Archive for November 24, 2010

Banana Cake

November 24, 2010 · Filed under Desserts and Pastries, Recipes

I used this recipe to clear off the very ripe bananas at home instead of throwing them away in the rubbish bin. I have a runner at home and another in the making, we ended up buying quite a bit of bananas. So to make sure that we do not waste food that God had provided, I find ways to use them.

Straight from the oven...

Before I could take a photo of the cake taken out from the tray, it was eaten by the boys…

Ingredients:
150g very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
2 tsp lime juice/lemon juice (I prefer the lime juice)
150g butter (Oil can be used as substitute too)
2/3 cup raw sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup self-raising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

Banana cake

Method:
1. Line the base of a 7-inch round cake tin with waxed paper and brush the sides lightly with softened butter.

2. Preheat oven to 340F (170C).

3. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and stir in the lime juice. Set aside.

4. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Pour the beaten eggs in a little at a time, beating well between additions.

5. Use a large metal spoon, fold in half the flour and baking soda without stirring or beating the mixture.

6. Fold in the mashed bananas until well incorporated and then add the remaining flour and baking soda.

7. Turn the mixture out into the tin. Hollow out the centre slightly to prevent it rising to a dome in the middle.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45minutes or till cake is well risen and golden brown.

9. Allow cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edges and turning it out to cool on a wire tray.

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Pizza Dough

November 24, 2010 · Filed under Desserts and Pastries, Western Recipes

This is one of recipes that i used to experiment food with my elder boy. He enjoys watching me cook and bake and many a time, i allowed him to play around with the ingredients and we had a wonderful time dishing up items in the kitchen.

And this is one that he used and baked pizza for his preschool friends in Canada and how time flies that he is already completing his Year 1 and going to Year 2 soon. My baby has grown up like a wink of the eyes. And a friend was asking me for an easy to make Pizza Dough to work with her child. I am hoping that in a few months time, my younger one can also work on this and have as much fun as his brother in the kitchen with me.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
1 tsp fine sugar
150ml warm water
8g of active dry yeast (Those in a packet)
30ml of vegetable oil (I used Canola oil)
11/2 cup all purpose flour (use a measuring cup)
1/2 tsp salt
Extra flour for knead (do not need much)

Method:
1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and then sprinkle with yeast. Let it stand for 10 minute until bubbly and double in volume. Then add in the oil.

2. In another bowl, sift flour and salt while waiting for the yeast mixture to be ready. Make a well in the centre, pour in the yeast mixture. Can either use a fork to blend together or use the hand (I prefer the hand) to form a dough. And then gather into a ball.

3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, add in enough flour just be make it into soft, slightly sticky dough. Place dough into a greased bowl, turning it once to grease all over. Cover bowl with a greased wax paper and a tea towel. Let it stand in the lighted oven without a little of heat for 1hr to 2hr until it tripled in size.

4. Punch down dough and form into a ball. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and cover with a bowl. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into 12 inch circle (about 30cm).

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Been busy…

November 24, 2010 · Filed under Recipes

It has been a long time since I update this foodblog, not that I stop baking or cooking or experimenting with food. In fact, I have been experimenting with lots of stuff, baking for my younger boy’s 1st birthday Hi-tea Celebration and catering to my elder boy’s requests.

it has been a long while due to the terrible morning sickness, been on bedrest through my 2nd pregnancy and making my way back to the comfort of my homeland with my elder boy for the delivery of my younger boy. And been pampered a bit back home with all the yummy food that I do not really need to cook.

And then flying back to join my husband after about 8 months away back home, we were busy with shifting and moving to a new place. The priority of making sure that both boys have enough of our attention and playing with them and working with them, left me with a bit of “me” time that I could utilize to trying out new recipes, modified them and all been handwritten down in a exercise book that i hardly had the time to update here.

Bear with me as I work as a snail to update being alone taking care of two active but fun boys, that I have to come up with lots of activities to keep them occupied and also on the run for new activities.

And with the summer approaching, more time out into the nature to enjoy God’s creation, time to smell the fresh air, aroma of the flowers, the chirping of the birds and the cool breeze near the sea.

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