To Windy City

2 weeks ago, we spent 4 days weekend in Chicago. Drove own car from our home St.Louis to Chicago, is around 266 miles , and because we have a toddler so we need to stopped so many time in rest area, and spent almost 6 hours drove ( If you go straight is around 4 hours only).

The trip was good, we visited many tourist attraction, many events especially we had chance to attended Taste Of Chicago, the world’s largest food festival. Just imagine scores of restaurants, hundreds of dishes, dozens of concerts, millions of people and the awesome beauty of the Windy City as a backdrop - what could be better, especially in a food town like Chicago? Unfortunately I didn't take many picture, my hand busy with kid and another hand too busy with turkey leg LOL. (Don't worry I still have some pictures I can share with you guys)

It was funny, when the night time my 3yo daughter missed home a lot, she always said : "I want to come back home, I want to sleep with DORA (her's toy)" - and when we already back home, the first night at home she said : "mommy, I want to sleep at tower home - she called hotel was TOWER HOME" . ha..ha..ha..

As I remember, I did not shopping a lot at Chicago, but from beginning I told my husband, the one place I want to visit was, an IKEA STORE . Honest to God, that store made me crazy - all the stuff over there was so cute, the good things my car trunk already filled up with suitcase and cooler, otherwise I will buy too many stuff ^_^ Do you know what I've got ? many yards of cute fabric, who can stop thinking about the nice fabric at all ?? The fabrics still in the plastic bag, waiting my new project ^_^

Like I always do, every time we go picnic I always try to bring own food, well .. not in a good portion, I mean (at least) we don't have to stop to buy snack or meal. I made Pistachio Financier for snack, so easy to make and taste delicious..

Pistachio Cherry Financiers

adapted from Tartelete

70g ground almonds

70g flour

70g shelled, unsalted pistachios, ground

6 egg whites

120g sugar

2 tsp orange blossom water

120g unsalted butter, melted

8-10 pitted sour cherries

Pre-heat oven 160°C (325°F).

In a mixing bowl, combine the almonds, pistachios, flour and sugar, using a whisk.

Add melted butter and the orange blossom water. In another mixing bowl, beat the whites very slightly, with a whisk.Add the whites to the pistachio/almond mixture.Mix well.Fill up financier pans or muffin tins with half the batter.

Drop 1 pitted cherry (2 halves) in the center and cover with the remaining batter.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly golden.

Roti Gambang Almond / Almond Gambang Bread

I have this picture for long time ago, well.. a month or two , I couldn't remember LOL. And this is my entry for event CLICK which is theme for this month is STACK.

Jai and Bee...here's my entry for Stacks.

Roti Gambang Almond / Almond Gambang Bread

Source : Ms. Irma

Ingredients :

250 grams dark palm sugar (Java Dark Sugar)

175 ml water

375 grams all purpose flour

125 dry fine bread crumbs

25 gram milk powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp vanilla powder/vanilla extract

2 egg yolks

100 grams margarine

100 grams almonds, chopped

3 Tbsp water, for brushing

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions :

1. Boil Java red sugar with water until dissolved and hard boiled. Set aside and let cool.

2. Mix flour, breadcrumbs, milk powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla and egg yolks. Blend well. Pour in sugar syrup, knead until well blended.

3. Blend in margarine, knead until well blended.

4. For the dough into ball shaped, cover with plastic sheet. Set aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature until the dough becomes dry and easy to roll.

5. Uncover, form the dough into round oval shape, each weighed 75 g. Arrange them on greased cookie sheet, give space among them as they will rise. Brush the surface with water, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 150 Celsius degree for 30 minutes until done.

Rainy Day .. Happy Day ..

To much rain in my city St.Louis Missouri since Saturday until today ... not only rain but comes along with thunderstorm too. For me, stay at home much better than driving around if not necessary. Because of that, I always try to find an activity around home for my little daughter, so she will not get bored .

One activity that I love to do with her is make a simply craft art, we have a small table in the corner of my basement filled up with many craft tools. I let her to do painting , playing around that table I called make a mess day LOL . So far she is enjoy it that. Like a couple days ago we made some animals craft from recycle papers such an old yellow pages book, left over fabric .. so simply but make her happy too. You don't have to buy an expensive toys to make your kids happy but do something simply together, believe me they will more appreciate. (*Thank you to Ms.Dita, who inspiring me ^-^

Since we love play together during the heavy rainy day, I let her to help me around the kitchen too. This time I made a simply cake for snack, no mixer need, just mixing all the ingredients together and let her little hands stir the batter , then bake.. voila... cake comes so good.

Sitting in the chair with my daughter look at the rains drop through the window with a piece of cake , a cup of hot tea . aah.. what a wonderful day :-)

Mango Ginger Bread

Adapted from Meta Kumara - What's For Lunch Honey

250 gr all purpose flour (I used cake flour)

190 gr fine sugar

3 eggs

180 ml canola oil

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used 2 tsp)

1/4 teaspoon salt

100 gr brown sugar (I used Javanese Dark Brown Sugar)

1 large ripe mango, cubed

115 gr plump golden raisins
Optional Icing/confectioner's sugar

Preparation Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 180 degrees C. Butter and flour a loaf pan tapping out the excess flour. Wrap the loaf pan with thick aluminum foil. This keeps the bottom of the bread from over baking.

In a clean mixing bowl whisk the eggs and oil together.

In separate, larger bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.

Add the brown sugar, breaking up any lumps with your fingers.

Pour in the wet ingredients over the dry, then using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon mix until incorporated. Stir in the mangoes and raisins. pour the batter into the pan

Bake the bread for 1 hours or until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If you find the bread is getting too dark, simply cover the top with a sheet of baking paper or loosely with a foil tent.
Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the bread to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

Sieve some of the icing sugar on top and serve!

Storing: Wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in a air-tight container the bread will keep for 4-5 days at room temperature (and taste better each day!).