Happy Lunar New Year

A new year, a new beginning,

To all my dear friends and family, may the year of dragon usher in prosperity and many golden opportunities for all of you.
Wishing all of you a Happy & Prosperous New Year.

Here are some of the cookies & dessert that I baked /cook for the new year.

Koi Fish Jelly

The sea shell at the background is courier all the way from my dear blogger friend of food and thrift in Florida

Koi fish using Konnyaku jelly powder.

This is the jelly mold and konnyaku jelly powder

Scoop out 3 tbsp of the konnyaku jelly, add red colour and mix well. Pour on the mold to make pattern for the koi fish.

Add canned longan or any fresh cut fruits.

Pour the jelly liquid into the fish mold and leave to set.

Ingredients

1 sachet konnyaku jelly powder
200 gm sugar
800mls water
3 tbsp fresh milk
some fresh cut fruits preferably kiwi or strawberry

1. Combined sugar with konnyaku jelly powder, mix well.
2. Boil the water, pour in the sugar and keep stirring.
3. Cook until boil, remove from stove add 3 tbsp milk and mix well.
4. Scoop out 3 tbsp of the jelly mixture, add coloring of your choice, mix well.
5. Pour into the fish mold and leave to set. Add fruits.
6. Pour the balance jelly mixture onto the fish mold and leave to set. Serve chill.



Pineapple Tarts

Jam Recipe 

2 medium pineapple
10 oz sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
5 cloves
1 lemon

1. Cut the pineapples into chunk, blend till fine. Sieve the pineapple and discard the juice.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice add to the pineapple. Add the spices and cook in medium flame until almost dry. Takes about 3/4 hour.
3. Add sugar and keep stirring to prevent burnt. Cook for another 1 hour till almost
dry. Leave aside to cool completely. Jam can be store in air tight container and keep in freezer up to 6 months.

Butter Cookies

Ingredients

220gm plain flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
160gm butter
60gm icing sugar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Almond slice/strips ( optional )

1. Sift flour and baking soda.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add in egg white and blend well.
4. Add vanilla, flour and mix well.
5. Scoop mixture into piping bag fix with star nozzle, pipe a rosette and place almond slice in the middle.
6. Bake at 160 deg c for 8 to 10 mins or until slightly brown.
7. Cool completely and store in air tight container.


Peanuts Cookies

Ingredients
300 gm roasted groundnuts
600gm flour
7 oz sugar
2 cups corn oil

1. Grind the peanuts until fine.
2. Mix flour,sugar, groundnuts until well blend.
3. Pour in the oil slowly and mixed till well blend.
4. Roll into small round ball, top with roasted peanuts and brush with egg wash.
5. Bake 170 deg C for 15 to 20 mins until slightly brown.
6. Store in air tight container.


Fruit cakes

Ingredients

250gm SCS butter
250gm brown sugar
50gm cocoa powder (optional)
300gm flour
25gm cornflour
2 tsp baking powder
5 eggs
300gm mix fruit ( soak in 1/4 cup liqueur )
100gm toasted almond ( chopped )
2 grated orange rind
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp ginger juice
1 tsp honey

1. Preheat oven to warm 120 C
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time.
Beat well after each addition.
3. Sieve flour, cornflour, cocoa powder, baking powder together.
Add honey,ginger juice,cinnamon powder, nutmeg,orange rind to the
creamed mixture. Add flour, mix fruit, chopped almond and mix until well blended.
4. Grease 8" cake tin, Line with double grease proof paper. Pour cake mixture
into baking tin. Bake cake at 150 c for 1 1/2 hours or until cook. Cool cake on
rack.

Note: Recipe from SCS butter


My new year gift

My blogger friend Elisabeth of food and Thrift sent me this parcel from Florida which I received yesterday. just in time for my Chinese New Year. Thank you so much my dear friend, nice to meet a wonderful lady like you. With hugs to you.

Long Champ tote bag from a friend,courier to me from Paris. Thank you so much my dear Friend T.

Seasons of love

Hello.....all my friends, my family members... Say goodbye to year 2011 and welcome year 2012. Let this coming year be better than all the others.

 

Twinkle twinkle little star, How I wander what you are,
Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky,
Star light, Star bright, The first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,  Have the wish I wish tonight.

Look not mournfully into the past
It comes not back again
Wisely improve the present
It is thine
Go faith to meet the shadowy future
without fear and with a manly heart
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Season of Love

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Moments so dear
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure - Measure A Year?

In Daylights - In Sunsets, In Midnights - In Cups Of Coffee
In Inches - In Miles, In Laughter - In Strife

In - Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure, A Year In The Life?
How About Love? How About Love? How About Love?
Measure In Love

Seasons of Love. Seasons of Love.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Journeys To Plan
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure, The Life Of A Woman Or A Man

In Truth That She Learned
Or In Times That He Cried
In Bridges He Burned
Or The Way That She Died

It's Time Now - To Sing Out
Though The Story Never Ends
Let's Celebrate
Remember A Year In The Life Of Friends

Remember the Love, Remember the Love, Remember the Love
Measure In Love

Oh! you got to, you got to remember the love,
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love, spread love
Measure, measure your life in love.

Seasons Of Love, Seasons Of Love
Measure your life, measure your life in love 

Song lyrics from : http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/rent/seasons_of_love.html

Sharing & Caring

Three keys to more abundant living
1) Caring about others
2) Daring for others
3) Sharing with others - quote by William A. Ward


We should be willing to share and give something all year round especially to those who are in need. We can share what we do have and be rich in good deeds. I'd always encourage my children to share some of their blessing to people who have less. Even giving a little is already a lot of help. A small token of appreciation and a smile can give them hope and show them that we care.
One need not ask for rewards in helping others, somehow or rather it would come back to us in many ways.
Speaking from my own experiences, I've been blessed with many return rewards to me.

A heart of generosity
With joy will overflow
If giving is done graciously
And never just for show - Hess

My bundle of joy sharing their food.


Victorian Sandwich Cake
Recipe source from here

Let's have a nice cup of hazelnut coffee and Victorian Sandwich Cake. Elisabeth, have you try the hazelnut coffee?

Ingredients
175gm butter
175gm caster sugar
175gm self raising flour
3 eggs
30mls milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
some lemon zest

This popular type of cake is made with a creamed mixture based on equal amounts of flour, sugar and fat. The fat enables it to keep moist longer than the fatless or 'true' sponge.

Serves 8
1. Prepare two 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tins.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until very pale in colour, light in texture and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of the flour with each one.
4. Gently fold in the remaining flour alternate with milk using a metal spoon. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest.
5. Transfer to prepared tins and smooth the tops with a knife.
6. Bake at 180 0C / 350 0F / Gas 4 for 25-30 minutes or until well-risen, golden brown and firm.
7. Leave in the tins for 2-3 minutes. Turn out on to a wire cooling rack. Leave until cold.
8. When cold sandwich together with jam. Dust the cake with icing sugar.

VARIATION:
Jam and Cream Sandwich

Follow the recipe and method for Victoria Sandwich. When the cakes are cold, sandwich together with 3 tablespoons of jam and 4 tablespoons of double cream, whipped until thick. Dust with icing sugar.

 Happy New Year to all my friends, my best friend, family members, may all of you have a blessed New Year and the best of everything that all of you so well deserve. Cheers!

Lots of beary love......

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family members. Thank you for all your kind supports, your lovely comments and kind words in my little blog. Really appreciate each and everyone.
May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow. Wish you all lots of love, joy and happiness. Take the joy of Christmas with you everyday.

I would rather have one little rose
From the garden of a friend
Than to have the choicest flowers
When my stay on earth must end.

I would rather have a pleasant word
In kindness said to me
Then flattery when my heart is still,
And life has ceased to be.

I would rather have a loving smile
From friends I know are true
Then tears shed' round my casket
When to this world I bid adieu.

Bring me all your flowers today,
Whether pink, or white, or red,
I'd rather have one blossom now
Than a truck load when I'm dead. - unknown author

Do you owe someone a word of thanks or appreciation? Don't put it off. Say it today.


My doves Christmas reunion.

Baby 1: Dad excuse me, I want to sit next to mum.

Mum: Ok, let's do some neck exercise, to the right.....

Then to the left......
Dad is looking at sexy girl passing by, didn't pay attention...

Taking a short break fooling around after exercise, LOL

Baby 2: Mum, I want piggyback.....

Baby1: Mum, I need a hair cut before Christmas.

My doves family portrait. LOL

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Happy holiday.

My lovey dovey babies 2

Was busy the whole week so no baking, so just share some of my lovey dovey babies again.
It was raining heavily but they still come back for dinner.

Whiskey:  sweetheart, what you looking at?
Champagne: Oh..something interesting on the other side......

Caught my doves in the act ....doing hanky panky .... kissy kissy, LOL

Mushy mushy act........ so romantic.

The loving couple Whiskey & Champagne

You make me live
Whatever this world can give to me
It's you, you're all I see
You make me live now, darling
You make me live

You're the best friend that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine and I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
You're my best friend




Have a nice weekend. Cheers!

My lovey dovey babies......

My permanent resident........they came to me 2 years ago during Chinese New Year. 
Yes, not one but two of them.....


The air condition compressor unit is now their territory.  I don't caged them but they come back 3 times a day when I'm at work and  up to  5 times a day during weekend  when I'm home.
I feed them breakfast, lunch, dinner or as and when they request by cooing non stop in my kitchen window. 

Meet my darling Mr. Coo Whiskey & Sweetheart Ms Champagne.

My lovely dove, she is Champagne.( 30th Nov. 2011 )

Hi madam, thanks for the lunch.....  Hubby at work, not coming back  for lunch today.

 Oh..... yum yum.....I'm starving..... it's so delicious.

Oh gosh.... I finish my lunch within 3 mins, hopefully I'll not get indigestion problem. Seriously....I need to head off to the gym this evening.

After lunch activity..... sunbathing to burnt off some calories.

Evening around 6pm
Yours truly: come on baby...... pose, pose...  don't disgrace me. I'm clicking now, ready? Say cheeessse.......

Champagne: Darling, you're early today? I miss you during your absent.
Whiskey: Hi sweetheart, how was your day?  I miss you too.

Let's enjoy our awesome dinner....  

Champagne: Darling, you finish the rest. I'd enough and I'm seriously over weight.
Whiskey: Ok sweetheart, I'm ever ready to finish this scrumptious meal.

Mr Whiskey is doing his poo poo business and looks like Champagne is  holding her breath. hahaha.......

Whiskey: Excuse me, sweetheart..... I need to poo poo... ...I think I ate too much just now.
Champagne: Darling, you go ahead. I'm not looking. Are you ok?

Champagne: Darling, where are we going tonight?
Whiskey: Sweetheart, let's go catch a movie.....supper and then back to our nest ......aheeemm...*wink* *wink*

This is where they sleep at night on my pomegranate tree.  Tuesday Mr. Whiskey on night shift so Champagne is sleeping alone.  Wednesday 7am, she is waiting for Whiskey  to come back for breakfast.

Champagne: Darling... I miss you. What time will you be back.

Champagne is having dinner alone.

I saw something interesting on the other side... urgh... What's that???

Enjoy and have a nice day. Cheers!