Banana, Apple & Cranberry Bread

Finally bake this yummy bread loaf :D Indeed very moist! :D

Recipe adapted from Anncoo Journal, My Kitchen Snippet
Ingredient

• 200gm plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 130gm sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100gm corn oil
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 125gm dried cranberry
• 1 green apple, grated
• 240gm bananas, without skin
  

Method

1. Line and grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Preheat oven to 160 deg cel.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Mix well and set it aside.
3. In another mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, grated apple and mashed bananas. Mix it well with a big spoon. Add in the dry ingredients into the eggs mixture. Mix until well combined.
4. Lastly add in dried cranberries (toss with some of the flour mixture to prevent sinking). Mix well and pour it into the baking pan. Bake for 50-70 minutes (I used 60mins, cover the surface with foil at the last 10-15mins if it start to brown too fast) or skewer inserted into bread and comes out clean.

Free and Easy Bake-Along #19 : Lemon Poppy Seed-Sour Cream Cake

I simply loves this cake!! so moist and the crumbs is so tender, almost like melt-in-the mouth! As I do not have poppy seeds on hand, I replace it with black sesame seeds!! Check out Lena, Joyce, Zoe, to see how their cake turns out to be :D :D

The sweetness is just nice after some modifications of the recipe :D

should call it Lemon Black Sesame Seed Yoghurt Cake :P

Ingredient (from Rose's Heavenly Cakes)
Yield 1 18cm Bundt Cake

• 1 large egg +12gm egg yolk
• 100gm plain yoghurt (I use marigold brand)
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 150gm cake flour
• 75gm sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lemon zest
• 25gm toasted black sesame
• 100gm unsalted butter, softened
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 160 deg cel, grease and flour a 18cm bundt pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the whole eggs, yolk, 30gm plain yoghurt and vanilla, just until lightly combined.
3. In the bowl sift in flour, baking powder and baking powder. Stir in sugar, salt, lemon zest & sesame seeds.
4. Add the butter and the remaining sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for another 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Starting on low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in 2 parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure Using a spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in comes out clean.The cake should start to shrink from the pan after removal from the oven.
   

While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup.

Lemon syrup

• 50gm sugar
• 45ml lemon juice

In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and lemon juice, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved. Do not allow it to boil, cover it tightly to prevent evaporation.

As soon as the cake comes out from oven, place the pan on a wire rack, poke the cake all over with a thin skewer and brush it with one third of the syrup. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 mins, invert them on to a plate and brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining syrup. Cool completely and wrap airtight.

Bake-Along No. 19 - Lemon Poppy Seed-Sour Cream Cake

Black Sesame Otsu

Ingredient (4 servings)

• 50gm black sesame paste
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.5 tsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp dark rice vinegar
• 300gm soba noodles
• 400gm extra-firm tofu
• bunch of spring onion, finely chopped
• sesame seeds for garnish
  

Method

1. Combine black sesame paste, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil & vinegar together and mix evenly. Adjust taste accordingly. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soba and cook according to the package instructions until tender. Drain, reserving some of the noodle cooking water, and rinse under cold running water.
3. While the noodles are cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut into matchstick shapes. Season the tofu with a pinch of salt, toss with a small amount of oil, and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until the pieces are browned on all sides.
4. Reserve a heaping tablespoon of the sesame paste, then thin the rest with 100ml of the hot noodle water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, half of the green onions, and the black sesame paste. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Serve topped with a tiny dollop of the reserved sesame paste and the remaining green onions.
   

Recipe modified from SeriousEat.com

Spring Chicken with Bamboo Shoots & Mushroom

Bought this spring chicken in wet market, buy 1 get 1 free! :D Therefore paid $6 for 2 chicks, expensive or not?? not sure 'cos this is the first time I buy this :P

The chicken looks really stuffed...hehehe managed to squeeze in all the ingredients!

After steaming for 2 hours...

Ingredient

• 1 spring chicken
• 150gm bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
• 14 small dried shitake mushroom
• 1 tbsp sliced ginger + 2 slice ginger
  
• 2 tbsp abalone sauce

Method

1. Soak dried mushroom in 1 cup water till softened. Retain liquid and slice mushroom (retained 4 unsliced) thinly.
2. Place chicken in a casserole. Stuff bamboo shoots, mushroom and ginger into the chicken cavity.
3. Dissolve abalone sauce in retained mushroom liquid. Pour over chicken. Add in 2 slice ginger and 4 mushroom at the side of the chicken.
   
4. Steam over preheated steamer for 2 hours.
   

Satisfied Lunch ^-^

BBq Chicken with Butter Garlic Brown Rice & Coleslaw ^-^

Homemade BBq Sauce!

• 5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 60 gm soft brown sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• dash of Tabasco

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently until thick for 15mins. Cool before using for marinate.

Marinate 2 Chicken Thighs, 6 Chicken Wings with 150ml Homemade BBq Sauce, prefarably overnight. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 30-35mins, basting twice with marinate in between baking time, until cook through and golden brown.

Slurp!!

Cakes For Friends

It just feel wonderful when friends loves your bakes, doesn't it?? ^-^ It is a light & easy fruit cake and simple to make as well!! Just whisk all the batter ingredient together, no complicated steps like creaming method or egg separation method :p Another wonderful recipe I found in Good Food Magazine again!!! simply love this food magazine :D

I've divided the batter into two 6" cake pan instead of baking in a large 8" pan as I wanted to give it to two friends. After baking I find the cakes looks so cute 'cos of the size :P decided to make a small one for myself also hahaha....They can't get enough of these tasty cakes, commented "next time can make a bigger one ?" :D :D

Sugar-crunch Fruitcake
Ingredient (Two 6" round cake or One 8" round cake)

• 100gm unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 50gm sugar
• 50gm self-raising flour
  
• 50gm ground almonds
• zest of 1 lemon
• 240gm apple, pear & cranberries compote (recipe as per below)
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

1. Using a electric whisk, beat butter, eggs, sugar, flour, ground almonds & lemon zest until smooth & fluffy.
2. Scoop batter into prepared pan and dollop over the compote. (to do press down the fruits). Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 20mins (6"), 30mins (8").
3. Remove pan from oven and scatter over demerara sugar and continue to bake for another 8mins (6") or 12mins (8") until golden brown.

My boy eaten 2 slices for snack, as usual he gives thumbs up :D :D

Apple, Pear & Cranberries Compote
Ingredient

• 4 Gala apples, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 firm pears, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 120gm dried cranberries
• 100ml water

Method

1. Put apples & pears in a pan with the sugar & water. Bring to boil and lower heat and gently cook, covered, for 15mins or until the fruits are tender. Stir in between to prevent sticking to the bottom.
2. Stir in cranberries, add tbsp of water if mixture is too dry, adjust taste accordingly by adding more sugar.
3. Cool completely and chilled. Served with vanilla ice-cream or plain yoghurt.
   

Recipe adapted from Good Food Magazine Feb 2012

served with some plain yoghurt

Mediterranean Baked Fish & Quinoa Salad

Super healthy food for my lunch! Quinoa salad not my kids cup of tea, only serve them the baked fish with their normal rice :D

Ingredient

• 3 x 150gm cod fillet
• 1 lemon zest and juice
•  olive oil
• 10gm sweet basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 small portebello mushroom, sliced
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 deg cel.
2. Place fish individually on a large piece of baking paper. Season with salt & black pepper. Drizzle over olive oil, lemon juice & zests.
3. Scatter basil leaves, cherry tomatoes & mushroom over the fish. Fold the edge of the baking paper to seal. Bake for 20mins.

Quinoa Rice Salad
Ingredient (2 servings)

• 60gm Quinoa
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 20gm sweet basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 80gm cherry tomatoes
• 60gm sweet corn kernels 
• 4 pitted black olives, roughly chopped

Method

1. Rinse Quinoa over a sieve. Place in a pot of water and bring to boil. Lower heat and cook for 10mins. At the last 2 mins, add in sweet corn kernels. Drain away water and cool slightly.
2. Place all ingredient in a mixing bowl and toss well. Serve warm or chilled.

Black Sesame Brownies

I've a big bottle of black sesame paste which my hubby brought from overseas. Was wondering what should I do with it?? Therefore yesterday night browse through the net and found this recipe!! How could I miss out this wonderful recipe!! Some bloggers have actually tried out this eg. Frozen Wings & Noms I Must :D

Moist & slightly fudgey as I reduce the flour and baking time slightly :D

I only eaten 1/3 of this slice, 2/3 finished my boy :D as for my lil gal, spit out after I give her a small piece to try out hahaha...

Ingredients (8" square pan)

• 150gm unsalted butter
• 100gm black sesame paste, unsweetened
  
• 120gm sugar (can reduce to 100gm if u do not too sweet)
  
• 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 80gm plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Method

1. Melted butter & black sesame paste over a pot of boiling water. Cool slightly.
2. Stir in sugar & soy sauce.
3. Stir in egg and mix till well combined.
4. Sift over flour & baking powder and fold till well incorporated.
5. Pour batter into a lined 8" x 8" pan and sprinkle black sesame seeds over.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 20-25mins.
   

Recipe adapted (with modifications) from Pig Pig's Corner

One Pot Creamy Chicken

Seems like quite some time I've did not cook any chicken dishes!! Both kids having been coughing on and off for almost 2 months. Starting with their new course of medications, finally can see some improvement , especially for my boy . For my understanding it is best to avoid chicken when having cough as it will aggravate the conditions, that's why I've not been cooking chicken for very long!

Today cooked this for my lunch, kids have their pumpkin, broccoli & minced porridge. Tonight will prepare some pasta to go along with this creamy chicken. It is so rich & creamy, loves mopping up the gravy with toasted baguette!

Ingredient

• 4 chicken thighs, chopped into 2
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 back bacon, roughly chopped
• 200-250ml chicken stock
• 250gm potatoes, cut into chunks
• 100gm cream cheese, softened
• 100gm green peas
• 100gm sweetcorn kernels
• 100gm cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt & black pepper to taste

Method

1. Clean chicken pieces dry with kitchen paper. Season with salt & black pepper all over. Dust flour evenly over.
2. Heat oil in pan and brown the chicken all over. Remove chicken pieces and set aside. Using the same pan, toss in bacon and fry till crispy.
3. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Add 1/2 cup stock, cover and simmer for 20mins.
   
4. Add the potatoes, cover and cook for another 10mins until potatoes are tender and chicken are cooked through.
5. Stir in cheese and vegetables and remaining stock. Simmer for another 5mins, uncovered. Serve with toasted bread.

Recipe adapted from Good Food Magazine

黄鳝玉蜀黍汤

Yellow Eel (黄鳝) is rich in DHA and Fatty Acids which are essential in brain development. It is also rich in Vitamin A which is beneficial to the eyes! So it is a good ingredient to brew into soup, especially for kids! :D

黄鳝，玉蜀黍，玉竹，淮山，红枣，枸杞子

Details info on Yellow Eel (黄鳝)

This is how the whole fish looks like!

Ingredient

• 550gm Yellow Eel, 黄鳝
• 1 corn cob, sliced
  
• 40gm Huai Shan, 淮山
• 30gm Yu Zhu, 玉竹片
• 15gm seedless Red Dates, 红枣
• 1 tbsp Wolfberries, 枸杞子
• 2 slices Ginger, 姜片
• salt to taste

Method

1. Rinse yellow eel and place all ingredient except wolfberries & salt, in a pot. Add 2L water. Bring to boil and lower heat. Cook for 2 hours. At the last 10mins, stir in wolberries and salt.
   

Free & Easy Bake Along #18 - Red Velvet Cake (Beetroot)

Found this recipe while I was browsing through some books while at Kinokuniya :D The pictures in the book looks so appealing as it shows bright red hue! But mine turns out deep maroon hue >.< Initially when mixing the beetroot mixture into the flour, it actually slowly change into red hue (should have taken a pics on that :P). But as the cake is baking in the oven, the red hue slowly disappear....maybe due to the prolong baking time? As the initially recipe yield 16 small cupcakes (10mins baking time) instead of baking in a normal pan which uses 20mins. And the cake is slightly dense due to my overmixing :P It is worth trying out this recipe again as it uses beetroot instead of relying red food colouring to achieve a 'red' colour cake :D Oh the taste?? First smell of the cake can detect the beetroot smell, but while tasting it not really distinctive and definitely goes well with the cream frosting :D

Ingredient (16 mini cupcakes or a 16cm heart shaped pan)

• 100gm self-raising flour
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 50gm sugar
• 1 small beestroot, peeled & coarsely grated (forgotten what is the wgt of the beetroot I've used, but look for the smallest u can find)
  
• 2 tbsp corn oil
• 1 egg
• 50ml buttermilk (I substitute with milk + vinegar)
  
• 1 tsp white vinegar (I reduced to 1/2 tsp)
  

Frosting :

• 100gm cream cheese
• 50gm unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 45gm icing sugar
  

Method

1. Sift flour & cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar. Set aside.
2. Put beetroot, oil & egg into a food processor. Blend till smooth. Briefly mix in buttermilk & vinegar.
3. Pour beetroot mixture into flour mixture and fold till combined.
4. Spoon batter into cupcases and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel 10-12mins. (16cm pan I used 20mins)
5. Beat all frosting mixture till light & fluffy.
6. Pipe icing on cooled cupcakes.

I would love to share this recipe to Bake Along No. 18 - Red Velvet Cupcakes for Valentine