top ten pictures from the week ~ 3 August 11

I've come to love the top ten

seen on belle maison

not just because it's a repository of pictures that take my fancy

seen on decorology

filed away where I can find them...a bit like my very own pinterest

seen on tiny white daisies tumblr

but I also get to tell you

seen on the design files; photographer paul barbera

in just a few lines

seen on pretty space tumblr

about some of the important things in my life

seen on design sponge

tucked in here among the pretty images of gorgeous homes and gardens.

seen on decorology

Like how this week I entered my very first short story writing competition

seen on bazaar of serendipity

I don't mind telling you...

seen on a perfect gray
I'm a little bit pleased with myself 

seen on greige

and I don't give a toss if it wins or not 

seen on dustjacket attic; photography by stefano corso

because my very clever and extremely well read children both love it. 

 And that's prize enough for me :)

Gilly's Brownies

My niece, Gilly, is only 11 years old and she can bake already a lot of goodies.  She even attended a Junior Masterchef class at Crowne Plaza.



She wants to enroll in another Masterchef baking class but the minimum age is 16 years old.

Her brownies recipe is so easy to follow and no need to use an electric mixer!  I know she got it from the Assumption cookbook.  Tita Portia asked me to bake for her photo shoot session tomorrow.  Instead of the usual square or rectangular baking pan, I experimented today and used the non-stick mini muffin pan, just like the brownies you can buy from S and R.

Gilly's Brownies



1 C. butter compound (Golden Crown)
3/4 C. Bensdorp cocoa powder (Cook's Exchange, Rockwell)
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 C. flour
2 C. Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Melt butter in the microwave for 1 minute.  Add the cocoa, stir well using a wooden spoon or spatula.  Then add the eggs, one at a time followed by the vanilla.  Stir in the flour.  Add the chocolate chips.

Grease the baking pan or line the muffin pan with paper.  Pour the mixture into the pan or scoop into the muffin pan.

Bake at 350 F.

25-30 minutes = baking pan
8-10 minutes = muffin pan

Cool before serving or cutting.

* If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 t. salt to the flour.

I did not grease nor use paper liners so my  first batch stuck to the bottom of the pan.



But none the less... it was still YUM!!!!  I know I am not allowed to indulge but I gave in to the temptation and ate a couple of the rejects.

This is a good recipe for children.  Barely any room for error so it will be a  breeze and they will feel so proud of themselves for baking Gilly's Brownies!

CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES- Easy Step-by-step recipe

These are the perfect accomapaniment to your cup of Coffee,... crispy, crunchy, melt-in-the-mouth buttery goodness and so easy too! They are bound to become yours and your kids favourite too!! After all who can say no to protein packed cookies that are delicious and easy to boot!!

Here's the recipe-

Ingredients-

(makes 24)

• Plain flour-140 gms
• Soda-bi-carb- 1/2 tsp
• Salt-1/2 tsp
• Butter-115 gms (at room temp.)
• Egg-1
• Vanilla essence-1 tsp
• Crunchy peanut butter- 250 gms
• Sugar-165 gms

Method-

1. Sift together the flour, soda and salt and keep aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Stir in the Peanut butter and blend well, stir in the dry ingredients.
4. Chill till firm.
5. Preheat oven to 180 C, Grease 2 baking sheets.
6. Roll out teaspoons of dough into balls.
7. Place on prepared sheets and with a fork, make a criss cross pattern as shown in pic.
8. Bake till lightly coloured, 12-15 minutes.
9. Cool on a wire rack.

Happy Birthmonth to me!

Today is the first day of my birthday month!  It is Happy Birthday to me everyday!  It started when I was young, my Dad used to announce that the whole month of August is Lia's birthday!  Which meant ... I could do anything I like or eat anything I like!  Hahahaha  Now that I am a bit older... at the rate I am going... by the time it is the 28th... I will be like a little piglet being fattened up to be slaughtered!

I already had a birthday celebration today, August 1.  It started last year when Corry treated me for lunch.  Since then, I have been looking forward to the "Happy Birthday" everyday.

We met at Ayala Triangle for lunch after her clinic hours for the day in Makati.  I always pray for lots of kids to get sick  hahahaha  Corry said to just pray for lots of babies to be born.  I chose the restaurant, Wee Nam Kee.

I like their Steamed Chicken with all the condiments.  We ordered a combination of roast and steamed Chicken.



Chicken Rice



We also tried the Roasted Pork.



I loved the Beef Hofan! 



So flavorful and the meat was very tender.  Bad lighting but it really tasted delicious.  Worth coming back for.

For dessert, we had yoghurt at Golden Spoon.  Belgian Chocolate with Marshmallow sauce and crushed Heath English Toffee bits.



YUM!!!  Although too sweet for me since I am diabetic.



Thank you so much Corry for the first Birthday Treat of the month!!! 

A celebration is not complete without eating one of my most favorite food in the entire world!  Aside from Lechon and Pork Sinigang .... I also love TALANGKA!



I was in Landmark Supermarket this afternoon for my weekly shopping and checked out the fish section.  They were selling Talangka.  Even though they were not alive anymore,  I knew they were fresh because the crablets were "iced" when they were still moving  and breathing, as opposed to crabs who died on their own.

It was pure heaven!



I only bought half a kilo because I do not want to die yet.  The feeling of eating the first spoonful of talangka fat was the same as  plunging into the clear turquoise waters of Boracay.  I kid you not!  Well ... that is in my opinion but I felt the same fix or high.

I enjoyed the talangka, my fingers were orange because of the stain from the fat, my dipping sauce was just kalamansi with rock salt and best of all .... I had it all to myself!

There are times you just want to savor something on your own ... well this was time that I did not want guests whether family or friends.  Hahahaha I know ... it was greedy of me  but hey .... It's the first day of my  Birthday month.

Happy Birthday to me everyday!

Factory Shutdown

Start sudah hari pertama bekerja masa Factory Shutdown. Memula ingat mmg besh nie wat keje xder org nak ganggu2.. ataupun telingaku diterjah oleh suara hi-pitch Aso itu, namun, reality xseindah fantasi. Memanglah electricity ader, tapi aircond... NO AIRCOND!!! dah ler hari pertama start puasa kan... sabar yerr..sabar...

Panas nie.... memang panas.. xder kipas lak tu..suffocate giler... kepala sile jgn start sakit yer... [napelah boss xkasik jer permission work from home] sedih...sedih... demi mencari sesuap nasi.. xapelah... ada orang siap kena kerja di bawah matahari terik lagi, takpun kena berdiri seharian... bersyukurlah dengan pekerjaan yg kuperolehi ini :)

Masih ada 4 hari to go bagi menghadapi situasi ini... Moga dapat bertahan hingga ke akhirnyerr... [macam lerr trukss sgt kondisi nyer kan... hehehe]

okay2... kepada semua yang beragama Islam, selamat menjalani ibadah puasa. Doakan supaya puasa kita tahun ini lebih baik dari tahun2 sebelumnya. Ingat, puasa bukan sekadar menahan lapar dan dahaga, hati, mata, anggota badan, percakapan, etc... semuanya kena jaga yer. Insha-Allah :)