During my childhood days, Chinese New Year is never complete without drinking lots and lots of soft drinks.  Being a girl, I love the strawberry flavoured soft drinks very much (even now!).  We would drink so much till our tongue turned red.  Thinking back, it really makes me wanna gag.  Imagine how much colouring we swallowed during those days.

Not that we have any choices.  Other than soft drinks, we had cordial and packet drinks only.  But nowadays it’s different.  We have many varieties of drinks in the market.  As to not repeat my history, I bought only the best health drink like this C2 – Cool and Clean Green Tea.  They are 100%  high quality non-carbonated ready-to-drink fruit flavored green tea, came in 3 flavourings that is lemon, apple and forest fruits.  They taste better when it’s chilled .  As green tea contains antioxidants, they are the ideal drinks after a hearty meal during the Tuan Yuen Fun.

The origin of C2 – Cool and Clean Green Tea came from Vietnam and they are brew and pack on the same day whilst retaining most of the green tea goodness and benefits which is normally lost in other extraction processes. Among all tea, it has the least caffeine and the highest amount of health benefits.  Over the years, Malaysian gradually added Green tea into their daily beverage as they are widely known to  reduce the risk of four of the major health problems: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.  Beside that anti-oxidant also helps Rheumatiod Arthritis, Clolesterol, Infection, Impaired Immune Function and detox.

Not only during CNY or festive season, during our recent trip to Fort Myers vacation rentals I always have a bottle handy readily chilled in the fridge for the kids after a hot day staying outdoor.

This is a very easy and unique dish to serve during Chinese New Year.  I bought the fish paste from those who sell yong tau foo in the market.  That way, I do not have to debone the fish. You are most welcome to make your own fish paste from scrap that is including adding sesame oil, pepper and salt to it.

Ingredients:
Fish Paste
Scallion
Nori sheet
Fresh Chili or Carrot

Ingredients for egg sheets:
Egg
Pinch of salt

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together.  Chop finely scallions and chili/carrot.  I would prefer to use fresh chili as a little bit of spiciness really compliment the taste and also giving it a nice red colour but since I have little kiddos at home who doesn’t fancy chilies at all, so I opt it with carrot.

To prepare the egg sheet, for that amount of fish paste you saw, I only can make one roll meaning I only need one egg sheet.  Depending on the size of your pan but usually for 9cm pan, I only need one egg.  Beat egg in a bowl with a pinch of salt.  This is my term life insurance quotes secret of making a really thin egg sheet.  Firstly, heat up pan as usual.  Once they are hot, turn off the fire.  Pour egg into pan and swirl it so that the egg will cover evenly on the pan.  Turn on the fire again.  Let it cool.

Spread cooled egg sheet and a piece of nori sheet on a working board.  Spread fish paste evenly.

Roll tightly and steam them for about 15mins.  Once they are done, cut while they are still hot or if you prefer, let it cool down a bit so that you won’t burn your delicate fingers. Serve with Thai chili sauce.

Not very often, I had myself appear in photographs.  But this time I was quite pleased as my sifu had quite a number of my candid shot taken during our recent photography outing.  Love him for that!

Candid shot courtesy from www.kamkuey.com, taken using lens 17-35mm f2.8-4.

With this,

(This is when the live view came in handy when you can’t reach the view finder.  My first time switching it on.  Unbelievable!)

I get this:

With this,

I get this:

With this,

I get nothing. LOL!  There is no bugs on the dead tree trunk.  Just some wild  wood fungus grew on it.  Furthermore, the wood fungus doesn’t looks nice at all on macro.  It is other wise if they are mushroom.

And for some curious people like Aunty Kambing, no, I was not the only rose among thorn during the outing.  Nah, I got proof here *sticking out tongue*:

For those with school going kids and especially chinese school students, they have started extra school days on Saturday to replace CNY holiday.  Last week being the first day of school on Saturday (which I usually love), I prepare porridge/congee for the Prince who is in afternoon session.

Nothing fancy as we had the same thing for lunch at home.  We had some steam broccoli & artificial crab claw with REAL! crab claw life insurance.  Further to the back is fried omelet with tomatoes, french beans and shrimps.  And obviously, the one on the further right is porridge.

Not sure about you but I grew up eating porridge for lunch and rice for dinner.  And when I have my own family, the tradition was stuck with me.  We always had porridge for lunch and never, never had rice. lol.  Typical Foochow huh.

Date:  17 January 2010

Venue:  Taman Rimba Kiara, TTDI

Time:  Meeting time 7.30am.  Went for breakfast then adjourned to the park. Full swing was around 8.30am if I’m not mistaken.  And round up around 12noon.

Lens use:  Tamron SP90

Organizer:  Photokaki.com/forum

Other than this first photo, the rest of it was taken with Tamron SP90.  Forummers of Photokaki.com

Troops fixing up their gears getting ready for the shoot.

Custom made special flash extender.  Guess what is Andrew snooping about?

Nah, this praying mantis.

Damselfly

Macro was best to shoot at ratio 1:1.  But I notice (for my case) for example this caterpillar.  With 1:1, I can’t get the full body shot.  So half it is.

An eye opener for me.  Taking bugs shot is very different from big object.  We or rather they really look under every the leaves, in the deep bushes, examine every tree trunk, staring at the still water and many more.  But the effort really paid off once you look at the picture.  No regrets.

Final picture from the outing something that is not a bug.  I wonder what species is this?  Looks like nicotine earth worm. LOL

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Aiseh, sometimes looking at all those baby stuff makes me want to make another new baby. 

This is what I told my hubby when I was down with a bad tummy flu lately.  Tummy flu is contagious and spreadable thru saliva, sharing of food and even sharing of utensil even though you’ve wash them.  After being hospitalized for 2 days and solely on drip, I feel my pants is a bit loose on the waistband.  Hubby was teasing that falling sick is quick weight loss diet.  Oh, that is so not funny!

Read on if you want your child to be tall.  I was told this remedy by my Sister-In-Law. 

Last week my parents came over to stay with us for a week.  Whenever my Mom is here, I have one less thing to worry that is ‘dinner’.