Sweet potato balls

Every time my two girls went to their art lesson for 2 hours, I will utilize this 2 hours slot to get sweat in the gym. This day, I sacrificed my happy hour at gym, I decided to stay at home and play Cooking Mama. I wasn't playing online game, ok. I was really cooking. Ever since they tried the sweet potato balls at Fong Lye Taiwan Cuisine, they started to love it, and I promised to make it for them. I got the recipe from here.

I bought a medium size orange colour flesh sweet potatoes. Peel the skin, cut into cubes, steam it for 30 minutes. Mash it and add in glutinous rice flour, corn flour, sugar, and salt. Mix everything with hands, and knead it well to form a smooth dough.

I rolled about hundred over balls that day without the help of my two girls.

Heat up oil in a wok. Lower the heat to medium or low fire. Don't put in too many balls at a time. They tend to stick together while frying. I put in 10 balls only at one time.

Fry until golden brown, remove from fire and  serve.

Be cautious of the heat. I almost burned my first batch of potato balls.

When my two girls returned from their art lesson, they indulged in cooking mama's sweet potato balls. They said that it tasted better than Fong Lye one. Cooking mama was at cloud 9. I also offered them the coconut drinks to wash away the heat of the deep fried food. When I checked on them again, they left only 10 balls on the plate for their Papa.

Due to taking too many sweet potato balls, my two girls were half full. I decided to cook something light for dinner.

I fried meehun with a can of roasted pork.

I also added in carrot and fish balls. If I didn't put in salt, I would be very satisfied with this fried meehun of me.

It's the heart that counts

I would like to thank all of you for the greetings that you left on my blog, my FB wall, and SMS. It  means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. To all my readers and friends, thanks for your kind thoughts that you wrote in the comment on all my posts. Thanks for the support and being there.

Other than the loots and gifts, which I mentioned in my earlier post, I received 2 parcels last week. Both sent from KL to my doorstep. How lucky I am to know people like them!

First parcel contains of recipe books for me.  The reader sure knows that cooking and baking are my resolution for year 2012.

The reader remembers my princesses' interests too. She included Disney Princesses story books and craft art books in the parcel. Thanks a million, the Little Sprouts' mummy. When Alice posted about her loots in the book sales recently, I was drooling over her loots. It is very kind of Alice to share parts of her loots with me. Alice, you've really made my day!

The second parcel arrived one day prior to my Birthday. A blue matching earring and necklace from Quay Po. It is simply gorgeous. Quay Po had a quiz in her blog to guess which pair of sandals was hers. None of us was guessing it right, but she still gave gifts to all her readers who took part. Thank you so much for your warmth thoughts and kindness.

I ordered myself a homemade heart shape carrot walnut cake from a friend. Since it was my big day, I chose the flavour that I like. My girls and my husband didn't really flavour this type of cake.  They found it too rich. They only appreciate simple cake.

My brother and girl friend came and joined us for the cake cutting session. They bought us the very controversial KFC. Thanks, brother.

My two lovely girls gave me their handmade cards. They did these cards during December school holiday. They kept these cards as the top secret. They locked themselves in the room for several days. April, a few times wanted to reveal the card to me, as she didn't have the patience to wait till February. It was me to hold on her and want her to keep it as a surprise till last Saturday.

This is the content of April's. I especially like the wording, "妈妈，我很爱您。".

This is the content of Lil May's card. Both of them had used up all their most favourite stickers to make my cards. This was what they told me. When my brother and girl friend left, they both ran to me, wished me, kissed me and hugged me, with these cards on their hands. Kids are so cute. They are gifts from heaven. I Love them.

My Birthday loots and gifts

Today is my birthday. Since it is on Saturday, friends and colleagues had given me presents, lunch treat and birthday cake in advance. That's why I can schedule this post to publish today.

Gift from my best friend, Cannie whom I know for more than 25 years. It is a set of Crabtree&Evelyn Lavender bath gel and lotion. Lavender is always my favourite fragrance. It's smell sure can ease my sleep every night.

My husband had his friend in Japan to buy me a Burberry Blue Label handbag . This is my choice of bag, and black is always the safest colour.

THEFACESHOP gave 30% discount voucher for all products and a mystery gift on its member's Birthday.

I utilised the 30% discount voucher to get myself hand lotion, neck gel, nail polish, and nail polish remover.

These KERATIN shampoo and conditioner are the mystery gifts from THEFACESHOP. I have packed this in my gym toiletries bag.

A pair of gypsy earring and necklace from Yvonne. These accessories are just too nice to enhance my plain outfits.

My aunt in Australia bought me this Dichroic glass handmade pandent. It looks chic, I like it.

Maybeline 5 colours eyeshadow from Angeline. She also gave me a brief tutorial of how to use these eye colours to make blue smokey eyes.

Right after a Birthday lunch with Hayley, Cherry, Yvonne, Angeline and Celine at LA Promise, one of the best western restaurants in town, they bought me a Birthday cake. The yam cake tasted really fresh and delicious.

It was very thoughtful of you, with all my favourite gifts like these, I almost don't mind getting another year older. Thanks again.

Sweet Pumpkin Kuih

I wanted to make steamed pumpkin kuih long ago. I had finally made it on Monday. The recipe that I followed is from Frozen wings.

I don't have the 6"x6" square tin, so I used a big round microwave cooking container. I steamed it in the evening and kept it in the fridge for a night. Then, I brought the whole container to the office on the next morning.

I purposely took the very close shot of my very FIRST steamed pumpkin kuih, so that it didn't look that ugly. It was too soft for me to cut it into good shape. May be I had added too much water. I was thinking of stealing the beautiful pumpkin kuih picture from other blogs, but I must be honest and truthful to all my dearest readers. So, I still put up my FIRST steamed pumpkin kuih picture, though it looked horrible.

I wanted to thank my colleagues in my department like Yvonne and Celine, and also my colleagues in Account department like Angeline and her gang for helping me to finish off my very FIRST ugly pumpkin kuih.  They said "它很丑，可是它很好吃！" ( It looks ugly, but tastes fine).  Thank you, you guys are the best.

I like them clean and neat

 I feel very flattery when some people commented that I am good at beautifying my girls' hair. In fact, I am certainly not so good at that. I love tying their hair as I want them to look neat and clean. Regardless we go out or we just stay at home, I always find time to make their hair. There are many thousands ways to make a girl's hair. I don't have a fix method how to do it. My creativity is very much depended on the time I avail.

I don't really have a lot of fancy ideas how to tie their hair. I actually use a lot of cute and lovely hair-ties on their hair.

 The most popular style that I love to do is braid hair.

 I made 6 braids and secured them with a hair-tie at the end of April's hair

 

Though myself keeping short hair style, I enjoy keeping my girls' hair long and doing their hair. 

When I run out of time, I will use hair band to bring all their hair to the back.

 

When they start to complain hot, I need to tie a pony tail for them. I heard that too much tying will destroy the hair quality. However, I have no choice. I can't stand them letting go their long hair and looking messy. I pretty sure that I may need to do this job less and less when they have grown up.

My most frequently visited place on weekends

Weekends, I always pester my husband to go to Pokok Assam. There is a bungalow house at the corner lot before turning into Pokok Assam market.

The owner make use of the compound of the bungalow to sell food. I love the food there very much.
What make me patronize this place on our lovey weekends? Let see the below pictures for the answer.

Assam Laksa.

Braised Chicken Feet.

Tauhu Sumbat.

Deep fried prawn fritter.

Ais kacang

Popiah

Curry noodle.

Wantan noodle.

Red bean and black glutinous rice dessert. I "tapao" this back home. Add in some ice cubes and eat it while watching TV. So enjoyable. That's my most beautiful weekend.

I tell ya! All the food taste really yummy and nice.

April got her first free T shirt

My 8 years old, April got her first free T shirt of Ping Pong games. 

She participated in below 12 years old MSSD Larut Matang dan Salama games, which the top 5 would be chosen to represented Perak state.

2012/02/18 2pm Saturday, April was all set and ready to go for the ping pong tournament.

She wore the PUMA sport shoes that her Papa bought for her in our last KL trip.

April won the first game over a Malay player in the morning. This was the second game, her opponent was a 12 years old top 4 Perak state player.

We expected her to lose to her opponent easily, but she put up a very good fight. She even led by 2 points in her final set. You guys should see how her papa, her coach and her team mates shouted and yelled to support her.
Bravo, April. We are looking forwards to the below 10 years old ping pong tournament in September, which I hope April can stand a better chance.