Exclusive offer: Crabtree & Evelyn freebies!

Planning to shop for X'mas present? Why not get Crabtree & Evelyn gift set and products? You not only get something for someone, you will get some freebies for yourself!
Head down to any of the following 3 stores, simply quote "Blog Exclusive" to receive a Mini Body Care Gift Set(Bath Gel & Body Lotion) with any purchase!

Valid only at: Suntec City Mall #01-129/The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands #B2-16A/The Centrepoint #01-12A.
Limited to the first 100 customers per store, while stock last. Valid with in-store Gift with Purchase. Redemption is limited to one set per customer.

And if you and your little one like Hello Kitty, spend a minimum of $500 nett purchase in a single receipt, and you will receive Limited Edition Scented Rosewater & Iris Hello Kitty English Floral Princesses!

Promotion is from 14 to 18 Nov 2012 only! Redemption is limited to one set per customer. So hurry, be the first to have these cute hello kitty!

Crabtree & Evelyn X’mas Food Collections!

  

I always like Crabtree & Evelyn products, regardless of their hand creams or bath items. And during X'mas season, I will sometimes receive their food collection from friends. The packaging are always so pretty and value for money, no wander I always see shoppers queue outside their stores even way before X'mas season.

Every year, Crabtree & Evelyn will launch their limited edition X'mas collections, from food to personal care gift ideas. This year, if you are looking for some food items to give, I would like to suggest the following:

- Musical Tin with Mini Jelly Babies, $35 (top centre)
I always like musical box and I like the idea of musical tin. This 2 in 1 gift tin, not only give your sweet tooth friends or little one something to munch, and the Xmas jingles also set them in a joyful mood, not just during the season but all year round. I am going to buy one for myself! ;)

- Mini Biscuits, $60 (top right)
If you like their cookies, you can buy this 6 different cookies in 1 box gift box for yourself and serve your visitors! If you have many foodie friends, you can give each of them 1 tin of cookies! Or if you have gift exchange party, you can take out 2-3 tins of cookies for gift exchange! Each box consists of Double Chocolate Chip Biscuits, Traditional Shortbread, White Chocolate & Raspberry Biscuits, Strawberries & Cream Biscuits, Chocolate Chip Shortbread and Lemon & White Chocolate Biscuits, each tin 100g.

If you are Crabtree & Evelyn VIP, get ready to go down to any of their stores on 14 to 15 Nov 2012, to be the first to preview the sets and enjoy 30% off on all regular-priced items.
If you are not their VIP, you can also enjoy 20% off on all regular-priced items if you go down to any of their stores on 16-18 Nov 2012.
On top of that, there will also be special deals on selected items during the X'mas 2012 preview!
So, do plan early, get ready to queue and get what you want to buy for X'mas!

P.S: check out HERE for some suggestion on their X'mas personal care collection. The Christmas 2012 Collection will be available for sale from mid-November 2012 onwards.

Merry X'mas! Chocolate and Raisin Cookies

Belated Merry X'mas and Happy New Year!! This is what I baked and gave to my colleagues and friends before Christmas. I baked cookies in three batches: first was with chocolate chips, second batch was with M & M(as nose or mouth) and raisins(as eyes) and third batch was using chocolate chips and raisins.

All these are using the recipe I posted earlier.

Besides cookies, I also baked and gave chocolate cupcakes. This time I used another easy chocolate cakes recipe. Will post the recipe later. Stay tune. :)

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know what to give to my dear colleagues but still tossing with what type of cookies to bake. As X'mas celebration is just in few days time, I need to look for something easy and quick to make. This recipe does not require mixer and is a one bowl formula!

I did not use wheat flour but self raising flour and it turned out pretty good for my first attempt! Just the right texture, not too hard nor soft. As I added orange zest, it did give a hint of refreshing orange flavor. Guessed my colleagues will like it! Very good recipe to adopt.

Ingredients: (make 44-45 cookies)
2/3 cup brown sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 large egg
1 cup self Raising flour (sifted-I omitted baking powder and salt)
70gm dark chocolate chips
Zest from 1/2 orange

Methods:
1. Preheat oven to 175 deg C. Lined with cooking sheet.
2. Mix together brown sugar, oil, vanilla essence and egg. When well mixed, add self raising flour and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and orange zest.
3. Scoop small teaspoon of soft dough onto cooking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Cookies is ready when edge turn slightly brown.
5. Cool on wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

Although it's not very creative, but it's christmasy. Therefore I have submitted this post to very good recipes white Christmas challenge.

X'mas Orange Yogurt Cupcakes

Wanted to get my mom a X'mas present. Since she likes orange colour and likes to eat orange cake, I decided to make her orange cupcakes. As X'mas is around the corner, I need to look for a easy and fast to make, no mixer required orange cake recipe. Among all that I have searched, this Martha stewart's recipe post is one that fits my requirement:

Ingredients: (make 15 small cupcakes)
1 cup all purpose flour(I used 1/3 cup top flour + 2/3 cup cake flour)
1/2 cup 2 tsp caster sugar (I only used 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (equivalent to 1 cup of Meiji low fat plain yogurt)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Zest and juice from 1/2 orange
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 orange (segmented)
Icing sugar for dusting

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175 deg C.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Pour yogurt, oil, egg, vanilla essence, orange zest and juice in a bowl. Stir well with a whisk.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients gradually till well mixed.
5. Fill each cup 3/4 full. Top with orange segment.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, till skewer comes out clean.
7. Let cool on wire rack.
8. Dust cupcakes with icing sugar.

Verdict: this recipe is good for beginner like me. It did not fail me although it was my first attempt. I modified a little if you compared. I like the soft and moist texture. Will definitely bake this again next time. Hope my mom likes it too.

Although it's not very creative, but it's christmasy. Therefore I have submitted this post to Aspiring bakers: #14: Christmas creative bakes(dec 2011) hosted by hankerie and White Christmas by very good recipes.