Baking journal :)

Baking with heart (Pic source: Google.com)

I forgot when was the last time I baked at home. It seemed like ages my toy had been left abandoned at the corner of my kitchen table, so did the pastry equipments. Many ingredients had also expired and could not be used. 

If you know me well enough, you should know that I am the type of person who would do things seasonally, depending on mood. After some time, it stops. Hahahaha.. :D

My hubby had complained enough of mentioning all things I bought and used only in the beginning, and then, left behind :P

On 12.12 sale, I happened looking at the muffin or Cupcake mold tray sold online together with the paper. It had been long time that I wondered if I could make it my own. 

Cappuccino and orange muffin from 7-eleven in Melbourne

Talking about muffin, I loved eating muffin that I bought from 7-eleven store in Melbourne. It was big, delicious, and cheap (AUD$2 per piece when you bought with their $1 cappuccino!!!). My favourite was orange! Such a bargain right???

Without thinking much, I ordered it right away and a week later, it came right into my house door :)

Dadadaraaaaa.......  my new toy :D

On the same day, I browsed Youtube searching for the muffin recipe. The first that appeared was Chocolate Chip Muffin Easy Recipe. 

Well, who did not love an easy way??? I clicked it right away. Then I clicked few more as comparison (to find the easiest hahahaha.....)

I bought the ingredients at supermarket and started making it after reaching home.

Well, for the first try, the result seemed not bad. The taste was there (as I used good ingredients for the butter, chocolate chips, flour, etc.) However, the shape was a bit out and colour was so much dark. 

My first chocolate chip muffin with Dalgona coffee :)

Then I realised where the mistake came from (on colour side). I did not remove the tray from inside the oven. It made the position of my mold tray slightly higher and easily burnt from the top heating part from inside the oven. 

Anyway, I tasted it happily for the afternoon break with hubby-whipped Dalgona coffee. 

Few days later, I tried making the orange muffin. Again, I browsed Youtube and found the easy recipe there. 

Just nice there were 2 big orange inside the chiller, perfect ingredients for the day!!! It was easier too. I multiplied the ingredients into 2 and made 11 muffins from it. 

First time came out from oven, the shape was still not right. 

My first time odd-shape orange muffin :D

Hmmmmm.... could not be!!! I followed the same ingredients and steps as per shown in Youtube, and yet, the results were unlike shown there. So something must be wrong somewhere!!!

Well, there is always lesson from everything that we do in life. And like everything else, practise makes perfect. I found out that the setting of the oven was not right. The heat was not set from up and down, but going sideway. That was why the shape became like that!!!

I tried my second tray with the up-down setting, and voila!!! 

After setting it right!!! Yassss!!!!

Were they beautiful like me??? Hahahaha.... No more uneven colour and it came out round shape :) Taste was good too!!! The orange flavour was there. Yummy!!!

And today I made the chocolate chip muffin again. The result was much better from the first one. The taste was equally nice. 

Christmas home baked cake gifts :)

I packed it into the ice-cream container and decorated the cover on my own hahahaha.... (saving the money from buying the Christmas card) and gave it as a Christmas gift :) I hope the receivers will like it :)

And after long day of shopping ingredients and baking, I had finally my me-time to enjoy what I made :)

Me-time with home-baked chocolate chip muffin :)

Hmmmm.... it was nice, perfect having it in going-to-rain evening :)

In my opinion, it was not difficult in making it. No mixer was required as the nature of the cake itself did not required over-stirring process. Ingredients required were also easy to get. Recipes were easily followed and obtained from Youtube. 

I am not into the icing thing on top of the muffin or cupcakes, and prefer to keep things simple with its own flavour inside. It can be a perfect gift to people as well :)

So, if you wonder if you too can try, I am sure you can. You just need an oven to bake it. Happy trying if you decide to try!!! And I will make more next time when I have time and let others tasting it too :) Be patient ok? :)

Another stage of parenthood

Happy 18th Birthday (Pic source: Google.com)

"While many of my friends recently entering into their first stage of parenthood (currently busy with their newborn babies), I am myself entering into another phase of motherhood. 

My dear Baobei will turn 18 soon, and these days he has shown tell tale signs of having attraction to a girl, which commonly found in teenagers of his age. 

I might be busy with work these days, but there was no escape for him to keep hiding what was going on in his life. 

Perhaps it was an instinct of a woman and a mother (especially strong in my self) that made me thinking something was off for the past few weeks. 

Two days ago our doubts had come to reality as I saw it with my own eyes (as she too works at the same place), entered  after him into the staff room, with her glowing face and wide smile shining so bright (usually shown by those who was falling in love - the extremely happy face that could not be hidden).

There was a 'winning' and proud sign shown as she looked into me, as if she wanted to tell me that she managed to conquer his heart over mine.

My heart felt a pinch when I saw that both of them were wearing couple sandal. My son with his blue Adidas and white stripes that he bought and wore for quite some time, and she with her white Adidas and blue stripes, still looking new. 

I was just keeping quiet but my heart was shattered as if I have lost in the battle to keep the heart of my loved one.

I immediately sent messages to my hubby to share my findings and he told me that he would talk with him that night, and give him some advise as this sounds to be his first time to be in the boyfriend and girlfriend relationship.

After having conversation boy-to-man that night, he finally confessed his feeling. He even mentioned a little more details about the girl that he likes. 

It is not that I do not agree with it or want to stop him from it. But we as parents, just want to give some guidance and advices on what to expect from it. As we all know, in beginning stage, it is usually all about beautiful, flowery, and loving stuffs and world. Hahaha.... (talking from own experience :P)

We had talked with him days before that, but who could stop the heart from falling right??? At least he told us that both of them knew and understood that study is still the priority for both of them. So I hope they both can keep their words and still happily enjoying the relationship moments that they deserve having at this stage of life. 

I felt lost at first, because it had never happened before. In my eyes, he is always my baby, who came out from inside my stomach. I still remember vividly how he cried just after coming out and was brought to my side. My eyes were swelling with tears of happiness as I saw him born healthy and normal. And soon, I have to share him with another girl - his time, love and so on. 

This made me recall the past of how unhappy (or maybe jealous) my father was,  when I was dating with my boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend), and spent most of my day and time with him. 

The relationship did not end well. I went through heartbreak moments and took me days to overcome (with so many tears to shed almost every night).

Perhaps at that time, my father was relieved, because after that, that was when I was supposed to get to know with my current hubby here in Singapore. 

Anyway, I never hope Baobei to be in the same situation as I had before, but if anything happens, I hope he would know how to face, accept, overcome, stand tall again, and move on with his life."

The above post was written mid of November. I decided not to post it immediately.

My Baobei just celebrated his 18th Birthday yesterday. In Singapore 18 years means lots of thing.

It is the legal age here to vote, sue or to be sued, open bank account in own name, get a tattoo, buy cigarette or tobacco, buy and drink alcohol in the bar, and so on. 

For me, it is the age when we should allow him to be in relationship. However, we can only wish him to use all the allowance responsibly, and not forgetting what he told us earlier (to prioritise study).

It took me only a while to accept this fact and realisation. I feel much better now.

Like a kite (IG: rimareyka.writes)

"Raising a child is indeed, not an easy journey. Like flying a kite, you must know when to pull and when to let go." - Rimareyka.writes 

Happiest Birthday to dear Baobei. I may not be your best mom, but I will always be your only mom in this lifetime.

For your 18th, I wish you be healthy and happy, live your life well, balance your time well between family, friends, and her, know what you want, reach your dreams, know your limit on how far you can go. Be kind and good to all sentient beings too! May Buddha bless you all the time. 

Love you always and forever.

Your loving parents.