I’m always on the lookout for new recipes to try out online, especially those that are highly rated by other foodies who’ve had a go at them.

These 20 most popular recipes of 2007 from Bon Appétit are sure to be added to my recipe collection. I can’t wait to try out the Chocolate Panna Cotta Layer Cake! It looks absolutely scrumptious! *DROOL*

via Slashfood

I’ve never come across a muffin recipe that uses ricotta, but maybe that’s because I don’t bake that many muffins

This one’s from Taste.com.au, it uses strawberries, ricotta and cinnamon, a really lovely combination I reckon.

My muffins were a little chewier than expected, probably because I used low-fat ricotta and low-fat milk. Those of you trying this recipe out, please use full-fat ricotta. I think they will turn out even better than mine!

Head over to Taste.com.au for the full recipe!

I love cooking pasta for a weekday dinner. You can easily find recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook. Perfect for days when you come home from work late but don’t feel like having take-outs.

I found this recipe from my favorite recipe source, Allrecipes.com. It’s got rave reviews, so I decided to give it a try.

I added a bit of milk to the recipe as I prefer my alfredo sauce slightly thinner. I’ve also added a couple of extra cloves of garlic to the sauce for a stronger garlic flavor and used Swiss Gruyere in place of Parmesan. Some reviewers recommended using Asiago cheese, I will try that out next time!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 cup of freshly grated Swiss Gruyere or Parmesan
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cream and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking gently.
3. Add cheese and milk, whisking quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve over spaghetti.

Serves 2.

This recipe for spaghetti carbonara is one of the simplest around. It doesn’t use any cream or milk, so I was surprised how creamy and tasty it turned out. I found the recipe from the Barilla website, the addition of the asparagus is an idea I got from watching Jamie at Home.

Ingredients:

4 ounces (110g) of streaky bacon, cut into thin strips
a bunch of asparagus, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
7 ounces (200g) of spaghetti
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cups of freshly grated Romano cheese (works just as well with Parmesan)
freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt.
2. Stir-fry asparagus over medium heat with a little olive oil till slightly tender.
3. Cook bacon in pan over medium heat until golden brown and crisp, stirring frequently. Add olive oil.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
5. Add pasta and asparagus to the bacon mixture, season to taste with black pepper and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. If pasta becomes too dry add the reserved pasta water.
6. Turn off the heat. Add eggs, stirring constantly. The residual heat from the pasta will cook the eggs. Toss gently with cheese. Transfer to serving platter.

Serves 2.

I’m a big fan of fried rice. If I could only eat one dish for the rest of my life, it would be fried rice.

This recipe satisfies my fried rice cravings and is really easy to make. Feel free to substitute the luncheon meat with shrimps or chicken for a healthier version.

Ingredients:

2 cups of rice, cooked and cooled
1 cup cabbage, julienned
1/2 cup luncheon meat, cubed into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 green onion

2-3 eggs, fried

5 cloves of garlic
3 shallots
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
5 small red chilli
1 chicken stock cube
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sesame oil

1. Place garlic, shallots, ginger, chilli, chicken stock cube and salt in a mortar and pestle. Pound and grind till you get a paste. Add sesame oil and mix thoroughly. Alternatively, you use a food processor.
2. In a wok or non-stick pan, heat up the vegetable oil. Add the paste from Step 1 and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add luncheon meat and stir-fry for 3 minutes or so, till meat is done. Then add the cabbage and continue to cook, till cabbage has withered.
4. Turn off the fire. Add the cold rice in a mix thoroughly, then turn the heat back on. Stir-fry for a few more minutes, till rice is heated through. Stir in the green onions.
5. Serve the rice hot, topped with one fried egg each.

Serves 2-3.

I figured, what better place to look for a chocolate cake recipe than at HERSHEY’S? And I was right, this cake turned out really moist and chocolatey, just the way I like my chocolate cake!

The recipe called for 3 cups of powdered sugar for the frosting, but I used 2 1/2 cup instead because I didn’t want it too sweet.

Photos to follow shortly… For now, check out the banner above, that’s the chocolate cake, hee hee…

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of mixerfor 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 mins or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Yields one 9-inch cake.

Chocolate Frosting

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount of additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Yields about 2 cups of frosting.

This is one of my favourite cheesecake recipes. My family and friends love this cheesecake. It’s a breeze to make! Just take note of the tips listed here.

New York Cheesecake

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com, Chantal’s New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:

15 digestive biscuits, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
2. In a bowl, mix digestive biscuit crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese till it’s smooth and light. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Blend in the milk.
4. Using just a wooden spoon, mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in the oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevent cracking. Chill in the refrigerator till serving.

Yields one 9-inch cake.