Red wine sauce makes an ideal partner for all red meat. To enjoy it at its best however, you need to serve it over a good steak. To serve two people, with healthy appetites, you will need.

2x 7oz Rump steak
1x tbsn Olive Oil
2x Diced Shallots
100ml Beef Stock
Salt & Pepper
½ a Glass of Red Wine (I used a Californian Merlot)

Optional:
1x Diced garlic clove & Balsamic Vinegar

Sweat the shallots and, if you prefer, garlic in olive oil. When the shallots are done, add the red wine and let it reduce. Once it becomes thick and syrupy, add the beef stock and let simmer while you turn your attention to the steak.

Tenderise the steak and cut into two portions. Generously season with olive oil and pepper before laying on a hot griddle pan. Cook for between 3-5 minutes depending on how well you like it doing, for red wine sauce try slightly undercooking for maximum flavour. Remember to only turn once to keep all the taste juices locked in. Remove any excess fat from the steak and rest on a warm plate. Add any remaining juices to the sauce along any salt, pepper or balsamic vinegar you feel it needs. Generously drizzle the sauce of the steak and you’re ready to enjoy.

Originally uploaded by zannnielim

Tried these salad next to a 'Quick' Supreme burger during our trip to Brussels. The produce in their salad is very fresh! No wonder as I found from their website that the quality of their salads are prepared with such pride: "Our salads are made every morning in each restaurant with fresh ingredients. The mixture of salads we use varies in accordance with the seasons and the harvests. They are sourced from producers that do not use chemical products to disinfect the soil." -QUICK Restaurant

Originally uploaded by zannnielim

Rétes is the layered pastry and in English, we called it 'Strudel'. It is rather a popular traditional pastry in the former Austro-Hungarian empire. Some says it is a little similar to the Turkish baklava, but I don't think so :)

Originally uploaded by zannnielim

Have you tried the Vana Tallinn Chocolate Cream? My husband arrived back from Tallinn with one bottle of this and since Tallinn is one of the Baltic states, you could find its distribution there. With this and I managed to try some. It is a robust rum-based liqueur with 16 percent proof being the Chocolate Cream variation. It is lighter brown in color, rather sweet and with a hint of Jamaican rum flavour.

Originally uploaded by openended

Bruschetta, Little Italy, bread, Dip, Italian food

6 Hungarian yellow wax peppers (or 4 yellow bells)
250 g fresh ground pork
1/2 cup of rice
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 egg
salt and ground pepper to taste
water
3 sprigs of fresh parsley
2 Tbsp flour
1 small cans of tomato paste (I've used 4 fresh tomatoes)
sugar to taste

• In a small pot of water partially cook the rice.
• Drain off liquid the and set rice aside.
• De-core the peppers, removing seeds and (inside ribs which is bitter).
• In a large skillet sauté the onions in 2 Tbsp oil until soft.
• Place the ground pork in a large bowl.
• Add the garlic, the partially cooked rice, and the egg.
• Sprinkle salt and ground pepper on the top.
• Combine meat mixture thoroughly.
• Stuff the peppers loosely with the rice-meat mixture, leaving some space as it will expand when cooked.
• Form meatballs from the remaining stuffing.
• Arrange the peppers and meatballs in a deep oven proof dish.
• Add enough water to cover the stuffed peppers part of the way.
• Add the fresh parsley to the pot.
• Place the dish in the oven and bake at 320F for 2 hours or more. Baking time will depend on the size of the peppers used.
• Remove stuffed peppers with a slotted spoon into a clean dish.
• Reserve the broth for later use.
• In a skillet make a light roux from 2 Tbsp of oil and flour.
• Add the tomato paste, stirring all the time.
• Gradually add the hot broth and stir it smooth.
• Smooth the sauce with a stick blender or force it through a fine sieve.
• Season with salt and pepper and sweeten with sugar.*
• Bring the sauce to boil and pour over the peppers.
• Let the peppers cool and place in the fridge for overnight.
• Next day slowly heat through and serve.
Stuffed peppers need overnight rest to combine and relax the flavours.

*The taste should be mildly sweet.

Originally uploaded by mk family

"Piggy Face" Rice Balls Bento

Originally uploaded by mk family

This is yet another delish looking bento inspired by the 'panda'.

Originally uploaded by Kobetz R
This is a salad made with olive oil, spices and fresh vegetables. Usually go with pita bread, though there are people following the traditional way to eat it simply with a fork. If you like cucumbers, you can just add it, or even red or green onions as well as carrots. Here's a video recipe to show you how to make it :)

Originally uploaded by Desiree Koh

Sometimes it's called "Kueh Ketayap", this kueh is made using sweet coconut filled inside a pancake. The usual ingredients for the batter includes flour, egg, coconut milk, pinch of salt, water and pandan leaves. As for the filling, use palm sugar, grated coconut, water and again pandan leaves. Following is a video demonstrating how you can make it :) Enjoy!

Originally uploaded by TheBusyBrain