Wordless Wednesday : Still cleaning......until

Lucky that I do watch a few McGyver series.....nyehahahaz

Peanut Butter & Banana Pound Cake With Nutella Glaze

Salam to all,

I have to agree with the tv show 's quote 'Kids Say The Darnest Thing'.  That's what happened to us today.  Me and hb really had a good laugh while we were having our dinner just now.  We were watching the current affairs show on tv and the topic today was : Are NZ Employer Racist?  There was an online discussion on facebook and the presenter read one of the feedback.  I quote this from the current affair's website "Sorry that you call Yik a New Zealander as whether he was born here or not, he is not a kiwi in our eyes - excuse the pun.  I would like to think Maori or European"..... then the tv changed to another channel cos we booked a programme that we wanna watch.  Hb goes "Yeah right...what about my daughter??  She's half Maori and half Malay and she's born here.  She is a kiwi."  Suddenly we heard a response from Jannah that made us burst into laughters "I'm not a kiwi....I'm a UNICORN!!"  Adeehhhhh.......Jannah, Jannah LOL!!!

While I was accompanying Jannah in her room to sleep ealier....she said something silly again that made me laugh.  "Mama.....tangan Jannah pening arh."  I had to ask her again "Apanya yang pening?"  She replied "Tangan Jannah lah pening....dah sakit.  Nak kena pergi Xray....doctor nak tengok the bones.  Mama gosok kasi tak pening lah."  Adoooooiiii pengsan, pengsan!!  Tangan pun boleh pening wahahahahaz!!! 

Ok lah let me tell you story of this cake.  Actually, I took a break from cleaning this morning.  I was still in the midst of revamping Jannah's room.  It is still topsy turvy as I moved the furniture around again.  She growled me for making her room messy....how ironic is that hahahaz.  Usually, its the other way round.   Oh well, it's only half messy at the moment.  The other half of the room is sparkling clean.....no dust, no cobwebs ok little gal yg tangan pening!!!   Before I make this cake....I actually made some nutella cheese cupcake which I gladly donated them to the bin.  Dunno what went wrong with the recipe.....Yes!!  I blame the recipe nyehahahahaz.  As the chocolate smell from the not so good cupcakes was still overwhelming the house, I decided to bake again as I have this dissatisfied feeling sort of lingering around me.

I choose to bake another  recipe using peanut butter since I want to finish the smooth peanut butter.  A big fan of peanut butter I am but when it comes to peanut butter sandwich....I choose the super crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth.  Nutella.....I have it in abundance.  Bought 2 750gm jars when it was on clearance last month.  Verdict......we luv this cake ;) whats not to like about peanut butter, banana and nutella.  When they are combined together, I can eat until my kepala pening wahahahaz!!!

There was too much cake batter to fill up 1 bundt pan.  I used the mini bundt pan for the rest of the batter and got 4 pieces.  And......don't ask me where the marble swirl is cos I dont know where it's currently hiding at hmmmmzzzzz.

Source : Karly @ Buns In My Oven

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter, divided
2 3/4 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 large bananas, mashed
1 cup Nutella, divided
2 tablespoons milk or water (optional)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup of the peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the sugar, mixing until light and airy, around 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour and salt to the mixer, all at once, and mix just until incorporated. Mix in the mashed banana on low.
Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Drop heaping spoonfuls of Nutella over the top of the batter, about 1/2 a cup. Using a butter knife, swirl the Nutella all throughout the cake to get a marbled look.
Bake the cake for 60 - 75 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a tester comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Heat remaining Nutella and peanut butter in the microwave in 10 second intervals to soften it up enough to drizzle. If desired, mix in a little milk or water to thin the glaze out.
Drizzle on top of the bundt cake.

One thing for sure, its gonna taste better tomorrow ;)  Have a blessed week ahead y'all....insyaAllah.  TTFN........

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread

Salam everyone,

I've been in my cleaning mood these past few days.  I don't know why but that rarely happen to me.  I am not a cleaning person, I hate cleaning and I am allergic to dust and the vacuum cleaner......hehehez.  I remember when Jannah was still a baby/toddler, she got scared whenever she hears the sound of a vacuum or a blender.  Everytime I turned these 2 appliances on, she will quickly run into her room.  She will cringe and hold me thightly whenever I hold either the vacuum or blender close to her without even turning them on.  Hb once said to Jannah...."It's ok to be scared of vacuum now but not when u grow up.  Don't be like mama....she's scared of the vacuum."  Duh!!!  I am not scared of vacuum, I just hate cleaning, period and will only clean if I have to ahakkkksss.

Since my cleaning mojo was at my highest high.  I stripped up the cooker hood and cleaned it starting from the top to every nooks and crannies of the hood.   Got a few cuts from trying to clean the inside edges of the hood and I even did a thorough clean of the oven.  They are not really dirty-dirty bcos I do keep them clean at all time and I make sure I clean up all the spits (from cooking) and spills immediately.  Even though I admit that I am lazy, I just hate to clean any burnt on grease or spills that's why I make it a habit to clean as I go.  I even cleaned the bathroom and sanitised it which is usually hb's job.  Next, I've planned to clean all the kitchen drawers...take everything out.  Vacuum it......hehehez I know what u thinking and wiped them all clean.  Oh well, it's only a plan....it might not happen heeezzzz.  One thing that must be done though is to 'decobwebtise' and clean the dust from the heater :( 

Anyway, I promised hb to bake his all time favourite shortbread cookies.  I think his part Scottish is coming out of him when it comes to choice of cookies.  He even asked me to coat them with chocolate this time.  To me, I prefer shortbreads as original as they can be.  The dark chocolate coating seems to be too overpowering the buttery goodness of the shortbread.  I have made them before using the exact same recipe....I luv this recipe as its not only simple but it just taste oh so original.  As original as a Scottish shortbread should be but once they were dipped in chocolate, they don't taste original anymore. Just like hb whom is part Scottish and part Maori.....hehehez.  He claims to be a Maori though bcos he's more closer to his Maori roots and culture.


Source : Amber @ Blue Bonnets And Brownies
Previously on : Me Te Aroha
Enough to fill one shortbread mold.

Ingredients
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. powdered (icing) sugar
1/4 tsp. fine grain (table) salt
3/4 c. butter (1 1/2 sticks) (I used anchor)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence (I added)

Method
Using a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse the ingrdedients once or twice just to thoroughly combine them.
Chop butter into large chunks and distribute evenly around the food processor bowl.
Replace the lid and process for 30-90 seconds, until the dough resembles fine crumbs.
Roll dough into a ball and chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
Take dough out of the fridge and roll it and cut into 1inch(w) x 3 inches (l), or you can use any cutters that you like.
Prick dough with a fork and bake it on a lined tray for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Dip in melted dark chocolate once shortbreads are cool.

Have a luvly weekend ;)  TTFN.......

Kuih Kaswi

Salam everyone,

I haven't had any new entry the past 11 days sigghhhh :(  Been busy doing a very thorough spring cleaning at home.  Yes....the current season is spring~~ did I type spring??  Wrong season dah dey!!  I meant its autumn right now in New Zealand, soon winter will be here.  I had to junk out the master bedroom, clear all th cobwebs & whats not under the bed and rearrange hb's rugby collection.  We are replacing our bed and been out doing furniture shopping last week when hb had his 4 days off.  We had to hire a trailer, cost us $30 and took our old furniture and rubbish to the refuse station and had to pay $50 to dump the trailer load of rubbish.....haiiizz :(  So, Singaporeans.....do appreciate the Bangla cleaners ok!!  U guys are lucky cos u just need to illegally dump your old furniture under the void decks and Mr Bangla will clear them for u at no fees at all.....pfffttt!!!  Work many, many....pay little, little >.<

Other than junking out the room, I took out all the winter duvets from storage, air them out and wash all the mink (faux cant afford the real mccoy :p) blankets and throws to prepare for winter.  I usually like to prepare the winter necessities during spring, before the fine weather packs up, otherwise it will be impossible to air them and dry them.  A day after I did all the hard work, the horrible (spring??) autumn weather finally hits us along with strong winds as well as floods in many parts of North Island pheeww.  Alhamdullilah we were not affected.  The weather has been playing up the whole day today.  We had heavy wind early hours in the morning, followed by a little sunshine in the morning....that's when I decided to hang out the washing.  Suddenly it was raining heavily in the afternoon.  At abt 2pm the sun was shining so brightly till abt 6pm.  Lucky me, experiencing all the 4 seasons in a day but am glad that I managed to get my washing dry ;)

After all that cleaning, I couldnt be bothered to do any baking at all as I was suffering from the constant acchhoooinggg.  Hb been asking when will I bake his favourite shortbread cookies again.  Yes AGAIN....hehehez.  I did bake the cookies for him but today I am going to post on kuih kaswi instead :ppp.  This is my first try at making them.  All this while I have been buying them from Bengawan Solo.  I am happy with the outcome of my kuih kaswi and was surprised that Jannah luvs them too.  I didnt even offer them to hb cos I know he wouldnt like them at all.  I popped these little beauties in the microwave.....I couldnt be bothered to steam them and I don't have a proper steamer anyway.  I tried putting 1 into the microwave first and from there adjusted the timing & the power percentage accordingly.  The first one that successfully came out of the microwave, I had it while it was still pipping hot with Jannah using a spoon.....hehehez yummy :ppp.  Thank you K1 for the luvly yet easy recipe.

Source : K1 @ Citarasawan
Translated by me, myself & I ;)

Ingredient A
1 1/2 cup gula merah or palm sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 pieces pandan leaves knotted
(Boiled together = 2 cups of sugar syrup)

Ingredient B
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
3 cups water
2 tblsp air kapur or lime stone paste (I did not add)

Ingredient C
Grated coconut sprinkled with a little bit of salt.
(I used dessicated coconut, add a little bit of water and salt and microwaved it 30sec on high)

Method
Put all ingredients A into a saucepan.  Boil on medium heat and leave aside until sugar syrup is cooled.
Whisk together all ingredients B.
When sugar syrup cools, add into ingredients B and whisk until all are well incorporated.  Sieve the mixture and pour into a 9 inch tin that has been greased with cooking oil.
Cover with aluminium foil and steam for 30 mins.
Let the kuih cools down completely before cutting and serve with the grated coconut.

Note :  I made half of the recipe and I used the small red cups, usually used to make kuih lompang.  Oil the cups first before pouring the mixture. Popped 4 of them each time into the microwave on 50% for 2mins 45secs.

Left some without coconut for Jannah as she specifically told me she doesnt want any coconut on hers.  She ate 4 pieces at one go and I was surprised that she really luvs them.  I was enjoying mine and bit half of the kuih and Jannah came along and asked me to feed her the other half....heeez.  TTFN ;)

Chocolate Cupcake With Peanut Butter Frosting

Salam to all ;)

A new week starts tomorrow.  Did everyone enjoy the weekend??  I am  in Jannah's room right now, typing in the dark while waiting for her to go to sleep.  She's been doing big yawns and been playing with her blanket and pillows since 8.15pm.  It's been an hour and I am getting impatient, I hope she goes to sleep soon.  She keeps on saying that she cant sleep bcos her legs are very sore.  I checked....everything seems fine.  She must be running and hopping around too much during the day I reckon......

My left eye is feeling a little 'hot' right now......adeeehhh!!  I must have accidentally rubbed it after handling some chillies when I made dinner just now.  At the same time my inner left ear is feeling extremely itchy, somebody must be gossiping and saying something evil abt me ahakkksss and the left side of my forehead is very, very itchy too.  Feels like a pimple or two might pop on that area??  Probably!!  Haiizzz.....so many things happening to me at the same time....all on the left side of the body >.<

U must be thinking that I might be addicted to chocolate and peanut butter to be making these cupcakes right after consuming the peanut butter cheesecake swirl brownie that I made a few days back hehehez.  It's really true.....it feels that I didnt get enough of chocolate and peanut butter that's why I made these chocolate & peanut butter cupcakes :pp.  I made half of the recipe for the cupcakes as well as the frosting and got 12 pieces with a little bit of frosting left over.  Jannah specifically requested that I sprinkled 100s & 1000s  for her cupcake.  We really luv this cupcakes, its moist and bitter.  Makes you want bite the sweet icing to match them.  It really was a perfect match.....yummmmzzzz!!!!

Katy Perry's California Girls??? ^_^

Source : Karly @ Buns In My Oven
Adapted From : Hershey's

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cup water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans or line cupcake tins with paper liners.
Combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix on high for 3 minutes. Stir together cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the water, beating until well blended.
For cakes, bake 30-35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. For cupcakes, bake 20-25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

 

Peanut Butter Frosting
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat the first five ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes.

Alhamdullilah, Jannah has gone to sleep ;)  I might hit the sack soon....NitezzzZZZzz.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Salam to all,

What do u do when u have a block of cream cheese in the fridge which was bought so many months ago and will expire next month??  Make something sinful like this peanut butter cheesecake swirl brownie I supposed ~ even though my swirl is no where to be seen ahhaakkkss.  I tried my best to create the swirl but I am just not talented at all lah.....haiizz.  The peanut butter swirl got engulfed by the dark coloured chocolate brownie batter *sobs sobs* when I tried to swirl them.  My next project is to finish the mascarpone cheese and 1 litre whipped cream that will expire next month also.  What to bake.....what to bake haiizzz??  Thinking mode is on......

The chocolate aroma when the brownie was out of the oven really makes me feel like as if I am in a chocolate factory.  Adeeehhh this brownie I tell u is so rich with chocolate and cheese, once u have a bite u will "sure forget nama emak".  A popular phrase usually quoted by the none other famous blogger Uncle Lee nyehahahaz.  I am a very big fan of peanut butter.  I luv to have my toast with peanut butter and strawberry jam and when peanut butter was combined with this brownie.....Abislah dah cfm!!!  I have to ring my mummy now and asked for her name :ppppp

Yat Maria this is the fizzy drink that I was telling u abt.  Just Juice Bubbles....50% Juice & 50% Lemonade.  Our favourite drink ;) $1.99 for 1.25 litres.  One is orange & mango while the other is tropical.  There used to be other flavours like mandarin & passionfruit and lemon & lemonade but no longer on the supermarket shelfs.  Definitely can't find them in Singapore, JB and some say Batam ahakkksss ;)

Ok back to the brownie, the method suggests that brownies are best consumed after 24hrs and are fudgier when kept in the fridge.  Ehhhh I don't have the patience to wait that long.  If u are like me, have no patience to let the brownie cools down before cutting, I would advice u to 'not try it at home' otherwise it will crumble when u cut it but it was worth it hehehez.  Jannah ate the edges and came running back asking for more, by the time she ran back the 4th time, the amt of brownies she ate equates to 2 whole brownies.  Anyway, I made half ot the recipe from Annie's blog.  I copied the original recipe from The Kitchenist blog instead as its easier....no conversion or reduction required.

Source : Annie @ Annie's Eat
Adapted From : The Kitchenist

Brownies
200g unsalted butter (I used Anchor salted)
85g dark baking chocolate (I used Callebaut 64% Couverture), chopped
50g cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
225g caster sugar
3 large eggs
85g cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
70g plain flour
1/4 tsp. salt (I did not add)

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl
115g cream cheese (I used 165g cos that's how much was left)
85g peanut butter
3 Tbs. caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Prepare a 8 x 8″ baking pan by buttering the sides, and lining the bottom and two sides with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl or medium saucepan, melt together the butter and chocolate. When it’s smooth, remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, eggs and cream cheese. Finally, stir in the vanilla, flour and salt. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking tin, and set aside while you prepare the cheesecake swirl (if using).

3. For the peanut butter cheesecake swirl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Spread over the top of the brownie batter, and using a spoon or small spatula, swirl the two mixtures together.

4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until set and springy in the middle. Allow brownies to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Brownies are best after 24 hours, and get even fudgier if kept in the fridge.

Served warm with camouflage ice cream flavoured lime & chocolate and drizzled with Aunt Betty's dark chocolate sauce.  PBG (Perangai Budak Gemok)!!!  TTFN :ppppp

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Salam to all,

I really can't believe that its already Friday today.  It feels like the weekdays have gone too quickly this week.  Anyway, to everyone that has been waiting for this day to come, I wish u guys/gals a very happy weekend.  Yesterday, 1/3/2012 marks the first day of autumn here in NZ.  This year, it feels that summer never comes and suddenly its already autumn now.  Its been predicted that the weather will be crazy with gale force winds and heavy rain to hit the North Island - where we are at tonight/tomorrow. We are to expect power outages due to wind damage  :( Anyway, insyaAllah we will be fine.  Last year, a few houses got their roofs blown off and one local shop's glass panel was smashed to pieces due to very heavy wind.

Ok back to this cake.  Last year, I tried my hand at making a red velvet cake but I ended up giving them to the sheeps bcos it turned out to be a disaster ahaakkkss.  Only 2 old sheeps are left now in the paddock in front of  our house.  One has died and the little lambs have been slaughtered.  Not sure if there's gonna be any spring lambs born this year.  This time, I tried my luck at making these red velvet cupcakes since there was some cream cheese left from making the lemon pull apart bread and alhamdullilah they turned out good.  Only the cream cheese frosting were topsy turvy since I haven't got steady hands ahakkksss.  I made half of the recipes and got 11 cupcakes......supposed to be 12 if I didnt over filled them.

While setting up the table to photo this rvc, I have to go back to the kitchen to grab something that I've forgotten.  The next minute I heard one of the plank fell off the table :((  Haiizzz it was Jannah that knocked it down accidentally and came running to me.  I asked her what happened??  Her answer was "Takde apa2 lah....mama tak mo marah Jannah eh."  I asked her again what happened and she suddenly burst into tears.  I had a chuckle in my heart.  I didnt even growl her and she already started crying hahahaz.  Went back to my table and saw one of the plank was on the carpet together with 2 cupcakes.  Oh well, lucky it wasn't all of them on the floor otherwise.....no photos and no cupcakes for us!!!

Source : Annie @ Annie's eat
Adapted From : Saveur
Frosting From : Confections of a Foodie Bride

Ingredients: (I made half of the recipe)
For the cake:
2½ cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting:*8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
 

Directions:Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended.
Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.
Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.
Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.
Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

 

Have an enjoyable weekend everyone.  I have to go and iron hb's uniforms *sob sob* :ppp  TTFN ;)