Frist cooking lesson for #3

It's Saturday and all the kids were home, so lunch had to be served! I was amidst spring cleaning the cupboards and house was in a total mess.

My ten year old was reluctant to practice her piano scales, so I cajoled her by inviting her to "help mummy to prepare lunch." She was very excited and so was I. Our lunch menu was Spaghetti Aglio Olio and Italian Seafood stew.

Item 1: Spaghetti Aglio Olio.

Step 1: Fill a wok half full of water and add 2 tsp of salt.
Step 2: When water boils, add 350 g of spaghetti in a 'spread out circular motion' (shown below).


Step 3: Peel about 10 pips of garlic. (Here, you can see #3 peeling the garlic under supervision).

Step 4: Add 2 tbsp of EVOO into a pot and toss in the sliced garlic. Add 1/3 tsp of salt. Keep fire low and once the garlic is soft, it is ready. Do not cook till brown or it will taste bitter. Turn off the fire.

Step 5: Once the spaghetti is cooked, toss it into a sieve till dry. Toss it into the EVOO and garlic combination and mix well.


Step 6: Mix and toss well so that the spaghetti is well coated with the garlic EVOO.



Step 7: Spaghetti Aglio Olio is ready to be served. Congratulations #3! You cooked this dish almost completely by yourself, under mummy's supervision.



Item 2: Italian seafood stew. This was from my frozen stash. It's a vegetable base and I can add whatever which is available from my freezer. My elder two loves seafood so it's been like that for a while.

I took the box of frozen vegetable base and added a piece of Sole fillet and some fishcake which I bought from the market. It was near expiry and I wanted to use it up quickly.



This was lunch today. The two elder girls had a great time tucking in. #3 had her spaghetti aglio olio with Kewpie mayo as usual. All the dishes were empty and that was a good sign.

While all of that above was happening, I had two loaves of bread proofing.

This time, I sprayed water on top of the bread before baking instead of salt water and the finish was slightly different.

When #2 ate it she exclaimed that it was delicious and tasted even better than the last. This girl has amazing taste buds.

Yesterday, when I was shopping for high protein flour at a nearby grocery store, I splurged on a bag of organic unbleached flour which cost me RM18/kg and a bottle of Organic active dry yeast. My regular high protein flour only cost RM3.50/kg.

I didn't even say anything about my excessive splurge and #2 could immediately taste the difference! She never fails to surprise me!

Finally, after a delicious and leisurely lunch at the terrace, #3 began practicing her piano scales. She spent about 3 hours practicing but also resting in between, to reach "an acceptable level of competency." Next stage is to work on the speed.

The Wedding Passbook

Thank you Pauline for sharing this with me.
May this inspire us in our relationships!

Monica married Nick this day. At the end of the wedding party, Monica's mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook with Rs.1000 deposit amount.

Mother: 'Monica, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with Nick. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you've had.'

Monica shared this with Nick after getting home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit could be made. This was what they did after a certain time:

* 7 Feb: Rs.100, first birthday celebration for Nick after marriage
* 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Monica
* 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Bali
* 15 Apr: Rs.2000, Monica got pregnant
* 1 Jun: Rs.1000, Nick got promoted

However, as the years went by they started fighting and arguing for trivial things. They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the nastiest people in the world.... No more love....Kind of typical nowadays, huh?

One day Monica talked to her Mother: 'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!"

Mother: 'Sure, girl, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can't stand it. But before that, do one thing first. Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.'

Monica thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting in queue to cancel the account. While waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all their previous joy and happiness came flooding back. Her eyes filled with tears. She left and went home. When she was home, she handed the passbook to Nick, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce.

The next day, Nick gave the passbook back to Monica. She found a new deposit of Rs.15000. And a line next to the record: 'This is the day I realized how much I've loved you through out all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.'

They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe. Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask. I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone through all the good years in life.

"When you fall in any way, don't look at the spot where you fell instead remember the place from where you slipped. Life is about making mistakes, correcting them and continuing the love."

************************************************

On a similar note

Fish and Chips

I was at the wet market this morning. I bought a Sole fish and got the fishmonger to fillet it. I love Sole fillets! It's such a flexible item to use in cooking.

Today, I made fish and chips for lunch. The Sole fillet was marinated with salt and freshly ground pepper. Before frying, coat the fish slices in corn flour, egg and pounded Jacobs Cream Crackers. Fry till brown and crispy.


This one has some added salad for the elder sister. I used the balance of the Honey dressing from Tuesday.


The kids loved it and was raving about it's flavor! Yummy!!

होम

Today's lunch was an Italian seafood stew. There were chunks of Salmon and King prawns, also cut into little chunks, served with home made white bread.

This picture gives a closer look at lunch.

This was dessert - Chempedak

From another angle.

Finally, only the seeds were left!

Cooking again!

It's back to home cooked food for lunch again! #2 is sitting for the SPM trials and said that we were spending too long hours having lunch at our favorite haunts. "Mum! You need to cook lunch" she says. "I need the time to study!"


This was lunch -
Clockwise: Salad with Honey dressing, tomato Coulis with basil and Puff Pastry Turnovers filled with chicken, bacon and herbs.


This morning was a cold and rainy day. I managed to bake two loaves of white bread for tomorrow (although one loaf is almost gone already).



Really need to get cranking up with the Bentos soon!! Since it's back to school again and Uni has begun for #1, there are three mouths to feed in the mornings! It's exciting and challenging because all three have different preferences.

Happy Merdeka!

Happy 52nd Independence day Malaysia - 31st August!

Here's wishing all Malaysian readers, a Happy Merdeka day!!!

Chaos @ home!

The 'stars' of my blog post today.


I have two Jack Russel's and three mixed breed 'toy' dogs.


Hubs was away for two days and the security in my gated community visited me twice!

Yesterday, a security representative rang my door bell and very pleasantly informed me that 'one of my neighbors' has complained about my doggies barking incessantly during the nights.

While we were discussing, my 'mat salleh' neighbor, came across and in a huff and puff kind of manner began griping and grousing about my doggies.

I responded by reminding him that we are neighbors and speaking for the first time in three years since he moved in, that we should maintain the conversation 'friendly'. It's obvious, this Briton has relocated via the "Malaysia - my second home retirement program" and loving this new place called home (he claims) he needs his beauty sleep in "Silence" of the night.

Apparently, over the last one week, my doggies has been a noisy lot, every hour from 3.00a.m. till morning. Anyway, to make the long story short, after some unpleasant exchanges, I managed to pacify my gruff neighbor and departed on 'friendly terms'.

Come Sunday, I got an urgent call from #2. "#%&@*&%$!!!!!! she garbled", I deciphered her distressed report and analyzed the short exchange we had and decided that I had to rush home. It had to do with one of the Jack Russel's bleeding profusely and some struggle with some other animal.

On the way home, I got another hysterical call about my maid trying to kill a 'Cobra'. I just pressed my foot lower on the accelerator and began praying. By the time I reached home, there was bliss and no trace of any previous commotion except for a wet and washed garage.

Apparently we had an uninvited guest. Not a Cobra but a monitor lizard!


All the 5 doggies surrounded this four legged reptile. The 2 Jack Russel's attacked this two and a half feet long tropical lizard. It retaliated by whipping them with it's strong tail.

#2 & #3 reported that it was a quite a sight for a quiet Sunday!

Imagine my maid screaming with #2 and #3, five dogs barking at the top of their voices and my neighbors living diagonally across, together with her 3 maids were 'cheering' for my maid to 'terminate' the monitor lizard. (My good neighbor, in the mean time called for security back up).

Thank God that my maid has in her own home 'tackled' these lizards before. Because I am truly grateful to her for 'protecting' my 2 younger girls. Apparently the monitor lizard had heaved it's breath, thus enlarging it's chest, hissed and leaped towards #2 but not before my maid yelled for her to clear off just in time. And thereafter %^&$%$#!!@, I think, it was finally terminated!

See the 'bloody spot'? That's where the Jack Russel's' attacked.

The security arrived after everything was over. Our uninvited four legged reptile probably landed into a hot cauldron that night, and into some happy stomachs!


I never got to see anything but the the scratches on the two hero's noses. Listening to #2 & #3's 'trauma' right up to bed time was just too much. I slept at 4.00a.m. 'replaying' the entire 'story' in my mind till I slept as a result of exhaustion.



* pictures - courtesy of #2
this post has some 'gaps' in it's story because I don't want to include too many details.

Choux Paste

I made some Choux paste and piped them into bite size buns and eclairs. It's an easy paste to make and a crowd pleaser.

I filled the ready baked pastry with creme Chantilly, some with strawberries and made chocolate eclairs by dipping into hot melted chocolate.

I brought this for a pot-luck and I went home with an empty container!

Happy Birthday!

We celebrated #3's birthday last weekend. She's turned 10 years old. She had about a dozen friends over for the party. Her Godpa gave her a 3' X 12' pool and those who arrived early spent over three hours soaking in fun!


Her two elder sisters made this pinata for her. The little guests had great fun trying to 'break' it to reach the goodies inside!


The pinata from another angle.

Ice-cream and loads of fun food!



Happy birthday darling!

Daiso stock updates

I feel guilty for not having posted any bento lately. #3 completed her midterms and #2 has begun her SPM trials. It's basically been 'steam salmon' every morning. #2 has recently 'turned fishy-tarian' (eats fish) She's got some adversity towards cooked chicken lately. I hope it's just a phase!

I've been gallivanting Daiso @ the Curve and right now, it's a heavenly place to purchase any bento items!

Below are bento sized food picks, bento straps, food cups and accessories.


Here below are the 'elusive' Japanese buckle bento straps.


Below are an array of bento sized disposable food cups.


Some more cutlery, cutters, silicon cups, cold gel packs, molds and others.

Some more food and fruit cutters (can be used for biscuit cutters too), lots of silicon food cups in different size and shapes!


There are also lots of shape punches at the stationary section, lots of bento bags and bento boxes of all sizes which I didn't take pictures of. Basically, it's a paradise for Bento purchases!

Another garden surprise

I looked out of the living hall window and saw this beautiful bloom of flowers. I love these surprises that spring on me and make me gasp in delight.

Bento 234 & 235

My apologies for the long absence. It's been a busy time with other commitments and a trail of sicknesses among the children. Hectic schedules, commitments and competitions has been the base of trying times and normality should soon come again.

Simple steam Salmon bento with a sliced Kiwi.



Another bento taken at random. My favorite 'lui cha' (store bought).

Scones NOT Stones!

Scones has been a hot topic of discussion in our home lately. #1 love the scones at "Delicious". Their "traditional English afternoon tea for two" is simply delicious and worth every cent, it says "for two" but four of us shared this and couldn't finish!

I buy my stock of scones from the cafe at The Royal Lake Club and The Coffee Bar @ Amcorp Mall. I've heard more than a dozen stories about attempts to make "scones which turn into stones (instead)."

I very proudly declared to my children that I "made scones" which DON'T turn into stones! My daughters eyes open up brightly and asked if that were 'really true?' Of course, I replied, because I know the 'trick' to make fluffy scones and NOT stones. They were intrigued because they've not tried home made scones before.

So, I was pestered into making scones since last weekend. First problem I encountered was my missing recipe. I remember I made a lot of research before I attempted to make scones because it's my favorite tea-time snack.

Nevertheless, I went online to Martha Stewart.com to search for a scone recipe. I found this recipe and finally attempted it today.

It's wonderfully light and aromatic, in short - just delicious!!


Home baked scone served with Lemon Curd, Whipped Cream and Strawberry jam.

Care to join me for tea?

Bento 233

This morning we had canned sardines in tomatoes and bread.


There were grapes and a fresh button mushroom.

Bento 232

I bought a packet of Tortillas last week. This morning, I fried some "Tonkatsu" and sliced them into long pieces, stacked them on top of some rollo rosa salad. There was cheese and mayo to top it off. Rolled up this combi and sliced it into three pieces.


Two pieces of the Tortilla went into the bento box and the third piece was eaten for breakfast.
There were some sliced mangoes in the top box.


Home made pineapple tarts to complete this meal. Yummilicious!!