Happy Call Yummies - Beefy Feast

When it comes to red meat, my first choice will always be beef! Love the distinct taste of beef and it goes so well with stews and brown mushroom sauce for that wonderful steak!!!

One beef dish I especially love and simply must have is Braised Beef Brisket. Naturally, Braised Beef Brisket noodles is what I'd usually order when I go to a chinese tim sum restaurant. I made this dish over the weekend and I simply love the aroma filled the entire house!

These were the spices that are needed for this dish.

All the meat, radish and spices fit well into the deeper pan.

To add interest to the presentation of the dish, I dish the meat on top of a bed of broccoli.

Here's how you can make this dish:

Ingredients

Spices - 3" long cinnamon stick, 3 Star Anise, 4 cloves, 2-3 Bay leaves, 5-6 cloves of garlic, 1tbsp black pepper corn, 6 slices of ginger and 3 stalks of spring onions.

Meat - 500gms beef (I bought the ready packed stew beef meat from the super mart), 1 radish sliced into thick slices. Broccoli (or other green vegetables - optional).

Seasoning - 1tbsp dark soya sauce, 4-5tbsp light soya sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce, 2tbsp sugar

Others - 4tbsp chinese cooking wine, water

Method -

1) Brown the beef in the pan (without oil); dish it out and set aside

2) Add some oil and fry all the spices for a min or two, once it's fragrant add in the beef

3) Pour in the seasoning and the rest of the ingredients

4) Bring the mixture into a boil and then close the lid and stew for 2.5hrs or until beef is tender. Be sure to check from time to time and give it a light stir.

5) If you feel the gravy is not thick enough you may add a little corn starch solution to thicken the liquid.

6) You may serve it with white rice or noodles.

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Whenever I order food from the local food stall (煮炒), this is one of my favourite dish, Stir-Fry Beef in ginger and spring onion. Love that it's so simple to make it on the Happy Call Double Pan :)

Great as part of the family dinners. Here's how to make it:

Ingredients

Beef (I bought steak beef and cut it into cubes), Large onions, sliced thinly, 3-4 slices of Ginger, 3 stalks of spring onions.

Seasoning - 1 spoonful of Knorr chicken powder, 2tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp of sugar

Others - Corn Flour, 2tbsp rice wine

Method

1) Marinate the beef with Corn Flour and pepper for 30mins and above

2) Add some oil into the pan and fry the spices (onions, ginger and spring onions)

3) Once the spices is fragrant add the beef, seasoning and rice wine .

4) Close the lid for 3-4 mins (flip the pan in between the time)

5) Open the lid and see if the beef is done to your preference. Mine was medium (I didn't want it to be well done), so I ceased fire at the point when the beef has about medium done.

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Beef Stew, my family's all-time favourite and it's so simple to cook!

Ingredients

Beef (500gms, stew beef meat from the super mart), Carrots, potatoes (all cut into wedges),

1 large onion sliced. 1 can tomato sauce (or pasta sauce), 1 beef cube mixed into 1 litre of warm water.

Marinate:
Corn flour, paprika, salt & pepper

Seasoning: 
Salt & Pepper

Others:
1/2 cup red cooking wine (or any fruity red wine such as merlot)

Method:
1) Marinate the beef for 1hour
2) Brown the meat in the pan; dish it out and set it aside
3) Add some oil and fry the vegetables together with the onions
4) Once the vegetables and onions are fragrant add the beef into the pan followed by the seasoning and tomato sauce as well as water and red wine (note: the liquid level must cover the beef).
5) Bring it to a boil and close the lid and stew for 1hr+ or until beef is tender.

Have fun and enjoy your Happy Call Yummies!!!

Happy Call Yummies - Quick and Easy

Lunch time HappyCall meals are usually simple and I'd normally purchase processed food (which I know isn't too healthy to begin with). I don't really bother much about what I eat during lunch because it's normally just for one person (yours truly) and cooking a meal seems to be a chore. 

So for easy to whip up meals for just one or two people during lunch I'll go for something really fuss-free and quick. Prata Sausage wrap is one of my favourite snack that makes quite a good lunch-for-one meal. Just pop the prata (frozen) into the Happy Call Pan together with the sausage and fry under low heat for 6-8mins on each side of the prata and sausage.

Wrap it up with some salad (easiest choice is ice berg lettuce), squeeze some mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce, voila!!! It's done! Quick & Easy!

I was inspired by my friend Rachel, recently after she posted a home made mushroom beef patty burger. I recalled that I have this pack of Garlic Bread in the freezer for over a month and decided to prepare some Mushroom Bruschetta for lunch.

Ingredients: Mixed mushrooms (Portobello, brown & white button mushrooms thinly sliced), onions thinly sliced, chopped parsley (optional), 2 tbsp red cooking wine, 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 1 knob butter, 1 tbsp olive oil.

Method: 

1) Melt butter in olive oil and add the sliced onion (fry till tender)

2) Add mushrooms and red wine, worcestershire sauce 

3) Close the lid of the Happy Call Pan and let it stew under low heat for approximately 8-10mins till the gravy is almost dry; meantime, pop the garlic bread into the oven on 180C for 14mins wrapped in aluminium foil (or as per the instructions on the package)

4) Once the mushrooms and the garlic bread is done top the bread with the mushroom and sprinkle some chopped parsley.

5) You may add some freshly grounded black pepper

Now lunch time meals can be so quick and easy to prepare and definitely fuss-free! ;)

Under the Weather

I have taken ill twice in two months (record breaking). I hardly fall ill (thank God) but when I do, it comes down badly on me. Last month I was down with a very bad cold and it took me nearly 2-3 weeks to recover. 

Last weekend, I was once again hit by the cold bug and have been down till today. Runny/blocked nose, phlegmy throat and all the works... it's taking a longer time to recover because of my reluctance to rest early every night. It has seriously taken a toll on my body and I really have to listen to my body and take more time to rest.

The inevitable happened. Last month, my children were spared from being "poisoned" by the cold bug, was so thankful they have been healthy all this time. However, they are not so lucky this time round partly because of the freakish weather (supremely hot one day and rain non-stop the next). Plus we are always in such close proximity somehow the "germ" found its way into their bodies. 

Ironically, we've been learning about germs at home the past few weeks and now they know how the germ really works!

It is hard being a mom especially when the little ones are sick. Because they are so young it's always so heart breaking to watch them suffer from the ill effects of bacteria or virus in their bodies and not being able to help much except to comfort them. It is my hope that Little Man and Little Missy would recover quickly and have a clean bill of health!

Note to self, better lead a healthier lifestyle so that the little ones will not be affected!

HappyCall Yummies - Lemon Chicken

I am constantly amazed by the members of the HappyCall group in Facebook! They are simply the most adventurous bunch I've encountered thus far. You'll be surprised at what great wonderful food can come out of their HappyCall Pans!!! :) They are my source of inspiration as I work on my daily dinner plans ;)

Today, I decided to prepare Lemon Chicken since I've purchased this pack of sauce for over a month now. I prefer to use ready made sauce as it helps me to save time and makes whipping up meals so much easier.

This was my first attempt at using the HappyCall pan to fry a chicken cutlet. It was wonderful that this chicken cutlet turned out crispy while my kitchen remained grease-less. Best of all, it didn't fill my kitchen and yard with the lingering greasy odour like it used to be.

It just cannot be any easier to prepare Lemon Chicken than it is on the HappyCall pan ;)

Ingredients:

1 Chicken thigh (de-boned)

Kentucky Chicken Powder

Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 egg (whisked)

1 packet of Lemon Chicken premix (bought from FairPrice)

4-5tbsp of Oil for frying

Method:

1) Wash the chicken thigh thoroughly, pat it dry completely

2) Coat the chicken meat into the Kentucky Chicken Powder (both sides)

3) Dip the chicken meat into the whisked egg (both sides)

4) Coat the chicken meat with the Panko (both sides), set it aside for 2hrs

5) Heat oil in the frying pan on medium heat

6) Once the oil is heated up, turn down the flame to low heat

7) Place the chicken meat into the pan, close the lid and fry it for 10mins (do NOT flip the pan)

8) Open the lid and manually turn the chicken meat to the other side and cook for another 10mins 

*Note: Remember to keep the heat low because the chicken thigh is rather thick and it takes a while to be cooked thoroughly; to prevent the surface of the chicken meat from being charred before the meat is cooked, the heat has to remain low.

9) While the chicken is being cooked, prepare a separate small saucepan (or small frying pan), heat up the pan and then pour in the Lemon Chicken premix, once it bubbles turn out the flame.

10) Once the chicken is ready, lift it out of the HappyCall pan and drain the oil with a kitchen paper towel.

11) Cut the chicken meat accordingly and serve with the Lemon sauce drizzled over the meat.

Exasperate Your Children (Not)

A few days ago, I was out to clear the trash and I ran into my neighbours next door. I overheard the daughter yelling at the top of her voice at her dad. She was apparently trying to remind her dad to lock both the main door and the gate (she repeatedly yelled at him with the same instructions and ended scolding her dad). 

(Credit: Google Images)

I wasn't agreeable to the way the daughter was talking to the dad about the matter. But I would imagine that the daughter might have pent up frustrations towards the dad and she was using this occasion to vent. Which calls to mind this verse from the bible - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." ~ Ephesians 6:4

I reflected on the incident as well as my own behaviour towards my parents during my younger years and I could certainly understand better of what's taught in the verse from Ephesians. Am definitely guilty of exasperating my kids in countless instances throughout my journey as a mom.

I am a daughter of my mom's and am now a mother of 2 children myself. I certainly want my children growing up with proper family values and respecting the elders be it at home or beyond the family. We have recently made Little Man and Little Missy memorize and practice handwriting with this verse - "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord" ~ Colossians 3:20 It is our hope that our kids will put what they have learned from this verse into practice everyday.

Above which, from henceforth, I must and should value my relationship with my children for it's a privilege to be a mother, they are great gifts from the Lord to me, they belong to our Heavenly Father, they are entrusted to me for their life time here and it's only temporary.

If I want them to grow up offering me grace, love and respect when I am old, I ought to give it to them now while they are here with me.

Happy Call Yummies - Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce

I will never forget the wonderful taste of Chicken Masak Merak, because since when I was little, we have a muslim neighbour (at my mom's place) who will send us wonderful food whenever they celebrate Hari Raya. In addition, during malay weddings, I'll get to eat this tasty chicken dish as well. I've noted in my heart that one day I must learn how to make this dish and enjoy it whenever I want to :)

My version might not be as good compared to the muslim neighbour's at my mom's place. But here goes -

I love the chicken thigh's meat so my natural choice would be the chicken thighs. I bought 6 pieces of chicken thigh meat. Rubbed it with tumeric powder & salt and set it aside for 30mins. 

Fry it till it's golden brown on each side. By frying is to seal the juice into the meat as well as give the chicken a firmer texture.

Prepare the paste by blending - 4-5 small red onions, 5 cloves of garlic, 5 stalks of lemon grass, 40gm ginger, 25gm galangal, 8-9 dried chillies (soaked and seeded). Process the ingredients into a fine paste.

Fry the spices - 2-3 Star Anise, 4 Cloves, 3 inches of cinnamon, 3 cardamom (I bought a pack of these mixed spices from Fairprice that was meant for braised meat). Saute the spices with 1tbsp of oil till fragrant.

Then add the blended paste. Stir-fry a little and close the lid for 3mins on medium high heat. Flip the pan a few times in between the cooking time.

Once the blended paste is cooked, add in the chicken meat, 1 can of tomato soup (I bought the Campbell tomato soup), 1 cup of water, 200ml of coconut milk, 1 tomato sliced (optional), salt to taste. Bring up to a quick boil and then simmer under low heat for 20-25mins (or until chicken is cooked). Open the lid a few times to do some light stirring.

I am amazed that this chicken dish can be so tasty even without curry powder. The spices and the onions, garlic, lemon grass etc has given this dish a wonderful aroma and make it exceptionally delish!

I've used the left over gravy for prata the next morning, I thought that's a great way to savour the gravy (every drop of it) *smile*

Here's the list of ingredients for easy reference:

6-8 pieces of chicken thigh meat.

8-9 Dried chillies, soaked
4-5 Small red onions
5 cloves of garlic
40g ginger
25g galangal (lengkuas)
5 lemongrass
2-3 star anise
4 cloves
3 inch of cinnamon
3 cardamom
1 can of tomato soup
1 pack (200ml) coconut milk (I'd recommend buying freshly squeezed coconut milk)
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 tomato, optional

HappyCall Yummies - Yummy Chicken

There are really so many ways to cook the chicken meat. Two of my favourite were prepared on the HappyCall pan this past week and it's the most delicious I've tasted thus far. Was it due to the HappyCall Pan? *smile* I wonder too.

The following chicken dish do seem somewhat suitable for mothers who are in the confinement period *smile* these weren't from the confinement food cook book that I drew inspiration from though.

Herbal Chicken was inspired by a demo video that I've watched here. I adapted the recipe and added a wider variety of chinese herbs as compared to what was shared in the video. 

Seriously, preparing this dish in the HappyCall Pan saves me loads of time and it certainly is really very easy. 

Ingredients: Chicken Thigh Meat, Chinese Herbs (当归, 党参, 枸杞子, 红枣), 1tbsp 绍兴酒 (shao xing wine), 150ml warm water, 2 spoonful of Knorr chicken powder, 1tsp soya sauce.

Method:

1) Heat up the pan on medium low heat

2) Place the herbs and chicken and the seasoning of Knorr chicken powder + soya sauce

3) Add the water and chinese wine

4) Close the lid and cook on medium low heat for 15-20mins (until chicken is cooked thoroughly). You may open the lid to give the ingredients a light stir in between the cooking time.

*Note: Do keep the heat around medium low to medium and not any higher heat otherwise the gravy might dry up too quickly before the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

This chicken dish is said to look like confinement food *smile* I remember eating something similar but was loaded with lots of sesame oil and my mom called it the Sesame oil chicken (麻油鸡).

This version of chicken stew, however, has chinese cooking wine added. It was supposed to be a claypot dish but with the Happy Call Pan I was spared from the splatter of sesame oil! :)  

If I could really share the aroma of this dish virtually, I'd definitely do so. It was supremely aromatic as it was stewing in the Happy Call Pan!!!

Here's how to prepare this dish.

Ingredients: Chicken thigh meat, Black fungus (soaked and cut), ginger (thinly sliced)

Marinate: 1tsp dark soya sauce, 2 tbsp light soya sauce, a dash of pepper

Seasoning(to be mixed into a bowl) : 2tbsp 绍兴酒 (shao xing wine), 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce 

Additional item: 150ml warm water

Method:

1) Marinate the chicken for 30mins

2) Heat up the Happy Call pan for a min, add 1tbsp sesame oil

3) Add ginger and stir fry for a few seconds before adding the black fungus and chicken meat into the pan. Close the lid on medium low heat and cook for 4 mins (flip the pan in between the cooking time)

4) Open the lid and add in the seasoning and warm water give the ingredients a light stir to blend the seasoning well

5) Stew on low heat for 25mins (open the lid 2-3x to check that the water didn't dry up too quickly; I didn't flip the pan just did some light stirring in between)

This chicken dish was so good that it was completely gone (every drop of it) by the end of dinner :) Try it, it's just so simple with the HappyCall Pan!

Happy Call Yummies - Spaghetti Vongole

It all began with my craving for clams and pasta, and the conclusion was to make Spaghetti Vongole!!! Putting the Happy Call pan to the test as it's claimed to have a scratch free surface due to its 3 layer ceramic coating. In addition, so many people have shared their wonderful clam dishes in the Happy Call Facebook group that drives my cravings for clams even stronger! :)

I was lucky that day when I was shopping at the wet market for clams. I walked past almost 4-5 stalls, and was at the verge of giving up on my search until one obscure stall caught my eye with an opaque plastic bag that contained the clams!!! It costed $5 for 1 kg of clams, that was really quite a lot of clams!

I've learned that to make the clams expel the sand you'd have to soak it for hours in salt water (ie. if the clams were harvested from the sea), insert a metal spoon to speed up the sand expelling process.

To prepare the clams simply scrub the shells after soaking and the sand has been expelled. Place the clams into the Happy Call pan with nothing else. Close the lid and cook it under medium low heat for approximately 5 mins (or when all the clam shells have opened up).

Dish the clams out, at this point, if you want to remove the clams from the shells you may do so, once the clams have cooled. Otherwise just set it aside.

I read somewhere on the internet that, should there be shells that didn't open up after it's being cooked, it's most likely not fresh. You may discard the clam. I found a "lone ranger" that refused to open its shell and so this little buddy was thrown into the bin (did not want to risk having a stomach upset).

Here's how to prepare this pasta.

Ingredients

Clams (I bought 1kg but you can always buy less)

Spaghetti (moderate the amount to your need)

1 knob of butter (you may use 1tbsp of olive oil)
4 cloves of garlic (sliced)
1/2 cup of white cooking wine
1 small bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
1 red chilli (finely chopped)
Crushed black pepper to taste
*Note: I didn't use any salt because the clams itself is sufficiently salty.

Method
1) Soak, clean and prepare clams as described above
2) Cook pasta until al dente (just about cooked, not soggy)
3) Heat up the Happy Call pan on medium heat and add the butter
4) Stir fry the garlic for a minute till fragrant
5) Add the clams and white wine; close the lid of the pan and let it cook for just 2mins (on medium heat)
6) Open the lid of the pan and add the chilli and parsley, turn out the flame.
7) Prepare the spaghetti on a plate and dish out the clams and white wine sauce over the pasta
8) Give the pasta a good toss, serve with crushed black pepper

Bon Appetit!

Simply Home Cooked - Osmanthus Jelly (桂花糕)

I remember the first time I've ever tasted an Osmanthus dessert was at the Crystal Jade restaurant. I was captivated immediately by the wonderful aroma of Osmanthus even before I tasted the dessert. Since then, I've been wanting to learn how to make such a wonderful dessert however, to not much avail as at that time I didn't know where to look for the flower.

Was I glad to discover that Osmanthus was sold in the chinese medical shop, Hock Hua, here in Singapore. The small bottle that I bought costed about S$6.80. The moment I lifted the tin lid, Ooooooooooooooh the aroma was simply heavenly! This bottle is sufficient for me to make more than 50 times of the Osmanthus jelly *smile* it's quite a huge bottle consider the amount that's used on the jello. I'll probably have Osmanthus tea once more regularly then ;) 

The health benefits of Osmanthus as described on the bottle (I shall attempt to translate it): reduce phlegm and ease cough; ease toothache, reduce abdominal pains due to menopause. 

Here's some other interesting health benefits that Osmanthus offers: it promotes beautiful skin, digestion, detoxification, relieve fatigue and improve appetite. (Source: Noobcook)

It'll be advisable for you to check with a doctor if you are able to consume Osmanthus when you are pregnant or have a special medical history, just to be safe. 

Here's the recipe (adapted from Noobcook). The ingredients needed for this heavenly dessert are: 

• 1 pack of Konnyaku premix jelly powder
• 1tsp of Osmanthus for every 400gms of jelly powder (I used 3 tsp)
• 3-4 tbsp Wolfberries (washed and soak in the water till it's puffed up)
• Water chestnuts cut into small cubes (optional; variation of this is aloe vera cut into small cubes) 
• Amount of water will be according to the instructions of the Konnyaku premix jelly powder. For the pack I bought I used 1250ml water. 

Method: 

1. Place about 4-5 wolfberries into each of the jelly mould. Do likewise for the cubed water chestnut.
2. Boil the water in a pot.
3. Turn down the heat after the water is boiled, add the Osmanthus and simmer under low heat for 2 mins
4. Pour the Konnyaku premix jelly powder gradually into the boiling water stirring at the same time until the powder is fully dissolved. Turn out the flame.
5. Pour the jelly solution into each of the jelly mould; let it cool before placing the jelly mould into the refrigerator to set the jelly.

It was incredibly simple to make this tasty aromatic dessert. Try making some soon! 

Busy in the Kitchen

As the old metaphor goes "there are many ways to skin a cat", so are there many ways to fry the same vegetable! :) Have you ever had occasions that you felt sick and tired of stir-fry vegetables with minced garlic alone? I've been there many times before. It's a great discovery that we could add different toppings to a what seemed like an ordinary stir-fry vegetable with minced garlic! 

As I've been surfing the internet for new and interesting recipes, something caught my eye in one of the myriad of food photos. Someone used sliced almonds on the vegetables and it gave me an idea to add sesame seeds as well. 

This plate of stir-fry French beans has an added interest in taste that evening when I prepared it. I shall explore different toppings for our vegetable dishes from now on! :)

Ingredients: French beans, minced garlic, 1tbsp sliced toasted almond, 1tsp toasted sesame seed. 

Method: heat up 1/2 tbsp oil, stir fry the minced garlic till fragrant, add the french beams and seasoning (I used 1tbsp of Knorr chicken powder). Close the lid and cook for 4 mins (flip the pan in between the time). Serve with topping of sliced almond and sesame seed.

*Note: If you wish to purchase a HappyCall pan too, you might want to consider purchasing it through this seller BestGmall (Click here). This was the seller I bought my pan from. 

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Carrot cake, my hubs' favourite and he's requested for me to make this for such a loooooong time. Me, the procrastinator have been sitting on the request for a few months was suddenly inspired to work on this after a few friends in my FB contact list started preparing this from scratch.

I procrastinated because I always have the impression that this would take too many steps for me to feel enthusiastic about making it :P I was however, proven to be wrong! I adapted the recipe from the "Steamed Cake & Kuih Kuih" cookbook and it was a pleasant surprise that the ingredients needed was fewer than I've imagined and rather simple to prepare as well. 

Very pleased with the results and since I have some remaining carrots and radish in the stash I just might make a second batch. Moreover, I felt there's a need for me to improve the texture of the carrot cake further. 

Here's what you need, to prepare this Carrot Cake ;)

Ingredients:

200gms carrot (peeled & shredded)

200gms radish (peeled & shredded)

2 chinese sausages, 腊肠 (diced)

150gms dried shrimps (chopped)

1tbsp chopped shallots (I used onions)

Batter:

300gms rice flour, 1tbsp corn flour, 1tsp salt, 1tsp sugar, 850ml water

Seasoning:

1tsp pepper, 1tsp Knorr chicken powder

Method:

1) Mix batter ingredients until well combined, strain well and set it aside.

2) Prepare filling, heat up 1tbsp oil in the hot wok, fry the chopped onions, dried shrimps, chinese sausages till fragrant.

3) Add in shredded carrot, radish and seasoning into filling, toss well.

4) Gradually add in batter mixture (on medium low heat), cook until the mixture thickens. Remove, and pour into a greased 9" round steaming tin immediately.

5) Steam in preheated steamer at high heat for 30-40mins until cooked through.

If you like the surface of the carrot cake to be crispy, you may cut into smaller pieces and pan fry it for a couple of mins in very minimal amount of oil. Serve with sweet dark sauce if you prefer :)

Have fun in the kitchen!!!

Our Daily Moments

It's been quite a while since I updated anything about my children and our daily moments. Too much has happened and due to my procrastination I now have a long list of daily happenings to record. This is purely for the records. You are definitely welcome to have a glimpse of what has been happening around us at home (beyond my craze in cooking and baking), though it might appear rather random.

We've been having problems getting Little Man to be more self-motivated and be on the beat when it comes to brushing his teeth, taking his shower daily. It is STILL a struggle until recently I discovered what made him tick! *smirk*

Because of the usage of the Happy Call Pan, I bought myself a new kitchen timer and this doubles up as a tool for me to get Little Man to brush his teeth, take his shower and get dressed (quickly). Before using the timer, he'd usually take more than 20 mins to get in and out of the shower (read: being distracted and playing with water). It all started when I was really up to my eyeballs trying to get him in and out of the shower that I set the timer and gave him 3 mins to have everything done (ie. undress, shower, brush his teeth and get dressed)! *smirk* Hubs said I behaved like a sergeant in the army (I am an "evil" mama, I know). Because of Hubs comment, I decided to give Little Man an extra minute this evening to shower and get dressed.

So what was the result of the timer? It WORKED perfectly! I watched him undress, shower, brush his teeth and got dressed all within the time given! Timer? Best invention for moms with kids who are like Little Man *LOL*

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The kids were given these little envelopes by their teachers as there was a donation drive by the Children's Society. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about caring for the less fortunate and to offer what they have been blessed with to those who have lesser in life.

Little Man and Little Missy each has a coin box ("Piggy bank") where I asked them to decide how much they would like to offer as donation. I am hearten that they are willing (enthusiastically too) to part with their savings to offer to the children who need it more. 

I believe children could be taught about compassion through such opportunities where they could offer something that's within their capacity to the needy. In time to come, I hope to bring them to volunteer their services/time either through short-term mission trips or even a visit to the old folks home or orphanage.

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We realized that the kids have been watching over 2 hours of TV daily at home and decided that it's time to change that habit before they enter formal school. Besides, as researchers have said it, placing the kids in front of the goggle box too much is detrimental to their intellectual growth and overall well being.

Besides, our telly has been a little cranky of late. We've been experiencing intermittent fault in having the TV switched on. So just as well (seems like all stars aligned), we are on our project "When the TV's unplugged" and I've worked out a list of activities to keep the kids occupied.

We pulled out the bottle of soap solution and have a soapy good time one weekend morning. Experience has taught me that kids don't mind activities such as these if we revisit them after a long hiatus. In fact, they were having such a good time that they spent more than an hour on it!

Now that the kids are more grown up it makes watching over them so much easier. I could just kick back and sit down to watch at ease.

Little Missy the fairy having a jolly good time - bubbling!

It's now coming to a month since we first started the "When the TV's unplugged" project and I've witnessed the kids playing on their own or working on activities by themselves when the TV is not switched on (even when I was busy in the kitchen). They seldom asked for the TV to be switched on now *happy* we are creatures of habit and I believe this habit of relying lesser on the TV is a good one to adopt!