More Homecook Food

I have being spending a lot more time in the kitchen ever since we moved into the new place. We aren't very familiar with the suburb yet, clueless where to find cheap and nice food after dark, + tight budget. I'm not complaining coz I'm trying out more recipes + finding short cuts in cooking....hehe.

2 weeks ago, I pratically didn't step out of the kitchen. I started the day cooking a huge breakfast which consist of cheesy sausage which we bought from Vic Market the day before + tiny tomatoes + avocado + mushroom + Nigella's style poach egg + a bit of green + bread. Both of us were struggling to finish our breakfast coz I cook too much....haha



Next was Nigella Feasts DVD : Chocolate Chip Muffin. My birthday was coming and instead of bringing a cake on the actual day, I baked some muffin to bring into the office on Mon. CL love it coz there are lots of chocolate chips. Everyone enjoy it which I'm happy about.



For dinner, I took out the cookbook Shiok! and cooked CL's favourite. Fried Prawn Noodle. Although it's my 1st try, I reckon it taste pretty good. CL's enjoyed it alot. I have to think about what else I can add into the stock to increase the taste a bit stronger.

This is another breakfast which I cooked last week. This time round, I reduce the potion so that we won't have to struggle to finish our food. :)

Butter Cut-Out Biscuits

I'm sick again *sigh* and I took bloody long time to recover! Am I really getting old???? Honestly at present, I'm not 100% fully recover yet. I had being eating congee since Wednesday. Started off with very sore throat which is much better today -> fever -> body ache -> slight cough which is getting worst -> a bit of block nose. ARGH!! I did practically nothing except sleep, sleep, follow by more sleep for the past few days except today.

I'm feeling much better + CL got called back to work last minute. Which leave me alone at home with all the free time. I decided to bake. Chose to try Butter Cut-Out Biscuits by Nigella (How to be a Domestic Goddess)

My first time baking cut-out biscuits. I halved the ingredients so that I will not end up with too much biscuits. End result, I love it! It's effortless.

Since X'mas is coming, using X'mas theme shaped cookies cutter wasn't a bad idea. I even tried icing them with white, red and green.

Bicuits before icing

Biscuits after icing (not too bad for my 1st attempt isn't it?)

The icing smell and taste a bit strange. I don't really like it. But I did follow what instructions stated. Just mixing the sicing sugar with not really boiling water. Hmmm Is it because of the brand of icing sugar I use? Anyone able to help me with that???

Multitasking

I'm blogging in the kitchen! Wonders of wireless modem. I'm actually cooking as well...multitasking. Have a pot of congee on the stove and it's not safe to leave it alone. That's why I'm kinda of stuck till the pot of congee is done to my standard (which btw going to take a pretty long time).

Both of us were cooked since yesterday. He's having blocked nose, coughing and body aching while I started feeling very dizzy and headache....on my birthday! How great is that???

CL had made a reservation at Rockpool weeks ago to celebrate my last 2* birthday (opps....age reveled) but we had to postpone it last minute (just a minute before leaving the house). Seriously doubt we will enjoy the dinner since both of us won't feeling great + it's not going to be a cheap meal. The evening ended really early for both of us.

Wasn't feeling fantastic this morning therefore decided to call in sick and spend the whole morning in bed with CL. That's why I'm cooking congee too. Btw, CL reckon congee is poison! He will never really eat it unless he is sick which is totally opposite of me coz I love congee! I can easily finish a whole pot all by myself! + It's such a great weather to have either a big bowl of soup/congee.

Evening Entertainment: Nigella

Before the shift, I bought Nigella Feasts DVD which was on discount; cost less than $16 and I immediately grabbed it. It was 1 of the DVD which I have being waiting for special offer. It was a pretty good deal considering there are 2 DVDs in the pack. It has being my dinner companion for the past few dinners with CL working starting night shifts. I shouldn't have any complain when I'm watching a cooking episode while having dinner right? I had finished the whole program.

Noted a few stuff about Nigella.

• She is always eating!!! Or because she's always eating just for this cooking program?
• She's kind of messy when she cook which is totally opposite from me. I know the place can be clean up after the therapy (yes, I consider cooking and baking a therapy session) but I just can't stand the kitchen being terribly messy while I'm on the stove.
• All her recipes are quick, simple and definitely easy. Knew that for quite sometime after trying the recipes from Nigella Express.
• She loves biting her food (especially chocolate) from the side instead of front main 2 teeth. Her way of protecting her teeth from chipping?
• Her cooking style is very different from Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay (who I both think are clean in the kitchen). Is that coz both are consider chef and she a cook?
• She loves cooking peas straight out from the package frozen.

I will definitly find some time and re-watch the whole program again. This time round, with my recipe book and pen to jot the recipes down.

Currently, I'm also hooked on The Chef and The Cook on ABC. Very different style of cooking and mixing all kinds of ingredients. The DVD will be the next item to look out for during my trip to JB-HiFi.

I also added 2 cooking books to my collection. Received a 30% discount voucher from Borders and couldn't resist not using it. Pick up a Jamie Oliver, Jamie's Dinners and also a Singapore/Malaysia cookbook Shiok!

This book has a history behind it. I 1st came upon it a month ago at Borders Toorak. Though it was exactly what I have being hunting, I didn't purchase it because it was damaged. The 2nd time I saw it, it was again damaged!Found out it's because the way it's being binded. The body and cover had become 2 separate pieces. Did a check and found out that was the only one copy available. I was advise by the staff to check at the payout counter whether can they offer a special price. Initally I was only offered 10% discount. I can't decide whether should I continue hunting or just get it. The lady was nice enough in the end offer me 30% discount since I had the voucher for the other book(I'm actually only allow to use the voucher on 1 item). I walked out of Borders happily with 2 books costing me less than $50.

Settling Down

The move on Monday went smoothly. It took us + 2 movers 3 hours to move almost everything from the old to new house. We made a few trip ourselves to handle those too fragile stuffs. Electrical, water, gas and phone all were connected without any problem at all this time. Hmmmm really wonder is it because this is a house/unit that's why no stuff up? Or because we made individual call to the respective company instead of using bull-shit service provider like ConnectNow. Or because everything is already connected and we only had to request name change? Anyway, we are settling in well but still waiting for the internet to be active. At the meantime, there's a bit more unpacking to do + cleaning.

For the past 2 evenings, we have being a couch potato watching DVDs on the new LCD TV. I still have to read up the manual for the TV and DVD recorder. It works for now but I don't think I set it up fully. Plus totally no idea how am I going to use the DVD recorder other than playing DVD. Hehehe That will be my homework for the weekend while CL working.

Herb Garden

From left to right : Sage, Basil, Spring Onions, Mint, Rosemary

My existing herbs are starting to give up on me and I decided to plant a new batch. CL drove me to Bunnings few weeks ago. Bought 2 long pots, organic soil and some herbs.

I didn't actually expect all of them to survive especially sage and basil. They look dying after a few days. But now they are all growing!!! Especially mint, I didn't except it to grow that fast!!! Need to start thinking whether should I replant some of them into the backyard after I settle down at the new house. I'm even thinking of getting a worm farm. Don't think I have enough space for a compost bin. Plus worm farm works faster. Got to do more reading up.

Carrot cake

I had craving for carrot cake for weeks or even months! I was kinda hoping I could end my craving during Singapore Day but left the event in disappointment.

So few weeks ago, I finally move my lazy bum and tried making some. I made the carrot cake on Saturday store it overnight and fried them up the next day.

CL's prefer the white style of carrot cake while I perfer the black. So I ended up frying two plates in each style.

Black carrot cake
White carrot cake with Mum's chilli

It was nice but the carrot cake turn out to be a bit too hard. I still can't figure out why. I did follow the recipe very closely. Steam it for too long? Over cook? The black carrot cake lack of sweetness, will have to add more ABC sauce next time. I will definitly continue to hunt for more recipe and try it again.

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes

I was watching Sex and the City movie when I'm suppose to blog. Now I'm blogging when I suppose to pack. *shake head* I do everything except packing!!! OH NO NO NO!!!

The house is full of boxes!!! On the left are empty boxes all stack up ready to be fill.



While on the right are boxes full filled with books, clothing, personal items. The 2 backpacks are full of CL's textbooks!!! It's damm heavy!!! Seriously don't think I'm able to carry it on my back at all.



I'm starting to wonder how many boxes I will end up with by Sunday night. Hmmmmmmmm

More Shopping & Packing

20 boxes + 2 full backpacks lying in the corner. We manage to do more packing in the afternoon and also came back home with a HUGE HOLE in our pocket yesterday.

We had a orientation from our new landlord yesterday morning. We are getting to know our new home. The house is really cool in the morning. It has a central vacuum system which I will be using so no more dragging the vacuum cleaner around the house and changing plugs. The heater had being service because it's giving out a bit of noise. I was prepared to give the house a clean before moving in but found out the landlord had actually started cleaning the place for us! He had all the kitchen cabinets cleaned, carpet vacuum. The only task left is to clean the floorboard. He planned to do it after we left but we told him don't bother as it will only get worst during the move. We will do it after that. Looks like a lot of cleaning is save :)

After the orientation, we went to the newly open Westfield at Doncaster. It's huge! We had a early lunch cum breakfast and started shopping at Myer, DJ looking at fridge, microwave, LCD TV. Next destination: Good Guys at Home HQ, Nunawading. We exit with a Sharp microwave and a F&P fridge. The offer for LCD TV wasn't tempting enough.

Since Harvey Norman is just next door, we decided to pop over and take a look. Amazingly the prices they offer are better than Good Guys which I never expect it. CL ended up buying a Sony 40" LCD TV and a Panasonic DVD recorder.

Freedom, Office Works was next as study table, study chair are still on the list. We will be setting up a room as study. Plan is to set up 2 study tables, 1 for him and 1 for me. So that I can have my own space especially when I need to work at home.

Still have to pop into IKEA to purchase the bookshelves. Our books are getting more and seriously running out of space.

I hope after this move, the next 1 will be into the house of our own. Because I'm not enjoying all the shopping + moving + logistic at this point of time. I bet we will be hibernating at home for weeks after the move just to recover also to save $$$$. heheh

MIA

I'm going to MIA(missing in action) even more. I was hoping to post some photos but I couldn't find my camera. CL must had left it in the car after bringing out last night.

I started packing last weekend. Spend 4 days, average 1.5hrs each time sorting out the clothes, packing etc. The house is in a total mess and I can't be bothered to tidy it. Lying in 1 corner are 10 boxes of our belonging and it's only going to get more hopefully after these 2 days.

Going to the new place later to take some measurement so that we can start shopping for some item. It's going to be a pretty expensive shift but can't be avoided at all (CL just got to work more...hehe).

Alright, I better go start showering and will try to post some food photos tonight if I'm free. :)