Budget Baking Challenge: Peanut Butter Cookies and Simple Vanilla Cupcake

Some of my closest friends knew of my new habit since taking up this MA study. Whenever I am stressed or encounter writers block, I bake or cook.... well mostly baking. But as we are here on tight budget, I am always excited to try and discover new recipes that taste good, produce copious amount of delicious supply and of course on the budget. So it is only natural that I am totally up to it when one of my foodie friend challenge me to bake 2 cakes and cookies combination for under 5 pound.
It was yesterday morning. In the evening, when I release myself from Library then home to my family, I needed some stress release.. Plus Simon and Tania finished the last of our Kaastengels supply before dinner.

Thus, before dinner I took a peek of our food cupboard and spotted less than 1/4 peanut butter in its jar... Hmmm... Tania and Simon LOVE peanut and I think I have a recipe from 2 years ago. OK... 1 cookie down. Now, cake? what cake? it should be simple because I ain't standing with a hand mixer creaming butter and soft peak the egg white at this hour... I accidentally stumbled upon Yulyan Parwati, another foodie extrodinaire blog. The name catches my eye... Simple Vanilla Cupcake... PERFECT!!!

So I made the peanut butter cookie dough before dinner and it takes me less than 30 minutes from prepping to finish with Tania's 'help'. Then cover the dough with clingwrap and popped it into the fridge then have dinner with Simon and Tania. After dinner, I made the cupcake. This too is easy and quick, another 30 minutes from prep to finish and I have my 1st batch in the oven. I think it is good for 12 cupcakes baked in a muffin tin, but because 1 muffin is too much for Tania, I didn't fill it all the way to the top only 2/3 of it. It's few little bites for Tania but only 1 gulp for her sweet-tooth daddy.

Now, for the calculation. I am not good with numbers so counting is not my forte. SO here's a rough calculation

• Flour : I use the remaining 1/2 bag flour I had in the cupboard. That is the 500gr Sainsbury Basic Flour  for 85p. Therefore, the amount of flour I use for the cookies and cake is even less that 85p. 
• Sugar: again. it's the remaining we have in the cupboard. I bought the 200gr granulated sugar for 90p
• Brown sugar: I had this 200gr of soft brown sugar (1.20 Pound) for a while and have been using it for my 3 other baking in this 1 month time. I only use 1/2 cup of it so perhaps it's less that 50p. 
• Butter: I bought 250gr of Morrisson Value Butter for 90p. and use 130gr for the cookies and 120gr for the cupcakes. 
• Eggs: We bought Sainsbury Basic 18 Eggs Rack for 2.10 Pound. And use a total of 3 eggs (1 for the cookies, 2 for the cupcakes)... you'll do the math, yes?! hehehe
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda are each the 170gr tub and cost me about 1.50 Pound each. I bought this like 6 months ago. Have been using the, for countless of cooking. So it's a cupboard necessity. In today's baking I only use perhaps 1 to 11/2 tsp each. 
• Peanut Butter: It's the Sainsbury Organic Peanut butter 340gr for 1.50 pound. I use not even 1/4 of it. 
• Milk: We bought the 4 pints Sainsbury Milk for 1.29 pound and use just 150 ml of it.
• Vanilla Essence: I bought the sainsbury madagascan vanilla 5ml for 1 pound something last month and I use only 1 tsp of it. 

So... Mission accomplished... Cookies and Cake Combo Baking in Less than 5 Pounds....
OK Now the recipes...

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup Butter/margarine at room Temperature
1/2 cup Granulated sugar (Next time I will reduce this to 1/4 because It's too sweet for my family)
1/2 cup Soft Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1 egg

Directions:

1. In a small bow, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside
2. in a medium bowl (or your mixer bowl), beat the butter until creamy (about 2-3 minutes)
3. Add the granulated sugar, mix well. Then add the Brown sugar, mix well for another 2 mins. 
4. Add the peanut butter and egg and mix until well combined
5. Now, add the dry ingredients: the flour mix, to the sugar and butter mix. Do this in small portions so it will produce a smooth dough. 
6. The dough will be a bit soft but firm. Cover the bowl with Cling film/wrap. then refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. 
7. After, 3 hours. heat your oven to 375 C or to Medium heat. As for me, I put it on GM 4. Using a teaspoon portion, scoop 1 teaspoon then roll the dough to a ball. 
8. Place the ball on a ungreased baking tray lined with baking paper. 
9. Flattened the balls with a fork to make a criss-cross pattern
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Leave cool for a minute on the baking tray before transfer to cookie rack to cool completely.

Make about 3 batches:  48 cookies.

Some useful Note:

1. The dough will expand when baked so make sure to leave enough room between the dough before baking.
2. The 3 hours in the refrigerator really helps the dough to firmed up and make the criss-crossing patter easier to make. I only put it for 1.5 hours and it was too soft and my fork keeps getting stuck. So I popped it to the freezer every 5 minutes to let it hardened. 

Simple Vanilla Cupcake

Source : Yulyan Parwati Blog

Ingredients:

120 gr butter/margarine

130 gr Granulated sugar

2 eggs

200 gr All purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

150 ml fresh milk

Direction: 

1. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: Flour and baking power. Set aside.
2. Beat butter/margarine with sugar until creamy and pale
3. Add the eggs. Mix for about 5 minutes on medium speed. 
4. Lower the mixer speed to low and alternately adding the flour mix and the milk. Add vanilla and mix well. 
5. Lined the muffin tray with wax paper or cupcake paper cup. filled 1/2 to 3/4 of your liking. It will rise too. 
6. Oven for 25 minutes on medium heat (GM 4 or 180 C)

 When it is done, topped it with buttercream (I use left over butter cream from last month's baking - it is basically you beat butter with sugar. add a dash of vanilla). Because the leftover butter cream is not sufficient to put into a piping bag, I speared a teaspoon of butter cream to the cupcakes and then sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on top. You can topped it with chocolate rice, grated choc etc.

Kaastengels

A new favourite in the house. Just because it's almost Idul Fitri and this is one of the firm favorite, i think I am just homesick. Anyway, from the name I suspected that Kaastengels is from Holland with Kaas means cheese. This crumbly buttery shortcake is packed full of tangy cheese. It is very simple and quick to make too. Now, I know that there's a special cutter for the cookies but since I don't I just cut them in strips.

Source: NCC

Ingredient:
300 gr Butter or Margarine
200 gr Cheese - I use Edam Cheese the first time and second batch uses Cheddar
400 gr All-purpose flour
2 tbsp Powdered milk (I do not use)
2 egg yolks

Glaze : 2 Egg yolks lightly beaten with 2 tbsp milk

Topping : 50 gr Grated cheese

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, Beat butter/margarine with the egg yolks on a low speed. You don't have to do this for a long time. 2 -3 minute will do just to make sure the butter and yolks are well mixed
2. Add the cheese, flour and powdered milk. Mix well - about 2 -3 minutes
3. Turn off the electric mixer. If the dough is still sticky. Add 1 tbsp of flour and gently mixed with your hand until they no longer sticky to your hand. The texture will need to be soft.
4. Flattened the dough into 1/2 cm thick or to your liking and use the Kaastengles cutter to cut it. Or just make a rectangle shaped and cut them to strips.
5. Arrange the cut-out dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper, brush them with the glaze and sprinkled the extra cheese on top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes of low to medium heat or on 125 degree C, until golden and cooked.

No cutter, well... I am aiming for rustic touch anyway... hehehe

300 gr  mentega
200 gr  keju tua parut
400 gr  tepung terigu protein sedang
2 sdm   susu bubuk
2 btr     kuning telur - See more at: http://ncc-indonesia.com/?p=2123#sthash.XyOKWo7U.dpuf

Bahan:

300 gr  mentega
200 gr  keju tua parut
400 gr  tepung terigu protein sedang
2 sdm   susu bubuk
2 btr     kuning telur

Bahan olesan:

3 btr     kuning telur, kocok lepas dengan 1-2 sdm susu cair

 Taburan:

Keju cheddar parut

 Cara membuat:

1. Kocok mentega dan telur dengan kecepatan rendah, sebentar saja, asal tercampur rata. Masukkan keju, aduk rata. Masukkan tepung terigu dan susu bubuk, aduk rata.
2. 
   
3. Tipiskan adonan dengan bantuan plastik lembaran, oles dengan bahan polesan, taburi keju cheddar parut.
4. Cetak bentuk bunga, tata di loyang. Oven hingga matang dengan suhu 125 derajat Celsius selama 20 menit atau hingga matang.

- See more at: http://ncc-indonesia.com/?p=2123#sthash.XyOKWo7U.dpuf

Bahan:

300 gr  mentega
200 gr  keju tua parut
400 gr  tepung terigu protein sedang
2 sdm   susu bubuk
2 btr     kuning telur

Bahan olesan:

3 btr     kuning telur, kocok lepas dengan 1-2 sdm susu cair

 Taburan:

Keju cheddar parut

 Cara membuat:

1. Kocok mentega dan telur dengan kecepatan rendah, sebentar saja, asal tercampur rata. Masukkan keju, aduk rata. Masukkan tepung terigu dan susu bubuk, aduk rata.
2. 
   
3. Tipiskan adonan dengan bantuan plastik lembaran, oles dengan bahan polesan, taburi keju cheddar parut.
4. Cetak bentuk bunga, tata di loyang. Oven hingga matang dengan suhu 125 derajat Celsius selama 20 menit atau hingga matang.

- See more at: http://ncc-indonesia.com/?p=2123#sthash.XyOKWo7U.dpuf

Bahan:

300 gr  mentega
200 gr  keju tua parut
400 gr  tepung terigu protein sedang
2 sdm   susu bubuk
2 btr     kuning telur

Bahan olesan:

3 btr     kuning telur, kocok lepas dengan 1-2 sdm susu cair

 Taburan:

Keju cheddar parut

 Cara membuat:

1. Kocok mentega dan telur dengan kecepatan rendah, sebentar saja, asal tercampur rata. Masukkan keju, aduk rata. Masukkan tepung terigu dan susu bubuk, aduk rata.
2. 
   
3. Tipiskan adonan dengan bantuan plastik lembaran, oles dengan bahan polesan, taburi keju cheddar parut.
4. Cetak bentuk bunga, tata di loyang. Oven hingga matang dengan suhu 125 derajat Celsius selama 20 menit atau hingga matang.

- See more at: http://ncc-indonesia.com/?p=2123#sthash.XyOKWo7U.dpuf

 

Bahan:

300 gr  mentega
200 gr  keju tua parut
400 gr  tepung terigu protein sedang
2 sdm   susu bubuk
2 btr     kuning telur

Bahan olesan:

3 btr     kuning telur, kocok lepas dengan 1-2 sdm susu cair

 Taburan:

Keju cheddar parut

 Cara membuat:

1. Kocok mentega dan telur dengan kecepatan rendah, sebentar saja, asal tercampur rata. Masukkan keju, aduk rata. Masukkan tepung terigu dan susu bubuk, aduk rata.
2. 
   
3. Tipiskan adonan dengan bantuan plastik lembaran, oles dengan bahan polesan, taburi keju cheddar parut.
4. Cetak bentuk bunga, tata di loyang. Oven hingga matang dengan suhu 125 derajat Celsius selama 20 menit atau hingga matang.

- See more at: http://ncc-indonesia.com/?p=2123#sthash.XyOKWo7U.dpuf

Tania's Noodles

Tania, My daughter loves noodles and vegetable. This is one of the quick noodle fix that guarantee she will wolfed down in a flash AND ask for more. My daughter also doesn't like meat so I use small prawn to make sure she has her protein. You can you any meat you want. Anyway, I cannot find a proper name for this dish so... it's Tania's Noodles it is....

Ingredients:
2 handful of dried egg noodles - I use 2 small nests
1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables - or make your own by chopping carrot, broccoli, peas, corn
A handful of small prawns
1/4 of small onion - sliced
1 garlic - crushed and chopped
1 cm ginger - bruised
2 tbsp Indonesian soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp oil
salt and pepper
1 spring onion for topping

Direction:

1. Boil the dried egg noodles according to the packets instructions or until tender and al-dente. then drain
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in the pan. Saute onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant. 
3. Add the small prawn, then the vegetables. Stir all together for a few minutes until cooked
4. Add the oyster sauce and Indonesian soy sauce
5. Stir the cooked egg noodles in. Add salt and pepper
6. Mix everything well until the noodle is all coated in the sauces. 
7. Ready to serve with a sprinkle of chopped spring onion-

Krengsengan Domba // East Java Lamb Stew

I got tired of eating chicken and beef so Lamb is the next thing I want. However, I do not have any recipe for lamb so after some internet browsing I decided to try the recipe from MasakanMama .
It was a great choice. I use the lamb chops I bought from the reduced price shelves..

Top Tip: do check on the reduced price shelves you find lots of great things. I usually go for meat which was on the day of their used by date. Then the meats go straight to freezer to be use later.
The lamb chops (4 piece) I bought was almost 5 Pounds (original price). On the Reduced Price Shelves it is 1.99 Pounds. Good buy I'll say!

Krengsengan is the food from East Java, Indonesia. my main reason to choose this is for the use of sweet soy sauce. I love sweet soy sauce. Below is the recipe after I made some few changes from the original. Do refer to the original by clicking the above link.

Ingredients:
4 lamb chops - you can use other part of the lamb
3 - 4 tbsps Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce
1 tsp terasi - or just use Shrimp paste
1 big chili - I use the one that is less fiery. Do use the more fiery one like bonnet chilli or the bird eye chili.
2 cups water

Ingredient to be ground to a paste - use a pestle and mortar or  food processor
4 shallots
2 garlics
1 cm ginger
1/2 tsp whole white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Direction:

Cara membuat Krengsengan :

• Tumis bumbu yang sudah dihaluskan sampai harum.
• Masukkan irisan daing kambing, aduk sampai berubah warna.
• Masukkan tomat, kecap manis, petis udang dan cabe merah. Aduk sampai layu.
• Tambahkan air, masak dengan api kecil sampai kuah kental dan daging empuk.
• Angkat... Sajikan saat masih hangat..

Shepherd's Pie

Source: Elise Simply Recipe

Ingredients

• 500 gr ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 cups each of vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas
• 3 big potatoes or 4 medium potatoes
• 3 tbsp margarine or butter
• 1/2 cup broth or (1/2 cup water + 1 cube of bullion)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Ingredients:

1. Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).
2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the margarine/butter in large frying pan.
3. Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat. Add the ground beef. Saute until changed color (no more pink color on the meat)
4. Add vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Carrot first then corn and peas
5. Add the Worchestershire sauce and then the broth. Keep cooking until all is cooked and tender. Add some more broth if necessary. Cooked until the water reduced. 
6. Drain the Potatoes then mashed it with butter, salt and pepper
7. Place the beef and vegetables on the base of the pyrex or your baking tray. Make sure it is half way up. Then layered the mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with fork to make patterns
8. Bake on the oven on medium for about 30 minute or until bubbly and brown. The top should be nicely browned. If not, put it on the top shelved for 5 mins or under the broil. Enjoy!

Another Stir-Fry Vegetable

Here's my fussy eater-vegetable lover-meat hater daughter's favorite.  It's also a quick fix for a hurried dinner after a long day at the library... pffffff.... story of my life... Anyway, the vegetables choice in this recipe can be easily substitute with any other you have in the fridge.

Ingredients:
A handful of Mangetout - can be replaced with string beans, fine beans, snake beans etc
A handful of Baby Corn - can be replaced with whole kernel corns or carrots or anything you have
A handful of small prawn - You can use chicken, beef, egg or tofu
1/4 of large Onion - sliced
2 garlic - finely chopped
2 cm ginger - bruised
Salt
White Pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce - you can omit this if you don't have any
1 tbsp light soy sauce - you can omit this if you don't have any
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil - you can omit this if you don't have any
2 tbsp oil
Sliced chili if you want to make it spicy. we don't eat spicy food so this is omitted 

Direction:

1. Clean and sliced the vegetables and meat to your liking - cubed, sliced etc
2. Heat the oil in a wok (or pan or what ever you are using), sautee the onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant.
3. Bring in the small prawn (or other meat you are using) and sautee them until they change color.
4. Add the sauces that you are using - fish sauce, light soy sauce. sesame oil - if you don't use any sauces, skip this step
5. Bring the vegetables in and stir until they changed color. 
6. Add the salt and pepper and taste to your liking
7. Keep stirring until the vegetable soften a bit but not too much. You will like to have a bit of a crunch. Take is out and serve with a steaming rice.

The stir-fry will taste as nice without the sauces. But if you have a chance to get all complete, the toasted sesame oil brings a nutty yummy taste to the stir-fry against the warming ginger. Also the saltiness of the fish sauce together with light soy sauce works very well to add a different depth to the dish. Anyway... enjoy!

Brownies

They say this is a brownies recipe but it doesn't look like the American Brownies that I usually encounter which is dense and gooey. This brownie is dry and I think it's much lighter in texture and calorie (sok tahu nih)...

Source: Sedap Sekejab Hidangan Prasmanan Book

Ingredients:
100 gr  Margarine
150 gr Dark Cooking Chocolate
3 Eggs
175 gr Sugar
75 gr All purpose Flour
25 gr Powdered Chocolate
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
50 gr Chopped Nuts (I used Walnuts)
25 gr Sliced Almonds for topping
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Melt the margarine together with the dark cooking chocolate
2. with an electric mixer,  beat sugar and eggs until fluffy
3. Add the melted margarine and chocolate, mix well
4. Sifted in the flour, powdered chocolate and baking powder
5. Add the Chopped nuts and white chocolate chip, fold with a spatula
6. Greased and lined baking tin (22 x 22 x 4 cm). Sprinkle the sliced almond and some of the white choc chip on top
7. Baked in the oven on 180 C for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

Mommy's Little Helper doing the final touches on the cake

Now ready to go to the oven