Latest Posts

Back to school Bento ideas

Published by

Summer vacation is almost over. We have a few days left till school starts and I have two students this year. Time fly by so fast, weren’t they just babies yesterday! We have books to cover and label, uniforms to sort, choose the right bag, plan for our kids lunch and snack in school.

Back To School Bento Ideas

Here is a list of lunch & snack ideas for our kids:

1. My LittleOnes favorite for breakfast or to snack on when we are on the go is hands down chicken nuggets. You can make a batch ahead of time and it’s pack of assorted vegetables – carrots, broccoli, potato and celery – you can add whatever is available in your pantry. Definitely a much healthier option than those available in the market.

2. We never ran out of bananas in the house, the kids occasionally eat them as a fruit. They however cannot resist a slice of banana bread with streusel or banana pistachios oat chocochip cake. I usually wait for the bananas to have some spots before using them to bake.

3. Another use of ripe bananas is for smoothies and ice cream. The kids favorite combination is banana and berries, we’ve have been making raspberry smoothie and strawberry yonanas. Make this ahead of time and freeze, by the time they reach school it’s has defrosted to a smoothie consistency. You’re kids are probably the ones who brought iced treat in school and it is also a perfect for after school snack.

4. Anything crunchy makes snack time happy, right? Chocolate Chip cookies is a staple in our house and I prefer to make them, it’s a great bonding time with the kids. If you are staying away from gluten a good alternative is Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip cookie.

5. Chicken schnitzel is also a favorite which can be paired with steamed vegetables or rice. I always pack a rice meal for our growing Kuya when they have sports scheduled, so he has enough energy for the rest of the day.

6. The usual sandwich sometimes gets boring, a easy alternative is to turn them to puff treat using store bought puff pastry. The filling you can use is endless my favorite will always be the apple pie puff 

7. Chicken Arroz Caldo with Quinoa is a complete meal pack, it’s best eaten warm so pack in a thermal box or just reheat if the kids (husband) has access to a microwave.

8. Reward your kids with something sweet for waking up early with some coconut macaroons, brownies or a piece of their favorite chocolate bar.

 

I hope the list will help you plan ahead and have a stress free first week of school.

Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Course 1, Day 2

Published by

For the 2nd session of our Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Course we were asked to prepare a firm 8″ cake, 2 recipe’s of buttercream, piping gel and cake filling. I prepared all of these Thursday evening because we have a busy weekend, every thing was stored in the refrigerator and thawed Friday night for my class the next day.

I was not feeling well for my class, didn’t get enough sleep trying to fix my iPhone which got stuck to Error Code 53 after doing the latest ios update. My iphone 6 still not working, Argh! That’s another story to tell, back to my class.

Ms. A (our teacher) showed us how to:

  • level a cake using a cake leveler
  • separate cake in two
  • create a dam
  • place filling
  • apply a crumb coat
  • final coat and smoothen surface

I have done the following task before, it felt good that even if I’ve never attended a class prior to this one I was actually doing it correctly. While waiting for our crumb coat to crust Ms, A showed us new methods:

  • apply the final buttercream coating
  • smoothen buttercream with the use of parchment paper
  • how to use piping gel & parchment paper to transfer designs
  •  Piping
    • dot
    • pulled dot
    • elongated shapeshow to transfer designs using piping gel.

Read More

Eggspectation, is it just eggs?

Published by

Kuya V: “What are we having for dinner?”

Me: “We have a reservation at Eggspectation.”

Kuya V: “Eggs for dinner? Only eggs in the menu? I’m so hungry, I can’t just have eggs.”

I think he imagined green eggs in the menu which prompted a request to get burgers and ice cream after dinner. He was that worried.

You really can’t blame the kid, the name Eggspectation does begin with egg which suggest that their menu mostly consists of different ways eggs are prepared and of course breakfast. I am happy with breakfast options anytime of the day.

So, is it really just eggs and breakfast dishes in the menu?

Warm welcome greeted us as we entered the restaurant, the place was not full that Friday night so we were immediately seated. Ms. Aschely was assigned to take care of us, both kids were given activity papers with the kids menu on it and some crayons, a baby chair was offered for LittleMiss but she only want to sit with me. The place looked big because of it’s glass walls that provided a good view of the beach front facilities, guests can also choose to seat outside perfect in the cooler months.

Eggspectation activity sheet and kids menu
Eggspectation The Beach
Eggspectations, The Beach JBR

Read More

Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Course 1, Day 1

Published by

Baking cakes and decorating is something that I’ve learned from friends and watching videos online. I have always wanted to enroll myself to a cake decorating class ever since we moved here in Dubai, but never found time.

I finally made time to enhance my cake decorating skills and enrolled to The Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Course 1 – Building Buttercream Skills. Although I have been baking cakes, decorating them completely with just buttercream scares me. The only cake I decorated not using fondant is my ube cake and I hide my cupcakes buttercream imperfections by adding sprinkles.

 

Inquired about the class schedule at Wilton’s Gold and Diamond Park store and it was perfect for us. My LittleOnes and Daddy C urged me to enroll right that moment with the assurance that they will be ok without me. Read More

Up-Close with the Endeavour Space Shuttle at California Science Center

Published by

CaliforniaScienceCenter

A visit to the California Science Center was not in our plan; we honestly did not know that it is home to the Endeavour Space Shuttle.

Endeavour Space Shuttle

As we enter the Samuel Oschin Pavilion our jaws dropped at the sight of the Endeavour Space Shuttle, it was huge and completely overwhelming.  It’s not every day that you get to see a space shuttle up close.

There is a reservation fee of $2 to see the Endeavour which you can purchase online (timed reservation is required beginning September 2015). We purchased IMAX tickets to watch Galapagos 3D which entitled us to a free pass to see the space shuttle. Kuya V sat thru the movie while the rest of us fell asleep, we were jetlagged. Read More

How to make slime

Published by

LittleOne’s asked me to take a video tutorial on how they made slime.

Things you need to make slime.

1 tsp Borax powder
8 oz of White or Clear Glue
1 1/2 cup water
Food coloring

Procedure:
Prepare two mixing bowls.
Dissolve borax in 1 cup of water.
In a separate bowl pour in glue and add a few drops of food coloring. Add 1/2 cup of water. Mix till combined.

Pour the glue solution to the borax water and mix. After a few stirs you get a slime!

*Borax is not available in Dubai, we bought our box in the US.

Great deal of unlimited fun for the Family!

Published by

We’re back from our 3 weeks vacation and the kids are bored. They miss our busy schedule back in the US. Temperature in Dubai ranges from 36C in the morning and 40C in the afternoon, so playing outdoor is not a good idea.

We were invited to have an afternoon of indoor fun at the Atlantis Fun Factory that offers an unlimited arcade games from 3pm to 10pm daily until August 23.

Atlantis Family Fun Factory Entrance

Read More

LittleMiss turns 3 

Published by

Dear LittleMiss,

We are once again traveling on your birthday, this may be a sign that one of your life goal is to explore places. On your first birthday we traveled from HK to MNL via Cathay Pacific and now on your 3rd birthday we are on our way to LAX via KLM and plane will leave on your exact birth time 12:48 am.

Ever since we entered the month of June we’ve had mini celebrations. In some days you wake up and grab one of our baking books and ask me to bake a cupcake, you’ve always chosen the one’s that has pink icing.

Last June 16 we had an advance celebration with your bestfriend Little Dude and Kuya at Adventure Land. We ate pizza and had cheesecake for your birthday celebration. You declared it to be the best birthday ever.

Happy3rdChloe

 

Mama noticed looking back at your previous birthdays that I haven’t really baked you a proper cake. We baked a Vanilla cake with you as my little helper. You measured and mix with such happiness that I’m sure added to the yumminess of your cake.

“I’m making my cake. It will be pink with sprinkles!”

You have grown to be a beautiful, strong willed and sweet Princess. We love every bit of you.

Daddy will never get tired playing tea time with you.

Kuya V will always be happy to watch princess and fairy movies with you, even though you asked him to play ball when you ran out of popcorn.

Mommy will never get tired reading stories and bake you anything that you like.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Sweetheart!

Ps: Mommy is writing this post while waiting for our check-in counters to open.