The Blues

Sometimes I feel like superwoman, being able to juggle work and being a wife, daughter and me; all at the same time.
Other times, I do not even know where or how to start or stop. Today I am just drowning in the blues.

...... :(((((((((((((((((

TO ALL FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE WISH YOU A VERY MERRY XMAS !

Fabian & Li Quen

Food Processor!

Eating and cooking at home (even with take-away dinners), sometimes leaves left-overs or scraps. So, what to do with them? Throw them in the bin? No... I got myself a fantastic food processor that can take in and reprocess any... and I do mean ANY kind of left-over food. It is called the CLeo-K9 model. I got it from a friend of mine who had a few of them and thought I could use one. I could give it anything from chicken bones to fruit mush, with the exception of fish bones because those may cause havoc in its internals.

The unit is self-powered, and it stores itself away quite cleverly. Cleaning is an occasional job, but a quick scrub with soap and water is adequate.

It comes in any color or shade, and in all shapes and sizes. Mine is in black and beige, with a nice furry feel (Hehe...). But I am happy with my current model and hope it will last me many many more years! One useful tip though for owners-to-be of this fantastic food processor, shower it with affection and it will love you forever! Cleo (woof!)

It Could Happen, So Please Do Self-Examination

About three years ago, I had a scare at the clinic. It was a routine update of my compulsory medical checkup for work. The doctor suddenly remarked that I had slight lump in the breast upon doing a physical examination for me, and sent me straight to the specialist hospital for a scan. Geez I was sweating in my shoes for the whole day ! I thought, WHY ME???????????????????? THESE THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN TO ME!!
It turned out that everything was normal and there was not cause for concern. And I was just totally relieved.
Last night, I suddenly felt something was amiss - a strange lump. And headed straight to the clinic first thing today. Doc did another physical check and assured me there wasn't any cause for concern, but advised me to continue with the self-examination. Any odd changes detected, and I am to head straight to her again.
So ladies, always be on the safe side. Self examinations are important.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year..

Mom and dad arrived last Thursday in Miri to spend the end of the year with us. Next week, on Christmas eve, my brother and sis-in-law will be arriving from Singapore, and that would mean my whole family will be together again. Having everyone together, makes it a most wonderful occasion. :)
We have already planned for home cooked meals and fun activities. I am totally looking forward to it!

Dinner A Week Ago: Easiest Roast Chicken Ever!

After too much time spent in front of the AsianFoodChannel watching chefs effortlessly create roasts for Christmas luncheons, I decided to give one recipe a try - Jamie Oliver's Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon. My experiences with roasts have been less than perfect... usually they didn't brown nicely enough. But this time, I thought, I should give it another go. I shocked both myself and hubby with the final result - fantabulous!! And the best thing about it was - it was so darn easy to make!!

P/S. Since it was only the two of us, I used two chicken thighs instead of roasting a whole chicken. Worked well too!Jamie Oliver's Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon Ingredients
1 whole free range chicken (abt 1-1.5kg)
1 lemon
5-10 cloves of garlic
A bunch of fresh rosemary or thyme
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1-2 kg peeled potatoes, cut into golf-ball sizes
Other vegetables - carrots, onions etc.

Method
Rub chicken inside out with salt and pepper. Season for at least half a day, if possible.
Preheat oven to 190 deg C
Bring a pot of salt water to boil. Boil potatoes with the whole lemon and garlic cloves for 12 mins. Drain and leave to steam for 1 min.
Remove lemon and garlic. Prick the lemon with a fork all over.
While the potatoes are still hot, toss them around in the pot until the surface gets chaffed. This will make them crispy when roasted.
Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Push the lemon, garlic and herbs into the cavity of the chicken.
Roast the chicken for 45mins.
Remove the chicken after 45mins. Toss the vegetables in the fat that has collected in the baking tray. This will be used as the oil to roast the veges and give them a crisp skin later.
Put the chicken back onto the tray and arrange the vege all around the chicken. Roast for a further 45 mins.
When cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 1-2 minutes before serving.

Bored

For the first time this year, I am bored at work. Yes... B O R E D ! Meaning I do not have tasks whipping me from behind and deadlines that are due 2 weeks ago and over-flowing in-trays! Wowee!
This cannot be right. There must be something odd. This is unheard of !

Dinner Tonight - Sauteed Mushrooms and Stir Fry Fish

So what does one do when there's nothing else in the fridge but a pack of mushrooms and frozen fish meat in the freezer? Chop up some garlic and toss them in the pan with seasoning, of course!

Sauteed Mushrooms
- Stir fry fresh mushrooms with garlic and seasoning

Stir Fry Fish
- Cut fish meat into bite-sized pieces, season with black pepper, a dash of chinese cooking wine, soya sauce and fish sauce. Add a tsp or two of corn flour.
- Fry garlic and pieces sliced ginger till fragrant. Add in fish meat and fry for a few minutes till partially cooked on medium heat. Add a small amount of water to make a sauce. Bring to boil.
- Finally, toss in some chopped chives or spring onion, stir through to heat and serve.

So... what is the deal with me blogging about my dinner? Well, the real reason is, I am just noting down somewhere recipes that I might recycle later on. I am much too lazy to actually write them down in a book!

More Orchids!

My (Odd but..) Lovely Christmas Present

Christmas came early for me this year. While shopping for our couch (yes, it took us two years to finally buy a couch for the living room...), I was suddenly engrossed in a lazy chair that was hidden in a dusty corner of the shop. This was a shop that makes and sells furniture from rattan. Hubby saw the glitter in my eyes, and told Jennifer the shop owner, to include that in our purchase as well. He said "Merry Christmas my dear. Here's something for your endless lazy afternoon readings and hopefully somewhere to cradle our child in next time".

*Grins*

CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!!!

I don't know what got into me. I think it must be a swarm of cleaning bug that got to me sometime this weekend.
I have been steadily cleaning up and tidying everything that needs cleaning and tidying. It is as though a wire snapped inside my head, telling me "THIS IS IT! You have to do this NOW!"
Yes, all those months of travelling and then being depressed and work had made me put aside those little things that needed to be done, but just never got done. The junk that was supposed to be thrown out, but never did and I kept cleaning the junk because it's there. But really, it is supposed to be thrown out! But no time! Later, I said. Later. Until today, that is.

i threw out all the rotten shoes, sent newspaper and plastic bottles to the recycling bins
That suitcase that lay unpacked for weeks, I unpacked, laundered and kept
The sheets in the guest room that had not been washed, I washed and are now hanging out to dry
The unused electrical appliances that are supposed to be kept, I kept.
Stacks of unopened bills and useless flyers - now filed or thrown out
Cushion covers for the throw pillows - when was the last time we washed them? - Cleaned now
The soles of the in-house slippers - must have collected so much dust over the months. Cleaned now
Small annoying stains around the rims of the stove that I said I would clean later (for the past year probably) - now cleaned!
The guest pillows that need airing and some sun - all outside now
Food stocked in the refrigerator that were untouched - I have been cooking and eating in for the past week
Crumbs underneath the toaster - cleaned
Water stains on the stainless steel sinks - cleaned
Dead leaves and goodness-knows-what behind the flower pots - swept and thrown out
Old pipes for the aquarium filter - thrown out and changed to new ones
Tiny weeds between the pavement, and little corners in the garden - painstakingly removed. Weeds be gone now!
Emptied my handbag, thrown out useless receipts and dockets

Ah... everything is sparkling now! I wonder if this phase will last. Hmm...

Hari Raya Aidiladha (Hari Raya Haji)

Today, the Muslim community celebrates Hari Raya Aidiladha. It is a smaller celebration compared to Aidilfitri, but I am sure, not less important.
For all my Muslim readers, Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha.

As for me, I am off to more cleaning and then spending the breezy afternoon curled up on the sofa watching the movie SEPI.

Back Together... SOON!

Hubby is again offshore, but this is his last trip out. He's due back this coming Thursday and I am looking forward to it :). We can have a more normal day-to-day life at last. I am so tired of being alone at home.

The Many Uninteresting Ways to Fill a Three-Day Weekend

It is yet another long weekend this weekend-this time it is Hari Raya Haji. I can see my Muslim neighbour's house across the road all lighted up tonight, blinking lights reflecting on my dog's nose :P
Surprisingly I have had hardly any rest nor moments of boredom this time. There are chores to be done, groceries to be bought, weeds to be pulled.... the possibilities are endless ! Mundane... but endless.

Hmmm... I am now reflecting on Whimsical's entry in her blog last week. I, too, am slowly evolving into an Ah-Soh...

Happy Belated Anniversary

Amidst the recent chaos of work and family emergency, was our little private anniversary celebration on Nov 17th. Hubby and I had a day out in Penang and a cosy dinner at Gurney Plaza.
The best thing about it? He got me a wonderful little present !!! Guess what??!!!!! The Cartier necklace that I was drooling over. :)))

Dinner Tonight - Roast Pork w/ Chives

I had a bunch of chives left over from dinner yesterday, so lunchtime today I dropped by the neighbourhood chicken rice shop to get some roast pork (Sio bak). Fry that with some garlic and toss in the chives...voila! Dinner in a jiffy. Yummy too.... not on top of the list for healthy but hey... for all the wholegrain bread and bunches of vege I take, a serving of roasted meat can't be too bad.