[Cook] Lasagne

My friend SY asked me how do I cook my pasta.

Hmmm, I have only ever cooked pasta in ragu, lasagne and spinach & ricotta canelloni . Oh not forgetting the instant Japanese mentaiko pasta sauce. Delish!

Here is the lasagne I cooked recently.

I am not the greatest cook in the world, nor am I the sort who (die-die) insist on cooking from scratch for every dish.

You need:

Lasagne sheets (I used dried store bought variety - 8 sheets)

A bottle of ragu (I used Bertolli oven roasted garlic with wine)

Bechemel sauce

Mince (beef or pork or chicken)

Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese (you could use other cheese you like)

Please google up bechemel sauce. They are dead easy. Alternatively you could use store bought one if you are time-strapped.

I think the whole world knows how to brown mince and pour over a bottle of ragu. If not, I suggest you visit the nearest restaurant :P.

Assemble:

1. Oil an oblong dish. Start by layering meat sauce, followed by bechemel sauce followed by cheese followed by lasagne sheets.

2. Repeat until all ingredients used up and finish with bechemel sauce topped with cheese. NOT lasgane sheet, very yucky!

3. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degree celcius for 45 minutes.

4. Voila, serve, enjoy!

[Fashion] Jalan-jalan at Westfield Garden City and Trde Secrets

Window displays at Westfield Garden City


More window displays at Westfield Garden City

Some pickings at Trade Secrets

******
Oi, who said fatty can't wear skinny jeans?


Aiyo, very awkward, don't know how to pose -_-'''

[Brisbane] Dolci Sapori

When I saw Dolci Sapori featured on Great Southeast, I knew I had to visit soon, very soon.

So we found ourselves in the neighbourhood the very next weekend (getting bagels in Brewbakers), shoot two birds with one stone.






Assorted traditional Italian sweets (sold by weight)

We got this lot for AUD11 (inclusive 10% tax).

Ar, mmm, er ...........

Well, er, nice fashionable? neighbourhood, I spotted a man with gel-slicked hair carrying a LV Musette sling XD.

Cool, way to go man.

[Family] Happy Birthday to BB!

Today is one of my beloved sisters' birthday.

Though we look 90% alike, she is also 90% prettier than me!

Many many happy returns!

Princess is only interested in the contents of the bag, hehe, ai sui the chabo.

*********

蕭敬騰 <同名專輯> rocks!

He has the golden touch of making every song uniquely good (other people's song and his own) and I doubt anyone is able to surpass his version.

The 'friendly rival' can balik kampung liao.

The 'rival's' super bling with super weird designer costumes concert, orz, no eye see.........

[Brisbane] Cafe Modena

Cafe Modena
293 Adelaide St
Brisbane QLD 4000
Website: www.cafemodena.com.au

One of the many quaint little cafes dotted around Brisbane's CBD. In fact, immediately next door is a modern industrial looking steel-minimalist decor cafe.

They use a special Dibella blend which I think specially concocted for them, called, yeah surprise, Modena.

Personally I am not really a fan of Dibella coffee. I much prefer Merlo.

But the genius bald barista at Modena is made famous in many coffee forums. So I die die must check out!

When I arrive, a lady is working the coffee machine. No sign of said bald barista. Utterly disappointed. Still, already here might as well give it a try.

Cappuccino

The milk is smooth and creamy. Nice crema colour on the milk giving the cappuccino a nice brown edge. Very well executed.

The coffee itself is good but not amazing.

I am no coffee connoissuer, I just know my like and dislike when I taste one.

Princess enjoying muffins.

Cafe Modena has this promo, a coffee and 3 mini home made muffins/a danish for A$5.50.

The muffins are average, just like those I bake at home.

Nice comfy place for a quick break.

[Shopping] Onitsuka Tiger R55 for Mini

Add some bling into our attire.

Enter the collaboration between two highly unrelated companies, Onitsuka and Mini (as in motor).


Silver R55

Super stylish. Me like (though not a fan of sneakers, these I can tolerate).


Mini logo at rear, hide it by turning down the flap.

These are limited edition. Big King got them online. Get yours quick.

[Princess] Princess in Slippers

Pretty cow print ballerina slippers. Princess loves the ribbon and pink cushy lining inside.

Please ignore the ill-matched purple socks haha!

Pretty strawberry motifs havaianas. She wears them riding bicycle, go shopping in nearby Coles supermarket and to the beach.

I also own a pair of black havaianas with silver metallic thongs. Its for um, market day? Oh ok, I don't know why I got them, I hardly wear them. I prefer pretty girly sandals and flats.

[Brisbane] Gelato @ Bella Donna

Gelateria Bella Donna
Shop 13 Central Brunswick
335-421 Brunswick St
Fortitude Valley




Piazza (some kind of coffee flavour) and some Italian biccies flavour

Can't remember what they taste like orz.........

I am more interested in the Grill'd burger joint next door.............Must try next time.

While waiting for Big King to finish running errands in the City, I brought Princess to James St Market to look see.

She nagged and pulled me towards Quench (juice and gelato bar) while I was browsing in Spoon Deli and seriously checking out Lick's dark chocolate couverture ice-cream.

She insisted on feeding herself.

And I had a hard time wiping after her.


White choc nutella and peanut butter choco chip

We prefer the white choc nutella. The choco chip tasted funny like emulsified oil, eeeeeeeeee........

*******

(Fiction, I am Miss story-writing wannabe)

M never object to children having ice-cream.

Once upon a time, D had this cough for a long time.

Her mum asked the brother why she kept coughing and never get better. Aiya, deity meh, everything also know?

During the day, D must have her daily ice-cream dose after lunch.

At night, she was given cold watermelon for fruit.

M kepoh and told D she should stop eating cold watermelon and have the apple instead.

Dang dang dang dang, D's grandfather straighaway gave M a stern look and said in a raised voice, 'D will (emphasise) have whatever she want, never you mind.'

D's mother came and said nevermindlah kid mah, they want, give lor. And told D next day she cannot have ice-cream and reminded the parents not to give.

M was only concern mah, cheh.

Next day, after lunch, D asked for ice-cream again. M kepoh kepoh again and asked if she remembered what her mum said the previous night. (Will M ever stop meddling into other people's business tsk tsk tsk)

D sulked (and put up a pretended-to-cry face) and went to tell the grandfather.

So young and old, barged back in the kitchen, retrieved the ice-cream and bang the fridge door.

The old said, 'I say D can (high pitch) have her ice-cream. One ice-cream will not do any harm.'

Later that night, D's mum asked if she had taken ice-cream during the day.

Young and old, silence, didn't dare to tell.

M diam diam (no more kepoh kepoh-ing).

Both young and old finally lied and said no.

Yeah, whatever........

*******

(Not related to above story)

You think I had only one opposition force to deal with?

Acceptance is a virtue?

Patience is a virtue?

Silence is a virtue?

Suffering in silence is a greater virtue?

[Brisbane] Gillian Hirst's Sandcrab Lasagne

Available at all good delis for A$19.90.



Best to have it as an entree. A quarter of it.

I ate 2 mouthful and started to feel jelak (sated).

The rest was forced into the mouth. Didn't enjoy any of it AT ALL. What a waste of money.

Cheapskate really have to stay away from posh food.

Had it for lunch and still feel gali (sick from food) come next day's lunch. Urggggh.

It's fine if you love it to death. It's just not for me.

[Brisbane] Half Time Tea Bar

Don't have the exact address. It's newly opened last month just next to the Yuen's Supermarket in Market Square, Sunnybank.

It used to be a hole in a wall place beside Wellcome Supermarket at nearby Sunnybank Plaza. The exact same spot is replaced by yet another breakfast/lunch joint.

It has been my no.1 favourite breakfast haunt since I first discovered it. Not that I don't love my eggs and sausages.......


The Chinese name is quite amusing, totally off-radar from it's adopted English name.

Literally translated the place should be called 'round fate garden' which means round-up of fate garden?? Please correct if I am wrong. My Chinese 'level' sucks.

And all three words has the same pronunciation; yuan yuan yuan. If you go often you'll come out yuan (round) also, cos the food is good. One could have food overload without realising, ahahaha.

My favourite three items are (top to bottom) pan-fried vegetarian bun, egg pancake and glutinous rice patty.

The glutinous rice patty is filled with chinese crullers (you tiao), pickled vegetables (sweet chai poh and cha chai) and pork floss (braised egg missing *sob*). Yum, yum, yum!

Thre are lots more breakfast items like scallions pancake, porridge, fried noodles and some Taiwanese street food. Oh, the place is self-service.

Cheap and delicious. High C/P.

[Brisbane] Yum Cha @ Shangri-La

Shangri-la
Level Ground, Shop 1
309 Mains Rd
Sunnybank
Qld 4109



This restaurant is 'hidden' inside an office block. We will never venture inside if not highly recommended.

Yum cha on weekend is always busy but I am surprised to see how cramp the place is. Tables are in such close proximity to each other that I felt like I might as well be sitting in the next table. And listen involuntarily into their converstaions, orz........

Nothing really stands out but the egg tarts here are especially good. The custard silky smooth and slid down the throat with no effort. However, I have never taken a liking to puff pastry egg tarts, the base always seeps in oil. Urrrrgh...

Yes, you guessed. I haven't got round to write about my favourite yum-cha place yet. I haven't taken any photos, the food were too good to remember whipping out my camera.

[Brisbane] Malaya Corner

Here, second chance given (not that they need our business desperately).


Pork chop baked rice

The nicely charred top makes this look absolutely appetising. Pork chop well marinated and fried rice very tasty. No jelak after effect.

The same can't be said for the similar dish at a restaurant in Sunnybank Plaza....

Combination eggy sauce kway teow (broad rice noodles)

Every now and then I crave for wat tan hor (eggy sauce kway teow), this is the best I have had in a while, long long while. Full of wok hei with tender beef and seafood and runny egg. My ultimate comfort food.

The best is still the one I had in KL in this place called 'Under a Big Tree Tai Chow' translated directly from Chinese (address unknown). I have no idea of its English name. There is also a stall run by the owner's son directly opposite, offering exactly the same dishes.

Service is brisk, though my order of kway teow took a while to come. Big King had finished his rice while the kway teow still no sign.

We appealed to the wait staff and it was quickly rectified.

All the previous staff we encountered were nowhere to be seen. Not a single one. Relief.