MamaBliss' Treasured Moments

Outlook for year 2012

2012-02-01T02:28:00.001+08:00

I know it's a little late to write this post since it's already the second month of 2012 now, this is really just for the records. 2011 didn't seem that exciting to us, it was an extremely quiet year in our household. Ironically, I thank God for a quiet year, now as I look in retrospect. It wasn't that quiet around the world afterall. I am often amazed by God's grace towards me looking at the way things have panned out in my life.

There are just too many distractions around me that He will usually be placed at the back burner. That's the danger of a wandering heart which I am so guilty of. That's precisely why we are going through this arduous period. But I have learned to count my blessings!

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Nevertheless, I still thank Him for I know it is His way of drawing me back because of His great love towards me, He didn't want me to be left behind especially when the time is at hand.

Photo Credit: 123newyear.com

So what's in store for us this new year 2012? Honestly, I don't really know nor want to make "great" resolutions, just take it one day at a time because I know for sure we won't be staying here for too long now, it's but a temporary place and I shouldn't live as if I am rooted for this world.

"So do not worry, saying, 'what shall we eat?' or 'what shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~ Matthew 6:31-34

He knows best how my path will paved out to be and I have learned to just wait upon Him and not try to take things into my own hands. More of Him and less of me. All to Him I surrender and freely give.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

In Love with Soba

2012-01-19T13:57:00.001+08:00

When I first come across cold noodles in sesame sauce at Baumkuchen, I took a special liking for it. It has a unique and very yummy taste which I later found out it was actually sesame sauce. Being a foodie, I took it upon myself to try to find out how to make this noodle myself so that I could enjoy it anytime my whims came along.

While shopping at the supermart one day, I discovered this Mizkan Sesame sauce and decided to give it a try (even though I have no clue if this was going to taste as good as what I have tasted at Baumkuchen.

And so the sesame sauce was put on a test!

This was how my version of Soba in sesame sauce looks like. I'll give it a 2 thumbs up, the sesame sauce was really tasty and now I have a new idea of making soba!

You can make it too if you like, it's ultra simple :)

Ingredients

Dried Soba noodles (buckwheat noodles)
2 large chicken drumbsticks (or you may use chicken breast meat)

2 Eggs (whisked)
2-3 tbsp Mizkan Sesame Sauce
Spring Onion (chopped)

Red Chilli (seeded, thinly sliced; optional)

Nori topping (optional; you may substitute it with just toasted sesame seeds)

Method
1) Boil the Soba noodles till cooked; discard the water in the pot and rinse soba noodles in cold water.

2) Boil chicken meat till cooked; shred the meat and set it aside

3) Fry the eggs into omelette and slice it thinly

4) Place cooked Soba noodles onto a plate and toss it with the sesame sauce till well combined

5) Top with chicken meat, spring onion, sliced chilli and Nori topping

This is great for lunch as it's so simple yet super yummy! Bon Appetit!

2011-12-22T20:29:00.002+08:00

The passion of cooking with the HappyCall Pan has driven two of my friends and I to form a website dedicated to sharing with one and all about anything and everything about using the HappyCall Pan :)

Come join us and participate in the fun we are all having at our website and Facebook!!!

Click the following links

Munch Ministry (website)

Munch Ministry - Happy Call Chefs (Facebook Like Page)

Favourite Dessert Tiramisu

2011-12-05T13:21:00.001+08:00

Tiramisu is by far one of my FAVOURITE dessert. When I learned that it is a non-baked cake, you can imagine how thrilled I was!

Tiramisu simply appeals to me perhaps it's the perfect combination of cocoa powder and coffee, I can't really describe it explicitly enough. It's just heavenly!

I love it that this particular recipe is so simple and the steps are so minimal yet the dessert was so addictive that didn't last more than 24hours before it was completely gone! Hubs and I just ate up the entire 10"x10" size tiramisu in less than a day! Gosh imagine the calories we've piled up into our system... I really don't want to think about it, seriously!

Here's the recipe -

Ingredients:
1 pack Ladies Fingers (click on the words 'ladies finger' to see how it looks like)
250ml Mascaporne cheese (click on the words 'Mascaporne cheese' to see how it looks like)
3-4 tbsp cocoa powder
300ml of instant coffee (ready made and let it cool)
1 tsp of essence of rum (if you prefer it with liquor you may add it otherwise you may follow my recipe)
4 eggs (separate the white from the yolks)
150ml sugar (you may adjust the amount to your preference)
crushed almond (optional)

Method of preparation:
1) Add the egg whites into a mixing bowl and use a mixer to whisk the egg white till foamy
2) Add half of the amount of sugar into the egg white and continue to whisk the egg white with the mixer at high speed till it forms stiff peaks. (watch how it's done here)
3) On a separate mixing bowl mix the egg yolk together with the remaining sugar till ribbon stage; you may either use the mixer or a hand whisk to do this (watch how it's done here)
4) Fold the egg white into the egg yolk (watch how it's done here); at this point you may also add the mascaporne cheese into the mixture and gently blend with the spatula till it's well mixed.
5) Add 1tsp of essence of rum into the 300ml of coffee and mix well.
6) Layer the ladies fingers one at a time at the bottom of your preferred container (I used a 10"x10" disposable square container); fill up the base then drizzle the coffee mixture spoonful by spoonful onto the ladies fingers (do not drench the ladies fingers otherwise it'll be very soggy).
7) Spoon a layer of the egg mixture and cover the entire surface of the ladies fingers
8) Sift the cocoa powder over on the surface of the egg mixture of step 7
9) Lay another layer of ladies fingers on top of the cocoa powder of step 8
10) Drizzle coffee mixture spoonful by spoonful on the ladies fingers
11) Lay another layer of egg mixture on top of the ladies fingers of step 10
12) Finally, you may add 1-2 tbsp of crushed almond into the remaining cocoa powder before sprinkling it on top of the final layer of egg mixture or you may omit the crushed almond and just sift the cocoa powder on top.
13) Chill the tiramisu for 2hours or more and serve chilled :)

Bon Appetit!

Our Quiet Sunday

2011-11-28T00:52:00.001+08:00

I haven't been a good parent, in fact, far from it, as I busy myself with so many activities everyday, I have failed to really just being with my children... completely focused on them and give them my full attention.

Very often, I'll find myself distracted by a book, being on the internet, checking mail through my smart phone while being physically with them, I've not truly been with them, you know what I mean?!

I've decided that I want to be with them, physically, emotionally and mentally... being with them for I realized they are growing too quickly and time just flashed past so swiftly... it wouldn't be long before I will not be able to enjoy such moments (as much) with them once they start formal schooling.

I truly want to treasure these moments I have with them hence I put away everything (all distractions), just to be with them! This was a record of our day on Sunday (27th Nov 2011).

Our day started with the kids requesting to do some painting...an activity we haven't done in months!!! (read: lazy mama doesn't want to do all the cleaning up so no painting activities was allowed)

I realized my children don't really have to be at a mall or some expensive gym or any form of paid children's activities to be happy.

An hour of bicycle ride and fun at the playground is good enough to satisfy them :)

Since our TV broke down some 2-3 months ago, the kids have been "trained" to live without watching TV. They have been given time on the computer only on the weekends to play educational games and watch some videos. This was their computer time after lunch today :)

On pockets of free time, we read books together (me reading aloud) and occasionally, if Little Man was in the mood he'll read aloud to me and his sister :) It's so nice to be read to (I can take the back seat and relax).

Snack today was home made pop corn made on the Happy Call Pan :)

It was home learning time after dinner and am heartened the kids were enthusiastic about home learning most of the time when I whip out the workbooks and other learning materials.

It was more play time just before bed time and look at that happy face? I am content that the time spent with them today has been fruitful and the bonding has drawn our relationship closer.

We don't need to have too much material or monetary gain to be happy and I am thankful that I've been so richly blessed!

Proud Moment

2011-11-19T13:22:00.001+08:00

If ever there's a moment I am proud of being a mother besides the first time I ever carried my two babies, it'd be when I watched them on stage during their annual year end concert.

I can't remember when I was so easily moved to tears besides after being a mother... every little achievement that my kids accomplished would make me rejoice with glee. I suppose motherhood has its effects on me... as I watched those graduating kids, I'd feel emo, even though it wasn't my child who's graduating.

I love being a mother it's brought me so much joy which I cannot describe while there may be frustrating moments but the joy definitely surpasses it all! :)

Here's a little video clip of my two kiddos... it's a mark of how much my little ones have grown and definitely a moment I wish to treasure forever!

Happy Call Yummies - On Video

2011-11-14T21:55:00.001+08:00

I have been thinking of video-ing the food preparation process using the Happy Call Pan for a while now but have been procrastinating. Recently, someone in the Happy Call Pan Facebook Group asked if anyone would share videos of food prepared on the Happy Call Pan, that kinda triggered the decision to put my idea into actions :)

So here are two short 3-mins video clip I've made, demonstrating the how to's and what to's of making Char Siew (grilled pork) and chicken capsicum dish. Hope it'll be of some help to you too :)

Happy Call Yummies - Yakitori Chicken Meat Balls

2011-11-08T15:56:00.000+08:00

The problem with me is, I have too many interests/hobbies/activities I want to do/accomplish (if I can do them all at the same time, I would!) thereby, it's quite hard for me to be focused (that's a serious flaw, I know). I've promised to put up this recipe since weeks ago and I am only finally sitting down to type it out now.

Yakitori, one of my FAVOURITE Japanese food especially those bought from food courts where it's grilled right in front of you and ready to be consumed anytime. My only grouse with that is it's far too salty and I'd often end up very thirsty after eating it.

I saw someone shared the yakitori chicken recipe in the HappyCall Pan group in Facebook a while back and decided to make these yakitori chicken meat balls instead *smile*

It's definitely no rocket science in making these chicken meat balls, all it takes is time and patience :)

It was tasty and the kids love it, I didn't want the teriyaki sauce to over power the natural taste of the meat and vegetable therefore I used the sauce quite sparingly.

Here's how to prepare this:

Ingredients

1 pack of minced chicken meat, approximately 300gms (bought from the super mart) or you may buy chicken breast and process it into minced chicken meat.

1 small green capsicum; 1 small red capsicum, sliced.

1 egg (whisked)

1/2 cup Dried bread crumbs (panko)

2tsp Corn Flour

2tsp Plain Flour

1/2 tsp salt

Dash of pepper

2 inches ginger grated

Bamboo Skewers

Yakitori Sauce -

4 Tbsp Sake

3 Tbsp Shoyu (Japanese soya sauce)

4 Tbsp Mirin

3 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Corn Starch blend in 1tsp Water

Method

1) Place the minced chicken meat into a big mixing bowl, add in whisked egg, dried bread crumbs, corn flour, plain flour, salt and pepper mix and combine well.

2) Roll the meat mixture into small balls

3) Boil a saucepan of water and squeeze the ginger juice out of the grated ginger into the boiling water

4) Place the chicken meat balls in the boiling water for approximately 7mins or cook till the meat balls change colour and float to the surface. Scoop it out and set it aside on kitchen paper towels.

5) Thread the chicken meat balls into the skewers; add capsicum slices in between the meat balls.

6) Brush the yakitori sauce onto the meat balls before placing it into the Happy Call Pan.

7) Pour about 1-2tbsp of the yakitori sauce into the pan before placing the meat balls into the pan

8) Grill the meat balls for 4-5mins, on medium low heat (with lid closed) on one side before turning the meat balls to the other side and continue to grill for another 4-5mins.

9) Serve warm and sprinkle some sesame seeds onto the yakitori; you may serve with more yakitori sauce

Oishi! :) Have fun!

For The Hungry Children

2011-11-03T14:39:00.001+08:00

The title of this post seemed like an irony to the fact that I've been sharing so much about food lately. I've totally taken it for granted that there will always be food for our next meal or next snack, so we're covered! However, I was reminded through the news of world disasters, wars, pestilences have caused a severe lack of food in the world. Thereby, many are going hungry even as I type this post.

We know the world population have recently hit 7 billion people and my friend Rachel and I were just chatting about it yesterday. But I was thinking with all these disasters and shortage of food will this world even be able to sustain the needs of everyone? Someone in my FB contact list shared this video this morning on her wall and it really sets the stage for us to really want to get something done (in our small little way) to help these poor hungry children. In the video, it was stated that in every 2.3seconds 1 child will die of hunger, our hearts went all out to these poor deprived kids.

Rachel and I have decided upon this organization, Children's Hunger Fund, which we wish to raise funds for.

This year, 6 million children will die from hunger related causes if we don't do anything about it. So, lets work with this organization to do something.

Just think about it, 6 million children, that's more than the whole population of Singapore! According to Children's Hunger Fund, US 5 cents is enough to provide a hungry child a meal.

So I am appealing to all friends for your participation in this little fund raising activity. All you need to do, is this:

1. Crop and paste any of this above information or pictures on your blog site, together with this logo (just right click and save image as in your hard drive)

2. Appeal for friends and readers on your site to go directly to this page to make direct contributions. All it takes is US $5.00 for 100 meals for the children. Of course, it will be great if you can contribute more. You can also go to this page to make a direct contribution to areas that is most needed; like disaster relief.

3. Organise your own fund raising activity. Rachel and I will be making handmades the next couple of weeks and all sales proceeds will go into Children's Hunger Fund.

There are plenty of ideas that you can adopt to raise the funds;

Bake sale
Make and Sell a product
Give up a birthday gift
Lose weight by missing a meal and contributing what you might have spent on the meal to the Children's Hunger Fund

4. If you have a preschooler or a child who has learnt to save some money, talk to him/her to see if he can give a little of his money to help to feed hungry children.

So many of us take it for granted that we always have a hot meal ready on our dining table for ourselves and our children and always have something to snack on whenever we are hungry. But the reality is not the same for many children around the world.

So for the Hungry Children's sake all it takes to help is that little bit of money and some time and effort to be able to make a difference to the poor and needy children in our world. Help us and Children's Hunger Fund to show a child in some remote corner of our world that he / she is loved.

Do drop me a note if you are interested to participate and will be putting this fund raiser activity up on your blog or FB page. My deepest appreciation and thanks in advance for your kind and giving contribution to Children's Hunger Fund!

Happy Call Yummies - Beefy Feast

2011-10-31T14:32:00.003+08:00

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

2011-10-24T15:46:00.002+08:00

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

2011-10-22T22:02:00.000+08:00

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

2011-10-20T23:16:00.002+08:00

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)

2011-10-20T16:33:00.000+08:00

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

2011-10-16T00:10:00.003+08:00

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

2011-10-11T23:38:00.002+08:00

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

2011-10-06T22:55:00.001+08:00

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)

2011-10-04T23:35:00.000+08:00

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:

Place about 4-5 wolfberries into each of the jelly mould. Do likewise for the cubed water chestnut.
Boil the water in a pot.
Turn down the heat after the water is boiled, add the Osmanthus and simmer under low heat for 2 mins
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.
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

2011-10-03T23:03:00.001+08:00

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

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000+08:00

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!

Fail-Proof Baking!

2011-09-30T23:06:00.001+08:00

Baking is such a joy especially when you see one after another of your home made bakes turn out well. The kiddos love to help me in the kitchen, and would always hover around me as I am cooking or baking.

As part of our project "When the TV's unplugged" I was tasked unofficially to create or think up of more activities to keep the kids occupied and keep away from relying too much of the TV to baby-sit the kids.

Baking was one of the listed activities as I feel that the kids' involvement would help them learn through "play" in the kitchen. Because they are involved, I try to minimize the need of starting everything from scratch so we did 2 projects of baking using the buttercake premix from "White Wings" and both cakes turned out supremely yummy and soft!

This could be bought from Fair Price or any major super markets. The instructions are brief but very easy to follow...ppst... it's rather idiot-proof and the results are fail-proof!

This was our Upside-Down Pineapple Cake. It was completely consumed by the end of the next day!

This Walnut Chocolate cake was what we baked this evening.

This will definitely go well with some nice Earl Grey tea!

Shall google to look for more recipes to bake! I think I've caught the baking bug again! *wink*

Simply Home Cooked - Left Overs

2011-09-29T22:50:00.001+08:00

I sometimes wonder what's the draw of pasta, especially tomato based pasta, that my kids would be more than happy to have them as their meals daily! My guess is that the sweet and sour taste of the tomatoes, that's rather appetizing, that it appeals to their taste buds.

As I was planning on what to prepare for dinner this evening, it came to mind that the easiest and fastest way to whip up something simple is pasta, naturally. However, I wanted to offer my kiddos something slightly different from their usual pasta.

We had some left over grilled chicken from our dinner the evening before and I thought what a perfect meal to utilize the left over meat. I am not finicky about left overs and we don't usually have left overs as well, so this is a good way to save time and $.

The meal today was so simple that it makes a good one-pot meal for the family, totally fuss-free and oh so quick as well! I chopped up some onions, garlic and capsicum and the chicken was further chopped into smaller bits as well.

Boiled some pasta (I used the alphabet pasta for this meal). Lay them at the bottom of the baking dish once the pasta was cooked.

I fried the chopped onions, garlic, capsicum and the left over chicken meat in the HappyCall pan for approximately 6 mins (flipping the pan in between the time) on medium heat; after which I added the pasta sauce and close the lid and cook for a further 3 mins (without flipping the pan) on medium heat.

Once that's done, I layer the mixture on top of the pasta in the baking dish, followed by topping it with cheese (I used grated cheddar and parmasean).

Baked in the oven for 20 mins on 180C. Love the wonderful aroma of cheese as the food was being baked. It's something simple yet tasty! You might want to add some black pepper or herbs if you like.

Bon Appetit!

*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.

Reconciliation

2011-09-28T16:11:00.000+08:00

I have been studying closely on the book of Revelation in the bible lately as I've observed, heard, watched and read about all the world events, catastrophes, natural disasters and the world economic meltdown, it's been quite clear to me that the end is at hand. I've prayed and asked God to reveal to me how can I be prepared for Jesus' second coming that I should not be in slumber but truly be ready.

The messages that I've been receiving from my Heavenly Father, has been revolving around "repentance" and "forgiveness", and it's rather consistent. I know the Spirit is prompting me about some unresolved issues that I have had in terms of my resentment or grudges against some people around me these past months and even years.

And in my devotion today, I was being presented with this message from God. He can't be more timely than this. In His mysterious ways, He always never fail to let me know what He expects from me because I've asked Him to reveal to me.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." ~ Matthew 5:23-24

Having been prompted by His Spirit and His Word, there's no way I can run away from what is necessary for me to do. That is, to trust the Spirit's conviction to me and obey what He has asked me to do. It doesn't matter who was in the wrong in the situations that I developed the resentment or grudge, it is the willingness on my part to submit to God in His authority to know what is the best thing for me to do.

The very first step I've taken is to write an apology card to someone whom I was upset with since the beginning of this year for her stubbornness and insistence of doing some things her way which obviously I didn't agree to. I have resented her for more than 6 months now and I haven't been in talking terms with her. This isn't easy for me given that I didn't think I was in the wrong but it is the Lord that I am doing this for and I know for sure this is for my own good to release the resentment and to forgive in order to restore the relationship once again.

Here's the link to my devotion today, may you be blessed! To God be the glory!

HappyCall Yummies - The Gift to Cook

2011-09-27T00:12:00.000+08:00

What great joy it is to be given the gift to cook by my Heavenly Father! :) I am growing to enjoy cooking more and more that I don't even mind the washing now. I used to detest all the washing and cleaning but it didn't matter now. I suspect, part of the reason is because of the HappyCall pan *smile*

There's really much lesser grease and I only need to wash one pan and that is the HappyCall pan (ie. if I don't boil soup or steam fish).

We love simple food (家常菜), that requires very little ingredients yet retains the best nutrition within the dish. We had fried bean sprouts with tofu for dinner one evening. It's really simple! I used to have to deep fry the tofu but this time I used the HappyCall pan to pan fry the tofu instead. This resulted in a healthier dinner because less oil was being used. While the surface of the tofu was just very slightly crispy the inside remained soft and moist. Only 1/2 tbsp oil was used to fry the tofu for approximately 5 mins - medium heat (the pan was flipped a couple of times in between the 5 mins), if you like the tofu to be drier/crispier you might want to leave the tofu in the pan for up to 6-7mins (on medium heat). Dish the tofu out of the pan and set it aside after it's been cooked.

Add in some finely chopped garlic and the bean sprouts. Add 2 spoonfuls (there's a small spoon in the bottle of chicken powder) of Knorr chicken powder. Close the lid and cook for approximately 2-3mins (med heat). Swirl & flip the pan 1-2 times in between the cooking time. Once cooked, cease fire and serve together with the tofu and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Today, I decided to experiment on something that I've not cooked before even on a regular frying pan :) I am a lover of nuts (maybe that's why I love crunchy stuff and love to keep chewing). This chicken with cashew nuts was surprisingly easy to prepare yet it's superbly tasty, if I may say so.

Ingredients: 2 chicken thigh meat (deboned) cut into cubes, red/green capsicum chopped, 4 slices ginger, 2 shallots finely chopped, cashew nuts (2 small Camel brand packs).

Marinate: 1 tsp rice wine, 1 tsp corn starch

Sauce: (to be mixed together in a bowl prior to cooking) 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp light soya sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, a dash of white pepper, 1/2 tsp rice wine, 1/2 tsp sesame oil.

Method:

1) Marinate the chicken meat for approximately 15mins

2) Lightly cook the chicken in the HappyCall pan for 2 mins on medium heat, flip the pan a few times (keep the chicken meat only half cooked at this point). Once done, set it aside.

3) Heat the HappyCall pan with 1/2 tbsp oil, add the ginger, chopped onions and chopped red/green chopped capsicum. Close the lid and cook for 2 mins on medium heat (flip the pan in between the time).

4) Open the lid add in the chicken meat and the sauce give it a light stir before closing the lid. Cook for 2-3 mins on medium heat (flip the pan in between the time).

5) Before ceasing the fire, pour in the cashew nuts and give the mixture a light stir before serving it on a plate.

I realized that this dish appears to have the aroma and taste like you would find in most local 煮炒 stall, mainly due to the ginger and onions. These ingredients really made the dish exceptionally fragrant and appetizing! Try it and taste it for yourself! ;)

Bon appetit!

*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.

HappyCall Yummies - More Experiments

2011-09-20T13:59:00.003+08:00

I think in time to come, I might forget how to use a regular frying pan or wok *smile* Using the HappyCall pan is so easy, especially so when it requires very little stir frying and having to stand by the stove watching. With a timer, a few swirls and flips you can be spared from the splatter of grease/oil on yourself. I really like cooking this way :)

Previously, when I prepared fried noodles, I'll usually get spills and oil splatters around the stove and it was a greasy affair trying to clean up the mess. With the HappyCall pan it made frying noodles much cleaner now.

Ingredients: Dried Egg Noodle (1 pack - sufficient for 4 adults), chopped garlic, minced ginger, 3 eggs for omelette, prawns, 1 small carrot sliced into thin strips, vegetables (I used french beans, you may use vegetables such as cai xin or bok choy), mushroom(optional). 2 tsp Knorr Chicken powder, 2 tsp light soya sauce, 30ml water.

Method: Boil the egg noodles in a pot of water for 1.5mins (I didn't want the noodles to turn too soggy). Beat the eggs and fry it in the HappyCall pan (2-3mins, med low heat, flip the pan in between the time), dish out the omelette and set it aside. Heat up some oil (about the size of a 50cts coin) and fry the ginger and garlic for 1min, add in the vegetables, carrot, mushrooms (2-3 mins, med low heat, flip the pan in between the time), add the prawns and let it cook for another 1 min before adding the noodles. Once the noodles is in the pan add the Knorr chicken powder, light soya sauce and water, close the pan (cook for 4 mins, med low heat). Give the noodles a few light stirs in order to even out the seasoning at the end of the cooking. Cut the omelette into strips and serve together with the noodles.

Here's another one 'pan' meal that my family and I've always enjoyed! It's so fuss-free and so easy to cook. It's even easier using the HappyCall pan and the omelette turns out so beautifully! I wasn't able to achieve such perfect looking omelette using regular frying pan simply because while trying to flip the omelette the vegetable and the eggs will get separated. This time, I achieved a perfect long beans meat omelette! *beaming*

Ingredients: 4 eggs beaten, long beans chopped, 200gms minced pork, garlic chopped, 2tsp of Knorr Chicken powder, 1tsp oil.

Method: Heat up the oil and add in the chopped garlic stir it for 1 min, add in the chopped long beans and the Knorr chicken powder. Close the lid of the pan (cook for 3 mins on med high heat, flip the pan in between the time). I added the minced pork into the beaten egg and mix it till it's even. Once the long beans is ready, pour in the egg mixture (cook for 6 mins, med low heat, flip the pan in between the time).

Cooking can only get easier with the HappyCall pan! :) More recipes to come so stay tuned!

*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.

Daily Meals

2011-09-17T00:25:00.003+08:00

Are there days that you just don't feel like cooking, yet you know your loved ones need to eat (home cooked food)? I've experienced many of such days when I picture the end before the beginning ie. the thought of washing, cleaning and all have already tire me before I even begin to plan what to cook for dinner!

On such days, I'll resort to what I call "lazy mom's day cooking"! I'll grab whatever I have in the refrigerator (see I was lazy to the fact that I didn't even want to go to the market). One of the best and yet tasty meals I've whipped up was to use this bottle of Teriyaki sauce! Love it to bits because it's tasty, convenient and best of all it's a no-brainer to use this sauce! Anything would turn out yummy, honestly!

And so, we had our teriyaki chicken with french beans, all cooked with the HappyCall pan :) So simple, I don't even need to do any planning! After rubbing the teriyaki sauce on both sides of the meat, the chicken thigh was cooked on medium high heat 3 mins on one side and flip to the other side for another 3 mins, add one more min if you like the skin more brown. The meat was superbly tender. Oh best of all, I DID NOT use any oil!

Naturally, the food was completely devoured with my kids asking for more by the end of dinner! *beaming* with a HappyCall pan life does get easier for me! :)

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During the day, I love to eat something simple for lunch. Something that needs very little cooking or preparation. Today, I was in the mood to bake a simple loaf of bread and so I baked a walnut herbal loaf. If only I had canned soup at home, it'd be such a lovely lunch! :)

Nothing beats the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread surrounding your home! *lovez*

Not sure about you, but I love to have breakfast food during lunch time. It's just a personal preference. So this was my lunch this afternoon and it not only filled my tummy but it's also a satisfying meal! *smile*

Kids Art

2011-09-14T17:16:00.001+08:00

Kids' art always fascinate me. They are so full of creativity and imagination. I could definitely spend hours just looking at their drawings and be amused.

I believe, by just looking at their drawing I can have a glimpse of what's going through their minds as they drew those pictures. At the same time I'm always pleasantly surprise by their abilities in drawing, as it's said by Susan Striker, (verbatim) children learn to draw through a process of creative development of scribbling. "Between the ages of four and seven children begin to draw other objects they see in the world. These are placed randomly on the page and colors are chosen for emotional reasons rather than for their realistic connection with the objects." (source: Young at Art). I have observed the development of my kids' scribbling and it's quite on target as described in the book, interesting isn't it?

I think art is such a wonderful way to express oneself, while I do not expect my children to be the next Picasso or Claude Monet, I do hope they'd always find enjoyment in expressing themselves through their drawing.

Happy Call Yummies - Mango Tofu with Basil

2011-09-14T00:43:00.002+08:00

I love one pot meals as it saves loads of my trouble having to think what to prepare for dinner. It'll be even better if the one pot meal contains ingredients that cover all our nutrition needs ie. fibre, protein etc.

I am a collector of recipe books because I enjoy poring over the pages of the books having a visual feast. Last night, I found a recipe that interest me sufficiently to want to experiment on my HappyCall pan.

I didn't follow the recipe to the T as there were several ingredients that I didn't have in my stash and I didn't want to buy more seasoning or bottles of sauce to clutter my already almost bursting by the 'seams' refrigerator. I love how the minced pork turns out so soft even though it's been fried! I can't seem to achieve soft fried minced pork on regular frying pan.

This recipe was adapted from the book "Hanky Panky with Beancurd" (publisher: Seashore)

Experimenting on HappyCall pans with recipes that was meant to be prepared on regular pans/woks has driven me to want to whip up more interesting dinners at home. I will continue to plough through my cook books to try out new recipes!

Mango Tofu with Basil

Ingredients:

2 packs of tofu - cut into 9 pieces for each pack of tofu (meant for frying)

1 slice of mango (cut into large cubes)

2 small capsicums - chopped (use capsicums of differing colours to add interest visually)

2 stalks basil (you'd need only the leaves)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

3 slices ginger

100gms minced pork

Seasoning for the meat (to be seasoned before cooking the meat):

1 tsp corn flour

1 tsp soya sauce

a dash of pepper

2 tbsp water

Seasoning for this dish:

2 tsp shao xing wine

1.5 tsp hoi sin sauce

2 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp Knorr chicken powder

4 tbsp water

Method of preparation:

1) Add salt into a pot of boiling water; place the tofu in boiling water for 5 mins. Drain the water and set the tofu aside.

2) Add the chopped capsicum into the Happycall Pan and cook on medium low heat for 2-3 mins (flip the pan at the 2 min point, cease fire on the 3rd min); dish the vege out and set it aside.

3) Heat a little olive oil in the Happycall pan and add in the garlic and ginger, saute for 1 min (with the lid closed).

4) Add minced pork and add the rest of the seasoning at this point give it a light stir to combine the seasoning with the meat before closing the lid. On medium low heat, Set timer to 2 mins and close the lid. Flip the pan over and cook for another 1 min.

5) Flip the pan back to its original position, open up the lid and add in the tofu, basil and capsicum. Close the lid and set the timer to cook for 4 mins. At the 2nd min, give the pan a swirl and flip it over, at the 3rd min swirl the pan again and flip it back. Cease fire as the timer goes off at the 4th min.

6) Open the lid add the mango and give it a light stir.

7) Serve with rice and there's your one-pan meal!

Have fun using your Happycall pan!

My Little Missy the "Singer"

2011-09-11T17:14:00.002+08:00

She may not be the best singer in town but she simply amuses and entertains all of us at home.

Happy Call Yummies

2011-09-10T01:13:00.000+08:00

It's been three days since I started using my new toy, the Happy Call pan to prepare for our daily dinners. Can't deny the fact that I'm still working my way around the use of this pan. Have been used to cooking on frying pan and I still need some getting use to with the Happy Call. But I'd say, it's been fun thus far!

One major lesson I've learned about using this pan is that timing and heat control is utmost important in preparing my meals successfully. Remember the charred teriyaki salmon I cooked? Well, I guess, I was too aggressive, thinking that this pan works like any other frying pan that needs extreme high heat in order to make fragrant crispy fish. Nothing could be further from the truth. The pressure cooking technology helps retain heat within the pan and hence food gets heated up very quickly, therefore this pan only requires low to medium low heat in most food preparation.

You'd need to trial and error with the use of this pan and don't be afraid to open up the lid if you need to. That's what I did when cooking the vegetables because I'm still learning to master the right timing with the correct heat control. I believe this pan is designed to help and since I've dumped in the $63, I should not make it a white elephant. Instead, I should overcome the odds to make this tool work for me! :)

Just thought I'd throw this out in the open. I have read in some forums and have also heard from a friend about her mom-in-law's experience when using this pan, the common complaint was that some how the sauces/oils leaked out in the process of flipping the pan; I've experienced tiny bits of onions spilling out of the pan while flipping. I realize that it's through the air vent that such leakages/spilling happen. To overcome the problem, you might want to tilt the pan a little upwards while flipping instead of tilting it downwards. So far, I've not experienced leakage of oil/sauces not even with the grilling of the lambchops. Given some practice, I guess such incidence of leakage would be kept to the minimum.

The recipe for this simple vegetable is - Green leafy vegetable (cai xin or xiao bai cai), 1 carrot (sliced), 2 cloves of garlic chopped, salt to taste, 2 tbsp of water. I didn't add oil while cooking this dish so the vegetables' natural nutrients were kept intact because it was steamed within the pan instead of fried. To cook this, just place all the ingredients (except the salt) into the pan. Fire up your stove to low heat. Set your kitchen timer to 3 mins. To be doubly sure that the vege is not overcooked, open up the lid to check and add salt at this point in time. Give it a swirl and flip to the other side and set the timer for another 2 mins. Before the time is up, you should be able to smell the aroma of garlic seeping through the pan. Give it another swirl and then flip the pan back to its original side and open the lid, by this time the vegetables should be cooked otherwise just close the lid and cook for 1 more min.

Fried rice is the EASIEST to cook :) The ingredients used for this meal were - steamed rice, 2 eggs (beaten and fried as omelette), 2 salted egg yolks steamed and chopped (optional), 6 prawns shelled and deveined, carrots (diced), 2 chinese sausages 腊肠 (diced), 1 onion (diced), 1-2tbsp (based on your preference of saltiness) soya sauce to taste. Prepare the steamed rice in a rice cooker; meanwhile, fry the omelette on the pan on low heat for 1 min and flip the pan and cook for another min. Dish out the omelette and set it aside. Add 1 tbsp oil and fry the onions for 1min (without closing the lid) in medium low heat, after which add in ALL the ingredients, close the lid, keep the heat at medium low. Set the timer to 3 mins. When the time's up, open the lid and add the soya sauce. Close the lid and give the pan a swirl or two, then flip over. Set the timer for another 2-3 mins, once the time's up, give the pan another swirl and flip over to its original side. Serve with shredded omelette and chopped spring onions!

Grilled lamb chops on greens. Marinate lamb chops (you may use pork chops too) with salt, pepper, rosemary for at least 30mins. For the vegetables I've used broccoli, cauliflower and carrots (for variation, you might want to use celery and carrot). Place chopped garlic, sliced carrots, broccoli and cauliflower into the pan with 2 tbsp of water cook it under low heat for 4 mins on one side, when the time's up, open the lid and add in salt to taste, close the lid and swirl the pan before flipping over. Give it another 3-4 mins before swirling and flipping back to its original position. Once cooked dish out the vegetables set it aside. Clean the pan and prepare to grill the lamb chops.

Fire up the stove on low heat and place all the lamb chops into the pan (no oil is required as the lamb meat itself has loads of fats). Close the lid and cook for 5 mins. When the timer goes off flip over to the other side of the pan and cook for another 5 mins. Flip the pan back to its original position and turn up the heat to medium high and cook for another 1-2 mins (my lamb chops were made medium well). If you prefer the meat to be medium, then you need to cook the meat only 3-4 mins on each side of the pan on low heat and then 1-2mins on medium high.

If you'd like brown sauce for the meat, on medium low heat, add 1 tbsp of butter into the pan (with the brown remnants from cooking the meat) scrape up the brown stuff from the pan with a wooden spatula then add 1 tbsp of worcester sauce stir in 1/2 cup beef broth and bring to a boil. If you like a thicker consistency, you may drizzle some cornstarch solution into the pan. Once done, you may scoop up the sauce and pour it over the meat.

The grilled lamb chops were served with brown rice, but if you like you may serve it with mash potatoes as well.

Bon Appetit!

My New Toy - The Happy Call Pan

2011-09-07T20:43:00.000+08:00

I was drawn into the recent craze - The Happy Call Pan! Before I took notice of this pan, a friend in my FB contact list has been raving about it but it didn't move me then. It was until, she shared a photo of what she cooked the very day she received her pan, that I really sat up and did more research about this pan.

The rave about this pan is that it is very convenient and it shortens the cooking time because of it's patented pressure retention technology; with no oil splatters and greasy stains after cooking hence saving the effort of having to clean up the mess after each meal. In some countries this pan is also known as the "Flip 'n' Cook" pan because you can literally cook with both sides of the pan. No stir-frying is required just shake, flip the pan and cook!

See how the pan works through this link. Beware! You might be tempted just like I was. You might also want to take a look at the manual that's in English as a reference.

Since this pan is so popular there are many distributors of the Happy Call Pan. I got mine through GMarket, even then, there are many suppliers of this pan in GMarket as well and usually these suppliers do offer some very good deals (ie. with very good discounts). This is where I got mine, click here. I received my pan, via registered mail, in approximately 12 days upon payment & confirmation of order.

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In case you were curious about how did my first 'test-drive' work here's the results:

My very first experiment was a flop because being too eager about testing out the pan I cooked this supposedly teriyaki salmon on HIGH HEAT all the way for 5 mins (3 mins on one side and 2 mins on the flip side)!!! I had to quickly turn off the stove when the scent of charred teriyaki sauce was seeping out of the pan!!!

To my surprise, while the thin layer of the surface was charred (it was the teriyaki sauce), the flesh of the salmon remained succulent and moist. Thank goodness it's still edible! :)

Picking up from the awry experience with cooking the salmon, I've taken a more cautious approach with the vegetable, low heat was used throughout the 5mins of cooking this dish. :) I love the soft and tender vegetable that's not soggy or discoloured due to over-cooking. The vegetable and carrot tasted "sweet" in my opinion. Oh did I mention that I didn't use any oil at all to fry the vegetables? So you be the judge if it's a success?!

Proper heat control is needed when using this Happy Call Pan and I guess it can only come through experience. I've read in this forum where some ladies discussed about how their food didn't turn out as good as they have expected it to be. While there is also this lady who shared quite a number of recipes using the Happy Call Pan and she emphasized many times the ease of using the pan.

You decide if it's a good kitchen utensil to bag! As for me, I'll continue to experiment with more recipes using this Happy Call Pan :) I think it's fun that I can cook in such a short time without having to mop the floor and clean the hob like crazy after each meal is done! *wink*

*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.

Simply Homecooked - Rush Hour Breakfast

2011-09-07T17:07:00.001+08:00

They say, breakfast is the day's most important meal. In our modern society and lifestyle such as ours, it's tough to find time and the energy to spring up early in the morning to prepare ourselves some nice hot decent breakfast.

I remember when I was still working full time, breakfast then, was usually a sandwich or on busier mornings I'd totally skip the "Most Important" meal of the day.

Since I started to stay home, breakfast has always been buns, or the local (Singaporean style) breakfast such as fried carrot cake and fried beehoon etc been sourcing for easy to prepare breakfast that's not the typical western breakfast such as sausages with sunny side up eggs. Was thrilled to have stumble upon some websites that offer great breakfast ideas. One of the breakfast recipe that excite me sufficiently to want to try is the "Egg Drop". The ingredients were simple and the steps to prepare took no more than 10mins.

We had our Egg Drop last weekend and it didn't seem quite enough and so this morning I decided to make it again albeit with a slight variation.

It was yet again, an immediate hit with the kids and hubs. If I had bake the Egg Drop a little longer it'd definitely turn out to be a non-crusted mini quiche... maybe I should just make that the next time, that is, non-crusted mini quiche!

You can get the recipe of the Egg Drop from here.

If you have a great breakfast idea that's unusual and tasty, do share it with me :) Thank you!~

Simply Homecooked - Serving the Yummies

2011-09-06T23:16:00.001+08:00

I've discovered the joy of cooking at home; the joy of serving yummies to my loved ones. I can't remember since when I have found my mojo in cooking again :) I've been lazy throughout this year and have been doing takeaways for dinner on most days of the week till I felt totally sick of even the smell of the food that I bring back every evening.

The pleasure of preparing dinner has motivated me to want to try new recipes everyday!!! And I was glad to have discovered many great websites that offer loads of visual feasting that led me to want to experiment in my kitchen :) Here are two of my FAVOURITE food websites now - Foodgawkers, the other one is TasteSpotting. Check them out, you'll NEVER run out of ideas about what to cook!!!

Today, I was in the mood to cook and bake and I guess when everything is done with passion and motivation, things usually turn out quite alright :) I love how the Panko Herb Encrusted Chicken Pasta turned out to be and certainly even happier that the Savoury Herbal Knots tasted fantastic!

Here's the recipe for the Panko Herb Encrusted Chicken Pasta. I've modified it from here and here.

Ingredients for the Chicken:
2 boneless chicken thighs (with skin removed) ~ you may use chicken breast as a substitute
1 small pack of Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 egg whisked
Self raising flour (moderate the amount accordingly)
A sprinkle or two of dried herbs (you may use dried basil or dried oregano)
Salt to taste

Method of preparation (Panko Herb Chicken):
1) Wash and pat dry the chicken thigh meat
2) Mix the salt into the self raising flour
3) Mix the herb into the panko
4) Dip the chicken thigh meat into the beaten egg on both sides of the meat
5) Dip the meat into the self raising flour mixture (both sides)
6) Dip the meat into the beaten egg again (both sides)
7) Dip the meat into the panko mixture (both sides)
8) Set it aside for at least 2 hours (this step will prevent the panko mixture from falling off the meat during the frying process)
9) Heat up a saucepan with oil and prepare to fry the chicken meat for approximately 5 mins on each side of the meat (if you have a thick slice of meat be sure to lower the heat and fry the meat longer).
10) Dish the meat out once it's turned golden brown
11) Slice the panko herb chicken and set it aside.

Ingredients for the Pasta:
1/2 pack Bowtie Pasta (Farfalle) ~ I got mine from the FairPrice at S$1.95 (I think it was a promotion)
2-3 small capsicums (or other vegetables that you prefer such as asparagus or broccoli)
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 box of brown button mushroom (sliced)
1 cup Bula Cream
20ml White Wine (optional)
Salt to taste

Method of preparation (Pasta):
1) Boil Bowtie Pasta (approximately 10-12mins) and set it aside when it's cooked
2) Heat up a pan with 1tbsp of olive oil and fry the garlic for 1-2mins
3) Pour in the vegetables and mushroom and stir fry for 5mins and add salt
4) Add in the cup of cream and white wine; stir the mixture for another 2mins
5) Pour the mixture over your pasta and serve it together with the Panko Herb Encrusted Chicken.

Bon Appetit!

Food for Thought

2011-09-01T14:07:00.001+08:00

I am consciously reminding myself to follow this THINK acronym in my thoughts, words and deeds! May you be inspired!

Simply Home Baked - Ham & Cheese Roll

2011-08-30T17:11:00.003+08:00

I've taken a baking break for over a week due to having to nurse a full-blown flu (runny-nose, cough, headache...and all the works) just a few days before I came down with the flu, I had the inclination (premonition maybe? *shrug*) that I was going to be sick because I haven't fell ill (this badly) since coming back from my holidays in December last year.

Sorry, I digressed! Before I had taken ill, this Ham & Cheese Roll was what I baked and I've been asked to share the recipe because it looks Oooooh too delicious! *smile*

It's really not difficult if you have a bread maker to roll the dough. Speaking of dough, I've recently discovered a great basic loaf recipe that makes the most perfectly soft/fluffy bread! Most of the time, the breads that I've baked in the past always turned out too dense and dry just after a day, but not this one!

Shaping breads is so therapeutic and most satisfying! You determine the shape you want your bread to be and best of all you get homemade "artisan" bread all within the kitchen of your home!

Alright enough said, here is the recipe that you've been waiting for:

Ingredients

(Basic Loaf)

320gms Bread Flour

80gms Top Flour

20gms Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Yeast

1 egg

100ml cold water

120ml cold fresh milk

30gms butter (or margarine)

Other Ingredients

1 pack of honey baked ham (or picnic ham) sliced into halves (you probably don't need the entire pack)

1 pack cheddar cheese (shredded)

Mayonnaise

Method of preparation

Depending on your bread machine, you'd need to place the ingredients for the dough according to the instructions given in the operating manual. Breville bread maker requires all the wet ingredients to be placed first, followed by the dry ingredients.

1) Add into the bread maker, water, milk and eggs followed by the flour, salt, sugar and lastly yeast. Allow the machine to roll the dough for 5 mins before adding butter into the mixture (while the machine is still at work).

2) Once the machine has stopped kneading allow the dough to leaven till the bread maker indicates when it's done.

3) Once the dough is ready, divide the dough into small balls weighing 40gms each.

4) With a rolling pin, roll each of the small ball of dough into flat strips approximately 15cm(long) x 2cm(wide)

5) Place the half a slice of ham onto the strip of dough and roll it up as you'd a swiss roll, set it aside.

6) Then place 3 rolls of the dough with ham in a triangular shape on the baking tray; do likewise for the rest of the dough with ham rolls.

7) Brush some egg wash (beaten egg with milk) on surface. Squeeze in some mayonnaise in the middle of each of the roll and sprinkle some cheese above.

8) Preheat the oven at 200C; bake for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Boys Just Want to Have Fun!

2011-08-27T17:17:00.002+08:00

Little Man's in "trouble" again! Well, nothing new to a mom who has been receiving complaints made by his teachers since he started school last year (Y2010). Seriously, it's become a norm these days that I would be surprise if he didn't get into trouble at all!

As I flip through his communications book (between the teachers and us), I have already seen more than 5 pages written, in which 80% were complaints. Little Missy comparatively only has 2 pages filled in her comms book and the messages were merely to inform me that she's hurt herself due to falling or some mishap somewhere that's almost negligible.

In fact, Little Man has been complained about so often that I've lost count because besides those that were written on his comms book, there were countless verbal complaints made by his current TIC! Some valid, some *shrug* oh well... I just have to roll my eyes and wonder how in the world did my little fellow get into so much trouble at his age!!!

To cite a few of the complaints... he's been breaking his classmates erasers, he's been putting pencils into his mouth, he's been disobedient in class, he's been roaming about in the K2's class and destroying their equipment and materials for science experiments... The latest complaint? He's been hitting his friend with a shoe because his classmate bit him!!!

Very often, I'd feel exasperated and question what didn't I do right or have I done something that was so wrong that my child turned out to be a serial trouble maker? Why can't he just be a docile, obedient and compliant child that every teacher and parent would be proud of? One who would conform to the norm, one who would just do everything as he's been told!?!?!

Hubs reminded me that it takes patience. Some children just needed to be reminded more often. Especially, Little Man. We know that our boy is different (though we do not want to slap a label on him), we just have to acknowledge that he is unique and wired differently from most children.

For all the many complaints we've received, we've deduced that he's a highly curious and generally inquisitive child who MUST touch/meddle/break things to find out how it works. He is advance in his reading skills amongst his classmates and therefore appeared to be bored in class most of the time and when he's bored that's when trouble begins. He's weak in his Chinese and therefore is not as cooperative during chinese lessons. He's by nature playful!

While we continue to guide and teach him what is the correct way to behave, we need also to accept and be grateful of his uniqueness. Fortunately, he's still teachable though it has to be repeated more often than not.

Lesson Learned?

2011-08-22T13:01:00.003+08:00

I have been pondering, reflecting and thinking a bit about what I was asked during the "Hands of Love" program; which I felt that I didn't give an answer that truly reflects how I feel about motherhood.

The host, Mark Lee, threw me a question unexpectedly (rather I wasn't thinking fast enough on my feet) about what I've learned thus far from my children.

I'd say, the most precious lesson I've learned from my children would be simplicity is the key to happiness!

Three years ago when I decided to stay home as a full-time mom, I didn't think that I'd appreciate the simplest thing would have made my day and am honestly happy about it!

Simple activities such as eating ice cream with my kids, watching them play together, over hearing their childish yet comical conversation, enjoying a garden walk with them, observing the clouds, watching TV programs, chatting with them and doing nothing together would be so fun and enjoyable.
We are not well-to-do, but we are definitely rich in love and laughter at home which I believe, being rich monetarily might not be able to bring us such wealth of joy and happiness!
The kids are growing every minute and what better time to savour all these treasured moments than it is now! It is the now that we live in and of course a better future that we hope for. If I'm ever asked what I've learned as a mom from my kids, it'll definitely be Simplicity is the key to happiness!

So what lesson have you learned from your children thus far?

Obsession!

2011-08-19T11:33:00.002+08:00

Not sure when i've developed this obsession... I LOVE to have all the books I've bought wrapped up in plastic.

I'd say 80% of the books in our house (home learning resource or literature) are wrapped up; with the exception of hard cover books.

I guess the obsession came about when I saw dog-ears on the books and it irked me. Besides, the kids don't really handle the books very kindly so wrapping the books up would be a safer bet for me.

So now, all new books that I've purchased are nicely wrapped up! *lovez*

Simply Home Baked - Am Baking Again

2011-08-18T15:04:00.002+08:00

I've been baking enthusiastically in my kitchen the past week or so and have been finding joy in this hobby all over again. Since my live-in helper left over a year ago, I've not been baking much as I often feel lazy having to clean up after each baking session.

A sudden craving for quiche made me started my baking expedition once again. The result of the quiche helped me kick the inertia off! I've been looking through all the recipe books ferociously making a mental note of which recipe I want to try for my next bake!
Decided that I should "resurrect" my bread maker that has been left dormant for over a year since I last made some kaya jam. This is definitely a WONDER machine as I've always liken it to be!

Many of my friends asked me which bread maker am I using, well, mine's a Breville. It's an Aussie brand bread maker and it has served me very well for the past 6 years! It's still in good working condition though I believe this model that I have must have been made obsolete already. If you want to know more about Breville bread maker check out this link.

I have not used any other brands of bread maker before but I'd say, I love my Breville!
My first attempt on baking an Apple Cinnamon Bread at the request of the hubs. Fortunately, it turned out well and it was all devoured within a day! *beaming*
This Apple Cinnamon Bread makes a very good snack for the afternoon tea. Pair this snack with a cup of Earl Grey... Ooooh... simply delightful. You'll find the recipe at the bottom of this post :)

I've been baking simple loaves the past 2 days and I'd say it's really a joy to have freshly baked breads daily. You decide what to put into your bread and best of all you are quite sure that there are no undesirable chemicals being added into your bread!

Contrary to the "Cook A Pot of Curry" event, I made this curry simply because of my personal craving for curry that coincidentally falls within the same week that the event will be held!

Recipe for the Apple Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients:

(bread dough)

400gms high protein flour

100gms top flour (super fine flour)

10gms (2tsp) instant yeast

5 gms (1tsp) salt

100gms sugar

20gms milk powder

2 eggs

200ml water

80gms butter

(cinnamon spread)

10gms Cinnamon powder

60gms brown sugar

50gms raisins

50gms chocolate chips (I used Hershey's mini chocolate chips)

1 apple (diced)

30gms crushed almonds

Method of preparation:

1) Add into the bread maker, water and eggs followed by the flour, milk powder, salt, sugar and lastly yeast. Allow the machine to roll the dough for 5 mins before adding butter into the mixture (while the machine is still at work).

2) Once the machine has stopped kneading allow the dough to leaven till the bread maker indicates when it's done.

3) Divide the dough into 3 portions, and roll them into balls and proof for 10 mins.

4) Roll out the bread dough (with a rolling pin) to dimensions of approximately 10x12 inches. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar, raisins, diced apple, crushed almonds and chocolate chips evenly.

5) Roll up the dough (like you would a swiss roll) and cut it into 6 parts. Placed the rolls into a 7-inch greased cake mould, leave it to proof for another 10 mins.

6) Brush egg wash onto the cinnamon bread and place it into a pre-heated oven. Bake at 190C for 25 - 30 mins.

Have fun!!!

Excuse Me, Are You a SAHM?

2011-08-13T13:05:00.005+08:00

Was it a difficult decision? How did you decide to be one? What kind of preparations did you have to make before taking the plunge? etc etc etc... These were some of the multiple questions I was asked in my course as a SAHM.

My answer to that? It was a calling! Nothing to agonize over, nothing to analyze till paralyze about... since it's a calling, my Heavenly Father, will equip me! I have been a SAHM since January 14th, 2008, it's been a good 3.5 years thus far. While there are ups and downs being a full-time mom, nothing beats having the luxury of time to be with the children chatting, playing, learning and laughing together.

The stigma of being a SAHM remains especially so when I've not been in the market place and in the jungle of the survival of the fittest. However, I relish on my time of being away from all the gnashing, back biting, playing the political game to scale the corporate ladder. All these are exhausting and meaningless (to me, of course). So, I wouldn't trade my time as a SAHM for the world not even with the lure of a million dollars!

I'd agree that it's equally exhausting being a SAHM, it's all for a good purpose, and life is so much more fulfilling. Even though I have been home, I'm grateful that I have not lost touch with what's been happening in the world, all thanks to the advancement of technology - internet connection! If I were to be a SAHM in my mom's time, I might be out of the house everyday (just like what my mom did previously *smile*). Being connected with other moms who are in the same phase of life as I am is important to me. The friendship, the struggles we share, the encouragement we offer to each other, the hobbies we are into are part and parcel of making this journey of motherhood bearable.

Recently, I've been privileged to be connected to a video production house who was producing a family related program. I was elated to be given the opportunity to share my journey as a SAHM with more people through this program. Hopefully, it'd impact someone positively along the way :)
Being involved in the production of the program opened my eyes to loads more on what went on behind the scenes. It has really been a great learning experience!

“大手牵小手" is an 8-episode program. It will debut this coming Monday, August 15th 2011, 9pm on Channel U. Be sure to catch the program for it's packed with great content that you wouldn't want to miss! I am on episode 3 by the way. :)

Simply One Pot - Fish in Tomato Sauce

2011-08-09T23:21:00.003+08:00

I am a busy and lazy mom, if I could make one pot meals daily, believe me, I WOULD! Yet, I need to consciously prepare meals that are nutritious and interesting to the Big kid and small kids.

Mamabliss' kitchen is usually closed on weekends and we'd always end up dining out and most times we consume food loaded with too much oil, salt, MSG and meat!!! So I try my utmost best to regulate our food intake during the weekdays with more vegetables and fish.

I had a hectic Monday (this week), yet I do not want to do takeaway so I grabbed some Cream Snapper Fillet at the supermart, a bottle of pasta sauce, some tomatoes, a capsicum and some large onions, one carrot and whipped up this one pot meal for us!

Here's how you can prepare this one-pot dish. Chop up all the ingredients besides the fish. Stir fry the onions, capsicum, carrot till tender add in the pasta sauce followed by the tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 15-20mins. If you wish to have the sauce thinner, you may add 1/2 cup of chicken broth (I used 1tbsp of the maggi concentrated chicken broth and mixed it in 1/2 cup of water).

Meanwhile, rub a small amount of salt & pepper on the fish fillet and pan fry it for 2 mins (medium high heat) on both sides. If you are using a thicker fish fillet, you might have to pan fry it a little longer on low heat.

Prepare steam rice and place the fish fillet onto the plate and dish the sauce over the fish... ENJOY! :)

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I have a natural affinity to mushrooms, not sure why. Cream of mushroom has always been my favourite! I am grateful that I was able to find a very simple method of preparing this soup from Youtube. Oh how I love Youtube, I can literally find anything and everything I want! :)

This is the umpteenth time that I've made this cream of mushroom as it's back by popular demand! *wink* The kids and the hubs LOVE it too!~

If you have time, try preparing it too! :)

My Missy

2011-08-09T01:01:00.003+08:00

As I was in the mood of reminiscing, I went through my old blog posts of Year 2007 in particular and I can't help but feel really blessed to have come thus far in my journey as a mother. Am so glad I've made records of our daily moments, it might be mundane to others but it's certainly an archive of fond memories to me (hopefully it'll be records that the kids would appreciate I've taken time & effort to put down).

On 2nd August 2007, we were blessed with a little girl, our Missy, and on 2nd August 2011, we celebrated Missy's 4th birthday... time just slipped past us... too swiftly!

Once again, we've celebrated her birthday in school where she is the star of the day!
It seemed like yesterday when Missy was just 1-yr-old and now she's all grown up and paving into a new milestone as she continues in her journey of growing up.
And what are grown up girls into? Why, girly things of course... tutu dresses, princess tiaras, handbags and manicure... just to name a few of Missy's interest... girls are definitely made of all things nice! ;) *bliss*

There's something about sewing

2011-08-03T09:50:00.002+08:00

There's something about sewing that I cannot quite explain.

It's simply therapeutic that it lifts me to a different plane.

Stitch by stitch I put in action,

A piece of art in fruition.

The sense of achievement brings me

days of enjoyment.

~ Mamabliss

Injured Foot

2011-08-01T02:14:00.003+08:00

Some three weeks ago, I had a really nasty sprain on my left ankle. I was asked by many concerned family and friends how did I sprained my ankle that badly that it was all bandaged up.

I was window shopping and naturally my eyes were wandering at the merchandise that the only time I realized I had a really bad sprain when I could hardly even stand up and the pain was excruciating that I couldn't even utter a sound. I was in the squatting position for a good 5 minutes before the very nice ladies of the shop noticed that I was in trouble and helped me sit by the chair just outside the shop.

You see, the shop was on a slope and the ground was not leveled. Being on high heels + the shop on a slope + my eyes were on the merchandise and not on the ground... the math just add up pretty badly for me!

With the help of hubby, I hopped my way (on my right leg) to a nearby shoe shop to get a pair of flip flops because I seriously couldn't walk in my high heels anymore. This is by far my first ever experience having a sprain on the ankle.

This episode has also made me realize how important our health is. With one ankle injured it's just so inconvenient to even walk much less to fulfill all the duties I have on my plate. To date, the ankle still hurts as I walk down any stairs. While I can walk without limping now, the nagging pain remains within the bone. Though there's no fracture, I believe the healing is going to take a long while.

Everyday, I have to take my steps gingerly fearing that I might sprain the same area again... sigh...

Simply One Pot - Herbal Fish

2011-07-20T18:43:00.004+08:00

It's always a pleasure to cook especially if it's something completely fuss-free yet nutritious! We are building a habit of healthy eating and one of the best form of meat is white meat therefore fish is a natural preferred choice!

We are all busy mommies and if you have very little time and are totally zapped of energy after a whole day's work, whether you are a sahm or a wahm or a full-time working mom, I think the last thing you want is to agonize over what to cook, and then if you'd need to slave in the kitchen for over 2 hours in order to serve piping hot & delicious meal for your family.

You might want to give this dish a try...

Simple ingredients needed. I bought 2 slabs of fish fillet from the supermarket (love it that it doesn't have BONES!)
After rinsing the fish fillet, rub some pepper, salt and a small amount of mixed herbs onto the fish fillet (on both sides).
Heat up a table spoon of olive oil and fry it for 2 mins each side on medium high heat.

Voila!!! Simple, but superbly tasty, if I may say so myself! :)

Bon Apetit everyone!

Celebrating their differences

2011-07-18T01:18:00.004+08:00

My children, they are as different as day and night. Besides the obvious difference of being a boy and a girl they are completely wired differently ;) It's something I have always been grateful for even though it drives me crazy sometimes.

Little Missy, the spunky and feisty little one; she's full of life and fun... a social butterfly and one whom I've observed to be into the arts - singing and dancing. One definitely with better EQ than her brother ;)
Little Man, he's a dreamer, a builder, charmer (to his mom - *ahem* yours truly)... creative in his own little ways. Definitely more academically advance than his sister - ie. the one with better IQ.

One interesting and observable difference between the two of them is the way they eat.
This was Missy's plate of chicken rice after 5 mins into eating her lunch.
And this was Little Man's plate of chicken rice, 5 mins after eating his lunch. It's something I have always laughed about - their eating habits.

Regardless of their differences, I am glad to have them as my children. They have taught me too much about life and what it takes to be a mother. It's definitely a privilege!

Dusting away the "cobwebs"

2011-07-16T18:12:00.004+08:00

I cannot believe it that it's been months since I last posted an entry in this blog that I found myself logged out of my own blog account because of a wrong password!?!?!

I've been procrastinating about posting in this space simply because I often wonder if people really bother to read about the mundane things in my life as a sahm (or should I say, I am a wahm now)... places I bring my kids to... the growing pains of my children... the struggles I have as a parent etc etc etc...

Then I recalled why I started this blog since almost 6 years ago. It was a record of my journey as a mom, an archive of the growing years of my children... a place where I will and eventually my children will read about how the process of their growing up years as well as their mom's motherhood stages was like in the past.

I've left almost 6 months of year 2011 "empty" ie. no records of any sorts of our treasured moments... recently I've come across many new mommies in the blogosphere and their stories have so inspired me to start the records of my treasured moments all over again.

I shall then, keep this space filled up so that in time to come it serves as a journey down memory lane for myself and my children.

If you will join me as I start to "pen-down" the events of our lives all over again, I'll definitely be delighted! :)

No More Ironing Woes!

2011-02-10T13:00:00.003+08:00

Of all the chores at home the one that I DETEST MOST would be ironing! For years I made sure that the clothes that I purchase are of fabric that require no ironing or minimal ironing...fabric such as lycra, chiffon, jersey etc... that made ironing very painless for me...

However, since our live-in helper left a year ago, the ironing of hubby's work shirts were taken care of by an external source which recently have taken an abrupt halt. We then had to send hubby's shirts to the laundromat for pressing which the sum come up quite hefty each week (approximately $20-30) and we know this can't go on as we shouldn't be making this expense just because I detest ironing.

As luck would have it, a fellow mom (also a neighbour) shared about her experience using the Novita garment steamer and was raving about how quick she could get her ironing job done. That triggered my interest in the idea of steaming shirts as oppose to ironing!

I suggested to hubby briefly about getting a set of our own as this could potentially save us $$$, time and tears. I believe this is one of the quickest decisions about getting a new household gadget that hubby has ever made! He jumped right on the idea and got me a set of Novita SS19 garment steamer that very afternoon!

I was gleaming with joy at the very thought of all my ironing woes being eradicated. Far from my imagination, my first attempt on using the Novita SS19 was painful (extremely painful)!!! The hanging stand was unstable and was shifting a lot whenever I tried to steam the shirt, I couldn't pull the shirt straight enough to get the crease off the shirt, my fingers got mildly scalded by the steam, droplets of water was dripping out of the steamer as I was at the job... the list went on... and I struggled over 2 hours to get only 3 shirts done. I thought I'd never use the garment steamer anymore and was wondering if we had made the right decision to get the garment steamer in the first place.

Didn't want to put our S$300+ to waste and we certainly have enough white elephants at home, I'd better learn how to use this tool well for sake of our pockets. I dreaded the ironing for almost a week and have accumulated more than 10 sets of working attire to have done... After consulting my neighbour about the usage of the gadget, with the aid of an ironing glove and 2 kitchen mittens, I pulled out the Novita SS19 and started on the job!

I was slow working on the first two shirts... and as I get the hang of steaming the shirts it just got easier... and I could complete 1 work shirt in less than 8mins flat! The shirts are now nicely steamed and straightened... *beaming* I wouldn't trade the garment steamer for a traditional iron to straighten hubby's work shirts anymore!

If you are considering to get a garment steamer, you'd need to be mentally prepared to give yourself time to practice using it. With practice and persistence your ironing woes would definitely be eradicated! ;)

Here's a video I found on Youtube that demonstrates how effective a garment steamer works on various types of fabric. This is however not the brand that I got (can't seem to find a video of Novita though). So marvel at how easy it is to get all the creases out of your clothes...

A Look Back @ Year 2010

2011-01-31T02:48:00.010+08:00

It's such a long time since I last updated this blog... I am definitely getting lazier since I get hooked up on Facebook. Facebook has changed the way I've consume the internet.

Yet, I think blogging is necessary for me to put my reflections and happenings around us down somewhere that one day my children and people who are dear to me could reminisce and remember the events in our lives. Besides the very reason why I started blogging was to chart the events of my life as a mother. (Note to self for year 2011, to update blog as often as possible!)

I know it's a little late to be tracing back the major events of Year 2010 for me, this is nonetheless for the records.

My darling son, the Little Man, turned 4 and it was his first time being in a full-day school together with Little Missy. We struggled through approximately 8-9 months getting the Little Man fully adjusted to school life, our perseverance paid-off!

For someone such as yours truly who totally detest household chores, it was a brave decision to let the helper go and not hire a new one! God has been gracious and He has given me the strength ("I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" ~ Phil 4:13)

Since the beginning of my staying home as a mom, I've been sharing ideas on home learning and running playgroups of my own at home, likewise for my friend, Rachel. We didn't want to put our research and learnings to waste thus the birth of MyPlayschool.net.

Launch of Home Learning Made Easy workshop, the pivotal turn in our business. Having had the experience and love in nurturing and educating our children at home, we decided to pass on that knowledge to empower other like-minded moms.

Touching lives of fellow-moms who have attended our workshops! This is by far the greatest job satisfaction that I've experienced in my entire life (yes, not even my full-time career previously brought me such job satisfaction)!

Life was never the same after running our own business! We've learned so much about internet marketing, Facebook marketing and even had the opportunity to speak at an Infocomm event and Mums At Work networking session.

Little Man's first year end concert. It was his first time and he was naturally reluctant to try something new that's of this scale. He was reluctant to practice the dance steps when the teacher taught the class... he was reluctant to put on his costume... he was reluctant to wear make-up. After approximately 3-4 months of cajoling and encouragement, Little Man relented! I was one of the proudest moms watching my son performing on stage amidst a group of more than 100 pax spectators.

Our first trip out of the country as a family! We felt the kids were old enough to appreciate and enjoy a trip and our first stop was to the Disneyland!

Craze for crafting & sewing reignited! Since the beginning of Year 2010 I had shelved my interest in crafting and sewing due to the countless changes that went on for us. I was pleasantly surprise that the love in this area hasn't worn out even though I took a long hiatus.

There's something about sewing and crafting that made it so therapeutic for me. I believe it's got to do with the training of patience while working on it and the sense of achievement after each item is completed.

Year 2011 has started and I look forward to all that is to come for this brand new year! While there may be challenges, I know it'll be a ride of a life time that God will go through with me and my loved ones regardless!

More records of the year 2011 to come!!!

Christmas - A Season to be Grateful

2010-12-25T00:56:00.012+08:00

Christmas, one of my favourite seasons of the year! And it's usually at this time of the year I'll take time to reflect and recount my blessings... Year 2010 has been an eventful year yet it has also been a year that passes by so swiftly (even more swiftly than I could take stock of)!

Regardless of which, I'm grateful to our Lord God for this wonderful year. It is nothing short of magical because we have experienced floodgates of His mighty blessings of love and provision!

The past two years have been a period of test! Test of our faith and perseverance... in spite of all the difficulties, nay-sayers and failures, we've weathered through it all because we have a faithful God! Year 2010 has been a year of breakthrough for us and I can only thank my heavenly Father for everything!

This Christmas, has been exceptionally meaningful to us because we are reminded of God's love for us through Jesus. The events that occurred throughout the year were definitely the work of His mighty sovereign hands!

Going through the Christmas story once again, made me feel that Christmas is indeed about CHRIST and not about santa claus, presents etc... and I was determined to share the true meaning of Christmas with my children so that they know Jesus is the reason for the season!

We celebrated Christmas and thanksgiving early with our cell group friends... it was a joyful and happy evening! To be able to catch up with friends, share a word of encouragement, counting our blessings with each other... was simply edifying!

What a joyful time we had!!!

As we go through the season of Advent, the kids were told the Christmas story... what better opportunity than Christmas to bring out the true meaning of Christmas to the children.

The kids worked on art & craft activities as the meaning of the Christmas symbols were being explained to them accordingly... it was one of the best ways to bond with them and at the same time impart the true meaning of Christmas to them...

There was Christmas activities that the school organized for the children and I was really thankful that the nativity story has once again been presented to my two kids... repetition truly worked in helping the kids retain the message.
And there was a nativity musical at our church... We had our very first holiday out of the country as a family... this wouldn't be made possible if it weren't for my Abba Father's provision!

Most of all... I am grateful for my loving husband and two beautiful children!

Simply One Pot - Chicken with Ginger Sauce

2010-11-15T18:16:00.004+08:00

It's been an extremely long while since I last shared a recipe post. That's because I've been preoccupied with lots of activities around my children and on MyPlayschool.

Last night, while I was in Facebook, something caught my eye, someone shared a new recipe in her blog and out of curiosity I took and look and as one thing led to another, a chicken dish triggered my craving for the Samsui Chicken. Decided that I'll make this the one-pot dish for dinner the next day.

Samsui Chicken was made popular by the Soup restaurant here and it's interesting to note the history and origin of this dish was by the Samsui women of yesteryears.

This dish is so easy to make that you could whip it up even when you don't have any culinary skills ;) The ingredients required are so readily available. You can imagine my joy when there was no trace of chicken meat and lettuce left on the plate after dinner tonight *wink*

Here's how you could prepare this dish too.

Preparing the Chicken - Ingredients

1.5kg fresh chicken (I bought a kampong chicken from the supermarket)

1cm of young ginger

1 bulb of garlic (individual cloves crushed)

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

Method of preparation

1) Boil a large pot of water and add ginger and garlic

2) Once the water starts to boil, place the whole chicken into the pot

3) Ensure that the water covers the entire chicken, turn down the heat and continue to simmer for 25 minutes

4) Cease fire and leave the chicken in the pot for another 20 minutes

5) Remove the chicken and place it into a pot of ice water. Set it aside for 15 minutes

6) Lift the chicken out and place it onto a plate; rub salt and sesame oil all over the chicken and inside the cavity.

7) Place the chicken into the fridge to cool for 2 hours (I've omitted this step)

8) Cut the chicken into desired chunks and place the meat onto a plate

9) Serve with ginger sauce and ice berg lettuce

Preparing the Ginger Sauce - Ingredients

50gm young ginger

50gm old ginger

3-4 cloves garlic (skin removed)

45ml sesame oil

1 tbsp rice wine

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method of preparation

1) Blend ginger, garlic with vegetable oil and sesame oil till fine

2) Mix it in a small bowl with the rest of the ingredients

3) Leave the mixture aside to stand for 2 hours

4) Serve with chicken and ice berg lettuce

Enjoy These Moments

2010-10-10T17:31:00.004+08:00

My children, they...

Are silly sometimes but they teach me to have fun

Drive me crazy sometimes but they teach me about forgiveness

Go wild sometimes but they teach me to be uninhibited

Cry sometimes but they teach me to laugh more

I wonder what would life have been if it weren't for them to be that light that never went out. I am grateful to have the privilege to be a mom nonetheless, definitely the world most fulfilling job of all!!!

A little video for me to celebrate the joy of being a mom also a reminder to always enjoy the kids during these early years of their lives.

"Children really brighten up a household ~ they never turn the lights off" ~ Ralph Bus

We Love Water Play

2010-09-25T22:38:00.003+08:00

What better way to chase away all the HFMD blues than having a whale of a time at an outdoor water play!

We discovered this new place that offers a great water play area for kids... best of all it's NOT crowded at all on a weekend... perhaps it's still relatively unknown to many...

So make your way there if your kids are like mine, who have a strong affinity towards water! :)

The Lower Seletar Reservoir Water Venture is located at the intersection of Yishun Ave 1 and Lentor Ave.

Have Fun!

How's Tim?

2010-09-08T17:06:00.002+08:00

I've been asked this question a lot whenever I meet relatives and friends whom I've not met a while... those who have read my blog entries and were concerned about my struggles in dealing with Tim's growing pains over the past months.

It's been a long process but I've taken it to my stride that it was a passing phase... looking in retrospect I believe the journey was necessary not just for Tim but more for me to learn and to grow as I parent my kids. There's still much work to be done in my walk as a parent before I reach nirvana, it's however, enriching and definitely meaningful!

Tim has been behaving better over the past few months at home and in school (as I haven't receive much negative feedback from the teacher-in-charge for a while). He's also been able to take instructions much better now and more often than not I've witnessed his willingness to share much more spontaneously without my prompting (he was even willing to share his most precious Oreo cookie with his friend last week during our playdate *smile*). He's playing with his sister much better now, though the frequent sibling squabbling/fights still prevail (the fun of growing up together, I guess).

Just yesterday, I had a short conversation with Tim's teacher-in-charge, although she didn't sing praises of how well behaved Tim has been but there weren't any complaints either... I took it positively that Tim hasn't been giving her much trouble for the past months - that's good news to me, honestly!
Being active and curious with a streak of cheekiness in him, that's just how he was wired to be... that's just how most kids of his age would behave too... so I've learned to accept that it's part and parcel of growing up. I've tried to refrain from labelling him as a child with a behavioural problem. I've learned to deal with Tim as well as Little Missy's needs bearing in mind that they are afterall below the age of 5; recognizing their natural behaviour due to their developmental stages has made me look at situations in a broader perspective and not get too myopic about the nitty gritties of their non-compliance sometimes.

In the past 8 months I've also walked a long way (a treacherous one I have to admit) to realize that Tim's struggles stemmed from the fact that he was trying hard to adjust to the multiple major changes that went on in our household and in our lives. I've failed initially to address the problems properly which resulted to Tim's misbehaviour (this usually happens when a young child is unable to express the "stress" they are going through and it further aggravates the problem when the parents fail to help and guide the child through this phase of his life). Sometimes, we get too caught up with the problem that we failed to take a step back to see the broader picture; to identify where the root of the problem came from thereby feel totally swept up within this whirlwind of confusion and helplessness. I was heartened though that things have fallen into place better for us at this stage, but if I had knew the root problem earlier, and took the right actions and behaviour, we might not have to walk through this turbulent time for so long.

My child is not a perfect child because I am not a perfect parent. I am glad though, we've went through this difficult time together, it's part of my training as a parent, I suppose. And as for what other challenges might come next? We'll see, but I'm definitely willing to walk through them because I know we'll overcome them as we go along.

My Attempt to be a Playful Parent

2010-08-21T23:04:00.003+08:00

When I was little, the only idea I knew about parenting was observing my parents & experiencing how my parents parent me. When I became a parent and was responsible for the little people in my life, I didn't really know what parenting was all about except through the Parenting with Confidence (PWC) course I've sat for. Even then, the idea about parenting was vague because parenting is a process and I simply cannot appreciate nor comprehend fully all that I've learned until I've been put through the "grind" myself.

I've set out to be a good parent, that was why I signed up for the PWC course even while I was expecting Tim then. I've envisage to be the "perfect" parent to the children I've been bestowed with.

I must admit, after 4.5 years I'm still not even near - the "perfect" parent. Contrary to being a better parent each brand new day, I find myself "locking horns" with my children on a day-to-day basis - nagging, screaming, threatening and all the works of being a sergeant major parent, you name it. It was exhausting and neither the kids nor I enjoyed my presence at home. Hubby reminded me that the kids are still docile at this age but how long more can I use this method of parenting and if I wish to drive them out of the home eventually.

It was an awakening moment for me as I reflect on my ways and if I really wish to see my kids run away from home at a young age. They are blessed gifts from my Heavenly Father, and what have I done to truly deserve them.

Interestingly, just recently while surfing the Amazon.com for another parenting book I was given a recommendation to this book "Playful Parenting" by Lawrence J Cohen. For a person like me who emphasize or believe so much in learning through play, why didn't I even thought of using play to parent my kids?

I've gained many insights just by reading the introduction and chapter one. Decided the very next day, after reading the book, to bring down my guard as a sergeant major parent and just "play" as I parent my kids.

The morning was a pleasant one (peaceful with no screams, tears and fights). The kids were ready for school at half the time they used to take (especially for Tim). There were more laughter and I didn't feel as exhausted as the many mornings before.

Some asked what did I do to make playful parenting work for me. Nothing out of the norm, nothing spectacular, just simply to put in more patience and love. I spoke in a friendlier tone, consciously smiled more and played tickle with Tim to make him get out of bed (giggling away)... while I sing songs and talk loads of nonsensical stuff with Little Missy... the dreadful morning routine has become a breeze... the kids left home for school happy and I felt a breath of fresh air around me...

It still takes conscious effort for playful parenting to work for me... but I truly do hope that in time to come it'd be ingrain in me that it's out of habit and not a conscious act. Not sure where this might lead me to, meantime, I've learned to enjoy my kids better... ;)

Simply One Pot - Chestnut Pork Stew

2010-08-12T14:26:00.005+08:00

When I was little I always enjoyed this particular dish that was prepared by my mom. It's still one of my favourite dishes that's made by my mom.

Just yesterday, I was craving for it and I made a quick phone call to my mom to ask for the recipe. I can't believe how simple it was to prepare it because the ingredients required were so few :)

Contrast to the regular braised pork, this dish tasted less salty and because no spices were required the natural sweetness of the chestnuts were not marred by the soya sauce and spices. Mmmmmm it tasted heavenly!

*Chestnut health facts:

Contains vit B1, B2, C. High in fibre. Low in fats and rich in minerals. Read more about the health benefits of this great nut here.

Here's how you could prepare it.

Ingredients:

Chestnuts (I bought it fresh from the wet market with the shells already removed); alternatively, you may also buy the dried chestnuts, though it's not as tasty as the fresh ones)

500gms Pork belly (sliced thickly)

1 bulb of garlic (gently crush with skin in tact)

3-4 tbsp light soya sauce (you may add more if you like it salty)

1.5 tbsp sugar

2 bowls of hot water (sufficient to cover the pork & chestnuts in the saucepan/pot)

Method of preparation:

1) To remove the skin of the chestnuts, place the chestnuts (shells already removed) into a pot of boiling water on the stove; boil for 3-5mins. Peel the skin with a small knife, it should be easy to remove the skin while the chestnuts are still warm. Set it aside.

2) Scald the pork in boiling water for 2-3mins. Set it aside.

3) Heat 1tbsp oil in wok (or saucepan), fry the garlic till fragrant.

4) Add the pork and stir fry for 2 mins.

5) Add light soya sauce and fry the pork for another 1-2mins.

6) Stir in the chestnuts and fry for a little while.

7) Pour in the hot water with the water level barely covering the pork & chestnuts.

8) Bring it to a boil then simmer under low heat for 2 hours (or until the chestnuts and pork is tender).

9) Add in the sugar after the chestnuts & pork has turned tender and boil under low heat for another 5-10mins.

Serve with a bowl of white rice and there you have a meal on its own ;)

To Buy or Not To Buy?

2010-08-02T17:26:00.002+08:00

Recently, hubby and I had a discussion about how we should inculcate the right values to our children. We were extremely concerned about Little Missy's obsession about wanting to buy everything that took her fancy especially items with the Disney princesses and Barbie dolls.

She could browse through a simple brochure that we picked up from the cake shop and ask us for every single item in the brochure. Or she could point and asked for every doll she came across in a Disney magazine.

I've asked myself if this is just a passing phase or is this the root of a potential trap for consumerism. My mom & my aunt would often relate how I used to behave whenever I was brought to a department store. I would ask for everything that caught my eye. Instead of using that as a teaching moment, my aunt would lie that she'd need to send a pick-up truck to wait for us by the entrance of the department store to cart those stuff home for me. I wouldn't blame my aunt (who's not married and might not have any parenting knowledge for that matter) for doing that cos that was an effective way of keeping my tantrums down. I wasn't given much guidance and lesson about money management when I was little.

So 20 years after that incident, I turned into a hopeless shopaholic that chock up a 5 figure credit card debt on shopping! It took me a painful 3-4 years to completely clear off every cent of the debt that I've rolled up. With proper planning & discipline, I was fortunate to be able to rid the debt quickly. It was a lesson that I've learned through the hard way and have since kept my records clean!

With that history behind me, I am very conscious about how I should teach my children about spending wisely. The incident with Little Missy has given us a valuable teaching moment. The hubs and I have decided to nip the problem at its bud and it has to start when they are young.

We've decided not to buy things that could potentially stumble our kids into consumerism such as fanciful stuff from the big brands (if we ever do buy, it'll be a surprise reward, and not at their request for it). We will also guide them into saving up for things that they want to buy (we hope to teach them about delayed gratification). We will only buy replacements of things that they need if they are broken (in this we want to teach them about need over want).

That being said, we as parents would also need to be conscientious about the way we spend lest we set a bad example to the children. It certainly takes a lot of discipline and conscious effort to do so. I really don't wish to see my kids paving the old way I've been through so would have to work hard in this area for their sake!

Little Missy Turned 3 Today!

2010-08-02T16:42:00.002+08:00

Some 3 weeks ago, we've decided that Little Missy will have a little birthday party in school where most of her friends (whom she's familiar with) will be there to celebrate her special day with her. Me (a lazy mom), thought this is the BEST place to do so (read: being spared the hassle of sending out invites and waiting for responses and co-ordinating venue, catering of food, activities for the guests/kids etc)! As it turned out, it was a right decision! HAH!

Little Missy was so excited about the celebration that she was all smiles this morning and throughout the birthday celebration. She chose this "Beautiful Belle" cake (hubs & my last purchase of any Disney Princess to her - more about this in a separate post) and was all too engrossed with the thought of being a princess, even her teacher was telling me about Little Missy's fantasy.
The whole world (her teachers and friends) knew that pink was Little Missy's favourite colour... she must have been announcing it to everybody in school *faint*
I wanted to steer away from what all other parents have been giving out as birthday favours (not for the sake of being different). I decided to keep everything simple by offering home-baked cookies (packed into a DIY paper bag) and a batch of stickers as birthday favour. Little Missy's classmates seem content with that ;)

I always cringe whenever my kids bring home a goodie bag filled with candies, lollypops, chocolates, oreo cookies, pocky sticks, jello... and you name it all the scarily super duper sweet and "heaty" stuff.

No offense to the rest of the parents, but I seriously dislike my kids consuming such stuff, so very often these packets of "goodies" would either end up in hubby's tummy or in the rubbish bin.
Tim was yanked out from his nap to attend his sister's party. While being groggy and sleepy, he was happy and lapped up every bit of the cake.
Little Missy, cheery with her English teacher, teacher Majorie.
Her favourite teacher, 庄老师, whom she picked up most of her fluent mandarin from.
Little Missy, didn't forget to serve the rest of the teachers in school... she's all too glad to serve them because t'was her special day ;)

Happy 3rd Birthday, my Little Missy!

Simple Pleasures

2010-07-18T00:44:00.004+08:00

Wonder what the kids and the daddy were watching?

We've been really privileged to be living at our current location where on an annual basis we get to watch fireworks at our balcony. Especially during the rehearsals of each impending National Day celebration, whether it was previously celebrated at the National Stadium or at the current Marina Bay, we have a good view of the fireworks every Saturday and of course on the actual National Day itself. Besides, National Day, there were fireworks during the New Year's day & the Lunar New Year celebrations, we watched them all ;)

This evening, we had a great time together as a family watching the fireworks... with the kids' enthusiasm about the fireworks it's hard not to feel excited! Such simple pleasure brings warmth into my heart :)

Sticky Situation - No More!

2010-07-16T12:50:00.003+08:00

Have you ever had this problem where your pair of scissors were filled with the gooey stuff from the sticky tape that you've cut?

I make lots of learning aids and many of them required self-adhesive velcro tape. I've thrown away a few pairs of scissors simply because I don't know how to get the goo out of the scissors and it was frustrating trying to cut when the pair of scissors were in that state.

I know we could use the Ronsonol fluid to clean these stuff off but I hate the smell and oily feel when handling such stuff... Then, someone brilliant shared... in order to get rid of the goo all it took was...
Alcohol swab! You'd need to rub many times on the goo before it will come off totally...so don't give up just keep going, the goo will eventually come off clean!
TA-DAAAAAAA!!! Scissors good as new, all ready to be used again!!! ;) Cool huh?!

Hope this little tip comes in handy to you!

Messy Fun: TV-Free Evening!

2010-07-16T01:00:00.004+08:00

Yaay!!! They've made it!!! The kids have made it - they've unplugged from the TV for the entire day!!! (no watching of TV during the day at school, and this evening - too busy playing) *beaming*

It's been too long since we last had a messy fun activity (cos I dread the cleaning up part, now that we are living without a live-in helper) and so this evening, I've given the kids a free choice of Messy Fun activity... and they picked THREE!!!

My initial intention was to let them play with shaving foam and water... but Tim requested to play with chalk and to blow bubbles too. I relented since I've offered to let them pick the activity.

They were thrilled and was playing by the corridor for a good 1.5hrs flat (right after dinner)! They were just too engrossed with the water play and stomping on chalks that they didn't have the time to blow bubbles... well, they had their fun!

Love it best that without much effort I could just wash off all the shaving foam and powdered chalk with a bucket of water *smile*

I've just thought of the next Messy Fun idea... ;) I think the kids would love it to bits!

Stay tuned!

What is your child living with?

2010-07-10T09:41:00.001+08:00

If a child lives with criticism,

he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility,

he learns to fight.

If a child lives with fear,

he learns to be apprehensive.

If a child lives with pity,

he learns to feel sorry for himself.

If a child lives with ridicule,

he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with jealousy,

he learns to feel guilt.

BUT

If a child lives with tolerance,

he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement,

he learns to be confident.

If a child lives with praise,

he learns to be appreciative.

If a child lives with acceptance,

he learns to love.

If a child lives with honesty,

he learns what truth is.

If a child lives with fairness,

he learns justice.

If a child lives with security,

he learns to have faith in himself and those about him.

If a child lives with friendliness,

he learns the world is a nice place in which to live.

WITH WHAT IS YOUR CHILD LIVING?

Dorothy L. Law, 1959

Barbie's Lost Her Head!

2010-06-30T00:37:00.001+08:00

Little Missy's BFF has lost her head (literally!). It all happened too swiftly that I couldn't stop the "accident" from happening...

You see, Little Missy has recently developed the habit of having Barbie as her companion during bedtime. One night, she was fussing in the middle of her sleep and I had to attend to her... she was asking for her BFF and in the darkness of the night (I didn't turn on the lights), I discovered Barbie was under Little Missy's back... in my haste to get it out in order to stop Little Missy from fussing, I yanked Barbie a tad too hard...

Barbie was separated from her head and there was simply no way I could fix the head back (I tried for many times, even the daddy tried to help)!!! So in the darkness of the night, Little Missy didn't realize anything amiss and was happy to go back to sleep with the beheaded Barbie in her arms. But we already foresee what will happen when the truth was discovered!

When morning came, the daddy soothed a teary and super upset Little Missy by promising her a new Barbie... don't under estimate the power of a father's love... Little Missy was thrilled after knowing that she's going to get a new doll. It didn't matter to her that the old Barbie was beheaded, she simply threw it aside and looked forward to her new BFF's arrival!

*Update: Little Missy got her new Barbie just two days after the beheaded episode... so now Little Missy is sleeping with her new BFF!!!

Simply One Pot - Carrot & Radish Soup

2010-06-26T21:24:00.003+08:00

We have all been sick of late and it's called for desperate measures to try to make remedy to the problem facing us. My kids and I have been coughing badly (real bad!) with thick phlegm and all... it was then I recalled what the chinese physician said that we are all very "heaty" and need to take things that would cool our bodies...

I flipped through a soup recipe book that have been sitting on the shelf for a while and decided that this soup was the simplest to prepare with ingredients that could be easily obtained from the market. Most importantly, this soup is most appropriate for people with phlegmy coughs...

I cannot guarantee that this would work, but I think even if you aren't coughing, it still make a very nice soup to drink *smile*

Ingredients -

1-2 Carrots

1 Green radish

300gms pork ribs

1 tbsp each of Bitter & Sweet almonds (apricot kernels) - it said that this is very good for the respiratory system

3 Candied dates

Salt to taste

1.5l - 2l of water

Methods of Preparation -

1) Wash and cut the carrots and green radish into large pieces

2) Clean the pork ribs

3) Rinse the bitter & sweet almonds, candied dates

4) Put all the ingredients into a soup pot, pour water into the pot accordingly

5) Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer on low heat for over an hour to two

6) Add salt to taste before serving

It's a Double Whammy!

2010-06-21T23:01:00.003+08:00

Most of us might have the experience of running around a sick child. We know how that could throw us off balance from our daily routine and responsibilities... add that equation with two sick children and being sick yourself... that's a sure double whammy!

I've heard a friend who've said before "What can't kill you, can only make you stronger!"... well, I sure hope that this episode of the entire family (well, almost) taken ill will make me a stronger mom and person.

It's definitely not a very fun time we (hubby & I) have to put up with having no help at home and taking care of all the needs of the little ones... we didn't catch much sleep the past week as the kids couldn't sleep well either. Tim was coughing constantly and Little Missy's temperature was hovering around 40C for a couple of nights and would wake up a few times each night... then both kids will snooze throughout the day and refused to take their meals... when they were awake they'd watch TV all day long because I didn't have the energy to make sure they had something to do... gosh...

It was a nightmare - literally! Was glad to have finally made the decision to drag the kids to see the chinese physician at the TCM, after a few doses of the chinese medicine, they got better and today we've decided to put them back in school for half a day so that I could get some much needed rest as I've a workshop to run this weekend and I haven't got my voice back yet!!!

This time of being sick has taught me to be more conscientious about what I feed the kids (and myself) - more fresh fruits, vegetables & steamed/boiled dishes. To have a good habit of sleeping earlier each night and not overwork our bodies. Gotta take care now!

She could identify those letters!

2010-06-14T01:06:00.003+08:00

It's been a few months since I last did any letter learning with Little Missy, simply for the fact that I noticed she wasn't quite ready when I introduced the individual letters to her. While she participated actively in a few of those activities, the rest left us both frustrated at the end of the day.

I gathered that instead of getting myself worked up and in the event killing her joy of learning, I decided to just take a break (indefinitely) instead of insisting that she learn those letters, we did reading, art & craft and playing of games...

After receiving her learning report from the school recently, I discovered that she knew a few letters that was taught in school. I decided to pull out this alphabet book and we played a game...

We read through this book "How to Build an A" together... after which I "tested" her... for each letter that she could identify, I was going to give her a Fairy Sticker.
I have deliberately kept this booklet of stickers in a secret place and would only offer it to Little Missy for every piece of work she completed to reward her. So far she's taken to this system rather well, and has been rather motivated to do some learning activities that I've given her. It was likewise for Tim, for every reader or learning activity he completed he'll be given a sticker as well.
Little Missy busy picking out her choice stickers...
She was made to paste the stickers next to those letters that she was able to identify :) this sure made learning fun for her!

When We Were Home Bound

2010-06-12T00:16:00.000+08:00

The kids have been down with flu for the past few weeks, and during weekends, we tried to restrict their outdoor activities so that they could have some rest... however, kids being kids, packed with loads of energy within them couldn't seem to just sit at home and do nothing.

I didn't really like to the idea of TV-baby sitting all day long, before they ran amok in the house and to keep my sanity, I came up with this activity to keep them occupied...

SCRAPBOOK :)

There were loads of photos that I had printed and wanted to put them into a scrapbook myself, but have left them sitting in the drawer for such a loooooong time... the more I procrastinated the longer those photos would remain in the drawer... so decided to drag them all out and let the kids put those photos into a scrapbook themselves! *beaming*
This is a great time buster as it took the kids about an hour to put those photos together and embellished them accordingly...
Great for those fine motor skills training as well as eye-hand-coordination practice. Plus it had given the kids a great sense of achievement that they were flipping through those albums over and over again - admiring their handiwork plus looking through their photos *smile*
I had a good time bonding with them while they were at work. Without much instructions from me, they just took off to do up these scrapbooks using their own creativity...
I wrapped those A5 size clear folder with plain coloured paper and they decorated it with stickers of their own preference...

This was really a great activity to do together... for so much family warmth was shared during the hour we've spent working on this!

A Day of Imaginative Play

2010-06-05T23:03:00.003+08:00

The kids are both down with bad runny nose and cough so it's a home-bound weekend for us...so what did we do with SO MANY hours to fill and no help at home (the hubs at work)?

Tried my utmost best to limit the number of hours on watching the telly, we did some home learning activities and the rest of the time the kids came up with their own fun... ;)

Little Missy was into fantasy play by imagining herself to be a super hero with butterfly wings *smile* she was racing & hopping up and down the corridor singing (what she's learned from Hi-5) her favourite Super Charli tune. Kept her very busy and active for a good 15mins *wink*
My two kids have a natural fascination on boxes... not sure why, but I thought they were quite imaginative to come up with their own fun using those boxes...

Tim, made a "Frog Trap" using an empty tissue box; he made some "flies" using pipe cleaners and told me that these were going to be used as bait to catch frogs... interesting idea!

While Little Missy, made a bed out of a carton box. She's not been that vigilant in making her own bed but with this carton box she was so quick to lay the bed nicely for a "good night's rest"...

Thank goodness they were able to entertain themselves leaving me some time to get all the necessary housework done! *sigh of relief*

Never Say Never!!!

2010-06-01T22:34:00.002+08:00

Ever since the kids started school this year, they've brought back lots of habits, some were great but some irked me to no end!

I am not sure if anyone of you have had the same or similar experience but it's just so hard to get them to kick that irritating habit when the kids come home saying things such as -

Example 1) Mommy, my friend, J, NEVER come to school...

Example 2) No, this is not your ONE, it's my ONE...

Example 3) No LAH!!!!

I know this is part of our daily life ie. Singlish and it's also something unique about being a Singaporean... and I shouldn't be surprise when the kids come home with their English peppered with all these because they get to mingle with other children more often now but it's really irritating!!!

I tried in all efforts not to speak this way in front of the kids and have taken a lot of trouble to correct them whenever I hear those pesky 'NEVER', 'my ONE', and 'no LAH'... it just seemed to get worse not better... gosh...I need help!

My Little Phonics Teacher

2010-05-25T22:28:00.003+08:00

Tim has a fascination with alphabet, and his love for reading is evident in his every attempt to sound out every single letter he sees everywhere we go. Now that he is able to read, he's very "passionate" about teaching his little sister phonics and speaking properly.

The past few days, we've encountered several interesting yet comic relief moments which I wanted to put this down for record purpose -

Comic Relief 1 -

Little Missy: Daddy, I got...got...got...

Daddy: God is in heaven

Tim : No, no, daddy, mei mei meant goT not goD it's not the same.

Daddy: .............

Comic Relief 2 -

Little Missy: I have TRee (three) stickers...

Tim: Mei mei, say THree (demonstrating with his tongue in between his teeth), not TRees. TRees are out in the garden...

Comic Relief 3 -

Tim: Mei mei, when you are done let me know ok?

Little Missy: yah

Tim: No, don't say yah, say Yes!

Simply Homecooked - 3-Eggs Wonder

2010-05-24T01:09:00.004+08:00

I can't remember when I had a taste of this dish at the Crystal Jade restaurant, what I do remember was I can't forget how delicious it was since the day I ate this dish :)

Although I don't really know absolutely what ingredients the chefs of the restaurant used, however, this was what I've observed. Other than the obvious spinach & 3 different types of eggs they've used, there was also dried prawns, and chicken stock to make this dish a little tastier :)

Here's how you can prepare this dish too -

Ingredients -

1x Regular egg (you may add more if you are planning not to use salted eggs or century eggs)

2x Salted eggs (one full salted egg, and one egg yolk)

1x Century egg (chopped; omit this if you don't fancy it)

1 pack spinach (bought from the super market)

2 tbsp dried prawns (washed and soaked)

1 pot Chicken Stock (boiled with chicken bones and 3 corn on cob; for convenience you might want to use 3-4tbsp of concentrated chicken stock in 2l of water)

Method of preparation -

1) Boil the chicken stock for over 2hrs (on stove, after bringing the soup to a boil, continue to simmer under low fire)

2) Remove all the chicken bones and corn on cob after the soup is boiled.

3) Add all the eggs into the soup and dried prawns, bring it to a boil.

4) Add the spinach, once the vegetable is cooked, just cease fire

5) Serve (no seasoning is required as the salted egg and dried prawns would have given the soup base some taste).

Enjoy this 3-eggs wonder! *smile*

Time Out!

2010-05-23T23:35:00.005+08:00

I've been really missing those times when I could bring the kids out on a regular basis to everywhere and anywhere... allowing them the space and time to run and play and experience the outdoor life.

Since they started school, and I started working at home, I haven't had much opportunity of bringing them out. Hubs have been really busy the past 2 months that he didn't have time to bring us out during the weekends... the kids were running amok in the house and I think they desperately needed some time out since they have been confined to the four walls of school the entire week...

It was really great to have a friend to play with during our time out, so was truly grateful that Rachel was willing to bring K out to join us!

Kids were just born to love water I feel. Judging from how happy the children were when we step into the Marina Barrage.
We like the Marina barrage because there was water aplenty and the vast amount of space for the kids to run around in. They could indeed play here the entire day! Loved how the kids laughed, ran and played with the water that day!
This weekend, we took the kids to the National Museum as it was the Children's Season and during this period there were various interesting programs lined up for the kids. We thought it might be good to expose the kids with more activities within the museum to get them interested in this area of learning.
This felt wall installation was great! Though the kids were only interested in it for just a little bit (10mins)...
Little Missy was really thrilled to be dressed up as a flower fairy... great dramatic play for kids of her age...sparked the imagination and creativity of the child.
The kids exploring some of the elements from the felt wall.
They didn't feel quite comfy in those costumes although the mommies were very tickled by them... *smile*
Tried to engage them with some reading activities, yet it was short lived, in less than 2 mins they were off to doing something else... guess they were just too distracted by the hustle and bustle around the place that day...

The only activity that kept them interested beyond 10mins was drawing/writing.
Tim being absolutely proud about his ability to draw better now. He's showing off his drawing of our family here.
K was busy scribbling away... :)
Still, nothing beats being outdoors. The kids just couldn't have enough of outdoor play, so a short 10mins at the playground after lunch, was still their choice activity of the day.

So more activities lined up for the following Saturdays to come, I feel like a full time working mom now that I could only bring them out during weekends... hmmm... not a bad thing though at least we still get some fresh air and sunshine during the week *wink*

Home-Learning Made Easy

2010-05-17T02:41:00.001+08:00

I am thrilled to announce the launch of the new website; myplayschool.net!

If you are parent of a 18 month – 6 years old child, myplayschool.net is THE resource to go to home-learning. You will find a chockful of activities and ideas to teach your toddler or preschooler at home. With myplayschool.net, you really don't need to be an educator to be able to teach your child at home.

Find our site is useful? Please join our Facebook like page.

Little Explorers

2010-05-10T11:00:00.003+08:00

We were out and about at the Bukit Batok Nature Park...

The little explorers went bird watching...
and monkey watching...

Great place for a nice family outing, if you are looking for some activities for the kids to be occupied with... nature, as always, the best teaching ground! :)

Weddings...

2010-05-08T10:26:00.000+08:00

It was my forever friend, Mary's, wedding and looking back we have been friends for over 15 years now... it's amazing how far and how deep our friendship has been all these years... we literally watch each other mature spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

Funny as it seemed, we have a lot of similarities and one of them was our choice of wedding day *smile*

In year 2005, May 7th I got married

In year 2010, May 8th Mary got married

I am grateful God has made our paths cross and am also very happy that she's been such a wonderful friend for so long. Here's to wish Mary a blissful marriage and may our friendship grow as old as we are alive :)

Corridor Play - Bubbles Fun

2010-05-07T14:09:00.003+08:00

Activities after dinner can range from simply watching a movie on a DVD, playing at the playground, working on some home learning activities or just plain fun by our corridor...

The past 2 evenings, the kids volunteered to unplug from their favourite TV time to simply games by our corridor.

We had water play on the first evening and last evening they (their bubble guns) were blowing bubbles and had over an hour of fun...

I guess activities such as these are million times better than watching TV all the time *wink*...

In case you were wondering where did we get those bubble guns from, they were from Daiso... only $2 each... wonderful yeah? Economical and fun! *smile*

Simply One Pot - Stew Chicken

2010-05-07T13:41:00.004+08:00

One dish that I've always wanted to cook... simple, nutritious and superbly yummy!!!

Stew chicken in a pot, perfect for a busy, lazy mom like me... everything to be dumped into one pot and let it just stew for as long as it takes... ;)
This was served together with steamed rice and some stir-fry vege to the kids, and they simply loved it... oooh the gravy was filled with all the essence of the ingredients that simply was too flavourful not to lap the plates clean...

Here's how you can make it too...

Ingredients -

1kg chicken winglets (or you may use a whole chicken cut into 4-6 pieces)

1 large white onion

2-3 carrots (cut into chunks)

4 potatoes (cut into chunks)

Celery (optional - I didn't add it into this pot though)

2 large tomatoes (cut into wedges)

2-3 corn on cob (cut into chunks)

4-6 cups of chicken stock (I stirred 3-4tbsp of concentrated chicken stock into 4-6 cups water)

2 tbsp cooking oil

Salt to taste.

Method of preparation -

1) Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables (onions, carrots, celery) for a min or two, set it aside.

2) Add the chicken stock into the pot (you may use crock pot) and all the ingredients except salt.

3) If you are using the stove to cook, bring it to a boil and simmer for about an hour+. If you are using crock pot, you'll have to cook it for over 3hrs.

4) Add salt to taste. Serve!

Bon Appetit!!! :)

The "Assessment"

2010-04-29T00:29:00.006+08:00

*Long Post*

We've received a preliminary assessment for Tim. In my previous post about the challenges that we've been facing dealing with Tim - being a concerned parent (read: kiasu), I was quick to jump into trying to pinpoint what was wrong and be given a label that describe my child's problem, so I could find a solution to resolve this problem quickly (task oriented parent).

I was getting anxious due to his teachers' complaints, friend's concerned word of caution, and my imagination of the worst about my child's future due to what I have learned about the situation. I couldn't be very objective about the steps I should take to help my child overcome all these challenges. I was just too caught up with all the signs and symptoms I've picked out of Tim's behaviour and matching them to that of a special need child. For one moment, I imagined him to be ADHD, and in another occasion, I thought he has stronger signs of being down with Asperger and the last I jumped into was ASD, after the preliminary assessment by the OT.

In the process of running around trying to put my finger to a problem, and seeking for a solution, I've overlooked the fact that my child is afterall a preschooler who is at an age of being curious, exploration, adventure... just as God has made us all different, each child has a different learning style, grows at a pace of their own and progress with a different cognitive level... I should embrace the uniqueness of Tim and recognize that this challenging period is God's way of reminding me how much I needed Him in my process of parenting Tim (and Little Missy), and if I should sought for any form of help it is He whom I should look up to.

I've had the assurance from hubby, and many close friends (who have encountered special needs children) who feedback that they don't see Tim as a special need child... all he needed was to be properly guided in different social setting as well as classroom rules... granted that he may be disruptive in class and caused his teachers much heartaches and headaches, he still desires to please the adults around him (especially us, his parents).

Over the past weekend, I've made a point to observe Tim's behaviour more intently. When playing with his sister I noticed he was indeed playing WITH and not parallel playing. He was also seen playing quite well with his friend in the Sunday School. He has taken my instructions and followed them accordingly without much fuss. I noticed much of his behaviour was a reaction of how I behave as a parent towards him. When I was calm in instructing him, he was calm as well... when I started yelling, he has a tendency to act up. Just as the adults dislike being interrupted when we are focused on a task, it is likewise with Tim. So the meltdown that occur in class often was due to his focused attention on an activity being disrupted; I am aware though, the teachers have a time table to observe in school and cannot allow every child to do everything as they like. This is something I am willing to work together with the teachers to help Tim by reinforcing the message that he has to follow the class rules and time table.

With Tim, I know I have to work a lot harder and put in more patience in guiding him properly. I've seen improvements in Tim lately ie. lesser tantrums and quicker to quieten down after a tantrum as I've taken a more active step in setting boundaries, more importantly, I've taken a more conscious effort to yell less at him and to guide him by reasoning instead of reprimanding. I've also made a point to give him more positive attention rather than negative.

Given the time I know Tim will grow to become better... he might take a slightly longer time but I know, by the grace of God, it's not impossible for us to overcome all these challenges together.

Simply One Pot - Peanut Porridge

2010-04-26T16:50:00.003+08:00

What do you cook that's one pot, totally hassle-free and suitable for rainy days?

Porridge, of course!!! *smile* I love cooking porridge cos it's completely fuss-free and absolutely quick to whip up!

I love my porridge with chilli that explains why you see it in my bowl of mush... *wink* On days, when I just totally do not wish to wash up loads of pots and pans, and when I totally have ran out of ingredients in the refrigerator (yet too lazy to go for grocery shopping) this is what I will cook!

Today, the ingredients I have in my stash are a pack of minced chicken meat, frozen scallops and a pack of peanuts... so without much prep work, I made sure the minced chicken and frozen scallops were defrost, washed and dump everything into the crock pot... can't get anything easier than that... *grin*

Here's the ingredients -

100gms minced chicken meat (or minced pork)

4-5 pieces of fresh scallops (optional, though I thought that kind of enhance the taste of the porridge)
50gms dried peanuts (soaked. Quantity in moderation according to your preference)

1/2 cup rice (I used mixed grain rice but you may just use white rice)

Fish sauce or soya sauce (in moderation according to your preference)

Method of preparation -

1) Boil the rice in 4-5 cups of water in a saucepan till you notice the rice is cooked

2) Pour the entire lot of rice (with the water, add more water if need be), and all other ingredients (except fish sauce) into a crock pot and leave it to cook for up to 3hrs+

3) Once it's cooked to the consistency of your preference you may add a moderate amount of fish sauce to taste and stir evenly.

4) Add the condiments of your choice (eg. spring onions etc) and a dash of pepper. serve!

*Note: if you want the porridge to taste better you may use chicken stock or stock boiled from sweet corn instead of plain water.

Enjoy your meal! *smile*

Simply One Pot - Chicken & Vege Omelette

2010-04-21T14:46:00.003+08:00

This is a great one-dish meal to whip up, anytime, when you want a hassle-free preparation. Best of all it's nutritious (contains fibre & protein all in one) and at a very low cost :)

I first come across this dish one day when I was invited for lunch at a dear friend's home. I was curious how this simple dish was so yummy and asked for the recipe so that I may try to replicate the goodness to my loved ones at home :) it was a really popular dish between my kids...

Here's how you can prepare it too...

Ingredients -

3 eggs (beaten)

100gms minced chicken

1/2 pack of green vegetables (boiled; you may use baby cai xin or spinach)

Soya sauce

Pepper

Corn starch

Cooking oil

Methods of preparation -

1) Marinate minced chicken in 2 tsp soya sauce, some pepper and 1 tsp corn starch, set it aside

2) Boil the green vegetable and chop it

3) Add the minced chicken and chopped vegetable into the beaten egg and stir lightly

4) Add 1 tsp soya sauce into the mixture

5) Heat oil on fry pan and fry the omelette in medium low heat (to prevent the egg from burning before the meat is cooked).

6) Serve with steam rice

Easy peasy? Bon Appetit!!! *smile*

MamaBliss' Treasured Moments

Outlook for year 2012

In Love with Soba

Favourite Dessert Tiramisu

Our Quiet Sunday

More Happy Call Yummies on Video

Proud Moment

Happy Call Yummies - On Video

Happy Call Yummies - Yakitori Chicken Meat Balls

For The Hungry Children

Happy Call Yummies - Beefy Feast

Happy Call Yummies - Quick and Easy

Under the Weather

HappyCall Yummies - Lemon Chicken

Exasperate Your Children (Not)

Happy Call Yummies - Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce

HappyCall Yummies - Yummy Chicken

Happy Call Yummies - Spaghetti Vongole

Simply Home Cooked - Osmanthus Jelly (桂花糕)

Busy in the Kitchen

Our Daily Moments

Fail-Proof Baking!

Simply Home Cooked - Left Overs

Reconciliation

HappyCall Yummies - The Gift to Cook

HappyCall Yummies - More Experiments

Daily Meals

Kids Art

Happy Call Yummies - Mango Tofu with Basil

My Little Missy the "Singer"

Happy Call Yummies

My New Toy - The Happy Call Pan

Simply Homecooked - Rush Hour Breakfast

Simply Homecooked - Serving the Yummies

Food for Thought

Simply Home Baked - Ham & Cheese Roll

Boys Just Want to Have Fun!

Lesson Learned?

Obsession!

Simply Home Baked - Am Baking Again

Excuse Me, Are You a SAHM?

Simply One Pot - Fish in Tomato Sauce

My Missy

There's something about sewing

Injured Foot

Simply One Pot - Herbal Fish

Celebrating their differences

Dusting away the "cobwebs"

No More Ironing Woes!

A Look Back @ Year 2010

Christmas - A Season to be Grateful

Simply One Pot - Chicken with Ginger Sauce

Enjoy These Moments

We Love Water Play

How's Tim?

My Attempt to be a Playful Parent

Simply One Pot - Chestnut Pork Stew

To Buy or Not To Buy?

Little Missy Turned 3 Today!

Simple Pleasures

Sticky Situation - No More!

Messy Fun: TV-Free Evening!

What is your child living with?

Barbie's Lost Her Head!

Simply One Pot - Carrot & Radish Soup

It's a Double Whammy!

She could identify those letters!

When We Were Home Bound

A Day of Imaginative Play

Never Say Never!!!

My Little Phonics Teacher

Simply Homecooked - 3-Eggs Wonder

Time Out!

Home-Learning Made Easy

Little Explorers

Weddings...

Corridor Play - Bubbles Fun

Simply One Pot - Stew Chicken

The "Assessment"

Simply One Pot - Peanut Porridge