West Side Market in Cleveland

Yesterday, we decided to make a quick trip to the West Side Market in Cleveland (okay, Keith and I decided and Alex had no say but to tag along…sure is hard being a kid :D). Although WSM is supposedly a great foodie destination in Cleveland (and considering we live just 45 minutes away), we hardly ever visit it. That place is […]

Alex Sledding for the First Time

Being a sensory-sensitive child, Alex is often fearful and anxious of new experiences, which unfortunately prevents him from trying a lot of activities. So last Monday, when my friend invited us to go sledding, I left it to Alex to decide if he would like to give it a go as he never wanted to go sledding in […]

Chicken and Vegetable Spring Rolls

Update (2/19/15): I had previously listed ground chicken as the main protein in the spring rolls. I love it for convenience sake but have found that it creates a filling that is too wet and therefore, more likely to tear the spring roll wrappers. Hence, I’ve replaced it with diced chicken breast. Also, there will be […]

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pineapple Tarts

Next up is CNY treat #5 – the extremely time-consuming, labor-intensive, but oh so delicious Pineapple Tarts! This time, I decided to try Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover’s latest melt-in-your-mouth dough recipe. If there is any doubt that this is truly melt-in-your-mouth, let me dispel that notion right now. It is the ultimate, most tender Pineapple […]

Crispy Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Crunch! Hear the sound? No? I guess you’ll just have to make these delicious cookies yourself. Back when I was growing up, the only kind of cookies that I liked were the crispy ones. It took me a while to learn to appreciate the soft, chewy kinds that are commonly found here but my first love will always […]

Valentine’s Steamboat

We finally had our belated Valentine’s meal tonight, and for the special occasion, I decided to do a steamboat. Also known as a hot pot, a steamboat consists of a simmering pot of broth placed right at the dining table, to which raw ingredients are continuously added to the broth and cooked on the spot. Now, if you are […]

On Facebook

Hello everyone, I would just like to let you know that Simple Pleasures in our Lives is now on Facebook. I finally caved in and decided to create a fan page for the blog. Hopefully, that’ll make it easier for those on FB to follow and make comments. :D We had a wonderful CNY Eve dinner yesterday, […]

Nian Gao (Chinese New Year Sticky Cake)

On the day I was making the peanut cookies, I was making CNY treat #2 at the same time. :D The Nian Gao batter was quick and easy to put together, and all I had to do was keep an eye on the steamer to make sure it did not run out of water. What’s so special about eating Nian Gao at […]