May 2013

 

BBQ Pork Epi for CG meeting.  They loved it :)

 

Chili Corn-Beef Buns.  Sprinkled some Cayenne pepper on top just for the extra kick :)

 

A CG member asked if I could help bake a birthday cake for a well-loved church friend from her morning break.  Wanted to make something without cream as they all lived a healthy lifestyle.  So the above idea came to mind.  Simple but healthy :)

Aunty June, the birthday girl :)

These are our two children whom we loved dearly and are very proud of.  Renfred visited his sister, Eliza after his May papers and they travelled the western part of Europe.

They are both different in personalities, etc but we love them for who they are :)

 

Shaun is one of our Elder's son.  He also visited his sister, Natasha during the same period as Renfred.  So the two pairs of siblings met for a lobster burger meal.

Steamed chickpeas.

Sorry, my pictures are all over the place.  This was taken at the airport when we sent Renfred off to meet his sister.  Renfred's buddies since secondary school came to see him off.  One of them even came to welcome him home after his trip.

Our son, so happy to go for his break after working and saving for his trip.

This cutie pie reminds us of our son when he was a baby.  So chubby and good to pinch :)

Baked some M&M brownies for the children in the school where I did some part-time work.

 

A lovely, personalized mother's day card by my husband :)

Raspberry Swirled Cheesecake with homemade Raspberry jam for the Genesis praiseband.

Cranberry Muffins for breakfast.

Marbled Cake

September 2013

Am listening to "Never Once" by Matt Redman as I upload this post.  The chorus says " Never once, did we ever walk alone, Never once did You leave us on our own.  You are faithful, GOD, You are faithful." 

My family and I can testify how faithful GOD has been to us.  My husband was out of a job for 4.5 months and GOD has provided for us during this very trying period.  We are not those who have excess savings in the bank so we were totally wiped off whatever we had, even had to consider selling our car.  But during this journey, we knew GOD can be trusted and continued to commit the situation to Him.  Thank GOD, even though if given a choice, my husband may not have chosen this job but since the LORD opened a way, he took it and started work mid last month.  We are thankful and grateful to our Jehovah Jireh (The LORD Who provides).

 

Made this cereal coated french toast filled with toffee and cranberry filling.  Crunchy outside and moist inside.  Some extra effort is needed to make this but it was worth it :)

 



Had some curry chicken leftover so made a few curry puffs with them.

Cakepops are so pretty to look at but I am quite conscious about the amount of cream that goes into it.  So I tried making two with melted chocolate instead.

Pretty ?  :)

Thus far, I seldom make sponge cake as I always thought it is too troublesome to whisk the egg white till stiff with a hand whisk.  I have a good Kentwood Mixer but am too lazy at times to take it out to use and then have to wash, dry and keep it into the box again :(  But after my daughter had successfully made her sponge cake without a whisk over in London, I told myself, I must try it one day.  So, I made this Victoria Sponge cake.  I dug a hole in the centre, put in a layer of Nutella, followed by another of  homemade Raspberry Jam, topped with fresh strawberries.

The night before Eliza returns to London, I made this Mackerel Fish Floss for her to bring back to go with rice, porridge or bread.  She even enjoyed with with bee hoon soup.  I added garlic, sliced ginger and chili to the Mackerel and fried it till it looks like the above.  Instead of fish meat, you can also use ikan bilis but omit the ginger.  You can fry this and keep them in the fridge.  Eat as and when you feel like it :)

The Kueh Pie Tee you find in the shops are expensive and they only fill them with turnip plus some eggs.  I fried the turnips with garlic, prawns and chicken cubes.  Topped with some fried eggs and celery.  Fill as much ingredients as you could into the tiny cups and enjoy :)

Just felt like making some Rempah for curry chicken so I did it, pounding the chili and other ingredients with some help from my husband.  Enjoyed with homemade baguette.

We saw a TV review of this Bak Kut Teh shop in Sin Ming so we decided to go and try it with our daughter as she likes the white BKT without herbs.  She will not get to eat this in London, so let her enjoy all the home-cooked food she cannot find over there.

Simple breakfast - Assorted Banana Squares - original, chocolate chips and walnut.

Last year Eliza missed this.  Her favourite - Premium White Lotus with Melon Seeds Mooncakes from Marriott.  We even tar pau one piece for her to bring back to London :)

Fried Hey Bi Hiam - Fried Shrimp with chili and meat.  Could not remember when I last made this.  This goes well with porridge, rice or bread. 

Made this Heart-shaped Japanese Cheesecake plus custom-made the necklace for Eiza's godma's birthday.

Raisin Buns

Luncheon Buns

These are filled with the Fried Hey Bi Hiam mentioned above.  Made this batch of assorted flavour buns for the cyclists as they attend their first BTP training.

These are baked puff pastries filled with Chili Corn-beef.

 

Learning to ride a bicycle after half a century old

I have never been the sporty type and it really takes me some effort to decide to learn how to ride a bicycle in order to join my husband in at least one of his sport activities.  He bought me this new hybrid which costs S$290/-, weighs about 14kg on 21 September this year so that he could train me to cycle and join him together with some of the riders in our church in this sport.

 

This is my 2nd intensive, private training with Peter.  There's a new road somewhere near Woodlands 11 and it was here I learnt to make a turn with the bike.  Had a couple of falls with bruises and cuts but thank GOD they heal quite well.

 

This is my 3rd training lesson at the park next to Christ Church Secondary School, where our daughter Eliza used to study in.  You can see Peter instructing me and I had fun learning.

 

The 4th training session was to "conquer" the slopes to the Sembawang Park.  This was just one day before I decided to join the weekly WEFCG Friday Night Ride last night on 11 October. 

 

This was just part of a larger group of WEFCG riders.  We started our ride at about 11.20pm last night and it ended close to 2am.

The three crazy couples who cycled to Sembawang Park last night.

The four ladies in last night's ride.

My coach, partner and friend.  Must say Peter is a very good trainer and an excellent leader.  He just has the natural flair in him to lead and instruct the group as we cycle. 

Most of all am thankful to GOD for safety for each ride.  You do not not what is going to happen during the ride because each ride and road conditions are different.  So each time we leave home, we would commit the ride to the LORD, and when we reach home safely, we thank the LORD for being with us, for granting us safety.  Am still very inexperienced in this sport but I take it as a journey of faith as I commit each ride to the LORD.  Safety is in the presence of the LORD :)

 



Our first visit to the Chinese worship service

Today my husband and I attended the Chinese Worship Service for the first time.  Pastor Ho was the speaker and George led in the worship.  

 

Even though we do not all the words being sang, we could understand the gist of the song as we were all singing praises and worshipping one same GOD.  The message, though simple, has ministered to me, comforting me that I just have to continue to worship and adore GOD in whatever circumstance my family and I are going through now.  Ps Ho cited the song "It is well with my soul" and the story behind it.  He showed a short video clip of "Chariot of Fire" encouraging us to run the race with perseverance on and to continue to be a testimony for Him.  Focus on Who GOD is, His Word and His works.  Be still and wait on the Lord.  Isa 40:28-31.

 He also reminded us from Heb 10:24-25 to consider how we may spur one another to love and to do good deeds.  He also stressed on the assembling of the saints and fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ as GOD did not plan for us to be alone.  During the service, I noticed the words "Brothers and sisters " were part of the message the 2 pastors were stressing to the congregation.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ and we have to show love and concern for one another.

Jesus came to give us hope, not fear.  He came to give us life abundant.  John 10:10.  Last night I was asking GOD for an answer and  He replied me with the first 2 sentences of the respond song at the end of the service.  "I hear you.  I know your heart's desire."

Indeed, I serve a Risen Saviour, a GOD Who lives, everlasting and uncreated GOD, not made by human hands. 

"I worship You, Almighty GOD,

There is none like You.

I worship You, O Prince of Peace,

That is what I want to do.

I give You praise,

For You are my Righteousness

I worship You, Almighty GOD

There is none like You.

July - Aug 2013

Thank GOD for a wonderful time thus far, having Eliza back during her Summer vacation.  Below are some of the pictures of activities taken together and bakes we had.

This picture was taken at MacRitchie Reservoir. 

Peter and Eliza at Yishun Safra.  They swam, I ate MacDonald's while waiting for them :) 



The 3 of us went to East Coast for a simple BBQ on Hari Raya.  Renfred joined the YA retreat in Malaysia.

Dad and daughter

Peter eating the beef steak BBQ by Eliza.  BTW, a brother told him he looks younger with this haircut.  I was the barber :)

We had Squid, Garlic Sausages, Chicken Wings (seasoned by Eliza).

Sweet potatoes, corn, beef steak and asparagus wrapped with bacon.

 

Breakfast at Burger King.

We hardly invite friends over to our place because I like to ensure that our place is properly cleaned before having friends over.  So, in order to prepare for friends to come over to our place, we have to plan out a cleaning schedule of one week; cleaning different parts of our place during the week before ;(  Thank GOD for a lovely time with the Tans - a beautiful family blessed with 4 well-brought up children :)

Baked some Shepherd's Pie for that night.

These are some of the ingredients for the pizza toppings; sauteed mushrooms, squid and big prawns, salami, ham and Gouda cheese and ham which the children bought from their Europe trip.

These are some of the paste and sauces used for the pizza; capsicum, tomatoes, pesto, basil leaves, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella :)

Eliza bought these lilies on her own accord to beautify the home that night.  Very clever of her :)

Missed taking the seafood pizza picture.  These are the other 4 types of pizzas we had that night; Salami, ham & Gouda Cheese, Margarita, Sauteed Mushrooms and Bacon and Smoked Sausages.

The next day, Eliza made these profiteroles.  We filled some of them up with ice-cream ;)

This is filled with baked bananas and Nutella :)

 

Used the leftovers to make pasta the next night.  Also made some mackerel patties.

 

This is the breakfast Peter had on his birthday on 21 August.

 

After dinner that night we took a stroll on the Marina Bay.

The lilies bloomed so beautifully.

Blessed 51st Birthday, Daddy :)

Tim-Sum Birthday Dinner at the famous One Michelin Star Tim Ho Wan Restaurant at Plaza Singapura.  Only queued for half an hour ;)

We also drove into JB on Pete's birthday and we had Nandos for lunch.  Even though we do not have a big celebration, we had an enjoyable day together :)

Played with dough again :) 

It was really fun making these doggies ;)

Since I found this Hokkaido Milk Bread recipe, I have been using it to go with various fillings.  The texture is so fluffy and soft and it lasts for two days without refrigeration.  Yummy :)

This was our 2nd cycling trip.  This time we went to Changi and cycled on the PCN.  I had a couple of bruises but thank GOD no major injuries :)

I had half a block of Cream cheese so I made a small portion of Blueberry Cheesecake.

These are some Chocolate Raisins and Cream cheese buns which I made and packed nicely for breakfast. 

Choux Sticks filled with Cream cheese :)

My usual sugar free premium white lotus moon cakes but this time, I added some macadamia nuts :)

Family Nite - playing board games together.  We enjoy such times playing, munching snacks and enjoying silly moments together.

 

Bought some mantou from the supermarket and added my homemade braised pork.

 

Truly yummy :)

My first attempt at a Zebra Japanese Cheesecake.  Had so much fun doing it that subsequently, I made a few more :)  I enjoyed the layering of the chocolate and original batter.  It is very delicious too :)

Thank GOD, my macarons finally grew feet :)

Filled them up with Raspberry buttercream :)

I added some blackberries to the rest of the raspberry to make jam :)

My 2nd attempt at Zebra Japanese Cheesecake.  This time, I used a heart-shaped pan ;)