Fluffy Butter Cake

Butter cake.  Sound easy and a simple cake to bake BUT it is actually not.  To make it light and moist, that is tricky.  I tried long time ago and the cake came out to be ok but turned dry once it cool down.  Not tasty at all.  So I got online to search and search and finally found one recipe that tempted me to try it out.  This recipe by far is the best!!!  It is buttery, moist and fluffy!!!  I got the recipe from Kitchen Tigress and thanks to KT!!!  

Fluffy Butter Cake

180g salted butter, softened and cut iinto small pieces

30g caster sugar

45g egg yolks (from three 55g eggs)

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

150g self-raising flour, sifted

45ml full-fat fresh milk

105g egg whites (from three 55g eggs)

70g caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius. Line bottom and sides of 15 x 15 x 5cm cake pan with parchment paper.

2. Cream butter and 30g sugar till pale and fluffy, scraping sides and bottom of the mixing bowl as necessary.Add egg yolks 1 at a time plus vanilla extract with the last yolk. Beat thoroughly after each addition till whisk leaves distinct trail.  Scrape down thoroughly.

Re-sift 1/4 of the sifted flour into butter mixture.  Fold with spatula till just even.  Re-sift another 1/4 into mixture.  Again, fold till just even.  Add milk in 2 batches, folding till fully absorbed after each addition.  Re-sift and fold the remaining half of the flour into mixture in 2 batches.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk egg whites till thick. Continue whisking whilst gradually adding 70g sugar, till egg whites form stiff peaks.

4. Fold egg whites into flour mixture in 3 batches,scraping down as necessary to ensure even mixing.

5. Bang mixing bowl against worktop 2-3 times to remove air bubbles.

6. Scrape batter into cake pan. Spread evenly and smooth top. Bang cake pan against worktop 2-3 times to remove gaps between batter and pan.

7. Bake cake in bottom of oven for about 35 minutes till batter doesn't jiggle when shaken. Increase temperature to 180 degree Celsius. Continue baking for 10 minutes or so till inserted skewer comes out clean and cake is evenly brown.

8. Remove cake from oven. Leave on wire rack to cool. Cake may be remove from pan once dome has subsided and top has flattened.

Note:  Leftovers may be refrigerated, tightly wrapped.  Reheat in oven, wrapped in foil, till warmed through.

Never Give Up. I Can Do It!!!

It was a bad day for me yesterday. Everything not going my way.  I was on the verge of just want to hide myself in my room and not see anyone. Still I went through my day and even meet up a friend. Good time. There are times I just feel so down and ask myself why am I going through craps.... then I saw this on net last night.....

The moment I read these words, I feel so much better.  Strange how words can boost someone's feelings.  Today I am all fresh and ready to face the world all over again!!!!

Hello and Good morning!!! :)

Aglio Olio with Grilled Chicken

Aglio Olio is a traditional Italian pasta dish.  It means garlic and oil and is made by sauteeing minced garlic and tossing with spaghetti, sometimes dried chilli flakes added to it.  Garnish with finely chopped parsley and sometimes with parmesan cheese.  When I cook Aglio Olio, I will not add chilli flakes because kiddos do not eat.  I will also add in other ingredients so the simple dish is more interesting to the kiddos.  Forget about going through cook books or magazines recipes for the authentic recipe, I came out with my version, the one my family like.

  


Aglio Olio with Grilled Chicken                       

a tray of boneless chicken chop
1 tbsp garlic salt (buy from grocery store)
1 tsp dried Rosemary leaves
350g Penne pasta, cook according to instruction on package (save a bowl of pasta water)
2 cloves garlic,minced
Capsicum (I used 2 diferent colours, 1/2 each)
5 Shitake Mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup of parmesan cheese
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Olive oil for frying


1. Marinate chicken with garlic salt, Rosemary and set aside for at least an hour or more.

2. Heat a grill pan brushed with some oil, place chicken skin down for about 8-10 mins then turn over and grill for another 8-10 mins or until cooked.  Set aside for about 10 mins chicken once cooked.

3. Cut chicken into small bite size.

4. In a pan, heat olive oil and saute garlic. Add mushrooms and grilled chicken to pan, fry for about 1 minute.

5. Stir in cooked Penne, fry in medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp of reserved pasta water if Penne mixture is too dry.

6. Add capsicum, salt and pepper and fry for another 1 minute.

7. Turn heat off and stir in parmesan cheese and chopped parsley mix well.

Note: Cook Penne just before you fry garlic. To cook good pasta, add plenty of salt and keep water boiling throughout cooking time. Do not cover and stir from time to time. Pasta should be cooked 'al dente' that means just slightly chewy.  Once pasta is cooked, strain immediately without draining off all the cooking water.  Season and serve while hot.

Bon Appetit!!!

Crispy Okra

I am back!!!!  Been away from blog for couple of weeks.  So busy with so much things going on in my life.  Glad to be finally able to sit down and write again.  Challenging life lately. meals at home is a little upside down. Still, I try to cook almost everyday.  To have to come up with dishes for kids is not easy.....I am talking about dishes they like. Sometimes I do not know what exactly they want.  I can cook a new dish today and they said they love it because it is sooooo yummilicious then the next round when I cook it again, they ask, no new dish????  Hey kids, I am not a stay home mom and have all the time to invent new dishes all the time!!! 

I love vegetables, to get them eat all sorts of vegetables is like going through storm when they were younger.  Still I am proud to say I succeeded in this because I made them eat even if they do not like.  My mom called me 'Stepmom'.  Once to make Justin eat Chye Sim, I minced the whole bunch of Chye Sim and dump into the rice cooker with some butter.  At dinner, you can imagine Justin's horror look when he saw that his rice that night was GREEEN!!!!...... I controlled myself not to laugh but he looked so funny.  Now my kiddos eat quite a good range of vegetables.  Xiao Bai Cai,Chye Sim, Kai Lan, Lettuce, long beans, potatoes, Spinach and KangKong (their favourite). Not too bad I thought.  

My next aim is to get them eat assorted vegetables, one of the biggest challenge is Lady's Fingers aka Okra.  Slimy texture is a no-no for them.  I thought for long time and I came out with this recipe.  Simple and no hassle.  I tried and it was a hit!!! Though might not be the most ideal way to introduce healthy vegetables but at least they know that vegetables can be eaten in interesting ways.  Here is the recipe I learnt few years back from an indian friend. Dont quite remember the complete one but I just go with the flow with my own touch.  As long as kiddos eat, all is well!!!

Crispy Okra                                                      

A bunch of Okra (about 2 cups) - Wash and dry each Okra then cut into bite size       

1 tbsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp light soy sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp corn flour

1. Marinate Okra with turmeric, soy sauce and salt.

2. Let it stand for about 20mins

3. Heat up oil in a wok for deep frying.  Stir in corn flour just before frying the Okra.

4. Once oil is hot, add Okra into oil in batches so they wont overcrowd the wok. It will leaves space for the greenies to crisp up.

5. Fry for a few minutes till they are crispy.  Scope them out from the wok and drain off excess oil and let them cool.

6. Continue with second batch and repeat same steps.

7.  Serve with rice and other dishes.

Note:  You might want to wear a glove or have a plastic bag on your hand or just use a fork to mix the turmeric with Okra unless you dont mind yellow hands that will stay with you for awhile.

Easy Grilled Salmon

Have been very busy with daily life.  Honestly I have no idea why I do not have much time for many things.  I find myself drained by night time.  Errands to run, things to manage at home, my work (crazy schedule, my organizer is looking like a typhoon had swipe passed) then kids to manage (this take up most part of my time)!!!  I try my very best to keep a balance at home making sure everyone is happy and well taken care of.  I do not know about other single mothers but I just know I actually freak out if I know kids are upset with some issues in their own life.  I will put on my Wonder Woman armor and do all I can for them to keep them happy or help them with their issues which means if this happen, there goes my personal time!!!  I realise as they grow older, they have more issues...... it will be wonderful if they remain as toddlers and I am in my dreamland fantasizing again.  It is good to day dream sometimes...... it brings me into another world and you will find me smiling to myself ahahhaha.  I feel that I have double responsibility to the family as I am alone and I think sometimes I might have overload my plate.  

I know Lotte loves Salmon, she has not been very well.  I want to cheer her up so I whipped up this simple satisfying meal for her.

Easy Grilled Salmon

300-400g of fresh Salmon fillet with skin on, cut into half thick strip (makes 2 pieces)
2 tbsp japanese soy sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried dill (use fresh ones if have)
dash of black pepper
Olive oil for grill pan and salmon


1. Whisk soy sauce, mustard, dill and black pepper together.  Drizzle over salmon fillets and let it sit for about 15 mins.

2. Heat grilled pan and wipe the pan with some olive oil. 

3. Once pan is hot, brush salmon with some olive oil and place Salmon skin side down on the grill. Grill undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  Turn carefully with a spatula and grill other 3 sides for about another 1 to 2 minutes each side. If your salmon is not as thick as mine, you just need to grill on the skin side and bottom for 3 to 4 minutes each. 


Note: Pat dry the salmon before you marinate. I also like to pat dry the marinated salmon before grilling the salmon.  Skin side must be down first so that less chance of salmon falling apart when flipping.



I served the salmon with olive rice and Sunny-side up (with runny yolk, Lotte's favourite)

Our dinner is done with in 1/2 hour!!!!  Yipee!!!