April’s Fool is tomorrow.. so I figured I should share some of my favorite April’s Fool Breakfast with you.  For those who makes breakkie for their spouse’s .. you can try .. the Green Egg’s breakfast recommended by Martha Stewart – yes, yes..! you guess right..! i’m a big fan of her.. and Nigella Lawson.  So how do you turn the eggs green.. i hear yer asking.. without killing the spouse or the kids… muahahahaha!!!!  Below is how you do it.. have fun .. and APRIL’S FOOL..!!!

Green eggs and bacon is a twist on Dr. Seuss — just add green food coloring to eggs until they are the desired color.

Or switch the sugar to salt ..??  Hehehe!! evil..!!!!  i hope the spouse has got a sense of humor.. else donch try it.   But you can always to it to your office worker eh.

Ok.. ok. i hear what about my kids..???  how can i have fun with them .. on April’s Fool Day..??  no worries.. try the below and if you are traveling with your kids you can still do it.

Put blue food coloring in the milk.

Good things must share ma.. right..??  donch say .. i didn’t share with you.  Too cute right..?? just right for our babysitter – Keegan .. moving away for college this fall.  But she likes the pink one better.  I’ll find a picture for you .. in abit.  For now.. i’ll have to run .. get groceries.

This super-cute portable refrigerator keeps your cold drinks cold and your hot foods hot! A must for the office, bedroom, or car (it plugs into your cigarette lighter!), these small fridges are sized to hold 6 soda cans perfectly. Satisfy your favorite late-night craving without leaving your bedroom, or take your favorite refrigerated snacks on long car trips without worrying about spoilage. There’s even a fold-down handle at the top for easy carrying. AC/DC power. Designed in France by Créa Créa. Comes with an AC adapter and a cigarette lighter adapter. 1-year warranty included. Measures 10-1/4″ x 7-1/2″ x 10″. Gift wrapping not available 110591$130.00

Watchman for M’s Hubby

Sunday is our only day off.. and we are always glad to have the time off.. that way we can do grocery shopping.. and sometimes eat out.  But Sundays is also the day .. where we need to do our housework.  We have no maids here to hire.. and in “ang moh” land.. it is frown upon.  Sure you can get part-time help.. but they are expensive and not thorough at all.  It’s sad.. because we are willing to pay good money.. but can you imagine.. your p/time helper .. using one clothe to cleaning everything in your house..??  I can’t imagine.. cleaning the toilet clothe to clean my kitchen table.  So nope.. no way!  So i suffer lor.. i clean it myself.. and make sure everything is cleaned properly lor.  Obsessed..??  not really lah.. i just cannot stand dirty lor.  You leh..?? do you clean your house every weekend..?? or every other day..?? or you have a full time maid..?? or p/time one..??

So here’s my lunch when i need to clean my house.  Maggi curry noodles and luncheon meat.  Yummy..!  What’s your Sunday lunch..??  Ang moh cooked for the brat.. so i donch have to worry.  Ang moh hor very handy one.. can cook .. can bake.. and can do housework – muaahahahha!! i have it MADE..!!!

Easter is just round the corner and if you are like myself and have no baking skill or rather .. very little .. and have loads of friends in the West, well you head to Williams Sonoma and order some and wish them Happy Easter.    Pretty right..?  For those who loves baking.. i bet this is a great idea.. i’ve just planted on you.  I’m tempted to bake these cookies too for my daughter’s school friends.. but i think “ang moh” is a lot more a baker than I am.

Enchant family and friends with our diminutive lemon sugar cookies. Baked in charming shapes – carrot, chick and bunny – these cookies have a delicate lemon flavor and taste every bit as good as they look. The treats are prepared with premium natural ingredients, and each cookie is individually hand decorated with colorful royal icing. 30 cookies packed in a cellophane bag. 9 oz. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

Below is a special request from a reader here.  I know some of you are from Japan and Asia, and i also know that you can find this flavor of Kit Kat in Japan and in some parts of Asia.  Please help, Jerry .. as a favor to me..???  pretty please..???  If you need Jerry’s email addy, just leave a message or comment.

Many thanks in advance..!!!  And for those who will help .. i promise you password to Soul Food ..    Show your kindness and generosity and all good things will come back to you – i know so because look at all the blessings i get from awesome folks out there.

Hi Mamabok,

I am getting married this coming September 20th and was wondering if you can entertain my request. I know you and your friends may have additional sources that I can not find online myself (my search skills are weak). My wedding is an Asian-Fusion ceremony and reception located in Laguna Beach, CA. Question: Do you know where I can find Cherry Blossom (Sakura) flavored Kit Kat bars? I know they are prevalent in Japan but in limited quantites. Any leads is Greatly Appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help with matter.

Jerry

Special Update for Jerry:

Hi MB,

Hope you and the family are having a good weekend.

We just came back from our saturday shopping at our favourite Japanese store, and guess what we I bought?! Its not the same as what Jerry wants, but it is from Japan, but its close as it is Cherry blossom and Vanilla flavor (so its white and pink balls). See attached pic.

The store is called Fujiya: http://www.fujiya.ca/, and I am sure if Jerry contacts them, they could get more of those in for him as all their products are straight from Japan.

Take care!
M

Above is the picture sent by M – thank you very much M.

Update :  Ok.. those who donch have info, also can leave comment to congratulate Jerry lah..! donch cost you nothing, just a kind word goes a long way eh.

A few weeks ago, I had appealed to the readers here to find me some Char Kway Teow because i missed home so much.   And guess what came in the mail, a few days ago..???  Yes..!!! food .. and more than just Char Kway Teow as you can see here.. 4 different types of food from M from Vancouver, Canada.

I truly wasn’t expecting it.. although i know a few readers/blogging friends are planning to send some from home.  It was a very, very pleasant surprised, even “ang moh” said to me .. “WOW!!! so generous .. of M !”  Thank you so much, M ..!! you didn’t have to send me so many … just Char Kway Teow is good enough..  and i can’t wait to cook them this weekend.  Thank you for your generosity..!!  i donch know how to repay you .. !!!

What an awesome friend/person..!!!  Thank you and thank you again..!!!  I’m getting something for you in return from Etsy.  Here’s a show for you, M – enjoy!

For those out there who don’t know by now .. i lived in a fishing community.  Nova Scotia is full of fishermen and full of fishing plants.  Therefore, you can get seafood fairly cheap most times.  Well.. the salmon is still darn expensive .. but scallops and shrimp are darn cheap.  The scallops are a good chunky size here.. and nothing beats cooking them at home.. because they are cheap and very easy to cook.  Some like it with butter.. some like to grill them.. as for me.. i like them with my sambal tumis from good friends Charmaine & Barb.

I like my seafood fresh.. so i cooked them as soon as i buy them.. that way, you can feel the softness as well as the freshness.  But like i said, scallops are darn easy to cook.. with some garlic.. and butter.. for just a few mins.. and it’s ready to eat.  I know scallops are expensive back home.. therefore, i really enjoy it here – because they are darn cheap.

Strawberries can be really cheap here in Canada.  At $2.99 a box of strawberry .. it’s a pretty good deal.  But it’s even cheaper.. when you can pick them straight from the “ang moh’s” parents garden for they grow them for sale in the summer as well as for making jams.  The brat loves strawberries, raspberries and blueberries from Grampie’s garden.  Come this summer, i will be showing you all the fruits and vegies they grow in their 5 acres garden.  Yes..! that’s a lot of land… but considering they have 100 acres the garden is nothing. And yes.. it’s as organic as it can get.

Taking a page from Martha Stewart this spring, if i find some ambition, i might just do this.  Give my cabinets some breathing space and de-clutter.  If I can do it, so can you..! check out the step by step method to etch your containers.  So classy yet inexpensive, in fact, i’m gonna make this a project for me and my brat this Spring.

Good friends are hard to come by .. and one that you haven’t met personally but met online .. has become a treasure to me.  Not only does she sends food from home . but she is always there to encourage me.. whenever i am down.

Barb from ChumsyAshley is more than a blogging friend .. she is a good friend.. who never judges.. and had been there for me thru’ out my bad times.. and the good ones.  For those who are not aware of this.. i had a major operation last year .. and a emergency one 10 days after.. and yes.. Barb .. had all the food ready for me.. for my operation.  She continues to send me food .. all the time.. and we chat on a daily basis.  So the least i can do for her.. is send her some movies.. of the actor she loves – Johnny Depp.

Here’s to you .. Barb..! thank you again..!

Have some home made peanut butter cookies.. on the brat.

By fluke, I took a walk to Mr Choo’s restaurant to pick up my soup one nite.. and saw the buffet table having familiar noodles… from home.   So for the last few days.. we have been having this noodles.  Not only I liked it.. so does the brat.. and the “ang moh” .. sure save me a lot of time in cooking for one meal.  But having eaten it for a few days now.. which was really good..  and also very convenient.. because i had several medical appt the last few days.  Mr Choo had also specially soaked mushrooms for us .. because the brat doesn’t take bean sprouts.  We put in some tofu .. for the brat.. just because and this is as close as I could get for noodles from home.  And while I enjoyed it, I was watching this show, thought I would share it with all of you.  Enjoy !!

Lke any parents, you want to feed our kids with the best.  I don’t profess to be a good cook nor a good wife.. but one thing for sure.. i know i’m a mom who wants what is best for my brat – nutrition wise.   I learned that the earlier your trained your kid with good eating habits.. the better it is for everyone.

As fussy as any kid may be.. i also learned that you can try to mix things around.. to get them to eat good.  Since my brat doesn’t like to eat meat a lot .. i cultivated .. the habit of her eating lots of tofu.. to subsitute for the meat.  And lucky for me.. she loves our chinese mushroom.. so that is great when i need to make her rice.  She doesn’t like her greens.. but she eats corns and carrots.  When i see the kids here in Canada.. being over weight.. and some mothers even wants to use  weight loss products, I squirm.  I wished i can say something.. but it’s a very sensitive subject.  What would you do..??

We are very lucky.. because Chloe loves eating yogurt.  Some kids never wanna touch it.. but for my Chloe.. she eats them like they were ice-cream.  Therefore, even though she doesn’t eat a lot of meat.. i don’t really sweat it.  Normally, she eats a full cup of yogurt .. but i try to spilt it into two, these days she wants to eat it all. .and “ang moh” thinks she is having a growth spurt.

Having said that.. we never force her to eat .. if she didn’t want to.  But instead of ice cream.. we encourage her to have fruit yogurt instead.  You can see for yourself.. how much she enjoys it.  What about you and your kids..?? do you feed them yogurt too..??  if they donch like it.. you can try putting some real fruits into it.

The “ang mohs’ donch know what porridge is.  If you say .. you are eating porridge … they would think i was crazy.. because porridge is actually oatmeal here.  You have to say “congee” but there is no “congee” to be sold in the chinese restaurant here.  But if you are friends with the Chinese restaurant owner.. like i am.. with Mr Choo & his wife… you get priviledges.

So the other day, I got a call from Mr Choo asking if I want some porridge.. and i said i do .. and he just came and sent it over.  It’s some kinda salted meat.. i think.. in the porridge.. with some spring onions.

Some ginger in the porridge.. which is a must .. because like my mom used to say. .porridge gives the tummy lots of wind.  And old woman like me.. cannot have too much wind eh… muahhahaha!!

Some dried scallops in the porridge as well.  Yummy..!!!  Porridge isn’t difficult to cook.  Usually i soak the rice over night.. and then put them in the slow cooker and cook it for 4hrs or so.  Pork is what i use most of the time but once it starts boiling.. i put in sesame oil as well.  When you are ready to eat.. just put in a dash or two.. of pepper.  Oh .. donch forget to add a dash or two of salt too.   Thanks to Mr Choo .. i donch have to cook a big pot of porridge .. and eat them all myself.

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I missed a lot of different food from home .. but the above hot plate egg tofu with minced chicken has gotta one that is not only healthy .. but worthy to be eaten on a daily basis.  Back home there is a coffee shop near where i lived that is great at cooking this.  Underneath the hot plate is a layer of eats.. and on top of the egg tofu were minced chicken.  The egg tofu is lightly covered with flour and as they bring it out from the kitchen.. it continues to cook for a few seconds.. and you eat it hot and healthy.  I can’t find this kinda hot plate here in Canada.. and I would for sure.. if i see one and make some healthy tofu for me and my brat.  We both love tofu.   What about you ..??  can you eat as much tofu as we do..??

I really missed char kway teow from home.  I’ve been trying to buy them online.. but haven’t been lucky so far.  I’ve also tried to get the “ang moh’s” cousin in Brampton to lookout for it for me.. but still no luck.  It has been 9 yrs since i last ate char kway teow.  I’ve had Prima Taste Laksa, mee siam and also chicken rice before… and all due to the kindness of various bloggers.. i’ve met online.

So here’s what i am asking help from.  If anyone can find the above.. and mail it to me.. i’ll be glad to reimburse you thru’ paypal .. for food and postage.  I don’t need a lot just one or two packs for now.  Please leave comment/s and let me know eh.  Many thanks.. but definitely no obligations.

For the benefit of those who donch know what Char Kway Teow looks like, here it is.  With See hum it’s the best thing on earth.. and lots of lard please. I’ll even give up all my white gold rings for a plate of CKT.

Once in a while .. we see sweet potatoes like these in the local grocery store and not many people here knows what to do with these sweet potatoes.  I buy some.. whenever i have the time.. to cook for the “ang moh” .. because the “ang moh” cook and makes his own lunch and dinner – I am only in charge of the brat’s food and mine.  But sweet potato tempura style .. the “ang moh” likes a lot.  Whenever, we are up in Halifax.. eating Japanese, the “ang moh” orders sweet potato tempura for the brat and himself.

I usually cut my sweet potatoes like french fries and bake them.. but when i am in a hurry .. i just cut them flat.  Making tempura fries with sweet potatoes is darn easy.. in fact, you can engage your kid to help dip the sweet potatoes into the tempura batter.. and not only is it healthier, they are sweet.

Here’s my recipe .. that i use found on the net :

LARGE Sweet Potatoes

Vegetable Oil

Tempura Batter for Vegetables

Preheat the deep fat fryer to 365 degrees.
Wash the sweet potatoes.
Parboil for about 10 minutes.
Pare the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2? wide x 1/2? thick strips.
Dip the sweet potato strips into the tempura batter.
Place in skimmer and gently lower into the deep fat fryer.
Remove the sweet potato strips from the hot fat with the skimmer when they float to the surface and have turned golden brown.
Serve hot.

I don’t know when it began.. and why I eat consciously .. of course I ain’t no angel .. because i crave for sinful food too.  I love my laksa.. and that means loads of coconut.  When I was back home in Singapore.. i rarely take laksa or spicy food.  Firstly .. coconut is not healthy .. and spicy food.. just ain’t my type of food.  But now that I’m in Canada .. well.. as spicy as i can get.. and all the coconut i can take.. if i am making curry chicken.  I kid you not.  I guess the saying about .. if you can’t have it.. you want it .. is so true.  I was on some Vegas vacations many years ago.. and  the host was skinning the chicken .. i understand it.. but truth be told.. i wished she had left it on.. because chicken fried with skin.. is the best thing .. one can eat.  But having said all that.. we all know .. that eating everything moderately is eating healthy.. and if the chicken ain’t fried.. i skin the skin.  What about you..??