Heat oven to 180 deg C and line a large cake tin. (Size : 20 cm square tin)
1 can (abt 250-300 gm drained weight) of pineapple rings (squeeze the syrup) and cut into small pieces
375 gm mixed fruits (the weight of a box) * soak in 5 tablespoons of brandy 3 days before baking. Keep in refigerator till needed
100 gm brown sugar (the light brown one like castor sugar)
150 gm butter

1. Put all the above into a pot and cook over low fire till sugar and butter melt. Leave to cool.
2. Then add:

2 large eggs
250 gm self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

3. Mix well. Bake in 180 deg C oven for 1 hour. Test with a satay stick or chopstick. If it comes out clean, then cake is baked. Remove from oven and drizzle with 3 tablespoon of brandy. Cake tastes best if left for a day or two, wrapped with cling wrap.

IKAN BILIS FRIED RICE
Contributed by Lilian

A bunch of ikan bilis (wash & soak)
2 eggs
A plate of rice (enuff for 2 small eaters)

1. Heat oil, fry ikan bilis till slightly brown and crunchy.
2. Add rice, add eggs.
3. Season with some soya sauce and pepper.
Add chicken or frozen peas if prefer.

STIR FRIED BROCOLLI
Contributed by Lilian

1. Mince garlic and tumis in oil. If you are using chicken (use only fleshy part like breast) or prawn, add them and cook.
2. Put in brocolli. You can season with just salt and pepper. Or you can make a paste using some oyster sauce and cornflour. Don't cook the vege any futher, just enough to mix well.

HAINANESE POTATO CHICKEN
Contributed by Lilian

2 chicken thighs cut into 6 pieces
2 potatoes quartered
5 pips garlic (Grind to paste)
ginger size of your thumb (less if your kids can't take too hot)
1 tbspn of taucheo (preserved soya beans)

1. Heat a little oil, tumis the pounded ingredients till fragrant.
2. Add chicken and fry for a while.
3. Add potatoes and a bowl of water. Simmer over low heat and add more water so that you have a little sauce. When potatoes are soft, ready to serve. Taste best if kept overnight.

MARMITE SAUCE
Contributed by Lilian

2 tbsp Marmite
4 tbso hot water
1 tbsp sugar
Lots of black pepper
2 pips garlic, chopped (one clove garlic is the whole bulb and one pip is the segment)
A little oil

1. Dissolve marmite and sugar in hot water.
2. Heat oil in small pan, saute garlic, add black pepper, pour in the mixture. Sudah siap.

You can either use one chicken breast cut into small pieces or 300 gm prawns or sausage, use your imagination. Coat chicken breast/prawn with some white pepper and corn flour. Deep fry, take out and add the Marmite sauce.

TOMYAM BALLS
Contributed by Lilian

Get a variety of sotong balls, taufoo fish balls etc. Boil till cook and then pan fry in a bit of oil so that the surfaces look a bit brown.

To make sauce:
1 small bottle of Peace brand tomyam paste (about RM2+)
2 stalks serai (bruised)
3 tomatoes (cut into quarter)
2 Onions (cut into quarter)
3-5 leaves of limau purut (kaffir lime) sold in supermarket about RM1 per packet. (bruised)
Thai chilli sauce (those sweet variety)
2 large lime (green colour one), squeeze for water
Coriander leaves for decoration and more fragrant (coriander leaves is like Chinese celery but it is smaller and much more pungent. Called 'guan sui' in Hokkien)
Cili padi if you prefer hotter version.

1. Tumis the serai, onion and kaffir lime leaves till fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes (cili padi) and tomyam paste. Tumis a little while.
3. Add the lime juice and thai chili sauce (enough to make the whole thing pasty).
4. Add in balls. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.

In place of sotong balls, you can try the various vegetarian squids, kidney, prawns etc. Very healthy and very tasty too. You can keep the extra sauce in the freezer. Or if you add water, you get tomyam. But if making tomyam, it is tastier to boil chicken bones and prawn head plus the coriander roots.

4 teacups chopped spinach
1 teacup chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves
a pinch soda bi-carb
1 onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
100 grams fresh paneer, cut into small pieces ( this is home made cottage cheese)

2 tablespoons ghee or refined oil
salt to taste
For the potato layer
3 potatoes, boiled and mashed coarsely
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 teaspoon chopped green chillies
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
For the covering
100 grams beaten cream or 1 teacup white sauce
4 tablespoons grated cheese

For the potato layer:
1. Mix together all the ingredients.
2. Boil the spinach and the fenugreek leaves in 2 tablespoons of water with a pinch of soda bi-carbonate until soft. Drain and blend in a blender.
3. Heat the ghee and fry the onion until golden in colour. Add the green chilli and fry again for a few seconds. Add the spinach and fenugreek.
4. Add the paneer pieces and salt. If required, add a little lemon juice.
5. Spread the potato layer evenly at the bottom of a baking dish and spread the spinach mixture on the top.
6. Cover with the beaten cream and cheese and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Serve hot.

Garlic, Ginger (A)
Carrots, Spinach (B)
Fish, thinly sliced

1. Saute (A), add water and simmer a while (makes a nice fragrant stock).
2. Add (B), cook until tender. Put in fish, bring to boil and remove from fire to avoid overcooking fish. 3. Serve with rice, noodles or meehoon.

SIMPLE MUSHROOM SOUP
Contributed by Kat

Butter
1/2 Onion
1/2 cup fresh mushroom, finely diced
1 cup Chicken stock
1/2 Bay leaf
3 tbsp Fresh milk mixed with 2 tsp cornflour
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Saute onion in butter until softened. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 mins.
2. Add stock and bay leaf. let simmer for 15 mins.
3. Pour milk/flour mix into soup, stir well and season to taste.

If you want the soup to be smooth, you can use a hand blender to puree the soup in the pot before serving.

LAMB/ CHICKEN STEW
Contributed by Kat

Lamb chop/chicken breast or thigh, skin removed (A)
Onion
Potato, carrot, pearl barley (B)
Marmite
French bean/peas (C)

1. Saute onion until translucent, then add (A). Stirfry until cooked.
2. Add (B), marmite and some water. Simmer until meat is tender.
3. Add (C) last to avoid overcooking. Serve with rice or pasta.

For younger kids, these 2 recipes can be mashed/pureed.

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups cold water
6 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
2 eggs, well beaten
4 slices white bread, crusts removed, cubed and soaked in milk (bm? )
2 cups canned chestnuts, well drained and chopped
1 tsp ground fresh pepper
salt to taste

1. Spread rice in bottom of frying pan. Brown the rice over low heat.
2. Pour water into saucepan and add pinch of salt. Bring to boil.
3. Add browned rice to water, cover and cook 15 minutes over low heat.
4. Melt butter in another saucepan over low heat.
5. Add onion, celery, parsley, sage and thyme. Mix and cook 4 minutes over low heat.
6. Remove saucepan from heat. Add eggs, drained bread, chestnuts, pepper, salt and rice. Mix well.
7. Stuff turkey with mixture.

SIMPLE/ LAZY TOMATO-BASED SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Contributed by Lai Yin

2pips Garlic - chopped (Optional)
1 onion - chopped
2 tomatoes - roughly diced
2 tbsp minced meat (Chicken, beef or pork)
1 or 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup (to taste)
water
bay leaf (optional)

1. Saute garlic and onions till soft.
2. Add minced meat. Saute 2-3mins
3. Add tomatoes. Saute 2-3mins.
4. Add tomato ketchup to taste. Add bay leaf (optional).
5. Add a little water and simmer till everything is soft n mushy.

Makes 2-3 toddler portions. Besides spaghetti, can also go with macaroni, alphabet pasta, capellini etc. Optional extras: can also add chopped carrot or sliced leeks.