We host a home party for this same group of friends from time to time. I call this group of friends from my wife's ex school mates as H.S.B.C. which I mooted the idea to provide companionship and care because they are all singles working professionals in Kuala Lumpur. H.S.B.C. means "Happy Single Bachelor Club" as they consist of Spinsters, Bachelors, Divorcees and Single Parents. This idea would add colours to their lives and they no longer feel alone and miserable having to eat dinners or watch movies alone. We would always extend our invitations to them and they welcomed it! Even our humble home's door is open to them anytime when they wanted to find a place to laze, loiter or finish their office work at my place over the weekends.
Earlier on, we held thematic home parties with exotic food ranging from Thais, Chinese and even making their own Pan Mee from scratch at the dining table. It was all for the fun of it! Last Saturday, I hosted the Western Meals Dinner using my Mario's Spaghetti recipe taught by my Italian house mate in US. Our H.S.B.C. guests loved it and all ate 2-3 plates full of spaghetti like a mountain. I was so happy to see these contented gluttons!
Preview of the Menu. #1 Mario's Spaghetti
#2 Passion Fruit Salad | #3 Fresh Pumpkin Soup
#4 Princess Hong's Loaded Potato Skins.
My wife made her appetizing salad and yummy pumpkin soup while I cooked the spaghetti & baked the potato skins. I will share the easy steps of making the Loaded Potato Skins which I copied from this Princess Hong Blogger who once famously wore her Cinderella Slippers to attend a wedding reception at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. I followed the steps and ideas from her recipes but the ingredients & weight was churned straight from my coconut head. My wife was stunned and asked how on earth I could cook without any measurements? I replied, this is my mum's Thai styles using agak-agak method and dip to taste from minute to minute till perfection. Bingo!!!
I bought 7 large Rossett Potatoes and washed them very
thoroughly using steel wool! All dirts, grime and whatever
manure feces were removed. I am pretty sure that most of
our cheap potatoes come from India & China where the farmers
used all types of animals' manure as fertilizers! Clean them!
Rubbed them with Extra Virgin Olive oil and baked
them at 200 degrees C for about 30 minutes. Use
a stick to poke to make sure it is cooked. Mine took
extra long and I guess I need a new oven!!
Let the potatoes to cool a bit before cutting them into halves.
Let them cool longer while I went to cook the fillings.
Let them cool longer while I went to cook the fillings.
Later, I used a curved fruit knife and spoon to dig out
all the flesh of the cooled potatoes. I saved the flesh into a container
to make Shepard's Pie later next week. After digging,
brush the potatoes again both sides with olive oil and
pop back to the oven again for 7 minutes till crispy.
The empty shells of potato skins were baked facing up
and down which took about 7 minutes each time till crisp.
Oh dear, I forgot to take photos of the fillings!
It was just tiny bits of marinated minced pork meat fried with
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, salt, pepper, chopped garlic,
green pepper, diced tomato bits and topped with
Mozzarella Cheese. When the guests arrived, I popped this
into the oven till the mozzarella cheese melted.
Trust me it smelled so heavenly!
I put sour cream on top of the baked potato skins
and sprinkled more tomato bits & chopped spring
onions! Bingo!
The dinner ended after midnight but last guests finally left after 2.00am!
I had made door gifts using fresh lemons with their names
and faces drawn on them. I preached to them about the important
reminders to take care of their health and to drink lemon
juice everyday. I explained that I have 5 friends right now
who are suffering from various stages of cancers
ranging from Pancreatic, Thyroid, Breast, Lymph Node,
Prostate and etc. Both fellas with Stage 4 cancers reverted
to me that their cancer markers have showed improvement.
I am confident that the alkaline inside the lemon juice
has helped to boost their immunity while they received
medical treatments from hospitals. We should all drink
lemon juice & water often to stay healthy!! Do it.
Prevention Is better Than Cure.
lemon juice & water often to stay healthy!! Do it.
Prevention Is better Than Cure.
A Lemon A Day, Keeps The Cancer Away!
***
your home parties are everything except for simple so the title should be generous home parties for you and your wife are so generous and thoughtful to host these makan makan borakborak parties for friends. I can see the friends' names on the lemons. did you draw the faces on the lemons?
ReplyDeleteYes I drew their faces after their writing names.I think the lemons looked cuter & would be a good reminder.
DeleteWhen old friends meet, so much to talk and gossip under the sun.
You and your wife are really so sweet. I wish I could join your home parties in future. Regarding the lemon, my mom also always advise me to drink lemonade every single day. No wonder nowadays lemon is so expensive but for the sake of the health, expensive also still need to buy.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome to join but you might feel funny being the youngest there.
DeleteLemons have seasons and priced differently from different countries. This one I bought costs RM1.10 each. Sometimes it could be 90sen or even RM1.90!! Robbery!
I am a very thick skin person, if I were in KL, if I were not invited, I will sure turn up and help myself to the foods...
ReplyDeleteWkakaka...
DeleteOh dear, you sounded like you are thicker than my potato skins! Muahahaha
DeleteLove the colourful party, Tan! Kudos to you for preparing those food!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind compliments.
DeleteWow, your home parties look perfectly lovely. Hospitality of you and your wife shines through in this post and I can see you sprinkling love over the dishes, or perhaps I should say the most important seasoning is a hint of love. I’ll keep it in mind that “A Lemon A Day, Keeps The Cancer Away!”
ReplyDeleteYoko
We definitely love all our friends. Someday we might need their help too.
DeleteHope you will be healthy and happy always. Japanese people are very health conscious and there is so much for me to learn from your country.
Not only can you cook and throw great parties, you give away thoughtful and personalised door gifts too...I'm impressed! ;) I love your cute drawings on the lemons...and I will listen to you and drink more lemon juice!
ReplyDeleteHey TM, you 'missed' me...how come I don't get a reply? Kekeke! :D
DeleteYour home parties sound like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteYes, I heard about the benefits of drinking lemon juice before.
You can also start home parties by doing pot luck style. I am sure you will enjoy the gathering with old friends.
DeleteTM, your loaded potatoes look really good.
ReplyDeleteI am still learning. You must have enjoyed lots of variations in USA. Any recipes to share??
DeleteYou and your wife are so generous with your love and kindness... God bless both of you.. and your party sure sounds fun and plenty of eats too and yes will follow your advice drink more lemon water!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your compliments. I am sure you also have many happy gatherings with everyone.
DeleteWahhhhhh...
ReplyDeleteBila mau invite me, Anay?
Kikiki
Anytime. You are always running everywhere from KL to Tokyo & Osaka!
DeleteThese are not simple home parties.. they are simply filled with goodness and your blessings upon the guests! Very thoughtful of you and your wifey.. Well done!
ReplyDeleteYou eat out so often with your sistas! It is better to be served always but I cannot afford that often.
DeleteThank you for your compliments.
Your dish looks interesting and how you get the potato shells! Love the idea of drawing emotes on lemons and emphasizes its essence.
ReplyDeleteBtw. I received your postcard on Penang today and I’m happy to read your note :)
Latterly I used to receive greeting cards from cousins during Deepavali/Diwali and New Year... and this time the postcard from you, with Diwali at corner I feel delight.
Thank you my friend
The potatoes would turn soft after baking and we could use spoon to carve out the flesh! Easy!
DeleteGlad to hear that you received the postcard. More to come.
i'll make a mental note about the lemon juice (especially since i rarely drink lemon juice). always good to keep these tips in mind!
ReplyDeleteYes. Please stay healthy so that I could ready your blogs till you are 90 years old.
Deleteso creative to make lemon as door gift! yea, everyone would like it as this is such a very practical gift!
ReplyDeleteIt was such an impromptu decision made after seeing cheap lemons on sale.
DeleteAre those lemon faces accurate?
ReplyDelete50/50%!
DeleteI'm a bachelor. I'm qualified for HSBC.
ReplyDeleteNext time I bring my home cooked Thai green curry chicken in exchange for your baked potato skin!
You are most welcome but you are a such a high class frequent flyer who dines at Dome only with your buddies. Bojio!
DeleteFunny lemon! Great idea! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your compliments.
DeleteSo this was what I missed! I am sure your loaded potato skins were delicious to the max. I feel so honored that I was mentioned again in this post!
ReplyDeleteYou deserved to get honorable mention for all your wonderful recipes!
DeleteSo much carbs!! Later anay will get fatter !
ReplyDeleteAnyway, seems healthy la other than the carbs hahahha
Yeah I will get fatter but I am happier. At least I don't need to loose hairs. LOL
DeleteAyoyo ..so yummy! You and your wife are a really good cooks, and so thoughtful towards friends. The lemon door gifts are brilliant. I haven't done a home party in ages.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your compliments. You always have meaningful parties for your pigeon guests!
DeleteLol ....!!!! I guess I am even getting carried away.
DeleteYour heart is very kind to all sentient beings.
DeleteI'm interested to that Mario's spaghetti, teach me please~~~
ReplyDeleteI drink lemon water every morning :)
I will blog about the Spaghetti someday as I am a lousy blogger for cooking. LOLOL
DeleteKeep drinking lemon juice!!
Those lemons are super cute! My boys would go crazy over them. Haha.
ReplyDelete