Despicable Me 2

Before Ramadan again our daughter insisted to watch the sequel of Despicable Me which was also called Despicable Me 2.  We went on the first sequel in 2010 and I did enjoyed the film.

So without further hesitations lol, we went to watch the sequel and yes I still enjoyed it.  The return of Gru and his little girls and of course the cute Minions were the catch of this movie.  They were still halirious!  And how cute when the girls wanted Gru to find a girlfriend so that they could have a mother.  Although this time, Gru becomes a spy and was hired  by a Anti villian League to deal with some powerful criminals.   He was paired with another spy which was a lady and they fall in love, aaawww.... I love the touch of romance in the movie and how Gru started to have feeling towards the opposite sex haha.

Anyway, its a good movie to watch (although its a cartoon lol).  And it did well in the box office as well, so yay....

Ramadan Mubarak 1434

To all muslims around the world.  Happy Ramadan.  May Allah bless us all in His Barakah & Rahmah.

Beef Pastry Puff

My desire to bake continues..........

This weekend i tried my hands on making the beef pastry puff.  Which I think was quite easy.  Found a very simple recipe.  And it was even simpler when I used the frozen pastry puff which cut off so much time on preparing the dough.  I heard how notorious making the dough could be!  You got to get the right mixture and combination to get the perfect dough.  And you have to try so many times.  And I dont have that many time hahaha.

So I opted the frozen one and it worked wonders!!!

Make sure you thaw it properly first.  I advise you to thaw the frozen puff in the normal fridge overnight and then leave them in room tempature for about 30 minutes before putting in the filling.

The filling was simply using the normal curry with minced beef, potatoes and blended onions and garlic.

I baked them in about 15 minutes with 170 degress centigrate temperature on my oven.

And thats it!

The frozen pastry that I used

The filling

 

The pastry before going into the oven




The finished product



Yumm...

Taman Peranginan Tasik Lama

I should go out and enjoy the scenery in Brunei more.  There are so many nice places here.  But we dont usually go and explore them.  Well.. maybe we do, but not as often as I would like.  Time is always the issue, or laziness??? haha..

Last weekend, the office organised HLP (thats Healthy Lifestyle Programme) for the employees where everyone could go out of the office for an hour any time of day to do a simple exercise and destress. 

This programme has been going on for a long time and I used to be so active in the past when I worked in Seria.  Havent been involved in any HLP for a long time. 

This activity is encouraged in BSP so our small department decided to join along because its part of the corporate initiatives.  And its for a good cause as well.  So a few of us discussed on it and decided to go to Taman Peranginan Tasik Lama for our first department HLP.  And I like it, its a nice place.  Its a jungle in the middle of the city.  We could still find monkeys, squirrels and other insects and small animals in the vacinity.  There are still pretty flora and faunas around. 

Beside the location (+/- 10 minutes from our office), we knew its a popular places for the locals to go for recreations, exercises such as jogging, hiking or strolling along the beautiful pathways with the rest of the families.  Even the royal families always present and do their daily exercise routines.  Even HM The Sultan brings his entourage or royal visitors for a stroll or brisk walk.

I've been here when I was younger but havent seen all the facelift and all.  I knew the place is beautifully decorated and renovated now and I felt such a relief to see them still look so presentable and lovely :)

The site map

The directory on where to find what

The ever so famous waterfall

Monkey!

Fried Ice Cream (Ais Krim Goreng)

Have you heard of this??

Maybe yes ? No??

Me too.  Not until recently.  Well... maybe I did hear about it but I didnt have any recollections on what its like and how to make it.

I came across the recipe by accident too.  While I hunt the pavlova recipe then I saw it.  I was surprise on how easy it is to make them.  And the ingredients were even simpler, crazy simple lol...

My verdict??

Not sure.  Well.. its ok, the outside was crispy and hot but when we bit into it, our mouth was greeted with the coldness of the ice cream..  Kind of a unique taste.

But one word of caution.  Not to fry them too long otherwise the bread soaked most the oil and becomes too oily.  Thats what happen to a few of my fried ice cream.  Very oily although still crispy.

Give it a try and judge it yourself!

The recipe is just  these:

Bread
Ice cream
Oil to fry

And thats it!!

The ingredients

The ice cream on top of the bread

Get another bread and put on top

Use a plastic glass to cut the bread into round shape

This is how it looks like before frying

Freeze the bread and ice cream inside the freezer for a few hours.  I put each bread into separate small plastic bags to avoid them from sticking to each other

Then fried and this is the end product!

Haze 2013

I wonder when do we learn from previous incidents?  It is happening again right now.  Our country is surrounded by haze from the open burnings in Indonesia and its not nice.

As if we are choked by smoke and fumes.  Its getting so bad now in Brunei and same thing happens in Singapore and Malaysia as well.  In fact its far worst in those countries as mentioned in this news.  Some schools in Malaysia's most affected states are closed and some major events in Singapore are also cancelled or postponed because of this.  Its really is serious.

In Brunei, it hasnt been raining for a while at the moment and its making it worst.  The weather is dry, humid, hot and smokey.  I hope it will rain soon so the rain could help to clear the smoke.

Below is the picture taken from my office.  See all those smoke on the horizon?

Pavlova is so yummy..!!

I've been baking a number of cakes for a few weeks now and I am loving it!!!

This weekend I tried my hands on pavlova.  I've read that it is so easy to make and the ingredients are simple and easy to find, easily available at home.

So I googled the recipe and found so many of them in the internet!  So popular I must say lol...

I gave it a try and it really was so easy and fast to make.  And it was so yummy too... I made it not so sweet especially on the meringue and the topping so it easy on the tongue as well.  So heavenly.  Like you are eating a cloud... lol.

And since I am into cupcakes these days, I made the pavlova in a cupcake style.  I could do it in a big chunk but prefer to have it in a separate mini cups so me and the family could savour it one by one and not to spoil the design and taste.  I freeze them in the refrigerator but I didnt put the topping and fruits on top until serving so as to preserve the freshness and the crispiness of the meringue.  Cant wait to savour it again later!

Serves 6-8, makes approx 16 cupcakes or 1 large pavlova

 

Ingredients:

 

6 free range egg whites

1 ½ cups of castor sugar (I only use not even a cup and it really was enough and not too sweet).

Squeeze lemon juice

1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 tbs corn flour

1 tbs vinegar

The topping:

500ml thickened cream (I didnt put sugar on it)

1 punnet strawberries

Other fruits that can be used - bananas, kiwi fruit, peaches, etc.  Use sour fruits to counter attack the sweetness.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 110°C
• Line 2 cupcake trays with papers or lay a sheet of baking paper on a tray.
• In an electric mixer whip the egg whites on high until frothy.
• Keep beating on high and slowly add the sugar.
• Keep beating on high until the meringue reaches stiff peak (when you lift the beater the peaks hold their shape and don’t fold). This will take about 5 min.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the vanilla and beat again quickly to mix it through.
• Use an ice cream scoop (those ones with the squeeze handles) to scoop the mixture into the cupcake papers or use a spatula to spread the mixture onto the pan in the shape of a circle.
• Bake on a low temp until light brown and crispy. Approx 45 min for cupcakes or approx 1.5 hrs for a large one.
• Turn off the oven and let it cool slowly with the oven slightly ajar.
• Whip the cream (do not add sugar!). This can be done in advance, while it is in the oven or just before serving.

 Just before serving cover with cream, chop fruit and decorate.

 

 And these are the work I've done:

 

Whipping the white egg until frothy.  It took maybe 5 minutes

Tadaa...

Ready to go in the oven

Ready to eat!!!

Look at that! So yummmyyy...

My new driver!

The best thing about having a grown up daughter is that I have someone to drive me if I am too lazy to drive!  For the past few days my daughter has offered to drive me to work and I am so grateful for the opportunity of not having to drive in the traffic jam.

I know she is such a good daughter, I didnt ask her but she insisted, and I am very happy with that! LOL

Carrot Cupcakes

Ok, I must admit, I am so addicted of making cupcakes right now.  However, this is going to be my last post about cupcakes and I am not gonna do more recipes for a little while hehehe.

I found this cupcake recipe which was so easy to follow.   I think the recipe is for bigger cupcakes but I prefer mini cupcakes.  I dont like my cupcakes to be too big, I prefer smaller ones :)  Apart from looking really cute, you got to spread the mix into more cups which is always a good thing. 

Basically you can do it with your eyes closed.  Yes I am serious.  It IS that easy!  And it taste sssoooo good too.

Try it you wont regret it, I promised... lol

And here is the recipe.....

Ingredients


• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
• 8 ounces bar cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners. In a bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and eggs.

2. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt. Add flour; mix. Stir in carrots, walnuts, and coconut.

3. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

5. Frost cupcakes, and garnish with shredded coconut.

The ingredient mixed together

Ready to go into the oven

Done and baked

My home made carrot cupcakes

Isnt it beautiful?

Chocolate Cupcakes

My urge or instinct to bake continues this weekend :)  Now my creation is Chocolate Cupcakes which proved to be as yummy as the red velvet.  I got the recipe from the internet and it turned out so well on my first try!

The Ingredients:

1/2 cup (50 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water
1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups (160 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Chocolate Frosting:

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).

3. Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

5. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls. These cupcakes are best the day they are made, but can be covered and stored for a few days.

On to some pictures of my baking!

The hot water mixed with the cocoa powder

The mixture of butter, flour and eggs

After the chocolate mixture pour into the flour mixture

The cake almost done

The finished product!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Out of the blue and since I had such a free weekend, I decided to bake some red velvet cupcakes!

I always love baking or cooking but I dont usually do it as often (esp baking)   But once in a while, I do bake and it always been a lovely feeling.  So I think I am gonna do it more often.  Or make a business out of it even.

Anyway, that special moment came and there... my red velvet cupcakes.  Yummy..

Let me share the recipe ok!

Cupcake recipe


Ingredient A

2 ½ cup Flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tea spoon baking powder
1 tea spoon bicarbonate soda


Ingredient B

2 cup Castor Sugar
2 eggs
1 tea spoon vanilla essence
1 tea spoon vinegar
1 table spoon red colouring
1 cup yogurt
2 ½ cup Corn Oil


Directions

Mix ingredient A and ayak 3 times
Beat sugar and egg then vanilla essence and beat again
Mix Ingredient B one by one
Then pour Ingredient A to the mixture
No need to blend the mixture, with spoon will do.
Pour the mixture into cups.
Bake for 15-20 minutes with temp of 180 degrees.
2 table spoon whip cream (its up to you on how smooth you want the cream, add more if you want)
1 tsp lemon juice


Whats a cupcake without cream cheese right?  Its a must! :)
Cream cheese frosting

Ingredient:

250g cream cheese (I usually use Philadelphia cream cheese)
60g butter
1-2 cups of icing sugar

Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter
Then mix everything else.


I assure you this cupcakes are not too sweet at all.  I gave the cupcakes to a few families and friends and everybody said so!

The mixture

Before baking

Just baked

The finished product

Yummy and so lovely...

Flooded Airport?

This has gone viral in the social media.  Brunei Airport was flooded last night because of the heavy rain for a few hours!  (And this news worth my time blogging about it lol..)

I found this so amusing.  At the same time kind of embarassing.  Have you ever heard a flooded airport?

Poor, poor Brunei.  I heard there was a late night flight arrival.  Imagine what those people thought when they encountered with ankle deep water.  At the airport!  I bet some of them had their cameras and took a few pictures!  And these pictures will end up at their home country!

How is that for a good Brunei reputation?

I hope this wont happen again.  And relevant authorities will do something about it.  Prompto!

Below picture was taken from someone's whatsapp. 

She is now 19...

Just want to remember today.  This is a very very special day.  The day when when my daughter turns 19.

This date 19 years ago, I gave birth to this wonderful and special little girl. The light of my life.  The reason for me to smile everyday.  

So thank you my sweetie.  You are the best thing that ever happened to me (And I think I've said that every year! :) Simply because its just so true!

 

So thank you for being a wonderful daughter. For giving me so many reasons to smile.  Thank you for our on-the-go fun times together.  And our talks and giggles together.

May Allah bless you with good health, abundance of happiness and joy.  Forever and ever.

Lots of love always.

From Your Mom

Movie - Warm Bodies

Sunday afternoon was movie day for my daughter and I.  Well she saw the movie last week with her friends and insisted I should see it as well lol.  Besides she mentioned that I havent been to Time Square cinema which according to her was really pretty with nice ambience.  Ok then.. here we went!

But I must say first hand that I just hate! hate! crowds.  Time Square was buzzing and finding a parking space was torture.  After a few rounds we moved away from the main building and looked further away and we found a tiny spot just nice enough for my daughter's tiny car lol.

Back to the movie.  Well.. first of all, its a Zombie movie! I didnt mind when my daughter mentioned that.  Sometimes I do enjoy horror movie with lots of twists and turns.  A grey and gloomy surrounding, depressing in certain areas but this movie was ok.  The actors were cute and they formed a cute couple.  My daughter liked the actress alot (2nd time for her to watch!) since she looks very much like Kristen Stewart (her fav actress...) but with blond hair... I liked the movie even better when most songs played in the movie were from my era hahaha.  The oldies were the best!!!

First the snyposis I stole from the internet :) -

After a zombie epidemic, R (a highly unusual zombie) encounters Julie (a human survivor), and rescues her from a zombie attack. Julie sees that R is different from the other zombies, and as the two form a special relationship in their struggle for survival, R becomes increasingly more human - setting off an exciting, romantic, and often comical chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and maybe even the whole lifeless world.

Well.. I think I liked it :)  A bit unusual and different from any zombie movies that I've seen.  A good balance of violent, humour and romance so its a good watch. Although I guess not everyone like the same movie but I would recommend watching it.

Shall I give my rating?  lol... I give it 8/10. 

Singapore Food Festival

There was so many adverts and fuss about this food festival and we couldnt help but to give it a go. 

Its held at Dynasty Restaurant in Centrepoint and the offer was for lunch it cost B$19.90 per person and for dinner it was B$29.90 (adult price, I didnt remember how much it cost for children).  We opted for lunch because its more convenient for us, and it cost less (less dollar and less choices of food which is ok lol)

But on my personal preference and opinion, I am not going to give it a 10.  Firstly, they all talked about how nice the chilli crab is.  But to us, its rather sweet, in fact very sweet.  I thought Spore food is spicy and hot!  Thats what we wanted to try, authentic Singaporean food, not something that was modified to suit Bruneian taste.  Or I am wrong?  Is that how Spore chilli crabs actually taste?  I dont know.

I tasted a better Chicken rice and Rojak as well.  So not a 10 in this.  But I love the dessert.  I know RBC usually serves good and yummy dessert and I was not dissapointed in that.

The restaurant was packed though so I guess the response is still good, they even extended the promotion for another week!

Entrance to Dynasty Restaurant

Condiments that came with the chicken rice

Chicken is my favourite and I didnt mind having lots of this although I tasted better

The "oh-so-popular but not to us" chilli crab, lol

We just enjoyed each other company