Thursday, December 24, 2009

Kado Natal dari gue buat lo semua

Hello all my friends, Merry Christmas!! :)
Hari ini adalah hari jumat yang menyenangkan,rasanya seperti hari minggu. hihi.
Anyway, what's your plan for this holiday??

Nah kalau enggak ada, boleh deh lo semua ngintip-ngintip band seru yang bakal gue jembrengin.

Pertama, kalau lo udah menyambangi www.thebodyshop-film.com dan ngevote film gue yang berjudul "LOVE then LEAVE" pasti akan mendengar lagu opening yang keren abis. Yang sejauh ini banyak banget yang suka sama lagunya. Itu lagu salah satu teman gue yang bernama Danang dengan Bandnya MILV (Music Icone Love Voice. Siapa yang enggak setuju kalau lagu itu enak banget? Gue berani taruhan yang denger pasi jatuh cinta. Atau lo belum pernah denger? Mampir aja ke myspacenya MILV . Trust me!


kedua, lo bisa mendengar lagu seru yang easy listening, yang juga ngisi soundtrack film gue "LOVE then LEAVE" di www.thebodyshop-film.com dengan judul lagu Over now di ending filmnya. Lagunya juga enggak kacangan, punya lirik yang bagus dan asik buat nemenin hari-hari lo. Apalagi yang tau ternyata pacara atau si mantan itu enggak banget buat lo. So catch that song at myspace Caress Rock . Band ini berasal dari Bandung. Dan juga jadi juara satu regional Yamaha Music, serta di LA Indiefast. Nah nah, enggak perlu diragukan lagi kan?

Ketiga, band electric yang seru dan asik. Bisa bikin kita bergoyang dan bersemangat tanpa jadi pusing. Have you hear about Digitilut?? Ayooo ayooo di sambangi myspacenya aja DIGITILUT dan enggak akan nyesel sudah menjadi bagian dari musiknya. Digitilut punya icon unik yaitu kalau yang dapet stickernya, arale. tau tokoh animasi itu? lucu kan? Ayo mampir dan buktikan keseruan band ini. gue udah punya kaos dan sticker serta semua lagunya. Mau??

Keempat, Band lucu dan unik. perpaduan musiknya enggak tanggung-tanggung, dangdut hip hop metal melayu punk rock. Dan siap tergelak di setiap aksi panggungnya. Band ini adalah kumpulan anak kreatif satu komplek di daerah pinggilan jakarta, tepatnya Ciledug. Tapi jangan berharap akan menemukan aksi macam kangen band atau st13, karena ini pure band keren yang kreatif. Satu-satunya band remaja teratraktif. Ayooo lihat dan berjoget bersama SDWW dan donlot semua lagunya. Masih ragu? coba denger!

Kelima, Band bercover CD garang tapi bermusik lembut. Menipu covernya memang. Band ini sedang digandrungi oleh pendengar prambors fm di seluruh Indonesia. Namanya Risin Black Hole, hits single yang berjudul Think of Love menjadi satu lagu wajib di banyak playlist sekarang ini. Bahkan mencapai angka 500 pendonlot perharinya. Mau tau lagunya? stay tune on prambors atau mampir ke myspacenya Risin Black Hole . Atau bisa segera miliki CDnya di Aksara atau yang mau boleh beli sama gue. Cuma 35 ribu rupaih aja. Contact me (kalau mau beli CDnya) 02192078163 atau via email ketty.tressianah@gmail.com . Jaminan seratus persen dari gue lo bakal jatuh cinta sama lagunya.


Keenam, ini bonus deh, hihi. Band yang personilnya masih sekolah, dan bisa disebut band ini band sekolah. Sukses menjajah beberapa panggung acara anak sekolah ternama di Jakarta. Sebut saja mereka The Blenggoes. Yang memiliki personil berambut gondrong. Memainkan musik yang cukup menarik dan enak dinikmati. Enggak sekedar bermain musik tapi juga punya taste. Mereka termasuk kategori hebat. Mungkin ada yang pernah liat di PL fair, SOS Andalas Calling!, Bulungan CUP, etc?? Nah dengarkan musiknya di The Blenggoes . Have fun.


Okay, enam band ini akan jadi kado natal special dari gue buat lo semua. Gue jamin lo semua enggak akan nyesel pernah dengar bahkan berteman dengan mereka. Kalau ngadain acara, jangan lupa untuk undang mereka yaa. Dan undang saya jadi MC-nya. ahhaha. *promosi* hihi
Satu hubungan gue sama semua band itu, mereka temen gue atau tetangga gue. Kecuali yang keenam. Haha. Bukan KKN, gue termasuk objektif kalau soal seni. So you can trust me. happy holiday guys and gals. :)

Christmas Cookie Overload


It's been a baking-intensive week. I had a few friends over to make some Christmas treats early in the week, which is a nice way to make an entire day of baking more of an activity than a task. We also got to try some new recipes and I have to admit made a much smaller less than I usually do when I bake alone. The only problem with this is that you need to make a lot of cookies when you're splitting everything three ways, and you each have various friends and family to distribute the treats too. And so I ended up making subsequent batches over the rest of the week. Which actually turned out to be not such a bad thing as we had discovered a few things here and there that made the later batches turn out better than the first.

It's hard to pick a favourite here...we used three recipes from Martha Stewarts Cookies and made very few alterations to each. I think that the Chocolate Crackles are definitely worth making as a giveaway as they just look so good. Not to mention the fact that they are just so decadent and yummy. I have a weakness for shortbread-y, crumbly cookies so I've been snacking on the meltaways the most. It's a nice, light cookie and actually quite refreshing from all the citrus flavour. And I just can't resist cranberry pistachio biscotti around Christmastime - it looks so festive and impressive!

*General notes:
- These recipes says to use an electric mixer. We did, due to all the cookies we were making and since my mom actually has one. I was actually amazed at how each it made all the recipes since I have a tiny kitchen and rarely use any electronic devices when cooking or baking. Either way, you don't need a mixer, you can do all this with a wooden spoon and a willing arm!
- All cookies should be stored in airtight containers between layers of parchment, in a cool place. The Crackles keep for up to 3 days, the Meltaways and Biscotti up to 2 weeks

all recipes adapted from Martha Stewarts Cookies

Chocolate Crackles
Makes about 5 dozen cookies


8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa owder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee power
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioner's sugar

1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirrings. Set aside and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

2. Mix instant coffee powder with just enough boiling water to dissolve grains. Let cool and add enough milk to make 1/3 cup.

3. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic,; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours (don't skimp on this - we waited just under 2 hours the first time and the dough was quite sticky. I actually chilled the dough overnight the second time and it was much easier to handle)

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Divide each piece into sixteen (or whatever - my four pieces were all but equal so the number varied) 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake about 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. (It says to bake UNTIL the surfaces crack but mine started cracking after probably 5 so this didn't help me much. I just baked for 14 minutes and assumed the cookies were done by then!) Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Lemon Meltaways
(Martha uses lime but you can use any citrus you like)
Makes about 5 dozen, or 3 dozen if you made your logs larger like I did...

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioner's sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

1. Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl and mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the lime zest and juice and the vanilla, and mix until fluffy.

2. Whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined. (At this point I kneaded the dough a bit with my hands as it was super crumbly and we had some difficulty in the first batch with the slicing step that comes later. The kneading definitely helped it become more "dough-y" and formable)

3. Divide dough in half. Place each log on an 8x12 inch sheet of parchment. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. (Umm...I just read this. Might have helped.) Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Remove parchment from logs; cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment apper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. White still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag.

Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti
makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pistachios

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

2. Put butter in the bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and mix until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, until well combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined. Add lemon zest, cranberries, and pistachios and mix until combined (I did this last step by hand).

3. Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined iwth parchment paper. Pat into a log that is roughly 14 by 3 1/2 inches. Bake until firm, lightly browned, and slightly cracked on top, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack, about 15 minutes.

4. Transfer log to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake cookies, rotating sheet halfway through, until they begin to brown at edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack.

Happy Holidays

Hi Everyone,

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday, hopefully with family, friends and good food!  I will be away for a couple of days so see you in the New Year!


Happy, Merry y'all!

God Jul!!

Hello everybody! I'm alive! I made my trip in a good mood, but I arrived home so late, I was really tired!!


Picture made by Rocío at Demasié Cafe. 
Dress - Vintage
Beret - Primark
Brooche - Vintage
Socks - H&M
Boots - Aces of London


This short post is only to wish you all a Merry Christmas, I hope you all have fun tonight!!


My plushes wish you a Merry Christmas!!

Have a lovely night, my fabulous people!!

GOD JUL!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!

sad

"The greatest pain that comes from love is loving someone you can never have"
-anonymous-

It was like then go. It was when i knew everything.
It was when hopes approach on me. It was when i did misunderstanding.
It was when I knew you really loved her. When I couldnt stand anymore.
When my hopes lost at the time.
When everything feel likes someone punched on my heart.
Pretty Hurt. It is.

Glossary of Christmas Food Cooking Tips 2009

Turkey Breast Fillet Fried in Breadcrumbs with Oven Roasted PotatoesFood plays a huge part in Christmas celebrations and this glossary of Christmas food cooking tips is intended to provide easy access to a whole host of information on how best to prepare and to cook some of the more common foodstuffs associated with Christmas and Christmas lunch or Christmas dinner.

Yesterday on this blog, we considered recipe ideas for those who will be spending Christmas 2009 alone. Today, as well as looking at traditional Christmas food, we will also consider those who perhaps don't like turkey, prefer to cook turkey in portions, or simply wish to have something different for Christmas dinner this year, such as steak, chicken or salmon. Whatever the Christmas food tip is that you are looking for, I very much hope that you find reference to it somewhere below.

Although I wrote some of these articles, there are also a great deal of them written by different writers from around the world. I hope that this increases the value of the overall glossary in terms of variation. I have arranged these links in alphabetical order by the name of the foodstuff, for what I hope makes for easier navigation.

Beef: How to cook shin of beef

Broccoli: How to cook broccoli

Brussels Sprouts: How to get your kids to eat Brussels sprouts

Chicken: Best way to roast a chicken

Cakes: Crazy cute Christmas cupcakes

Christmas Pudding: How to make Christmas pudding

Eggnog: A delicious Christmas eggnog recipe

Ham: How to cook a ham

Parsnips: How to cook parsnips

Potatoes:How to bake the perfect potato

Potatoes: How to make homemade potato chips

Potatoes: How to make perfect roast potatoes

Potatoes: The best way to mash potatoes

Salmon: How to cook salmon

Steak: How to cook a steak

Sweet Potatoes: Healthy sweet potato recipes

Turkey: Healthy turkey recipes

Turkey: How to carve a turkey

Turkey: How to cook a moist and tender whole turkey

Turkey: How to stuff a turkey

Turkey: The pros and cons of stuffing a turkey

Vegetarian: A whole host of vegetarian Christmas food ideas

Venison: How to cook venison stew

I very much hope that something in the above has offered you assistance in your preparations for Christmas dinner 2009. Before you rush off to put the ideas in to practise, why not enjoy a little music?

Simply click on the arrow in the centre of the screen to begin: