No Sundays for single mums, also my last post until ....

Hi all, I just want to announce that I will not be posting after this for a long while. I can't tell when I will be back. However, I will still keep my Quay Po Cooks facebook page to share my food photos. Do visit me there if you have the time. Here is the link. 

Thank you all for your love and support these past three years. Your comments and your visits are very much appreciated and knowing that you all enjoyed what I have shared so far brought me much joy. Hugs to you all! 

Here is my last post until..... 

When I was a single mum, I don’t have Sundays.  Sundays are supposed to be a rest day where one can laze around. You will often hear children of single mums are at a disadvantage but that is not true. When I was one, my son Nick had everything children with both parents had. That is because single mums are usually very dedicated to their children and they sacrifice even more to ensure their children’s well being. Here is an article which I would like to share with all the single mums out there. Kudos to you all!  Oh and please don't let anyone tell you that you have a broken family just because you are a single mum. 

Who wouldn't yearn for lazy Sundays where one could take it easy and stay home, eat something fast and simple when feeling hungry. Even stale baguette and eggs could make a divine afternoon snacks! Mm… Mm… Mm

French Toast

Ingredients

1 whole baguette

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup full cream milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbs butter

Method:

Cut baguette into 1 inch thick pieces. Mix beaten eggs with milk and add ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Soak pieces of baguette into the egg mixture for 10 mins each side.  Fry pieces of baguettes in two batches. Melt 1 tbs butter in the pan on medium heat. Reserve the balance 1 tbs butter for the second batch.

No Chinese New Year cookies?

There have been so many mouth watering Chinese New Year cookies in my friends’ blogs during the last few weeks and guess what? I wanted to make them all, but other demands of the season interfered, and suddenly, I realized end, I had made none! LOL!

Then finally, two days before Chinese New Year, I decided to try making the famous “Chicken biscuits” from Bidor, a little town in the north of Peninsula Malaysia. I was jolted out of my procrastination by two events. A friend dropped by and passed us a small box of a batch she made in her kitchen. They were good, and my husband said he wished we had more. That was a suprise because my Quay Lo is not always fond of our version of what Americans call "cookies". Here in Malaysia we more closely follow traditional Chinese bisquit favorites that reflect our love for Coffee shop society as welll as the English tea bisquits. I got this recipe from my friend and was surprised to find it was so simple.  So I set about making a batch but I was skeptical that it would not taste the same as those I bought from the famous shop “Pun Chun”.  Usually, simple recipes harbor a little hidden secret and I thought that for sure, a biscuit with as much fame as a biscuit can get, might have just such a secret. So when the biscuits were baked, I could not wait till they cooled to try one. The moment I bit into it, I could feel the right texture and the flavor tasted even better than what I remembered. I am guessing that it was more of a nostalgic moment than anything that made me think so. Here in Malaysia we hold a special place in our hearts and bellys for our favorite "biscuit" (read "cookie" if you are an American). We are a coffee shop society, after all, and nothing pleases us more than our favorite bite with a cup of our favorite brew, especially around that time in the afternoon which we learned from the British colonialist, was properly called "tea time" (even if your brew is a coffee).   In fact, I think our view is that coffee or tea is not an issue, the issue is the biscuit. That is a subject that causes no end of debate among various defenders of their "fave". So now, since I I could make these biscuits at home, there is no need to buy any if I go back to Ipoh in the future. Here is the recipe I used if you are interested to try. I did make these with slightly less oil than the original, both as a nod to our modern concerns about fats, and to eliminate that slightly cloying of oil to the palate that I find unpleasant in some of our more rich biscuits and crisps.

Chicken Biscuits

Ingredients:

(A)

300gm self raising flour

115gm icing sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground white pepper

½ tsp Chinese five spices powder

80gm white sesame seeds

115gm dry winter melon

½ tsp minced garlic

(B)

100ml oil

2 pcs lam yee (fermented soy bean curd)

1 tbs molasses

1 large egg

2 drops of dark soy sauce

Method:

Combined (A) and (B). Mix well and set for 10mins. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3mm thick and punch out rounds with a cookie cutter. Bake for 8 mins at 160 degrees C.

I DO! DO!!

So when my plum cupcakes were baked, I took a bite to taste before frosting them. Yik!!  It was so saltish!! I thought there was something wrong with my taste bud. I asked my mum to taste it and she asked me what kind of cup cake was that. I think she was being kind not to tell me that it tasted horrible!  Then I asked my Quay Lo to taste. He shooked his head and said "This does not taste right Honey".  I was so puzzled and wondered what went wrong. I went back to read the recipe carefully and there I found the mistake I made. It called for ¼ tsp salt not 1!! I think it is time to go check my eyes. Aiyoh, this time, I really can’t think of a way how to salvage them. I have to toss away all the cupcakes and redo another batch. SOB! SOB! I really hated it when I had to throw away food. 

So are you ready to hear the verdict of my second batch? I love that this cake turned out moist and the slices of plums in them gave a little crunch and a slightly sour taste to it. The red skin of the plum also enhanced the look of the cupcakes. They are not too sweet and had a little smokey flavor from the smoked paprika I added.  Oh I can read your mind, you must be thinking “Is this Quay Po gone nuts? Adding paprika to a cake batter?” Am I right or not?  I don’t blame you because I did not know what to expect too at the time when I sprinkled the paprika onto the batter. But then, like the saying goes, no venture no gain. What’s the worst that could happen? To tell you the truth, that was a good add. It not only added color to the cupcakes but it gave a little zing to the taste and the flavor was complex but very pleasing to the palette. The combo with roasted chestnut butter cream frosting was a perfect match. My mum does not take butter or cream so she ate it without and she said it tasted fantastic this time. As for me, I love it even more with the frosting. So will I make this cupcake again? What did I say when I took my marriage vows twice?  I said, “ I DO, I DO!!” 

You must be curious to know where I got those beautiful and elegant cupcakes paper liners from. They flew here all the way from USA. My step daughter, Erin bought them for me. Erin, your selection was superb and thank you for shipping them to me. I wish you are here to taste these delicious cupcakes.

Plum Cupcake with Butter chestnut frosting

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s recipe with modification

Makes 10 medium size cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

smoked paprika for to sprinkle

5 tbs unsalted butter

3/4 C packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 C vegetable oil

Grated zest of one lemon

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 big plums, pitted and sliced

Method:

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and ground cardamom. Cream the butter with the brown sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Reduce the speed and add the flour mixture. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and place some cut slices of plum on each one. Sprinkle with smoked paprika. Bake for about 20 minutes or until they bounce back when touched lightly. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before frosting. This cake taste good without frosting too.

Butter chestnut frosting

Click o the pic to get the recipe. Note: rum is optional

ENJOY and have a Wonderful week ahead of you!

Hugs to all!

Note: I am submitting this cupcake recipe to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) which hosted by Min of Min's Blog

Man plans God decides

Last year today, I celebrated my best friend, Peng's birthday at my home. I made a simple dinner and a birthday cake for her. We drank wine, ate, chatted, laughed and had a good time together.

This year, I thought of going to Bangkok with her to celebrate her birthday there. This was planned two months ago. I was going to buy her dinner at our favorite Thai Restaurant, Ban Khun Mae in Siam Square. Air tickets were bought and hotel room were booked more than a month ago.  I planned to take her to have a massage everyday, eat and shop till we dropped.  I don’t think I need to go on and you already guessed what happened. We have to cancel our trip today because of the flood in Thailand.  Not only that our plan is spoilt but also the air tickets were burnt! The airline said that since they are still flying there, there will be no change of dates without penalty and no refund. What a RIP OFF!!  We have spoken to our clients in Bangkok and they said it is not advisable to go because the highway is flooded and no one is sure if the flood will hit Bangkok or not. I was rather upset yesterday after I have contacted the airline but then my Quay Lo asked me to take a deep breath and let go. When things goes wrong, we had a choice. We can stay upset or we can let go and be happy. On hindsight, loosing the money on the air tickets is better to be caught in a crisis like that in a foreign land. This is a blessing in disguise, don't you think? It is so true that Man plans, God decides. I believe in that, do you?

So much for my ranting and I have made my choice. Now, let's get on to a happier note. Today is Peng's birthday. I have a new idea. I am going to take her to a nice Spa for a two hours relaxation massage and then go on to have a scrumptious lunch with her. So please join me to wish her a Happy Birthday. Instead of a birthday cake how about these delicious chewy banana chocolate chips cookies as a birthday dessert with vanilla ice cream?

Chewy banana chocolate chips cookies

Adapted from Big Oven with modification

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 1/4  C All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/3 C Light brown sugar

¼ C oat meal (raw)

2 tbs corn flour

1 1/2  medium bananas, mashed (preferably banana raja)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

75 gm Butter or margarine

1/3 C Sugar

Method:

Lightly grease cookie sheets. Put brown sugar, oat meal and corn flour in blender and blend well and set mixture (A) aside.  Peel banana and place in small bowl. Mash enough banana with fork to measure 1/2 cup. Set aside. Place flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; stir to combine. Beat mixture (A), butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in banana, egg and vanilla, scraping down side of bowl once. Add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until well blended, scraping down side of bowl once. Stir in chips with mixing spoon. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or more. Just before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drop by 2 heap table spoons onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 – 15 mins or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly and remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely.