Weekend Blessing !!

Lamentations 3:22-23

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Carrot Cake

 

Hi All !
My husband loves carrots cake. This past weekend I found this recipe.  After I read the reviews that so highly talk about the recipe. I decided to make one for Easter dinner. I'm glad that choose this one because everyone loved it !!

I made some changes to the cake I didn't use raisin instead I add the carrot up to 3 cups. And next time I might reduce the flaked coconut 1/4 cup. I top it with my favorite cream cheese icing recipe. Yum !!!

Ingredients:

3 eggs 3/4 cup buttermilk 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 cups shredded carrots 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice 1 cup raisins

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x12 inch pan.
2.	In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3.	In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.
4.	In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.
5.	Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
6.	Pour into prepared 8x12 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check with toothpick.
7.	Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Linking Up : livingwellspendingless

Our Easter Weekend !!

I didn't realize the month of April only one and half week left. We just celebrate Easter for this year. This past weekend my husband and I were looking at our calendar trip schedule between couple retreat, wedding, anniversary and over seas trip then we realized our calendar is already full. We are planning to do most of the trip although sadly one of the wedding we need to eliminated.

My sister in law's table setting

How was your Easter ? Did you had a nice time to celebrate the victory over dead ? Hallelujah !! Jesus is Risen !!

We had nice Resurrection Service at church. We bought this beautiful Lilies through our church in memory of my parents and my father in law.

We went to my brother in law house for dinner. The food was great. Everything made out of starch. My sister in law just adopted healthy habit diet. And we love it !!

I made carrots cake, asparagus and rolls, and macaroni salad.

We found/explored new park close to our house. We have known this park for a while and took a walk often there but there is the other side of the park that we haven't explore yet. So, this weekend we took our time to find out about it. We just love it the flowers are blooming and colorful. The weather just make it more inviting and beautiful to take a walk in the nice crisp Spring morning.

 

I hope you have a wonderful and nice weekend !!

Weekend Blessing !! ( Happy Easter )

 

Luke 24 : 6-7

He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,  saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”

Easter Tablescape ( Sweet Chicks )

Happy Good Friday All !!

Wow...It's feel I just took down all my Christmas decorations. Now, ready or not Easter is coming this weekend. Do you have a big plan for Easter ? We are going to the church for sunrise service and continue to a regular Sunday service.

After that we are going to my brother in law's house for late lunch and early dinner. I will bring pasta salad, and carrot cake. But I still want to decorate my table with Easter setting.

I'm using my dinner plate set that I bought a while ago. I mix it with white simple plate salad. The eggs place I got them from Michaels last year.

The centerpiece is very simple. I use chicks bowl and put hydrangea silk flowers.

Happy Easter All ! I hope you have a nice one with your family and loved one !

Linking up :

shabbynest

Steamed Bun Filled with Black Bean ( Bakpao )

Hi all !

Lately, I have craving food from my childhood. I have been watching YouTube a lot and browsing for recipes to make some of my favorites.

Yesterday evening I tried one of them called bakpao. It's a steam bread filled with black beans. This is my version. The original recipe called for mung bean. Since I don't have any of them, I substitute the black beans. You also can filled it with chicken, pork and coconut. This recipe doesn't call for any eggs or milk.

Tasted very good and reminded me of my childhood. Not bad for the first attempt !!

Ingredients :

1 cup flour
1/8 cup sugar
1 tea spoon baking powder
1 tea spoon salt
2 tea spoon quick rise yeast
1 1/2 table spoon melted butter
1/2 cup warm water


Filling :

1 cup black bean ( I cook my own black bean and always have it in the freezer )
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar ( depend how sweet you want it )

Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour into a pot and bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens like a jam.

Directions :

1. Preheat 2 liter boiled water in a big steamer pot and let it sit.

2. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients except water.

3. Add water little by little and mix it well.

4. Cover with a clean kitchen towel for about 45-1 hour.

5. Shape the dough into rolls and fill with 1 tablespoon black bean jam. Make 6 buns. Let them sit for about 15 minutes. Cut out small parchment paper to line the bottom of the roll to keep from sticking while steaming.

6. Steam the rolls in the steamer for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy while they are hot and re-heat in the microwave if you have leftovers.

Linking up :

livingwellspendingless

Our Road Trip To West Virginia

I hope you had a wonderful day today ! I heard some part of the country is getting a little flurries today. Can you believe that. It's April already ! Today we got lots of rain and thunder storm.

The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia

Last Saturday we went to visit one of my husband friend's and his family. Actually, he is his basket ball coach from high school and now become a pastor in a small country church in West Virginia.

 

 

We were stopping by at the Greenbrier Resort on the way there. No...we didn't stay there :) Probably sometimes in the future to celebrate our anniversary or some special event in our life. The resort is very beautiful and peaceful. It's a perfect place if you want to celebrate some special event with your husband. They offer lots of activities to do from golf, horse riding, spa , and bowling etc. We were walking around and took some pictures. The place not far from high way so its very convenient. From what I heard this resort is one of the historical place in USA. There is a bunker tour that cost around $35 including tax.  The lobby is very beautiful and looks very elegant too.

We were stay in hotel in Lewisburg, WV for free using my husband point from Wyndham group. We drive around Lewisburg and have dinner at this local BBQ restaurant.

Sunday morning we drove to the valley of beautiful West Virginia mountains to visit my husband friend's and attended his church. We had a nice Sunday worship service, had lunch and catching up with each other life :)

Around late afternoon we were drove back home and stop by at this another resort in mountain the Homestead Resort in Virginia you can read about it more here. This resort took us about 1 and 1/2 hours from interstate. The place is beautiful and have the uniqueness as well. But if I have a choice I would go with the Greenbrier because its convenient to drive :)

Both resorts distance just one and half hours from each other.

After all, we had a nice weekend visiting our friend and sight seeing of two beautiful resorts.

The Homestead Resort in Virginia

Weekend Blessing !!

Genesis 18 : 14

Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Crepe Cake With Strawberries Syrup

Hi All !!

My brother in law and his daughter came over for dinner last Wednesday evening. I made bake chicken thighs, rice and steamed broccoli for dinner.

I was thinking to make something for dessert for everybody. I had cake mix in my pantry but I didn't want to make a cake. I was thinking of something simple and easy, so I came out with this idea to make layered crepes. I had frozen strawberries which I used to make strawberry syrup to drizzle on top of the crepes. This was an easy recipe and it took me only about 20 minutes to make about 15-20 layers.
Everyone loved our dessert !!

Ingredients

2 eggs
2/3 cup flour
1 cup water
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 container cool whipped cream

Directions :
1. In a big bowl combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and oil.  Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. I use it in about 30 minutes. And the result is just fine.

 

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Pour 1/3 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting to completely coat the surface of the pan. Cook 2 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.

 

Strawberry Syrup :

 

2 cups strawberries
1/2 sugar or more if you like sweet
1/2 tea spoon vanilla extra
2/3 cup water

In a sauce pan combine all of the ingredients and cook it on high heat until it boils. After it comes to a boil simmer it on low heat until the water deglazed and thickened.

Assemble the layers using a flat dish or cake plate and take the crepe and filled with cool whipped cream not to thick. Repeat the steps until you use all the 20 crepes and put it in fridge for about 2 hours or overnight so the whipped cream become firm.
Serve with remaining cool whipped cream on top and drizzle with strawberry syrup !! Yum !!

Spring Vignette ( Without Spending Money )

Hi Everyone !!

It's bright and sunny here ! I hope you have the beautiful day !

I love to listen to the birds singing in the morning and see the flowers starting to bud in the Spring. My only problem is the allergies that come with it. I try to endure it without take any medication.

There is something about flower that make me ( you ) feel cheerful. I try my best to always have live flowers in my house. Most of the time it is my orchids.

I'm using flower inspiration on my Spring Vignette this year. Nothing extravagant just simple milk glasses filled with little flowers. I add some branches that I picked out from the woods behind our house. Next, add a few birds and hang little pastel eggs around the tree and you have a festive spring decoration. I'm glad how it turned out without spending any money. I just used what I already have.

 

 

Linking Up :

thepinjunkie

shabbynest

themodestmomblog

Simple Things To Make Your House a Home

Hi Everyone !

When I have a long day out of my house to do such as a work, running an errands or some other things. I always looking forward to come home. Something about home that give you comfort and peace.

My husband always said no matter how tired he is or complicated is out there. He always feel better when he is home. Why we all feel comfort and peace and long to come home. Is it because we have big house, filled with expensive stuff or perfect ? In my case none of those although nothing wrong with that if you can afford them.

After we got married almost 6 years ago. I try to make our  house feel like home despite we live in a small space and moving 3 times. Most important thing to make house feel like home are the person/people you live with and love. Some other things to make our house feel like home are :

Batak Traditional House

Cleanness/Organize

I love to see clean place. I think all of us will agree to this. It is take an effort to make a house clean or organize. It doesn't happen instantly. Its a perpetual cycle that you do over and over. But the reward is really pay off.

Character/Personal

You don't need to have big or fancy house to make it personal and have character. Everytime we move to a new place I instantly decorate it with my style. You can decorate on budget without breaking your bank. Most of my decoration stuff I got from bargain either thrift store or clearance rack.

Food/Cooking

Something about food that we can all relate and make the conversation life. When we know someone for the first time and want to know that person. Most common thing we do is inviting the person to have dinner, lunch or a cup of coffee. My husband love when I cook for dinner. He always ask what we are going to have for dinner. I'm not a good cook but I always try and learn to how to.

Linking Up:

livingwellspendingless

Weekend Blessing !

Psalm 23

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

.

Chocolate Cake With Peeps Sunflower

Hi All !!
I hope you have a wonderful sunny day today !!

We were invited to dinner at my brother in law house last weekend. I asked my sister in law what can I bring or make. I love to bring something to someone house. She told me to bring dessert. I was thinking to make something without buying any ingredients in the other words use what I have around the pantry. First I was thinking making a pound cake.

Friday night I changed my mind. Instead I made chocolate cake with sunflower peeps. After all Spring is here I want to bring the joy of new life in the nature and corporate with cake.

This recipe is combination of a couple recipe. Everyone seems to love it and I'm glad !!

Ingredients :

                                                                   

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar 

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 box white chocolate pudding ( 3 oz. )

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

 

 

Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing :

 

1 package Cream Cheese room temperature  ( 8 oz. )
1/2 stick butter room temperature
1 Cup sugar powder
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 chocolate chip melted in microwave
Mix cream cheese and butter followed by sugar powder, vanilla and melted chocolate chips

Direction :

1. Pre heat the oven 350  degrees and grease 2 of 9" pans set aside.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl sugar, flour, chocolate pudding, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Put all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients sour cream, milk, vegetable oil and water, eggs.

4. Mix all ingredients with hand mixer in low speed for about 1 minutes and stopped to scrap the bowl and mix again in medium speed for about 3 minutes. After everything mix well put the chocolate chips.

5. Pour batter in 2 prepared pan divided them evenly. Bake them for about 20-25.

6. Let it cool and apply the icing

7. Decorate with peeps and put them in fridge for about 3 hours before serving. I serve it the following day and its very moist cake. We like it !! This is perfect for Easter cake.

 

Linking Up :

thecraftiestallie
shabbynest
themodestmomblog