All posts tagged mum

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Deliciously moist apple cakes

March 18, 2012

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Sometimes you find a recipe that’s a bit too special and it sticks with you , these apple cakes are exactly as the name suggests , deliciously , moist and super special.

I initially found the recipe through a cooking party and was impressed with not only the final result but also the quick preparation involved and short cooking time . Over the years I have tweaked the recipe a little and we have an absolute winner with this one !

The sweet smell of apples and cinnamon baking with a hint of vanilla wafting down the house is enough to get the appetite going , put it this way , these little bites of heaven don’t last very long in our house.Perfect as a lunchbox or after school treat or take in for morning tea …they have also been very popular when served at brunch or breakfast, whichever way you decide to serve them, I promise they will not disappoint . The best part is get the kids involved with the preparation , it really is that simple !

Deliciously Moist Apple Cakes

You will need :

  • 120g caster sugar
  • 24 hole mini muffin pan lightly greased
  • 125g self-raising flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125g butter, melted
  • 4 medium apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup milk

Preparation :

  • Preheat oven to 180°c.
  • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients taking care not to over mix.
  • Pour mixture into the muffin pan (about 1 heaped tbsp per cake )
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked and golden brown.
  • Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.
  • Dust lightly with icing sugar.

Tip : Apples can be replaced with a can of pie apples.

Yum !

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supermum

Help ! I lost my cape !!

March 17, 2012

Upon hearing some fascinating stories about super heroes saving the earth , Cosmo and Nova , aliens from Slippytopia decided to pay the lesser planet a visit . Hoping to learn and replicate the superhero technology , they quietly went about making observations about super hero activities on earth .

They were enamored with Batman’s physical prowess , his acute intelligence and thought his means of transportation was quite enviable.Though Superman was initially a bit of a disappointment for the aliens for they had already mastered the art of flying interstellar distances centuries ago , they were taken by the super hero’s fashion sense and innovative haircut , making notes to make an appointment with the hero’s stylist as soon as possible . Slippians could use an image and wardrobe overhaul , they thought .

Feeling quite pleased with their findings so far , the aliens carried on to find Spidey aka Spiderman.It took them a little longer to comprehend exactly why flinging oneself on spider webs and clinging to walls was regarded a super hero trait . It wasn’t until the lovely Mary-Jane appeared at Spiderman’s latest crime scene , proudly linking arms with her man did they realize that spider instincts were very popular with the ladies , damn those girly mags !

Cosmo decided there and then he would bring back a designer spider web to his long time crush , Prada upon his return to Slippytopia . Gosh ! Prada would be so enchanted with his creative thinking and she might finally let Cosmo hold her toe nail … Sigh

The aliens were getting tired , super hero spying is no easy feat . They decided to head back home, quite excited about sharing their findings with Slippian intelligence .

As they slowly snuck back to their Slipship hidden behind a big contraption with many doors and windows , curious as they were Cosmo and Nova peered inside to find earthlings bartering food and goods for rectangular pieces of paper , seems earth was still working on its fair trade policies. Slippytopia was a far more sophisticated planet .

Turning around to leave , a strange looking earthling caught their eye , it seemed female , half it’s hair loosened from what was once a ponytail , carrying 3 packages in one hand , 4 in the other , yelling into something stuck to her right ear , pushing a cart carrying a newly born earthling , tying the shoe laces of a smaller male earthling all the while saving another little earthling who seemed to wander away from the footpath every 5 seconds . Cosmo and Nova were struck by the sheer strength of this woman , yet she wasn’t on their list of super heroes. Nova whipped out his SlipPad 2 and scanned the earthling ,Slipki returned the following result :

Target identified is a capeless and somewhat unsung super hero . Clever , loving , strong , patient and considerate . Often powered by caffeine! Exceptional cook , ATM , Driver , Shopper , Washer , Cleaner . Stopped being anything else the day she became a mother. Sacrifices her dreams and her manicures . Reader , Master juggler ,Calculator , Listener, Story Teller.

Kisses tears and cherishes smiles , inspires , applauds , reprimands , protects . Isn’t perfect , forgets , cries , has tired days , often complains of lack of sleep , yet pushes on every single day . Cares , honors , teaches , shares , cuddles , holds and showers love like no one ever will .

Legend has it , she has a cape hidden in her closet but wearing one might be considered uncool and embarrassing by her young ones . Supermum , commonly found in suburban homes ; changing the world , one shoe lace at a time .

Remuneration : love !


Planet name inspiration credits :My space loving fabulous two

Image courtesy: http://themarket.ie/?attachment_id=79

P.S : the fabulous two have deemed this story bed time friendly :)

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Pizza , the no brainer way ..

March 10, 2012

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Nothing better than a steaming, delicious pizza on a cold,rainy night …. Except it’s too late to order one , you are certainly not going to waste your Saturday evening punching down a pizza dough and you can’t be bothered driving down to nearest pizza shop … Sigh ! It’s a tough tough life …Well , perhaps not pizza at its perfection , but there is a no brainer way to satisfy that pizza craving .

Here’s how :

Serves 1

You will need :

  • 2 slice white/wholemeal bread lightly buttered
  • 1 tsp pizza sauce ( optional )
  • 2 tbsp low fat tasty/velveeta/sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 6 cherry or mini roma tomatoes quartered (normal tomatoes may be used )
  • 2-3 olives sliced
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried mixed italian herbs
  • Crushed red chillies ( optional )

Preparation :

  • Pre-heat grill at 200 degrees.
  • Lightly butter 2 slices of white/whole meal bread.
  • Lightly spread pizza sauce on each slice.
  • Top the slices with quartered cherry tomatoes and olives .
  • Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese,freshly cracked pepper , crushed chillies and Italian herbs on each slice .
  • Place under the grill for about 6-7 minutes until the bread it slightly toasted and the cheese has melted .
  • Splash a little tobasco on each slice and enjoy with some salad or a cup of soup.

Hot Tip :
As with normal pizza , the toppings can be tweaked to suit personal taste , you could use mushrooms , onions , garlic,capsicums , feta cheese , basil leaves ..cooked meat .. Be careful not too overload the bread slices , you don’t want to end up with soggy toast either .

Pizza , the no brainer way … What a life saver !

P.S this one’s a big hit with the little ones too

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Say Cheese !

March 8, 2012

They say a child’s smile is one of life’s greatest blessings and indeed so . There is nothing quite as heart warming as their beautiful smiles … Eyes twinkling , sometimes with wonder , other times with happiness and mischief..
I must admit ( and hope that my sons never ever read this blog post ) , I sometimes pretend to be in another room just so I can eavesdrop on my kids conversations – I thoroughly enjoy their cute banter when they think no one else is listening and the highlight of the eavesdropping saga is when they burst into peals of uncontrollable laugher … Truly special !

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A couple of months ago , while watching home videos of when my eldest was 2 , what struck me at the time was how at one point in his still very broken English ,he said ‘ I don like mummy upset , I like mummy smile ‘ , quite amazing how children that young can be so perceptive …

As our days and lives get busier , drowning in layer after layer of routine and monotony , how often is it that we share a smile with our children ,our loved ones or even a complete stranger just because we felt like smiling . Take a moment today/tonight , look your children in the eyes and give them a heartfelt smile. Now , let the magic of this extraordinary moment unfold , I promise you won’t regret it , I didn’t !

Say Cheeeeeseee !

The most beautiful thing in this world is to see your parents
smiling, and knowing that you’re the reason behind that smile.

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Amazing Orange Peels

March 5, 2012

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Did you know ?

You could use your leftover orange peels to make a fantastic home deodorizer .. Add peels from two oranges , 7-8 cloves and a cinnamon quill to a saucepan , fill with water, bring to a boil and then simmer for about. 30-40 minutes ,the mixture freshens and deodorizes the air in your home and the sweet smell is a great bonus !

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A little man with big words

March 4, 2012

Children have beautiful minds and even more beautiful hearts , so perceptive and undiluted by the world and its ways … Here is what my 8 year old had to write when I asked him if he could send one message to the entire world , what would it be ?

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Amazing isn’t it ?

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Purple Prettiness

March 3, 2012

Everyone who knows me well knows that I treat gift wrapping like an art form , in fact , between you and me, I think people secretly look forward to receiving a present from me just so they can show the exquisite wrapping off to their friends , oh take that sheepish grin off your face that was just a joke ! No really , it was ……n’t

Unique , pretty wrapping doesn’t have to be complex or exorbitant , pictured above is a hamper I prepared for a mum to be . The baby ofcourse being a little girl thus the purple prettiness.

To achieve the look pictured above , you will need :

  • A medium sized white rattan square or oval basket ( new mums love these because they can later be used as storage for the baby or even as a sub to keep in the lounge for quick nappy changes )
  • 2 bags ( about 8 oz each ) of shredded tissue or crepe basket fillers ( you can opt to have two different colors to add more detail to your hamper )
  • 1 metre of soft silver speckled purple netting ( easily available from craft and fabric stores )
  • 1 inch thick purple curling ribbon
  • 1 faux crystal ornament ( available at most craft stores )
  • A few thick elastic bands
  • Craft stapler

The basket can be filled with many different items that may be useful to a new mum and the baby – I will share an extensive list in an upcoming post soon but to give you an idea , a few of these items are :

  • Baby face washers
  • Baby wraps
  • Baby grooming pack
  • Singlets ( baby vests )
  • Mittens
  • Booties
  • Baby rattle

What next ?

  • Stuff the base of the basket with the shredded basket fillers .
  • Place all the items in the basket ensuring they are well spaced out and products are clear and visible from the top . If you have a few baby wraps , they can be softly draped over the corners of the basket to create a different look . Toys like rattles or baby socks can also be hung off a corner.
  • Lay out the speckled netting on a flat surface.
  • Place the prepared basket on the netting and gather all corners of the netting towards the top of the basket.
  • Secure the netting with a few rubber bands leaving 2-3 inches of the netting at the top
  • Lose ends of netting around the corners of the basket can be stapled in to avoid gaps from showing through .
  • Tie the curling ribbon around the neck of the netting and create curls leaving long trails to the front of the basket.
  • As a final finishing touch , tie a little charm / ornament to the ribbon , I have used a small crystal ball .

And that’s a wrap :)

Feel free to shoot questions or comments…

Cheers !

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it’s time for Chicken Soup …

March 2, 2012

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Brrrr the temperature is plummeting , the heaters have been turned on again and since the rain shows no signs of respite ,it might just be time to make that soothing concoction I have been raving on about . The thing is when you hear chicken soup , you think winter , you think coughs, colds and that dreaded flu.And if your taste buds are anything like mine ( as in you don’t even know what the word ‘bland’ means ) you are right this minute thinking Chicken Soup ? Me ? Never !

Well all that’s about to change , you see just like you, I would turn my nose up at the very mention of chicken soup or broth and thought that sort of food should be confined to hospitals , it would be a heinous crime to bring it to our dinner tables.

Until one fine day a featured recipe online caught my eye and I decided to give the dreaded Chicken Soup one last go , ofcourse with a bit of fine tuning of my own . Would you believe , that little bit of fine tuning has come a long way and this Chicken Soup is still a family favourite . It has the added benefit of boosting your immunity and relieving colds and flus, but I promise you , you absolutely do not have to be sick to have this soup !

Here’s how :

Serves 3-4

You will need :

  • 300 grams chicken pieces ( preferably wings, necks and drumsticks)
  • 2 medium carrots , peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2-3 stalks of celery , washed and cut into chunks ( you can also add in the celery leaves for additional flavor )
  • 1 medium potato , peeled and cut into chunky quarters ( optional )
  • 1 large onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 8-10 black peppercorns
  • 6-8 whole cloves
  • 1-2 small cinnamon sticks
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt ( or as per taste )
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • Lemon juice ( optional )

Preparation :

  • Wash chicken pieces thoroughly and add to a heavy based medium pot. Combine chicken, carrots , celery , potato , garlic , ginger , black peppercorns , salt , turmeric powder , cloves and cinnamon sticks .
  • Add about 4-5 glasses of water and bring to a boil on medium heat , once boiling , let your soup slowly simmer for atleast an hour until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender .
  • You may prefer to take the chicken out at this step and debone it , cutting into smaller pieces before adding them back to the soup.
  • Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with coriander leaves ,fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper .

Hot Tip :

Serve with saigon rolls , steamed rice or even over a bed of over cooked noodles.
Apart from being a popularly used culinary ingredient turmeric has immense healing properties.

Yummy !


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Coffee and its (apparent) perils

March 2, 2012

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Discovered this picture while stumbling on Stumble Upon , now back to doing stupid things I suppose…Oh wait I need a coffee refill !

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Comments: 0 Posted by: Categories: Fabulous Finds, Quotables Tags: , , , , ,
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Without further adieu – I give you Prawn Masala

February 28, 2012

I can never remember a Sunday or a Friday (then being a public holiday back in the 80s in Pakistan) when my mum would prepare a feast for the family to share together . Quite often it would be seafood sourced from the best possible machli-waala ( fisherman ) to frequent our locality in my home city , Karachi . Back then , seafood was quite expensive and therefore a once a week fare for our family . The faint scent of pomphret marinated in an array of spices being shallow fried wafting down the corridor of our apartment still tickles the recesses of my childhood memories. Over the years , another seafood dish – ‘prawn masala’ has become a favorite on my palate , which initially made its way to our family dinner table when we were having special guests over and my mum’s rendition of it was lip smackingly delicious !
So without further adieu , I give you my take on this beautiful dish , Prawn Masala

Serves 3-4 with hot tandoori naan and/or steamed rice . Please allow time for marination .

You will need :

  • 500 gms banana prawns shelled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp hot chilli paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3-4 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
  • 2 medium onions finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes cut to medium cubes
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder (zeera)
  • 1 tsp coriander powder( dhania)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 green chilli julienned
  • 8-10 stems of coriander leaves finely chopped including stalks

Preparation :

  • Prepare a marinade of salt , hot chilli , ginger and garlic pastes and toss the prawns in the mixture to coat evenly.
  • Leave this mixture to marinate for at least 2 hours .
  • Heat oil in a medium sized wok or deep frying pan , add curry leaves , mustard seeds and cumin seeds until they sizzle and release a fragrance .
  • Add onions and fry well until they turn a rich golden color – please be careful with the onions as they shouldn’t darken in color.
  • Add marinated prawns , powdered cumin , coriander and turmeric and fry well until the prawns turn opaque – this should not take more than 3-4 minutes.If the mixture seems too dry , 1/4 cup of boiling water can be added in this step.
  • Add salt per taste ( please note that we have already added salt in the marinade , I usually find I don’t need to add any more salt in this step ).
  • Add cubed tomatoes , mix in well with the gravy and cover to cook for about 2-3 minutes until the prawns.
  • Turn off the heat.
  • Garnish well with julienned green chillies and chopped coriander.
  • Serve on a bed of steamed basmati rice and/or tandoori naan bread and lemon wedges.

So there we have it , Prawn Masala in all it’s glory …

Enjoy and please feel free to post feedback/queries

Tips : In the initial marination process , I prefer to use freshly crushed ginger and garlic as the freshness and flavor is well infused in the prawns .

Please note , the picture features Prawn Masala served with Yakhni Peas Pulaao ( Pilaf slow cooked in chicken broth) which is also a great variation to the usual steamed rice – recipe coming soon …

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