Testing Recipe 4

This one's a keeper. I intend to replicate this same dish for Christmas party this year.

A large piece of pork shoulder, slow marinated overnight and slow roasted. I can tell it's going to be very yummy even before I roast it. The combination of spices and sauces for marinate looks very thick and delish and it's a sure guarantee that the recipe will work. 
 The pork is served in bowls of lettuce leaves.

Very delicious !

I hope this one makes it to the recipe book. A keeper !

Testing Recipe 3

Third on the list is a spicy Asian salad. I'm sure you can guess by looking at the ingredients :D

I'm having lots of fun testing this recipe as I've always wanted to cook this dish but never had the courage to. Seems daunting, with so many ingredients and steps to follow but when the recipe was emailed to me, I followed step by step. Not that difficult at all and I love cutting vegetables.

Some vegetables had to be cut to perfection, exact length.. well not exactly, the recipe stated to cut to  xxx length and I took a ruler to measure and made sure the carrots, cucumbers and beans were of same length. My hubs thought I had gone mad. He'd never seen me using a ruler in the kitchen.

I can't wait to get my hands on a Kyocera ceramic knife to cut the vegetables. My good friend Annie's husband got me a set from the Isetan 1 Utama grand opening. I just love slicing, chopping and cutting any vegetables and fruits, except onions and garlic, don't like the smell lingering on my hand whole day..



We walloped the spicy vegetable salad without any rice. Can't wait and too lazy to whip up some rice and anyway, we already had our dinner. It's good enough to eat on it's own... Hubs licked the plate clean :D

Testing Recipe 2

Second item of list of recipes I'm testing, for an upcoming cookbook of a food photographer/blogger.

This one, is chilly based paste, made from scratch from raw ingredients peeled, boiled and blended. I took the easy way out to blend instead of pound. I don't think I can survive a kitchen splattered with chilly paste all over, actually my pounding skills are bad.. I cannot handle the pestle and mortar like a true blooded nyonya who knows hows the proper rhythm and force, manipulating the pestle with accuracy and chilly juice do not get splattered all over.

I've tried using blender but it's hard to blend semi moist ingredients without adding water and I've shifted to my Tefal food processor. Blends nice and fine :D

Sambal anyone ??

Testing Recipe 1

 I was one of the lucky ones selected to test some recipes for food photographer/blogger who's coming up with a new cookbook.

I've tested here.. something similiar to yorkshire puddings but with a twist.

Love this recipe, except that egg is an essential ingredient here. When Amber is finally rid off her egg allergy, I'll definitely bake this snack for her school break.

The cookbooks' scheduled out in September 2012. I hope this item makes it to the cookbook.

I can't reveal which cookbook at the moment but am looking forward to it's release and we can all ponder of the recipes :D

Rewards

Sometime last year, we implemented a reward system for Amber's good behaviour. She'll get stars for finishing her meals, completing her homework.  I drew out a chart for her to accumulate her stars. I get her to draw and color the stars too.








Her rewards are always material stuffs that I deem as extras and luxuries that she has to work for. It can be a cartoon rubber stamp, art puncher, sniff-fruity erasor, liquid paper, Ben 10 ruler or even a box of water color. She likes all things craft and artsy.

She wanted a multi colored blink pen. She had one, given by my friend who came visiting from Singapore but it was spoilt very soon upon using.

I scoured all stationery shops in Klang Valley looking for the same pen and Aunty Annie even gave her a box of metallic pens, which she's still using till today. I finally found the same pen at Sogo.

I'd like her to know that mummy will go all ends to look for something she wants dearly but I do expect her to work for it.

Stretch-Kick-Pull

Amber has taken a liking to acrobats. It all started from a live performance she saw at Mid Valley of a group of young acrobats from China. I've recorded it in my iphone and she loves replaying and watching in awe. This little missy gave us many heart stopping moments when she tries to imitate the stunts at home. stretching and hanging her leg over the dining chair or over railings at the malls. She's super duper hyper and will never stop stretch herself and pull her leg up (shame shame) over chairs and tables.


 Once we went shopping with my sister and she did her usual, stretching her legs up the railing and did all kinds of funny stances. When you're not an expert, any kungfu kick and stretch in public will look funny. Strangers stopped to look at the awkward 6 yr old  who-doesn't-walk-properly but stretch-pull-tumble-kick in a mall. Awkward !!

Her teacher complained that she couldn't not sit still in class and keeps stretching here and there and sometimes performing very dangerous stunts. What have you done to her ???? the teacher asked !!!

We've channelled her endless energy to good use and enrolled for junior gymnastics. She's enjoying the class for the moment and let's hope her interest remains for as long as she is able to gain something good out of it.

Not in a rush to wean off....

 Call me a lazy parent and yes, shamefully, Amber is still on the bottle. She's addicted to the bottle.

The Avent bottles are a killer, costing more than RM50 each. I've asked my sis to get me new ones from Singapore (a lot cheaper!!) and I've also changed to NUK brand from Germany. Not as handy as the wide mouth Avent but quality's just as good.

She's promised to be off the bottle for her afternoon milk but mornings and nights, we still give her the bottle. If we're out for late nights, I'll change her to pyjamas and give her the bottle and she'll drift to la-la land in the car.

 Mornings are such a rush....and Ms Dilly Dally Clumsy Pot does not have the luxury to sit down and slowly sip her milk from cup and we do not have the time to clear any spills or change uniform, so the bottle is it ! 

On very rushed days, we dash to the car with a bottle in hand and she'll have her milk lying on my lap before dozing off for another 15minutes in the car. I'll wash her bottles in the office and my some colleagues look at me in disbelief .. isn't she already 6 ????

I don't really care, as long as she gets her nutrition and calories. I'm sure one day, she'll be weaned off.

You Call My Mother ah.....

We started her on Mandarin tuition recently. We felt she's not getting enough from her kindie and since both hubs and me are not Mandarin educated, we were put on red alert when we saw the Standard 1 KSSR revision books.

I got in touch with her previous kindie teacher and was lucky she has time slot to tutor Amber on Mandarin to prepare her for Standard 1

The first few weeks went well, she started from basics, mainly words she has learnt before. Then, it got harder with weekly ting xie, reading and writing.
She started complaining to teacher that she's tried and she has 'A LOT' of homework from school and abacus, and no time for Mandarin.

I gathered this from her Mandarin teacher who gives me weekly reviews :

I don't want to learn Mandarin
I know English and Bahasa enough already.
You tell my mother , I don't want to learn already.
Teacher : OK ! I will tell your mother. I will call her
You have her number ?
Teacher : Yes, I have
Never mind, I give you again, this is the number.. you call and tell her I don't want to learn Mandarin already !!

*** teacher zips mouth  - flabbergasted !! ***

Luckily Teacher persevered and held on, not calling me. The following day.. she was happy and dandy, no complains.. she even told teacher.. bye bye teacher !  See you next week !!

One thing I learn - never take her complains seriously !

Amber's 6th Birthday Party

My little girl is 6.

 We celebrated her 6th last month. I have been a very lazy mom, procrastinating a birthday party every year but I took a bold move to hold a birthday party for her. A small little party but nevertheless, still a party. She's been asking for a 'party' and I've been delaying the idea. We celebrate her actual day with the inlaws every year and I couldn't squeeze in time for a party (always the same excuse I gave her) but her birthday falls on a Sunday, I decided to go ahead.

We kept the party small by inviting a few close friends of hers (and mine).  I toggled the idea of clowns, face painting and magician but scrapped off the idea as we had a very small crowd.

   

Her birthday wish was for an inflatable pool and we got her a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Playpool and somehow the idea revolved to a playpool party !

I digged out my recipe book and cooked almost all that I know. We had sheperds pie, spiral tuna pasta, bacon aglio olio, yam cake, curry chicken, vegetarian vermicelli, acar, sausages and pickles. 

 She dished out her birthday pressie from Aunty Annie and Aunty Shireen's online store.  She also wished for a frilly swimsuit with 'skirt'. She didn't like a one piece suit I got her from Cotton On because the boys from her previous kindy laughed at her skimpy swimsuit and made her very shy and shameful so when Annie asked what she'd like, I didn't hesitate la.. that's what good friends are for :D Thank you Annie and Shireen for the lovely swimsuit.
 

Friends came and hubs played some hip hop song - I Wanna Marry You and Move It Like Jagger, amongst others. My house turned into a little party avenue and I hoped everyone had fun. I know the kids did :D








Her birthday cake was egg-free chocolate chip with cream cheese frosting, baked by yours truly :D
She wanted a Ben 10 edible imaging and Minnie Mouse cupcakes for her friends. She's so infatuated over Ben 10 and insists no one else can have the Ben 10 cake except her. Ben 10 belongs to her and only HER... .. ** sigh **   She's only 6 and i-n-f-a-t-u-a-t-i-o-n  already ???

When she blew her birthday candles, I felt very happy for her. Happy that I could make her dream of having a birthday party come true and happy that she could celebrate with her close friends. For a kid, a birthday is a big deal. It's THE day to look forward too and THE day she anticipates for the rest of the 364 days in the year.

The kids jumped to the pool immediately after their food and cakes.  The boys took over the big pool and the girls were outlawed but Barbara came to the rescue with a mini pool. Girl power took over and they hosed the boys down. FUN!!!!!

I'd like to say thank you to her friends who made her day possible. Lastly a thank you to all mommies and daddies too for joining in the fun with your kids.

Ups and Downs of a 6 Year Old - Aunty P again

When the phone rings at noon, it is a complain lodged !


Aunty P hissed at her again today..

She climbed up the car without pushing down her trolley bag handle.
Aunty P asked her to push down the trolley handle.
Amber asked "Why must I push it down ?"
Aunty P said. .. if I tell you, then I will throw your bag away !!

Drama !!!

Till she can't wait to call and lodge complain with her housemaster-protector father because she knows I'm not giving in.

I've been hearing complains about Aunty P every other day and she wants me to change transporter. I told her you either stick with Aunty P or stay in school till evening !

Haih.. just 6 yr old.. banyak complain !!!!