Beef Lasagna

Ingredients:
9 lasagna noodles

¾ lb extra lean ground beef

3 cloves garlic ~ minced

1½ tsp dried oregano leaves

1 jar (26 oz) Spaghetti sauce

1 large tomato ~ chopped

1 onion ~ finely chopped

1 carrot ~ finely chopped

1 egg

16 oz Cottage Cheese (I used Breakstone’s)

¼ cup KRAFT grated Parmesan Cheese

2 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 Deg C.
2. Brown meat with garlic, onion, carrot & oregano in saucepan.  Stir in spaghetti sauce; simmer 5 minutes.   Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat & stir in tomatoes.
3. Mix egg, cottage cheese & Parmesan.   Spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish.
4. Top with layers of 3 noodles, 1 cup cottage cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella & 1 cup remaining sauce mixture.   Repeat layers.   Top with remaining noodles & remaining sauce mixture.   Cover with foil.
5. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.   Uncover; top with remaining mozzarella.   Bake & uncovered for 5 minutes or until mozzarella is melted.   Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Simple Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
250g butter ~ soft
250g icing sugar
500g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
Cherry for decoration (Optional)

Directions:

1. Beat butter & sugar till the mixture turn pale & fluffy.
2. Add in egg yolks & white & mix well.
3. Add flour to form soft dough.
4. Place the dough in the cookie & shape.
5. Arrange cherry on cookie & bake at preheat 180 deg C for about 15-20 mins or till golden brown.

Thai Steam Fish

Ingredients:
2 or more white fish fillet (or snapper & cod fish will do)

½ cup chicken broth

3 tbsp white wine (I used Chinese cooking wine)

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 stalk lemongrass ~ sliced finely

1 red chili ~ sliced finely

1-2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch ~ dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water

Garnish

1 thumb-size ginger ~ sliced like matchstick

3 spring onions

2 tbsp olive oil

Handful of fresh coriander sprigs

Directions:

1. Pound or process lemongrass slices.   Add into the chicken broth & wine in a pot over medium-high heat.  Allow to come to a boil.  Cook for 5 minutes until lemongrass is soft.
2. Turn down heat to minimum & add vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and chili & sesame oil.  Do taste tests for salt – if not salty enough, add more fish sauce (Note: sauce needs to be fairly salty in order for the combined sauce & fish to taste its best).   Add cornstarch & stair until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.
3. Place fish in a shallow casserole or baking dish that will fit inside your bamboo steamer or colander.  Make sure there is 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of the work.
4. Pour 1/3 – 1/2 of the lemongrass sauce over fish.  Set the rest aside but keep it warm.  Sprinkle the ginger & spring onion over fish.  Cover the steamer & steam at high heat for 10-15 minutes.  Fish is done when inside is easy to flake & white.
5. Remove the fish from the steamer.  Place on a serving platter.   Add olive oil over the fish.  Pour the remaining sauce & sprinkle with sprigs of fresh coriander & spring onion.   Serve with Jasmine rice.