Satay

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 23°C | 14°C
Current :
Fair With Very High UV(10) Warning
Temp : 22°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

I intended to post this entry last night but was a little sleepy while I was composing halfway ZZZZzz.  I am so glad that my favourite series, The Vampire Diaries aired again last Thursday after taking a break for almost 1.5 months....wwweeeiii.  Also, I just finished 'marathoning' a 20 episodes Korean drama, Secret Garden for 2 days :D

I was drooling when Yat posted the satay entry at her blog, so I decided to make some.  One thing abt satay, the preparation is very tedious but its really worth all the trouble.  Since I only make satay once in a while, I will usually make heaps to last us for 2 nights dinner...hehehez.  I thought of freezing them but hb said that he doesn't mind having satay for 2 nights.  While eating last night, Jannah had a big burp and when I asked her if she was full she said "Jannah lapar lah nak satay dgn nasi ketupat lagi"  She simply luvs them....hehehez.

I didn't measure the ingredients as I am so used to pouring and sprinkling all the spices into the meat.  This recipe that I got from mamafami is sort of similar to my satay marinade.  Also, I was kinda hoping that I have enough bamboo skewers as I couldn't be bothered to drive to the supermarket to get more ahakkksss.  Lucky me I had enough...weee hooo.  After skewering them I counted : 42 sticks beef, 35 sticks chicken & 12 sticks beef liver.  Hb doesn't eat liver, he said its gross but I luvvvv them...yummo :ppp

Source : Mamafami.

Ingredients :

1 kg chicken/beef fillet ~ cut into 2.5cm x 2.5cm pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cooking oil
satay sticks

extra oil and lemon grass for basting

To blend :

3 shallots
2 candlenuts (buah keras)
2 cloves of garlic
3 cm fresh turmeric or 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
4 cm ginger
2 lemon grass
4 cm galangal (lengkuas)
1 tablespoons coriander seed }
1 teaspoon fennel seed (jintan manis) } fry without oil over low heat till fragrant
1 teaspoon cumin seed (jintan putih) }

(I used powdered coriander, fennel & cumin cos too lazy to fry without oil :D)


Method :


1. Mix sugar, honey, cooking oil and salt into the blended ingredients to form a paste.
2. Rub paste mixture into the diced chicken or beef and leave it to marinate for 3 hours.
3. Thread seasoned meat on to satay sticks.
4. Grill over char- coal fire or under hot grill . Baste with oil and water mixture to keep meat moist.
5. Serve with peanut sauce, cucumbers and onion cut into wedges and nasi impit (rice cake).

Only left with 2 pieces of instant ketupat (rice cake) last night.  I am really hoping someone will send me a care package as my supplies are depleting.  Mummmmmmyyy!!!!!..........

Photo source : Drama Wiki

Drama Title : Secret Garden

Episodes : 20.

My review : This drama is funny with a few sad scenes.  I became bored from episode 15 onwards.  Usually, I don't want dramas to end quickly but couldn't wait for this one to end and I was fast forwarding 'flash backs' as there were too many of them......borrrinnggg.  Yawwnnss!!!

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Me Te Aroha...With Love,

Anie ;)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bun

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Clear
Temp : 27°C | 17°C
Current :
Moderate Fog After Midnight
Temp : 16°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

I was accompanying Jannah in her room during her bedtime earlier to make sure she goes to sleep and at the same time, I was cropping these photos.  Saw her still playing around with her blankie and pillows and tossing around not going to sleep, after half an hour.  So, I turned off the laptop and pretended to sleep with her.  While pretending, I went off to sleep for real ZZzzzzzz ahakkkssss....

Woke up at exactly midnight just now and packed hb's lunch.  I wanted to pack earlier but the chicken was still warmish and thought that I can do that after Jannah went to sleep. Instead, it was me and I didn't even know when did Jannah went off to sleep.  

Anyway, I was clearing the fridge and found some cream cheese, left over from making the butter cheese cake.  Oh me oh my, how long ago was that :ppp hehehez.  It was still good, no moulds and shouldn't be wasted.  I thought of attempting this bun's recipe.  Verdict : I should have used CMG's sweet bun dough recipe instead, as this bun recipe is a little dry and salty but soft enough with yummy strawberry cream cheese filling.  Oh well, trial & error ;)

Source : Hidehide's Home Cooking Recipe.

Ingredients (for 1) 18cm (7 inch) ring pan
Bun Dough
bread flour salt sugar instant dried yeast warm water egg butter	200g 3g (0.5 tsp) 20g 4g (1.3 tsp) 100g (Abt 30 degrees C) 20g 20g (Bring to room temperature)

Filling
strawberry (puree) cream cheese sugar cake flour	50g 50g 20g 10g

Topping

almond slices

Note : I added 1/2 tsp of bread improver into the bun dough and also added a few drops of pink food colouring to the cream cheese filling.

Method :

I used the breadmaker for the dough.  Just dump everything into the breadmaker and choose 'dough only' setting and let the breadmaker do the hard work ;)

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast. Leave for 15 minutes.
2. [Kneading]
   Put the flour, salt, sugar, butter in a large bowl. Pour the foamed yeast and egg.
3. Bring the ingredients together to form a sticky mass.
4. Transfer to a kitchen table and knead the dough for abt 10 mins until the dough is smooth, thin & elastic.
5. Shape the dough into a smooth ball.
6. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl.  Leave to rise in a draught-free place for 50-60 minutes, or until 2.5-3 times in size.
7. Press a finger into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has properly risen.
8. [Knocking back]
   Knock back the dough by punching it gently. Turn out the dough.
9. Fold the dough into thirds and divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
10. [Shaping]
    Flatten the dough.  Put the filling 15g in the center.  Gather the dough up around the filling.
11. Put the dough in the lightly greased pan and leave to rise for 40-50 minutes, or until 2 times in size.
12. Brush the surface with beaten egg. Sprinkle with the almond slices.
13. Bake at 180 degrees C (356 degrees F) for 25 minutes or until golden.

Going back to sleep, nitez nitez everyone.....

Me Te Aroha...With Love,

Anie ;) 

Curry Puffs

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Rain
Temp : 22°C | 17°C
Current :
Raining With High UV(8) Warning
Temp : 21°C

No sheeps today, only a calf :)

Salam, Kia Ora...

Happy Monday everyone ;)  I'm still on a mission to finish 2 more kumaras~~sweet potatoes that have sprouted roots.  The menu that I chosed today is curry puffs ahakks....but I only used 1 kumara :(  I still have 1 more left.  Haven't got a clue what I should do with it at this moment.

I supposed its just gonna be a short and sweet entry today as I haven't got much to report...hehehez.  Don't have to describe much how a curry puff should taste like, I'm sure everyone knows it.  I got the pastry recipe from As @ Teratak NurKasih.  Wonders why my curry puffs pastry didn't turned out as smooth as hers...hehehez??    Anyway, enjoy the recipe ;)

PS : I was watching the 6 o'clock news while posting this entry.  The headline today:  A young woman was found burned to death at the side of a road.  Her husband has fled to Fiji with their son on the day her body was found.  Haiiizzz how can a human have the heart to do that?  It must have been a painful death for her :( *tsk* *tsk*...

Ingredients for Fillings :

• 3 medium sized potatoes
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 inches ginger
• Dried anchovies - a handful
• Minced beef - a handful
• 1.5 tblsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tblsp canola oil
• Water

Method :

• Peel potatoes & sweet potato and cut into small cubes.  Boil in salt water till cooked.
• Blend onion, garlic, ginger and anchovies until fine.
• Heat oil in wok and stir fry the blended ingredients & curry leaves till fragrant.
• Add curry & turmeric powder and a little bit of water to form a paste and fry further till fragrant.
• Add minced beef and cover wok, stirring occasionally until beef are cooked.
• Add boiled potatoes & sweet potato and stir until well incorporated.  Add salt & pepper. 
• Simmer for abt 5 minutes and turn fire off.
• Let filling cools down.

Ingredients for Pastry : (Makes 20 pcs)

• 250g Standard Flour
• 4 tblsp Hot Oil
• A pinch of Salt
• Water (Amount depends on flour)

Method :

• Put flour in a large bowl.
• Pour hot oil into flour and stir with a spoon as it is very hot.
• Add salt to water and add water to flour little by little until a dough is formed.
• Rest dough for 20 mins.
• Roll our skin dough into 3 mm thick and cut into 4" round shape. Wrap up fillings and form into the shape of curry puff.
• Seal the opening tightly and pleat it or you can seal it by using a fork.
• Deep fry curry puffs in hot oil until golden brown.

Enjoy the week everyone.......

Me Te Aroha...With Love,

Anie ;)

Kuih Keria (Sweet Potato Donut)

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Rain
Temp : 23°C | 20°C
Current :
Raining With High UV(7) Warning
Temp : 21°C

Did anyone miss the sheeps :D ??

Salam, Kia Ora...

How's everyone?  Enjoying the weekend?  I'm back again *grins* sorry that its been quiet from my end.  No Korean drama marathon this time but we went for a short trip as hb was on 1.5 weeks annual leave.  We planned to go to Kawhia beach for fishing yesterday but the weather finally packed up and decided to rain the whole day yesterday and....today. 

Back to reality today, back to slaving in front of the stove to cook dinner ahakkss :D  No more eating out, no more takeaways...booohooo.  Hmmzz but not complaining at this moment, the temperature is much cooler.  Just hope that we will not be affected by flood as its been raining non-stop the whole day with strong gust, insyaAllah.  Some parts of North Island are affected by floods  :(

Anyway, I had a few gold kumaras~~sweet potato stashed in the potatoes & onions basket for almost 2 weeks now.  When I took them out just now, a few roots were already growing...hehehez.  Before they turned into something else, I thought I should make some kuih keria.  There's 3 types of kumaras here : red, orange & gold.  I used the orange kumara before and they were not good :( I had to add tonnes of flour before I could shaped them.  They also turned out hard, ugly and irregular.  These gold kumaras are the best ;) the kuih keria turned out soft, well shaped and still taste sweet potato-y hehehez.

Source : Nasi Lemak Lover.  Thank u for sharing this recipe ;)

Ingredients (Makes 18 pcs)
250g sweet potato, cooked and mashed (I used 400g)
50g all purpose flour (I used 80g)
15g glutinous rice flour (I used 30g)
A pinch of salt
1tbsp water or adjust accordingly ( it depend on the type of sweet potato you use) (I did not add)

Method
1. Combine all ingredients and knead till smooth dough.
2. Weight dough 30g each and shape it into small ball.
3. Flatten the ball, made a hole in the middle of the dough, and shape it like a donut shape (don’t need to use donut cutter).
4. Heat oil in a wok, deep fry sweet potato ring over medium flame till golden brown. Dish out and drain.

To coat Kuih Keria:-
1. In another clean pot, cook 1/3 cup sugar and 2tbsp water until syrupy and thick. Add fried sweet potato ring and coat well.
2. Serve warm with a cup of tea or coffee

Note: The above flour and water ingredients are just for your reference only, this is because different type of sweet potato have different texture of dough, you need to adjust the flour and water accordingly. Sometime I don’t need to add water but have to add more flour instead, personally I prefer the gold kumara aka sweet potato.

Thank you peeps, for dropping by my humble blog while I was away.  I will return the visits tonight after dinner, we are having homemade fresh fish and chips cooked by my personal naked chef...yummzz yummzz :D

Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)

Just an Update...

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Clear
Temp : 33°C | 11°C
Current :
Rain With Late Fog 
Temp : 20°C

Photo Source : Drama Wiki

Drama Title : Bread, Love & Dream Kim Tak Goo / Baking King Kim Tak Goo 

Episodes : 30

Salam, Kia Ora...

Oooppss no recipe today, just wanna update that I'm still alive and kicking after watching a 30 episodes Korean drama marathon ahaakkzz.  Oh me oh my, I finished watching that 30 x 1 hour per episodes in 4.5 days.

Review of the drama....a very slow start but I was hooked from episode 5 onwards.  I've been wanting to watch this drama since last year but didn't have the time to do so.  Not only its a romance, comedy but full of sad scenes too.....booohhhhoooo :'(  Just imagine me watching this drama crying my eyes out and not having enough sleep, I look horrible!!! Wahahahaz. :D :D

I finished watching the last episode yesterday around noon time.  I had my afternoon nap together with Jannah and was surprised that she fell asleep together with me in the scorching hot weather.  Dinner for the past 3 nights was simple.  We had Indo Mie Goreng, sandwiches and last night dinner was cheese and onion toasts which were prepared by hb.  I slept around 8pm last night and only woke up at 10am today nyehahahaz.  For dinner just now, I made briyani, beef korma & spiced pineapples but couldn't be bothered to blog abt them.  Next time I supposed ;)

Oh well, I'm gonna catch up with my beauty sleep again now.  Will blog walk tomorrow, once I regain my strength~~as if I've been doing laborious job :p.  I used to be able to go on without sleep for 2 days but the old age is catching up on me I reckoned.  Have a great time blogging peeps, I miss u guys.....but I need to shake off this tiredness 1st ZZZzzzz ;)

Me Te Aroha, With Love...
Anie ;) 

Steamed Glutinous Rice With Chicken (Lor Mai Kai)

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 30°C | 13°C
Current :
Mostly Clear 
Temp : 17°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

I remembered when I was still in SG, I used to stock up the freezer with frozen lor mai kai bought from NTUC.  The portion were small and I will usually heat up 2 pieces at a time in the microwave.  Add heaps of white pepper and enjoy them while they were still pipping hot...yummmy ;)

For fresh dumplings and baos, I usually just head to the 7/11 stores to buy them.  A few times when I went there the food warmers were empty but when they were filled I will definitely buy the bbq chicken baos, prawn siew mais & LMK made by HongKong DimSums as I simply luv them.  Its been awhile now that I last indulged in those yummy dumplings....booo hooo 

Anyway, I'm so used to the frozen LMK whereby the glutinous rice is white and not black.  Yesterday, I googled for the recipe and was disappointed when all the recipes I stumbled upon features the black glutinous rice.  Nonetheless, I decided to give this recipe a try.  I followed the recipe for the chicken marinade and omitted mushrooms bcos I simply hate them and adjusted the glutinous rice seasoning ingredients so that the glutinous rice remains white.  I'm glad this recipe produces yummy LMK.....really satisfy my cravings of LMK!! yummmmmzzz ;pppppp 

Recipe adapted from Seasaltwithfood. Recipe below has been amended by me.  This recipe produces 8 bowls for me.  I had 2, Jannah had 1 and I froze the rest ;)

Steamed Glutinous Rice With Chicken

Ingredients For Glutinous Rice :

2 Cups Glutinous Rice, soaked overnight and drained
1 1/2 Tbsp Peanut Oil
8 Small Ramekins or 4 stainless steel bowls (5” diameter)
Seasoning
2 tsp Salt
½ tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Sugar
A few dashes of White Pepper

Marinate For Chicken :

1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
½ tsp Minced Ginger
2 tsp Sugar
½ tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Corn Flour
A few dashes of White Pepper

300 g Chicken Thigh, boneless and skinless
150 g Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless


Method

Cut the chicken into small bite-size pieces and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Place the soaked glutinous rice in a large tray and steam for 20 minutes. Remove the rice from the steamer and mix well with the seasoning. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 ½ tbsp oil and cook the chicken on medium heat. Stir the chicken pieces for about 5 minutes and remove from the heat.

Lightly oil the ramekins or bowls and divide the chicken evenly. Then top with glutinous rice and press firmly. Cover the bowls with aluminum foil and steam on high heat for about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Back to watching Korean dramas now, bye bye everyone...


Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)

Butter Cheese Cake

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 28°C | 13°C
Current :
Partly Cloudy
Temp : 17°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

This morning, my personal chef took over the kitchen to make us a yummilicious brekkie.  Me and Jannah were sitting on the kitchen stools while waiting for our french toast to be ready.  I was surfing the net when hb told me to open the door. He saw the postie approaching our front door so, I got up and opened the door.  The first thing I saw the postie holding on was a package with a 'Singapore Post' written on it.

Surprise, surprise....it was a parcel from home yippppieee.  From my luvly mama, sista and brudder.  I read the consignment note and saw handbag written on it.  I was opening the package really slow and careful but hb being the impatient one, asked me to just rip the packaging open....hahahaz.  I didnt listen to him of course and took my time :D.  When I finally opened the package, I was so overjoyed to see a Coach wristlet in it ;)  Thank u guys....

I baked this butter cheese cake yesterday since I have cream cheese saved from the disastrous RVC.  Luv this cake, it sort of taste in between a butter cake and a pound cake.  I had 2 pieces for breakfast today.  It was yummier today as the cake turns very oily and moist...yummzz yummmzz.  The only complaint is....its not sweet enough.  I usually reduce the amount of sugar when I bake, luckily I didn't reduce the sugar for this recipe.  Was surprised that even hb likes this cake.  Usually, he prefers thickly iced cake compared to plain ones ;)

My cake with the pockmark skin......eeeiiiwww but delicious ^_^

Source : NCC-Fatmah Bahalwan.

Ingredients :
A.:
225 gr   standard flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp    salt


B.:
200 gr    butter
175 gr    cream cheese
½ tsp     grated lemon rind
175 gr    caster sugar
5           egg yolks


C.:
5           egg whites
1 tsp      lemon juice


Method:

1. Grease and flour 6 mini bundt cake pans.  (I just used a bundt pan)
2. B: Whisk butter and cream cheese till pale and fluffy.  Add sugar and continue whisking.
3. Add egg yolks and continue whisking.  Lastly add grated lemon rind and whisk until well combined.
4. Fold in A into B with a spatula and put aside.
5. In a clean bowl, whisk C until stiff peak and add into A and B in stages and mix until well combined. 
6. Pour batter into pans and bake in a 180 deg C oven.

Okay nite nite everyone.....selamat malam, oyasuminasai, annyeonghi jumuseyo, wan an.  I haven't learn good night in any other languages....ahakkkss

Me Te Aroha...With Love,

Anie ;)

Shepherd's Pie

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Clear
Temp : 28°C | 14°C
Current :
Partly Cloudy With Extreme UV(11) Warning
Temp : 26°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

Its another beautiful sunny day today.  Not too hot, just nice.  I'm sure its gonna be scorching hot from 2pm onwards.  Don't really like it bcos I usually cook dinner at abt 4.30pm, can imagine how hot and sweaty it will be slaving in front of the stove.  Not complaining in fact,  alhamdullilah, thank God, with this beautiful sunshine weather, my washing gets dry in no time.  Only thing is that I still have that laundry basket filled with clean clothes from my previous washing which are still pending, to be folded and ironed....huhuhu.

Yesterday, I defrosted some minced meat planning to make shepherd's pie.  I've never make SP before.  So, I went blog walking to look for SP's recipe.  I know its easy to make but I just want a rough idea on what the ingredients will be.  Went to a few famous blogger's blog and it was unbelievable for me to know that none of them has this recipe in their collection...hehehez :D

So, I googled the recipe and decided to use Rachel Ray's recipe.  I did make a few amendments to the ingredients and used a 2 litre baking dish to bake the SP.  At the end of the day, we really enjoyed the SP and before we knew it half of the SP was gone.  Packed half of the leftover for hb's lunch and the other half for mine and Jannah's lunch today ;) 

The 1st picture is hb's hand, not mine...hahahaz.  He was enjoying, playing around with the potato ricer....aiyayayayay

Adapted from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals with a few amendments by me towards the original recipe.

Ingredients

For Mashed Potato:

• 1-1.5 kg potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Minced Meat Base:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 1/2 kg minced beef or lamb (I used beef) 
• 3 handfuls of frozen mixed veggies
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef stock or broth  (I used half a cube of beef stock and add 1 cup water)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 cup grated cheese (I used Colby)

Method:

- Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl.  Add butter and milk into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
- While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper.
- Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings.
- Add mixed veggies, garlic and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes.
- Whisk in broth and add Worcestershire Sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables.
- Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture.
- Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve .


How I assembled the Shepherd's Pie :

1. Fill the baking dish with the cooked minced meat. I used a 2 litre baking dish.
2. Spoon half of the mashed potatoes on top of the meat.
3. Sprinkle the grated cheese.
4. Piped the rest of the mashed potato on top of the cheese or you can just spoon the rest of the mashed potato on top of the cheese.
5. Bake in a 190-200 degrees fan forced oven for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)



Lempeng aka Malay Crepe

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 34°C | 12°C
Current :
Partly Cloudy With Extreme UV(11) Warning
Temp : 29°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

Everytime I try to start my 1st paragraph, I find it hard to find words and start composing.  I always said this is gonna be a short entry but after typing I realised that I'm already at my 3rd paragraph...hahahaz.  For me it's always hard to start but I dunno how I managed to tell grandma's story and managed to have a long winded entry instead..........

Talk abt grandma...hmmm my late grandma I should say.  When I was in primary school, I used to stay with my grandma during the school holidays.  I used to help her to pound chillies for sambal, stir her cooking and even fry fritters for our afternoon tea.  This is one of the comfort food that she used to make for me and my cuzzie for breakfast when we were there.  It's called lempeng, sort of like crepe but its usually eaten with spicy dishes like curries or sambal.  Best eaten with anchovies sambal....yummzz yummzz.

Anyway, I made beef curry for dinner last night.  As usual, when hb sees curry he wants roti as in Indian roti to accompany the dish.  Most of the times, I don't comply and we will just have the curry with rice.  Sometimes, I will buy ready made Indian roti from the supermarket...hehehez.  Last night, he asked for roti again and I decide to comply this time since he had a bad day at work.  Instead of making roti, I made him lempeng bcos I was lazy hehehez.  Its easier, I don't have to roll it with rolling pin and easy clean up :D

Still thinking if should bake a cake today.  Must watch my diet but my mouth been itching for a slice of cake after that RVC disaster....uuuwwwaaaa!!!!  It's so hard to resist temptation :(

Ingredients

• 2 cups Standard Flour
• 4 cups Water
• 1 egg
• Salt To Taste
• A Few Drops of Yellow Food Colouring

Method

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir using a whisk until batter is smooth and not lumpy.
• Strain batter into another bowl.
• Pour abt 2 ladles of batter in a fry pan and cook on medium heat till cook.  (Just like making pancakes)
• Serve with curry or sambal.....enjoy ;)

Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)

Red Velvet Cake, a feast for the sheeps & lambs @_@

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Clear
Temp : 34°C | 12°C
Current :
Rain With Very Strong Wind
Temp : 24°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

This RVC has been in my list for a while now.  As always, my favourite past time is to procrastinate...hehehez that's why its taken me this long to bake the cake.  When I saw this cake featured in Zarin's blog for her 1st blogiversary, I became determined to bake it. 

I'm not a big fan of oil cake except for chiffons and have been substituting most cakes and muffins recipes that calls for oil with melted butter.  This time, I decided to follow the recipe and stick to using oil.  The other reason why I am hesitant to bake this cake is bcos of the amount of food colouring.  Its a shocker!!  @_@ 2 ounces of food colouring!!  Oh me, oh my that equals to 4 tablespoons!!  No way am I gonna add that much food colouring, I might turn into spiderman hahahaz.  I just added half a tablespoon liquid food colouring and a little Wilton red colouring gel instead.

So many things not to like aye?  Why did I decide to bake this cake then?  Because...its been getting great reviews and most reviewers said that its a very moist cake and the flavour is to die for and its very velvety.  Another thing is this cake is one the must bake cake. Its one of the most popular entry amongst fellow food bloggers, just like the Caramel Pudding Cake & Kek Alunan Kasih....hahahaz.  I succumbed to the temptation as I've never eaten velvet in my life but of course, I want to be in with the jonsey ;) ROFL!!

Anyway, I levelled the cake and ate the trimmings, it taste yuckks!!!  Jeeezzz, maybe bcos of the colour, it sort of taste like haw flakes to me....hehehez.  Jannah hates it too!!  It doesn't smell like a cake at all and taste sort of stale.  There's no cake aroma wafting from the oven while I was baking it that's when I knew it was gonna turn out a disaster :( and what's with all that holes it the cake?  I wonder why?? 

Oh well, I tried....I wasted the cake but not my cream cheese phewww.  Will I try it again....errkkk no thanks >.<  Hope the sheeps and lambs wont be having any tummy aches after eating the cake....wondering if they will turn red the next day? hahahaz.  If they do, I will take another photo of them again......

That's how up close and personal we are with the sheeps, they are just at our doorstep :)

Just sharing the recipe if you wanna try it.  Bakerella gave it a good review.  She even turned it into cake pops. 

Source : Bakerella.

Red Velvet Cake
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar (I only used 1 cup)
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil (I used canola oil)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 oz. red food coloring

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 177 degrees C.
• Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans.
• Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside.
• Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together really good with another wire whisk.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.
• Pour into cake pans and then drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• After about ten minutes, remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack. I also cover in plastic wrap while the cakes cool.
• Then make the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups confectioners’ sugar (OMG! 6 cups equals to diabetes...hehehez I will only use 3/4 to 1 cup if I did make the frosting)

• Sift sugar and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy. Add vanilla.
• Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.
• And frost away.

Me Te Aroha, With Love...
Anie ;)

Grilled Honey Lemon Chicken Wings

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 32°C | 16°C
Current :
Light Breeze With Late Fog
Temp : 23°C

Salam, Kia Ora..

I know its been too quiet from my end, while I can see other bloggers are actively updating their blogs like 2 to 3 times a day.  WoowwwWeee!!  I really salute those bloggers who have the opportunities to blog abt their yummy bakes and dishes regularly.  Hmmmzzzz, actually I envy them hahahaz. 

Today, I told hb that I needed to post an entry as its been ages since I last posted one.  His reply was "I thought you've blogged abt the sausage rolls a few days back, how can that be ages?"  When I told him abt how frequent some bloggers update their blogs, all he could reply was 'holy molly'.  Holly molly alright...ahakkss :D

The temperature here has been hot and muggy and its screwing Jannah's bedtime I reckoned.  She only fell asleep at 10.30pm compared to her normal bedtime that is between 8.30pm to 9pm.  She was tossing around, playing, rolling in her blankie and kicking the bedroom wall.  I accompanied her in her bedroom, but was getting bored and irritated bcos she didn't want to go to sleep....haiizz.  I had to bribe her!!  Told her that I will take her shopping tomorrow if she goes to sleep now.  Oh, what do ya know??  10 minutes later, she's in lala land.  She said she wanted blue's clues...hopes that she doesn't remember the bribery tomorrow morning *crosses fingers and toes* smirksssssss >.<

Just sharing a simple grilled chicken recipe that we had for dinner just now ;)

My all time favourite part of the chicken is the wing tips...yummmy ;pppp

Ingredients :

• Abt 1 - 1.5 kgs chicken wings
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped finely
• 1 cm ginger - chopped finely
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 4 - 6 tblsp honey (add less or more, adjust accordingly to your taste bud)
• salt & pepper to taste.
• 2 lemons

Method :

• Clean chicken and drain excess water.
• Marinade chicken with all the above ingredients except the lemons for at least half an hour.  The longer its left marinated, the better.
• Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the chicken wings before grilling them.
• Grill the chickens in a 180 to 200 degrees C oven till cook. (Fan grill is the best)
• Once cooked, squeeze the juice of the other lemon over the chicken wings and serve.

Happy weekend everyone.

Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)

Sausage Rolls

Weather for Te Awamutu today

Season :
Summer
Forecast :
Chance of Rain
Temp : 29°C | 18°C
Current :
Partly Cloudy After Midnight
Temp : 23°C

Salam, Kia Ora...

Oh me, oh my its so freaking hot today, it was so hot also yesterday :(  We have 3 fans running, 1 fan each.  Hb whom is not a fan of fans (fans = electrical fan) hahahaz XD even turned the fan on.  As for little madame Jannah, she and her blanket cant be separated.  She just cant sleep without her blanket and she was so sweaty that her pillow was wet.  I had to remove her clothes as well as her blankie when she was fast asleep.

Jannah had a dip in her little pool yesterday and today to cool off.  Yesterday, she didn't want to leave the water even though her fingers and toes have turned into prunes & raisins and apart from being cold and shivering haizzz.  It was easier to lure her out of the pool today with the sausage rolls...hahahaz.  I supposed she had enough bcos she was in there for almost 2 and half hours.  This kinda weather isn't doing any justice to my face either.  I have pimples popping out, as if I'm going thru puberty again....but I don't feel like a teenager at all booo hooo @_@

Other than having pimples popping out like nobody, nobody but you.  Errmmm no....like nobody's business I mean, we also lost our appetite.  Too much drinking water and juice I supposed, these sausage rolls were our dinner just now.  Jannah, being the cheeky one like she has always been, only ate the bun and left the sausage behind, as usual she asked for rice. Sorry bubbah no rice again today......

Source : CMG.  Thank CMG for sharing this recipe ;)

Ingredients
250 grams bread flour (high protein flour)
50 g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 g milk powder
1/4 teaspoon bread improver
1/4 teaspoon bread softener
30 g egg (Break an egg, lightly beat it and only use 30g)
6 grams of instant yeast
20 g butter
125ml warm water (use room temperature tap water if using BreadMaker)
14 stick chicken sausage (I only had 10)

Garnish
Sesame seeds
Egg Wash (Use the leftover egg and add 1 tblsp milk)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients for the dough in a container, except for the butter and mix well.  Add butter and continue to knead until dough becomes elastic.  Then shape it into a ball and let the dough rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
2. Bread Maker - Put all the ingredients into the bread maker, select the dough only setting and press "ON" and let the bread maker do the hard work for u :)
3. Blanch the sausages in hot water, dry them with paper towels and let them cool down.
4. Once the dough is ready, punch the excess air and roll it into a square shape and divide the dough into 14 equal pieces.  (I only divided them into 10)
5. Use 1 piece of the dough to wrap the sausage.  You can click here for the step by step on how it is done.
6. Arrange them on a baking tray that has been lightly buttered or lined with baking paper.
7. Proof for a further 45 mins.
8. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seed.
9. Bake for at least 10 mins in a 190 deg C oven.

It's almost midnight and its still hot.  I've yet to iron hb's uniform.  Perhaps I'll sleep first and iron them when its cooler in the morning before he goes off to work tomorrow ;)


Good night everyone....yawwnnzzZZzzz


Me Te Aroha...With Love,
Anie ;)