Homemade Oreo Mango Ice cream

Not owning an ice cream maker did not deter me from experimenting with ice cream,after all,what have I got to lose?At the most,it will just be a chuck away attempt and nothing to brag about...haha...Fortunately,even if it did not turn out to be as smooth,creamy as commerical ones,the ice cream is still yummy,at least to us it is...haha..which makes my lao gong and I fighting for the ice cream tub...Oh dear,I better finish mine before it melt into a creamy mess..haha...In case you are wondering about the small portion,a little goes a long way...haha...We have to ration it else it will be gone very very soon...haha

Clover and grandma

Heres clover staring intently at the newspapers flapping in the wind and making a face...hehe..Ready for solids,she gets very excited and kicks her legs in great anticpation whenever I approach with her food bowl...hehe..Like most of us,she has a sweet tooth showing a liking for carrots,pumpkins,apples,bananas...If she taste something which she dislike,she will clamp her mouth shut,refusing to open...haha...

Lemony Salmon Spaghetti

Met up with my ex-colleague who asked if I eat instant noodles or tabao for lunch.....Me eating instant noodles?Nay,that will be nearly impossible for I loathe instant noodles,despite the great variety,so-called delicious flavours...and of coz the infamous slogan of fast -to-cook,good to eat....haha....

With a well-stocked pantry,I can have a wide choice too,though in my friends words"a slow meal"...haha...One can easily find brown rice spaghetti,brown rice bee hoon,canned fruits,soba(buckwheat) noodles,brown rice,barley,soya beans etc....For these are the bare essentials required by a "hermit"....haha...Taking care of a young baby mean I cannot afford to take the risk of bringing her out to too crowded places,least she gets exposed to virus...But now,that she hits 6 mths,yipee,it is the time to expose her to new sights,surroundings to stimulate her senses..In addition,it also helps to build her immunity....Yeah,time to go places with clover and no longer confined to the house as much as before....hehe...As for this lemony salmon spaghetti,simply add in lemon juice for the tang,stir fried the ingredients with light soya sauce,pepper,dash of wine,sesame oil,toss in cooked spaghetti to mix...Simple enough to tempt you to try?hehe...

Double Whammy chocolate muffins with banana filling

Having my own kitchen is something I look forward to....As I recalled staying with parents back then,my mum discouraged me from baking as she feels,well,it is a waste of time,not worth the effort since bakery shops are everywhere,sprouting up like mushrooms...."Isnt it easier to simply pop by and buy?"was the way she she sees it...
After my marriage,I insist on getting my own pad,finally,a place to put all my baking barang barang and more on the way,haha....Trust me,I am a real hoarder when it comes to baking recipes,cookies cutters,haha...Nows the time to bake ,bake without a care in the world...hehe...
Fortunately,my lao gong do not seem to mind me baking,in fact he even support me (as in financially)t enrol for more baking classes....Hip hip hurray,more goodies coming up in the near future..haha....

This time round,I baked some double choc muffins,and for a twist,added in some mashed bananas for filling,I dislike eating bananas on its own,but love them in baking,weird huh?haha....

Strawberry Yummy muffins

Cannot resist the temptation of purchasing a box of red ,luscious strawberries...Diced a cup of it to churn out these sweet,moist muffins,packed with fibre too,a healthier choice indeed...hehe....yummy,loves the strawberries chunks with every bite...Wanna try it?

chocolate classic muffin

This is the third batch of chocolate muffins that I produce so far,and should I say the most chocolately version?Filled with tons of dark chocolate that melts upon baking resulting in the heavenly chocolate aroma that wafted through the kitchen and making me impatient ,eager to give it a try..hehe...will come up with more versions of chocolate muffins...till then...hehe..

Strawberry Soy Smoothie

The smoothie glides down effortlessly,quenching my thrist,packed with vit C and antioxidant....a good choice indeed without the guilt...Smooth just like my life...everything falls into place nicely without any major hiccups...or rather is it because I am blindy optimistic?haha...I came across people who have asked me,why am I so happy?To most of them,life is simply stress ,endless worries,pressure from boss,yet I can still lead my life happily,smiling,perhaps to them ,I seem to have a carefree,laidback attitude...haha...Hmm..to me,life is what I make it out to be...I choose to believe in silver linning in the clouds,that life is simply a graph,when the line dips and hit rock bottom,it will have to make a turn for the better...Whenever I am in a bad mood, I will take time out to cheer myself up,perhaps ,a grocery trip,a warm fluffly freshly baked cake,a cup of steaming hot tea,simple things to keep me smiling..hehe...To friends who told me how difficult/stressful life can be,I agree with you wholeheartedly,but ultimately,it all boils down to how you handle it,with smiles or frown?
Or perhaps,we can learn from clover who stretches the blues away,haha...afterall ,exercise does help to get rid of stress and make us feel good,doesnt it?haha....

Pineapple N rice

Grocery shopping is one of my favourite activity,browsing through the rows and rows of colourful fruits and vegetables,the vibrant colours uplift my moods , if it is on offer,most likely,I will add it to my cart....hehe....I hardly goes shopping with a shopping list,for being an impromptu person,I will purchase first and upon reaching home,whip out a recipe book ,giving it a flip or if not,simply do a quick search via the internet and dozens of recipes will appear,fast and simple...hehe...

With a car,a patient driver cum no complaints delivery-man,my grocery bills often come up to about $60-$70 each time,no kidding....haha...Last time,my lao gong was rather shocked,but now,he hardly bats an eyelid...haha...Every fortnight,we will head towards the supermarket,I will push a trollery ,fill it up to the brim,well,almost,while he patiently push clover,following behind...hehe...Sometimes,when I feel like buying lesser items,by opting for the basket instead of trollery,my lao gong will then tease me and say"hmm...it does not make a difference whether you take the trollery or basket for you will still load it up to the brim"...haha..

This one-dish meal was prepared for him using the convenience pineapple rice pack as my lao gong would like to buy some pre-mix sauces to pack for his australia trip...As he is hesitating if he ought to buy this sauce,I want to show him that this meal is a breeze to cook,and can be nutritious too with the addition of fresh carrots,prawns,fresh pineapples cubes or pretty much anything he fancy...Anyone can do it too,including you..hehe...No harm trying....hehe...

Nutella Bananas Muffins

Not exactly a new creation as I had done the wholemeal version before,rather this is an improved version,haha...Another one of my fluffy muffins which I improvise after some trial and error...I have always enjoyed attending food-tasting sessions,whereby I will be ushered to a room with only a table before me.On it will be a tasting checklist,a small window will then open and products labeled X ,Y presented before me.So far,I have tasted ice cream,cupcakes and sponge cakes.What made it even more interesting is that often,the checklist is more detailed,rather than simply checking off whether the product is nice or which product I prefer.It goes further by enquiring about the texture,aroma of product.In a way,this really brings out the five senses in me,like the chinese saying,the aroma,colour,taste,texture should all be present.

Hence,this is also my checklist whenever I improvise/modify/create a recipe,of course,it will not always be perfect,but then,what is most important to me is that I know I done what I can to the best of my ability....hehe...The same apply to the kids,who have to evaluate their own dishes too after they have modify a dish,apart from doing nutritional assessment,they have to evaluate it,which sometimes make them grumble that they are my guineua pigs,haha...Even then,they still look forward to it,as sometimes,the improved dishes can be so delicious which boost their confidence and make them feel as if they are the award-winning chefs,haha.....Hmm..I wonder if they did go into the culinary field...hmm.........

A Jolly Good Fellow

Asked my lao gong whether he would like to try either strawberry and orange muffins or pepsi cake,to my surprise,he made a face,normally,he will be excited to try my bakes...haha...Apparently,to him,the muffins sound too healthy,while the pepsi cake seem a weird combination...Sigh,so much for being supportive huh?haha....

"I want chocolate,something with chocolate"was his reply,hmm...seem like the chocolate craving has hit him...Haha....No big issue for me with my vast collection of recipes,gave it a quick flip on chocolate cakes and desserts...Modified a little and came up with a heart shaped cake topped with sinful chocolate buttercream..Even cut out a little guy figurine to represent him,cute,huh?This was the best after ruining a whole dragonfruit...haha...The head keeps breaking,too"chu lu"..haha...This will be the cake to satisfy the chocolate lover in him ,and to show him how much i appreciate him for all his hard work ,so that I can have the luxury of looking after our little one..FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW...hehe...He had better run more often so as to pass his IPPT ,jia you....hehe..

By the way,congrats Au on your bundle of joy,its alot of work,but its worth it to see your little one's smiles,and feel the the warm cuddles...Take care of yourself and baby,glad you like my blog...hehe...

Caramelised Ribs

Whenever possible,I liked to mix my own sauce,firstly,it allow me the freedom of adding what I fancy,or omitting any ingredient,secondly,after purchasing a bottled sauce,I would then keep it in the fridge,using it only once or twice and before I realised,it cannot be used anymore...Oops,waste of money and space in the fridge ,huh?haha...Last but not least,homemade sauce will normally be free of additives or chemical preservatives,which I personally feel is unnecessary addition..hehe...


Since my lao gong will be leaving australia again in 2 weeks time,he can try making this dish over there too,as eating at hotel cafe can be a costly affair and he is located far away from town...With only a few ingredients and short cooking time resulting in a dish that is not too cloying sweet,smoky,robust flavour with crunchy bits.....Lao gong,for your convenience,let me post this recipe over here:

300g pork ribs
1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp cooking wine
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
approx.30ml water

1.Wash the ribs,marinate it with the rest of ingredients for 15 mins.
2.Add all into pot and cook over small fire till sauce evaporate and seep into ribs.(approx25mins)

Dinner of Labour

Soya sauce steamed chicken rice has always been one of my lao gong's specialty,perhaps this is due to the fact that everytime there is family gathering at his place,my in-laws never failed to cook this staple,hence ,its becoming a case of the more he eats,the more he knows the trick to achieve moist,tender chicken which is not too salty or oily,and fragrant because of the generous amount of ginger used...hehe...A very yummy dish indeed...The only downside is that it appeared to be labour-intensive,keeping him occupied in the kitchen for a full two hours....not counting the hours required to marinate the poultry beforehand...Delicious dish to try if he can afford the time again,so,lao gong,when will that be?haha....

Cars,cars and more cars....

My lao gong can be a big kid sometimes,ever since he watched the animated movie of "cars",he went on a mad collection frenzy,hunting for "cars"collectibles....As can be seen from the photos,his car is adnored with "cars",most of which were acquired online as the demand for it in sg is low....That was only part of his collection,I did not take photos of the full set of "cars" as well as the stickers which he proudly attached onto his vehicle,ignoring the fact that it was past midnight at the carpark,searching for "auspicious"spots to which the stickers can be seen at a glance...haha...

Well,as if that is not enough to satisfy him,he even went to purchase "cars"bedsheets,towel,

which were pictured on his blog and procced to pack his favourite towel when he went off to australia on a working attachment....haha....Had I not put a stop to it,his collection most likely will extend to our home too..haha....Having said that,I still could not resist when I came across those jelly candies,after buying it,I quietly place it inside the fridge waiting for the opportunity to surprise him...haha....The moment came when I baked lemon ribena tinged cupcakes,made some icing(transparent glaze),and slabbed on his beloved toys...Boy,you should have seen the surprised look on his face...haha.....

Crunchy Wonton Prawns

My first culinary adventure happened not by choice,but rather by circumstances.Back then,I was 13 years old,parents had to work late that night,and having no money for dinner,I had no choice but to raid the fridge to prepare dinner for my brothers,then aged 12 and 10 respectively...

Found some eggs and proceed to fry sunny-side up...Much to my anguish,the eggs got stuck to the wok...Oh geez,after managing to dug it out from the wok,they were burnt...eeks...Needless to say,I received a thrashing from my mum who was upset that my brothers had no dinner and food were ruined....haha...

Well..that was then and now,after browsing numerous recipes and much practice,I could clearly state I can whip up a decent meal without much trouble....hehe...These wonton prawns were modified from another recipe,which require more seasonings and ingredients.Serving it on sliced green mangoes gave it a tangy,sweet taste which we enjoyed very much..hehe...

Heres the recipe:

300g prawns,shelled and devined,leaving tails intact

wonton skin,about 25-30 pieces

Marinate:

2 tsp light soya sauce

dash of pepper,sesame oil

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp of cooking wine

Oil for deep frying

1.Marinate prawns for 2-3 hours in the fridge.

2.Before frying,wrap up each prawn individually in wonton wrappers

3.Once oil is ready,deep-fried till golden brown.Dish up and drain off excess oil using absorbent papers.Serve.

New Packaging

Decided to swap the traditional,oh-so-cheena red containers to this ikea glass ones,looks nicer,doesnt it?Looks more presentable to give it away as gifts too,hope to gain more support,thanks alot..hehe..To those who have bought from me,thanks,and I will try
to come up with more enticing flavours to woo your tastebuds...do tune in...hehe...

Orangey Banana Cake

Got a bunch of bananas for a steal at only 70 cents...wah,even my bus fare cost more than that...though I hardly take bus or mrt nowadays,its always cab cab wherever I go...Not that I am rich,but rather it is because commuters do not give way!!!Despite seeing me coming with a pram ,they still rushed to enter the elevator in mrt stations,block the doorway and in short,refuse to give way....sigh,seems like it takes more than the courtesy campaign to change people mindset...


Enough of me grumbling,let me introduce this latest bake of mine,baked using canola oil, bananas and orange juice,it is dense,and very kuih -like,very much different from the usual fluffy cake.Topped with nutella spread and sliced bananas,itcertainly makes my lao gong a happy hubby..haha...

Orangey Banana Cake
4 eggs
1 cuptop flour
120g sugar
4-6 bananas,mashed
juice and zest of 1 orange
75 ml vegetable oil
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50ml water

1.Cream eggs with sugar till foamy.Add in rest of wet ingredients.Mix well,
2.Sieve flour,fold into mixture.Pur into lined and greased baking tin.
3.Bake at preheated oven of 170 degree celcius for approx 1 hour or till skewer comes out clean.

How fast time flies,I have been a stay-at home mum for more than half a yr now,motherhood is not easy,but then again,with faith and some planning plus lots of reading-up,all things are possible..Clover is a happy baby,well,at least,shes always smiling and chuckling,or babbling all day....I would not say I am competent,but at least I am confident of looking after my own baby well...hehe...A far cry from few months ago when I was still struggling to figure out why she cried,how to bathe her properly etc...To my friends who are mummies-to-be,do not be afraid to venture into motherhood,and do look on the positive side,after all,babies will only be babies for a year...before they turn into tanturm-throwing screaming little toddlers...haha..

Assam lemongrass prawns

Geez,have not been blogging for some time...sigh,been feeling so so tired lately,clover is now 5 mths old,lately,she has been bugging me for feeds every two hours day and night,hmmm...think that is an indication that she is ready for weaning,as milk alone is not enough to substain her hunger pangs...Lately,she also seem to take on a keen interest in our food,something which used to unfaze her till now..during meal times,she will be staring intently at our food and watching us tucking in...whilst poor her only get to see but not eat...haha..


Oh well,despite being tired,I still yearned for some home-cooked meal,afterall,it is useless in keeping all those recipes till they turn yellow and tattered..isnt it?Got my lao gong to entertain clover while I whipped up dishes in a jiffy,nothing too complicated,please..haha...
My lao gong loves it for its sour and spicy taste helps to whet our appetite,making him asking me when's our next grocery trip will be?haha...

Heres the recipe for those keen in giving it a shot:
ASSAM LEMONGRASS PRAWNS
300g prawns
2 lemongrass,pounded to release flavour
1 tbsp assam seeds,soaked in 1 cup of water
1 lg onion,chopped
3 cloves of garlic
4 bird's eye chilli ,sliced

1.Shelled and devined prawns,rinse and set aside.
2.Heat up wok ,add in 1 tbsp of oil,fry garlic onion and chilli till brown and fragrant.
3.Add in prawns and assam juice.Add in lemongrass.Stir fry for a while.
4.Once gravy starts boiling,and prawns are cooked ,turn off heat and serve.