Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing is a pure white icing that dries to a smooth, hard, matte finish.

3 egg whites (or meringue powder)
1 lb confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp almond extract or vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat on medium high for a full 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy. Keep covered with a damp cloth while using, removing small portions to a separate bowl as needed. Tint if desired. Can be thinned by adding few drops of water.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup softened butter
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk (reserve the white)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, cream cheese, salt, extracts and egg yolk.
Blend well.
Stir in flour until well blended
Chill dough for 2 hours
Pre-heat oven to 376 F

Dust rolling surface with flour. Roll out dough, one third at a time to about 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into desired shape with cookie cutter.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush with egg white (if desired) and sprinkle with colored sugar(optional)
Bake 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Can be decorated with royal icing (See recipe here)

Picture below shows a variety of cookies made using the same sugar cookie dough.
1) Added with chocolate chips
2) Placed an almond on top
3) Dusted with powdered sugar (added a little bit of green coloring into the dough)
4) Added some crushed graham cracker crust and oats

Creme de Menthe Chocolate Chip cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons mint liqueur (I replaced it with mint extract)
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups mint chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large bowl, mix together the butter and both sugars until smooth.
Beat in eggs, stir in the mint extract.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt. Stir into the egg mixture.
Mix in the chocolate chips.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoonsfuls into ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Allow to cool (5 minutes), transfer to a wire rack.

Potato chips (in the microwave)

Here's a slightly healthier way to make potato chips without having to deep-fry them.
Slice potatoes really thin, dry them using a paper towel and place them on a microwavable plate.
Spray the potatoes lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.
Microwave them for 3 minutes on high. Check. And microwave for another 2-3 minutes. It should be lightly crisp.
(Careful, plate will be hot)

Curry Puffs

The original recipe requires you to deep-fry the puffs. I modified this using my mom's short-crust pastry and baked them in the oven.

Pastry ingredients:
4 oz butter (soften)
8 oz flour
some cold water
a dash of salt

Mix the flour, salt and butter into a bread crumbs texture. Slowly add in some cold water (a tablespoon at a time). Knead until it forms into a dough.
Set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Curry puff filling:
5 tbsp oil
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup diced chicken meat
2 large potatoes (boiled and diced)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Fry onion, add spices.
Then add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
Leave aside to cool

Preheat oven to 375F

Roll out the pastry dough into approx. 1/4 inch thick.
I use a curry puff mold. Or you can cut the dough into circles.
Place some curry chicken ingredients in the center and shape it into a puff, pinching the sides to seal.

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly brush some egg yolk on top of each puff.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the top looks golden brown.
Serve warm.