Cheese Tartlets

Star Q

i.  Semoga Sentiasa Diberkati

ii.  Another Reason To Be Grateful

iii.  Majlis Doa Selamat dan Solat Hajat SMKTAR

There are some things I make only during special occasions.  Some I make only when there is a special request by someone, especially when you only get to see that certain someone once in a while,say every six months or so.

Mee Kari Rempah Wangi

Star Q

i.  Mesyuarat Penyediaan Pelan Tindakan

ii.  Meremajakan Prasara Pra-U
iii.  Collaborative Learning

A few weekends ago I was literally left alone to my own resources at home.  My missus had gone to Tanjung Malim with her sisters, nieces and nephews to attend her brother's wedding reception.  And on the day that she was supposed to come home, I got a call from her asking me to  cook something.

Kerabu Kacang Kelisa Dengan Sotong

Star Q

i.  For Pahala for Safee

ii.  Selamat Tinggal Sahabat

iii.  Meremajakan Prasarana Pra-U

As I have mentioned in my earlier entries, I have been inundated with courses for the past eight weeks or so, so much so that the food I ate at all the venues have caught up with me in more ways than one.  Firstly, there is my increase waistline and secondly, there is that slight distaste for any dish that resembles hotel food.  In short, I miss simple, home prepared food.

Murtabak Roti Berkeju

Star Q

i.  What's In A (Road) Name

ii.  Collaborative Learning - Topic : Recycling

iii.  STPM 2014 Semester 1

My wife had made a batch of currypuffs the other day and she purposely made the filling more than the pastry because one of our family members really love to snack on the curry filling.  However, she made the filling a little bit too much because that family member of ours decided she had had too much of the filling to snack on.

Fried Zucchini with Chicken

Star Q

i.  Konvensyen SISC+ dan SIP 

ii.  Collaborative Learning - Topic : Recycle

iii.  STPM 2014 Semester 1

It has always been a bad habit of mine to buy things that I don't want to use immediately.  I always buy things, foodstuffs especially, at the spur of a moment, thinking that I may not be able to buy the things especially when the things I buy I not readily available.

Lelapan : My Version

Star Q

i.  An Immigrant In My Own Country

ii.  Movie Poster for Writing

iii.  Kursus Untuk GDB SR

During the second half of this year I was fortunate enough to have been asked to attend three phases of courses which enabled me to get to know a couple of interesting people from the different states in Malaysia, including some very interesting individuals from Sarawak.

Peach and Cheddar Cheese Cake

Star Q

i.  Movie Poster for Writing

ii.  Kursus Pemantapan Pedagogi

iii.  STPM November 2014

I always find excuses to try out new recipes, and the arrival of a guest to our home is one of those excuses.  Actually I had been helping my wife prepare all the dishes for lunch and the only thing left was dessert, so I guess it was my duty to prepare it.

Caramalised Bananas with Butterscotch Sauce

Star Q

i.  Movie Poster for Writing

ii.  Pembinaan Modul UPSR 2015

iii.  Peperiksaan STPM November 2014

As with every recipe which is created out of necessity, this banana recipe went through the same process.  We had a comb of ripe bananas hanging near the window sill for a few days and no one seemed to want to eat them.

Carrot Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

Star Q

i.  A Go At Flamingo

ii.  Turn To Our Tweets

iii.  Beautiful School

I am a weekend baker!  And it has been quite some me since I baked because my weekends have been occupied with tonnes of activities.  There was a weekend when my family and I went all the way to Seremban because someone wanted to buy a new pair of clothes.  Another weekend we went to Seremban to visit my father-in-law who was admitted to hospital.  All these plus the fact that the weekends seem to be getting shorter and shorter to me.

Sesame Roasted Chicken Wings

Star Q

i.  Turn To Our Tweets

ii.  Quality Versus Quantity

iii.  Cahaya Kemenangan

There are monthly editions of cookery magazines offering readers opportunities to try their recipes.  I must admit that I have tried a few of them but most times I am skeptical about the list of ingredients of most of the recipes given.  

Mac and Cheese In A Hurry

Star Q

i.  The Unbearable Bubur Chacha

ii.  Perkhemahan Integrasi  Pra-U

iii.  Beautiful School

Last week Aidil Adha.  Initially we did not make any plans to go anywhere for the long weekend.  We did not even make arrangements to go back to our home towns.  We were contented to just stay home and celebrate Aidil Adha together as a family.  However the phone call made us change our minds.

Asam Pedas Ayam / Chicken in Assam Gravy

Star Q

i.  Cahaya Kemenangan

ii.  Something for Sour Grapes

iii.  N.I.C.E : Describing Profession

Last Saturday, from the early hours of the morning, our whole house was abuzz with activity.  The reason for this was because we were expecting a very important group of people to come over to our house for lunch.  The hustle and bustle did not end until our guests had their lunch and left.

Kerabu Kedondong

Star Q

i.  The Cat Thats Wait

ii.  Perkhemahan Integrasi Pra-U

iii.  Beautiful School

Recently, there was a small gathering in conjunction with Eid Mubarak held at one of our neighbor's house.  Prior to the gathering, nearby neighbours were encouraged to come over to help with the preparation of food and drinks.

Super Simple Roast Chicken

Star Q

i.  Perkhemahan Integrasi Pra-U

ii.  The Cat That Waits

iii.  Beautiful School

This is the roast chicken which I served with the Parmesan beans (I shared the recipe in my previous entry in the 'simple' theme!)  I call this Super Simple Roast Chicken because it really is super simple.  In short preparing the roast chicken was literally stress-free!

Parmesan Beans

Star Q

i.  The Cat That Waits

ii.  Beautiful School

iii.  Majlis Penyerahan Voucer

Hot on the heels of my previous entry titled Sometimes Simple Is Best, I have decided to prepare something really simple that did not need any tending to.  I merely left the food in the oven to take care of themselves while I took care of some unfinished work.

Sometimes Simple Is Best

Star Q

i.  Honor In Silence

ii.  Penyerahan Voucer Buku 2014

iii.  Beautiful School

Ever get te feeling that you simply just don't know what to prepare for lunch or dinner for your family?  Ever had that feeling that you at a loss for ideas even though you have a long list of recipes in your repertoire? Well, there is bound to be one of those days!

Quails in Hot Coconut Gravy/Puyuh Salai Masak Cili Api

Star Q

i.  Beautiful School

ii.  A Place for Everything

iii.  Jemputan ke Majlis Iftaar

Whenever I go to the morning market on Saturday, I always think about what my children would like to have for lunch or dinner.  And as I pass by the stalls selling different kinds of vegetables, fish and poultry, I imagine myself preparing special dishes for them.  Sometimes I buy some ingredients just to put in the freezer; to be at the ready whenever my children come home.

Oyster Mushroom Kerabu

Star Q

i.  Beautiful School

ii.  No More Respect For Her

iii.  Sambutan Hari Guru Pra-U

Last week I was supposed to visit a school with two of my colleagues.  We had visited one school earlier and the prospect of driving another 50 kilometres didn't really appeal to me.  But my two colleagues insisted on going there, so off they went.  It was just their luck I guess; when they got there they each got a helping of fresh oyster mushrooms as token of appreciation to take home.

Simple Beef Stew

Star Q

i.  A Place for Everything

ii.  Complete Lesson Plan

iii.  Sambutan Hari Guru Pra-U

This is another dish that uses whatever ingredients that have been lying in the fridge because there were too many of them.  This usually happens when I buy in bulk due to the cheaper prices of the ingredients or sometimes I buy them because I just fancy how they look; usually due to their freshness or their sudden availability in the market after a long absence.  Well, like local fruits, vegetables have their own seasons too.

Grilled Dory with Bechamel Sauce

Star Q

i.  Ramadhan : An Exercise In Moderation

ii.  Complete Lesson Plan

iii.  Sambutan Hari Guru Pra-U

Well, Ramadhan is here again and since all are at home once again, seeing that most local universities are having their long three-month holidays, I can expect to get many requests from my kids for me to prepare certain dishes or anything that captures their fancy.

Parmesan Fried Chicken

Star Q

i.  Conjunctions So and Because

ii.  What Do You Say...

iii.  Wajah-Wajah Baru Pra-U SMKTAR

I have been wanting to make this version of fried chicken for quite some time now; one because I had some grated parmesan cheese lying idle in the fridge and secondly because it's the weekend and it's the only time of the week when I can do some cooking.

Parmesan Carrot Cake

Star Q

i.  A Future Teacher That Needs Teaching

ii.  Beautiful School : Learning Environment

iii.  Pot-Luck Untuk Cikgu Azri

I made this cake quite sometime back when I was one of the invigilators for the STPM examination.  It was the last day of the exam which was in SMK Seri Perpatih and even though I was not the chief invigilator, I decided to give my friends a treat.

Ayam Bakar Berempah / Curry Roasted Chicken

Star Q

i.  Rubbish-Throwing Neighbours

ii.  Beautiful School : Learning Environment

iii.  Pot-Luck Untuk Cikgu Azri

It is always a happy occasion when my in-laws call up to say that they will be visiting.  Happy because it is not often that my in-laws have the opportunity to drive down to this neck of the woods.  Most have their own jobs and to get everybody to actually find time to travel together is something that does not come up very often.

Mixed-Herbs Roasted Tomatoes

Star Q

i.  Beautiful School : Learning Environment

ii.  Pot-Luck Untuk Cikgu Azri

iii.  With Promotion Comes Great Responsibilities

This is the Garlic Roasted Tomatoes which I made to accompany the Prawn Aglio Olio.  I saw this being prepared on the Barefoot Contessa and thought that it would go well with the pasta, and it did!  In fact it was so delicious, I forgot myself and ate almost half of the roasted tomatoes!

Pepes Ayam / Steamed Chicken in Banana Leaf

Star Q

i.  Pot-Luck Cikgu Azri

ii.  Using Lemon Tree In A Lesson

iii.  With Promotion Comes Great Responsibilities

There are a few types of food that I cannot eat and have forced myself not to consume them.  It is not so much that I cannot consume them but for health reasons, I have forced myself to avoid them.  But that doesn't mean that my family has to be denied the pleasure of enjoying the types of food that I can't have.

Prawn Aglio Olio with Roasted Tomatoes

Star Q

i.  Semoga Bertambah Cemerlang

ii.  Complete Lesson Plan

iii.  Thank You For The Hello

This week is the mid-semester break for most universities and for this whole week my daughter who studies in Perlis is back.  My son who is studying in Serdang has decided not to come back for the holidays since he has a few more lab work to do.  He'll be coming back next weekend though.

Penne with Chicken Meatballs in Roasted Pepper Sauce

Star Q

i.  Complete Lesson Plan

ii.  Stop Passing The Buck!

iii.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

This is another dish which I prepared along with the Murtabak Biskut Lemak.  It has become a routine for me to cook on weekends not least because my kids (and the missus!) want me to, but mostly because I find the activity rather therapeutic.

Pesmol Ikan Bawal

Star Q

i.  Manipulative or Merely Enthusiastic?

ii.  Story Telling - Occupations

iii.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

There seem to be a lot of things in our freezer but when the missus went through the things, she was dumbstruck and couldn't think of a single thing to cook.  True, there were fish of different types, beef, prawns, chicken and calamari.  All frozen, and staring back at her.  "Why don't you cook?", she said to me finally after a long unfruitful stare into the freezer!

Murtabak Biskut Lemak / Layered Cream Crackers

Star Q

i.  The Senses - Year 2

ii.  Bringing Up Kids

iii.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

Today I decided to prepare two dishes, the first was Penne with Chicken Meatballs in Roasted Peppers and Tomato Sauce and the second one, Murtabak Biskut Lemak or Cream Crackers layered with Chicken.  First I shall be sharing the recipe for the Murtabak.  I have made this many, many years ago when I was young(-er) and still living with my parents.

Puding Roti Lapis Epal / Apple Layered Bread Pudding

Star Q

i.  Bringing Up Kids

ii.  Identifying Countable...

iii.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

Okay.  It's the first week of March and two months have gone by so quickly.  January and February passed by so fast, that when I turn to see where the days have gone, it's already too late.  It brings the proverb 'time flies when you're having fun' into a new meaning.

Tagliatelle with Chicken and Aubergine Tomato Sauce

Star Q

i.  Writing : Using Substitution Tables

ii.  A School's Product : Teachers or Students

iii.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

Besides Spaghetti Carbonara, another one of my kids favourite pasta dish is the simple Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce.  The only thing about this is, my kids prefer to have it not so simple by having the meatballs in their tomato sauce rather that minced meat.  And they often suggest (with praises to their dad's cooking so that they get their way!) that I make the meatballs myself rather than getting them from the freezer compartment of the supermarket! 

Ayam Goreng Jawa / Javanese Fried Chicken

Star Q

i.  Pre-Writing : Healthy/Unhealthy Lifestyle

ii.  Pity the Students and Teachers

iii.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

This is my second weekend working in a new environment, and I felt exactly like how I felt last weekend.  I felt like I should make full use of this weekend; quality weekend with my family.  And since using my spare time with trying new recipes is how I find most enjoyable doing, so I did!

Kek Salji Strawberri / Snowy Strawberry Cake

Star Q

i.  Selamat Tinggal Starbright1969

ii.  A Twilight Career Change

iii.  Pictures for Discussion

It's the weekend and all my kids are home.  The two that are in university are back for their mid-semester holidays.  So, the kitchen has been a hive of activities with people moving in and out, taking plates, dishing food, chatting, laughing and what-have-you.  The kitchen almost never closes, especially since my second child likes to have her dinner very late at night.

Ayam Panggang Mudah / Simple Roast Chicken

Star Q

i.  Red Hot Over Rising Prices

ii.  Blazer Baru Pengawas

iii.  Pictures for Discussion

Here's another situation where I have to come up with another roast chicken recipe simply because we have exhausted the ones we have in our repertoire.  It's chicken again since all the kids are home and chicken seem to go down well with everyone in this household; well, depending on the recipe of course!

Ikan Bilis Goreng Tepung / Fresh Anchovy Fritters

Star Q

i.  Expedition to The Land of Green

ii.  Perkhemahan Pengawas

iii.  Pictures for Discussion

It's the third week of the new school year and there has been quite a number of public holidays dotted along the week.  This week itself, there were three public holidays.  So, when you add the two-day weekend, you actually have five holidays and only two school day!  Yay!

Vanilla Melty Hershey

Star Q

i.  Appreciating A Free Library

ii.  Perkhemahan Pengawas

iii.  Pictures for Discussion

My wife's niece called from Seremban this morning saying that she would be dropping by on her way to her mother-in-law's house in Labis.  It is natural for her to be a bit frantic when she is informed about someone's impending visit, especially with regards to what to serve to the guests.

Kari Senangin a la My Mom's / My Mom's Fish Curry

Star Q

i.  Cartoons for Discussion

ii.  Perkhemahan Pengawas

iii.  School Children Affected...

This is the Fish curry I was talking about in my previous entry which I said would go well with the four-angled bean salad or Kerabu Kacang Botol.  What makes this curry so special that I wanted to immortalize it in my blog is because I finally got my late mum's recipe to a 'T' (at least I think so!)

Kerabu Kacang Botol Dengan Kerang

Star Q

i.  Perkhemahan Pengawas

ii.  Writing Using Tree Branches

iii.  School Children Affected...

Once in a while I have to have something traditional and this salad or kerabu is as close to traditional I can muster today.  Too lazy to make anything else to go with the Fish Curry I am making today (next entry!), so I thought this kerabu would go well; and in fact, any local kerabu usually goes well with our local curry.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Star Q

i.  Perkhemahan Pengawas

ii.  Writing Using Tree Branches

iii.  Children Are Affected...

I remember having my first ever jacket potatoes when I was with some friends at Leeds Market way back when.  The autumn weather was quite cold (to us at least!)  and even though we had already had our breakfast before visiting the market, we were already feeling very hungry.  The sight of heavy steam coming from the stalls selling food seemed as if they were beckoning for us to come near.

Aubergine-Layered Lasagna

Star Q

i.  Flashcards for Speaking

ii.  Gotong-Royong Perdana

iii.  If You Think Education Is Expensive.....

I definitely believe that there is always something for me to learn every day when I read.  It doesn't really matter what I read; it can be magazines, newspapers, novels or even blogs or journals.  And the things that I learn from these materials that I read don't necessarily have to be something that changes the world.  It can be something like food nutrition.