Happy Thanksgiving!

It has been a while again and since the last time I checked in, I’ve completed my internship, graduated, and am officially a full-time librarian! :) Life has been insane, of course, with hardly any free time to do much of anything else other than tackling the usual life responsibilities but nevertheless, we are thankful […]

Anchovy Fried Rice

I can’t believe I did not have this recipe on my blog prior to today. It is absolutely one of my faves! Yum! To prep the anchovies: 1/2 vegetable oil 1 (3.5-oz) package salted anchovies, rinsed once or twice Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add anchovies and fry until […]

Tau Hu Hua (Soybean Pudding)

Tau Hu Hua, Tau Fu Fah, Douhua – it doesn’t matter how you say or spell it, it refers to a silky tofu dessert that is typically served with plain or ginger-flavored sugar syrup…..although lately, I have preferred it with palm sugar syrup instead. It is deliciously light and refreshing during the hot summer days. Enjoy! […]

Beautiful Butterflies

Our garden is currently in full bloom and is attracting all sorts of flying insects including butterflies! We get mainly the Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and the Monarchs. The Monarchs are extremely skittish though (unlike the swallowtails)…..I can’t get too near to take photos of them. We have also seen hummingbirds but they are simply too […]

Pandan Plant

Look what arrived last Friday – a pandan plant! I have wanted one for years! So this one came from Florida…..it survived the shipping wonderfully. Now, it just has to survive me, lol! So far, so good! 🤞

Simple Steamed Banana Cake

So simple to make and absolutely delicious! ❤️❤️❤️ Slightly adapted from the Held by Love, Baked from Scratch Steam Banana Cake recipe 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour 1/2 cup palm sugar* 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/8 tsp baking soda 1/3 cup vegetable oil (plus a little more to oil the custard […]

Flowers Everywhere!

These are the flower beds in our front yard. The coneflowers and bee balms are massive this year – almost as tall as my shoulder! Might be time to divide the plants again – looks like they are outgrowing their space! 😳

Beautiful Daisies

This border of Shasta daisy in our backyard was created just a couple of years ago. We divided the daisies from our front yard and replanted small clumps of them here – look at how much they have grown and filled the space! ❤️

Simple Stir-Fried Noodles (Kway Teow)

How I miss the days when I can just walk to a nearby coffee shop and order a plate (or two) of noodles. Now, I have to exert some effort to satisfy a craving, lol. While this is not hawker stall quality, it is still good enough to appease. Enjoy! 1 pound dried flat rice […]

Rendering Lard

I managed to find a fantastic (local) source for leaf fat back in May and rendered a few pints of lard. You can enjoy the lard in baked goods, stir-fries, or use it in combination with another oil when deep-frying. Yum! For the life of me, I can’t find my notes on the exact steps […]