Wishing a happy birthday to the one
who adds sunlight to my day
the one who gives me happiness
more than I can say

Happy birthday to a son
Who couldn't be loved more.
You are loved for :-
The little boy you were
The special man you are now
And the precious son you will always be.

FARID RIZAL

Birthday dinner at Victoria Station:

Shark's Fin with Crabmeat

Rib Eye Steak for Farid and Faiz

Yasmin and I had Salmon & Lamb Combo

Julia's Salmon & Steak Combo

Went to KL with Faiz, Yasmin and Julia to spend the weekend with Firdaus. Kesian dia, not feeling well.. selesema, sakit kerongkong, nak demam tak demam. Before coming, I dah belikan bekalan ubat for him. Tengok tu haaa... kat sebelah laptop dia, satu uncang plastik penuh dengan ubat...

Pada trip kali ni, Faiz, Firdaus and I checked-into this fabulous 'apartment-like' suite at Boulevard Hotel, while the girls and their Maksu stayed in another room. Thanks to my sister for upgrading my room. The above photo is the living area. Where Firdaus is sitting, is the 'island' between the living area and the mini kitchen.

entrance into the bedroom.. ooppss... syyyh .. Faiz taking a nap

walk-in closet, toilet and dressing table

Took Firdaus for a haircut. The hairstylist did a good job! We all loved the new look.

ni haa.. tengah posing dengan Kak Min

Took the opportunity to visit my uncle and aunty di Petaling Jaya. It's been quite a while since I last saw them. Diorang pun kurang sihat jugak, especially my aunty.

Spent a few hours there, sembang-sembang and makan Crispy Popia yang I beli from Midvalley. Sedap sungguh! (Stall dia ada kat basement floor in front of Tempanyaki. Cuba la.)

Tak caya... tanya Min ...

sharing the popia with Julia

.. nak posing pun tak berani tinggalkan popia .. takut Julia habiskan kot?

...hmm... kan I dah cakap, "tak caya tanya Min"... hehehe

Later, we met up with Nik, Azni and Daniel and spent time with them sehinggalah ke tengah malam. Wah! dah besar si Daniel ni, handsome pulak tu...

Next day, Sunday, lunch at Tony Roma's. At 3pm, we checked-out of hotel and sent Firdaus back to Seremban. From Seremban, balik ke Penang and arrived home at 9pm, Alhamdulillah.

Tired... but happy ...

... Faiz pun tak mau kalah ...

Updates about D'Residence:

1. Renovation works dah selesai.
2. Wet kitchen walls fully tiled.
2. Other walls painted.

That's it!

Yesterday, met up with ID to confirm about built-in cabinets, wardrobe, katil etc. Disebabkan Chinese New Year is just around the corner, semua keja-keja pun dah terbantut. She said she can only get the house ready by end of March. Haish!!

This is all that has been done for now ...

platform for Farid's Japanese Style bedroom

split-levelled platforms for Yasmin's room

Firdaus's round-shaped bed and wardrobe

Master bedroom, study room, family TV room, guest room, living area, dining area, dry & wet kitchens ... apa cabinet pun belum pasang lagi.

Meanwhile, at home ...

my girls ....

sorang demam ...

... yang sorang lagi bukan main 'gumbira' kelmarin ber-outing with her cousin ke Bukit Merah, today ...

.. badan lenguh, letih, nak tido.. nak tido.. nak tido..

... haish! ...

Moist Chocolate Cake

cakkk!!!

My Sunday project - Moist Chocolate Cake! Kali ni dah tak kecoh, sebab sudah lebih bersedia dengan tips-tips yang diberikan.

The cake sungguh gebu and moist, not too sweet (just the way I like it), the top was evenly baked with no cracks! Amazing!

Thanks, Sofina, for this wonderful recipe and tips:-

Ingredients:
170 gm butter
390 gm castor sugar (lebih halus lebih baik)
3 eggs

Dicampurkan:
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp chocolate emulco atau chocolate paste
340 gm water (340 ml)

Di ayak semua:
225 gm plain flour
65 gm cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soda bicarbonate
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Nescafe

Cara:
1. Panaskan oven mengikut kebiasaan memasak kek (lain oven lain suhu, so ikut your own). Ikut resepi asal ni 150C. Lapik dan sapu butter keliling acuan 10 inci bulat or 9 inci square.

2. Cream butter and sugar hingga putih gebu.

3. Masuk telur satu persatu dan kacau slow speed lepas setiap satu biji.

4. (Part ni guna tangan)
Masukkan 1/3 bahagian tepung yang sudah di ayak, gaul perlahan-lahan hingga sebati, then masukkan 1/2 air dan gaul sebati perlahan-lahan. Ulangi proses hingga tepung dan air habis. Make sure mulakan dengan tepung dan habiskan dengan tepung (haa... ingat tips tuu! Sofina guna balloon whisk instead of senduk kayu or plastic, so I pun guna whisk jugak).

5. Masukkan adunan ke dalam acuan dan bakar 50 - 60 min (I did 50 mins jer). Oven, kalau boleh pilih, jangan guna fan sebab boleh buat kek dry (tips). Lepas 50 min cuba cucuk dengan lidi, if adunan tak melekat pada lidi, maknanya kek sudah masak. Keluarkan dari oven, tunggu sejuk sedikit baru keluarkan dari acuan.


Chocolate topping (google if u suka topping yang lain):

Campur sebati-
1/3 cup gula biasa
1/6 cup tepung gandum (or 1/2 dari 1/3 cup)
1/6 cup cocoa powder

2/3 cup susu (UHT or yang u suka)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp esen vanila
1 1/2 tblsp butter


1. Masukkan susu ke dalam campuran cocoa and kacau supaya tak berketul.

2. Masuk vanila dan yolk and kacau sebati.

3. Masak atas api perlahan (kacau selalu/berterusan supaya tak melekat dan berketul terutama bila adunan dah mula pekat) hingga nampak bubble, tutup api and masukkan butter. Kacau laju hingga butter melt dan campuran smooth.

4. Ketepikan hingga suam-suam kuku, bila dah nak letak atas kek, kacau dengan laju hingga campuran smooth, then boleh letak/sapu atas kek yang dah sejuk. Tabur hiasan, jika you suka.

My topping results tu tak berapa nak cantik macam cake yang Kathy gave me kelmarin. Tak per, itu boleh perbaiki lagi esok-esok.

( haipp!! jangan la dok senyum..! )

Tips lagi: Kek, kalau nak cantik, potong guna pisau kek plastik so topping tak melekat di pisau. Ok, cheq potong naaa...

Had late breakfast with Kathy and Sofina at the Astaka near Kathy's house. I pun berceritalah tentang my cake baking experience yang kecoh tempoh hari. Jenuh bergelak! Tapi dalam gelak-gelak tu lah I dapat valuable baking tips dari sifu berdua ni.

Masa punggah Kitchenaid mixer dari kotaknya hari tu, my mum held up this thing ..

and asked, "Ni cakuk apa?".. to which I pun blur tak tau nak jawab! Rupanya benda yang macam tangan 'Captain Hook' ni..

"is for mixing and kneading bread dough," kata Sofina.

Me: "OO... Mana la chek nak tau! My cake mixer dulu duluuuu tu, manader benda cakuk macam ni."

"Yang ni pulak ..

is a flat beater for mixing cake batters, blending cookie dough and other basic mixing tasks," explained-nya lagi.

Me: "Tapi kan ... masa I buat kek tu hari, I was using this all the way?"

"Wire whisk ni is actually for whipping cream or egg whites. Tapi boleh la u pakai for mixing untuk adunan yang agak cair," she smiled.

Me: (Hentam saja lah, Labuuuuu!)

TIPS:
"Jangan bukak oven dalam tempah 30 minit masa membakar, nanti kek bantut!"

The career you select?
Where you choose to live?
Whom you choose to marry; or whether you remain single?
How fast you drive?
What you eat?
With whom you spend your free time?
Your interests?
Your habits - the good ones and the bad ones?

There is a risk in every decision we make every minute, every hour, every day, a lifetime. Some of these risks are immediate, while others can take years to come.

Chances of something going wrong is a hazard.
Silap makan, food poisoning.
Silap pilih course/kerjaya, stress dan membosankan.
Silap pilih pasangan, merana.
Silap invest, bankrupt!

So?
Choose to risk atau play it safe?

Tapi kan, kalau you :-
1. Dah buat preparation dan kajian selengkapnya,
2. Mempunyai knowledge yang diperlukan,
3. Serta keberanian,
4. Ketekunan,
5. Dan kepercayaan,
then seharusnya you have everything to gain when you take a reasonable risk in life, walaupun the potential for loss of some kind memang sentiasa ada.

Kalau you just sit back and don't take the chance / risk, selama-lamanya there is no way you can ever know your potential and what the gain could have been and how you would have benefited from it.





So, macamana?


Checklist for:
FARID -
No. 1 (Checked)
No. 2 (Checked)
No. 3 (Checked)
No. 4 (Checked)
No. 5 (Checked)

MAMA:
No. 3 (Checked)
No. 5 (Checked)
eemm... plus kasih sayang

Cukup kot?

with No. 3 & 5, i'm gonna grab that cheese for my son.
what could i possibly loose?
my neck? muahahaha
... wish me luck!

Faiz: "I tak beli handbag kat you, tapi I beli yang ni ...



... big enough untuk buat beg Telekung."

Dolly: "Thank you darling."

Ani and Adnan were back in Penang for the weekend. 'The cook' decided not to cook (untuk menyimpan tenaga) bagi menjayakan satu projek "Mega" yang akan dijalankan petang nanti. So, we all went to Yosenabe Japanese Restaurant for a Steamboat lunch.

Yasmin and Julia enjoying their food

My dad, mum and sister

..burp!.. Alhamdulillah!

Kenyang dah??

Ok! Jom Balik!

pssttt... pssstt...

ok dak kek kami??

Ni la projek "Mega" yang I mentioned tadi tu.

Awat dok senyum?

I know la, kek kiter nampak 'belemoih' skit, kan... tapi kek ni dibuat dengan penuh kasih sayang tau! haaa... mahal tu!

Oh ya... seperkara lagi, kena jugak dimaklumkan di sini, bahawasanya I had plenty of support and help from ...

... my sister, Ani, mencairkan butter;
... Julia mengayak tepung;
... Yasmin in charge of mixing the ingredients;
... my maid Ari lengserkan marjerin pada acuan kek.



A while later ...


yeay! kek dah masak!


Emm... you might be asking...

"Apakah sumbangan saya dalam menjalankan projek ini?"

Well ... I printed the recipe ; I bought the ingredients ; I supervised ; I took photos ; and lastly, I jaga oven. Haa.. kan banyak punya keje tu??

"Apa dia? Cheating?"