'tis the season to be jolly (which equates to being well-fed)

Chistmas really is the season for lots of feasting... not that i am complaining...
our Christmas tree at home! it started off as a gold/red/silver/orange tree but my mom found it too bare so out the window went the colour scheme...

dinner on Christmas Eve was a nice homey affair with a feast that my mom (and i) prepared.we had a rack of glazed ribs - baked in the oven before being put on the grill pan and brushed with a BBQ sauce and meat juices glaze.
sambal prawns - my mom made the sauce and then only added in the prawns at the last moment before turning off the fire and leaving the pot covered so that the prawns will not be overcooked.
baked portobello mushrooms stuffed with breadcrumbs and bacon bits mixed in olive oil (to hold it all together).
i made an avocado and prawn started with homemade mayonaise (egg yolk, wholegrain mustard, salt, pepper) because my mom said she doesnt like avocado so i told her she had to buy it from the market so that i can change her opinion...
my mom baked lobster but it didnt come out all red so she grilled it over the fire on our grill pan - the meat got overcooked then and became a bit icky... such a waste though...
crayfish - see how yummy the flesh looks? think it turned out better than our lobster...
roasted vegetables for the fibre and colour! mmmmm...
my mom even made her own cranberry sauce! (though we didnt have turkey - she was so excited about her vegetable stall at the market having cranberries that she spontaneously decided to try)

Christmas Day dinner was cooked by me (with my mom's help in prep of ingredients) since she cooked a fabulous lunch of rendang that had been slow-cooking from the night before.
pineapple rice with loads of FRESH pineapple (no scrimping on this!), lap cheong, dried shrimp and shallots.
of course we needed greens! my family MUST have greens at every meal.
and i made lamb chops! used the recipe i created for the Elim Christmas dinner and made it for my parents. marinated it all afternoon which made the smell of the meat go away. think the recipe is a keeper. :)

Boxing Day lunch was a trip to Chilli Padi (the one that always has those little stalls in malls selling their kuehs, chilli sauces, mee siam, laksa [both nonya and penang]) at Bras Besah Road (just opposite Bugis Junction) for their buffet - only $9!
yam cake and mee siam... note the small bowls provided so that you will take smaller portions and not waste!
nonya laksa with some chilli on the side for the "kick" - pretty good but you cant do without the chilli or else it just tastes like a coconut soup.
chicken macaroni (never knew it was nonya in any way... hmmm...) with loads of chilli padi. very stocky soup if not a bit too salty.
nasi lemak with loads of extras like curry chicken and nonya chap chye.
gado gado - the sauce was REALLY good! we had loads of this!
nonya kueh! what nonya meal would be complete without it? :) the onde onde was yummy!

flying off tomorrow morning - spending New Year's in Coventry. time to get put the cooking gear for a big party at 72 (because they have a proper dining table!)