



Looking for something to cook today ? You can find lots of delicious recipes here out of my personal collection, my cooking sharing and nice food. I am still experimenting on different countries cooking such as Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and of course local Malaysian fine fooid as well. So let your culinary sense taste the rest !
Here is another yummy recipes for your kids after my posting of Hawaiian Nut Cookie Recipe.
This recipe uses 'Popcorn' as main ingredient. I am sure your kids will love it !
Popcorn is a whole grain food which makes it a high-quality carbohydrate source that is not only low in calories, but a good source of fiber. This means it takes longer to chew and makes you feel full longer. Compared to many snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn provides only 30 calories per cup. When oil-popped, it contains only 55 calories. Even drizzled lightly with butter, it's only 90 to 120 calories per cup.
Crunchy Popcorn Trail Mix
5 cups popped popcorn
3 cups whole grain oat cereal
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup peanuts (or other nuts)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
6 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
* Stir together popcorn, cereal, raisins and nuts in large microwavable bowl; set aside.
* Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in small saucepan. Heat until boiling; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to coat evenly.
* Microwave 3-4 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after each minute. Spread onto greased cookie sheet; cool. Break into pieces and store in airtight container.
Nutritional Information (based on 1 serving)The cacao tree apparently originated in the foothills of the Andes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. It was introduced into Central America by the ancient Mayas, and cultivated in Mexico by the Toltecs and later by the Aztecs.
Cocoa trees will grow in a very limited geographical zone, of approximately 10 degrees to the North and South of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop is grown in West Africa.
Cocoa was an important commodity in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Spanish chroniclers of the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés relate that when Moctezuma II, emperor of the Aztecs, dined he took no other beverage than chocolate, served in a golden goblet and eaten with a golden spoon. Flavored with vanilla and spices, his chocolate was whipped into a froth that dissolved in the mouth. No less than 50 pitchers of it were prepared for the emperor each day, and 2000 more for nobles of his court.
Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards and became a popular beverage by 1700. They also introduced the cacao tree into the West Indies and the Philippines. It was used in alchemical processes, where it was known as Black Bean.
The cacao plant was first given its name by Swedish natural scientist Carl von Linné (1707-1778), who called it "Theobroma cacao" or "food of the gods".
Quiz :Chocolate courverture is used by professional to coat, mould, bake or dip and garnish. Courverture must be tempered before use to stabilize the cocoa butter, giving it a glossy finish and a hard crisp consistency. If it is not tempered before use it will look a poor streaky colour and may look unappetising.
Generally on the packaging of couverture chocolate you will find a formula giving you the percentage of cocoa solids, sugar and cocoa butter or fat content.
It melts and spread easily. It is very sensitive to heat and you should not melt it with a temperature higher than 42 Celsius.