Cranberry Muffin 蔓越莓玛芬

I'm confused! Is muffin like cupcake? Is cupcake like cake? Are you?

I just found muffins are less sweet compared to cupcakes (go have a look at the sugar the two recipes require) Muffins are also heavier where as cupcakes which are actually cakes baked in cups are much lighter and fluffier.

Oh, those you see with icing and sweet and cute decorative stuff on are usually cupcakes not muffins.

Hmm ... I have sweet tooth. So ... I prefer cupcakes but I love the cranberries though. My friend and her family preferred muffins so they were happy when I made these for them. I baked 2 batches at one go and I only kept 8 muffins! LOL.

Hey, Poi San! How can you guys finished the whole lot in just 2 days?


Ingredients:

• 100g Butter
• 50g Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 250g Cake Flour or All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 80g Milk (I use Fresh Milk)
• 250g Dried Cranberries

How to do it:

1. Beat butter, sugar and salt till light.
2. Add eggs gradually and beat well each time before adding more.
3. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder into mixture.
4. Add milk slowly and mix well.
5. Stir in the cranberries and mix well.
6. Pour batter into muffin cups.
7. Bake at preheated oven at 175C for about 25 minutes or till done.

Note:
You can use chocolate chips or other other dried fruits instead.

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.

Braised Noodles

I usually cook something simple on Saturdays. No rice, soup and a few side dishes. Just one dish to settle dinner because I do major cleaning on Saturday.

I don't want to spend time washing and cleaning the pots, pans and dishes. Plus, the stove will be throughly cleaned too so, yeah, I wouldn't want to clean it again. :P

This is one of the family's favourite Saturday dinners. It's similar to this dish except no spice is used here and it's much simpler.


Ingredients:

• 10 mid joint wings
• 20 fresh Shitake mushrooms, sliced
  
• 4 Hard boiled eggs
  
• 1.5 litre Water or Chicken broth
  
• Salt to taste
• Instant Noodle or Fresh Wanton Noodle

Seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dark Soy Sauce

How to do it:

1. Blanch the wings.
   
2. Add the wings & hard-boiled eggs into a pot of boiling water.
3. Add in the seasonings and let in simmer for 1 hour.
   
4. Add in the mushrooms and continue to simmer for another 1/2 hour.
   
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Discard the seasonings for the instant noodles.
7. Cook the noodles till just done, don't over cook.
   
8. Discard the water.
9. 'Rinse' in previous boiled water.
10. Put into a pot, pour in some some sauce from the chicken and bring to a just a boil.
11. Place in a dish with all other ingredients.
12. Add a few drops of sesame seed oil and garnish with spring onions.
13. Serve.
    

• Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe.