Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

I love baking - it's wonderful to be able to get lots of different ingredients and put them in a big bowl, make a batter and cook only to find the outcome to be a moist soft cake that just screams homemade. I can walk passed cakes in shop windows but seldom manage to resist something that has been freshly baked with love and effort.

On a recent trip to Ikea in Springvale Alex was upset that there was no longer any carrot cake in the cafe - it was one of her (and my) favourite treats from the cafe.  We have to stop at the cafe which is half way (it's actually half way in every Ikea store) as it's really hard work shopping at Ikea.  This time she had a princess cake after her meatballs so she was still happy.

I decided, after reading so many versions of carrot cake over the years, that I give it a go and treat Alexandria to her favourite cake of all time.  Unsure on which was the best recipe to use as there are so many different ones out there strangely a recipe popped up in my Facebook news feed and thought this is the one that I am meant to cook.  So thanks to Canadian Living Magazine I present to you Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.

The cake is so moist - every mouthful was a pleasure to eat.  The combination of carrots, pineapple and walnuts mixed with the cinnamon and the nutmeg was heaven and actually reminded me of days long ago when I was visiting my gorgeous friend Debbie and her family in Mississauga, Canada.  Ahhhh memories......

The velvety cream cheese icing was delicious with a hint of real vanilla.  I don't ever use the imitation vanilla essence. I always use Queen Natural Vanilla Concentrate Extract.  It is a lot stronger and half the quantity is only needed.  It has a nicer and more noticeable natural vanilla taste than the artificial flavour of the essence.  Once you use it in baking you will not use the essence again.

Sprinkled with some more crushed walnuts and you will really enjoy treating yourself to this delicious cake..... 

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

(Recipe sourced from Canadian Living Magazine)

Serves: 10 -12

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup drained crushed canned pineapple

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans if preferred)

250 gram package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup crushed walnuts for decoration (if desired)

Grease and line a 22 cm round cake tin (or 2 smaller ones) set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In separate bowl, beat together granulated and brown sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth; pour over flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake in center of 180°C oven for 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack.

In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar, one-third at a time, until smooth. Spread over top of cake.

Sprinkle with crushed walnuts for decoration.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Spinach and Carrot Salad (Alex's Salad)

As it's the Australian Summer here at the moment, salads are plentiful - for lunches, for dinners, as a side dish at a picnic or a BBQ.  But I have to admit the good old garden salad gets a little boring after a while.  The other challenge besides making salad exciting is making it kid friendly.  Alexandria is one of my hardest salad critics.

 

So I put my creative hat on and thought to myself what raw vegetables does Alexandria eat and how could I make them into a salad.  So I opened the fridge door and just started layering.

 

First baby spinach, grated carrot, fresh pomegranate seeds and finely shredded fresh mint leaves - voila a salad fit for Princess Alexandria and everyone else of course.  This flavours went well together, each complimenting the other not to mention it was very healthy.  The bonus it was a 0 ProPoint salad.

 

Our dinner was Rosemary, Lemon and Seeded Mustard Lamb Chops, which were perfectly barbecued by Noel I have to say, Parmesan and Thyme Roasted Potatoes and this salad filled us all up nicely.

 

Spinach and Carrot Salad (Alex's Salad)

 

Serves: 4

ProPoints per serve: 0

 

2 cups baby spinach

2 medium carrots, grated

1/2 fresh pomegranate, seeded

1/4 cup finely shredded fresh mint

Place spinach in a bowl.  Next layer the carrot on top of the spinach.  Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and then the mint.

Serve.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Slow Cooked Italian Beef with Pasta

~*~ HAPPY ST. DAVID'S DAY ~*~
~*~ HAPUS DYDD GWYL DEWI ~*~

No traditional Welsh food for this little Welsh Lass this year as I knew it was going to be another long day at work as I was spending the day in Kilmore - a good 2 hour drive each way from home so I decided to let our beloved slow cooker work it's magic.  And once again it did.

This recipe had such a lovely flavour starting with a herbed tomato base with a hint of spice.  Jam packed with vegetables and served simply with pasta there was definitely no complaints in the Murray house.

Slow Cooked Italian Beef with Pasta

Serves: 8

ProPoints per serve: 12

1 kilogram lean beef, cut into 3cm cubes

4 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

2 medium green capsicum, large dice 

2 medium red capsicum, large dice

2 medium onion, large dice

1/4 cup dried oregano leaves

2 220 gram tins diced tomatoes 

1 tablespoon beef stock powder

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup(s) tomato paste

2 clove(s) fresh garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp ground sweet paprika

1 Tbsp brown sugar

salt

freshly ground black pepper

500 g pasta, tagliatelle

2 Tbsp arrowroot flour

1/4 cup water, extra

Place beef, carrots, capsicum and onions in slow cooker vessel.  Sprinkle with oregano leaves.  Pour diced tomatoes over meat and vegetables.

In a large jug or bowl combine together stock powder and water.  Mix well.  Add tomato paste, garlic, paprika and sugar.  Combine well.  Pour mixture over meat and vegetables in slow cooker vessel.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Mix to combine.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

During the last hour of cooking mix together arrowroot and extra water to form a smooth paste.  Gently stir through casserole.

Cook pasta as per packet instructions, drain and keep warm.

Place pasta in serving bowls and serve with Slow Cooked Italian Beef.

Note: You could easily cook this in a large casserole dish in an oven.  Heat oven to 180 degrees and cook covered for 1½ hrs. Add arrowroot mixture and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes. Cook pasta as per packet directions and serve in individual bowls with the beef.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Potato, Carrot and Onion Bake

This is similar to a bake that my mam used to make when I was little. I love it for the fact that it is low in fat and has an incredible taste even if it is not a creamy based dish that everyone adores. I actually think I like this one better.

Very easy to make although slices the vegetables is a little time consuming but the outcome is well worth the effort. It's a great side dish for any meal especially when you want to have potatoes a different way.

Potato, Carrot and Onion Bake

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 1

cooking spray

8 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

6 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup hot water

2 teaspoons chicken stock powder

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a quiche dish or shallow casserole dish with cooking spray. Using half the potatoes place a layer of potatoes in the dish, covering the base entirely. Next place a layer of carrots, followed by a layer of onion. Top with remaining potato slices.

Mix together the hot water, chicken stock, pepper and parsley flakes. Pour over potatoes slices.

Cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove foil spray top with cooking spray and cook for a further 15 - 20 minutes or until top is crisp and golden.

Alternatively once stock has been added, cover with cling wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Place in oven with out foil and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until top is crisp and golden.

Serve immediately.

Tip: You could easily make this a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock powder instead of chicken.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pastitsio

Pasta is always a huge hit in our house as was this dish. Pronounced Pa'sti-tsi-o it's a greek baked pasta dish, layered like Lasagna. Starting with a bottom layer of pasta (normally a tube pasta) mixed with egg and cheese, the second layer is a tomato meat sauce, a third layer of another pasta and then topped with a custard like sauce instead of a bechamel. Grated cheese and at times breadcrumbs are sprinkled on top to form a crust.

Of course I have adapted this recipe to reduce it's fat content and point count. I did use the basic bechamel sauce but added egg to it to give it the custardy consistency. I only used one layer of pasta also. But it was still full of flavour, filling and as usual devoured by one and all.

Pastitsio

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 6

cooking spray

1 onion, diced

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

500 grams lean lamb mince

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon beef stock powder

2 tablespoons oregano

3 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 400gram tin diced tomatoes

2 carrots, peeled and grated

200g button mushrooms, finely sliced

salt

freshly ground black pepper

250 grams penne pasta

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon fat reduced butter

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 cups skim milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

60 grams grated tasty cheese

30 grams parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Coat a large frying pan with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic, cook over a medium heat for 5 - 10 minutes or until onions are soft and golden. Add mince and cook until browned, breaking up the clumps whilst cooking. Add the tomato paste, mix well to combine and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the wine, water, stock powder, oregano, bay leaves, nutmeg, tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms. Stir well and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until juice has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a large lasagne or baking dish with cooking spray.

Meanwhile bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add pasta and cook as per packet directions. Drain well. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and mix through beaten egg. Place pasta mixture into lasagne dish and press down to ensure base of the dish is completely covered and the pasta layer is even.

Remove bay leaves from the meat sauce. Place meat sauce evenly over the pasta layer.

In a small saucepan over a low heat melt butter and stir through flour. Gradually add milk ensuring a smooth sauce with every addition. Bring to the boil and simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add remaining egg and egg whites, stirring well. Spread evenly over meat. Sprinkle with combined cheeses and breadcrumbs.

Cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until heated through and top golden.

Allow to stand for 10 - 15 minutes prior to serving.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Singapore Noodles

One dish we always order when we go out to a Chinese restaurant, especially to Quality Wok in Frankston, is Singapore Noodles. Either as a main meal or a side dish it never fails to please.

We all enjoy the dish from it's mild curry flavour, the crunchiness of the vegetables and of course the prawns. However when it's just Noel and myself ordering we get chilli added to give it that extra kick of heat.

I have used chicken but traditionally Chinese Roast Pork would be used. There is actually no limit to the amount or type of vegetables you could put in this dish - I have once heard this dish refered to "as the asian way clear out the fridge".

Singapore Noodles

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 4

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour

few drops of sesame oil

300 gram chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced

2 eggs, beaten

cooking spray

250 grams rice vermicilli

300 grams raw prawns

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

1 red capsicum, thinly sliced

1 green capsicum, thinly sliced

200g bean shoots

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons chicken stock powder

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, salt, sugar, cornflour and sesame oil. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand.

Soak the noodles in hot water for 10 minutes.

Spray wok or small frying pan with cooking spray, over a high heat add eggs and scramble. Remove on to a plate. Wipe out the wok with a paper towel.

Spray wok and reheat. Add marinated chicken and cook, tossing, for 3 minutes or until just cooked. Remove to another plate.

Drain noodles.

Heat wok, respray with cooking spray add the onions and carrot and cook for 3 - 5 minutes. Add capsicum, continuing to toss for a further 2 minutes. Add the prawns and toss for 2 - 3 minutes or until pink in colour. Return chicken and eggs to the pan. Add the noodles and bean shoots. Combine water, stock powder, soy sauce and curry powder and add to pan. Cooked until heated through.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Carrot, Pineapple and Zucchini Cake

Not only did the ingredients in this cake make me raise my eyebrows but so did the taste!! I love carrot cake but the use of zucchini along with pineapple adds just a new dimension to the taste, texture and moistness to this cake.

Topped with lemon flavoured cream cheese icing it's definitely a cake that wants you to eat seconds.

Carrot, Pineapple and Zucchini Cake

(recipe source: WW Secrets Of Success)

Serves: 16
ProPoints per serve: 4

Points per serve: 2

cooking spray

1/4 cup (50g) reduced fat butter or spread

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 eggwhite

1 x 200g can crushed pineapple in juice

1 medium carrot (120g) peeled and grated

1 medium zucchini (150g) trimmed and grated

1 3/4 cup self raising flour, sifted

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon groung cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

125 grams light cream cheese

1/4 cup icing sugar mixture, sifted

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

Spray a 22cm square cake pan with cooking spray. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

Using an electric mixer, beat spread and caster sugar until light and creamy. Gradually add the combined egg and eggwhite, beating until combined. Stir in the pineapple, carrot and zucchini. Stir if the sifted flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices.

Spoon cake mixture into pan, smooth surface. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan.

Meanwhile, make cream cheese frosting. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Beat in juice.

Remove cooled cake from pan and spread frosting evenly over top of cooled cake.

Springtime Veal Stew

I know that you all already know that I love using my slow cooker not matter what time of year it is but as the year goes on I do get bored with using tomatoes and or red wine as the sauce base.

I must admit that when I saw this recipe I had to try it as the concept of adding cream in the last 10 minutes of cooking intrigued me. The fact that this recipe was simple also helped and any vegetables can be used. And I must say that I was glad I tried, it was really nice to have a meat dish with a creamy sauce, it made such a pleasant change. Best of all though, everyone ate it and said they enjoyed it!

Now that I have cooked this once I will look for ways to make it more weight-friendly, I already have adjusted the recipe a little but there is still room for improvement. I am sure that this dish would also work well with lamb, replacing the thyme with rosemary.

Springtime Veal Stew

(recipe adapted from Essentials of Slow Cooking)

Serves: 6

1 kilogram veal, diced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray
1 onion, finely diced
80g ham, diced finely
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
1 tablespoon dried thyme
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2 cm pieces
1 red capsicum, diced into 2 cm cubes
1 cup frozen baby peas
1 cup lite thickened cream

Season veal cubes with salt and pepper. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and cook veal in batches until browned and sealed completely. Set aside.

To the same pan add the onions and ham and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Stir in the combined water and chicken stock and bring to the boil.

SLOW COOKER: Transfer the veal and the juices to a slow cooker. Sprinkle with thyme. Add the stock mixture. Cover and cook until the veal is very tender, 2 1/2 hours on high setting or 5 1/2 hours on low. Add the carrots and capsicum, cover and cook for a further 30 - 40 minutes until they are almost tender. Add the asparagus and peas and continue to cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce is heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STOVE TOP: Transfer the veal and the juices to a large dutch oven. Sprinkle with thyme. Add the stock mixture. Cover and cook over a very low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Add the carrots and capsicum, cover and cook for a further 30 - 40 minutes until they are almost tender. Add the asparagus and peas and continue to cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce is heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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GIVEAWAY RESULT

Before I forget I have to announce my Giveaway winner.... thanks to all those that stopped by and left a comment sharing your favourite "local" food or dish. I have to say it was a hard decision to make as two of the "local" dishes were really tempting my tastebuds.

The winner of the 5 Womans Weekly Mini Cookbooks is......

~~~ Donna-FFW ~~~

Congratulations!!! The dish you described, Blueberry and Peach Summer Torte, using local produce sounds delish and also, to me, a typically American dessert! (ant that's a good compliment by the way!).

Donna can you please email me your postal address? PS Can I have the recipe too?? Pretty please?

LellyJ - I have to say as tempting as muttonbird sounds (NOT!!!) I loved your comment!! I definitely had a giggle!! And Katy the wine would be very tempting.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to leave a comment....

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Vietnamese Chicken Curry

I am going to let you into a little secret love of mine... nothing romantic, not a fettish, just something simple I love to experience whenever I read a cookbook or a cooking magazine!!

Ready?

I love it when you turn over a page and there is a dish looking at you that you just want to eat right there and then. You know that dish, that meal, that looks so good you know it must taste good even without reading the ingredients. That picture that remains in your memory for ages and one that you think about cooking over and over again!

There you have it, do you ever felt the same?

This happened when I first bought Noel the cookbook, Essentials of Slow Cooking, for his recent birthday. Firstly I have to say that all of the photos in this book are amazing but this one just caught my eye and I have been thinking of making this recipe since April.

WARNING: My photo will not have this affect on you!!! LOL!!

A few years ago Noel and I would not have even considered making this dish as we were not big fans on coconut milk based anything let alone main meals.... nothing against coconuts as we both like shredded coconut etc but there is just something about the milk that we have disliked. But as we mature, and as our tastebuds are changing over the years, we have recently enjoyed a few meals that have been centred around using coconut milk.

The flavours in this dish are quite intense from the lemon grass and ginger. There is a little heat in the taste but it is by no means as hot as a vindaloo!! Like many curries of South East Asia, the Vietnames curries show a strong tropical influence, evident with the use of coconut milk as the primary cooking liquid.

Vietnamese Chicken Curry
(recipe adapted from Essentials of Slow Cooking)

Serves: 4

cooking spray
8 skinless chicken chops (bone in chicken thighs)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 shallots, finely sliced
3 tablespoons Madras curry powder
1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
freshly ground black pepper
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm pieces
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 slices
1 cup chicken broth
1 x 420ml can lite coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 carrots, cut into 2.5cm chunks
1 sweet potato, approx 375grams, peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks
3 tablespoons finely shredded fresh basil

Coat a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat over a medium - high heat. Working in batches cook the chicken thighs until nicely browned on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and saute over medium - high heat just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, brown sugar, chilli flakes, pepper, lemon grass and ginger. Saute until the spices are fragrant and well blended with the garlic and shallots, also about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottome of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the coconut milk and fish sauce, bring to the boil.

Add the chicken thighs, carrots, and sweet potato to the slow cooker. Cover with the coconute milk mixture. Cover and cook until the for 3 hours on high setting or 6 hours on low setting. Chicken and vegetables should be tender.

Transfer the chicken, vegetables and sauce to a warmed platter. Garnish with the basil and serve with steamed rice if desired.

Warm Carrot, Zucchini and Basil Salad

This dish is quite appealing on the eye and makes a change from good old steamed carrot and zucchini slices plus I have to say it went down well with the Mediterranean Chicken Casserole that we had on Mother's Day.

Overall a little time consuming to prepare but it does cook in a flash.

Warm Carrot, Zucchini and Basil Salad

Serves: 8

Points per serve: 0

5 carrots, peeled

5 zucchinis

2 teaspoons oil

1 handful of fresh basil leaves

Using a vegetable peeler, ribbon cut the carrots and the zucchini, keeping both separate.

In a large frying pan or wok, heat the oil and add carrots. Stir fry to 1 - 2 minutes and then add the zucchini. Continue to stir fry for another 1 - 2 minutes or until zucchini is warmed through and mixed in with the carrot.

Transfer to a large serving plate or bowl and sprinkle with the basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Okonomyaki (Japanese Pancake)

This is something I just had to try making especially with it being Shrove Tuesday yesterday but the idea of having normal pancakes for dinner didn't really inspire me although the kids would have approved without a doubt.
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I have read many recipes for Okonomyaki and like most recipes, there are so many different variations out there. Some with bacon, chicken or shrimps. Others with either grated potatoes or noodles. Ultimately I ended up making my own version of Okonomyaki or Japanese Pancake which I thought wasn't too bad and it got the thumbs up from Noel.

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Okonomyaki (Japanese Pancake)
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Serves: 4
Points per serve: 7
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1 cup plain flour
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup skim milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 wombok, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 large red capsicum, sliced
1 onion, sliced
150g bean sprouts
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce

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In a large bowl mix flour, eggs, garlic, ginger and skim milk together into a batter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir through wombok, carrots, capsicum, onion and bean sprouts until all coated with the batter and well combined.
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Heat oil a small frying pan and add 1/4 of the mixture. Cook over a medium heat until firm and golden brown on the underside. Flip over and cook the other side. Once cooked, remove to plate and keep in a warm oven and continue with the remaining mixture.
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To serve, place Okonomyaki on individual plates and drizzle with both the barbecue sauce and the mayonnaise.
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Honestly the potential of ingedients and toppings that can be used in this dish is literally endless and can be left up to your imagination. I cannot believe that this was as easy as it was to not only prepare but to cook. Go on - give it a go!

Nasi Goreng

Nasi Goreng
Source: Weight Watchers Australia Magazine July/Aug 2006

Serves 6

Points per serve: 4

(Note you will need to cook ¾ cup long grain rice for this recipe.)

1 brown onion thinly sliced

1 (140g) single chicken breast (without skin) thinly sliced

1 carrot finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

100g cabbage shredded

140g medium uncooked prawns, peeled

1 red birdseye chilli, sliced (optional)

2 tsp sambal oelek (chilli paste)

2 tsp kecap manis

100g bean sprouts

2 ½ cups COLD cooked long grain rice

6 eggs

3 green shallots, trimmed and thinly sliced

Heat wok over a medium-high heat. Spray with oil. Add onion and stir fry for 2 minutes or until brown. Add chicken, carrot and garlic. Stir-fry for 4 minutes.

Add cabbage and prawns. Stir fry for 1 minute or until prawns change colour.

Add sambal oelek, kecap manis, chilli if using and sprouts. Gently toss until combined.

Stir in rice and gently toss until hot.

Meanwhile spray a large non stick frypan with oil. Crack eggs into pan and cook for 2 minutes or until set with egg yolk still soft. Remove from heat.

Serve rice with eggs on top and sprinkle with shallots. You can serve into individual bowls but I platter mine up - however way it's yummy and really easy to make!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.