Easy Weekday Lunch

Here's another easy weekday lunch we had yesterday...just a couple of straight forward, ham & cheese club sandwiches.



I finally got a chance to use this set of bento boxes which I got from Daiso several months ago...and it was actually upon my boy's request that I served him his lunch in a bento box. He told me he has seen kids bought lunch boxes to school, and he would like to pack a box to school too!

I added a hard boil egg and some strawberries to complete the meal. I guess I could regard this as a wholesome meal, as other than the ham, the other ingredients such as cheese, tomatoes and romaine lettuce were considered healthy & nutritious to a growing up kid. Maybe next time I should use wholemeal bread instead of plain bread?

This set was prepared for my elder boy when he came home. As he didn't like hard-boil eggs, I made a sunny-side up for him. You would have noticed that the photos we not very well taken as both kids only gave me a couple of mins to point & shoot!

This is the set I made for myself :)


I had the fried egg sandwiched between the bread...very simple and yet delicious...paired with a nice cup of coffee, I felt like I was having lunch (more like breakfast?!) in a cafe ;)



The good point about this kind of 'put-together' meals, is that, the kids are always eager to get involved...they get to decide on what comes first and the amount of ingredients that goes in there. The only problem with sandwiches is that my younger boy will 'dismantle' the layers while eating...a horrible sight which I rather don't mention ;p

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HOLY MACRO: EXPLODING GREEN TEA

whazzat?
a hand-rolled high grade exploding chinese green tea ball

ta-da! just add hot water and the green tea ball explodes to reveal dried whole flowers!


I've been getting that feeling all day that I'm fighting a cold or something. Perhaps I've been overusing my voice at work? I'm constantly clearing my throat. The very first thing I reach for is Manuka Honey--my mother brought some back from a trip to Australia and it had a "Manuka Factor" of 30! In Vancouver, I can only buy it with a Manuka Factor of 16 for ingestion.

this particular ball has 2 types of flower. the one in the foreground is chrysanthemum

Well, the Manuka honey isn't all that I do to ward off a cold. I drink green tea like crazy. Today I decided to reach for the groovy Chinese Green Tea Balls that explode when you add it to hot water. They come individually wrapped and cost $2.50 each. I think it's worth it in terms of entertainment value.



i have way too many tea pots! this one rests on a cast iron warmer...the votive is inside

My favourite thing to do is sit with one of my glass teapots resting on a warmer. The little green tea ball slowly blooms as it bobs in the pot and I watch as the flowers inside are revealed. I have a little teacup in my hand and sip the hot green tea while listening to jazz. The votive warmer casts a beautiful light from underneath, highlighting the beautiful bloom. Functional too, it is a must for me, because I dislike it when my tea gets cold. These green tea balls last for quite a few infusions as well. My pile of marking seems to go much faster under these conditions.


the green tea ball is fully bloomed here

So as you can see, I've been playing with the macro lens on my new D80. I invested some time in building myself a "studio" out of a cardboard box last night. I am glad to say that I escaped arterial damage with the exacto blade and was able to successfully carve out my studio unscathed. I still have to purchase some decent lights. I guess my old 80's fluorescent desk light isn't going to cut it anymore. It's starting to do that irritating flickering thing and is on its last legs.

this pic better shows the globe amaranth bloom inside

I have followed the advice of Tartelette and my hubby Stomach and have started using a tripod and have been practising my focussing skills. 'Tis not so easy I must say. The fact that I have a tripod set up now makes me feel as though I'm taking all this photography stuff seriously. But NO! I protest. It's just because my focussing sucks and I can't hold the camera still.

What with all the hobbies and crafts I take on, like cardmaking, scrapbooking, knitting (I have a loom too!), jewelry making, glass mosaics, cake decorating/baking, I can't take up another thing! There's no more room in my already jam-packed craft room! I think I need help. I'm something like a "Crafts & Hobbies" junkie.

NB: you can purchase these clear teapots in most specialty tea stores. My favourite is a Jenaer Glass teapot made in Germany. I have the "Country" teapot and the "Collection" tea service & cups. Here's a catalogue from a wholesaler here. They also have a cool catalogue of other tea accessories. Too bad you can't order from them unless you're a merchant.

As for those blossoming tea balls: they're everywhere in Vancouver it seems; even in coffee shops. Here's a coffee shop in Vancouver called Blenz carrying some. Here's just one site I googled that sold them online worldwide.

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1/2 Ponytail Pulled Through

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Gerry Laybourne on agile

From an interview with Gerry (page 6, scroll about halfway down the page):

"...And through that, I really got to know them and decided that I really wanted to understand agile management—which is a very interesting way of managing. It's a very formal discipline that allows the team to own the work. And what happens in software development is that you can give an assignment to a software-development team, and then six months later, they deliver what the assignment was. And you look at it and say, "Oh no, that's not what I wanted." In agile management, you work on a two-week cycle. You're working. You have a "scrum master." You have priorities set. You agree on what the priorities are in the meeting. You review the priorities. You evaluate where you are, and you move to the next step..."

I love that she knows agile is a "very formal discipline."

More about → Gerry Laybourne on agile

Fun Ponies

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Dual Short-Stacked French Braids

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COCONUT VANILLA BEAN RICE PUDDING

coconut vanilla bean rice pudding brulee
Yes.  This picture is mine.  All mine!  See what the hubbub is about.

This recipe is creamy and deliciously rich. If you love the flavour of coconut, this rice pudding is for you. It incorporates a velvety custard into coconut milk-infused jasmine rice and becomes a decadent dessert suitable for entertaining. My friend N is a fan of coconut and has requested this recipe. I've adapted it from Kate Zuckerman's A Sweet Life. In my rendition, I use a vanilla pod whereas she uses cardamom. For entertaining, I have bruleed the tops in individual dishes and they were fantastic.
One note: if you notice your custard curdling and it looks grainy, you can rescue it by whisking it vigorously using a wire whisk while it is still hot. Or, you can use a blender food processor or stick blender to puree the curdled custard for a minute or two.

Enjoy!

COCONUT VANILLA BEAN RICE PUDDING
adapted from Kate Zuckerman's A Sweet Life(yields 6 cups, serves 8 to 12)

RICE
1/2 cup plus 2 T jasmine rice or basmati rice
1/4 cup sugar
1 (13 1/2-fluid ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
1/4 t salt

CUSTARD
1 vanilla bean (or 1 T vanilla extract)
1/2 cup plus 2 T sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1 egg

special tools: fine-mesh strainer

Cook the rice. coconut rice, prepared by baking in a covered pot in the oven

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the rice in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Place the rice in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized saucepan with 2 cups cold water. Bring the rice to a boil and immediately remove the pan from the heat.


• Strain the rice and discard the starchy water. Place the blanched rice back in the pan and add the sugar, coconut milk, milk, and salt.


• Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, and cover the pan with aluminum foil or the lid. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the rice expands, and absorbs all the liquids, 30 minutes. (If the pan is not oven-proof, transfer the rice and liquid to a metal or glass baking dish and cover with aluminum foil). If there is still runny milk in the pan, continue to bake, covered, for another 5 to 10 minutes. When the rice is done, remove if from the oven, leave it covered, and set it aside.

Make the custard.
the cream and vanilla bean mixture, prior to cooking and thickening

• While the rice is baking, make the custard. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds with a knife and combine the empty pod along with the seeds in a heavy saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar, milk and cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and allow the vanilla to steep for 10 minutes.

• In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, egg and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and briskly whisk for 1 minute. Using a ladle, slowly whisk some of the hot cream into the egg mixture to warm it. Gradually pour the warmed egg mixture into the hot cream, whisking the cream constantly as you pour.


• Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and remove the empty vanilla pod.

Combine the custard and the rice

the rice pudding is coconut-custardy-creamy
• Scoop the rice into a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot custard over the rice and, using a whisk, slowly whisk until all of the rice granules are dispersed evenly and the mixture is thoroughly combined. Allow the rice pudding to cool completely.

Serving suggestions

• Portion into oven-proof individual serving gratin or creme brulee dishes.
• Sprinkle with granulated sugar and brulee (under a broiler or with a torch).

Storage
Will keep refrigerated, for 3 days

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One Flippy Ponytail

For those mornings when time is of the essence.

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Once upon a time, a little girl wanted to strike her ashen locks.

There was much sorrow in the land.



Time passed, and the ashen locks grew and the tresses regained their former luster.

And joy and happiness abound.

The End

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Flippy Ponytails

Divide the hair into two ponytails, on your last pull through the elastic, only pull it through partway. Then curl the ends. Her hair is almost too long for this.

Back view

Front view (she is a little sleepy in this)

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3 Ponytails on a Slanted Part

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Puffy braids

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French Twist

Why do so many hair styles start with "French"?

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3 into 2=

A cute hairdo.

I stole this idea from The Lazy Organizer. She is super talented in EVERYTHING! This is a super cute little girls hairdo. I have done a similar one that involves a lot more elastics and a hand that is a lot more sore.

Split the hair into three ponytails across the hairline. Split the middle one into two and form two ponytails behind the three. Pull the side ponytails and 1/2 of the split ponytails together with the newly formed ponytails. Add some cute bows and VOILA!

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BIB'S FIRST BIRTHDAY CAKE

it's all about the sugar flowers

Another first birthday has passed. These milestones are so fleeting.

Bib enjoyed her birthday party and even got a taste of the chocolate buttercream that I made to frost the butter cake. She loved it. The kids only care about the sugar flowers and buttercream I noticed...

Those Safeway cakes that have the toys on them are coveted primarily for the toys. The cakes aren't so tasty and the coloured sprays they use to create the vivid images leave your tongue a vivid hue of bright pink or blue, depending on whether it was a boys' or girls' cake.

I've got to get my act together for future birthday cakes by not messing about with the taste of the actual cake too much and just plopping a plastic toy on top. The kids don't really care about the texture of the crumb and the flavour of the buttercream so much as the fact that it sports their favourite image on top. I'll have to start looking out for those cheapy plastic toys and collect them for future birthdays.

I kind of knew all this but I figured because it's a first birthday she wouldn't be able to eat much cake anyway. Besides, I'm usually the one that has to eat the leftover cake because Stomach doesn't like sweets (ironic twist of fate). I didn't want to ingest the shortening-based buttercreams used for kids' cakes used by most commercial bakeries. I'm going to continue baking my own cakes. I can't believe how much people pay for birthday cakes. It's ridiculous.

The birthday cake recipe is here. So my January recipe mission is completed and I'm on to looking for my next recipe for February. I still have a fridge full of pistachio macarons and black sesame macarons I had to make because of all the egg whites left over from making the NeoClassic Buttercream recipe. I had enough leftover chocolate buttercream from the cake to fill all the pistachio macarons I made. I love it when I can recycle my leftovers into something yummy! I'll be bringing all my leftovers, including the birthday cake, to the staffroom, I think. Sometimes staff are kind enough to alleviate me of my sugar-burden.

Pistachio Macarons

adapted from tartelette

Makes 35

225 gr powdered sugar
60 gr ground almonds
65 gr pistachios
3 egg whites (about 100gr)
25 gr granulated sugar

• In a food processor, run the nuts and powdered sugar until the nuts are finely ground. Run through a sieve if needed.
  
• Whip the egg whites until foamy, slowly add the granulated sugar, until they are glossy. Continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.


• Slowly fold the nut/sugar mixture into the whites with a wide spatula. The mixture should remain shiny and flow easily.
  
• Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe small rounds, the size of a quarter, onto parchment lined baking sheets.
  
• Let the macarons rest for 20 minutes to develop a skin. Touch the tops to ensure that they are not tacky. If they are, leave them to rest longer.
  
• Preheat the oven to 315 and when they are ready, bake them for 12-15 minutes.
  
• Let cool, remove from the paper and fill with the chocolate buttercream.

More about → BIB'S FIRST BIRTHDAY CAKE

Ready for Church

This is a French braid from her part and then secured and pulled into a ponytail. This is one of our standbys for church. I like their hair to look nice and sleek for church.


Sorry about the blur. It isn't always easy catching a picture of a busy 3-year old. We did two knots in the front half of her head and pulled it into a ponytail in the back and topped it off with a red flower. I am in love with flowers in their hair.

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Because laughter is good for you..

Human tetris anyone?

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Nothin but WPF

As you may have read on Boodhoo's blog -- in addition to Nothin but .NET bootcamp, he's introducing several new topics including Nothin but WPF, which I am teaching.

The first Nothin but WPF will be March 24th - 28th in midtown NYC. This class is completely focused on WPF and XAML and will include DataBinding, Styles and Resources, Custom Controls and plenty of other topics to keep us busy :)

You can register for the class here

Go here to see the current Boodhoo training schedule for 2008 -- he'll be adding more classes and an rss feed so check back for updates.

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No frills meals

Since the start of the school year, one of the new 'challenges' I have to face is preparing lunch for my kids. My younger son has to take his meal by 11am so that he will be ready by the time the school bus comes over to pick him up. On the other hand, my elder boy will not be home before 1.30pm. So lunch not only has to be simple and easy to prepare, but also be able to keep well or at least when I reheat it for my elder boy, the taste or texture will not be compromised too much.


One of the lunch meals that I prepared last week was these Maki Sushi Sandwiches. I have been keeping this recipe which I took from a magazine for months. I am glad that I finally tried it. It was really a very simple meal to put together. There wasn't any cooking involved...I only need to cook the rice! The rest of the work involved layering the rice with pork floss, seaweed and canned tuna. The combo was surprisingly tasty! Even my elder boy finds it delicious as he doesn't quite like tuna. There was no issue with my younger boy too as he loves rice balls! The good thing about these rice sandwiches is that I don't have to reheat it before serving :)


I cooked this easy Seafood Marinara pasta for dinner on one of the weekday nights. It was my second attempt...the only difference is, this time round I managed to get some clams from the market. I used ready-made pasta sauce as I doubt I am capable to make the sauce from scratch! I didn't follow any recipe...the meal was put together simply by stir frying some prawns, squids and clams with some minced garlics, before adding the sauce. This is another no frills, almost fool-proof dinner dish...simple and yet delicious.


Maki Sushi Sandwiches

Ingredients
(serves 3)

1.5 cups rice & 1.5 cups water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

filling:
3 sheets of seaweed
1 can of tuna spread
some pork floss
some rice seasoning (furukake) for topping.

Method:

1. Add rice vinegar to cooked rice and mix well.
2. Spread half of the rice onto a serving dish and press down firmly. Shape to form a square shape the size of the seaweed.
3. Spread pork floss over the rice and layer with a sheet of seaweed. Repeat with tuna spread on the next layer, and pork floss for the third layer. Spread remaining portion of rice and press down firmly.
4. Sprinkle rice seasoning on top of the rice. Cut into pieces and serve.

(recipe source: adapted from Simply Her magazine)

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NEW TOWN BAKERY & RESTAURANT, CHINATOWN

sticky rice dumplings with green mung beans and salted pork
steamed pork and veggie bun

Who's got the best big buns?

No, not JLo.

In Vancouver's Chinatown, New Town Bakery & Restaurant is an old-fashioned diner with orange naugahyde booths and linoleum floors. Chinese-Canadians in the know realize that this institution is home to Canada's best steamed "big buns". These are not the fluffy white concoctions you find in most Dim Sum Houses. These buns are tender, slightly chewy and full of savoury or sweet fillings. One bun can make a light meal or a big snack. You can freeze them and heat in the microwave, they're portable and kids love them too.

all the buns have red markings stamped on top of the buns indicating the fillings. this one indicates pork and veggie

Some of the Big Bun fillings include: Bbq Pork, Pork and Vegetable, Beef, Red Bean Paste, Veggie and their Special (which includes pretty much everything including a salted duck egg). There are more flavours but these are what I primarily order.

The New Town Bakery stocks Malaysian, Filipino and Chinese bakery items. My favourites are the deep-fried apple tarts (a recipe not as good as the closed-down Hong Kong Cafe--but it'll do!), the Steamed White Rice Pudding (Baak Tong Goh), the Big Buns, and the Sticky Rice in Banana Leaves.

sticky rice dumplings wrapped in banana leaves (dzung)

We like to buy a dozen buns (usually pork and veggie, bbq pork and the special) and freeze them for use throughout the week. We also pick up a few sticky rice dumplings. These can be frozen too and boiled for 30 minutes to heat.

I've eaten in the restaurant a few times. It's cheap eats and many of the Chinese old-timers eat here. Generally however, I like to just grab my hot buns and run.

New Town Bakery & Restaurant

158 Pender Street East

Vancouver, BC V6A 1T3
(604) 689-7835
(604) 682-3398

More about → NEW TOWN BAKERY & RESTAURANT, CHINATOWN