Pure Chocolate Indulgence

This is the easiest recipe I have come across for baking. I adapted it from Karen Cheng's blog. Any one can bake this. Trust me, I know - my helper, Wati, who has zero experience, succeeded on 1st try under minimal supervision and with some oral instructions (all whilst I was playing mahjong during our family Christmas gathering).

Chocolate Brownies

250 gms butter
1¼ cup of caster sugar
¾ cup Nestle baking cocoa
3 lightly beaten eggs
1¼ cup plain flour
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup mini marshmallows
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation:
1. Sift baking cocoa and flour into a large bowl.
2. Slowly melt butter and sugar in a saucepan, on low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in cocoa, flour, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in marshmallows and walnuts.
4. Pour into well greased pan (e.g. square cake tin) and smooth the surface.
5. Put into 180C (preheated) oven for 25 – 30 minutes.
6. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Cut up brownie while warm.
7. [Optional] Dust with icing sugar. Serve while warm, with whipped cream or better still, ice-cream.

Happy baking!

Editorial Note made on 5 Jan: I have corrected above recipe to read 1¼ cup of caster sugar (instead of ¼ cup)

Christmas 2009

25 - 26 Dec

On Christmas morning, Peanut exclaimed, "Presents! Santa came!" Well, dear, the presents did not appear as magically as you think. Your mama spent weeks shopping for them, squirreling them from the car boot to the house, wrapped them up in secrecy, hid them under the study table all this while and finally got up at 3 am to arrange them under the Christmas tree. All that effort just so you believe that Santa exists. I wonder if it makes sense. All just so that one day when you grow up, we will have to explain this Santa business and I imagine, your eyes would well up in tears ... tell me, am I setting up myself for something unpleasant? Ummm.

This year we held our Christmas celebrations with the family on Boxing Day. Christmas Day was spent at the Seah family's traditional Christmas party. J and TT, thanks for the gifts - excellent judgment, the tops are just the perfect size for the boys; won't take up storage space for the next few years, unlike those bought by grandmothers.

Trivia question: How many times can one play Monopoly (junior edition) over 3 days?

Let me count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ... Michelle, thanks for the gift. Peanut is so in love with it - Bakugan version, no less. My Peanut, my baby, has started seriously on board games. He had played Snakes and Ladders before this, but he is really crazy about this one - the money, the house, the Chance cards, he is now an expert at the game, able to follow all the instructions without a hitch.

Next, I present to you the highlight of our family Christmas party:

Sweet Potato narrating "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle

"Neigh, neigh, said the horse. Want to go for a ride? The spider didn't answer. She was busy spinning her web.

Moo, moo, said the cow. Want to eat some grass? The spider didn't answer. She was busy spinning her web.

Baa, baa, bleated the sheep. Want to run in the meadow? The spider didn't answer. She was busy spinning her web.

Maa, maa, said the goat. Want to jump on the rocks? The spider didn't answer. She was busy spinning her web.

Oink, oink, grunted the pig. Want to roll in the mud? The spider didn't answer. She was busy spinning her web." And the story continues with a dog (Woof, woof, barked the dog. Want to chase a cat?), a cat (Meow, meow, cried the cat. Want to catch a nap?) and a duck (Quack, quack, called the duck. Want to go for a swim?)

"Cockle doodle do, crowed the rooster. Want to catch a pesty fly? And the spider caught the fly in her web just like that.

Whoo-woo, asked the owl. Who built this beautiful web? The spider didn't answer as she had fallen asleep, it had been a very very busy day!"

Isn't it amazing? He can't read a word but he knows the entire book by heart. Just don't ask me how many times I have read that book to him ...

Thomas and Friends - Live!

5 December, 10 minutes before 7pm @ Indoor Stadium

Interval time (a.k.a toilet break for all kids)

To sum up, S.P loved it ... every minute of the 2-hour long show which hailed from UK, he was mesmerised from the start, pointing to and naming each engine excitedly as it appeared - Thomas, Percy, Gordon, James and of course, the Fat Controller; Peanut is so over Thomas, the musical (though he still plays with the train sets) and wanted to go home during the interval. Ok, maybe next year, we'll watch Ben 10 -Live! (Peanut had wanted to go as some of his classmates did) that is, if it is still popular - and I hope not; I'm having major difficulties distinguishing the various monsters Ben transformed into and then to add to the complications, there's Bakugan. Help! I wonder if having a daughter would have saved me some headaches ... apparently not, I was shopping for Christmas toy gifts and came across Disney princesses which can transform into some heroines with capes and superpowers ... what next???

So Busy Busy

13 Dec @ 1pm Sesame Street performance at North Point

17 Dec Peanut's school excursion to Changi Airport

19 Dec @ 1pm Sesame Street performance at Centrepoint

19 Dec @2pm Le Cirque de la Ville performance at Orchard Central

19 Dec Photo taking with Santa @ Orchard Central

20 Dec Snow Castle @ Changi Terminal 3

20 Dec Tea time @ McDonald's, Changi Airport

22 Dec Peanut's School Excursion to Hollywood Dinos @ Jurong Bird Park

24 Dec Getting Ready for Christmas party in school in mama's handmade costumes

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

I love Kung Fu

28-29 Nov


It's the time of the year when Orchard Road gets decked up in Christmas decor and lights and every respectable mall, big and small, has a promotion or performance of some sort to pack the crowds in, when the newspapers are full of colourful ads trying to persuade all to spend on gifts in the name of joy, love and peace. And it's the time when I plough through each ad to decide which mall to go to for free performances for the kids since staying indoors is the only option to stay dry in this rainy period and for me to get some Christmas shopping done. In short, it's a very busy schedule, making sure that we get there early to secure a car park lot, get in the queue in time for the performance and have enough time for our lunch. Sounds stressful? Yes, it is - something I used to avoid like the plague but now do it with much enthusiasm just to see the delight on the faces of my beloved.

And for those amongst you who are meticulous about details:

- yes, that white piece of clothing is my peeping petticoat.

- and yes, Peanut has a change of clothing in that last photo - we went back to Plaza Singapura again the next day. Had to make good on my promise to S.P who agreed to leave on account that we returned the next day. Cheeky Peanut was planning to say, "I love Tie Lung" to Kungfu Panda .. too bad we didn't make it on stage for the 'Meet and Greet', we joined the queue late - they had a cut-off quota. By the way, Tie Lung is the only bad guy (the leopard in the photos) and Kungfu Panda's enemy in the movie. Don't you just love Peanut's sense of humour?