An Experiment!

Thanks to Michi of http://www.michiphotostory.com, I found a new way to cook my all time favorite, potato.  She blogged about Hasselback Potato few days back and I was curious on how it tastes. Since I have a few potatoes in my cupboard, I thought of making one today.

I tried to look up for some recipes online and the one that I followed was from Whatscookingamerica.net.

Washed and scrubbed

I read the tip to use chopsticks on both sides of the potato to make sure you don't cut through it and leave a little bit to hold the slices in.

It was a useful tip but unfortunately I wasn't careful in slicing the end. So it was cut off. :D

My butter was still sitting in the fridge when I had the urge to make the dish. So I had to melt it so I can prepare the potato faster.

Usually, I have bread ready but today I ran out. So I thought of using my little girl's old crackers. Maybe they'd look nice because they're tricolor! :)

I mixed everything in the butter. It doesn't look very appetizing. 

After patting the breadcrumb mixture on to the potato, I sprinkled a bit of grated cheddar cheese on top. I made two, one without a foil and the other with one. Just to see how it will go.

As predicted, the one uncovered almost burnt and the potatoes weren't cooked thoroughly. So the next time I'm doing this, I will make sure to cover my potatoes before baking 'em!

BCB Meme: 5 Things You Want to Do Before You Get Old

My list actually long. A lot of goals in this lifetime but I'll try to come up with 5 interesting ones. :)

Ride in a hot air balloon. This has been a dream of mine. Too bad we weren't able to visit Clark during the Hot Air Balloon Festival when we were still in Manila. And I guess we couldn't ride it because the little girl is too young to ride one. Even now, she'd probably be too scared of the noise if we ride one.

Photo from Google

Travel extensively. By the time I'll consider myself old, hopefully I have visited at least 30 countries. I don't know how and when, but hopefully I can. :D

Photo from Google

Eat healthily. Growing up, I wasn't eating vegetables. I guess I owe it to myself and my little girl. I cannot live without meat, to be honest. But I want to lessen my red meat intake and more on veggies. (Photo from www.decisivemagazine.com)

Establish a hobby that I can do until I'm old. Hopefully it's something I can go back to anytime I want. Not like a fad, but anything that I really like. I did lomography before I got married but I think I lost touch and got tired of the process. Or maybe I can go back? Hmmm... (Photo from www.buzzle.com)

To make a beautiful Croquembouche. Why? Just because it looks pretty and I'm sure it's hard to do! (Photo from www.weddingguideasia.com)

Do you like doing meme blog posting like this? Join the fun and meet fellow bloggers at BC Bloggers.

Party Bites

Sometimes I want to have simple party at home like a wine and cheese night with hors d'oeuvres or finger foods being served. A small gathering close friends and just talk about anything and everything.

These are some of the items that I have tried making and would want to serve:

1. Croquettes

2. Pita with Oregano Chips dipped in Cream Cheese Chive Dipping Sauce

3. Scones

4. Chicken BBQ in Pita

5. For dessert, I can probably serve Double Berry Trifle

6. Or bite size New York Cheescake

If you would host a small party for 10 people, what do you plan to serve? :)

Sausage and Sun Dried Tomatoes Pasta

We have been looking for sun dried tomatoes for several months and luckily, we saw some in Carrefour. Since the husband likes pasta with olive oil over any other kinds of sauce, I made this for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 300 grams fettucini pasta, cooked as instructed
• 200 grams Italian sausage, sliced
• 200 grams sun dried tomatoes
• 250 grams mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Italian seasoning and pepper to season

Directions:

1. In a medium pan, heat the olive oil. Saute the onion and cook until it's tender. Add minced garlic, mushrooms, and sausages.
2. Combine the cooked pasta into the pan and coat it with the oil. Season according to your preference.
3. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving.
4. Pair the dish with a glass of red wine. Enjoy!

BC Bloggers Meme: Things That Make You Happy

When I received the email about meme topics from Paula of Mommydiary.net, I was quite hesitant to join the activity. I have come across the word meme several times, on Facebook, when reading online articles and just about anywhere on the internet. But truth be told, I didn't really understand what it meant until I looked it up. Silly me.

So on to the topic. The things that make me happy - a lot. Material things and of course, those that can only be captured in our minds and on photographs - memories.

Baking, my first love. This is the main reason of my blog. Like the photo, I hope my little girl would also enjoy baking when she grows up as much as I do. (Photo from Freeprintablecoloringpages.net)

Traveling to new places. May it be within our country or outside. Thankfully our daughter is a bit bigger and traveling isn't hard to do nowadays. No napping every few hours (except in the afternoon), no carrying of all sort of stuff, and I don't need to worry about her being very fragile anymore. (Photo from Bluebuddies.com)

Trying out new restaurants - preferable hole-in-the-wall kind of places. This has been a habit of mine ever since I started working. I do this with my friends, my siblings/family or even with colleagues. (Photo from Alixoor.wordpress.com)

Buffets because they give me a different kind of exhilaration every time I look at the spreads on the table. Hee hee (Photo from Learn2earn2.com)

Time with family is the best. I grew up enjoying my time with my Tatay, Nanay, Manang and Little Brother.  Even if I'm already married, spending time with them is just fun. Although we're apart from each other, we still make it a point to communicate everyday. Thanks to the power of internet! (Photo from Hindiprincess.wordpress.com)

Riding an airplane make me really giddy. I don't know why. The smell of airplanes and airports bring happiness to me that I myself can't explain. :D (Photo from Do2learn.com)

Going out with friends. I don't drink and I don't do "gimik" even when I was still single. I guess living in the outskirts hindered me from staying up all night. But I never was fascinated about going to clubs or bars at all. I'd rather have lunch or dinner with girl friends. More sense in talking to sober people, right? :) (Photo from Justjanga.blogspot.com

Macaroni Soup

It has always been a challenge for me to find something healthy but tasty enough for my little girl to have for her meal.  Because of this, I try to experiment with recipes so that I don't have to make a separate dish just for her. I actually learned this from the book my SIL gave me, that I can make one simple dish and play it up for the adults.

Homemade chicken stock

Since becoming hooked on Food Network again, I wanted to go back to basic -- use homemade chicken stock. I use this for my soup's base and just added a few things to make it really good.

For the adults meal, I added italian sausages to add an oomph! I like how the simple creamy macaroni soup stood out because of the meat added.

Italian sausages

To add variety to the soup, I thought of adding vegetables like mushrooms, carrots and corn. I love the earthy and woodsy taste of the mushrooms in the dish.

Fresh button mushrooms

I paired my bowl of steaming macaroni soup with a warm slice of baguette. I actually didn't finish one slice because the soup was filling enough.

Petit Provence

When my little girl used to attend a class in Tampines NTUC, we would frequent the malls around the area. Usually after each session, we will swing by Tampines Mall or Century Square. I can see that there are several bakeries around but one of the bakeshops that I like around Tampines Central is Petit Provence. Although they only have a few, I love the assortment of breads they offer.

Last week, I bought 2 pieces. The coffee roll and the milk pan. I believe the milk pan is one of the best sellers and I haven't seen this kind of bread in any other bakeries I've visited. According to their website, the milk pan is "Soft on the outside, softer on the inside. The smooth, creamy and milky filling will take your breath away." And I must say, yes, the creamy filling does feel magical, almost taking you to bread heaven. :D

The milk bread up close. Sorry, it doesn't really look that way. But because it was dumped in my bag and I was scurrying after the little girl around, it became like a raisin after. Well, not really a raisin but more like a grape on its way to becoming one.

Milk Pan $1.60

Usually, a coffee bun that you can see is filled with cinnamon or raisins. But this one made my eyes lit up.  It was coffee flavored with chocolate chips. And the bread is very soft, it almost melts in your mouth. Just perfect!

Coffee Roll $1.40

I can remember one time that I bought a cream cheese bread and when I bit, I felt something hard. When I took a closer look, there was a staple wire. I didn't know what to do at first. Should I take a photo of it as a proof? Should I give it back? The husband told me to just show it to the staff just so they will be aware. So when I explained it to them, they were really sorry and gave me 2 new cream cheese breads! Oh yeah, honesty pays! :)

The prices of the bread are not cheap, I must say. But if you're in the mood for some indulgence of sweet breads, head to Petit Provence. Try their wassants, they're also yummy!

Petit Provence

Century Square
2 Tampines Central 5, #01-16
10am-10pmContact: 6467 6966
Website: www.provence.com.sg

It's Only A Cafe, Don't Take It So Seriously...

With A Pinch of Salt by Kyra

We had an early celebration of Father's Day yesterday. It was double celebration because our little girl also turned 33 months old as well. 

After swimming, we headed to East Coast area to have lunch at With a Pinch of Salt. It took us almost an hour to get to Tanjong Katong road from Tampines Sports Stadium. Whew! Good thing the place wasn't hard to find. 

When you get to their door, you could browse their menu and see the offer below from UOB.

The husband said the place reminds him of Mom & Tina's in Manila. It was homey and quaint.  Feels cozy and kid-friendly, too.

Free internet connection!

While I was finishing my meal, my little girl played and read the books with her dad. It was a wonderful idea that they have this in the cafe, to keep little kids busy before or after eating.  They also have magazines!

Books and magazine to keep you entertained

The husband got the Seafood Black Lips pasta. It was spaghetti cooked in squid ink with fish, shrimps, squid and clams.  The taste was unique! Reminds me of paella negra but with a twist. Imagine eating it with pasta instead of rice. Cool, right? :)

Black Lips $15.90

I was in the mood for some sausages so I got the Bangers and Mash.  It's refreshing to have a taste of the English Bratwurst and Chorizo sausages again. I loved the mashed potatoes, it was smooth and lightly seasoned. I believe the brown sauce they're referring in their menu is the gravy that I'm accustomed to, which made me really happy with this dish! :)

Bangers & Mash $10.90

The little tot had the soup of the day, cream of chicken soup.  It was tasty but I found the serving a bit small.  I was hoping we'll get a big portion since it was priced at almost $5 but it was a small bowl and the little girl finished it in no time. 

Soup of the day - Chicken Soup $4.90

We ordered an additional dish, just to let the little girl have something to munch on.  True enough, the soup didn't make her full. She was still hungry and ate some of her dad's Black Lips pasta and these potato wedges.  No wonder she's very heavy to carry!!

Potato Wedges $7.90

Our total bill was almost $40, including GST. Not sure though about the service charge. It was the husband who paid the bill.  They accept NETS and credit card (Visa/Mastercard, no Amex) with a minimum purchase of $20.

We enjoyed our food and as much as we would want to go back again, I guess we won't be doing it anytime soon as the trip is very long from our place! But it was definitely worth our time. Food and service were great, the place was also clean. It's a departure from the typical big chain restaurant. Our preference has always been the hole-in-the-wall, cozy type of place.

With A Pinch Of Salt
297 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 437080
Contact: 6348 2297
Email: eat@withapinchofsalt.com.sg
Website: With A Pinch of Salt
Menu (menu is kinda outdated)