Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Yummy SIOMAI

In Manila I learn how to make SIOMAI.

It is so easy for it’s just like the ingredients when you make a Lumpia Shanghai.

I love the taste!

Hubby wants me to make a SIOMAI.

I’ll by the ingredients first.

HammeRuler ... Short-Measure Acceleration for You! Survey

The HammeRuler is built on the notion of Short-Measure Acceleration (SMA). By cutting down on tool switching time when doing short measures, the HammeRuler makes you more efficient. You probably don't realize how much time you spend putting down your hammer to pick up your ruler.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 ounces white chocolate
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/8 cups white sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
  2. In small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.
  3. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and orange extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Mix in heavy cream.
  4. Beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl, and mix in the oil and vanilla. Fold in carrots and pineapple. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Transfer to the prepared muffin cups.
  5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before topping with the icing and sprinkling with remaining walnuts.
Sources: All Recipes

2008 Presidential Election and Celebrities Part 2 Survey

Many wonderful questions from dNeero-ites about the role celebrities play in politics ... we've chosen a few to continue this conversation ... please excuse us if we haven't chosen yours.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

2008 Presidential Election and Celebrities Survey

Do celebrities campaigning for candidates make a difference at the polling booth? Hmmm ... it does help the candidate grab headlines ... we have seen more in the news about Oprah campaigning for Obama, than his health care plan. And there seems to be a resounding lack of celebrity supporters for McCain.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup margarine
  • 1 cup sour milk

  • 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
  • 1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 quart fresh strawberries
  • 2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) pans. In the top of a double boiler, heat unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Blend in sour milk and melted unsweetened chocolate. Divide batter into prepared pans.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. Sprinkle cakes with orange liqueur.
  4. Reserve 8 to 10 strawberries and slice the rest. Place one cake on a serving plate, top with half of the sliced strawberries and half of whipped topping. Cover with second layer, top with remaining strawberries and whipped topping. Garnish with whole strawberries. In the top of a double boiler, heat semisweet chocolate, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle over the strawberries.
Source: All Recipes

Customer Service Survey