Happy Valentine's Day 2015

Hubby says that I should "take a break" from blogging today since it's Valentine's Day... so instead I shall just post photos and videos to spread some love ♥♥♥

So how did you celebrate Valentine's Day?

Hubby made this "flipagram" for me :)

You can check out more "love" photos on Instagram under hashtag #babysumolove :)



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10 Restaurant Quality Recipes for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Have you got anything planned? If you're planning on cooking your loved one a romantic meal at home, here are 10 restaurant-quality recipes you can easily recreate at home. Guaranteed to impress ;)

Click on name of dish for the full recipe.


1. Ham and rock melon
This is popularly served as a starter in Spanish or Italian restaurants, we had this numerous times while we were holidaying in Marbella.

To make this, no cooking skills are required. All you need to do is buy a rock melon and good-quality Jamon Iberico or Jamon serrano or Prosciutto. Cut the melon into slices and drape the Prosciutto over it. You can also make them into canapes (recipe here). Lovely with a glass of champagne.

2. Pan seared scallops with cauliflower puree and bacon crumble
This is my favorite scallop recipe, which I have cooked many times in my humble kitchen for my man. Not only does it taste fantastic, it looks really great on the plate too. A sure-fire way to impress your date, yes?

3. Chunky mushroom soup with truffle oil
Who doesn't like mushroom soup, especially when it's made with several different types of mushrooms and then finished off with a drizzle of truffle oil. You can make this early in the morning and then just reheat before serving.

4. Tenderloin steak with pumpkin mash
Steaks are incredibly easy to cook at home. You can also use rib eye or sirloin (these will not require a meat thermometer) - simply cook a 1 inch steak for 2 minutes each side for medium rare doneness.

5. Spaghetti with zucchini and king prawns
If your other half is a fan of Italian cuisine, make this pasta dish and reenact that kiss scene from "Lady and the Tramp". ;)

6. Risotto with scallops, asparagus and bacon bits
Another great Italian dish to recreate at home is risotto. It does require a little more effort, but nonetheless a simple dish to make. Creamy, rich and comforting, your other half will be most impressed and give you an A+ for your effort and the love that goes into making that risotto.

7. Roast lamb loin chops with rosemary and fries
Go to the supermarket and get 4-6 lamb loin chops and a packet of frozen fries and pop them in the oven. In 20 minutes or so, dinner is ready! How is that for easy?

8. Strawberry mille-feuille
Mille-feuille is an elegant and impressive-looking dessert. But guess what, it's soooooo easy to make. Plus Korean strawberries (the best kind!) is in season right now.

9. Passion fruit meringue
Meringues can be made ahead of time (ie make them the evening before) so all you have to do on Valentine's Day is to whip some cream and scoop out the passion fruit onto the meringue. More time to spend with your love!

10. Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream
Chocolate is considered as a powerful aphrodisiac, so you can't go wrong with chocolate brownies on Valentine's Day. Another dessert you can make the evening before, top it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a winner!

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Exclusive Valentine's Dinner @ Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar

This Valentine's, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is opening up their Executive Lounge for the first time to love birds to celebrate the occasion with a romantic meal.

Dubbed "Love is in the Air", couples are literally whisked up to the 26th Floor to be dazzled with the city skyline while enjoying a specially crafted 4-course menu. The Executive Lounge is normally only accessible to executive guests of the hotel. This Valentine's dinner package is limited to only 35 tables at RM250 nett per person.  If booked before 7th February 2015, guests will receive the Early Love Bird offer of 15% off total bill.

A romantic, relaxed setting which oversees the city skyline

The chefs preparing this meal will be from the hotel's La Cucina Mediterranean Restaurant, where I had two great meals in 2014. Guests will have a choice of 3 dishes to choose from for every course, which are made using the freshest ingredients sourced locally and from overseas. To start, guests will also be served a glass of champagne each and be presented with a complimentary gift (cute XO shakers).

Cheers! Bubbles to keep a girl happy ;)

For appetizer, guests can choose to have either foie gras terrine, salmon and barramundi carpaccio, or Caprese salad. I had the foie gras terrine, and I really enjoyed it. The terrine was smooth and paired well with the apple celery timbale and aged balsamic reduction. Loved the romantic touches throughout the meal i.e. heart-shapes appearing in dishes. My date had the salmon and barramundi carpaccio, which was light and fresh.

Next course is the soup, where you can choose from cauliflower, crab bisque or tomato gazpacho. I totally love the cauliflower soup with scallop ceviche (now you know why I love it, right?). The soup was rich but not cloying and the scallop ceviche added a nice texture contrast. The crab bisque will be perfect for those who love stronger flavours.

For main course, the choices are Black Angus beef tenderloin, caramelised crispy roasted duck breast, or pan seared white cod fish. Surprisingly, even as a meat lover, my vote for best mains would go to the perfectly cooked cod fish - a generous chunk of beautiful, fresh fish with crispy skin. It is served with lobster oil and spinach risotto. The beef tenderloin was served with a cute heart-shaped polenta, though for me personally I would prefer to have mashed potatoes or mashed pumpkin with it as I am not a fan of polenta.

To end the meal on a sweet note, guests have the choice of raspberry mousse, triple chocolate pleasure, or chocolate tart and vanilla creme brulee. For me, the raspberry mousse was the perfect sweet ending as it was tart and delicious, and the heart-shaped chocolate totally won my heart. The triple chocolate pleasure was also good - enjoyed the smooth, creamy texture.

My 4 choices for the perfect, romantic meal :)

Thanks to Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar for spoiling us with this romantic meal.



This "Love is in the Air" promotion is available on Valentine's Day 14th February 2015, and is priced at RM250 nett. Book early before 7th Feb, to enjoy 15% off. Advantage Plus members are also entitled to 15% discount. For booking or inquiries, call 03-2298 1857 or email H7972@accor.com.





Location: Executive Lounge, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar, No 1 Jalan Pantai Jaya, Tower 3, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2298 1857

GPS Coordinates: 3.115850, 101.6632

Website: http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-7962-pullman-kuala-lumpur-bangsar-/index.shtml


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Recipe: Valentine's Mini Heart Cakes + Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Have you got anything planned for this special day? Hubby has been busy in the kitchen this morning making these gorgeous Valentine cakes for us all.

Valentine's Mini Heart Cakes

The cake is made using Delia Smith's all-in-one sponge cake recipe, which she describes as "the best sponge of all and will work even if you've never made a cake before in your life". It was indeed easy to put together, and the cake came out from the oven looking very beautiful. The recipe makes 1 large sponge cake, but for Valentine's we opted for 4 mini heart-shaped ones. The cake is sandwiched with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries (heart-shaped ones, no less), and then finally topped with a pink fondant heart with the words "I ♥ U". For the special someone you are presenting this cake too, I am sure they will definitely get your "love message" ;)

Everyone adored the cake, not only does it look fantastic and soooo sweet, it tasted delicious too. For us, this tastes just like butter cake - rich with a nice crumb. Thanks to Hubby for making these for us, with so much love :) We love you too!

Pretty and delicious! We definitely feel the love

Handmade Valentine crafts - origami heart and roses

Here's a very sweet card I received from Hubby for Valentine's Day 2014

Valentine's Mini Heart Cakes (All-in-One Sponge Cake)
Recipe by Baby Sumo, cake recipe adapted from Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes 4 mini hearts

Ingredients
110g self raising flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
110g butter, at room temperature
110g caster sugar
2 large eggs
2-3 drops vanilla extract

1 cup whipping cream
6-8 fresh strawberries
Pink fondant
Snow powder (or icing sugar), for dusting

Special tools:
Heart-shape cutter (large and small sized ones)
Cookie word stamp


1. Preheat oven to 170°C (no fan).

2. Lightly grease two 7 inch (18cm) sponge tins and line with baking paper.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour and baking power, holding the sieve high to give the flour a good airing. Then, simply add all the ingredients to the bowl and whisk them - preferably with an electric whisk until thoroughly combined.If the mixture does not drop off a wooden spoon easily when tapped on the side of the bowl, then add 1 or 2 teaspoons of tap warm water and whisk again.

4. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins, level off and bake in the centre shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Once ready, leave them in tins for about 30 seconds, then loosen the edges by sliding a palette knife all around and turn them out onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off baking paper carefully and allow to cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, roll the pink fondant out as thin as possible, then cut using the small heart-shaped cutter. Stamp with your choice of words - we picked "I ♥ U" - onto the fondant and set aside.

This is the tool for stamping the words onto the fondant

I love you :)

6. Using an electric whisk, whip the cream until stiff. Cut off strawberry tops at an angle (V-shaped), and slice into thin heart-shapes.

One of the perks from helping out in the kitchen - getting to lick cream off the whisk

Slice the strawberries into attractive heart-shapes

7. Each cake will yield 4 small hearts, hence 2 cakes = 8 hearts. Cut out using the larger heart-shaped cutter. Spread cream onto one layer of cake, top with sliced strawberries, then top with another piece of cake. Place heart-shaped fondant in centre, then dust lightly with snow powder. Repeat for remaining 3 cakes. Serve immediately or place in fridge (as cake contains cream).

Your kids can help spread the cream onto the cakes

Note: If you do not have any fondant, you can replace with a single sliced (heart-shaped) strawberry on top.

Love is in the air

I am submitting this to Cook-Your-Books #9 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours .

If you enjoyed reading my posts, LIKE me on Facebook! You can also follow me on Instagram (@babysumo) for more photo updates. Thanks :)