Thursday, June 18, 2015

Not Only at Tim Horton's, but also at Tim Chandra's

My family likes Tim Horton. I like the iced capp, the kids like Timbits ( small donut balls). Recently Tim Horton put nutella in some of their munchies such as Nutella pockets, Nutella donuts and bagels with Nutella spread.

Today I found Nutella Swirl Cupcake's recipe on the website. 
This is the link : http://smallsmallbaker.blogspot.com/
I thought "aha", not only at Tim Horton's, we have nutella munchies at Tim Chandra's as well.
Tim Chandra is on the right

Yummy and Decadent
Besides the cupcake, we also baked Melt in Mouth German Cookies. My kids went crazy molding and shaping the cookies. 
This is the link: http://smallsmallbaker.blogspot.com/2015/02/sheep-design-melt-in-mouth-german.html?m=1



After all the baking, the kitchen area was a disaster. Well, no problemo, it's summer vacation after all.


THE VERDICT
NUTELLA SWIRL CUPCAKE IS DELICIOSO
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GERMAN COOKIE IS JUST SO SO



 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER part 2

God sent his prophet, Nathan, to rebuke David. He told him a story about a rich man who took the poor man’s beloved ewe lamb. David was furious against the rich man. David said the rich man deserved to die. Nathan’s finger then pointed at King David. He, himself, was the rich man. The poor man was Uriah. The ewe lamb was Uriah’s wife.

David proved that he was a man after God’s own heart after all. He acknowledged his sin. The Lord forgave him, but he would experience the painful consequences. The baby would die. There would be killing and incest in David’s family.
                As for the beautiful woman, she got pregnant with King David for the second time. Her son was Solomon , whom God loved. Among many sons of King David, the messiah came through his line. 

The affair between King David and Uriah’s wife was tragic. Let this affair remind us about God’s love. He forgave David and Uriah’s wife. He love their second son, Solomon, who later became a great king. God was faithful to them even though the affair itself was a proof of their unfaithfulness.

As for the beautiful woman whom Prophet Nathan allegorized to be a ewe lamb, the Bible was not clear whether she seduced King David or not. The lamb after all was took away by the rich man. She was more of an object here.

There was another mentioned of lambs as objects in Luke 10 :3…Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.            
Did the ewe lamb show lack of judgement, naïve, and vulnerability when she was taking a bath outside? Did she watch around to make sure there were no prying eyes from the rooftop far away? Only God knows.

The name of the beautiful woman a.k.a Uriah’s wife a.k.a the ewe lamb was Bathsheba, which means daughter of the oath. 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER

She was a beautiful woman. A glance of her from the rooftop was enough to make a King abandoned his common sense. The King was the mighty King David, a man after God’s own heart, yet he was also a man after lustful heart. He sent someone to find out about her. The fact that she was married to an army officer who was fighting for the country did not deter King David from his desire. He sent messengers (please notice that there were more than one of them) to take her. She came to him and he slept with her.


The bible was very short in telling about this affair. There was no explanation if the affair was consensual and pleasing to both parties.  The problem was she got pregnant and the King must kill her husband, Uriah, to protect his dignity. Uriah died in the war. She mourned for her husband.

After she formally became a widow, King David married her. Her status changed. She became one of many wives owned by the King. Her belly grew big, accommodating the growth of King’s baby. The Bible did not tell us about her feeling at all. How long did she mourned for her first husband? Did she fall in love with her second husband, the King? Was she happy with the pregnancy?   

The Bible told us one party who was not happy. God.

To Be Continued


Saturday, May 23, 2015

martabak telur jamur

Ini gara-gara Uti, di group WA teman kuliah, 
yang bercerita tentang martabak jamur
Suami saya suka sekali dengan martabak manis atau terang bulan
Tapi saya biasa biasa tuh
Saya sukanya martabak telur
Saya memang lebih suka dengan snack yang asin daripada yang manis

Saya penasaran dengan martabak jamur yang diceritakan Uti
Saya search di internet resepnya
Ternyata martabak jamur itu , tidak seluruhnya jamur
pakai ayam juga... Bolehlah ditambahkan jamur, sebagai extra fiber

Kebetulan siang itu ada satu kotak jamur dan daun bawang di rumah, 
Juga ada sisa daging babi kecap, dan sedikit udang di freezer
Saya campur semuanya dengan telor, taruh campuran ini di dalam kulit lumpia
Lalu digoreng...

Rasanya ? Lumayanlah..., dariapada tidak ada
Bahkan anak-anak pun suka
Bisa dijadikan snack atau dimakan dengan nasi sebagai lauk





Monday, May 18, 2015

Avocado Frozen Treats


Here in the USA, I find the avocados in dips, salsa, spreads, sandwich, salad, tacos, burritos. Back in Indonesia, avocados are used in cold desserts such as smoothies, ice cream. They are the fixing for es campur or Indonesian snow cone.

Last week at my local grocery, the avocados were on sale. I bought two. I thought I would ate them as is, maybe after a workout. Added protein and good cholesterol as I tried to shed off the winter extra pounds.

Well, my good intention did not work and they were ripening.

So, I made them into frozen treats instead. I blended the avocados with ice cubes, milk, sugar, condensed milk, and instant coffee.
Portion them in Dixie cups, then put them in the freezer. I mixed the adults portion with Bailey (or Kahlua )

Yours are in the upper shelves
Don't take mine, kids !
And I need more zumba sessions afterward...


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Food I Like to Make

brown sugar mung bean and black sticky rice porridge

pumpkin chocolate chips muffin
cut up fruits
garlic sausage linguini
strawberry mango orange smoothie, even the cat liked it

There are times when I am tempted to be a vegetarian
Not because of the health benefits
Mostly because I hate to deal with raw meat

I think chopping fruits and vegetables are more fun
than cutting a bloody chicken

That is why I love processed meat
And here, there are options of nitrate-free sausages, hot dogs or ham
Using them in my cooking, make the cleaning so much easier

Let me show you what I cooked for today





Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Diary of a Grumpy Mom : Retreat Report

not in a grumpy state because of a new haircut
Hello , my name is Chica Chan aka the grumpy mom. 
This year I made a terrible mistake which caused 
more grumpiness in my demeanor. 
Sorry hubby, sorry kiddos, just order a pizza, or chinese take out 
or run to the fast food joint. 
I have no time nor energy to cook 
because …I need to make this report about 
ICC Michigan retreat in Beulah Beach retreat center at Vermilion, Ohio.
these people had a delivery for dinner
I know I know, it is my bad, kiddos. 
Your grumpy mom did not exercise the power to say no to a request. 
But in my defense, who can say no to Pak Billy Gumulja. 
Especially when he asked you to do something with a smile on his face.  
Who has a heart to refuse such a nice guy ? 
Well, like the old saying in Indonesia,” Nasi telah menjadi bubur, 
which translated: the cooked rice has turned into the porridge 
which means what is done is done, I need to write the report. 
And yes, your welcome, dear readers…
Who can say no to Pak Billy
( I say yes to the fried fish )
I wish you enjoy my writing….
( hopefully my grumpiness is not imparted to you all. )

The ICC Michigan 2015 retreat’s theme was “ In His Design “, 
and here is the list of the sessions. 
I wondered if the Home Depot partially funded the retreat, 
since some of them sounds like a home makeover class to me.

1.       The secret rooms
2.       An Extremely Good Home
3.       Molded into the New Man
4.       An Irresistible Man
5.       Oneness
6.       The perfect Trees for you garden
ICC Michigan just confirmed : the retreat not funded by the Home Depot

The speaker was Mr. Arman Harijanto, who came far away from Indonesia. 
I hope he did not regret his decision to leave the warm Jakarta . 
Can you imagine visiting the mid west during a harsh, cold, winter? 
I bet he also fell under the smiling spell of Pak Billy Gumulja.  
Ok, let me begin.
Pak Arman came because he loves snow
The first session : The Secret Rooms
Families can have a miserable life or a miraculous life. 
It all depends on the rooms they build in their marriage. 
The families who have a miserable life, 
unintentionally built miserable rooms. 

John 10 : 10 said : 
The thief comes only to steal, and kill and destroy ; 
I have come that they may have life , and have it to the full.

Beware families, these are the miserable rooms which can steal, 
and kill, and destroy the beautiful life which you dream before you got married

a.        The Room of Steal
People were unaware that they build the room of steal to keep the evil things .
The envy and selfish ambition will steal away the miracles that God prepares for you. Store the envy and selfish ambition, you will guaranteed to have an empty and miserable life.

James 3:16
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, 
there you find disorder and and every evil practices. 

b.      The Room of Killing
In our life we are often killed and paralyzed by our fear. 
Fear precedents the action of dying or killing. 
Families, please do not build the rooms of killing 
by being fearful about anything. 
Just fear God, the One and Only savior.

c.       The Room of Demolition
      Humans are destroyed by their disappointment. 
      Not only that, the disappointment is also contagious. 
      Fathers or mothers can easily transfers 
      their disappointment toward each other to their favorite children. 

     The place that you keep the disappointment in your heart 
     will turn into a room of demolition which can destroy your life, 
     your health, your relation, or  your marriage.

The last sentence of John 10 : 10 said ,” I ( Jesus ) have come that they may have life and have it to the full. There are three rooms which the families should build in their life.

a.       The Room of Sacrifice
In order to have Jesus sent into the world, there were a lot of sacrifice going on between heaven and earth. Father in heaven sacrificed his son . 
( Don’t worry kiddos, your dad will see to it that you will be safe. 
One ultimate sacrifice is enough )

Jesus sacrificed his position. The son of God left his heavenly kingdom 
and went into the world. What a downgrade.

Following His example, we should also give up our ego and statutes 
when we serve others. That is how we built the room of sacrifice.

b.      The Room of Listening
Jesus is all knowing but when he was on earth, he listened to people. 
He communicated with them. He asked questions, he listened to their answer. 
He talked to the crème de la crème and the lowest of low .

( If I were Jesus I would not waste my 33 years on earth listening to people, I already know their answers anyway. Thank God I’m not Jesus  ! ). 

To build the room of listening , let us talk and listen to others.

c.       The Room of Forgiveness
The Bible said this should be a massive room ( 77 x 7 …7 being a complete number of the Bible means 77 x 7 is infinite ). Since God forgave all our sins,  we should also forgive each other especially those who are near to us .

In Jesus’ life, miracles always happened. Jesus had the three rooms in his life, room of sacrifice, room of listening and room of forgiveness. He sacrificed his life for us, he listened to the people who came to Him, and He forgives all our sins.Those are the secret rooms in our heart. 

I am just curious if the report will inspire people to build a secret tunnel or bunker inside their house. Hopefully not, I bet the readers are decent people. 
No, this is not the one meant by Pak Arman
( the images of hidden bunker taken from static.messychic.com
  the images of home depot taken from the internet
  other images taken from personal collections )