Whole Wheat Focaccia with Sweet Berries

I just realized it was my blog anniversary two weeks ago. How time flies!!! It has been 6 years since my first posting on November 2006, 915 posting later and still going strong. I can’t believe that it lasted this long. I thought I would have given up blogging in a year or two. Blogging has been an outlet, a growing and stretching experience, and a lot of fun with some headache along the way. I’ve been blessed to get to know many dear friends, and I miss many who are no longer blogging. Thank you to all my faithful supporters and readers for journeying along with me! Your comments have been encouraging and enlightening and you’ve made blogging immensely more enjoyable for me.

I baked this focaccia using the leftover berries from the Mini Fruit Tartlets with Mascarpone Cheese Filling . Since I run out of flour, I just used the whole wheat flour for the dough. It is not a very good idea as Carlos doesn’t really like it as he said the smell and taste of the whole wheat overwhelms the sweet fruits. As for me I don’t mind having this once a while. Anyway, this isn’t a dessert but more for breakfast or maybe for brunch along side with some other savory spreads.

Sugar Cookies

I like baking with kids especially with my nieces and nephews. I’ve been doing it with them for years when I was in Malaysia. We will usually baked cookies, cupcakes and sometime pizza. I think it is a wonderful way to bond with them and also encourages creativity and gives kids a real sense of accomplishments when they eat what they made. It also created a lasting and loving memories for all of us. I miss them a lot and sometimes I do wish they don’t grow up so fast.

Anyway, I made these cookies with my friend daughter Isabel a few months ago. She helps cutting and decorates the cookies. I think she enjoyed doing it and not to mentioned eating all the cookies. Her mom told me that she refused to share it with her parents ha ha.. These are just simple sugar cookie decorated with some colorful sprinkles and some royal icing.

Kari Udang/Prawn Curry

I bought a box of large prawns from the Filipinos supermarket the other day thinking of using them to cook Sang Har Mee for Diana. On the packet it says 9-10 prawns in it but when I open it I found there were about 18 of them in it. So I decided to use half of it to cook this dish so I can submit it to MFF.

Ingredients:
Adapted from MyRecipe.com

10-12 large prawns
½ fresh pineapple – removed skin and cut into 1” chunks
500 ml coconut milk
2 stalk lemongrass – smash
2 tbsp fish curry powder
Salt to taste

Mini Fruit Tartlets with Mascarpone Cheese Filling

Holiday season is just around the corner and I am sure some of you are planning on what to cook and bake. I just baked some fruit cakes over the weekend and now it is aging in the fridge and I will douse it with a bit of brandy every now and then. I will be giving it away just before Christmas. Hope it will be ready to eat during Christmas.

I am a bit compulsive when come to buying fruits especially when I see nice and plump blackberries or raspberries even though I have no plan to bake anything. Then it will be sitting in the fridge for a few days and then I have to crack my head on what to do with it before it goes bad. So I made some mini tartlets with it. I think these dainty little tartlets are ideal for entertaining; and you can garnish it with any fruits you like. I gave some to my neighbor and she told me that she ate 8 pieces at one go and I told her it is not as bad as they were very tiny ha ha..