Old-Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicles - The Picnic Game 2014 (3)

The current hazy, hot and humid weather is so unbearable. And isn't it a perfect time for cold and refreshing desserts? So, I decided to make an old-time favorite ice popsicle which mum used to make for us when we were kids. This ice popsicle is extremely simple and easy peasy to prepare.

I am going on a picnic and I am bringing..... 

A - Angel Food Cake

B - Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawns
C - Chicken Piccata
D - Darned Easy Potato Salad
E - Eccles Cakes filled with Leeks, Spinach and Blue Cheese
F - Fourth of July Picnic S'more Tartlets
G - Gluten-free & Eggless Chocolate Steamed Cake
H - Ham Cheesy Patties
I - Italian Frittata with Vegetables
J - Jelly Roll
K - Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread
L - Lemon lavender Cupcakes
M - Meringue Roulade with Raspberries
N - Nutella Rice Pudding
O - Old-Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicles
P - Pickles
Q - Quinoa Blueberry Mango Salad
R - Raspberry and Fig Cobbler
S - Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
T - Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Bread
U - Uninvited Smashed Potatoes
V - Vegan Mango Salsa
W - Watermelon Salad
X - X'mas Coconut Wreath Cake
Y - Yellow Squash Crustless Quiche
Z - Zucchini Cake-Double Chocolate

Ingredients :
- 1 cup red beans (washed)
- 10 cups water
- 6 pandan leaves (washed and knotted)
- 5 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- a pinch of salt
- 1 cup coconut milk (to taste)

Method :
1) Combine red beans, pandan leaves and water in a pot and boil until red beans become soft. (I took about 2 hours to really soften the red beans).

2) When the red beans is almost ready, add sugar and salt. Let it cook over low heat until sugar dissolved.

3) Turn off the heat. Add coconut milk. Stir to mix well.

4) Let it cool before transferring the dessert to your preferred containers or moulds.

5) Freeze at least 6 hours before serving.

Freeze it in your favorite moulds

Have a nice day and do enjoy :)

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Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Bread -The Picnic Game 2014 (2)

I first came across this recipe in Facebook and was quite skeptical about its two-ingredient recipe. Using ice cream and only self-rising flour for baking a bread? Someone must be kidding!  So, I wouldn't want to be tricked into it, hence, I googled for 2-ingredient ice cream bread and there, I found it all over the net! True enough, this recipe seems to be quite popular among food bloggers (how can I miss this?).  

So, I tried adding some salt to it. To me, it sure tastes better as a tinge of salty flavor goes well with the sweet taste of ice cream. This is just my personal opinion and preference.

Without wasting any time, I just made do with whatever ice cream I had in my freezer. Lady luck was on me and I still had a new tub of vanilla flavored ice cream with chocolate, cashew nuts and chocolate chips in the freezer.

This quick bread is so easy peasy and even my girls can also do it.  It tastes and looks like cakes, but who cares as long as it is quick and easy.  Besides, it's great for children to try their hands in baking too.

I am going on a picnic and I am bringing..... 

A - Angel Food Cake

B - Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawns
C - Chicken Piccata
D - Darned Easy Potato Salad
E - Eccles Cakes filled with Leeks, Spinach and Blue Cheese
F - Fourth of July Picnic S'more Tartlets
G - Gluten-free & Eggless Chocolate Steamed Cake
H - Ham Cheesy Patties
I - Italian Frittata with Vegetables
J - Jelly Roll
K - Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread
L - Lemon Lavender Cupcakes
M - Meringue Roulade with Raspberries
N - Nutella Rice Pudding
O - Old-Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicles
P - Pickles
Q - Quinoa Blueberry Mango Salad
R - Raspberry and Fig Cobbler
S - Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
T - Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Bread
U - Uninvited Smashed Potatoes
V - Vegan Mango Salsa
W - Watermelon Salad
X - X'mas Coconut Wreath Cake
Y - Yellow Squash Crustless Quiche
Z - Zucchini Cake-Double Chocolate

Ingredients:
- 2 cups ice cream - softened at room temperature (any flavor)
- 1.5 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease an 8" or 9″ loaf pan with butter.
2) Stir ice cream until smooth. Then, add self-rising flour and salt.
3) Stir until well combined.
4) Transfer batter to prepared greased pan.
5) Bake in preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown or when toothpick inserted in center come out clean.

Serve this amazing ice cream bread with your favorite hot coffee

This ice cream bread is slightly moist and soft.

Great to bake this 2-ingredient bread if you are in a hurry and need something quick for tea

Will definitely try this again with different flavor of ice cream

and you may also add your favorite nuts and even raisins into the batter

Oh yeah, the next round I am going to enjoy it with a scoop of ice cream on top too.  Yeah!

Here's your share.  Enjoy :)

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Basil Leaves(九層塔 jiǔ céng tǎ) in Caramelized Prawns - The Picnic Game 2014 (1)

Time really flies.  It has been a year since I first joined The Picnic Game 2013 hosted by a very sweet lady, Louise of Months of Edible Celebrations. Since then, I have been waiting for the next Picnic Game and am glad that this year is my 2nd time joining in the fun.  The rule of the game is each participant is to choose an alphabet and to prepare a dish starting with the chosen alphabet.  Well, this year I have chosen the letter B and T.   For a start, here I have prepared Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawns.  Do stay tuned to know what is in stored for T.

To know more about the game, do please visit her Picnic Game 2014's rules.

I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing ....

A - Angel Food Cake

B - Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawns
C - Chicken Piccata
D - Darned Easy Potato Salad
E - Eccles Cakes filled with Leeks, Spinach and Blue Cheese
F - Fourth of July Picnic S'more Tartlets
G - Gluten-free & Eggless Chocolate Steamed Cake
H - Ham Cheesy Patties
I - Italian Frittata with Vegetables
J - Jelly Roll
K - Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread
L - Lemon Lavender Cupcakes
M - Meringue Roulade with Raspberries
N - Nutella Rice Pudding
O - Old-Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicles
P - Pickles
Q - Quinoa Blueberry Mango Salad
R - Raspberry and Fig Cobbler
S - Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
T - Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Bread
U - Uninvited Smashed Potatoes
V - Vegan Mango Salsa
W - Watermelon Salad
X - X'mas Coconut Wreath Cake
Y - Yellow Squash Crustless Quiche
Z - Zucchini Cake-Double Chocolate

Why Basil Leaves?

I have abundance of basil plants in my garden and I used to have it in my cooking and even made dipping sauce out of it.  Thai basil is very easy to grow and if pruned regularly, it encourages speedy sprouting and you can even have some extras for your neighbors and friends!

Benefits of  Eating Thai Basil Leaves (九層塔 jiǔ céng tǎ)
Thai Basil Leaves are dark in colour.  The leaves are rich in Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, beta carotene, calcium, flavanoids, folate, zinc iron, magnesium, selenium, niacin, lycopene, thiamin, riboflavin and potassium  among others.

Thai Basil leaves are widely used in traditional medicine for its healing benefits. They are used for common cold, influenza, cough, fever, sore throat, mouth infections, teeth and skin problems, diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, earache, headache, stomach upset, heart disease, viral hepatitis, malaria, and tuberculosis. It is also used for mercury poisoning, to promote longevity, as a mosquito repellent, insect stings and to counteract snake and scorpion bites.

It is also used as a nerve tonic, memory empowerment, phlegm removal, respiratory problems, kidney stone, heart problems, blood cholesterol reduction, and reduces stress.

Ingredients :
- 500gm big prawns (cleaned and snipped off the sharp points. Marinate with pepper)
- 1 tsp pepper (for marinate)

- 2 big onions (sliced)
- 1 tbsp shredded ginger

- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)

- a handful of Basil leaves

- 2 tbsp cooking oil

Seasonings Sauce (to taste) :

- soy sauce 

- salt

- 1 tbsp thick caramel sauce

- 1.5 tbsp palm sugar/gula melaka (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp plum sauce

Method :

1)  Heat oil in wok and pan fry prawns.  Drain and set aside.

2)  Leave the remaining oil in the wok and saute onions, ginger and garlic till fragrant.

3)  Over low heat, stir in the seasonings until it is almost caramelized.

4)  Return the cooked prawns into the wok and stir fry until the sauce is well mixed and coated with the prawns.

5)  Lastly, add in basil leaves and give it a quick stir.

6)  Serve immediately with hot steamed rice.

This caramelized prawns with Basil leaves is so flavorful and full of sweet aroma

You can add some bird eyes' chilies for a little bit of 'oomph..' if you like.  However, I omitted this as my girls can't take spicy food.

Make sure to suck out all the caramel juices from the shells..... slurrppp.....

This is finger licking good!!

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Refreshing Water Chestnut Barley Dessert

Water Chestnuts have slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture. It's also a hallmark of Asian cuisine and popular ingredient in the Chinese cuisine. Water chestnuts are known to posses a remarkable nutritional composition, which makes them an excellent food source. The best part is that they are free of any cholesterol and are almost fat-free. They are also gluten-free. They stay crunchy even after they’re cooked or canned.

Nutritional & Health Benefits of Eating Water Chestnuts

1) Water chestnuts are just the perfect choice of food for those who want to lead a healthy life as half a cup of water chestnuts contains only 0.1 g fat.

2) It is an excellent source of potassium. Half a cup of water chestnuts contains 350 to 360 mg of potassium.

3) Water chestnuts are known to have cooling properties and as such, they are just perfect to beat the summer heat. They are also known to have numerous curative and supplementary properties. 

4) Drinking water chestnut juice can help alleviate the problem of nausea and bad appetite in kids.

5) Water chestnuts are also known to contain detoxifying properties and are considered to be good for people suffering from jaundice.

6) Water chestnut powder helps to relieve cough. Grind water chestnuts to make powder and consume this powder with water twice a day. This dosage will bring quick relief in cough.

7) Most Chinese believe that water chestnuts are also good in treating conditions like measles. Boiling them in water makes the best drink for the measles patients, which can be given from the third day till the ninth day of the cycle. Know what? It's very refreshing and yummy too!

Selection & Storage Tips
- When selecting water chestnuts, look for the ones that are firm and have unwrinkled skin. Also, check that there are no soft spots. 

- Fresh and unpeeled water chestnuts can be kept for two weeks, in a plastic bag, inside the refrigerator.
Peel off the skin and cut off the top of water chestnuts, before you start cooking them.

Serving Tips
1) If you can get fresh water chestnuts, they must be peeled and rinsed well. Whether you use them raw, boiled or from a can, sliced water chestnuts work well in soups and any type of salad, including egg, tuna or chicken salad. They’re classically used in stir-fried dishes, where they can be mixed with any type of meat or vegetables. Add some flavor by marinating them in low-sodium soy sauce, ginger and garlic, then make a lettuce wrap with water chestnuts, carrots, mushrooms, chicken and cashews.

2) When make into dessert, it's very refreshing and cooling especially during summer and it's very effective in cooling a 'heaty' body.

As the current weather over here (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is rather hot and humid, having a bowl of water chestnuts with barley acts as a 'coolant' to our body.

Ingredients : (to taste)

- 1 cup of barley (washed)
- 15 pcs of water chestnuts (peeled and diced)
- 1 cup of candied winter melon (diced)
- few cubes of sugar cane candy (to taste)
- 1 block of honey grass jelly/chin chow (cubed)
- some pandan leaves
- water (enough to boil 1 cup of barley)

Method :
1) Boil water and barley together.

2) When the barley is almost cooked or soft, add chopped water chestnuts and continue to boil at low medium heat.

3) Add screw pines (pandan leaves), candied winter melon and sugar cane candy. Continue cooking until the barley is fully soft and cooked.

4) Serve it warm with some grass jelly.

Refreshing and rejuvenating dessert

One bowl is not enough....

This simple dessert is simply slurpylicious....

Most kids love this....

Have a fabulous week ahead :)

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