Sunday, October 25, 2009
Welcome to Mushu's kitchen!
I usually stay out of the kitchen (mom had almost given up on me, I hear), but due to some complicated issues, I've ended up in a position where I'm, uh, kind of forced to venture to the kitchen. I thought I might share some recipes I've found good. The only connecting thing between them will most likely be the easiness of them (because, honestly, you can't expect me to start with anything more, can you? Right.).
And fear not, my dearies. There won't be too many recipes, because this is not a cooking blog and I'd rather share only the succesful attempts :D
Sooooooo (fanfares, please), let me present you with some über delicious muffins:
Mushu's Muffins
The basic dough:
200 g margarine
1,5 dl sugar
3 eggs
4 ½ dl wheat flour
2 teasp. baking powder
2 teasp. vanilla sugar
200 g chocolate bar
cocoa powder
0,5 dl milk
How to:
Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Mix the soft margarine with the sugar in a generously sized, clean bowl. Add the eggs, and mix well. Take another bowl, throw into it the flour, the baking soda and the vanilla sugar. Add slowly to the butter-sugar-eggs mass, and keep mixing the batter while doing so. Cut the chocolate bar into little chips, and add them to the mixture. Throw in the cocoa powder the amount you like (the more you add, the darker and more chocolatey it gets), and then add the milk. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, set the oven to 175°C and let the little cuties get a little puffy in there.
Extras:
- The white stuff on the muffins in the above photo is melted white chocolate. Looks nice, and tastes good.
- My favourite (and the favourite of the kids who love these muffins) chocolate to use here is Fazer's blue.
- I like these chocolate muffins, but I LOVE ginger muffins:
Leave out the cocoa powder and chocolate, and instead of them add a handful of crystallized ginger chopped into really small pieces. Mmm..
- Is there another word I can use along with 'mix'? I feel like a parrot, repeating the same word over and over again :D
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
A visitor much missed
It's been a while since I've posted. Uni has been one major reason for that, keeping me ridiculously busy. In addition to that, I've also been suffering from internet problems that, in all truth, just might have been a bigger reason for my lack of updates.
Ramadan is over, has been for a while. I must admit that I did worry beforehands a little about the long hours, but al hamdu li Allah, all went very easily and smoothly. It was rather weird, though, to fast when there was plenty of light outside. I'm more used to fasting during winter, and somehow I seem to assosiate 'winter' with 'snow', 'ramadan' and 'eid'. The world looks a bit different, when the sun is shining from above. The smell is different, too. In winter one can smell the cinnamon, and cardamom, and ginger, and cloves. In summer food is not so present, not to the nose. During summer it's the eyes that feast more.
It's been only several weeks since it ended, yet I miss it so.
I wonder if there ever was a visitor more loved, awaited, and missed, than the month of ramadan? Fasting during other moths is rewarding, but somehow the feeling is different. Nothing is missing, no, but it's different.
Anyone else having the same sentiments?
To the people who follow this blog, and to those who just read this post by accident, may you all have a very nice day (:
Ramadan is over, has been for a while. I must admit that I did worry beforehands a little about the long hours, but al hamdu li Allah, all went very easily and smoothly. It was rather weird, though, to fast when there was plenty of light outside. I'm more used to fasting during winter, and somehow I seem to assosiate 'winter' with 'snow', 'ramadan' and 'eid'. The world looks a bit different, when the sun is shining from above. The smell is different, too. In winter one can smell the cinnamon, and cardamom, and ginger, and cloves. In summer food is not so present, not to the nose. During summer it's the eyes that feast more.
It's been only several weeks since it ended, yet I miss it so.
I wonder if there ever was a visitor more loved, awaited, and missed, than the month of ramadan? Fasting during other moths is rewarding, but somehow the feeling is different. Nothing is missing, no, but it's different.
Anyone else having the same sentiments?
To the people who follow this blog, and to those who just read this post by accident, may you all have a very nice day (:
Labels: Blahblah, Celebrations, Islam, Life, Love, University, Winter
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Eid al-Fitr mubarak!
May Allah make this Eid full of happines and joy for all of us.Aameen.
Labels: Celebrations, Islam, Love
Friday, August 21, 2009
Ramadan mubarak!
Symbolizing the faith of Islam, the crescent moon is seen at sunset on top of the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)
Wishing you all a very blessed Ramadan (:
Labels: Celebrations, Islam, Life, Love
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A boy
Labels: d200, Life, Nikon, Photography
Monday, August 3, 2009
We walk by faith, not by sight
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.
It would be the only way he could become a man!
Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, Allah is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
Cherokee by David Wright
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Sweet Istanbul
Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first. - Ernestine Ulmer
A famous quote by a less known person. I tried to look for some information on Ernestine Ulmer, but for now I only know that she was a writer born on January 13, 1925 in Arlington, Tarrant, Texas. She married Luther Guy Haggard around 1945, and had four children: Susan, Allison, Kahtherine Ann and Shannon. Couldn't find any mentions whatsoever regarding her books, though. Interesting. And a bit frustrating, too. Has anyone managed to find more info on her?
But anyhow. I kept that quotation in my mind while roaming through the magical streets of Istanbul. Three weeks well spent, I'd say. Do you need more evidence than these photos?
This one was taken in Eminönü. My mom and brother were looking at some clothes nearby, and since I wan't too interested in that, I busied myself otherwise. Taken through the glass, just moments before one of the patissiers smiled at me and my obviously longing expression I threw at this colourful beauty.
Traditional Turkish sweets were found everywhere. These are from a little dimly lit store almost beside Sultanahmet tram stop.
This was also very close to the Sultanahmet tram stop. After a spending an odd number of hours in Ayasofya, me, my sisters and our cousin were famished. Found a really lovely restaurant with excellent food, service and location (will post couple of photos of it in another entry, insha Allah). We passed the dessers, though, because we were quite full, and proceeded towards the main street once again. As it happened, after only around ten minutes we found this café with these very handsome cuties, and decided that maybe, just maybe we might have some space left for couple of gâteaux after all...
White chocolate and stawberries. I would have preferred a combination of cream and strawberries, but oh well. I survived (the cake didn't).
Cappuccino.
Chocoholic's wet dream. Uhuh.
If I remember correctly, this was coffee-flavoured.
This one's flavour we coudn't quite define. It was good, though, which was the most important thing for us. Obviously.
Another chocolate cakey.
Taditional oriental pastries through the window of a pattisserie in Istiklal Caddesi. Had to crop this with a heavy hand and heart thanks to my brother and sister, who had glued themselves to the glass. I should have bought some of the basbousa you can see on the upper shelf, but for some reason I didn't. And boy, do I regret it now...
These smiling ladybirds can be found in Barcelona Cafe & Patisserie, located in Istiklal Caddesi as well. Too cute to be eaten, was my opinion :D
A bigger ladybird, with a boarder smile.
They not only had edible ladybirds, but all sorts of other sweets as well. And yes, I was definitely descreet in taking these photos. Why do you ask?
From the same place that sells the basbousas.
Okay, now we're talking business! This, dear readers, was taken in the mother of all cafés. One of them, at least. Or something along those lines. You see, MADO had to offer the best lemon cheesecake there is. I am no fan of cheesecakes, but when we first went to MADO I decided to try something new (as opposed to the chocolate this and chocolate that I'd been eating so far). I nearly swallowed my tongue along with the first bite of this heavenly thing, I swear!
Oh, how I miss you!
A sorry picture of a great sight, but no can do. Chocolate fountains at Cevahir. Wish I could've taken one with me. Or two...
Now that I think about it... that's embarassingly many pictures for a subject such as this :D
But really, it couldn't be helped! In Istanbul you see a café/patisserie after every couple of steps. It's totally impossible to pass without seeing one.
And, well... remember Ernestine's wise words? My point exactly.
A famous quote by a less known person. I tried to look for some information on Ernestine Ulmer, but for now I only know that she was a writer born on January 13, 1925 in Arlington, Tarrant, Texas. She married Luther Guy Haggard around 1945, and had four children: Susan, Allison, Kahtherine Ann and Shannon. Couldn't find any mentions whatsoever regarding her books, though. Interesting. And a bit frustrating, too. Has anyone managed to find more info on her?
But anyhow. I kept that quotation in my mind while roaming through the magical streets of Istanbul. Three weeks well spent, I'd say. Do you need more evidence than these photos?
This one was taken in Eminönü. My mom and brother were looking at some clothes nearby, and since I wan't too interested in that, I busied myself otherwise. Taken through the glass, just moments before one of the patissiers smiled at me and my obviously longing expression I threw at this colourful beauty.
Traditional Turkish sweets were found everywhere. These are from a little dimly lit store almost beside Sultanahmet tram stop.
This was also very close to the Sultanahmet tram stop. After a spending an odd number of hours in Ayasofya, me, my sisters and our cousin were famished. Found a really lovely restaurant with excellent food, service and location (will post couple of photos of it in another entry, insha Allah). We passed the dessers, though, because we were quite full, and proceeded towards the main street once again. As it happened, after only around ten minutes we found this café with these very handsome cuties, and decided that maybe, just maybe we might have some space left for couple of gâteaux after all...
White chocolate and stawberries. I would have preferred a combination of cream and strawberries, but oh well. I survived (the cake didn't).
Cappuccino.
Chocoholic's wet dream. Uhuh.
If I remember correctly, this was coffee-flavoured.
This one's flavour we coudn't quite define. It was good, though, which was the most important thing for us. Obviously.
Another chocolate cakey.
Taditional oriental pastries through the window of a pattisserie in Istiklal Caddesi. Had to crop this with a heavy hand and heart thanks to my brother and sister, who had glued themselves to the glass. I should have bought some of the basbousa you can see on the upper shelf, but for some reason I didn't. And boy, do I regret it now...
These smiling ladybirds can be found in Barcelona Cafe & Patisserie, located in Istiklal Caddesi as well. Too cute to be eaten, was my opinion :D
A bigger ladybird, with a boarder smile.
They not only had edible ladybirds, but all sorts of other sweets as well. And yes, I was definitely descreet in taking these photos. Why do you ask?
From the same place that sells the basbousas.
Okay, now we're talking business! This, dear readers, was taken in the mother of all cafés. One of them, at least. Or something along those lines. You see, MADO had to offer the best lemon cheesecake there is. I am no fan of cheesecakes, but when we first went to MADO I decided to try something new (as opposed to the chocolate this and chocolate that I'd been eating so far). I nearly swallowed my tongue along with the first bite of this heavenly thing, I swear!
Oh, how I miss you!
A sorry picture of a great sight, but no can do. Chocolate fountains at Cevahir. Wish I could've taken one with me. Or two...
Now that I think about it... that's embarassingly many pictures for a subject such as this :D
But really, it couldn't be helped! In Istanbul you see a café/patisserie after every couple of steps. It's totally impossible to pass without seeing one.
And, well... remember Ernestine's wise words? My point exactly.
