Monday 22 July 2013

Moving On.....


.....moving on does not mean that you forget the past, it means that you've accepted it and decided to live with it....

Well peeps, it should have been my off day today. But, I will be delivering this beauties as instructed by their beautiful sender (I am only but the baker, hi hi). This will be my routine for the next two days. Thank you the "tiger bank" for giving me this opportunity again:p

We are coming to the second half of Ramadhan, and I have been truly blessed! Aren't we all, for we never know that we'll meet this month again next year...so, let's continue with our ibadah and sedekah!

Here's a beautiful song to lift your spirits on a Monday morning!



xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian....

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Let's Go To Madrasah Ramadhan


Salam Ramadhan and good morning! I feel so overwhelmed now...I haven't gotten use to my new schedule, and now I have a new routine, even though just for a month....I am not complaining except the part where I still haven't replied all the messages I received since Thursday...I'm so sorry ladies....I will reply them slowly but surely, inshallah...

You know when I decided to tender my resignation, I didn't actually plan that I will welcome Ramadhan soon after that. I have been blessed that this is happening....and what's more was attending my first class with Ustazah Fatma...

I might have said this in my earlier blog post, but here's what she said....going into Ramadhan is like going to school, we reap all the pahalas and try to avoid any dosas....its is a special month, a month that is mentioned in the Quran. One has to prepare oneself for the beginning of the month and during the month...all the syaitans will be tied, the doors of hell are closed, however one still has one's nafsu...desire....Ramadhan is a month to train oneself to feel the pain (of the less fortunate), to go through everything in a very humble manner...eat less, spend less, do more ibadah and sedekah....and hopefully after going through the madrasah one will become a better person, and continues to do the ibadahs like in the madrasah....her ceramah was so beautiful....

...and for once, I didn't care how much money I have and how much I will make in Ramadhan....a lot of us will be busy selling cookies what not and I was one of them....I too wanted to do loads of cookies , but after the  ceramah...she said do whatever that you are able to do, don't tire yourself for you are to do ibadah at night....the terawikhs, witir, hajats, tahajjuds...Quran reading...these are more important...and do sedekah everyday! even though it might be a small gesture!

Ah...well then...I will follow what Ustazah said.....

I will make some cookies and offer them to you, whatever I make, whatever that is available....Biskut Dahlia and Almost Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can order your cakes and macarons also...I will baking Victoria Sandwich Cake, Sicilian Orange Cake, Carrot Cake, Red Velvet Cake and Devil's Food Chocolate Cake, inshaallah.  Please email me at haqyani@gmail.com or text me at 0193945608. Tq, peeps...

...for I want to spend a normal Ramadhan......



So...here's wishing you a blessed  Ramadhan as we never know if we will get to meet again next Ramadhan...

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

Sunday 7 July 2013

Bakers' Day Off!



Salam and hi! I am slowly getting into the grooves of working on my own now. Haven't got a routine yet as I still run like a headless chicken especially from Thursdays to Sundays! The days seem shorter and I found that I have more things to do! But, I love the idea that I don't have to brace the traffic anymore in the mornings.


...I also realise that I have to shower immediately when I got up in the morning....thus far I have been getting up at 4 am the earliest...otherwise, you 'll see me still in my pj bottom at noon! I still haven't gotten the hang with my orders...with messages not read, I'm sorry ladies, I hope to improve in this section, huhu.


I have not started doing any cookies, even though Ramadhan is just around the corner....I will take this easy so any cookies for sale will be based on what I bake. However, I will be taking orders for macarons and cakes for Eid!


I attend mengaji classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Ustaz Habib in Masjid Taman TAR on Hadis and Kisah Nabi (pbuh) and Tafsir with Ustazah Fatma Azzahra in Surau Bukit Mulia on Thursdays....I will do anything to attend this classes, they are priceless...I felt as if I was reborn! Inside I am more serene....liberated....I can't describe the feeling....and after all this years i just couldn't wait for Ramadhan to arrive! Ustazah said Ramadhan is Madrasah...a school where you reclaim yourself, to do ibadah and forget the worldly just during this holy month....fasting is meant for you to feel the pain, to have less....

...when I thought back, I came a long way to go to this classes, went through quite a bit (don't want to tell you), but I feel really blessed to be able to do this now!




...to be honest, I only have one large order in Ramadhan, and I haven't a clue of how to survive this month...but I believe that things will fall in place, inshaallah!




...inshaallah I will move in into a new space sometime in the end of August, the house will be ready by then. I will have more classes from basic buttercream, fondant and hantaran cakes! ...can't wait! My wish is also to be able to fulfill more orders!

...and Monday is officially my off day, I have declared that! Last week I went to KLCC park...tomorrow i will follow Khadijah to register back in college and then we'll probably go to Bangsar... have a nice meal and I want to go to Dian Pelangi hehe....


...enjoy this song, my current favourite...most times this song will play in the background when I cranck my oven in the wee hours of the morning...

Have a productive healthy and blessed Ramadhan week ahead!

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

Wednesday 3 July 2013

A Walk In The Park....

Salam and good morning! It will be my third day of retirement today.  Am I enjoying the 'freedom'...yeah I guess, but funny I thought I have been having this feeling all this while....I suppose this thought of me not going to work has been in me without me noticing it all along...what am I saying...whatever...it is already the wee hours of the morning....
  

My last day of work was Tuesday last week, however, I had to pop by to settle some personal matters with HR and close one matter the following day...I left office at around 3 that day.... that night I slept like a log, in fact I dozed off without even showering...felt like the world was lifted from me....and then, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday I spent my mornings as early as 5 am baking and frosting my cakes...oh wow! I could not remember baking so much....but I was darn happy!


...Sarah was supposed to come yesterday and we were supposed to start baking our cookies for Raya...but I told Sarah to join me for lunch in KLCC...we were not going to bake that day, and I really wanted to walk on KLCC park!....and that was what I did...felt so liberated, even though I was a wee bit disappointed with the whole park....it cpuld be nicer, prettier, more happening...well, except where the fountain was, the rest of the park was just so, so....really makes me want to go to Central Park New York asap!!


...some people in the office thought that I was bored and suggested that I return to work...no way...I don't think so...but I must admit that working at home all by myself made me felt a little lonely...been "whattsapping" Rina and spoke to Wiz to cut this loneliness, huhu!....and since it is only the third day me being at home, I haven't actually establish a routine yet...I went to my first "mengaji" class yesterday morning in Taman TAR and learnt about the prophet and a sunnah....the best feeling I felt after that. And since I really wanted to go to a "tafsir" class, think I will have to join my friends in the surau at Bukit Mulia, since the class in Taman TAR is held on Friday nights....

I baked quite a bit after I returned from my class, and I can thank Him more for the orders that come in, Alhamdulillah! I am still looking for my own space for baking, orders, studio and classes...but that have to be sorted latest after Eid, my tools and cake tins are piling and I couldn't even get a new oven and cooling racks and the space in this house is limited already, hehe....you know with 6 kids and all, bahaha....

Some people have asked for a class for Raya cakes, and I thought that we should stick to the basics like below...I will throw in a demo to bake a Victoria Sandwich Cake, since so many have been asking about the cake....so, I'll see you in Sugarflours Bangi on Saturday, ya! It will be a group hands-on, so I will not bake extra cakes from home, you will have to work out amongst yourselves during class, with my guidance...more interesting!  


...a lot of people have asked me for a Banana Walnut Cake recipe...my answer would be to try this...

Banana Bread
125g butter melted and cooled
125g sugar
2 large eggs
about 300g mashed bananas
175g plain four whisked or sifted with 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda and a pinch of salt
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the melted butter with sugar and vanilla till well incorporated, add eggs one at a time, add the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions and last add the natural yoghurt. I also added about a handful of chopped walnuts into the batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 C.

As for the topping I use my favourite cream cheese topping and drizzled with salted caramel..


...yup...that was me at the park, got on the swing before we were chased by the guards at the park , hehe...I have always wanted to walk in the park....

Night peeps, gotta catch a few winks before finishing a few cakes to deliver in the morning..

xoxo Yani the kitchenguardian


...this is how I feel now, not having a withdrawal symptom from being away from work, but I am still adjusting to my new life...enjoy the song peeps!
Related Posts with Thumbnails