breakfast today

 

We had fish cakes this morning. Actually I made them yesterday and now that's the thing I like about this recipe, because you can make a lot at once and then store them frozen. Whenever you want to eat them, all you need to do is defrost and fry. Though this is my first try, I was happy with the results. What was missing was the lemon zest since I didn't have lemon anywhere in the fridge. I got my recipe here but substituted the salmon to snapper fish and added bread crumbs to the outer side of the cake. I used an easier step to Jamie's way of doing it. Instead of boiling the potatoes separately, I steamed them all together with the fish. I think I saved time there :) I think this is a great (meaning simple and super easy) way to cook fish, plus children love it. Willing to try? Do! Oh yeah, have a great new years eve!

retro refrigerators

Being a regular reader at the food sites and home blogs, I couldn't help noticing some really cool kitchen appliances. The retro fridges seen here and here were like love at first sight. It's such a pitty that I don't find retro model fridges here where I live. But I'm telling you electronic companies, if you do sell retro kind of appliances, they do and will sell. Move over sleek metal high-fashioned boring fridges! Ha..ha..ha.. Right now, I can only dream living in UK, US and Australia where you can purchase these awesome refrigerators at Smeg Retro or Elmira Stove Works. Forget trying to ship them here, coz not only will it cost a fortune but the specifications and electrical requirements most likely won't match. Okay, this leaves me singing:  "Dream on, dream away... " :) They are pretty aren't they?

for the love of food

That's why I can't stop browsing recipes and food websites. To find out the ingredients, yes, but moreover just to see how they style the food. You know, what kind of serve ware they use, whether it's rustic or modern, and the kinds of props used to support the picture. It's surprising when only a fork or a napkin makes the picture look much much better. Can't get enough of these websites. See for yourself!

 

Donna Hay. When has a single fortune cookie looked that interesting?

Jamie Oliver. Where do you find a chopping board that pretty?

Rachel Ray. An olive colored plate to match the olive relish on top of the sausage and matching napkins over at the back match the color majority of the food. A coincidence?

chocolate, please!

Today I got the 'chocolate attack'. After drooling over the caramel marshmallow via A CUP OF JO (and not being able to eat anything even close to that), my mind would not stay calm. It kept coming back to look at this picture and started to order the body to look through some chocolate recipes that caught me once. Oh, I should just get a Magnum Classic or something right now.

More to drool over

 

Homemade Twix Bars by Cupcakes and Cashmere

 

Buckeyes by Smitten Kitchen 

 

Magnum Classic by Walls Ice Cream

 

earring frames

What a great way to hang and frame your earrings? Especially if you're a fan of earrings. Great work at loft14 via MadeByGirl. I think it's genius. I guess all you need is a pretty frame and some wire sheet. How come I never thought of this? Did I say this is genius?

sunday brunch

An easy recipe - without having to use the oven. Now that's because I used ready made pizza dough ;) It's for brunch, you have kid, the husband is at home, you have to make things easier and simple, right? Ha ha ha... Easy peasy said, here's the recipe:

- 1 onion, chopped

- 4 white onions, smashed and chopped (for more flavor)

- 1/4 kg minced beef

- half a cup of mushrooms, chopped

- 3 large red tomatoes

- tomato ketchup, oregano, pepper, salt, to match your taste.

1. Saute the onions in 2 tablespoons of oil for half a minute then add in the beef until meat turns brown. Throw in the tomatoes and ketchup, then leave to soak a few minutes until all the juice from the tomatoes come out. Add the mushrooms and herbs, toss and turn for another 5 minutes. Set aside.

2. Poke both sides of pizza dough with a fork then spread with margarine. Add the topping and top with grated cheese. Do so til all pizzas are done.

3. Use a deep frying pan with a lid to substitute using an oven. Spread pan with margarine, heat the pan, put in pizzas, put the lid on, then bake for about 5 minutes. Once the bottom of the dough turns golden brown, you're done. Et voila! Told you it was easy :)

pretty bowls

 

sold at etsy

 

image from white elephant

Yes, they're the vintage Pyrex bowls. How can one not want these pretties to fill in ones kitchen cabinet? I certainly want mine to be stacked with the whole vintage Pyrex collection - the ones that come in light pink, dark olive, and aqua. LOVE. My mother owns the daisy collection in olive but there is no chance stealing it. Well, maybe there is, but then I'd have to fight over it with my sisters who I'm sure have an eye on them too. Are you a vintage Pyrex lover? If you are, then check out the cool collection here.

on my birthday...

I'm feeling more and more blessed. A special thanks for the birthday wishes over at facebook and the lovely note from the husband as he came home from the office today. Isn't it magical how happy birthdays make you feel? 


This picture was taken a few years back at a new years party. But for todays occasion, yes, I hope my dreams and wishes do come true :)

celebration of fabric

The celebration is for overcoming a bunch of articles and copy writing deadlines (and still breathing) these past weeks and the fabric is my way of spoiling myself for doing so. It's these batik fabrics I ordered from Amesh . They're just too pretty to pass. I have no idea what I'm going to do with the pink and green one. But the dark grey will be my attire for a relatives wedding. Can't wait for that!

smoked salmon and scrambled eggs

Because it's my favorite month, coz it's my birthday month (yippeee!), this is an Icip-icip favorite. This one is kinda climbing up the charts in terms of flavor and food styling. Both recipe and styling were very simple but made a great output. Thanks for the help of photographer Adi Nugroho, my partner in crime for most of my Icip-icip pictures, we got the morning kind of breakfast light I requested, whereas the picture was taken in a gloomy studio. He makes magic! Miss him dearly. This recipe is one of Jamie Oliver's . It's a must try for all you salmon lovers. Guaranteed.

scandinavian love

Hello October! Blogging land has brought me back to these lovely scandinavian sights since my absence for a month or so. Sorry! Scandinavian design is what I mean and scandinavian homes look just about perfect. I'm so drooling to have a home looking something like these pics. Of course my home mix would be scandinavian - vintage, so it would probably would be a mix of IKEA stuff and garage sale wonders :) Enjoy the scavy shoopin'

image from style files 

Ingrid Jansen's home. Look at more of her lovely wool and wooded home via apartment therapy 

Skona Hem design via design is mine 

fruit paradise

Mind me, here's a really late icip-icip recipe, but a fresh one to break the fast on one of these days.  Ingredients: Strawberries, 1 pineapple, 1 apple, 2 kiwi fruits, 1 mango, orange syrup, water, ice cubes. How to make: Cut a 1/4 of the pineapple then take out the flesh of the left 3/4 to make the fruit basket. Cut the flesh in cubes together with all other fruits. Put in bowl and set aside. Stir in the syrup with water and add ice cubes in another bowl. Stir all fruits with syrup all together in one bowl, just for a stir or two (not to much or then it'll get mushy). Then, pour in to the pineapple basket. Serve immediately. 

(image by: Brett)

bits of last weekend

To celebrate the coming of the fasting season, before we weren't able to eat out on a lovely afternoon and for a family gathering. We headed to Ancol Baycity. The last time I went here was ages ago so I was pretty surprised how established and organized it is today. They even have bicycle tracks (which we used for strolling with the stroller though) that helped us get around, in a walking distance, easily and safely. I surely recommend this place for a weekend getaway with the family. We found it really fun!

 

cheers to us

Happy 2nd wedding anniversary. I heart you. XOXO

eye spy

...with my little eye, something beginning with C. Give up already? It's Crazy Cool Chairs. Old chairs to be exact. Old chairs abandoned in the porch of my in laws neighbors house. Oh, they're so retro-ish but in awful condition. I'm hoping just the fabric, though. Hmm... yes, I think they need to be rescued. Now, I just have to get the courage to ask if they're for sale, if I can have them, and then if I can stack them at my in laws house :) I couldn't find the exact picture of what they look like, but they are a combination of the chairs below.

this beach-chair look here

some chairs over at  Apartment Therapy

It's the chair on the right I blogged about here. I think it's the most closest of what I can remember of them. I spy on them, remember? It definitely has the wood piece above the legs, and the legs are identical. 

new wall pockets

Here's Little Farmer wall pockets sold at Duta Harapan Bazar today for IDR 35.000 each. 

fabian's circus party

He turned one. And my dream to throw a circus party finally came true. We threw him his party on the exact date he was born. How time flies!  But due to copywriting and translation projects I agreed to work on some time before the party made me miss a few things that I wish I had more effort in making them complete the party. Oh well, no use in regreting. Here's some of the party props and the pics on how the party went. Enjoy!

I made sure the fonts for the invitations were circus themed. I used the Circus, Carnivalee Freakshow, and JFRingmaster Font I downloaded here.

I attached self made coupons on each invitation. Like being at a carnival, the kids were free to swap a coupon with snack and goodies. There were pink and white candy floss (Gula gula), strawberry and chocolate ice cream (es krim) and goodie bags filled with food, milk, and a drawing book with coloring pencils for the kids to take home. 

I ordered the clown cake from my sister. The face is covered with white chocolate and everything on and surround it are sweet treats. Isn't it just perfect?!

 

My mom made the clown suit. She did a great job! Now, I should learn from her how to make such cute outfits in just so little time.

 

I printed these and the had them enlarged at the photocopies. Then I decorated them with crepe paper. These were stuck near to where the children could swap their coupons. 

The entertainment. I hired two of these "odong-odong" for the kids to freely take turns in riding. It was a big hit. The queue was quite long :) I actually had a carrousel in mind, but that was quite impossible :P

The Party

At the end of the day, what was left was one tired baby, and two happy parents :)