July reads

I love reading. It is so therapeutic for me that I can read and read for few hours if no one disturb me. Can be to absorb into the stories and forget the present time. Sometimes I get lost into my reading that I can forget the times. 

Used to be able to finish a whole novel within 2 days but those were the days. Now with children and family commitment, finding times to read is not possible, least to say finish up a book! But when I do have spare times, I will read. Like for instance, this morning. My baby would not want to sleep again after his 5am feeding so I just let him loose while I read some pages of my book! Of course it was hard to concentrate as he kept disturbing me *wink*

Last Friday I was hunting now on  a novel series in a bookstore but ended up with these new books!

Half-way through the first novel, The Snowman. It was about Detective Harry Hole's investigation into the missing women case that has gone alarmingly high over the years and every time someone was missing, the killer will leave his trademark behind, i.e a snowman.

Understand that they are going to make it to the silver screen. A great crime novel writing by Jo Nesbo (a Norwegian musician, songwriter, economist and author); I like the intriguing and compelling way of Jo's mystery mind. I am always a fan of mystery and suspense genre.

So, am going to attach myself to my books for a while. This is my read for July. Are you currently into reading?

Lately

Life seems to run fast, and so is time. Half of 2014 has gone. Now we are in 2nd week of July! Oooo.

Nothing much to rant as life goes on as usual for me. Doing the same stuff every day, living a life of a homemaker. Maybe before I started my rant, some of you may have fallen asleep. *wink*

How do I start my day? Lately I am into muesli! Not really crazy about this cereal but I have been gaining weight since I were back from Thailand. Hard to shed away those weight so I have to start to watch my diet. And I am on this breakfast regime with hubby so we have the organic muesli with milk in the morning. Supposed to help in cholesterol and blood pressure too.

I am back to my reading routine. Into this novel series! Finished the first novel and have been hunting for the 2nd novel in the series. Have no luck in that department yet. Maybe I would search online if I could not find the 2nd novel in bookstores over here. Love the story line of the first novel, and just hooked onto it when I had times for myself during the days.

Magical and mystical world of warriors and avatars

The little one is going to be 10 months old this weekend. He can stand well now. Soon I think he will be on his feet taking those little steps. 

Thank God for the every day' s blessing. Life may sound and look ordinary but I am glad to count my blessing every now and then. Sometimes an ordinary life may not be a bad thing. 

Miscellaneous Picture #23 : Randomly

In love with this wrapper. Do you keep your present wrappers? I used to peel off present wrappers and keep them properly. Had a mini collection of them back in Kuching

My girl is obssessed with this pink hat! This hat reminded me of those vintage hats, maybe of the 70s? If only I could get her to trim off that lace off the hat...

Went to our favourite cafe for lunch today. Love Cafe-Cafe's grilled lamb with mint sauce dipping!

I should stopped eating lambs for now. Have been eating a lot of the meats lately. But I could not help myself having this red meat from Cafe-Cafe. And a bit full after that to enjoy my tuna toast. ^^

On the first Saturday

Good morning everyone! A short post today.

Have not been feeling that well these few days. Maybe the heat. I am just practically lazy and tired; do not feel like doing anything at all. It does not help with mild headaches during the days.

So, I am going to sit back today, watch tv, drink more water and give myself some Vit C booster!

Want to wish everyone a Happy Saturday!!

And a nice quote to share with you here.

Lotus and peanut pork ribs soup

Cooked a simple soup with lotus and raw peanuts the other day. I love the sweetness and fragrant the soup brings out. Coupled with carrot and dried squid, this soup is great to go with your rice.

Ingredients:

Raw peanuts, 200g, soaked and rinsed

1 lotus root, about 400g, sliced

Pork ribs, 1kg

1 carrot, sliced in smaller cube

1 dried squid, washed and sliced

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Blanch the pork ribs for about 10minutes

2. Fill up the slow cooker pot to half full. 

3. Cook the raw peanuts for about 2 hours to soften it. 

4. Add in all the other ingredients except salt. Cook for 1.5 hours.

5. Add salt and give the soup a stir after turn off the heat.

Feel the heat

Must do it once a year. When the Ramadhan comes, I will make a visit to the local Ramadhan food bazaar. Since worked in my first company, my colleagues and I would go and buy some Malay dishes and delicacies after work. We went to the Satok bazaar but during my last employment there, we went to the MBKS bazaar.

Not that I enjoyed the heat and smoke but I just like to join in the crowd scouting for food. This year like last year, I went to the bazaar opposite Wisma Sanyan for food hunting. Went there with my kids and sil on yesterday evening. Lady luck was by our side. We found car parking right in front of Wisma Sanyan, so we just crossed the road to the bazaar. It was around 5pm so the crowd was starting to come in.

After more than 30 minutes walk, we not only spent more than RM60 on food but we were also smell of smoke from the bbq stalls.

Bought grilled lamb from this stall. RM8 per piece. Very nice as the lamb was tender and tasty

Grilled lambs, Indian rojak and yuew tiaw

Sambal stingray and Roti John and Daging Murtabak at the back

My dinner from the Ramadhan stalls

I enjoyed the lamb satay (RM1.00per piece), grilled lamb and deep fried bishop nose. I know. All sinful food and I am sure to gain more fat after eating them. But once a year, it is alright. That way I do not feel so guilty. But after eating all the food, I feel my throat a bit drynow. Oh no! Need to drink more fluid and boost up my Vit C!

But that part was alright. What I hate most was when in a time of such unbearable heat even at night, suddenly we had a blackout. Yes, that what happened last night after 9pm. Only almost 11pm, we had the electricity back. My poor kids. Have to fan themselves to sleep. Luckily Jamie did not complained much because I did all the fanning for him. But I have to applause my hubby and princess as they could just sleep under such heat. ^^

To all my Muslim friends and readers, Selamat Berpuasa in this month of Ramadhan.

Ice cream soda

My version of ice cream soda!

I am not so sure whether this carbonated drink is still around but I remember as a kid, there used to have this particular carbonated drink that flavoured with vanilla that called ice cream soda. Something like 100Plus except ice cream soda is sweeter and tasted like vanilla ice cream. 

Over the weekend I made a little treat for my family considering the warm weather. Who could resist a cold temptation?? My kids were happy to be treated to this rare sweet indulgence from mummy. ^^

I did not have any 100Plus or Revive drinks at home, so I used Coca-Cola instead. I just gathered up vanilla flavour ice cream, Coca-cola and Milo powder. Fill half of the tall glass with Coca-Cola then slowly add in vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle some Milo powder on top. Even better with some Oreo crumbs! ^^

That's it! My version of ice cream soda!