妈妈不在家之食谱（十八）：蘑菇肉饼

有时候，我有一点无聊。冰箱里都是我熟悉的食材，但我就是不想煮一些自己熟悉的食谱。想了想，决定把冰箱内的肉碎和一些剩下不多不少的材料用完，于是就搞了这个“蘑菇肉饼”

材料：
1. 肉碎
2. 菇-切丁
3. parsley
4. 调味：小辣椒一条切碎，少许盐、胡椒粉、kikkoman酱油

步骤：
1. 把肉碎、菇，加上少许盐、胡椒粉、小辣椒、酱油混均匀
2. 放一旁5分钟让它入味

3. 加入parsley弄匀

4. 锅里的油热了就揉成肉团缓缓放入煎熟即可。

卖相还不错吧？

妈妈不在家之食谱（十七）：肉碎日本豆腐

懒惰用脑，做个简单的。
把肉碎加一点胡椒粉和盐揉一揉。
把日本豆腐放在平底锅上慢火煎至金黄色后取起摆在碟子里。
把两条小辣椒和几片蒜头弄成茸，热油爆香，然后把肉碎丢进锅内大火炒之，加一点kikoman酱油调味。
把炒好的肉碎淋在日本豆腐上即可（要是喜欢有酱汁的就在炒肉时弄点芡吧）

妈妈不在家之食谱（十六）：鲜橙香料煮胡萝卜

从Jamie Oliver的网站偷师，看到这食谱时觉得很特别，想象中异常鲜美，于是今天以我有限的食材稍微做一点更改，尝尝呗。

食材：
250g baby carrots（baby carrots 华语叫什么？）
一些盐和糖
牛油
香草（我只有Italian Parsley）
鲜橙一粒，切成八份
蒜头几片（连皮）

步骤：
1. 在水里加一点盐，煮至沸。
2. 水沸后加入胡萝卜、一茶匙的糖、一小块牛油、几条香菜、鲜橙和蒜头一起丢入沸水里

3. 胡萝卜熟后把水倒了，胡萝卜取出筛干

4. 把鲜橙和蒜头去皮
5. 半粒鲜橙的分量用以切碎，其他可以丢了（我吃了）
6. 把蒜头和香菜切碎
7. 锅里放一点油，把切碎了的鲜橙、蒜头、香菜稍微爆香然后淋在胡萝卜上，加入牛油、盐和胡椒粉拌一拌即可上菜

这一道我喜欢，简单又好吃。不过，我觉得做酱料时鲜橙可以再下手重一点 :p
而且，这配饭不太适合，下回煮西餐再稍微改一改食谱再尝试。

Back from Down Under

So, I'm back. Holiday is forever too short.
As usual, I don't have time to go through the photos since I have to catch up on the routine. So here I am, using a photo to announce that I'm back :)

May the Fourth be with You

Because coincidentally today is a replacement holiday, and because I have 2 toys awaiting in my drawer dying to celebrate May the 4th, of course I planned for something too when everyone in the Star Wars universe is excited.

First, I started with an easy one as warm up. Though totally not challenging, it is REAL fun to start my day with this.

Master Yoda had an easy win

After having some fun photo session with Master Yoda, I started the second project. First of all, this 3D puzzle is not easy, secondly, I CANNOT read Japanese! Luckily all schematic diagram is the same so I could pick up the pace after first few pieces.

















Sometimes it involved finding the correct pieces, sometimes I have to roll the pieces on pen so that I could get the roundness I want, sometimes it tried to kill me with all the tiny bends holes.

Patiently(of course, “Patience you must have”), pieces by pieces, parts by parts, I built my Millennium Falcon while waiting for Han Solo and Chewie to come home :)

即将失传的糯米饭

小时候，外婆仍然年轻力壮时，我们下午茶糕点总是千变万化。外婆有五个女儿，所以我这最大的孙女从来都不须进厨房，但有几道特定的食物，我总会很乐意地在厨房里帮忙（其实是想要第一个品尝新鲜出炉的食物），其中一个，就是这糯米饭。樁臼部分总是由我负责。樁虾米、樁花生对我而言是一件充满期待、非常幸福兴奋的事儿。

外婆年级渐长，好多食物渐渐被遗忘。这糯米饭，少说也有十多二十年没吃过了。妈妈不知怎的心血来潮，今早就端出这热腾腾糯米饭。差点飚泪！

未免失传，今天老食谱大公开（不好意思，老人家的食谱都是agak-agak的，千万别问我比例、重量等详情）：

食材：糯米、椰浆、花生（炒香，然后樁碎）、虾米（樁碎，然后炒香）、葱

步骤：

1. 把糯米泡在水里隔夜。

2. 隔天把糯米蒸熟。

3. 蒸熟后的糯米加入椰浆拌之，均匀后再蒸一蒸。

4. 蒸好后把糯米铺平。

5. 撒上炒过的虾米碎

6. 撒上花生碎

7. 撒上葱花

8. Ta~da~ 简单的传统美味点心就可以上桌啦~

看到里头粒粒分明的糯米吗？

暂时，至今为止我的2015年最佳早餐非这莫属（不好意思，童年的味道注定战胜一切！）

My Weekend Flower Bed Project

Where the idea comes from:

A few weeks ago, Moy See posted photos of her mum's beautiful garden, and subsequently, almost the whole world is uploading spring flowers photos on Facebook. I decided that I need a flower bed too! 

I got seeds from Moy See's mum, and I started to draw a flower bed schematic diagram (haha, typical engineer). I also decided to up-cycle the wine bottles as divider. (I read that the energy that could be saved from recycling one glass bottle could provide 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution. One glass wine bottle takes 4,000 years or more to decompose.)

So, after moving into this house for a decade, finally, I am converting this little corner into a flower bed!

The Weekend Project: 

Last Sunday, the project officially started!

I knew I need a proper hoe for this purpose, but I couldn't wait!! The weather was nice, and I was in the mood. I was not going to waste my time asking around to borrow a hoe, so I decided to use this tiny little hoe instead. For a person that seldom performing labor work, this almost killed me. Those muscles that I haven't used for years started to shout and cry. I ignored them and working hard under the hot morning sun. After almost 2 hours, the area was ready. I was exhausted, and decided to rest for a while before I begin the second phase. 

After my afternoon nap and lunch, I started phase 2. I dug holes and planted the wine bottles upside down. In less than an hour, before I could complete second phase, it started to rain, and rain, and rain! Non-stop! I gave up, and decided that I could continue during Labor Day.

The day before Labor Day, I saw this when I reached home after work:

My dad cannot stand the sight of wine bottles scattered in the garden so he decided to help me to complete Phase 2.

So, the first thing I did after my Labor Day breakfast was to add gardening soil for the raised flower bed.  

What I planted: 
I replanted my 3-weeks-old Asteraceae (sorry, still haven't figured out the species name) from their original pot to the flower bed.

I use Snake Plant as divider, hiding the bricks.

I also planted 2 rain lilies (葱兰及韭兰) that I bought from taobao mid of March. They don't seems to grow well, but I saw healthy roots so i guess they are doing well, just waiting for their season to bloom.

Rain lilies - Day 0 when I received

Rain lilies 1.5 months later

I planted lantana in the first row, and Asteraceae at the back. Hopefully adding enough texture and colours to this flower bed.

The corner divided by bricks is the special corner for my succulent plants. Since I have another batch of purchase this weekend, I'll complete this 25% next week.

Helping them to survive tropical sun and rain while they are still weak

A New Hope - String of Pearls

Just 2 weeks ago, I decided to move my "String of Pearls" to my bedroom to speed up the growth rate. I NEED strings and strings of pearls.

During day time, all my windows are open and I think the temperature is below 30 degree C. The strings of pearls will get some sunlight in the evening. At night, my room temperature is always below 20 degree C.

I water them once every few days, when the soil is totally dry. 2 weeks after moving it into my bedroom, a new shoot standing proudly, saying hi to Totoro.

I'm sure I'll see strings and strings of pearls coming out the next few months. Can't wait!!

Day 0

Day 6 - see the cute little shoot?

Day 12

Labor Day (Day 13)

Weather Forecast

Ever since my first experience of "unprepared for terrible weather", I always check the weather forecast diligently, and I always make sure I bring one extra jacket, just in case the weather forecast is not accurate. 

Even though I prefer cool weather over hot weather, still, I learn all the tips of keeping warm, and I equipped myself well. Last year, I got myself an Ultra Light Down jackets from Uniqlo, which is so light and compact that I can squeeze it into one of the lens compartment in my camera backpack. That is my "to bring" item whenever I travel in spring, autumn and winter :)

For our upcoming family trip, the weather forecast looks great! "Abundant of sunshine" makes me happy and "Brilliant sunshine and warm" sounds awesome!

Can't wait!