el's kitchen & her liFe in NZ

My Boy - My BestFriend

2006-09-30T00:34:00.000+12:00

My hair-style during mid August 2006 =D

Then in Mid September 2006, I'm force to tie my hair up! =D

Today, 29 Sept 2006, my latest hair-style!!! I look a lot younger dont I? No wonder my owner is in love with me madly deeply! HAHAHAHA!!!!! you think i'm a handsome boy right?! i know I AM =P

Cute Sushi Ball, Stars n Hearts

2006-09-30T00:19:00.000+12:00

What do you think of my sushi riceballs?

They are made of short grain rice, seasoned with my Orieantal Dipper that I received from BerrySimple in BBM (which is very delicious!!!) For the fillings, I used salmon, mayo and fish floss. Yum yum... i will try using othe fillings next time eg. tuna, corn beef ect...

Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

2006-09-30T00:04:00.000+12:00

Japanese souffle cheesecake with strawberry glaze. Recipe from www.kyokoskitchen.com

I used a 8" cake tin, which makes the cake a bit too thin. will try baking it in an 6" tin next time! =)

Earth GEMS or Earth GERMS =D

2006-09-18T20:44:00.000+12:00

Hey people, have you seen this before? Very colourful right? Anyone knows what is Earth Gems? How does it taste like? I wonder if only NZ produce Earth Gems. I'll update you with more information about these cute little things.

EARTH GEMS

Supremely stunning. Colourful, beautiful and bold. Jewel of the Incas, gourmet Earth Gems are the perfect choice for entertaining - as a garnish, entrée or the main attraction.

HEALTHY & WHOLESOME
Earth Gems are the ideal nourishing gourmet vegetable:
High in unrefined carbohydrates
High in Vitamin C
Extremely low fat and high in fibre
Good protein source
Sweet taste similar to baby beetrootIndulge yourself and your family in healthy, inspired cuisine.

SIMPLE TO SERVE
Pre-washed convenience
‘No peel’ preparation - so easy
Boil, bake or microwave and serve whole
Boil gently to preserve texture

PREPARATION TIPS FOR EARTH GEMS
Earth Gems are an ideal accompaniment to any meal. Their bright colouring and small size serve is a feature - keep them whole.The sweet taste of Earth Gems is enhanced through gentle boiling, but also try them baked amongst roast vegetables, or microwave for quick and easy preparation - effect without the fuss!

Peanut Butter M&M's

2006-09-18T20:29:00.000+12:00

I got this Peanut Butter M&M's from Tofu Shop (an asian grocery store in NZ). I can't get it any other major supermarket except this shop..... I like chocolate and of course peanut butter too! I tell you, this M&M is real yum!!!!!!

Egg Tarts

2006-09-07T23:40:00.000+12:00

Not pretty to see but yummy to eat

The texture of my 1st time egg tart

Egg Tart Recipe

Shell:

90g unsalted butter, room temp

20g icing sugar

170g flour, sifted

1 egg

10g milk

Fillings:

4 eggs

1 cup soya milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

How to make shell...

1. cream butter and icing sugar with a wooden spatula for 2-3 mins

2. Add in the egg and soya milk and blend well with the butter

3. Add in flour and knead into a dough

4. Chill dough for 30mins

5. Then put into mould (i used muffin pan)

How to make fillings...

1. In a small pan over medium heat, dissolve sugar in milk. Remove from heat and let rest until warm.

2. Beat eggs with vanilla and add to mik solution.

3. Pass filling through a strainer and pour into tart mould.

4. Bake at 200 C until cook. 15-20 mins

The crust needed some improvement to make it a bit softer, i think the filling is perfect... overall, this 1st timer egg tart still taste pretty good and only requires basic ingredients.

Devil Double Chocolate Cookies

2006-09-07T23:35:00.000+12:00

Donna Hay's Double Chocolate Cookies

120g dark chocolate - chopped

110g unsalted butter - softened

3/4 cup brown sugar (i used 1/4 cup)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup plain flour - sifted

1/4 cup cocoa powder - sifted

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

280g dark chocolate - extra - roughly choopped

1. Preheat oven to 160 C.
2. Melt the chocolate. Set aside.
3. Place butter and sugar in a blown and beat for 8 - 10 mins or until light and creamy.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another 3 - 4 mins.
5. Stir through the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and melted chocolate.
6. Add the extra chopped chocolate and stir to combine.
7. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into rounds.
8. Place on baking trays lined with baking paper, allowing room for cookie to spread, and flatten slightly.
9. Bake for 10 - 12 mins or until slightly cracks have formed. Cool on racksss.....

My Finger Food

2006-09-07T23:30:00.000+12:00

what you need here is ---> any sort of biscuit as base, cream cheese, ham, avocado and tomatoes!! Easy! Nice! yums!!

Tuna Bread Rolls

2006-09-07T23:23:00.000+12:00

delicious lunch

...Tuna Bread Roooolls...

6 pieces of bread (depends on the size of your bread you using)

1 can Tuna in spring water - mashed

2 eggs - mashed

1/2 small onion - diced

mayo to taste

cream cheese

wasabi to taste

Boil the eggs then mashed. Put eggs, onion, tuna and mayo in a bowl and mix well.

Cut off the bread crusts. Cut bread into a rectangle shape.

Spread some cream cheese on bread. Then some tuna mixture.

Roll bread lightly to avoid tuna coming out. Then quickly wrap with Glad Wrap tightly.

Keep refrigerate for at least 3 hrs (I left it overnight), then cut into tiny pieces like sushi.

learn this idea from bonbon

Easy Peasy Weekend Chinese Dinner

2006-09-07T22:34:00.000+12:00

Spinach with deep fried garlic

Stir fry ginger with wine (DOM) added - recipe here

Tofu & button mushrooms in oyster sauce - got this recipe from here

These dishes are really easy and fast to cook. Yummy and great with rice. I'm always too lazy to make them look nicer... but as long it taste nice right?! =P

Benne Wafers

2006-08-27T19:20:00.000+12:00

Benne wafers also known as sesame seed cookies. They are thin, crispy at the edges and chewy in the middle. Quick and easy to make recipe. Just another recipe to try out ^ v ^

Benne Wafers Recipe

1 cup sesame seeds

150g unsweetened butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

sugar & cinnamon as toppings

1. Place sesame seeds on a frying pan and toast in medium heat until lightly browned. (no oil added)

2. Add in all ingredients and mix well.

3. Drop a 1/2 tablespoon of dough onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

4. Leave about 2 inches between cookies.

5. Sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top of each cookie.

6. Bake in preheated 175C oven for about 5 mins.

7. Let cookies cool completely then serve.

My Low Fat Brownies

2006-08-27T18:24:00.000+12:00

failed..... sad.....

Since everyone in the office are on diet... so I made some low fat brownies for everyone just to ease our chocolate craves and also to make everyone not to feel so guilty after eating some choc!!

Well... I think these low fat brownies looks good... but it taste a bit weird though... kinda bitter. May be I put too much cocoa. The original recipe require applesauce or prune puree... but I replace them with some fat free - no sugar added strawberry yogurt and a medium size golden kiwi fruit.

Will still bring my low fat brownies to office... and see what my colleagues says...

my own conclusion is that... I rather make my own devil yummy brownies next time and will just have a tiny piece! muahahaha ;-D

Super Moist Banana Cake

2006-08-19T23:50:00.000+12:00

Sudden crave for a banana cake... Unfortunately there wasn't any rotten bananas in my kitchen! Well, went to do some banana shopping and since then had been waiting for these banana to rot themselves up! :D Finally!! After about 2 weeks!! It's time for me to kill these poor bananas!! I bake this banana cake last Saturday morning. It is super super moist! In fact might be a bit too moist... BUT it's still incredibly yummmmmmyyyyyyy!! and it's not too sweet! Me and my friend finished the cake in a day! I might reduce the sour cream next time so that it wont be THAT moist...

Anyway, it's a keeper guys :D but when baking this cake i just found out that the spring of my cake tin doesn't lock anymore! so sad... I'll need to buy another one.

*** i've got this recipe from piggy's cooking journal and made some changes with it ***

~_~ Super Moist Banana Cake Recipe ~_~

125g unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs

100g white sugar

70g brown sugar

270g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

190g sour cream

3 1/2 medium size mashed bananas + 1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Beat butter, white & brown sugar until light and creamy.

3. Add the eggs one by one and beat well (add 1 egg then beat, then add another egg and beat again).

4. Add the flour and baking powder, then also add cinnamon, sour cream and bananas stir to mix well.

5. Pour the mixture into a greased 22cm cake tin.

6. Bake for 40 mins or until the toothpick comes out clean.

^_^ i welcome all opinions ^_^

hello world!!!

2006-08-08T13:18:00.000+12:00

This is my first blog in my life! However i'm kinda busy these few days, so... will start my "serious" 1st blog in 2 weeks time! :) At the moment I'm still trying to figure out everything here... hehehe =D