Cup cakes First try.

My first attempt with a simple cup cake recipe.  

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs.

Line cup cakes paper in cup cake tray, start the oven.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Then add shortening, milk and vanilla

Beat 1 minute on medium speed.

Add eggs to the mixture

Beat 1 minute on medium speed.

Beat high speed 1 1/2 or until well mixed.

Heat oven 350 degrees or 210 European 

Bake for 20-25 minutes and check with toothpick.  It must come out clean.

Suggestion:  Spread chocolate jam or mix chocolate chip into the mixture for chocolaty taste.  

This is the beginning of my cupcake adventure.

For more cupcake ideas check out Cup Cake Wars. A television show from the United States which airs on Spain´s Divinity Channel.  Have fun.

Cinnamon rolls.

On the first Sunday of November, I tried my hand at baking cinnamon rolls.  It looked good and it tasted good but there was still room for improvement.  What happened was, I did not allow the dough to rise because the kitchen wasn´t warm enough.  Next time, I will use the trick of making the dough rise in a warmed up oven.  Next time I will add chocolate chips instead of raisins...don´´t know how it will turn out.

Singapore Vacation August 2013

Panda Pau, Singapore Zoo August 2013

After visiting the Pandas(real life ones)  at the Zoo, we chanced upon a stand selling Panda Pau capitalizing on the Panda craze.  These pricey paus were very attractive, but we didn´t taste them because it would probably taste the same as any bean paste pau.  So we settled for Kentucky Fried chicken for lunch.

My breakfast in Singapore is a delicious bowl of Mee Pok Ta, which usually comes with a bowl of simple soup.  These flat noodles comes with a chilli sauce and some soy sauce and their secret sauce.  It is accompanied with fish cake and the customary fish balls and crunchy bean sprouts.  I love to start the day with either a plate of Mee Pok Ta, WonTon Noodles or Roti Prata.  These hawker stalls are conveniently located near my mom's block or a ten minutes walk to the wet market at Telok Blangah Drive.  Price range from 2.50 to 3 dollars.  I usually wash it down with soya bean drink for 70 cents.

While vacationing in Singapore, we took a six days trip to Taipeh, Taiwan courtesy of my two sisters and brother-in-law.  On our first evening, we visited the fame Taipeh 101 and thereafter adjourned to the basement Food Court for a light snack.  My son, Gabriel discovered the fabulous taiwanese Beef Noodles with a bit of spice in the broth.  We sank our teeth into some very delicious Seow Lung Pau from the fame Ding Tai Fung restaurant outlet. 

This concludes my first page of our trip to Singapore, will add more as I go along and find time to add more posts. 

Productive Weekend

This weekend finally got to try the Rendang mix I brought back from my trip to Singapore last August.  This was my first attempt and being a newby, I plunged right ahead and this was the result.

The result was slight on the dry side.  It went well with rice.  Will probably allow more time to slow cook and leave some gravy for the rice.  My son, loved it and will try again soon.  

Step one,  I fried the beef with some sunflower oil, then I added the Rendang mix.  

Step two, after stirring and getting the beef well mixed, I added 400gms of water.  Perhaps next time I will either add milk or cocomut milk.

Step three, slow cook for 45 minutes.

Cooked 10 more minutes before serving.

Thanks for checking out this blog... will be back soon.

Happy New Year!

Here´s wishing all my dear friends a Happy and Prosperous New Year.  We are preparing for another big celebration... this time it will happen on the 10th of February and we will be welcoming the Year of the Snake.  Wish the dragon could linger a little longer.

Most Asians are shopping and getting the house spring cleaned for the New Year.  Baking, toasting, barbequing, the sweet meat, cakes, rolls , you name it all will be ready for the big day.  On the eve, families will gather around for a big reunion dinner.  The festive mood goes on for more than three days.  People visit and exchange red packets with money inside...they exchange oranges as a symbol of "kam" Cantonese for gold.

Chinese New Year is a joyous time for young and old alike.  The young ones get the money packets while the old ones count the number of grandchildren she has to prepare for.  Gandparents dot on their little ones and grown up ones as well.  Most prominent questions will be "are you attached?", or are you looking,etc.

Hope the new year will be another productive year and bring abundant blessings upon your household.  May the good spirits watch over your house and loved ones protecting them from harm and giving them the strengthen to bear the challenges of the new year.  God bless and have a great year.

GONGSIFA CAI

Do you kowtow to your boss all the time ?

Was  kinda down this weekend.  Cleaned the office, kitchen area, bathroom and eating area at work.  Boss wasn´t happy, said that I had missed the table.  I retorted back and said that he was always criticizing my work.  He went on the defensive and said things like he paid me so much and wants perfect work.  Well, in actual fact, I am not paid much and I do all the dirty work while his sister sits on her big behind and socializes with friends while at work.etc.etc.

Am getting over it now... felt better this morning.  Sorry, can´t post any nice things this day.   But nevertheless have a nice week.  God bless.

Back from Singapore

 On the weekend of National Day, my brother-in-law drove us over the causeway for some really delicious Korean Bar-B-Que.  There are appetizers from the popular kimchee to other vege delights.  The meal was finished off with fruit or ginger tea.

Our morning walk with former colleagues of Temasek Polytechnic.  I was the only one unprepared for the walk.  So next year, I will have sneakers for the morning adventure.

 The walk started from Great World and we followed the Singapore River to its mouth at the Fullerton Hotel and we had to make a quick U turn because one of our colleagues had an important meeting that morning.

 My first big meal with mom and my siblings.  Dinner in open air in one of the many neighborhood eating places.  Economical and delicious, that feed nearly ten people and did not burn a big hole in my sisters´pockets.

Breakfast of mee rebus at Toast Box.  Barley cooling drink for breakfast.

Eating dinner at the Food Republic at 313 Somerset.  Perhaps one of the most central getaway where they serve delicious local fare and great atmosphere to catch up with old friends.

A visit to Singapore must have chilli crab.  Spent en evening with dear friends at Sentosa Seafood Republic.  Great company and great food, was pleased.

Singapore also boast a mix of great Japanese restaurants, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Chinese restaurants.  I skipped the dim sum from DinTai something because I was never lack of good dim sum in Singapore... still great dim sum you still have to head for Hong Kong!!!