Thursday 24 December 2009

Merry Christmas!



Here's wishing all fellow foodies a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Enjoy the long weekend peeps... Cheers!



Tuesday 22 December 2009

Brazil-themed Cuppies & Candy Brownie

So I was on leave last week to settle some domestic issues. Not that I was the one having domestic problems... it's my domestic helper's.

My ex-maid had to go home after 4 years working with me and couldn't give me an answer as to whether she can return or otherwise (depending on her husband's decision later). So while she's gone, I have to get a replacement. We (thought) we found a (suitable) candidate; after having to go through an appeal made to the Ministry of Manpower. But anyhow.... we are now in the process of getting a refund from the employment agency (I guess I don't have to elaborate further).



Since I was on leave last week, thought I'd de-stress in the kitchen by making some Chocolate Cupcakes & Candy Brownie Platter. Request came from a good friend of mine, whose sister's engagement ceremony was on 20th Dec '09.





She had asked for a Brazil-themed (colour) cuppies for the gift exchange and Candy Brownie Platter for her family members to enjoy.



It had been a tough week for me. I wish I can have a break. Talking about break, I'm so looking forward to a session of body massage next week. Have been putting it off for so many months. Yeay!
P.S: Findfan page soon on Facebook!
         
                           

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Custard Puff

I don't know why I have an urge to eat Custard Puffs. This was, by the way, a coincidence as dear hubby was actually looking for Chocolate Eclairs last Saturday.

Didn't find any at my work place, surprisingly although one of the restaurants there was still open. The only dessert left - Brownie. We ended up eating sugar rolls on Sunday.

I haven't tried making the choux pastry in a loooonnng time. This was probably because I learned doing it the hard way - using my arm to keep stirring the pastry until it's done. Then, I promised myself that I would not do this again. And other pastries.

So after years of seclusion from the pastry-making world, I have decided to give it one more shot. Thankfully enough, the pastry did just well. Then comes the custard part. I don't like it to be too 'solid' nor runny. Therefore getting the right consistency was another challenge.


Custard filling



Freshly-baked pastry

As I was filling the pastries up with the custard, I noticed that they were fast gone from the table. Two pairs of little hands keep popping by... hmmm... The littlest didn't seem to enjoy these though.

Just as I wanted to round up the kitchen, I remembered someone requested to have the Custard Puff dipped in chocolate. I guessed this was another way of dealing with missed opportunity of eating Chocolate Eclairs last weekend.



Custard Puff


Hello Kitty & Mickey Mouse ~ Butter Cookies

Last week the kids & I decided to stay home & do some baking instead of going to Changi Airport T3, as suggested by dear daughter.

Been wanting to bake some Butter Cookies, as I have yet to use my new Hello Kitty & Mickey Mouse cookie cutters, which I bought in Hong Kong in June. So like finally!


I have my 2 hardworking assistants to help me press the dough, which at the same time kept them occupied. I had planned to ice the cookies but later decided not to as the cookies would become too sweet. Plus I just wanted to enjoy simple homemade Butter Cookies.


My assistants (heee!)



Pressed dough



Pleased with the result, as the characters turned out so well. Happier when I dipped them in coffee & enjoy the rest of the afternoon at home.



Homemade Butter Cookies

Aahhh.... bliss!

Tuesday 1 December 2009

How the week flew by... I'd even missed taking pics of the wonderful food we had for Eiduladha, cooked by MIL. I was rushing to work and had totally forgotten about that.

Much as I wish for December to pass by quickly (to get over the hectic work schedule), I don't want the school holidays to be over just yet. Because that would mean the kids will be back at school. So I'll just have to use whatever time I have to fill the kids' time with fun things to do. Speaking of which, I haven't made any plans yet. I also wish that OFF days can be spent just staying home & catch up on rest, but that would be too selfish. OFF days are the only time I have to spend with the little ones. Dilemma.... dilemma....

The kids spent some time during the weekend at the Health Promotion Board, which dear hubby signed them up for some sort of a healthy cooking class. They'd learnt about healthy food & nutrition and preparing sandwiches. I was glad that both daughter & son enjoyed themselves very much, that dear daughter has voiced out that she wanted to do it again. Heh...

I had recently bought another book by Sophie Kinsella - "Confessions of a Shopaholic". It's not exactly a new book. The thing is, what I'd done was I began reading the shopaholic series in a Star Wars kind of sequence. Don't ask me why cos I didn't even know myself. I'd read all the other series namely Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic & Sister, Shopaholic Ties The Knot, Shopaholic & Baby.... But somehow I didn't get the first of the series, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (now published as Confessions of a Shopaholic, produced as motion picture)? Hhmmmmm.....

Anyways I enjoyed the Shopaholic series cos there's a similarity between me & Becky Bloomwood - shopping. Of course I don't shop like her. It's what the word "Sale", "Reduced", "Buy & get free..." can do to tempt people (read: me) into going to the store and then step out having a sense of statisfaction & relief at the mere purchase of even a small, inexpensive item. Retail therapy? Heehee...

I also love the way how the books are written by Sophie Kinsella (besides the Shopaholic series). They are all so wittingly funny (that's how I describe her books). They are fiction, but hey... who needs facts all the time eh? I'm sure everyone of us has their own secret dreamworld.

Talking about dreamworld, I'm off to my own dreamworld now...

Goodnite!