Passion & inspiration

Some people sure have a lot of zest in their life.  Their passion, their inspiration.  Some loves and adores cooking, baking, crafting etc.  As for me, my writing is my life.  I love to write.  Mind you, I am not so good with writing, and flair with words, but that did not stop me from writing.  And that is why I blog.  Because I love to write and hope that my writing will inspire others too.

I may not be a great writer but I love to share my experiences with others.  And I hope from this blog, my friends and readers can see my world from my point of view.  How I think, feel, love and hate certain things.  And I may not dream big about the direction of my blog (after all, it is meant to be personal blog), I hope someday my kids will enjoy reading it and understand the journey of my life through it. 

So for those who plans to write, why don't start a blog???  And thanks to all those blogs who inspire me and others.  Keep writing.  :)

Who said it is easy??

Being a mother isn't that easy.  Being a parent with active kids isn't that easy.  Being a homemaker is not that easy.  Period. 

Every day I have to plan my day ahead.  Plan what to do, what to cook, where to go, and how to deal with my 2 active and growing children at home.  Sometimes catching up on tv is hard, especially when the kids are at home.  And getting them to shower is not an easy task.   They enjoy their shower, just the mess they make in the bathroom will make you faint! And if they do not take their afternoon naps, I would be stuck with them through the afternoon.   Cannot do much, not with them fooling and following me around. And doing laundry is neither fun nor frustrating when you have to fight with the sun for good weather.

I cook 3 meals almost every day and I do not get an off day although Sunday, I get to cook to one or 2 meals that day.  And driving my kids around, under the hot sun, fetching my eldest from her school is no fun.  I am no longer wear nice clothing as I seldom go out.  My shorts and shirts are my uniform now.  And I don't bother much about my appearance; whether I tied my hair properly or my body is sweating like hell. 

I admit that I am not the BEST  homemaker in the world.  Because I hate stinky stuff, and I hate ironing and dusting.  But I could not stand the dust settling down on the cabinets so since no one is doing it, I have to do it.  So whenever I do dusting, I will sneeze like hell.  And I gag whenever I wash the toilets.  And hubby complained my ironing sucks!  Well, I told you I am not a good homemaker but at least I try right??  It is the thoughts that count.  At least he helps me doing some over the weekend.

And I have decided on this year's resolution.  Want to know what is my new year resolution??  Is to stay sane, look good and save some money for my holidays.  *wink*

And all my hubby thinks that I do is stay at home, doing nothing!  Hummf.

Blog giveaway: Scents of Love

I know!  I have never organise a blog giveaway since I started this blog, but late is better than never, right?  *wink*

So for my very first blog giveaway, I am giving out this beautiful scents set to one winner.  It has 6 different scents for different occasions.

To enter, just simply answer this question: What is your favourite scent/perfume?

Closing date: 31 January 2013.  All participating names will be written in papers and one lucky winner will be picked by hand on 1 February 2013.  Hope you would like this wonderful Valentine's Gift from me.  *wink*

The rules?  Very easy.

1.  Open to everyone, within Malaysia and outside of Malaysia.
2. Must follow my blog.    If you have already follow, please let me know in the comment box and go straight to the answer.

3. Leave comments and answers in this post comment box.  You can leave as many comments as you want.

4. Wait for the lucky draw date and announcement of winner next month. 

That is!  Good luck.

Not chopstick person

It is no secret.  I am not a chopstick type of person.  Never been.  Even when I go out I would request for a pair of spoon and fork.  Not only for my children but for myself too. 

Don't blame my parents for not teaching me this Chinese cutlery mastery.  From my family side, my mum is great with chopsticks.  As kids, we learnt by looking at others.  But yet I could not master it properly.  It takes skills and not everyone can master them well.  The correct way of picking food with chopsticks is only the top stick moved.  But for me, both sticks move and as long as I can pick up food, it is fine.  I always have tough time picking dishes in restaurant.   And always embarass myself when the food I picked fall into the serving plate again.  So I ended up asking hubby to serve food for me when we have dinner in restaurants.  Now he gets used to it and will automatic pick dishes for me.  Now you know why.  Not because he is gentleman but the poor wife does not want to embarass herself in front of strangers.  Lol! 

Weekend Menu #41: My helpers and kacangma

My daily helpers around the house who diligently make my life easier.  Thanks to them. 

Another useful helper that I forgot to take photo is my Magic Bullet Food Processor.  I used it to blend onions, garlics and ginger in bigger portion.  Most of the time I used it to mince gingers when I cooked kacangma. By the way my main dish for my reunion dinner with old colleagues last 27th was my kacangma and everyone commented it wss tasty. Even my friend's Australian husband tasted and complimented on it. *wink*

Yes!  I have learnt to cook kacangma and I really enjoyed my own kacangma.  Never knew it is that easy.  I have been cooking it few times and each time I am tasting with different measurement of rice wine. Of course the more the better but I will get drunk and warm if too much of wine in the soup.  *wink* 

So I have come up with my own measurement and recipe of kacangma.  Enjoy cooking!

My grated ginger and its juice using my Magic Bullet food processor

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of dried motherwort leaves

1.5kg of chicken thighs, chopped into smaller bites

4 tbsp sesame oil

1 big sized ginger, grated in food processor

2 cups rice wine

1 1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Peel the skin and slice the ginger.  Extract the ginger juices from the ginger using food processor.  Of course if you have mortar and pestle then it is even better because more juice and the ginger will be really minced
2. Heat up sesame oil in wok.  When it is hot, throw in the processed ginger (not the juice).  Saute for few minutes till ginger is fragrant and browned. Add in motherwort and stir for a while.
3. Add in chicken meat.  Cook for 5 minutes till chicken turned white.  Add in ginger juice and white wine.  Give a few quick stir. Cover the wok with lid and let it cook for 5 minutes
4. Open the lid and give the meat a stir.  Add salt and sugar (optional).  Cover with lid and let it cook till chicken is softer.  Turn off the heat and dish out the kacangma

My mum's advice: After Step 3, you can transfer the kacangma to a steamer and let it steam for 30 minutes or till chicken has soften.  Taste better, according to her.

What's cooking?

My residential area is pretty homey in the sense that mostly women are homemakers and stay at home.  Sometimes from my kitchen's window I could hear people talking (or arguing).  All gossips that I could get too.  Not that I want to eavesdropping but I could not help it because my neighbours do talk loudly. 

I am in between a Singaporean family and a Malay family.  The Singaporeans seldom at home, they only stay for few days or weeks once or every 2 months.  As for the Malay, the wife is a homemaker.  I guess she is a good cook.  Because when ever she cooked curry, the smell is overwhelming and could stir my craving for one.  Sometimes the smell of her fried chicken wafting in the air reminds me of the KFC smell.  *wink*

I get to know the family few weeks ago.  Because I will catch her hanging her laundry out and although our wall are pretty high to see her properly, I did manage to greet her good day some mornings.  We just have a small talk once a while, so whose know.  Maybe I could learn some good Malay recipe from her. 

As for today lunch, simple steamed pork with tung choy.  I could eat my rice with this dish only.

Ingredients:

50g minced pork

1 tbsp tung choy, washed and rinsed twice

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tbsp pepper

1/3 tbsp cornflour

Fried shallots for garnishing

Methods:

1. Mix all the ingredients except fried shallots in a deep plate. 
2. In boiling water at medium heat, place the plate of minced pork and cover the wok with lid.  Let it cook for 10-12 minutes before turning off the heat
3. Take the plate out from the wok and garnish the top with some fried shallots 

Lunch takeaway

I have been cooking lunch for hubby's take away to the office for few weeks.  And after I finished cooking, I will deliver to his office which is less than 10 minutes drive.  And I am in time to pick up my little girl from her school and go home for lunch together with her.



Today I whipped up something fast.  My menu is steamed prawns, stir fry scallion chicken meat, black olive in sugar and soy sauce dipping and mixed vegetables (tomatoes, celeries and carrots) for lunch.

Simple and fast-to-cook lunch. 

Morning breakfast

It is an usual Monday morning.  Kids are in school and I am having breakfast with my mum in Jalan Sekama since I needed to go to Toyota to pay hubby's car loan installment.  I suggested to mum for a noodle breakfast in J.P.H. Roasted Cafe (behind Dorset Boutique Hotel).

This cafe only serve roasted meat either with rice or noodles and their business are hot, especially during lunch time.  I understand that the owner is a West Malaysian and has been in business over here for few years now. 

My mum ordered mix meat rice.  She never fancied noodles.  RM6.00 per plate consisting of roasted duck, roasted chicken and roasted pork.

I have its duck noodle which is RM4.50 per plate.  Love its roasted duck.  Juicy and tasty.  And the noodle is so much that I cannot finish it up.

I would surely recommend this place to any friends from outstation and overseas.  If you want to find good roasted meats, you must try this place out.

Alone in the pool

When ever I am bored or have some times to spare, I would spend about an hour in the swimming pool.  Have been in the pool few times and I like it in the morning.  Because the sun is warm and water feel nice and warm.  Nowadays the sun shines pretty bright early in the morning but set pretty fast in the evening.

Besides the sun and water, I love the alone time in the pool.  No one use the pool.  I guess mostly the residents over here gone to work so no one using it in the morning. So the pool belongs only to me in the morning!  It feels nice when no one there to ogle you in your swimming wear.  Not that I care. 

I do my aqua-aerobic in the pool.  I don't swim that well, so aqua-aerobic is a great exercise in the pool. Some simple aerobic movement in the pool.  So now you know my secret.  Why I prefer to have the pool all to myself.  *wink*  I guess the nearby houses would be wondering what I am doing in the pool moving like that?!  *wink*  

But who cares? I feel great after the exercise.  :) 

2013 - upcoming events

1. A full-time homemaker now.  And a full-time mother to my children.  And also a part time blogger and part time PA to my hubby. 

2. Both kids are schooling tomorrow. My eldest is going to Primary One and Baby Jay entering Pre-1. Meaning no more late nights.  I am excited and anxious for both of them. 

3. Chinese New Year falls on 10 February.  Meaning what excuse and other good time to spend more??  And not forgetting our first year of CNY in new house, so being the mistress of the house, I would need to prepare all the necessary.   I am excited!

4. A wedding on 15 February- my SIL is getting hitched and wedding is held in Sibu.  So Sibu, here we come!

5. Going to get baptised together with the kids this year. It is time to dedicate my time to God.
6. Planning a family holiday sometime middle of the year, but that depends on hubby's availability.

7. If money and time permit, we shall have another family vacation end of the year, to Singapore.  Have been talking about going to Universal Studio.