It's Halloween & It's My Day!

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Happy Birthday to Me!

Baked Doughnuts Recipe

This was the recipe I used for making the doughnuts. I got the recipe from Baking Mum. She has many recipes and I love visiting her blog.

I posting the recipe here for my own reference too :)

Ingredients

-1 cup plain/top/cake flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 150g plain yogurt
- 1 tbs canola oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp confectioner's sugar, divided

Methods

- in a small bowl, combine dry ingredients
- combine egg, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla & mix well
- stir in dry ingredients just until moistened
- coat the tube pans with non stick cooking spray and dust with 1 tsp confectioners' sugar (I don't have the spray so I used a brush to coat it)
- spoon mixture into pan
- Baked at 200C for 1o-12 mins or until out clean toothpick inserted near center comes (I baked for 15 mins)
- Coo for 5 ins before removing from pans to wire rack
- Dust with remaining sugar

Happy Baking!

A Surprise

Being a "suaku", I have never tried Botak Jones's burger. We read abt it on Sunday Times and my friend suggested it too, we went to the Toa Payoh branch for dinner on Sunday. Crowds started coming in half hour after we arrived and there was a long queue to place order! The food came quite fast and the service crew were friendly, they came and asked if our food were served and how's everything.

The portion of the food was big! We ordered fish & chips and a side order sausage for LZ to share and I was glad we did that. They have 4 big slices of the breaded fish and with lots of chips! I ordered the famous Botak Jones burger with single patty and I can't finished it. They even have double patty and 3 patties! Daddy ordered 2 other dishes (fish burger and a sausage meal) and he finished it.. Wow! Verdict? The burger - not bad and not too dry, soup (1 type of soup only) - good, sausages - yummy, fish & chips - ok and chips - yummy. We don't mind going there again :)

Top left pic: botak jones single patty burger, top right: fish & chips

So what's the surprise? Well, my very good friend bought me a bouquet of flowers(my favourite gerbera) and a cake! They celebrated my birthday in advance for me :) That was sooooo sweet! Thank you my friends :) Talking abt the flowers, daddy said my good friend "spoil market". Hahaha.... Don't worry daddy, I don't expect flowers from you :) Just be home early to be with me and our babies on that day.

LZ godparents bought new pets! It's hermit crabs, 2 of them. They bought it together with a very nicely done up container and it cost $100+. It has colourful sands, a few small cute shells and some decorative items. I forgot to take a picture of it... Godma told me it is easy to take care of them and they don't need to wash the container except changing the sands. LZ asked me if they can get one too.... Huh? We already have a dog and a terrapin and a family to take care of. They pleaded with me and I told them I would consider.... I think soon we will have a mini zoo...

Ah Ma Is 75!

It was another family gathering this evening and LZ looked forward to it! Before we meet up with the rest of the family members, LZ & me went to buy the birthday cake. I couldn't decide which one to buy (too many choices) and so I leave it to LZ to choose one for their dear grandma :) They chose a fruit cake.

We were late coz daddy was working and we waited for him as I do not know where was the restaurant. The only thing I knew was it was in ITE! I didn't know they have a Chinese restaurant in a school :) Food was so-so but the company... GREAT! Except that 10 of our family members were not with us, they were either working, overseas or preparing for exams. Nevertheless, Ah Ma was very happy to see many of us there :)

The younger generation was seated at the other table except LZ. Throughout dinner, L kept turning around to look at gorgors & jiejies. I knew she wanted to seat with them.... But the table was full, I told her maybe next time she can, when she is older.

M&M's cookies

Yes :) Another baking session! LZ have been asking for their M&M's cookies for quite some time.... Since daddy will be working today, we will be home till evening and they have finished their works, we baked their favourite!

We baked this instead of the chocolate ones. The recipe is slightly different....

Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used less)
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (I used less)
- 1 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 340g M&M's
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Methods
- preheat oven 350F/180C
- Cream sugars & butter till light and fluffy
- beat in egg and vanilla
- in a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt. Then blend into cream mixture
- stir in M&M's
- drop a tbs apart onto ungreased cookie sheets
- bake 10 - 13 mins or until edge brown & center still soft
- cool 1 min on cookie sheet, then cool on wire rack.