A few weeks ago, just before the Chinese New Year – a box from UPS came for me – I was very, very happy!  why?  because in it was some food from home that I haven’t had for many years.  I ordered them from United States, a place called the Little Red Dot Kitchen that everyone who’ve gone abroad and migrated in United States raved about.  I’ve read reviews and some food bloggers from US whom I’ve known for years swore by it and said it was a taste from home.   Thanks to my advertiser – I was able to get some shipped to me thru’ courier and it arrived 10 days later.  Much anticipated and I was definitely delighted with what I found inside.

2 Ibs of bak kwa !  and if you are wondering what bak kwa is – I’ll explained it a little – it’s like the beef jerky that you eat – but this is sweeter and a lot more moist and can be eat with anything – from rice to noodles or even a sandwich – or by itself.  It’s sweet and savory.  They are grilled in slow fire and has a perfect balance of smokiness and sweet and saltish.

The most expensive meat I’ve ever eaten – $80 for 2 Ibs shipping included – but it was worth it.  Would I buy it again?  for sure – but for those in United States – shipping is only $4.99 – so you have it made in USA.   But there is a place in Vancouver that sells it online too after I ordered from the Little Red Dot Kitchen – so I’m going to try that out soon and let you know how it compares.

I had a really bad migraine this morning after breakfast – and normally it doesn’t bother me very much but once in a while my head hurts so much I wished I knew what causes the migraine.  Back home in Asia my mom would have insisted that I visit the good old neigbborhood medical hall to pick up some ginseng or various different kind of health food to help with my migraine.  Unfortunately, we don’t have medical hall here in the West.  My girlfriend who moved to Texas and married someone there talked about Lubbock migraine center – a specialist there – and we’ve discussed my migraine attacks in great length.  I don’t think mine is a chronic migraine, it just comes when it wants to come and even a tylenol with extra strength doesn’t help very much these days.  I’m just glad that it doesn’t happen everyday else I would be handicapped by it.

I know there are extensive studies on migraine and medical procedures one can take to help with chronic migraine and migraine treatments for children.  I can’t imagine any child having to suffer with the pain of migraine can caused and if Chloe ever had the same migraine as I – I would spare no cost to bring her to the best migraine center or treatment.  But for now, I’ll just have to rely on health food for my migraine like the good old fashion way that my mom had insisted on.  How do you treat migraine pain?  Do you have a specialist you see?  any recommendations?  any health food or soup you care to share?

It’s not often that one see such a huge and old lobster – this one is so huge – I’m guessing it must be like 100 Ibs!

Normal lobsters are like 5Ibs – can you imagine eating 100 Ibs of lobster?  i love lobsters but I don’t think I would eat that humongous lobster – would you?

I don’t know if it is just foodie and food bloggers who loved anything to do with food – but I do and whenever I see kitchen gadgets that I can use and they are lovely in color – I go ga-ga over them.  I saw these at our local supermarket and fell in loved with them – they are great for making single portion of lasagne or even baked spaghetti.  They come in oval shaped and round shaped – the round ones can probably be used to make Tiramisu or one can attempt to make baked onion soup in them.

Endless food and dishes I can think of to use these stoneware.

Baked rice anyone?  They are very cheap too at Sobeys – less than $4 I think – love the colors.

Kong Hei Fatt Choy !!!   Everyone Fatt, Fatt big big this year!!  lots of “kum” coming into your home and businesses.   May the dragon year bring everyone good luck, good health, good eats and good money!  And the box of “kum” is for the Zhu’s who’ve always been so kind to us.

These days there should be no reason why one cannot cook at home – in fact, I loved home cook food.  I think I try to cook more now that I have Chloe to think of – and her health.  Which parents wants to feed their kids fast food or junk food right?  Whenever I cook for Chloe – it’s no salt, less sugar and less oil and we use olive oil for cooking.

With frozen veggies – cooking is so much easier – and so much more colorful.

Frozen veggies are not expensive either – and you don’t need to defrost them to cook them – you just have to dump them into a frying pan and start frying or into a pot for beef stew or spaghetti sauce.  I never used to like frozen veggies but some frozen veggies is better than none.  So if you can seems to cook or get fresh ones you like for cooking try some frozen veggies – works like a charm for me.

]]> http://www.icecubejunkie.com/2012/01/frozen-veggies-makes-cooking-easy/feed/ 0 http://www.icecubejunkie.com/2012/01/using-your-oven-efficiently/ http://www.icecubejunkie.com/2012/01/using-your-oven-efficiently/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:22:53 +0000 HoWeiSek http://www.icecubejunkie.com/?p=32894

I loved to use the oven to bake my food – from fish to garlic bread but you and I know that heating the oven up and then baking something for 10 -20mins is really a lot of electricity used.  So I try to use the steamer instead more often – because the charges for our electric bills during the winter are very expensive.  Unlike a friend who lives in NJ – they have nj electricity that promises savings for those signed up with them.   Here, we don’t have a competitive rate – therefore, I have no choice but to use my oven efficiently.

So you asked how do I do that?  well, if I wanted to use the oven that evening – I make sure that it’s not just one thing that I am going to bake.  I will bake my chicken wings or cookies or whatever I need for the next few days  – so that I don’t have to turn on my oven for just a 12 mins baking of a fish and then shut it right off.  These days, you really have to save as much as you can – when it’s over the roof when it comes to electric bills.  So like all others, we always asked ourselves – to keep the family warm or eat?  I say keeping warm is very important – wished we had a competitor here for Scotia Powers.

Sundays are usually days when we go out to eat as a family – but like most restaurants in Canada – the portions are really huge – we never ever managed to finish our food.   So what do we do?  we doggy bag the leftover and eat them for dinner (most times) or the next day.  We’ve always taught Chloe from young that food must not be wasted – so we always finish our leftovers – what about you guys?  what is your take with leftover food from restaurants and at home?  do you eat them all another day – or do you not doggy bag them for fear of looking cheap?

Many years ago before coming to Canada – I would never dream of packing up leftovers at the restaurants.  When I eat with my bosses or travel for work with them – I always felt like it’s so cheap to wanna doggy bag the food home – so why the 360 degree change?  Firstly, my current food is not paid by my bosses – who always eat extravagantly and being expatriates – they never like to pack food back to the hotel but now that I have a kid – I have to teach her good values and because of all the charitable organization I’ve joined after coming to Canada  – I’m made aware of the many people who are less fortunate than us  – therefore, I try never to waste food.

My htc buy must be the smartest investment as a food blogger.  Why?  you know how we food bloggers loved to take pictures of any kind of food we buy, eat or see right?  but what if you had forgotten to bring your camera along with you and/or if your camera doesn’t have enough battery juice for you to take that special food picture you found and needed to share it with your friends/fans.  That’s when you whip out your 8 MP camera phone with high definition with an LCD screen and take the picture you need for your next blog post.

Yes!  this was the crab meat I wanted to buy to make crab cake – but didn’t know if this was good enough – since they were frozen.  So I took a picture of it to show it to my friend – the one who taught me how to make crab cake and she replied instantly after seeing the picture.  So for those who don’t have a camera handy the next time – trust your HTC smartphone to give you the picture you need.

Like all diabetics – we are always hungry – and we are always looking for something to munch – something that wouldn’t make our blood sugar go crazy on us.  So when I saw these baked cheetos – I knew I had to try it – with only 1 gram of sugar and 100 calories, now that has got to be a winner right?  These cheetos are baked and not fried like the regular ones.  A box of 5 packs was like $3.50 or something around that price – and I tasted it – and liked it.  So there you have it – the winner snack and junk food of the week for diabetics.  Baked cheetos!  Diabetics around the world – should give this snack a try ! i know you all want to munch on something that you wouldn’t have to worry about your blood sugar.