Chinese Almond Cookies

Dear Cheap Labounie Shoes,

I would like to thank you for your persistent out-of-context comments. Realising that this may just be my problem in the level of intelligence, i took the courage and consulted my girlfriends. As if had a head triple the size of an alien, they stared at me outrageously. After about 45 minutes of torment on my pride,  they kindly acknowledged my stupidity and told me that your comments were purely spams.  Despite my doubt that you are a can of spiced ham, i decided that your persistence deserves a definitive answer in order for us both to move on.

I politely decline.

Sincerely,
Jes

This recipe was long due. About 2 month long. And from this, i learn one special lesson. A lesson i'll always remember to tell my children about.

Never underestimate laziness. 

This was why my soap dispenser took months to refill. (i leave the rest to your imagination)
And why we all have "hot pockets" in our pantry.

 Nevertheless, let me introduce you to my cousin "Emily". She has just begun falling in love with photography. And to be honest, she's already better than me. More photographs from her in the future (cross your fingers!)

Cheese Bundt Chiffon Cake

Would you believe me if I had told you this was a very easy cake?

And if like normal people, you're a cheese lover, you might want to go crazy on the topping.

This is the second best way to get kids to love you. The first would be crispy fried chicken. Yea, i know how to get me some of that lurvin.

This recipe might surprise you but it'll get you some of that velvety smooth, melt-in-the-mouth, overly-cheesy cheese cake!

Lurvin,

Jes

Ps: Ovalette is a stabiliser for chiffon cakes, you can substitute it with same amount of condensed milk. 

Birthday Cake

Every once in a while, i would try my best to make someone happy. 

I cooked my mom a full pasta meal when i was merely 10 years old.

I would drop little trails of (eherm) pixie dust to a birthday present. 

I was very much reprimanded in both occasions. 

As i remember, it was "not pixie dust".

 My little "happy" giveaways never end beautifully.

Soon enough (about 10 years), I stopped trying.

 Then, i met you.

You fell asleep.

Yes, my little "happy" treats never end successfully. 

But this cake was delicious. 

Ariosto Roast Potatoes - Out of the slump

More than 3 months ago, my 10 year old oven was put to rest. It is a tale as old as time, how my journey as a baker begun with this metal box.

You may wonder why it took me 3 months to purchase an oven. And I will disappoint you with this. Laziness. Baking became a habit, almost an obligation. Week by week, baking was pushed to the back of my head. Week by week, packets of butter remained untouched. Then, it striked me, why was i baking.

I believe every baker has asked themselves this very same question a hundred times and ends up with a hundred different answers. And even now, I do not yet have an answer I am proud enough to announce. However, one rainy day, i decided to purchase the best oven there is to select from.
Along with it, I decide to not commit. I decide to bake as I please. Afterall, life, it goes on.

This was long overdue to Ariosto Spa Buccinasco. Ariosto was nice enough to send some of their samples to me so i would write a post for them about horse years ago. The lady was nice enough to not push me for this post and has commented that their best seasonings are roast potatoes and roast chicken.  Many bloggers have used their products, for example, The Novice Housewife and Angies Recipes. So why not?

Ingredients

1 kg baby potatoes (unpeeled and cut in halves)

1 packet roast potato Ariosto seasonings

olive oil to coat

3 tbsp honey

6 cloves of garlic (unpeeled and crushed)

corriander (finely chopped)

butter

1. Combine all the ingredients together.

2. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake at 200C for 60-80 minutes, turning every 20 minutes. Or you may roast the potatoes on a grilling pan with butter until caramelised and crisp.

3. Serve while warm.

miss me?

Jes

Cheese Loaf Bread - Birthday Post

You might be wondering. A bread for birthday? No, we had cakes but i baked bread and there were birthdays.

25th & 26th were both my girlfriends' birthdays. They are my special people and that's all needed to be said. So happy birthday, you two. After knowing you for 20 years, I believe i'll still strive my best to give you a surprise birthday!

I took the recipe from Clockwork Lemon (a recipe I have wanted to try for so long), used Cheese instead and voila.

Milo Pound Brownie Cake

"You're almost there. 2.8km", the board writes.

We glanced at one another amongst our group, as if a ritual before the war. It wasn't a question, really, nor a suggestion. We knew we had to start running. 

From our relaxed attitude, it was obvious this wasn't our first run. Run the first 0.2km, then, run the last 0.4km and run whenever a teacher is at sight. Those were the rules. And from experience, be aware that a teacher jogs along with the very last runner.

But here's the catch. At the end of the 3.2km race, you'd be offered a cold cup of Milo and a long queue to the loo.

This was how Milo came into a hormonal-pimpled-rebelious-teenager's life who now has owwies in her teeth because she sleeps with a spoonful of milo-slash-nutella in her mouth.

The name is Milo. I am beautiful chocolate and ovaltine malty made better. I taste best when half-sticky or coating the surface of cold milk.

Pandan Kaya Bread Pudding

You see, when you start working, everything becomes a little harder to get through. Especially for a boring person such as myself. 

So you fatten yourself up, preparing for the long hibernation we call "Holiday". Holidays for me (reminder: boring person) is to sleep, eat mac & cheese, occasionally dragged out of the room for hygiene purposes and movies. Oh, and of course popcorns. 

I would of course refuse to get my hands on baking, with a determination equal to that of an addicted hippie holding a roll of weed swearing to quit after one last round.

Unfortunately, no, I do not smoke weed because I'm a boring person.

Chocolate Banana Muffin

This early morning, as my sister woke wearily from her bed and I have finally readied my face for public scrutiny, I said to her 

"I'm growing an afro."

A look of annoyance, then... a cold shoulder. 

"Really!! Look!!" 

Tucking my head as low as possible, I shoved the crown of my head to her face. Popping out, was a twirling little...you know, hair.

My sister isn't the type to wake up happy, or nice, or you know... kind. Despite the strand of hair celebrating its ridiculous number of twirls, conquering the crown of my head, announcing the possibility of an afro in the coming of my adulthood, not a creak of smile wavered from the tip of my sister's lips. 

At this point, convincing her of my afro mutation was futile. I plan to try it out during her birthday when she is in a better mood. The possibilities are slim, nevertheless, I'm not one to give up easily. 

"Good luck"

she is not humored.

Tres Leche Cake - Birthday Post

Dear 30-year-old me,

In the afternoons that you think back about me (hopefully a girl less awkward than you are now), what will you recall? Will you remember the times you tried using "the force" and was caught focusing to move a piece of paper? Or will you recall the time when 5 horses had to wait whilst you negotiate with Ms Celestine to stop eating the grass?

You've been through a lot, Ms 30-year-old. Mostly, involving moments you wish you had wiser judgement, better yet, you wish you had MIB's neuralyzer. You also wish that your friends had informed you about laughing like a black boar gasping for air. Or pulling off a green afro or cat ears.

However, Ms 30-year-old, these awkward moments are moments you should cherish. They are the moments you are at ease, moments you let go of your guard and moments when you are truest to yourself. You share these moments with people who won't leave you despite your "reasonable" nature or your 3 layers of tummy fat.

Then, there are other moments. These are the moments you regret. They are moments when you lie to yourself (convincing yourself that 3 slices of cake is rational). Moments you sacrifice others for yourself. These are moments you should have to pay for but you were let off with kindness. These are the moments to guide you. 

Guest Post: Mrs Ferguson

One of the things I look forward to, aside from coffee and new bedsheets, would be e-mails. One in particular is Mrs Ferguson's. I remember that picture of a Carrot Bundt Cake, I was charmed. Her unique photography style leaves you wanting more and turns you into a stalker. Her creativity keeps you at your toes, reminding you of human evolution. Please take a look at her Gotye Duck (I want this as a hairpin and possibly everything else around me). 

Unfortunately, that's not all there is to Mrs F. Talent is but only a small part of her you're going to adore. With Mrs F, subjects range from Sherlock Holmes to the extinction of ants. Describing her as "Interesting" is an understatement. A ball of wit, no, a gem of inspiration.

Keeping her all to myself is anything but selfish. However, for the greater good of the world, I shall introduce her to you. Please do visit her blog here. 

Hello there. My name is Diana and I run the blog Mrs Ferguson. I love everything crafty and sweet and funny. I live in Budapest, Hungary and I'm the proud owner of two adorable adopted animals, Theodore the ginger cat and Macesz the derpest dog ever. I started the blog because I was inspired by all those amazing things I saw on Pinterest and such, and wanted to be part of this family. I know I'm a very small fish - which I told Jesi when she asked me to do this guest post, but she wanted to do it anyway -, but I've had some amazing experiences already, and even if for nothing else, but getting to know this lovely, crazy duck-hating lady was well worth it.

Oh, and I AM the cheekiest monkey of all.

J: So, why "Mrs Ferguson"? Can't believe I've never asked this.

D: I'd like to think it's kind of a homage to Craig Ferguson and Stephen Fry rather than just plain stalking. :) I love their wit and intelligence. And I adore the fact that though highly sophisticated and smart, they still find fart jokes funny.The short answer would be: I have a creepy old man crush on Craig Ferguson. Plus Fluffy the Unicorn was already taken.

J: We all have got one of those (Hugh Laurie here). Speaking of which, if you end up a big shot hollywood photographer, what would you work on?

D: I don't know if anyone ever did something like this, but I would really like to see a campaign featuring celebrities without any enhancement. No make-up, no hair extensions, no photoshop, in a simple white tshirt and jeans. I love spontaneous photos and minimalistic style, too. And animals. 

J: This is actually an awesome idea, but scary...

D: Can you imagine Lady Gaga in jeans, chucks and a white tank top with her natural hair in a ponytail? Such a perverted image.

J: (Laughs) Imaging Desperate Housewives crew and Sex and the city ladies.

J: How did you recognize your talent in crafting and photographing?

D: You're just too nice, people will be dissapointed if they come to check out my blog. :D I don't know, there hasn't really been a big milestone or anything. I've always loved photography, I used to waste a lot of rolls of film when I was little running around our garden taking pictures of snails on the concrete. Plus my paternal grandfather who died long before I was born was also a big photography aficionado so I inherited many photos and old cameras from him. Maybe not having a chance to actually know him made me interested in the things he liked. He was crafty, too. And I always loved the little craft projects in kindergarten and elementary. 

J: What about baking?

D: For the baking... I guess loving to eat up all things sweet gave me a big push. :) But I think for me it started the other way around. First I got interested in food photography which led me to the preparing part. Plus the cooking channel.

J: Yes! The cooking channels, your other creepy crush for Jamie Oliver.

D: Come on! He's awesome! And those baby blue eyes..

J: (Laughs) I prefer green after all.. What about your humour and wit?

D: For the humour...I guess I was just born this way.:D I remember when I was about 12 or so I used the watch a taped show on VHS of a Hungarian late comedian, GÈza Hofi, almost every afternoon after school. He was intelligent, wise and piss-your-pants funny. 

J: I was watching Mr. men everyday.. Do you ever get in trouble with that humour?

D: Hmm... I won't say trouble, but sometimes after I say something sarcastic and people don't get it I just end up looking like an idiot. 

J: I feel your pain.. I feel you... sobs* It gets lonely when they don't get your jokes.. Whats your inspiration?

D: Everything. A photograph. A song. A good movie or a TV show. Nature. The Internet. A crack in the pavement. Anything. 

J: Such an artist... I would love to see through your eyes just for one day...