Cook With Ken - Bak Ku Teh with iCook

Date:  Nov 26, 2012

Would be curious what does it taste like to use iCook to cook "Bak Ku Teh".  Let's cook it.

I bought the ribs from Huber's Butchery.  It was from Belgium.  Looks pretty nice.

Using iCook pot, prepare a pot water.  Take note that if you put in 8 bowl of water, after cooking, there will be 7.5-8 bowl of soup with iCook.  Some how the vapour seal actually keep the soup/water inside the pot.

So, treat your meat nicely, and arrange the meat nicely at the bottom of the pot.

I uses the "Bak Ku Teh" spices pack from Song Fa.  That is the "Bak Kut Teh" opposite the Central @ Clarke Quay.

Just dump both packet inside.

Onions from Mexican.  Cut out a few and throw it in.

Add a teaspoon of dark soya sauce, and a teaspoon of soya sauce.

Use medium to slow fire to slowly cook the soup for 1-1.5 hours.

After that, cut some Tang-Oh, if any inside.  If not, some baby cabbage or green onions will do too.  

Again, the soup cooked using iCook is clear soup.  The meat is soft, but all are still in shape.  The taste of the soup is OK too.  Not too bad.  And it is easy to cook for a quick meal.

Jay Jay First Overnight Stay At LWPS School

Date:  Nov 23, 2012

Last Friday, Jay Jay had a very busy schedule.

9AM, he is going to hike Bukit Timah Hill.

He is very energetic in the morning.

Together with his K2 classmates, they hike Bukit Timah Hill.

We made it to the top.  (Yeap, I am the volunteer parent)

Then we got lost in the wood for 45 minutes.

Finally, we made it out to a longer route at Lasia Valley.

At 1PM, we reached Jacobs Ballas Children Garden for Jay Jay to have lunch and water play there.

The kids had great fun there.  Playing with water wearing their normal clothing.

3PM, The kids are all clean up and dry up.  But you can see lots of them are very tired.

6PM, the kids just woke up from their afternoon nap.  Most of them had a nice 2 hours recharged.

7PM, the BBQ starts.  Got Satay, brown rice, chicken wings, hot dogs, etc.  And Mushroom soup and cheese tofu.  Yes, this is the first time all the kids have dinner together at LWPS at night.

Every one are pretty excited.  Today is the first day they are going to sleep outside with their friends in school without their parents.

Seems like all the sleeping bags are fully prepared.

After BBQ dinner, and the camp fire, they got movie to watch.

I think they watched "Bolt".

So, Jay Jay spent a night at school with his friends, eat BBQ, camp fire, watch movie and sleep.

Next morning… The camp fire.

All the kids woke up.  And eating their great breakfast.  Its 8:30am, and the kids are still in pyjamas.

Kay Kay miss his Ko Ko last night.

It is a great experience for the kids.  They got to learn how to be independent.  Teacher asked, "Jay you want to call your daddy mommy?"  Jay said, "No".  hahaha This is a sign of independent.  :)  HaHaHa.  A bit sad, but glad to see that the boy has grown up.  

Nowadays, kids are different.  They have an extra stage where they spent 4-5 years study together with a group of schoolmates.  And the kids precious every moment of this childhood friendship.  So, as parents, we will try our very best to let them be together more often for the rest of this year, during their K2 graduation years.  Next year, they will be going to different school and meet new friends.  Hope they will not forget all these childhood memories and friends.  We will try our best to organise reunion parties and gathering for them.

We just had out fun during the self-organised Lego land trip last week.

Coming Monday, some of the kids will have robotics class together.  Next Sunday, 13 kids will go Forrest Adventure with Firefox.  And then Dec 22, there will be Christmas party at my place for the kids.  And some parents wanted to organised to go hiking again in between.  Jay going to meet up with Claire during Niseko skiing too.  Great gathering ahead!

A Gold Christmas Tree 2012

Date:  Nov 24, 2012

Based on our past 10 years experience, a christmas tree can last for 1 month, provided that you take good care of it.  So, this year, we bought our tree early.  And today we finally got time to go and pick it up.

We bought our tree from Far East Flora @ Queensway.  We placed order two weeks ago.  We already chosen our tree today.  And we will pick it up in the evening, after Jay Jay's class.

Again, why a real tree?

1.  It is real, it gives a pine wood smell every morning, when you wake up.  

2.  Buying a Christmas tree also comes with responsibilities.  It is just like buying a pet, i.e. cat or dog.  Once you bought it, you better take good care of it.  So, Jay Jay was thought to take care of the Christmas tree until Christmas day.  This includes watering the tree, feeding ICE to the tree, etc.  This will becomes a daily routine until Christmas.

3.  Decorating the tree can be a fun father & son (or daughter) job.  Get your kids to help you, and make them feel proud what they did.

4.  It is a Christmas spirit thingy.  (don't forget to ask them to help to collect them back and do a proper disposal.)

5.  If you have a car that can put the tree, arrange it to deliver it using your own car.  The kids love it!  They love the smell in the car, the love the mess made in the car.  They simply loves it and when we talk about Christmas tree, they will remember.

6.  It is a team work, where all children will have to help out daddy to put up the tree decorations.

Ho Ho ho ho Merry Christmas!

This man took our tree from the cold room.

 This year, we bought a 7-8 feet tree instead of a 10 feet one.  And as usual, we use the 307SW to transport it back to our place ourselves.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/pNTP7jjZt5E

 Last year, we crazy go and buy a 10ft tree.  So, it occupied almost the whole car.  And it is darn difficult to move it back to our place especially in the lift.  下次不敢了!  So, this year, we bought the same usual height 7ft-8ft.  Better, see, Jay Jay still can sit in front.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/u0zCH5woBeE

Jay Jay is happy about getting the tree.

Kay Kay also very happy.

Kay Kay wanted to sleep on the Christmas tree, and he close his eyes and sleep.

Buying a 7ft-8ft still manageable, can one person carry it.  No problem.  Clear the path please.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/wjUiMoTyxGw

Finally in the lift.

 OK.  Now move the tree into our home. 

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/98DYj0hi-CA

YEAH!  This year, I can hold the tree like this.

OK.  Now, it is time to set the rules.  Jay Jay, Christmas tree is your responsible. 

1.  Every morning, change the ice pack.

2.  Auntie Raquel will wash the ice pack and re-freeze it.  so you will always have fresh new ice pack.

3.  water the plant.  replenish the water every day.

This is the ice pack we use.  Convenient and does the job.

We used two of them.

 Of course, you will need to add water.  Everyday, it will drink up almost half of the water.  So, you will need to feed the tree water every day.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/5TZddX_gqG4

Mommy's job to cut the wrap!  From bottom to the top.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/p-ojOACNql4

Finishing touch.  Unwrapping the tree.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/97laJdrUYnQ

Yeah!  Our tree is unwrapped.

 Now, is to decorate the tree.  This year, we going to do a Gold tree.  So, I bought some decor stuff from ARC.  There is a christmas decor shop on 2nd floor, and I think the price is reasonable.  Better than CK Tang or Robinson or Takashimaya.

 

The boys really have lots of fun here.

That is the Christmas spirit I am talking about.

Let's light up the tree.

Santa Clause and his little helper.

We will wrap the lights around the tree.

Jay Jay will untangle the lights.

Jay: "See… not hot at all".

And finally, we done up the tree.  And the STAR is huge this year. hahahaha

Kay Kay loves it!

Let's put the decor up.

Jay Jay has no hand, but his neck very long, so, use the neck to hold on to the bell.

I got another live Christmas tree here. hahahaha

I got another.  HahaHa

 Let's the kid play once a while.

 

And guess what… 玩到没东西玩!  Kay Kay asked mommy to bring out his cricket costume.  And he wants to wear it!

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/gY5DIi_4jf4

 Kay's costumes is worth the money now.  Haha… he wore it today.

 Little cricket helping hand.

 

This is our Christmas tree.  I think the bottom gold flower is way too complicated.  May remove that soon.

Let's light it up.  And check if it is OK from different angle.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/VLxmAhQF3js

OK.  done.  The Christmas light can only open when parent say so.  As this tree is going to be there for 3 weeks, beside drinking ice water, it is best not to let it turn on the lights so often.  Although is LED, but still a bit warm.  hahahaha MERRY CHRISTMAS!

oh… It's lightning outside.  

Btw, Far East Flora also sell small tree.  If space is not allow, you can get a 4-5ft one at $60.  It will be fun!  Do it!

The 4ft-5ft one looks like this height.  Jay Jay is 120cm+.

Enjoy with your tree.