Mango Surprise! - Really Surprised (a.k.a Mango Surprise Version 2.0

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Ripe mangoes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted + 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk + 1/4 cup water (1/2 cup mango juice / nectar)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or pandan) essence

Preparation:

* Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

* Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. 

* Cut half the mango & blend with coconut milk and water (mango juice / nectar; NOTE: If using mango juice, blend some mango pulp. If using mango nectar, forgo the pulp)
* Whisk blended mangoes, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla (pandan), and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.
* Cut the other half of mango into chunks and place into batter (Add chunks after placing batter into muffin cups - on to the top of the muffins)

* Divide batter among lined muffin cups. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Going Ape-Shit for Bananas & Coconuts!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted + 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or pandan) essence
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preparation:

* Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

* Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. 

* Whisk/Mash together bananas, coconut milk, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla (pandan), and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.

* Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Secret Ingredient: Hershey' Dark Chocolate Kisses in the Middle!

Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry w/ Boiled Potatoes

Ingredients:

½ Pound of Beef – Thinly Sliced (3-4mm)

3 tbl spoon flour

3 tbl spoon of Vegetable Oil

4 Potatoes

1 Onion - Chopped

1 Chili - Chopped

4 Clove of Garlic - Diced

1 Capsicum/ Green Bell Pepper – Julian Sliced

for seasoning

Ground Black Pepper

Salt

Unsalted/Salted Butter (remember to adjust proportion of salt is you use salted butter)

How to Make;

Boiled Potatoes

1. Slice the Potatoes into fours and steam for 15mins

2. Once Cooked peel of the skin (optional), add butter, salt and pepper to taste ( you can also add parsley + anything else to make it better) toss together

Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry

1. Mix flour, pepper and salt in a bowl and coat the Sliced Beef

2. Pour oil to hot pan and caramelize the onion followed by the garlic and toss

3. Move the onion/garlic aside and fry the beef for a few minutes and toss all together until the beef if cooked

4. Put the chili and capsicum in stir, pour some water into the left over flour+pepper+salt mix and pour into the pan

5. Season with Black Pepper (Generously) + Salt, simmer for couple of minutes to thicken the sauce.

Serve the Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry with a Side of Potatoes. Thats it takes 30mins to make and serves 2. Enjoy.

Coconut + Pandan = Smell of Home

Ingredients :
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Pandan essence
3 to 5 Pandan leaves
1 egg
75 ml cooking oil
100 ml coconut milk
120 ml water
6 muffin cups
Special Secret Ingredient: pieces of MS

Method :
1) Preheat oven to 375F. Line paper cups on a muffin tray, set aside.
2) Blend the Pandan leaves with 50 ml of coconut milk and 20 ml of water. Sieve the liquid into a container and remove the pulp.
3) In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add water, coconut milk, oil, pandan essence and extract, salt, sugar, baking powder and mix well.
3) Sieve the flour, and slowly pour into the mixture, mix well, and set aside.
4) Scoop the muffin mixture onto the muffin cups until 2/3 full.
5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a light brown crust appear or cracks out of the muffin top.
6) 15 minutes into the baking process, place a piece of MS on top and return the tray to the oven.

Sometimes, it is about the simple things.

Oscar, you make me happy. Muppet.

The Snickers Bar from Far Far Away...

One upon a time in a land far far away, there lived a girl with crazy hair and her brow named Lefty. Together, they lived a harmonious life.

One fine Sunday morning, the weather changed. Clouds covered the ever-shining sun, and rain began to pour from the sky. All became gray and cold. Water drummed onto the rooftops, streaming down onto the ground making the roads damp and the pavements slippery. 

Crazy haired girl winced at the sight - she and Lefty brow could get badly hurt if they fail to watch their step. But one has to brave these things in order achieve the goal of the day. Wrapping a blanket around herself and her true companion, Lefty Brow, the Crazy haired girl stepped out onto the porch. The door slam shut behind them.

Standing on the porch looking ahead, the weather was less than inviting.  Nothing will stand between the Crazy haired girl and her Snickers bar - the panacea for all ills. Not even the Hairy man would be able to change her mind. Sensing the resolve the Crazy haired girl had for her quest, the Hairy man both feared and respected her.

On a distant tower, The Hairy man sat ponderous on his chair gazing upon the window that showed him the world he dedicated his time to create. This was no ordinary window. This window enabled him to glimpse into the life of the Crazy Haired Girl and her companion Lefty brow. As the Hairy man sat sipping on his cup of Milo, he pondered as to the success of the Crazy Haired Girl’s journey. No doubt, he thought to himself, Lefty brow will get her into trouble.

Cold and damp, covered only with a blanket, the crazy haired girl marched towards the merchant who will provide with her the snicker bar she so craves. Obtaining the Snickers bar would not be easy since the merchants are known to trick unsuspecting little girls. However, this is unknown to the Crazy Haired girl who was rather clueless about the intentions of merchants.

The Hairy man's window only allows him limited sight of the Crazy Haired girl, but beyond that he relies on the help of the wind whisperers to hear what transpires. But wind whisperers have been plotting against the hairy man lately. They are ruthless ethereal creatures that ride the winds and bring news to all those who can appease them or bend them to their will.

Knowledgeable about the Crazy Haired girl’s cluelessness, the Hairy man feared for her upcoming encounter with the merchants. Away in his tower, he wondered how he would be able to reach out to her should she face difficulties obtaining the elusive Snickers bar. The wind whisperers had grown tired of bending to the will of the Hairy man, and his messages to the Crazy Haired girl were often garbled and misunderstood by her.

Having braved the cold, gray weather and the treacherous path to the merchant, the crazy haired girl finally reaches the merchant only to find herself stuck in a maze of aisles stacked with enticing goodies. Such are the tricks the merchant play on unsuspecting girls - confuse them with treats so they forget their true treasure.  But the merchant's tricks has no effect on the crazy haired girl for she knows what she desires and will not be hindered in her quest to obtain them. She walks the confusing maze of aisles searching for a Snickers bar - her one true indulgence.

At last, she finds them neatly stacked. She reaches to grab a single Snickers bar . Once she has a bar in hand, she turns to head out but the merchant had more tricks up his sleeve. Her quest is not over despite having her Snickers bar in her clutches she now has to escape the maze to begin a long cold journey back home. Lefty brow raises himself but offers no advice. Crazy haired girl decides to turn around and walk backwards retracing the path as she recalled.

Reaching the end of the maze the crazy haired girl is faced with her final challenge to leave the merchants maze. The gates are locked and a price must be paid to pass. She looks, left brow twitches with confusion. To the left of the gate sits a funny looking contraption that suddenly bursts into life with an eye red and angry scanning the snicker bar in her hands. “ You shall not pass till the price has been satisfied” a voice came from the contraption.

The Crazy haired girl was stumped. She stopped and asked, “What is this price that has to be satisfied?” The contraption beeped and blinked. It made whirring noises. It choked and sputtered. Finally, it revealed the price could only be paid by a magical will.

The Crazy Haired girl remembered something her dad gave a long time ago. A Magical square shaped amulet. It is said to contain within it a great power and a will to do what she wishes. But the crazy haired girl is scared of using its powers fearing to become enticed and addicted to it.

The Hairy man  sits at the edge of his throne and watches all that transpire - his knee aching with anticipation for what the Crazy Haired girl will do next. Sensing this the wind whisperers seize the opportunity to hide the messages and news they have been so diligently shuttling back and forth. The Hairy man in his throne unable to help the poor Crazy haired girl. Sits wondering in the dark.

She musters the courage to wield the magical amulet knowing it will satisfy the price demanded by the red eyed contraption. She removes it from her inner pocket, and assertively inserts it into the contraption. The amount of magic in the amulet was so great that the red eyed contraption was unable to contain it, and it burst into flames soon thereafter. Quickly, the Crazy haired girl retracted her hand still holding the amulet.

The gate opened. She dashed into the rain dropping her blanket onto the ground. Running home, the Crazy haired girl did not look back and Lefty brow quivered in the cold. Nearly slipping on the slick roads, she finally arrived back on to her porch. She was drenched from head to toe. Her Snickers bar grasped tightly in her hand

Time froze. The Hairy man sat in silence with no news of the Crazy haired girl. The wind whisperers have had their revenge. Staring blankly at the windows he created to keep track of the Crazy haired girl, he looked for any sign that could give him news of her. When all was thought to be lost, he finally saw movement. She was soaking wet while Lefty brow was twitching. And, there in her hands was THE Snickers bar. A smile grew on the Hairy man's face. He was glad, proud and relieved. He knew then, nothing not the climate, confusion, temptation or hardship will keep the crazy haired girl from getting what she desired.

By CPKD