Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Bloggers potluck Nov 2011

Yesterday, I attended another bloggers gathering initiated by ZY and Eelin has kindly allow us to hold the event at her cosy home! This time, the theme of party is American and Asian and we have to prepare our bakes/food according to the theme. We have 14 food items and 2 cold/hot drinks for 9 adults and 2 kids! Isn't it too much for everyone? All in all, it was really a fun & enjoyable afternoon gathering, with great hosts, company, food, ambience & backdrop music! I shall let the pictures do the talking....

















Cinnamon buns (water roux/tangzhong) recipe here


Thanks again everyone for the yummy goodies and great time, and ZY for initiating and Eelin for hosting! Till we meet again <(*v*)>

You can also hop over to the wonderful blogs of my bloggers friends!
Eelin of The batter baker
Jane of Passionate about baking
Zhuoyuan of Baking library
Chris of Yummy bakes
Doris of Tested and tasted
Judy of A busy gran's kitchen
Bee Bee of Honey bee sweets
Shirley of Kokken 69

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Lao po bing (Wife's biscuit) & POP

This is my longest break from blogging and I was almost contemplating to neglect it totally. I'm so sorry if anyone is waiting for an update on this 'pathetic' blog, that is if there is anyone LOL. I can't promise a regular posting but will try my best to keep my hobby going and this blog alive.

Actually, there are a couple of recipes that I will be posting, but this Lao Po Bing "step-by-step" will take priority as it's a long overdue request & promise. I only managed to get it done whilst I was on my 3-weeks holiday at my sis' place in US. This recipe originated from Florence's Do What I Like, but it seems that the post cannot be found in Florence's blog anymore.


Ingredients/ Method:
Water dough
100g cake flour
25g icing sugar
25g butter (cubed) or shortening or margarine or lard
40g water
Oil dough
100g cake flour
45-50g shortening or lard
Filling
50g candied winter melon, chopped to bite size
55-60g castor sugar
70g commercialised glutinous rice flour (koh fun)
18g shortening
15g white sesame seeds, roasted
12g dessicated coconut (can be omitted)
120g boiled drinking water, room temp.
Egg Wash
1 yolk + 1 tsp water + a pinch of salt




1. Pastry:
Water dough: Rub butter into sieved flour and icing sugar till breadcrumb-like. Add in water till a pliable dough is formed. Cling wrap dough and rest for 30 to 45 mins. Divide dough into 12 equal portions.


Oil dough: Rub shortening into flour till well mixed. Cling wrap and leave it aside to rest for 30 to 45 mins. Divide dough into 12 equal portions.


2. Filling: Put all ingredients into a big bowl, mix till well combined. Divide filling into 12 equal portions.


3. Flatten a piece of water dough. Place a piece of oil dough in the centre of water dough.

4. Wrap oil dough with water dough.



5. Press and roll out dough into a longish flat piece with a rolling pin. (I didn't do a good job here.)

6. Roll it up like swissroll style.

7. Turn the dough 90 degrees.



8. Roll it into a longish flat piece.
9. Roll it up like swissroll style again.

10. Pinch the 2 side edges.

11. Using hand, shape it into a flat circular shape.

12. Place the filling in the centre of the flatten dough.

13. Wrap up the filling with the dough. Ensure dough completely covers the filling.

14. Using hand, roll the dough to make it like a round ball. Then flatten it with a rolling pin. Egg wash the dough.

15. Bake in pre-heated oven at 200 deg C for 20 to 25 mins or until golden brown.





POP (Pig Out Party)

Just last Saturday, I attended my 2nd bloggers' party which was initiated by Eelin and it was held at Jo's cosy home. In fact, I'm surprised initially with the invitation but very happy that I got invited. Since my baking bug hasn't returned, I'd chosen to bring tau suan instead of baked stuff. All my other blogger friends put in so much efforts and brought along super sumptuous and tempting homemade TLC cakes, puffs, ice-cream, pizza, fried fritters, chwee kueh, and alot more. The gathering was very enjoyable and I look forward to another one soon. I promised to do a proper dish the next time! You can visit the wonderful blog of my friends here, plus many of them have put up pictures that will make you salivate & envious of our POP party.

Eelin of The batter baker
Jo of Sugar & everything nice
Edith of Precious moments
Jane of Passionate about baking
Doris of Tested & tasted
Jess of J3ss kitch3n
Zhou Yuan of Baking library
Grace of Kitchen corner
Bee Bee of Honey bee sweet
Cathy of Cathy's joy

Monday, March 21, 2011

Birthday brunch at Keppel Club

Yesterday, we invited our family members to the Peony Jade @ Keppel Club. The restaurant is open to the public and the weekend dim sum brunch is good value for money at $28++ for adults, $15++ for child 5-10 years old, and free for kids below 5. In addition, the environment is cool! and the place is not crowded probably because of the location. Good service and attentive service staff!

Here's a galore of some of the food we had tried. I didn't manage to take pictures of all food cos they were gone before I could snap them. Other good ones that are not here includes Steamed Meat Dumpling with hot & sour sauce, Beancurd Skin Roll with Prawn & Japanese Seaweed, Deep Fried Prawn Roll with Almond & Mayonaise, Stirred Fried Brocolli with Oyster Sauce.











**Die-die must try!

Soft & fluffy Bao





**Must try, 'wok-full' taste



**This looks plain, but it's very flavourful & fresh! Must try

Delicious & refreshing desert!



Can give this a miss.

Save your stomach for something else.



We were filled to the brim when we left the restaurant. Overall it's a good experience but I find that the desserts selection is limited and not impressive, except for the mango sago. If we could end our meal with a nice round of dessert, it would have been more perfect!

Have a good week ahead!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy eventS

Before I start blogging about my bakes & such in 2011, I want to complete this post about the happy eventS that happened in 2010.....

My Madagascar Vanilla Beans - one whole packet of fresh vanilla beans! ..... and


One big bottle of Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste - 944ml! ......


...... I think these are going to last me for many good years of baking!

However, the anxiety of waiting and happiness of receiving these vanilla bean (paste) does not beat seeing my dearest sis, who's residing in States, once again! Now, I'm looking forward to my trip to visit her this year ;-))



02102010 - These were cute little wedding cupcakes that I made and received positive feedbacks, there were some "ohhs" and "wows" .....



.... but what made me much happier is that my youngest brother has finally tied the knot!! I believe my mum would be the happiest at wherever she is now ;-))




To end our year 2010, we had dinner at Tims Restaurant & Cafe - a no-fuss place that served good food ....

From left to right: Cream of Asparagus with roasted almond, Chicken caesar salad, Oyster rockafellas





Fish & Chips


NZ Ribeye topped with sauteed pacific clam with black pepper sauce







Grilled lobster & panseared cajun spiced salmon fillet with basil cream sauce



Desserts: Blueberry cheesecake & strawberry ice-cream

I'm counting my blessings to be surrounded by many loved ones and good friends. Of course, there were many other happy, not-so-happy, ups&downs in 2010, but with a beginning of new year 2011, the goods will be remembered & the bad be bygones, everything will be refreshed. I'm wishing EVERYONE a very happy, healthy and smooth sailing year ahead! Cheers o(oO)o