Home Cooked Bak Kut Teh

Mom bought 2 packets of this Wonderful Bak Kut Teh (Herbal Soup Spices) for me to bring over to Singapore, so that I can have home cook soup.   So here it is my home cooked Bak Kut Teh in the morning and I put it in the magic pot to cook till am back from movie.  We went and watched "Bridesmaid" movie and it was such a funny and meaningful movie for best friends.. and it's forever!!  Only best friends know the best of you and I do agree.  Miss my best friend in Malaysia! and of course all my friends there too.  Personally I have a lot of friends and I hope to keep contact with each and everyone of them, but it's not easy.. anyway, I'll try my best.  With facebook now, it's easier to say hi to them and see what and where they have been and doing.

Okay, here is the ingredients used for my Bak Kut Teh.


1 pack of Wonderful Bak Kut Teh pack (Herbal Soup Spices) 
or you may try this: Starflower Brand “Pure Bak Kut Teh Spices” 
1kg Pork Loin and prime ribs (I only use 0.5kg)
200 gm whole garlic (I use 2 here and do not peel but just wash it clean)
some salt (to rub on the meat)
4 tablespoon light soya sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soya sauce


Optional:
6 taufu puff (taufu bok)
1 fried beancurd stick
6 chinese mushrooms
1 pack of enoki mushrooms (Kam cham ku)
1 lettuce (here I used baby romaine and you can use any vegetables that you like)
a small handful of wolfberries (kei chi)
a small handful of tong sum (refer to photo)


Condiments: Fresh raw garlic with chilli padi in soya sauce

Steps:
1. Prepare 1kg of meat (marinate with some salt for 10 minutes and rince with hot water).
2. Add Wonderful spices, garlic, wolfberries and tong sum to 3.5 litre of hot water and boil for 20 minutes.
3. Add the meat and simmer for another 1 hour.
4. Add 4 tablespoon light soya sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dark soya sauce and the rest of ingredients. 
5. Boil till all ingredients are cooked.

Rendang Ayam

Given by my friend.. but yet to try it :) 

Bahan2
1 ekor ayam
2 biji kelapa(ambil santannya)
2 sudu cili serbuk
1 camca teh lada hitam
4 biji bawang besar
3 ulas bawang putih
seinci halia
seinci lengkuas
2 batang serai
daun limau purut
garam sedikit (ikut rasa)
kunyit serbuk sedikit

Cara memasak
1.lada hitam, bawang besar, bawang putih & halia di blend
2.lengkuas & serai dititk/ditumbuk (jgn sampai hancur)
3.panaskan kuali dgn 1 senduk minyak
4.masukkan no1 & 2 , cili serbuk , garam & kunyit
5.biar wangi sekejap
6.masukkan ayam
7.bila ayam sudah kecut sedikit , masukkan santan
8.rasa garamnya
9.masukkan daun limau purut ( optional)
  

On Hiatus

As some of you might know that I've moved from one country to another, so I'll be quite busy with the new environment, new people, new house, etc etc etc.  I've to take a break till I've settled down.  I'll definitely be back  :)

Angry Bird Onigiri

Saw this on my friend's facebook :)  can have a try but I've no idea where is the source.. not sure if this is made by her?

Angry Birds Onigiri:
Ingredients (Yields 1 Angry Bird)
1/4 cup sushi rice
1 teaspoon tomato sauce
nori, flour tortilla, strawberry, carrot

Steps: 

1. Into a small bowl add rice {reserving a tiny portion of white rice to add later} and tomato sauce. Mix to combine. 
2. Line a 1/4 measuring cup with plastic wrap. Spritz with water and sprinkle lightly with salt. Add rice mixture.
3. Gather plastic wrap around rice. Form into an oval shape. Carefully unwrap from plastic and add white rice at bottom forming a small semi circle. Place into a new sheet of plastic wrap and repeat shaping process so white rice adheres to oval.
4. Remove onirigi from plastic. Set aside. 
5. Cut eyes from tortilla. Cut eyebrows from nori. Nose from carrot and crest from strawberry. Attach all pieces to rice ball to form your Angry Bird... 

Cancer

In life, you may have heard of somebody out there, who had cancer and finally passed away.  I have a friend, whom we always go out in a group, died of cancer when he was just about, in his early 30s. It was a shocking news to me, as he's the 2nd person in my life who had cancer in this young age.  It sounds very scary to me. I was sad that he left us and I did not had the chance to see him for the last time.  Nobody informed me then, as my friends think that I should not go and meet him, as I was pregnant.

The first friend that had cancer is a good friend of mine too.  He had cancer, final stage, in year 2001 and he's still surviving until today.  Amazing!!  He's really an amazing guy and that is why he's my idol in life and in a lot of things.  I've never met someone who is so positive, sincere, determine, smart, confident, brave, say what he means and do what he says, and many more.  Since he's my idol, a lot of times I go to him for advise and he never fail to give me good advice and suggestions or motivation that I need.  He helped me a lot in anyway that I needed.  I am happy for what God has arranged him to be my good friend all the while, to show me the path to a better life and a better person. Without this friend in my life, I think I've not changed to what I am now. So I'm grateful to have him as my good friend and Thank God for this.




If you know how to read chinese, you may check his story here

Below is also an excellent article on cancer.  

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER,  JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .  

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.


WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intes tina l tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.  About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to no urish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties.Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIFE!

Another good article for reading .. please bear with me, as I wanted to keep it as a reminder :)


TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIFE
by Chris Widener

There are lots of things we desire to own in this life, aren't there? Many of them are fine and dandy, as the saying goes. But there is the most important thing we own that many people never think about owning, and that is their life! They spend a lot of time thinking about the next set of golf clubs, a vacation home, or a new piece of jewelry, but they never really understand that they own their life. Whenever it comes time to be responsible, they end up placing the blame somewhere else, rather than realizing that they are the owner and so they are responsible! With that in mind, here are some thoughts about the ownership your have of your life:

You only own one person – you. You don't own your spouse. You don't own your boss. You don't own your kids (with kids, you are in charge of them, given the tremendous responsibility of teaching them to own their own lives, but you don't own them). No, there is only one person you own, and that is you. That is great news! Now you don't have to worry about running anybody else's life! This is a temptation for us isn't it? We just know how everybody else should do it, and with many of them we try to take ownership and run their life! Well, hands off! Take control of your own life since it is the only one you own. You wouldn't try to drive somebody else's car from the grocery store parking lot, so don't try to drive their life either! You own you – so stick to you!

You get to choose what to do with only one person – you. Once you have come to realize that you only own you, you get to get to the fun part – running your life and making it what you want it to be. Instead of choosing what other people should do, you get to focus on choosing what you get to do. You get to begin to shape and mold your life. This is exciting! Aren't you glad you don’t have to run everybody else's lives anymore? I am!

Your ownership means that you can do what you want with yourself. Your life is a blank sheet of paper. You can choose whatever you want to do. You can have whatever profession you want. You can earn as much money as you desire. You can marry whoever suits your fancy (as long as you suit their fancy too, by the way). Stop wishing and start choosing. I like to use the example of a person who is thirty years old and doesn't like their income. I tell them that if they so chose, they could go back to school, get a degree, go to medical school and by age forty be in a high-income profession. Then they would have 25 years of high wages to support the lifestyle they desire. You can choose whatever you want and take whatever actions you choose to rectify any situation you are in!


Your ultimate destination in life is set by you, not somebody else. Where will you end up? Wherever you choose to end up. You will do well to get it in your mind that some day you will be seventy years old and you will be at a certain place, and the only thing that got you there was the choices you made all along the way. Imagine that. If you are thirty, you have forty years – FORTY YEARS – of choices that can put you right where you want to be at the end of your life! So you're fifty-five? Who cares? You probably have at least twenty years left! You still have TWENTY YEARS to get yourself to whatever destination you choose. Do you know what a person can do in twenty years? ALMOST ANYTHING THEY SET THEIR HEART ON!

The responsibility for your life, and what you accomplish, is found in one person – you. You will accomplish what you choose to accomplish. You will make and save as much money as you choose to. You will write as many books as you choose to. You will take as many vacations as you choose to. You will have the kind of relationships you choose to. What you accomplish is up to you! Take that seriously!

Focus on your values and live them out, regardless of what other people do. This is key. We do not live our lives in a vacuum. We need to be very thoughtful about what we believe, about what our values are, and what our morality is. These things will all shape how we go about exerting ownership of our lives. But once we have come to understand these things for ourselves, the power to live our lives increases tremendously. Now it doesn't matter what anybody else does. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are. We live out of our morality, values and beliefs. These are the principles that transcend everything else and enable us to set our course!

I know this seems like a lot of responsibility, but I consider it a freedom and a privilege! We get one life to live and we get to shape it however we want. That is one job I want to take seriously and not mess up! With diligence, hard work, and a lot of right decisions, I'll get to the end of my life deeply fulfilled. I hope you will too!

Chris Widener

The Power of Thought - THINK POSITIVE!!

Another good article I want to share and of course, to remind myself too.  No idea who's the writer.

The Power of Thought

We have all been in situations when we get started on something new with tremendous positive energy. Everything goes well in the beginning. Whether it is a new job, a new relationship, moving to a new area, a new project - anything. We start off with this tremendous zeal and passion. But after a while we grow tired. Our positive energy now turns negative and our thoughts begin to work against us. Before you know it - you start creating things you don't want.

Yes your thoughts that are created by your own mind create the things you don't want. In the end it is you and your negative, self- destructive thoughts that create the things you don't want in life - and you do this without even knowing it!

It all starts when you lose focus on what you want and stop creating the goals you had set out to achieve. Instead of creating what you want you start saying things like: I hate my job, my boyfriend/girlfriend is difficult, I don't like it here anymore - and the pattern continues. Then things get progressively worse and you wonder what went wrong. What went wrong is that you stopped controlling your thoughts. You stopped having positive thoughts and most important of all - you stopped creating the things you want in life.

How?
Well, thoughts are powerful forces of energy. Thoughts create everything you want in life. Thoughts can even create the things you don't want. Thoughts can only come from your mind - and you are the only person in charge of your own mind. So you create the thoughts that create the circumstances of your life.

How is this possible?
Your thoughts are picked up by your subconscious mind. Your instructions to your subconscious mind are your thoughts. Your subconscious doesn't know good from bad. It doesn't know right from wrong. It only follows your instructions - which are your thoughts. When you lose control of your thoughts, you start creating negative situations. So what can you do to take control of your thoughts and start creating the things you want?

The first thing you need to do is pay attention to your thoughts. Catch yourself thinking. Analyze your thoughts - listen to what you are thinking. Then decide if these are good thoughts, bad thoughts or needless thoughts. Decide if these thoughts work for you or against you. If your thoughts serve no purpose or work against you- you need to change them and consciously insert new thoughts - thoughts that will work for you and create the life you want.

Remember, take control of your thoughts and you change your life. Start today - don't waste another moment creating the life you don't want. This is the only life you have. Use your incredible powers to make the most of it.

Do not eat too much of these foods

Saw an article saying not to eat too much of these food:  Preserved egg, Strong-smelling fermented beancurd, Monosodium glutamate, Spinach, Pig liver, Barbecue food, Pickles, Cruller (Cantonese: Yau Char Kwai)

I wonder why spinach is one of them?? The explanation is:

Spinach: 菠菜：菠菜营养丰富，但因含有草酸，致食物中宝贵的元素锌与钙之结合，而被排出体外，而引起人体锌与钙的缺乏! 。（男人缺锌，会无法抬头作人，恐怖啊！） ，以及硫化氢等；这些都是蛋白质分解的腐败物质，对人体有害。

Well, I think every food that we take, it has to be moderate.  Too much water a day also will kill, as it did happened.   So just eat moderately :)

CLEAN YOUR KIDNEYS WITH LESS THAN $1.00

I received this article quite some time back.  I'm not sure if this is real or not.... and I've not tried too.  If it's not real, please let me know :)


CLEAN YOUR KIDNEYS

Years pass by and our kidneys are filtering the blood by removing salt, poison and any unwanted entering our body. With time, the salt accumulates and this needs to undergo cleaning treatments.

How are we going to do this?

It is very easy, first take a bunch of parsley and wash it clean

Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then filter it and pour in a clean bottle and keep it inside refrigerator to cool.

Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination. Also you will be able to notice the difference which you never felt before.

Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural!

Katsu Don / Katsu Chicken

Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen.
Recepi from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com

KATSU DON1 bowl sushi rice
10g spring onion
1 egg
1cup udon sauce
1/4 yellow onion (sliced)
1 Katsu Chicken*
2pc Japanese ginger

Step-by-Step
1) Cook the rice and let it cool.
2) Boil the udon sauce. While boiling, insert onion & egg. When the egg is half cooked, insert Katsu Chicken for 4mins.
3) Pour udon sauce and chicken on top of the rice.
4) Place spring onion on top before serve.

Katsu Chicken
1pc boneless chicken
2sp salt
2litre water
1 egg
30g breadcrumbs
30g flour

Step-by-Step
1) Wash the chicken and soak in water & salt for 30mins.
2) Dry the chicken and roll with flour, egg then coat with breadcrumbs.
3) Pre-heat deep fryer at 90˚C, cook the chicken for 25mins.

Stuffed Squid

Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen.
Recepi from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com



STUFFED SQUID
1 squid
1/4cup teriyaki sauce
½cup cooked rice
1/4 yellow onion (chop)
3clove garlic (chop)
½tbsp dark soya sauce
20g melted butter
1pinch salt
10g chinese parsley (chop)
1 toothpick

[Step-by-Step]
1) Mix the cooked rice with butter, salt, dark soya sauce, garlic, onion, chinese parsley.
2) Stuff into squid, cover with squid head and hold with toothpick.
3) Glaze with teriyaki sauce and bake for 10mins.
4) Serve with Thai chili sauce.

Grill Fish

Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen.
Recepi from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com
(those with this sign -- is added by myself)

GRILL FISH
2 fish steak -- salmon
1pinch salt
1pinch pepper
1/4cup cooking oil

[Step-by-Step (Grill Fish)]
1) Wash the fish with skin.
2) Marinate all ingredients and bake at 90˚C for 5mins each side.
3) Serve with Collis Dipping.

Collis Dipping
½ yellow onion (chopped)
½ sweet basil (chopped)
1dash balsamic
1tsp olive oil / cooking oil
1pinch salt
1tsp tomato ketchup
1tsp honey
½ fresh tomato (cube)
* Mix all ingredients and chill for serve.

Baked Potato

Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen.
Recepi from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com
(those with this sign -- is added by myself)

BAKED POTATO
2 potato
1/4 bell pepper (chopped)
½tbsp mayonnaise
1/4tbsp chicken stock
½tsp cheese
1pinch salt
-- Mozarella cheese

[Step-by-Step]
1) Wash and boil potato for 45mins.
2) Cut the potato to half. Dig the center part of the potato, mix with all ingredients and place it back into the potato.
3) Place the cheese on the potato, bake for 10mins.

Prawn Skewer & Mango Smoothie

Well, I forgot to snap a photo of this LOL.. but I have my lil' girl in action :)

 
Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen
Recepi from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com

PRAWN SKEWER
3pc big prawn
2pinch turmeric
1pinch salt
1pinch pepper
½tbsp cooking oil
1/4 yellow onion (cube)
½ cucumber (cube)
3stk skewer stick


[Step-by-Step]
1) Marinate the prawn with all ingredients.
2) Place the prawn from tail to head into the skewer stick.
3) Bake / grill the prawn at 90˚C for 10mins.


MANGO SMOOTHIE½ fresh mango
1cup mango juice
½ plain yoghurt
2 1/4cup sugar
3bowl ice cube

[Step-by-Step]
Blend everything in blender until smooth.

Teriyaki Chicken

 This is really yummyyy... my lil' gal love to eat this!

Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen.
Recepi from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com
(those with this sign -- is added by myself)

TERIYAKI CHICKEN
1pc boneless chicken breast
1pinch salt
1pinch pepper
1/4 yellow onion (cube)
1/4 fresh tomato (cube)
1tsp honey
1dash lea & perrins
1dash sesame oil
½tbsp tomato ketchup
1tbsp teriyaki sauce

[Step-by-Step]
1) Wash the chicken and cut into two. -- soak chicken into water with salt & honey if chicken with smell
2) Marinate with pepper, salt, honey, lee & perrins, sesame oil, tomato ketchup & ½tbsp teriyaki sauce for 25mins. -- may put into the fridge for 20mins and cook in grilling pan a while
3) Place cube tomato and cube yellow onion on top of the chicken. Bake at 90˚C for 20mins.

Bruschetta & Lemongrass Satay

Bruschetta

Lemongrass Chicken Satay

Saturday's cooking class again at Teddy's Kitchen.
Recipe from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com or http://kiddocook.blogspot.com
(those with this sign -- is added by myself)


LEMONGRASS SATAY
150g minced chicken
½ yellow onion (chopped)
3stk lemongrass
1pinch chicken stock
1pinch salt
1pinch 5 spice powder
1pinch cumin powder
1pinch turmeric powder
1pinch fennel
1pinch coriander powder
1pinch aniseed
1pinch cinnamon powder
2tbsp corn flour
--some honey
--sesame oil
--chinese parsley

[Step-by-Step]
1) Mix all ingredients together with hand (except lemongrass).
2) Divide the mixture to 3 portion and stick it to lemongrass.
-- Cut the lemon grass top part and dip into oil and flour. Put chicken mixture on this lemongrass stick
3) Place the satay in freezer for 10mins.
4) Bake the satay at 170˚C for 30mins or until golden brown.


BRUSCHETTA
Garlic Bread
6slice french loaf/Baguette
100g melted butter
3clove garlic (chopped)
15g spring onion
-- chinese parsley, if you like

[Step-by-Step (Garlic Bread)]
1) Melted butter, sauté with the garlic and spring onion.
2) Brush garlic butter on french loaf. Bake at 170˚C for 5mins.

Salsa
½ tomato --skin part & cut cube
1/4 yellow onion (cube)
3stk coriander leaf
1pinch salt & pepper
1tsp lemon juice
½tsp honey
-- basil leaves, if you like

[Step-by-Step (Salsa)]
1) Mix all ingredients.
2) Place on crispy hot bread before serve.

Yakitori & Green salad

March 5, my girl went to the cooking class at Teddy's Kitchen. You can enrol your kids too.  It's fun for them to play with the food and learn some skills.  It's location is at Art's Fun Studio

Yakitori & Green salad

Recipe from http://www.artsfunstudio.blogspot.com
(those with this sign -- is added by myself)

YAKITORI
½ chicken breast
1tbsp onion (chopped)
1pinch salt
1pinch pepper
1cup Teriyaki Sauce
3-4 satay stick
-- some honey

[Step-by-Step]
1) Marinate all ingredients about 25-30mins.
2) Cut the chicken in cube size (5cm x 3cm).
3) Put the chicken on satay stick.
4) Bake at 90˚C for 15mins.
5) Brush the cooked Yakitori with Teriyaki sauce before serve.


GREEN SALAD
7pc iceberg/coral lettuce
1/4 carrot (sliced)
8 cherry tomato
1/4 capsicum - red & yellow (sliced)
1/4 cucumber (sliced)
1/4 yellow onions

For dressing
2tbsp mayonnaise
½tbsp olive oil
5drop sesame oil
1pinch pepper
1pinch salt
1pinch sugar

[Step-by-Step]
1) Wash all vegetable with ice water. Drain it dry and slice.
2) Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl until fine.
3) Place the vegetable in a bowl and pour in the dressing before serve.

Home cook food for my lil' angel's birthday

To tell you the truth, I seldom cook like this.  I only cook occasionally.  Working full time and taking care of 2 kids + 1 big one (you know who I mean..LOL)..is really exhausted.  Well, I'm blessed to be able to still enjoy my mom's home cook food everyday!!  Da best of all!!  so below is what I've cooked with hubby for my lil angel's birthday.  She is 6 years old this year and will be going to primary school next year.  I wish her good health and happiness forever.  This is the most important thing in our life.  I always talk to her how lucky we are..and every time she will tell me how lucky she is!  Yes, we are very lucky and blessed (including everyone out there)

Okay, I saw this recipe in the Ikea's book and thought it would be good to try it out.  It says:

An instant recipe to be a Swedish Chef!  well maybe mine doesn't look like the picture they have shown LOL

Crispy Lemon and Herb Butter Chicken

This meatball also refering to a recipe book ..my first try on that recipe and it turns out still okay.  Next time, I should add some prawns so then it will taste better.

Meatballs with water chestnut

Stir fried Broccoli

Homemade mash potatoes and Bacon chip

This is another dish that I tried for the first time.. normally I cook spaghetti. So this fettucine needs to cook for a bit longer. The sauce to accompany it also took me longer than usual and ended up everyone is waiting for it. This again from the Ikea's book and I'll post the recipe at the bottom for reference.

I think I'm new to this kind of taste and my family too LOL.  All the while I've been cooking the creamy sauce for spaghetti, but this time for a change, I thought why not try new things. Ended.. it's not a popular dish *^*  Maybe I should try new things when it's just a normal dinner so not to get disappointed with the taste *v*

Slow Roasted Tomato & Peppers Prawn Pasta

Lastly we have the fruits platter and all the kids enjoy it so much.  Of course I can see what they like as they only took their favourites and left the starfruit! My eldest sis was helping me with this and she should have cut the starfruit into star shape to attract them. Well I've told her the idea and next time I think she knows what to do ^v^

Fruits platter

Here is the recipe from Ikea:

Crispy Lemon and Herb Butter Chicken

Ingredients

1 fresh chicken
1 bunch each of these herbs: fresh basil, flat parsley, fresh rosemary
2 lemons
2 cloves of garlic
150g butter at room temperature
3 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, mix them all together
   - Room temperature butter
   - Chop all the herbs
   - Grate all the lemon zest (without the bitter white of the lemon peel)
   - Grate the garlic
   - Squeeze the lemon juice

2. Carefully loosen the skin from the chicken and spread the above ingredients from mixing bowl evenly between the chicken skin and the meat.
3. Oil and season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
4. Cook in an oven for 50 minutes at 225 degree C.

** Some tools from Ikea to help you with this ~ KOMMERS herb chopper, CHARM grater, KONCIS roasting tin.. check it out at Ikea.com


Slow Roasted Tomato & Peppers Prawn Pasta
Ingredients

A group
4 large tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
1 small red and yellow capsicum, sliced
1 tablespoon ginger strips
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red onions, chopped
4 green chilli padi, crushed
4 tablespoons olive oil
50ml water
1 teaspoon salt

B group
4 large fresh water prawns (udang galah), halved
1 packet fettucine cooked according to packet instructions
2 stalks spring onions, chopped

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degree C conventional heat setting.
2. Put all the ingredients in A group into a casserole dish.
3. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. 
4. Remove the dish from the oven and turn up the oven temperature to 180 degree C.
5. Add the prawns, cover and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and toss in the pasta.
7. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve hot.

Little Secrets In Daily Life

 Some tips for our daily life *><*

1. Hot and spicy to tears, what to do?
If you accidentally eat the hot food that makes you shed tears, your first thought will be probably a glass of water. However, hot water is not a solution, it will make it more spicy. In fact, the best solution is to drink hot milk.

2. Keeping tofu firm
Soft tofu in the cooking process is very easy to break into pieces. If you want to maintain the integrity of tofu, you can soak it in salt water for about 30 minutes before cooking.

3. Soup is too salty
Making soup with too much salt, the subtle taste of the soup will be destroyed. If this happens, the remedy is to add cooked potato pieces for few minutes. The potato will absorb the salt. When soup is served, then remove the potatos.

4. Soak a little vinegar before cutting taros
Cutting taro can make your hands itching. Soaking your hands in vinegar before cutting taros will prevent you from itching.

5. How to remove the wax from an apple?
If you often eat apples with their skin, then you would need to remove the wax first before eating ....
(a) place the apple into hot water, the apple's wax will vanish.
(b) Apply toothpaste on the appple to clean out the wax.

6. How to slow down potato germination?
Potato buds contain toxic alkaloids which can cause abdominal pain and dizziness. Placing an apple in potatoes can significantly delay thier germination time. Ethylene gas produced by apple has hampered the effectiveness of potato development.
Putting apples together with papayas or kiwi will make them ripe faster. Further, apples can make persimmon astringency disappear but sweeten after a week.

7. How to make good rice?
After washing rice in water, add a few drops of lemon juice, (or a few drops of oil), cooked rice will turn out good and fragrant.

8. How to keep biscuits crispy?
When storing biscuits in a container, put a sugar cube in it at the same time. As the sugar absorbs the moisture in the container, biscuits or cookies can remain crispy and delicious.

9. What can be done if clothing stains with ink?
If ink gets on your clothing or fabric, you can use cooked rice or paste with a little detergent to remove the stain. Use your fingers to smear repeatly on the spot, stain can be removed quickly. Then soak it into fresh water with ordinary cleaning agent for a period of time before washing.

10. How to treat smelly shoes?
Put a small amount of baking soda directly into the boots, sneakers or shoes, that are obviously smelly due to dampness. Baking soda powder has the effect of absorbing moisture and odor.

11. Ring around the collar, or spotty under the armpit area of the clothing?
First brush some shampoo, shaving cream or lotion on the dirty area for five minutes. Then wash off the stain.

12. How to keep flower fresh?
Adding a little beer in the vase can keep house flowers fresh for an extended period of time. This is because beer contains alcohol whic is both antiseptic and disinfectant. Beer also contains sugar and other nutrients for the leaves.

13. How to sharpen scissors?
Stacked three aluminum foil together, then cut them with the scissors to be sharpen. You will see surprising result.

14. How to remove annoying gummed labels?
It is quite annoying when comes to remove the price tags on merchandise. To remove the gummed labels neatly, all you need is to use a hair dryer to apply heat on the label before taking them off.

Christmas Celebration 2010

Last year's Christmas I did not do any open house for Christmas.  We were invited to this makan makan (eat eat)  *><* at Klang.  Look at this.. I like this picture! 

Home cook food is the best!  This is by Gourmet Cottage. They do sell cupcakes, cookies etc etc. Look at these food!!!  It's a lot. 

Check these out!

Ceasar Salad

Sausage Cheese Pizza & Salad with thousand island+japanese mayo+periperi dip

Cold cut

Corn slab buttered with herbs

Devilled eggs

Egg & Potato Salad

Fruits with Choc

Gingerbread man

Homemade Charcoal bread

Lamb shank

Mix Vege

Coleslaw

Raisins & sultanas golden rice

Roast Chicken

Roast Pork Ribs

Sausage cheese pizza

Seafood soup

Vegetarian Pizza

Sore throat with flu

When I travel, I tend not to drink so much water as not to be so inconvenient and it's a hassle to look for a washroom.  However I told myself that I have to drink more water no matter where I am. So I've tried my best this time to drink more water, but I think the sun is too strong with the heat and I sweat a lot and at last, I've got a little bit of sore throat when coming back from Singapore and slight flu too.  Then I remember that my good friend was telling me during CNY, when he's here for dinner, that he took raw garlic almost everyday and so he don't have such flu problem.  Well, this is what I did then

• Take 10ml of Pure Cod Liver Oil early morning before breakfast  - "Seven Seas" which is purely oil
• Take a spoon of pure honey - "Thepprasit honey" is pure honey (tested and it really works! We are in Bangkok then and my friend lost her voice.  So, she took this during their presentation, and the next day, she can speak better.. so this is a MUST have! ..and this is good to be taken right after you took cod liver oil as it's not easy to drink the oil *@*)

• During lunch or dinner, take some raw garlic. You can have the garlic in soya sauce. Eat it with your rice and dish.
• Lots and lots of warm or room temperature water :)

 I took these for 3 days and I can tell you that I recovered from it naturally.. no need antibiotics!!  Wowww that is great right?  I've always like to eat spicy food and do not feel spicy nor thirsty and so I do have frequent sore throat and even lost my voice and always have to take antibiotics.  However this time, I'm so happy that I don't need to.  Well this is my own remedy and it works for me but doesn't mean that it works for every one..so please do not depend on this to cure your sickness :)   I won't be responsible for this *><*

Fish Spa

What a news!  This is something that most people would enjoy but now it seems such relaxing treatments could lead to the spread of infections!! Well, for me, personally I've not tried this, and I was a bit skeptical too as the fish is helping a lot of people to get rid of dead skin on their feet and legs. I mean I feel a bit yucckyy ..okay this is me :)  can't stand the ticklish feel LOL   

Read it more here ~ UK investigates fish spa pedicures on health issues

Miracle Drink - Carrot, Potato and Apple

A very good friend of mine shared this with me, and I think it's good to share here.  I believe that what we eat are what we are. So let's eat healthily to be healthy! 

This MIRACLE DRINK has been circulating for a long long long time ago.  It is worth your while to take note.  There is a celebrity Mr. Seto who swears by it.  He wants to make it public to draw the attention of people who have cancers.  This is a drink that can protect bad cells forming in your body or it will restrain its growth!  Mr. Seto had lung cancer.  He was recommended to take this drink by a famous Herbalist from China.  He has taken this drink diligently for 3 months and now his health is restored, and he is ready to take a pleasure trip.  Thanks to this drink!  It does not hurt for you to try.  
 
It is like a Miracle Drink!  It is simple.

You need one potato, one carrot and one apple that combine together to make the JUICE

Wash the above, cut with the skin on into pieces and put them into the juicer and immediately you drink the juice.  You can add some lime or lemon for more refreshing taste.

This Miracle Drink will be effective for the following ailments:


1.  Prevent cancer cells to develop. It will restrain cancer cells to grow.
2.  Prevent liver, kidney, pancreas decease and it can cure ulcer as well.
3.  Strengthen the lung, prevent heart attack and high blood pressure.
4.  Strengthen the immune system
5.  Good for the eyesight, eliminate red and tired eyes or dry eyes
6.  Help to eliminate pain from physical training, muscle ache
7.  Detoxify, assist bowel movement, eliminate constipation.  Therefore it will make skin healthy & LOOK more radiant. It is God sent for acne problem.
8.  Improve bad breath due to indigestion, throat infection 
9.  Lessen menstrual pain
10. Assist Hay Fever Sufferer from Hay Fever attack.

There is absolutely no side effect.  Highly nutritious and easily absorbs!  Very effective if you need to loose weight. You will notice your immune system will be improved after 2 week routine. Please make sure to drink immediately from the juicer for best effect.

When to drink it;
Drink it first thing in the morning with empty stomach! After one hour, you can have your breakfast.  For fast results, drink 2 times a day, in the morning and before 5pm.  You will never regret!

Hellooooo!

As I've created Lovely Bento recently, I thought of putting in some articles about health and food, and so I came out with this Healthy Food for Friends *><*  (this is the Kitty miao miao look LOL)  I wanted to name this as Food & Health, but as usual, such simple name has already been taken. 

So I hope to post in more information on Food & Health for myself and for all the rest of the people to read.  I'll also post in some home cook food that was prepared either myself or my friends or relatives, etc etc etc with some recipe used.  Well, again I'm not expert in cooking but I hope this serve as a reference for myself.  Hope you enjoy this!

Love, 

Fennie