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 !