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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Snowskin Mooncake 冰皮月饼

竹碳单黄莲蓉冰皮月饼 Bamboo Charcoal Single Egg Yolk Lotus Paste Snowskin Mooncake

近期很流行的竹碳也成为了月饼的新元素。听商家说这款新推出的月饼卖得很好,所以我也买一个来试试看。

不是说是单黄吗?怎么没看到蛋黄?原来蛋黄弄碎加入在莲蓉里了。照片中左起第二片就能看到少许的蛋黄。个人觉得还是整粒蛋黄裹在中间比较能尝得到味道。

绿茶莲蓉红豆冰皮月饼 Green Tea Lotus Paste Red Bean Snowskin Mooncake

绿茶和红豆本来就是绝配,我和D都很喜欢这个口味,每年必买来品尝。

我喜欢软软的冰皮,但是如果饼皮月饼冷藏不够久就切开的话,结果就会像照片中的月饼一样,一团团的没有卖相。

Friday, September 25, 2009

Mooncake 中秋月饼

中秋月饼若是冰皮的我喜欢尝试新口味,若是烤皮的个人还是觉得传统的莲蓉馅最好吃。

以前喜欢吃有咸蛋黄的,单黄还嫌少。现在蛋黄可有可无,最多也只是吃单黄的,而且一定要新鲜。

中秋佳节将至,在这里预祝大家“中秋节快乐,合家团圆!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

BB's Ultrasound Scan on 16 Weeks 宝宝16周扫描

看得出宝宝的样子吗?左边圆圆的是宝宝的头部,右边是宝宝的身体。身体上一排白白向下弯曲的是宝宝的脊椎骨,下面白白的是宝宝的脚。

医生说一般宝宝在16周的长度大约是10公分,这时宝宝卷曲的身体测量出的长度是9公分,所以当宝宝身体伸直时长度肯定超过9公分。


BB's length at 16 weeks: 9cm (measured when BB's body was bending)

这是宝宝的心跳,148bpm,医生说正常。

BB's heartbeat at 16 weeks: 148bpm

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

生命的震撼

第一次那么确切地感受到它的生命力。

在第16周扫描时看到它手舞足蹈的样子,当下我说不出话来,心里的那份喜悦和震撼让我有股想哭的感觉。原来一个只有16周大的胚胎已经是一个完整宝宝的样子,而且还能做出那些动作。

上一次扫描时它在睡觉,身体没有动,医生叫我尝试咳嗽,但是它还是没动,当我要放弃的时候,D说你再咳一咳,结果它身体往上蠕动了一下,然后又恢复了静态。

这次扫描前的一个星期,我们就开始跟它说到时要在爸爸妈妈面前好好表现,要做一些action给我们看。哈哈,它好像真的听到了我们的说话,扫描时活跃得不得了,医生甚至说因为它一直动,所以无法看清楚它的性别特征。

医生说一刹那间好像看到它双脚间有小bird bird,但是一瞬间它又一直动,所以无法确定。我们跟医生说性别没关系,最重要是它能健康成长。

最近读到一篇文章,作者的孩子病了,作者说平时孩子好好的时候就会渴望孩子能聪明伶俐,孩子聪明伶俐的话就会想孩子最好长得好看一点。但是,看到孩子生病的时候,心里只想孩子平安无事,健健康康就好了。我能体会到作者的那种心情,所以我一直带着感恩的心情提醒自己不要take things for granted,宝宝能健康成长已是上天赐给我们最好的礼物了。

每次扫描前医生都会告诉我们宝宝在这个阶段应该有多大(现阶段宝宝还是以长度计算),医生开始扫描时我都会很紧张的等待答案揭晓,只要一听到医生说宝宝一切正常,我都会有如释重负的感觉,接着就是无比的开心。此时,怀孕带来的种种不适都不算什么。

那天以后,我对宝宝的感应越来越强烈,我能感受到D也有同样的感觉。每天临睡前除了和宝宝说晚安,D还会亲吻宝宝(就是我的肚子啦),我相信宝宝是能感受到的。


有了它后,虽然身体的变化带来了种种不适,但是每天的心情却是愉快的。每天都会很期待另一天的来临,希望能快点和它见面。下次的产检宝宝将满20周,到时会做一个详细的扫描(detailed scan)。这个扫描很关键,医生将会检查宝宝的各个器官,诊断我们的宝宝是否发育正常,所以,我对下次的产检特别紧张。

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Weekend Express Meal 周末快餐

这是我上个星期天的晚餐。

偶尔当我们懒得下厨又懒得出门时,我们就会弄像这样的一餐当正餐。不过,还好我们还真不常弄,因为这样吃很不健康,吃了很有罪恶感。

都说是快餐,所以炸粉也是用现成的。鸡翅膀随便用点盐、糖和胡椒粉腌一腌,加入一个蛋白,炸前沾上炸粉就行了。这一餐我们总共弄了7个鸡翅膀,切开来就有14段了。

D和我分工合作,我负责沾炸粉,他负责炸,不到20分钟就能享用热烘烘香喷喷的炸鸡了。开始用中火炸,炸到浅黄色时捞起。最后,再热油,倒入所有鸡翅膀用大火再炸多一次,这样炸出来的鸡翅膀就会特别脆。

像这样的份量我大约用了半包炸粉,炸完鸡后还剩下一些炸粉,不要浪费,我加入少许蛋白,放入热油里炸成小脆粒,香香脆脆的很好吃。

另外还有我们俩都很爱喝的clam chowder浓汤,只要加热就行了。我们都觉得这汤自从换了包装后味道就大不如前了。这天,我们还出奇的喝不完,以前都觉得一罐两人不怎么够喝。

通常我还会烫点蔬菜或是弄个沙拉配着吃,至少营养比较均衡。但这天特别懒,再加上最近因为身体的变化我变得不爱吃菜,所以就免了。

7个炸鸡翅膀,我们吃了5个就吃不下了,这样胃口算不算小?

Monday, September 14, 2009

Braised Mushroom with Blanched Snow Peas 焖香菇扒荷兰豆

荷兰豆本身的味道已很甜,所以烫一烫就已经很好吃了。配上焖得又软又入味的香菇,清淡与香浓之间取得了平衡。

材料:
香菇 8朵(去蒂泡软)
荷兰豆 1包(去丝)
上汤 适量(我用鸡汤)
橄榄油、盐 少许

腌料:
蚝油、酱油(酱青)、栗粉、水适量

做法:
1)泡软的香菇加入腌料腌数小时。
2)煮滚水,加入荷兰豆、少许橄榄油和盐,川烫至熟(荷兰豆要脆脆才好吃,不要烫到太软),捞起铺在盘子上。
3)腌好的香菇加入上汤(上汤比香菇再高一点),小火焖至干身,间中搅拌,试一试味道,如果不够味,再加调味料(喜欢的话,可以加入少许黑酱油上色)。
4)焖好的香菇铺在荷兰豆上即可上桌。

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Chocolate Chips Cookies (Rub-in Method)

My blog friend, Pauline, is very generous to share her 'secret recipe' of Famous Amos taste alike chocolate chips cookies. When I read her post, I was so tempted to try her recipe.

Unlike most cookies recipe which is using creaming method, Pauline's recipe is using rub-in method. This is not something new to me. I practiced the rub-in method during last Chinese New Year when I made pineapple tarts. :)

I attempted the recipe last Sunday. The cookies turned out to be very yummy. I brought one tub to office to share with my colleagues and they were very well received. End of the day it left only one piece in the container. I guess nobody wants to have the last piece. Haha, this is always the case.

I like the recipe very much because the measurement is so straightforward, you don't even need a weighing machine to do the job. Moreover, using rub-in method means I have fewer utensils to wash.


I reproduce the recipe here (recipe adapted from here).

Ingredients:
(A)
250g cold butter (cut into small cubes)
½ cup brown sugar
2½ cups plain flour*
1 tsp baking soda*
½ tsp baking powder*
½ tsp salt
* Can be replaced by self-raising flour
(B)
1 beaten egg (about 55g with shell)(I used A size egg)
50g melted chocolate (set aside to cool)(I replaced by 2 tbsp of chocolate milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract (not in the original recipe)
(C)
150-200g chocolate chips (I also added some chopped walnut)

Method:
1) Use fingertips to rub (A) till lumpy (I did so with a help of a fork).
2) Add (B) to (A) mixture to form a dough (do not knead).
3) Add (C).
4) Drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto lined baking tray (use 2 small spoons, one for scooping and another one for 'pushing' the dough onto the baking tray). Leave some space between the cookies to allow for spreading. Flatten cookie dough slightly with the back of a fork.
5) Bake in preheated oven at 150C for about 12mins or until cookies turn light brown. **
6) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and keep in airtight container.
**Adjust according to your oven temperature because every oven functions differently. I baked at 170C and switched to 150C in between for about 15 mins.

Kitchen note:
1) Total I only made 55 'big' cookies. Because I wanted to be fast, my each drop of cookie dough was quite big size. I think I still prefer bite-size cookies, so next time I will try to make each drop smaller.
2) I find the cookies a bit flaky though everyone says it is just nice (this is just my own liking, I prefer 'harder' cookies actually). I believe it is the baking soda that makes the cookies flaky, so next time I will cut down the baking soda to ½ tsp to see the effect.
3) I also intend to try baking at higher temperature next time (180-190C).

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Steamed Tofu with Tri-colour Minced Pork 三色肉蒸豆腐

(English recipe added upon reader's request. Click on the comment for it.)

查看电脑里的存档,这是一年多前做的一道菜,也是我刚开始下厨的时候。

这道菜好看又好吃,重点是很容易做。


材料:(8份)
日本豆腐 1 条(切掉头尾后平均切成8段)
猪绞肉 ½ 碗
红萝卜 ¼ 条(切小粒)
香菇 1 朵(泡软,切成小粒)
芫荽 适量(切小段)

腌料:
酱青(酱油)、蚝油、麻油、胡椒粉、花雕酒、栗粉适量

酱汁:
混合 ½ 茶匙蚝油、1茶匙酱青(酱油)、适量胡椒粉和2 - 3茶匙热水备用。

做法:
1)所有材料除豆腐外搅拌均匀用腌料腌半小时以上,捏成8粒肉丸。
2)蒸盘抹上少许油,排上豆腐, 把肉丸放在豆腐上,稍微压扁,淋上酱汁。
3)煮滚水,大火蒸7 - 8 分钟至熟即可上桌。

小小心得/建议:
1)配料可以随个人喜好变化,例如把红萝卜换成马蹄或竹笋、把芫荽换成青葱也是不错的选择。
2)如果勤劳的话,另外开火煮滚酱汁勾点芡然后再淋在豆腐上会更美味。