Another Week Later

I had a horrible dream yesterday. It's almost a nightmare. I woke up (twas 5 am according to the clock on my bedside table) with my heart racing and I was feeling very very hot. The former is attributed to the almost nightmare, but the latter was because I was buried under a blanket, a quilt, and a throw and two cats. Both cats were snoozing on top of my legs and feet. The throw is our futile attempt to have a hair-free quilt. Except that the cats when we're not in the bed like to burrow under the throw and sleep on the quilt. I don't know why we keep the throw, but it's still there. Minimizing the amount of hair that goes on the quilt.

I finally got around to eating Vietnamese food yesterday. You'd think I was pregnant by the rabid craving I have for this Vietnamese dish (vermicelli bun - like pho without the broth). And I only want to eat it at this little hole in the wall, no frills Vietnamese-Cambodian restaurant. Glad hubs wanted to eat as well.

And speaking of Cambodian, a Cambodian couple mistook me for another Cambodian. Now I've been mistaken for a Thai, Indonesian and now Cambodian. Without a doubt I definitely have Asian features.

And also we have finally cleaned out the other half of the garage. It's not completely clear and clean, but there is more leg room in there. We need more shelving and hooks to hang the bikes and the ladders.

I'm also seriously considering putting up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. Our neighbors already have lights up, not lit just yet, but up just the same.

In addition, I have completed my Twilight Saga books. This weekend I found ECLIPSE at a Goodwill Store. We dropped off some donations and then stayed for a little browsing. Got some items including a kitty mug set and the Eclipse copy for $2.99. So I started to read it. But too many things got in the way this four-day weekend that I haven't gotten past the first chapter yet.

One more thing I think I've forgotten to mention in the past posts, I baked scones. They were good. However, there were some errors in execution, so I'll try again. My niece came and tasted the cookies while I was out and when I got back and she was still there, she knew they were scones. So this is definitely very encouraging results. I shall try again.

In the same night while I was busy making scones, the hubby's project was home-made Mexican tamales). Oh they were good, a tad dry but they were good.

Until next week (kidding).

Daily October (1)

Here I am again attempting to write daily for a month. Keeping my fingers crossed this will happen.

Let me begin this project by writing about my success in the kitchen today. I attempted to make "ginisang ampalaya" or sauteed bitter melon with shrimps. I'm all thumbs in the kitchen, so this is a victory for me. This would be the first successful thing I cooked that I could remember.

I've made some wonderful dishes before, but everything lacked something. Salt is the most common lacking in my previous dishes. This time around though I aced it. Hubby even gave it two thumbs up! My mother was really impressed and I had the gall to tell her that I learned to cook without getting any help from her.

My mother was a great cook. She fed us with wonderful dishes when I was growing up. In her advancing years, she lost her mojo in cooking and in sewing - two trades she was really good at when she had all her faculties.

She taught me how to sew and use the sewing machine. BUT she never taught me how to cook. Hence, today makes me more hopeful about my abilities in the kitchen.

Next up.....I'll attempt to bake a scone.

What Have I Been Up To?

Or a little update from my side of the universe :)

• My son (the cat) and I made creme de menthe cookie truffle on Monday night.  It's a recipe I found on one of the blogs I read regularly and she featured this little treat.  When I read the ingredients and the procedure, I thought it was easy.  Turned out it was easy to make.  Except that I am not really good in the kitchen.  The truffles can be made prettier - you know balls can be made rounder - but they taste wonderful.  My husband and I decided this would be the chocolate item we would participate in next year's CHOCOLATE EXTRAVAGANZA, a church fundraiser. 
• I almost got run off my lane by an unattentive driver.  I was so shocked.  Luckily no one was hurt and he got control of his pick-up before it's too late.  Thank God.
• Up until 2 days ago, the host of our annual family Christmas luncheon was not fixed.  I was getting anxious that I might host it two years in a row.  Thankfully, my SIL came to the rescue and said she's hosting it.  It's really her turn anyway :)
• We lost a dear friend of ours a week ago today.  I have written about them here many times.  Ken, the husband, and my adopted FIL died in his sleep and he and his wife have decided not to do anything, no service no funeral.  He chose to be cremated and his ashes will be scattered some in the water because he loved fishing and some will be transported to Wyoming where he was from and where he loved to vacation.  It's sad that his wife is now alone in their house. 
• I seem to have more presents to wrap.  When I thought I was done, there were more items to buy.  I even wrapped presents earlier than usual this year so I can have the remaining days preceding Christmas stress free.
• Can't believe the year is about to close again.  What happened to 2010?

Happy Holidays to one and all.  Have a lovely, peaceful, joyful, and safe celebration.

Shoutout To Cyberspace Community

I need a kick ass cookie recipe for Christmas gift giving. This year I intend to make instead of buy the presents I plan to give away. My niece always bakes a variety of cookies and packs them for gift giving every Christmas, and they are always sought after and most anticipated.

This is a wise move on her part. Not only does she hone her baking skills, she also saves a lot of dough (pun intended) in the process.

However let me first clarify one thing. I.DO.NOT.BAKE. My minimal baking experience can be atributed to making brownies straight from the box - on two different occasions.

The first time it didn't turn out moist and chewy, but it was okay, passable for a first time. The brownie, however, did not fare well after the first day. It hardened like a stone and was too tough to eat, although a little time in the microwave solved the problem.

The second time it came out of the oven tough. But again time in the microwave solved the problem.

As you can see, I don't have the natural abitlity for baking. Therefore, the cookie recipe I need must be/have:

• easy to follow, easy to make
• simple ingredients
• yummy and buttery (it is after all holiday eats)
• will last a few days

Okay then, I will wait.