Week 5 of My Silly Cooking Challenge

This week flown by ever so quickly.

Final Liliana's photo class on Monday was good, but I was so distracted and bugged from work.
Glad that as of next week only have one photo class a week, and really looking forward to going back to 3 Bikram Yoga class weekly.

Wednesday was Laksa night. Again, I hear you say? Yes - still have leftover Hokkien Noodle, Enoki, and all the seafood fillings.
Bought cooked prawn as an additional thing - but next time will buy raw prawn cause the cooked one came out a bit chewy.
Added the Sambal to the laksa soup this time around, Shanon didn't quite like, will remember for next time.
This time we had some leftover soup, next time will try and make three bowl out of it as it was a bit too rich to be healthy.
Really enjoyed it though - will definitely be a keeper in the house! Simple, easy and delicious. :)

Thursday was supposed to be Yoga nite - but stupid Connex, mmm I mean Metro, cancelled Sandringham train and I left work too late to be running down Chapel St.
So, grocery shopping and Old El Paso Enchiladas it is.

Yummo - especially the grilled sweet corn. I'm a fan!
Shanon enjoyed the Enchiladas too which is great, as it wasn't too much hassle to make.

After we devoured the Enchiladas, I started making Jamie Oliver's Aubergine Parmigiana as I know it takes up too time to do after yoga class for dinner.
What I didn't know is that it takes up A CRAZY LOT OF TIME!
I spend the remaining 1.5 hours slicing eggplant thinly, soaking them in salted water, frying both sides, layer them in the baking dish with home made tomato sauce and shaved parmesan. Pop them in the fridge overnight.
Looks pretty convincing at the end though, but I had to wait till today to find out what it tastes like.
Took it out and oven them tonite. It was YUM - rather seriously yummy!
Especially considering that I made the tomato sauce from scratch (well - with canned tomato, garlic, herbs, onion, salt, pepper, sugar and one leftover fresh tomato).
I was worried that the tomato sauce would be bland... but it totally wasn't!
Even without the fresh oregano and the buffalo mozzarella (which I omitted even though I bought them - cause at the last minute think that it has enough cheese in it already!)

By the way - if you're trying to cook more, one tip from me- get your knife sharpen.
It makes such a difference to cooking experience. TRUST ME!
I don't think I would have gone to the trouble of slicing the eggplant otherwise.
Totally feel that $25 cost to get Shanon's "beautiful" knives (says the knife shop lady) sharpened was worth every cents when I was slicing the tomatoes!

Back to the cooking - today since I've got my dinner pretty much all set - I had time to make salad while waiting for the oven time to be over for the eggplants.
This is probably the first proper salad I've made and yum - I love it. :)
Inspired by Jamie Oliver's Watercress, Rocket, Pear, Parmesan salad; with a bit of a twist from myself.
I added half table spoon of balsamic vinegar, omitted watercress (cant be bothered sourcing it), add a bit of salt and pepper, PLUS candied walnut (it ROCKS!).


It was VERY VERY VERY yummy.
Some parts of the pear should probably be omitted but other than that - YUMMO!
The sweetness of the candied walnuts, the peppery rocket lettuce, crispy juicy sweet pear, with yum parmesan taste, along with lemon and olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
It works! :)

Last cooking before I go on my Skydiving training day (super scared of the thought of jumping off a plane and having to understand what I need to do) was banana and pecan muffin.This is yet another close repeat from my previous Banana Walnut muffin; but I try out a few different tweaks.
I change the recipe to make 2/3 of the original batch, but kept the amount of baking powder and egg (was hoping to get a fluffy muffin like the one I love).
Well to be honest, I wasn't very accurate on measurement this time around.
Didn't quite get it like that, but it still was pretty yummy.

I did have a few questions in mind during mixing the batter though.
What is it about the batter that makes the muffin that I like so much?
Definitely something worth finding answer to seeing I spend quite a bit of money on buying those. :P
(Well - not that I'm supposed to be eating them too often!)

Crispy muffin top and moist on the inside - perfect for brekky at 6 AM tomorrow.Good nite all!