Cooking ~ Chicken Soup Noodles

This is a long overdue post. Made this for dinner some time ago.

INGREDIENTS :

Soup

1. Half chicken or 2-3 piece of chicken breast or drumstick (whichever is preferred)

2. Dried squid *optional

3. A slice of ginger

4. Water to boil (I used 5 big bowls of water)

5. Salt, pepper and sugar for seasoning

Garnishing

Meatballs *optional

1. Minced meat (pork or chicken)

2. Chopped prawns

3. Seasonings - A pinch of pepper and salt

4. 1/2 tsp of cornstarch

METHOD: Mix well and keep aside.

Egg Omelette *optional

1. 2 eggs (beaten)

2. pinch of salt and pepper

METHOD: Fry omelette and cut into strips. Put aside.

Condiments

1. Sliced spring onion

2. Fried shallots

METHOD:

1. Boil chicken in a pot of water for 5-10 mins to remove impurities.

2. Boil another pot of water and add in the chicken, squid and ginger.

3. Let it simmer for approx 2 hours over low fire.

4. Remove chicken from pot to peel off the meat.

5. Shred the chicken meat and keep aside to garnish noodles later.

6. Return the bones into the pot and continue to boil. Season with salt, pepper and a bit of sugar.

7. Add in the meatballs and simmer till the meatballs float to the surface of the soup.

8. Blanched noodles in boiling water for about 1 minute (Cooking time to be adjusted to preferred texture of the noodles. Blanch longer if prefer noodles to be more tender)

9. Place noodles in a bowl and scoop soup to cover the noodles

10. Garnish with meatballs, shredded chicken, omelette, spring onion and fried shallots

Note: Meatballs and omelette strips can be omitted and is optional. The soup itself is good enough to go with just the noodles.

A Night In The Hospital .... Not...

I was in the kitchen making Isabelle's milk for her supper. DH was out for a discussion meeting with his staff at a nearby cafe. Mom was in the shower. Dad was watching the news. Isabelle was playing on the floor.

Suddenly, she was wailing and Dad carried her up in his arms. She slipped off the pillow she was trying to sit on and then landed on her elbow. She would usually cry for as short as 1-2 minutes when she hurt herself. But last night, she continued crying for as long as I can remember! She did not want to move her right hand and did not allow any of us to touch her.

DH rushed home after my 911 call to him. Checked and then we decided it is best to make a visit to the A&E at a hospital nearby.

The journey to the hospital itself and packing up for us (just in case she need to be admitted) is a nightmare for me. Her first and last visit to the same A&E was when she had croup. And I never thought we had to come back here, again, this soon. At the same time, I can't stop my imaginative mind from running wild. I was already picturing my little baby being wrapped up, need to be operated, all bandaged up etc....

Anyway, registered her and the nurse took her temperature and other details. Waited for the doctor on call to see us. Then waited again for the radiographer to take her X-ray. And here comes the drama.

Our little drama queen took the whole team 30 minutes just to take a shot of x-ray which actually requires only 2 seconds the most. As much as it annoys me that the team did not know how to coax a little child to get it done, it broke my heart into million pieces to hear her cry and struggle. DH took her into the X-ray room first time. Radiographer came out and told us the shots were not clear so we had to do it again. I went in with her 2nd time. Probably she had used up most of her energy to fight during the first round. So 2nd round was way much faster and easier as she fought more subtly.

*picture sourced from google search

Waited for the doctor to see us again and thank God (Hallelujah!!!!), X-ray shows no fracture or dislocated shoulder or anything at all. Despite feeling the big relief, it still puzzles us why was she in pain earlier. The doctor explained that it could be a pulled elbow and most probably went back into its original condition after the struggle in the X-ray room. We were sent home to observe her a day or two.

Well, above all that, we were all just so grateful and thankful that she is alright and spared from what-could-have-been-worse.

Thank you Lord!

And the Award Goes to.....

ME!!

I can’t believe I actually won 3 awards in the world of blogging!!

Seriously and honestly, I know I am a freaking boring blogger with probably the lowest (and slowest) blog traffic amongst all the wonderful blogs I actively follow and religiously read.

But yet, I was awarded by Jenny for The Reader Appreciation Award and Germaine as the Stylish Blogger Award and her Sunshine Award winner!! Is that cool or what??? And I am so so overwhelmed!

I have not, ever, in my whole life been awarded with anything close to that in school or during my working years. But now, as a payless full time mom at home who blogs to stay sane, I finally won these 3 (not just one, but 3!!) thoughtful and awesome awards!!!

Thank you Germaine and Jenny! Muacks!!

Yours truly,

The Appreciated Reader, Stylish Blogger & Sunshine Award Winner (ahem)

~ Can you feel me grinning away with pride and joy already? :) ~

Daddy's Day Letter

*picture sourced from google search

You are the greatest daddy any baby could ask for.

I love every moment I get to spend with you and I love it most when I make you laugh.

I only wish you could be home all the time to play with me just like Mommy.

But I know you can’t because you need to go out there to work so that I can have my milk, biscuits, diapers, books and toys.

Although I am still young but I really do know it is not easy to make a living. And I know you did it anyway because you love me so much. But I love you more Daddy!

Thank you and Happy Daddy’s Day! I pray God bless you with many kisses and make you as happy as me every day. Kiss kiss kiss from me!

Happy Father's Day 2011

*picture sourced from google search

Thank you for the laughter, for the good times that we share,

Thank you for always listening, for trying to be fair.

Thank you for your comfort when things are going bad,

Thank you for the shoulder to cry on when I’m sad.

This poem is a reminder that all my life through,

I will be thanking heaven for a wonderful Dad like you.

Happy Father’s Day and I love you!

Reveal Of My 'Project'!!

As promised earlier, I am about to reveal and share all about my new project (so called).

Yes, it is our new home! Still a condominium but about 30% more space to mop and scrub 300 square foot more spacious than our previous home.

One last picture taken in our previous home. Isabelle with her coloring books.

We have been busy bees for the last 2 weeks with minor renovation (more on touching up actually), packing, spring cleaning throwing away junks, unpacking and not to mention lots of cleaning up.

Long story short and pictures definitely paints a thousands words! Please say hello to our new home. Nothing luxurious or 5 star, but a place we call home, cozy, warm and welcoming (I hope!).

Here’s a series of photos of before and after. Enjoy!

Before

After - Lights replaced

Living Room

Dining Hall and Kitchen

Before - Fella Brisbane sofa

After - Revamped sofa cover

Master bedroom - Added feature wall in Soft Birch Patina

In the process of moving in.

Room 2 - Added feature wall in Naughty Neutral

In the process of moving in (MESSY!)

Wardrobe for master bedroom - Before installation

DONE!

I am so thankful that God bless us this wonderful new home. And on top of that, Isabelle was such a good girl throughout the whole process, no fuss and gave us no trouble at all. No one got sick or hurt in the midst of moving around. And most of all, all these would not have been successful if not for DH and DS’s help. And cheers to teamwork! :)

If you are wondering what were those shopping trolleys doing in our home (background), we 'loaned' it from a mall next door to move our stuffs.

I am Back!!

And can't wait to share about my new project! Stay tuned :)

Cooking ~ Broccocauli Cheese Omelette

This is actually Isabelle's favourite dish, be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Broccoli & cauliflower cheese omelette. I decided to make one portion to enjoy all by myself because everytime I made it for her, I can't help but to sneak a few spoon from her plate. Bad mommy! And I love to have it with some mushroom relish and pan seared cherry tomatoes.

Here's the recipe:

Broccocauli cheese omelette

Ingredients:

1. 1 egg (beaten and seasoned with a pinch of salt and black pepper)

2. Cauliflower and broccoli (cut into florets)

3. Minced garlic *optional

4. 1 pc of cheddar cheese

5. Spring onion (chopped) *optional

Method:

1. Heat oil/butter and saute garlic till fragrant

2. Add in cauliflower and broccoli florets

3. Add water enough to simmer the greens and till they are fork tender (texture is up to individual's preference)

4. Once tender, add in beaten egg and let it cook through.

5. Sprinkle cheese all over the omelette is about 70% cooked. Then sprinkle spring onion on the cheese.

6. Fold the omelette into half and blanketing the cheese. Let the cheese melt a little and dish out.

7. Garnish with spring onion

*Spring onion and cheese makes very good buddies but it is optional

Mushroom Relish & Cherry tomatoes

Ingredients:

1. 5-6 Swiss brown mushroom (sliced)

2. Chopped garlic

3. sliced onions

4. Pinch of salt and pepper

5. 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

6. 6-8 cherry tomatoes

Method:

1. Heat oil/butter and saute garlic and onion till they are soft

2. Add in mushroom and saute

3. Add in balsamic vinegar and let it cook for about 30 seconds

4. Add in a good pinch of salt and pepper

5. Dish out

6. In the same pan, with the left over of the balsamic vinegar coating the bottom of the pan, toss the cherry tomatoes in it and sprinkle with pepper.

7. Serve

Enjoy!

Thank You My Love

Been enjoying the fruits of DH's holiday at home to the max. Not getting up in the morning and cracking my head (alone) how to entertain or what to do with Isabelle all day long, not having to rush to the washroom and finish my business in the blink of an eye, not having supermultitask and the list goes on.

Most importantly, DH's holiday came by just at the right time and the timing could not have been any better! Having him around is so so super handy. I could go along with my 'new project' (which I will reveal after next week) with peace of mind and not a speck of worry because I know she is in good hands.

Thank you Dear for being home and so sorry that you had to be househusband for a while until my 'project' is completed. I know you are more than glad to do it for us but I know too that we could have done something more special to spend your holiday. But again, what could be more better than a full time bonding with our little girl eh? Thank you again and muacks!! I could not have done this without you and your loving support!

Celebrate with Pancakes!

Today is DH's first day of his 3 weeks holiday (and also my full time-off!!! HOORAY!!) before he embark on a new role in a new company. It certainly feels blissful to have him around in the morning vs him usually leaving for work in a hurry causing no breakfast together and most of the time, I would still be sleeping away like a log when he closes the door.

I made pancakes to go with fresh strawberry jam and hot coffee for our breakfast. Isabelle gets her pancake share in teddy bear shapes. Cute! No pictures though because we finished it fast so that we could head off to Ikea for weekday shopping! No weekend crowd is almost as good as heaven!

DH was very happy to enjoy a slow morning. A bonus for him. We can't thank God enough for His wonderful blessings He sprinkle down on us in so many ways, the new job, this holiday and yes.. yummy pancakes!