Homemade Apple Crumble

This is one sweet treat that I got Xav involved almost like 80% in the making. It's really easy to make and we had a greta time bonding in the kitchen ! Thank you Angie for this great recipe - Apple crumble !

Ingredients (serves 2):

- 50g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 25g butter cut to cubes
- 2 tbsp caster sugar (I find it abit too sweet for my liking, probably 1 1/2 tbsp should be fine)
- 1 cooking apple (I used Royal Gala France)
- Ice cream

Method:
1. Sieve flour and cinnamon powder into large mixing bowl.
2. Add cubed butter to sifted flour. Using fingertips, gently rub the butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

3. Add sugar and mix well with the spoon.

4. Peel, core the apple and slice thinly. Arrange apple slices in a ramekin(s).

5. Cover the apples with the rubbed in mixture and press lightly with the back of the spoon.

6. Bake in preheated oven of 200 deg C for about 30-40 mins or until tipping is lightly golden brown. Here's my cheeky lil' baker !

7. Break crumble to smaller pieces and serve hot with a scoop of ice cream. Here you got the tasty apple crumble !

Black Beans and lotus Seeds in Pork Ribs Broth

Another soup from my receipe book bought recently.

Black beans help to tonify the blood and eyesight. while ginger nourishes yin removes heat.

Ingredients :
50g Black Beans
50g Lotus Seed
10g Yoke Chok
20g Barley
10g Dried Longan
Some Ginger
400g Spare Ribs
Water
Salt

Method is similar to other soups which I have cooked before (Throw everything into the pressure cooker ! )

Happy Dragon Year 2012 !!

Here's the Chuas wishing all of you a prosperous Dragon Year !!

Finally, something special this year ! Made my first visit to Istana officially as a visitor after all these years ! Think my visits to the Istana while am on duty definately surpassed my visits as a visitor. My lil' buddy has grown to be an even more independant preschooler and of course we can trust him now with photo taking ! This lovely pic is taken by Xavier. Thank you darling !

Made our way to the Istana Building, paid a $2 entry fee into the premises.

The father and son !

The surroundings in Istana is really great for taking pics ! I love this especially !

This pic was requested to be taken by Xavier. He told me he loves flowers and would like to take some shots with them.

This pic below made him looked so grown up ! How I wish he could stay at this stage ! Mixed feelings ... he is growing really fast !

We made our way out at 10.30 am and the real crowd started to stream in.

Tip of the day, if you wanna avoid crowd, reach early !