A jar a day keeps doctor away?

Don't mind the title of this post... A jar a day will get you to the toilet NON-STOP for sure! Haha... I made chocolate pavlovas for my friend and her sister but still had some raspberries left over in the freezer. Since the berries don't stay long and get rotten easily I came up with an idea to turn it to a jam. And I did!

How to make this jam? Easy peasy!! Oh and I mix it with a bit of strawberry to just give it a bit of body :) I can assure you this recipe is not sweet - just maybe a bit sourish from the raspberries. 

Strawberry & Raspberry Jam:

Raspberries

Strawberries

1 1/2 cup of castor sugar

2 tsp. of vanilla essence

3 strips of clear jelly (agar-agar)

Methods:

1. Place your berries, castor sugar and vanilla essence in a pot and heat it up in a slow fire. Stir now and then to make sure you don't burn them.
2. Once everything is dissolved, add in the strips of jelly to thicken it. You can opt not to use this and it is all up to way. You don't want to over measure this else you end up having a summer berries jelly instead of jam. 
3. Turn off your stove and cool it in the room temperature. 
4. Once it is cool, scoop it into a sterile jar. Keep it in refrigerator. Serve it on bread or even with plain yoghurt ( I tried mixing it in plain natural yoghurt, it was YUMMY!)

And here is the invitation...

A colleague at work asked for help to design an invitation for her. And since I wasn't doing anything much today I agreed to do so. Unfortunately no idea was coming to me at all. AND it NEVER happened to me before.  **palmsontheforehead!**

Since she wanted it to be done by end of the day, it did not leave me much time to dilly dally. Came up with something and luckily she likes it! Phewwww!! 

Pick ME : Love HER!

I think living in this fast paced oh-so-busy-like-a-bee world we tend to think like it is easy and ended with taking things or those in our lives for granted. For an instance, how many of you still take the time to smell the fresh morning dew or how nice the grass smell after a pouring rain? How many of you still look up to the bright blue sky, free your mind and draw sketches of cloud bunnies? Well there you go! You have your answer. NO. I remembered I have always love the smell of the fresh grass after the rain and the smell of waves crashing along the coastline. Aahhh heaven! 

I was clicking and reading some of the old post on facebook and stumbled upon this article. I am feeling a little bit mushy today so I decided to re-post this here. Initial post was written by a man. May Allah PBUH bless his marriage life for reminding other men to be what they are supposed to be. 

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LOVE HER ... when she sips on your coffee or tea. She only wants to make sure it tastes just right for you.

LOVE HER ... when she "pushes" you to pray. She wants to be with you in Jannah.

LOVE HER ... when she asks you to play with the kids. She did not "make" them on her own.

LOVE HER ...when she is jealous. Out of all the men she can have, she chose you.

LOVE HER ... when she has annoying little habits that drives you nuts, you have them too.

LOVE HER ... when her cooking is bad. She tries.

LOVE HER ... when she looks dishevelled in the morning. She always grooms herself up again.

LOVE HER ... when she asks to help with the kids' homework. She only wants you to be part of the home.

LOVE HER ... when she asks if she looks fat. Your opinion counts, so tell her she is beautiful.

LOVE HER ... when she looks beautiful. She is yours so appreciate her.

LOVE HER ... when she spends hours to get ready. She only wants to look her best for you.

LOVE HER ... when she buys you gifts and you don't like it. Smile and tell her it is what you have always wanted.

LOVE HER ... when she has developed a bad habit. You have many more and with wisdom and politeness you have all the time in the world to help her change.

LOVE HER ... when she cries for absolutely nothing. Don't ask but tell her that it is going to be okay.

LOVE HER ... when she suffers from PMS. Buy her chocolate, rub her feet and back and just talk to her.

LOVE HER ... when whatever you do is not pleasing. It happens and will pass.

LOVE HER ... when she stains your clothes. You needed a new shirt anyway.

LOVE HER ... when she tells you how to drive. She only wants you to be safe.

LOVE HER ... when she argues. She only wants to make thing right for both of you.

LOVE HER ... she is YOURS! 

You don't need any other special reason!

All this forms part of a woman's character. Women are part of your life and should be treated as the Queen. 

The Messenger of Allah PBUH advised concerning women:

Treat  HAWA (women) well. 

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HAPPY WEEK END Y'ALL!

Open House Raya 2012 for BCP

One of my best friend requested for a favor to design her company's ecard invitation. I managed to come with something during lunch and send it over to her. Phewww! 

I personally think that this is cheerful and chirpy. I hope she likes it! Back to work people!! *Sigh*

Eid 2012- Chocolate Pavlova

Too lazy to type in the recipe. Sorry. PM me if you need one:)

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Thursday, September 6th 2012.

Okay okay here is the updated ones. I did not snap any photo after the baking part. However this photo was taken by the HR lady in my office. Yummy? Ermmm I would say yes because everything was gone! 

Some has been asking for the recipe. This has been in my family, initially baked by my sister. She adapted the recipe from Nigella Lawson. I however layered 2 pavlova with cream and raspberries in between before topping it up with strawberries. 

Chocolate Pavlova :

4 large egg whites

1 cup superfine sugar

2/3 tsp vinegar 

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

40g dark chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

Strawberries, raspberries or any berries you like

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line the baking tray with baking parchment. 
2. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form and slowly add in a tablespoon of sugar at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
3. Sprinkle the cocoa powder, vinegar and chocolate chips. Gently fold in everything until the cocoa powder is mixed in.
4. Mount the meringue onto the baking parchment and smooth out the top and sides. (To make this easier, draw a circle on to your paper parchment.)
5. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 150C. Bake for one hour until the crust is crispy and the interior should still be a little gooey.
6. Leave the meringue in the oven door slightly ajar until it has cooled completely.
7. When you are ready to serve, invert it on a big, flat-bottomed serving dish.
8. Whisk the cream until thick yet still soft and plop a dollop onto the meringue. Put strawberries (or anything you favor) on top of it. 

ALL THE BEST! 

#1 - Lazy Saturday

Setup 2 beds for them but little Maximus decided that crashing on Nim's is better. SIGH!




Love,
Iliyana I. Ramjaun