Win Some, Lose Some

Alright...lets face it. Not everything we wished for will come true. The same goes for last night games. We win some and lose some... 

Soccer Night : Piala Sumbangsih & AFC Asian Cup Final

Two matches tonight. Straight two games live on tv really makes my day! ^_^

The first match will be Selangor vs. Kelantan in Piala Sumbangsih at 8.30 pm . And the second match will be Japan vs. Australia in AFC Asian Cup at 11 pm. 

It's Good to See You!

I'm soooooo happy! ^__^  I just got back from Z wedding's reception and met my old schoolmates. Ahh...been so long since I see them all. 

Lovely Than Most : Vitamin C's Story

Do you know that Vitamin C not only contains in citrus fruits but also in some vegetables? If you have no idea 'bout that, don't be ashamed...I'm in the same boat as you are. All this time, I thought that orange IS the biggest source for Vitamin C. Surprised...surprised... ^_^

Life Is A Blessing

Morning...^_^ starts the day of with a little walk around the lake, snapping a few pictures before heading back home. Such a serene and tranquil day is hard to come by. But, beside the peaceful morning there's still some unpleasant things occurred somewhere else. On morning news today, one thing that held my attention was about a baby that was left on a car somewhere at a parking lot. 

The Curious Case of...

Brr...it feels so cold today. The sky's so grey like it's going to rain. And I hope it will so I have a reason to make something with carb and oh-so-comforting dish. ;)

Down the Memory Lane : Sweet Banana Porridge

Do you have any favorite childhood food that you still love until today? Food that you can recount your memories with it? Perhaps you have cuz I surely do have my own favorite. 

light dinner : pizza-style focaccia

when was the last time you had pizza for dinner? last night? last week? 

well...i always had a hankering for pizza. maybe its about the savory, sweet and salty taste that always did me in.

love is in the air

have you ever heard the song with that line? i'm not sure who sang it but that words are the very thing that describes my best friend's, Z, wedding yesterday.

counting hours : new life

my bestie from highschool is getting married tomorrow. 

courtesy of graur codrin

our friendship started when i was transfered to her school in form one. she was the first person who talks to me. *i have to admit that i'm not a friendly person back then. i always had this new kid on the block attitude (stuck-up kinda girl) which annoyed me when i think about it right now* she's a talkative girl with so many questions. asked me this and that. thankfully that stupid act of mine didn't drive her away.huhuhu... ^_^

we have our ups and downs. throughout the years, we sometimes drifted apart from each other. but somehow, we manage to stay in touch and shared our bits and pieces in life. i guess, thats how we cope with growing up. 

best friends doesn't mean that you have to be together all the time. i think it's enough when they are around when you need them the most. and lucky me, i'm blessed with these lovely ladies as my best friends. *you know who you are girlfriends!*

i should get some sleep now if i don't want to look like a panda at the wedding. 

though i'm not that sleepy...

uh well...i think i better hit the bed now. 

re-touched

compilation of my favorite shots!

birthday cupcakes

savory bread with mayonnaise topping 

 big crusty loaf bread

chicken noodle soup

french loaf

shin-kun

moist chocolate cake with fondant

sliced of above cake

little cuppies

up one bar

guess what i've been doing today? 

baking? yes. cake? absolutely.

but that's not the main point here. you forgot the most important thing...

think a bit harder.......

you have no idea at all? fine...i tell you what makes me so busy today. i.. was.. trying.. my.. hands.. on....... fondant! this is my first time and i was sooo excited. like a girlfriend of mine said,"it's like playing with play-doh!" so...totally true! 

i didn't realize that i was having so much fun kneading...rolling and rolling... >_< 

and i forgot to wrap the leftover in plastic wrap! uh-oh...blunder!  O_o *just a small ball, but still...a waste. not good...*

the cake may look simple, but i'm so proud of it *pat my shoulder ^_^* at last, i tackled this one too. still need more practice though. by the way, i use store bought fondant. so easy and no mess since i don't have the heart to make it from scratch. blend with some color, and bam! there you have it... ;-p 

and that moist chocolate cake is perfect pairing with the sweet fondant. i add 1 teaspoon of instant coffee in the flour mixture to add a little more richness in its taste. other that that, i followed the recipe exactly as it is.

can you see how moist and soft the cake was? i'm drooling all over again... >_<

this cake is about 9 inch in diameter, so i used a big chunk of the fondant and rolled it as thin as i could. using the rolling pin to lift the fondant and place it at the center of the cake then smoothing the surface. it's better to use a specific tool for this task, but i haven't got one so i just use my hands. hehehe...*noticed the slight indentation of my fingerprints there!*

for the stripes, i took another small chunk and dyed it with violet coloring. then rolled again as thin as i can get.  to get even width for the stripes, you should measure first and preferably cutting it with a pizza cutter so you you can get a nice straight line. as for me, i am too much impatient as i wanted to get the cake done as soon as possible so i skipped it. as a result, uneven width stripes plus a little crooked cutting line...oh well...it doesn't matter back then, but looking at the picture now... O_o

as for the center flower piece, i used lemon yellow food coloring to dye only small piece of fondant. then i divided it into smaller balls and flattened it with fingers and arranged them on the cake as you can in the photo. not very pretty...but it'll do for now. oh, i forgot to mention that before covering the cake with fondant, it is better to lathered up the cake with small layer of butter cream first as a glue. ;)

just in case you want to try making your own fondant at home, i found this website with step-by-step instructions to help you. though it's going to take some time, but i guess it will be worthwhile. here is the link. 

curry on rice

are you hungry yet? ^_^ 

it's lunch time....that's mean food!!! 

here we go. for a quick lunch, this requires only few ingredients. 

you can make it in a short time. so lets get to the recipe. 

curry fried rice : 

• 4 cups cooked white rice
• handful of anchovies *cleaned, washed & drained*
• 2 eggs *scrambled*
• 3 shallots + 2 cloves of garlic + 1/2 inch of fresh ginger *minced*
• 2 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 medium carrot *julienned*
• 1 cup shredded spinach
• 1 medium tomato *cubed*
• salt to taste

1. deep fried the anchovies till crispy, drained the oil. crushed to make anchovies powder, set aside
2. scrambled the eggs in the same pan, then set aside
3. heat some oil in the frying pan. saute the shallots mixture until fragrant, then add curry powder. stir frequently and use low heat as not to let the curry burn
4. add the carrots and spinach, stir quickly and then add in the rice
5. turn up the heat, mix everything quickly. stir in the scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and crushed anchovies 
6. taste, add salt accordingly, stir one more time, turn off the heat
7. serve hot.... ^_^

sky and sunshine

series of snapshots 

...enjoy! ^_^

5 rencah 5 rasa : briyani anyone? ;)

Hullo and good morning....^_^

It's such a lovely day and I'm feelin' good....take a deep breath...So, what are we gonna share today? books? Hmm...maybe later. How about another recipe from 5 Rencah 5 Rasa? Hahaha...I can't help myself! :-D The show's totally had me hooked. 

Okay, lets recap first whats cooking on the show last tuesday. As always, it features five ingredients in five different recipes. The theme is Indian dish if I'm not mistaken. Chef Sherson starts the cooking by making chapati with briyani chicken. Too bad i'm a little late watching the show so I missed out the how-to. Lucky me there're still three more recipes to go.

After he has finished with the chapati and briyani chicken, he makes briyani rice. For this, the recipe as followed:

Briyani rice

• 6 cups basmathi rice (washed and drained out the water)
• 2 Tbsp ghee (i used windmill brand)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise (bunga lawang)
• 4 cardamom (buah pelaga)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 stalk lemon grass (crush a little)
• 2 pandan leaves
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• handful of raisins
• yellow food coloring
• handful of cashew nuts

1. Heat a frying pan and melt the ghee. add in all the spices and stir until you can smell the aroma
2. Add in the rice, yogurt, lemon grass, pandan leaves and salt. Stir until the rice has mix thoroughly with the added ingredients. Remove from heat
3. Scrape everything into a rice cooker, add water as needed *as you cooked white rice*
4. While the rice is cooking, heat about tablespoon of ghee and add in the cashew nuts. Fry until fragrant then remove from heat and set aside 
5. When the rice finally cooked, let it cooled a bit before stirring in the raisins into the rice. Add a few drops of yellow and lightly stir the rice *the idea is to get spots of yellow coloring in the rice, not exactly yellow rice. but if that happens, don't worry. it still taste the same ^_^*
6. To serve, sprinkle the fried cashew nuts on top. Serves with briyani chicken and indian salad

Indian salad

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• salt
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 2 cucumber (remove the seeds and cut into 1 inch length)
• tomato (cut into wedges)
• 1 green chili (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 of medium onion (quartered)

1. Combine yogurt + garam masala + salt + lime juice. taste accordingly 
2. Add in the rest of ingredients, stir to coat with yogurt mixture. cover with cling wrap and let chill in the fridge before serving

For the last recipe, Chai Masala (indian herb tea):

• 2 tea bags (preferably indian chai/tea)
• boiling hot water as needed
• a pinch or two garam masala
• 1 tsp sweetened creamer/condensed milk

1. Put the the bags in a big mug/ tall glass with handle
2. Pour in hot water, add in garam masala and sweetened creamer. stir quickly
3. Get another big mug and start to tarik (slightly distance the mugs. one with tea on top, the other at bottom. pour the tea into the other mug...do it two or three times till there's froth on top of tea) watch this video if you don't understand my poor explanation ^_^

making pulled tea

That's all about 5 Rencah 5 Rasa for today...Regretfully I forgot to take the pictures so please be content with just the explanation :) Don't forget to watch the show at 10 AM every Tuesday on TV3! ;)

battle of the eggs : chicken eggs vs. duck eggs

have you ever wondered the differences between chicken eggs and duck eggs? it never occurred to you? well, i'm sure you would like to know now that i've brought the subject up. theres a lot we can actually learn from the dissimilarity of these eggs. 

first, obviously we all can tell the difference by the size of the eggs. chicken eggs are smaller than duck eggs. by comparison, a large *and sometimes extra large* chicken eggs is the normal size of duck eggs. but this is also debatable since ducks are varied in types and sizes too. 

next, it's the colors. where duck eggs usually are off-white in color, chicken eggs have more variation. normally they're brownish or white. but don't be surprise if the eggs are blue or even green! *i haven't seen chicken eggs with blue or green in color here in malaysia...*  the variation also due to the many breeds of chicken, the size of chicken and not to forget what the chicken eats. 

for the flavor, it is hard to describe. the eggs do taste slightly different from each other. the whites of duck eggs is thicker than chicken eggs when thoroughly cook. and i don't know how to explain the texture but the egg whites also feels more chewy?! hahaha...okay, so now i'm confusing myself. while for the yolks, of course  the duck eggs has bigger yolks than chicken eggs. and i think that duck egg yolk taste richer than chicken egg yolk.

i've also learnt that duck eggs are higher in cholesterol compared to chicken eggs. but personally, i do not agree since duck eggs are not commercially produce like chicken eggs. what i meant here is, while duck eggs usually came from free-range and hard to come by, chicken eggs laid by hens in confined cage and sole purposely fed with hormones to produce more eggs. *that explains the cartons of eggs in supermarket* when i think about it, free-range vs. confined cage...it's just about the same in the cholesterol part at least.

and last but not least, it was said that duck eggs give better and more stable result in baking due to the high fat content compared to chicken eggs*now that's a rejoice!  ^_^* but i have not try this yet *duck eggs are pricier than chicken eggs. and i do bake a lot...urgh...still, knowing about this...i have to try it at other times.* 

now, aren't you glad you know the differences?  i know i am  ;-)

tweet tweet : erm...tweet?

i'm so couldn't sleep right now. serve me right! how can i doze off while watching a football game? haha...yeap, because the game last night was bo...ring! oh well, lets just leave that alone. while i'm getting my foggy mind to work out right now, you just have to bear with me for a moment.

few days ago, a close friend of mine has been planting this idea in my head. what that is? well...it's the twittering twitter. i admit i am not very updated on whats-on and what-not. i have no idea whats buzzing around except from the tv news and the seldom read newspaper. but that doesn't matter though cuz i still get my feed through blogger blogs... ;)

by the way, have you ever thought where in the world the twitter got it's name? no idea?? very well...let me tell you something. i think i know from where they got it. i remembered when i was jogging awhile back, i heard this tweet tweet sound from a tiny little bird if i'm not mistaken called sparrow. the twitter might inspired from it i believe. and since the birds were twittering non-stop that day, the idea already stuck in my head! *this is just my imagination and i could get it all wrong*

anyway, thats not the point. what i meant to say is...little daisy's world is on twitter! ^__^ i'm so...proud of me! you see, it's not easy to commit. but i'll give it a try. hehehe...

arzian books : a hidden treasure

listen up everyone!!!   ^_^ 

there, i got your attention. i decided that tonight's a bookworm night! so what's on my bookshelf today? hmm...i think skip what i have for tonight cuz i'd love to introduce this website selling secondhand books at a very fair price. and believe me, you won't find that kind of offer anywhere.

for your information, they have quite a selections of novels in english and bahasa melayu range from kids to adults. they also have some comic books that hard to come by nowadays. and for parents who want to encourage their youngsters to read, they also offered various titles suitable for the young minds. 

now, what are you waiting for? head over to ArZian Books and see for yourself. you might end up with the best bargain ever.... ^_^ 

hotness alert : bird's eye chili fried rice with eggplants

in malaysia, bird's eye chili  (cili padi) is one of the common cooking ingredients. the tree is relatively small you can even plant it in a pot, much like any other herb plants. it adds a different kind of hotness that if you put too much of  cili padi in your cooking, you are bound to become a dragon...^_^ that is to say that the level of hotness it lends is so high that just a few of cili padi is enough to get the flavor across.

for those who likes extra hotness in their food, adding some cili padi in their cooking can be a habit. add some in soup, thinly diced in dipping sauce, crushed some to include in meats and fried rice...name it, we probably have it! *at least in my house*

and why i'm so keen on discussing about this little chili? i assure you i'm not talking without a point here. it is just an intro to what i'm going to present now. 

as it seems, i'm in no mood to cook tonight but i do want to eat so guess what we had for dinner? you have no idea? that's okay. i'm still going to tell you anyway. our dinner tonight was... bird's eye chili fried rice with eggplants and anchovies.

bird's eye chili fried rice with eggplants and anchovies

• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 15 stems chili padi , quatered
• 1/4 tsp tumeric powder
• 2 small eggplants, cubed and fried until slightly soft, set aside
• 1/2 cup anchovies, fried until crispy and set aside
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp margarine
• oil 
• salt to taste
• chopped peanuts, optional

1. heat a frying pan with a little oil, about 2 tablespoons. saute the onions, garlic and cili padi  
2. when the onions are translucent, add in tumeric powder and stir a bit and then, add in the cooked rice
3. stir and mix the rice thoroughly, then add in egg and quickly stir so the rice will be coated 
4. add the margarine, mix with rice until melted
5. add in both eggplants and anchovies, stir in thoroughly
6. taste the rice first before adding salt  *if the anchovies a little too salty, go easy on the salt*
7. serve with chopped toasted peanuts on the rice

hard rain : pillowy soft baked donuts

it's raining outside. i'm glad. the day has been a bit hotter than usual. the rain can cool it down a little bit. and do you know what's best eaten at time like this? hmm...donuts! yeap, lots and lots of them. rolling in sugar, piped in jam or cream, halved and spread some tuna or sardine...the options are endless. just take your pick. you like it sweet as candy...or hot and spicy like chili... ^_^

my pick for today is...sweet! well, maybe not as sweet as candy. but sweeter than usual. hehehe...yeah yeah...i reckon you're gonna say that i'll ruin my teeth...i keep that in mind, but let me go just this once. okay? ;) great...now let me tell you what's soo good about these little fellas. 

they're warm from the oven. the tops are dipped in butter. then they're pressed on a plate full of sugar...that is why they are going to be extra sweet! more over, they are soo soft and fluffy and pillowy you can't just eating only one! ^_^ that's what i did...i ate...hmm, should i tell?? probably not. :-p
oh, by the way...i love being seen on yeastspotting!

pillowy soft baked donuts

adapted from mama mic's magic dough (makes lots and lot of buns and rolls)

• 2 cups of warm water
• 1 packet of instant yeast ( 11g )
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of olive oil  (scant cup) 
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• 5 - 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1. in a big bowl, put in sugar + warm water + yeast, let stand until foamy about 5 minutes (stir occasionally)
2. then, add in olive oil + salt
3. add in 5 cups of flour, mix thoroughly until you'll get a sticky dough
4. add additional flour, 1/2 cup at a time and start kneading with your hand (dip your palm in flour to minimize sticking)
5. keep on kneading and adding the flour until the dough starts feeling smooth and pulls away from the bowl, oil the dough and sides of bowl
6. cover with a wet cloth or cling wrap and let rise until doubled about 45 minutes at a warm spot
7. once doubled, punched the dough and knead a few times. flour your kneading board, take a chunk of the dough (about 1/4) and knead on the floured surface
8. use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until you get about 1/4 inch of thickness (don't have to measure, just go with your instinct), then cut small circles using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter 
9. place the circles on a greased baking sheet 2 inches apart and let rise for 15 minutes
10. baked in preheated oven, 175 C (350 F) for 13 - 15 minutes or until puff and slightly browned
11. dipped the top of warm donuts  in melted butter before pressing on sugar of your choice * plain powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, vanilla sugar...etc. you can also piped in whipped cream or jam or even chocolate ganache inside for more indulgence. i like mine plain with powdered sugar! *
12. the donuts are best eaten warm with coffee, milk or tea ^_^

life on the highway : part 2

tomorrow. we all gonna hit the highway again...and guess where we'll be heading? aha...thats right! it is the south. again...though it's not going to be as far down the south as before, but still...south. hahaha...it's not that funny, just  that i'm sure gonna be lonely as both my sidekicks are away from home. *we'll never know what life's gonna bring us...^_^ *

T_T well, i gotta start getting use to it from now onwards...*you read this sisters! be sure you girls being extra nice to me when you're back home* that aside, i'm looking forward to it already. it's been a long time since we went to malacca *yeap, that's where we're going*. heard the foods are delicious and it's famous for their numerous eatery specialized in grilled fish. *i'm hoping that we could stop at one and try some!!*


i better go to sleep now. my eyes can't barely open themselves..zzzz

at an angle

i love blue. the color blue. it calms me when i feel stress out. more often than not, i tend to buy something or use something that has blue color on it. 

specifically, i'm more gravitate towards the softer hue of blue. think baby blue, light sky blue, mint blue, blue turquoise... ahh, there's so much out there that i don't even know the names. here's a compilation on my favorite color... ^_^

yue liang dai biao wo de xin : a timeless oldies

i feel a little nostalgic right now...i kept remembering siti nurhaliza's performance last night during AJL 25 so i thought, why not browse some of her music videos. i heard a bunch of her songs, then i saw this video where she sang with a taiwanese singer, wang lee hom. and i was like...aaaaahhh!!! i love the song so....much! i've known the song since i was a little girl, and it was an oldies... no, let me rephrase it. the song is a timeless oldies. 


i'm so loving it! the original singer, teresa teng passed away in 1995 at 42 years old. although she's long gone, her song specially this one remains in the heart of her fans. as for me... the first time i heard the song, it instantly melts my heart...i fell in love with the melody. mind you, i don't understand chinese so i have no idea what the song is all about...but it doesn't matter. as someone says, beautiful song knows no boundaries...

since i didn't know the name of the song, i can't find it anywhere. until today...*this is what i called fate :-p* at last, i get both the meaning and translation! the song is called yue liang dai biao wo de xin ( the moon represents my heart ) i love...love...both versions! ^_^ siti nurhaliza's cover is brilliant. very beautifully sing, i'm touched! and the original version by teresa is impeccable! i left both versions here for you to enjoy...

yue liang dai biao wo de xin - teresa teng

yue liang dai biao wo de xin - siti nurhaliza's version

flood victims : three - hopefully not counting

good morning! some of us may feel a little bit down today since their favorite singer didn't win the AJL 25 last night. *including me of course... :-(* but that is not the issue today. the keyword is FLOOD. see the caps lock? meaning it's important. 

in the news this morning, two more victims were added to the statistics. including yesterday, its now has been three deaths due to the flood in kelantan. somehow, it has been inevitable to stay death-toll free during flood season. why is that? we may tend to ask. like it or not, half of the reasons lies on us. 

the parents warned their children not to play in the water. it may seem shallow, but who knows what's flowing in it. while the children might have follow the orders only for a while. but later on, they found out the water is another adventurous playground. not being under the watchful eyes of adults might proves to be a deadly move. when that happens, it's too late to be sorry. 

on the other hand, when all precautions have been taken... yet the death somehow... someway still occurs, that's where we left things to fate. we have to accept it even if it's bitter... condolence to the victims families. 

AJL 25 : and the winner is...

well...well...well...what an unexpected turned of event. i was hoping for rocking-the-stage performances by all contestants. too bad that most of them sang without their heart in it. *i mean, no-goosebumps baby...so, it's a negative vote from me* 

i don't feel the zing till the end. wait...except during the special performance by siti nurhaliza and ziana zain before the winners were announced. now, they totally rawk the stage! and the winners...hmm, i didn't get my wish. but here's the list anyway...

best performance : hanyut by faizal tahir

best vocal : hafiz

3rd place : noktah cinta by hafiz

2nd place : drama king by meet uncle hussein feat. black

juara lagu : tolong ingatkan aku by ana raffali

AJL 25 : the best man win *or woman*

watching AJL right now. yuna and tomok just took their place on stage. i still don't feel the zing...

okay, now A.P.I is on stage. lets hear them first ^_^

resolution shut-down : out-of-the-world breadstick

it's 30 degrees outside but the wind still feels cold to me. might be because of the rain this morning. anyhow, i'm not going to go on about the weather, but you see...it still affect me on deciding what i made for our evening tea. 

despite my grumbling on too many calories and fat included in my cooking, i must admit that i have a very weak determination. first, i didn't do any work out i mentioned in the last post. two, i made lunch contained heavy cream and cheese...*don't ask me why i did what i did. it just happened* and three, i eat two more strawberry cake that i made yesterday... *each about the size of your palm* O_o

uh-oh...see what i meant? what a major blunder on my part. believe me, i can't stand having any cake within ten feet radius in the house. *i heard them screaming eat me! eat me!* obviously i can't let them down, right... ^_^ 

and coming to the real topic, i just made out-of-this-world breadsticks! oh yes, it was scrumptiously delicious you'll lick your finger off the remaining butter.. ;) it so darn good i had to have three. still, the aroma lingers in the house. and it's a very windy day! how am i going to stay sit with the smell of garlic + butter + cheese constantly teasing my nose?! grrr...well, guess what? i'm going to transfer the torment to you.

out-of-this-world breadsticks

adapted from here

• 1 1/8 cups warm water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3/4 tsp minced fresh basil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 or 2 Tbsp butter, melted  

1. in a medium bowl, combine water + sugar + yeast; stir and let sit 5 minutes or until bubbly
2. take a larger bowl and combine olive oil + cheese + garlic + basil + italian seasoning + salt; mix together then add the yeast mixture
3. add in all the flour and stir until it comes together as a big lumpy dough. rub all over with a little olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. let it stands for about half hour
4. to make breadsticks: preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). flour the surface where you'll be kneading the dough. then knead the dough on it a few times till it becomes supple
5. divide the dough into 2 parts. divide each part into 12 smaller part. roll each smaller part into 9 inch length rope, twist it a bit before you place it on greased baking sheet
6. let the twisted ropes rise again until double in size about 40 minutes. before baking, brush the ropes with melted butter and sprinkle some more salt and and italian seasoning.  
7. bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until it has nice golden brown, remove from oven and brush with melted butter again...

*it's so worth it...^_^*

stuck and packing up

i'm stuck in the house this morning. *help me!* we're supposed to go jogging, but it's raining outside.
'__' so we've skipped jogging one more day.  *sigh...*  i need to work out somehow. otherwise it'll be hard to start over. not to mention the cheesy stuffs i made this week, surely gonna stick if i ignore it! *uh-oh, not a chance amigo*

and since i have such a sweet tooth, i have to remind myself to work extra hard too. so that these sweet, chocolaty  goodness do not become best friends with my you-know-what @_@...urgh...pure torment!
all that aside, my other younger sister is busy cleaning up her things. making lists and what nots for her packing to college. yeap, another one. that means i'm the only one at home and sure gonna be lonely...

that reminds me, i have to make her some goodies to bring along. another sweet, lovely stuff? you bet! ;-)

strawberry blush, pineapple mush: a birthday story

here is a special edition post specially for my younger sister, currently studying in johore. yesterday was her birthday *happy birthday again acik*.. and since she isn't home, i teased her about making some cupcakes. but  of course i'm not that cruel!  ^_^

instead, i make some...TODAY! hehehe...too bad you are not here to enjoy it...*sorry ;)* don't worry, when you get back, i'll bake it for you. back to the cake, it is basically just a simple cake with ingredients that pretty much stocked up in your pantry. not to mention it takes only a little of your time to do it.

originally, it was vanilla flavored cake. but to make it a bit more festive, i add a little bit color, strawberry extract and throw in some chocolate rice. and instead of using paper cups, i baked them in small tart molds *to get them out of the mold requires a bit more patience!*. here you go...cute cakes for birthday party!

small strawberry cakes with pineapple sauce

makes about 12-16 cupcakes (depends on size)

• 1 1/4 cups self raising flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup corn oil
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp strawberry extract 
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• a few drops of pink coloring

1. preheat oven to 175 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Place paper cups in two cupcake pans
2. sift flour + baking soda + salt in medium bowl and set aside
3. in mixer: beat eggs + sugar until creamy and lightened in color at medium speed.
4. lowering speed, add in oil + vanilla and strawberry extracts + yogurt
5. then slowly add in flour mixture and mix until all incorporated
6. pour into cups and bake for 18 - 23 minutes, checking with a toothpick if it comes out clean, it done

pineapple sauce

• 3 cups cubed pineapple *from fruit, not canned*
• 3/4 water
• 1/4 sugar
• 3 cloves

1. combine all ingredients in a small pot, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 30 minutes under medium low heat or until the pineapple become mushy
2. remove from heat, let it cool down a little before pureeing in food processor
3. let cool to room temperature before using

singing tummy : cheesy pasta pretty please...

this week has been relatively cold and chilly. it's only relevant if i post another *yummy*  comfort-food recipe that surely will hit high note on your rumbling tummy. ^_~. i made this yesterday evening. the day has been windy and chilly and i'm in need of something hot, something that with cheese...and pasta...in another word, i need carbs! 

the dish was a quick one to prepare *i'm so impatient to get a taste of it*. so if you already have the ingredients on hand, it'll be magically on your table under 20 minutes. now, lets get to the recipe!

cheesy pasta shells with chicken and veggies

slight adaptation of mac n cheese

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 palm-full of frozen mix veggies *peas, corn kernels, carrots*
• 2 tsp ground cayenne powder
• 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup pasta shells
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• parsley leaves for garnishing 

1. melt the butter first in a medium pot, then add both onions and garlic. let it cooked until translucent, then add the milk and chicken stock. let it simmer for 5 minutes
2. then, add in the frozen veggies along with cayenne powder and the cooked chicken. stir everything in, and cooked for 1 minute. then thrown in the pasta shells and thyme leaves
3. let it cooked, stirring occasionally until the pasta becomes al dente. add salt and pepper to taste, and lastly stir in the cheese
4. remove pot from the heat, serves the pasta hot in a bowl. garnish with chopped parsley

enjoy...^_^

smile...an everlasting smile

the sky is weeping...

why so sad today? 

the birds are singing somewhere... 

didn't you hear? 

it's gloomy and grey... 

do not afraid

somehow...
someway...

it'll be okay
sun will shine again
for you today

^_^

hehehe...there's always a first time for everything. *i get in touch with my poetic heart today!* though the weather is not really promising, i still am inspired by it. thus, the debut *yikes* of this *melancholic?!* entry...

move along...i got really hooked up by this song called senyum by malique feat. najwa. everytime i heard the song on play, my spirit's got lifted! it's really a feeling-good song that immediately will make you respond. don't believe me? let's hear it yourself... ;)

senyum (smile) by malique feat. najwa

yippie...cheesecakes on sale!!!

manis: cheesy weesy makes me go dizzy~: "ehem ehem...clear throats~ it's going to be a cheesecake day this friday!!!! the 7th of january 2011, you will have the chance to savor our..."

as you can see, there's a big sale on cheesecake at manis this friday. they make the best cheesecake ever, you won't be sorry...^_^

and for those who lives around gombak, wangsa maju, taman melawati, selayang, ampang and kepong *that's a mouthful!*, lucky for you guys cuz they provide free delivery within these areas! now that's a chance you shouldn't pass. head over now to book yourself one *or three* boxes of these delicious cuppies and host a party!

avoid the oven again: grilled flat bread

on a mission to avoid excessive heat again, i resolved to stove-top cooking for bread choice this time. not that hard to choose anyway since most flat breads cooked on stove top *if i'm not mistaken*. my wild guess is, since the bread doesn't need to raise so much and it is flat, so the bread cooked fairly quick.

although the recipe seems quite long, it's actually quite easy to do. so don't be intimidated by the list... >_~

by the way, i made vegetable dhal for lunch yesterday and had leftovers. so i decided to try this excellent flat bread that is crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy inside. it pairs greatly with stew-like vegetable dhal that we have. i bet it taste as good with any stews or gravy! might try that someday...^_^ you also might want to try other flat breads featured on yeastspotting.

Grilled Flat Bread a.k.a roti arab with Vegetables Dhal

adapted from here

Flat Bread:

• 500 g high protein flour
• 1 packet instant yeast (11 g)
• 4 Tbsp castor sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 250 ml warm water
• 6 Tbsp butter

1. combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, mix well until it form a ball. knead for about 30 minutes
2. cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap and let it stand in room temperature until it double in bulk, about 30 to 45 minutes
3. then, push down the dough letting the air out
4. divide into 10 small balls, flat it down a little with roller pin or your hand
5. left to rise again (about 15 minutes)
6. cooked the raised dough on a heated non-stick grilled pan over low heat, and cover the pan with a lid
7. cook until each sides of the bread  slightly crispy and browned, then remove from heat and place on a cloth lined plate *so the bread stays soft*
8. serve hot with curry or vegetable dhal

Vegetable Dhal:

adapted from here

• 100 g yellow lentil *soaked for an hour*, then rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed & finely chopped
• 2 cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 dried chili, cut into quater
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 stem of curry leaf, remove the stem, and rinse the leaves
• 200 ml coconut oil *i used evaporated milk*
• 200 ml vegetable stock / water
• 1 small potato, cubed
• 1 small eggplant, cubed
• 1 medium carrot, cubed
• 2 red tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp tamarind juice
• salt to taste

1. in a medium pan heat the oil; add onion and all the spices and stirring all the time until the onion became translucent and the spices give out their aroma
2. add the lentils, potatoes, eggplant, carrot, coconut milk and stock/water. bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the lentils and potatoes are tender and the carrots and eggplants softened. half cover the pan with a lid to trap in the moisture 
3. then, add in the tomatoes, tamarind juice and curry leaves, season with salt; taste accordingly
4. serves with bread or rice