Oreo Cheesecake - Attempt 2

I've never repeated any bakings so far coz' I simply have too many recipes to want to try. But somehow, I needed to perfect Oreo Cheesecake. Just don't ask me why.

I always loved to bake and decorate my cake nicely. But more often, I end up doing a slipshod job coz' I'll be tired after all the cake-baking to do any decoration. So this time round, I decided to spilt this cake into 2 parts. The night before, Friday, I prepared the crust and refridgerate overnight. Hopefully it will be nice as those we see outside.

Saturday morning :
I used the same recipe as the first attempt, but this time round I put the correct amount of sour cream- 1 cup. The first attempt, I just poured in the whole tub without measuring. This time round I measured. Fortunately I am like running an illegal baking shop from home, I have supplies in my fridge. The only thing is I have 1 light sour cream and 1 sour cream. (Its so difficult to find sour cream, normally see light ones in NTUC.) Heck lah! I mixed both

Outcome!
Tastes nicer (I feel), fluff up more. The stupid crust not that good. Duh!

Measuring 9.9 on Richter Scale.Very bad!

But there's a saying that implies ugly-looking things are nice, right? (hee! trying to console myself)

A slice of cake?
It's been served!
Some extra cheese batters, so did these for sister. I played cheat, these crusts were bought from C Storage. Wonder how they do so nice crust?

成功 or 失败 ??

Taste - 4 stars
Presentation - no stars

School Closure - Day 3

Day 3 : didn't hear any more drilling but doubt work is completed. But I don't care, coz' I'll be OUT!!

Athena co-operated with me. I told her last night to do her chinese work in the morning. And I peeped at her, she was doing her work quietly. Why? So that she can go out with me.
I don't understand why she likes to follow me to Ari's class, she don't get to go in - has to sit outside. So...she has to do her P1 Maths book. Since she's with me + helper not around - brought her to Singapore Flyer.

After the ride, stopped by in Popeyes. Athena was so funny, she asked "mummy, why are we going into POP Eyes?"

School Closure - Day 2

Day 2 : the drilling/hammering is driving me crazy.

I needed to get out, moreover this was planned more than 2 weeks ago - a trip to the Zoo.

The rain in the morning dampened my mood a little coz' otherwise I'll have to find another indoor place to go - to get away from the noise (it's giving me headache).
I took my lover, Mr Nissan, out today. I needed the stroller and mum's following. Miss Subaru will not 'topple over' but can't move out of the lot with the load. Hee!

11am - sky's cleared! Yippee!
We managed to catch 2 shows, which Athena enjoyed. Aricia sometimes would pay attention/sometimes prefer to eat, she'd laugh when she hears laughter; she'd clap when she hears clapping sound. Funny!
Aricia "parrots" us when we tell her the animals. She tried to trumpet like an elephant and roar like a lion. And the lion roared back?!?! She knows a little more now but definitely not much as compared to her che-che.

Photos :





The kids are really tired....ehh I mean my kids! Iggy slept alot!
Got back and saw that the mozzies are well-fed. OMG! 18 lovebites on Athena!!!! Can you imagine that? Mom said the insect repellent I used is no good, but no problem with Aricia -she didn't get any bites. I used both repellent lotion + sticker. When Athena sulked, we always tell her"because you never eat vegetables that's why the mosquitoes come to you." But that girl drew another conclusion. "no it's because mei-mei move alot, move very fast so the mosquitoes cannot bite her." I thought it was funny and asked "then why didn't you move fast too?"
Aricia fell asleep promptly at 8pm, I couldn't do a full session today only did the GD cards and 65 day Math program. Another day of total exhaustion. I couldn't sit down with Athena's to do her chinese assesment books, will do it the next day.

Heart sank

As I had mentioned earlier, this is the post about how I felt when J told me those words -" my mummy never bake with me". I never told S about it, should I say it? Or perhaps it was just a sentence with no hidden meaning but I deciphered it too much?

Maybe take a time to think as you read this, you know childrens' words are frank and they never lie. Ask them if you're fat, they'd say yes without knowing that it'll hurt your feelings. So, does it go to show that a child sincerely enjoys all these? I'm not trying to say I've got the most exciting programs lined up for my children, my recipes are not that fantastically tasting. But......
Children love simple things; children yearn for the small little attention they get, they love to cuddle up with their parents. And how often we, as parents, forget that and think that monetary helps.

My heart sank when I realised that J liked this. J is from a good family background, she's not those "ignored' child at all. She does get the attention from everyone coz' her mummy says "she's the Princess in the house." But her mummy is like any working mummies out there busy making $$, I can't blame her if she can't take up time to bake with J. Perhaps they do other things together, I don't know. And I'm sure she does get attention from her family in other ways.

And I got a little more emo when I think about how fortunate my child - Athena (at this moment coz' I can do alot of things with her) is. I have friends & helper who says I've done alot with my children and giving to them, I'm practically living my life for the children. I agree with what they say, I believe in building a firm foundation so that it will not topple over in years to come whether they are with me or they are a lone building. Well, at least I've done my part as a mother and I won't be afraid when I face God who tells me I'm an irresponsible mother etc...
My heart was cut into 2 or grinded like crumbs when I find my child don't even appreciate what I've done for her. And she still don't listen to me, what made me even more frustrated is the fact that sometimes she does snap back at me rudely. Now, isn't that heart wrenching? I've given more than I could give and this is what I get?

I think I might be deviating what I intended to write, there are some things which is so hard to express out.

School Closure - Day 1

Day 1 of insanity + constant drilling/hammering upstairs

I could have just spent the time 'drilling' her with heaps of assesment books + music but I decided the night before to bake with her.
I decided too (at the very last minute) to ask if Susanna minds me kidnapping her child, Jachelle, over to my place. She didn't mind but was so paiseh to want to bring her home at 4pm. Ai yoh...that woman huh, I volunteered to help her take care of her and then get her ready / shower her @ my place before going for their music lesson. In the end, she gave in to my persistence. ( I hope I wasn't a nuisance)
Anyway, with the go-ahead. I quickly embarked on preparing the fondant, the chocolate plastique & shortbread dough the night before (not sure if have enough time to bake cookies but I had them prepared anyway). And since it was only Jachelle and Athena, I didn't have to prepare any other things. No need to prepare food, just ta-bao food home.

Went over to pick her up in the morning, Athena gladly swallowed her pancakes fast to go out with me. Poor mei-mei, couldn't come out with me and she was >> Crying!

Reached home and the children had their lunch-chicken rice. I wonder why S said J is naughty? She's so well-behaved. On the contrary, my sumseng giah was dancing while eating and J had to tell her "Athena! sit down to eat." Hmmm.............looks like I've got another mini-mummy. J finished her meal so much faster and cleaned up everything. While Athena needs the constant "tape recorder mummy" -me to tell her "hurry up, eat finish your lunch."

Time : 11+ going to 12pm. Children put on their apron, Aricia included. But she can't bake, she can't do anything so she'll be the supervisor! She sat on the high chair @ dining table and looked at them.

2 of them can read so got them to read the recipe for me. Did the measurements on my scale (non-digital) so a little difficult to read. And - just the beginning and Athena has to make me angry! I let them take turns to prepare one stuff each. J- sugar, A-flour, J - water. At this time I realise it was awkward for J to stand on the floor so I brought out the stool to let her stand. Immediately that "cannot lose out girl" - no need to mention who started to turn grouchy and said "not fair, she can stand 2 times. I stand 1 time only!" when I told her she can stand there next. See lah! So selfish!! Then she refused to participate which got me aggitated and I shouted at her. Can you imagine? A playdate that is suppose to be fun, I had to scold her? I was pissed and told her "if you don't want to do this, then go to your room, I shall bake with J alone. Go now!"

The children mix the butter with the dry things, for that she started to cheer up and they took turns each. Really funny to see them passing the whisk to each other "(whip 5 seconds) nah your turn!" I can't be bothered whether over-whisking will made the cuppie taste too soft or awful - it's the children's job (anyway not like over-whisking will cause it to curd and turn into butter - that was my nightmare!). While they were whisking, I took time to quickly clean the table and wash the bowls. (FYI: when I bake I really don't leave everything to my helper to clean/wash. I do it myself coz she has to help me take care of Aricia. And I hate mess!) Oh! might ask me why I didn't use my 'aid' - since I have two child labour to help me, why not? Anyway it'd be more fun for them to do everything themselves.

Hmm.... shan't say anymore. It's all very straight-forward. So photo time!!

Aricia barely slept for half an hour when we got back, she refused to sleep thereafter. I was then told she slept very early at 8pm - totally knocked out!
Before baking - the aspiring bakers free child labour with the 'cannot make it' chef guiding them. Playing around with the whisk and bowl
J and A taking turns

J needed more help from me coz she dunno how to use the rolling pin and she wanted to do it her own style - I let her be. She tells me which cuppie she wants - she took the nicest one - flower. And which one is for her mummy, daddy, kor-kor Ian, kor-kor Caleb.

(picture : last row)That tiara was done by my girl, A. It's nice until she greedily threw in 100s & 1000s until she covered it.
(middle picture) J's works, I helped her with the flower cuppie.
(last pic) A's works, the girl was done by me. I totally forgot about the chocolate plastique. OMG! They would have loved that.
A comment by J while she was decorating the cuppies, she didn't look @ me in the eyes while saying this, "my mummy never bake with me." I asked her "Next time if aunty bakes again, do you want to join us?" She nods her head and answered "yes". You know how I felt when she said that? My heart sunk and I almost teared. (emotional!) Read next post
The children @ play while the cuppies in oven (before decorating), took shots; cleaned the place up. Goash! That's the thing about baking - the place is dirty everywhere.
They didn't bake cookies, but I took a small dough to bake Hello Kitty for J. The remaining, I did the chocolate chip in the night.

Brought the children to Sakae for dinner. It's so easy when you have a child who eats practically everything. Look at my spoilt girl, should send her to Africa!

Susanna joined us later and she picked the tab - heehee! - she has points to redeem.

The day ended with quite an emotional high, Athena had a de-briefing from me. I wasn't pleased with her behaviour.

Re-organisation

Seems like whole life I need to organise things around my house, it either means I've got too much junks accumulating to reorganize or ... my house was never neat in the first place.

This time round, I realised that my baking stuffs have increased tremendously. And I need to find a place to put my lovely aid - the mixer. No doubt the first place I thought of - Ikea, here I come!!

Bought the bulky Antonius which was deemed huge early this year. Really fed up! It's not the first time I've noticed this in Ikea. It's not family with young children taking up space in the allocated parking lots but lazy adults!! What the ??

Came back home and fixed the thing up. So noisy! The unit upstairs was renovating with all the hammering/drilling and I was hammering downstairs too!! When I brought it to the kitchen, next to the washing machine (ahem.. the prospective oven space), I realised that I had to put it horizontally so as not to take up space. Only by then I realised that I should have bought castor wheels. Never mind, will put the things in the drawers first, went back (again) in the evening only to know it's OOS - argh! So my "aid" is still atop the fridge, I'm staring at it now, hoping it won't drop due to the people in my house slamming the fridge door. Think I'll try to get it in the Alexander outlet - or perhaps I can take out the castor wheels from the trolley first?

While fixing up the thing, that girl was playing. Decided to let her have her fun once and for all, before I start utilising it. Oh boy! She was really happy, then I used a towel to cover and tent her up, she was laughing inside.

All my rubbish/s

in clockwise direction
1st drawer : (front insert) baking essentials eg. vanilla essence, baking powder etc..
(back insert) decorating stuffs eg. quins, colours, piping bags, piping tips etc..
2nd drawer: sugars, flours, chocolates. I've got compound chocolate; baking chocolate; Valhorna chocolate and ... quite alot of chocolates I notice
3rd drawer: pancake pans (behind), lazy susan + equipments
4th drawer: pans and pans

So what to do with the trolley? Maybe let Aricia push it around?? She always like to push things around the house, so this can be her toy and she'd look like a tim-sum lady.

Teacher's Day

The school will be closed for the next 3 days. I brought the teachers' gifts over today. Collected the brownie cake and passed it to the teachers.

This is the last Teacher's Day I can do for the teachers.

Tooth fairy

Her tooth came out on Sunday, MIL did it so quick for her. Hee! That makes my MIL a bad person.....hee!

The sulking girl had the tissue in her mouth the whole time, people looked at her.

Note and $$ from the tooth fairy - ahem... me! She was really happy when she touched the note under her pillow. Die lah! next time still must continue writing to her when the subsequent teeth drops.

5 years 9 months

We normally celebrate the childrens' monthly birthday that it has become a habit. This morning, Athena told me "mummy, today's 25th...."

I caught the hint and this is what she had today.

Did she say that?

I'm not the only person who heard this. My lil' one really surprised me last night.

She took out her book to read in the car and said "tur oh neh night" - turn on the light??

Oh my! Is she too advance? I know I should be happy but it does scare me to hear such sentence from her at this age.

Clearing

I cleared the Young Parents kept over the years - from 2002. 6 years of magazines and I never referred back at all, so they're still in that prestine good condition.

And of course must flip through magazines to see what I need right? I didn't keep any pages on tips on parenting - not that I'm a good and angelic mother that I don't need. In the end, I only kept the Kidz Page for the children, and some recipes. And ..... oh yes, photos of my girls in the small segment in magazine. Hmm.... I might do a photo collage to put in their room??

Anyway, while clearing the magazines, I realised I do have some Parenting magazines from US, UK.

This was one of the advertorial in one of the magazine. Nice hor? If only I have a nice huge garden + hubby super loaded, I'd definitely get this for my kids.

My dear readers, enjoy the pictures and drool just like what I'm doing - coz' we can't afford! For some highly talented readers, this would be an inspiration for you to build one for your children.

Baking knowledge

extracted from allrecipes.com

Cake Pan Size Conversions

Common Substituitions

Happy!

So happy that I bought a stand mixer.
Had been between thoughts of getting a new oven or a mixer (of course preferably both). The signages on the roadside I saw on my way home yesterday gave me "signs" that I should hop down to the Mayer warehouse sale today.

Mixer booth was at the entrance area. Ai yoh..I fell in love with it when I saw it quite some time back. Now with a cheaper price tag, macam fall madly in love with it.
I spent my less than 45 mins in that area, coz the ovens are next to it. Ai yoh.... cannot buy oven lah! All built-in which obviously my already built-in cupboards is not customised for that size. If I buy a individual cupboard - I don't even have space in the kitchen to put that! So I shall wait.Must see how long I can tahan this impatient wait.

Yipee! no more whisking until my hand's tired and whisking in all directions when I keep changing hands. No more faster heart-pumping when I have to whisk butters and cream cheese. So, baking will be an ease now. And gives me more reason to bake more.

* Hmm, thought of getting the trolley from Ikea since my stuffs have been increasing. Then maybe can put the mixer on top... which is next to the kitchen window and washing machine??

KZ's birthday

KZ turned 27

Gave her an off day, where she went for some shopping on her own at TM after I left for Aricia's class.

We met for dinner @ Compass Point. Giving her a choice of place to eat, she asked Athena for her choice and we all ended up in Delifrance.

We went back home to cut the cake. It's Chocolate Heaven from Breadtalk.

Wah.............nice nice! (must try to make)

The Cat In The Car

The Cat in the car
Hanged on the neck
Open it up and ...


*impulse buy. Not that I allow them to eat and dirty the car, then with me obsessed about cleanliness - I'd end up vacumming and cleaning my car everyday. But ... it might come in handy next year onwards. *

Children

Over the week, Aricia has spent almost 2 full days with her di-di.

On Tuesdays when I was on a 'printing frenzy' using brother's computer & decided to stay there (last minute) the whole day until che-che ends her day at school. And so, the two kiddos spent some time together.
While trying to put them to sleep, the kapo girl saw bro's helper shaking the sarong - helped her. Then when di-di cried, she told him "dun cry........". Funny! She won't fight with him and will give things to him.
In this photo, he refused to sleep in the sarong - he just wanted to play. So, let them play again, Aricia was patting him; then he turn over and patted her. I have loads more funny pictures in brother's camera.
They later played in a makeshift tent (using mattress).
He's no longer shy at my place now. He came over on Thursday and they played together again. I feel it's really nice to have them 5 months apart (1 yr apart in year) so they are growing up together.
They might be mistaken as twins you know?!

On Friday evening, we left mom's place when this lady got onto the same lift as us. She looked at me... must be thinking "wah... super woman, have 3 children and now expecting another one??"Hee!

Back at home, finally executed our plan for having the children over every Fridays. Athena was happy, needless to say - she always refuse to go back to her room to sleep, anyway. Aricia - we were most worried if she'd want to sleep with us coz she hardly sleeps with us.
Oh boy! The room was noisy, the kids refuse to sleep coz' >> the TV was on. Yay, my Korean show. So 11pm - LIGHTS OUT! The children konked out almost immediately.
Hmm..... KZ was sad, she thought Aricia would cry for her, but she didn't. I think it's fun...looking forward to this Friday.

Aricia and her 4 bosom pals. In sequence she'd name them :ah poh (hippo), bear bear, dog dor, raion (lion in Japanese)

Mini me

These are some of the words that lil' one has been saying :
-Dun wan
- little bit
- alot
- hungry
-dun cry
- hurry up (learnt from me!)
-ok, let's go ( " )
-ah kum (wake up)

So happy?

I didn't understand what 林 老师 meant when she said Athena has been exceptionally happy these days. I asked "I thought she's always happy?" "Yes, but these days she's even more happy. Laughing out alot and more giggly." *blur*

In the evening, I was going through her Berries work which she did in class. And I probably realise why >> She had to do a 造句 and this is what she wrote:-

我很高兴, 因为我的妹妹(的)生日到了.
Red are those the teacher corrected her

Hee!

Come to think of it, she did tell me too! Days ago while she was doing her assessment books, suddenly she let out a loud cheer "yay! mei- mei's birthday is coming. Mei-mei's party, I like party." I had to ask her to continue doing her work.

One year later..

.. the tears are not like river flow. Merely teary eyed, hearts sored. Did it feel empty? Perhaps a little forgotten until evoked when we saw grandma's cheerful photo.

One year has passed, it's no use crying when she's probably playing poker in heaven and arguing with the person that he/she cheated and insisting on using Monopoly $ instead of Heaven $. She's not lonely, maybe irritating everyone around her asking the same question over and over again?!?!
But we still do miss her...

Another one?

Another of Athena's tooth is shaking. Oh my! Imagine my girl is boh-geh!!!

Eeks! Why do people have to drop their milk teeth? Although I keep saying "pluck out her teeth to make it nice", I don't want to do it too coz' my girl has a very nice smile showing all her teeth. Imagine when she smiles and you see a boh-geh girl. sob...sob.... And, she'll be taking her class photo on 8th October. Imagine her toothless?!?!

*more sobbing*

Happy 23rd month-old, mei-mei

The cake was put to a good use, it helped me save an effort to re-bake one on the 19th. And honestly, I don't think it'll be a good idea to have 3 cakes within a week so this is good enough, plus with so many people to share the cake.

The children

I like to see the expression on childrens' faces, perhaps that's why I want to give them parties.

Ooh......... the sedap cake that everyone said it's nice and "you can bake this for her coming birthday." Ehh...............
Mei mei enjoying her cake, feeding herself.
Finishing the last bits of her cake, after her 4th shower (within 2-3hrs??)

Video: Birthday song