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  • Beyond burnt cookies,failed macarons and cheese cakes…

    Cheese cake factory recently opened in Le Mall, Jeddah. My friends and I went to see the place, there was a huge crowd outside and once in.., the queue was even longer,we were told to wait 40 minutes! Oh my! This is always the scenario when a new restaurant opens in Saudi Arabia. Wait another two months and this crowd will disappear slowly and other places will be back in business as usual.

    The experienced prompted me to challenge myself that I can make cheese cake at home instead of waiting in this restaurant for 40 minutes or even more. So, here we go, searching for a simple recipe to start with and be acquainted again with Mr. oven!

    Well, I thought, why not start with cookies? Peanut butter chocolate cookies. I remember teaching the kids and teens about primary and secondary colours, fractions and measurements and what is the best way to have fun and learn at the same time?

    i guess eating those cookies are more fun than learning how to make it!
    i guess eating those cookies are more fun than learning how to make it!

    As far as I remember, I stop baking when my youngest son was in High school. Hmmm, let’s try! alright, a broken flour shifter, the rubber spatula is sticky, the baking tin is rusty but I wasn’t discourage, I went ahead and wallah!

    I did let my clinic staff sampled my cookies, they told me it taste nice though it was slightly burnt, I guess they were just polite and kind to their senior dentist!

    Next try!

    cheese cake… not bad for the first attempt. I was lucky, it was our Christmas party and my friends were so kind to their verdict 🙂 well, I was on the phone with my Culinary student (my youngest son) giving me some tips…like beat it manually so as not to incorporate bubbles, add more eggs etc.

    my first attempt to bake cheese cake
    my first attempt to bake cheese cake

    It was exciting to believe, I can still bake! so, I was a bit courageous to make french macarons. hahaha oh well, it was a fluff! ;-( I should have just stayed away from the kitchen and remained in Dentistry department!

    alright, maybe I should try one more time, another cheese cake

    So sweet but delicious!

    and another try with chocolate frosting, I gave to my patient and they couldn’t believe.. I, their Dentist can also make a cheese cake! I even challenge my friends to come and try my cheese cake and promised them, once they tasted it…they will still be breathing and kicking 😉

    and more try outs!!

    fresh strawberry glaze
    fresh strawberry glaze
    fresh kiwi and lemon topping
    fresh kiwi and lemon topping

    and cheese cake bites

    The week was a festival of cheese cakes and more are coming but I have to stop for a while because all my friends are going out of the country. I guess to run away from my cheese cakes! joke! they will be away for two weeks holiday 🙂

    So ladies, beyond burnt cookies, failed macaroons and cheese cakes, it was a delightful week to have all my friends and brothers’ support, remembering my two sons smiling faces, waiting for my cookies (burnt or not, it’s mom’s cookies).. thank you from the bottom of my oven…:-) from the bottom of my heart!

    Kudos to my son Kevin,to theabakescupcake, ciarra and to nympha. It was not an easy kitchen journey but I salute you all for your patience and diligence to your work.

    Jamilamimi

  • Weekly Photo Challenge: Window

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    Just one rainy day at Luzern, Switzerland  taken a year ago. This is the day, my youngest son went to Cesar Ritz College to take up BS in Culinary Arts, a window of opportunity opens up for his future.He is now in his second year. Keep going son, handwork and determination…soon you will be at the vertex of your success!

    Culinary Arts Institute of Switzerland
    Culinary Arts Institute of Switzerland
  • Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning

    my first attempt to make cheese cake
    my first attempt to bake cheese cake

    2014 – beginning of testing my baking skills again. 🙂 It’s been awhile, my sons grew up,got busy at work and travelling.

    I am challenging myself to improve in baking and photography.

    second attempt - Oreo cheese cake
    second attempt – Oreo cheese cake

    Keep on trying until (almost) perfect!

    jamilamimi

  • 2013 in review: Happy New Year to ALL!

    The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

     

  • Weekly Photo Challenge: JOY

    Joy to see the happiness while taking photos to my friend’s daughter.

    and this is a WACKY shot for the group. 😉 lol Miley Cyrus’s tongues!

    Happy New Year !
    Happy New Year !

     

  • Our Santa is made from China!

    Christmas day in Jeddah is just like an ordinary working day. As an expatriates we tried to make the best we can to celebrate the occasion. My friends and I decided to have some get together last night. Each one of us brought a gift and a dish to share with everyone.

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    My first attempt to make a cheese cake was a success! (I believed so 🙂 ).

    Our little angels sang a carol for us and even did some fun dress up and posed with our very own sir chief! 🙂 My friend looks like Chinese and so the night was full of fun with our very own Santa (made in China).

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    And so there goes another Christmas in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. God blessed.

    I also wish everyone to have a Prosperous New Year!!!

    Jamilamimi

  • My funny lady rocking @55..What is her secret of looking young?

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    My best friend Malou just turned 55 and she is still full of energy. What is the secret?According to her, just enjoy life and let the problem take care of itself, oh well that was not exactly her words but if you are with her, positivity is electrifying.

    looking great at 55
    looking great at 55

    I guess, it is how you deal with your problem that counts. I don’t know anyone who has no problem in life but we all have different style of looking at it and perhaps a different way of taking it in.But for sure, I know the words that makes her smile often…that makes her feel young and certainly looks younger than her age.

    ” you’re beautiful ”

    ” I miss you ”

    ” I love you ”

    ” The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate and who she becomes “- unknown quote

    malou @55 and me @54 enjoying beauty beyond fifty!
    malou @55 and me @54 enjoying beauty beyond fifty!

    Alright my friend,my only wish for you is GOOD HEALTH, I heard you are resting as in ” flat on bed” because of 2 days partying 🙂

    Jamilamimi

  • I planted my Christmas tree ;-)

    This will be my 26th Christmas in Saudi Arabia, way back then, it was hard to find a Christmas tree and decor and its even a taboo to greet each other  a “Merry Christmas ” in public. But now a days and these past few years,Shops are on festive decorations, people (whatever religion) greet us “Merry Christmas” or “Happy holidays”. Shops freely sell artificial  Christmas trees and decor, gift wrapping and discount sale too.

    Hence, we couldn’t celebrate freely in public, we always  make sure we have Christmas decor at home and celebrate it with our love ones too! Obviously, not everyone is around ,so a group of friends just come together and tried to mimic the ambience of holiday season in the Philippines.

    My children are not coming home this Christmas so I was hesitant to put up my Christmas tree but I have my brothers and my friends to celebrate with so what’s the heck! bring it on….shall i say, get it out from the box!! Yes, it’s a fake Christmas tree!

    Am I excited? Sigh! I wish I can say that but as I was assembling it, the memories of my children, their excited faces asking if Santa is coming to Saudi Arabia huh! if he got an entry visa maybe! Kidding aside,having kids at home is like Christmas everyday. I really miss them so much.

    Oh well, let met continue my story, I was already on the third top to complete the Christmas tree when I  heard a sound, Crackkkk!

    Your guess is right! The stand broke down, I called my elder brother to help me fixed it but no matter what we do like, tied it…, glue it…it just doesn’t work!

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    Last option? I planted it! 🙂 literally, I used to have a  plant in a big pot but it didn’t grow up,the soil was still intact..why not?

    So here you go.. Christmas tree in the pot!!

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    Merry Christmas to all! :-)

    Jamilamimi

  • Weekly Photo Challenge: ONE

    " An apple a say keeps the Doctor away"
    ” An apple a day keeps the Doctor away”
  • What we do on weekend to earn extra?

    My friends professionally speaking are all successful in their career, but what are they doing on off days? You might find this surprising but please keep on reading till the end.

    Did you think they earned a lot of extra income working at fish market? I doubt it! but I know, even if they didn’t , certainly,  they don’t mind doing it again 🙂

    You know why? Because what they earned here is… Friendship…Fun…free smile…free laugh and stress free!

    ” Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go “- Margaret Walker 

    We walked for an hour (4.57 miles) along the corniche, cool breezy morning, then we decided to have breakfast together continued to chat what happened for the last week, followed by more exercises, time passes by quickly, so we decided to go to fish market, cleaned the fishes, grilled and made tamarind soup, ate lunch/dinner and wallah before we knew it, it was time to go home again. Satisfied and heavy after devouring all the dish… tummy said goodbye!

    We are all in the middle-aged, soon we will be senior citizens and retired, I wonder if “home for the aged” is a good business to think about, hmm what do you think?

    jamilamimi