Xmas & New Year's Eve 2011

Hi everybody! I hope it's still not too late to wish you a Happy New Year! :)

This is my first post of the year 2012, finally I can sit down and have ample of time in front of computer

Phew...just done with the first week of Abby's primary school
As much as her, the whole thing has drained me out too wew...
The jump from 3.5 hours in kindergarten to 6.5 hours in primary school does give her a big pinch
Poor girl, it's a struggle for her to open her eyes every single morning :)
Was quite anxious initially, but I guess she's been fine so far, still adjustment period, but she's fine
So proud of her :)

                                           Her first day... ready to go! Look at her sleepy face :)

Her second day, in PE attire, just reached school, also still sleepy :)

As for Ian, he's in K1 now, still in the same school, so there's not much of a problem
The only thing is now there's homework for him every Friday, hope I can make him sit still and do his homework LOL

Well, I hope everybody had fun during the festive season
I did...and going to share what's our festive meal on Xmas...
Kitchen was real busy on that day :)

My sis baked Noel Nutballs I posted before...
I made Milo Agar Agar I ever posted before too.. Also White Xmas Log Cake posted recently

My mum cooked Steamed Rolled Meat With Sauce, accompanied by Mini Croquette, Blanched Veggies and Pickled Cucumber, yum yum yum!
In Indonesia, we call this Galantine, I'm pretty sure it's originally from Dutch

Recipe is from my mum

What you need:

For the rolled meat:

300g minced chicken (or can be mixed with minced pork)
1/2 can of luncheon meat
200g fine breadcrumbs
250ml fresh milk
7 eggs
salt, pepper, nutmeg, sugar, approx. 5 tbsp (heaped) blended fried onion

1. Mix all of the above ingredients, shape into a roll on lightly greased aluminium foil, wrap tightly
2. Steam on high heat for 30minutes

Note:
Batter has to be soft enough so the steamed rolled meat will not be hard
If you think the batter is still not soft, you may add more milk or breadcrumbs

For the croquette:

5 medium potatoes (I used Indonesian Brastagi potatoes), steamed, peeled and mashed
salt, pepper, nutmeg, sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp butter, 1 tbsp sago flour*
*sago flour used when the mashed potatoes is too soft, otherwise you may omit that

For the coating:
enough fine breadcrumbs
enough egg whites, lightly beaten and mix with a little water

1. Mix all the ingredients for croquette
2. Shape as desired (mine was oval shape as shown in the pic above, some like it round)
3. Roll each croqutte on the breadcrumbs til evenly coated
4. Dip the coated croquette into eggwhites mixture
5. Roll one more time on the breadcrumbs as final coating
6. Fry the croquette til golden brown on medium fire

Note:
Make sure the oil really hot before start frying the croquette, otherwise they're really easy to burst
Frying process should be fast

For the sauce:

a pot of chicken stock (I just boiled chicken bone with a pot of water, discard the residue and simmer for 30minutes)
half of large onion, chopped
butter to sautee the onion
dark sweet soya sauce (kecap manis)
worchestershire sauce
tomato ketchup
salt, sugar
cornstarch mixed with a little water as thickener

1. Sautee onion with butter til fragrant and soft
2. Pour onion into the chicken pot, add kecap manis, worchestershire sauce, ketchup, salt, sugar
3. Stir well and adjust taste
4. While stirring continuously, pour in the cornstarch mixture til getting the desired consistency

For the veggies, they were french beans and carrots, cut and blanched, seasoned with salt and pepper
For the pickled cucumber, just peel and cut cucumber, seasoned with white vinegar and sugar, stir well and keep it chilled for a few hours before consumed (mine was kept in the fridge overnight)

Oh, another cake my sis baked, with my help, is Victoria Chocolate Pudding Cake which I ever made before
I did take a snap with my Blackberry phone

On that day, it's really a feast! We were really stuffed!
And to end the day, there were still bottles of Corona and Ben & Jerry's ice cream! LOL

Okay, for New Year, we didn't really cook or bake
In fact, it's just one dish I baked, it's Indonesian style baked macaroni
Indonesians call this dish Macaroni Schotel, derived from Dutch influence we have
It's actually slightly different from the common baked macaroni
Macaroni schotel has more dense and firm texture, it can be cut into slices

Recipe is from a very old Indonesian magazine, Femina

What you need:

225g macaroni, prepare as directed

1/4 can luncheon meat, diced

200g breakfast ham, cut square

150g boiled chicken breast, diced

5 eggs, beaten

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, chopped

6 tbsp breadcrumbs

30g plain flour

500ml fresh milk

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp dijon mustard

enough butter to sautee garlic & onion

enough grated cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top

1. Heat up butter and sautee garlic and onion til soft and fragrant
2. Add in plain flour and breadcrumbs, mix well. Add in milk gradually while stirring continuously til smooth
3. Season with pepper, nutmeg and mustard. Mix well. Add in ham, luncheon meat, and chicken as well as eggs, bring to boil
4. Add in boiled macaroni, mix well. Adjust the taste
5. Pour onto greased baking dish, sprinkle the top with grated cheese
6. Bake in preheated oven of 180degC for approximately 35minutes til golden brown

Nice dish long time forgotten *slurp*

A great choice to welcome the new year :)