Tuesday 29th December '09

Lunch at Work
Chicken Caesar Salad
With homemade dressing. Whole egg mayo, white wine vinegar and cracked black pepper.


Tonight Vernon and Victoria came over and we had a pizza night. I bought mini pizza bases and Victoria spread Leggo's tomato paste on each one. I prepared all the ingredients and we all went crazy throwing them on randomly.

ham, fresh basil from the garden, red capsicum, prawns,
red onion, pineapple slices, chopped garlic & lots of mozzarella!

Yum!

For dessert, we used the remaining bases to make dessert pizzas.

Now, this is the first time I've attempted to make a dessert pizza. I was hoping to find some Nutella in the pantry but we didn't have any. So...I melted some chocolate chips and made a paste which Victoria spread over the bases. Then we sliced (overly) ripe bananas and layered them on. Victoria crushed some walnuts and we scattered them on. Last, a sprinkling of drinking chocolate.

Banana, Chocolate & Walnut Pizzas

Served with cream and vanilla ice cream.

Vernon sprinkled some Nerd candy on his.

They were actually really good!

Monday 28th December '09

I've been house sitting for Ling and Shallen while they've been stuffing their faces in Malaysia. They brought me back some Malaysian coffee and vodka, but not necessarily to have together!

I was so thankful for the strong coffee because I was already beginning to nod off before lunch time.

Me on my laptop in the lab.

Dinner
Lobster & Prawns in Chilli & Garlic Butter
with Baby Cos and Butter Roasted Potatoes

The lobster meat was partially frozen still so I wrapped it up with some raw prawns, added chilli flakes, crushed garlic and a generous amount of butter, and baked it in the oven for about ten minutes.

The aromas that escaped when I opened the parcel were intoxicating!

Sunday 27th December '09

Lunch at Work
Rainbow Tuna Salad
Why rainbow? Because it's so colourful! I made it with some canned corn kernels, diced red capsicum, white onion and spring onions. Mix in a can of tuna just before serving and voila!


Afternoon Snack
Mum's Loh Mai Kai - sticky glutinous rice

With lots of Inghams chilli sauce of course!

After such a busy week, I showered and went to bed for an afternoon nap. I didn't get up until after 8pm, had dinner and then went back to bed.

Dinner
Pork & Prawn Bee Hoon soup

Saturday 26th December '09

The drive to work these past few mornings has been smooth and quiet. Barely a cyclist out on the road. Just the way I like it.

I didn't have to bother with putting something together for lunch today. Nadine brought me some leftovers from her family lunch yesterday and I couldn't wait to get stuck into it - I had an early lunch at about 10:30am!

Nadine's Mum's Zucchini stuffed with Lamb Mince & Rice

These were sooo good! Nadine had mentioned that although the side of rice was the same as the mixture they stuffed the zucchinis with, they tasted different. I concur!

I think I'll be asking for the recipe for this...


K's RESTAURANT
2/182 James Street, Northbridge
Jocelyn treated us to dinner tonight to celebrate her new job.

I've seen this restaurant many times but never actually tried it. Jocelyn says she and David go here quote often and they find that the set menus are of great value. I thought the menus would be available online, so I didn't bother to really read it or make notes of the dishes. I shall have to wing the descriptions!

The restaurant serves French and Japanese fusion.

We all had the $50 set menu.

starter: Consomme with Tofu
There was a layer of deliciously light and creamy tofu in the bottom of each ramikin. A nice simple soup that tasted very much like the sort of soup Mum makes.

1st course: Millefeuille of Chicken & Scallop
This dish looked stunning in its presentation, but in taste it was a bit odd. There were layers of cucumber between a slice of chicken breast and a scallop on the top. Served with a fusion of sauces such as miso, basil and chilli. I'm not sure that the chicken and scallop were a great combination.

2nd course: Seafood Spring Roll
These were pretty average spring rolls with the same three fusion sauces that accompanied the first entree. Again, the presentation was gorgeous.

3rd course: Salmon Carpaccio
This was delicious! Mum really liked it too.



main course: Beef Fillet
I asked for my steak medium rare and it was cooked perfectly.

I suppose in keeping with the Japanese influence, we were also given a bowl of steamed rice each to accompany our main dish.

David had the Creamy Seafood Croquettes

Mum and Jocelyn had the Fish of the Day, which was snapper.

dessert: Green Tea Brulee
My two favourite desserts are green tea ice cream and creme brulee. I could only make the one choice for dessert - two of my favourite desserts combined as one. Delicious!
Mum had the Mango Pudding

Friday 25th December '09

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Having decided to work Christmas this year, Adrijana and I enjoy a quiet little lunch together.

Creamy Garlic, Chilli & Basil Prawns Salad

Brown Brothers Moscato

Adrijana also brought in some home made Croatian sweets. I forgot to ask her to write all their names down so I'll update them later.



Back at home, I had a quick snack before going out to dinner.

Prawns in Bee Hoon Soup


CHRISTMAS DINNER AT THE LIM'S
Mum got the time wrong so instead of arriving at 7pm, we got there at the time we thought it started - 7:30pm. Everyone must have been famished while waiting for us so we all dug right in.

entree: Mango Salad

and Oysters Naturale

main: Lobster 2 Ways

with Olive Rice

Uncle Fong had timed the cooking of the lobsters so that they would be ready at 7pm so they were a little dry when we got to them. I felt so bad! I know how important timing is when it comes to plating up. I need to time every individual part of a dish so that it doesn't get overcooked, isn't undercooked, or goes cold waiting for other bits and pieces to cook. I felt the heartache.

Despite this, the lobsters were divine! Uncle Fong did them two ways - half was lobster mornay and the other half was with a garlic butter. Delicious! I was about half way through the garlic butter half when Vernon asked why I was making a 'mmm' sound after every mouthful. I didn't realise that I was doing that out loud! It was so good that I was moaning at every mouthful! haha

Vegetables, and the Bacon & Mustard Potato Salad that I made, using fresh thyme from our garden.

We also had a Ham that Victoria helped to glaze.

Some of our lobster shells.

Vernon. The master of disguise.

dessert: Sago in Syrup
I don't know what the name for the syrup is, but it tasted alot like gulab jamans that I've had before. Sweet, but not sickly sweet. To accompany dessert, Uncle Fong opened a bottle of Canadian Icewine. Mum enjoyed it so she wants to claim the bottle (that Christina sent back to me from Vancouver) as her own.


Expresso!

Me in Vernon's silly glasses.

I brought some giftwrapped bundles of sweets and the butter cookies I made for the kids' gifts.