Chicken with Noodles and Mushrooms and Snow Peas

~Chicken with Noodles and Mushrooms and Snow Peas~

Ingredients:
-15mL vegetable oil
-454g boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
-10mL minced garlic
-10mL minced fresh ginger
-500mL mushrooms, thinly sliced
-125mL water
-60mL hoisin sauce
-15mL oyster sauce
-1 pkg 400g fresh Udon noodles (or fresh Shanghai noodles)
-250mL snow peas, sliced
-5mL sesame oil

Method:
1. In a wok, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry chicken, garlic and ginger until chicken is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms; stir-fry until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
    Stir in water, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce; bring to simmer.
3. Add noodles and toss to combine; simmer until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
    Add snow peas and sesame oil; cook for 1 minute.
4. Plate on a platter and add a garnish!

Cucumber Shark and Watermelon Basket Garnishes

~Cucumber Shark and Watermelon Basket Garnishes~

Garnishing

Garnishes are "edible" decorations placed on or beside food to provide contrast of colour, flavour or texture. Garnishing is an easy skill and a rewarding art to master. Food not only looks pretty when presented attractively, it seems to taste better, too. Some of the effect is achieved by the desirable appearance of the food itself. But often a final touch added to a food before serving to improve its appearance. Care should be taken, however, not to overdo. Garnishes are meant to enhance, not take away from the food.

Garnishing is a skill that doesn't require fancy equipment or exotic ingredients. With a sharp knife, a vegetable peeler, a good cutting board and a few other basic garnishing tools you'll be in business. Most of the garnishes call for common vegetables likely to be in the refrigerator. Carrots, radishes, cucumbers and tomatoes can quickly be turned into beautiful edible decorations.

Garnishing is creative - it's your chance to play artist. Make lovely roses, lilies and camellias out of vegetables and citrus fruits. Create adorable animals, saw-tooth melons and tomato cups. Tie zucchini and carrot ribbons into bow knots to decorate a serving platter.

A fancy garnish on a party platter or special edible centerpiece on a buffet table will make you feel terribly clever when you hear your guests "ooh" and "ahh."
You'll be surprises at how many quick and easy garnishes there are, along with elegant ones that take a bit more time.

Novelty Shaped Pan Challenge

~Novelty Shaped Pan Challenge~

For the cake, we did not have a recipe because we used a cake mix.

Classic Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:
-250mL vegetable shortening
-5mL vanilla
-30mL water
-454g or 1000mL icing sugar
-15mL egg white powder

Method:
1. In a large bowl, cream shortening, icing sugar, egg white powder, vanilla and water.
2. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.
3. Blend together an additional minute until creamy.
(This icing can be refrigerated or you can freeze it.)