Cooking

Sometimes i questioned myself why I didn't inherit any of grandma's cooking skills. My maternal grandma, who raised n cared for me when i was young, was one of the best cooks I've known in my entire life. I grew up eating her homecooked meals, n still did even when i was working back in KK. I remembered her cooking lotsa fish (anyone knows the name of the fish in english called Hei Chang? flat black one) and i guess that was how i developed into a fish fanatic. I can easily finish one whole fish by myself, regardless of what fish and i'm bitterly craving for one right now. How pathetic, i chose to settle in a metropolitan where fresh sea fishes are .. well not that available. U can get one, i believe somehow, but it'll probably leave a big hole in your wallet. Just the other day, i was so shocked by the asam steamed fish we had in one of the M'sian restaurants in Boxhill; fish in Mel is just .. no good. Apart from cod or salmon or tuna, i guess the rest are just simply frozen goods. And, please ... you can't steam a frozen fish.

It's quite ironic isn't it? My in laws who came to visit last Feb, was surprised to find out that, despite Mel is just mins away from the coastal line, there's no fresh seafish anywhere. By seafish i meant fishes we have back in KK, fresh, red or black n well, just fresh. Apart from seafood (which are mostly frozen), Ozzie is pretty well known for its beef products. Even their poultry n chicken meat are better than back home. No surprise. Better air and water quality, with minimal pollution is perhaps one of the contributing factors. I find chicken to be much tender here. They claimed no hormones were added, n everything is fed in the most organic natural way. So dun be amazed if you find KFC here 100% times tastier. My hub is one of the advocates!

Back to my cooking skills, I believe i have slightly improved from where i first started. Practice makes perfect. Obligated to cook our meals everyday makes me a better cook. How i wish i had spent previously getting tips n watching my grandma cook closely. Sadly, i wasted those opportunities and here am I stuck, n learning from square zero. Thank God, my hubby is a great cook by nature, and i learn most of the skills from him.

Like I've mentioned, beef is good here, n surprisingly cheaper than pork. Trust me, i think i've never eaten as much beef as i did here for the past 25 years back home! I cooked this pot of beef stew last week, an initiative to finish half a bottle of Jacobs Creek red wine which has been sitting in the kitchen, fermenting for 'i don't know how long'.

I try to maintain a healthy more vege to meat ratio at all times, therefore i would always add lotsa different coloured veges into my dishes. Not only are they pretty to look at, they provide the nutrients n variation for the day!

I'm a huge fan of broccoli, so yeah, a weekly diet of broccoli is a must. This time it was stir-fried in tomato juice (from simmering real tomatoes) with marinated honey sauce chicken.

A healthy and balanced meal! I realised being a good cook at home, not only taste is important but making sure a healthy nutritious n low-oil  meal is equally essential.

Apple Cakelets

The Granny Smith duo have been sitting in my fridge since, i don't know when, and when i saw a large big brown patch on one of them, i knew i got to save them. Haha. Hence, these apple cakelets.

I had wanted to bake sth 'applish' considering my hub doesn't eat apples 'raw' (tat was y i got the Granny Smith), but i seemed to always give myself excuses to avoid baking apples. I guess becoz being my most most fave fruit, i rather crunch them in my teeth than enjoying their softness. Apples are supposed to be crunchy n hard, n for this reason, i'm one of those who anti - red delicious. You know the deep red apples, normally imported from US? Yeah, not my type. They r like bananas to me.

I'm not an orange fan either. So if you ask me to choose between an apple or orange as a fruit, i wld, without hessitation pick the apple. But if it's a cake, i'd pick the later!

Just normal cakelets with lotsa granny smith and slices of Cameo on top. Cameo has now voted as my 2nd fave apple after Gala! And yes, I eat an apple a day! (My hub eats an orange a day, how different we are!)

P/s: I received the offer for Environmental Engineering but i want CIVIL! Pls continue to pray for me.

Steamed Double Chocolate Muffins

I never like any steamed cakes (apart from tapioca cake) but this is one recipe i could never resist. Simple, easy and fast. The texture is so moist and soft, i voted it as my most fave cake for 2011. And that is, the steamed chocolate chip muffin.

I saw the recipe and immediately knew i had to make them. Our gas utility is included in the monthly rental, hence whenever possible, i wld try to make use of the stove rather than the electrical oven. I have been craving for chocolate cake for a long time now (eating endless supplies of chocolate won't help, arrgh!) but i simply couldn't find any excuse/ reason to bake one. Until this recipe came along. Terrific. One batch yields 3 muffins only, which is great for two person trying to eat moderately at home.

Batter became sticky after i mixed in the flours, and i thought they wld turn out hard and dry. Popped them onto the steaming hot pan, i was surprised they had bloomed into beautiful 'flower-likes' after only 10 mins!

And so we got our treats in less than 30 mins. They were fluffy n soft. I love them! Low in calorie and sugar, what can be better than these?!?

P/S: My hub complained they tend to stick, but i find them fine. Well, anyways, steamed cakes tend to be stickier than baked ones, becoz the steam reacts with the flour in the batter.

I just borrowed one of Jamie Oliver's cookbooks from the library, and can't wait to practise my culinary skills! Wish me all the best ** fingers crossed**. My hub lost some kgs, n he's praising me for my 'excellent' cooking skills. How bad is that???

Feathery Light Cheesecake

After soo long, i finally baked my first (yes FIRST) cake of year 2011 in Mel metropolitan. Tat's a huge long break, n it's reli no wonder that my skills have sort of degraded. These are slices of feathery light cheesecake, which shd be 'feather' and 'light' as the name claimed, but somehow due to my greed i added too much thickened cream and the ratio between milk vs cream got imbalanced causing the cake to be slightly dense. And i had reduced too much sugar. lol. too much cream n too little sugar. I'm contradicting ain't I?

My hubby said they are too moist. And as usual, i messed up the cutting part. hehe. 

I'm in a period of transformation. I wan to get things done n change the way i used to manage stuff. I wan to grow up and face the reality. I don't want to live in my own world that doesn't exist. I will try my best. Be strong and courageous. God has been reminding me non stop; that no matter what the outcome is, what's important is that I've done my best and my part. A treasured piece of gold is only worth n pure after refinement in the fiery furnace. I know God is molding me through the trials and tribulations.

Squash Kaya

It's getting colder and chillier everyday. Signs of winter. Can you believe it, coz i don't; and winter is like, officially starting in 3 weeks time?!?! Came during Spring, then the wet summer hit, now it's autumn and expecting winter. Sometimes i find it ironic. I always compliment how quick time goes by, but never fully comprehend the speed at which it has gone by. Where did all my time go?

It's also the pumpkin season now; winter, butternut squashes you name it. Can get them everywhere for less than AUD1 per kg. I'm a big fan of pumpkin; just like sweet potatoes i can stick with it for many many days. Except that i find it extremely difficult and painful to chop up a large round pumpkin. They give me blisters and red sores which i really dread. :-(

About few weeks ago, we had this butternut squash in our little supply box and after having sat there for a solemn 2 weeks, i decided that it is time it serves its sentence. I made a few porridges out of it, and there were some extras which went handy for a 'squash kaya'.

Just another version of pumpkin kaya cooked with coconut milk, brown sugar and a tint of pandan paste (to make up for the absence of pandan leaves). I find pandan leaves one of the luxury items here in Mel, or perhaps i was too used to picking some free ones from the backyard behind my house. The most expensive pandan i had bought was in SG, from the nearby grocery shop for SGD0.50 a whole bunch. N that was pricey to me. So i decided to leave it out. N it was equally a good decision.



Made a large bottle of squash kaya and it's now half empty! Kaya on toast. Lovely!

The Easter Scenes

Hey there. I feel like i have been abandoning this blog. I've got like piles of pic and stuff to blog about; but i was never able to find the 'heart' to do it. Just got myself stood up after falling into a deep pit hole, which left me crippled like a disabled person for the last couple of days. Life is tough sometimes but thank God, He is never changing. Everything can fail you but He never does.

Well anyway, it's all over, and i'm goin to blog like mad. And enjoy every moment. Do not be surprised if i knock you off with a BIG news one day coz i am, and i am.. haha! For now, let's replay the Easter scenes ..

Chocolate hot cross buns - yum. makes me look forward to the next easter!

Bunnies Bunnies

Did you get your chocolate easter eggs? Say please to Auntie Joyce.

Told you, say 'Please'.:-P

And it ends with a gift. A unique - not related at all - kinda present. but it's the heart that matters right?

More catching up to come. Stay tune!

Mommy's Big Day

Today is my mommy's b'day! Happy Blessed Birthday Mommy dearest!

Can never describe how blessed i felt to have you as my mom. Wld not be who I am today without your unconditional motherly love, prayers, support and nurturing and for bringing me up all the years!

Loving you always, Joyce

P/S: pardon me for not updating. My internet memory size is running low and i tot i better save it for more important business like emails n stuff. We had a good easter long weekend; went bbq n did a lot of baking. Wld appreciate your continuous prayer for me n Mic. and Do take lotsa care! God bless!