Little Joy Factory

Basil grows very well in my balcony as it gets almost 6 hours of full sun daily.  However, I don't harvest basil often as I only use a few leaves on bread or pizza.   Just a couple of weeks ago,  I discovered a  recipe for basil oil sauce, which can be used in many ways: drizzle over salads, on top of grilled meat or fish, mix it with rice for a delicious basil garlic rice, etc. So , I harvested 2 cup of basil and made a jar of basil oil sauce. It's fantastic ! Now the humble chicken thighs get a major upgrade with this sauce .

Try this oven-baked matchstick potatoes. It's fast and fabulous!  I baked them this morning before preparing our Sunday brunch.  It's a great snack and a much healthier choice as compared to traditional french fries. With olive oil, you don't have to worry about the calories. Healthy and delicious! I used 800g Holland potatoes bought from supermarket, peeled and sliced.  Tossed with olive oil and salt.  Baked for 30 minutes, added 2 sprigs fresh rosemary. Continued for another 5-10 minutes. Rosemary gives off herbal and subtly menthol fragrance, smells so fresh! Research said the smell could boost your memory and enhance the ability to remember events and to complete tasks at particular times. No wonder I texted a group of friends for the upcoming Christmas gathering, in the midst of baking these lovely matchstick potatoes! The memories of those days working in the training field kept flashing in my mind this morn...

Lately, Singapore has seen an explosion of new French/Italian restaurants.  I am lucky to have French and Italian colleagues around when looking for restaurants that serve good and authentic French/Italian food. These restaurants are tested and tasted by native people like my colleagues, offer really good deals.