Pumpkin Puree

When I was reading the recipe for the Pumpkin-Oatmeal Cookies recipe I saw the main ingredient is pumpkin puree. What I initially thought is I would boil the pumpkin then puree it using the blender. Just to be sure I googled and boy I was wrong, almost all the articles/blogpost I read said that you have to bake the pumpkin before you puree it.

I was in the midst of preparing dinner as well when I decided to do the pumpkin-oatmeal cookies and I just browsed thru the steps on how to puree and actually missed out some instruction but it still turned out ok.

So here's how I did it:

1. Slice the pumpkin

2. Remove the seeds

3. Bake in 150C for 40minutes (the instruction was that the pumpkin slice should be face down and cover the pumpkin with oil but since I just browsed thru the steps, I missed out these notes)

4. Let it cool and remove the skin

5. Cut into even smaller pieces and blend until you reach the desired consistency.

Add a bit of water while blending

And your pumpkin purée is ready!

You can store the pumpkin puree into the freezer for future use as well and you can do a lot more things from this healthy puree.

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

I've been wanting to try out a pumpkin recipe for a long time but I has a hard time finding some of the spices needed, specifically the pumpkin spice and the ground cloves (to create the pumpkin spice, in case it's not available). And then finally, one fine day in Cold Storage in Sixth Avenue, I saw it ... pumpkin spice and ground cloves!!! Of course I bought both :) Then the next challenge was to find the molasses, I tried to look to every grocery I pass by and there was none and then last week, my friend/officemate told me about this baking supplies store near Clementi and we went there on our lunch break. It's just in Clementi and quite near the MRT station, the store name is Phoon Huat. It's a disneyland for the bakers and the prices are really reasonable as compared to the groceries.

As usual, the recipe is from my favorite blog site, Sally's Baking Addiction . I think I'm addicted to it already, I visit the site everyday! Well, can't help it coz her recipe are really awesome and so easy to follow.

Full recipe and details here

Steps and pictures below:

1. Toss in the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt).

2. Fold in the oats to the dry ingredients mixture.

3. Mix well and set aside.

4. Melt the butter in the microwave oven then whisk in the molasses, granulated sugarand brown sugar.

5. Once combined, add in the egg.

6. Whisk in the pumpkin purée and vanilla until well combined.

7. Well mixed wet ingredients.

8. Combine the wet and and dry mixture.

9. The dough will be heavy and thick.

10. Fold in the add ins. I put chocolate chips, dried cranberries and sliced almonds.

11. Gently mix the add in ingredients.

12. Scoop into your baking tray with parchment paper or silicone liner, 2 inches apart and bake for 13-15 minutes.

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S'more Brownie Pie

It was the 24th and I was, as usual, browsing to one of the blogs that I follow when it comes to baking. I saw this super yummy picture of a pie and just by looking at it I know that I must try to do it. I read thru the whole recipe and it seems quite easy and I've decided right there and then that Im gonna do it tonight and I did!

Full Recipe and detailed instruction on: S'more Brownie Pie entry

It's right about 4 steps to bake and another step to wait and drool:

1. Make the crust and set aside.

2. Make the brownie batter, all thru microwave heating and manual whisking.

Melted butter, cocoa, sugar and salt in microwave. Let it cool for a while before mixing in other ingredients.

Once the cocoa mixture is cool, stir in the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time. Then whisk in the flour.

3. Bake the brownie pie for 28minutes at 165C/325F.

4. Remove the brownie pie from the oven and add in the mallows (I got overly excited and put more mallows that what is stated in the recipe).

5. Bake for 3more minutes or until the marshmallows are toasted. Let it cool completely (which is quite hard to do) and enjoy!

Gooey S'more, fudgy brownie and just the right taste of crust all rolled into one. Imagine that!

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Banana Nut Jumbo Muffin

There has been a request for me to make a Jumbo, American Size muffin for quite some time now and I was on the lookout of what recipe should I try.
Also, I have some ripe bananas in the fridge waiting to be baked and then, like an answered prayer, Sally, one of the food bloggers that I really followed (yes, on bloglovin and Instagram!) posted her Master Muffin Mix and it included the Banana Nut and Very Berry Muffin recipes. How cool is that? It's like she read my mind or heard my prayers. LOL!
And of course, I did not waste my time and did it last Saturday.

So, here's my Banana Nut Jumbo and mini Muffin:

Full details and Recipe here.

It's quite easy.
1. Pre-heat the oven.
2. Mix the dry ingredients.

3. Mix the wet ingredients.

4. Mix the wet and dry mixture and careful not to over-mix.

5. Fold in the nuts (I used walnut here).

6. Prepare the streusel (I put in some chocolate chips, 1/4 cup only)

7. Fill the muffin tins up to the top. (I used the silicon muffin molds, Jumbo and mini)
Sprinkle with some struesel.

8. Bake and wait.

Mini-muffin:

Jumbo Muffin:

10. Enjoy!!!

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#100HappyDays - Challenge Accepted!

The pictures in my FB timeline with hashtag #100happydays really got me curious that i googled it. From the hashtag, it was quite obvious that it's about being happy but I was curious who started it and what's in it and so on and so forth. My google search led me to the website 100happydays.com. There it explained the goal: recognize the things simple or grand, that makes you happy everyday. Nowadays, almost all people are too busy with their life, working, running to and from their chores, beating the traffic that we couldn't stop for a while to appreciate the small things that makes as happy. The challenge: Quite simple, post pictures of what made you happy everyday for 100 days.

What you basically need to do first is to register to the website with some of your info and specify the platform where you will post your pictures. You can do it via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Email. Specify your starting date then starting posting your pictures using the hashtag #100happydays.

As simple as it is, surprisingly, 71% of the people could not finish the challenge.

When I search the hashtag on my Instagram, I was surprised to see that there's over a million picture posted ... WOW!!! Plus more pictures with some various hashtags related to that.

It got me excited and even invited my friends to join me in this challenge. Actually, the part where it says that you'll get a small book with all your 100happydays pictures that really got into me :)
And so last saturday, I registered to the website:

And posted my Day1 picture, yesterday.

Let's see how far I can go. It already made me think of a lot of what-ifs that would hinder me from finishing this challenge but I'm more excited to finish it ... so, Good luck to me!!!

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