Preparing my mind for a simple and cheap birthday meal

This year we are extra tight financially especially towards the end of the year where the rainy season is here. Rain is no good for our business. Rain is no good for my birthday too. :( Knowing our financial status, I cannot ask for anything expensive. No wasting money for non essential stuff like facial therapy or foot reflexology which I used to get on my birthday in the previous years. I love beef especially beef steak. I did not have it on my last birthday. I think we were short of cash also then. I wanted to dine in a fine restaurant this year and have my beef steak (no money issue set aside, spend first, worry about money later :P) BUT hubby has to work on my birthday till after dinner time. Okay lar, I shall forgo my craving for beef steak. Not pregnant so no reason to fulfill that craving. I will ask for birthday supper then...2 pieces of roti canai kosong with a glass of teh tarik. No need to hear hubby grumble about the meal price after paying. :P Most importantly, it is the thought that counts and the company I'm with on my birthday. :D

What Do You Want To Eat?

One of the toughest questions for me to answer is when hubby asked me "What do you want to eat?" Why? I have expensive taste in food. Expensive to hubby but not to me coz I use to earn my own moolah and spending my money to eat food that I like which is quite pricey. So, when hubby asked me "What do you want to eat?" The food that comes to my mind are Beef steak, steamboat, Korean BBQ, Cheese Lobster with Beehoon, Chicken Mozzarella, Fish n Chips, Chicken Chop or even McD. Then really strikes, hubby is the one who is going to pay for the meal. So, I have to change channel to hawker stall's food. Sucks right? :( How I wish I am still earning more than 2k/mth again.

Where to buy cheap Spring Roll?

Ya! Where to buy cheap Spring Roll in Melaka? Not only cheap, it must be fresh, moist and taste nice too. My mom bought for me 2 Spring Roll this morning from Pasar Malim Jaya. It cost only RM4.50 for one standard size roll. The normal price selling at cake shop is RM5.50. Cheap right? And the Spring Roll is so soft and moist. Not those dry ones that can make you choke by eating it if you don't down it with some water.

Stainless Steel Pot

Since I started cooking after the family maid left, how I wish I could change all the pots in the kitchen to a stainless steel pots. It is easier to wash, it heats up faster and it does not rust or corrodes when cooking food that is acidic. I tried cooking using my mom's Frymaster stainless steel pot once. I especially like how it heats up fast and cook my food faster too. Since I often need to rush in preparing lunch/dinner, this kind of stainless steel pot is perfect for me.

Belated Fullmoon Celebration

Thanks to my Singh BIL, we did have a fullmoon celebration for my last baby. Thanks to his generosity, we did not feel much pinch spending for the party. We used up all my baby's angpow money though. But it is ok, we are happy and our guests were happy too. Most of all we are able to bless others. That is the main reason for this celebration. To bless those whom have been supporting us in prayer, kinds and encouragement. I feel like having another celebration party when my baby turns one year old. I love the fellowship and having so many people around the house. :)

Pizza Hut's Personal Pan Pizza for RM1 Only

Yesterday I ate the cheapest personal pan pizza; Beef Pepperoni Delight from Pizza Hut. I paid RM1.05 (tax included) only! Wanna know how I can get this amazing deal? Just buy 2 RM15 Hot ticket and you are entitle to buy any of Pizza Hut's Family Favorite personal pan pizza at RM1. I still have 2 more Hot Tickets, shall keep it when I crave for pizza again. Btw, offer valid till 30 Jun 2012.

How To Save Money from Breakfast

Do you realise that breakfast is quite costly? Especially the Chinese breakfast. A plate of Chicken Rice is RM3.50, Wantan Mee is RM3.00 and even the plain fried noodle with taugeh only cost RM2.00. The Malay breakfast is cheaper. You can still get Nasi Lemak for RM1.00 and Roti Canai for RM0.80/piece BUT you have to buy 2 each to get the same value as those Chinese Breakfast. The cheapest is buy a loaf of bread and eat them with jam and butter. Takkan wanna eat sliced bread every day. There is another cheapest breakfast in town. This has been the breakfast for the poor and those with many children - LEMPENG. My MIL used to feed her 11 children lempeng every day for breakfast and now I am doing the same but not every day lar. Buy a kilo of flour at RM1.35; you can make more than 10 pcs of lempeng. I'll share how to make lempeng in my next post. ;)

Cheapest 8 course wedding luncheon

On Easter we had the cheapest 8 course wedding luncheon. We attended an Easter Sunday Evangelistic Service followed by lunch. The service and lunch were held in a school hall. We paid RM10 only for each person. The actual cost per person is RM16; RM6 is subsided by our church. It is only RM160 per table!

The menu is as below and the food taste delicious too.

1. 5 Season Cold Dish
2. Steamed Herbal Chicken
3. Assam Siakap Fish
4. Steamed Buns with Stewed Pork
5. Fried Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf
6. Braised Baby Bok Choi with abalone mushroom
7. Fried Prawns
8. A small box of Ice Cream each

And there were only 3 adults and 6 children at our table. My family and a father with his 2 young girls. Their have to leave to go somewhere after the 5th course. Hubby and I ate until we surrender. I even pack some prawns home! hahahaha. Time for creatine powders!!!

Where to buy diet pill that works

We live in the world of culinary wonders. Even the sick can't resist all the good and delicious food that has been created over time. Those that do not have self control suffer living with an extra size and weight. Well, not many suffer, some couldn't be bother to exercise or find diet pill that works. They just eat and eat and eat to the extend that they can't even lift their butt of the sofa. Will you be one of them soon?

No Homemade Cookies This Chinese New Year

Due to busyness, this year I don't have time to bake any cookies for Chinese New Year. I am not so sure whether I can help my mom bake pineapple tarts this time around.

My daily schedule is very packed. The little time that I have in between, I'll try to catch a short nap or go online. To bake, I need plenty of time which I don't have.

I hope other in laws that are not so busy would bring home some cookies. If not, we will just buy some from the night market.

Eating and Feasting

The school holiday is almost over. Can't wait for the to start schooling again and I can go back to my normal routine. In times like this I like routines.

Eating Spree is going to end soon. I am sure most of us have been eating and feasting throughout this school holiday. There will be wedding dinner, housewarming party, birthday party, fullmoon party, blogger gathering etc.

I read that Liporexall is a terrific weight loss supplement that contains 11 clinically proven ingredients! I am sure some of you will be needing this. LOL

One More Birthday Party To Go

We had a combine birthday celebration last Sunday to celebrate all the June babies in my family; my son is one of them. We had fun baking cake and cupcakes and the best part was decorating them. =)

This Saturday, we are attending another birthday party of a twins; Chinnee's Bumbo Boys. I am sure there will be lots of good food and cakes. And I thank God that I am fully breastfeeding my baby. :P

To those does not breastfeed and lazy to exercise or no time to exercise and have lots of birthday parties to attend, you better check out this top weight loss products. You will surely need those diet pills. LOL.

Forgetful Caterer

We had Housewarming Party on Saturday; eldest BIL's shifted to a new double storey cornet house. Food was delayed and insufficient. The caterer forgotten about it even though he was reminded about it the day before. It seems that this is not the first time he forgets! How to do business if you are so forgetful???

Anyway, thank God that the food was insufficient, if not we will surely eat till we drop and hunt for diet pills the day after! LOL.

Where is My Bak Kut Teh

During my pregnancy, I often ate Bak Kut Teh. So when I was at the foodcourt yesterday, I ordered Bak Kut Teh. Unfortunately, my order did not arrive!

I doubt he can forget my order because I saw him wrote my order in his order list. Maybe he missed it. That is the disadvantage dining in a famous foodcourt. They received so many orders and it is a one man show. He cooks and he delivers.

I can go re-order but surely I have to wait again which my growling tummy won't be allowing it so we ordered Wantan Mee which is fast to cook and fast to eat.

Restaurant or Foodcourt

We were out shopping last night. As usual, the option of where to eat is mine. I was contemplating to dine in a fine restaurant to enjoy a piece of beef steak but since we have spent a lot, I decided to head to the foodcourt. We have Claypot Chicken Rice, Pork Intestine Soup, 2 bowls of Wantan Mee, 2 cans of 100Plus and 2 cups of Watermelon juice. Amount spent is less than a piece of beef steak and everyone went home with a full tummy. =D

Black Pepper Crabs

This not presentable Black Pepper Crabs cost us RM74.00! There were only 2 crabs in that plate. I didn't know how it tasted like because I still can't eat any seafood except certain kind of fish until this May 26 (one of the confinement dos and donts).

This is the reason I will never order any crab dishes when dining out. It is darn expensive and no value for money. With the same amount of money spent, I can buy 3 kilos of crab and cook on my own.

But then what to do, my brother said that the crab dish at the restaurant (can't remember the name; too Chinese) is good and wanted our parents to try. If not because of my mom's birthday, I will surely skip this meal. =P

RM15 for Ambiance

We had a wonderful time eating at Seoul Garden 2 days ago. Ok lar, I am exaggerating a lil bit. :P It was a special day so I picked a restaurant that is above average that comes with ambiance. We paid RM15 per person for the ambiance.

Well, the price of the ambiance was not stated in our bill but if we were to dine at Carry-On, we will be paying less RM15 per person for a BBQ Steamboat.

For RM15...

1. We got a bigger table.
2. Less crowded restaurant.
3. Less noise.
4. Cleaner floor and wall.
5. Our hair did not smell of BBQ smoke.
6. They have ice-cream and ABC.
7. More choices of dipping sauce.

Anyway, it is only once in a year we celebrate wedding anniversary and I have a newborn with me. I needed the space for my stroller and the privacy to breastfeed. A clean place is a must too.

Dear, you should thank me for not picking Holiday Inn. Sure a big hole in your pocket. :P

Buffet Dinner is RM70++

My wedding anniversary is approaching and as usual the choice of fine dining and places to go is mine. Hubby, surprise me sometimes lar. :P

So I was thinking that since I have to eat a lot now (I just discovered that the more I eat the more breastmilk I have. I want that so that my baby will be well fed.), let's go for buffet dinner. It will be value for money.

After asking a guy who loves eating, he recommended EQ or Holiday Inn. So I went to check their buffet dinner price. If I am not mistaken, I saw RM70++ for a buffet dinner in EQ! My eyes almost pop out; since when they added RM20 to it?

So I told hubby on Gmail chat. "KENSEL." (cancel). His replied, "LOL."

My budget for both of us is only RM100. Call me cheapskate but we don't have the luxury to spend so much for a dinner that we will poop out the next day. :P

Btw, I can't simply makan (eat) any food coz I am still in confinement. No unclean food. Don't think I can take beef either. :(

So now, where can we go?

Wedding Anniversary Coming Soon

My 8th wedding anniversary is coming soon. I wonder whether I will get any fashion jewelry from hubby this time. Normally we will go for a dinner and a movie but this year, we can't do that because I am still in confinement. My confinement will only be over when my newborn is 1 month old; that will be on May 16.

During confinement, the mother cannot go out and be exposed to too much wind, she cannot bath or wash her hair for the whole month (I broke this rule!) and she can only eat certain kind of food to strengthen her body again after the child birth.

Let's see when the day come. I might break this one month rule too! LOL

Everyday Supper

I have been eating supper almost everyday now. My supper time is around 12 midnight to 2.30am right before I go to bed. Thanks to pregnancy, I don't have to worry about weight gain.

I can still do the same after giving birth provided I fully breastfeed my baby which I intended too but once baby wean off and I continue eating supper, I will surely need Lipovox.