Christmas....

I just love Christmas time.... the Christmas tree decorations, mistletoe, candy cane, spending time with family and friends, the joy of giving gifts to your loved ones and not forgetting food. Food such as roasted turkey, apple strudles and so much more that are so delicious and delightful. Christmas day is a timeless favourite for giving, feasting and merry-making. Some of my favourite things are wrapping of presents and decorating the Christmas tree. This year, we will be celebrating our Christmas eve at One World Hotel and on Boxing Day there will be family gathering for dinner.

The next day after Boxing Day, one of my many cousins is getting married, so more good food to enjoy. I am truly blessed to have such terrific family, a loving partner and good friends. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year !

Apple Crumble

It has been a while since I last baked. It is a public holiday today and I thought I better do some baking and decided to make apple crumble.

. 4 apples

. 100 g white sugar

. 100 g brown sugar

. 200 g plain white flour

. 120 g butter

. 1 cinnamon stick

. 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1) Peel and core the apples and dice them into chunks.

2) Put the apple chunks into a pan, add 3 quarters of the sugar, lemon juice and the cinnamon stick.

3) Stew the apples gently for half an hour, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

4) Check that the apples are cooked by mashing it a bit with the wooden spoon. The apples should be soft and not pureed.

5) Put the apples into the serving dish and allow to cool.

6) Mix the white flour, remaining sugar and the butter with your fingers in a bowl until it becomes like a breadcrumb consistency.

7) Preheat the oven to 180 C.

8) Cover the stewed apples with the crumble topping, without pressing down.

9) Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown and crunchy.

10) Serve with vanilla ice cream or sauce.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

Spaghetti Bolognaise...

Grilled salmon with sweet mustard sauce & asparagus

Dinner on Sunday night. Grilled salmon with sweet mustard sauce served with asparagus.

Is it possible to forgive and forget ?

Is it possible to forgive and forget? What I feel is that it is possible to forgive but not forget. We don't just forget about bad and hurtful things that have happened to us. We need to forgive in order to move forward in life. We forgive because we all need to have that peace of mind and once that is achieved one can simply move forward and at the same time the unforgettable bad things will just serve as a lesson or reminder to us so that we hopefully do not make the same mistakes again.

Forgiving is such a powerful action and that means letting go of hard feelings or animosity for any wrongdoing. I have achieved a total peace of mind after forgiving someone who has hurt me terribly and I realised that the person who suffer most is the one that cannot forgive. Life is short and it is better to live a life that is full of happiness, enjoyable moments and compassion for others.

Another Birthday

Hey, another birthday means another year older! We went out to celebrate my birthday last night at Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano which is situated at One Bangsar. The restaurant looked very cozy and not so crowded (perhaps it was a weekday). Conversation was so much easier as we don't have to shout across to hear one another.

We had the pan seared scallop to share as apertiser, followed by scallop, salmon & prawn spagetti for me as main course and a diavola e cipolle pizza for my partner and lastly an amretto tiramisu dessert. Not forgetting some beers and white wine to go with the food. We enjoyed the food and also the delighful ambiance of the restaurant.

As the next day was a working day, we left after the sumptuous dinner and headed straight home. It is nice to have a birthday celebration but the reality is that I can't help thinking that I am getting so much older with each passing year.

Birthday celebration

Last Saturday we went to Hilton KL to celebrate my partner's birthday. We have been thinking of eating Peking Duck for a long time now hence we picked the Chynna Restaurant in the hotel. The atmosphere and the surrounding decorations are nice even though it is not really a romantic place for birthday celebration. We ordered the Peking Duck, Crispy Wantons, Stir Fried Eggplant, East Coral Trout and 2 steamed rice. The food was excellent and the price was also reasonable except for the Trout that was a bit on the pricey side. As my partner said "if the food is worth the price, then it is worthwhile eating".

After dinner we adjourned to Zeta Bar where we had a couple of drinks and stayed for about 1 hour and then we proceeded home. The traffic was slightly congested as we have to pass Brickfields where the night markets were held. Finally we arrived home safely and it was a lovely evening out for both of us.

Downtown Kuala Lumpur

Picture of downtown KL with Petronas and KL Tower taken on an exceptionally clear day from my apartment.

Merde happens

Yesterday evening while I was driving home after work somewhere near Eastin Hotel, I noticed that the water temperature suddenly increased. I panicked and all I could think of was to drive to the nearest workshop. My heart was pumping very hard. I could feel cold sweat all over my face. It was the most horrifying feeling because I really thought that the car would explode any minute.

So after passing the Eastin Hotel just about a few metres away, more and more smoke (which was actually steam as I have been told) came out from under the bonnet of the car. I got even more frightened and I had to stop the car to let the engine cool. The worst thing was that I caused a traffic jam as I was stuck in the middle lane. I thought that if I had driven further, the car would eventually stopped and burned me inside.

I put on the hazard lights and walked as fast as I could to the nearest petrol station (BHP) and asked for help from the attendant. He gave me the number of a mechanic. Luckily he arrived 20 minutes later. After pouring some water into the radiator, he asked me to drive to the nearest cross street where he put in some more water and oil and he actually got the fan working again which was the cause of my car overheating. After he fixed the car, I paid him and I was planning to drive back to home, when I noticed the temperature rising again.

This time I made sure I parked on the side of the road and I immediately contacted him. He came to my rescue and asked me to drive the car to his brother's workshop which is nearby, thank God. I had to leave the car at the workshop so that the mechanic could thoroughly check my car the next day. Finally the mechanic sent me home and yes, this was truly a nightmare for me.

May today there be peace within

My sister sent this beautiful and meaningful quotes to me recently, which I would like to share it with everyone.

May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.'

- Author Unknown -

Very rude driver

I have heard many horrible stories about how bad the drivers here. I have not really encountered such incident except for the minor rude drivers who cut into your lane without any warning, until this morning. Having said that, there are also many courteous drivers around, but with the handful of rude and aggressive drivers it is enough to give a bad impression about the drivers here.

I was at the flyover intersection traffic light nearby Centrepoint and the old Sony office when the light turned green. This intersection is always busy with early morning traffic, people rushing to work and sending their kids to school. When it was my turn to go across, the intersection was already blocked by traffic in front of me so I couldn't go, despite the traffic light being green.

There was this woman behind me who looked like in her late fifties started to horn at me. I can’t go forward so I remained put at my spot. Suddenly she swayed her car on my right to overtake me. As a result, her side of the car hit my end bumper. I went down to confront her, she refused to wind down her window and she went on shouting and yelling in the car but I couldn't hear a single word. Such aggression and rudeness shown by her really shocked me because firstly she is a woman (you will think at her age she will be more tolerant or courteous on the road) and the aggression and rudeness shown by her was just too much for me. I took down her licence registration no. with the intention of reporting her to the police.

When I finally reached the office, I inspected my car and since there wasn't any damage done I decided not to report her. This just proved to me how bad Malaysian drivers can be.

Facebook

I have recently joined facebook. It is a great way to keep in touch with relatives, friends and some long lost friends which I thought I never hear of again. It is fun and interesting to know about their thoughts, daily lives and views just about anything and everything. Not only that, I get to play many games and my partner actually complains that I'm now spending too much time playing games. I think it is just a temporary phase of excitement, trying something new and I might just get bored with the games on facebook. Let's just see how long this craziness lasts for me.

My dearest Mother

Recently my mum has fallen sick due to Bile-duct blockage and infection caused by stones in the biliary tract. We only found out the reason why she was so sick when we sent her to the hospital. She went through a few diagnostic tests that include the Computed tomography (CT) scan, blood test and Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). ERCP is used to locate and remove stones in the ducts.

Thank goodness, we managed to send her to the hospital in time for the removal of stones and abscess. After spending a few days in the hospital, she was finally discharged yesterday evening. We were all thinking at that time when she was so sick, that she was going through some old age sickness. It caused us so much distress and pain to see her suffering and even at one point she was saying that she doesn't want to live anymore.

All my siblings from Australia and US rushed back because she was not showing any sign of recovering despite visitation to the clinic and medication prescribed by the doctor. We were even preparing for the worst. In my mother's case, thank God we acted fast enough as with prompt diagnosis and treatment, it is curable. She is recuperating at my brother's home now and my prayer is that she will recover soon. She still needs to have another round of ERCP once she is stronger to have all the remaining stones remove.

Roasted Macadamias

Sooo...gooood... my all time favourite...the macadamias..mmm...

Time really flies

Time really flies ! Just received a call from my aunty inviting me to her son's wedding dinner which is going to be held on 27th December. It made me realise that before you know it another year has gone by and we will usher in a new year. So far I am happy about life now and hopefully more good things are to come for my loved ones and me.

"Could you be with a person that no one likes.."

This was the topic being discussed at a radio station this morning. "Could you be with a person that no one likes", a question from someone who has been with her boyfriend for 8 months and her family and friends dislike him.

It brought back memories when I was with my ex-husband. I remember clearly that none of my family members and friends liked him. They even told me how they felt but I was totally ignorant as I was so in love then. We did marry after 2 years of courtship but the marriage only lasted for 6 years. Despite being aware of him being a hot tempered person, domineering and very critical and judgemental about everything, still I went ahead with the marriage. Perhaps back then, due to age pressure and because most of my friends were already married and had kids, it pushed me to get married. However, it was an unhappy marriage and it was a blessing in disguise when we eventually got divorced.

When we are in love we have the tendency to close our eyes to everything about the person. Nothing seems to matter, everything is so sweet. But listen to your family and friends because they are the ones that can see a person clearly without bias. Think about why they dislike him, surely there must be something that is not right. Know a person well so that there won't be any regrets and never give in to any kind of excuses to get involved with someone who is wrong for you. Love can come at any age and when you least expect it.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cake

I baked this chocolate chip walnut cake last night. I enjoy baking and everytime the kitchen smells so nice when the cake is baking. Preparation time is about 25 minutes.

. 250 g butter

. 200 g sugar

. 210 g self raising flour

. 5 eggs

. 100 g of chocolate chip

. 100 g of walnut, chopped

. 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence

. Pinch of salt

1) Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy.

2) Add egg one at a time.

3) Sift flour gradually until well combined.

4) Add a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence.

5) Fold in 50 g of chocolate chip and 50 g chopped walnut.

6) Pour batter into a 9 inch square baking tin.

7) Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chip and chopped walnut on top of batter.

8) Bake in preheated oven at 180 C for 35 to 40 minutes.

Necklaces and Earrings

We were walking in 1-U when we came across the East India Co. shop. I was instantly drawn to the design and colour of this lovely jewellery set and my loving partner bought them for me.

H1N1 - a real scare

I was in the gym yesterday when I noticed there weren't many people around. Usually the gym is packed with people. The attendance for yoga class has shrunk to almost half. Probably a lot of them were terrified due to the increasing number of people infected by Influenza A (H1N1).

Even in shopping malls there are less people and quite a number were wearing masks to protect themselves from being infected. Those with high risk factors such as chronic diseases, asthma, diabetes, obesity and pregnancy will have to take more precautions. Same goes for senior citizens and children. It is sad and alarming looking at the current situation and I hope more measures will be taken to curb this deadly influenza from spreading even more.

Muscle Injuries

Since my previous article on loosing weight, I am pleased to note that I have achieved a weight loss of 2 kg. Yay... In order to keep up my exercise routine, every Saturday I will start the morning by heading straight to the gym, where I will climb on the cross trainer for half an hour and some weight exercises. But last Saturday, I pulled a muscle on my left hip and couldn't go to work on Monday. Occasionally I hurt my muscle on my back but still manage to recover in a short time but this time it hurt real bad. Thanks to the doctor after some pain killers and muscle relaxant, I am feeling much better. I just have to be more careful and try not to get any muscle injuries as it can be quite a painful and unpleasant feeling.

Roast Chicken with Butter & Garlic

Roast chicken is one of my favourite dishes. It is easy and simple to cook. No need to use a lot of cooking utensils in comparison to chinese cooking.

. 1 medium size chicken

. 20 g butter

. Half a lemon

. Half a head of garlic

. 5 cloves of garlic, chopped

. 1 tbsp olive oil

. Salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 200 C.

2) Stuff half lemon and half a garlic inside the chicken.

3) Rub all over the outside of the chicken with butter and chopped garlic.

4) Pour olive oil and rub all over chicken.

5) Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
6) Roast chicken at 200 C degree for 15 minutes.

7) Reduce temperature to 180 C and roast for 1 hour or until cooked.

Heliconia

Beautiful Heliconia. Brightly colored.

Lovely Ixora

So lovely...

Ixora...

A not so great dinner ....

I attended the company annual dinner last night held at a hotel in Seri Kembangan. The theme of the night was Hawaiian and most dressed to the theme except for a few who were in their office attire. We were told that the buffer dinner was a lavish one but it was a big disappointment. The food on offer was salads, prawns, oysters, barbeque lamb, chicken sausages, pasta, fried noodles and rice, spicy fish, sweet and sour seafood, satay, rojak, some desserts and coconuts. The only beverage served was some cheap cordial orange juice which was not even fresh and to make matters worse I couldn't see what I was eating due to inadequate lighting for the tables located closed to the man made beach, so we were all flying blind.

The entertainment bit performed by the staff was quite amusing. There were also karaoke competition, best dress and lucky draw. I won a hamper. Hooray! By the time I got home, I was very tired and went straight to bed but the next morning I had great 'workout' which more than made up for last night. Hahaha....

Singapore

We flown to Singapore on Thursday morning and returned on Saturday night. It was a short trip because my partner was meeting his son on his stop-over flight from Frankfurt. Since we have done some sightseeing during our last trip, we spent the 3 days walking and shopping in Orchard road and had a very nice buffet lunch in the Marriot. The hotel (Copthorne King) provided shuttle bus services to Orchard road and vice-versa which was good. What I really like about the hotel was that the room is clean and has comfortable pillows and bed. With the current exchange rate of 2.50 it makes shopping a bit stiff but did manage to get a pair of nice sandals, 3 belts, a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and a lovely chain. Overall it was a pleasant trip and most of all my partner was able to spend time with his son as they have not seen each other for about half a year since his last trip here.

Doughnuts

I love Krispy Kreme doughnuts ! Really taste so good ......

Pancakes

Pancakes are great to have for breakfast. We usually have it with butter, honey or pancake syrup and it just taste so good, simple and yet satisfying.

. 1 cup wheat flour
. 1 cup milk
. 1 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil
. 1/2 tsp salt
. 1 tbsp sugar
. 1 tbsp baking powder
. 1 egg
. A bit of butter

1) In a bowl, sift together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.
2) Make a well in the centre and pour in milk, egg, melted butter and mix until smooth.
3) Heat frying pan over low heat with a bit of butter and pour 2 tbsp of batter onto the pan.
3) Brown both sides and serve hot.

Are good friends important ?

I was driving to work this morning when I heard over the radio talking about "Are good friends important?". I realised that over the years friends would come and go in my life, some still remain friends, good or bad there are always some experiences to be learnt and some friends are worth having and some are purely a pain in the neck. I used to have a friend whom I met at college and despite being friends for so many years, she has this selfish and strange thoughts about how things should be done or said in her own way, even to the extent of interfering into my personal life. I always felt used by her in that sense that when she doesn't need me, she will totally ignore me. I am happy to say that today we are no longer friends.

We always have choices to choose our friends. Good friends are important, they are the ones that you can count on when you have a bad day or need a shoulder to cry on, someone to share your sadness and joy, for moral support and they certainly never take advantage of another friend.

Tupperware

I recently bought this lovely and useful "Pack and Go" tupperware set from ebay. Sometimes I bring food to work and the tupperware set allows me to pack and reheat food easily.

Handbags - Can Never Have Enough !

There is a saying, a woman can never have enough handbags. These are my Coach handbags which I simply adore. I love the design plus I can put a lot of stuff in there. They are made from good quality leather and very robust.

Kurma Curry Chicken

I cooked kurma curry chicken, fried french beans and rice for dinner on Sunday. My friend, Peggy recommended the all ready packet of Brahim's Kurma Sauce which was so convenient and actually tasted quite good. For extra flavour, I added onions, potatoes, red and green chillis.

. 600 g chicken
. 2 packets of Brahim's Kurma Sauce (180 gram per packet)
. 2 onions - sliced
. 2 tbsp oil
. 600 ml water
. 2 red chillis
. 4 green chillis
. 6 small potatoes, cut into half
. 1/2 tsp salt

1) Heat up pot, fry onions until fragrant with 2 tbsp oil.
2) Add in the Brahim's Kurma Sauce.
3) Add chicken and fry for 5 minutes.
4) Add 600 ml water, potatoes, red chillis, green chillis and salt.
5) Let it cook under medium heat for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
6) Best to leave for 1 hour before serving.

Seat Belt Installation

Today we have an appointment with Perodua PJ to install the rear seat belts. We arrived on time at 4pm and left unexpectedly 20 minutes later with the belts installed free of charge. We were very surprised and impressed by the efficiency and speed of the Perodua mechanics.

Michael Jackson [1958 - 2009]

I cried last night while watching Michael Jackson's memorial service. He was truly the One and Only. He will always be loved and remembered. RIP.

KL Tower

KL Tower in the night, one of the tallest concrete towers in the world. Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city.

Petronas Twin Towers

Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. They were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004.

Fried Eggplant

Fried eggplant is simply delicious. This is a quick, easy and tasty recipe to follow.

. 1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into strips about 3"

. 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
. 2 red chilli, chopped

. 2 tbps dried shrimps, soaked, chopped

. 2 tbsp oil

. 1 tbsp oyster sauce

. 1 tsp fish sauce

. 1 tsp sugar

. 3 tbsp water
. 1 tsp salt
. Dash of white pepper

1) Heat up oil in wok. Saute dried shrimp and chopped garlic until fragrant.

2) Add in oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar and water and stir well.

3) Add in eggplant, chopped red chilli, salt and pepper and mix well.

4) Stir fry for 10 minutes or until eggplant is tender.

5) Dish up and serve.

Hair Colouring

I have been wanting to dye my hair months ago but couldn't find the time to do it. The thought of sitting in the hair saloon for 3 to 4 hours to get my hair coloured was just too much to handle. I don't think I have the patience to sit for hours. Finally I did it today at home with the help of my partner who has the patience and dedication and all it took was just 40 minutes to complete the whole process. Besides it did save me some 180 ringgit. A box of loreal hair colour only cost around 30 ringgit and it sure saved me time and money. For a bit of fun, I have chosen Dark Golden Copper and the result is pretty good for a DIY task.

Chilli Onion Omelette

My mother used to cook chilli onion omelette when we were kids. It is really delicious and I enjoy eating it just with rice.

. 3 eggs

. 1 white onion, sliced

. 2 red chilli, remove seeds, chopped

. 2 stalks of spring onions, chopped

. Salt

. White pepper

. 1 tsp of soy sauce

1) Break eggs in a bowl, add salt, white pepper and soy sauce. Beat with a fork and set aside.

2) Heat up oil in a non-stick pan, add onion and chilli and stir-fry until fragrant, add in spring onions.

3) Pour in beaten eggs.

4) Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then flip the other side. Cook for 1 minute and dish out.

A Pair of Angels

This is one of my favourite things, a pair of angels which was a gift from my sister. I placed it near the window at the bathroom. It gives me such pleasure to look at it every day.

Grilled Salmon

We had grilled salmon served with steamed broccoli, potatoes salad and mushroom soup for dinner on Sunday. I sprinkled some salt, pepper and garlic powder on both sides of the salmon and grilled 1 side for 5 minutes and turned the other side for another 5 minutes on low heat. The potatoes salad was made last evening. However, the mushroom soup wasn't home made. Instead I opened a can of mushroom soup from Campbell which was rather delicious, thick and creamy.

Thyme Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

We bought this chicken from BSC which is antibiotic free and the size is just right for two. Thyme herb has a pungent minty and light-lemon aroma and goes well with chicken. I just love the smell of thyme.

. Olive oil

. Salt

. Pepper

. Thyme

. 2 medium size potatoes

1) Mix salt, pepper and thyme (chopped).
2) Rub the mixture of salt, pepper and thyme under the skin of the chicken.

3) Sprinkle chicken with olive oil.

4) Cut potatoes into halve.

5) Season potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.

6) Pre-heat oven to 180 C and roast for 1 hour or until cooked.

Chicken Macaroni Soup

Last night I cooked Chicken Macaroni Soup for dinner. It is simple and yet nutritious with carrot, tomato, onion and chicken. I added in a handful of wheat macaroni, just enough to make me full.

. 1 white onion, sliced thinly

. 1 carrot, peel and cut about 2" length

. 1 tomato, cut into 4 pieces

. 1 chicken drumstick, peeled skin

. 2 cups of water

. Salt

. Pepper

1) Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot.

2) Once boiled, add in carrot, tomato, onion and add in the chicken drumstick.

3) Add salt and pepper.

4) Cover the pot then lower the heat and boil for 20 minutes.

5) After 20 minutes, throw in the macaroni and boil for another 10 minutes.

Banana Muffins

Muffins are so delightful to have as desserts. Today I have decided to bake banana muffins because it has been a while since my last baking of muffins which was about 3 months ago.

Makes: 16 to 18 muffins

. 5 medium bananas, mashed

. 1 cup white sugar

. 3 slightly beaten eggs

. 125 gm butter

. 1 tsp baking soda

. 1 tsp baking powder

. 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

. 1/2 tsp salt

. 1 1/2 cup flour

1) Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl.

2) In a large bowl, mix 3 mashed bananas, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence.

3) Add in shift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat the ingredients with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until all ingredients are mixed together. Do not over-beat.
4) Fold in the 2 mashed bananas with a spatula.

5) Spoon the batter into each of the baking cup and fill about halfway.

6) Preheat oven to 180 C and bake for 20 minutes.

Dell Studio 1555

My long awaited Dell Studio 1555 has finally arrived today. Delivery took more than a month due to some technical error on my order. I am so glad that at long last I finally have it with me. I have chosen ruby red colour because I never really like the standard boring black colour for a laptop. It comes with Intel Core 2 duo processor P8600 (2.4GHz), 4GB memory, 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570, 320GB hard drive, 15.6" high definition (1600x900) display, 2.0 mega pixel web cam and 6-cell lithium ion primary battery. Can't wait to try it out......

I have used it for a few days now and so far there aren't any issues with the new Laptop. I simply love the design, the vibrant and crisp display and good overall performance.

Fried Rice

Fried rice is a simple dish that can be prepared real quick and you can choose which type of ingredients to use. I cooked this fried rice last night so that I could bring some to the office for lunch. The ingredients that I have chosen are as follows:-

. 2 red onions, sliced

. 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

. 1 cup cooked rice

. 2 tbsp oil

. 2 large eggs

. 1 cup of frozen peas, diced carrots and corns, thawed

. 10 bird eye chillis (also known as chilli padi)

. 1 tbsp oyster sauce

. 1 tsp salt

. Pepper to taste

. 1 tbsp soy sauce

. 2 tsp sesame oil

1) Heat oil in a wok, fry the chillis, onions and garlic until fragrant.

2) Stir in peas, diced carrots and corns.

3) Add rice, salt, pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce, stir to combine.

4) Break eggs in a small bowl, add in a dash of salt, pepper and sesame oil, whisk lightly.

5) Make a hole in the centre of the wok and pour the egg in.

6) Cook the egg and combine well with rice.

Spaghetti Bolognese

The urge to eat pasta was so strong thus I cooked Spaghetti Bolognese for dinner last Sunday. I prefer beef mince, alternatively you can choose chicken mince depending on individual taste. The following ingredients can serves 2 - 3 persons.

. 2 tbsp olive oil
. 1 large onion, chopped
. 3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
. 1 medium carrot, chopped
. 250g beef mince
. 1/2 cup red wine
. 1 tsp sugar
. 1 tbsp oregano
. 1 can of 425g tomatoes
. 1 tbsp of tomatoes paste
. Salt & pepper, to taste
. 200g spaghetti
. Parmesan cheese, for serving

1) Heat oil in a large deep pan.
2) Add onion, garlic, carrot, cook and stir for 5 min over low heat.
3) Increase heat, add mince beef then add wine, tomatoes, tomatoes paste, sugar and oregano.
4) Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
5) Add salt and pepper.
6) In another pot add some salt to boiling water, add spaghetti. Cook until tender.
7) Drain well.
8) Serve sauce over top of spaghetti and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Keng Thye & Pau Peh

My nephew and niece are 12 years old. This picture was taken at my brother's previous house.

Unique Seafood Restaurant, Sec 13

Last Saturday we went to Unique Seafood Restaurant for dinner. We always enjoy eating there. The seafood was real fresh and delicious, the best part was we didn't have to wait for so long for our dinner to be served. This time we ordered Steamed Patin Fish, Schezuan Spicy Tofu, Steamed Scallop with Garlic, Stir-fry green Pak Choi, and not forgetting some rice and beers too. There goes my diet.......

Losing Weight...

My mission right now is to loose 2 kg. I need to change my eating habits, to forego all the fattening junk food. The biggest culprit are the potato chips and doughnuts. Just enjoy eating it so much. Besides going to the gym 3 times a week, cardio exercise and 1 hour of yoga plus sit ups, I can't seem to loose the extra kg. Something to do with age I guess.....the older you get the more fat you accumulate, I wish it was the wealth bit though, however being healthy is better than being wealthy.

I am going to eat smaller portion of meals but still have a good breakfast, a healthy lunch like salad, fruits (apple, bananas), some almond nuts (bye bye to all my favourite food, char koay teow, curry mee, chicken rice, etc etc), my colleague is teasing me "see how long you can stand without eating your 'lunch' hahaha...." and for dinner something very light. I still need to eat a reasonable amount of carbs on days when I go to the gym, otherwise I wouldn't have the energy to move. Just the right portion not overboard. I love pasta. Already thinking of having spaghetti bolognese this weekend. I guess the key to a good healthy lifestyle is to exercise, eat sensibly and everything in moderation and doing all your favourite things. I will endeavour to stick to my plan for at least 4 weeks to see the result. Wish me luck...

Belkin DFD 15.6" Slim Backpack

Since the Dell Studio 1555 which I have ordered online about 2 weeks ago doesn't come with a bag, I thought the logical thing to do was to get a bag to protect my laptop. After searching for a bit, I decided to order the Belkin DFD 15.6" Slim Backpack - Pitch Black Soft Grey on 27th May and much to my delight it arrived on 29th May which was rather good compared to my laptop which has no sign of any delivery yet. I was told by Dell that there were some technical error and as a result my order was cancelled and now my order is in process. I have been waiting for 2 weeks now and hopefully by next week it will arrive at my door step.

I am quite happy and satisfied with the Belkin bag. It is slim, lightweight, plush soft-touching and overall pretty sleek design. It also has room for pen, mp3, power supply, business cards and other accessories. The shoulder straps have extra padding for comfort. The only thing that is missing now is the laptop. Still waiting.......................

Rib Eye Steak

On Sunday we had rib eye steaks served with steamed broccoli. I made some gravy for the rib eye steaks and it turned out to be quite good as commented by my partner. :-)

The ingredients that you will need: -

. 2 or 3 Rib eye steaks or Sirloin steaks

. Olive oil

. Salt

. Black pepper

. 1 tbsp soy sauce

1) Brush both sides of steaks with olive oil, season with salt, black pepper and soy sauce on both sides. Let it rest for a few minutes.

2) Put 1 tbsp of olive oil on the grill/frying pan and place the steaks on the the pan over high heat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium. Don't turn the steaks more than once to prevent the meat from being tough.

3) Remove and allow the steaks to rest for a few minutes before serving.

4) To make gravy for the steaks, add in 1 onion cut into quarter and 1 whole bulb of garlic cut into half into the same grill/frying pan, stir briefly, then add some red wine, salt, black pepper and some plain flour to make a thick gravy for the steaks.

5) Serve with your favourite vegetables.

Tamia & Elijah

Tamia is 4 years old and Elijah is 2 years old. They are my niece's children, so adorable and cute. Both have their mum's smile.