soy sauce

·         2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

1.       Marinate the chicken wings in the seasoning, vinegar, soy and oil for at least 2 hours.

2.       Fry the wings in a little oil until browned then roast in a roasting tin at 200⁰©/ 400⁰F/Gas 6 for 10-15 minutes.

Ouma se Kombuis

Coca Cola Cake

Ingredients

·         2 c. flour, not sifted

·         2 c. sugar

·         1 c. butter

·         1 c. Coca Cola

·         2 tbsp. cocoa

·         ½ c. buttermilk

·         2 eggs

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         ¼ tsp. salt

·         1½ c. marshmallows cut into small pieces

Method

1.       Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl

2.       In a sauce pan, heat butter, Coca Cola and cocoa to boiling point, then pour over dry mixture, stirring for 1 minute until smooth.

3.       Add buttermilk, eggs, baking powder, vanilla and salt

4.       Add marshmallows – they will float

5.       Pour batter in a greased and floured pan and bake at 180⁰ C for 30 to 35 minutes

Ice and serve

Icing ingredients

·         ½ c. butter

·         ⅓ c.  Coca Cola

·         2 tbsp. cocoa

·         454 g icing sugar

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         1 c. pecan pieces

Mix thoroughly, ice the cake and sprinkle over the pecan pieces

My beautiful world

Baked eggs with peppers and chorizo

Ingredients

·         1 onion sliced

·         4 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes

·         200g chorizo, cut into rounds

·         4 red peppers, chopped

·         150g cherry tomatoes

·         8 eggs

·         Parsley for garnishing

Preparation

1.       Pre-heat oven on 180⁰c.

2.       Fry onion until soft and keep aside

3.       Cook the potatoes until crispy and cooked through and keep aside

4.       Fry the chorizo slices

5.       Add the chopped peppers and fried onions and cook for a few minutes

6.       Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes in the oven

7.       Break the eggs over the mixture and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or until the eggs are baked to your liking.

8.       Garnish with parsley and serve.

Beautiful Women

7 Tips for Frying Chicken

There is no need to be an expert chef to get your fried chicken to come out just right.  Discover the secrets and tricks experienced cooks use to get their fried chicken extra crispy on the outside, and soft and juicy on the inside.

Fried chicken is commonly considered Southern fare; however the crispy appetizer is enjoyed the world-over.  From olive-oil fried “healthy” versions in South Korea to the crunchy ‘Chicken Chipees’ of Australia, fried chicken has made it the world over as a popular finger food.

For truly American fried chicken, there are 7 easy guidelines to follow for the perfect crispy finish.   Spoil your family and guests with juicy chicken fried to golden perfection.

1. Choosing the Chicken

Avoid the common mistake of choosing pieces that are either too large or too small.  Large cuts will result in the outside being over-fried and the inside remaining undercooked.  Cuts that are too small will lose their juice quickly.  Strive for the golden middle and choose medium-sized chicken pieces.  Aside from better taste, these cuts will be easier to handle when eating.

2. The Skillet

For best frying results, a cast iron skillet is the optimal choice for creating an even heating temperature.  Oil warmed in a cast iron skillet will take longer to warm up, so be sure to test the temperature of the oil before starting the first batch.  If you are preparing an extra-large batch, you may want to consider deep-frying the chicken. Oil temperature is easiest to regulate in a deep-fry setting, and you can get more done at once.

3. The Oil Makes a Difference

It is recommended to use fresh oil for each frying session.  A trick of the trade is to add a few pieces of diced celery to the oil.  The celery will enhance the flavor of the chicken and give a beautiful golden color to the fried pieces.  Although it is less healthy than other oils, peanut oil can be used for additional flavor enhancement.

4. The Temperature

Frying at the right oil temperature is critical for good results.  If you choose to use a thermometer, the ideal temperature of the oil should be just around 375 degrees.  Be aware that once chicken pieces are added to the oil, the temperature drops significantly.  It is therefore recommended to fry in smaller batches.  For best results, make sure the temperature of the oil does not drop below the 350 degree mark.

A food thermometer is recommended for a greater precision in temperature control.  If you do not have a thermometer at hand, the temperature can be tested simply by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil.  When the temperature is right, the flour should fry well upon contact without turning black too quickly.

5. Brining

Many cooks will credit the juicy texture of their fried chicken with their brining technique.  Brining requires soaking the chicken pieces in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours prior to preparation. The classic brine mixture contains buttermilk, finely minced garlic, paprika, sugar and salt.

6. The Batter

No matter what recipe you are using, be sure to include baking powder in the batter mixture.  Baking powder will give the fried chicken a crispier, crunchier crust.

7. Cooling Tips

Once the chicken pieces are removed from the oil, place them on a brown paper bag to cool off.  This method will allow extra oil to drain off, while preserving the crispy texture of the chicken.  Cooling on paper towels is not recommended for any fried fare, as this can decrease the crispiness of the food.  Do not cover the chicken while cooling.

By Irene Shalom

Chicken Salad

·         2 cups cooked chicken, diced

·         2 tablespoons green olives, chopped

·         3/4 cup celery, chopped

·         2 tablespoons ripe olives

·         2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

·         2 eggs, hard-cooked

·         3/4 cup mayonnaise

·         Chop hard-cooked eggs,

·         and mix with remaining ingredients.

Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Home Made Pizza Made Really Well

What is better than the good feeling of making pizza with friends or family, especially when they get to roll out the pizza dough all by themselves? Just like any kind of meal, pizza needs preparation and one can actually refer to making of pizza as an art, and a fine sweet art it should be in the end. Making pizza could take up to three hours so one should be diligent and patient through the process.

Sliced courgette, mushroom, tomatoes, garlic, herbs homemade tomatoes, garlic and herb base; there is nothing like a good homemade pizza, much cheaper, healthier and tastier than ordering. As usual pizza has different stuffing's but before all these one needs the tools to get started off. With homemade pizza this would mean the kids are also involved so one will need the kids baking tools.

With getting kids' baking tools one can simply save time, check in the local stores or a few clicks on the internet, and one is sure to get the right places to shop. While through the shopping process one would want to make sure besides all the stuffing's being bought as according to the recipe, whether it's a recipe on how to make a great Chicago style stuffed pizza or even a recipe on how to make homemade pizza with the Mediterranean touch one will need some key tools as well.

On getting stuffing, one needs to get a pizza pan and also a pizza wheel just to make the whole process much more original and fun as well. A pizza pan is specifically made to bring out a perfect pizza for instance the many tiny holes are for releasing moisture through the baking process. The holes on the pizza pan will make the pizza have a crispy bottom and this is what a traditional pizza should be like.

Classic homemade pizza recipe's key ingredients will include pizza dough, toppings, and the good old olive oil. Now to make the perfect pizza at home the dough should be the very first step, a very simple step that literally almost everyone should know since making dough is as old as bread. After mixing up the necessary dough ingredient, oil up a bowl cover it up and let it rise in a warm place.

With the dough ready, simply spread it out flat in a rather oval shaped and desired size. What follows next should be the fun part. Depending on the toppings that one has, this is the time to prep it up. Next is place the dough and toppings on the pizza pan, the baking should last between 10 and 15 min. If it's pizza with cheese, try and make sure the cheese is golden and the crust is brown to ensure it's well done.

By Lavender Wu

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients

·         1/2 lb. ground beef

·         3/4 c. chopped onion

·         3/4 c. shredded carrots

·         3/4 c. diced celery

·         1 tsp. dried basil

·         1 tsp. dried parsley

·         4 tbsp. butter

·         3 c. chicken broth

·         4 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed

·         1/4 c. flour

·         1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

·         1 1/2 c. milk

·         1/4 c. sour cream

Method

Brown beef; drain and set aside. Sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 tbsp. butter for about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and beef, bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat. Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook until cheese is melted. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.

Acknowledgement: Rachel Paxton

Beautiful women