WHEN PARANOIA SETS IN..
After a dramatic Friday, it all finally started to settle down over the weekend.. :)

Last Wed, Anousha started having fever.. gave her the paracetemol to bring the fever down.. the next day, she was still having fever and by the end of the day, it was at 38.2deg.. so on Fri morning (3rd day), when she was radiating heat as if i've just baked her, i asked Dearest to take urgent leave to take her to the docs..

A lot of things went thru my mind.. paranoia sets in coz i just watched "Rindu Raudhah" (based on a true story) on Wed am, about an 11yr old girl who was diagnosed with leukemia after a few days of having high fever.. if u've not followed my twitter earlier, u can guess that i cried the whole hour of the show lor.. :p So imagine my heightened paranoia when that high fever hit my daughter!...

So anyways, Dearest brought her to the polyclinic but got referred to KKH instead coz her fever was at a high of 39.2deg. They were there for the whole day juz coz she couldn't pee!.. and i can't believe she din pee from 11am lor!!... but the moment i open her pampers to bathe her, she pee-d!... i think she felt uncomfortable having a plastic thingie down there!.. hahahaha....

after all that drama, thank god it's juz another viral infection.. the doc believed it was some tummy virus but luckily she only had diarrhoea for a day.. her fever plummeted rite after the visit to the hospital!.. i think the "inserted" pill did wonders!!... Now, we've got plenty of supply of orange (stronger dosage) and pink "panadol" at home for future use.. ;)

I also dunno if it's coz she's sick the past few days but she slept more than usual.. hmmmm.... so another weekend came and gone without us going out anywhere! :( i certainly hope this wkend could be much better!!... :p

And because I was home the past 2 days, i have 2 new recipes to share actually.. one for the kids and one for the adults.. but will share with you guys soon enuff, yah... stay tuned.. ;)

SELAMAT BERAYA!
Here's wishing all my Muslim brothers and sisters a happy, happy hari raya haji!... :) for those who are doing their pilgrimage, "moga2 dapat haji yang mabrur, yah.." ;)

This year, we're stuck at home coz Eshan's down with chicky pox!.. missing out on the glorious food served at the 3 houses we're supposed to have gone today.. but howell!.. good also lah.. at least i know i won't be sooo tired tml when i go to work!.. hahahaa.. :p

oh!.. but dearest bro came with the fiance to come visit us and bring food from mummy's!.. yeay!!.... and just a couple of hours ago, the mak also called to ask Dearest to go there to get food... ;) so double yeay!!.. coz Dearest is there now collecting the food.. hehehhe....

Speaking of food, it's time for another recipe sharing.. this time, it's home-cooked Beef Lasagne that is soooo simple and sedaaaap, u won't want to eat Lasagne anywhere else ever again!.. hahahaha.. :p

The picture is no where near perfect and it certainly looked eek! But trust me, it's worth a try! Hope you'll like eating and making this dish for the family as much as we've enjoyed it! ;)

Ingredients:
for the Meat Sauce

450g Minced Beef

400g Tin of tomatoes

100g Mushrooms, sliced

1 Onion, chopped

1 clove Garlic, chopped

1/2 pint (300ml) Beef Stock

25g Butter

1 packet Lasagne (normally use only 4-5 sheets)

2 tbsp Cornflour dissolved in small amt of cold water (optional)

for the White Sauce
300ml Milk
25g Butter
25g Flour
50g Cheddar Cheese, grated

Mixed Herbs / Oregano (optional)

Directions:

To prepare the Meat Sauce, melt the butter and stir in the onions and garlic till fragrant. Stir fry the minced beef until brown. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and mushrooms. Cook for about 20mins to half an hour or until thick and rich. If necessary, add 2 tbsp of cornflour dissolved in a small amount of cold water to thicken.

Grease an oven proof dish. Preheat oven at 200 deg.

To make the Bechamel (White) Sauce, melt the butter, stir in the Flour and add the Milk, stirring until thickened. Add the grated Cheese until smooth. Add the herbs.

Layer the ingredients repeatedly, starting with the Meat Sauce, then the Lasagne (soak in water first), ending with the White Sauce.

Note: I normally layer the meat sauce and Lasagne first before doing the White sauce as it tends to thicken once it's cooled.

Sprinkle with some Parmesan Cheese/Mozarella/Cheddar Cheese on top and bake in the oven at 200 deg for about 45 mins. Serve with Parmesan Cheese.

Adapted from Utterly Recipes.

A "ROVER"
I tot being a "rover" was an easy task.. but gaaaah... it ain't tat easy afterall!..

1st day of work after a wk long absence is giving me a headache.. so many things to follow-up on and since i've volunteered to be a rover, y not rite??... so anyways, there was quite a big boo-boo that happened.. and i felt for the kids.. very kesian lor... they better do something abt it since it's clearly not the kids fault!..

anyways, after today, i got more freaked out abt the tot of having to "take on" these kids on a weekly basis!  i tot i'll only start next year but apparently, i start next week!... :( everybody seems to think i'll enjoy it and it'll be fine.. but somehow, i'm not feeling the confidence!.. gaaaah!...

i'll be observing a colleague this Thurs.. so i hope after that i'll be more confident.. and i hope the kids that i'm getting are the "kuai" ones too!!.... *fingers crossed*

NOT OVER...YET!
*surprise! surprise!* Eshan's now spotting all over!.. I don't need to go to the doctor to confirm it's chicken pox!.. just use Anousha's left over - can save the dollars from seeing the doc! :p

gaaaah... when is it going to be over?!. i've been "cooped up" at home the past 3 weekends!! :( i hope the parents will be home tml.. i wanna GO OUT and SHOP!!...

Anyways, this wkend is not so much of a worry.. it's the coming hari raya haji.. how eh??.. dun think we should go out visiting but very kesian rite?.. the boy has to be left behind??.. aiyaya.... why din the pox come out when he's having hfmd last week?!.... this is super frustrating!!

ANOUSHA TO SCHOOL

After almost 3wks of absence from school, we sent her back to school yesterday.. Upon reaching / seeing the building, she started wailing... When she saw the teacher, she cried but still stretched out her hands knowingly..

In the afternoon, upon seeing my arrival, she cried!... the teachers and i have deduced that it's her tears of joy!... hahahhaa.... but at least now, the teachers told me that she doesn't cry that much and that she's began to play with the toys.. i now wonder what she must've been doing those first few wks i left her in school..

But anyways, since i walked there instead of driving, i let her walked home too.. she looked soooo cute with her slippers and bag!!.. i din bring the camera when i fetch her so as soon as i reached home, i ran for the camera to take her picture!!..

in sch, she dun seem to want to drink her milk - not sure if it's coz she merajuk (or throwing tantrum that she's being "thrown" into sch).. but she does eat a lot.. i still laughed remembering what the teacher said on her 1st day at school..

"Anousha didn't drink any milk today but she ate lots of briyani!"

hahahahhaa.... my girl loves food lah.. wat can i say??... speaking of food, sharing another recipe.. Fried Wanton. I can't remember where i got this recipe from.. must be off some magazine coz i had it written on a pce of paper.. actually tried making this during my maternity leave.. it was delish!... TRY IT!!

Ingredients:

500g medium prawns, shelled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2tsp spring onions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp ginger, finely minced

for the Marinade:
1tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Minced prawns and add all ingredients.

Season with all marinade ingredients until well incorporated. Place in fridge and allow to marinade for at least 30mins.

Scoop 1/2 tsp to 1tsp of filling into 1 piece of wanton wrapper. Wet circumference of wanton wrapper and filling.

Seal wanton wrapper by twisting it just above filling. Repeat wrapping until all filling is used up.

Fry wanton until golden brown. Makes 35 to 40 pieces.

MANGOMISU

I'll be posting newly found, tried and tested recipes on this blog from now on.. it's easier to manage than to post at 2 different avenues..

 

It's also been a while since i last posted any new recipes... not tat i tried much more.. but there are certainly some recipes worth mentioning!!... :) for instance, one of my favourite - Mangomisu.. it's actually Tiramisu but mango-flavoured.. aaaaah... the mere mention of it has made me drooooool...

first saw it on a magazine cover of "Delicious".. it was sooo awe-inspiring that i JUST HAD TO TRY IT!!... hahahhaa.. it was very easy actually - fuss-free and no bake!.. but ooops!.. not for the pregnant or kids below 2 yrs old yah... and tat's y i've to stop making this for awhile coz Anousha will surely give me that sad, pitiful look if i dun give her at least a bite!... :p

But of coz my picture does injustice to the original picture.. but as long as it tastes good.. who cares?!.. :p

Ingredients:

500g mascarpone cheese

600ml thickened cream

1/3 cup (50g) icing sugar

2 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Juice of 3 large oranges*

300g sponge finger biscuits

3 mangoes, flesh sliced 1cm thick

Directions:

Line the base of a 22cm springform cake pan with plastic wrap or baking paper.

Place the cheese, cream, icing sugar, egg yolks and vanilla seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed until thick and well combined.

Dip half the sponge fingers into the orange juice and layer in the base of the cake pan. Spread with 1/3 of the cheese mixture and top with 1/3 of the mango slices. Repeat process, top with cheese mixture, reserving the mango slices to serve.

Cover cake and chill for 2hrs or until firm.

* Original recipe called for liquer with an orange flavour but i can't remember what it's called.

Adapted from: Dec09-Jan10 issue of Delicious magazine

I'M INFECTED..
I'm officially infected with HFMD!.. this is sooo embarrassing.. to be taking long MC on my first month of work!.. gaaaah!... '

according to the doc, it's very rare in adults coz our immune system should be able fight off the virus (well, my immune system has been pretty weak after delivering 2 kids!) and that i'm only his 2nd case.. but as far as i know, i'm the 3rd case of adults i know infected with HFMD..

luckily, mine is mild.. my mouth has ulcers and i've got blisters on my fingers and toes.. bleagh!!... can't talk or eat properly but at least i can still eat lah.. oh!.. and the parents dunno coz they'll freak out and not let me near Anousha!.. :p

and i can't afford that to happen coz i terribly miss her oredi.. we've brought her home yesterday and the 2 kids were extremely happy to be reunited!.. hahahaa.. soooo heart-warming.. ;) I figured since i'm not salivating (aka drooling like Eshan did) and will swear off sharing my food with her, hopefully she'll not be infected!... *fingers crossed!* for all you know she may have hfmd - mixed in with the poxes, one will never know.. hahahahaa... :p

caught up on my lack of sleep the past weeks and slept for half the day today!!... refreshed!!.. now off to pick up the kids.. cheerios!!

PAINFUL..
Took half day leave yest to take care of Eshan.. and it's confirm that he's got HFMD. There were no spots looking like chicken pox anywhere on his body. Even the HFMD rashes were no where in sight on his hands/feet. but i saw them appearing in the evening.. apalah nasib.. one got Chicken pox.. while the other has HFMD!

it's soooo, sooooo heart-wrenching to see him cry out in pain.. and it must be damn excruciating coz when it gets unbearable, he'll ask for the medicine (which he hate!).. i had to put on a brave front for him but crumbled when he sleeps.. :( i would trade my life to be in his shoes and spare him the pain.. really. And the blardy rashes keep coming up coz from being at his tongue and cheeks, it accumulated to the back of his mouth and lips.. he asked for food but he can't eat them coz it's too painful to chew and swallow..

god forbid this to happen to Anousha or to any other kids.. i still remembered an ex-colleague comment when SHE had chicken pox "feels like a thousand razor blades scratching the throat/mouth".. thousand ouches!!... if she, an adult felt tat way, wat more a kid? so, pls dear parents.. exercise social responsibility pls.. be hygienic and keep your sick child away from public till he/she is fully recovered, can??...

and bcoz i dun want this to spread to Anousha, i had to make a stern stand to separate both siblings.. so, she was at mummy's the whole day yest w/o seeing us.. poor thing.. i could only make it to mummy's at abt 11-ish pm coz it was sch-day for Dearest.. had to wait for him to come back, wash up and all before i can leave.. apparently, Anousha was up till 10.30ish; waiting for me coz she kept calling for "ma" and "abang".. ev'time they say mama's home, she would go to the door to look out for me.. haiizzzz... it's making me tear juz imagining her face now..

Only God knows what they're going thru and i pray with all my might for..

..Eshan to recover real soon and be his normal self..

..Anousha to be able to play with her brother and join us at home..

..Both me and Dearest to have the strength and immunity to go through this and not be sick while caring for them..



Amiiinn....

TAKING TURNS..
So.. after twittering abt Eshan showing no signs of spotting, he returned home last nite with a fever!.. kwang.. kwang.. kwang..

It's prolly his turn next.. I also just read cuzz msg on FB to tell me that she's recovering from another round of chix pox even though she's gotten a full-blown one as a child!... aisey!!... how like tat?!...

both me and Dearest have gotten our fair share of pox as a child.. as with my readings, if it happens again during our adulthood, it's shingles and as contagious!... my main worry is i dun want to be scarred lor!.. :( damn it!!...

anyways, Anousha's not scratching.. thank god!.. she only seemed to be scratching her head.. but i dun see much pox on her head.. but she refuses to let me apply the lotion on her.. i have to apply it on her while she's sleeping.. her face is also a no-go.. coz she'll wake up when she feels the lotion on her face.. haaaiizzz....

but like they say, let them get it now.. the scars would be gone faster and we dun have to worry abt them getting it later when they're having PSLE or Os.. hmmmm....