Mermaid necklace

Mermaid? Not me, but the name of a necklace that is found in a book I borrowed from the library long time back. My little girl fancies Ariel, so she asked for this necklace (actually a part of a three strand necklace) to be made for her. However, it is not easy to get the identical beads so I have to find similar ones from my "collections". After stringing it, I put it aside for a long time before I finally finish the clasp, because I can't decide how long should this necklace be, and I am not sure if it is suitable for a 5 year old. Anyway, after dragging for so long, I just decide to close it and complete the task. There is still another WIP item. Here's the necklace.

 

美人魚是我女兒喜歡的公主。好久以前， 她從圖書館借回來的書上看到這條項鏈（其實這只是一部份）的名字叫美人魚，就吵著要。我從我的“珠堆中”找了接近的珠子串了給她。真想不通，才五歲的小女孩，怎麼會那麼愛美。

Dessicated Coconut Muffins

Finally I baked something. Saw from Esther's blog that she did a dessicated coconut muffin. The original recipe that she refers to uses butter, but she changed it to sunflower oil instead, so I thought, there shouldn't be a need to cream the oil, so I went ahead to make that. Moreover, bakes with coconuts are among the top of my favourite foods.

Since it is just stir and mix, nothing very special to note. My girl helped me with it and it was done in the morning easily. I did not have evaporated milk, so I used my fresh milk. This recipe produces a small amount of muffins, just 6 for my size of muffin cups. There isn't enough to go round because it is very yummy. My kids like it as much as I do and complained that I made too little. I promised them I will make this again after I buy more dessicated coconut (I hope tomorrow). However the muffins are not the fluffy type. I added the cherries as decoration since they are lying around for sometime. Here are the muffins.

 

 

看到了嗎？ 終於有新鮮小蛋糕出爐了。跟著esther的好介紹，我烘了這個椰絲小蛋糕。過程簡單，因為沒用牛油而是用葵花油，所以沒用攪拌器打發，只是稍微攪拌,沒一會兒就有一陣陣的椰香。孩子們都很喜歡，可能物以稀為貴，因為只有六個。凡是又椰子成份的食品都是我的最愛。我要趕快去添購椰絲再做因為我還沒吃夠。

Copycat

Perhaps I should change my blog name to "copycat housewife" since I often take recipes from other food blogs to use (I do give credits).

This time, Happyhomebaker shared a video on how omurice is made (see the video in her pretty omurice post). I always have problem wrapping omurice. It will be flat and contained very little of rice only. Or I will just line a bowl with an egg omelette, stuff the rice inside, cover the rice with the omelette and invert it onto a plate, then slit the top. With this video, I somehow managed wrapping up quite a big portion of rice and managed to have it on the plate with little spills (or rice). I did not shape my omurice though and I think the egg is overcooked. Here's a look.

I hope to bake the coconut muffin in Esther's blog real soon because like her, I am also like stuff with coconuts.

我沒有創意的，只會直接從別人網站參考食譜，就烹煮。我不是不要改而是不會改，而且那食譜已tried and tested，好看又好吃，所以何必呢？這天，多謝Happyhomebaker找到的video，我才能把這日式的蛋包飯做好。以前總是薄薄的，現在總算能飽一餐。

Blog is not dead.

One of my friend commented that I have not been posting in my blog. Not much mood when the mixer is dead and I have to wait till GSS to get a new one. However, she cannot see the pictures I share in FB, so I have decided to put them up here for her and to "clock" up the time till the next baking post. These are dishes that I have cooked for my family and kids these few days. Some of the dishes are from cookbooks that I borrowed from the library and some of them are dishes that other food bloggers have done. For example, the idea of salmon furikake lunch is from Happy homebaker, of cos hers is done up much better (see here) . Here goes :-

 

Sugar snaps overcooked!

 Colorless!

 

the all time favourite spagetti topped with parmesan.

Must put up both pictures thou same stuff, else kids will ask why isn't his's/her's there.

上几個blogpost沒用中文寫，其實是忘了。哎，老了。

這裡附上我為家人和孩子煮的些家常菜。一位朋友沒法看到我在FB shared的這些照片，所以利用這個空間。這也好，若有朋友來訪，不至於看舊聞。我的攪拌機死了，所以沒烘焙一段日子了。我看我得去翻我那本“手拌式蛋糕”了。快點來啊。

No cakes and biscuits, more bread?

*sigh* .. my mixer died on the day I used it to bake a cake for my boy. I am creaming the cream cheese and sugar when I see black specks on the cheese, so I stopped the mixer immediately. While trying to place the mixer on the table, a ball bearing dropped out. I straight away declared the mixer beyond repair. 

However, this cake I am making is for my boy's birthday .. so with the kid's expectation and to prevent disappointment ..  I made the cake using hand power. He asked for cheese and chocolate, so due to busy schedule, I did not want to try something new thus I use the tried and tested recipe. As this is a birthday cake, I am happy that I can finally use up my whipping cream to make chocolate ganache so that my boy can decorate his own cake as he has requested. I just melt the couverture chocolate buttons (finally got rid of this pack too) in the whipping cream and milk mixture over small fire and then when cooled, pour over the cake. 

Here's the output (sorry for the uneven terrain on the cake). The boy decorated his cake with the only easy ingredient available - m&m minis.

 Sorry for the untidiness.

Now that the mixer is gone for good ... should I start utilising the bread maker instead?  

The mixer is sick, so am I.

It has been a month since I last posted.

There is this fine day, while trying to beat the egg white for a cake I can't remember now, I saw speckles of black dots, tiny tiny little ones on the foam. Then when I tilted the mixer blade away from the batter, a curvy shiny piece, 1/4 of a small circle's circumfrence drop out from no where. The mission is immdiately aborted and investigation is carried out but no result. The mixer has been shelved since then. Should I get a kitchenAid now? My mum suggested to block out all the outlets on the mixer motor body with cloth and continue to use, after all, the output is only for own consumption.

Why kitchenaid? Cos I like the mixer bowl and the balloon whisk. Most mixer comes with a rather flat base mixer bowl and I think balloon whisk gives a better mixed batter. My current kenwood did not give me that. Can my baking friends and readers give some comments and suggestion?

Besides mixer being sick, I am also down with a fever for 10 days now. It started last thursday with 38.5 then went up to 39 and 40 degree celcius. I am totally handicapped, relying on hubby to manage the kids with my mother and mother doubles up as cook. I have finish at least 30 capsules of panadol and has also lost my voice. Just when I decide to do a blood test today that the temperature fell to 37.5. Will wait and see now.

Been wanted to post this necklace up. It has been strung since quite some time back but I did not do the finishing till late.

I hope to recover soon and have the decision confirmed on the mixer.

When can I restart my baking

Its a long while .. since the CNY .. so many goodies to finish and just me to do it (oops) .. then now my kids are sick .. looks like it gonna be another week before I can start baking. I have yet to try out the CNY peanut cookie .. ingredients bought before CNY .. cant imagine I have another round of CNY goodies to finish.