Recipe: Kiwi Muffin

Ingridients:

1 cup of flour *plain as orginanal recipe, but i use Self Raising*

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda *but i use baking powder*

1/2 teaspoon Cinamen

Dash of Salt *i use a pinch*

1 Egg

1/2 cup Milk

1 cup Kiwi *peeled and choped to piceses as per orginal recipe, but I puree it lightly*

2 tablespoon of Butter *but Ijuse 1/4 cup of oil*

Chocolate chips *optional - as this is add on from the orginal recipe, they don't put choco chips, surprisingly it works well for these 2 combi*

1) mix dry with wet ingredients

2) baked 200 degree for 15 min

Tigerbaby 's Verdict: Passed!

Milestone: 15 months (449 days) 8 Nov 2011

- knows how to use her index (mostly right hand) to point things that she wants

- knows how to take an adult hand to grab things to bring it to her

- when she doesn't get what she wants, she would hide her face in her hands and fake cry. sometimes even have her head down to the table or floor to fake cry

- knows how to "kiss bye"

- still don't know how to walk on her own; but can walk by holding on to adults fingers ; still lack of confidence

- knows how to take things and bring it over to adult to define she wants to eat it (snacks) or to be read to

- still can't self feed herself properly.

- knows how to drik from straw sippy cup (heinz - but the straw is quite hard to suck even adults find it hard to suck)

- knows hot to drink from a cup on her own, not very good but still acceptable.

- don't like meat. still need to be puree to be fed

- can chew fruit/vege steamed cubes well now.

Recipe: Scrambled Egg Salmon

Ingridients:

2 eggs

1 palm size salmon (1 piece fillet)

10 ml milk (2 tablespoon)

pinch of salt (optional)

Method:

1) Beat the eggs lightly

2) Add in milk

3) Add pinch of salt

4) Pour egg in non-stick pan (before that, lightly grease it)

5) let it cook for 30 sec- 1 min.

6) Add in chopped salmon

7) Using spatala, fold it inwards and outwards (aka Scramble it)

8) Once egg is cooked (but not over cook like fry egg) - ready to serve

Verdict: Passed!

Recipe: Pancakes

THis is the most easy recipe for pancakes

Ingridients:

1 Egg

1 Cup of Self Raising Flour

1 Cup of Milk

Method:

1) Mix them up the ingridents, stir them but don't over stir as it would be a bit tough

2) Low heat pan - put in some butter and quickly put in the dough. If you let the butter shimmer too long it would be burn feel and the pancake would be "blackish". Nevertheless if you can't control the butter well, use vege oil (eg: olive oil).

3) Let it cook for 1 min and then flip over for another min. Remove from Pan.

Recipe: Apple Crumble Pie/Cake

Ingridients:

1 1/2 cup self raising flour

115 g butter

1/2 cup caster brown sugar (50/50)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1x440 g tin fruit (approx 3 - 4 granny apples)

1 tablespoon of cinamen (optional)

Method:

1) Shift flour and sugar

2) Add butter in and mix it to resemble crumble (don't use electric mixer, normal wooden spoon would do or better use ur own hands)

3) Add Egg and mix again

4) Press just under half mixture to a 20inch greased lined pan - make it like a pie shape

5) cover with fruit (if fresh apple - shimmer it for a while to make it soft - sprinkle the cinamen on to it - if u got a sweet tooth, add a some brown sugar to it and give it a last mix)

6) Top it off with remaining "crumbles"

7) Baked at 180'c for 40 mins (but i think 30 mins is enough.. so depend on ur oven as mine got a bit burned at the side)

8) Dust with icing sugar or serve with Vanila ice cream

Recipe: Cream Cheese + Avacado spread

Its a simple combination.

As recently tigerbaby dislike cream chese (eg: Kiri, Laughing Cow) so I am thinking of ways to increase her interest again.

Indeed, cream cheese (one cube) with half a avacado (or more) works. if you feel it is a bit too dry, add a bit of water or milk would do. I haven't use yogurt because I would like to give it as another snack but i think yogurt would go well with these 2 as well, logically.... *to be experiment next..*

If the toddlers not interest at all, not to worry, mummies can just whip it off with a ham sandwitch.. it goes Heavenly ~~

Milestone: 13.8 months (416 days) 6 Oct 2011

- Tigerbaby has grown taller a bit as she can now stand up and her nose can touch the tv stand. Hands stretching to touch the wireless / cable box which is place way back.

- Likes dancing. When she hear music, she would shake her bum and swing her hands left right if it is really good music she like

- loves pointing at things with her Right hand (2nd finger)

- loves digging into things

- likes to take things and put them back to their orginal spot *kinda like this !! :)

- Loves dishwasher and always trying to figure out how to pull it open *she does try to observe me to learn and found out where the handle is but couldn't figure out the pulling part...

- can climb down sofa's (she would do a 180 degree turn so that her legs goes down first with her butt next)

- Loves rice!!

- Start to bite and pinch. Loves bitting my thighs while she go around the chair (whilst i am sitting on it). Loves to pinch my neck whilst I am putting her to sleep. arghh those little monsterous fingers of her... and devlish teeths!!!

Reasons I bake...

BlurDad asked me this question many times, why do i bake so much.. and instantly my response is.. for Crystin snack! as i don't know what else to give her. Blurdad is not much of a Cake/muffin person. He is more into "fry" stuff. However as he asked me this question few times, I made me start thinking deep inside, why do i love baking... *well more of muffin baking ...* reasons are simple.

1) Muffin is a nice snack (small) for tigerbaby. easy to bring around as well

2) To prepare takes only 15 mins and to bake takes another 15min.

3) Ingridients are simple and smaller quantity than a cake

4) I enjoy the smell of fresh baked muffin ~~

5) I too can have a snack on-the-go. As some stay at home mom would understand, sometimes there really isn't much time to even have a proper lunch if your little one wakes up and seeking full attention. One muffin munching on while playing with your little one seems to go much easier than making a sandwitch. :)

5 good reasons to bake muffins~~

Recipe: Pumpkin Bolgonese + Pasta

Ingridents:

2 Tomato

1/2 Onion

1 clove Garlic

Beef

Pasta (penne)

Cheese

Method:

1) Steam tomato and onion for 10-20 mins so that it is moist

2) Stir fry garlic with beef

4) Add in the tomato onion to the beef and let it shimmer for a while.

5) Add in pasta, stir it up and add some cheese and let it melt

6) Add in pureed pumpkin, stir it

7) Blend it

Verdict: Passed! close to tomato paste bolognesse but not so strong and slightly more sweet.

6)

Recipe: Baked Salted Salmon

Ingridients:

Salmon

Sea Salt

Olive Oil

Method:

1) little olive oil on the baking dish

2) pinch of salt on to the salmon to marinate it.

3) place the salmon to the baking dish and cover with an aliuminum foil

4) 180 celcius for 20 mins.

Verdict: Passed!

Milestone: 13.1 months (400 days) 20 Sept 2011

- climb up and down from the sofa chair.
- when you ask tigerbaby to come, she start to understand.
- when you ask her to give an item on her hand, she acknowledge and hand it out
- 2 upper teeth and 3 lower teeth
- loves rice
- crawl like torpedo
- still can't walk on her own but can walk fast with assistance
- able to smooth herself to sleep on her own in parents bed after 10 mins rocking only.
- flip like fish when changing diapers and would scream and yell for "help"
- able to poo on the poo pot

Recipe: Shepherd/Cottage/Porkish Pie

Ingridients:

180g (1 Avent cup) Meat (Beef, Lamb or Pork)

1/2 cup of onion (chopped finely)

1-2 clove of garlic

1/2 stick of carrot(chopped finely or grated)

2 tablespoon tomato sauce or tomato puree

1 tablespoon of wotchierters sauce (optional)

1 tiny pinch of salt

1 cup of gravy stock (beef stock/pork stock or even vege stock)

1 handfull of baby green peas / sweet corn

2 potatos (peeled and choped to cubes)

50g of butter

1 Avent cup of milk (or less)

Method:

1) Stir fry the onion with garlic until soft. Put aside

2) stir fry the meat until cooked. Put in the onions and stir fry alittle more.

3) Put in vege (boil the vege for a while first) and then stir fry. Add pinch of salt.

4) Add tomato sauce and wotchiester sauce. Stir fry a while

5) while stir frying, boil the potatos. Once done, remove the water. While it is still hot, add in the butter and milk. *milk qty depends on personal preference to make the mashed potato. Like watery, add more milk.

6) Use fork or spoon to mashed the potato.

7) Using muffin tray - with muffin paper, put in the stir fried meat half and potato half. Would make approx. 8

This is a great dish to serve: there is carbo, protein, vege and calcium. Definitely would make it again! Tigerbaby liked it, BlurDad like it and Cluelessmom loved it :)

Note: It is best to mince the meat yourself. Once you got the meat from market, wash and give it a quick "bath" and mince it. If not to be cooked that day, freeze it.

Upgrade from steam to stir fry on Menu for Baby Crystin

16 September 2011 - crystin is 13 months 1 week old. It is the start mark that i would use oil or butter to cook her food (Olive oil or Canola Oil or Butter)

First to go is "Scrambled Egg with Butter" :)

Recipe: No Butter Apple Muffin

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain flour

1 cup self raising flour

1/2 sugar (if for adult - 1 cup sugar) mix caster + brown

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup cooking oil (eg: vegetable, canola)

2 cored, peeled and chopped apples to the size small enough for baby finger food

oven: 200 degrees for 15 mins

Recipe: Mini Non-Baked Cheesecake

Ingredients:

250g Biscuts (Arnots Nice/Scotch fingers would do)

125g butter

375g cream cheese (Philadphea one packet) room temperature

zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoon vanila essense

1/3 cup lemon juice

1x400g tin condensed milk (for tigerbaby, i only use 200g to cut down on sugar)

Method:

1) Process biscuit until finely crushed. Add butter and mix well

2) place muffin paper cup on muffin tray and fill them with 1/4 of biscuits base into the muffin cup and slightly line it around the side of the paper cup with a spoon

3) refrigerate at least 15 mins

4) beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy

5) add lemon zest and vanila essence and beat well

6) gradually add condense milk and lemon juice and beat well.

7) scoop 2 tablespoon of the mixture to the each paper cup and top up if you see nessary

8) let it fridge overnight.

9) add strawberry or any fruit you like on top

note: makes 12-16 depending how generous you put your biscuits into the tray but don't overdo it as your cheese mixture may not be enough. in general should make 12 .

Recipe: Green Vege (Spinach with Cauli) + FIsh Combo

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Fish
• One teaspoon Butter

1) Steam fish with one teaspoon of butter on top for 3 mins. Once colour change, close off fire, do a quick stir and let it be in steamer pot for 1-2 min. If using Avent machine, steam for 3 mins. However I do suggest not to as the butter does not go into the fish that well and it would be harder to wash. So use a saucepan, put a rice bowl in it and steam the fish. Easier in my point of view

2) Spinach and Cauliflower combine and steam with Avent machine for 15 mins. once done, pour out at least half of the water (or else when you blend it would be too watery)

3) Blend the fish and vege together for infants and if you baby is ready for chunkier food, just blend the vege. For the fish, use a spoon to soften it / smashed it so it look a bit like fish flakes.

To serve: Porride/Rice on the bowl; then put the puree vege; then put the fish on it. Or separate it is fine. Presentation looks good and it is definitely appetising as I too can eat it. :)

Verdict: Passed! It looks presentable and eatable by judge Tigerbaby! hehe

note: somehow this 2 vege compliments each other; if you would like to try with other type, please go ahead.

Summary of TigerBaby's Growth

20 Aug 2010: one day- 2.68kg - 48cm height - 32cm head

21 Sept 2010: one month - 3.36kg - 50cm Height - 36 Head

15 Oct 2010: 2 months - 4.1kg - 53-37

19 nov 2010: 3 mths - 4.62 -58-40

23 Dec 2010: 4 mths - 5.17 - 58-40

25 Jan 2011: 5 mths - 5.61-62-41

22 Feb 2011: 6 mths - 5.9 -63-42

22 Mar 2011: 7 mths - 6.25 - 65- 42

20 Apr 2011: 8 mths - 6.48 - 67 - 43

1 May 2011: 8+ mths - 6.52 - 68-43

2 June 201: 9 mths 2 week - 6.52 - 68 - 43 *Australia - measured with full nakedness*

2 Aug 2011: 11.5 mths - 6.925 - 69.5 - 44

12 Sept 2011: 12mths+ - 7.12kg - 71.5 - 44.3

bad combo - celery + fish + pasta

to all mothers, if you want to try this combination, please add soemthing in. It definitely isn't a good combination.

Ingiridient:

steam fish with ginger + celery + spaggeti pasta.

Verdict: FAILED BIG TIME!! so if you plan to do this combination, do add in something else to make it appetiing... tigerbaby only ate 1/4 abt 10 spoons of the meal

Redish Vege Recipe

Ingridients

1 Tomato (remove seeds)

1/2 Red Pepper (Capsicum)

1 small Carrot

1 palm size amount Beef

1) Remove seeds for tomato and red pepper.

2) cut all vege to the amount of palm size

3) Steam for 15 mins (using Avent steamer blender)

4) Blend 3 sec - 3 times

5) Serve with Rice / Pasta

Verdict: Passed ! Tigerbaby liked it a lot and finish 1 bowl. Cluelessmum finish 1/2 bowl. The smell is quite appetising due to the capsicum and it goes well with the tomato. As for carrot it is quite optional. Carrot brings sweetness; Tomato brings savoury; Capcisum bring spicyness. hehe Varity is provided and combination works well.

Note: To add another variety, can put parsley or cheddar cheese. :) it brings the fraqance ~

Baby Porridge/Rice Soup Recipe

Tigerbaby is well loved by Grandma Judy. For her, Grandma Judy would wake up middle of the night to defrost meat/ bones and to boil soup out of them so that it can be made porridge. When Tigerbaby was in Australia, she would get Ikanbilis (anchiovies) soup, Chicken Soup and Pork Soup. With that I decided to write about it before i start to forget:

Note: In Australia, electricity is expensive *blurdad constantly remind me about it* so I decided to use Gas to boil. If you are in Asia (Singapore / Malaysia), I think it is much worth while to use Slow Cooker which runs on electricity.

To make Soup Stock with Meat base (Pork bones, Beef Bones, Chicken Frames or whole chicken)
bones have calcium and nutrition of other things which I don't recall..

1) bath the bones/chicken in hot boiling water for 2-3 mins for the "dirty" residude to rise
2) pour away the water. Reboil a new pot of water
3) put in the bones/chicken and boil for at least 2 hours. for example: If you use 4 bowls of water, let it boil till it remains of 1 bowl left of liquid.
4) let it cool down. Put in in fridge for half a day
5) Remove the top layer of oil and then use the soup to boil porridge/rice or freeze it for later use.

Infant more than 6 months -> Porridge

Type 1: Steam
1) Boil the soup stock
2) In a big pot, put some water and then put in a "steam pot", have the soup and rice grain in it and steam it for 20 mins.

Outcome: will look like sticky rice but the porridge would be much softer and it is open like a "flower" (Kai Hua) which is much easier to blend or to mashed it; and the essense of the soup goes all into the rice.


Type 2: Boil
1) Just add the soup stock with the rice grain in a saucepan and boil until its all soft.

Outcome:well grandma judy dont quite like it due to hse thinks that the soup essense is gone 1/2 by usig this method. indeed one thing, to use this method, ensure u got enough soup in it or else by the time it evaporates the porridge is not soft enough!

Infant more than 6 months -> Rice

1) This one is much easier, just put everything (the right amount of soup) in the rice cooker and let the cooker do the job.

Note: the usual amount of water you use to cook rice, use the same amount on soup. If you prefer more soft rice, add more soup.

Note: Sometimes a simple soup base porridge is more appetising to tigerbaby. She can finish one rice bowl worth of it!! Variety indeed she loves. Best of all, easy to make and nutrition is catered! Not to say, easy to bring out as well haha

Avocado cheese rice/porridge

Ingredients:

Avocado
Tasty cheese or mild cheese
Rice or porridge

1) cooked rice or porridge (thick version and not watery type)- go with ur baby preference. Tiger baby likes rice now.
2) smash avocado a little
3) on top of warm rice or porridge, shred the cheese on top and then put the avocado
4) mix it abit

Verdict: passed. Tiger baby loves it, simple and easy to eat. Clueless mum try it and it is nice enough that she made a portion for herself. However the key is the Rice must be warm at least or else it won't bring out the fraqance of rice and the cheese. Avocado blends well with. Cheese in this form.

Beef and Vegetable Soup for Baby

Ingridents:
1 -2 clove of garlic
2 palm size beef fillet
2 tomatos
1 potato
1 carrot
1 palm size parsley
1 onion
1 stick of celery

1) Boil carrot , onion, carrot and potato in saucepan for 3o mins
2) Steam beef and tomato (remove seeds) for 20 mins using Avent Steamer
3) Put parsley into the soup base , boil another 10mins
4) Blend the beef and tomato and then remove for freezer (approx 3 meals - Avent containers)
5) Let soup cool down, set for freezing (approx 3 containers- Avent containers)

Verdict: Refreshing soup (I didn't use bones as I wanted to bring another flavour), Puree Beef brings a meaty savoury taste. Combination: Passed!

I split the meat and soup due to easier to mix and match with other food :) Throw everything in saucepan is workable as well.

My First Attempt of Carrot Muffin

I finally baked Carrot Muffin on 3rd September using this receipe:
4 eggs 1.5 cups vegetable oil 3/4 cups organic raw cane sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1.5 cups grated carrots

Outcome: Passed but not satisfied.

1) It is quite tasteless as I can't feel the sweetness or butterness (of course, it is a butterless recipe and I used brown sugar)

However I reduce the Oil from 1.5 cup to only 1 cup Canola Oil. And with a little creative from me, I added 0.5 cup of Milk so that I still have the liquid quantity (which could be the reason for the tasteless part)

The muffin came out OK, as it is still moist and fluffy. Wiht that, I suggest those who would like to follow my recipe; before you want to consume it, is to microwave it for 10 seconds (or 20 seconds) and then apply with Butter. Then my verdict : Beautiful!! The butter brings out the aroma of the muffin and with the carrot taste, it brings out the sweetness. Great combi haha and to my perspective: Slightly healthy version for a toddler.

My concept of baking remains the same for Tigerbaby:
1) Reduce Oil
2) Reduce Sugar (regardless what type)
3) Increase main ingrdients (carrot, blueberry etc)
4) Subsitute oil with milk (optional) as I believe milk is better than oil - as for allergy debate point, it is cook so chances of allergy % is reduce *my own thinking* and it is a good way to slowly introduce cows milk to my todller then straight cold from the fridge :P

Disclamner: This is all my own thinking ... and some from seniors asian adults (like my mum, my grandmum, aunties...) follow as u deem fit

Sleep Before 11 PM

I was reading the Epoch Times in Melbourne, there is one article which I would like to share Or to remind myself

WE ADULTS MUST SLEEP BEFORE 11 am so that we have a good Liver.

Livers are the most hardworking during 11-1am. With that, if we are alseep by then, we would have a better sleep and our body are much better detox. This is scientific proven or should I say self-proven by me.

As I had very little MY time during the day, after 10pm is consider my time which I would watch tv with blurdad. Neverthressless and go to be around 12ish. Afte 2 nights of doing so, the 3rd day morning I was very gruchy (due to lack of sleep) and also having headaches. Nauseness. Dizzyness.

On the 3rd day, I went to bed before 11am. Eventhough with occasionally waken up by Tigerbaby but eventually I self work at 8 am ~~ so for a better body system, we should try to sleep before 11pm each day.

the big note i would like to say: If we adults need to sleep before 11 pm, babies/toddlers definitely need to sleep before 10pm!! The reason are sooooo clear! Hopefully mummies and daddies out there would have this in mind. :)

Sleeping

Tigerbaby is rocked and sing to sleep. Her favourite songs are:
1) ABC
2) Minang Boh Boh (indo song)
3) Silent Night

However she is getting heavier and it would be really tough on CluelessMom and BlurDad to put her sleep *well blurdad doesn't seem to be able to rock&sing to put her to sleep and would pass back to cluelessmom.*

With that, frustrated BlurDad decided to use another method - which in some way is the right thing to do - is to put her to bed and let her "comfy" herself to bed , that would include some wailing, complaining from her and maybe a little cry... :( neways, on 31 August, BlurDad successfully put her to bed with this method after nearly 1 hour of attempt (slept at 11pm!!)

1st Sept - blurdad succeed again but i think she had some activiity in day time so went to bed much faster.. but refuse her night milk ...also about 11pm i think.

2nd Sept (fri ) - cluelessmom decided to give it a try on tigerbaby morning nap. So at 10.30am I put her to bed and slept next to her and singing and patting her butt.. Failed! she sit up and start movign around... so I tried to push her back to sleeping poisiton.. she complain!! ohhh tigerbaby knows how to complain and "bend" her mouth in a form of Disagreement. After 15 mins of wailing and wresting, cluelessmom failed. Back she carried her and stand up to rock and sing, within 5 mins, KO! :( Cluelessmom 1st attempt - FAILED!

Note: I personally don't like to tigerbaby to cry and wail for too long period as i believe (asian belief) would cause her to suck in wind/colic. Wiht that, 15 min was my threeshold.

Lets hope next attempt would Succed! :P

Yummy scrummy carrot cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

Yummy scrummy carrot cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

The next attempt of cake..

Muffin Recipe for TigerBaby (make 10-12 muffins)

Amended Muffin Recipe for TigerBaby (make 10-12 muffins)
with attempts to make the Right muffin a few times, this is my concluded findings after reading and comparing numerous recipes..

Basic Ingredients:

1. 1.5 cups of self raising flour , sifted (or 1 cup All Purpose Flour + 1/2 cup of Self Raising)



2. 1/2 cups of caster / brown sugar (if not enough brown, can use White but not Raw; as for Caster, reduce the amount a little)



3. 1 egg, lightly beaten



4. 3/4 to 1 cup of Milk (if no milk, Water can be subsitute)



5. 100g butter (or 1/4 cup of Oil eg: Vegetable , canola or Peanut oil; but I personally think butter is better for babies Vs Oil)
   

Addtional ingredients you can consider to put:

• 1 teaspoon of salt




• 1 teaspoon of baking powder




• 1 teaspoon of vanila essense




• 1 teaspoon of Cinamen (for apple / pear muffins)

Methods:

1) Wet Bowl (Egg, Milk and Butter - lightly whisk)
2) Dry Bowl (Flour , Baking Power, Sugar)
3) Wet bowl ingredient go to the Dry bowl - mix a bit
4) Add in the Toppings (blueberry, chocolate chip, apple, pear .. etc) into the bowl and stir it with a wooden spoon until ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix or else it come tough so the experts states.
5) Bake at 200'c for 15 mins (or 180'c for 20 mins)
6) Allow to cool for 5 mins on a wire rack.

Side notes:
- no need electrical mixer, a wooden spoon/spatula would do the job!

Homemade Baby Food Website

Clueless Mum have been making home made food for Tiger baby. Since she was born , cluelessmum main basic fundamental of 6 main items in each day menu are as below:

1) Fruit
2) Carbo - porridge or pasta
3) Meat - fish, pork, beef, lamb or chicken
4) Green Vege - vege with leaves
5) Orange Root vege (if busy days, either 4. or 5. will do)
6) Calcium - Cheese or Yogurt (as I always had the prespective that she didn't drink much formula milk or breast milk since birth I need to pump up her calcium)

As time goes by, cluelessmum runs out of ideas and starts to visit websites for inspiration. The below website/blog are cluelessmum favourites starting August 2011:

http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/
http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/baby-food-chart.html
http://mybabyshungry.blogspot.com/
http://bunnynwife.com
http://thescarfer.net
http://yvonnefong.blogspot.com/
http://thebabystepsoflife.blogspot.com/

Stay tune for more cluelessmom baby kitchen exploration...

My re-attempt on Carrot Cake baking

I would bake Carrot Cake once again as the 1st one is not up to my expectation.

Shall I go with this receipe http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/07/carrot-cake-recipe.html
or another another one? hmmm ... to be decided....

Recipe: Blueberry Muffins

30 August 2011 @ 10pm -

Cluelessmum First Homemade BlueBerry Muffin 6 pc and Blueberry + Choc Chip 4 pc

Verdict: Passed!

View: The receipe below indeed is good. The muffin are light and fluffy. For once I follow the receipe but then of course due to curiousily I made a very very tiny slight change on to it. Best of all, no need electric mixer to do this! Less one thing to wash! Nevertheless, outcome is nice and I got good review from 2 self declared guinea pigs of mine hahahaha. As I write this post, one blueberry muffin and one cup of english tea right next to me. Aww .. blissful feeling!!

My Amended Recipe comments placed.

Ingridents: 1 1/2 cup Self Raising Flour , Sifted (Followed exactly)
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (I a bit "kiasu" and sifted the brown sugar as well)
3/4 cup BlueBerries (about there..)
1 egg lightly beaten (size XL egg which is 700g )
3/4 cup Milk (fresh milk)
90g Butter Melted (100g - as it was easier to measure follow the line on the wrapping)

Added: 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

In future to try: Add 1 teaspoon of Vanila essense.

Summarise steps:


1) Wet Bowl (Egg, Milk and Butter - lightly whisk)

2) Dry Bowl (Flour , Baking Power, Sugar)

3) Wet bowl ingredient go to the Dry bowl - mix a bit

4) Add in the Toppings (blueberry, chocolate chip .. etc) into the bowl and stir it with a wooden spoon until ingredients are just combined. Do not over mix or else it come tough so the experts states.


5) Bake at 180'c for 20 mins

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I decided to try this Blueberry Muffin for tonight as Blur Dad is back from Canberra on business trip. As he seldom take his fruits so I guess a fruity muffin for breakfast tomorrow would be good for him and a nice snack for Tiger Baby. Of course, there is blueberry in the fridge and i thought, better clear it before it gets spoil as they are not cheap..

It seems this time I got most of the ingredients...

Ingridents:

• 1 1/2 cup Self Raising Flour Shifted





• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar





• 3/4 cup BlueBerries





• 1 egg lightly beaten





• 3/4 cup Milk





• 90g Butter Melted





• 1 teaspoon grated Lime rind (optional)

Method

1. Mix Flour, Sugar and Blueberries together. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk egg, milk and melted butter together





2. Pour the liquid into the flour and stir with spoon until ingredients are just combined, but Do not Over Mix





3. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray and fill muffins pans with mixture, level with the top





4. Baked at 200 c for 15 min, unitl muffins spring back when lightly touched.





5. Allow to cook for 5 mins on a wire rack

... will update all on how it goes.. :)

Baby Beauty/ Well Being Products

As they say, there is no ugly woman just lady woman in a mandarin saying. With that, clueless mom decided to start as early as she can for her tiger baby.

0-3 months: tiger baby uses
1) Desitin (Blue) diaper rash cream. Johnson or Darpolean (forgot the name) can't beat desitin. It is applied after bath and every diaper change. Yes, even there is no rash, I would apply with a reasonable amount. This money is well spent indeed. It hurts clueless mom to see diaper rash on tiger baby.

2) California Baby Calendula Cream. It works for tiger baby ezema's (red rashes and it is quite harsh as well). Alternative use breast milk to apply on it for ezema or milk rashes (poison fight back poison). However for tiger baby, this cream works much effective than the breast milk/rice water.

3) Fitti Diaper - i thinik I can create a separate section for diaper but in short at this stage, Fitti 360 degress suits her the best due to her small build body.

4) Ru Yi Oil - It is a MUST thing for Asia countries babies. Due to its power, dosage is limited to 3 drops. apply the drops on adult palm. rub it till it is warm then place it on baby tummy and quickly cover back with the shirt. This is to remove "wind" aka colic.

5) Minyak Telon (indonesia baby colic ointment) - It is a much lighter than Ru Yi Oild which result clueless mom would apply much more but due to the botol design, it is quite hard but yet u just need to share it harder or squeeze it out. There is another brand with a logo of a Eagle. Its not bad as well but with blur dad family, they prefer this minyak telon.

6) GAIA bathing products: verdict - the smell doesn't seem to be so nice and if you brought the travel kit, u better use it asap or else within a short period once it is open, the smell would change and the texture as well.. so i personally, won't use back that product!

7) California Baby bathing products: verdict - its expensive to buy from Guardian/Watsons so highly suggest to get it from spree or directly from the US.

8) Johnson tip and toe bathing products: verdict - smell nice but it seems quite strong so remember to use only very litttle.

Note: First month of tiger baby, I think cluelessmom didn't use any body shower gel. Just plain boiled warm water. Yes Boiled (but warm temperature). I remember it is boiled due to bathing tigerbaby is so much work. Marni (nanny aka helper) had to boil the water the night before and boil one pot early in morning so that tigerbaby can have her 9am ish bath with the right temperature water.

3-6 months: tiger baby uses ..... to be continued...

Carrot Muffin

As some of my friends know, I have been busy in the the baby kitchen mode.

My next attempt is Carrot Muffin either from http://bunnynwife.com/category/food-recipes/

Ingredients
4 eggs
1.5 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cups organic raw cane sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups grated carrots
(optional but not recommended for baby below 18 mths : 1 cup grated pecans, 1 tsp cinammon)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a muffin.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt (optional: cinnamon)
4. Stir in carrots. (optional : pecans)
5. Pour into prepared muffin tray.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

or else would be this receipe http://www.joyofbaking.com/CarrotMuffins.html

Carrot Muffins Recipe:
1/2 cup (50 grams) pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 cups (270 grams) grated raw carrot (about 2-3 peeled carrots)
1 large apple, peeled and grated
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) (optional)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (180 ml) safflower, corn, or canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting: (optional)
1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces (1/2 cup) (110 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla


Carrot Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place paper liners in 18 muffin cups.
Toast the pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
Peel and finely grate the carrots and apple. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir in the nuts and coconut. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Fold the wet ingredients, along with the grated carrot and apple, into the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes remove the muffins from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Makes 18 standard-sized muffins.
Frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Place a dollop of the cream cheese frosting on the top of each muffin.

But of course as usual me, I would Modify this receipe again hahaha so stay tuned and see what the modified receipe would be and the outcome... to be continued....

Crystin Baby Blog is born finally....

As I was pregnant with Crystin, I told myself that I would create a blog to record all the things / events / items she used so that it could be share with others and to remind myself if I ever go for 2nd baby.

Crystin was born on 20 August 2010 in Singapore Thomson Medical Center. This blog was created on 29 AUgust 2011 so I guess I really took my time.

Pregnancy is a big topic, Preparing for Labour is big topic, During Labour is a big topic, Recovering from giving birth is a big topic, First 30 days of confinement is a big topic, Babies first 3 months is a big topic, Baby at 6 months is a big topic and the finally, the Baby "infant" is upgraded to become a "toddler" - One Year old is a big topic.

I would cover all of this soon.. to be continued...