Traditional Sponge Cake

I was into the mood to attempt the basic traditional sponge cake last Sunday. The good old simple sponge cake would be nice after all my various attempts of various mix and sorts.

Without hesitation, I surfed and found the receipe from Aunty Lucy's webpage. Yes, Aunty Lucy's bakes are fabulicious and yummilicious. And yes, I am still dreaming perhaps one fine day, I will make a house visit and devour her bakes. Greedy thoughts of mine!

The receipe steps seem simple. Yet, when I attempt it, it aint at all. It was challenging especially when the nicely whipped eggs with sugar seem to deflate almost instantly when I added in the flour and corn oil. You could imagine my frustration during the process as I looked helplessly as the egg mix with flour seem to diminish in proportion.

Though fortunately, the bake turned out decent, i.e. edible. It was on the dry and coarse. Maybe I should have been gentler during the mixing. Ah well, its my first attempt. And yes, it did taste like kueh bulu, a little at least.

Japanese Sweet Potato Ondeh ondeh

I have'graduated' from my '6 months probation' into my new job role. Yes, i finally decided that 'enough is enough', i need a good rest, a decent day off, my entitlement. So yesterday afternoon, i smsed my supervisor, and she gave me the 'ok' for a weekday rest today.

After the weekly area meeting last evening, I decided to browse for 'inspiration' in NTUC for the making today. And in the wooden box were purplish Japanese sweet potato enticing me, drawing my attention. It was at the special price of 19 cts per 100g. I chose 5 cute looking sweet potatoes, all 500g ++, and decided that ondeh ondeh shall be the making today.

I simply love the strong purplish look of the sweet potatoes that needed no extra coloring. Yes, that my favourite color too. Together with orange, pink etc. Color your world ladies.

Following Florence's easy to follow receipe, this is my fresh homemade Japanese Sweet Potato ondeh ondeh coated with dessicated coconut.

Yumz, it goes well with a nice cuppa of tea or coffee later. Irresistable!

Oats raisin cookies

This is the 2nd time i am baking oats raisins cookies with mixed spices. I love having mixed spices in the bakes if the receipe permits. Or even mixed herbs for that matter. The natural whiff or inhale just sets one drooling in the midst of the making.

I must admit that the shape of my biscuits aint attractive. The size of the biscuits are not the cutey bitesy size cos I am 'clumsy' and too greedy. Then again, making mini bites would have been too 'tedious' for me.

Simply enjoy indulging in the whiff of the biscuits during the bake. Lovely.

Two containers of biscuits baked for the day which could last for just 3 days if the 'consumption' rate is high. We'll see.

Stir Fried Vegetables

After baking the blueberry cake, Mom was commenting that it was such a long while since I last cooked. Well, that seems quite true because I have been engrossed in work and then baking.

And so, to win Mom's 'heart', I checked the fridge and took out some balance stalks of "kai lan", celery, carrot and ham. Yes, it was a simple stir fried vegetable with no added seasoning needed as the ham in itself has salty taste plus the miscellaneous ingredients within the 2 thin slice of fats, meat etc. Lets not dwell into it too deeply.

All I did was to wash the vegetables, sliced and diced the vegetables and ham. With just tbsp of corn oil, stir fried using the Chinese wok, viola, this is the simplicity at its best. A healthy plate of vegetables.

Mom was teasing me for taking picture of this dish for my blogging. Well, I thought it will be nice to share that I do cook sometimes too. Sometimes perhaps more 'adventurous' than Mom's. Then again, there are always the branded Mom's dishes which cant be copied.

Ya, Mom's the word. You dont have to wait till Mother's Day. Right folks ?

Blueberry cake

Yes, yes, its blueberry craze again. Just last week, blueberries were like selling for $5 ++ a punnet at NTUC. And to think that its the blueberries season now, that was considered expensive.

But hye, NTUC advertised on ST on 6 Jun. The blueberries are going off the shelf at the special price of $2.99 till 8 Jun 08. Now, thats something worth 'celebrating'. Money saving and fruitydelicious. So off I went today and grabbed 3 punnets. Mom will 'nag' again if she knew I had bought blueberries again. Well, thats before 'clearing' the 2 punnets of frozen blueberries for this yoghurt blueberry cake.

I just love the moist and softness in every bite. And indulged I did. After dinner, I had small slices of the cake and with one scoop of blueberries icecream as dessert. Sinful you can call it.

Anyway, it was perfect way to complete the precious weekend. Yes, work resumes in a couple of hours time. Back to reality!

Marble Cake

The craving comes, the action kicks in. This applies to me very often. And today, my craving is into chocolatety cake. Not the conventional dark chocolate brownies coz Mom's not into dark chocolately stuff. Ah yes, marble cake, the thought just 'hits' the mind waves.

This is my second attempt at baking marble cake. The receipe is from my favourite Aunty Lucy's blog page.

I am still far from attaining the "artistic" look. Alas. The consolation is that this is an improved version from the 1st trial. Moreover, I've got better 'feel' during the making. Which also means that this taste better than the last round. Thumbs up, a pat on my own back. Once in awhile, we ought to encourage ourselves rather than wait for others to motivate us. Being a go getter as I am, this is how I spur myself daily.

And while typing this, the whiff of mixed spice biscuits baking fills the whole house in the aroma of fragrance. Simply therapeutic. Nice.