Make up

We just had another fight – just one of those ordinary day to day fight, most of all caused by stubborness, my unwillingness to let things go easily, my tendency to make ado out of nothing; in other words, it was a common fight so unimportant that I dont even remember what it was about.

I went to bad angry, breaking my own rules, and went out of bed grumpy. Went to work like nothing happend, returned home, everything was quiet, nothing was out of the blue, put my bike away, entered the room and stepped into a candle-lit room with this as it’s centerpiece..

Somehow, he would always look over my trivial, stupid, endless whims and find worldess ways to say what unconditional really means…

Black and White Tribute

My microwave-oven broke down about a month ago (or something like that, when it comes to me time is relative). Thanks to the many friends who are building a kitchen, we are now secure with a little oven, with yet another oven on hand if this one breaks down too. Should be good enough until our new kitchen arrives :D.

Anyway, as a tribute to the little faithful micro-oven, here are the two last things it baked before it gave way:

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Now, don’t get all excited, I don’t remember what the recipe was :|. The cake itself was normal kinda dry (why can’t I remember the name??) type, it had to be so since the cake was meant to be brushed with Tia maria, and  the center was filled very rich chocolate mousse, with bits of caramel inside of it. I’ll let you know when I remember the recipe!! (I know, I know, sorry for teasing but I thought I’ve got the recipe all printed out – nope!)

This one, tested and approved by my German colleagues, is a much lighter version of the New York cheesecake. I haven’t perfected it yet, but it’s quite nice as it is:

German Cheesecake (Käse Kuchen)

for crust
200 gr flour
1 tsp baking powder&salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
150 gr sugar
100gr butter
Mix dry ingredients and then rub in the butter. Knead dough a bit and refrigerate for easy handling. Press to the botom and side of a 9" springform pan

for cheesecake:
3 eggs, separated
150 gr sugar
1 tsp vanilla
100 gr butter, softened
175 gr heavy cream
500g Quark – (OR 8 parts ricotta cheese+1 part sour cream, OR  whipped cottage cheese)
1 1/2 tbsp maizena/cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt

1. Beat together yolk, sugar, and vanila until light and foamy.
2. Add butter, beat well.
3. Add heavy cream, beat again.
4. Add quark, beat until smooth.
5. Beat whites until stiff, fold into the yolk mixture and add maizena bit by bit
6. Pour into the crust, bake at 150ºC for 50-60 minutes

Woman, Phenomenally

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

~Maya Angelou~

It’s International Woman’s day today, celebrate the Phenomenal woman you are!! 🙂

Through the Years

In a way it feels like such a long time ago, but in another way it feels just like yesterday…everytime I look back it’s always a surprise to see how much we’ve been through, how long we’ve been together. But I feel so cozy, a feeling like I’ve known him for ages…

I was looking back through my photo files…it feels so strange, I know it’s been a long time ago, yet somehow it’s still fresh inside my memory.

This was my first valentine in Holland – our first valentine’s together, so everything felt extra special :). Tulips were still a big thing to me, I liked it more than those long stemmed blood red roses. I suppose somehow Itsco noticed that :). The tulips were really georgeous, even better the days after. We went to a cande lit restaurant by the beach, and for our drive to get there I’ve prepared a card game – filled with questions we each had to answer. It was so much fun since there were still lots of things about each other that we didn’t know back then, and we still blushed about certain questions…

The next year, I baked him a tray of his favourite chocolate chip cookies and put a love letter in the center. That year I’ve finished studying but couldn’t work yet since I had to wait for my work permit, so I couldn’t get any fancy gifts.  In replace, I made a huge jar of cookies and a dozen of little ‘love coupon’ cards which he can redeam any time :). I can still remember that it took me a long time to figure out what to write on those coupons! I remember that year he gave me white flowers instead of red…I think he knows that with me, "the only constant is change" haha 😛

Then on last year’s Valentine, he proposed to me… Totally out of the blue, since we were in Indo, I had no idea he already had a ring, and we were in the middle of a photoshoot. Even when he went down on his knee I still had no clue what he was about to do. In the end I was crying and didn’t even remember to say yes :). He just has his own way of showing me how he does the extra mile when I least expect it. And I love surprises :). Thank God I never have red eyes after crying – I can cry the whole night long and there wouldn’t be any trace left in the morning :P.

And this year? We didn’t do anything :). Itsco was sick and I also wasn’t at my best, so this year’s Valentine isn’t going to be on th 14th. And it feels cozy, just the way it is – we’re together everyday, a special day seems unnecessary – but then again, it’s always nice to have days when you do put everything else aside just to make your loved one feel even more special and loved, don’t you think? The date is the least important then 🙂

H.E.L.P !!

Tick..tock..tick..tock..it’sfive more days to go until Chinese New Year. And I’ve invited Itsco’s whole family over for dinner. His family, even with newly added me, only expands to ten people. Which is just as much as our dining room and table can accomodate.

But I still have no idea what to make!!

I mean, I’m supposed to evolve, right? My cooking skills should have improved, my food should look nicer, taste better – right?

Two years ago, with no job and time to idle, I managed to pull off making this on my own for Chinese new year from scratch, for nine people:

 

That’s nine dishes: sate, wonton (fried), lumpia, char siu (the red pork – marinaded and grilled it myself, hoho), bakut BBQ, steamed wontons, meatball soup, mie panjang umur, sapo tofu, and kembang tahu.

How am I going to top that off?? – I mean, I don’t even know where to begin with, no inspiration at the moment…my head is full with design ideas for the house – the livingroom is one pile of boxes, hehe.. Any ideas??

Spiffy Clean

Enough said 😛

Stiletto nonsense

My better, bigger half is out of the country, so after dunking in a German Cheesecake in the oven (one of those trials and errors that will be fed to my beloved colleagues), I switched on one of those ultra girlie movies that I cannot get Its to snuggle on the couch with.

The Devil Wears Prada. Thanks to the compulsive buy at the airport, I’ve read the dutch version, and now I’m watching the hollywood version.

And there I see her, Andrea, running all over New York (eh, where was the setting??) in her stilettos, all day. That’s not possible. Trust me, I’m a trained professional when it comes to wearing killer heels around the clock. Eversince I came to Holland I’ve been obsessed with them. I mean, it’s either pain in my feet or in my neck. I’m a liliput here.

Anyway, again, stilettos, all day, RUNNING, no do.  ESPECIALLY not when they’re pointy toed heels. Still have one hour to go from the movie – loving Meryl Streep and the gay guy :D. Hate the girl who’s playing Andrea though, especially when she’s looking smug :|.

Mmhh..the cheesecake smells good…it’s done now, waiting for it to cool and sink before I can put it in the fridge…

Determination in a Mug

hehe..I’m a late starter, which means normally I don’t get into the office before 9. Some months before I can proudly say the reason why I come in late is because I work out in the mornings. Now it’s just pure laziness. There were a few weeks of bliss where thanks to the jetlag I could wake up fresh as a daisy at 7 AM, but now I struggle my way out of the comfy bed every morning (at 8). No matter how early or late I sleep, I can’t get up early!! The sun not being up yet in the winter sky doesn’t really help – just checked, sunrise is 8.45 AM!!! Gaaaahh…no wonder I can’t wake up!!! 😐 Apparently my body is still accustomed to waking up with the sun, which has been for over 20 years at a steady 6 AM :P.

Anyway, since I enter work late and spend looonnnggg lunch hours traveling the streets of our centrum (or more entering the shops in our centrum :P), there are times when I go home at 6 or 7 just to make my working hours.

Continuing the unhealtiness of not working out is my hunger attack at 5, a short hour or two from going home. Normally I’d snack on small things, but lately I’ve found the evil thing that’s called instant noodle. With newly found the ‘pour hot water’ variation, lately I could be found eating this at my desk after 5:

Yes, that’s the christmas mug, hehe.. I shudder to think the amount of sodium in there, but it’s sooo good to eat when it’s just getting dark (at 5 PM that is :P). So much for the new year’s resolution 😐

I’m not sure when the last time I worked out was…more than a week ago, and I’m getting more and more lazy. I actually received a 10 days free trial at the gym, only to find out that my normal work out at home routine is actually more vigorous. It might have been different if I had taken aerobic-like classes, but as I concluded that such classes would involove pushing myself to cycle to the gym in the blistering cold (they only start at 8 PM :|) and be friendly with dozens of nude females in the locker room, I decided I’d be more successful in sticking with my home video /  tv routine. Besides, Itsco’s got a cross trainer that has been sitting there collecting dust. Someone has to save it from early retirement! 😀

Don’t get me wrong, back in Indo I used to be an avid gym-fan, going to aerobic sessions daily or even twice a day (how did you think I lost my 16kgs??), but now it’s just not worth it, especially not when it costs me €70 a month – in a year I could buy a ticket home to Indo 😐 (ja ja, perspective perspective :P)

Pffftttt…gotta get my lazy butt moving again!!!

Involving Chocolate (Part 2)

I buy chocolate by the bulk. And I’d stock flour, sugar, butter and eggs. Always. I never know when the cooking pangs hit, and somehow when I use chocolate, no matter what recipe you I, the cake raves.

But these are the recipes I use when I have more time and energy, since the cake involves more than just mixing the batter and throwing it into the oven. Recipes that I don’t try on working week nights. Recipes I use when I’m out there to impress. The degree of failure is quite large, and it takes up hours. Itsco usually moves out of the way then :P.

This is my most recent attempt for New Year’s eve…Black and White Chocolate Cheesecake. The original recipe uses white chocolate batter and dark chocolate pieces in it, but I switched it. I substituted the heavy cream with Bailey’s Irish Cream for the aroma, and used the walnuts I had in hand for decoration. The cake is rich enough without it though ;). If you just wanna eat cake and presentation is number 2, never mind about the au bain marie thing, your cake might crack, but it’ll taste the same 😉

This one I’ve baked so many time – it’s also Itsco’s favorite, German Chocolate Cake with chantilly filling. First attempt at this cake involved a small microwave oven, three times mixing and three times baking. Big mistake. The cake was beautifully delicious but I was too exhousted to care :|. I know better now and use the largest rectangle baking sheet I have, then divide the cake in three – saves loads of time!! Itsco’s colleagues always thinks he bought this at a fancy cake shop – if I ever quit my day job I’ll be selling these 😛

And this one is my favorite. This cake has seriously ruined me forever. It’s so soft and delicate, and ever since I’ve eaten this cake I haven’t had any better. They name it Opera Cake, and seriously, in musical term, this cake is grandioso… If you love almond, chocolate, coffee, and not afraid at recipes that goes over one page, this one is definitely you. The above link gets you to a detailed (complete with the cake’s history) step by step of how to make the cake. If you’re really into chocolate, you can use more layers of ganache. As far as I can remember the only substitutio I made was to use Tia Maria instead of coffee syrup. And make sure to use ALMOND!

Jump Start?

The best new year wish sms’ were tangled with ‘good luck with the baby’ stuffs newlyweds often get. I wasn’t really thinking of having kids – yet, no matter what my family or friends told me, I need to settle down first, thought stubborn me. And then I read this article:

"More and more women are getting married later and putting off childbearing, expecting to focus more on family building once their careers stabilize. But what happens when we think we’re ready for children, but our bodies tell us it’s too late? Whether you’re in your 20s or 30s, single or married, it’s not too late (nor too early) to starting thinking about your fertility now.

All your life, you assumed you’d have children. Just like you assumed you’d go to college, assumed you’d get married, and assumed you’d live happily ever after.

Then something goes slightly off course. The next thing you know, you’re in your 30s, with a promising career and maybe even a partner for life — but no pitter-patter of little feet (and that baby pug doesn’t count). What went wrong?

…

Females generally are born with 1 million to 2 million eggs. By adolescence, that number decreases to 400,000. According to Dr. Thomas Kim, medical director and board-certified infertility specialist at CHA Fertility Center in Los Angeles, “the quality of the eggs in a human ovary starts declining in the late 20s, about 27. And the rate of decline at that point is rather slow, but once you turn 35, the slope changes and it starts declining very fast. And once you hit 40, literally it starts nose-diving.”

…

And it’s not just the chronological age of the woman that matters. Even more important is the age of your ovaries. “You can be 35, but your eggs can be younger or older, unfortunately,” says Dr. Chung. “We have seen 31-, 32-year-olds with eggs like those of a menopausal patient.” Generally, one’s ovarian age is compatible with one’s chronological age, but ultimately, your genes are going to affect the age of your ovaries at any given point.

More and more women are discovering these important facts sometimes too late.

…

Its quite a long article, with tips at the end on how to protect your fertility.

Pffftttt…well, I’ve got my year goal set! – no, not babies, but getting the house done!! It’s so very not baby-proof at the moment :|.

Just met our financial advisor to get the financing aspect of it straight, get me the proper insurance to be a house owner (yippeee), and the next step is getting Brett to make a quote of how much the renovation would cost. I really hope things work out…