White Scarf

Width of scarf is 5.5" and 60" length with fringe.  Size US 8 needles.

Pattern:
Cast on 22 stiches
Row 1:* K1, P1, repeat * across
Repeat until scarf length is 60"
Bind off

Colour : White
3 Wool yarn (95m, 50g)

Mustard Colour Scarf

This is the scarf  that I knitted recently.  I used US size 10 needles and the width is 4".

Pattern:
Cast on 16 stiches
Row 1: *K2, P2, repeat from * across
Row 2: *K2, P2, repeat from * across
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Knit
Repeat Row 1 - 4 until scarf measure 60" from beginning, end with Row 1 of pattern.
Bind off in pattern.

Colour: Mustard
2 wool yarn (95m, 50g)

My Chilli Plant Bearing Fruit

The chilli is pretty hot.

Roast loin of pork and apple sauce

It was my first time roasting loin of pork and making my own apple sauce. It was rather delicious and it goes well with roast potatoes and a bottle of beer.

Happy New Year 2012!

We stayed at home on new year's eve. We had a simple dinner of roast chicken and a bottle of champagne. Here's wishing all my family and friends a great and blessed New Year!

Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast

I learnt this recipe from the 4 Ingredients Christmas cookbook by Kim McCosker which was given to me by my husband. I can't wait to try the rest of the recipes. It is really the easiest cookbook that I ever own as mentioned on the cover of the book. An excellent and handy cookbook for me as I really enjoy the simplicity of cooking using only four ingredients.

My beloved Mother (1928 - 2011) RIP

My beloved mother passed away on 16th October 2011 at the age of 83. I flew back to Kuala Lumpur and then off to Taiping. My other siblings were already in Taiping and some were on their way. The last time I saw my mother was early last year before I went over to Sydney to be with my partner. I remember that my brother called me on Sunday morning to inform me of the sad news. I felt so devastated and sad and it broke my heart when I later saw the look of my younger brother, for he has always been the good son taking great care of our mother.

The funeral took place on the 5th day after her passing. She was cremated and her urn was placed in a temple next to my father who passed away more than 20 years ago.

I really miss her and sometimes I still cannot believe that she is no longer with us. It seems like everything happened so fast and it has created such a big void in my heart. Nothing can ever replace the love I feel for my Mother. I love you dearly Mother. May your soul rest in peace....

Sambal Belacan

Sambal Belacan is one of the most popular condiments for Malaysian or Asian dishes.

Rather than using a mortar and pestle, I used the blender to blend all the ingredients consisting of fresh red chillies, shrimp paste (belacan) and garlic. Finally I added some sugar (optional) and a squeeze of lemon juice or preferably lime juice.

Fresh Garden Salad

I love eating fresh garden salad. It is so easy to make a simple dressing for the salad with a bit of olive oil, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

De-cluttering my Wardrobe

Spring time is the best time of the year to de-clutter my wardrobe. It means sorting out my clothes, donate any clothes that I haven't wore for more than a year or never going to wear and throw out anything that is no longer in good condition.

I will be storing away items that I won't use for the season. My boots will be placed back in their original box and stacked away neatly in a cupboard. All the winter clothings needs to be cleaned and then stored properly. Now all I need is to find some time to get it all organised nicely.

Hello Spring, Bye bye Winter

I am so looking forward to Spring as I yearn for some warmth after being in the cold weather for the last few months.

Outdoor Furniture

We found this lovely 3 piece outdoor furniture set for our balcony during our weekend visit at the garden furniture shop.

I can't wait for the weather to get a bit warmer so that we can sit, relax and enjoy the view outside.

Growing your Own Herbs and Vegetables

I have just planted Oregano, Parsley, Basil, Rosemary, Thyme and Corriander in a planter box. The other vegetables planted are spring onions and red chilli. Watching the growing process of the vegetables and herbs can be quite a satisfactory feeling. As we are living in an apartment, I just have to make do of growing everything in a pot.

Red Bean Soup

Last night I felt like having something sweet and warm. So I made red bean or Azuki bean soup which is a popular sweet dessert soup.

Yoga

I have been practising yoga for almost 5 years now and I am absolutely loving it. Recently I took up Pilates class which also helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back.

Congee

Since there was some left over roast pork in the fridge, I used it to cook congee. The roast pork is added into the congee while it is cooking. Once it is ready to be served, I sprinkle some chopped spring onions, fried minced garlic, a dash of white pepper and soy sauce on top of the congee.

Ku-ring-gai National Park

We went bush walking in Ku-ring-gai National Park last Sunday. We parked the car at Kitchener Street and started our walk from there. It was a great way to experience the bush and yet so near to urban living. There were some steep but manageable track along the way. We even spotted a kangaroo and found many types of plant species and trees.

Grilled Sausages

Last night I made some mashed potatoes, grilled some sausages and served it with broccoli for dinner. Just simply delicious food.

Cycling in Winter

As winter is approaching, it can get very uncomfortable riding the bike as the morning can get rather cold. This morning I had to put on my arm and leg warmers together with a full finger glove and a jacket. It really helps to keep my body warm and make riding more enjoyable.

Now that I have all the cycling gear for winter, I will continue riding the bike and not put the bike in storage during the cold weather.

Steak with Mashed Potatoes & Brussels Sprout

Simple dinner on a quiet Sunday night. Steak with mashed potatoes and brussels sprout.