McHappy Weekend

We celebrated a friend's birthday at McDonald's this weekend.

The boys had their Happy Meal. Their nuggets and fries were wolfed down even before I had time to say Boys eat up your Veee.... but wait, there's none.

Look how big Lucas has grown now. He's still a little unsteady on his feet, could walk a couple of steps but looses his balance and tips over. So he crawled all over the soft playground, still wet from the rain, splashed in puddles, got soaked and got very very happy.

MasterChef: Open Beef Kofta

So, they said MasterChef is making people fat and I reckon there's a little bit of truth to that.

Every Friday night after a Master Class, I had to try a new recipe out. It's funny, I sit in front of the telly with my notepad and my pen jotting down recipes just like one of the contestants. OK, sometimes in my dreams I'm one of them.

There was an episode that I recorded, when George Colambaris made his dark chocolate mousse with just dark chocolate, olive oil and whipped cream. I literally paused half way through, ran to my kitchen and whipped up a batch of chocolate mousse. It was so soooo goooood.

So this is what we had for dinner tonight: Open Beef Kofta made to George's mother's recipe. Click here to watch the episode.

I love the smell of coriander seeds and cumin seeds being toasted in the pan and then pounded in the mortar and pestle. Instead of a cucumber salad, I made an easy rocket leaf salad with red onions and coriander to go on mine. And oh, with a little minced meat left, I made a meatball pizza with garlic, sliced tomatoes, onions and cheese, using pita bread as the base. It was such a deliciously quick and easy meal.

We'll be flying... in December!

We have finally booked our tickets! And we got it real cheap too.

Now, if you're thinking of a holiday, just don't think. Go BOOK your tickets now. There's a sale happening at Air Asia. We got our tickets for less than AUD$350 per person return, inclusive of all taxes and fees. Lucas pays only $35 each way! Yep, you have to believe this.

We have travelled with Air Asia once before, and really we didn't mind it at all. Just don't expect anything fancy. This is a budget airline, there's inexpensive food and drinks for sale. You have to bring your own entertainment, warm clothing or blanket. Otherwise there's comfort and entertainment kits for sale. Cabin crew were friendly and helpful on our last trip. We had the front row seats to accommodate a bassinet for Lucas, so leg room wasn't a problem.

One thing I'm anxious about though, is the departure time delays. Our last trip back, our flight was delayed from midnight to about half past four in the wee hours of the morning. Just imagine us, hanging around at the airport, zombie-like, chasing after 2 highly charged-god-knows-where-they-get-their-energy-from boys. And just last month, my parents' flight was delayed too, until 6am. They were given a $20 food voucher each, and guess what? The only place opened was McDonald's. So mom and dad ended up with $40 worth of quarter pounders and fries (YUCK).

But hey, they are amazingly cheap. I will fly with them every time they run a promotion like this one.

Go! Go book your holiday!

The Perfect Chiffon Cake

My mother-in-law likes a cake that is light and airy. Each mouthful is like biting into fluffy bits of marshmallow. She likes it plain and simple, not too sweet and preferably with no icing. I have baked many a times for her. Usually a butter cake, sometimes sponge and many times a banana cake. She loves it too. I know she is always appreciative but rarely gives me a feedback. Like is it good? Is it fluffy enough? Is it totally fabulous? Or totally NOT?!

Last weekend I baked her a cake that saw her smiling from ear to ear. Just perfect she said! She wanted the recipe! It also won her friends over, and they have nothing but praises for her daughter-in-law who made this really really simple chiffon cake, fluffy, airy and light. It is really just like biting into clouds! Nothing makes me gloat more than a praise like that from my Mother-in-law. Score!

So yeah, here's the recipe for a very simple pandan (you can use any flavour you like) mother-in-law pleasing chiffon cake.

Chiffon Pandan Cake

225g cake flour*, sifted
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
200g + 50g castor sugar
80ml pandan juice
3 tbsp coconut cream
50ml water
125ml vegetable oil
7 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
9 egg whites
3/4 tsp cream of tartar

* I bought the cake flour from an Asian grocer. It's imported from Taiwan, I can't tell you what brand it is. I tried using just normal plain flour, the outcome is not as fluffy as the Taiwanese cake flour.

Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl, using just 200g of the castor sugar. Make a well in the middle and whisk in pandan juice, coconut cream, water, oil, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix well until smooth and thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Then add cream of tartar. Now beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Add in remaining 50g of castor sugar, one tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff peaks occur.

Gently fold egg whites into the cake batter in a few additions until just blended. Pour mixture into a clean UNGREASED 25cm (large) angel cake tin. Bake in a moderately hot oven (170 degrees celcius) for about 1 hour. Remove cake from the oven, and while still hot, turn the entire cake and tin upside down, balancing the central column on an empty jar. Leave to cool completely. This step is quite important as it ensures that the cake doesn't "sink". When it is cooled completely, release cake with a flat bladed knife and cut into slices.

Voila, a happy-mother-in-law cake.

Bowl Lickin' Good!

Mummy, look what Cailler taught me!


Yumm... I love peas!


X Lucas

Geelong

We heart heart heart Geelong.

It's the birth place of my husband and where he grew up. Geelong is where home is. Geelong means 'a place of the sea bird over the white cliffs', a derivative of an Aboriginal word "Jillong". We see a lifestyle so relaxed and tranquil, pristine beaches within easy reach, yet it still boasts a culture so cosmopolitan and chic. It has all the modern amenities of a big city. We can seriously live there.

In Newtown, beautiful Victorian and Edwardian houses line the streets. Gary's parents still live there. Every now and then, we'd take a drive down to visit them, like we did last Sunday.

We walked along Eastern Beach, weaving through palm trees. We played soccer on a very well manicured lawn. We enjoyed breathtaking views. The boys saw yachts, helicopters, and a sea-plane. We rode on an antique carousel. It was just lovely.

Then we were fed. With lots of love, by some of the loveliest people we know. We had Japanese at a restaurant owned by family friends. We had a lovely home-cooked meal, eating some of the freshest crustaceans from the sea. We had such lovely company.

Like we seriously can live there.

Fujisan Japanese Restaurant

My boys have a good relationship with Japanese food. Give them balls of vinegared rice or sushi rolls anytime, they would lick the plate clean. They also have the capacity to stuff more than their little tummies could fill.

We know of a place in Geelong, the best place in the world to have Japanese food. Big rolls of futomaki filled with plump, juicy morsels of fresh Tasmanian Salmon, shaved carrots, avocado and cucumber, slices of sashimi atop delicious balls of vinegared rice, home-made pork dumplings sizzled hot from the teppanyaki plate. We can order whatever we want, however we want it and it will be made for us. Fresh.

We never ever miss this place every single time we go to Geelong.

Fujisan

148 Ryrie Street

Geelong VIC 3220

03-5224 1555

What we do with our time - Part 2

Today is another day where it seems like we're doing everything but absolutely nothing!

The day started early. Lachie goes to kinder.

I picked him up from Kinder at 11.30am, and with Lucas, we went to the Caribbean Gardens and Market. I bought some cheesy bread sticks, mandarins and bananas and we sat by the lake, eating our lunch and watching the ducks.

Lucas learned the word "duck".

We went for a walk at the Market and I bought some fruits and organic vegetables. The boys then spend some time at a playground. That's half the day gone.

Then, it's home time. Back we come to a very messy home, dirty dishes piling high in the kitchen sink and toys strewn all over one half of the house. At least it's one half. So the boring housekeeping stuff starts ALL OVER AGAIN. Sigh...

Fish and chips for dinner, the boys bathed and tucked in bed, and here I am blogging. That's another day gone!

Where did all our time go?

What we do with our time - Part 1

I'm a stay-at-home mom, and I devote all of my time for my children. But what have we been doing with our time? Blink of an eye, Lachlan is no longer a toddler. Lucas, he is now a toddler! Eeekks!

Yeah, so what do we do with ourselves? Admittedly, I have been quite slack in the last few months. My kids sleep in, and I do too. They watch TV, and that is a lot of TV, they play by themselves, they read to themselves, while I busy myself doing boring housekeeping stuff like laundry, cleaning, cooking and more laundry. We spend some time at the local shopping centre too, grocery shopping and just hanging out. Gaaaahhhh, is that all I've been doing with them? Seriously, how can that take up so much of my time, the past three years of my life! It seems like it never ever ends although I spend all day, everyday doing it!

A little over half a year ago, I wrote about our typical Thursday, the busiest day of the week. Things have changed a now. We still attend Playgroup. It's still the busiest day of the week. This is what we did today:

8.30am I woke up and have breakfast, read the newspapers. Start the washing machine.

9.30am Lachy woke up and have breakfast.

10.00am Lucas woke up!!! Yes, 10.00am! Usually it's 9.30am. O.o He drinks his milk and have a piece of toast.

10-11.00am I prepare lunch, and in between, tidy up the house, put all of last night's dishes away, hang up the laundry, make the bed, change the boys, and change Lucas again, take Lachy to the toilet, attempt to vacuum the floor etc. Break up the boys fighting, give Lachy a time out for pushing Lucas, change Lucas again, put breakfast away.

11.30-1.30pm We go to Playgroup!

Today, we were the only ones there because our friends were either unwell, or their moms had kinder duties for their older siblings. So, we hung around for a little bit, had lunch and left early. We went to a friend's place for a play. Actually, it was more like I dropped Lachy off at their place, so I can quickly dash to the shops to pick up some things. Yes, without Lachy, that means less time spent on coin operated machines. So I can't say NO to invitations such as these!

3pm We came home, Lucas had a nap. Normally it's difficult to get Lachy to nap in the afternoon, but he fell asleep in the car, so he had a little nap time too. That gave me some time to tidy up my bedroom, throw some unused items in the wardrobe for charity collection.

4.00pm I attempted to do some of the things that I've planned for earlier during the day. The boys watch telly. They both have a cup of warm milk.

5.00pm I start dinner. And in between, take Lachy to the toilet, change Lucas, play a bit of Wii fit with Lachy, he loves doing "Yoga" and jogging. Roll about with Lucas for a bit. Give Lachy another time out for hitting Lucas.

6.00pm We have dinner.

7.00pm Watch MasterChef on TV. I haven't missed a single episode. Hee Hee. Gary does the washing up.

7.30pm Get the boys bathed and ready for some "quiet time". Is there such a thing? Nope. We just "hang out" for a bit, doing nothing much, just like what we did ALL day!

9.00pm The boys go to bed. I blog or surf the net, while Gary does a bit more work.

Midnight. Wash up and go to bed.

So where did all our time go?

Big Brother Little Brother

He copies everything his older brother does. All that Lachie has, Lucas wants it too.

Like he would drink water, only from a straw bottle not a sipper cup. Only because his brother does it.

In this picture, Lucas literally climbed up the chair that Lachie was sitting on and shove his older brother off. Maybe he meant to share.

Snatch. Push. Fight. Hit. Cry. Scream. Wail. Complain. Bite. Kick. Constant bickering.

Drive me nuts!

These are like almost a daily occurrence now. But isn't this all part of growing up, a healthy normal relationship?

Otherwise won't the world be such a boring place?

Coin Operated Rides

3 year old: Mum, I need some money.

Me: But why?

3 year old: I want to ride in this.

Me: I don't have money.

3 year old: Yes you do, check your wallet.

Me: *rolls eyes*


I don't give in. I just don't. I think once you do, you always have to. Besides, there are other things you can do with a gold coin. Like buying ice-cream.




Now, that's money well spent.

Bush Walking

I feel blessed living in this part of town where there are hiking trails, just minutes away, that makes you feel like you're out in the bush. Just today, I went for a 11km hike through the Dandenong Ranges with a few good mates from the medical school days. The walk was quite OK, not as arduous as I thought it would be, given that I've not done this sort of activity for quite a while. Let's say, since my pre-wedding days!

Ada, Jess and Grace

Ada is training to conquer Mt. Kinabalu in August, the highest peak in South East Asia. I did this when I was 14, a little less than half the age of what I am now! Geez... has it been that long? Anyways, I have always loved hiking, walking through the woods. I love breaking out in a sweat, feeling the heart thumping, breathing the clean fresh air and the cool wind on my face. It's so refreshing, rejuvenating. And the feeling afterwards, a sense of accomplishment and calm.

The trail started at the base of the 1000 steps at Mt. Dandenong National Park, a replica of the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. We went on further up to One Tree Hill, and then to several other trails around the area. It took us about 3 hours for the entire journey, which wasn't too bad. There were some parts which were quite steep, testing our quadriceps and cardiovascular capacity. We saw two somewhat elderly ladies walking up a rather steep slope, which was inspiration to us and pushed us along. Most of the way, it was just a gentle slope.

And of course, there's always a decent meal planned for after all the work is done. We had a Chinese banquet dinner at Crown Palace in Vermont South, a reward for all our hard work. My legs are hurting like monsters, and I'm waddling like I'm 7 months preggers. And right now, I just want to go to bed.