Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones BUT Words Might Actually Kill Me..

Or my self-esteem...

If it ever existed in the first place.

So yes, visiting my 'beautiful' hometown, M-City meant visiting relatives and making our final rounds of farewells before my sister and I disappear back to the far west of the Great White North.

Considering the higher exchange-rate of B-Town to M-City, my sister and I went nuts shopping... (RM 2.25 to BND1) and (RM 3.12 to CAD 1)

- Zara had sweaters (must-haves... especially boyfriend sweaters...) for about RM 69.90 which means about BND 34 converted into B-Town currency and about CAD 22? I went nuts... I think I bought 4...

- A high-waisted black working skirt was essential RM 55

- Gorgeous Eyelet-Lace white top (versatile... for work and casual) RM 99

- T-Shirt for AD RM 16.90

- Jersey Tops 3 for RM 50

- Preppy Sweater RM 49.90

and some random stuff I think...

And so, if I merely indulged in foods that I have been craving back in B-Town, well then, I had a FEAST back in M-City... much as I dislike my hometown (I have several legit reasons), I have to admit that nowhere comes close when it comes to down-right scrumpdelicious meals.... and if they were obtained at a hawker stall by the road-side, *slurrrrpppp* it was even better...

and so, our little adventure continued in this vein until I had to visit a certain relative... a relative who reminded me of my self-worth...

or rather... the lack of it...

I was lectured (asian style) about how I should be contributing to giving my parents $100 each a month to spend on whatever they wished or liked... and compared to her own filial daughter (who i HAVE to add... IS A FULL-TIME WORKING WOMAN DONE WITH UNIVERSITY) who gives said amount to her mother...

I have no problem whatsoever in contributing to ease my parents financial burdens and rest assured... i have EVERY intention of supporting them when they are older... but i just dont see the logic in sending my parents $100 monthly while they send me my allowance monthly... I should just tell them to subtract $100 from my allowance to keep to themselves to get themselves little luxuries such as perfumes and bags... shouldn't I?

Rubbish.

not only that... as soon as my taller and much slimmer sister comes out from the washroom, said relative looks over and exclaims loudly as to how pretty my sister has become... she has been 'becoming prettier and prettier' ever since we were, lets say... 10?? I have always been pushed aside while this particular relative and her crones (for want of a better word) exclaim on how my second sister is prettier and how the baby sister is the prettiest...

I have nothing against my sisters whatsoever and will admit to their charm and beauty... but being pushed aside as if I was nothing (actually... as if I AM still nothing..) is just downright hurtful and mean... I love them and I know it's not their fault that I look nothing like them (they're totally lovable... the one that I am ranting against is my 'relative'), but I really wish that people would keep their mean opinions to themselves... it's bad enough being reminded when I look at pictures... but having to be reminded over dramatic exclamations of their beauty while giving me the "dont-you-think-so" look is just horrible...

and so yes... I was always told that all I need is just to have a little confidence... to be assured of my own worth... and so therefore, I started searching for and gaining what my (immediate) family and close friends urged me to... Confidence...

but after years of emotional abuse from not only said relative, but other sources probably unaware of their hurtful cruelty, self-esteem is not something easily obtained... but one negative word, or a sentence rather... can destroy what has been so difficult to obtain over 4 years out of their reach in a matter of seconds....

So yes, stick and stones may break my bones, but words will certainly kill me...

Light Greys and Lime Greens

Wellll.....

Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but my parents are renewing their marriage vows this year... in fact, it's this Friday.

Sooo.... my dilemma for the moment?? Weight gain. It's a real and dangerous threat as i had my dress made about 1 1/2 month ago and guess what? It fit perfectly during a fitting but now I have put so much on weight that the dress is snug around my midriff... Tis a very very very real issue as I have to perform during the ceremony and singing would only make it tighter and therefore issuing the threat of my zip busting or something like that...

Shoot....

Serves me right for not taking note of my weight gain and indulging in comfort food from the moment I touched down in B-Town.

p.s. my dress is light grey with a lime green sash :D

Pasta with a Bacon Mushroom Cream Sauce

Well, during a practice session with the peeps performing at my parent's Renewal of Vows, I was ordered by my mum to cook dinner while she went out with my dad.

So, at home with 7 other peeps to feed and a shortage of variety of ingredients, I was relieved when I found bacon and mushrooms in the fridge. As a bonus, there was also thick cream (altho not enough so I had to improvise and used milk too...)

Ingredients:

Pasta

Bacon (smoked preferably)

Oyster Mushrooms

Bunapi-Shimeji (White Beech Mushrooms)

Garlic

Thick Cream

Milk

Black Pepper

Oil (tiny bit)

Method:

1- Heat up oil and cook bacon. While the bacon juices are emerging, throw in chopped garlic and cook until soft, not brown. Put on a pot of water to boil.

2- Add Oyster Mushrooms and White Beech Mushrooms and cook until soft. Meanwhile, cook pasta in pot of water.

3- Season bacon and mushrooms with black pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of milk and cook until it reduces. Add another 1/4 cup of milk and reduce some more. Add about 3 tbsps of thick cream to the sauce.

4- When pasta is cooked, drain away the water and mix into the cream sauce. Take off the heat and serve.

Bon appetit peeps ;)

Back in B-Town

I've been back in B-Town for about a month or so now and somehow or rather I've managed to stay busy and therefore, sane :D

Losing weight before I came back to B-Town for my parent's renewal of vows seemed like a good idea that was quite easily achieved when I was in Van-City... but since arriving in B-Town, I've been eating non-stop... the things that I have been deprived of for 9 months were just too hard to resist T.T

- Ice Milo

- Sambal Stingray (Much to the envy of E :P)

- Nasi Katok

- Chicken Rice (@ Tien Tien!!)

- KoloMee (mmmmMMmmmmYuuuummmm)

- ABC

- Laksa

- Roast Duck (in Miri)

- KFC

- Jollibee

mmMMmmmmmyyYYYyyuuummmmmmmm.... I dont even remember what else I ate but I know everything I have eaten so far have messed up my plan for losing weight in time for the family portrait T.T

Being Discipline... or at least making an effort to...

Okay... so you know how the typical asian family has high expectations about everything? Well, fortunately, my parents aren't typical but unfortunately, my aunts and uncles are. Very typical. Super Competitive. Harshly critical.

As the date to return home creeps nearer and nearer, a new determination has popped into my head... I have to lose weight. I have to squash the irritating remarks of "Wow!! Do they have really good food in Vancouver? Coz you put on weight!!" and "Do you remember your cousin E? She can join your Fat Club now... both of you can shake hands!!" that usually greet me when I meet them during Chinese New Years or family reunions.

And so... I have been going to the gym.. almost everyday... and not only that... to Oz's despair, I have only been buying bananas, oranges, grapefruits and Oatmeal every time I go grocery shopping...

Apparently, one of the best ways to lose weight is to keep a food journal... I guess reminding yourself of what you have binged on and how much it might cost your hard work and effort is a good way to stave off the hunger... on the bright side, I will be able to save money too (grocery shopping is what I spend a lot of money on... T.T) So... here goes nothing and I hope this will actually work!!

GOOD LUCK TO ME!!

Broke Food

Broke food is.... food that you eat when you are broke.... obviously, that has happened to me ALOT!!

so.... what do i usually eat when i am broke??

(1) Instant Noodles (but being the brat I am, I eat the Korean ones... not so cheap.... but at least they really fill me up :D)

(2) Cabbage Soup (you might think it disgusting, but when I was reading about Charlie Bucket having to eat Cabbage Soup day in and day out, I got curious and tried making some.... I liked it :D but probably because I use chicken stock for the soup and I add chicken and mushrooms :P)

(3) Porridge/ Congee (again... cooked with chicken stock, this dish is AWESOME!! and during times when i'm not so broke, I add chicken :D)

okay.... that's about it... I just realized that I need more poor food.... food to last me through long spells of hunger and broke-ness.... however, when my sister NY comes over this august to start her uni life at my uni, our financial status will no doubt improve considerably (she has more economic sense than I do... WAY MORE...)

but yes... that's it for now.... I might come up with more "poor food" if my situation does not improve :P stay tuned :D

Veggie Dogs...

As far as I can tell, I have never disliked any kind of food before...

I've eaten snake... yummmmm... tasted like chicken...

"Chou Tou Fu" literally "Smelly Tofu" or "Fermented Toufu"...

Fermented rice... obtained while in the process of making rice wine...

and etc... My initial response to these foods might have been one of disgust (seeing as how they're kinda weird..) but after taking a bite... I usually find myself pleasantly surprised...

but the one thing that had me puking (some alcohol was involved...) and will have me puking again is... VEGGIE DOGS..

Two fridays ago, I took part in a "Top Your Dog" competition organized by the residence advisors where I competed against.... me :D well... no one else turned up and we were bored that night so I decided to try my luck because the prize was a $10 Starbucks gift card...

My hot dog was topped with:

mushrooms

BBQ sauce

Cheddar slices

Rosemary

and grilled until the cheese bubbled then the mustard went on.... Apparently, the judges gave me a 10/10 and I got my gift card... and something more... FREE VEGGIE DOGS!!!

being the cheap uni students we were, we bagged them and took them along with us...

all i can say is.. EWWWWWWW... EFFING EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!

thinking about it now makes me want to throw up all over again... T.T

Turkey Stuffing

This stuffing was not put into the turkey because I read somewhere that it would take longer to cook. I don't know about that but, the stuffing was moist and absolutely delectable cooked this way.

Ingredients:

Day-old French Bread (cut into cubes)

Celery (sliced into pieces about 1/2" thick)

Apple (cut into cubes)

Onion (diced)

Butter

Turkey Stock

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1- Brown bread cubes in butter. Remove and set aside.

2- Sweat onions and celery in more butter (mmMMmm yuummmmm...).

3- Add the bread cubes and apple into the sweated celery and onions and add turkey stock slowly. Add it just so to keep the stuffing moist.

4- Simmer/ cook on low heat for about 15 to 20 mins, checking constantly and keeping it moist.

5- If you need to, season with salt and pepper (I bet you wont have to because I didn't ;) ).

Cranberry Sauce

I was mightily please with myself for making this from scratch. But being the scatterbrain that I am, I forgot to serve it with my beautiful turkey and almost cried in frustration when I realized I forgot it, after my guests had left. Oh well, my friends and I used it as jam for breakfast and boy did it taste good.

Ingredients:

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Water

4 cups Frozen Cranberries

Method:

1- Bring water and sugar to boil in a saucepan.

2- Mix frozen cranberries in and simmer for about 10 mins.

3- Turn heat off when the berries have all popped.

4- Sauce will start to thicken while it cools.

Enjoy. If not as sauce for your turkey, at least with your toast in the mornings :P

Tip:

- You can add spices of any choice in this. For example, cinnamon, clove and so on and so forth. Just add it in with the berries.

Rosemary, Parsley and Thyme Turkey

This was my first time ever making roast turkey. The experience was harrowing and exciting at the same time but the end results was totally and utterly enjoyable.

Ingredients15lb Turkey

Celery (roughly chopped)

Carrots (roughly chopped)

Lemon

Onion (Halved)

Rosemary

Parsley

Thyme

Olive Oil (or Butter.. hhmmMMmmm yuuummmmmm)

Salt

Pepper

Method

1- First of all, leave the turkey out overnight so that it's at room temperature before it goes into the oven. This will help the turkey cook evenly :D If you buy a frozen turkey, defrost it a few days before to avoid frozen disasters.

2- Preheat the oven to 400F.

3- Remove the innards of the turkey and keep to make stock for the stuffing. Wash the bird once over to make sure there are no feathers or anything weird that might freak and gross people out.

4- Squeeze out the lemon and together with some thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper, rub it inside the cavity of the turkey. Then stuff the halved onion and the roughly chopped carrots and celery sticks. Sew up its backside so that nothing falls out :P

5- Start cooking the turkey at about 400F for the first 1/2 hour. And then reduce the heat to 350F for 2 hours. Then for the last hour and a half, reduce the heat to 225F.

6- Let turkey rest/stand for about 15 to 20 mins before carving and serving it.

Tips:

-My turkey's breast turned out a bit too dry unfortunately for the poor bird. So my brother's tip was to put about a cup or two of water in the pan with the turkey and then cover it with foil in order to let it cook in its juices and not dry out. Remove the foil with about 1 hour left to go and this should help the bird retain its juices.

- As this was my first time ever making roast turkey, I don't know what the usual timing and temperature are. And so I suggest that you check out a "Turkey Cooking Calculator" website before starting.

Chicken RICE!!!!

With the New Year drawing near, I knew that I just

HAD to prepare a small dinner gathering for all of us who weren't fortunate enough t

o go home or just anywhere else. And so, with t

he Koreans being a minority (M and A stayed with me coz they were booted out of residence) and the Singaporeans (E, D and G) plus the one Burmese (Mz) craving for something asian, I decided to do some research on our one phenomenal dish...

CHICKEN RICE!! :D

This was so easy to make (a bit of a hassle but the result... SO rewarding) that if it wasn't my New Year's resolution to lose weight, I would cook m

y rice like that all the time.

So here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

Chicken

Whole Chicken Legs (Traditionally, it's a WHOLE chicken but as you know... I'm on a budget so this works out cheaper for me!!)

Scallions (We call them Spring Onions back hom

e)

Whole Garlic

Rice

3 cups of rice

4 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth (obtained from cooking the chicken)

half a garlic (chopped finely)

2 tbsp oil

Garnish

Corriander/Cilantro (leaves only)

Cucumber (sliced thinly)

Spring Onion (sliced thinly and diagonally)

Sauce

1 part soy sauce

1 part sesame oil

Method:

Chicken

1- Boil the garlic and scallions for the chicken in a pot of water that is just enough to cover the chicken.

2- When the water comes to a boil, put the chicken in and turn it down to a simmer.

3- Simmer for 40-45 mins.

4- When chicken is cooked, plunge into ice cold water for 5-10 mins to make the skin firm.

5- Don't discard the broth that you cooked the chicken in.

Rice

1- Wash the rice. (Obviously)

2- Drain the water and leave the rice to dry.

3- Heat up the oil in a pot (if its a thick bottomed pot, it's better, the rice doesn't burn or stick as much). Fry the garlic until fragrant.

4- Fry the rice in the garlic and oil until translucent. About 10 mins.

5- Add the broth from previously and cook for about 15 mins. (Until the water recedes and it looks like there's little bubble holes in the rice)

6- "Fluff" the rice with a fork.

To Serve:

1- Cut up chicken (I left mine the way they were because I don't have a butcher's knife).

2- Pour the sesame/soy sauce over chicken.

3- Garnish with corriander, spring onion and cucumber slices.

4- Put chicken in the middle of the dining table. (Communal dish :P)

4- Heap rice onto individual plate, and dig in :D

And so... it was a great way to end the year :D

First Christmas Away

Oh well...

The thought of spending my first ever Christmas away from my family seemed a fun idea at first- especially with my parents falling asleep at 10pm usually and leaving my sisters and I to our own devices. But, when this festive seasoned rolled around and I realized that I had no family whatsoever here, I started to get depressed.

Until I remembered that although we might not be related through blood ties, the friends that I have met here and bonded with for the past few months have become in a way, family. (As cheesy as that sounded... it's true)

And so, in appreciation and gratitude of these wonderful people, I decided to make Christmas dinner :D

The Menu:

Rosemary, Parsley and Thyme Turkey

Turkey Stuffing

Cranberry Sauce

Mince Pie

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole (Courtesy of our Great Chef C)

Pasta and Red Wine Sauce (Courtesy of the Charming A)

and last but not least.... C and I constructed this beauty well into the night:

Gingerbread House

The dinner was a smashing success I have to say. The food played a part in it of course... but what was more important was the warmth I felt with these crazy bunch of people crowding out my kitchen and making an uber amount of noise.

"We accept you for who you are!!"

Thanks guys :D