More than words

Came across this very interesting article about the power of words from the Feb issue of Reader's Digest. Luckily the list is not too long, therefore, I can put it up here for you. :)

- Aegilops - the longest word with letters in alphabetical order
- Queuing - the longest word with 180-degree symmetry
- Stressed and Desserts - the longest words that can be reversed
- Esophagographers - the longest word in which all letters appear twice
- Strengths - the longest word that has only one vowel
- Stewardess - the longest word that can be typed with the left hand
- Dermatoglyphics - the longest word without repeating a letter
- Latchstring - longest run of consonants
- Screeched - longest one-syllable word
- Honorificabilitudinitatibus - the longest word to alternate consonants and vowels

Picture of the day

Just to share this picture I found from a website. I really like it. :)


Source : Etsy

Spoiler!

Somehow, days don't go by "normally" if THAT woman didn't do or say something stupid or insensitive. Her voice was loud enough for all the 9 people in the office to hear...

She : "Are you expecting?"
Me (a bit sheepish and lowering my voice) : "No."
She : (giving her trademark irritating laugh) "Oh... haha. I thought you were. Looks a bit like it." *and she went on to touch my tummy like she was my mummy!*
Me : (trying not to slap her while pretending to laugh with her) "No la... I just got fatter..."
She : (still laughing that witchery laugh) "No la, no la. Must be those tangerines that you've eaten these days. Must have at least 30 of them inside."
Me : (still trying to hold onto my temper) "Hur hur... must be."

And I left the office without looking back. (and feeling fat!)

新年快乐

祝 大家

身体健康

心想事成

恭喜发财

Salt and Pepper Chicken

The weekend marked the first time trying my hand at deep-frying. Ok, I think it didn't really amount to a really "deep" frying, but it was enough to bring out a slightly disgruntled "why are you deep-frying?" from the husband, and had the smell of fried chicken in my hair for the rest of the night even after a long wash.

Despite me carrying the fried chicken odour around for the rest of the evening, I was really glad that the chicken strips actually turned out to be quite tasty. The difference between this and my previous attempt of baking the chicken strips is that the fried chicken still remained tender and soft compared to the oven-baked one. I might try this again, maybe with just normal shallow frying and see how it turns out.

Salt and Pepper Chicken
(adapted from Quick and Easy Workday Dinners)

4 servings

Ingredients :

- 1/3 cup (40g) plain flour
- 3/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 750g chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) peanut oil

Directions :

1) Combine the flour, five-spice powder, sea salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the chicken strips in the flour until well coated.

2) Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in 3 batches and cook, turning, for about 3 minutes, or until browned. Drain on crumpled paper towels.

Aromatic Noodles with Seared Salmon

I've decided to give myself a treat by getting 5 tiger prawns for $2 to cook with the noodles, when in fact, the actual recipe suggests salmon. But as I was having brunch alone over the weekend, it was more practical to get prawns rather than a whole piece of salmon which I could never finish alone. I think it doesn't matter what kind of seafood you use. The main point is the noodles.

It might seemed a lot of ingredients just to fry the noodles, but it sure turned out good. I really like the distinct taste of ginger that comes along with every bite. However, I omitted the fish sauce as I didn't think it wise to buy one whole bottle just for this dish. So, I'm not sure whether there would be much difference with it or not. And I didn't buy soba noodles as suggested, but used my leftover noodles from a previous dish.

Aromatic Noodles with Seared Salmon

(adapted from Marie Claire : Easy by Michele Cranston)

4 servings

Ingredients :

- 7 ounces soba noodles

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- four 6-ounce salmon fillets

- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

- 2 garlic cloves, crushed

- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

- 2 large red chillies, seeded and finely chopped

- 4 scallions (spring onions), finely sliced

- 1 teaspoon lime juice

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1 teaspoon fish sauce

- 1 bunch garlic chives (about 1 ounce), snipped into 3/4-inch lengths

Directions :

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the noodles until they are al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside.

2) Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat and add half the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the salmon, skin side down, and cook for 1 minute. Turn over and cook for an additional 2 minutes before removing from the pan.

3) Drain the oil from the pan and return it to the heat. Add the sesame oil and the rest of the olive oil. Add the ginger, garlic, chillies, scallions, lime juice, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

4) Add the noodles, tossing until they are nicely coated. Remove from the heat. Add the chives. Toss again. Divide the noodles between four bowls and top with the salmon.

Inspiring Story

Picked up this article from my Manager via email.. This story is inspiring and with what I have experienced these past 2 weeks, it really summarises and came to me at the right time.. I dunno if you'll learn anything from reading this, but I hope it inspires you in one way or another.. =)

At 87, Rose decided to attend college. She became such a hit on the campus that she was asked to speak at the Football Banquet. Here is her speech: 'We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humour every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.'

She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.' She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the end of the year, Rose finished the college degree she had begun years ago. One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it! These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE. REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.

Getting fidgety

I'm not sure whether it's the relief of getting rid of year 2008, or that year 2009 has gotten a quick "bite" at me. I suddenly feel the need to get moving. There is this button in me that is just slightly out of reach, waiting to be pushed. And I'm pretty sure that once the deed is done, I'm soooo going to move, run, jump, roll... whatever.

You know what I mean.