It’s nearing the end of Ramadan. Alhamdullilah this year my fasting was very easy and not once had I bowed down to the sweltering heat. This year Eid Mubarak celebration will be done very minimally.

I have decided not to get any new Baju Kurung for myself since the previous ones I had from all the previous years still hung in their very good condition in my closet. Even my festive cookies is brought to a minimal. I’m not making any Pineapple Tarts but instead made only 2 different types of festive cookies for this year. The rest of the festive food is being filled by Rempeyek and Keropok, cheaper and more convenient.

However since my shoes are very worn off, I did get a new pair of sandals. Instead of getting my norm Crocodile shoes, I settled for something much cheaper and simple. It only cost Rm25 per pair. Initially I had wanted to get a pair of comfort shoes, as my preferences, but after a stern glare from mommy dearest, I had to steer off from the Comfort Shoes Isle and browse to the Elegant Isle.

I don’t see anything wrong with buying comfort shoes since I will be walking most of the time instead of being driven around. My feet is as important as my brain. It needs alot of attention, good attention.

The Food Bazaar Ramadan in Perling is a small size compared to the previous years. All of the food sold is almost the same and not once have I bought anything from there except for the other day when I was craving badly for Air Kathira.

I also have not yet visited Plaza Angsana. From my previous years in visiting them, there are nothing cheap there and the traffic jam is horrendous unless you rode a bike.

Anyway need to rest now. Will update later.

I was supposed to be having a refreshing jog early in the morning. The weather was fantastic, cold and windy. Too bad it was so windy that it brought in the drizzle which eventually brought in the rain. So the objective of going for a good jog went literally down the rain.

These past few days I was so busy working that I could not even have a small time to myself to blog. My life revolved around the computer, my work and my bed. BORING!!

I wanted to get a new pair of running shorts or perhaps bermudas for myself. None of those on display looked to my taste. But it was a total opposite for men’s running shorts. They have such nice designs that I had to glue my hands to my side from grabbing them and putting them into my shopping basket.

Anyway Ramadan is here once again. Things to plan, money to save and cookies to design… It’s so much of a hassle…

I am not much of a car fanatic and never could name all the parts of the car correctly without looking at the manual. However, I could and still can repair and do a whole re-wiring of a car hands down. Only electronic wiring.. not mechanical.. hehehe

My Honda Civic 81 is giving me problems again. The alternator didn’t work properly again so I had to head out to my mechanic and get it fixed. Since I am currently busy with work loads, I’d rather send it to someone else and get it fixed.

I’m also currently looking out for a new design wind deflectors to fit the car. The current one I have is old and fragile looking since it must have been decades since the previous owner changed it.

And it is 5 more days to Eid Mubarak!! Wee…

Once again I have successfully mastered my new recipe, Chocolate Coated Almond Cookies. It’s my first attempt and it’s the best I’ve ever achieved in all of my cookie baking. It is best to make during any festive season.

For those who are are cracking their heads on what to make for Hari Raya, try this out.

Ingredients:-

• 200gm butter (softened at room temperature)
• 200gm castor sugar
• 2 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp coco powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup raisins
• 200gm cooking chocolate

Note! You can also use unskinned whole almonds. I would prefer that since it gives the cookies a more roasted almond flavor. You can also use white chocolate, dark chocolate, strawberry chocolate; any flavour of your choice for the topping.

1) Bake your almonds in the oven/toaster for a few minutes. You can also bake it on a frying pan on high heat, continuously frying it to avoid it from being badly charred.Then let it to cool off for 20mins.

2) Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until smooth and fluffy.

3) Sieve the flour, baking powder and coco powder into the mixture. Using your hands, knead the dough well. Don’t panic if the dough turned tough.

4) Add in your chopped almonds and raisins. Knead it well again.

5) Roll out and cut your dough into the desired shape and size.

6) Preheat your oven for 15mins at 200 Degree Celcius. Bake your cookie at 200 Degree Celcius for 20mins until brown.

7) Once all of your cookies have been baked, put them all in a tray or two and put in your oven that is still heated. Turn off your oven FIRST and after 5mins, then put your cookies back into the oven. This is to make your cookies more crunchier as the heat in the oven will dry all the moisture that is left in your cookie.

You can leave your cookie in the oven overnight or for 2hours.

9) Melt your cooking chocolate. Once that’s done, spread the melted chocolate on top of the cookie and let the chocolate harden by itself. Once all of your cookies have been covered by chocolate, let it rest for an hour of two until the chocolate has harden.

Note! You can store your cookie in an air tight container for a month. It also taste wonderous if you were to pop some in a fridge. It tasted exactly like digestive biscuit with chocolate cream.

After many days of boredom, I finally got my computer back, reformatted and completely free from virus. Yahoo!! So no more downloading of KEYGEN for softwares, thinking to save my 10USD only to fork out the same amount to get repairs done for my pc after the infection.

Fifth day of Ramadan and I’m happily rejoicing the holy month. My nights are filled with Quran reading and Terawih prayers along with other sunnah prayers while the day is work as usual. Amazing, during other months, I could never stand until 10pm before falling dead on my feet and constantly think of my comfortable bed. But during the holy month, my bedtime falls after 12am each day, waking up at 4.45am for Sahur and then followed by another round of Quranic reading while waiting for Subuh to arrive.

I finally managed to get my clothes tailored and done after 4 years being kept in the closet. The authentic kain songket which is handwoven by the weavers and costing SGD$220 for the pink Kain Songket (4yards) and $180 for the purple Kain Songket Terengganu (2yards) is tailored into Baju Kurung and Baju Kebaya.

It was supposed to be completed a few months ago but since my dear aunty is being well, herself *snickers*, she finally got around to making it 1 week before Ramadan. Hehehe.. so much for bring old and having diebetes eh Cik Noi?

Oh my aunt in Muar is a great tailor and does all of my clothes up to my design and fits perfectly. The embroideries on some of my Baju Kurung were handmade by herself and she only does that for close relatives only due to the intricate precision and time costing it took to make a small design. How I really love her!

Below are some pictures of the Pink Kain Songket and Purple Kain Songket Terengganu.

I had actually wanted to make the pink one into Baju Kebaya Modern but then after much thinking, I wouldn’t want to waste my money in making an outfit only to wear it for a year, hoping that I wouldn’t add an extra pound so I can squeeze my way through for next year like my elder sister. *snickers madly*

See the gold thread designs on both outfits? Those are actually artificial gold threads, articulately handwoven to form what it is now. Not all handwoven Kain Songket has the same designs and colors.

As you can see, the purple songket on my left is only enough for a top. So I have to use kain batik lepas which I bought years back in Kelantan as my bottom. Whew!! The design comes out perfectly.

Hopefully everyone that is suppose to be around is around for Eid Mubarak especially the two little angels below. I really love to take their pictures especially when they are caught red handed doing something really, well… childish.

Yes these two are the VIP of the year and I’m eagerly waiting for their arrival.

Til, then I’m going to look around at the landscape gardening shops to figure out which items to get for my mom’s garden decor.