Bumper Update (Pre-CNY)

I'll be heading down to Malaysia during the Chinese New Year long weekend and will hopefully have something to add to this blog post CNY! (haha =P)

For the moment, I have been really free since my tuition load is LOW! WAh!!! If your kid needs a tutor, call me (LOL)! So to use that free time constructively, I have been experimenting with recipes I have never tried (LAME isn't it >_<, and I am such a food lover too!)

Wierd Cherry Tomato from my MOM's garden (her friend's tomato plant)

Just wanted to show how cute and unusual some plants grow up to be kekekek. This gourd shape little darling is somewhere around the house. Going to become my afternoon snack! SLURP!!


Lamb Stew ala Indian/Morrocan Style



I was trying out this recipe in a book by Chefs John Burton Race and Angela Hartnett 'Cooking for Beginners'. Modified it to add Indian spices from the local spice shop as well as some locally made yogurt. I actually added the whole packet of spice mix! But it turned out great anyway (LOL), altho the kids refused to eat it. They found the spices too strong!


Jamie's Minestrone Soup (from Allrecipes.com)

The kids may not have liked the spicy Morrocan/Indian Lamb stew but they certainly loved this minestrone soup! Sourced from Allrecipes.com (my fav place for recipes), this is one of the best minestrone soup I have ever tasted (or made =D). I used alphabet pasta to make it fun for the kids and used only one pulse (kidney beans), but this was still great! More yummy food will be coming up!

Hoohoo 2 consecutive posts in 2 days

I've been attempting to take food photos after reading and drooling over the fab pics in Smitten Kitchen And here are a couple of really amatuer results. For those who have seen some of non-food pics, you can tell I have totally NO talent in this area!! SOB!!

A little after dinner snack I made using my own salsa recipe. Very simple and tasty, but not for those who can't take a 4 alarm spice level.

Alice's Quik and Ez Jalapeno Salsa
1 large or 2 medium red onions - finely chopped
1 4oz can of diced Jalapeno
4-5 tomatoes (preferably slightly on the unripened side) - finely diced
1 large lime (the Kalamansi ones are fragrant) - juiced
salt to taste

Just toss everything together and mix well. Chill in the fridge and serve up with corn chips. Great topped on a little sour cream as well.
P.S: You can add finely chopped parsley for a little more kick.



What you see above that looks like little boulders sitting in an alien landscape are the rounds of oreo/cream cheese mix that I prepared, all ready to meet the love of their life, chocolate! (Which they get to do tomorrow morning, heh!)


Another pic from a different perspective. My sister said these looked as if they have been coated in a fine layer of icing sugar (that's the reflection from the foil!) The recipe is from Skip to My Lou. It's simple and great and everyone who ate these little nuggets can't believe how easy it is to make!!!

2009 - Things from the Past Year

These were a bunch of monster dolls I made using a free pattern from Revoluz3za. They were really easy and great as X'mas gifts!! Part of my DIY holiday gifts! =D




This next pic is a collection of brooches using round beads that my friend, Karen, requested I help her to make! Might post a tutorial on this in the future! Hahaha all depends on whether I have the time! =P




These are a pair of earrings I made for a friend's birthday! Was trying for some design that looked more unusual, but I'm not sure how well that went! >_<




Last but not least, these are the wierd looking donut shaped eggplant from my mom's garden! They were so strange I had to take a pic of them. hahahahah