~ Diary Of A Young Housewife ~

My Baby Necessities (Part 4)

2011-09-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

Fun With Baby

Aloha, friends!! It has been another busy week. Our baby just turn 3 months few days ago, so we brought him to his monthly check up at our pediatrician in Kuching Specialist Hospital. He was given his first dose of Rotavirus vaccine and luckily he was being a good boy. He did not cry when the doctor feed him and he even smile at the doctor! LOL...

Rotaviruses are the leading cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. The doctor explained that we can choose either the 2dosage vaccine or 3dosage vaccine. We chose the 3dosage (given consecutively for 3 months) as it provides wider coverage against the viruses.

Then, it was our 2nd year wedding anniversary. Hubby and I had a romantic dinner at Hilton Hotel Kuching. It has become the place where we celebrate our wedding anniversaries, birthdays, valentine's day. engagement and so much more.... it is a place we recall our memories and fond thoughts of each other... =)

Here are our baby's belongings. Our baby sleeps with us in our bedroom. Ayden sleeps on our big bed as well as in his baby cot.

Ayden's baby cot and his toys. He take naps in his babycot and play inside the cot. He sleeps on our big bed beside me at night for easier feedings. ( I do not have to crawl out from my bed anymore but it will be hard to train him to sleep on his own when he grows older)

His playmat. Highly recommended as he loves rolling and moving around the playmat. It enhance his curiosity and helps build his motor skills when he tries to touch the toys hanging on top.

He loves this Winnie the Pooh sticker. It might sounds silly to you, but this Pooh Bear calms him at night when he has difficulties falling asleep. He will babbles his "sorrow" =P to Pooh Bear and slowly fall asleep.

His grandma made this for him. I hang it on higher places so that he can look at the pictures. Fun and educational.

His favorite toys. The caterpillar, moon-moon, seal rattle, lion and puppet.

When Ayden is asleep, I like to record his "first-times" and any special or funny behavior on this Baby's First Year Book. As a new mom, I have concerns and worries so I love reading these kind of books for more information.

Well, these are what we have for our baby. There are so many toys and entertainment in the market which claims to be educational which can cost an arm. But what baby needs most is us to be around them. So go ahead, sing for her, talk to her, play, hug, kiss her!! Your voice are soothing and calming to her!!!

Have Fun~

My Baby Necessities (Part 3)

2011-09-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

Baby Clothing

This will be a fun filled blog as I'm going to share some of the basic clothing that I bought for Ayden. When we think of a newborn, automatically our mind will be filled with sweet thoughts on how to dress up the little one. Of course, as seen in the market, baby girl has more interesting and cute designs of clothing, ranging from hair accessories, hair clips, ribbons, dresses, skirts, laces, cute bags and you name it!

For boys, it is a bit boring as the range of clothing are limited to shirts and pants. However, you can spice things up with belts, scarf or even a cute cap. But I personally think that its always safer to wait till baby is at least 6 months before accessorizing them, as belts and scarf can be a bit tight and stuffy on their body.

This picture shows the towel, different sizes of handkerchiefs and cloth napkins used to clean Ayden.

The pictures below are some of the clothing Ayden wear on daily basis.

Different kinds of rompers for newborn. When buying a good rompers, make sure the neck area are elastic, flexible and wide enough for your baby's head.

Short sleeves are great for day time since Malaysia's weather are hot. Buttons at bottom for easier nappy change.

These are cute for special occasion.

Botties, Mittens, Socks, Shirts and Pants worn on daily basis.

Long Sleeve Shirts and Long Pants for nightwear.

**Have Fun Dressing Up Your Baby ^_^**

My Baby Necessities (Part 2)

2011-09-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

FEEDING NECESSITIES

Hello again!

In Part 2 of My Baby Necessities, I will share information on Ayden feedings needs. I breastfed Ayden exclusively unless hubby and I go out for meals or to run errands. My mother-in-law will babysit him for us and will feed him formula milk.

I tried giving him bottle but he is so smart and cheeky, he will turn his head from the bottle and busily search for my breast. Breast or formula, here are some basic necessities that I use for feedings.

Simplisse Manual Breastfeeding Companion: Since mid-pregnancy, I started to hunt around for a gentle and easy-to-use breast pump. There are so many brand and good offers on the market and it took me months to decide whether to buy a manual, battery-operated or electric-operated pump. Manual pump is suitable for mummies like me, who rarely pump out milk for storage. It's because manual pumping can be tiring to your hands and slower. If you are a regular pumper, I would not recommend a manual pump. Simplisse pump is easy to use and gentle on my breast. I do not feel sore after pumping. However, I face a problem with the suction cup. It is too wide thus sometimes the suction will slips off. It comes with a bottle and a bottle stand to store breast milk.
MAM feeding bottle: BPA free bottle. I use this bottle when Ayden drinks formula milk. It comes with various color. It has silk teat which is soft and is 'flat' (not round shape). It is anti-colic and design for easy switching between Mum and MAM. The disadvantage of this bottle is the amount of parts that needs to be clean everytime after a feeding. It has 6 parts which needs to be disassemble/assemble, and it will take some time to clean the parts if you are using lots of bottles in a day. Another downside is it starts with 2Oz mark, so you could not measure a 1Oz.
Mamex Gold Milk Powder (0-12months): Ayden tried Enfalac A+ and it is too 'heaty' for him and his digestion, so we change to Mamex Gold which has Oligosaccharide mixture which claims to help improve the intestinal immune system of babies. Ayden likes the taste of this milk powder, however he only drinks formula when my mother-in-law babysits him. It only comes in 400g tin and once open could store up to 3 weeks only.
Pureen Liquid Cleanser: This cleanser has mint and orange flavor. I bought the orange flavor and loves it. It does clean milk stains easily and has a nice smell. I also use it to soak vegetables and fruits. The price is affordable too.
BPA free bottle, Thermos and plastic container is necessary to store bottles and warm/hot water in our bedroom.

There are various brands of sterilizer in the market. We bought Pigeon Rapid Steam Sterilizer as it was on sales that time. It comes with a measurement cup (in pic) and a plastic tongs. It only takes 6 minute to sterilize the bottles. It has 2 compartments for storing equipments and accessories for sterilizing. It also will automatically switch off if it does not contain enough water inside. This product is a good investment. We use MAM plastic bristle brush to clean our MAM bottles.

Well, here are the items I use for Ayden's feedings. You might need extra equipments if you exclusively bottle feed your baby. We are considering to buy a bottle warmer if Ayden drinks from bottle more often. We also had prepared additional teats which are 0mths+ (slow flow) and 2mths+ (2 flow) teats. You might also want to use soother for your baby.

For Mommies who plan to breast feed your baby, "It might be difficult and frustrating at first! Allow yourself and baby time to learn the process of latching. Before you know it, you will feel the Love and Special Bond through breastfeeding"

Happy Feeding!^^

My Baby Necessities (Part 1)

2011-09-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

Baby Basics

Hello!! =)

Congratulations to the readers who are pregnant and expecting a baby at home soon.

These upcoming blogs are also useful for friends or family members who are thinking of gifts to buy for your loved ones who are expecting. It is always good to buy gifts that are useful for both mummy and baby. (Trust Me, ALWAYS ask what the expecting mummy needs before buying a gift or else your gift might end up in the store room or worst still up the attic. If you are reluctant to ask, then just buy a 'safe' gift like baby clothing or toys made from safe materials for baby)...

My upcoming blogs will contain information that might be useful for first time moms like myself. But of course, this is a personal preference and everyone has different thoughts on what is needed for their baby. Oh, and another thing, I am living in Malaysia which is hot and humid all year round, so do excuse me for not sharing stuff like keeping your baby warm and similar topics, ok?! =D

Again, I wanted to emphasize that this is just a sharing of what I am using for my baby. I will also write some product reviews on my blogs.

If you are concern about allergy and safety issues, please refer to your Pediatrician or ObGynae.

Ok.. enough of my babbling~ Here it goes ^_^

Items My Baby Use After Bath.

Fiffy Rubber Mat : I love this cooling mat both suitable for nappy change, cloth change or tummy time. However, there is a rubbery smell which will stick on baby's skin.
Pureen Baby Powder : There are debates on safety issues using powder on baby as it could cause suffocation, allergy and worsen asthma condition. If you wanted to use on your baby, do buy those made from "PURE cornstarch" or if you have a higher budget, purchase Baby Powder "Liquid". This baby powder is watery based and in liquid form thus the powder would not fly around and your baby will not sniff into his lung.
Sebamed Baby Series Protective Facial Cream : Ayden has dry skin and rashes and this is quite good for his skin. Though it is for face, I apply the cream on both of his thighs and belly area where it tends to get dry and spotty sometimes due to hot weather. The lipid compound and panthenol safeguard against dryness around baby's mouth from saliva. It is also very absorbent and not greasy at all. The downside of this product is it contains fragrance and might cause allergies on baby.
Baby Cotton Tips : I bought 2 varieties from Guardian, Protector Baby Tips and Children Cotton Tips. I use both of these to clean the outer part of my baby's ears and nose. However, some doctors do not recommend us to 'dig' the ears or nose as it can be quite dangerous when the baby is moving around.
Facial Square Cotton : I like to wet these in lukewarm water and use it to wipe my baby's face after feedings.
Chicco Hair Brush (a set of two): Ayden has long spiky hair =) so I bought this brush for him. It is really soft and easy to use on baby's scalp.
U - I - Oil, Sesame Oil and Anti-wind Powder : All these items are applied on his navel to prevent "tummy wind" or colic. This method is taught by my mom in law, first apply a bit sesame oil on the navel, then the powder and use the oil to massage baby's tummy area and back for warmth.

Items Use At Nappy Change

Ayden wears cloth diapers in the daytime and disposable ones at night. Cloth diapers are breathable and is good in preventing nappy rashes and sensitive skin. Disposable ones are easier to use, less messy and more expensive.

Anakku and Pureen Cloth Napkins : I use both brand but I personally prefer Anakku cloth napkins as the material is softer.
Plastic Pants : This is use together with the cloth napkin to prevent urine from leaking out and staining your bed or baby cot. It is elastic but do buy a bigger size since baby grows fast.
Baby Nappy Liners : This is an insert on the cloth napkin. Urine is absorbed into napkin keeping baby nappy liner dry thus your baby will stay dry and prevent nappy rash. I personally like the thicker type and I think Tenderly and Pureen brand is good and affordable. Some brands also offer organic material.
Safety Napkin Clips/ Nappy Fastener : In old days, my mom uses safety pins to fasten our cloth napkins. But due to safety reason, safety pins are not recommended nowadays. I bought both types and I prefer Nappy Fastener. It is easier to use, light in weight and elastic.
Disposable Diapers : Again, these depends on what fits the baby's bottom. I tried a few brands like Drypers, Diapex, Huggies and MamyPoko. I love both Huggies and MamyPoko. Huggies offer a better fitting on my baby's bottom and did not leave a red mark on his thighs. Meanwhile, MamyPoko is slightly wider than Huggies. Both could absorb similar amount of urine.

That's how you use the nappy fastener! It's Easy & Safe~

Items Use At Nappy Change

Cotton balls : I like to wet a few of these in warm water and use it when cleaning his delicate area after passing stool. It is cheap and gentle on baby's skin.
Huggies Baby Wet Wipes/ Guardian Baby Wipes : Wet Wipes are a must to clean baby's bottom after his poo poo. I prefer non-alcohol, fragrance free baby wipes. Do buy a few travel packs so you can put it in your diaper bags when you go shopping.
Drapolene Cream : This is a trustworthy, money worth it nappy cream to help prevent nappy rash. Apply generously on baby's bottom after bath and at nappy change.
Bepanthen Ointment : This provides faster recovery if baby's bottom area has nappy rashes or red spots. A small amount will be sufficient since it is quite oily.

Baby bathtub, Pureen non-slip mat, plastic stool, towel and handkerchief.

I use Buds Infant Head to Toe Cleanser and Johnson & Johnson Top To Toe Wash on alternate days. Both are gentle and non-irritating on baby's skin.

I also bought Pureen Sterilising tablets, Chicco thermometer (with flexible tip and non mercury) and Tommy Tippie Nail Set for my baby.

I only use these sterilising tablets to sterilize containers and storage area for my baby. These tablets has a strong chlorine smell but are easy to use and convenient to bring when traveling.

I like my Chicco thermometer as it has a flexible tip for easier application and it only takes a few seconds for result. It has a reliable measurement of temperature.

I love the Tommy Tippie round edge nail scissor as its easy to use when cutting baby's toenails. The nail clipper is OK but I wouldn't mind one with a magnifying glass on it for easier nail cutting.

Don't forget to have a few of these cute colorful containers or adjustable drawers to store your baby's clothing, neccessities and toys.

Hope you enjoy reading this blog and find the information here useful. Do take a look at my Part 2, coming soon...

** A Child is the greatest joy, the ultimate Blessing!**

I'm Back!

2011-09-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

I was so lazy to begin writing for my blog again but I keep telling myself that I should continue doing this, I shouldn't give up half way.. I should have given myself some "Me-time" since taking care of my lil baby full-time.. So I was thinking to myself and then my brain started to fill with ideas of things I could write.. As everyone has been saying that "Sharing is Caring" rite...

Anyway... My recent life has been all about my boy.. He is 2 months and 2 weeks now.. Which also means that my under-eye-bags are also getting blacker, thicker and wider! Despite the hardships and backaches, I am glad and I am definitely very happy to have my lil' boy with me, to be able to cuddle him, and to witness the moments of him growing up, the never-ending laughters and surprises that he continually gives us.

By the way, I have not introduce my Honey Bear yet.. His name is Ayden..

So, I promise myself that after writing this short update of myself, I will take photos of some interesting things and will upload here and hopefully the upcoming blogs that I'm going to write will contain useful info and is entertaining for my dear readers.

Ooh.. and not forget to mention, that's me in the photo... thats my 26th weeks being pregnant. My belly starts to show visibly and the little navel of mine is protruding... Looking back then, time really flies~

Till my next blog, See you !!

Strawberry Fruit Tart (EASY)

2011-04-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

I have stopped baking for quite many months since the "side effects" of pregnancy hits me. I've been getting tired easily and nonetheless I sweat like a Polar bear out of ice cold water. Hot humid weathers or enclosed area seems to give me a headache and blocked nose too~

Anyway, back to the recipe, I bought a can of Strawberry Filling "long long" time ago (which also cost me RM12++ coz its imported from U.K.) so I thought I should make good use of it before its expiry date. I ended up doing mini fruit tarts with the Strawberry fillings.

I used the same Hong Kong Egg Tarts pastry crust recipe that I've shared earlier, so I won't be re-writing it here. I've searched for various types of crusts recipe on the web and I found that this egg tart crust is the easiest, simplest and yet delicious to eat! It is a 99% non failure crust recipe. However, I did alter the ingredients a bit, using more flour (80gm) and an additional 1tsp of beaten egg.

So, after baking the empty crust according to its directions (remember to sting holes on the unbaked crust and put bean weights on the crust while baking to prevent the crust from rising), I let it cooled.

When the crust has cooled, melt some chocolate (dark/milk/white) in a small bowl (i use 5 small squares of cooking chocolate), and using a small pastry brush, brush an even layer of melted chocolate on the insides of the crusts. ( This will prevent the fillings from making the crusts soggy).

Chill till ready to use.

Pour strawberry fillings into the prepared crusts. Spread evenly. You can use any kinds of fruits fillings you like. You can even substitute it with fresh or canned fruits and glazed the top with some gelatine or unflavoured jelly.

Fridge till ready to serve.

Easy Peasy... and you have a mouth-watering sweet desserts to impress. =D

Happy 1st Anniversary with Hubby

2010-10-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

No Matter Sadness or Happiness, We Gonna Stay Together Forever (caption by hubby)

Time flies and waits for no one! Hubby and I celebrated our 1st anniversary being a married couple on the 20th September. We had a quick reflection the other day and I'm very happy to say that together, we visited a few interesting places since our marriage till this year.

We visited my hometown in Sandakan last October, then in Kota Kinabalu for Chinese New Year celebration. This year was also our very first year giving "out" red angpows rather than receiving. In April, we went for our sweet sweet honeymoon in Japan and had te most amazing adventure and experiences in life. In June, we witnessed one of my best girlfriend's wedding in Kota Kinabalu and later on head on a Virgo Cruise to Singapore and Pulau Redang in July. It was a surprise gift from my hubby for my birthday.

During Hari Raya Puasa this year, hubby and I chose to go to Genting Highlands to have our "1st wedding anniversary vacation". Despite the crowd in KL Central and Genting Highlands, we enjoyed ourselves to the max in Genting. We also had a really nice dinner at a restaurant named "Vietnam House" found in First World Plaza.

The Hoi An Bridge to Vietnam House

Vietnam House is situated in the middle of the Venice Gondola Ride. With the continuous soft music and dim lighting, I found that this place is indeed quite romantic for a table for two. Nonetheless, it is suitable for family gathering too as it serves a wide variety of Vietnam cuisine. Vietnam House also offers great value for freshly cook meals, being that we are in Genting Highlands where food are usually more expensive than in the city.

This is the entrance to the Vietnam House

The place is well decorated with beautiful and brightly lit silk lanterns and lotus, which is the national flower of Vietnam.

The staff are friendly and services are quick. The menu offers a great variety of Vietnam cuisine and we had to struggle choosing our favorite dishes. We wanted to try so many different dishes but since there's only two of us, we ended up ordering an entree, soup, meat and vegetable. Thumbs Up for all the dishes and its prices are reasonable.

And here's the photo of our dishes. Please excuse my poor Vietnam language. I tried to remember the names and copied them down in my phone later on after I had finished my dinner.

Entree: Seafood Salad Mango & Agar (Goi rau cau, xoai, hai san)

Soup: Sour Prawn Soup (Canh chua tom)

Main: Pork Belly and Egg Braised in Coconut Juice (Thit heo kho trung voi nuac dua)

Vegetable: Grilled Egg Plant with Onion Sauce (Ca tim nuong muo hanh)

I would definitely be going again if I visit Genting Highlands again. Oh, by the way, I ordered my favorite iced sweet basil lemonade for my drinks. What a Full-tastic Night!!

Most of the photos were taken by my hubby, so the credits go to him. I also love how he capture this Merry-Go-Around ride. I loved the colors and the 'motion' he's able to capture!

Paris-Genting at First World Plaza

Morning View from our room at First World Hotel

And finally, a shot of the cable car going up when we are departing from Genting Highlands

Spending time with the one you loved most is what matters most. May Our Love Be Blessed and be Strong always. Happy Anniversary To Us!!~

2010-09-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is another healthier options for muffin lovers. It is easy to make, adopting the basic method in making muffins, which is to mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. All you need is clean bowls, a spatula or spoon and a kitchen scale.

The muffins are really moist, smell great of walnuts and the insides are fruity with the sultanas. If you don't like walnuts in your muffins, you can substitute it with sunflower seeds. You might also want to substitute sultanas with raisins or any other types of dried berries. It is so versatile yet yummy to bite.

My hubby found that it is still moist and tastes as good the next morning. He enjoyed 3 muffins for his breakfast with a cup of hot milo.

I made 16 muffins instead of the usual 12 cause I had used slightly smaller muffin cups.

I don't usually use expensive muffin cups as its rather a waste of money, but when I went to the bakery ingredients shop the other day, I couldn't resist buying these cute-sy muffin cups. I guess, it is alright to spoil yourself sometimes, right??? =P

Sultanas & Walnuts Muffins

Ingredients
140g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
115g soft light brown sugar ( I use 50g castor sugar + 50g dark brown sugar)
140g porridge oats ( I use Quaker Quick Cook Oat)
100g sultanas
100g crushed walnuts
2 eggs
250 ml skimmed milk
6 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1) Preheat oven to 200degree C/400degree F/Gas Mark 6. Line 12-hole muffin tin with 12 paper cases. (I wanted a prettier effect so I used muffin cups with designs on it) =)

2) Sift together flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, oats, sultanas and 60g of the crushed walnuts.

3) Place the eggs in another large bowl and beat lightly, then beat in milk, oil and vanilla extract.

4) Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

5) Spoon mixture into paper cases. Sprinkle the remaining crushed walnuts over the tops of the muffins.

6) Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until well risen, golden brown. (My oven takes 17 minutes only)

7) Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer t a wire rack to coo completely.

Quad-C (Choc Chips & Cinnamon Cookies)

2010-09-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

My hubby bought me a set of baking books that is published by "LOVE FOOD" Parragon Books Ltd. The books are full of beautiful pictures and the recipes are mainly easy to follow. I can't wait to try out the new recipes I found in these books.

The very first recipe that I tried is the Chocolate Chip & Cinnamon Cookies (Quad-C). These are simple to make and is perfect with a cup of herbal tea. The light coating of cinnamon also gives additional flavor to the cookies.

However, I have a huge problem with the settings of my oven. Again, I have to reduce the temperature and the baking time. The first badge of Quad-C I made brown too fast and the edges are burnt.

So, if you are using a small oven like mine, you might like to adjust the temperature and time accordingly. This cookies also stored well in an air-tight container.

Recipe for Quad-C Cookies

makes about 35 medium sized cookies

Ingredients

- 225g/8 0z butter, softened at room temperature

- 140g/ 5 0z castor sugar

- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

- 2 tsp orange extract

- 280g / 10 oz plain flour

- pinch of salt

- 100gm / 31/2 oz plain chocolate chips (I just use a handful)

Method

1) Preheat oven to 190degree C/ 375F / Gas Mark 5. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper. (I have to reduce the temperature to 170degree C in my oven)

2) Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.

3) Then beat in the egg yolk and orange extract.

4) Sift together flour and salt into the mixture, add chocolate chips and stir until thoroughly combined.

5) To make cinnamon coating, mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dish or plate.

6) Scoop out tablespoons of the cookie dough, roll them into balls, then roll them in the cinnamon mixture to cat. Place them on the baking sheets, spaced well apart. (The cookie will expand when bake)

7) Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15minutes or until golden brown. ( I reduce the baking time to 10 minutes)

8) Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely before storing.

** To make White chocolate & spice Cookies, simply replace the plain chocolate chips with 100gm/ 31/2 oz white chocolate chips and replace the cinnamon with 1 tbsp of ground mixed spice and 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg.

*Photos credited to my lovely hubby, Stanley*

Honeyed Cornflakes Cups

2010-09-07T05:35:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy recipe to follow and is even more delicious to eat. It makes a lovely gift for friends and relatives on festive times as it does not cost too much and most important it is a 100% failure proof recipe.

The few things that you need to start making your own "honeyed cornflakes cups" is a big heat-proof bowl (I use a stainless bowl), a medium sauce pan, a teaspoon, a whisk, a rubber spatula, mini paper cups (or you can use regular paper cups), an oven and baking trays.

As I am making the "mini" version of these honeyed cornflakes cups, the most time consuming part is filling the honey coated cornflakes into the mini paper cups. Filling too little and it looks empty, filling in too much and it will spill when baked. Despite the trouble, I had no regrets going mini because it doesn't only look beautifully cute but it is a one-bite temptations.

Okay, enough of mumbling and here's the recipe. I hope you will try it out because it is really easy to make even with kids around.

Recipe for Honeyed Cornflakes Cups
makes 100+ mini cups or about 50 regular cups

Ingredients
- 5 cups cornflakes (lightly crushed with a rolling pin or clean dry hands)
- 120g unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 3 tbsp honey ( I reduce to 1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla essence)
- crushed nuts (optional)
- sprinkles ( I use hundreds and thousands)
- adequate amount of baking paper cups

Method
1) In a large saucepan, combine and melt butter, sugar and honey on slow fire. (becareful not to burn the butter and sugar). Stir with a whisk.

2) Turn off flame, immediately add cornflakes and nuts (if using).

3) Stir to coat the cornflakes evenly in the butter sugar mixture. (Sugar mixture will thicken when cool, so you must stir while it is still hot)

4) Place cups and spoon a tablespoon of mixture into cups. (This is the tricky part if you are using mini paper cups, I recommend using a teaspoon)

5) Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes at 350 degree F or 175 degree C. (I reduce the baking time to 7 minutes in my oven)

6) Remove from oven. Leave on the baking tray for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before storing.

The Salvation Army (Kuching Branch) Annual Sale Of Work

2010-09-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

Yearly on the 31st August, Malaysia celebrates "Hari Merdeka" (Malaysia's Independence Day). No doubt, it is a public holiday in Malaysia.

Every year on this same date, The Salvation Army in Kuching held their Annual Sale of Work Day. In other words, it is a fund raising day which took place in The Salvation Army Kuching Boys' Home. Every year, the public will work together with The Salvation Army Children's Home, Boys' Home as well as the Church and the Community Services to sell tickets, collect fundings and find sponsors for this activity. People from all walks of life come together to lend a hand for this meaningful activity.

The annual Sale of Work event this year saw 110 stalls raising funds for the homes. Last year in 2009, the home manage to raised RM140,000. This year, Major Francis Ng voiced that a special learning centre should be set up in the homes to allow the children to pick up on their studies at their own pace and eventually be at par with the others. (Source from: STARMETRO,Wednesday,1September 2010).

This is because the children admitted to The Salvation Army's care mostly had irregular school attendance beforehand. In some cases, the child never received formal education till the day of admission to The Salvation Army. Thus, many children become the victim of illiteracy.

This year, an idea sparks me. I should open up a stall and try my very best to contribute back to the society. Since I used to work in The Salvation Army Children's Home and now as a volunteer, I was very happy to be able to continue to help in different ways.

My friends and relatives are very supportive for this cause too. They gathered money and even help baked items for the stall to sell. These are some of the photos I had able to snap before all of us were busy selling, shouting and trying our best to attract customers to visit our stall =D

This is our stall number. Lucky 97..

The cute banner was a girl's effort from The Children's Home. Isn't that cute?

These are the food items for sale.

As you can see, there are home-baked choc chip banana muffins, home made cookies, peppermint herbal teahome made Konyaku fruit flavored jellies in cups, and home made fruit flavored puddings.

A close-up picture of the home made mini hot dog buns and cream buns.

Here's another picture of the home-made Hawaiian pizzas. The rest of the buns and cakes are donated by The Southern bakery shop (which is located at 2 1/2 mile in Kuching, next to Alliance Bank and Maybank).

And these are the Team, the spirits behind our stall's success. Without good teamwork, we would not be able to raise a total amount of RM1471. Thanks buddies!!

Most of our items were sold within 4 hours. The last half and hour, we sold the remaining buns for RM1. We also gave some to the children. All gone and Nothing is Wasted!!!!

GREAT WORK!!

Melting Moments

2010-08-29T04:52:00.000-07:00

Oh My! Oh My! Oh My!! It has been quite a while since I last wrote on my blog. Been busy baking for a charity sales that will be held on 31st August, this coming Tuesday. Well, my friends and I had decided to open up a stall selling a variety of bakery items. I called up to several friends and kind people asking for donations of all sorts. And guess what, there are still Unconditional Love in this world =) Love does exist after all ! ~_~

Just few days after my first attempt of cold calls and cold emails, I got good news. A friend of mine are baking hot dog buns and cream buns for us to sell. A bakery shop are going to donate all freshly baked items that are still on the shelves at the end of Monday evening, 30th August. Relatives donate monies, shops gave special discounted prices for ingredients and containers. A cousin are baking his delicious home made pizzas for sell. There are all kinds of help that we happily received. Words of encouragements are showered onto us =)

Now, let's review what we had gathered at last. I love to call it "Project 318". All in all, we had successfully gathered 4 pizzas (32slices), 20 bags of mini hot dog buns, 30 cream buns, 96 banana muffins, around 50 packets of pudding and Konyaku Jellies, 19 containers of Melting Moments, 16 containers of Kellogg's Honeyed Cornflakes cup, Cordial Drinks and more buns, cakes and muffins from the bakery shop.

I choose to bake Melting Moments for this fund raising as it is fairly easy to prepare and require simple ingredients. The main problem I faced is the timing it takes to bake in my oven. The original recipe from Happy Home Baking and Joy Of Baking web asks for 12 minutes, but it burnt in my little oven, so I have to reduce it to 8-10 minutes for the perfect Melting Moments.

If you are a Malaysian, Melting Moments' texture is similar to Kuih Momo, but this is more buttery and the sweetness depends largely from the dusting of icing sugar on the top.

Ok, enough of my mumbling (= Let me share with you the recipe I had taken from both website. I followed the recipe to the tip but I substituted unsalted butter and the baking time.

Oh, and another lovely thing about these Melting Moments is that it stored well for up to 2 weeks. I'm going to bake it again for the upcoming festive seasons! It's definitely the PERFECT giveaways for family and friends =)

Recipe for Melting Moments
Ingredients:
A
( Put the ingredient in a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, cream the ingredients till pale and fluffy. Then, add vanilla essence and beat for another few seconds.)
- 175g unsalted butter, room temperature (I use salted Golden Churn butter)
- 40g icing sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla essence

B
(Sift flour together into a dry and clean bowl. Set aside.)
-175g plain flour
-40g corn flour

-extra icing sugar for dusting

Method:
1) Sift B over the butter mixture. ( I found that by double sifting, the dough appear smoother)
2) Gently mix the flour and butter mixture with a silicon spatula. (This prevents the flour from flying when being mix later)
3) With a hand mixer, mix the flour and butter mixture till smooth.
4) Scrap down all the dough from the mixer and sides of the bowl.
5) Cover with a cling wrap and fridge the dough till firm. (about 1 hr)
6) Preheat oven at 180degree C for 10minutes.
7) With a teaspoon, spoon mixture into a ball. ( For fancy melting moments, you can pipe it into shapes).
8) Line baking tray with parchment paper.
9) Space each ball well apart so it does not stick when bake.
10) Bake for 12 minutes or until pale golden color. (My oven takes 8 minutes)
11) Leave the baked melting moments on tray for a few minutes to firm up before transforming to wire rack to cool.
12) When cooled, sprinkle icing sugar on top. ( I use a small sifter).
* Store in airtight containers and can be kept for 2 weeks. Melting moments are fragile, so please handle them gently.*

A Tale of Miki

2010-08-20T02:09:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I have a very special dog. She was born in 14th October 2007. Her name is Miki, but we like to call her Miki-chan (chan in Japanese means girl). She is a chi hua hua and currently weighs 2.25kg. We treat Miki as a part of our family and she's the apple in our eyes. That's a photo of her wearing her bumble bee shirt. She's just too adorable.

This is our Miki. She is always alert, with her pointy ears, big black eyes and always running around wanting to play with us. As you can see in the picture below, she likes to watch and 'participate' in our daily activities. She loves to play with her toys (currently she has 3 toys, named Spotty (toy dog), an Alien (handmade by me), and blue Ele (a blue elephant)). In most days when she is not distracted by food, she can give the toy we asked for. Aren't she a clever girl? (^_^) heh heh....

Her favorite past time is to 'munch' on her toy Alien. But her favorite toy to play fetch with is Spotty. Whenever we are available, she will grab her Spotty and put it in our hands. Miki also likes to bring Spotty with her mouth when she walks around the house. Unfortunately, she will left Spotty behind in some hidden places and later on, the three of us have to go and hunt for Spotty.

This is a recent photo of Miki-chan trying to jump and catch blue Ele.

Just like any chi hua hua, Miki has shorter "hyperactivity" time compared to other bigger size dogs. Usually, she spends her time taking short naps and after fully re-charged her energy, she likes to play fetch. She also loves running around hunting for ants and bugs. She likes to bark at ants and try to frighten them (I guess, with her small size, there's only a very few things that's scared of her) ha ha...

Miki yawned when I tried to take pictures of her with her Minnie Mouse kimono on. =_=''

When she sleeps like this, it means she is sleeping soundly and is dreaming sweet dreams. ~_~

Previously, we put plastic garden gates to block her from coming out when we are having our dinner. She will cry while trying to pull open the gates with her little feet. Of course, it is not easy to open!! But, after many times of trials and errors, she figured out how to open the gates. She picked it up from me, when I unfastened the gates to let her out.

This is the gates we used previously to keep her inside our bathroom. Obviously, she figured out how to open it. Now, we just let her run around in the house unless we have guests.

People often commented that chi hua hua is born to be a picky-eater but our Miki loves FOOD! She goes crazy when she hears her steel plate makes "cling" sounds. She runs in circle when I open the container's lid to take a treat for her. She sniffs continuously for any 'leftovers' dropped on the floor and in her bed. Miki will never leave behind a single biscuit crust, not even a single rice will stick in her plate. She licks her plate cleanly after every meal I gave her.

Miki's treats flew all the way from Singapore. Notice how long Miki's tongue? ha ha ha ha....

And here's some photos of her doing her favorite things.

Miki likes to keep her feet clean. When she was 4 month old, I accidentally cut too deep into her nails. Since then, she is scared of nail cutting. She rather bites her own nails rather than letting me do nail cutting for her. That is why she has ugly toe nails.

This is Miki in her bed. We put this bed inside our bedroom so that she can sleep with us. She loves jumping in and out of her bed, enjoying her treats inside her bed, and most of all, she likes to day dream in her bed.

Yup, this is Miki-chan. Not a moo-moo cow. I like to dress her up in different clothes when the weather is cold.

She loves to feel warm especially on rainy days.

Miki is important to us. But we are even more important in her heart. We are all she got! We are her family and also her friends! When we went abroad for holiday trips, she will be left with my family-in-law. She refused to eat while we are away and according to mom-in-law, she will sit next to the door all day and wait for our return. Whenever she sees that I fill clothes into the luggage bags, she will jump inside and sit still on my clothes. I guess, she did know we are leaving her for a short while.

Every time when we come back from holiday, she will wag her tail, jump, dance and give us her big kisses. We will kiss her back, hug her and most of all, will feed her. Her life resume back to normal!! =D

A dog is always loyal and never betray our sincerity and kindness.

Miki will always be there for us!and we will love her always!

Vegetable Chicken Thai Green Curry

2010-08-18T00:35:00.000-07:00

There are some days when I couldn't think of Chinese home-cooked dishes to prepare for my family. Cooking lunch and dinner daily really makes me run out of recipes fast!~

It's also difficult to cook dishes that suits everybody in the house, taking into an account of the dishes' level of cholesterol, amount of salt, sugar and seasonings used, spiciness and most importantly its taste to accompany with a plate of hot steamed rice.

I always complain to my hubby, the first and last thing a housewife (that cooks) thinks about everyday is "What shall I Cook today?" This question is stuck in my brain since the day I resigned from my full-time job and begin my housewife journey.

Anyway, I went to the market this morning and bought loads of vegetables. Today's special recipe is going to be vegetable and chicken Thai-style green curry. In addition, I also fried some fish fillets and stir-fry 2 plates of green vegetables.

I compiled a few different Thai Green Curry recipes to produce MY version of Thai style Green Curry. You can alter and add almost any kind of vegetables you like. The important thing is to stir fry the curry paste with some brown sugar till fragrant before putting in vegetables.

I hope you will try it at home and enjoy it with a plate of hot steamed rice! (^_^)

Ingredients
A
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 red chili (remove seeds, sliced thinly)
3 tbsp of Thai Curry Paste (any brand will do)
1 tbsp light brown sugar (or raw sugar)
2 stalk of lemongrass (smashed fat ends with a rolling pin)

B
200 ml coconut milk
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp fish sauce or light soy sauce
3 lime leaves (washed and cut thinly)
a bunch of chopped coriander

C (You can substitute the ingredients below to your preferences)
1 boneless chicken thigh (washed,trimmed away fats and cut into small cubes)
1 stalk of broccoli (cut into florets, trim the edible stalks)
3 medium sized potatoes
2 carrots
1 block of firm bean curd (cut into small squares)
1 brinjal (cut into rectangular shapes)
a handful of sweet beans
a handful of baby corn (split into half)
half bell pepper/capsicum (cut into smaller squares)
some pumpkins (cut into small squares)
(you can even use sweet potatoes, long beans, bean sprouts, cauliflower....)

Method:
1) Marinate chicken cubes with a dash of fish sauce or light soy sauce and pepper powder.

2) Bring the potatoes, carrots and broccoli to a boil. Add some salt and a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Drain the vegetables. Reserve 1 cup of vegetable stock for later use.

3) Heat a non-stick pan. Pour in the oil and sauté ingredients A till fragrant. Stir the ingredients with the lemongrass stalks.

3) Add in the chicken cubes. Make sure the chicken cubes are coated with the sauté ingredients. Then, add in the raw vegetables that you are using. Continue to stir fry for 3 minutes.

4) Pour in coconut milk. Keep stirring to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil.

5) Add in the remaining precooked vegetables and beancurd. Gently mix the vegetables into the sauce. Then, add in vegetable stock, fish sauce and lime leaves.

6) Cover with a lid, turn to low heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes (or till the sauce thickened slightly). Season with salt to taste. Garnish with generous amount of chopped coriander.

7) Serve immediately with a plate of hot fragrant steamed rice. Enjoy!~

Chocoholic Brownies

2010-08-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

On some days, I have strong urge to have something sweet, something chocolate-y~ So, I baked this Chocolate Chip Brownies yesterday for a feel-good-but-sinful-to-the-body treats! (^_^)

I've just alter a tiny bit of the original recipe. It is simple to make, easy, and does not require any butter. However, I strongly recommend to line the base of the greased pan with wax or parchment paper for easier removal.

Chocoholic Brownies

Makes : 16 squares

Ingredients:

150g semisweet chocolate, chopped and at room temperature

1 tbsp milk

120ml sunflower oil ( I used Canola Oil)

215g light brown sugar (I substituted with 100g brown sugar + 70g castor sugar)

2 large eggs

5 ml vanilla essence

65g self-raising flour

4 tbsp cocoa powder

4 tbsp milk chocolate chips

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180degree C. Lightly grease a 19cm/8inch square pan. Lined with parchment paper.

2) Pour in the milk and melt chocolate by double boiling. (Melt chopped chocolate in a pan above a pot of simmering boiling water.) Use a spatula to stir the melting chocolate.

3) Combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence in the mixer bowl. Beat till combined with an electric mixer.

4) Stir in melted chocolate. Beat till evenly mixed.

5) Sift flour and cocoa powder into batter.

6) With a spatula, fold in flour mixture until it incorporates into the batter.

7) Stir in chocolate chips. Mix well.

8) Pour mixture into the prepared square pan. Spread mixture evenly to the edges. (Mixture should be sticky and gooey)

9) Bake for 30-35 minutes till top is firm and crusty. Cool completely in pan before cutting into smaller squares.

Honeymoon in Japan (Osaka) Pt 4

2010-08-11T02:15:00.000-07:00

The Tokyo Shinkansen ride took us about 2 hour and 15 minutes to reach Osaka. We then board the local subway to Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka at Uehommachi, Tennoji-ku. The hotel is nicely situated above the Kintetsu Department Store and the Tennoji train station itself. The surrounding has a KFC and other local delicacies which opens till late night. Although the room is not very modern-o, it is nonetheless clean, spacy and the queen bed is very comfy with a large window. The room is also well equiped with a kettle, a small fridge as well as a TV. Hubby and I thought 10,000 yen (nett) per night (promotional rate on web) is a good bargain. Getting breakfast is no worries since there are a few bread shops nearby the subway station.

This is Tennoji nightview seen from our hotel room window.

Without wasting too much time in the hotel, we board a train to Namba, the city center of Osaka. However, it was raining heavily soon we arrived there. I guess, rain has been following us everywhere!! Well, of course the rain does not stop us from wondering around.

Namba is also known as an entertainment district, and hosts many of the city's most popular bars, restaurants, nightclubs, arcades, and pachinko parlors. Other than the sprawling underground Namba City shopping mall, there is also Takashimaya department store.

We were dissapointed as the rain and wind caused us difficulties in taking snapshots. Namba is a great place for shopping. Just one minute walk from Namba station is the Namba Walk itself. Namba Walk is an underground shopping streets with hundreds of shops and eateries. The shops are suitable for the younger generation and more fashionable type. You will also see takoyaki stalls around. Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki is a MUST TRY in Osaka.

Namba. We were trying to cross the street but decided to take a snapshot. Rain has finally stopped!

We take-away different types of local delicacies and enjoyed it in our hotel room. As what I can recalled, we bought a pack of freshly fried sweet potatoes coated with honey, waffles from Manneken (nearby Sheraton Miyako Hotel), takoyaki from Namba Walk, drinks and other local sweets.

Manneken Belgium Waffles. Cripsy, Crunchy, Delicious and Many Flavors to Choose from!!

Our Day 11 continue early in the morning. We got all dressed up and bagged our water bottles and left the hotel at about 8 in the morning. Firstly, we took a light breakfast at KFC which is just opposite of our hotel. Then, we board the train in Tennoji station to Osaka Castle. It took us quite sometime to figure out how to get there. We asked the train station's staff who speaks fair English which train and exits that would bring us to Osaka Castle.

Luckily in the transit train station, we saw a group of school kids going to a field trip. You might wonder how we know?! We were observant enough to be listening to the field trip teacher's briefing. Not that we can understand Japanese much but we got a hint they were going to the same place as us. So, we followed them closely ^_^

We arrived safely at Osaka Castle. Thanks to the group of kids and their teacher!

This picture is taken at the train station outside of Osaka Castle.

I love Osaka Castle as it has a big park full of blooming flowers and cherry blossom trees. The park eventually leads you to the Osaka Castle. We crossed a bridge called Gokurakubashi Bridge. It took us about 30 minutes brisk walking to reach the bridge. We also frequently stopped to take pictures of the beautiful scenery at the park.

Osaka Castle seen from the Gokurakubashi.

A little birdie seen collecting twigs and grass fiber for its nest.

Another beautiful view of Osaka.

An elderly feeding the pigeons in Osaka Castle Park.

Next, we board a train to Osaka Universal Studio. We spent about an hour walking and window shopping at the street outside Universal Studio. We had our lunch at MOS Burger.

MOS Burger Set Meal. The MOS Burger in this outlet is quite different from the ones we tasted in Singapore. All MOS Burger here is served with buns rather than rice.

The Street outside of Osaka Universal Studio.

You must visit the famous Osaka Takoyaki Museum and taste the various types of takoyaki stalls sold here.

Cute Octopus and Takoyaki displayed around the museum. Must Try takoyaki here!!

It was 4 o'clock when we decided to buy our entrance ticket to the Osaka Universal Studio. In front of the ticket booth, we read a notice saying that all entry tickets will be sold cheaper starting from 4 o'clock. Hmm, that was nice!! It saved us about 4,000 yen!!

It was crazy inside!! Students still in school uniforms, families, babies and kids, visitors and almost everyone were either on 'Happy-mode' or 'Shopping-mode'! They carried bags and bags of shopping bought inside the Universal Studio's shops. People were seen running around trying to take photographs with cartoon characters. Well, of course I'm one of them!! I was a kid again! Ha.. ha.. I took pictures with Popeye and Olive, Elmo, Crash Bandicoot and lots more.

The Magical Starlight Parade Performance. Promises to bring you a night full of magic and music!

All the rides were closed after we finished watching the parade. We ended up in shops selling accessories and clothings with various cartoon characters faces on it.

Then, we head to Osaka Takoyaki Museum for our supper. All of the takoyakis there were unique and delicious!! We had a heavy heart going back to our hotel as we had to pack our luggage bags.

On Day 12, we went for another shopping spree at Dotonbori. We arrived about 9:30am and most of the shops were not in business yet. So we just walked around the area slowly. Dotonbori is well known for shopping and has many neon and mechanized signs including the famous 'glico' sign and a huge crab called the Kani Doraku.

We crossed Dōtonboribashi Bridge which has a beautiful sight. It is even more beautiful at night when all the neon lights were switched on. There were also street performers singing and dancing while trying to sell their song albums.

Before heading back to our hotel, we had a nice lunch at a "Ramen standing stall".

Firstly, you select your choice of Ramen in the vending machine.

After you had paid, a receipt will be printed.

The staff will then cook your hot delicious Ramen accordingly.

Kim-chi, Preserved Green Onion are served for free refill in a huge bowl. Ice water are served for free too.

About 2p.m., we checked out from Sheraton Miyako Hotel and board a train to my friend's house. Her family invited us to stay in their house before leaving Japan. They also lived nearby to Kansai Airport.

Our friend and her mom fetched us at the train station and immediately brought us to a wholesale supermarket. My eyes went so big staring at the HUGE variety of food I can buy here. My hands were busy selecting and taking things from shelves. The prices are really CHEAP too!! Instant Japanese Curry, Japanese Curry Paste, Tonkotsu Powder, Seaweed, Japanese Mayonese, Furukakae, Green Tea, Sweets, Snacks...... I grabbed everything I can before hubby reminded me of our baggage allowances!!

My friend's house was really welcoming and heart warming. Even her dog greeted us with smiles and jumps. For dinner, they made us okonomiyaki, bought some sashimis and prepared different types of daily home-cooked dishes. I loved the stir fry noodles with sweet sauce. I munched on konyaku braised with daikon in soy sauce. Everything is just so delicious! Her dad even made cheesecake for our desserts! Yummy! Yummy!

Later that night, my friend drove us around her housing area. She showed us her previous schools, the park she used to play, shrines and other places. Then, we went back and re-pack our luggages. We were both sad and happy at the same time. We missed our dog at home but we also had a wonderful time in Japan.

We had a quick bath and said our last good night to Japan. Before going to sleep, I told my hubby I already begin to miss Japan.

We promised each other we will visit Japan again in future. Maybe next time we will be able to explore a different part of Japan.

Honeymoon in Japan (Tokyo) Pt 3

2010-08-09T02:23:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Nightview seen from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

After saying our Goodbyes to the tour members at the Narita Airport, we board a coach bus to Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku. Well, if we are more familiar with the route in Tokyo, we can board a train that will bring us to the Shinjuku Marunouchi Station. The hotel is just 5 minutes walk from there.

Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku is located within walking distance of the Shinjuku East area, one of Tokyo’s thriving urban centres. It is situated close to the Marunouchi and Toei Shinjuku subway stations. The Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku has a modern concept which is a mix and match between a hotel and privacy of an apartment.

Personally, I think it is a really good deal and is also very suitable for long term stay. The apartment hotel room comes with electric stove, kettle, fridge and cooking utensils, just like a small kitchen. It also has a comfy queen bed with one extra sofa bed for third person. During our stay, we also opt to go 'Green' which means we do not require daily cleaning and change of bedsheets. This also helps us save 2,000 yen a day. The staff are friendly, speaks good English and is very helpful explaining directions of the places we wanted to visit.

This is our room at Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku.

Once we had settled down in the hotel, we went to Harajuku. It was around 4p.m. and was raining lightly in Shinjuku. However, when we arrived in Harajuku, it was raining and the wind is blowing quite strongly. We had to hold our umbrella firmly while trying our best not to step on the water pool by the roadside.

Harajuku is a nice place for shopping. Although I thought I will be seeing someone dress in 'gothic' clothings or 'cosplay', I only saw passerbys with work clothes on. Haha.. maybe it was still a weekday??!

We did not manage to shop alot as it was quite difficult to walk around while it was still raining, so our local friend bought us to an Izakaya. The name made me wonder if there is anything to do with "kaya" (a type of Malaysian coconut jam for bread spread). Of course, it has NO connection to it at all!

The name "izakaya" is a compound word consisting of "i" (to sit) and "sakaya" (sake shop), showing that izakaya originate from sake shops that allowed customers to sit at the premises to drink.

Here we are at the Izakaya in Harajuku. Izakaya is a place for after-work drinking. I guess, people do need to de-stress after a hard day work, right?!

Here, you can order different types of small dishes to accompany the drinks (normally contains alcohol).

If you prefer something sweet, you can always order something like us. Sake with fruit juices or fruit concetrates.

A drink or side dish can range from 300 yen - 800 yen.

It is a nice place to go with friends, however, if you are a non-smoker, you might want to check if there is non-smoking section in the Izakaya.

After our Izakaya session, we took the subway back to Shinjuku and walked towards the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. My ears pop a bit while the lift goes up to the observation deck. We went to the top-floor panoramic observation decks for a Tokyo nightview. It is free of charge to the public and contain many gift shops. They are open till 11 pm on weekdays. Use of cameras is permitted, but tripods are forbidden.

Our 9th Day in Tokyo leads us to Ueno Park, Ameyayokocho Street and Akihabara. We bought bento and drinks from the nearby convenience shop before taking a subway to Ueno Park. Three of our tummy were making grumbling sounds while on the subway as we can smell the delicious food inside our plastic bags.

Once we reached Ueno Park, we found a bench and goobled our food. Since Ueno Park is a public park, it is free of charge. However, the park is a bit dirty and some parts are not well maintained. Ueno Park is also home for the homeless people. Tents are seen around the park. Ueno Park is very spacious and has different attractions which consists of three museums, a shrine, statues, a zoo, picnic park and pond. Flowers are blooming but no sakuras as we were a bit late.

A Buton Flower

Tents of the homeless people in Ueno Park. It is a sad fact that there are homeless people even in Tokyo, a rich and developed city.

We spent about an hour in Ueno Park, we exit through a different gate to get to Ameyayokocho Street. This street sells both local and imported foods. It also has a variety of eateries, game stations and Pachinko outlets. We like the shop selling soft cream (ice cream cone). Its sesame flavor is the best.

We had our lunch at the nearby restaurant which is along the way to the subway station. It serves delicious soba. A set lunch which includes a serving of soba(hot or cold) , a bowl of rice with fillings of choice, green tea and pickles. ALL this is just 800 yen. What a bargain!! It was a delight-FULL lunch. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the restaurant.

Left: Salmon sashimi with Rice & Hot Soba.
Right: Unagi Rice & Cold Soba.

After a heavy lunch, we took the subway to Akihabara. This is a shopping heaven for my hubby since most of the shops sell electronical items from cameras, computers, TV and all types of accessories.

A Busy Akihabara Street

Cosplay girls are seen promoting cafes and drinks.

We spend nearly 4 hours in Akihabara, walking up and down different shops hunting for good bargains of electronical items. We also went to have a look at the cosplay theme cafeterias. We did not drink inside as it is quite expensive. A fee is required if you wanted to take photos with these cosplay girls.

Then, we had our dinner at a nearby Ramen shop along the walkway back to our hotel.

Hot Ramen in a cold rainy night. Slurpppp!!Extra Char Siew (Pork Slices) Ramen Soup.

Delicious Kim-Chi Char Siew (Pork) Ramen with Hard boiled Egg.

We left to Osaka on Day 10. Before departing to the Tokyo Shinkansen Station, we had our breakfast inside our hotel room. It was raining outside, so we bought take aways from the convenience shop next door to our hotel.

Hubby and My Breakfast. We spend about 400 yen on our take away breakfast.

This is the Shinkansen station where you can purchase food and bentos to enjoy while riding on the Shinkansen bullet train. A huge variety of food to choose from and is very crowded with people.

Bye Bye, Tokyo!! Hello, Osaka!!!

Butter Pound Cake

2010-08-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Since I was into baking lately, I decided to store up both salted & unsalted butter. Last few days, I baked a Butter Pound Cake and I was really delighted with the results. The cake is very fluffy, lighter than the normal butter cake version and is really good with a cup of hot Milo.

The recipe calls for cake flour, but I just substituted with all-pupose flour (plain flour). The trick to make a good butter pound cake is to make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Leave the butter outside for at least an hour to achieve room temperature. Butter should be soft when touched with a finger.

Some baker suggests making a well in the middle of the batter before baking to prevent a 'hill shaped cake' and to prevent the cake from breaking too much when baked.

Recipe for Butter Pound Cake:
(makes 1 loaf) (23cmx13cmx8cm)
Preheat oven 177degree C or 350degree F.
Butter a non stick loaf pan and lined bottom with parchment paper.

Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tbsp milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-11/2 cup (150gm) sifted cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (150gm) castor sugar
- 13 tbsp (185gm) unsalted butter

Method:
1) Combine eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk lightly.
2) Combine flour, baking powder,salt and sugar into another bowl for mixer.
3) Mix on low speed (30 sec) to blend in dry ingredients.
4) Add butter and half of the egg mixture.
5) Mix on low speed till dry ingredients are moistened.
6) Increase to medium speed, beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop cake texture.
7) Scrape down sides of bowl. Gradually add remaining egg mixure in 2 badges, beating 30 sec after each addition to incorporate egg.
8) Scrape batter into pan. Smooth top with spatula.
9) Bake for 55minutes or till golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
10) If the top browns too much, cover with a buttered aluminium foil after 30 minutes.
11) Let cool in pan. Remove and serve when cool completely.

Honeymoon in Japan (Tokyo) Pt 2

2010-08-03T01:56:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Disneyland Castle at dusk

We arrived at Narita Airport, Tokyo on Day 5, around 9pm at night. It was windy in Tokyo. We board on the tour bus and the bus driver drove us to our hotel.

While on the way, I noticed that there are huge difference between Tokyo and Hokkaido. Hokkaido is a relaxing place where people live life at its pace. Tokyo, of course the capital city is also the city for rat race!! The bus driver drove fast and they honk at each other on the road!! People walk faster! The city is full of colorful neon lights and covered with sky scraper buildings! Actually, I was kinda afraid that I'll get lost here, so I promised myself to stick closely to my hubby!

We checked in at Tokyo Dome Hotel. We really love this hotel because the room is very spacy with a nice comfy Queen size bed, equipped with coffee table, lazy chairs and other neccesities. I adore the bathroom which has a bath tub attached to it. The room are also very clean and has a good night view of the Tokyo Dome and the small theme park next to it.

This is the night view seen from our hotel room on the 29th floor.

There are quite a lot of eateries which open till midnight and a convenient shop (7-Eleven) situated next to the hotel. We had our supper at the nearby Mc Donald. We tried their Ebi Burger (Prawn Burger) which is only available in Japan.

Mc Donald in Tokyo, Japan serves Ebi Fillet Burger! Yummy.. filled with fresh crispy prawn patties~

Day 6, which is also a Sunday, expectedly the city were full of people and tourists. We were brought to discover some of the tourist attractions in Tokyo Metropolitan City.

First of all, we pass by the Diet Building (国会議事堂, Kokkai-gijidō), which constitutes of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors (or Chancellors). As you might have guess, it is similar to our Malaysia Parliment House. According to Kenro-san, their local national TV will broadcast the meetings held inside for the citizens to see. In schools, young pupils also watched the broadcast together with the teachers and will later discuss the topics. This is to encourage awareness among their people.

Then, we went to the Imperial Palace, the home of the Emperor and Empress, which is surrounded by a high stone slab. According to Kenro-san, the palace buildings and inner gardens are not open to the public. However, on January 2 (New Year's Greeting) and December 23 (Emperor's Birthday), visitors are able to enter the inner palace grounds and see the members of the Imperial Family, who make several public appearances on a balcony.

Imperial Palace (view from the outside)

Next, we went to the Asakusa Kannon Temple, also known as the oldest Buddhist temple in the region and is a very famous spot for tourists to Japan.

When approaching the temple, visitors first enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the outer gate of the Sensoji and symbol of Asakusa.

A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon.

The beginning of Nakamise shopping street. Very crowded place but worth going as you can try a variety of local sweets here.

You can find anything between typical Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, keychains, tatami sandals and a lot more. However, I found that a lot of souveniers sold here are Made In China, so if you are a person like me who prefer locally made items, you may have to look carefully before buying an item. Various traditional local snacks are sold along the Nakamise. I love the deep fried food most which is filled with different sweet pastry ranging from red bean, green tea, black sesame and others.

Olden days Precious! We tried this 'Pop Soda Water' which tasted just like 7-Up. In ancient days, these glass bottles also served as a toy for the children because once the bottle is empty, you can play with the marble that sits inside the bottle. It produced a "cling cling" sounds.

We had our lunch at the nearby restaurant in the area, then we head to Ginza, which is Tokyo's most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes. You can find all sorts of international branded items here.

The main road section is closed on every Sunday and served as side walks for visitors. Prepare to spend around RM100 for an afternoon tea. After spending 3 hours walking around Ginza and observing the fashion and trends of the people shopping in Ginza, we went to Shinjuku for another shopping spree.

When we arrived in Shinjuku, hubby and I thought we would find a cafe to have a cuppa. We walked around and everywhere we see are people. Even getting into a cafe need a queue of at least 20 minutes. Lastly, we decided to just buy some breads from the bakery in a departmental stores. We sat by the roadside, enjoying our 'tea time' while watching people with bags and bags of shopping! We wonder how much money had they spend!? =)

Then, we went to a fantastic ramen shop in Shinjuku area. While walking down the street, we could see Love hotels, Pachinko outlets and other night entertainment.

Look familiar? This street is seen in Shinjuku Incident (an action movie by Jackie Chan).

And this are the delicious Tonkotsu Ramen that we had. The shop can be hardly missed as it has a big Pig Statue at the front.

Day 7, the tour brought us to Shinjuku Gyoen, a park where we finally witnessed and touch the soft petals of sakura flowers. The park needs a small entrance fee, however it is very clean and well-maintained. The park also supplies free wheel chairs for the needy.

We saw different colors of sakura flowers (pink, light yellow and whitish).

After our lunch at about two in the afternoon, we finally arrived at the Tokyo Disneyland!!I was so happy, I nearly cried! My childhood memories relived, the songs of Disney cartoons filled my heart with joy, the movie characters dancing around makes me feel young all again! It was so lovely to see their parades. I might act like a kid in there, but who cares! It's all about FUN, FUN, FUN in Disney!!My digital camera worked the hardest today ^_* (wink)

At the Main Entrance of Tokyo Disneyland

Let your worries fly away in Tokyo Disneyland~

It was really fun!! Lastly, we check in at a hotel called Narita Garden Hotel which is situated nearby Narita airport.

On Day 8, we finally have to say Good Bye to our tour members as they will fly back to Malaysia, while we will have another few days to explore a different part of Tokyo and Osaka.

Honeymoon in Japan (Hokkaido) Pt 1

2010-07-31T03:10:00.000-07:00

Oops!!Its August already!! I was supposed to update my honeymoon holidays in Japan months ago! But I felt so lazy trying to reselect my photos and going nuts trying to put my name on the chosen photos while trying to make it look posh-er... But things do change for the better. I found my umpph today and here I am, trying to recall my memories and inserting these pictures here. While searching through the photos that my hubby and I had taken, I felt so 'Japan - sick'!! I just miss those awesome fresh seafood!! The cold weather!! The delicacies!! The technology!! and of course the services and smiles from people over there!!

We joined Apple Tour (which is well known for their Japan Tours) so we have to fly all the way to KLIA to meet the other tour members. Our tour leader is Kenro-san! He is the funniest tour leader ever.

Our tour consists of 8D 6N trip, which means we wasted a night on board!! After the tour ended, we stayed for another 6D 5N and travel around Tokyo and Osaka with our local friend.

Now for Day 2, we had an overnight on the aeroplane and arrived at Kansai Airport in Osaka the next day. Then we board another local flight to Chitose Airport (Hokkaido). We arrived in Hokkaido around 2pm and it was snowing lightly!! I'm shivering! It was really cold!!But the sight of snow flakes falling down washed away all the tiredness from lack of sleep!

We board our tour bus to our first destination! We were excited already! Our first place to visit was Jigokudani (Hell Valley) at the Noboribetsu Hot Spring.

The Hell Valley is so called because columns of steam incessantly rise from the numerous fissures in the rocks. It also produce a strong smell of ammonia like stench. As the weather is freaking cold and snowing, the whole area was surrounded by snow flakes.

Just 10 minutes drive from Hell Valley, we checked in to the Noboribetsu Mahoroba Hotel. We were welcomed by the staff lined up at the hotel entrance. They greeted us with huge smiles and lovely voices singing "Irashaimasu"! Then helping us with our luggages and holding the lift doors for us to enter makes us felt like we are VIPS!!

Noboribetsu Hot Spring is the most famous Spa Town in Hokkaido. This is our room, it is very Japanese and well equiped with futon, tatami, yukata and all other necessities.

We had the most scrumptious, devil-licious, awesome buffet dinner at the hotel's restaurant. The choices range from sashimis, Hokkaido most famous crab, locally grown vegetables, all kinds of potatoes, Japanese noodles, miso soups, meat, fruits, desserts, ice creams and many many more!

After a heavy dinner, we walked around the shopping area near the hotel. There are a lot of shops selling local souvenirs and some items which only can be bought in these shops. Hubby and I had such a great time walking along the alley, and you can imagine how romantic it was, with only street lights and some music from local shops. The funniest thing happened was that our umbrella turned inside out by the strong winds while we were walking back to the hotel.

After walking and allowing our food to digest in our stomach, we went back to our room and get changed into yukata. Where we went??? Of course to the Hot Spring!! No photos were allowed unfortunately! I had a wonderful time dipping inside the hot water and busily jumping from one tub to another. I would not want to miss out any of the hot spring as different tubs has different benefits for our body. There's only one word I can use to describe the feeling... "Awww!!!" All my pain and tiredness just steamed away from my body. It was a Great Experience!

Day 3, we checked out from the hotel after a buffet breakfast. We went to Bear Ranch, where we saw unique species of Japan bears and racoons. The place was Okay except for the smell from the animals dumpings. We bought some apples to feed the bears and racoons.

This is the Bear Ranch. We bought some local products here. Hokkaido is well known for Horse Oil products.

Then we take a ropeway to Mt Uzusan.

We walked for about 30 minutes to reach the top. It was snowing lightly but the wind was strong.

After Mt Uzusan, we stopped by at Lake Toya. Then, we went to White Isle Niseko Snow Mobile Park. It was an experience that we will never forget. Although we had to pay 10,000 yen for the snowmobile and equipments, it was all worth it.

We arrived at Sapporo city at dinner time. We drove by Sapporo Tower and then to a shabu shabu restaurant where we ordered our Kobe Beef.

We checked in at Sapporo Novotel Hotel. It is a modern concept hotel with well equiped amenities and the room are very spacy.

Day 4, we venture into Otaru, another part of Sapporo. Back then, Otaru was renown as the "foreign country in the north" by the Japan people and they thought they need a passport to get there. First of all, we reached the White Chocolate Factory ( Shiroi Koibito) which are well known for its white chocolate products such as the White Chocolate Tiramisu.

You can find all of their delicious products here inside the White Chocolate Factory. Freshly baked daily!~ Their white chocolate tiramisu is to die for!!

This is Otaru Canal, a short and narrow but the most remarkable of the past & most beautiful spot for picture especially during night time. Otaru Canal also appear frequently in Japanese Movies for its romantic view at night.

We also visited Otaru Handicraft Street which are very famous for their glass handicraft shops, music box shops, museum, art gallery, the soft cream, northern dessert, cheesecakes, souvenirs, scallops and seafood and many more!

At the Music Box Shop (Otaru Orgel). You can find all sorts of melodies in various music box. You also can build your own music box. Very Special and Unique shop. Only available in Japan. All made in Japan.

Big, Fresh and cook on the spot Scallops!!! 500 yen for each!! Delicious!!!

LeTAO bakes melt-in-the-mouth cheesecakes!! The texture is soft and light, it's Awesome!!

We also dropped by at Asahi Beer Factory on the way back to Sapporo Town. Free flow of beer. Smooth dry beer, anyone?

Hokkaido's Former Government Building, the Odori Park is one of the Sapporo's landmark.

In the evening time, we arrived at Tanukikoji underground shopping street. Tanukikoji begins from Street 1 till Street 7, with shops and cafes on both sides. It also has a lot of Pachinko ( similar to slot machines) and Games Outlets. We bought most of our souvenirs here as it was slightly cheaper.

On Day 5, which is also our last day in Hokkaido, we were brought to The Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine, The Olympic Ski Jump at the Okurayama and later on to Rera Chitose Factory Outlet Mall.

This is The Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine. It was established through an imperial edict of the Meiji Emperor on 1st September, 1869, Hokkaido Jingu is the enshrined home of both the pioneer and guardian deities of Hokkaido.

Sacred places are typically marked with a shimenawa (special plaited rope) and shime (strips of white paper).

Next, we visited The Olympic Ski Jump at the Okurayama where it was used for ski jumping during the Winter Olympic Games in 1972. The slope will be covered by thick snow during winter season.

For lunch, we were brought to have seafood lunch where we enjoy Hokkaido King Crab.

Our last station was to Rera Chitose Factory Outlet Mall. This is the place where you can shop for famous branded items ranging from handbags, clothings and accessories at a price you can't reject.

After dinner at a Chinese Restaurant here, we board a domestic flight at Chitose to Tokyo.

Bye!Bye! Hokkaido!!

Simple Baked Lemon Cheese Tarts

2010-07-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

These are really simple to make and it serves as a good dessert after meal. It has a ligther texture and has a refreshing lemon-y taste to it! It is best served after chilled in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

The recipe uses the same dough as the Hong Kong egg tarts. So, please visit my previous blog for the pastry recipe.

Ok, the fun part here~ With the amount of lemon cheese fillings I made, I was able to make 6 mini + 6 normal size cheese tarts. Please forgive me if there's any confusion, but I only have these amount of tart shells in my kitchen =P

Lemon Cheese Fillings
80gm cream cheese at room temperature ( I use Philadelphia)
60g Castor sugar
1 lemon juice
1 large egg (plus remaining egg from pastry dough)
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
*optional: 1 tbsp of cream*

Method:
1) In a food processor, place cream cheese. Process till smooth.
2) Add sugar. Process till incorporated.
3) Add in egg. Scrape down any fillings stuch to the sides. Process till thoroughly combined.
4) Add in lemon juice and zest. Process till well blended and smooth.
5) Use a fine strainer to remove any foams. Pour filling into tart shells.
6) Bake at pre-heated oven 220degree C for 20 minutes till fillings are just nicely set.
7) Cool. Cover and Fridge.

Hong Kong Egg Tarts

2010-07-17T23:47:00.000-07:00

Egg tarts have always been my most favorite sweet dim sum since young. Whenever I go for dim sum at cafe or bakery, I'll get as much as I can 'filled' in my tummy!!~

However, recent years, I found that the local bakery here has increase their selling price from RM1 to RM1.20 - RM1.50!!! this is a ridiculous price!! Some even have a much thicker skin and less egg filling!! Some I found is too sweet and too buttery!!

So, one day I decided to search for original flavor egg tarts recipe and I found this easy and trusted recipe from youtube, a lady called wantanmien demonstrate step by step on how to make these delicious Hong Kong dim sum egg tarts. You can look at it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxTNQFcAkZY.

This recipe is so good because the steps are straightforward and so easy to make. The basic tools you need is tart shells or a muffin pan, a fork and spoon. I also like it cause it doesn't use any lard or shortening as well as no yellow coloring! So it is really healthy to eat!!

I baked 6 mini egg tarts and 6 normal size egg tarts and it is gone within 2 hours!!! = ) I also used the same pastry recipe to make lemon cheese tarts and it turns out yummy-licious too!! And all these just costs me less than RM5!!

Recipe for Mini Hong Kong style Egg Tarts:
(makes: 20 mini egg tarts)
Pastry
65gm sieved flour
18gm(31/2tsp) icing sugar
35gm butter,cut into smaller pieces at room temperature
1 beaten egg

Method:
1) Put all ingredients except egg (just put 2 tbsp first) into a clean bowl.
2) Using hand, knead into a smooth dough, if the dough is dry add some more beaten egg.
3) Using a cling wrap, Cover the dough in fridge for 30 minutes (if in cooler country, fridge for 15 minutes).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Egg Tart Fillings
50 ml warm water
40 gm (8tsp) icing sugar
50 ml milk
1 egg

Method:
1) Put icing sugar into warm water. Stir and let cool.
2) Add in milk, egg and remaining egg from the pastry.
3) Use a hand whisk to beat till combined.
4) Using a tea strainer, Sieve egg mixture into a cup to get rid of any foam.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Method to assemble the Egg Tarts:
* Preheat oven 160 degree cC for 10 minutees. Middle stage.
1) Take out dough from fridge. On a work table, put some flour to make rolling easier.
2) Roll dough and divide to 2.
3) Roll into a sausage shape. Cut and divide into 10 small sections. Repeat for the other dough.
4) Roll into a ball.
5) Brush some melted butter on mould. Place dough in the centre of tart shell.
6) Using 2 thumbs, press evenly and till thin. Remove any excess dough.
7) Sting holes with fork.
8) Pour egg fillings to about 80% full. Repeat. Put filled tart shells in a larger pan for easier handling.
9) Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
**Do not let the egg fillings to boil or pop up (else, the egg tarts will be wrinkly when cooled). Just bake the egg filings till nicely set. (If unsure, at 15 minutes take out the egg tarts and give it a gentle shake. If it is not wobbly it is done.)**

Naughty Mini Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-07-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

If you have read my previous blog, I made extra buttercream frosting and had stored it in the fridge. Since I do not want the frosting ended up in the dustbin, today I make another badge of mini cupcakes. The recipe was collected from the same website.

I found these chocolate cupcakes a bit too sweet, so next time instead of using 1 cup sugar which the original recipe called for, I will use 2/3 cup. The texture is very fluffy and moist. It is just lovely for a one-bite naughty snacks =)

Ok, now for the recipe:

Ingredients:

A (Stir and let cool. Set aside.)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup boiling hot water

B (Sift in a medium bowl.)
(175gm) 1 1/3 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

C
(113gm) 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup castor sugar ( I would reduce it to 2/3 cup)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:
1)** Please follow method (No.1 - 3) on the vanilla cupcakes recipe.
2) Now, add in flour mixture. Beat till incorporated.
3) Add cool cocoa mixture. Stir till smooth.
4) Evenly fill muffin pans.
5) Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove & cool on wire rack.
6) Cool completely before frosting.

My Birthday

2010-07-07T05:19:00.000-07:00

First of all, a Big Hug for myself & a Happy Happy Birthday to me =D

This year's birthday was a really special day for me because I made myself 12 birthday vanilla cupcakes with icing & decorations on them. Though I made quite a mess piping the buttercream frosting, I really had great fun doing it. I was so PROUD of myself.

Sometimes, the best present is not from others but from self so we should start giving ourselves little pressies from time to time (wink**). I am sure this little action will make life more satisfying and happy.

Now, a glimpse of the cutie cupcakes that I made =P

Well, not bad huh!~ he he, given that this is the first time I dealt with piping icing on cakes, I tend to pipe too much on one side. Another problem I faced is that I didn't cut off the dome of my cupcakes so it looks a bit pointy and less neat. I just don't want it to go to waste, so why trim it off =P

The original recipe is collected from JoyOfBaking's blog. However, I'll also share the recipe here. I just made small changes to the recipe. These cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Since the cupcakes itself is not too sweet, the butter icing goes really nice with the cupcakes.

The amount of batter can make 12 cupcakes & about 18 mini cupcakes. Here's the mini cupcakes version.

Recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes:

A (sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl)

(195gm) 1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

(113gm) 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

(130gm) 2/3 cup castor sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence (I use 1 1/2 tsp)

1 zest of a lemon (optional, I omitted this in my cupcakes)

(60ml) 1/4 cup milk

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350degreeF (177degreeC). Line 12 muffin cups or grease muffin pans.

2) In a bowl, use an electric mixer or hand mixer to beat butter & sugar till light & fluffy.

3) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla essence.

4) Mixer on low speed, alternately add in half flour mixture followed by milk then end with the remaining flour mixture. Beat till well blended. Scrape down sides of bowl if needed. Do not overbeat.

5) Evenly fill batter in muffin cups(about 2/3 full). Do not waste the remaining batter, you can bake some mini cupcakes with it.

6) Bake for 15-20 minutes. Test with a toothpick.

7) Remove & cool on a wire rack. Cool completely then frost with icing.

** If you want flat topped cupcakes, sliced off the dome of each cupcake with a sharp knife before frosting**

Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients

(230gm) 2 cups icing sugar (sifted)

(113gm) 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

2 tbsp milk (I use 1 tbsp milk + 1 tbsp all purpose cream)

Food color (if desired)

Method

1) With a hand mixer, cream butter till smooth & well blended. Add in vanilla essence.

2) Mixer on low speed, gradually beat in sugar.

3) Scrape down sides of bowl.

4) Add in milk & beat on high speed till frosting is light & fluffy (about 3-4min).

5) Add in a little more milk if needed.

6) Add in food color if desired.

** I made this amount of icing and in total I used it for frosting 13 cupcakes & 100 mini cupcakes. The remaining buttercream frosting can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Beat till stiff peaks form before using.**

YL's Choc Chips Banana Muffins

2010-06-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

I bought some bananas from the local market yesterday and was craving for banana choc muffins~ So, after hubby & I came back from supper in KFC, I made these "smell-like-heaven" muffins.... yummmy!!!!

These muffins taste great for breakfast & tea time. It is moist and the sweetness is just nice~ from the bananas itself & the choc chips.

Ingredients for Choc Chips Banana Muffins:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Makes 12

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar (you may reduce to 1/3 cup if you are using very ripe bananas)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 large or 5 small) mash bananas with a fork
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup choc chips

Method:
1) Preheat oven at 180degreeC (350F). Place muffin cups or grease muffin pans with some melted butter.
2) Sift flour and baking powder in a big bowl.
3) Mix sugar, bananas, egg, butter, vanilla essence & milk to a medium bowl. Mix well.
4)Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in banana mixture. Stir till well combined. Add in choc chips. Do not overmix.
5) Spoon batter into muffin pans (fill about 3/4).
6) Bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with a skewer.
7) Remove from oven. Let muffins cool on rack.
8) Once cool, remove muffins from pan.
7) Serve =)