HANDS OFF STRANGERS!

If you see a stranger with lovely hair, would you go to the stranger to stroke her hair and compliment, "Wow your hair is magnificent!!!"? What about a woman who was carrying a bag from your favorite brand, would you go touch her bag and hold it?

My guess is most likely you will not.



But then what makes it so different when it comes to seeing a very cute baby? As compared to someone's hair or a handbag, most mothers I believe will prefer you not touch their child if they do not know you personally. And I do not understand why people like to 'shake babies' hands, don't they know that it is not very hygienic? The worst when they try to pinch or touch your child's face, and it sets off the omg-is-that-hand-clean? Alarm in mommies' heads. Trust me, most mothers will, though most will not want to voice it out. Even the fruit seller aunty at the market will shoo you away if you start poking and probing her oranges or mangoes, so what makes it OK for you to pinch my child's cheeks?

I am not sure about you but usually before using my hands to pick up food, I would wash my hands or wipe them. But unfortunately for a baby, they will put their hands and anything their hands can grab, in their mouth at EVERY opportunity. And yes, they will put the hand which they have just shook hands with a stranger straight into the mouth, without cleaning them first, ignoring all the consequences, simply because they are babies and will not know any better about hygiene.



YES, very cute. But also very UNHYGIENIC!

 

It really gets on my nerves when a stranger touches my kids hands, because they are forever putting their hands in their mouth even when they are only 20 months old. And every time a stranger touches them I have this strong desire to whip out my wet wipes and clean them immediately, but I usually resist the urge so as not be seen as rude, but then I will quickly push the stroller or scurry the kids away at any opportunities, usually citing that I'm 'in a hurry'. But truth is I just didn't want my kids to be touched all over by a stranger.

I know they meant no harm and they are just being really friendly (Er hm) but there are ways to play and interact with the kid without touching right? It can be so easy to assume your hands are clean when they really aren't. Just looking at this link of top 10 dirtiest common things and I am already guilty of touch almost all of them within the past 1 hour as I am writing this post now! And with the plethora of germs spreading around nowadays, I really do not need another one on my list - my children has just recovered from cough a couple of weeks ago and It took them 2 weeks to recover and a $130 bill to boot. Though they can also get the infection by air borne particles but I would really like to reduce the likelihood. Which is also why I prefer to go to indoor playground where it is more routinely cleaned (or so I would like to believe, that I am paying good dollars to go to a 'playground', it had better be kept in good condition. Sigh.) than an outdoor one. I know some people would think that I am being overprotective, but it's no joke handling 2 sick toddlers.

So please dear strangers, will you stop touching my children already?

Toasty Savory Focaccia Bread

I was taking a shower while waiting for my focaccia bread to be ready in the oven when I heard the bell went off. By the time I got out of the shower( which is just merely 3 minutes), there was only half the loaf left, thanks to my sneaky hubby and babies who polished off more than half! That's how good this focaccia bread was and that's how I ended up with this photo.

This is a another quick bread for the busy mommies. Total preparation time to cooking is only 1 hour, including rise time of 30 minutes. This focaccia bread is excellent for making open faced sandwich or even as a pizza base. But my hubby's favorite is to slather butter and eating it hot.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp white sugar
Assorted herbs (1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp basil, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp rosemary. All herbs are optional and you can adjust to your liking)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to sprinkle

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients except for the olive oil and salt for sprinkling. You can do it by hand or by stand mixer.

When the dough has come together, knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and coat with oil. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 200 degree. Punch the dough down, and fold a couple of times. Place dough on a greased tray or on parchment paper and shape roughly in an oval shape with thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Using your finger tips, make indents on the bread. Drizzle the olive oil over it and sprinkle the salt.

Bake for 15 minutes or till golden brown.

Tips
You can adjust the herbs to your liking or availability of herbs. You can also add Parmesan cheese on it, or sundries tomatoes at the last step before baking.

Crunchy Thumbprint Jam Cookies

While clearing the fridge, I found an unopened jar of fruit jam sitting at the back of the fridge. I believed I got it for free when I purchased something some time ago, and since nobody in my family fancy jam on bread, I went online to search for some other recipes that would have a use for it. I found this gem recipe, I doubted the credibility of the recipe initially because

1) it was my virgin cookie baking

2) it only uses 5 ingredients! (You can replace the jam with any jam you like, or skip it all together to get just a nice crunchy vanilla cookie)

Ingredients
225 gram all purpose flour, sieved
175 gram butter, unsalted
115gram fine brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Jam or any topping of your choice

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar till pale. Add in vanilla extract and combine.

Add in the sieved flour and salt bit by bit, mixing well. The dough may be a little dry but it is ok.

Rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. Then using your hands, pinch a little out to roll into a ball. Place on a baking tray that is lined with baking sheet. Take a little jam with s teaspoon and using the back of the spoon press down slightly on the ball of dough and transfer the jam to the dough.

Repeat for all the dough.

Preheat oven to 175 degree. Bake for 10-15 minutes or till light golden.

Transfer to rack to cool before storing.

How I Manage My Twins. ALONE.

Are you a twin mommy or going to be one soon?

Most people I know can't even handle just one child, let alone taking care of twins. A full time stay home mom to multiples is no joke, it really drains you all some times and you're basically on duty 24/7.

I hear you now, and I feel you.

People have always wondered and asked me 'how do you manage to take care of twins and doing it all by yourself?!' Most of the time my reply will be 'Chuan dao ciao tou zhi ran zhi' (things will pan out). Here's some ways that I believe made my mommy life easier.


Cooking for one.
I know some parents cook separate meals for adults and babies. While I do admire your dedication, why put unnecessary cooking and washing to your already long list of household chores? Cooking for one means cooking food that allows you to cook in the same pot or dish, reducing washing and preparation. Look for recipes that allows you to cook things together in a dish or pot. For example, chicken clay pot rice is easy and delicious with very little prep time. (I will share my recipe next week), or delicious comfort stews.



Shower power
One of the popular questions I am always asked is how do I manage to bath everybody. If you intend to bath one at a time, you're gonna have a hard time. The moment my kids are able to stand with assistance (7-8months), they have always been in the shower with me. I will bring a sturdy stool (got mine from IKEA) into the bathroom, they will stand there and play with the water while supporting themselves with the stool, and I shower. Once I am done, I will shower them. When they are slightly older and bored of just playing with water you can bring some toys in for them to play. An excellent 'Toy' would be just a cup and a pail, which they will use to fill up and pour out.
If you are concern about them slipping when they are very young, you can place non slip mats for them to step on, and after shower just stick the mats up on the tile walls to dry.


breastfeed as long as possible
While this is more of my style of parenting, I prefer to breastfeed. Not only is breast feeding a lot cheaper, it is fuss free. I am able to dash out of my house with just diapers and wet wipes. I have always cringe when I see my friends with a diaper bag full of milk bottles, milk powder, hot water flask etc. Breastfeeding definitely made traveling easier and a lot lighter. Also, there is no need for washing of milk bottles. One thing about breast feeding that I really like is that during night time feeding there's no need to wake up, switch on the kitchen light, and with your eyes squinted against the sudden brightness you try to prepare the milk bottle while the baby scream the house down. The down side is that they will wake up slightly more often for night feed as breast milk is not as filling on the tummy, but I am hardly full awake to feed as they sleep beside me and all I need to do is to roll on my side and feed them lying down. I usually sleep between the two of them, so that whoever wakes for feed I will just roll toward her and feed lying down. Another plus point I found is when they were very young, breast feeding meant I could feed both of them at the same time without assistance. All I need is to put them on pillow support. Also, because I feed them both at the same time, my hands are usually free to hold my phone or iPad. And that is always a plus, keeping me sane with my "me" time.


Set a time table for household chores
There's no need to sweep and mop the floor everyday. I know some people do that, but personally I find it unnecessary. I usually sweep every two or three days apart and mop twice a week. Also, if I am pressed for time, I usually vacuum on one day, and I mop on the following day. I also try to plan around my cooking so that I use as little dishes as possible to reduce washing, and I wash all my dishes only once in the evening, meaning after lunch I do not wash up but I just soak the dishes till evening.



get the child involved
My children hardly allows me to do anything in the house, unless I get them involved. That means that when I am washing some lettuce for my salad, I give them a piece of leaf to play and munch on. If I am busy cooking, I will let them play with some plates and bowls (unbreakable ones of course), or some plastic containers. Keep some toys in your kitchen cupboard and store them in a clean container, so that whenever you need them you can pass the toy to them as entertainment. If I'm taking out the laundry to dry, I will pass each of them a piece of laundry to help me bring it to the drying area. Then I will make them pick up the laundry and pass it to me while I'm hanging it out to dry.


Relax. Breathe
Actually I think we women always scares and doubt ourselves more than we should. I know some parents will try not to bring the kids out by themselves because they think it will be disastrous. But truth is, there's always a way to deal with the kids. And what's the worst that could happen? A meltdown? A lot of parents are scared of such scenarios and the embarrassment it brings, but truthfully anybody who is also a parent will empathize with you, although the real question we should think about is does their opinion really matters? So I say you should just try to relax and have fun and bring them to the lovely park for an outing! In all honesty, my twins have always behave better when I bring them out alone, than when I bring with out with another adult. It is like they know when to throw a tantrum. Weird right?

diverting attention
When a crying session is about to begin, I usually try the diverting attention method. This works 1000 times better than you trying to 'hush' your child or worse, tell them 'don't cry', it NEVER ever work. Either I draw their attention by pointing out to them there's something 'interesting' in some random direction, or I play peek-a-boo, or I sing a nursery rhyme, or give them a snack or drink. If all else fail, then it is ok to let your child cry for a while. Really. Even when the whole mall is looking at you. Don't worry, it won't scar anyone emotionally except you. (See the relax. Breathe. Tip above).

So thats my not-so-secret tips for handling my twins. do share with us any tips for handling twins as well. Stay strong mommies!

Weekend Pancakes

Start your weekend with some breakfast in bed. Here's a nice pancake recipe for those who prefer a crispier pancake. But this will be so good you'll be eating it anyday and time!

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour, sieved

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp unsalted butter (if you are using salted butter, then skip the salt above)

1 cup milk

1 large egg

Instructions

1. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mix well in a large bowl.


2. Using a nonstick pan, on low heat, gently melt the butter. The butter should not bubble or sizzle. When the butter is melted, pour in the milk and warm it up gently for about 1-2 minutes, the mixture should be just slightly warm. Stir gentle to avoid spilling.


3. In the flour mixture bowl, created a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the milk mixture in. Break the egg in as well, and using a whisk to mix the batter. Do not overmix, a few lumps are fine. You want the pancake to be fluffy and not chewy. Over mixing will result in a chewy pancake.


4. Using a kitchen towel, wipe up any remaining residue on the non stick pan you used earlier. Heat up the pan to medium heat.


5. using a ladle, scoop up the batter and spread in the pan. When you see bubbles on the pancake top, you can flip the pancake to cook the other side.


6. serve warm with your choice of topping

Tips
Some good topping ideas are fruits, ice cream, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar.

Ebi Rice Burger with Sesame Dressing

I was dining out on Saturday at this Japanese restaurant and we had this awesome Japanese sesame dressing for the salad. So I came home and did some research and testing, and I came up with something that was almost similar! Very yummy dressing for salad or as a dipping. I made a tasty shrimp patty for the burger and used the dressing for the burger, it was very tasty.

sesame dressing ingredients
3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
1tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp Mirin
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted and grounded
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce

instructions
Mix it all up!

Ebi patty
12 prawns, shelled and deveined
Dash of Salt to season
Dash of Pepper to season
1/2 cup panko or any bread crumbs
2 tbsp panko
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika powder
Oil for frying

instructions

Smack the prawns and flatten it with the side of a knife. Alternatively you can use a food mallet to flatten the prawn. If you prefer a more minced type of patty you can grind the prawns up in a food processor

Mix the 2 tbsp panko into the meat and combine. Once combined, take half of the meat and shape into a patty, making sure the patty is as even in thickness for even cooking. Place on a plastic sheet and wrap up, careful not to mess up the patty. Do the same for the remaining meat. Place both patties in the fridge and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Break the egg in a bowl and beat lightly. Place the 1/2 cup panko in a separate dry flat dish and mix in the onion, garlic and paprika powder. Place the flour in another dish. Take the prawn patties out, sprinkle salt and pepper over the patties, and carefully coat the patty first into the flour dish, followed by the beaten egg, lastly the panko mixture.

Fry immediately. Repeat the step above for the other patty.

Place on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Serve warm.

tips
I shaped my Japanese rice into rice disks and use it as a 'burger'. You can choose to use burger bun or just eat the patties by itself. Remember to drizzle the yummy dressing!

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Mrs Potato Moments

That's me, if I were a caricature. I would be a potato. Or so my hubby told me.

I believed I birthed some parts of my brains out when I was birthing my twins. How else can you explain why women become more scatterbrained after they have child(ren)??!!

Would someone please enlighten me?

I am unable to count the number of times I have forgotten to bring my phone out. It's either one of these scenarios: left phone at home when going out, charged phone but forgotten to turn it on, forgotten location of phone and phone ran out of batteries so there's no way to call it to locate it. Or even worse, losing it in public. My record for losing phone is amazing; the time that I lost both my phone AND my hubby's phone WITHIN the same week takes the cake.

And today yet another hilarious incident. My hubby told me this incident will go down in history.

I was busy preparing lunch for my hubby and I was packing the food. Just as I was leaving the house I called him, and over the phone I told him I was leaving the house and where to meet him etc etc, and my brain is like busy checking and making sure I got everything; my wallet, the kids, money, phone (that is on my ear at the moment) and the lunch. Then I locked the door.

Seems like I have gotten everything and as I was hanging up the phone, I reached for my purse and realize it is very 'light'. I opened it, oh no I forgotten my keys! Oh well, never mind I shall just take my hubby's when I meet him. As I stuff my phone into my purse, I realize it couldn't fit. Then it dawn on me I had taken our house cordless phone instead -______-

Seriously!!?!

When was the last time you had moments like that? Care to share? We would love to hear it!

P.S. my hubby always call me his big potato, because I am clumsy and blur like a potato. and he just called to tell me tonight he will come back and water his 'big potato'.