Cookie made cookies!

Haha....suddenly decided to test and see if the new toaster in my home can make cookies since it has a control which allows me to turn on the top or bottom heating coil or both.

Here's the end results!


I think it came out pretty well...mom and bro both said it was nice.

Personally, found it a little too soft and sweet...but it hardens up when it's refrigerated :) But the happy thing is that now I know the toaster CAN bake things! Just that I'll have to watch the time very carefully and bake at smaller time intervals in case the temperature gets too high and my things get burnt!

Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar (I think you can reduce the amount by half if you don't want it so sweet)
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
(what's the difference?! I dunno...so I used 1 teaspoon of double action baking powder instead)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (can replace with the baking M&Ms)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light. Add the egg and mix until fluffy.
Blend the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together well.
Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips.
Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°
NB: If you're using a toasted oven like me, likely you'll not be able to control the temperature. Instead you can try to shorten the baking time to 3-5 mins, baking in intervals until they turn brown.

Accomplishment :) next up...muffins perhaps?

Have a cuppa...

Here's something Hun sent me which I thought is quite nice to post. A meaningful life lesson using coffee as an analogy...

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together tovisit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned intocomplaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee,the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal,plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up,leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality tothe coffee in most cases, in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... and then began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and positionin society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life,and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality ofLife we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail toenjoy the coffee God has provided us.

..........enjoy your coffee.

Appreciating the little joys in life....

1. God meeting my little-lest needs
I woke up late today and was in a rush in order not to be late for work. As a result, I didn't have time to buy fresh milk to go with my cereals. When I reached office, I was just telling myself to have milo for breakfast will do. When I was washing my cups and pot at the pantry area, I saw my colleague cutting a loaf of bread which she bought yesterday and offer me some. Thank God for providing breakfast!!

This wasn't the first time God has in his own way provided me with food when I did not have. Thank God for looking out for me in small ways like these, and in providing for my needs even when I myself do not feel that I need it. God loves in big and small ways indeed!


2. Being able to buy the things that I like!
As mentioned in my previous post, I bought quite a number of new things over the weekend...here are some of my 'spoils':


3 new pairs of shoes at only $25!


Iora blouse for $15 & skirt for $23!


3. Wearing my own hand-made accessories


Made this 3-strand beads necklace on sunday :)


3. Watching Fusuke fall asleep...ZzzZzz...



My ever-sleepy furball....so sweet :D

Shopping Spree!

Last weekend was shopping spree weekend!

Iora was having a roadshow at Tiong Bahru Plaza so I went to have a look...ended up buying a black blouse for $15 and pink skirt for $23. I thought it was a good bargain cos I looked through almost everything they have there...and I really felt that compared to the rest, these 2 are really worth the price and it's something I like to wear. Plus I needed more office wear anyway...haha....

Next, I went to the Face Shop and bought a pore minimizer essence at $32.90. It was also something that I've been wanting to get since I felt that my skin wasn't as nice as last time...*sobsob*...kept complaining to my colleagues and Hun that my skin is aging liao...now I know that what they say is true....women start to age at 25 onwards. Really...I mean I really felt a big difference in my skin 5 years ago and now. Now it seems to take a longer time regain it's smoothness and healthy colour. Whereas when I was still schooling, without taking much care of my skin, it still looks good! I feel like I'm losing my youth!! So now is the time for remedy! Hopefully by the time of my wedding I will really look my best :) For the moment, must remind myself to stay stress-free and happy...and get enough beauty sleep! No more going to bed past midnight!!

Ok....I've deviated...haha.....back to shopping. Last Saturday, I went to IMM with mom after dinner...Hun had a road show there and I wanted to spring him a surprise. But he was too clever lah...he knew I was going. When we reached IMM, we went to Heart to Heart and mom saw a ring that she liked very much. I will be getting her that as a Christmas gift. Then we passed by a Kiosk that sells earrings and I bought 3 pairs of earrings for $5. AFter that, we went to Poh Heng and mom saw a pearl pendent and earrings that she liked very much and was seriously considering buying. So we asked abt the cost and everything...Again, like my Destinee pendant and earrings, she asked us to pay by credit card 0% interest instalment and she'll give us the cash. We didn't buy it then as the shop was closing, but we did ask the guy to reserve the set for us and we'll go back on sunday to get it. After that, we had a quick cup of coffee before we parted our ways with Hun. On the way to the bus stop, we passed by this kiosk selling streetwear and shoes. Their shoes were on sale and going for $9.90 a pair and $16.90 for 2 pairs!! I saw 2 pairs that I liked and mom saw 1...when she couldn't find a second pair she liked, I got to choose my third pair! In the end, I chose a pair or white, a pair of black (same design as the white) and a pair of green heels. Mom got a pair of brown heels which was the same design as my green ones.

Then on sunday, we went back to IMM to get the jewellery from Poh Heng. As we were waiting for Hun to end his road show, we went to DMK to find my wedding shoes. And indeed I found them!! I bought a pair of white shiny heels with covered heel and slightly open-toe to match my wedding gowns. And I bought a pair of golden strapped heels to match my evening gowns :) The white one was $39.90 while the gold one costs $49.90. We also finally purchased my mom's pearl jewellery and she was so happy she could find something she liked that she can wear for my wedding :) After that we went Heart to Heart to look at her ring again, but we can't find it. THe salesgirl said the ring did not have her size....strange...mom just tried it on saturday! But anyway...mom was a little disappointed, but she rationalized that her ring would be quite easy to find :) Maybe I would tell her a bigger budget so she can choose something nicer! Afterall, I'm getting my bonus....hopefully!

It has really been a "bountiful" weekend...ha!

1. Iora Blouse ($15) & Skirt ($23) : $38
2. The Face Shop Pore Minimizer Essence: $32.90
3. 3 Pairs of earrings: $5
4. 4 new pairs of shoes: $33.80
5. 2 pairs of shoes for my wedding: $89.80

A total of 12 items.....All for a little less than $200!! When I would probably have to spend this amount if I were to custom make a pair of shoes for my wedding....Thank God for a fruitful weekend!

Too tired...

It must have been lack of sleep for the past one week...feeling tension in my head at my temples and in between my eyes :( the worst thing is that whenever I get headaches like these....sleeping doesn't help much...cos I can't sleep well in the first place.

God help me through the day!!