Miscellaneous Picture #60 : With quotes

It is month of joy and sorrow for the family.

A new baby is born (on my side of family) but few days later, a cousin has passed on after lost his fight to cancer (hubby's side of family).  Life goes on and we shall never forget to say our blessing to the Almighty.

Life is like a river. We flow with the current. To go against it takes effort but the current will takes you if you let it 

The barge she sat in, like a burnt throne, burnt on the water

A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it, it just bloom!

Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden.

You came to say "Hello" today, and I whispered "I miss you" as you flew away.

Usual on Sunday

We had our usual last Sunday morning when we went to Huan Lok Cafe.

Each of us had this irresistible old school taste of kolo mee.

That morning we did not feel like having its dumpling soup so we ordered a side dish of steamed chicken. Hainanese steamed chicken to go with our kolo mee.

Of course must go with the chicken rice chilli vinegar dipping. Used not to be that watery but the taste is still there.

A nice breakfast to start our Sunday morning.

Lately and breakfast

Hi there!  Can't believe it is already middle of the week and soon October is almost over as well.

Life has been usual; the same routine, busy with kids while last week, I were recovering from my little sickness.  I am all better now, but alas, not much going over here, so nothing much to write and share.

I had a little hiccup with my internet line last week. Keep bouncing in and out and it was frustrating to blog from my laptop. I tried updated from my phone but the little one has finished up my data quota and it is not even month end!! Gosh. Need to wait for more than a week for the new quota renew. Or maybe I should consider better and higher data??

Kids' final exam is coming up in a week time and it means it is stress-time for not my kids but me as well!!  Then again, it means that 2016 school calendar is almost over.  I couldn't believe it!!  One year is almost end on us and it just feels like yesterday when school started.

A long school holiday starting this Friday. For the 1st time, we are having Deepavali school holiday. Friday till the following Wednesday. The school also taking a special holiday on next Wednesday for the All Soul's Day. So kids would be busy revising over the holidays before the final exam is started on 3 November.

This year has been a challenging year for everyone. We experimented with many things but eventually we settled down with our routine and I think so far it has been the best arrangement for everyone.  But I am sure more changes and adjustments next year with tighter schedule.  For now, I don't want to think about it. Let just enjoy the present and worry about it when the time comes.

On Monday, I made this super delicious muesli yogurt breakfast for myself.  Alas, if only my kids enjoy this so I could make for them but they are not so fond of muesli other than taking few nibs here and there.

Simply irresistible with the extra goodness. I used blueberry yogurt with my muesli.

I added layer of muesli and yogurt in my glass and let it chill for a while before dig in.

Having muesli for breakfast is so much fun and tastier now. *wink*

Hot dogs

Hot dog has been the talk of the country lately and I, like some don't really understand what the big issue was about the name "hot dog". 

But I am not going to debate about its name here. Call it whatever you want. Hot dog, sausage, frankfurter. It is a staple food, eat it as it is or add into dishes; and you can have it anytime of the day.

There was this pack of Ayamas premium mushroom chicken franks in my freezer for few weeks and I thought of finishing them up. Hubby bought it but the kids did not fancy the mushroom and chicken texture in the franks. So I have to turn them into an interesting snack that the kids could not resist.

These bacon-wrapped hot dogs stuffed with cheese were delicious. The bacons were crisply baked and the saltiness and cheese made them irresistible.

Ingredients:
3 hot dogs
Cheddar cheese
6 bacons
Salt and pepper to taste

Methods:
1. Slit the hot dogs with knife to create pockets for the cheese. Cut the cheddar from the block and stuff them into the slits.

2. Tightly wrap one bacon slice around the hot dog. Then wrap the second bacon (slightly overlap the first slice) over the hot dog tightly. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Pre-heat the oven (200C), then place the hot dogs on wire rack. Bake for 40 minutes or till bacon is crispy.

4. Let them cool down before dig in.

Phenomenon

If you remember, I did went to Sri Aman sometime middle of the year for few days.

Unfortunately we did not get to see the "benak" phenomenon that time as it was not the right time.  Benak as the local called them is the interesting tidal bores that formed in Batang Lupar river. Usually the big benak fest is sometimes in May where big waves are formed but basically you could view the waves anytime of the year. It is the only river in the world that has tidal bores on daily basis! More information here.

Thanks to hubby, he video-ed this benak on Monday evening and shown to me. Hope to experience and see the benak one day.

Well, nothing phenomenal is happening this weekend, but I did brought the kids for their much needed haircut. Just me and kids, enjoying our Saturday.

Grocery shopping

Before hair cut

How do I look?

Hubby is away travelling and will only get to see him tomorrow before he is off to Sri Aman again. One thing I don't fancy about year end? He is flying more often for meetings. Already don't get to see him on weekdays and he is away during the weekends as well. Sigh!

Sweet black chicken soup

I love when my family enjoys what I cook.  Who doesn't?

Soup has been a frequent dish on our table as it is simple, fast and good for everyone.  And I don't need to crack my head thinking what to cook for dinner most of the time. Anyhow, married to a Foochow man, I learn to love soups too. Never was a soup person growing up till I met and married my man.  *wink*

I experimented with many ingredients, and sometimes I got inspiration from my mum or recipe books etc. And the latest chicken soup I cooked was this simple black chicken with black bean and black dates soup. 

This soup is robust with sweetness from the black beans, black dates and wolfberries. And my children love it too.  They don't take the black chicken.  Next time I will substitute it with kampong chicken.

Black chicken with black beans and black dates soup

Ingredients:
1 black chicken, cut into smaller pieces
10 black dates
handful of black beans, soaked and rinsed few times
1 garlic clove
Few slices of ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. wolfberries

Methods:

1. Wash all the ingredients properly.  Blanch the black chicken before tossing into slow cooker.

2. Add water in the slow cooker and add all the ingredients except wolfberries and salt and pepper.

3. Cook for 2 1/2 hours.  Turn off the heat and add in wolfberries, salt and pepper to taste.

Burger feast

Burgers for dinner!!  We don't get to do that often. *wink*

A stone throw away from MJC McD's drive through outlet (behind C L Khoon Electronics), this newly opened local burger outlet is worth checking out.

From their FB page

Opens from 5pm to 12 midnight daily, ANC Burger has awesome and worth-for-money burgers for everyone.

Last weekend, we had a take-away from this shop since we felt like having burgers for dinner. An awesome burger feast for everyone in the comfort of our home.

Everyone was famished and could not wait to attack the burgers so I simply (and quickly) took shots of each.

Beef Cheese burger

Hot Cow

Chick N Cheese burger

Hubby's BBQ Beef Bacon with egg

New York Frank

I liked the beef patties. Not dry and well seasoned. I had the Hot Cow which was spicy from its spicy sauce but I have to say mine tasted better than hubby's.

And I would much prefer my bun to be slightly toasted for that charred taste and crust. Overall, the burgers were nice.

Of course we got to balance our dinner with some greens. My homemade salad. *wink*

What's for lunch??

I rarely cook lunch. But this week, I am super lazy to go out and buy lunch; and while I were recovering from my sore throat and cough, I resorted to cook lunches at home. The crazy weather did not helped either. So hot that I could feel myself burning.

It was on Tuesday that I made something different from what I would usually cook. No rice or noodle. We had spaghetti lunch instead!!

Spaghetti mushroom carbonara to be exact. It has been ages since I cooked spaghetti at home. And since my kids like spaghetti, I surprised them with this dish when they were back from school.

Everything was quick and non-hassle for me as I used this sauce. So much easier than cook the sauce from scratch. This carbonara sauce was pretty good too.

One good reason to cook at home is you can basically add anything to your dish. So for this carbonara, I added mushrooms and bacon strips to the creamy sauce. Mushrooms to enhance the mushroomy taste in the sauce and bacons for the texture.

My simple spaghetti mushroom carbonara

Ingredients:
1 can of Prego mushroom carbonara
Spaghetti or any pasta of your preference
A handful of mushrooms
Half onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 strips bacon, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Buttered baguette
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh mints (for garnish)

Methods:
1. Cook spaghetti in boiled salted water for 12 minutes before drain out.
2. In a hot pan, add in olive oil. Once hot, add in bacons. Saute for few minutes. Season with pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Add in mushrooms, garlic and onion into the pan. Saute for few minutes.
4. Toss in Prego sauce. Add about half cup of water to the sauce. Once simmer, lower the heat. Season with salt. Off the heat.
5. Prepare the spaghetti on a plate. Pour carbonara sauce on top.
6. Add chopped parsley on top of the sauce. Place buttered baguette at the side of the plate and garnish with fresh mint.

Dig in!!

Waited long

It was a raining Sunday morning. Not feeling well myself; had a sore throat and headache that day.

Everyone woke up late that morning. And since we did not have much time left because we were already late for church service, we drove to this Wang Full, Ang Cheng Ho Road for a quick brekkie.

However our choice was wrong because it wasn't quick. We waited pretty long for our breakfast although just few tables occupied. It was raining and cold that morning; not many customers. Around 3 or 4 tables occupied only. However we waited long for our food to come. They sure take their sweet time preparing the food. 

Hubby wanted laksa that morning so he got his dose of Sarawak laksa and braised chicken feet here. His food came first.

On the other hand, kids and I settled for the kolo mee stall. I were tempted for laksa but got to take care of my delicate throat.

The kids had kolo mee with char siew while I went for the special kolo kuay teow.

The auntie was so generous with ingredients. I couldn't even see my kuay teow. And I loved that she added those fried shallots other than spring onion on top and it did give that added fragrant and flavour. Delicious and satisfying. So the long wait? Worth it I guess.

After our long breakfast we went to our church. Almost 20 minutes late but at least we were there. *wink*

Take your pick

Learnt about this new coffee shop from a friend via fb. A new shop that opens this month.

31 31 Cafe is in the same row with "Yes" Cafe, the new shoplots before Biaramas office in Jln Datuk Tawi Sli. In this new commercial area itself has 2 big food courts and businesses were so good. Don't know what's good here as they are always full with patrons.

My first time been to this area and one thing I concluded was the parking. Maybe it was a holiday and I were caught in a long queue. However, we were happy that I managed to find a nice parking spot right in front of the shop.

A new shop so no tax charged to the drink (yet).

My girl ordered the breakfast set (Set B) for RM9.90. Her style of breakfast.

Breakfast set

Nothing much to it but it was nicely presented. I personally think the egg was slightly overcooked. The yolk was not runny at all when she broke into it. Anyway she never into egg yolk so she hardly touch it.

The dim sum stall was what I came here for. Special opening promotion from 1st to 3rd October. Buy 4, free 1. All steamers are priced at RM5.00 each.

It was the last day of promotion so I did not want to miss it. Not many choices though but good enough for me to take my pick.

Stuffed beancurd skin

Siew mai

Har kaw

Braised pork rib

Piggy buns

Overall the dim sum was alright. I personally prefer the little cute pig but if only the custard was creamier, it would be perfect.

The cafe was clean and packed. As they said "new toilet". To me, it is just another new place to eat. Like others, nothing new and fancy. Food are all the same.