Crack Bread

I am guessing this bread can be called "Crack Bread" for two reasons.

One, because you slice the crusty bread in an "X" pattern and stuff the cracks with yummy cheese goodness.

Two, because once you eat it, it's like crack, and you can't stop.
Well, it's not as bad as crack...but it's hard to leave alone!!
:)

I had run across many versions of this bread on Pinterest and couldn't choose just one.

There were elements from different ones that I liked and so I sort of combined what I thought looked and sounded good!

The two that gave me the most inspiration were from two bloggers, 

Joan's Food Wanderings and Working Mommy is Redundant.

Here's what I did:

Crack Bread

1 loaf of crusty french bread

1 stick of salted butter, melted

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1/4 cup tops of green onions, sliced

3 cloves of minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried mustard

8 ounce block of each: Monterrey Jack and White Cheddar Cheese, sliced

1 package of real bacon bits

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

With a sharp bread knife, diagonally cut the bread, NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH,  leaving about 1-2 inch spaces, then do the same going the other way to gt an "X" pattern.

Place bread on a large sheet of foil.

Slide the slices of cheese in between the cracks.

Sprinkle with bacon pieces and using your fingers make sure that some of them get pushed down in the cracks.

In a glass bowl or measuring cup, melt butter.

Add to it the oil, spices, onion and parsley.

Give it a good stir and drizzle it over the bread, taking care to get it down inside the cracks.

Here it is ready for the oven!

Wrap the foil around the bread and bake it for 10 minutes.

Unwrap the top and bake for another 10 minutes for cheese to get bubbly.

Serve warm.

It's a great pull apart bread, easy, and our company loved it!

I totally think you could make this on the grill with no problem.

I wrapped up the leftovers (what was left that is...) and popped it back in the oven for about 15 minutes and re-heated it.  We ate it with chili!!

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Johor Kaki in Australia - Aboriginal Food on Rock Paintings in Kakadu National Park

This is a special post unlike my usual stall or restaurant recommendations. It's about the traditional foods of Australia's aboriginal peoples as recorded in their ancient rock paintings, before contact with Europeans. Read more.

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Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Since we don't have central air, I have an unofficial rule that I won't use the oven from June until September.  It's hot enough without adding to the heat on purpose.  We can grill, eat out or binge all night on cereal and toast.  This has been well established and Hubby knows his summertime dinner options are grim if the grill isn't on.

But now the weather is cooler and I can handle standing in front of an oven.  And this past weekend, I baked up some Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

To say they were delightful would be an understatement of epic proportions.  They were utterly divine, and ingested in the blink of an eye.

 Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (light brown works too, I prefer dark)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch (this makes a delightfully chewy cookie)
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1 bag chocolate chunks (about 2 cups)
8-10 bite sized Reese's peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350.

In small bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt).  In mixer, beat butter on low speed until smooth, add sugars.  Beat medium high until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down bowl, add egg and vanilla.  Beat medium high about 2-3 minutes, until well blended and fluffy.  Set mixer to SLOW, slowly incorporate flour mixture until JUST combined.

Using wood spoon or spatula, fold in chocolate chunks.

Chill dough about 10-15 minutes.

Unwrap peanut butter cups, and slice each cup in halves or quarters.  Set aside.  Remove dough from freezer, use cookie scoop to drop heaping mounds onto cookie sheet (2-3 tablespoons).  Space cookies at least 3 inches apart.

Add peanut butter cup pieces onto top of each cookie, and bake 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly brown.  I like to remove cookies from oven when centers are still a bit gooey.  Leave cookies on pan a few minutes and centers will set.

Transfer to wire rack, cool.

Enjoy!

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Johor Kaki in Australia: Northern Territories Travel through the Eyes of a Foodie Blogger :P

This is a photo essay of my 9 day trip to Australia's Northern Territories. As a foodie blogger, I was not only looking out for things that make me drool but also things to feast my eyes and that provide food for thought. Read more.

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How to Install a New Font in Windows

Since becoming a blogger, I'm kind of into fonts.  Corny I know.  It's amazing how being on the computer often makes you interested in things like font style.  Hey, to each their own right?

I always thought font installation would be confusing.  It seemed intimating and complicated.  Truly, it's not.  If you use windows, I'm going to attempt to guide you through font install.  I've included five snazzy new fonts below for you to play with. 

Choose a font from my list below, and click on the corresponding link.  A new page will open, click "download."

 Click "save file."

Open your downloads, I open mine from top right arrow.

Open file and select "install."

After installation, the font should appear in your fonts menu when using Word.  Try it, and let me know if it worked!

 5 Friday Fonts

Yippy Skippy

Macilyn Marie

Orange Juice

Frosting forBreakfast

Event Shark

If you're having a Halloween party or event in the next few weeks, Gigi over at Kludgy Mom has Halloween Fonts to download.

Good luck!

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Johor Kaki in Bangkok - Street Food Photo Essay

This is a photo essay of my (way too short) 2-day trip to Bangkok in August 2013. Read more.

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Guo Tie 锅贴 (Pan Fried Dumplings) at Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Johor Bahru

I asked Johor Yummy members what to eat at the old Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre and the guo tie 锅贴 (or pan fried dumpling) stall came up a few times. So, I made my way to stall #26 at the dingy old food centre, my interest piqued because this is the only guo tie stall that I have heard of so far in Johor Bahru.



The boss and auntie workers were friendly, though unaccustomed to awkward attention from a stranger togging a clunky DSLR camera :P



This was my order of a small plate of guo tie. Notice that one side of the guo tie dumplings is golden brown while the other is not browned. This is actually one of the characteristics of guo tie, one side is fried and the other is "steamed".



Outside, the fried golden brown skin was stiff but not hard and it was not oily. The "steamed" side was tender but not soft. It was a nice contrast of textures.



Inside, the minced meat and gu chai were moist, naturally sweet and savoury. The skin was slightly crisp, gummy and chewy to the bite. The skin was quite thin, yet strong enough to keep the hot oil from entering the dumpling.



This was the boiled version - puffy because of the hot air and minced meat juices trapped inside the dumpling. Break the seal and the hot savoury broth-like juices oozes out and runs down the corner of your mouth, if you are not careful :P



The moist minced pork and gu chai vegetable inside.



For many people, guo tie must be eaten with pickled ginger and vinegar dipping sauce, although I am quite happy just to savour the minced pork's natural flavours.

Everything here is handmade fresh at the stall. The boss and the aunties were actually rather too modest about their work, dismissing it as "nothing much... 没有什么". Let's see :)



The boss kneading the dough from scratch i.e. flour.



Making the shells one by one.






Each dumpling is stuffed with pork or prawn mince and hand folded one at a time.



Putting the freshly made dumplings into the shallow pan of hot oil.



Guo tie sizzling in the pan of oil.



Let the dumplings cook inside the pan of hot oil and water for a while.




Draining away the excess oil and water. Notice the fried and steamed sides.



The plate of freshly fried golden brown guo tie ready and on it's way to the customer.



The condiment tray - there were chili sauce, vinegar, light soy sauce and pickled ginger.



Prices are prominently displayed. Besides pork fillings, there is also the prawn version. Stall #26 also sells frozen versions for takeaway. For people whose comfort food is guo tie but have difficulty getting good quality frozen dumplings, this stall is a life saver. 



Restaurant name: Makanan Guo Tie Shanghai
Address: Stall 26, Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E0X3Q
GPS: 1.487056,103.768063
Hours: 5:30pm to 10:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 7 Aug 2013

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J Maison Café in Kulai, Johor

J Maison is a small café tucked at the back row of shoplots near the upcoming AEON Jusco Mall in Kulai, Johor.



I have tried J Maison's homemade cakes and liked them very much. Shirley, one of J Maison's young partners invited me to also try their café food which they serve for lunch and dinner.


Herbal Chicken Rice RM9.90

We started off with this Herbal Chicken with Steamed Rice. Shirley is quite excited and proud of this herbal chicken dish - it is her mum's recipe.



The herbal chicken leg was very soft. The tender meat slipped off the bone with just a gentle tug.

Shirley asked me how it was. Well, flavour wise, the herbal fragrance is certainly there but I thought the dish was rather unembellished. A little too noncommercial, too homely. Perhaps, it would be more interesting if it was dressed up with something bright and green like coriander leaves?

But then, on second thoughts, maybe that is why this herbal chicken is so appealing. It is straight from mum's kitchen. Honest and simple goodness without any frills :)


J Special Nasi Lemak RM7.90

The nasi lemak was also pretty straightforward. The rice had that lemak fragrance and was not greasy.



The two small pieces of chicken were nicely fried - crispy outside, still moist inside, not greasy.



But, to me it is J Maison's sambal that is the "Special" in the "J Special Nasi Lemak". Shirley's husband, who is Peranakan, personally makes the sambal based on his own recipe. Each batch of sambal took 3 long hours to make. The end result is a tasty blend of mildly spicy, savoury and sweet paste that complemented the coconut flavoured rice well.


Fish and Chips RM12.90

Actually, fish and fries.





Made with 2 large thin slices of Dory fillet. Everything was nicely executed and put in place.



The fish and fries is served with mayonnaise and chili sauce.


Curry Chicken RM8.90

Nice curry chicken with potato. The curry is mild, not too spicy nor too lemak. The well marinated chicken is tender and the curry infused potato is soft and delicious.



The curry chicken can be served with a choice of white rice, bee hoon, yellow noodles or toasted buns.


Tomyam Nasi Goreng RM6.90

I am impressed with J Maison's Thai style fried rice.



I like this Thai style fried rice because the bouncy, tasty rice are in loose separate grains (not lumped together in clumps). The flavours of sweet, savoury, tangy and spicy mixed with aroma from the spices were mild and easy to like. This dish can really get my saliva flowing.



The fried rice comes with a lovely, sunny side up done to perfection.


Musetti Latte RM6.90

When at J Maison, I will want to enjoy their Musetti coffee. Smooth, robust Arabica aroma with a good body.



oh... an update on the very interesting mural at J Maison's al fresco area. The artist hasn't had time to add any more strokes to the painting since our last visit :P It's still very pretty and interesting as it is :)



If you are the Kulai area and you want simple Café fare paired with nice cakes and coffee in a basic, laid back, cosy setting with the comfort of air con, then J Maison Café would be right for you.

Restaurant name: J Maison Café
Address: 122, Jalan Kenanga 29/6, Indahpura, Kulaijaya, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/mBXnN
GPS: 1.643308,103.618068
Hours: Saturdays 11:00am to 1:00am. All other days 11:00am to 11:00pm. Tuesdays off.
Parking: Ample, free street parking
Non Halal

Date visited: 8 Sep 2013

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