Purple Themed Wedding Cake...

Firstly, sorry for not updating the blog for the longest time.. I have been busy doing i'm not even sure what!  Lol...

 

Now... time to move forward! 2012... will it be the end of the world? 

I still have so many parts of the world I wanna visit... so many things i wanna do but if the end of the world really happens... I dont think I will leave with any regrets. I think at where I am now, I think I have done what iIcan... grabbed all the opportunities that has been thrown my way.. challenged myself enough... seen the major countries I need to visit (tho it's like only 20%)... met a lot of my cake idols and even had the joy of getting to know them personally (and learn from some of them personally too!!)...

It's amazing how life is when we count our blessings and not the lemons....

2012 for now holds a lot of uncertainties but lots of crazy thoughts & ideas..

I guess I'll take it as it comes after all, i am a 'spur-of-the-moment' kinda person..

Hope this cake arrived safely kat Ipoh.

Thanks Sis Linda for the order..

Homestay 2 - Teratak Basha

The long Chinese New Year holiday, by brothers and sistes tak nak gi holiday jauh-jauh.  The adrenaline masa we all pergi natural homestay kat Teratak Basha masih tebal lagi.  So, we decided to go again... why not?

my nephew with his catch - Talapia...

ni goreng kunyit sodap ni...

woooo... raja patin..!

Will we go to Teratak Basha again...? Definately..!

If My body Were a Car...

If my body were a car....

...this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model.

I've got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish...

....and my paint job is getting a little dull...

....but that's not the worst of it.....

My headlights are out of focus and it's especially hard to see things up close.

My traction is not as graceful as it once was.

I slip and slide and skid and bump into things even in the best of weather.

My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins.

It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed.

My fuel rate burns inefficiently..!

But here's the worst of it.....

Almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter.....either my radiator leaks ......

.....or my exhaust backfires!

...if my body were a car..   Now.. do you feel me....

...Seventeen years ago today...

This photo needs to be shared. 

Isn't she beautiful..! 

Isn't she beautiful..!  

 

This is my daughter and today is her seventeenth birthday  she was born on the stroke of 11:15am on the 11th Jan 1995.  She will probably tell me off for putting this photo on here but this is my little celebration.  The marking of her birthday and the time has passed which seems no time at all since she was born.

OK, seventeen-year old, that is it.  You're officially not a baby anymore at all.  Except for when you still are.  Reminding me for the words that you mixed up on a consistent basis when you were one-year, which never cease to crack me up.  "Nammy" for "Mummy".... "Mak-u-Ta" for "Merdeka".  "Coffee" for copy  (as in "Nammy, don't coffee my paper"!)

....mummy.... I could use a little help here...please...

...yes.. I know I am chubby...

...my first step....

 ...practicing ....Iklan tootpaste - Kodomo Lion..!

 

 You are a funny, funny child. At least a couple of times each day, you say something that cracks me and your father up, often much to our dismay.

...she's daddy's little girl, and the light of my life...

 I still remember the times when we're trying to discipline you and you say something outrageous, which leads to both of us holding back laughter and smiles and flashing each other looks across the room.  We try really hard to be stern when the situation calls for it, but sometimes we just want to collapse in laughter as a result of some of the things you come up with.

..as usual... always clowning around with her grandpa...(like this re-enactment of Hari Raya Petronas advertisement!..)

You are beautiful, intelligent, sweet, funny, loving, and warm-hearted.  I know I'm biased, but I honestly couldn't have asked for a better daughter than you.

...a spin ride by classmate on your 16th birthday... (I like this photo - very nostalgic..!)

You idolize your Daddy, and tell him so all the time.  And I know that it breaks his heart a little bit each day that he's at the other side of the continent, and most of the time and not here, watching you grow up..

...(at times) ...the centre of media attraction.... (and still a walking advertisment for your school, which makes me and your Daddy exceedingly proud)

You are sweet, and maddening, and hysterically, and dramatic....

You gave me hugs and kisses when I am 'down' and then spent next five minutes screaming like a banshee because there's  a butterly or cockroach in the bathroom.  You exhaust me and delight me.

...enjoying holiday after PMR..

You are beautiful.  So much so that strangers often stop us on the street to tell us so.  (And then look weirdly at me, with my tudung and dark eyes, and wonder if you're adopted..!).  

I hope that you will always be secure in yourself and know how wonderful you are, eventhough I know that the day will come when you will doubt everything and everyone.

I hope that you will always love yourself but that you will also be filled with humility, and compassion, and LOVE.  I look forward to the day that you're an independent person and at the same time dread the day that you will no longer want to crawl into bed with me first thing in the morning for a hug.

In short, I love you.  I will never be a perfect mother, but I will always love you completely.

I love you Girl, all the way to the tips of my toes...

Happy Birthday..

Love, Mummy

Times are a changing....

Life is definitely changing around here and I'm not just talking about my daughter cutting her hair off. Last weekend was a great week for her. She is actually looking forward to school this week. Can you believe it...looking forward to school?! - That is soooo her.. (LoL)!

My emotions are all over the place with her right now. She is all grown up! I went to hug her and realized that her shoulders almost meet mine! I hug her everyday, but all of a sudden, couple of days ago, I hugged her and she was up there with me...there was no bending down to get my arms around her body! Her shoe size went up 2 sizes since last Hari Raya (Eid)! I never have a hard time with my birthdays, but realizing that I'm about to have a grown up teenager is hitting me hard. She's my little woman and she's getting all grown up on me!

To ease my mind today...I'm in the kitchen making her favourite cake – Moist Choc Cake., ok.....make it two...!

Special request.... extra ganache...!

 Happy Birthday Girl....I.

I love you...all the way to the moon and back..!

Love, Mummy

My theraphy....

I'm pretty high-stung and whenever I'm really upset about something, baking is one of the few things that actually calms me down. Even if I go for a walk or draw a bath, I remain fixated on the issue at hand.  I admit getting outdoors usually helps, but not as much as baking.

...all set ready to go into the oven...

...perfect...!

I suppose the preciseness of it has something to do with it.  As I'm measuring flour, sugar, butter, vegetable oil and eggs - my mind -- at least momentarily -- is off whatever was troubling me.  Plus, I end up taking most baked goods to work, or bake for neighbours, so I can also think about how happy they will be when I show up with a surprise batch of cupcakes, cakes, brownies or the like.

...one for dearest Mom....

...one for my next door neighbour, Syikin, who is due to deliver any day now....

...last but not least, one for the household...

...I stayed up all night to bake these....and its worth it...!

  

The act of baking with all its smells and tastes is associated with nostalgia and can evoke really joyful memories. The process of creating something simple and delicious to share with family and friends can provide the kind of confidence one might ordinarily associate with find the perfect pair of jeans or a promotion at work...

...ahh, finally... I finished all three Choc-Moist cakes at 06:10 hrs..

I am a happy woman now...!

Apple Oats Crumble...



This recipe is an all-time favourite of those hankering after the ultimate quick and easy dessert. Serve with nostalgia...

The Apple Oats Crumble...



...all set ready to go into the oven...

...fresh from the oven...

...what lies underneath the crumbles....

Ingredients For the crumble :
300g Plain Flour, sieved  with pinch of salt
175g  Brown Sugar
200g unsalted Butter, cubed at room temperature
Knob of Butter for greasing

For the filling:
450g Apples, peeled, cored and cut wedges
50g  Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Plain Flour
1 cup of rolled oats
1 pinch of ground Cinnamon

Preparation method:-
Preheat the oven to 180C
Place flour, rolled oats and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Place the apples in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Mix well being careful not to break up the fruit.
Butter a 9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the apple mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.

Serve with thick cream or custard.

Classic Custard Recipe :

1 cup Fresh Milk
1 tbsp Vanilla
4 tbsp Sugar
2 egg yolk (lightly beaten)


Put the milk in a pot and bring to boil. Stir in sugar and egg. Heat gently and stirring all the time until the mixture is thick enough. Add in vanilla. Serve hot. Voila!

Brother...You Hook Em, I Cook Em...

 

My daughter and I spent our  new year weekend with my baby brother, his family, and his closest friends at "homestay-back to nature".  

... let the 'professionals' prepare the catch....

...the bounty catch...

...my version of Gulai Lemak Tempoyak Cili Api - Ikan Lampam.

Thanks to my sis-in-law, Irda Sharina, for your delicious recipe.  

There's nothing better than our own fresh caught fish...

Ok, now lets makan...!

Homestay 1 - Teratak Basha (New Year's eve 2012)

Firstly, sorry for not updating the blog for the longest time.. I have been busy doing i'm not even sure what! Lol...

 

Now... time to move forward! 2012... will it be the end of the world? 

I still have so many parts of the world i wanna visit... so many things i wanna do but if the end of the world really happens... I dont think i will leave with any regrets. I think at where i am now, i think i have done what i can... grabbed all the opportunities that has been thrown my way.. challenged myself enough... seen the major countriesi need to visit (tho it's like only 20%)... met a lot of my cake idols and even had the joy of getting to know them personally (and learn from some of them personally too!!)...

It's amazing how life is when we count our blessings and not the lemons....

2012 for now holds a lot of uncertainties but lots of crazy thoughts & ideas..

I guess i'll take it as it comes after all, i am a 'spur-of-the-moment' kinda person..

On New Year's eve (2012)... my brothers and sisters decided to skip the hustle and bustle of celebrating kat bandar... so we decided to go for Natural Retreat..

Homestay at Teratak Basha  is a perfect natural retreat for those seeking quiet and peaceful surroundings away from the busy city life. 

Mak-mak...tengah tunggu bapak-bapak mancing ikan nak buat lauk for lunch...

... siapa masak Sup Gear Box ni ha..??

...kari daging...

...Rambutan and Durian... straight from the dusun...

...bebudak, apa kisah, bila lapar diorang pergi dapur cari nasi...

Ikan Talapia, Ikan Lampam, Ikan Tongsan, Ikan Patin...

...macam-macam ikan ada...

hmmm.. mat-mat hero, berebut nak claim credit dengan se-ekor ikan (Patin)..

... the Patin ended up in a pot - Masak Lomak Tempoyak...

...apalah  pulak masalah my doter ni...???

bila malam ... bebudak berebut nak tidur dalam tent...

Nite..nite..

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone...