During this past summer holiday, one particular Singapore classic food that I have been making often is Satay. These little hand held meat skewers are such a versatile dish. They are perfect for parties as an appetizer, as a tray pass food or as a light meal! I even made them for Jamie's 5th birthday pirate themed party. I called them "Pirates' Peg Legs" and not only were the guests amused, they were impressed with this quintessential Singapore street food.

And they are easy to prepare too, although one should plan ahead of time for marinating and cooking. I typically marinate the meat the night before and skewer the meat the next day before grilling them over my Satay grill, which is a long rectangular grill using charcoals. But you can grill them over any type of grill or even bake them in your oven if a grill is not available. The skewers are flipped frequently to ensure even cooking while basting it with a mixture of coconut milk and vegetable oil. Boldly seasoned and lightly charred over the grill, these Satays are so flavorful and delicous. Definitely one of my family's favorite recipe that I have made so far!

Satays are typically served with cucumber, shallots, ketupat (a type of Malay style rice dumpling packed in a diamond shaped woven palm leaf pouch) and a peanut sauce in Singapore. Unfortunately, Bella is allergic to peanuts and so we usually do not have it with peanut sauce. However, I do have a bottle of a store bought Satay peanut sauce that I'd let friends sample with the Satay if they wish to. The sauce is readily available in the Asian supermarkets. So, if you are thinking of grilling this weekend or on Labor Day here in the US, perhaps you might want to shake things up with this favorite Singaporean hawker food!

Singapore Satay
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Satay Ingredients
3 1/2 lbs Beef Filet Mignon or Chicken Thighs
8 oz Shallots
6 cloves Garlic
1 1/2 inch slice of Turmeric
1/4 inch slice of Galangal 
4 1/2 stalk of Lemongrass (white portion, sliced thinly)
1 1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 1/2 tbsp Tamarind Extract
1 1.2 tsp Anise Seeds
6 tbsp Sugar
3 tsp Salt
6 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Skewers (soaked in water for 20 min)

Basting Sauce Ingredients
1/3 cup Coconut Milk
4 1/2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Cooking Method
1. Cut beef and/or chicken into small 1/4 inch cubes and set aside.
2. In a food processor, blend the shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, coriander powder, cumin powder, tamarind extract, anise seeds, sugar, salt and vegetable oil until a smooth paste is formed. 
3. Mix the marinade with the meat and allow it to marinate for 3 -4 hours or overnight if time permits.
4. Prepare the charcoal grill, use charcoal sparingly as too much heat will burn the Satay easily.
5. Skewer the marinated meat and prepare the basting sauce by mixing the coconut milk and vegetable oil together.
6. Cook the Satay over the grill, flipping frequently to ensure even cooking and baste it with the coconut milk and oil mixture. Lightly char it, if desired.

Makes approximately 200 Satays

This year's summer holidays came and went by in a flash! I had taken the entire summer off from blogging and had the most wonderful time with my family traveling, boating, swimming and just about any family-fun activity there is. The kids are now settled back in school and I am feeling refreshed & excited to share with you what I have been up to all summer.

Every summer, as a fun family tradition, I try to get my kids involved in the kitchen. Inviting your kids into your kitchen to help with meal preparations or to make a special recipe not only helps them learn and refine some basic skills, it is also a wonderful way to spend quality time together. They get to explore new foods & learn about nutrition and also develop math and reading skills as they help measure and read directions.

So, for the 4th of July, we decided to bake some cookies together. This recipe is so simple & easy to follow and yet, they bake up so tender and delicious! We used red, white and blue M&M's in honor of America's Independence Day but any colors will work just fine. In fact, Bella said that we could make another batch in August with just red and white M&M's for Singapore's National Day. Orange and black would be perfect for Halloween. Orange, yellow and brown for Thanksgiving or any Fall festival party. And not forgetting Christmas with red and green. The possibilities are endless!

For more of my favorite recipes to make with kids, go to:

Gem Biscuits - These adorable "Gem Biscuits" promises fun and color in every bite! Kids will have so much fun icing the biscuits and learning about colors
Homemade Wontons - With the little extra hands helping, this batch recipe will leave you with ready made meals for days to come.
Sweet Potato Balls - A great recipe to include for Thanksgiving as the kids lend a hand and talk about what they are thankful for.

A couple of weeks ago, while planning our meals for the week and writing up our grocery list, I was about to make my go-to recipe, Five Spice Bacon Wrapped Pork again. But I decided to change things up a little. No one was really complaining as this recipe is definitely a family favorite. But I thought it'll be nice to have a couple of these easy recipes that I can rotate. with

This Honey Ginger Lime Pork is infused with honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and lime, the few staple ingredients in my kitchen. It is quick and easy to throw all the ingredients together, marinate the meat and then just let the oven do the work.

Honey Ginger Lime Pork
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 lb Pork Ribeye Roast
1 oz Ginger (minced)
1 Tbsp Garlic (chopped)
1/3 cup Honey
3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Salt & Pepper
Chopped Cilantro (for garnishing)
Lime Wedges (for serving)

Cooking Method
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 oz minced ginger, 1 tbsp chopped garlic, 1/3 cup honey, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce and juice of 1 lime. Mix well.
2. Season the pork ribeye roast with salt & pepper. Pour sauce over the pork ribeye roast, ensure that it is well covered and allow it to marinate for an hour or overnight, if time permits.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the marinated pork into a roasting pan and pour the marinade sauce over as well.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minute on the middle rack. Then broil on hight for minutes on the middle rack until nicely charred.
5. Transfer the pork roast onto a cutting board, drizzle some sauce over and save the rest for serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I have always been a fan of eggplants or what is also commonly known as aubergines. In Singapore, I actually grew up calling it brinjal. I particularly liked the soft and mushy texture when it is cooked, especially when they are fried or oven broiled till they are charred on the surface.  Eggplants are often used in many cuisines in Singapore; Indian curries, Chinese Yong Tau Foo and in Japanese & Korean dishes as well.

I started making this recipe quite regularly when I wanted a low fat meal but still feel full from it. Spicy Miso Eggplant is fairly easy to make with a simple store bought miso sauce. The miso sauce adds a lovely umami flavor to the somewhat slightly bland eggplant. It makes a great side dish for sharing or as a main dish on its own.

Spicy Miso Eggplant
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
1 Large Eggplant
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Sesame Oil
4 tbsp Spicy Miso Sauce (or you can use regular non-spicy miso sauce)
Sesame Seeds
Salt & Pepper

Cooking Method
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the stem off and slice the eggplant into half. Hold the eggplant half, skin side down, in the palm of your hand and use a small sharp knife to cut the flesh into a diamond pattern. Ensure that you do not cut all the way through.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and season the eggplants with a pinch of salt & pepper. Pan fry the eggplants, flesh side down on the pan for a few minutes, until they are lightly charred.
4. Remove from heat and brush on 1 tsp sesame oil and 2 tbsp spicy miso sauce on each eggplant half. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
5. Bake in 425 degrees F on middle rack of oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the eggplants are soft and cooked through. Broil for 7 to 8 minutes on high on middle rack to charr and brown the eggplants further before serving, if desired.

Makes 2 servings

Mother's Day is a wonderful celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. I always look forward to this day because Bella and Jamie get really excited with wanting to surprise me. Even if it is as simple as presenting me with a cup of coffee that they brewed by themselves (with Kian's supervision, of course) and a homemade card, I love how thrilled they get to be able to do that for me.

Another family tradition that we have on Mother's Day is that I will get to take a break from cooking. Kian, Bella and Jamie love taking over the kitchen and making breakfast or brunch for me. Pancakes and crêpes are one of my favorite breakfast foods and they do make some exceptional ones.

If you're looking for different ideas for breakfast or brunch on Mother's Day that you can fix on your own or together as a family, here are my top 3 favorite ones from my blog. 

1. Gula Melaka Banana Pancakes
A great combination of the good old fashioned classic pancake recipe with a Southeast Asia twist. 

2. Cloud Eggs
Marshmallow textured like eggs whites with runny eggs yolks. A fun recipe to make with the family.

3. Kaya Coconut Jam
Spread it on toast with some butter & serve it with soft boiled eggs, coffee and you'll have yourself a Singaporean breakfast.

A couple of weeks ago, the family was invited to Bella's 3rd grade musical performance after school and we were really excited for her. Unfortunately, Kian was traveling for work and could not make it, so she was pretty disappointed. To cheer her up, I decided to take her and Jamie to an early dinner at our neighborhood Thai restaurant before the performance. They both love the dumplings and noodle dishes there.

After dinner, Bella asked to have her favorite dessert, Mango and Sweet Sticky Rice. I ordered it for them and the two of them just devoured that plate. They've always loved this dessert. Then I realized that I actually have all the ingredients at home to make this dessert! I even have the mangoes already.

So, that weekend, I decided to make it for them again at home. It really is a very simple recipe if you plan ahead of time. The glutinous rice needs to be soaked in water for a few hours or overnight in order for it to cook well. I soaked it for 5 hours that afternoon and was able to have it ready for dessert after dinner. Bella and Jamie, who are 2 of my biggest critics when it comes to food, said that it tasted so much better than the restaurant! I guess that statement says it all and I am just thrilled to be sharing this recipe with you!

Thai Mango and Sweet Sticky Rice
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Glutinous Rice (soaked in water for 5 hours or overnight)
1 cup Coconut Milk (divided)
3 tbsp Sugar (divided)
1/2 tsp Salt
Sesame Seeds for garnishing
1 large Mango (peeled and cut into thin slices)

Cooking Method
1. Wash and rinse glutinous rice well. Soak in cold water for 5 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the rice well in a sieve and transfer to a steel deep dish. Steam cook for 45 minutes or until the rice is cooked and tender. Check the water level in your steaming pot or wok occasionally and add more water when necessary.
3. While the rice is cooking, add 2/3 cups of coconut milk, 2 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Keep the mixture warm until the rice it ready.
4. Remove the glutinous rice from the steaming pot or wok when it is ready and stir in the coconut milk mixture into the rice. Cover the dish with a plastic wrap and let it stand for 30 min or until the mixture is fully absorbed by the rice.
5. Bring the remaining 1/3 cup of coconut milk and 1 tbsp of sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to allow it to cool and thicken.
6. Mold about 1/4 cup of the sweet sticky rice onto a plate, drizzle the rice with the sauce and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with the sliced mangoes.

Makes 4 servings

I have always liked Ree Drummond's (aka The Pioneer Woman) recipes. Her recipes are always so delicious and easy to follow. Last week, I decided to get some shrimps for dinner. We don't often have shrimps for our meals and I thought I'd change things up a bit. And I immediately thought of an episode of "The Pioneer Woman" where Ree made this super easy Oven Baked Lemon Garlic Shrimps.

It was so quick and easy to prepare. And because I like to keep after meals clean up to a minimum, I popped in a tray of broccoli that was drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with black pepper, salt and oregano leaves together with the shrimps in the oven.

In 20 minutes, dinner was ready and boy, were the shrimps delicious! I served the shrimps and broccoli with some bread for the kids to dip into the hot and bubbly butter sauce. They absolutely loved it!

Oven Baked Lemon Garlic Shrimp
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Recipe
Ingredients
2 lbs Raw Shrimps (deveined, shells on)
1 cup Cold Butter (2 sticks)
1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
4 cloves Garlic
Juice of 1 whole Lemon
Bread for serving

Cooking Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the shrimps in a single layer on a baking tray.
2. Cut the cold butter sticks into small chunks and place them in a food processor. Add in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper. 4 cloves garlic and juice of 1 whole lemon. Pulse until they are combined.
3. Sprinkle the cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the shrimps are cooked (opaque looking) and the butter sauce is hot and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings

Y'all! I did not expect this recipe to be such a hit with the family and I am really excited to share it with all of you. I came up with this dish because a couple of weeks ago, we were having a conversation with our kids about what we used to eat at dinners with our families when we were kids. And Kian told Bella & Jamie that one dish that his dad loved to make when he was a kid, was Shepherd's Pie. So, I thought it'd be great to make that dish for him, to bring back some childhood memories and also to let the kids try out this classic dish.

As some of you may know, we are still on the Slow Carb Diet where we cut out carbs, dairy and sugar except for one cheat day a week. Well, I couldn't wait till Saturday (which is usually our cheat day) to make this dish so I decided to challenge myself a little and make a low carb version of it.

I pulled out one of my old recipes that is an absolute favorite with the family, Ginger Soy Minced Beef, and modified it slightly for the pie filling. And, instead of using mashed potatoes, I used mashed cauliflower. It was really a simple dish and I never expected it to be this popular. I actually thought the kids might not enjoy it as much and was prepared to break out the mac & cheese back up. But it was so good, and healthy too, that we had no leftovers! A whole 2.5 qt casserole was gone! This is for sure, going to be a frequent dish in our household.

​Asian Low Carb Shepherd's Pie
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 whole Cauliflower Heads
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 lb Minced Beef (90% lean, 10% fat) *I usually get grass-fed beef as well
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
2 oz Ginger (minced)
1 Onion (finely diced)
8 oz Edamame Soy Beans
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing Chinese Cooking Wine
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Shallot Oil
Dash of White Pepper Powder.

Cooking Method
1. Prepare the cauliflower mash first. Cut cauliflower into small chunks and place them in a deep dish. Steam cook them for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are soft.
2. Drain any excess liquids and place cooked cauliflower in a food processor. Add in 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp garlic powder. Blend until a smooth mash is produced. Set aside.
3. Prepare the sauce by mixing 3 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp shallot oil and a dash of white pepper powder together in a bowl and set aside.
4. In a cast iron pot or a pot with a heavy bottom, heat up 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add in minced garlic and ginger, stir fry for a few minutes until it is fragrant.
3. Add in finely diced onion and continue stir frying until the onions are translucent.
5. Add in minced beef and stir fry further, breaking up the meat as you fry until the meat is cooked. Add in 8 oz edamame soy beans, the prepared sauce and mix well. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes.
6. Place the cooked meat mixture in a 2.5 qt casserole dish or oven proof deep dish and spread the cauliflower mash evenly over the top.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

​Makes 4 Servings

It has been more than 2 weeks since we returned from our Spring break vacation and one of the hardest thing for me after a week long holiday is to try and get right back into our routine and diet. It certainly did not help with the long Easter weekend that we just had. While it has been an amazing time spent with family and friends, it was difficult to exercise control with those yummy chocolate eggs that the Easter bunny left behind for us.

So, determined to still eat healthy while trying to get out of this funk, I made one of my go-to dishes, White Bean and Broccoli Meatballs. They are so quick and easy to make, even when you feel like you need a vacation after a vacation, these little puppies are still not difficult to churn out. You can make a large batch, store them in the refrigerator or freezer and make several meals out of them.

Kian and I prefer to keep our meals low carb, so these White Bean and Broccoli Meatballs are perfect as I omitted breadcrumbs in this recipe. We love them over a bed of zoodles (spiralized zucchini noodles) that we sauté with pesto while Bella and Jamie enjoy theirs with pasta in Alfredo sauce. It makes such a flavorful and satisfying  meal. You can even toss the meatballs in Go-Chu-Jang sauce (Korean hot and sweet sauce) and have them as an appetizer or side dish.

White Bean and Broccoli Meatballs
by Miss Crumbs A Lot

Recipe
Ingredients
2 lb Ground Beef (85% lean, 15% fat)
8 oz Broccoli
1 19 oz can White Cannellini Beans
1 Egg
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder

Cooking Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using a food processor, chop the broccoli until it is a fine mince and set aside.
​3. Rinse and drain the white cannellini beans and grind them with the food processor until a smooth mash is formed. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, minced broccoli, mashed white cannellini beans, egg, salt, white pepper powder, dried oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.
5. Shape them into 1 inch round balls and place them on a baking tray.
6. Bake at 375 degrees on the middle rack for 20 minutes. The broil on high for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown on the middle rack.
7. Serve with your favortie sauce or choice of pasta or sauce.

Make approx. 60 meatballs.

One fresh produce that I have learnt to enjoy after living in Houston for almost 9 years now is collard greens. A staple vegetable in Southern U.S. cuisine, it is often prepared with other similar green leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, spinach, kale and turnip greens in a dish called mixed greens. And it is usually seasoned with smoked and salted meats, which reminds me so much of a traditional Asian dish (Hakka, to be specific), Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens (Mui Choy Kau Yoke).

Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens is not an easy dish to prepare as it is pretty time consuming and I have not been able to find preserved mustard greens here yet. But when I made these Slow Cooked Sausages, Greens and Beans, not only was it quick and easy to prepare, it reminded me so much of that traditional Hakka dish. Moreover, it could be prepared with simple and basic ingredients that are readily available. So, if you enjoy a savory and hearty dish that is easy to make and clean up, this recipe is for you!

Slow Cooked Sausages, Greens and Beans
by Miss Crumbs A Lot, adapted from Kaylyn's Kitchen

Recipe
Ingredients
10 Fresh Bratwurst Sausages
8 oz Shredded Collard Greens (I used the packaged ones from HEB, so convenient)
1 19 oz can White Cannellini Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder

Cooking Method
1. Place 10 bratwurst sausages on a baking pan and broil on high on the 2nd top rack of the the oven for 10 minutes or until browned. Turn the sausages over once and broil further for another 5 minutes or until browned.
2. Place 8 oz  shredded collard greens and 1 19 oz can white cannellini beans in a slow cooker and season with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper powder.
3. Place sausages on top of the greens and beans. Pour in 1 cup chicken stock and the juice from the baking tray.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Makes 5 servings