Happy Halloween

Halloween Cupcakes

I spent whole afternoon making these cupcakes. There's a potluck at the school and I thought the kids will enjoy this. I forgot to pick Noah from school because I was too busy making these.

Halloween Cookies

I made these cookies until 11pm at night. It was fun, I bought this 101 Wilton cookie cutters and I really love them. I am all tired now, and hope that tomorrow will be a good day, with no rain so the kids can enjoy their Halloween day.

Wontons

Deep Fried Wontons

I made these for the street party 2 weeks ago, and again yesterday. This is one of my signature dish. They never get tired of eating it, and I never get tired of the compliments that I receive. It is unbelievable easy to make. Everybody always ask me how to make, but I wonder, if anyone really make them?

Here's what you need.

1. A packet of wonton wrappers. You can easily find them in groceries store. I prefer the thin square wrappers, compared to the round ones.
2. A pound (more or less) of ground pork (or chicken if you don't eat pork)
3. 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
4. A tables spoon of sesame oil
5. A teaspoon of soy sauce
6. Chopped shrimps (optional)
7. Chopped green onion (optional)

Mix everything in a bowl. Scoop out a teaspoon of filling on the wrapper and wrap them up. Seal it with water. Deep dry them in high heat until golden brown. Serve with sweet chili sauce, or any of your favourite sauce.

Step by Step How to Make Springrolls

 My kids love spring rolls, well who doesn't? It costs so much to buy spring rolls every time, so I normally make a lot and freezes them. They freeze well, and you can take one out whenever and deep fry them.

It's good with plum sauce, sweet spicy sauce, or even ketchup.

 These are my basic ingredients. Shrimps, carrots and jicama. I chopped the shrimps, and fry them on the pan. Peel the carrots and jicama, and put it in the food processor to shred it, as in picture below, and then cook the carrots and jicama together. I add some water, soy sauce, oyster sauce and salt and pepper to taste.

 This is how much you get after you shred the vegetables. I cook the veges until they are soft, and then drain the water out. 

 This is how I wrapped my egg rolls. Put some water at the edges to seal them, and press on it gently to make sure it's sealed. Try not to leave air in the eggrolls. I put the shrimps on top of the filling, so each pieces will have equal amount of shrimp, and the shrimp will not be overcooked when it's cooked separately. It actually brings more of the shrimp flavour this way.

 My little helper, I don't know if I can do it without her help. Very helpful, in everything. For spring rolls, I wrapped them like an envelope.

 I usually freezes a few trays of egg rolls and spring rolls for later use.

 Deep fry the spring rolls and egg rolls when the oil is really hot, otherwise it will be oily. 

Spring rolls are all ready to be served. My kids can easily finish this up. 

For my Wilton Course 3 Final Project

Today, I attended the last class for course 3. This is what I made. My best friend's birthday this weekend but I can't give it to her, I wish I can. I hope she is having a great time there with her hubby. I will have to make her another cake some other time.

I used the flowers I had from my class. I made different colours on the mums....getting lighter on the outside petals. I was really fun to make flowers, but I think they should have some designs for boys too. Flowers are more for girls, weddings, anniversaries... but what about boys? They should include it in the lessons.

I am really glad that I went back and now I got to make this beautiful glad. I am really happy I did. Now I know how to make a fondant covered cake, and the proper way to make it. I'm looking forward for the next class, the people in my class are very friendly, I am so looking forward to it.

Zebra Theme Cupcakes

 My neighbour's grand daughter requested zebra cake for her birthday last month and this is what I made for her birthday last month. I googled for zebra cake and I found this recipe from AZ Cookbook website. It has good instructions on how to bake the cake, and the result was great. The cake was perfect, and wasn't too sweet. It's almost like marble cake, I just didn't know simple method like this can make a cake so special.

 Before, and after my tiny cupcakes went into the oven. I decided to make tiny cupcakes instead because usually kids just want the icing part. Why waste the cake right?

 This is how the inside of the cake look like. Amazingly, it looks like zebra stripes! 

 My fondant getting dried. Her colour theme was black, white and pink... so I made this flowers for the decoration on the cupcakes, simple and plain.

 My hardworker helping to make the flowers.

Oh no, he got caught on the camera... and got caught eating them too... no wonder my flowers are missing....

My Wilton Cake Decorating Course 3 Experience

 Yes, I am back at my cake decorating classes. I decided that I need to finish my courses, I felt like I am half way in between. Noah is back to school, and I made up my mind that I will have to do it, otherwise it will never be completed, and I am glad I did. For the first class, we made loop for the bows, and bases for the flowers. It came in handy because I managed to make a cake for my friend's son last minute. Another friend promised to make the cake but she got sick, last minute, and so I had 2.5 hours to make this cake for him. Well he had no choice but to take this decoration piece, as I was given last minute notice, to make a cake from scratch.

 I made another cake, for my neighbour a couple days later. I wanted to practice my bow. I think I am doing better, don't you think? I just need more practices. You'll never believe how easy this is, and the result is amazing.

I made calla lily, roses and carnations for my class #2. It was my good friend, Jessica and my neighbour's daughter's birthday, so I get to use these flowers. My friend love chocolate, and cake, so I thought she might like this, but it wasn't that good a cake, I didn't have time to do it better. Will have to do better next time! (next year?)

For the 3rd lesson, we learned how to make daisies and mums. I got to use it for the street party at my place last weekend. The kids love cupcakes, as usual...and the favourite part is of course the icing, and fondant. I am glad that I got to apply all my new skills so quickly. It does come in handy. My final cake class for course 3 will be in a couple days, and this time, there's nobody's birthday coming up. I guess I will have to give it away to some lucky fella.

My best friend was asking me for recipes, she just got a new oven. I was looking for the recipe in my blog I couldn't find it, I thought I did posted it. Well, here is the simplest, healthiest, yet tastiest muffin's recipe. I make this for hubby and Noah every other week. It freezes so well, you just need to put it in the microwave before eating them. And the best thing is, you do not need a mixer to blend everything, I just use a fork to mash the bananas and a large spoon to fold the flour after.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Good healthy heart recipe

½ cup	Becel margarine
1 tsp.	Vanilla
¾ cup	White sugar
2	Eggs
1 cup	Flour
1 cup	Bran
2 or 3	Ripe bananas mashed (I use 3)
1 cup	Chocolate chips
1 tsp.	Baking soda
½ tsp.	Cinnamon
	Cream together the first 3 ingredients.  Add eggs, then blend in the next 5 ingredients.  Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes.  Makes 12 large muffins (or 24 small muffins for kids, bake for 15-20 mins).  Freezes well. Optional ingredients- walnut pieces.

Cupcakes~

 My friend's daughter loves making cakes, and cookies so I decided to try this out when she came over for a visit. I've always wanted to make this panda cupcakes, and it's surprisingly easy to make, even a 6 year old can make one.

 Firstly I baked some cupcakes, using the Mike Harris chocolate cake recipe. Then I used buttercream icing and just decorate it with chocolate chip.

I saw this piggy style cupcake and decided to try it out as well. Cute isn't it?

Here's some cupcakes for my friend's son Avi, Happy Birthday. He asked for Star Wars but  I was too busy that weekend, so I got lazy. Just made my own print out stencil and sprinkled icing sugar

Egg Rolls

Noah really likes spring rolls, but the spring roll wrappers was all sold out so I tried egg rolls instead. It's actually so easy to make these, and it's amazing how great it was. I was going to keep some for my neighbour to taste but it was gone so quickly, there was none left to share.

1.Firstly, I used 1 lbs ground pork and 10-20 chopped shrimps.

Cooked them together in a pan on medium until it's cooked.

 Add some soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste.

2.Prepare the vegetables, sliced the chinese cabbge thinly, carrots and washed the bean sprout. Blanch them in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. I cooked the shiitake mushrooms, and sliced them thin, then combine everything together in a big bowl (as in the picture above)

Try to drain the water out. Leave it to cool before wrapping them.

There are different methods to wrap but I found this easier. Just put the filling in the middle and then fold like wrapping a present. I put them on a cookie sheet, and freeze some in the freezer, it keeps very well. 

Fry it in a pan on high heat until golden brown. The filling is cooked, so I won't have to worry about it not being cooked. Never use olive oil, a lot of people do not know that olive oil become toxic when it's on high heat. Just use vegetable oill, or canola.

The egg roll is now ready, serve it with plum sauce or your favourite sauce... Homemade egg rolls are so much better than any other ones that I've had before. It's fresh and tasty, and you can adjust the taste to your own preference. My next project will be spring rolls, because Noah really loves them. It's similar, just a different type of wrapper. 

My Pups love puppies~

 Kiana and Noah love doggies so much, one of Kiana's first words is doggy.

 Noah copying the little doggy

Playing with the puppy

Noah's serious look.

My kids just love pets, they are so happy whenever there's any doggies, or kitties around. Well, it's easier just to visit a friend who has pets, rather than having one, for now anyway. I think we might get one, when they bug us too much for one next time. 

Cakes

 I know, I am long overdue. We have been too busy with spring cleaning , and with a nicer weather like that, who can blame me for not having time to be in the house to blog? My kids just wanted to be out every day, all the time! I tried making this cupcake, from kitchenaid recipe book but it wasn't successful, it doesn't look anything like the picture. It's suppose to be cream cheese top with chocolate bottom, and nice swirls.

Here's something that I like, it's a recipe for marble cake, but I added raisin and put them in the cups, the kids loves anything in a cup, and it's easier to store.

 I still need to practice making this chiffon cake. I made it twice, getting better at it. I love chiffon cakes, but not my hubby. Here's a good recipe for this cake. I omitted the extract, and just added a tablespoon of grind lemon or orange peel instead. I think I have to beat the whites a lot longer to get it smoother. Will post the result of my experiment next time.

Tried to make this jelly swissroll but ended in garbage, I don't like it at all. Will have to look for a better recipe for it. Will post only when I find good recipes. I've recently bought a box of recipe books, so I am very eager to try them out. Been baking almost everyday! Noah really loves baking, he's actually pretty good at it!

Sugar Roses

My friend showed me this video and I've decided to try it out...

So I made this 3 tier cake for Kiana's birthday party.

I made it with 3 different cakes, banana cake, vanilla cake and carrot cake.
I've always wanted to try a cake like this.. I am happy with the result

Here's my chocolte cupcakes..and the video


Our Clas Act Angela shows you how to make delicate sugar roses! We've searched the country to find the most useful people and now our team of Clas Acts are here to give the UK fantastic useful hints and tips Clas Act Angela Slater demonstrates how to make a sugar rose! Find out more about Clas Acts https://www.facebook.com/#!/clasohlsonuk?fref=tszx

Shopping!

Today, is a very special day. I get to go shop like crazy, and hubby actually approved. Today I did not clean. I did not cook. I get special treats. Today is a special day. I wish everyday is like that, dream on.

Zellers was closing today. Everything was 80-90% off. I had so much fun shopping. I think I have shopping addiction. I will have to wait for another Zellers to close now, so I can go back and shop one more time. I think I am well-stocked for birthday presents and Christmas presents now.

Steamed Tofu

 My friend asked me how to cook tofu the other day, actually there's a lot of people who wants to try tofu but don't know how to cook it. Tofu doesn't taste anything by itself, it has to add to something, or add something to it to bring the flavour in. This is a very simple and healthy dish that we used to make.

You can get the silken tofu for this dish. Todu comes in different texture. First of all, fry sliced shallots in olive oil until golden brown. Then add the oil with the shallots on top of the tofu, as in picture below, and let it steam for about 15 minutes. Tofu is already cooked, so you just really want to warm it up.

Steam it on the boiling water, as in picture. I add some dried shrimp and green onions in, but not everyone likes the taste of dried shrimp, and not forgetting soy sauce. You can eat the tofu with rice, and some other dishes.

Macaroni and Cheese

This is another one of my favourite, especially in the winter. It's easy to make, and it's one of my comfort food (because hubby makes them.) He added bread crumbs on top, it's delicious! Gotta take a pic before it's all gone.


8 oz. elbow macaroni, or 2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni
¼ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup flour, all-purpose
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups Cheddar cheese (medium), grated(8 oz.)

1) Preheat oven to 375°F.  Cook macaroni as package label directs; drain.

2) Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan.  Remove from heat.  Stir in flour, salt, and pepper                       until smooth.  Gradually stir in milk.  Bring to boiling, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat, and simmer mixture 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

3) Stir in 1½ cups cheese.

4) Pour macaroni into a 1½ quart shallow casserole dish.  Pour in sauce and mix.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.

5) Bake 15 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.  Serves 4 to 6.

Mung Bean Soup

 Mung Bean soup is very easy to make. It's suppose to help cool down the body heat. I myself have a little sorethroat, and runny nose, so did Noah, so I decided to make this. All you need to do it put them in the pot and boil it. On the right is chrysanthemum tea, also work to cool body heat.

 Chrysanthemum tea only takes about 30 minutes to cook, and I added rock candy sugar to it, actually to both of the pots. Cook the mung beans in medium heat, and only add the sugar when it's almost cook. Took about an hour for the beans to get soft.

This is how it looked like when it was cooked. Kiana loves it. It's god for toddlers too. It has a lot of protein in it, you can also grow bean sprout with the mung beans.