Elin's Birthday Cake Revealed :))

I had the most enjoyable early birthday celebration with my Piggies. A few years back , birthday celebrations were just normal occasions whereby I received birthday gifts from the Piggies and hubby and was ‘Queen’ for the day, but this year the feeling was a bit different though….maybe it was the reality that age is really catching up that I felt different LOL! A lovely surprise indeed… besides a scrumptious lunch treat given by them, they gave me a beautiful book “ Cooks Quotations” , a collection of fine paintings and the best cooking quotes…wheeee…I am delighted with this gift :)

Surprisingly, last weekend, I did not plan to bake a cake at all . I thought of baking lemon pies for them as an after dinner dessert but since they have given me a treat, I have to bake this Chocolate Cheese Sandwich as a celebration cake. Since I have all the ingredients in the fridge drawer, I proceeded to bake this cake ( I learnt this cake from the baking class I attended sometime back ) . Luckily it turned out delectable. I won’t be posting up the recipe as it would not be right for me to do so :)) I managed to top it with a rich chocolate frosting in less than 4 hours…just in time for dessert and some picture taking…Super Mom ? :p

This cake was made out of love for my Piggies…Josh loves anything chocolatey and Jo loves anything cheesy and it was a great combo ! Do you like the cake decoration ? Is Momsie Elin creative enough ? :p My Piggies were thrilled to bits with the simple decoration . I plucked the ‘naughty boy’ from the garden (this plant blooms through out the year :) and it does complement the cake though. Excuse the poor workmanship..I am no pro but seeing the delightful expression on the Piggies’ faces as they savoured the cake was a joy no money could buy . Joy in my heart was the best gift God could have given to me for my birthday :)) . The candle, I stole from the kitchen pantry meant for something else LOL! Certainly not a candle for a birthday cake but who cares :p

Chocolate Cheese Sandwich...a delectable piece of cake to die for :p

a virtual piece for all of you who came here to wish me

Happy Birthday :p... .the wicked Elin thanking all of you

for the wonderful birthday wishes! :))))

I shared the rest with my colleagues...Lyn, Claire and Nancy

lucky angels !

the naughty Daddy...gotcha!...he thinks he looks cute !

Josh, Elin and Jo

the 3 musketeers can't wait to blow out the candle

and eat the cake :p

a beautiful book from the Piggies

an ideal gift for me who enjoys cooking :))

Thanks Piggies for this....I love it!

Thank you to all my friends and readers

who came here to wish me Happy Birthday ....... :)))))))

“ The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for. ” 

- Sophia Loren

What A Lovely Surprise!

The Piggies were back for the weekend and Daddy told me on Saturday morning not to cook for lunch " Let's eat out" Whoa...I was thinking...for once I will be served ! He even asked me where I would like to have lunch and straight away I told him Sun Marpoh in Ipoh Garden. My mind was already thinking of some of their signature dishes that my Piggies would love to have and of course mine too. See, when one doesn't need to cook, one tends to order like a glutton :p I told Daddy I would love to try their out signature Roast Pork Knuckles...:)) and each of us get to order his or her's favourite dish. Piggy Boy ordered 2 of his favourite dishes, their signature tofu dish ( Kwai Fei Tofu) and Sweet And Sour Fried Chicken, Piggy Gal as usual ordered her favourite Veggie Prawns Curry and Dad ordered the Stir-fry Veggie With Salted Fish ( Choy Thum Chow Hum Yue ) and before the food arrived we took some family photos....it's been quite a while since we took pictures together.....and below are the food we ordered and enjoyed tremendously.... a wonderful simple lunch !

It is not my style to blog about what we eat out ,here on my blog , but for this once I have to blog about it coz it's special...not the food but the thought of some loving persons...haha I will come to it later....

This veggie tasted something like brussels sprout

with crunchy texture

it's called ' Choy Thum Chow Hum Yue' in Cantonese

Stir-Fry Choy Thum With Salted Fish...yummy

This dish is called 'Chi Loh Kon Chien Kai' in Cantonese

Deep Fried Chicken Coated With Sweet Sour Sauce

Piggy gal's favourite...Veggie Prawns Curry... I love this too!

Piggy Boy 's favourite.... ' Kwai Fei Tofu ' in Cantonese

the restaurant's signature dish...the homemade tofu

with smooth and silky texture...yumm yumm

Deep Fried Mantou supposed to be taken together with

the Roast Pork Knuckles and the starch like sauce

this is my favourite but I don't get to eat this often

becoz it is artery clogging...hmmm and for this occasion the Piggies

allowed me to order it...strange @@

look how crispy this is...crispy on the outside and

moist and juicy and tasty on the inside....well done

Before leaving for the restaurant to have our lunch and while waiting for Daddy to be ready,...we had some fun taking photos of ourselves...:) and we had lots of fun together. Yup, the sweet old lady is me, Elin , the super Momsie ! :))) and the sweet young lady is Piggy Gal, Jo and the handsome young sir is Piggy Boy, Josh.

haha , yup that's Elin and Piggy gal :)))

I am 25 ( forever ;p ) and she is 21 :p

the 3 musketeers...love to take pics together

He is 19 and I am 25 LOL!

and finally ,the other half shows his appearance :))

the 'young and handsome' Daddy ;p

Daddy told me that lunch was a treat from my Piggies…whoa.. what a lovely surprise! For my coming birthday….which is a few days away. The Piggies will be back in college then so they intended to celebrate my birthday earlier…ohhhh…how sweet and thoughtful of them. I was so touched by their kind gesture.

I thought I would celebrate my birthday with just Daddy on the day, so did not make a cake. My Piggies really know how to spring a surprise on me. So, after lunch I rushed home and baked a cake for the early celebration LOL! And true to my title ‘ super Momsie ' , I managed to bake a nice chocolate cheese sandwich in time for our after dinner dessert . Will post up the cake in my next post.

Thank you Piggies for such a wonderful lunch . That would have taken a big chunk out of your pocket money ;p * I love you Piggies **

Stay tuned for more photos of the last minute birthday cake :))))

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Savoury Butter Chicken

I not only love salmon fish but I also heart all kinds of seafood. I know that they are artery clogging but I consume them in moderation and I make sure that I go for brisk walk every evening, the best exercise for the heart and body. I have to keep myself fit and healthy coz my motto in life besides taking care of the Piggies and the other half , is to enjoy the food I cook and bake. I love FOOD….can? Especially homecooked ones :)

I kinda have  this craving for butter shrimps but I have to keep some allowance for seafood this weekend.. for the Piggies are coming back this weekend! In the end I cooked buttered chicken instead :p :O  It turned out yummilicious with the complete aroma of the buttered shrimps!  The crispness of the chicken cubes on the outside and the juiciness of the meat inside , did satiate the craving for butter shrimps after all :)) I use the recipe for butter shrimps, so needless to say we had a wonderful and satisfactory dinner…no complaints from the other half …who would dare to complain after such an appetizing dish for  dinner ?   Oh..by the way…even if it is not up to standard, no one dares to complain , coz the wok will go into retirement then LOL!  Nay, so far so good…so the wok will still have to serve its purpose for a while yet :))))

delicious crispy chicken cubes

 the aroma from all the ingredients sauteed together 

is really saliva inducing

this tasted exactly like the butter shrimps

yummilicious......mmmmm

Savoury Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

one big chicken breast – diced into bite-sized cubes

a pinch of sea salt

a dash of white pepper

1 heaped tbsp of corn flour

 1 egg white

a cup of panko brad crumbs/ cornflour

vegetable oil for deep frying

2 sprigs of curry leaves

2 pips of garlic – chopped

2 bird’s eye chilli – deseeded and cut into half

1 tbsp of curry powder

½ tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp of butter

1 egg yolk – whisk tog with 1 tbsp of milk

Preparation:

Season the chicken cubes with salt and white pepper for ½ hour. Heat up the wok with the vegetable oil for deep frying under medium heat.  Add in 1 heaped tablespoon of corn flour on the seasoned chicken cubes. When the oil is hot, dip the chicken cubes in the egg white and coat with the panko crumbs/cornflour. Put the coated chicken cubes into the hot oil and deep fry them till crispy brown and cooked. Dish them up and drain off the extrta oil on kitchen paper towels.

Pour the used oil into a mug. Wash the wok clean and reheat the wok under medium heat. Add in the olive oil and butter into the wok. Add in the garlic, curry leaves, chillies, curry powder and sauté  till aromatic. Push aside the sautéed ingredients . Slowly add in the beaten egg yolk mixture and keep stirring it into shreds as it is cooking in the wok. When the eggs are in fine shreds , add in the cooked crispy chicken cubes and coat evenly with the sautéed aromatic ingredients. Dish up and serve hot with rice.

Enjoy!

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Alfalfa And Salmon Sandwich

Alfalfa & Salmon Sandwich :) Do you like the look of it…haha I made this for my breakfast this morning and whoa…it was good and a healthy one too. Instead of using lettuce for the greens, I used organic alfalfa and it was yummilicious. The tang taste of cheddar cheese and the salmon flakes from yesterday’s salmon papillotte , blended well with the alfalfa. A great combo..if you were to ask me :p A very light and tasty sandwich which I don’t mind eating every day :))) Do you agree with me ? A little bit of innovation and creativity make a good breakfast! :p This sandwich is to die for….:p I didn’t add any mayo or chilli sauce for I just want to savor the sweet aromatic salmon flakes …mmmmMmmmm one word heavenly! ( As I was eating this sandwich, I thought of my Piggy gal…she will love this definitely :) Will make this for her when she comes home next week )

I will use organic alfalfa sprouts for my sandwiches from now on if they are not too pricey ;p …I love the subtle green smell….now I know why the moo moo loves the grass LOL!

air flown in from Australia...organic Alfalfa Sprouts

step 1 and 2- a layer of alfalfa and tomato

step 3 and 4 - a layer of cheddar cheese and salmon flakes

top with with another layer of alfalfa

step 5 and 6 another layer of tomato cheddar cheese

I love this simple and yet delicious sandwich

If I can have this every morning...

I will get to taste heaven on earth :p agree

a good healthy breakfast to start the morning :))))

Piggy gal this is for u…now you drool first and feast on it visually but when you are back this is what you will have for your brunch!

Alfalfa & Salmon Sandwiches

( serve 1 person )

Ingredients:

2 slices of wholemeal bread

½ a piece of baked salmon – flaked it

1 red tomato – cut into slices

2 slices of cheddar cheese

½ a pack of organic alfalfa sprouts

* japanese mayonaise and sweet chilli sauce can be used as dressing**

Assemble them as shown in the photos above. You can assemble them the way you fancy :) It has no fixed rules…it goes with the rhythm of your desire :))

Enjoy!

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Salmon Papillotte ( Salmon In Paper Bag )

I think everyone knows I love salmon fish….especially Piggy gal. She knows I can’t resist buying them from the supermart if they are fresh . Salmon in sushi, salmon in pasta, salmon in salad and even salmon baked in parchment paper. The only thing I have not tried out is salmon in curry :p Last night , I baked Salmon Papillotte ( salmon in paper bag ) for dinner. I love this style of cooking coz it retains the moistness of the fish and the ingredients used to marinate the fish will be fully absorbed into the fish . Easy preparation and not much washing involved :))

Daddy doesn’t much like salmon unless I can smoked it for him….smoked salmon? Nay, I rather buy those ready smoked one for him :) This is very versatile when it comes to marinating the salmon…you can use any ingredients and yet the salmon will taste wonderful. Simplicity is deliciousness!

Sea salt , chopped garlic ,black pepper and chopped Italian parsley are the magic ingredients used to marinade the salmon. I added some orange juice and orange zest to marinade the fish…don’t ask why…just that I was actually eating an orange at that time and it struck me why not? ….thus the juice and zest was added to complete the marinate process which took half an hour. The baking takes about 18 minutes at 200º C . I like my salmon just cooked. But if you like it well done , then add another 5 minutes to the cooking time. Can be taken as a main dish or added to your pasta or salad or sandwiches.

I kept half a piece of the salmon for the sandwiches I am going to make for my breakfast tomorrow. Will post them up in my next post :)) Meanwhile , feast your eyes upon this delicious baked salmon papillotte and stay tuned for the Alfalfa & Salmon Sandwich in my next post :p

marinate the salmon with orange juice & zest, chopped garlic,

black pepper, italian parsley and olive oil for 1/2 hour

when it's ready wrap it in papillotte or paper bag of parchment paper

if you like you can pour in the marinade on the salmon

but I prefer it without the marinade this time

coz I it drier for making salmon flakes for my sandwiches :))

it is now ready for baking...mmmmmm

easy right? :p

After 18 minutes.....whoa the aroma of this mouthwatering

marinade....induces the salivary glands to reacts fast.....:p

Salmon Papillotte ( Salmon In Paper Bag )

Ingredients:

1 piece of salmon fillet

1.5 tsp sea salt – rub on the fish

2 pips garlic – chopped finely

½ tsp toasted black pepper – crushed coarsely

2 sprigs of parsley – chopped coarsely

½ orange - squeezed for juice

¾ tbsp of orange zest

2 tbsp of olive oil

Method:

Heat up the oven for 10 minutes at 200º C.

Marinade the salmon with the above ingredients for ½ hour. Wrap the salmon with parchment paper and baked for 10 minutes. Take out and slit open the top of the parchment paper to let out the steam. Put back into the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. The salmon will be just nicely cooked But if you want it to be well done , then leave it in the oven and bake a further 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Stir-Fried Beech Mushrooms With Salted Egg Yolks

This recipe is from Angie's blog - Angie's Recipes and was I not glad that I had it tried out. And my goodness...it was GOOD! Stir-Fried Beech Mushrooms With Salted Egg Yolks . These mushrooms are called Shimeji over here and we have the fresh one sold at the supermarket. I love the firm texture of these mushrooms. I couldn't wait to try out this recipe and I was not disappointed...it turned out so yummy that Daddy and I finished the whole plate by ourselves. The fried crispy mushrooms were well coated with the salted egg yolks and the fragrance is absolutely mouthwatering...mmmmm you have to try it out to believe every word I wrote here. I love Angie's blog and I want to thank her for her generosity in sharing all the wonderful recipes on her blog. There are so many I want to try out...... :p

these are the fresh Beech or Shimeji mushrooms ....rich in anti- oxidant

and recently found to have anti-cancer properties in them

the salted egg yolks gave extra flavor to the mushrooms

ohh.....is this saliva inducing enough ?

I love this dish and will make it again when my Piggies are back

now seduce them with the photos first..........:p

Stir-Fried Beech Mushrooms With Salted Egg Yolks - adapted from Angie's Recipes

Ingredients:

40 gm Beech Mushrooms, I used fresh

2-3 salted cooked

2 tbsp egg

2-3 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

oil for frying

Method

Add eggs and cornstarch to the beech mushroom until well combined.

Heat up the skillet with enough oil until very hot. Fry the beech mushroom until golden. Remove and drain on the kitchen paper. Leave a little of the frying oil in the skillet, add in the salted egg yolk and season with salt and sugar. Crumble the egg yolks in the skillet, return the fried beech mushrooms to the skillet, tossing until when blended.  Serve while hot.

Thanks Angie for this mouthwatering mushroom recipe ! Love it !

Enjoy !

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