An End to the Silence

ACK!! So embarrassed, so very embarrassed to have abandoned this blog since early March. Life has been a virtual speed race since then and I've yet to be able to get off this ride.

We're now comfortably back home in KL. Settled in with my folks. Things are going great! Jon has an awesome job as Commercial Manager with Albert Wines and Liquor. I've been very lucky to establish Babysweet Cakes strongly back here and have made more progress in four months here than I had in the past two years in the US. Elyse is adjusting very well and flourishing under the constant spoiling by her grandparents and aunties.

My beautiful family!

My other family. This is a very rare photo.

It was definitely the right decision to move home. Things have never been better for us. I don't negate the 10 years I've been away. In those many years, I've learnt to be a better person, gained more experience to easily guide me through my reassimilation in Malaysia. I've always believed that things do happen for a reason, however one has to make the tough decisions that come along the way. And if it looks right, feels right, smells right (LOL!) and sounds right, then it very likely will be...right.

I'm home, where I belong. To brand new adventures....

Post Valentine jackpot (Thankful List Day 45)

Pardon the late, late posting. I've not been able to catch up with the blogging because of multiple factors pretty much all colliding into each other.

To follow up a pretty laid-back V-day, I usually pay a yearly pilgrimage to various stores to take advantage of a post V-day discount. Most items are marked down at least 50%. I had a couple of things in mind that I needed to get and headed to the mall.

Very successful trip, indeed. Procured what I intended to get at the said 50% off. *laughing with glee*

That was followed by a grocery store visit, and since I was near the Super Target up north, I headed there instead of the usual Kroger. Boy, was that a fun trip! I found some Ghirardelli dark chocolates marked down 75% and loaded up on a few packages. See, after having navigated through a few years worth of post-holiday shopping, I know Target's price markdown processes like the back of my hand.

On the day of said holiday, sometimes they mark down the products to 20% off just for competitiveness. The very next day, it's immediately marked down 30-50% off. And if you wait just a tad bit longer, they continue marking down the products 50 - 75% off. Unfortunate side of waiting is that sometimes what you wanted will usually be gone. So, I got lucky this time!!

The chocolates are sitting in my pantry closet waiting for a long-distance flight back to KL.

RECIPE: Crab Spring Rolls

I adapted this recipe from an epicurean hero of mine, Gordon Ramsay. It is fantastic, paired with an extra dry champagne or sparkling wine, or a German estate Riesling.


Ingredients

8 large spring roll wrappers (about 10 inch/25 cm sq)
1 large egg white, for sealing the edges
peanut/canola oil, for deep-frying
sweet chili sauce, for dipping

Filling:
9oz (250gm) crabmeat, picked over
2 green onions, finely sliced
small handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped
one red chili, seeds and ribs removed and chopped finely
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
sea salt and black pepper, for seasoning
juice from 1 medium lime, to taste

Method

• Toss all ingredients for the filling into a bowl and mix together gently until well-combined. Add more or less lime juice according to your taste. I like it a little tangier to counter the heaviness of the oil.
• Divide the filling into 8 equal portions in the bowl.
• Lay a spring roll wrapper on a cutting board with the corner facing you. (Keep the rest covered with a slightly damp dish towel to prevent from drying out.)
• Spoon the crabmeat filling onto the bottom half of the wrapper, then brush the edges of the surrounding pastry with egg white.
• Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, brushing the sides witih egg white, and then fold them in and over the filling, like an envelope. (refer to picture)
• Roll up into a log, making sure the edge is rolled under to seal it properly. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and filling.
• Heat the oil for deep-frying (at least 2 1/2 inch/6 cm depth) in a suitable pan to 350F (180C).
  
• Deep-fry the rolls in batches for about 40-50 seconds until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
• Cut the spring rolls in half diagonally, and serve warm with a bowl of sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping.

My Hungry Valentine (Thankful List Day 44)

It was a typical Valentine's day for Jon and me, almost completely non-romantic, if I had to put it in those words.

He had to work from a full day, 9 a.m. through 9 p.m. I was stuck with yard sale prep duty, did a grab-and-dash at Ikea and met up with a dear friend for a quick lunch. Then it was straight to Lisa's place and did some loading and unloading boxes of things to sell at the garage sale AND helped cook some lunch.

After a couple of hours, I rushed home (mind you it's an hour's drive one way) to meet up with a lady who was coming to buy my sofa. Then a quick trip to the supermarket and then home again, home again, jiggety jig, to prepare some dinner for us. Of course, being V-day, I tried to put some kind of effort into the meal considering we don't celebrate it in any other fashion.

I already had a recipe in mind to attempt. I adapted Gordon Ramsay's Crab Spring Rolls recipe and added a few twist. The original recipe would have been fantastic, but being very familiar with the ingredients, I knew that it would be better suited to our palates if the flavours were a tad bit bolder. So I upped the ooomph-factor with a little extra lime juice, added a red jalapeno for heat, and lime zest for a little more zing to counter the heaviness from frying the rolls.
(Recipe to follow in next posting)

Suffice to say, dinner was incredibly enjoyable. Jon brought home a bottle of Aubry Brut Rosé Champagne which paired perfectly with the crab spring rolls. After downing dinner and a glass of champagne, I was already half-asleep. At the end of the long, long day, I was and still am, always VERY thankful that I have someone I can celebrate even a low-key Valentine's day with.

Hand Me Downs (Thankful List Day 43)

Today, I pulled out a few more new outfits for Elyse from the nice collection we have in the closet. A collection I have no doubt cost a very nice chunk of change since they are hand-me-downs from a few little girls. Some of them are designer, some never been worn before, and most are still very fresh-looking.

Once in a while, I make it a point to get a few new pieces for her just to mix things up a little. Usually, something nice that's on sale. The amount I spend would hardly put a dent into the tubs and tubs of clothing that we inherited. I am so, so very thankful for those contributions. Elyse look like a million bucks without me having to shell out more than a few dollars.

Follow up to 'A Nice Surprise TLD 31' (Thankful List Day 42)

I realized on this day that the IRS can be very accurate when they want to. I've been filing our taxes online for the past three years, and it's been super easy! And every year I request for the return amount to be directly deposited into my bank account just to speed up the process.

This year was the same. A few days after filing, I was able to check the status of my return on the IRS website, and they had given me a window of time when I would be expected to receive the money. A little after a week, I checked on the status again and this time was given the specific date. Lo, and behold, I checked my bank balance on that day and sure enough, there it was sitting pretty.

All I can say is...wow! My day is looking pretty good.

Winging it (Thankful List Day 41)

OMG, OMG, OMG...I am so behind on the posting. Been very busy lately with many things, especially with the selling of our things on craiglist, planning yard sales, unpacking and organizing of things, making endless lists of things that we need for the move home...and trying my best to get winezen.com up and running. Major emphasis on the word 'TRY'.

I'm completely feeling my way around on this one. Didn't study this in school, nor took any courses on building websites. Thankfully, there are many web hosting services available nowadays with a myriad of templates and website building tools on hand. Absolutely fabulous for people like me!!

Needless to say, it's still taking me a while to get things going. But at least, things are moving in the right direction.

A Good Read (Thankful List Day 40)

I've always been an avid reader. As a young child, I loved my fairy tales and Enid Blyton - the fantasy and feeling that anything is possible. I've more than once looked at a chair and hoped it would lift off the ground by some magical power.

In my very early teens, I got into adult fiction - Sheldon, Cook, Archer, Clancy, just to name a few. I suppose those were books that were lying around the house. I'd spend hours just laying down on my bed, or curled up in a chair, just reading. Ended up needing glasses by the time I was 9.

Nowadays, I prefer non-fiction works, or lighter fare. Over the past few years, I've completely enjoyed the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. I believe they are some of the best books ever written, incredibly imaginative and clever in its conception of a completely unique world, even though it's based on popular folk lore and mythology with a dose of history.

Over the recent weeks, I've breezed through a few selective novels by Jennifer Weiner - Good In Bed, Certain Girls and Little Earthquakes. They're easy reads. I finished them in a few hours. But she writes in an engaging manner, with quite a good sense of humour, mostly Jewish, which possibly makes it even funnier. I think I may take on In Her Shoes next, even though I'd already seen the movie. I liked the movie version, and I suspect I may like the book better.

Nothing like a good read to take you away from your present, even if it's for a brief moment.

RECIPE: ABC Soup (Thankful List Day 38)

There are days when I just draw a blank when it comes to planning dinner. After rummaging through my refrigerator and pantry, I decided to rely on a tried and true recipe - ABC soup. Most of you who are Malaysian Chinese will probably know what I'm talking about. It's a fantastic soup, very flavourful and healthy. Nothing like soup to chase the winter blues away.


This recipe makes a large pot, enough to serve six to eight people. I like to make a lot so that I have leftovers for the next day. I just have it with rice, and soy sauce as a dip.

Ingredients:
2 lbs meaty pork bones (substitute with chicken if you wish)
2 large potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch length pieces
1 large onion, cut into cubes
3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, simple quartered
1 tbsp whole white peppercorns (add more if you like it spicier)
1 tbsp salt
approximately 4 litres of water

Method:

• Bring water to a boil in a large heavy stockpot. Add in pork bones.
• Cook bones in gentle boiling water for about 30 minutes, and then using a skimmer, remove all scum and excess oil.
• Add all veggies to the mix, along with the peppercorns and salt.
  
• Simmer for another hour, until meat falls off the bones.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.

Playing favourites (Thankful List Day 37)

I am running behind on the blogging!!! Gahhh....
Things just got a little carried away and next thing I knew, I'm three days behind. Ughh!!
Keeping up with this resolution can be really difficult somedays.

I was sitting in the car one day, parked in front of Target because Miss Elyse decided that she'd take a nap in the car five minutes after I left home. Fortunately, I had a book with me to read - 'Good In Bed' by Jennifer Weiner. Yeah, I'm a whole decade behind on this one, but I managed to catch up quickly and finished the sequel too. In one part of the book, the main character is asked what her absolute favourite food is. That got me thinking....really...hard.

What an absolutely loaded question! I suppose some people can name very specific favourite foods but to narrow it down to one is probably very difficult. My personal favourites would be um,..er...eh..ooh, how do I decide? See, see??!? It's not easy to choose between roti canai, curry noodles, tom yam goong, brothy Taiwanese or Mandarin noodles with 'char choy' (spicy szechuan pickled mustard root), ever-favourite nasi lemak, bak kut teh, 'pan mee', 'char kway teow'....I could go on and on...and that's just Malaysian favourites.

Okay, one thing that I'm VERY sure of is that my absolute favourite food is definitely Malaysian. In fact, I'd say my top thirty favourite foods would be Malaysian or Asian to say the least. I do have other favourites from other cuisines, which I will get into in another post.

I'd love to hear from the rest of you about your own favourite foods. Perhaps we share a few in common.

Furry People (Thankful List Day 37)

It's a typical Sunday night. I'm sitting on my bed, movie on tv and laptop on my uh,..lap. Sprinkles is curled up right next to me, fast asleep. She's so precious when she's asleep. Then again, she's usually very sweet, but very precocious and naughty.

Chino is all curled up in his own bed, probably dreaming of birds, kitty treats and running free.
He's also incredibly sweet and gentle with us, lightly touching us with his paw and meowing softly as if to say "hi, I love you." or maybe he's trying to say "lemme outta here, you punk!". If only I understood cat-speak.

Tigger used to be a loud and obnoxious fixture in this household, THE baby of the household even after Elyse had arrived, up until six months ago. We had to send him off to live with Lisa after a number of 'accidents' with Elyse. Those two were like oil and water, ...or more appropriately, flame and gasoline..LOL!! Now, he's an even louder and more obnoxious presence in Lisa's home.

It's amazing to see what different personalities they have. Chino is the oldest of the three, and was always looking after the others until they grew wayyyy bigger than him. I'd always find him grooming the other two cats like a protective older brother. Sprinkles is THE alpha cat, even though she's female, she never hesitates to let you know who's boss. However, she's incredibly gentle with Elyse. She sometimes sleeps under Elyse's crib, and will be right there with her when she wakes up. And, gosh...I cannot imagine another animal putting up with Elyse's 'gentle pats', i.e. really hard smacks, on either head, back or side. Or tail-pulling for that matter.

At this point in time, I am going through a series of emotions about moving home, and having to leave the cats here with new owners. I know they would be better off staying here. I refuse to put them through a very traumatic move just so they can end up in a completely different environment which may do them more harm than good. I know I will miss them terribly, especially since they were my babies before Elyse came along. But I suppose, here is where we come to the fork in the road, and we'll have to go down one lane and they will have...oh, new territory to haunt. At the end of the day, I know they will be happy.

He's baaaack! (Thankful List Day 36)

Jon is home! He's been away for 3 days for the Court of Master Sommelier seminar and exams in New Orleans. It's been a tough 3 days because Elyse got sick just before he left and has had a nasty cold. To make matters even more interesting, today she decided to spew a bucketful of puke all over herself and the car seat. In the process of trying to change her out of her vomit-soaked clothing, I managed to make things worse and transfered a bunch on to myself *eek*

Miraculously, I survived the day, even though Elyse sprung another surprise on me later in the evening. Thankfully, it happened in the bathtub and there was no clothing involved.

After all is said and done, I'm very glad to have my husband home. Things just aren't the same without him.

Space, lots and lots of space. (Thankful List Day 35)

It was the second day Jon's been in New Orleans. I wanted to keep myself busy, so along with Lisa's invitation to drive up for dinner, I decided to quickly pack up as much stuff that I want to sell as possible, and drive it up to her place. I managed to throw out a few more boxes of things, stuff I had NO idea why I still had. Also, succeeded in packing up the Highlander so efficiently that I had to take a photo because I was so proud of myself! *giggle*

What I'm most thankful for is that Lisa has a humongous garage that is already packed with her things, and also a bunch from a friend who is out of the country. Now, she has the load that I brought up yesterday...and scarily, there's a lot more where those came from.

*Takes a deep breath*

Piles and piles of it (Thankful List Day 34)

Piles and piles of laundry, that is.

Somehow it seems like we have more laundry than the average family, but I could be mistaken. I have my set days for certain loads of laundry - Monday is towel day, Tuesday is whites, Wednesday is darks and colours, Thursday is Elyse's clothing, etc.

Most tenants in apartment buildings resort to using the laundry rooms available. I, uh, would have BIG problems washing my clothes in the same machine which has just washed somebody else's undies. Thankfully, I don't have to. I have my own trusty washer and dryer which I bought from a friend a few years ago. She got married and moved in with her husband, so she didn't need hers anymore. Furthermore, she let me have them both at a very decent price.

Very, very thankful for that. Now, onwards with the next load.

My new toy (Thankful List Day 33)

YES!!! IT HAS ARRIVED!!!

Sorry for the sudden outburst. I am still very excited about my new toy that arrived yesterday - a new HP with 16-inch screen, AMD Turion Dual-Core, 3GB DDR2, 320GB HDD, integrated webcam, Lightscribe...I could go on and on. Best part is that I got it from Costco during a promotional blitz for only $549.99!

It is very sleek and gorgeous. I am loving this laptop! So, now all I have to do is to get on with the website. Hmmm....wish me luck!

And on the seventh day... (Thankful List Day 32)

I used to not like Sundays because it led straight to Mondays. I've felt this way since I was a child dreading school, all the way through adulthood, dreading the start of the work week. Yeah, I know that's quite sad, but that is the sort of person I am. It's hard for me to enjoy and be in the moment, because I tend to focus negatively on the inevitable fact that good times tend to end.

Nowadays, I love Sundays. Because Jon doesn't have to work that day. When he was at Central Market, he'd have to work occasional Sundays just because they are a grocery store and are open seven days a week. However, being at a liquor store now, it is mandatory that they close on Sunday due to state laws.

We can enjoy a leisurely breakfast, have dim sum, go to the mall or park and just hang out on our own timetable. I suppose I'm slowly learning to live in the present and little by little, gradually giving up the illusion of control.

A nice surprise (Thankful List Day 31)

Did my duty and filed our taxes today. I am very happy that we'll be receiving a good refund, which will be enough for us to pay for our air tickets, and perhaps part of the shipping home. I was expecting some money, but was surprised by the end total.

Thank you, Uncle Sam!!

Bailed out again (Thankful List Day 30)

Without getting into too much detail, I'm SO pleased and relieved that Jon doesn't have to drive all the way to New Orleans next Tuesday and back again Thursday. Due to some failed financial juggling, I had been struggling to figure out how to get him there safely and back for his Court of Master Sommelier seminar. I was venting to my parents about it and they offered to help us out. I am SO, SO, SO thankful!! We love you, mum and pa!

After some desperate last-minute scrounging online, I managed to find him a good package deal on Expedia. So I am very pleased to announce that Jon will be flying there by AA, and will be staying over at the very hotel that the seminar will be held. He won't even have to drive anywhere.

Now, I wish I could go too *sigh*.

Bordeaux in Texas (Thankful List Day 29)

Considering that the French have a fragile relationship with the US, I was surprised that the Union des Grands Crus of Bordeaux decided to include Dallas in their four-city tour/meet-and-greet, 2006 vintage tasting. It was their last stop, after San Francisco, New York and Chicago - three of the largest wine-consuming cities in the States.

It was indeed a grand event, held at the Dallas Frontiers of Flight Museum, no less. It felt very surreal for me, probably because of the venue, and the fact that I'd not been to a proper wine tasting for a while, let alone one of this stature.

By the time I got there, Jon was already thick in the midst of sniffing, swishing and spitting...wine, that is. One has to spit if tasting professionally. Otherwise, you'd be drunk as a skunk after your tenth glass. I roamed around, feeling a little intimidated by the crowd, and not really knowing where to start. After warming up with some assortment of cheese and crackers, I decided to dive straight into my favourite châteaus beginning with Château Angelus from the Saint Emilion region, and then moved forth onto the other superb wines - Troplong Mondot, Pape Clément, d'Angludet, (and managed to squeeze the last few drops from Lynch-Bages), just to name a few.

What was really exciting was that this was no ordinary wine tasting - we got to meet with the actual winemakers or château owners or family members. Ah, to feel the excitement and soul exuding from both the wine, and the stories that were shared; the passion in the winemaker's voice as he enthusiastically recites anecdotes about that particular year's harvest. Now, that was worth braving rush hour traffic for.

Jon and I had a marvelous time and in truth, this may be the last great wine tasting we'll both get to enjoy for a while. And so, I thank the Bordeaux Union for this excellent opportunity.

À votre santé!

Hitting the bottle (Thankful List Day 28)

I know this is a strange thing to be thankful for, but I am very thankful for alcohol. Yes, its mind-numbing abilities definitely need to be praised, but I'm referring to the fact that Jon still has a job because of it. According to the most recent inventory report, wine and liquor sales are up!!!

Times are tough and getting much tougher by the minute. Jobs are being cut left, right and centre. Companies declaring bankruptcy, asking for government handouts.....Everyone's asking for help. Funny thing is that a lot of people think help comes in bottles. I've found myself pouring a glass of wine or gin and juice. In fact, our makeshift bar is looking mighty empty. Hmm...

People tend to drink during hard times AND good times. Well, let them keep on drinking then so we can pay our bills and rent.

Bottom's up, everybody!

(Disclaimer: These thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone. I will not entertain any comments about the evils of alcohol. )

There is a Spoon (Thankful List Day 27)

One of the little things I'm very thankful for is that my kid is quite independent when it comes to food. She started holding her own milk bottle and sippy cups when she was barely six months old, started feeding herself finger foods at seven months. By nine months, she was eating tiny morsels of meat, tofu, veggies and fruit. I could supervise her meals whilst washing up in the kitchen without having to sit with her at all times.

Now, at 21 months, she's very adept at feeding herself with a spoon from a bowl, with a little help from her little fingers. Once in a while, she'll need me to break something up into smaller pieces, but usually she prefers to bite.

Downside? Elyse gets very adamant when she wants a "kuhkuh" ( cookie).

Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

What's left? (Thankful List Day 26)

Today had to be the dreariest first day of CNY ever. It was cold, drizzly and we had to abandon our plans to go see the lion dance parade @ the Asian Art Center in downtown Dallas. To make matters worse, I had horrid tummy cramps caused by excess mucus. I shall not get into details.

So, the plans were all turned topsy-turvy which made me a very disagreeable person. Only consolation of the day? Leftovers from the night before - very yummy steamboat soup with the extra fish and meat balls, mushrooms, tofu and noodles. Upset tummy or not, I was determined to enjoy every morsel.

There was enough soup leftover for dinner too, and by then it tasted absolutely heavenly.

Awful day outside, but we had sunshine in our tummies. Ahhhh.....

Welcoming the Ox (Thankful List Day 25)

Ah, that time of year is upon us again. And this time we welcome the Ox, second brother on the Chinese zodiac. So, we say goodbye to the year of the Rat. It's been a mediocre year. I guess it could have been worse, so I have to give my thanks for that.

Yesterday we had out yearly CNY eve dinner with Lisa, along with some friends. It was a wonderful get-together. The food was fantastic - we had steamboat (hotpot or shabu-shabu to some of you) with loads of fish balls, meatballs, sliced pork, tofu, mushrooms, veggies and noodles. *whew*. It was accompanied by a slew of free-flowing liquor and wine, and yummy desserts of tiramisu (brought by some friends) and pineapple tarts! *double yum*

These are days that hold a special place in my heart - the times when we get together with close friends and loved ones to celebrate holidays and festivals with bountiful feasts and libations. Here's to great memories, and fantastic new ones to come!

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all of you! May the year of the Ox bless you with prosperity, good health, good luck and plenty of joy and laughter.

Preparing for the Ox (Thankful List Day 24)

Oops! Missed two days of posting. All due to the requisite cleaning and preparations to be done before CNY. It would have been easy had I started a week ago, but of course, I had to procrastinate and well... painfully crammed it all into two days.

Aside from the mandatory dusting, vacuuming and mopping, I also decided it would be a good idea to make some dried prawn sambal. And then went crazy with making mini rolls with said dried prawn sambal. All was well, except that it took me two hours to make the sambal, and another three to make one container's worth of prawn rolls. By the time I was done, I was reaaaaady to meet the Zzzz's.

Nevertheless, the delicious prawn rolls were really worth the effort. And I guess I'm thankful for having had the luxury of eating them years ago in my childhood. Had I not, I don't believe I would have decided to learn how to make them.

Ahh...they are calling me now. Ciao!

(Recipe to follow soon)

Pineapples, tart pastry and sugar. Oh my! (Thankful List Day 23)

What can I say? I'm a real sucker for pineapple tarts. Always have been, since I was a kid. Not having access to them has made me venture out and make my own. I believe my first attempt was about 7 years ago (?)

I copied the recipe off Kuali.com and made mediocre tasting tarts. However, with a little experimenting here and there, I've managed to get my pineapple jam recipe down pat. Recent trials and tweaks with a pastry recipe yielded very good results. So I am happy to report that I have the perfect recipe now. Woohoo!!

It tickles me a lot to know that my recent photos of the tarts on FB created quite a funny commentary stream. I am so thankful for the many friends I can share these awesome tarts with, even if it's only 'virtual' :)

(Recipe will be posted at later date)

Hong Kong in Texas (Thankful List Day 22)

Entrance to the new Hong Kong shopping center


This lion statue is made of solid marble!

Yesterday was the first time I felt even an inkling of a celebratory mood. As usual, Chinese New Year is a non-event here in Texas. At the Hong Kong market, they had put up some fairly nice decorations, lanterns and such. Of course, they had the mandatory CNY music playing in the background, loads of CNY candy and other goodies displayed out front.

Further into the store, they had a mountain of mandarin oranges and pomeloes for sale. Shelves were empty of certain cookies and drinks. Yes! It sure looks like CNY now :)

It is because of asian markets like this which has kept me sane throughout the years I've been here. I am able to get most ingredients that I need to replicate our favourite dishes from home, which as you know....I'm most thankful for.

All booked up. (Thankful List Day 21)

I had no idea we had so many books until I went through our storage facility last weekend to inventory what we had. Yesterday, Jon and I went through all the boxes with books and paper materials and had a great time chucking them into 'keep', 'sell' and well...trash.

Well, I guess I had a great time - spring cleaning is so therapeutic for me. Was just telling Lisa that I can breathe better now after that ordeal. Jon, however, had a slightly more difficult time. He was crouched on the floor, amidst the boxes and piles of books, and was slowly reading through some of them. He had bit of an anguished look on his face which made me feel terrible.

I knew it was time for some of these books to go, and Jon understands. He's always been quite a pack rat. I've realized over the years that few things hold sentimental value for me. It might sound sad to some of you, but fact is new things don't stay new, and to be able to see them for functional material goods and nothing more, frees me from the bondage that is so paralyzing for some.

Of course, good news for people like me is that an awesome place known as Half-Price book. It's a store that buys and sells used books, DVDs and other media. So, yours truly dumped all the boxes in the back of my trusty Highlander and drove off eagerly to the closest HPB store. Got me a fair amount for the whole enchilada *woohoo*.

Now, let's see what else I can dig up to sell....

Beginning of a New Era.(Thankful List Day 20)

Yesterday was an amazing day, one that will be remembered for a while. I followed President Obama's inauguration ceremony online via CNN.com's live streaming video. It's blows my mind to see how technology has evolved since the past year. Today, you can catch all news as it is happening, live over the internet.

As I was saying, I caught the inauguration live, and simultaneously enjoyed a great commentary session with a couple of friends. The ceremony moved us all in a very special way that has not happened since I can actively remember. Surprising, especially given the fact that these were friends from Malaysia and Singapore respectively. The hope and positive change that Obama inspires is far-reaching, further beyond the borders of this country and it's continent. I am very excited for my American friends, and take comfort in knowing that things will slowly, but surely improve for this country, and hereafter, for the rest of the world which mirrors this nation fervently.

His message resonates with me on a rather personal level - about overcoming adversity by thinking, and choosing our actions positively, and that ANYTHING is possible if we put our minds to it. It's nothing new. Yet, at this point in time, his confidence and belief in the missive multiplies its power a thousand fold.

A big change is about to happen in my life. A change that has me frightened, thrilled, anxious, excited, and empowered all at the same time. And I shall confront this change and embrace it wholeheartedly, with gladness, enthusiasm and fervour.

Thank you, President Obama.

Children are our Future (Thankful List Day 19)

In many ways, I am very grateful that Elyse was born in the US. No doubt, it's been a struggle for Jon and me, but being able to guarantee a good future for her is everything to us. I'm not saying that had she been born in Malaysia she would have been left for wanting, but the door to opportunity lies open a little wider for her now.

I want her to know where her parents come from and how that contributes a little to who she is, and that it only makes sense for her to spend some time back home with our family. And when she decides she's ready to come back here, it'll be the start to another great adventure.

Source of wedded inspiration (Thankful List Day 18)

My parents have been married 34 years today. And two years later, they had me. It sure seems like a long time ago. 34 years of marriage nowadays is almost an eternity, and very, very rare. It takes two very special people to make a relationship work, along with a whole lot of love, infinite patience, tested and strong tolerance, a fair amount of forgiving and forgetting and a sprinkling of good luck. (Last item not guaranteed)

Having been with my husband for 15 years, three of them married, I have had my fair share of ups and downs, and it is from my parents' marriage that I seek inspiration from. Therefore, I am thankful that they met, wed and had me so I could have my chance at having what they have.

Happy 34th Anniversary, mum and pa!!

RECIPE: Fragrant Spiced Fried Chicken

Continuing from my last post, here is the recipe for my favourite fried chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

A
1 kg/2 lbs of chicken pieces (drumsticks and wings work best)
4 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic, minced very finely into paste (use 2 tsp garlic powder as shortcut)
1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp sugar
Optional: 2 tsp ground cayenne for heat
Curry leaves, picked off stems and washed (available at Indian grocery stores)
Pandan leaves, washed and cut into 2-inch pieces (a.k.a. screwpine leaves, available at Asian markets in the frozen veggie section)

B
1 cup of rice flour
Oil for frying (about 2 inches in a pot or wok)

METHOD:

1. Clean and pat dry chicken. Place in large bowl.
2. Add all seasoning ingredients into bowl with chicken.
3. Mix very well. Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
4. Bring chicken to room temperature for about an hour.
5. Heat oil in wok or shallow pot at medium-high.
6. Toss chicken pieces in rice flour and coat lightly.
7. Add coated chicken pieces to oil and fry until dark, golden brown, flipping chicken over halfway through (About 6 minutes for wings, 10 minutes for drumsticks)
8. Serve warm, with sriracha or other chilli sauce.
   

Chef's note: I like it extra crispy, so I leave the chicken in the oil for a little longer. You could also fish them out and oven broil them the rest of the way.

Spice of life (Thankful List Day 17)

The epicurean world would be a boring place without spices. These little buds, seeds and barks that impart an infinity of possibilities to our dinner table. What would curry be without cumin, coriander, turmeric and fennel? A grilled steak would fall flat without a healthy sprinkling of black pepper. Cinnamon rolls without cinnamon? I don't even want to imagine that *shudder*.

I'm barely scratching the surface here without my positively pathetic examples. Different spices and combination of spices have made themselves into every nook and cranny of this planet, thanks to the historical Spice Route, which emerged during the expansion of the Greco/Roman/Ottoman/Tomdickandharry's empires. At that time, merchants were carting cratefuls of these precious nuggets from the East back to the West, via India and the Middle East.

Okay, enough with the historical escapade. Personally, I'd have to shoot myself if I had to face bland food day in, day out. So in honour of today's little spicy lesson, I am going to share a series of recipes that depend completely on chosen spices to enhance the dishes. Perhaps it might inspire one to experiment a little with your own favourite foods.

A soft touch (Thankful List Day 16)

Short post. Feeling very tired. Was up all night in intimate relations with my toilet. Still can't figure out what caused it. Elyse and Jon ate the same stuff. Jon's convinced it's my excess nasal drainage. Possibly. I'm just very thankful for soft, premium bathroom tissue (toilet paper, to my fellow Malaysians). OH, and indoor plumbing! Very thankful....very thankful, indeed.

Circling the Target (Thankful List Day 15)

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Target? Target, the wonderful, brilliant discount superstore that has a very special place in my heart. Ahh....it's a great place to be, even if just browsing. Some days, we hang out at the toy department and let Elyse roam around playing with some toys. We don't usually end up buying anything, but we have tons of fun with her!

Best part of Target is the fantastic discounts they have on clearance items. Most items go on clearance due to season changes and to make space for new stock. This is where I come in - I hound the aisles looking for amazing deals and usually find some cool stuff - soft new crib sheets for Elyse at 50% off, clothes for Elyse at 50 - 75% off, toys, books, DVDs. Even some food stuff once in a while like coffee, cereal, cookies, etc.

With the small budget I have, this is the way to go for our family. I will miss this place a whole lot when we leave for home.

Did I mention I LOVE Target??!?

RECIPE: Delicious and nutritious Chicken and Veggie Nuggets

I make these chicken nuggets for my daughter. She's entering into full-time toddlerhood and has welcomed a really erratic eating habit into our lives. These nuggets ensure that she gets her veggies along with the protein that she loves.

Ingredients:
2 raw chicken breasts
1/2 cup broccoli (you can use the stems too in this case, along with the florets)
1 medium carrot
1/2 medium onion (use less if your kid doesn't particularly like strong flavours)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Panko breadcrumbs.
Canola or light olive oil, for frying or spraying.

Method:

1. Using a food processor, or by hand if you're brave, chop up the veggies till fine. Set aside in a bowl.
2. Cut up chicken breast into 3 cm (1 inch) cubes, and throw into food processor or whatever meat chopper you have, and process until very fine.
   
3. Add in the veggies, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine thoroughly.
4. Pour ground chicken mixture into a bowl.
5. In a separate, clean plate, pour about a cup of breadcrumbs.
   
6. Using a spoon, scoop out roughly a nugget size of chicken, toss into the breadcrumbs and coat well.
7. Fry in oil, or spray with some oil and bake in oven.
   

Chef's Note: These nuggets are also good without breadcrumbs, and can be made into chicken burgers.

RECIPE: Spicy Crab Recipe

Here is one of the many Malaysian dishes that I learned to replicate since nothing like this is available anywhere in Texas. It's spectacular with Alaskan Dungeness crab which has lots of succulent meat. It would be just as delicious with any other kind of crab, prawns (shrimp), clams or other seafood.

Ingredients: (A)
Grind until very fine into a paste (rempah) these 5 ingredients:

12 shallots/ 2 medium red onions, peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
6-8 dried chillies (the ones here in US are small, so double the no.)
8-10 fresh red chillies/red jalapenos
2 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled

(B)
1/2 cup of dried prawns, soaked in water and chopped roughly
2 big bunches of curry leaves (I get mine from Indian grocery stores)
3 tbsp oil
3- 4 lbs of crabs, preferably steamed and cut up into pieces.
(this is so the rempah doesn't burn while your crab slowly cooks)
salt to taste
sugar to taste

Method:
1. Saute rempah/ground paste in oil on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until very fragrant
2. Add curry leaves and dried prawns. Stir well for about 5 minutes.
3. Add salt and sugar to taste. I usually go for about 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar.
4. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and throw in the crabs. Stir to coat every piece and mix well.
Keep on cooking crabs for about 10 minutes, all the while stirring every minute or so. Add a lid to your pot/wok if possible to facilitate faster cooking. Don't let the rempah burn!
5. Taste the rempah. Add more salt or sugar if needed.

Life in snapshots (Thankful List Day 14)

I am an avid, amateur photographer. I've been blessed with a simple, cute little Casio EXILIM EX-600 which my father gave to me in December 2007. Thanks to him and this fantastic camera, I've been able to document all of our ongoings, especially of Elyse and some of my cooking, and other great subjects.

What did we use to do without digital cameras?? Actually, I remember...we would be broke after paying for all the film and for processed photographs. Of course, I've strayed and lusted after some DSLRs out there. Perhaps there will be one in my not so distant future. Just don't tell that to my little Casio.

For me or for baby? (Thankful List Day 13)

I am very thankful for the plethora of baby products available here in the US. Even more thankful that most of them are very within reach, say...at the neighbourhood Target store. We finally were able to get a new toy for Elyse. One I've been eyeing for a while. It's very cute, looks and sounds very educational and should keep the tiny one busy for hours on end. Great for mommy *evil chuckle*

Other thing we got was a child safety harness. I have been debating whether to get one for the past year. Initially, my thought was that Elyse needs to learn her boundaries without me tying her up. However, recent events have changed my mind. She is still too young to understand the dangers that are at every corner, and I have to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. There will be places where she can run around free with close supervision from me - at the playground, or in the garden behind our apartment. But not at the library, or the mall. Very, very terrifying.

Tomorrow we take the doggie harness for a spin since it's library day(it has a cute doggie soft toy attached to it, not a harness for a doggie), and we'll see how it goes.

My chariot of fire (Thankful List Day 12)

It's almost been a year that I've had my Highlander. We bought the car when everything seemed to be going right, or so we thought. The bad news came about a month after that and put us in a huge quandary. Somehow we managed to hang on to it even though times were rough.

It is the only real luxury I have in my life. I don't have any fancy clothes or electronics, but when I'm cruising around in my dependable SUV, I feel like everything is alright, and I have no worries. It's all good when I'm zooming around town.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to give up my little chariot. It's been a financial burden for too long and sadly, it's my fault for not wanting to let go. It was very nice while it lasted, and I'm glad that I got to have it for a while.

Farewell, my Highlander! I hope your next owner treats you better than we did.

Wind Beneath My Wings....not joking (Thankful List Day 11)

If life is a stage show, and I am the star, then my parents have always been the people behind the scenes. At every turn of my life, they've always been there for me. They are always very supportive and encouraging, even if they don't believe in our causes, at first.

The past few years have been turbulent, and being far away from home and family has made it a lot harder to bear. But my parents have always been there, offering suggestions (sometimes good, sometimes not so good) and solutions. Most times, I'm just embarrassed to have to ask them for help again and again, but they've never complained, not even once. Always ready with a word of encouragement, or a care package or an injection of funds.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to depend on them a lot more in the next coming months. What with our preparations for the move home, followed by us moving in with them. It's going to be interesting, and it'll be mostly great, I'm sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing them so very much. I love you, mum and pa! Thank you for everything.

Apples of our eyes (Thankful List Day 10)

It will take many blog posts to write about how thankful I am for my beautiful daughter, Elyse. This post shall be one of many. She's been an incredible blessing to our lives. And everyday, I find more reasons to love her even more.

We were at a gathering at our friends' home to visit and welcome their new beautiful baby girl, who is all pink, healthy and lovely. Soon after our arrival, I saw her at play with two other toddlers and it was such fun to see their direct and non-direct interaction between each other. Most of the time, they stared at one another or fought over toys. Even so, it tickled me to watch how cute they looked just being around each other, and I am just so grateful for these sweet, healthy, bundles of joy.

Earlier today, I was watching a short video a friend had sent me. The video was dedicated to the memory of a little three-year old girl who was abused and murdered by her mother's boyfriend-later husband over a period of nine months. Her mother had allowed it to happen. Stories like these shake me to the core, and make me wonder what kind of parent would allow anything remotely bad happen to their own flesh and blood?? What kind of a monster would you have to be to hurt a child, again and again, and then to take her life?

As these emotions flooded my heart and mind, I knew that there is very little I wouldn't do to protect Elyse from the evils of the world. I guess that's what happens when you love someone more than life itself.

Online garage sale (Thankful List Day 9)

In the past two years, we've had lots of reasons to be very grateful for Craigslist.com. It is a free online classifieds website where people go to post all sorts of things and services for sale. I've sold many things through my listings on craigslist, including my old car, some clothes, old electronics, some costume jewellery, furniture, wine glasses and ...oh SHOES! Not to mention, we scored a second-hand, fantastic, huge two-door refrigerator for nothing more than 4 bottles of champagne. Some people are still up for bartering. Imagine that!!!

I live in an apartment and am not able to have frequent garage or yard sales. So, it's been lots of fun to be able to slowly get rid of stuff in preparation for our move home. Looks like I'll have to keep on going with my inventory in storage. *sigh* I think I'll wait till after Chinese New Year.....

P.S. Sorry for the short post. Forgot to blog earlier, and am now too sleepy.

Being Whole (Thankful List Day 8)

When I first arrived in the States, I had a really hard time adjusting to the food. Didn't take me long to pack on the pounds - I gained 25 lbs just in my first year here. I cooked as often as it was possible. Sometimes it was not possible with assignments and papers to grade. So, it was off to the nearest Denny's or IHOP (International House of Pancakes, for the benefit of my non-American readers)

At the conventional supermarket, it is difficult to make healthy choices, just because the unhealthy ones are so abundant and easily within reach. I'm very thankful for my first visit to Whole Foods in Arlington. At that time I lived in Southwest Fort Worth, which was a good half hour away. They were bi-weekly trips with some other friends of mine. They were Italian and sought out the good bread and cheeses not available at the neighbourhood Albertson's or Wal-mart.

Now that I live much closer to said Whole Foods, I make it a point to shop there at least once a week. Mostly to purchase organic milk, fruit and other all-natural groceries for Elyse. They have the lowest price in town for organic goods, and thanks to their in-house brand, 365, I was able to make all of Elyse's baby food by myself. Her vibrant health and brightness is all the proof that I need that I made the right choice.

Even on a very tight budget, I am committed to purchasing some items from there because of the unbeatable quality. I guess once you taste food for what it really is, you can't go back to the cheap and over-processed versions.

Source of knowledge and entertainment. (Thankful List Day 7)

Growing up in Malaysia, I was never impressed with the state of our libraries. The so-called public libraries were an embarrassment, school libraries were practically non-existent.

So, imagine our surprise when Jon and I first stepped into one of many Fort Worth library branches. They had pretty much every book you were looking for, and if they didn't, you could most certainly request for it from one of their many branches, or from a neighbouring city. Multitudes of DVDs were available for a week at a time, ranging from early Hollywood films, to movies released just a couple of months before. And if they didn't have it in their system, you could jolly well request that they purchase it. Imagine that!!

We still catch the occasional movie on the big screen when the rare blue moon appears. But mostly, we've been very fortunate to expand on our seen movie list without forking out a single penny, thanks to the tax payers of Fort Worth. Which....includes me and Jon.

Rats! >_<

Family away from home (Thankful List Day 6)

Most people I know take their families for granted. It's much more apparent when their families are right around the corner, or just down the street. I haven't been home for 10 years. It's an awfully long time, considering I've always been close to my family. Yes, yes... I know absence makes the heart grow fonder. But there's also the flip side to that sometimes - out of sight, out of mind. Sorry, I digress.

Strange thing is that, the longer I have been away from home, the tighter I cling on to values and traditions that I grew up being quite blasé about. So, it's a really good thing I have someone who shares those values with me - my dearest cousin, Lisa.

She's the only real family I have on this side of the planet, and so thankful I am that she's only less than an hour away by car! Even more thankful that she's the sweetest, most generous, welcoming, and kind person you'll ever meet. Furthermore, she's a real hoot, and extremely fun person to be around. We've spent many a time laughing and reminiscing about old and new times. Through many of those conversations, I've discovered that she's probably the only person who truly understands what I went through growing up in my family.

The past few years would have been much, much harder to bear without her never-ending support and help. There isn't much I've accomplished since moving to Texas, but I am very glad that I was able to develop a closer relationship with her, and realize that she's more than just a cousin to me - she's a great friend and pretty much a sister to me.

Grasping at non-existent straws (Thankful List Day 5)

Today has been a very tough day to be thankful about much. Jon and I had a huge bomb set upon us by.... well, I shall not go into details lest I be accused of making the earth spin in the wrong direction.

But I made a resolution to be thankful for at least one thing every day, and I shall stick to my promise. Well...I am thankful for silly comedy movies, "Good Luck, Chuck" with Dane Cook, and "Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay". First one, very funny, but only if you have a pretty open mind and sick sense of humour. Second movie..not as funny as the first one.

Nonetheless, we had our share of mind-numbing chuckles today, without having to resort to alcohol. Oh, and thankfully, also had some leftovers from yesterday. (refer to previous post)

Closest thing to home (Thankful List Day 4)

Most Malaysians would agree with me that nothing else is worth missing more than Malaysian food. Especially those of us who are, or have spent time abroad. Through the 11 years I've spent away from home, I have come to rely on this one tether to home. Well, besides my family and few well-chosen friends, that is.

Most unfortunately, the two locations that served up Malaysian food have come and gone faster than you can say "Teh Tarik". Having had to rely on my own culinary skills to cook up some of my, and Jon's favourite dishes, makes me miss home even more. Some dishes are easier to replicate than others. Some are just impossible. That's because it's not just about the food, it's about the entire experience - physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.

Okay, so getting to my point here....the closest thing we have to home is King's Chinese BBQ, located in Arlington, Texas, or as we like to call it "Little Saigon". Owned and operated by Hong Kong immigrants, they've kept the food genuine and real, reasonably priced and as un-Americanized as possible. We frequent this haunt for our favourite comfort foods, a couple of which I shall featured here - roast duck; and salt and pepper tofu (best tofu dish ever!). It is probably the one place that allows us to keep our sanity, what's left of it, anyway.

The Magic of the Internet (Thankful List Day 3)

I haven't had cable tv access in over a year and a half. Do I miss it? Sometimes. Nowadays, not so much. Thanks to the internet, we've been able to view our favourite tv shows, minus the commercials *evil chuckle*

'TV' dinners are now in front of the computer and the experience is heightened by my fantastic 22" LCD monitor *evil chuckle, again*

Till tomorrow....

Sister, sister (Thankful List Day 2)

The times that I’ve been able to stay afloat these past few years is all thanks to my dearest sister. She’s literally my ‘lifesaver’, emotionally, financially and spiritually. We’re as close as siblings can ever get, even though we’re separated by vast oceans and land.

She’s always been there for me through really, icky thick and bright, bubbly thin. Always generous with taking care of us. “Why?”, I asked her one recent day. She replied, “Because you used to spoil me silly when we were younger.”

Truth be told, I don’t remember much ‘spoiling’. I have always enjoyed her company (okay, since I was maybe 14 years old), even hung out with her friends, chaperoned and drove them places like the mall, movie theatre, mamak, etc. Of course, we’ve had our differences too. I’m impatient, demanding and bossy, and love things done my way. She’s very laid back and does things whenever she sees fit. Although, I’ve noticed that she’s gotten more impatient recently. Must be an age thing.

Half of all Elyse’s toys come from her, as well as my new wardrobe these past 2 months. She’s been our personal bank for past three years because we’ve been struggling to make ends meet. Believe me, I’m embarrassed as hell to have to ask her for help, but unfortunately the situation desperately called for it.

She’s always encouraged me to look upwards and forwards, to believe and hope that things will change for the better. Even more so when she suffered a very tragic, heartbreaking loss of her own almost one year ago. It was a very sobering time for the whole family.

I am amazed at how she’s persevered through an entire year of one horrid event after another, ultimately emerging stronger, wiser and more beautiful, inside and out.

I couldn’t ask for a better person to share a bloodline with :)

New Year Resolution (?) (Thankful List Day 1)

I’ve decided that I’ve allowed myself to wallow far too long in the pit of mud that was 2008. Biggest part of my problem(s) is and was that I couldn’t escape from focusing on the negative in every situation that came my way. It is the foulest, most God-awful feeling that I would not wish on my worst enemy. Well, ironically, I think my worst enemy + critic is myself. Yikes!

Therefore, I have decreed that I shall from today, the first of January, will make myself be thankful for one, if not, a few things that have come across my plate that day. Will I have the resolve to stick to this resolution? *Groan* I don’t know...but damned if I don’t try my very best.

Today, I am very thankful for two friends who have been absolute support for Jon, myself and Elyse. They have done things for us that I would not even expect family to. They have openly accepted us as part of their family, even offered us to move in with them to help us save some much-needed mullah.

Excuse me now whilst I go dry my eyes. I hope you find something to be thankful for today too.