Edible football field?

Bon Voyage Ian!

Surprise Party for #2

When Hubs and #1 was in Aussieland for the 2008 WYD, #2 turned 16 and we quietly and un-eventfully had an Italian lunch of Salmon Ravioli, Fettuccine with white sauce and Tiramisu.

She had wanted to celebrate her birthday before Hubs left for Aussieland but we were too busy and brushed off her request. She was quite disappointed and was feeling a little forlorn.

Actually, Hubs and I had already discussed and planned a surprise birthday party for her the weekend after he got back. So yesterday, after all the planning, 'hiding', 'stringing stories', secret phone calls, secret conversations with her friends etc, etc, we finally had the big surprise!

Boy! Was she surprised! She didn't even have an inkling of what we were up to. I had to bake the cakes and transport it to a friend's house for #1 to do the icing just so that #2 wouldn't suspect anything.

This was the result of the Birthday Cake made by #1.










What do you think? Nice right?

Pot-luck!

Last Saturday, our BEC had two nuns come to give a "Talk on Parents as Sexuality Educators". It was pot-luck and because elections was on that day, I really didn't have much time to do any cooking. So I issued and 'order' to #1 to make some cup cakes.

She was very sweet and made these for me. Wasn't any left after the meal that night. While the whole country was busy following the results for the elections, 25 adults sat attentively to listen to two nuns speak about "SEX"! Hahaha! I'd have expected more parents would attend this - after all what else would have been more interesting than good food and sex talks??

On a serious note, I was really disappointed with the turn up. We're talking about us parents trying to get some 'sex education' from the Church's perspective (How often does this ever happen anyway?).

How many of us use the correct terminology when it comes to our kids sexual organs? Instead, we give 'pet names' that confuse them when they learn what they learn from their Science classes. Can we actually speak openly to our kids about sexual abuse and warn them to be 'alert' so that they know who can touch where?

We learnt a whole lot about ourselves as parents and our own 'taboos' and pre-set minds. It wasn't a session where we could learn everything about how to discuss with our kids on the topic of sex but it was a very good learning 'entry level' where most parents could relate and understand, first, ourselves and then only the approach we need to take to discuss with our kids.

The last part of the talk was really distracting though. SMS's were coming in lightning speed from friends and relatives updating on the dismal performance of BN.
What goes around, comes around - my philosophy in life!

More cuppacakes?

My baby has grown up!!
#1 made these cup cakes for CNY 2008!

More cuppacakes!!


#1 complained about how expensive the cup cake holders from Wilton's were and refused to add anymore to her collection than the one that we purchased last year.

Yikes! How were we going to display all those cup cakes that she made then? Little genius that she is, she constructed her own stand! Hero! It probably cost us under RM15/=

Every year for CNY, #1 and #2 would invite their school mates and church friends for an open house. My principal is always the same, the numbers cannot exceed 50 people otherwise we'd be drowning around their friends!! We cater the food BUT they must make the deserts. Of course yours truly also makes some lah!

The cup cakes were a hit as usual. There were none left by the time the kids left. Not even one for breakfast!!



Sorry for the poor shots. We were so busy that night that no one bothered to take pictures (as usual). #1 just took some using her phone. Sigh!

Random...

Over the Christmas period, it was cupcake season in our household!! #1's creativity juices were running on the max and we were churning cupcakes like a bakery!!!

Just look at the various designs she did....


Most of the cupcakes were slathered with butter cream and the snowmen were rolled out of fondant and so were the little 'presents', candles and acorns!

Hari Raya cuppy cakes!

Daughter #1 made these for my neighbours Hari Raya open house yesterday. Notice the 'ketupat' and Mosque designs. I wasn't home when she did the icing and I was quite impressed that she was able to handle all these by herself.

She even had a 'beach' scene - the one topped with an umbrella. Cool!

#3 asks for cupcakes!

#3 celebrated children's day at school on Friday. On Monday she'd already requested that she bring cup cakes to school. #1 loves her very much and condoned without much ado. Because it's a kiddies party, she was game for 'a little of everything'. Just 'tembak' for the experience.

#3 came home elated and talked non stop about how the head mistress, teachers and classmates enjoyed the cup cakes and were trilled by the designs. Obviously she ate the nicest of the lot - according to her, the purple one with the jelly beans which look like balloons.

#1 also wrote some Chinese characters, forgot to ask her what they meant. #2 and #1 hasn't been going to school because one has pharyngitis and the other just feels 'a little under the weather'? So while they are both off school there has been no bento and whilst one is under medication the other continues to be on a baking frenzy.

Cup cake craze!!!

I promise you, this is not going to turn into a cup cake site!! It's just that #1 and I have been so busy doing all these for our BEC elections tomorrow. No! No! I'm not campaigning for any post in the elections with my cup cakes!! It's pot luck and we thought we'd bring cup cakes this time.

This stand can hold 19 cup cakes. There are a couple of extras which will go onto the tray tomorrow. Pictures were taken in a hurry because #3 is sick and I was shuttling between baker and butler duties today!!!

Happy Birthday Luke!

I know I said no more cup cakes but this time I asked #1 to ice some for an old friend who turned 71 years old yesterday. As usual we were in a frenzied hurry because we had long and lazy brunch and #1 had a futsal game in the evening. She's getting good at this and my number of pipping nozzles has increased over the last one week and so has ingredients and accessories. *sweat, sweat, sweat*

#3 iced this and insisted that I upload the picture onto my blog!! "She said: Tomorrow morning I want to see the picture on your blog okay? I'm going to sleep now mummy, I love you!!" How to resist such sweet temptation?

More cake?

Monday

#1 and #3 has the same God parents.

It was their God pa's birthday on Monday.
#3 called God pa up early in the morning to wish him "Happy Birthday".
Following that, she offered God pa a birthday cake to be baked by #1.
Of course she nicely forgot to inform #1 to bake the cake and when #1 came back from visiting God pa, she found out that there was a Birthday cake outstanding.

Tuesday
#1: "Hmmm... how ah Ma, she asks?" Can we ice another cake?
Mum: Haiez.... no, no, no! Don't 'kacau' me!
It's the holidays and I want to enjoy it by relaxing!
#1: Only one cake mum!
Mum: Hmm...okay, okay!

So our expedition commenced!
Along the way, we decided to try to bake cup cakes because it's so popular these days
(never baked them before) - cup cakes, here we come!

Went to the Wilton shop to buy some supplies and get some ideas.
I was told that I could use my butter cake recipe to bake the cup cakes.
Bought some cup cake cups, food color and some nozzles.
These are our first attempt at cup cakes.

We baked a whole cake and the balance became cup cakes.
#1 tried out the new Wilton food colors and iced the cake.
It was a disaster!
Wrong color combination, wrong nozzles, wrong spelling and all things wrong!
Looked at each other and decided the same thing.
Forget about the cake and try icing the cup cakes.

This was the final result!

Gosh! I quite admire #1 and her determination.
I just helped her with the cake and the rest she did herself.
Denon's cake was her first actual attempt at baking and
I'm happy that she's more inspired than put off by the 'hard work'!

Wednesday
#1 reminds me that she's organizing a surprise Birthday party with "M's" mother.
It's for "M" her gym partner, partner in crime, coffee 'kaki', study partner (?), swimming buddy, jogging buddy, old school friend......the list goes on.
What can I say? Ah...okay, okay.

#1: Mum, can you make some sushi for "M's" birthday?
Her mum is doing the rest of the cooking.
Mum: For "M", sure why not! Just remind her that
'unfortunately, my husband doesn't bake'
I grinned at #1.
(we both break into loud guffaws)

#1: Errmm...Can we bake some more cup cakes? I want to do it for "M".
Mum: Hello!! Not enough cup cakes ah? We've been baking cakes since the holidays started!
Can't you see that we're all putting on weight with all the butter and cream!!!!
#1: Yeah...! But I still want to bake and ice cup cakes for "M".
Mum: Haiez...I think you will soon be known as
"#1 (name) - surname - cup cake" if you keep at this!

Bake! Bake! Bake!
Ice! Ice! Ice!!





Sweetheart(#1)!
If you read this, can you please give your mama a break from baking. Your mum isn't called 'Bento Pet' because she bakes, it's because she loves bento-ing and not baking.

Icing on a cake take guts!

#1 never fails to surprise and scare me at the same time. Where mum is the 'planner' and 'sane' character, the daughter is directly opposite! Everything for her is impromptu, last minute and full of 'guts', never one to fear!

My darling #1 came home at 3p.m. yesterday with her friend 'M' and asked me "Mum! Do you have ingredients to bake a cake?" Huh? mum responds. "Can you please teach us to bake a cake now?" "Huh? What? Why? When? Now? asked her bewildered mum."

"Yeah! Now! We want to make Denon's brithday cake!" Eh@!@! Mum only bake cakes, mum doesn't and has never iced a cake! "Never mind" was her response, we'll just figure it out. I'll use the kindergarten method of icing. (#1 worked with a kindergarten for six months after From 5 and loved the experience). Anyway, mum, just show us how to bake the cake!

Aiyoh! What in the world do they have in mind? Two 18 year olds who has never baked cakes and don't even know what icing a cake entails, now want to make a birthday cake for a good friend! Just buy lah! mum responds! Oh no! We want to do something special! Haiez.....sighs mum.

Mum orders the two 18 year olds and 8 year old (#3) around to get the ingredients and utensils out of the fridge and cupboards. Whips up two butter cake and baking time takes 40 minutes. One butter cake for trial and testing of the icing and the other (hopefully) be the 'masterpiece'! Meanwhile #1 surfs the internet for icing recipes because she suddenly gets cold feet about the 'kindergarten icing method' - maybe not such a good idea after all she says!

Let's try glaze icing or just mix icing sugar and water or this icing or that icing?
Enough!!! At 5 p.m. and we're looking for icing recipes? I spoke to a friend who does icing for her cakes and asked for some advice. After discussing with her the most simple and basic of all icing, I decided that the girls should try butter icing.

Whipped up the butter and icing sugar, added (limited to red, blue and green) coloring and started testing on the first cake.

#1 said that the cake had to be flat so must cut off the 'mount' on the butter cake. I provided her with a long bread knife and she started sawing the cake. Ended up slanting, one side thick and one side thinner.

Mum scratches the head and ignores the groans and bitching from "M" and #1. With very limited tools and experience, the two girls started to mix and squeeze pipping bags with wrong sized nozzles and limited colors.

At 6 p.m. they are done with the grotesque 'trial run', amidst the laughter and tears! Then I made a statement "Eh! Why is it some girls have 'boyfriends' who can bake and ice cakes and you girls are struggling here trying to quick fix a birthday cake? "Excuse me Madam, does your husband bake? asks "M". *Complete silence* @#!&#@$**#@~! #1 looks nervously around and *Mum explodes laughing*! #1 also explodes laughing , rolling and banging herself on the cupboard in utter disbelief! By then another girlfriend "L" who came to help with damage control bent and contorted into half in more explosive laughter! "M" looks at mum with huge innocent eyes and grins. Both of us thinking "me and my big mouth".

This is the reason I love these kids! They dare to speak their mind but at the same time respectful and well mannered. Hubs and I like "M" and "L" and together with #1 they 'lepak' and study (I try to convince myself of that) together even though they are in three different courses.

They finally finished the 'masterpiece' past 7 p.m. and had to rush off to bathe and change for the surprise party that they had organized for Denon.

I quipped, "you three may just have a promising career in the cake baking and icing industry"! Hehehe!!