Lock&Lock : Happy Hour Purchase

Yeah!  I saw this for 2 or 3 times on the Happy Hour Specials, but when I tried to get it a couple of weeks back, it was gone pretty fast!

BUT.... I finally got it on September 15!  I am so happy during that Happy Hour (pun intended!)

This is what I got. And in one of my favorite color no less!

The wok that I am currently using is turning a bit greyish at certain places and I am concerned that the black stuff is now in our body, but I shall not go there.

Anyway, when I was in Singapore, I hardly cooked but now that we are back in the States, I cook at least 5 days a week.  I need something that is easy to clean and safe for us too.

Can't wait for it to arrive!

To Try : Salad Ingredients

• Grapes

To Try : Strawberry Muffins

(Makes 12; Prep 15 mins)

• 1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs sugar
• 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour (leveled)
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (leveled)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Prepare 12 cup muffin tin.
2. Toss strawberries n 1/3 cup sugar.  Using potato masher, lightly mash berries; set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  In a glass 2 qt measuring cup/ med bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla; whisk to combine.
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture and the berry mixture (with juice).  Fold until combined.
5. Using ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups.  Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.
6. Bake 17 mins or till done.  Cool 5 mins in pan.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

To Try : Ice Cubes for Summer

Basil w Cucumber

• 1 cup water
• 1 cucumber - skinned n seeded
• 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
• pinch of coarse sea salt

Lime n Orange

• 1-1/2 cup OJ
• 1 Tbs lime juice
• 1 tsp freshly grated lime zest

Raspberry w Lemon

• 2 Tbs sugar dissolve in 1 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 6 oz of raspberries into trays
• mint leaf in tray

To Try : Savory Breadsticks

1. Preheat Oven to 375.
2. Thaw 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough according to package instructions and place it on a lightly floured work surface.
3. Brush pastry with 1 beaten egg white, then sprinkle with 1 Tbs freshly grated lemon zest, 1-1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme and 1-1/2 tsp coarse sea salt.
4. Cut into 1/2" wide strips with a pizza cutter; transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 14 - 14 mins or until lightly browned.

Chocolate Berry Tiramisu Cake

Chocolate Berry Tiramisu Cake 

(Serves 8)

Ingredients :

600ml thickened cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup caster sugar

500g mascarpone cheese

1-1/3 cups freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled

2/3 cup hazelnut-flavoured liqueur

500g packet sponge finger biscuits

250g frozen raspberries

250g frozen blueberries

100g dark chocolate, grated

Steps:

1.  Line a 24cm (base) springform cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Whip cream until soft peaks form.  Stir in vanilla and sugar.  Whip until thick.  Add mascarpone and stir gently to combine.
3. combine coffee liqueur in a shallow dish.  Dip biscuits, 1 at a time, into coffee mixture and use to line base of pan (Cut to fit, if necessary).  Top with a third of the mascarpone mixture, half the berries and a third of the chocolate.  Repeat Layers.
4. Top Chocolate with a final layer of soaked biscuits, remaining mascarpone mixture and remaining chocolate.  Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow biscuits to soften and flavours to develop.  Serve.

Notes:

• Mascarpone is a soft Italian cream cheese with a rich, buttery texture and a slightly tart flavour.  Well known for its use in tiramisu and cheesecakes.  It is also great dolloped on fruit.  Take care when mixing mascarpone. - if over mixed, it can separate and become grainy.
• Take care not to over-whop cream lest it breaks down into water and milk solids!
• Hazelnut-flavored liqueur can be replaced with actual rum.  Or add 2-3 teaspoons of rum flavor (syrup in a small bottle sold in baking stores like Phoon Huat) to 2/3 cup of water.
• (Hershey's) Cocoa powder can take the place of dark chocolate int he recipe 
• Sponge Fingers - found in Cold Storage.  Look for them under the label of Cantreau's Lady's Fingers.
• Frozen berries are hard to find - can be omitted from recipe.

Got this recipe from my friend and thought I better type it out before I loose the piece of paper.  She did it for me once using decaf coffee and I loved it.  (^_^)v

Oats Délicieux

Borrowed the above title from the library by Evelyn Tai.  Just started going through it and wanted to jot down some notes.  I love oats, so I tot I wanna look for other things to do with it besides my cookies and the regular oatmeal that I have now and then.

There are some common oats ingredients being used here :

1. Oat Bran
2. Instant Oats
3. Oat Flour
4. Rolled Oats

I think I like all the recipes, except for one which has tuna!  *.*  Not sure what to think of that.  Shall try the recipes out soon.  Nom nom!