Banana Bread

At this moment, the sweet scent of banana bread permeates the air. There is another 20 minutes to go before I check on it.

Rising up nicely

I sit at KT's computer typing this entry whilst waiting for the bread to be cooked. It is a sunny day, with a slightly cool autumn breeze. 


The smell of good food makes me happy. 


I found this recipe on Christie's fig&cherry blog, and was attracted by the lovely photos of the finished banana bread. Lots and lots of nuts? That is right up my alley.


Ingredients: 
125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 packed cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1 and 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Two handfuls of pecans, toasted and roughly chopped


Method:

1. Pre-heat oven at 160°C fan-forced. Grease then line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, mashed bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon and cloves. Mix to combine.
3. Gradually sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. In between adding in the flour, add the chopped pecans. 
4. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted leaves a few crumbs.
5. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack. 

Missing a tiny slice from the left corner. :) 

I have taken the bread out of the oven. It is very, very dense. I have cut a slice and slathered it with Harmonie Organic Butter (I happened to use the same brand as Christie). It is dense, moist, crunchy with nuts, and surprisingly, just nicely sweet. :) 


I have to restrain myself from having a second slice. 


Mmm, I am indeed happy. :)

Banana Bread

Family

My parents are here on a so-called cooking tour (my father has a unique sense of humour).

They're here to cook for us while my sisters sit for their mid-term exams. They have been here for nearly two weeks now.

I have been busy with work, as usual, and I have not had time for updates.

Please stay tuned until I do. :)

Family

Life is a Fruit Cake

My mother has a very good recipe for fruit cake, perfect for festive seasons. She would make the fruit cake almost every time us children go home. For me, my mother's fruit cake is more than just good food; it conjures up one of the happiest and most memorable moments in my life.

For this year's Christmas, I would like to get the recipe off her to try to make. My first year of Christmas in Sydney after seven years. Even though I would not be at home to see my family, I would like to try to make a little magical moment here in Sydney.

When I get the recipe, I would post it up together with my experience of making the fruit cake on my own. Hopefully, I can garner help from C. :P

Life is a Fruit Cake

Pink Ribbon Day Cancer Council NSW 23/10/2009

I've been meaning to volunteer for the Cancer Council NSW since two years ago. At that time, I volunteered for Daffodil Day 2007. I didn't make it then because I had just started my job at Campsie.

The same thing happened this year. I volunteered for Pink Ribbon Day before I got offered the job at the new workplace. I was determined to make it this time around, though. It turned out that I also needed to tie up loose ends from my previous work. I took the day off work to achieve two different goals, one for satisfaction, the other out of responsibility.

I am glad that I did make it to Pink Ribbon Day. It was a most satisfying and rewarding experience. I cannot explain exactly why or how it was satisfying or rewarding.

Perhaps it's because I felt that I have made good use of my time. Perhaps it's reassuring to know that there are others who are willing to put in time and effort to volunteer charity events such as Pink Ribbon Day. Perhaps it's because I've fulfilled what I wanted to do two years ago.

Regardless of the reason. I was truly happy doing it. :)

Pink Ribbon Day Cancer Council NSW 23/10/2009

Congratulations

PY has become an elite member of Registered Pharmacists of NSW. For those who do not know, registration is a grueling ordeal. Nearing the end of 2000 hours of supervised practice, one must pass both the written and oral components of the examination before the Pharmacy Board is satisfied that one may be let loose onto the community. Or the other way around. Into my second year of being let loose, I realise that there are some prized customers out there who derive morbid pleasure out of seeing a pharmacist being put in her / his place. However, this could arguably be my sole opinion; the Board obviously thinks that the community is a herd of meek lambs. :P

We went to Azuma as Chifley Plaza for dinner on Saturday 09/08/2008. KT has been itching to try out this one chef hat Japanese restaurant. We have PY to thank for the golden opportunity!

Pre-dinner entertainment

I would call this an entree: deep-fried prawns with home-made tartar sauce and Ponzu dipping sauce - yummy, but PY and I both agree that the prawns were not too fresh.

Of course, we had more than just the prawns - we then went on to have the yummy Azuma specialty - deep fried flounder fillets with Ponzu dipping sauce - the flounder pieces were like M&M's - they melted in my mouth! :P Don't forget the sushi, soba, and tempura ramen - all very yummy, and I was left wanting more!

Yes, the Pièce de résistance - the famous Double Bay ice-cream extravaganza - we ate so much ice-cream that night that I couldn't be able to tell the difference between the many different flavours!

PY is worried that she might not get a job - I worried too when I first started out - but I'm sure she'd have no troubles in finding one, and I'm hoping that it would be the "big break" - a wonderful start of a new chapter in her life. Here's to you, my friend. :)

Congratulations

Happy News

Congratulations to ML and T that they've passed the written exam of PGTC. One step closer to freedom!

Happy News

Kundun

Kundun, Tibetan for "the presence", is the title by which the Dalai Lama is addressed. The 14th and current Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso visited Australia from 06/06/2007 to 16/06/2007. We had the opportunity to listen to the Dalai Lama's talk in The Domain, Sydney.

We arrived late at the venue, so we walked around looking for a good spot to view the screen and listen to the Dalai Lama. The first thing that struck me as we made our way past the throng was how familiar the Dalai Lama's voice sounded. I could have heard his voice on television; I don't remember. It is the voice of Buddhist monks - calm, soothing, yet compelling you to listen - the sound of gentle waves lapping. On a deeper level, it is the voice that I imagine my paternal grandfather had - the grandfather I have never seen in life but in photos, whom my grandmother and parents speak of with such admiration.

Incidentally, the Dalai Lama's tinted glasses and face shape remind me of two people, one of which is my paternal grandfather.

The Dalai Lama spoke on the power of compassion. It moved me so much that I cried. The Dalai Lama talked not of religion but of what could bring people inner peace and what could make the world a better place.

The Dalai Lama didn't pretend to know all the answers, too. The host asked the Dalai Lama to describe the meaning of life in the Dalai Lama's own words. The Dalai Lama scratched his head, and looked absorbed in thought, and yet genuinely perplexed, and replied a simple "I don't know".

The Dalai Lama said that perhaps the meaning of life is happiness.

I looked around. I saw adults listening to the Dalai Lama, children playing in the mud, babies in their prams. Everyone seemed happy. I thought of myself, am I happy?

My reply is a simple "I don't know".

Kundun

Happiness

I remember someone telling me, "When you make someone else happy, you feel happy, too". I guess the whole idea is that happiness is a rubber ball, when you bounce it, it comes back to you.

Sometimes happiness eludes me... as it eludes me now. I've read somewhere that happiness is a butterfly that is difficult to catch when pursued, but should one sit down quietly, it may alight on that person.

I will sit down quietly. I will also try to make others happy.

One day, the butterfly will alight upon my shoulders... that day I will be content.

Happiness