Time Off

We have family in town so I'll be taking this week off to spend time with them. Check out the links below to see some of my recipes. See you next week.AppetizersAsian FoodBeefBreads and MuffinsBreakfastsChickenCookiesDessertsItalianMexicanPorkSaladsSandwichesSeafoodSide DishesSoupsStews and Chili

Why do YOU cook, Allen Williams?

Allen Williams is a renaissance man, both in and out of the kitchen. His cooking style combines farm-style cooking with urban flavors. The photo of his childhood home in Michigan, where his cooking adventures began, is appropriate since he looks to the past as much as to the present to make great food. In addition to blogging at Eating Out Loud, he also writes about and digitally preserves vintage handwritten recipes at Recovered Recipes.

"For me, it's quite simple...I grew up in the kitchen with my mother, baking and cooking as soon as I could grasp a wooden spoon. I didn't choose to cook - it's just something I've always done. I do find that the greater distance I move from my parents home, the more I tend to cook. Although I could easily eat out every night, I find myself still drawn to spending time in the kitchen. It's relaxing, stimulates my creativity, and provides a direct connection to my family."

Someone said...

Someone said...
To be winner...
All you need is to give all you have...
To become successful...

Afterwards...
Did not forget also...
To always pray...
Until being reached what was wanted...

What was said...
Truly the existence...
The hard work...
Did not know surrendered...
It is one of the way...
The success...

Humankind was given by the capacity...
To try...
To hope...
In order to have the direction...
In the life...

Tried to be the obligation...

In spite of that in a praying manner...

But...
When all the hard works...
Always produced what was wanted...
Possibly was not available...
Hopeless humankind...
Disappointed and miserable...

There were those who was forgotten...
That humankind...
Have the limitations...
The limitations in decisive...
Determined what will happen...

With knew...
And always remembered that...
We did not find it easy...
Disappointed and angry...
If as hard as possible...
Through to blood crying...
Did not get what was wanted.

........

Other...
Go...
Left the world...
Forevermore...

He...
A hard worker...
Loved the family...
Paid attention to the peer...

Be sick that was suffered...
Made him suffered...
Not strong kept pain...
Cried...
Angry...
In the condition...

Before going...
The health began to be restored...
Gradually carried out the everyday activity...
However all that...
The sign to say goodbye...
Left the child and the wife..
Came back to Illahi Robbi...

Safe journey the uncle...
You settled your task...
In this world...
It is hoped the Lord...
Pardon all of your sins...
Happy beside the Lord...
Amen....

(recalled the uncle who died today)

Maybe....

Served the fellow humankind...
Was not easy...
Because of humankind not be the same...
The characteristics and the behaviour...
There were those who are good...
There is also that not...

Accepted help...
From the peer...
Also was not easy...
There were those who are sincere...
There were also those who are two-faced...

Distinguished...
Around that was sincere and not...
Could be the case...
Because...
There is none that knew...
The depth of the heart....

The smile and the friendliness...
Could be made....
In accordance with the condition and the requirement...

Indeed was not good...
Had bad prejudice...
But was not wrong to be on the alert...
Faced various human sorts...

That became the problem...
How...
Faced all that...
In order to not happen...
The matter that was not hoped for...

Maintained relations...
Not for the dispute...
Safe peaceful...
Was full of the happiness...

What all that possibly? ....
Must be thrown away by the suspicious feeling? ...
Always must believe? ...
And Receive the way it is? ...

Possibly, was the answer....
Because of the uncertainty the characteristics of the world...
Possibly could like that...
Possibly also could like this...

All depended...
Did we strong underwent...
Did we strong faced...
Anything that will happen...

And chose...
As well as determined the attitude...
In accordance with the conviction...

Therefore the function...
The mind and thoughts...
Our conscience.

Adorable? You Decide

Dress : Princess . Socks : SoxGallery . Headband : DIY


Hello everyone! How are you? Hope you're doing fine. Yesterday I decided to take some photos. So here are the results. Hope you like it! I made the headband by myself, cut it on a piece of transparent paper and color it. It's tacky, I know! I won't wear it outside the house. Just for a photoshoot, because I think it's cute. So, have a great weekend! Much love. xoxo.

Veggie Quiche with Potato Crust

I am in love. Truly, in love. I adapted this recipe from one I found on Yellowfish. I used a freshly picked zucchini and tomato from my neighbor Jack's garden along with other ingredients I had on hand. I loved the idea of using thin slices of potatoes as a crust instead of pastry. It was very simple to make and tasted FANTASTIC! The possibilities with this quiche are endless and I can't

Antoine Amrani Chocolates

Sour cherry, Grand Marnier, coffee and dark chocolate. That was the bon bon that won me over. I'm not sure what the inspiration was for the combination, though I was intrigued because coffee beans come from fruit called coffee cherries. I've always wanted to try the fresh fruit of the coffee tree. It's supposed to be very sweet. But it was the bitter edge of sour cherries, coffee and dark chocolate that I found so intoxicating.

The former Executive Pastry Chef from the acclaimed Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, who trained at the Ritz Escoffier in Paris, Antoine Amrani recently launched his own chocolate company making exquisite confections. Coffee Sour Cherry was just one of the imaginative flavor combinations in my nine piece chocolate assortment.

I'm always happy to try a sample of high quality chocolates and those from Antoine Amrani did not disappoint. Really great chocolate is so satisfying that only a piece or two is plenty. I liked all the fruit infused flavors including an Earl Grey (bergamot) chocolate, the Orange Grand Marnier with a hint of cardamom and the intense Raspberry. The chocolates are very smooth, with balanced flavors and that melting moment that feels like settling into a pile of fluffy down pillows. It doesn't hurt that they are handmade and pretty as sparkling jewels.

It's interesting that chocolate sales continue to rise during tough economic times. Like lipstick and top shelf cocktails, buying a few pieces of great chocolate is something indulgent that you don't have to feel terribly guilty about. This year I'll be participating in the Hunger Challenge again and will have to forgo such treats for a week, but for right now, I heartily recommend pampering yourself or someone one deserving with the best chocolate you can find.

Reality...

Already in August...
Was finished that in September...
October...
November...
December...
The New Year again...

Such was lived this...
Proceeded fast without being felt...

It seems just yesterday the scholar graduation...
With the gown...
Received the scholar’s certificate...
Now the hard work seeks a living...

It seems the day after tomorrow still there...
But now already here...

It seems earlier still the morning...
In fact it's already night time the day...

It seems earlier was busy...
Now quiet...

It seems a previous second she still on the side...
Now has gone...

All that was felt...
Real...
Not the dream...
................ and must be undergone.

Woodland Embroidery!

Finally created! Let's stand up for Amy!! Dearest Amy has embroidered the pattern (remember it? My first embroidery pattern!) for her Granny (God bless you, Amy! ..and Amy's Granny, you are so lucky to have her as a granddaughter!).


Amy's work is obviously not a work of a beginner, no? I am really honored that she chose my pattern for her skill, she's great!! And look at that tiny leaves on the tree!! Such detail! I wouldn't have done that even if I can embroider. So, do any of you have been inspired lately? Send your creations to me, it will make my day and suddenly there will be rainbows on my backyard! Seriously!

Thanks again, Amy!

Coconut Pecan Brownies

Our friends were coming to our house for dinner. The best part is, I didn't have to cook. Currié made chicken pot pie, which is my very favorite of her recipes. The kids and I decided to make a nice dessert to thank Currié for making dinner. When looking through my baking cupboard I found some leftover cocoa powder, coconut and pecans. I decided coconut pecan brownies would be tasty. The brownies

Introspection....

Cold air penetrating...
Felt as far as bones...
Rain descended was swift enough...
Wetted the land...
In the seventh night...
The Ramadhan month...

Thank heavens was raised by me...
On the gift that was felt by me...
The health...
The strength...
Be unlimited was felt by me...

The holy month...
During to cleaned ourselves...
Avoid the sin...
Avoid all the insults...

The storm lived...
Definitely always will be available...
However when one was exceded...
It was lovely that the heart was not thought...

Live without the ordeal...
Not lived in the world...
Will not escape from being wrong...
Deliberate...
And not...

However...
Obligatory for us...
To always try...
To better...
Good for ourselves...
And with the other person...

Fall one time...
Twice, that was normal...
The three times were the disaster...
The sign to introspection...

Improve yourself...
Was not easy to change...
Just could not speak...
Need the determination was as strong as the steel...
And always prayed...
So that the road is facilitated...
By The Lord that the power.

Shredded Beef and Sweet Potato Stuffed Chiles

So these stuffed chiles aren't the most visually stunning food but they are SO UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS. Seriously, I need to use all caps for how good this dish was. We had friends over for dinner and I wanted to re-create a recipe I had at my favorite Boise restaurant called Barbacoa. I loved the dish so much the last time I was there, I asked the waiter to grab the chef. He came out to our table

The Oversized Jacket

Tank top : Mangga Dua ITC . Dress : Princess . Denim jacket : Nevada Kids . Tights : Gaudi . Shoes : Zaro Partini


My hair was still wet! And I'm so sorry, I feel lazy to dress-up lately. That's why my looks are just fine, not too fascinating. Haha. I bought this denim jacket when I was 8. Still too big for me, can't you believe it? I think I'm gonna crop it. It's still great.

My friends and I went to the mall and watched District 9. Boring. I hate this film. And I saw Zara's new collection! Wow those clothes are so awesome and cool! I'll show you soon. :D My friend, Jufilin, take a photo of me. Candid of course.

Silly face! I wish I had Blackberry. Haha. By the way, I just got featured on Look 10. So happy! You can check it here. Comments are really truly appreciated! Thanks! Smooch smooch.

Veggie Pizza

I was heading over to a friends house to eat a bit of pizza before going to the movies to watch Julie and Julia. My girlfriend made a pizza for our husbands and children and I made this pizza for us girls. I was craving a veggie pizza that was full of flavor but not full of fat. I looked through the refrigerator to see what I had. I grabbed some fresh spinach, mushrooms, red onions, black olives,

Flashback and a little chat.

Let's see, today I, myself, went to the doctor, I have this cough that has stayed for as long as I can remember (I am exaggerating it, I think it's 1 or 2 months). I thought it was nothing serious, I never smoke and I live in a smoke-free house, I can exercise, eat, and sleep well, I can still regularly do daily activity, well, I just cough a little. But there's something about airline regulation of putting on an oxygen mask for yourself first before helping your accompanying children, isn't it? I want to be healthy, for my sake and Baby G's sake. So I went. And he diagnosed .. (probably) TB, tuberculosis.

.. isn't it like, the plague that could kill hundred or thousand people and children in 18 or 19 something? I was mortified! I was never expected something so serious! The doctor said I have it from someone else, might be anywhere, in the park, at the mall, anywhere. I will know my lab result tomorrow, so I really am praying it's not that serious.

Speaking of illness, I have some pictures the moment right before Baby G was sick. After she was sick, I had no urge to take any photograph at all. She was all laugh and play, and.. I remember what my mom used to say, "Illness (in babies and children) strikes like a lightning and goes away like a snail". I think it's some Chinese proverb, but it's true. She was a little miss sunshine one morning and later on the afternoon she couldn't barely open her eyes! Sigh... anyway, yep, she started to walk and yep, it's her father a.k.a the hubby.

The lotus got nothing to do with the story, but it's so pretty I have to share it.

OK, don't be blue by all this illness chitchat. I have saved the great news for last. I won a chickdowntown giveaway a few weeks ago, and it just arrived. It was a very very "it" acid wash jeans, I am keeping it for my (more fashionable and has better gene) sister. My post baby bod won't allow me in something very "it", darling. So, if you're into fashion or like me, a fashion fool, but really enjoys staring at fashion pictures, head on to chickdowntown. Great service indeed, and they're having a free shipping promo (and yes, they do ship your item in that sophisticated white box with black satin bow!). Chin up, ladies, this is good news! Happy Tuesday!

Coleslaw with a Kick AND Giveaway Winners

While shopping at Trader Joe's the other day, we headed over to the sample table. They had this simple yet delicious coleslaw available for tasting. I loved the spicy peanut vinaigrette with the crunchy peanuts and sweet raisins. My kids liked it too so I grabbed all the ingredients and decided to make it with dinner that night. I served it alongside chicken pot stickers. It was a quick and tasty

Always came...

The ordeal...
Always came...
When that was not hoped for...

The ordeal could came repeated...
Sometimes only from time to time...

The ordeal was the warning...
From the great Lord...
To test...
The Quality of human faith...

Many sorts...
The ordeal to humankind...
There were those who are heavy...
There were also those who are light...

Many also the method...
Humankind in facing that...
Depended...
How to received that...

There were those who are strong...
Patient and grateful...
There were those who are weak...
Cried and mourned...
Moreover ended they life...

That was clear...
The ordeal not to be avoided...
Also could not be ignored...
Always must be ready to be dealt with...

Because...
The ordeal that was given by The Lord...
Will not exceed the limit...
The human capacity in receiving that.

Why do YOU cook, Hank Shaw?

Hank Shaw is not your typical cook or your typical blogger. He hunts, fishes and gardens and is something of an expert when it comes to seafood. He was a 2009 James Beard Award nominee for his blog Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, but what impresses me the most is his thoughtful approach to food. In addition to his blog and he also runs the About.com site, Fish & Seafood Cooking.

"To me it's almost like asking, "Why do you breathe?" Cooking is not something I consciously began doing; it just is what I do in the course of any normal day, and has been since I was a boy. Cooking is part of what makes me who I am, and it defines me to others -- especially because as a person who hunts, fishes, forages or grows much of what I eat, I am an outlier who represents the boundaries of what an otherwise "normal" person can and cannot do.

When Michael Pollan cited that food researcher in last weekend's New York Times magazine, the researcher scoffed at the notion of killing, plucking, gutting and cooking every chicken we eat, saying, "who does that anymore?" Well, I do. And after that story ran, I got a bunch of emails from people pointing me to that quote. I prove to them that it can be done. Easily, in fact.

Other men take cars apart and put them back together to understand how the pieces fit correctly. I take apart animals and plants in an attempt to understand the same thing. How I rearrange them in the kitchen is my own personal alchemy, something I find endlessly fascinating."

Where am I?

Well, here I am, I'm not going anywhere at the moment. Why the sudden disappearance? You know the notorious swine flu? Well, Baby G suffered another mutation of the flu and has just recovered today. It was her first serious illness and yes, I was very very worried and stood by her 24 hours a day, even when she slept, I kept my eyes wide open. So, I'm sorry if I had not been available in the blogging world, I hope I were missed (hey, did you miss me??) but now I'm back, hopefully, to my regular routine.

Having known how hard it is to persuade a child drinking her medicine, I make this treat (or bribery?) coupons for moms to use. I think it might work for older children, but of course you can always give this on every occasion. Winning a match, do chores, birthday, or just simply being cute. For those who thinks ice cream and toys are the worst treat for children, the two other coupons are left blank for you to write anything.

download.

Enjoy your weekend.

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Zucchini Bread AND a Giveaway

I got a HUGE zucchini from Jack (my very sweet and generous neighbor) and decided to use it in a zucchini chocolate chip bread. I used whole wheat flour and the last of my Xagave (sugar substitute) to make it a bit healthier. I adapted this recipe from the Xagave cookbook called, Delicious Meets Nutritious. The bread turned out excellent, it was perfectly cooked, moist and delicious. The

Best Dressed of The Week

Best dressed of the week, according to Vogue.co.uk :



Rihanna


Victoria Hesketh


Leighton Meester


Renée Zelleweger


Alexa Chung


Agyness Deyn


Diane Kruger


Melissa George


Michelle Monaghan


Sienna Miller

photo credits : Vogue

What do you think? I think they're gorgeous and of course stylish! But my favorites are Diane Kruger, Leighton Meester, Alexa Chung, Agyness Deyn and Sienna Miller! Totally adore their styles! I wish I had a lot of money to buy those dresses and skirts. Haha.

p.s. Yup Leighton was on the set, that's why she wore flip flops!

Chicken, Black Bean and Caramelized Red Onion Quesadilla

I wanted a quick and simple meal that would go well with the fresh avocado and corn salsa that I made. I had leftover roasted chicken to use up so I decided to make quesadillas. I mixed up the chicken with lime juice, onions, cilantro and seasonings before adding it to the tortilla along with sour cream, black beans and caramelized red onions. I topped the quesadillas with the avocado and corn

New Site Design!

At long last! The redesign has launched! I hope you like it as much as I do. First and foremost I want to thank my amazingly talented web designer, Cat Batacan and my coding guru Christine Vilar. I highly recommend them both. The photo in the banner is one I took at Borough Market in London a few years ago.



Not all the links to Recipes, Reviews, News and Travel have been added yet, but the new format should make navigating much easier than before. Thanks for all your patience, if you notice anything amiss, please do let me know.

The Love...

The love...
Had not been thought about...
To be not in love...
To not have...

Personally...
Not the wish...
Pleasant...
If only for a moment...

When not personally...
The beginning was felt beautiful...
There was no lack...
Was easy forgave...
Was full of the intimate feeling...

After old together...
The feeling began to decrease...
The love began to be vague...
Honesty began to be fake...
Half-hearted only attention...
Was not again easy to understand...

After being apart...
Regret came struck...
Every day was disturbed by the longing...

Thank heavens when...
She still understood...
And wanted to try again...

However...
When the heart has hated...
The feeling was hurt...
Was closed the road to come back...

That was kept being the miserable feeling... ...
Mourned that happened...
Solitude...
Again accompanied...

The love...
Togetherness...
It was...
The gift...
To be enjoyed...
To be appreciated...

Was not easy to was grateful with what available...
Was not easy to maintain togetherness...
Was not easy to understand...
Was not easy to patient...
Moreover to receive the way it is...

But it was not impossible...
Still had the love...
That made us willing...
Did anything...

Remained how...
Treated and fostered it...
In order to be not easy fragile...
And withered...

Through to...
Will not be easy to be lost...
Although the ordeal came...
Repeatedly.

The flower...

The flower...
Often was the symbol...
To be presented...
As the expression...
Love...
The love...
Moreover the sorrow...

Like the rose...
Was white...
The sign of the sincerity...
Was red...
The sign of the firmness of the love...
Was pink...
The sign of the blossoming heart...

Really in the meaning of a flower...
The colour difference of the difference also meaning that...
Really beautiful was gazed at...
Really peaceful was felt...

But...
The flower was easy withered...
The stem there is one that is thorny...
If being stabbed...
Extraordinarily pain...
Need the softness to treat it...

As being proper for humankind...
Fragile...
And was easy to be affected...
Have the feeling...
That needed the understanding...
Have emotions...
That needed patience...
Have the desire...
That needed satisfaction...

The flower and humankind...
Together the Lord's creation...
Have the positive side...
And the side of the negative...
Together had the limit...

None was eternal.

Avocado and Corn Salsa

My generous neighbor Jack gave me a bunch of fresh corn and tomatoes from his garden. I was making a Mexican meal for dinner and decided to incorporate the fresh veggies into a salsa. I've been seeing a lot of avocado and corn salsas on other food blogs and decided to give it a try. I adapted this recipe from one I found on Epicurious. It was really easy to make and so delicious. All of us

Smoked Oyster BLT: Recipe

I'm not sure who first decided to smoke an oyster or why, but it sure was a good idea. The texture of a smoked oyster is nothing like a raw oyster. It's firm yet still creamy, sweet and addictive to eat as candy.

The little ones that come in the can are often used as appetizers. Despite being labeled "colossal" they are anything but. They taste a bit like the oil they are packed in. While the canned ones are ok, they are impossible to go back to after eating fresh ones from the Pacific Northwest.


These oysters are actual size!

Recently I agreed to judge a contest and received a shipment of deluxe seafood to help me "prepare." I got two fresh steamed crabs, shrimp, smoked salmon and the most plump, sweet smoked oysters I had ever tried. While I had no problem coming up with ideas for using all of the other seafood, I was a bit stumped by the oysters.

These oysters were way too large to languish on a cracker or a piece of toast. Instead I stuffed them into a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. The applewood smoked bacon really went well with the oysters. It provided nice crunchy chewy contrast but also sweet and salty notes. I know iceberg lettuce is terribly retro, but it really is the right choice for this sandwich. It provides crunch and juiciness without competing with all the other flavors. If you travel to Oregon, there are plenty of wonderful places to find fresh seafood, raw, cooked or smoked. My luscious oysters came from Bell Buoy of Seaside.

Smoked Oyster BLT
Serves 1

1 roll or ciabatta bread
homemade mayonnaise
2 slices bacon, cooked
1 tomato, sliced
iceberg lettuce
5-6 fresh smoked oysters, not canned

Slice the bread and hollow out any excess to make plenty of room for the fillings. Spread the bread with mayonnaise, layer on the slices of tomato, oysters, bacon and lettuce.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate and Semi Sweet Chocolate Swirl Chip, Coconut, Pecan Cookies

The name may be a mouthful but these cookies are absolutely amazing. We were having friends over for dinner and the kids and I decided it would be fun to bake cookies for dessert. I was going to use regular chocolate chips but realized that we were out so I grabbed the white chocolate and semi sweet chocolate swirl chips. We decided to add coconut and pecans to the cookie mix as well. I also

Knowledge...

Knowledge was something...
That could be useful...
Could also not...

Beneficial if...
Used for goodness...
Was not useful...
When being used for the weakness...

Got knowledge...
There were those who was easy..
There were also those who was difficult..
Depended...
The person who studied it...

Pursued knowledge was the right...
And the obligation of all humankind...
Previously...
Got knowledge did not need the cost...
That important had the will...
Now...
Be not enough only a wish...

Knowledge had the stage...
Each stage had price...
Inexpensive...
For that was well-off...

There were also those who are free...
Necessarily...
That is theology...
Unfortunately this knowledge not the priority...
Only to carry out the obligation...
Looked for when being needed...

In fact...
This knowledge that prevented...
The crime...
Improved...
The attitude and the action...

All knowledge had the teacher...
That taught and led...

But...
The teacher also humankind...
Could be wrong...
Moreover they pupil...

It is not surprising...
Still many...
Knowledge was abused...
Wrongly the interpretation...

Nevertheless...
Humankind had responsibility...
Against themself...
On what was studied...
Could consider that was wrong...
Or true...

Because...
The real responsibility...
There is in the end later.

Happy Birthday, Indonesia!

Yesterday, we celebrated Indonesia's 64th birthday. Pretty old uh? And fortunately, I was chosen to join my school's vocal group. We sang in front of the minister. The ceremony was held in GOR Sunter field, where there were a lot of important people. Well, I didn't know even one of them, I just heard about them. Haha. I didn't even know who the minister was. Poor me. Lol. But I had fun. That was the most important thing right?

My recent wish: Sing for the president. Yup! The president. Haha.

Ah, here is my outfit the day before. :)

Zipper top : Princess . Skirt : Princess . Flats : Mangga Dua ITC