Oven-Baked Nuggets

This recipe was shared by a member in Culinary Kitchenette, was quite intrigued as it is a healthy version for nuggets. I decided to give it a try, along with the kids' favourite - Ham & Corn Fritters to serve with Fried noodles for dinner.

I am using back the same recipe previously for the Prawn & Veg Fritters, replacing Ham & Corn. I added an additional tsp of fish gravy as the previous attempt is not flavourful enough. It is a simple dish that my kids love when I did the prawn version. Tonight's version is made up of my kids' favourite - Corn. Yummy...

As for the oven-baked nuggets, I find it a bit not flavourful enough. I guess healthier version usually can't beat the unhealthy version huh?! But it is indeed crispy and taste like nuggets. I think I would marinate the Chix fillet with a bit of salt and pepper overnight, before doing the usual coating. Shall try soon and update if it works. It's still worth a try especially if you wan to replace all the deep-fried food.. 

Oven-Baked Nuggets (adapted and adjusted slightly from OnePotChef)

3-4strips go Chix Fillet, cut into small chunks

1/2Cup Plain Flour, add 1tsp salt & pepper

1Cup Breadcrumbs

1 Egg + 2Tbsp Milk

1) I washed the Chix chunks and wiped dry with kitchen towel. 

2) Dip and coat Chix with flour and shake off excess.

3) Dip into egg mixture and shake off excess.

4) Coat with breadcrumbs and shake off excess.

5) Repeat Step 2-4 and cover with cling wrap for 30mins.

6) Bake at 170deg for 25-30mins til cooked. Serve warm.

Happy 3rd Birthday to my boy!!

I have taken a long break from baking else than the usual bread loaf for breakfast. It's has been rather busy with fren's daughter birthday, fren's wedding and also partly, laziness.. Hhahha..

Today is my boy's birthday. As our usual practice, we will go swensens for dinner and have their signature firehouse. Hubby actually asked me not to bake any cakes but mummy can't live with the guilt of not baking one. In my last minute rush, I used optima flour for fail-proof sponge and made buttercream (with fingers crossed cos I haven make smbc for a long time)

I baked the sponge with the new baking tin that have a 'Birthday' theme but I didn't unmould well so I had to cream the cake too... So in a rush, I had to cream quickly, touch up slightly and do my wordings.

My gal helped to deco the sides of cake, topped the deco for cupcakes and happily said that she made them for lil brother's birthday.... With that, I wish my boy a very Happy Birthday!! Stay healthy and grow up obedient.. =) That's the greatest gift to mummy and daddy...

Vanilla Sponge

250g Optima flour
4 eggs
 6 Tbsp Milk
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Tbsp Canola Oil

Chocolate Sponge

125g Optima Flour

2 Eggs

3Tbsp Milk

1tsp Coco Powder

3/4Tbsp Oil

1) (Both using same method) Beat eggs and flour til light and fluffy.

2) Add milk and vanilla extract. Continue to beat til soft peak, almost ribbon stage.

3) Fold in oil gently. 

4) Fill cupcakes to 2/3 full. Pour remaining vanilla batter into cake tin. Bake cupcakes at 170deg for 20-25mins

5) Repeat steps 1-3 for chocolate sponge. 

6) Pour into same cake tin from center. Bake at 170deg for 40-45mins.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream (adapted from TasteGoblet)

4 whites

1/2 Cup sugar 

200g Butter

1tsp Vanilla Essence

1) Dpuble boil sugar and egg whites til sugar is dissolved.

2) Use mixer and beat on high til soft glossy peak. Add in cubed butter slowly and continue to beat.

3) Once it reaches medium soft peak, add in vanilla extract and beat to mix. 

'Mini' Marble Buns & Strawberry Buns

My gal loves to have mini buns as she feels that mini buns are for mini people, like herself. Haha~ She loves it when I make special shapes for her as well. Thus I decided to make choc marble buns for her, as she likes to ask me to buy for her from the bakery.. 

I am using this recipe, I 2x the recipe, using half for loaf bread and balance into mini buns for Irisa to bring to school for Deepavali celebration. I did a trial and I ended up with too thick paste, after cutting them, it oozes out. So this round, I decided to brush on bottom layer, then top with another layer of bread. Cut into bite size and bake them like the mini cheese bun I did prev. But again, the shaping isn't tt nice, and I slightly over-baked, thus the crust is slightly crispy.

Worried that the bread is a bit hard for the kids, I make another batch of bread, replacing all the milk with strawberry milk. So we have some mini strawberry buns too..

Though my trial, 2nd attempt wasn't perfect, both my kids really like them. It is yummy that Irisa have thumbs up! I will continue to explore since my kids love the mini buns & I hope her classmate will love them too... =)

Chocolate Paste (modified slightly from Carol)
*I only used half the paste*
25g Chocolate Chips
10g Butter
20g Milk
15g Cornflour
10g Bread Flour
5g Coco powder

1) Melt butter and chocolate chips using microwave on 10 seconds intervals. Then add in remaining ingredients into a paste.
2) Put on cling wrap and shaped into a square, put in fridge for later use.
3) Once dough is ready, put in between 2 flat bread dough, roll it and cut into desired sizes.

A weekend brunch

Last Sunday, we went for brunch with my GFs and their lil family as well. We initially wanted to go to indoor playground but with the crowded weekend, hefty price tag, I suggested going to The Bank Bar & Bistro in Shenton Way. 

I learnt about this place from Cheekiemonkie.net and their reviews was very good. We decided to give it a try, bearing in mind that we can sit longer, as in sit in the playroom to chat while the kids 'digest' their energy. Lol~ 

Every adult that orders a main, majority of the items in their menu will get a kids to dine for free on weekends. Both me and hubby had The Bank Breakfast which comes with choice of Chix with Cheese/Pork sausage, choice of eggs, toast, pan-fried mushrooms & potatoes and a small serving of baked beans. The kids had Spahgetti Bolognaise and Fish n Chips. 

Unfortunately for myself, hubby commented that the sausage taste funny after I fed 1 of mine to the kids. We sort of had a 'tasting' session with my GFs Bank Breakfast, comparing the sausage. Apparently the remaining sausage taste sourish to me and I did a quick feedback. (Keeping fingers crossed that the kids could have eaten the normal sausage instead of the same as mine since all the sausage tasted different) My GF's portion tasted normal, mine was like gonna turn back, hubby's was like in between. 

Though they return me a new plate of breakfast, to me, most impt is that nothing will happen to the kids. Luckily the kids meal was ok. And I did learn a lesson from the incident - to taste everything before we feed the kids. 

We spent almost 2hrs in the playroom,before coming out to 'redeem' the free scoop of ice cream that comes with the kids meal. I ordered a vanilla cheesecake which I didn't liked, and a iced cappuccino that was not 'coffee' enough. 

Towards the end while we make our bill, we were given a feedback form. I did write down about the unpleasant incident as Chef claim that is how the sausage taste. But seriously how can 3 plate of the same breakfast, with all the pork sausage tasting different? But nonetheless, I don't mind giving the, 1 more chance on the pretext of using the not overcrowded playroom to enjoy bonding time with my GF again.