Been Tagged: Life is full with love

Firstly, I would like to thanks Rei who passed me this tag. Well, it is my first time to received, quiet happy, surprise,.....

Back to topic, everyday, everymoment and everyone is continously complain complain and complain, but how many peoples whose is really happy and grateful? Even somebody is already 'fine' but still complain this and that. Me too, hehhehe.... life huh? When I open this e-mail, my oldest girl who is only 6 years old asked me --- mom what is 'grateful'? After explaination, she said : Mommy, we should be grateful that we are still happy, healthy, 'safe' and blessed, cause out of here was so much peoples suffering from natural disasters. Praise God! Yes, we should be grateful to God that we are blessed all the time, when I faced difficulties, I prayed and God will answer me. Thanks God that my children beleived Him so much and perhaps one day my husband will believed Him too.

I am grateful to my children whose bring me a lots of love, joys, happiness, encouragement, care, tender ........ without them my life will be "dry'" as a dessert without oasis. When I'm down or sick, my children will cheers me up even just simply a few words.

I am grateful to my husband who is really do his jobs to give us good life, love, and more.... eventhough he is a very 'big man minded'. I realised he loves us and not express out and I'm appreciated it. Love doesn't need to show out as long as we know it. We are not perfect, but with the 'negatives' we see and feel the ' positieves'.

I am grateful to my elder sister Pam who I love most in the world. My mom passed away when I was a young teenage but Pam take good care all of us and never blame us but in the return she give us love, supports, care..... all the time. And I'm grateful to my brother in law Derek that he take good care for Pam and their family.

I am grateful to my granny, she love all of us so much and always let us feel comfortable to stay with her. She is around 90's and still 'fit' and healthy. My children called her Tweety the Grandnanny.

I am grateful to my friends whose accompany me go through so much and share all the sweetness, sourish, bitterness and even the spicies.... hahahh.....

Lastly, I hope everyone will learn how to be grateful and learn 'less' complain and I believed we will be happier!!!!!!! Let's start with

1. Realised how rich you are
2. Realize what a healthy and prosperous life you have
3. Realize what a blessing it is to live in peace
4. Open your eyes to see the good things in your life
5. Maintain a “good things” journal
6. Understand that there are positive things behind all the bad things that happen
7. Have a special session of gratitude
8. Meet positive people
9. Focus on giving
10. Decide to be a grateful person

For more details, please have a look at here -------- http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/07/12/10-simple-tips-to-become-a-grateful-person/


I am not a person whose can speak out pretty words but I hope you will understand it. I would like to pass this tag to :

1. Crystal --- yummy in your tummy,
2. Jen --- Jen's Kitchen
3. Sandra
4. AiMei --- Baking Cottage
5. Lydia --- My Kitchen



*START COPY*

In order to be able to achieve and maintain happiness we need to, actively, be able to do two things:
Complain and then let go (Dump the baggage, the roadblocks to happiness.)
Openly Express Gratitude (The open expression of gratitude promotes happiness.)
After all, everyone has something to be grateful for and/or something to complain about. If you would like to accept the challenge, please follow the appropriate link and do so: "Are You Grateful?", "Complain Complain Complain."

Contributors to "Are You Grateful?" & "Complain Complain Complain" are: 1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Max 3-DianaCA's Metamorphoses 4-Mental Poo 5-My Thoughts 6-Baba Doodlius 7-Wake Up America 8-Life is a Roller Coaster 9-Life and Me 10-pinay mommy's love blog 11-My Happiness Haven 12-And Life Goes On for a Filipino Mom 13-Blessed Sanctuary 14-Expressions And Thoughts 15-Memories by Jenn 16-Reminiscence of My Adventures 17-In the Life of Mne 18-Juliana's Lair 19-Pinay Wahm 20-Lucid Creativity 21-Winged Words 22-Irresistible Fascinations 23-A Little Time 24-See Me For What You Will 25-Greatest Reviews 26-ETC ATBP 27-Gandacious 28-We Are Family 29-Journey to this thing called LIFE 30-www.rajeshrana.net 31-www.rajeshrana.com 32-BaReFooTeD Me 33-Uncomplicated 34-Points of View 35-Pride & Prejudice 36-Colorful World 37-Nora's Notes 38-A Daily Walk With Bill & Gina 39-Strange but True 40-Everything Under The Sun ( Beth Rebokon ) 41-Kaleidoscope 42-Fil-Oz Blog 43-By Osc@r Luiz 44-Comedy Plus 45-Blogging by Sandee 46-Soul Meets World 47-Mae's Memoirs 48-Beyond the Rave Reality 49-Amori, poesie, arte, chat by Hanna 50-Attached at the Hip 51-Carver's Sight or is that Site? 52-Empress Reviews 53-Simple Pleasures In My Heart 54-Lourdes' mia 55-A Grateful Heart 56-Majorsleepyhead 57-Scrappy n Happy in Ohio 58-CHOC MINT GIRL 59-Extraordinary Things 60-ZOOROPAZOO 61-BeNolSatuEm 62-As The World Turns 63-Your Caring Angels 64-Life Is Wonderful To Know Everyday 65-Sugar Magnolias 66-Little Peanut 67-Creative In Me 68-Me and Mine 69-Pea in a Pod 70-the diary of the Pink & Brown Wedding 71-good thoughts, good trades, good life 72-My Blog - all things me 73-Rainbows 74-Little Corner of Mine 75-Me, Myself and I 76-My Planet Purple 77-Amel's Realm 78-A Handful of Surprises 79-A Detour 80-Something Purple 81-Vanity Kit 82-Are You Grateful? 83-A Simple Life 84-BlogTips.Com 85-Balitang Kalye 86-Mariuca 87- Emila Yusof 88-A Total Blog 89-My Life in this Wonderful World 90-MommyAllehs 91-Things That Suck 92-A Mother's Stuff 93-Princess Vien 94-My Inner Thoughts Revealed 95-Roxiticus Desperate Housewives 96-Apples Of The Eyes 97-Nita's Random Thoughts 98-Nita's Corner 99-Thomas Digital Services 100-A Mother's Thoughts101-Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta 102-My Perfect Escape 103-Vanidosa. Marie 104-Confessions of a Supermodel Wannabe 105-Lynda's Loft 106-Listening..Learning..Living 107-LadyJava's Lounge 108-The Painted Veil 109-Poeartica 110-Maryannaville 111-the life of a psychotic weirdo 112-CARPE DIEM 113-Turn-u-Off 114-asian mutt international 115-Petty Ramblings of a Petty Queen 116-LIFE IS A ROLLER COASTER 117-AZZY'S BLOG-A-ROONIE! 118-glad to be here 119-WilStop 120-Dare to Blog 121-WebGeek Journal 122-Foster Me Up 123-This is My Life 124-DaveylynneDR 125-Life Realities 126-aNgRiAniWorld Dot Com 127-All That Matters 128-YOU

*END COPY*
*Start Copy*
In order to be able to achieve and maintain happiness we need to, actively, be able to do two things:
Complain and then let go (Dump the baggage, the roadblocks to happiness.)
Express Gratitude (The open expression of gratitude promotes happiness.)
After all everyone has something to be grateful for and/or something to complain about. If you would like to participate, please follow the appropriate link and do so: "Are You Grateful?", "Complain Complain Complain."

Contributors to "Are You Grateful?" & "Complain Complain Complain.": 1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Max 3-DianaCA's Metamorphoses 4-Mental Poo 5-My Thoughts 6-Baba Doodlius 7-Wake Up America 8-Life is a Roller Coaster 9-Life is Beautiful 10-pinay mommy's love blog 11-My Happiness Haven 12-And Life Goes On for a Filipino Mom 13-Blessed Sanctuary 14-Expressions And Thoughts 15-Memories by Jenn 16-Reminiscence of My Adventures 17-In the Life of Mne 18-Juliana's Lair 19-Pinay Wahm 20-Lucid Creativity 21-Winged Words 22-Irresistible Fascinations 23-A Little Time 24-See Me For What You Will 25-Greatest Reviews 26-ETC ATBP 27-Gandacious 28-We Are Family 29-Journey to this thing called LIFE 30-www.rajeshrana.net 31-www.rajeshrana.com 32-BaReFooTeD Me 33-Uncomplicated 34-Points of View 35-Pride & Prejudice 36-Colorful World 37-Nora's Notes 38-A Daily Walk With Bill & Gina 39-Strange but True 40-Everything Under The Sun ( Beth Rebokon ) 41-Kaleidoscope 42-Fil-Oz Blog 43-By Osc@r Luiz 44-Comedy Plus 45-Blogging by Sandee 46-Soul Meets World 47-Mae's Memoirs 48-Beyond the Rave Reality 49-Amori, poesie, arte, chat by Hanna 50-Attached at the Hip 51-Carver's Sight or is that Site? 52-Empress Reviews 53-Simple Pleasures In My Heart 54-Lourdes' mia 55-A Grateful Heart 56-Majorsleepyhead 57-Scrappy n Happy in Ohio 58-CHOC MINT GIRL 59-Extraordinary Things 60-ZOOROPAZOO 61-BeNolSatuEm 62-As The World Turns 63-Your Caring Angels 64-Life Is Wonderful To Know Everyday 65-Sugar Magnolias 66-Little Peanut 67-Creative In Me 68-Me and Mine 69-Pea in a Pod 70-the diary of the Pink & Brown Wedding 71-good thoughts, good trades, good life 72-My Blog - all things me 73-Rainbows 74-Little Corner of Mine 75-Me, Myself and I 76-My Planet Purple 77-Amel's Realm 78-A Handful of Surprises 79-A Detour 80-Something Purple 81-Vanity Kit 82-Are You Grateful? 83-A Simple Life 84-BlogTips.Com 85-Balitang Kalye 86-Mariuca 87-Emila Yusof 88-A Total Blog 89-My Life in this Wonderful World 90-MommyAllehs 91-Things That Suck 92-A Mother's Stuff 93-Princess Vien 94-My Inner Thoughts Revealed 95-Roxiticus Desperate Housewives 96-Apples Of The Eyes 97-Nita's Random Thoughts 98-Nita's Corner 99-Thomas Digital Services 100-A Mother's Thoughts 101-Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta 102-My Perfect Escape 103-Vanidosa. Marie 104-Confessions of a Supermodel Wannabe 105-Lynda's Loft 106-Listening..Learning..Living 107-LadyJava's Lounge 108-The Painted Veil 109-Poeartica 110-Maryannaville 111-the life of a psychotic weirdo 112-CARPE DIEM 113-Turn-u-Off 114-asian mutt international 115-Petty Ramblings of a Petty Queen 116-LIFE IS A ROLLER COASTER 117-AZZY'S BLOG-A-ROONIE! 118-glad to be here 119-WilStop 120-Dare to Blog 121-WebGeek Journal 122-Foster Me Up 123-This is My Life 124-DaveylynneDR 125-Life Realities 126-aNgRiAniWorld Dot Com 127-YOU

*End Copy*

Baked Nian Gao 烤年糕

Baked Nian Gao????? Huh? Are you kidding? No, baked nian gao is more cake-alike cake while traditionale nian gao contain only water/ coconut milk, sugar and glutinous rice flour. But, this version of baked nian gao is very easy, just combine all and bake it in the oven and it is still soft even days. It is worth to try!!!!!!!

Source: Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, chinese food.com, little corner of mine

Ingredients:

16oz (450g) glutinous rice flour
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
21/2 cup milk
1-13/4 cup sugar
1tbsp baking soda
1 can red bean paste

Methods:

1. Mix everything except red bean paste, then half of the portion mixed with red bean paste.
2. Pour the plain batter into a greased- floured pan ,followed by red bean batter. Bake in preheated oven at 175 degree celcious for 40-50 minutes or till done.
Served.

Notes:

1. I used light brown sugar in stead of sugar, it taste so nice.
2. The red bean layer taste really good.
3. This cake is a bit kuih texture, very interesting and taste totally different with traditionale nian gao.

Spekkoek, Indonesian Layer Cake, Lapis Lengit, Kek Lapis, 印尼千層蛋糕

Kek Lapis or known as spekkoek in dutch is very famous in south east asia. It is nice, and need a lots of patience to make it cause it needs to bake step by step.
Many of malays or indonesian will make it during new year. You can buy it too, but homemade one will taste better and healthier!!!!!! Yoga Bosa recipes need 30 egg yolks but by florence, it only needs 10 yolks and it is not so sweet!!!!! Thanks florence!!!!!!!!

Source: Yoga Bosa, Florence

Ingredients:
250g butter (room temperature)
60g sugar

10 egg yolks
60g sugar
1tbsp rum or brandy
2tbsp sweet condensed milk

65g cake flour1tsp mixed spice
1/4tsp baking powder

4 egg whites
30g sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Methods:

1. Preheat the oven for 175 degree celcious, lined a 17cm square pan with parchment paper, grease it and flour it with some flour.
2. Cream butter with 60g sugar till creamy.
3. In another bowl, beat egg yolk with 60g sugar till creamy and thick, stir in brandy/rum and sweet condensed milk.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed flour for twice. Set aside.
5. Mix the butter mixture and egg mixture well and fold in the flour. Set aside.
6. Beat egg whites with 30g sugar and cream of tartar till stiff.
7. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into step 5 and finally with the remaining 2/3 egg whites.
8. Use upper heat to grill the pan for 1 minute, pour 2tbsp batter and grill it for 4-5 minutes or till golden brown, remove from oven, prick some holes, and por 2tbsp of batter and grill till golden brown. Repeat till done.

Notes:

1. Spread the batter evenly to ensure you get a nice pretty layered cake.
2. Please adjust the sweetness.

Jiaozi, Gyoza, Mandu, 餃子, 扁食, 水餃, 蒸餃, 煎餃, 鍋貼

Jiaozi 餃子is one of the major food eaten during chinese new year especially in northern china.Jiaozi is typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping. It can be steamed 蒸餃, boiled 水餃, shallow fried 煎餃 or even fried-steamed 鍋貼. Gyoza is japanese version jiaozi which is a mixture of minced pork, garlic, cabbage, and nira (Chinese chives), and sesame oil and wrapped into thinly-rolled dough skins, then pan-fry for crispy skin before adding water and seal the lid to 'pan-fry-steam' and it is similiae to chinese guotie 鍋貼. Mandu is korean version which include pork, beef, cabbage, squash, cellophane noodles and kimchi and mainly deep fried for lighter- crispier texture.

Source: Chan Chen Hei Cookbooks

Ingredients:
Skin:
600g flour
a pinch of salt
300ml water
115g cornflour
Fillings:
180g chopped prawn
300g mince pork
20g chopped chinese celery
20g chopped spring onion/ scallions
10g chopped chinese mushroom (soak till soft first)
10g chopped black fungus (soak till soft first).
20g chopped carrots
20g chopped bamboo shoot
a pinch cornflour
Seasoning
salt
sugar
pepper
sesame oil
chili oil (optional)

Method:

1. Combine the filling except cornflour, then add seasoning and finally cornflour. Set aside.
2. Dough: Mix the skin ingredients and knead till smooth, divide into 24 equal pieces. Roll each out into thin, round shape, dust with cornflour to prevent sticking.
3. Wrap the filling, fold into half moon shape, enclose it and press the edge to seal.
4. Cook the dumpling in water or superior stock.

Notes:

1. You may steamed it or pan fry it or even fry-steam.
2. Serve with some shredded ginger with black vinegar.

Croissant - Crescent Roll - 羊角麵包 - 可頌 2

Croissant again? Yes, my kids have a week holiday, and we make it together with the help of my kitchen aids. This time we make it into small small cresent shape.

Source: Leisure Cat

Ingredients:

300g flour
2tsp yeast
2tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
1 egg
140ml water (please adjust)
120g butter

Methods:

1. Mix all ingredient and knead till smooth. Prove for30 minutes.
2. On a floured table, roll the dough into long rectangular shape. Put the butter in the center, enclose the side carefully. Cover with clling paper and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
3. Take the dough out and roll it to 15cm x 45cm, fold 3 times rectangular shape and cover with cling and put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes again. Repeat 3 times.
4. Roll flat, cut into triangle shape, roll up. Let it rise till double bulk on the tray, brush with some beaten egg or milk. Bake in preheated oven at 210 degree celcious for 5 minutes and then reduce to 180 degree celcious for 10 minutes or till done.

Notes:

1. This is easiest way to make croissant at home, hope you will like it too.

Terriyaki Fish Filet

A month ago, I saw Jen's blog and accidentaly remind me this lovely nostalgia's dish. Well, I'm almost forget this dish already. Thanks Jen!!!!!!! When I was a kids, my lovely granny will make this for me when I refuse to eat fish. It taste likes satay fish.

Source: Jen's Kitchen Diary

Ingredients:

Fish filet
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Soy sauce
Mirin or cooking wine

Methods:

1. Marinated all ingredients for several hours or overnight. You may grill it in the oven or on the grill pan. You may pan fry it too. Enjoy!!!

Notes:
1. Please adjust the amount of ingredients.

Cassava-Potato Croquettes

Croquettes or known as kroket in dutch is a very common snack that you can find it anywhere, anytime in netherlands. I have cassava in my kitchen and I get an idea and I make my own version---- cassava-potao croquettes. And my kids love it.

Source: My dutch neighbour

Ingredients:

400 g mashed potatoes
200g grated cassava
150ml milk
20 g butter
a pinch of salt
grated nutmeg
1 egg yolk
150-200 g flour
crust:
1 egg, lightly beaten
some breadcrumbs

Methods:

1. Mix all ingredients and shape it as wanted, and put it into refrigerator for half an hour. Dip it with some beaten egg and finally coated with breadcrumbs.
2. Fry it till golden brown. Serve.

Notes:

1. Cook the potatoes first then mashed it.
2. Please adjust the amount of flour to make a firm dough.
3. You may add some filling into the croquettes and shape it into clilinder shape.

Taiwanese Instant Kimchi 台式速食泡菜

Taiwanese instant kimchi .... very different if compare to korean style kimchi. This one is very easy, refreshing and super easy. It is a bit likes old times asian salad. Hahhahah.... but still very nice to eat especially during hot hot summer.

Source: Fenying

Ingredients A:
150g Cucumber (cut into 4, shredded, remove seeds)
20gRed Chilli (remove seeds, shredded)
80g Carrot (remove skin, shredded)
150g Cabbage (washed, shredded)

Ingredients B:
1/2tsp minced garlic
1/2tsp Salt
3tbsp Sugar
2tbsp Vinegar
1tbsp Sesame oil
2tbsp Fried white sesame seeds

Method:

1. Combine all and put it into fridge for several hours before serve.

Notes:

1. You may cut the veggie into the size you wish.
2. I omitted the sesame seed because my kids hate it.

Barbecued pork and Vegetarian Charsiew

Char Siew again and this time I make an experiment with vegetarian gluten to make vegetarian char siew. It is quite nice and easy to do, I still have a big pack gluten in my kitchen, perhaps will do it later to treat my vegetarian friends.

Source: Amy Beh


Ingredients:

600g pork belly
3 tbsp Lee Kum Kee char siew sauce
1 tbsp Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
¾ tsp tong kwai powder (available at Chinese medicinal shops)
20g sugar
1½ tbsp Mei Kwei Lu wine (Rose wine)
¾ tsp thick soy sauce
A little red colouring

Methods:

1. Marinated all the ingredients for several hours or overnight.
2. Arrange the pork and grill it in the oven at 200 degree celcious for 10-15 minutes (depends to the size of pork), remove and brush with the remaining liquid of marinate. Grill it again for 5 minutes and repeat till done. Served.


Ingredients:

300g meen kan (wheat dough or gluten)
1/2 cube red fermented bean curd (tau ju)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil

For in the wok:
1 star anise (bunga lawang)
3 cloves (bunga cengkih)
1 tsp anise-pepper or Szechuan pepper
Red colouring

Methods:

1. Soak the gluten till soft if you using the dry one. Then marinated it for several hours.
2. Heat wok, add 2tbsp oil to fry the sichuan pepper till fragnant and discard the peppers. Add the rest of B and fry till fragnant, finally add the marinated gluten and 100ml water and simmer till the gravy is thick. Served.

Notes:

1. I used dried vegetarian gluten, for raw one, you may need to cook the gluten till soft and cut it into pieces before marinating it.
2. Becareful when you grill it in the oven, the time is depend to the size of pork.

Thousand Layer Tofu, Frozen Tofu 冰豆腐, 凍豆腐

Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds, there are so many kinds of tofu which fresh, processed, flavoured, frozen, fried etc. In Taiwan, frozen tofu is very popular for home cooking, steamboat, soup and more. Frozen tofu is very easy to make at home. What you need is buy a piece of chinese firm tofu and freezed it in the fridge. As a end result, you may see that the tofu turn into yellow colour. When you want to cook it, just take it out of fridge and thaw it and it is ready. Then you will know why it called thousand layer tofu.

Ingredients:

Asian soft tofu


Methods:

1. Wrap the tofu or put it into a container and put it into the fridge till it is yellownish.
2. Thaw the tofu, cook as you wished.