My BEST Brownies

Brownies. True comfort food for me.  Over the past month, my daytimes have been  filled with meetings, even during lunchbreaks!  I get to check and respond to emails, make presentations and all that stuff, only in the evenings.

Feeling stressed,  and guilty as well (the kids just started summer holiday and I've been working mostly),  I decided to bake brownies. It could lighten my guilty conscience. 

Maybe the feelings of love and good intentions that were poured into it helped make those brownies truly terrific – moist, fudgy  and super chocolatey. Not far from the brownies I buy in Voelker or L'uisine (and friendlier to my wallet!).

My kids tell me they're "awesome" and "yummy".  Their actions speak louder than words - they've been devouring it.

What I used and did :
Berry Crocker’s Ready Mix Brownies - Dark Chocolate

-  mixed per pack directions (with ½ cup melted butter, ¼ cup water and 2 eggs)

Plus 3 tbsp of Van Houten unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 egg (for more fudgy, cake-like brownies)

I made 3 trays 

      1st tray - plain

      2nd tray - I added chopped Lindt dark-chocolate-mint

      3rd tray - I topped with chopped toasted cashew nuts

I baked the brownies at 170 degrees Centigrade. After 20 minutes, I turned off the oven.  (I actually forgot to take them out as I was checking emails. Felt so relieved the brownies still turned out great.)

The kids and I have been playing a game (similar to taboo) this morning,  munching on them continuously,  especially the younger boys.  Guilty conscience now officially relieved.

Saigon Eats : The Elbow Room

Saturday afternoons are my me-time. Reading a book, taking a nap, getting a massage, or catching up with friends.  I had a great time today with my friend R.  the trust and openness we have towards each other makes our conversations truly enjoyable.  There's confidence  that what's been shared between us remained between us.

Since I could not say anything about what we talked about, I'm wiring about the cafe instead.

The Elbow Room is a delightful little place along Pasteur St.  I liked the ambience, it was quiet and relaxing (except for when a young Japanese boy who threw a tantrum and started screaming and kicking).  The deco was simple but charming. The service was almost flawless,  the servers were attentive but not intrusive.

From what I had, I'd day say the food is nothing to rave about. Not bad but nothing very noteworthy either. I chose the Elbow Room smoothie, it was not smooth at all, it had loads of icicles; the coffee was good and the vanilla syrup made it taste a bit more special;  R swears by the spicy shrimp pasta though. 

To be fair, I havent tasted must of the food in the menu.  I plan to come back with the kids for brunch;  the Chef's Specials and the all-day breakfast seemed interesting.

 

Better Than Sleep?

Last night, I went to bed earlier.  I've had migraine for the past two days which wouldn't not go away with my usual medication.  Lack of sleep most likely - the past week, I was catching up on work till late at night, shutting down usually around 2am... But a good sleep was not to be had.

Around 1:30 am,  my 8-year old son woke me up saying he got severe pain on his right ear and could not sleep.   I let him slid in beside me, asked a few "diagnostic questions" - when did he start having the pain, did he poke his ear with something pointed or sharp, etc.  While gently rubbing the painful ear,  I quickly checked the internet for info on ear pains among kids.  Most probably, ear infection,  nothing serious I hope... he was able to sleep soon after taking paracetamol.  I could not.

This morning,  J remained matamlay, and still had fever.  He wanted me near him always.  I still felt light-headed, but there was a warm feeling inside - I felt special and needed.  It's a feeling much greater than having enough sleep.

Korean Barbecue

Lunch was Korean barbecue. Thin slices of brisket, marinaded and barbecued on a hibachi. Fairly easy to do. And wrapped on lettuce leaves or young cabbage, fairly healthy as well.

Backtracking a bit : we went to District 7, and had lunch in a Korean resto; a few times we've been in the area, I noticed the place was always packed with Koreans. I figured food must be good and authentic. 

The barbecue was lovely.  And it looked quite easy to prepare, can be done at home I thought. I'd like to do it using a Korean-type grill, a dome-shaped metal affair on stove-top.

I was happy to find that type of grill in Lotte Mart in D7.  I bought packed brisket slices as well.  (The prepacked brisket turned out quite fatty, they packed it in such a way that the fat was hidden. Maybe better to buy brisket from Metro and slice it thinly ourselves.)  After googling a simple recipe for bulgogi marinade, I'm all set for our Korean barbecue.  

The marinade was a mixture of light soy sauce, liquid seasoning, sesame oil, rice wine, brown sugar, and some salt & pepper. 30 minutes in the marinade was just enough for the meat to absorb the flavours. Grilling using the hibachi was quite easy; the meat browned fast and the first few slices were almost burnt :)

Stove-top grill - see the small hole on
the side where the fat drains out

The kids really loved it!  M and I loved to eat it dipped in Korean red chili paste.  This dish is definitely a keeper.

Easy Beef Stroganoff

When the kids don't finish their packed lunch, I worry they don't get enough nutrition. I want them to have good food, something easy to gobble up during lunch break, while chatting with their friends. (They play & chat more than eat!)

I found a crockpot beef stroganoff recipe at Cooks.com. It was nutritious, easy-to-prepare, and easy-to-eat. The ingredients are quite simple too!  (I get intimidated with recipes with a long list of ingredients.)

Here's my version :

    1/2 k beef strips (sirloin)
    1 small onion, chopped
    1clove garlic, chopped
    3 tbsp liquid seasoning (I use Knorr or Maggi)
    1 small can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, 1/4 cup water
    1 small can sliced button mushrooms

Marinade the beef strips in liquid seasoning and pepper for 30 minutes.  Put all ingredients except the mushroom in the crock pot;  rinse the soup can with some water and mix it in to help dilute the sauce. Cook in high for 2 hours, stir every 30 minutes. Add the sliced mushroom and cook in low for another hour.  Serve hot.

The meat's really tender, and the sauce flavorful.  Great with steamed rice or sliced baguette.

Here's the original recipe; sour cream is added before serving.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1727,157187-234204,00.html