This is another healthier options for muffin lovers. It is easy to make, adopting the basic method in making muffins, which is to mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. All you need is clean bowls, a spatula or spoon and a kitchen scale.

The muffins are really moist, smell great of walnuts and the insides are fruity with the sultanas. If you don't like walnuts in your muffins, you can substitute it with sunflower seeds. You might also want to substitute sultanas with raisins or any other types of dried berries. It is so versatile yet yummy to bite.

My hubby found that it is still moist and tastes as good the next morning. He enjoyed 3 muffins for his breakfast with a cup of hot milo.

I made 16 muffins instead of the usual 12 cause I had used slightly smaller muffin cups.

I don't usually use expensive muffin cups as its rather a waste of money, but when I went to the bakery ingredients shop the other day, I couldn't resist buying these cute-sy muffin cups. I guess, it is alright to spoil yourself sometimes, right??? =P


Sultanas & Walnuts Muffins

Ingredients
140g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
115g soft light brown sugar ( I use 50g castor sugar + 50g dark brown sugar)
140g porridge oats ( I use Quaker Quick Cook Oat)
100g sultanas
100g crushed walnuts
2 eggs
250 ml skimmed milk
6 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1) Preheat oven to 200degree C/400degree F/Gas Mark 6. Line 12-hole muffin tin with 12 paper cases. (I wanted a prettier effect so I used muffin cups with designs on it) =)

2) Sift together flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, oats, sultanas and 60g  of the crushed walnuts.

3) Place the eggs in another large bowl and beat lightly, then beat in milk, oil and vanilla extract.

4) Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

5) Spoon mixture into paper cases. Sprinkle the remaining crushed walnuts over the tops of the muffins.

6) Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until well risen, golden brown. (My oven takes 17 minutes only)

7) Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer t a wire rack to coo completely.

Quad-C (Choc Chips & Cinnamon Cookies)

My hubby bought me a set of baking books that is published by "LOVE FOOD" Parragon Books Ltd. The books are full of beautiful pictures and the recipes are mainly easy to follow. I can't wait to try out the new recipes I found in these books.

The very first recipe that I tried is the Chocolate Chip & Cinnamon Cookies (Quad-C). These are simple to make and is perfect with a cup of herbal tea. The light coating of cinnamon also gives additional flavor to the cookies. 

However, I have a huge problem with the settings of my oven. Again, I have to reduce the temperature and the baking time. The first badge of Quad-C I made brown too fast and the edges are burnt.

So, if you are using a small oven like mine, you might like to adjust the temperature and time accordingly. This cookies also stored well in an air-tight container.

Recipe for Quad-C Cookies

makes about 35 medium sized cookies

Ingredients

- 225g/8 0z butter, softened at room temperature

- 140g/ 5 0z castor sugar

- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

- 2 tsp orange extract

- 280g / 10 oz plain flour

- pinch of salt

- 100gm / 31/2 oz plain chocolate chips (I just use a handful)

Method

1) Preheat oven to 190degree C/ 375F / Gas Mark 5. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper. (I have to reduce the temperature to 170degree C in my oven)

2) Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.

3) Then beat in the egg yolk and orange extract.

4) Sift together flour and salt into the mixture, add chocolate chips and stir until thoroughly combined.

5) To make cinnamon coating, mix the sugar  and cinnamon together in a shallow dish or plate. 

6) Scoop out tablespoons of the cookie dough, roll them into balls, then roll them in the cinnamon mixture to cat. Place them on the baking sheets, spaced well apart. (The cookie will expand when bake)

7) Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15minutes or until golden brown. ( I reduce the baking time to 10 minutes)

8) Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely before storing.

** To make White chocolate & spice Cookies, simply replace the plain chocolate chips with 100gm/ 31/2 oz white chocolate chips and replace the cinnamon with 1 tbsp of ground mixed spice and 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg.

*Photos credited to my lovely hubby, Stanley*

Honeyed Cornflakes Cups

This is a very easy recipe to follow and is even more delicious to eat. It makes a lovely gift for friends and relatives on festive times as it does not cost too much and most important it is a 100% failure proof recipe.

The few things that you need to start making your own "honeyed cornflakes cups" is a big heat-proof bowl (I use a stainless bowl), a medium sauce pan, a teaspoon, a whisk, a rubber spatula, mini paper cups (or you can use regular paper cups), an oven and baking trays.

As I am making the "mini" version of these honeyed cornflakes cups, the most time consuming part is filling the honey coated cornflakes into the mini paper cups. Filling too little and it looks empty, filling in too much and it will spill when baked. Despite the trouble, I had no regrets going mini because it doesn't only look beautifully cute but it is a one-bite temptations.

Okay, enough of mumbling and here's the recipe. I hope you will try it out because it is really easy to make even with kids around.

Recipe for Honeyed Cornflakes Cups
makes 100+ mini cups or about 50 regular cups

Ingredients
- 5 cups cornflakes (lightly crushed with a rolling pin or clean dry hands)
- 120g unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 3 tbsp honey ( I reduce to 1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla essence)
- crushed nuts (optional)
- sprinkles ( I use hundreds and thousands)
- adequate amount of baking paper cups












Method
1) In a large saucepan, combine and melt butter, sugar and honey on slow fire. (becareful not to burn the butter and sugar). Stir with a whisk.

2) Turn off flame, immediately add cornflakes and nuts (if using).

3) Stir to coat the cornflakes evenly in the butter sugar mixture. (Sugar mixture will thicken when cool, so you must stir while it is still hot)

4) Place cups and spoon a tablespoon of mixture into cups. (This is the tricky part if you are using mini paper cups, I recommend using a teaspoon)

5) Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes at 350 degree F or 175 degree C. (I reduce the baking time to 7 minutes in my oven)


6) Remove from oven. Leave on the baking tray for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before storing.

The Salvation Army (Kuching Branch) Annual Sale Of Work

Yearly on the 31st August, Malaysia celebrates "Hari Merdeka" (Malaysia's Independence Day). No doubt, it is a public holiday in Malaysia.

Every year on this same date, The Salvation Army in Kuching held their Annual Sale of Work Day. In other words, it is a fund raising day which took place in The Salvation Army Kuching Boys' Home. Every year, the public will work together with The Salvation Army Children's Home, Boys' Home as well as the Church and the Community Services to sell tickets, collect fundings and find sponsors for this activity. People from all walks of life come together to lend a hand for this meaningful activity.

The annual Sale of Work event this year saw 110 stalls raising funds for the homes. Last year in 2009, the home manage to raised RM140,000. This year, Major Francis Ng voiced that a special learning centre should be set up in the homes to allow the children to pick up on their studies at their own pace and eventually be at par with the others. (Source from: STARMETRO,Wednesday,1September 2010).

This is because the children admitted to The Salvation Army's care mostly had irregular school attendance beforehand. In some cases, the child never received formal education till the day of admission to The Salvation Army. Thus, many children become the victim of illiteracy.

This year, an idea sparks me. I should open up a stall and try my very best to contribute back to the society. Since I used to work in The Salvation Army Children's Home and now as a volunteer, I was very happy to be able to continue to help in different ways.

My friends and relatives are very supportive for this cause too. They gathered money and even help baked items for the stall to sell. These are some of the photos I had able to snap before all of us were busy selling, shouting and trying our best to attract customers to visit our stall =D

This is our stall number. Lucky 97.. 


The cute banner was a girl's effort from The Children's Home. Isn't that cute?

These are the food items for sale.

As you can see, there are home-baked choc chip banana muffins, home made cookies, peppermint herbal teahome made Konyaku fruit flavored jellies in cups, and  home made fruit flavored puddings.

A close-up picture of the home made mini hot dog buns and cream buns.

Here's another picture of the home-made Hawaiian pizzas. The rest of the buns and cakes are donated by The Southern bakery shop (which is located at 2 1/2 mile in Kuching, next to Alliance Bank and Maybank).










And these are the Team, the spirits behind our stall's success. Without good teamwork, we would not be able to raise a total amount of RM1471. Thanks buddies!!

Most of our items were sold within 4 hours. The last half and hour, we sold the remaining buns for RM1. We also gave some to the children. All gone and Nothing is Wasted!!!! 

GREAT WORK!!