Live Love Laugh Bake & Dance

LIVE LOVE LAUGH BAKE AND DANCE - BIRTHDAYS !!

2009-08-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

History of Birthday Cake can be traced back to the ancient Greeks who made round or moon shaped honey cakes or bread and took it to the temple of Artemis -the Goddess of Moon as it signified the moon. They also placed candles on the cake to make the cake glow like the moon but also another reason for the candles was because people believed that the smoke of the candles carried their wishes and prayers to Gods who lived in the skies.

Some scholars, however, believe that the tradition of Birthday Cakes originated in Germany in the Middle Ages. Sweetened bread dough was given the shape of baby Jesus in swaddling cloth and was used to commemorate his birthday. This special birthday cake later reemerged in Germany as a Kinderfest or the birthday celebrations of a young child. Germans also baked another special kind of a cake called Geburtstagorten as it was baked in layers which was sweeter than the coarse and bread like cake that were usually made at that time. Its also said that Germans used to place a large candle in the centre of the cake to symbolize ‘the light of life'.

Some interersting superstitions and traditions were that in medieval times people of England used to place symbolic objects like coins, rings and thimbles in the batter of the cake. It was believed that those who found the coin in the cake would be wealthy while the unlucky finder of the thimble would never marry. Wedding was obviously signified for the person who found the slice of cake with the ring.

And if the cake fell while baking it was considered to be a bad omen and signified bad luck for the person in the coming year.

Birthday Cakes have come so far from the versions of the Greeks and the Germans and whoever ever first came up with the tradition, Birthdays and Birthday Cakes are an absolute good thing!

Birthdays are one of the occassions i personally get very excited about, be it mine or a friend's or a family member's. I go on a creative frenzy coming up with themes and trying to get everyone together to amplify the mood of sheer joy, fun and laughter.

I probably baked my first birthday cake when i was about 12, grabbing one of them instant mixes from the supermarkets where you d jus have to add egg, water/milk and oil, whisk and put it in the oven. I have evolved over the years from instant mixes to baking the cakes from scratch, finding girlfriends' birthdays in school as an excuse to practice and now that they have children of their own, maybe i ll get to bake for their kids' birthdays too. :)

A lil Snapple cap trivia ; Did u know More people celebrate their birthdays in August than in any other month. :)

So along with Singapore, who celebrated its 44th Birthday on August 9th and great girlfriends Stephy on Aug 8th and Das my 'twin' from Sec school, on the Aug 24th, and the rest of the world's August Babies, I celebrate my own with a toast and a kick ass birthday cake recipe!

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE ( An adaptation of Nigella Lawson's )

For the Cake

200g All Purpose Flour
200g Caster Sugar
40g Hersheys Cocoa
175g Soft Unsalted Butter
2 Large Eggs
2Tsp Vanilla Extract
150ml Sour Cream

For the Icing

75g Unsalted Butter
175g Best Quality Dark Chocolate ( I use the buttons saves alot of effort breaking into pieces )
300g Icing Sugar
1Tbsp Golden Syrup
125ml Sour Cream
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

* Sugar/Fondant decorations, Optional

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C

Line & Butter two 20cm sandwich tins

Put all the cake ingredients into a Cake Mixer and beat on medium to high until you have a smooth, thick batter

Divide this batter between the two prepared tins and bake in oven for about 35 mins or until a thin skewer comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 mins before turning out their tins

To make the icing, melt the butter and chocolate in a good sized bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water over slow heat

While the the chocolate and butter are cooling a little, blitz the icing sugar in the food processor to remove lumps

Add the Golden Syrup to the cooled Chocolate mixture, followed by the Sour Cream & Vanilla,
And Combine, After which whisk in the icing sugar

Spoon about 1/3 of the icing onto the centre of the cake half and spread with a spatula until the top of it is covered evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich the two together

Spoon another 1/3 of the icing on to the top of the cake and spread it in a smooth finish. Spread the sides of the cake with the remaining icing and let it set for a few minutes

And here you could go for the optional decorative flowers etc to make it look prettier than it ALREADY is :)

Happy Birthday Everyone !! xoxo

Live <3 Laugh Bake & Dance

LIVE LAUGH

2009-07-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

I d say its been a crazy week ! Among a Monkey creating a stir @ Blk 204,
( Where did he come frome ?? No Clue! ) Dragging 3 Police cars out of the Lazy Pasir Ris Neighbourhood Police Post. But it was refreshing to see Monkeys in Live action.. He/She managed to fool 4 Policemen into giving him/her bananas which he/she craftily scooted off with to the top of the building, climbing, swinging, swiftly using the waterpipe. :p
A bigger Snickery was when my SmartAss of a brother came in rushing to tell Mom tat "Hanuman"( A Hindu Monkey God ) had visited us ! And she should bring him offerings! LOL ! Well from above you d realise we re not a religious bunch to my mum's dismay.. I m spiritual atleast i dont know about my brothers.. But tat said we respect all or most humankind..

And of course i have to mention tat we welcomed Lucky's (My mom's dog) 3 new puppies,
All BOYS like we didnt have enuff boys in the family .. SIGH.. :p
They re about 6 days old now, gettin larger feeding on their mommy's milk, their eyes still peeled shut, its amazing and adorable to watch them scurry to Lucky's teats using their sense of smell.. They have such suction power! Lucky looks tired most of the time but she s doing a great job. It's simply fascinating to watch the transformation of her to being a MOM, she's so protective of her pups and hardly ever leaves the box tat my mum created for them. I believe its an inborn instinct with all female beings when they become a mother themselves ;)
And Oh the names we ve got so far ..
Hersheys (Suggested by me cos they remind me of Chocolates) , Snickers (Mom, well sort of... :p)
& Ruffles ( By my bro Theinesh )
Though I ve started to think more appropriate names would be Sleepy, Greedy & Whiny named after their true nature.. We 'll see... :)

So its Sunday ! Funday ! Nothing beats chillin out with friends over a Barbe & Ice cold Beers! by the Pool! But also as a toast to the past and the new week ahead, i d like to introduce my yummy favourite cocktail.. Frozen Margharita, I absolutely despise the non frozen version And i feel the best frozen ones come out of an Ice Cream maker but for those of us unfortunate souls without one Lets Blend Em Right !

FROZEN MARGHARITA

Seves 6

12 tsp Coarse Salt

6 Lime Wedeges

18 oz Tequila ( I ve always used Jose Cuervo, mmm mmmmm :) )

6 oz Triple Sec ( Orange Liquer )

6 oz Lime Juice

6 oz Lemonade

1 Can of Beer

6 Cups Crushed Ice ( Easier Blending )

Place Salt in a saucer, Rub the Rims of Cocktail glasses with the Lime wedges
(Reserve the Lime)

Dip Glasses into Salt so the Rims are Coated Thoroughly

Pour Tequila, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Lemonade, Beer & the Crushed Ice in Blender &

Blend Well @ HIGH SPEED

Serve in Prepared Cocktail Glasses with a Squeeze from the Reserved Lime Wedges
( I leave my wedge in )

Live Love Laugh Bake & Dance

LIVE LOVE LAUGH - Tapas

2009-07-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

Are you a grazer ?

You know the type that takes ages to finish a meal, poking, nibbling more poking.. Well I am one. I simply prefer bite sized portions of a variety of food which is why Tapas works for me ! And the whole Spanish philosophy behind it ... " Eat when you Drink, Drink when you Eat " Awesome !!

And such great culture too since its mentioned that Tapas is essentially a style of eating rather than a form of cooking. It means sociability, friends and family. People of a like mind talking and drinking in a relaxed atmosphere while nibbling away on little bites of intense flavour. ( Proper-Spanish-Tapas.com )

According to The Joy of Cooking, the original tapas were the slices of bread or meat which sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses between sips. This was a practical measure meant to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry. The meat used to cover the sherry was normally ham or chorizo ( Spanish Pork Sausage ), which are both very salty and activate thirst. Because of this, bartenders and restaurant owners began creating a variety of snacks to serve with sherry, thus increasing their alcohol sales. Soon the lowly tapa (from tapa derived the verb tapar, "to cover") became as important as the sherry.

So here i m sharing 2 of my many favourites :)

FRIED OLIVES

Heat 1 cup of Olive Oil ( To check if oil is ready, drop a piece of bread & if it starts to sizzle u re good to go )

Drain the Olives, 10 Large, Black & Green, Pitted

In a dish mix 3/4 cup All purpose flour, 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder & 1 tsp Chili Powder

In another, Beat 2 Eggs

And on the 3rd spread out 3/4 cup of Bread Crumbs

Coat the Olives in Flour mix, dip in Egg Mixture than roll over the Bread Crumbs

Set on a Plate to allow the Breading to dry and form a crust

Fry until Golden Brown, Remove & Drain on paper towels

Suggestively serve on a platter with Manchego Cheese ( Cheese made from Sheep's Milk ) I use Cheddar here, instead since Manchego is not readily available. & Cured Ham ( & here i replace Ham with Cold Smoked Salmon )

BRUSCHETTE ( Not Spanish Tapas But I Like Em with me wine ! )

Preheat Oven @ 160 deg C

Topping - Mix 2 Very Ripe Tomatos diced, Chopped Basil & Garlic, 2tbsp Balsamic Vinegar, Salt & Pepper, 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) & Let it Sit for 20 mins. (This is the sort of food tat gets greater in taste as it sits longer)

Slice French Baguette in 1/8" thick slices in an angle.

Brush on EVOO, season with Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper & toast in Oven for abt 5 mins

Get the toasted bread out & top with Tomato mixture, set in mini chunks of Mozzarella & Put it back into the broiler for 3 more mins

Serve Immediately

Live <3 Laugh Bake & Dance

Bake

2009-07-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

So this is a quickie post ! And Who doesnt like Quickies ? Quickies are goooood Quickies are thrilling and spontaneous and so very satisfying ..

"Sometimes guys want to take their time, and sometimes they just want to get their rocks off," says William Fitzgerald, PhD, a retired sex therapist in San Jose, California. So Let's get it on..

7 top Locations & Positions for Quickies (as suggested by iVillage.com)

Love in an Elevator

Now we probably dont want the elevator stopping on every level and stalling is suggested without setting off any alarm unless you like getting caught :) But personally i think the whole elevated movement and the race against time could actually add kink to the mini adventure ;)

Take her! Upright wheelbarrow (with her facing the wall, hold her up by her thighs, placing them on either side of your hips, while she holds on to the wall). OR i have to add a BJ could probably really work here :p

Big-Screen Love Scenes

Cliche u might say but guess it works ! Less chances of getting caught and i bet (ALL IN) most of u have been there done tat ;)

Take her! Her sitting on top of you, facing the screen.

Get Down, Get Down

All that Alcohol & grinding on the dance floor is sure to have heated things up ! Head to the darkest part of the club (they say) or even the bathroom and get your bang on. ( i dont know how this would wrk in FINE CITY SINGAPORE since chances are people will hear or even see you, but if you have a little exhibitionist lurking within & ( u dont care being charged with indecent exposure ) , i guess it's all good.

Take her! Standing, upright doggy.

Step It Up

Stairways are interestingly i find the most common place young Singaporeans head to for a quick romp. Yes, you know what i m talking about, you avid NEWPAPER(SG) readers. ;) Well as suggested head to the stairwell of a building with an elevator, preferably on a really high floor, and go crazy for a few minutes. Like Duhhh :)

Take her! Missionary, with her back arched over a stair.

Drive It On Home

Not very original but who would say no to a romp in the car, parked at a secluded location with a grand view like from a hill top? So Romantic & ( Quite Safe Right !? ) oh Another Singaporean Fav! LOL

Take Her! Doggy in the backseat

Now, Get to Work!

Who hasn't had a fantasy of being taken on ur work desk, on the copier or ur boss's desk ? Especially when most movies suggest it so well with such passion ! Push those papers and stationary aside & get to wrk!

Take Her! Her back against the wall, and her legs wrapped around your waist. Or, she can always spread 'em on your desk.

Dress You Up in My Love

mmmmm... :) Dont we just love teasing ? With the curtains undrawn a lil so your man gets peeks of you changing ... suggestively of course.. If we could take it a step further (they) suggest sneaking into the changing room with him to make shopping (for him) a whole lot less tedious!!

Take Her! Standing Doggy

This was meant to be a quickie! for a cookie recipe ( special request by Frosty the Cookie Monster ) but it sure felt like Foreplay ! And Now tat i have your ATTENTION ... ;)

DOUBLE CHOC CHIP COOKIES ( NOM! NOM!! NOM!!! )
Makes 24

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c / 350 f / Gas mark 4 . Grease 2 baking sheets with butter.

Place 200g /7oz softened butter, 200g caster sugar ( i always replace 1/4 of the required white sugar with brown sugar for tat oomp but its totally up to u) & 1 tsp vanilla extract in a LARGE bowl and beat together.

Gradually beat in 1 egg until the mixture is lighty and fluffy.

Sift 225g / 8oz Plain Flour, pinch of salt, & 1tsp bicarbonate soda over the mixture & fold in.

Fold in 115g/ 4oz plain chocolate buttons & 115g bitter sweet chocolate chips ( u can choose to use white choc. chips instead of the buttons but i m not a big fan of the WHITE chocolate )

Drop heaped teasponfools of the mixture ( & here i find using a mini icecream scoop the best way to get an equal amt each time for standardization & even cooking ) onto the prepared sheets, allowing room for the cookies to spread during cooking.

Bake in the pre heated oven for 10 - 12 mins, or until crisp outside but still soft inside.

Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 2 mins, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

And there you go ! You could probably squeeze in a quickie while u wait & enjoy em after !
MMmmmm..... Tat's A Good Life ! :)

Live <3 Laugh Bake & Dance !!

Live Love Laugh Bake & Dance - lllbd

2009-07-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

This would be my very first attempt at blogging though i ve considered starting umpteen no of times before, So welcome & i hope u ll enjoy everything i have to share .. :)

I m looking forward to use this as a medium to reach people with the same sorta passions as me :) As mentioned to Live Love Laugh, Bake & Dance, my 5 most fav things! I ll be sharing recipes, gossips & bitching as i plunge into a whole different direction in life, so come along this journey with me & feel free to critic & share :)

So Lets start off with some Drinks ! SANGRIA !!

Sangria (Spanish: sangría; meaning "bloody") is a wine punch typical of Spain, Po rtugal and Italy. It normally consists of

red wine (usually Spanish Tempranillo)
chopped or sliced fruit (often orange, lemon, apple, peach, berries, pineapple; occasionally melon, grape, or mango)
a sweetener such as honey, sugar, or orange juice
a small amount of added brandy, triple sec, or other spirits
and ice and carbonated soda, in some recipes

As mentioned above Sangria is usually red since its red wine based but me being me i prefer white wine so this is a variation i found and tried & its absolutely yummy !

WHITE SANGRIA

- 1/2 Cup Sugar & 1 Cup Water Reduced to Syrup & set to Chill in a big jug

- Add 4 Kiwis, 2 Green Apples, Sliced

- Squeeze 3 Lemons

- Add 1 Cup of Orange Liqueur, 1 Bottle of White Wine ( fruity based preferably), 1 Bottle of Soda Water

- Add a Bunch of Seedless White Grapes and Ice

And u re set ! Salud ! or Cheers Mate ! :p

Live <3 Laugh Bake & Dance !!