Traditional Baked Mooncake

 

The annual Mooncake festival is here again. Time really flies. I remembered my first attempt at making the traditional baked mooncake last year. It was not really successful. The skin was too hard. I wanted to try again this year but was hesitant, partly due to the fact that it was in the midst of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Anyway, I made the mooncake golden syrup two weeks ago first. It was advised that the longer you keep the mooncake syrup, the more flavourful your mooncake skin will turn out. If I did not make the mooncake this time, I can always keep it for next year.

Bacon & Ham Melt Sandwich

 

Maison Kayser (Paris) at Scotts Square. This bakery cafe located at the basement of Scotts Square has a nice collection of good artisan bread, pastries and sandwiches. I went there for lunch one weekday and ordered a bacon, cheese and rocket sandwich. A simple sandwich but exceptionally delicious. The ciabatta bread has a very nice chewy bite to it and very flavourful. I love it so much that I bought two small ciabatta bread home, with the intention of re-creating the sandwich.

Japanese Beef Rice Bowl

 

I've run out of ideas of what to cook for lunch and dinner. I want something simple to prepare and cook and yet delicious and appetising at the same time. I was at the library and chanced upon Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking cookbook. I looked through the recipes and they appealed to me. I have to try out some of the recipes in it and so I borrowed it. I have her other book - Everyday Harumi. The recipes in her cookbook are easy to follow and prepare and I've tried out a few recipes from this cookbook. Most important of all, they all turn out beautiful and scrumptious. Also, it has lots of cooking tips and ingredient substituition. What a great find!

Chocolate Banana Delight

Chocolate-themed birthday cake will never go wrong. This cake is specially baked for my son, Ryan's 12th birthday. Have to settle for a quiet birthday celebration as his birthday happened to be in the midst of preparing for the most important exam in his primary school years, the dreaded Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). It's the most stressful exam not only for him, but for me too. I have to nag at him to study (believe me, no parents like to do this) and stop spending too much time on computer games. This year is a very busy and hectic time for him. Endless homework and practice papers.

Peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies

It's a lazy Saturday afternoon and I was restless. The kids were in tuition classes; I was feeling lazy and wondering what to do. Should I bake something or think of what kind of dinner spread to prepare or should I do some housekeeping? Not in the mood for anything. That's bad. I have to get out of this mode. I have to do something. Help ..............

The good old days - homemade kaya & bread

 

Homemade kaya on homemade bread or cream crackers. Simple indulgence. Homemade kaya is without preservatives and not too sweet, exactly what I want. I don't like my cakes and desserts too sweet. I guess it has to do with age. As you age, you don't want food that is overly sweet or heavy. If I yearn to have kaya spread and I don't have a homemade one at home, I would buy Hans kaya. It's not too sweet and without preservatives too. The only downside is you have to finish the whole bottle within about 5 days to enjoy fresh wholesome kaya.

Hokkaido Milk Loaf

Nothing beats a loaf of bread fresh out from the oven, especially if it's painstakingly home-baked. The aroma of the fresh bread wafts through the entire kitchen into our noses. Sit down in the comfort of your home and family or friends, prepare freshly brewed tea or coffee; slice the freshly-baked bread and spread with butter, kaya, peanut butter, or anything you fancy or just eat it plain. Simple pleasures ...............