Pistachio Cookies

As the name suggests, it is a ordinary butter cookies coated with crashed Pistachio Nut and sugar. I made it for my girls to hand out to her Sunday school teachers on Teachers' Day. Got this recipe from Agnes Chang's cook book "I CAN BAKE". I added more sugar content and switched plain flour to cake flour. Process is easy, but you need to wrap up in cling film like a sausage and chilled before I can coat it with nut, cut and bake them. Extra paitence required.

Thick and buttery cookies that melt in the mouth will soothe the craving of those who love butter cookies. The unique flavour of pistachio nut gives a strong identity and turns it to an extraordinary butter cookies.

It is troublesome to have the pistachio nut opened one by one.....worth the effort though. Shanice later complained that her fingers hurt... poor girl. She patiently accompanied me in the kitchen and open the nuts one by one. She did that for more than an hour. She also helped to crush the nuts after removing the shell. However, she enjoys participating. She's also proud of her result (not forgetting munching and happily feeding her daddy with the nuts like feeding zoo animals at the same time ;> ).

These scrumptious cookies were nicely picked in Hello Kitty bags and she proudly told all her teachers and friends that she helped in baking these when she handed them out.

A wonderful weekend which I can do what I like and bond with my girl at the same time. "One stone kills 2 birds" hah!

Not only that, I received a call from one of the teachers the next day and she wants to order 2 jars of 30 pcs cookies from me as a gift to her friends. At the end, she ordered total of 6 jars from me (Thank you Mrs Chen). Ha ha, these small gesture brought me some surprises after all.

It has been a year

Time flies! Today is my 1 yr anniversary of becoming a homemaker. As I ponder and stock take of what I've done for the passed 1 year, "Thank God" are the words that I'll say. He has been the one who's our provider in many areas. I'm still learning many things as a homemaker. As my children grow, I'll need to learn to deal with them every single day and learn how to be patient and love them with all my heart. Although, sometime I fall into a trap of dilemma... on one hand you want to be with your kids, on the other hand, fatigue and anger may set in as they may not behave the way you want them to. You would want to say "leave me alone"... I want to have some "ME" time. Feeling guilty and selfish is a constant struggle in my spiritual journey. May God forgive my short coming and teach me to do things with all my heart.

I'm someone who can't sit still at home nor can I "Ta Han" the household chores and stuff like that. I don't want to "work" but not actually want to be "bored" at home. My answer to this question 'If I am given the choice, do I want to work?" is always a firm "NO". Not facing the "month end closing" nor the stress from work is really a relief. Gosh! During those times, I was really being torn apart. Tough to be a working mom though... need to take care of the office tasks and need to worry about my girls. Having time to think of some issues that you'll never have time to think in the past is also a great blessing. You feel that you've entered into a different dimension now and it isn't like what it used to be. May be I am just contented to be a simple mother who sometimes frantically yell at the kids and hears my voice echoing back... life has been ordinary but fulfilling and it is really full of joy and laughters.

I never thought that I was able to survive it after being a career woman for more than a decade. Thank God once again for my three beautiful princesses that always throw me big hugs, cries and laughters. My dearest supportive husband is also on the thanking list although I feel helpless sometimes seeing him face stress at work. All I can do is cook him good meals, hoping that he can enjoy this simple pleasure after a stressful day of work. It is really a dream that we can start our own business so he can quit..... Let's wait and see. (Dear, you may need to wait long long, but it is on my list!!!)

Although I miss my boss and beloved colleagues who had always been my buddies while I worked. Well, I think I gain more than I lose..... never regret quitting my job and spending more time with my family.

My friends will scold me when they read the first para complaining above: "You can always catch your quiet morning newspaper break at a shopping mall or shopping for grocery and food for the week". Most importantly, now I have more time to find "solace" in the kitchen cooking my favourite stuff... ;>

Mango Cheese Cake

Mango Cheese Cake

I have another good reason to try out another mango cheese cake recipe: My girls' God Mom's Birthday on the 28th of Aug.

I digged through my limited cheese cake cook books collection and managed to find a German cheese cake recipe as the guide for my trial. The book suggested using Mascarpone cheese and I added more personal touch and more ingredients like mango puree, diced mango. I lastly put a layer of mango puree gelatin on top to prettify the cake. I did this cake with 100% effort and love. It has to be perfect all the way, so I baked the crust as well.

God Mom commented: "can sell". I hope she said that not because of my hard work and out of courtesy :> she's always a woman of truth. She worked in 5-star hotel before and she knows how's their pastry taste like...high end taste leh!

To be honest, I'm quite happy with the result. Surprisingly it is not cheesy. It is a very light, smooth and refreshing cheese cake, most suitable for summer. It comes with a subtle mango flavour, and not to forget the layer of mango gelatin that boasts its identity. Its presentation is also to my satisfaction - less is more, simple is elegant. Wording... yet to improve although it is better than what I did the last time (I wonder why my white chocolate can't be hardened??? I used those off the shelf white chocolate bar and did lots of pattern but none of them can stand in room temperature... so can only put some of them flat on the cake).

I wanted to take a photo of Diana with the cake for this post but she refused. So my eldest girl, Shanice, volunteered with great enthusiasm, presenting this cake to her beloved God Mom.

Happy Birthday Diana!!