Simply Cupcakes!

Sometimes simple is better. We, No.3 and I, made these simple cupcakes this afternoon, just butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla. I don't think it took us more than 10 minutes to have them ready for the oven. Another 10 minutes in the oven, they are ready. Scrumptious, even without frosting. Perfect for Sunday afternoon tea.

Working With Kaffir Lime Leaves

I got a whole packet of kaffir lime leaves last week. I needed about five of them to make Indonesian snack lemper ayam, banana leaf-wrapped chicken rice parcels. Either banana leaves or crepes are used in Indonesia to wrap the rice. The kaffir lime leaves was cooked together with the chicken, the result was just great, great fragrance. I didn't have any banana leaves therefore I used crepes to wrap them. It was my first attempt and I was quite happy with the result.



I am left with still plenty of kaffir lime leaves. I know that some Thai dishes use kaffir lime leaves but I was not into Thai food at the moment. An idea came to head, another Indonesian dish that could use more of my leaves, called Opor Ayam or Coconut Curry Chicken. Searching the recipe on the net, I found that different website gives variations of the recipe, but I picked up some ingredients that I had and tossed in some leaves on my dish. I love it, despite having to answer at least four similar questions from the people that live with me here, what I cooked. I thought it was delicious and authentic. I had it with steamed white rice and I thought I would cook them again in the future. DH refused to have them because it has lots of coconut milk. I was not surprise.



I longed for something spicy all week. With a pack of shrimp in the fridge, I made a quick stir fry with onion, garlic, green and red chillis, salt, and of course, more kaffir lime leaves. Spicy and wickedly delicious. DH said he was going to eat one, yes, one shrimp only, because he is trying not to consume much of shellfish. He ended up eating two. Wowww.... that's doubling the original portion, he must have liked it!!

She Saw These In New Zealand

Try to read those Maori words out loud, the one in BIG YELLOW, the very long one. I gave up after a few syllables. My tongue was twisted. The English version is the gathering place for the war parties of Wahiao.
Interesting isn't it?.



I feel somewhat obligated to put some of the pictures that my little one and her friends took when they went to New Zealand last month. Maybe I should call it guilty feeling! She took many pictures. There are in fact more than 950 pictures to choose from, varying from the cloud, the sky, kangaroos, goats, lamb, pigs, someone's eyes, someone's bag, someone's bald head, someone's iPod and practically plenty of, sorry to say, simply out-of-focus wacky pictures.



Some of the pictures were really good, in the sense that they gave me something new to learn. She went to they places that I have never been too and it is interesting to see them from her point of view. Mind you,I am not talking about her friends' eyes, her friends' bag, and the assistant head.



Definitely, she was having too much fun, along with her friends that used her camera, to take better pictures which she normally does. Here are kiwifruit trees especially for those who never saw them before, like me. And more animals in the farm pictures .......

Chocolaty Chocolate Cake

I started the day early yesterday, my usual weekday time. It turned out to be a very busy day. Exhausting day, but I got a lot of things done. Towards the end of the day, I stumbled over a box of Betty Crocker's Cake Mix, my last one that I got from the USA trip last July, expiring at the end of the month.



Turned on the oven, in cake mix into the bowl, tossed in eggs, water and oil, did some quick whisking, poured into the baking pans and sent into the oven.



I personally prefer chocolate glaze to frosting. I prefer chocolaty taste to sugary one. But since I won't be eating much of it, I shouldn't, I obliged to the request for frosting. Hershey's recipe for frosting was used.



DH is still away until Friday night, the kids are around and happy with the heavy-duty wicked chocolate cake treat.

I Spy With My Little Eyes....

DH, No. 3 and I were on the way back home last Saturday after a visit to the new Orthodontist and No.3's weekly lunch at Sushi Tei. Yes, it has been weekly for her and DH over the past three weeks since she got back from New Zealand and so many other weekends prior to that. The rest of us have gotten so tired of the food from there and couldn't bear eating their food every so often.

The traffic was slow and without warning, this little Sushi Tei lover burst into laughter and pointed at the public bus in front of our car. The bus number sign was apparently placed upside down. It was not (really) funny actually, I have seen something like that before. But if that makes an 11 year old happier, let that be! And we just had a free good laugh over it...

Here Is The Tutu We Love

Last Thursday, No. 3 requested me to buy some Kueh Tutu if I happened to be nearby a stall that sell them. Kueh Tutu or sometimes called Tutu Kuih is a local delicacy here. We all like the ones with sweetened shredded coconut (you can have them with peanuts as well). They are S$2.20 for 5 pieces and it's best to eat them while they are still warm. They are made from rice flour or glutinous rice flour, steamed and served on a small square piece of pandan leaf to add fragrance. They are our family's favorite for a long time.

Kueh Tutu are made on the spot when you order them and normally, you can view how they are made. Very interesting!

Corn Bread, The Recipe

With DH being away most of the time and three kids with loads and loads of needs and wants, I tend to have a long to-do list. I, therefore, am doing the best I can, not to procrastinate. I doesn't always work my way though, because at times, I drag my feet on and on and the list gets longer. Several things have been on the list for a couple of years. In fact, I have some unfinished cross stitch projects that I started before my first one was born, more than 17 years ago, one of which was intended for her. Also, a patch work that I initiated around 6-7 years ago and still remains a WIP (Work In Progress). I really don't know if I will ever go back and finish them up.....Maybe someday.

I am happy to say that one was crossed out today, we got a new orthodontist for the kids!



So here we go, the corn bread recipe:

Ingredients:
¾ c cornmeal
1 ¼ c milk
1 c flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/3 c sugar, and 1Tsp if you like it sweeter like I do
2 medium size eggs (beaten) or 1 large egg
¼ c melted butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Grease an 8 inch square pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and butter until smooth for about 3-5 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Follow My Crave

I was craving for cornbread this afternoon, so I went online looking for the recipe and put together a new composition for my own corn bread and whoopee .... I am contented, or rather, my tummy is. Happy tummy is happy me!

Banda Aceh At A Glance

Never, I would have guessed, that this beautiful beach is in Banda Aceh. Click this link for more pictures.



Banda Aceh is the capital city of Aceh province of Indonesia, located at the very north tip of Sumatera island. It is one of the oldest Islamic city in South East Asia. Therefore, girls and women are expected to observe and adhere Islamic dress code, i.e. covering their legs and arms.



On December 26, 2004, tsunami hit Banda Aceh shore and reportedly killed more than 90,000 people, some said that more than 140,000 people were killed, I am not sure which number is correct. Wikipedia lists its population as 260,000 per 2006. A small town indeed by anybody's standard.

My No.1 has been fortunate enough to get the opportunity with some of her friends to spend a week in Banda Aceh to teach English in a local high school over there. Not only teaching that she experienced, but also the joyful and happy life of the youngsters over there, how welcoming and kind they were to the visitors. The hosts were kind enough to take them around to see their city and their beautiful beach.





Teenagers going to school in motorcycle seem to be a familiar scene over there, like in many smaller cities in Indonesia.



Aside from cars, becaks (rickshaws) are commonly used as public transport. Pizza Hut and KFC apparently are there already along with some other western food vendors, I am quite certain that there are quite a number of foreigners living there, helping the rebuilding project.



No tall buildings, everything look descent and stress level doesn't seem to be as high as in big metropolitan cities. School buildings look new and apparently they were built quite recently.



Unexpectedly, despite some hiccups prior to leaving for Banda Aceh, No.1 truly had an experience that she won't forget easily and she carries on her friendship with many wonderful students there. I believe she still keeps in touch with some. I am not sure if she is willing to admit, it is very likely that she had a great time there.

Grey & Wet Weekend

The sky was dark by around 11 o'clock in the morning and I tagged along with DH and No.2 & 3, trying to get a ride and run some errands.


And rain started to pour while we were still on the way there and it got heavier as we parked our car.


DH and the kids crossed the street in the middle of pouring rain, because they had appointment with the dentist. I was supposed to cross the street and take subway to my destination but I thought it was a bit silly to get wet and then go shopping. So I thought I should just wait a bit. The rain was way too heavy. I waited and waited. And waited. 20 minutes later, the rain started to calm down but thunders and lightnings began to take over. Roaring, again and again. What's the matter with the weather?? I continued waiting.

From afar, I saw DH were walking back with the kids. Back to the car, back home! What a waste of my time!

Moral of the story: what a miserable day!