Hello everyone! Sorry for the lack of update in my blogs. I’ve been busier than in previous years ever since Drama Queen started attending high school this year. I have extra school runs and tuition runs to do (from morning through night) and an extra chore job of cooking dinner (and sometimes lunch) as the mil is still overseas.
In addition, I’ve been pretty busy with my online clothing store as it’s less than 3 weeks to CNY. Orders are usually higher around this time of the year. This leaves me with barely any time to blog.
Sundays effective this year have also been busy for the girls and me. The two older girls have started membership/baptism classes in church from 2-4 pm every Sunday until they are baptized on 25 May 2018.
At the home front, our usual efficient part-time helper went back to Indonesia for a 3-week holiday and was only back yesterday. I can’t tell you how relieved I was that she finally turned up at our doorstep yesterday evening. She’s been a great help to me and it’s only when she’s around that I have the time to do my own stuff. She’s been working for us for 4 years and I selfishly wish that she will work for us forever, even after her marriage.
Despite my crazy life right now, despite burnt out to a crisp, I still cook dinner on week nights, 5 times a week, though many times I’ve been terribly tempted to hit up the nearby stalls and restaurants for a quick and relaxing dinner. I know that very soon, the girls will leave the nest and then the house will be so eerily quiet that I can even hear the grass growing. And then I will miss my crazy hectic days again. So I am not complaining. It’s going to be another 3 years that Alycia goes to college and if we have the financial means, she may even be pursuing further studies abroad. Time really flies eh?
Ok, back to healthy food talk! These are the dishes that I prepped this week, from Monday ~ Wednesday:
Monday ~ grilled tomato chicken with tomato onion sauce for the rice; sauteed organic choy sum with garlic. I used Basmathi long rice.
Chicken drummets are marinated with tomato ketchup, garlic powder, salt, Japanese teriyaki sauce, black pepper and chopped garlic. Grilled in the oven for 30 minutes, 15 minutes each side.
Sauce for the rice and chicken: sauteed onion and garlic with tomatoes and tomato paste. Seasoned with salt, palm sugar syrup, Italian herbs and pepper.
Tuesday ~ beet root + carrot + red dates + wolfberries + onion + whole garlic + chicken breast soup; Steamed eggs with fried minced pork.
The steamed eggs with fried minced pork is a new dish and this recipe is a keeper! The steamed egg is so custardy and smooth that the girls commented that it tasted like Chawan Mushi. The minced pork is first marinated with soy sauce, sesame seed oil, pepper and a dash of Chinese cooking wine for at least 1 hour. Then seer the minced pork in a skillet with oil and transfer the pork to a steaming plate.
For the egg mixture, to ensure that the egg is custardy and smooth, do not beat up the eggs but gently stir them till the yolk and whites are mixed well. Add salt or soy sauce and pepper and a little water and mix well. Strain the egg mixture but I skipped this step due to time constraint. Just ensure that there are no bubbles on the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the steaming plate with the fried minced pork. Cover the steaming plate with another plate and steam in medium fire for 10~15 minutes.
Wednesday ~ ABC soup with sweet potatoes + potatoes + red dates + wolfberries +pepper corn + chicken soup; Sauteed baby French beans with Berkcious pork slices + oyster mushrooms + organic miso paste + organic soy sauce and garlic.
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