Banana Chocolate Brownies

The premixed brownies are too sweet for me, that's why I find ways how to improve the taste. This time I added one cup of whole wheat flour, additional water and oil to the original instruction from the box. For final addition, two mashed bananas :)

Weekend Food Tour: A Boxed Meal (Bian Dang)

"便當" (Bian Dang), originally from Japan known also as Bento . Since Japan occupied Taiwan for more than 50 years, A Boxed Meal is adapted and became famous.  I bought this one in Taipei International Flora Expo. I like the shape of lunch box, I think I'll use it often since not only for meal but also a moulder for gelatin.

This is a complete meal

Banana Chocolate Chips Cookies

When I'm making this Banana Chocolate Chips Cookies, I'm not even sure if it will be successful. I didn't put much sugar and butter. Well, it turned out just fine, just like eating a piece of banana bread, soft and chewy. Next time, I'll add some walnuts.

Hopping to Say

Happy, happy Easter to Everyone!

Yummy Sunday
Ruby Tuesday
Rednesday
Worldess Wednesday

Banana Cupcake

I've been baking a lot of Banana Bread lately, for  a change I made banana cupcakes. The recipe is similar in making banana bread but this time I made sure that the bananas were really riped. It really made a lot difference!

Simple Garlic Spinach

I don't actually greens when I was a kid  that's why I was anemic during my high school days. I  don't like the smell and the bitter taste. But I love watching Popeye specially when he's about to eat the spinach. Now that I'm learning to cook, taste and smell can be improved even in a simple way :)

Scrambled Egg Quesdillas

Nothing fancy, just a store bought Whole Wheat Tortilla, beaten 2 eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, and bunch of grated cheese. In a pan, heat the tortilla then transfer to a plate and set aside. In the same pan, heat olive oil and stir-fry the egg until almost cook. Add the cheese, remove from the pan.

N is for Name that Nuts

I just can't find what to post for N, so I'm going Nuts today :). Here's a quote from Mother Goose ~ I had a little nut-tree, nothing would it bear... but a golden nutmeg and a silver pear :)

–Here are some nuts to share...




                 

Almonds 

Peanuts

Pistachios

Walnuts

ABC Wednesday - N

Squash Bite Fries

A very simple and delicious Squash Fries

Just cut the squash into bite size, heat the oil (I used olive oil),

 fry the squash until cook. Season with salt and pepper.

Another way is to coat the squash with cornstarch before frying.

My first try, next time I need to cut a little bit smaller.

Mellow Yellow Monday

Weekend Eating

From Brownies to Cookies

Not an ordinary cookies from scratch, I just used a packed of Mix Brownies and added more water from original procedure. I thought it would be messy when placing a scoop of mixture onto parchment.

They look like soft cookies, actually these cookies are chewy.

I enjoyed a piece last night :)

Happy Weekend!

Sweets for Saturday

Yummy Sunday

Weekend Food Tour: Lunch @ Taroko Gorge

Hot Sake in a wild pig figurine

Taroko Gorge is located in Hualien County, Eastern Taiwan. We had 10 hours tour departing from Taipei via Airways to Taroko. We experienced having lunch in Leader Village. Here are the details:

This is funny, I thought of having a meal as what the villagers are eating traditionally. After serving the warm sake, here's the salad.

Our meal in a tray, obviously there's salsa, the rest are fine. A mix of fish, sweet potato, mushroom, and soup. There's also a green salad that we most of us couldn't take. It's a little bit slippery.

I enjoyed this fish. It looks hard, actually it's not and it has lots of fish fats at the bottom.

Rice cooked in a bamboo, kind of chewy but I like it. We were served fruits and cakes for desserts.

Another cup of tea and we're ready to go...

A glimpse of Leader Village Hotel

Food Trip Friday

Food Friday

Garlic Butter Steak

The photos show that I like my steak well-done. This time, I made a butter and fresh garlic sauce. Just cook the steak the way you like. I did mine in butter, set aside. In the same pan, add more butter and saute the fresh garlic. Add one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, pinch salt (if using), pepper, and parsley.

You can pour the sauce on top of steak or return the steak to the pan to blend the sauce which I did. Cut the steak into pieces. Serve with any salad of your choice. Cherry tomatoes and celery for me, since that's the only avaible in the fridge :)

Frugal Food Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Potluck Friday

Saturday Swap

Soy Milk and Soy Curd Tripping for Today

 Chinese egg pancake  along with Soy Milk for breakfast

Semi-sweet Soy Curd for dessert or snack

Watery Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Weekend Food Tour: Buffalo Wings from Costco

The latest hit in Costco is Buffalo Wings. It's not that spicy as what I've tried previously, I guess the taste is suited for Taiwanese (not fun of eating spicy food). Anyways, DH and I bought and muched these all night while watching DVD.

Dinner on Bed + DVD

Celery with Japanese Sesame Sauce

I also  Baked Cheese Bites to match with chicken

Fat Camp Friday

Yummy Sunday

Mellow Yellow Monday

Chewy Banana Bread

My second time to make Banana Bread and I'm glad DH loves it! I baked twice when he's here for a vacation. It's just the same preparation as my first Banana Bread, only I added more sugar and banana.

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup brown sugar
3 mashed bananas
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup all purpose cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a mixing bowl, mix the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add bananas, eggs, and vanilla and continue mixing until incorporated. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients to the batter, then the sour cream. Pour the batter to the prepared loaf mold. Bake fo 50-55 minutes in about175 ̊C(350 ̊F).

My third Banana Bread was made into a cupcake like above photo. I think it's better, not only save time to slice but also the cake was easily baked.

My Meatless Monday
MM Meatless Monday
Food Trip Friday
Food Friday

Fresh Bamboo Shoot Spring Roll (2)

Second time to make Bamboo Shoot Spring Roll.The fun is DH and I made it togheter. In here, I used ground pork for DH just plain shrimp for me. He also added more garlic in the sauce, it was delicious!

The preparation, everything from scratch...

Ready to wrap...

Ready to eat...

Happy Spring to all!

Yummy Sunday