Seafood Congee and Chorizo, updates.

I have been long gone, the moment when I logged on and the whole layout never fails to surprise me, every single time. I'd be running my cursor onto every corner of the page to recall how it used to be like blogging. It's been awhile now. 

Flying overseas, checked. Living with strangers, double-triple checked. Graduation, checked. Vacations, checked. Dealing with my friends whom all left, checked. Moving on, checked...

Sipping on my cup of coffee, (not every weekday but) on occasional weekdays isn't what I planned it to be. I am completely defeated by uncertainties and doubts of the decisions I made. The one time vacation never had a deadline, never seemed too short. Yet, there are some reasons to hold on to what I had hoped and believed.

I hope you have been doing well, and if you wondered why, I just dropped by to say Hi.

xoxo,

tracieMoo

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Dry Egg Noodles, by memory

It was a decision to make wan ton mee (dry egg noodles) on some fine day, never had a chance to post them on my blog and decided to do that today just so you know that I'm still alive and kicking. I hardly have enough sleep, reports after reports, one after another still chasing after the finish line. Fortunately, I have met a close friend whom enjoys food over a good chat just as much as me. I was definite she hasn't taste anything quite like this before. It wasn't the best that I've made here, or any that I've tasted outside because I made it without MSG, so would you compromise taste for food additives, or food  additives for taste?

The wonton was homemade by me too. It was rather bland, I'm guessing I will have to over season it the next time. I bought the wonton skins and filled it with chicken mince and shrimp.

Here goes the wonton mee with very lean char siew chicken.

Hope you have a great weekend too.

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Fruit Pastry Cake, it's my pleasure

If there was one cake that I had made so many times but never blogged, this must be it. I still remember the baking frenzy for the fruit pastry cake when we first saw at Happy Home Baking, it captured so much attention. We all loved it. Whenever there were extra fruits, (stone fruits especially), this would be the first I'd think of. Despite it's look, it's neither a butter cake nor a sponge, yet it has the lightness.

Oh, the oven here, it's a long story.. and so I kept it in the oven for over an hour and forty five, foiled at the top, ofcourse, with a temperature you think your cake will never bake till tomorrow, and yes, it was just as good. There isn't a photo of proof, I brought them to my friend's place and I'm glad it was polished off the plate.

Fruit Pastry Cake Recipe

(adapted from HappyHomeBaking)

100g butter

160g caster sugar

50g low fat greek yogurt

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon or orange zest

210g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 Tbsp poppy seeds

3 nectarines

a handful of blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2.Cream butter, sugar and yogurt until light and fluffy.

3. Add in eggs one at a time and beat until combined.

4. Mix in vanilla and lemon/orange zest.

5. Sift in flour and baking powder. Mix until incorporated and fold in poppy seed.

6. Pour batter onto a 8" lined round pan. Lay fruits at the top. Sprinkle some sugar over the fruits.

7. Bake for 60-70 mins.

8. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 mins. Remove cake from pan and let to cool on a wire rack.

Flat White @ Chouquette

Quiche @ Chouquette

Coffee isn't exactly my new addiction, I just don't think there's anyone who can live without it here. Is it a peer pressure? I spotted a french restaurant from reading cafe reviews and thought I'd get a bite for some pretty cakes. It was such a disappointment that the cakes were completely gone at 2ish afternoon and they don't close till 5. Why Brisbane, why? .. or shall I say France?

I settled with a quiche and it didn't work. Nope. It didn't. I was so looking forward to the cakes.

Gelato @ James Market

...and so I walked away for gelato. Yes, I hold grudges.

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Pork Chop with Apple Sauce and Garlic Angel Hair, the silent killer

Hi. In case you were wondering, I was stuck playing the drawing game on my phone. It was very addictive when I first played. Then I realized wiggling a pointing finger on my device isn't the most pleasant thing to be caught doing in public. Especially in class when I have no idea what my lecturer is saying and the person behind me (who sits at one level higher, just like in the cinemas) watches me in action and mentally judging my squiggles. I finally gave up and just wrote the answer. Heck?! My friend must be pissed after an endurance of my drawing and erasing, then I tell them the answer. Okay, I am actually really busy (again, trying to convince myself I should be finishing some work now), so don't judge me (please).

I may have a longer weekend than a regular nine-to-five-on-weekdays but my workload puts me back to the same place. The difference was, I was allowed to procrastinate till the midnight. Like now.

So I had been cooking and baking very much. I moved to a place far far away from the restaurants. No more takeaways and dining in unless I was willing to put time and effort to. Which is a good thing. I suppose.

Pork Chop in Apple Sauce Recipe

5 thin pork chop pieces

1 apple, cut into wedges

1/2 brown onion, sliced

olive oil for pan frying

apple sauce, to serve

marinade:

3 Tbsp soy sauce (estimated)

1 tsp brown sugar

5 cloves of garlic, minced

sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Marinade pork for 3hours or overnight.

2. Heat a large pan with olive oil.

3. Place apple wedges and onion onto the pan.

4. Add pork chop, 2 at a time (or as many as your pan can hold, obviously). Pour over marinade sauce. Cook 5minutes on each side until golden brown.

5. If you want your apples to be tender you can dish the pork and leave apples to cook for a little extra time.

6. Serve with apple sauce!

Garlic Angel Hair

-angel hair pasta

-heaps of chopped garlic

-extra virgin olive oil

-salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cook angel hair pasta until al dente.

2. Add olive oil in a pan together with garlic and salt.

3. Cook on low heat until garlic turns slightly brown.

4. Toss in pasta, season and serve.

Cleveland Bayside - Brisbane

I'm going straight back to work. I promise.

PS : BTW, when I said thin Pork Chop, it didn't mean that the meat was really thin. Like not fat. I mean, it was fat, but it was thin. Okay I'm confusing myself now. You know what I mean, you're a better cook than me. I'm getting off the internet. NOW!

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Angel Hair in Mushroom Cream Sauce, saying Hi

Before classes officially commence, when I can still sip on a cup of coffee and take it slow, I finally turned to my blog. Hi. I'm writing to you, and this time no overdue posts. I took my time during the weekend for grocery shopping and to the morning market.

This time, I was tagged along by my friends. They were always on a food shopping spree, everything came in bulk. I valued the opportunity to enhance varieties with the permission to freeload, again.

The photo shows the state I am in now, a mess. When have I not been? I should have gotten used to it by now. There goes a bag of swiss brown mushrooms, they cook down to nothing.

I still have not gotten the right way of washing/brushing/cleaning mushrooms. I can't seem to get pass myself not washing the dirt away with water, it's frustrating because they absorb moisture like a sponge.

My culinary skills declined, it's called Angel Hair in Mushroom Cream Sauce, so where's the cream? I'm afraid I was too stingy. The first batch of angel hair went down the drain when I over cooked them. Yes. Who would ever overcook pasta?

Ever had those times when you trip on wires and spill your cup of coffee? I'm having one of those moments now. Hopefully it's just a temporary visit from the pre-commencement class syndrome.

After being down under for more than a year now, I haven't tasted fresh figs. Out of curiosity, I got myself some too. I'm not sure if I will be able to finish em, they're so so sweet. Who was the one in the TV who said to serve it with honey and yogurt?

Hey? I didn't need no honeh..

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