CHEAT MEAL - Recipe: Tiramisu

By no surprise, tiramisu is one of the most popular modern-day desserts due to it's compilation of complementary tastes. Liqueur desserts which are made well will ensure that your family and friends will keep raving about your cooking ability !
Serving for 8 (1 slice each)
Preparation - 1 hour mixing ingredients; 2 hours refrigerated.

Ingredients
- 3 eggs (separated)
- 1 packet of sponge fingers
- 1/2 cup marsala
- 2 cups strong black coffee
- cocoa, for dusting
- 1/5 cup caster sugar
- 250g mascarpone
- 150ml thickened cream

Steps
1. Pour coffee and marsala into a shallow dish and leave aside for the time being.
2. Combine sugar and egg yolk, and beat in a large bowl until thick and pale.
3. Add mascarpone and whipped cream , mixing gently until concoction is made.
4. Beat egg-whites in a medium bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form.
5. Fold egg-whites into the mascarpone mixture.
6. Dip biscuits into the coffee mixtures to ensure the base of a 20cm dish is covered.Cover the biscuits with a layer of the mascarpone mixture.
7. Repeat layers 2 times, and finish with the cream on the top.
8. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (Suggestion: Cover with plastic wrap before refrigerating)
9. Dust generously with cocoa.

Enjoy your tasty dessert, fit for any occasion ! After a week of eating healthy, eating this edited recipe will ensure that your sweet tooth is satisfied without ruining your healthy lifestyle. With substantially reduced cream and sugar amounts, this dessert will not lose it's unique taste and yet is healthier than normal. It is necessary to consume sugar occasionally, and tiramisu is a dish which will quench your desires for a long amount of time.

My experiences from cooking tiramisu are quite varied. Sometimes the finish and refrigeration work to a tee, and many times I have not left the tiramisu in the fridge for long enough to settle. So be patient when cooling this dish, because the outcome is worth the wait.

Recipe: Chicken Satay Sticks with a Salad

Satay sticks are perfect for both finger food at parties or even perhaps an entree or main at a dinner party. The servings can be adjusted through more chicken being purchased, hence this is a very flexible recipe !
Serving for 4 (16 sticks)
Preparation - 4 hours marinating; 30 minutes soaking
Cooking Time - 10 minutes

Ingredients
- 800 gram chicken thigh fillet, cut in small strips
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 3 tablespoon red curry paste
- 2 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 cup roasted peanuts
- 2 limes (juiced)
- Coriander (optional) (leaves must be finely chopped)        

Steps
1. Combine the chicken, coconut milk, half the fish sauce, curry powder, sugar and coriander in a large bowl.
2. Marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight if available.
3. Soak 16 wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes, then thread the marinated chicken pieces on the end of the skewers.
4. Preheat pan/barbecue flat plate, turning skewers until chicken is cooked and brown (6-8 minutes).
5. Mix remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse into constituents are smooth. Transfer to a medium-heated pan, and cook and stir for 3 minutes.
6. Serve satay sticks with peanut sauce

To complement this traditional Thai dish, a salad is perfect to a more crunchy and vegetable based dish. Chicken Satay goes with many combinations of salads  whether it be Rocket Salad or a regular salad with a Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing. Aligning with healthy menus, a more in-depth salad recipe will be updated later in the blog, with very flexible ingredients. Also, salads are refreshing and can go with almost any dish. From my experiences with Thai food, the constituents of the dishes revolve around vegetables, so adding a salad can only benefit the dish.