[Food & Recipe] Mini Sausage Rolls & Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns (eggless)

Assalamualaikum.

Selamat berhujung minggu everyone. I am taking my own sweet time in house-chores department this weekend. My leave starts next week, insyaAllah I have ample time to catch up with Mt St Laundry and all. I hope!

Tengahari tadi had lunch at Restoren Mohd Chan Abdullah (RMCA) Bangi, and since my baking supplies been running low for the longest time now, we popped in Bake With Yen, just next door with RMCA.

Having bought the essentials, terus dapat order dua benda nak bake.
One is Blueberry Cheese Cake (with Jelly on top, as requested by Ah Boi)
Another one is Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns.

I decided to give the buns a go first. Esok baru buat kek.

Kali ni try resepi tanpa telur. And I change the recipe a bit. Ni basic doh roti. Dah buat doh ni, boleh lah nak dipelbagaikan.

1. 300 gm tepung roti
2. 300 gm tepung 'all purpose'
3. 80 gm susu tepung
4. 100 gm gula
5. 1 sudu the garam
6. 11 gm yis kering (1 peket jenama mauripan)
7. 60 gm unsalted butter
8. 20 ml minyak masak
9. 250 ml susu

- Masukkan semua bahan ke dalam mixer.
- Gunakan hook doh.
- Uli selama 10 minit.
- Tutup doh dengan kain, biarkan mengembang sehingga satu kali ganda.

Sementara menunggu doh mengembang (kebiasaannya kira-kira 40 hingga 60 minit, bergantung kepada keadaan cuaca dan suhu), celur sausage, kemudian toskan. Sediakan juga inti untuk Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns.

Inti Cream Cheese
1. 150gm cream cheese
2. 1/4 lemon diperah
3. 2-3 sudu makan gula pasir

- Campurkan dan gaul rata semua bahan.

Apabila doh cukup kembang, bahagikan kepada dua bahagian, masing-masing untuk Sausage Roll dan Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns.

Untuk Sausage Roll,
- Bahagi-bahagikan doh kira-kira 60-100 gm setiap satu.
- Uli doh secara memanjang.
- Lilitkan pada sausage.
- Susun dalam baking tray yang telah ditabur dengan tepung. (saya guna loaf pan)

Untuk Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns,
- Campurkan kira-kira 1/2 cawan cranberry kering dan uli dengan doh tadi.
- Bahagi-bahagikan doh kira-kira 60-100 gm setiap satu.
- Leperkan dan letak kira-kira satu sudu teh inti cream cheese di tengah-tengah.
- Tutup doh dan bulatkan seperti bola. Tekan sedikit untuk meleperkannya.
- Susun dalam baking tray yang telah ditabur dengan tepung. (saya guna baking tin)

Biarkan adunan mengembang sekali lagi, kira-kira 20 minit. Pastikan ditutup dengan kain.
Apabila cukup kembang, sapukan 'eggwash' di atas.

Bakar dengan suhu 160d, api atas bawah, fan on. (lain oven, lain ragamnya, kita perlu kenal sendiri oven kita coz suhu dan tempoh membakar vary from oven to oven).

Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns

The inside. Fluffy enough to my liking.

Sausage Rolls. Definitely not among the best shaped rolls in my history of Sausage Rolls making!

The inside. Gebu dan lembut.

 

[Love of My Life] Pause & Reflect

Friday.

Today is a good day to pause a bit and reflect.

Forgive me Allah for I have sinned.

I said things I shouldn't.

I did things I was not supposed to.
I acted on impulse when I was supposed to check first.

 

Be warned - bad parenting ahead.

 

I got back early the other day. Earlier than the closing of sesi petang schooling. Then Adam came back, all smiles to see that we were already there waiting for him kat taska.

He pointed at a boy (taska-mate) and said

Dia panggil Adam bee ayyy bee aiii
He knows better not to say that word, it's forbidden, everyone in our little household is under an oath not to say things as such, out loud.

He spelled that instead.

My eyes got bigger and I gave that boy a warning stare.
Tak elok kita sebut perkataan tu.

Tak baik.
Then the boy answered back

Adam pukul saya dulu!

 

Oh mai!

 

Adam, Adam pukul kawan?
*silent*
Bagitau Ummi, Adam buat dia dulu ke, atau dia sebut dulu?
*silent*

 

Now,.. we mothers know that when dealing with small children, silent is not a good sign.

 

Agree?

 

So he hit the boy first. Katanya he didn't mean to. Out of excitement. He went to apologize but the boy had gone home by then.

 

He was telling me the truth.
But he hid the other story.
Clever.

But wrong application.

 

He got a good lecture about good behaviour.

One shall not hit other people.
When one is hit by other people, one should not say bad words.
When one makes bad things, one must apologise.

And a mom should always check first.
Always.
 

[Love of My Life] Tuition Things & Ummi's Classes to Commence

It's been three weeks already since the elder two started their nightly tuition.

So, Kakak .. I asked
Macamana tuition, okay or not?
Kena bagitau Ummi.
Kalau rasa tak ada efek, kita cari tuition lain.

Kakak went on telling us that it helps.
Senang nak catch-up bila cikgu ajar kat sekolah.
Cikgu tuition explain senang nak faham.
Yada yada yada.

And I asked Iman,
Abang pulak, macamana?

Masa kelas saya asyik lapar je Ummi.
Lepas tu meja saya kecik, susah nak tulis.
Ada orang letak chewing gum kat kerusi.

I think they are doing okay.
InsyaAllah.
No complaints.
Pegi tuition, albeit kadang-kadang tu terkocoh-kocoh amat, they are all smiles.
Balik tuition they are all smiles.
We give them their own 'me-time' before bed.
Iman usually drinks a mug of hot chocolate then watch whatever attracts him on the tivi.
Kakak normally texts her friends (girls!) then does random browsing on the net.
Bedtime is 10:30 p.m. or 11:00 p.m the latest.

So far this arrangement works for us.
I still scale my Mt St Laundry on the weekends tho.

Three more working days before my long leave.
Can't wait!

It's a mixed feeling for the elder two tho he he.
When Ummi stays home, it means she's starting her own tuition classes too.
When she's at that, there's no escaping her.
And that would also mean she's starting her own home-science and house-chores classes as well.
And there's no escaping those too.

So guys, are we readyyyyy???

Image credit to www.lingvistov.ru

[Smoothies] [Food & Recipe] A week of Smoothies & Lame Joke

Smoothies!

Been doing this religiously for the past two weeks. I have this small Philips blender I bought purposely for this. Since its existence tho, for the ease of handling and cleaning, I also blend eggs (why whisk when you can blend?), sometimes bahan-bahan for masak lemak (why the hassle of normal sized blender when the smaller one can serve the same exact purpose?). And the list goes on.

A good juicer is out of question now that I will be pay-less for the coming nine months. But, if my tabung ayam penuh later on, I want something red. So it can sit side by side with the red mixer.

 

It's a purple week obviously. Nak abiskan dragonfruit si Adam punya beriya nak beli. Last-last tak nak makan. Takkan nak buang kan. Mak jugak la in the end habiskan.

 

I remember the other day I told Kakak a lame joke about being mother.

"A mother always does things her children cannot do. Like finishing the food her children cannot finish"

 

Actually I made that up.

 

I found that funny.
But my husband didn't.

 

Perhaps I've been doing too much of what my children cannot do.

In that very sense - habihkan makanan depa yang tak habih.

 

 

 

 

Sad Mad & [Bekal] Week 3 Twenty Sixteen

Today I am sad mad.
I can't decide to be mad or sad.

Hence sad mad.
I think I am too sad, sampai mad.
Or, I am too mad, sampai sad.

Takkan happy all the time kan.
I am sure there is something Allah wants me to learn from all these contributing factors.
Sabar lah hati.

 

And know what, food makes me happy. So jom tengok the bekals I made this week.

 

 

Isnin.

I made Baked Bowties with Potato (again!). Made two loaf pans, brought one to the office and another hantar ke taska for the kids to share with their friends.

 

We also have Roti John Tuna, chicken nuggets, oreo and a bit of fruits.

 

 

Selasa

 

Buttermilk Chicken in torlilla wraps, biskut chipsmore. Prune Cake (yang tak berapa sedap.. hemm.. we all have our days kan..)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rabu

 

Rabu Kakak duty kat sekolah after school. So bekal dia heavy sikit. Nasi putih and Mushroom Omelette with some dedaunan.

I also made easy peasy Roti Pizza. Balik sekolah, Iman tanya ni apa. Adoi. Hehe

Also ada sedikit bebuahan and biskut.

 

 

 

 

 

Khamis

Terbangun lewat!

Lucky thing semalamnya ada beli 2 packs of Twiggies.

Buat cokodok tuna. I used premixed Adabi tepung cucur perisa ikan bilis. And added about half can of tuna flakes. Then plop-plop in hot oil.

 

 

 

 

 

Jumaat

 

Jelly Strawberry Cheesecake. Ni Iman request. Layankan aje.

Pizza tu is readymade frozen pizza Dr Oatker. Yang ni perisa mozzarella.

[Love of My Life] And...... Budak Benyek Wins!

And know what?

That budak benyek-benyek wore his baju sukan to school yesterday! Not just that.. he even put the baju putih inside bag baju kotor.

When asked - dia jawab 'Adam salah dengar. Adam ingatkan... yada yada yada.....'

Ni cerita Budak Benyek Benyek semalam.

 

Adam 2, Ummi 0

 

He, of course got a good lecture on the importance to listen carefully to what the teachers say. I think he learnt his lesson coz he did his toilet business after that all by himself. He held the bidet, cleaned himself, pumped some soap and cleaned again and rinsed. And flushed the toilet. And then turned his seluar inside out and wore it back without any hassle.

If not, someone needs to hold the bidet, helps him pumps the soap, turns his seluar inside out and gives a good nag as he always takes his own time to pakai balik seluar. Free willy show okay. Not good. Not good.

 

Adam 2 - Ummi 1

Having done all that and gone through the lectures (my partner in crime also gave him a good man-to-man talk about how much hassle Ummi has to go to get his baju putih back home and sent it to him and later had to manage baju putih he campur with other baju kotor) - that little benyek-benyek still berani to ask us have dinner kat kedai. At a joint of his choice.

We went, nevertheless.
Dinner outside.
At joint of his choice.

Adam 3, Ummi 1

He wins.

But we parents don't always have to win right.

Right?

 

;-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Love of My Life] Budak Benyek-Benyek

This morning.

Sampai ofis.
Letak beg.
Switch on laptop.
Isi air dalam gelas.

Then my phone rang.
Dari taska.

Any call from taska is always urgent and important.

Di hujung sana dengar suara si kecik..

Uuuuuummmiiii
Dalam beg ummi bawak baju sukan
Tapi hari niiii
Adam kena pakaiii bajuuuu puuutiihhhhh
Cikgu cakap semalammmmm

Di hujung sini
Tahan sabar tapi tak boleh tahan dengan suara dia bunyi benyek-benyek.
I could imagine mata dia kelip-kelip.
Mulut tu bentuk U terbalik.

Dah banyak kali pesan.
Anything about school kena bagitau atau siapkan the night before.
Ada mesej, kena bagi terus lepas balik.
Ada homework, siapkan selewat-lewatnya malam tu jugak.
Ada benda extra kena bawak, pack them up before bed.
Ada benda extra needed the next day, balik sekolah terus call bagitau.

The kenit-est default anyway.
Tak ikut arahan.
But who can tahan suara benyek-benyek gitu.

So I went back.

So manja that one.
And I am guilty too.
Manjakan dia.

And see what the father has to say..
Partner in crime sangat kami kan.

[Rambling] [Thoughts] Calon UPSR 2016

Sedang dalam mood memotivasikan diri berkaitan hal anak-anak dan kanak-kanak.
So bear with me.

 

Last Saturday ada taklimat untuk ibubapa pelajar tahun 6. Ibu dan bapa kepada calon-calon UPSR 2016, yang mana batch pertama KSSR yang menduduki UPSR dannnn juga batch pertama yang berdepan dengan perubahan format peperiksaan UPSR.

Wow!

Just wow!

Kan.

As if there's no tomorrow.

 

The drama of those born in 2004 have to face.

 

Now, back to the taklimat.

 

First and foremost, as far as I know, not all schools conduct tuition. It is a paid initiatives here at my son's school but comparatively very cheap to outside tuition centers. Held on weeknights, 4 nights in a week. I, personally would rather curl up in the comfort of my home than having to go out and teach 8 - 10 pm. Things the teachers do for their students. Hats off to them.

 

And not just that, they even have Saturday tuition class.

Apart from the usual sharing of study plans, timelines, expectations, some vital statistics - the school plans to have monthly solat hajat, weekly Yassin recitation, some slots for motivational talks and even kismis will be dispensed every morning for the students. We all know that these are in line with Islamic teachings and encouragement.

 

And I especially like what the Guru Besar has to say. Well, in fact, kami pon kena tazkirah jugak hari tu he he.

1. We were reminded to let them children be children, usah nafikan hak anak-anak kita menjadi kanak-kanak. Dalam keghairahan kita mahu sebanyak-banyak A, berilah mereka ruang menjadi kanak-kanak.
2. We were reminded that parents are the best role models (he was relating of cases students sampai lambat sebab parents lambat hantar).
3. We were reminded let the children own up to their success (he was relating events where parents request anak-anak dikekalkan di kelas hadapan when in fact anak turun kelas).

He, reminded me of my Pengetua(Al-fatihah to Pn. Khadijah Abdul Karim - moga Allah mencucuri rahmat kepada beliau)  during my years in STF. The kind that when speaks up, you can feel the aura. The kind that is a teacher and a mother/father figure all at the same time.

As I mentioned, saya baca artikel ni di fb. I screenshot this. Tapi tak termasuk pula nama penulisnya. Ribuan ampun dan maaf. I typed the quote on gamba Iman, circa 2008 when he was 4. He was still non-verbal around this time.

 

 Moga Allah permudahkan perjalanan hidup anak-anak kita menjadi muslim dan muslimah terbaik.



 

Spilling Beans

We broke the news last Saturday.

I have an announcement.

What? Ummi pregnant?
Kita dapat adik?
Dalam perut Ummi ada baby?
No!

Muka semua panic.
You see, they think they have enough siblings to deal with already.
Yeah, the three of them.

When I told them I will be on leave starting February right up till November, they were still in daze with the idea of having another baby in the house.

The fact only sink in this morning.

Bila Ummi cuti?
Kenapa February?
Kenapa tak sekarang?
Cepatlah.

Kidsss, sabarrr okay.
Sebenarnya Ummi pun tak sabar dah hehe.

So, another 9 working days to go.

 

 

 

 

[Bekal] Week 2 Twenty Sixteen

Bekal minggu lepas. Untuk anak-anak bawak ke sekolah dan taska. Tahun ni my elder two sekolah sesi pagi. Sebelum pegi sekolah pagi tu diorang biasanya minum susu atau milo kotak, belum selera nak sarapan. Jadi bawak bekal they can eat during break nanti. True that kat kantin sekolah ada jual makanan as well. Just that I think their likings towards home-prepared food/meal is something that I cherish. Kena put effort sikitlah.

Kalau ada lebih, saya bawak bekal ke ofis. Walaupun ada bekal, normally saya dan suami akan breakfast sama-sama coz itulah masanya untuk berdua-duaan. Whatmore kalau ada topic atau isu yang perlu dibincangkan, tapi tak sesuai untuk diperkatakan kalau anak-anak ada sama.

Ayamas tempura chicken nugget. Apple. Grilled 'ayam petak' with cheese slice sandwich.

'Ayam petak' sebenarnya burger patties yang bentuknya square. Pan fry kejap patties dalam skillet then topped with cheese slice. Grill kejap dalam sandwich maker.

 

 

 

IKEA Beef meatball. Homemade pancake. Pancake tu saya buat 2 jenis, yang biasa dengan banana pancake.

Banana pancake tu.. lepas tuang adunan dalam skillet, terus atur pisang dipotong nipis atas adunan.

Rabu meriah sikit.

Kek Pisang Gula Hangus, Baked Bowties with Potato, gulai ikan patin (reheat jek).

Gulai ikan patin with I made earlier on. Ada lebihan, masukkan dalam fridge. Ni bekal si Kakak ke taska. Kat rumah ni only me and her yang makan patin.

 

Khamis pulak IKEA beef meatball, apple and sausage rolls.
 

 

Jumaat pulak bekal roti. Dah lama betul tak meroti. Alhamdulillah menjadi. Masih tak tau macamana nak bagi soft sampai 2 hari.

 

Dengan doh yang sama (guna 500gm tepung), saya buat dua jenis roti ...

 

Cranberry Cream Cheese buns. Yes, finally, selepas plan asal nak buat last week did not take off.

 

And Nutella buns. I won't do the nutella again! Berlemoih tangan, berlengas dan sewaktu dengannya.

Plus, kids prefer Cranberry Cream Cheese buns lagi.

So Jumaat roti only.

[Food & Recipe] Baked Bowties with Potato

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actually the name is farfalle but better known as bow-tie pasta.

According to Wikipedia,

"The name is derived from the Italian word farfalla (butterfly). The "e" at the end of the word is the Italian feminine plural ending, making the meaning of the word "butterflies"

 

Dilema biasa kaum wanita - tak tau nak masak apa.

I think this is not just me hehe.

 

Kebiasaan saya akan prepare bahan untuk bekal anak-anak malam sebelum. Atau kalau ambik masa lama nak masak, saya masak terus sebelah malam. Malam hari tu macam tu lah. Nak prepare bahan. No idea. Takde idea nak bekalkan apa.

 

Buka cabinet dapur, nampak bow-tie pasta ni.

 

Buka fridge, nampak whipping cream that has been sitting there for quite sometime.

 

Tengok troli tepi fridge, nampak kentang dah mula bertunas.

Check semula cabinet dapur, nampak ada 2 tin lagi sos pasta.

So kita buat pasta bakar. Senang. Dan kenyang.

 

 

Sama lebih kurang sebenarnya macam masak lasagne. Cuma saya tambah kentang. Dan saya tak buat 2 jenis sos i.e. sos merah dan sos putih. Campur je jadi satu jenis sos.

 

 

Bahan-bahan

1. 3 cups bowties

2. 1 1/2 (450gm) tin sos spaghetti tomato (saya guna jenama Prego yang cendawan - 300gm/tin)

3. 1 kotak (200ml) whipping cream (saya guna jenama Emborg)

4. 2 biji telur

5. Garam

6. Lada sulah

7. 100gm daging kisar

8. 1 biji kentang

9. Keju parut

 

- Rebus pasta hingga lembut. Toskan.

- Kupas kentang, hiris nipis-nipis.

- Dalam satu bekas, satukan bahan 2 hingga 6. Kacau sebati.

- Masukkan pasta tadi, daging kisar dan kentang. Kacau hingga bercampur sebati.

- Tuang dalam loaf-pan. Tabur keju parut di atas.

- Bakar dalam oven 160d, api atas bawah, fan on selama 30-40 minit.

Before. Just before masuk oven. I sprinkled just a bit of cheese. Too much cheese buat tekak saya cepat muak.

 

Kentang hiris nipis.
Tips: Guna peeler untuk dapatkan hirisan yang betul-betul nipis dan sekata.



Saya bakar the night before. Agak tergaring atas tu. Sebok sidai kain sampai lost track of time hehe. Leftover pasta ni saya bekukan. Boleh top-up bekal on other days. Just microwave for 4 minutes.

 

Have a good weekends everyone.
Till then.

 

 

 

 

[Thoughts] Choices Life Has to Offer

Often, I am bogged with thoughts of choosing to work 9-5 or to stay home. Am I doing the right thing? Is this the best for my family? Why would I do this and that? The list goes on.

I will be on long leave comes February 2016. A whole nine months leave with no pay. Approved. Marked countdown to the date in my desktop calendar.

Reason? To oversee my two children prepare for their exams. Like I mentioned in this post before, this may be some people's normal comings and goings in life. But to me, this is a big thing. Allah takdirkan we have a child with different needs, then we have to take life a little differently than other people.
 

11 more days, then I'm off

 

Wah best lahh! - Some people commented.
I wish I can do the same - Some added.

You see, this is something I need to do.

As a mother.

 

Sometimes in order to hold on something, I need to let go of other things. That sometimes means I will be lagging behind other some people in some areas.

 

Working or staying home, would not and should not make me a lesser mother. But if I were really really really have to choose between being a lesser mother or, a lesser employee, I would choose the latter. Never a lesser mother.

I have to admit that deep down inside, I am also a bit excited. And scared. What if it doesn't work out?

Husband said - Let's not regret not doing this. Let's not regret in future of things we should've and could've done but we didn't.

 

And then a friend of mine, Yati, shared this beautiful article in our little wassap group. It went down to my heart.

Too beautiful not to share...

 

Article can be read at http://coolmumsuperdad.com, here's the link to the article. Beautifully written by Jamilah Samian.

 

"Apart from handbags, shoes and accessories, women love three things: elegance, children, and work. Looking pretty is straightforward. Have enough sleep, eat well, have good thoughts, dress up, put on your best smile and voila! You are ready for the world.

 

Striking a balance between family and work is not that simple. A woman arguably has most energy and the ability to grow, personally and professionally, before she hits forty. Yet, for a working mother, within this period, family and work compete for her attention, time and energy.

But first, what does “work” mean?

 

Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. (peace be upon him) said, “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.” (Daraqutni, Hasan).

 

Let us redefine “work” as “anything and everything that brings benefit to mankind”. I know of women who chose to stay home once children came into the picture. I also know of women deeply involved with unpaid work like volunteerism, on top of the official work that they do.

 

To each her own; no mother should be seen or judged as less successful regardless of her choice of “work”. How does a mother strike a balance between her love for her family and her love for work, to bring most benefit to mankind?

 

Clarity of purpose. Be clear why you do what you do. When the “why” is clear, the “how” becomes easier. In difficult times, remind yourself why you are there in the first place. If you believe what you do has value and can change society in a meaningful way, you will find the strength to go on.

 

Be kind to yourself. Forget about serving humanity if your health is compromised. Prolonged high stress promotes modern illnesses, including cancer. Working mothers have a tendency to give it all in their pursuit of success, at times realizing too late that no one is a wonder woman. The first person a mother must look after is her self. Too little sleep once too often, no exercise, and eating the wrong kinds of food, can have long-term adverse effects on your life.

 

A big heart. Think beyond standard options. Find unconventional ways to resolve and overcome problems. What works for another person might not work for you.

 

Be nice to others, but be nicer to your family. Just as you would mark your calendar for appointments with your clients, do the same for your parents, spouse, and children. A family is sacred. Far too many marriages are breaking apart because everything else becomes more important soon after a couple tied the knot. Connect with your loved ones daily. The heart grows distant with every second you are apart. To young children, “love” equals “time”; a mother’s adoring voice and touch are irreplaceable.

 

Have a little regret each day. Dissatisfaction can be a good source of motivation! Perfection doesn’t exist. Instead, work towards “better”. Better relationships, better performance at work, and understanding yourself and others better. You can only do better when you look back and reflect upon the day that has been with honesty, and accept your shortcomings.

 

Above all, Know your true hero. Have a real person to inspire you. If you reach a point where you feel like giving up, remember this person, remember why he or she is important to you, and what about him or her that inspires you. For me it’s my late mother. She once said to me, “Kalau buat baik, tentu Tuhan tolong.” (“So long as you’re doing good, God will help you.”) Her words have become my life motto ever since. When things get tough, all I do is recall these words to get up and go" 

[Food & Recipe] Apam (& Kek) Pisang Gula Hangus

Last week, Farrah Aiza ada bagi gula hangus 4 bekas kecik. Lebihan dari kenduri kawin adiknya. Thanks Farrah.

Mula-mula ingat nak buat kek gula hangus. Lepas tu ternampak pisang yang dah naik lebam atas meja. Tak baik membazir kan, so buatlah apam pisang.

Kebiasaannya kalau buat apam pisang, saya guna fresh milk dan gula perang granule biasa tu. Sebab dah ada gula hangus, saya omit fresh milk dan gula. Janji bahan cecair sedang-sedang elok sukatannya. Kalau letak kedua-dua fresh milk dengan gula hangus, terlampau cair pulak nanti adunan nya.

Bila takde fresh milk, mungkin kurang rasa lemak-lemak kan? Jadi, instead of guna minyak masak, saya guna butter yang dicairkan. 

Apam ni saya buat hujung minggu lepas. Hari Isnin bawak ke ofis nak jamu kawan-kawan. Tup-tup berjamu dalam kereta! Jalan jem. Perut lapar. Nampak apam melambai-lambai mintak di makan hehe.

Bahan-bahan
1. 1 1/2 cawan pisang - dilenyek
2. 1 1/2 cawan gula hangus
3. 2 biji telur
4. 1 cawan mentega cair
5. 1 1/2 cawan tepung naik sendiri
6. 2 sudu teh baking powder

- Panaskan kukusan.
- Pukul telur hingga kembang. Ketepikan.

- Satukan pisang lenyek, gula hangus dan mentega cair. Kacau sebati.

- Masukkan telur yang telah dipukul tadi.

- Masukkan tepung dan baking powder. Kacau sebati.

- Sudukan ke dalam cawan kertas, separuh penuh. Atau jika mahu lebih mudah, tuang semua ke dalam acuan besar.

- Kukus 10-15 minit jika menggunakan cawan kertas, atau 30-40 minit jika menggunakan acuan besar.

Semalam ada kawan di ofis hint-hint nak makan apam pisang. Saya kata tak boleh janji sebab now Kakak dan Iman dah tusyen malam, agak kelam-kabut jadinya. Saya sampai rumah pun dah jam 7:30 malam. Apapun, rezeki dia. Dapat selit masa buat Baked Pasta dengan Apam Pisang Gula Hangus.

Tapi.

Tengah-tengah godek bahan-bahan buat apam, saya dilanda kemalasan nak keluarkan steamer. So, tukar rancangan. Maka bertukarlah Apam Pisang Gula Hangus menjadi Kek Pisang Gula Hangus. Cuma tambahkan tepung dari 1 1/2 cawan kepada 1 3/4 cawan. 

  

Alhamdulillah. Lembut. Not too spongy and not too densed either.



 

[Love of My Life] 1st Week of School and One Mom's Hope

2016 - Tough year.

Praying that I will pull through in good, graceful ways.

 

Kakak, sits for PT3 this year.
Iman, sits for UPSR.

I know that this is just normal comings and goings in some people's life. It's a big thing for me though.

Iman, has disorders. I am not complaining. It helps me to see things from different light. Walk through the journey less travelled. Realising the spirit and courage I never knew I had. He's been diagnosed when he was four and it's been almost 8 years since.

Although the best is yet to come, I hope one day it will.

So.

My elder two now attend nightly tuition every weekdays night. I am not all for this tuition thingy but at times like these, I think this is the best for them.

Friday night they go to KUMON as well. Saturday they have tae kwan do, KUMON and mengaji. Sunday mengaji. They have the rest of the weekends to themselves.

Homework and daily KUMON worksheet must be completed before we pick them up at taska.
Balik tuition can watch TV for 1/2 to 1 hour, then it's bedtime.
Absolutely no gadgets during weekdays, except.. well.. when in the car.
Gadgets during weekends must be surrendered latest by 6:00 pm, Sunday.

We survived the arrangement 1st week of school. Still too soon to tell but I hope we can manage and pull through.

Yang tak berapa survive is mak nya! By end of last week, I have 6 bakuls of laundry to fold. Hope to get my rhythm back so I won't end up scaling Mt. St. Laundry every weekends!

I hope to strike a balance between getting them to study and let them kids, be kids.

Main sorang-sorang while the sister and brother are at tuition center

Adam doesn't really mind the arrangement, tho he insisted he needs to go to tuition too :-) Being the manja anak bongsu, who offers you big warm hugs out of nothing, gives you that sudden wet smooches.. he doesn't mind all the attention he gets all for himself. Even though for just few hours a day hehe.



 

[Food & Recipe] Yong Tau Foo & Terapi Pasar!

Agree?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't been to pasar basah for weeks! Kinda missing the trip. Pasar basah is therapeutic. (I am 42 this year and I think this is normal for women my age)

 

Seafood line-ups, rows of daging and ayam and stalls of bermacam-macam sayur-sayuran. Dari sayur kampung hinggalah ke sayur bandar. I personally like sayur kampong. Pucuk paku masak lemak, pucuk ubi celur cicah sambal tempoyak. Yumm. But the passion is not shared with others in our little household. Too bad.

 

Kalau balik kampong, memang laaaa sangat berselera makan coz my mother and adik beradik and sister-in-laws biasanya akan dish out masakan kampong. Siap dengan ikan sungai, sambal belimbing, sambal tempoyak. Ulam pucuk mengkudu celur. Masak lemak pucuk labu. Kulat busut masak bening air. And oh masak lemak kulat sisir yang sangat umphh. I can go on and on, on this.

This, was few months back. Makan-makan with family at my brother's house

 

 Godness, I am drooling already!

Anyway.

 

I went to Pasar Kajang Sabtu baru-baru ni. And it triggered the hantu dapor in me. Having cleaned everything bought dari pasar, I cleaned the fridge and organise everything inside it. Now freezer saya sangat kemas that I stand with pride everytime I open the door. Over kan.

 

In cooking department, of course with yours truly's help, I made ketam berlada, sotong goreng celup tepung, bak choy in oyster sauce. I dished out nasi lemak with sambal sotong kering (beli masa a wonderful (and loud!) Penang trip with girlfriends from old school), ikan goreng, accompanied by oakleaf salad and tomato. (This makcik lupa beli timun) Then I did bubur jagung (I even made lollies from the leftover) and did yong tau foo. And apam pisang gula hangus as well.

 

Full force cooking this weekends

 

This time, saya nak share the yong tou foo I made with love for my little family. Makan dengan sup coz we love soup (and more like I do not how to make that dark brown gravy hehe)

Weekends well spent. And food well eaten! Adam tegur maknya - Ummi ni asyik makannnn je.

 

Ingredients

1. 1 ekor ikan tenggiri papan saiz sederhana, anggaran 1-1 1/2kg

2. 1 ulas bawang putih

3. 2 sudu besar tepung ubi kayu

4. Garam dan lada sulah secukup rasa

5. 1 sudu teh minyak bijabn

6. 1 biji terung- potong dan korek sedikit isi tengahnya.

7. 4 batang kacang bendi - buang tangkai, belah dua dan buang bijinya.

8. 2 batang cili merah - buang tangkai, belah 2 dan buang bijinya.

9. 1 labu bawang putih - biarkan dalam bentuk 1 labu, cuci tanpa dibuang kulit, potong bahagian atasnya sahaja

10. Halia sebesar ibu jari - hiris tebal atau ketuk.

11. 1 biji bawang merah - hiris halus.

- Fillet kan ikan tengiri. Ketepikan tulang tengah dan kepala. Buang semua tulang  pada fillet ikan dan kikis isi ikan dari kulitnya.

- Cuci dan toskan fillet ikan.

- Di dalam food processor, masukkan fillet ikan, tepung ubi kayu, bawang putih. Perisakan secukupnya dengan garam dan lada sulah. Proseskan selama 2-3 minit sehingga hancur.

Untuk membuat isi sayuran

- Ambil isi ikan dan sumbat ke dalam terung, kacang bendi dan cili.

- Panaskan sedikit minyak di dalam kuali leper.

- Pan fry sebentar sayuran yang disumbat tadi sehingga sayur agak layu dan isi ikan separuh masak.

- Toskan minyak.

Tips: Basahkan tangan dengan air sebelum memegang isi ikan untuk mengelakkan melekat di tangan.

Untuk membuat fishball

A. Jika mahu disejuk beku...

- Sediakan semangkuk air sejuk.

- Bentukkan dengan menggunakan sudu, masukkan ke dalam air sejuk.

- Toskan sedikit, atur di dalam bekas atau dulang, masukkan ke dalam freezer. Pastikan fishball tidak bersentuhan antara satu sama lain.

- Bila telah keras, isikan ke dalam bekas bertutup.

B. Jika mahu di makan terus

- Sebaik sahaja membentuk fishball, jatuhkan ke dalam air mendidih dan biarkan sehingga masak. Angkat dan toskan.

- Atau boleh terus dimasukkan ke dalam kuah sup ikan yang mendidih.

Tips: Selalu celupkan sudu ke dalam air bagi mengelakkan isi ikan melekat-lekat pada sudu.

Untuk membuat sup ikan

- Di dalam periuk, satukan tulang tengah ikan dan kepalanya.

-  Masukkan bawang putih dan halia.

- Rebus kira-kira 1/2 jam dengan api perlahan.

- Tapis, ambil stoknya sahaja.

- Di dalam periuk lain, panaskan sedikit minyak dan tumis bawang merah.

- Tuang stok ikan tadi. Didihkan.

- Perisakan dengan garam dan lada sulah.

Tips: Stok ikan boleh dibekukan dan tahan disimpan sehingga 2 minggu.



Fishballs. Sangat uneven bentuknya. Siap ada biji cili tersesat sebijik di situ..

Untuk menghidang, masukkan fishball dan sayuran ke dalam sup ikan. I tell you.. very refreshing. We had it tonight with kuetiaw goring, done by yours truly.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and ready to seize the coming week.


 

[Food & Recipe] Buttermilk Waffles

Who doesn't love waffles?
(Especially the ones made with loads of love)

 

Bekal anak-anak ke taska hari ni

 

Drizzle them with honey. Top them with dollops of ice cream, sprinkle them with nuts. Slap them with some strawberry jam. Have them with banana or strawberry. Bliss!

Going through and eventually choosing which recipe to follow, can be overwhelming. Saya la tu! The more shortcuts, the better. The lesser bowls and utensils used, the better. Saya tak berapa rajin berlama-lamaan di dapur and tak berapa gemar nak basuh banyak mangkuk, besen, sudu..

 

Findings from my cyber-research and from my food-talk-session with friends, my conclusion, waffle basic - flour, sugar, baking soda/baking powder, eggs, milk, butter.

Some beat the yolk and egg white separately. I, of course, beat them together.
Some use baking soda, my personal choice is baking powder.
Some use milk, I like to make mine using buttermilk.

Ingredients: -

A. In a bowl, mix these dry ingredients..

1. 1 cup self raising flour.

2. 2 tsp baking powder.  

3. 3 tbsp sugar

 

Dry Ingredients

 

 

B. In other bowl, mix these wet ingredients..

1. 2 eggs - beaten until light and pluffy. no need for mixer, use a whisk and work that bicep!

2. 3 tbsp butter - melt

3. 1 cup buttermilk - check here, how I made my own buttermilk coz this thing is not cheap

(Tengok di sini, saya ada cerita macamana I do my buttermilk)

 

Wet ingredients

 

- Heat waffle maker

- Slowly pour B into A, while continuously whisking the batter.

- Pour into waffle maker and let them cook accordingly.

 

Tips 1: Untuk mempercepatkan kerja di dapur pagi-pagi, waffle batter can be prepared the night before and then keep in the fridge.

 

Tips 2: Bangun pagi tu, before mandi ke apa kan, keluarkan batter dari fridge dulu then baru mandi ke, solat ke. Coz kalau tuang masa sejuk-sejuk sangat, lambat nak masak.

This weekend, rancangannya nak buat Cream Cheese Bun. InsyaAllah..... Kalau project really take-off, nanti kite share resepinya.

[Thoughts] Doa & Ujian

Pernah terbaca ungkapan - Sometimes God makes things work in mysterious way.

Sharing a short article written by Dr. Zaharudin Abdul Rahman

" Doa seseorang itu BOLEH sahaja dimaqbulkan oleh Allah swt dalam bentuk yang TIDAK disukainya, contohnya berdoa agar hati lebih tenang dan khusyu' solat, lalu Allah swt rugikan bisnesnya sehingga bankrup kerana tidak disedari bisnesnya itulah penghalang hati tenang dan khusyu', tanpanya (atau dengan bisnes lain yang lebih baik) apa yang dipohonnya boleh diperolehi.

Begitulah seterusnya, sebahagian musibah dan bala yang datang adalah untuk memaqbulkan doa kita sendiri. Justeru... sama-sama kita usaha bersabar dan tidak cepat putus asa, terlalu bersedih dengan apa yang hilang atau melenting membenci taqdir. Carilah positif darinya nescaya hidup lebih tenang.

Itulah sifat Mukmin sejati sabdaan Nabi salla allahu 'alaihi wasallam:-

عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

Ertinya : Ajaib urusan orang mukmin itu, apa yang berlaku semua baginya kebaikan, tiada seorang kecuali mukmin yang apabila ditimpa kebaikan lalu bersyukur maka kebaikan baginya, apabila ditimpa keburukan maka bersabar, maka kebaikan baginya juga ( Hadis sohih Muslim) "

Good reminder.

Likewise orang lain, saya sentiasa mendoakan yang baik-baik dan yang terbaik. Semoga tidak diuji dengan perkara yang tak mampu saya hadapi. Dan jika ianya tidak berlaku seperti diharapkan, moga diberi cukup kesabaran dan ketabahan.  

[Food & Recipe] Fried Pasta with Tuna

Here's sharing a recipe one of my anak-anak's favorites.

 

Now that the new school term already started, I know some working mothers get up really early on school days, preparing lunch for their school-going kids, dishing out curry, gulai, tomyam and the likes. Or do two or three simple dishes. Then they're off to their workplace. Hats off to you ladies!

Saya cuma buatkan bekal anak-anak ke sekolah. And kalau ada lebih, bawak bekal ke office as well.

 

My choice, of course something yang simple and senang. Antaranya yang ini lah....



Garnished with baby tomatoes. Yang mak nya kita letak cili potong sikit.

 

 

Ingredients: -

1. 2 ulas bawang putih - lenyek dan cincang halus

2. 1/2 labu bawang besar - potong dadu

3. 1 tin tuna - toskan airnya (saya guna jenama Ayam Brand, tuna flakes in water)

4. 1 tin sos spaghetti tomato (300gm) - (saya guna jenama Prego yang cendawan)

5. 250gm cawan spirale pasta - rebus dan tos (saya guna jenama San Remo)

6. 3 sudu besar minyak masak

7. 1/2 cawan air

 

- Panaskan minyak.

- Tumis bawang putih dan bawang besar hingga layu.

- Masukkan sos spaghetti. Biarkan mendidih.

- Masukkan tuna. Kacau sebati. Masukkan pula air dan masak hingga mendidih.

- Tuang spaghetti dan goreng hingga masak.



Tips: Rebus pasta dan toskan pada sebelah malam. So step ni kita tak payah buat waktu pagi. Time consuming.

Tips: Goreng dalam bekas yang sama digunakan merebus pasta. Tak perlu basuh banyak benda.
Ni saya guna inner pot rice-cooker. Bodynya dah rosak, tinggal inner pot saja :-)

 

 Mudah je kan. Anak2 pun boleh buat sendiri.


 

New Year 2016

Twenty Sixteen slid in.

Happy New Year 2016.





"Sometimes the best lessons are in the journey, regardless of the outcome."
Tsukiyama, Gail, A Hundred Flowers