My go-to cookie recipe

This recipe is not new, but I wanted to share it with you anyway. It's been tried, tested, and true to my family. It's also a hit with my friends. We baked yesterday because my dad had a huge craving for cookies. He's the cookie monster out of my family, hands down.

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled

1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

102 g box instant vanilla pudding mix

2 tablespoons milk

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon each: baking powder, baking soda

2 cups milk chocolate chips

In large mixing bowl, using wooden spoon, mix butter and sugars until creamy. Stir in pudding mix and milk, then eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda; stir until batter is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoonful on non-stick cookie sheets (about 12 per sheet). Bake, in batches, in preheated 350 F oven 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Makes about 36.

Source: Originally from the Toronto Star but also available here

Foodies

On Sunday, we celebrated my bro's birthday at Kaji. The Quatchis are such foodies so they had to come along. This was already a few courses in. Yum!

This is the sashimi course. The Quatchis loved it because it was the perfect size for them. This course was followed by assorted sushi, soup, noodles, and dessert. We were stuffed at the end!

Monkeying Around

We recently held a big BBQ at our house for the Chan fam. Everyone was there, including My Friend (the monkey with the toque). The Curious George sitting with the Quatchis is a recent purchase by my mum. He's for my cousin, who has quite the Curious George collection. The Quatchis love making new friends, and had a fun evening hanging out with the monkeys!

Strawberry Cake

Our first cake! At last! We have baked a cake! And the best part, it was so easy! The Quatchis and I are so pleased how it turned out!

Strawberry Cake

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

Source: Martha Stewart

From Taiwan to Hong Kong

Taipei is a beautiful place! I really want to go back one day. Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall was very cool. Too bad we missed the changing of the guard!

One afternoon we visited Bo-Pi Liao. It consists of well-preserved streets and traditional shop homes from the Qing period, as well as buildings from the Japanese occupation and early post-war periods. The Quatchis took time out to play a game with my friend, Ben.

On our last night in Taipei, we did what the Taiwanese do - KTV!!!

We sang from 11 at night until 4 in the morning!

We stayed in Hong Kong a few days after Dragon100 to visit friends and family. We really lucked out with the weather. It was hot and humid, which is standard for Hong Kong, but it didn't rain once. I love taking the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour! I have done it many times, but it never gets old.

The Quatchis in front of the Clock Tower in TST, Kowloon. It is the only remnant of the original site of the former Kowloon Station on the Kowloon-Canton Railway.

At the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the prized artifact is the Jadeite Cabbage. Everything in the gift shop replicates the cabbage. I even bought my brother a cabbage bottle opener. My friend, Yik, purchased a plush cabbage which he fondly named, Cabi. She quickly became friends with the Quatchis. They all joined us for dim sum one morning.

Q has been to Kuntsford Terrace but Mini Q has not. We grabbed an ice cream to cool off.

We are so thankful for the Chan fam for letting us stay at their condo while they were here back in Toronto. The Quatchis have never slept in such a big bed! Thanks again, Aunt G and Uncle H!

Overall we had a fantastic trip to Asia! We will be returning soon, I'm sure!

From Hong Kong to Taiwan

After spending a week in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the Quatchis and I participated in the Dragon100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum. Q was excited to return to Hong Kong for the second time. In this photo, he is telling me where to grab a snack.

The programme involved a lot of lectures and seminars, so not much time for sightseeing. We spent one afternoon at the Yuen Yuen Institute. It is the only temple in Hong Kong dedicated to all three major Chinese religions: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

Q said I need to brush up on my Cantonese so I can describe this photo better to you!

We only spent three days in Hong Kong, and it was stinking hot, so I don't have too many photos of the Quatchis. On the fourth day of the trip, we flew to Kaohsiung. The Quatchis were honorary members of my group - Red 2.

We spent one day volunteering on the Ma-Jia Farm in Pingtung County. We all made flower crowns with children from the village. Mine was a bit on the small side but it fit Q just fine!

To get from Kaohsiung to Taipei, we took the high speed train. The train travels 300 km/hr!

The Quatchis liked the changing scenery as we crossed the island. Next stop, Taipei!

In Wine Country

Today we ventured to the Hillebrand Estates Winery with family from Hong Kong.

It has a nice restaurant on site. We had a very leisurely lunch over 2.5 hours!

The Quatchis loved their main course - Wellington County Beef (corn dough pot pie, birch syrup cap steak, cabbage and raisin slaw, hand cut fries, and icewine onion jam).

After lunch, walked around the grounds a bit. These were white grapes. Perhaps for chardonnay?

Overall, we had an enjoyable visit to Hillebrand!

Special shout to the Chan fam! Thanks for a great day!