Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

I used to be intimidated by bread making as usually I can’t seems to get it right but now I just love making bread. I guess practice makes perfect. I had a great time making this bread especially the anticipation on how the swirl will look like. I’m thrilled with the way it turned out. The swirl were beautiful, the crust had a lovely, deep golden color as a result of the egg wash, and the inside was rich and soft. We enjoyed this bread for our breakfast.

For the dough:

1 package/7 grm active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (~100°F)
3 tbsp sugar
3 3/4 to 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
additional softened butter for greasing bowl and pan

Fruit Pastry Cake II

This cake is very popular among bloggers awhile ago. The last time I baked this cake was in 2007 for a gathering. This cake is very versatile and you can actually put any type of fruits you like on top of it. In my opinion this cake taste better the next day as the juices of the fruits really seeps into the cake. It is light and not greasy. I am not going to post the recipe here as I am sure most of you already have it but if you want you can refer to my old posting here .

Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken II

My friend Roselind prepared this dish for lunch not too long ago. She used to live in China for a few years and she learned to cook this dish from a friend of hers there. I just love this dish as the chicken pieces are so flavorful and well blended with the spicy condiments and the generous amount of dried chilies. You might just find yourself tearing from the hot numbing sensations but still wanting more of this addictive dish

I cooked a similar dish before and you can check out the recipe here . This is Roselind recipe for Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken. Do give it a try as I am sure you are going to like it as much as I did.

Parsley and Garlic Knots

These piping hot knots are pizzeria classic and are unbelievingly addictive. They are called "knots" due to their shape resembling that of a square knot and about the size of a golf ball. They are chewy, garlicky and loaded with fresh parsley. I actually forgot to sprinkle some parmesan cheese to it but even without them they are still good. If you're tired and busy and just don't have time to make your own dough you can always buy some dough from your favorite pizza joint or even buy the frozen dough from the grocery store. You can either brush the garlic coating on before baking or like me I just tossed it in after I baked the bread. Either way they will be good.

For the dough:
Recipe adpated from King Arthur Flour with some changes.

3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. dried yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup milk
1 cup lukewarm water (you might need 1-2 tbsp more)