Milky Almond Chewy Cookies

Making cookies should be fun, simple yet easy. Coz for me it's time to introduce the kitchen to my girls. Since I only had the leftover ingredients, I create this recipe. And heyyy....they turned out good. So milky!

Milky Almond Chewy Cookies
by : Dita



Ingredients :
1 1/4 cup shortening (you can use butter or margarine)
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk powder
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup slivered almond
1/2 cup chocolate chips or white choco chips

Directions :
Cream shortening and sugar; add slightly beaten egg and vanilla. Then add milk powder, flour mixed with baking soda. Then add almond and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees (190˙C) for 8 to 10 minutes until light brown.

Chicken in Milk

Bloggers always seem to have a story to tell. There's always something to tell, to share and to write about. But today is an exception for me. I'm not feeling well and I'm not in the mood to tell a story *sorry*. My kids have been sick for 5 days and I didn't have much time for internet. To all my friends, thanks for dropping by.

When I saw this recipe, I raised my eyebrows ;). Chicken in Milk?? Never had it before, usually I cooked chicken with coconut milk or cream. I was so curious and wanted to give it a try.



And heyyyy.....who would have thought this combination would work? So easy to do. The chicken was tender and the sauce was flavourful. It's a very aromatic dish.

But I wasn't pretty satisfied because I put too much sage on it :(. The rest was good!

Chicken in Milk
source : Jamie Oliver



Ingredients :
•1 x 1.5k/ 3½lb organic chicken (dita-I used chicken legs)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 115g/4oz or ½ a pack of butter
• olive oil
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 good handful of fresh sage, leaves picked (dita-I used dried sage)
• zest of 2 lemons
• 10 cloves of garlic, skin left on
• 565ml/1 pint milk



Directions :
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5, and find a snug-fitting pot for the chicken. Season it generously all over, and fry it in the butter and a little olive oil, turning the chicken to get an even colour all over, until golden. Remove from the heat, put the chicken on a plate, and throw away the oil and butter left in the pot. This will leave you with tasty sticky goodness at the bottom of the pan which will give you a lovely caramelly flavour later on.

Put your chicken back in the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Baste with the cooking juice when you remember. The lemon zest will sort of split the milk, making a sauce which is absolutely fantastic.

To serve, pull the meat off the bones and divide it on to your plates. Spoon over plenty of juice and the little curds. Serve with wilted spinach or greens and some mashed potato.

Got Milk?

August is coming, means we (breastfeeding mother) are going to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week on the first week of August. And this time, I'd like to dedicate my post to support WBW 2008, all the mothers who still breastfeeding and the mothers to be.

WBW is an annual event to promote breastfeeding on a global scale. In conjunction with the Olympic event next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standart of infant feeding : breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months and providing appropriate complimentary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to 2 years or beyond. Supporting mother=supporting her to provide the golden start for every child.

When I found this foodie event "Got Milk!" hosted by Linda, I said "what an amazing idea she had!" I was so excited to participate in this event. You might be ask some questions, why would food blogger like me want to blog about breastfeeding? What's the connection between breastfeeding and food?

I'll tell you, there are many reasons why. I'm a breastfeeding mother, still breastfeeding my youngest daughter (now 22 months). And do you know that breastmilk is FOOD, the very best FOOD that your baby can get? And I'd like to join this foodie event to help Linda promote breastfeeding and to support my breastfeeding friends especially new moms and moms to-be. I know breastfeeding is not as easy as we can see. For some mommies, it's quite hard in the beginning. I only breastfed my first child for the first 2 months because I didn't know how and did not know much about it besides that it's a good thing. I didn't know how's the right position for breastfeeding, and then my nipples got sore, I had no idea what was lactation management, etc. I became desperate and thought formula would be more convinient. Then I felt so guilty about it.



Furthermore, before and during my second pregnancy, I prepared and promised to myself that no matter what, my second baby must be breastfed. Lucky me, my hubby was a real supporter and I found supporting group with supporting members -and now they become my good friends- at mailing list asi for baby or mother breastmilk for baby. Nia, the owner of the group, asked me to join in *thank you so much, dear. You guys really did a great job to motivate so many Indonesian mothers out there to keep breastfeeding their babies*. My virtual conseulor, Kellymom supported me as well ;), "she"'s been there when I was confuse didn't know what to do with the whole breastfeeding things. Eventually, I succeed to breastfeed my baby eventhough it wasn't easy at the very beginning. I remember how I cried everytime my baby Leia began to suck my sored nipple. But I didn't give up. I learnt from the past and tried to do my best. And now, proudly said I'm still breastfeeding my almost 2 years old daughter, Leia, although many people here in Kuwait would raise their eyebrows when they knew my almost 2 years old daughter is still breastfed *hey c'mon!* I'm concerned why people in Kuwait, especially mothers and health care/medical practitioners don't take breastfeeding as an issue. Seems they don't encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies. So far, I've never heard and saw any breastfeeding campaign in this country. It's not easy to find breastfeeding/nursing room in every shopping centre here, meanwhile nursing in public is considered to be awkward or inappropriate *I don't think that would be any WBW celebration here!*

Anyway, to endorse, inspire and motivate Indonesian mothers to breastfeed their babies, 2 years ago my husband and I have made an introduction video to early latch on based on my experience. We hope that could be useful :).

Ok, enough about me ;). I got a great news to share from my supportive friends in AIMI, to all breastfeeding mother in Indonesia, Asi for Baby in collaboration with Asosiasi Ibu Menyusui Indonesia (Indonesian Breastfeeding Mother Association) organized a mass breastfeeding (menyusui serentak) event to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2008, on August 2, at Auditorium Gelanggang Remaja Bulungan Jakarta. Be there! *I wish I could be there*. More info here.

Linda, thanks for the event, I hope what you did could make a difference. And every babies in the world could have their right to get a golden start. Here's my entry for "Got Milk!".

I didn't know what to do with the leftover mascarpone from my birthday cake last month, better made something before it gone bad, thanks God, Helen's post saved me! ;). And the gratin was so so scrumptious!!



Mascarpone Raspberry Gratin
source : Helen of Tartelette with a little re-worked from me :)
Serves 4-6 depending on the size of your ramequins.

1/2 cup (4 oz) mascarpone, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, seeded
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup heavy cream (dita-I used 1/2 cup whipping cream+1/4 cup plain milk)
1 cup fresh raspberries



In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, the egg and the egg yolk. Whisk until fully incorporated and add the heavy cream. Make sure everything is well combined and divide between your ramequins, not filling them all the way to the top, about 3/4 full. Divide the raspberries among the gratins and set the dishes in a deep roasting pan. Fill the pan with water, half way up the sides of the dishes and bake at 340 for about 20-25 minutes or until they seem to be barely set: still giggling a little when you move the pan but not completely wobbly. They will continue to bake and set as they cool. Let cool and serve either chilled or at room temperature.



Related Recipe :
1. Eggless Tiramisu