Nancy Ho

The brownie yesterday was very nice. Decided to make some more after surfing at KC forum here's the recipe by Stephanie




YOU NEED:
125g butter
150g 70% cocoa solids chocolate
200g brown sugar (i use sugar)
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp rum, Tia Maria,Baileys or Kahlua (i use kahlua)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
150g plain flour
3 tsp cocoa powder
chocolate chips for scattering (chocolate rice)

HOW:
Roughly chop up butter and chocolate and microwave to melt, OR sit in a large (heat-proof) bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir to melt.
Stir in salt and sugar.
Stir in vanilla, eggs and rum,beat lightly to mix.
Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift in rising agents,flour and cocoa,stir to combine. Scatter 1 tsp chocolate chips in your liners,then half fill with the batter. Do not be tempted to fill more!
Scatter 1 tsp more chocolate chips overtop,bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until risen,springy and an inserted toothpick comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
If there is wet batter,bake a while more but monitor closely. Because if it comes out dry,you have overbaked it.
Cool a while before enjoying it warm.
This keeps well for a few days without refrigeration.

Its a time of rest and feasting. Normally we have our gathering on National Day, but this year it has been changed to year end.
After the PDA, suddenly we do not hear a thing from our fellow SA somehow feels very awkward.
Finally, we have a change to meet up!!!

Here's what i had made






Must be wondering why i make so many dishes
Reason being: everytime i see forum or blog i am inspired to made s
I hv been stocking up so many ingredients at home

Its been a family tradition that my Auntie will make it before New Year and during Ghost Festival (for praying)
For me, its more like a family tradition and a chance to eat, not really into praying heavely god.
However, my auntie has not been making as her health is taking a toll on her.
I wanted to learn and enjoy this comfort food ........ the skin of the png kueh need more work and less colour



I also made some mung bean filling for grandma too Her favourite!!

We had a wonderful BBQ on 1st Dec with my 2nd auntie's grandchildren and our family.
I was a wonderful get together where kids run wild and adult chit chat while grilling the food
Chloe requested to keep the scallop shells (leftover from BBQ) after we steam it for dinner.
Not knowing what to do to it, we simply washed it clean

Now that i hv time, i decided to sit down and do some painting with her using acrylic paint
Here's the result:



We then string the painted seashells (ask what chloe calls them!!) and hang it at our dinning light
A simple craft ...

Another alternative is to use a pencil and paper to rub onto the surface of the shell

Brother and Adeline has been talking about eating cockles.
The ones that we used to eat while we were young, the one that we stopped eating after the Hep A craze.
I decided to go Tekka Market to get it since the wet market i frequent no longer sells them.
I was indeed a very interesting trip ...... the variety, sight and the colours!! the smell ......... Wow!! (faint)

Here's what i had made after i get home:



Ingredient
1kg cockles
5 big chilli and 2 chilli padi
10 cloves of garlic
Hot water
Dark sauce
sugar 1 tbsp



Method
1. Wash the cockles with a brush and rinse a few times till its clean
2. Pour boiling water into the cockles and pour away
3. Repeat step 2 again and stir the cockles and stand for 3-5 mins (stand longer if your cockle is of bigger size)
4. Meanwhile prepare the sauce by blending the garlic and chilli together
5. Pour in dark sauce about 200 - 250 ml, chilli mixutre and sugar
6. Put in the cockles after draining out water.
7. Stir the cockles together with the sauce every half hr. Marinate for at least 4-6 hours.

Hmm ... Yummy !! Made a mistake by pouring 2 bottle of soya sauce and made the whole thing very salty
It definitely brought back wonderful childhood memories

Having started Caleb on his meals, quinoa is one ingredient that is very much a mystery to me. Simply bought it as i heard it was good, even the wrapping say its good ... so i just buy!!
When it comes to cooking, i simply cook with rice then i blend it together. I realised something is wrong only till past 2 days when i saw some white rings in Caleb's porridge. That prompted me to research about this funny grain. All the answrs can be found here:
Hmm ... i guess i need to soak the quinoa in hot water for at least 15-30 mins before rinising it with water.

Pig trotter has never been my favourite ingredient for cooking as the though of looking at the fatty tissue and how much it will go to my waist made me think twice about cooking it. It was my mum that changed my mind during my confinement .... its really appetising and warming. I really sweat alot after eating that.
My mum modify the dish to make it easier for day to day eating using young ginger (easier to chew on and less spicy on the tongue)



Ingredients
young ginger 1kg
vinegar x1 bottle
brown sugar 500g
water
pork trotter x2 pieces



Method
1. Remove skin and dry the young ginger. Pan fry with sesame oil till slightly brown
1. Pour vinegar and same quantity of water into an earthern pot
2. Bring the mixture to boil, add sugar followed by the ginger
3. Boil this mixture everyday for 1 week
4. Boil the pig totter pieces in boiling water then discard the water
5. place the boiled pig trotter into vinegar mixture and boil x30 mins

In preparation for the PDA, i have kinda stop making cakes and cease to take photo of whatever i bake.
Here's the end result:

One of the warehouse sale tghta ihave always been looking forward to - Thermos warehouse sale.
I found this gadget extremely useful in making Caleb's food


This pot is meant for 1 or 2 persons. Simply cook the porridge for about 3 mins then pot the inner pot into the outer one. When you are ready to eat by lunch ... Viola!!
Its more useful than the freezing method as it allows me to cook food in small batches and food will still be warm when we serve. Having children who are often allergic tend to have tummy problem, that made me very adverse to cooking food in batches and freezing them.
The other gadgets that are very useful are Braun Handheld blender with no spill attachment and Munchkin seving bowl that allows you to put hot water at the base.