Crocheted bag

My first bag mashaallah yahay my dd 7yrs asked me tomake her one and choose the colours, i tried to put her off by saying we didn't have the right beeds but she searched high and low to round up 15, there is even a piece of the fairy lights in there. Came nice happy with the result,i am working on a Gazza purse for dd 15yrs now.


BTW dd 7yrs old took all the pictures herself , got alittle carried away mind you i like her shots mashaAllah.

The Learning Curve

Alhamduilah the kids are liking school and the learning is coming on thick and fast mashaAllah. The year 2 has been doing a whole project about the great fire of London. I took her to the London Museum to supplement the learning process. It's been interesting for me to re-learn about it again after so many years. Here are some pictures

St Paul's Cathedral was burnt down during the fire and re-built after. Stillstanding today.

Some candle holders and dishes used for lighting that period.

This is a bakers oven. A baker would spit in the hot oven and listen to the sizzle to know if it was hot enough.


I liked the paintings



While year 5 has the chance to go to our local Football Club as they had the FA cup



an old footie

a modern footie

Tagged and awarded

I have honestly been guilty of neglect of my blog as i have favoured FB just recently but iam back on with an award and a tag.

First the awards

Much to my shame i have forgotten who gave me this one , its been a while sorry.

There is another but the link didn't work for me
http://o0ummhasan0o.blogspot.com/2009/02/companions-award-tag-check-in-here.html
perhaps ummhassan can tell me something about this?

I would like to thank everyone who reads and supports my blog , i can't imagine come here with out you ladies. Thank You

Now for the tag, there is nothing like a tag to bring you back after a blog absence
Happy Muslim Mamma tagged me here


Here are the rules of this tag:

1. Admit one thing you feel awful about (involving being a mom). Once you have written it down, you are no longer allowed to feel bad. Remember you are a good mom!

2. Remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list 7 things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you.

3. Send this to 5 other moms of the year that deserve a reminder that they too are the best moms that they can be. Remember to send them a note letting them know you have selected them, and also add a link to your post that directs people back to the person who nominated you!

My answers:
1. I feel bad that i don't give my kids enough hugs and tactile affection.
2. Humm well i love their company, i love their sense of humor, i love it when they are kind, i like it when they are thoughtful, when they want to learn, I like going on hols with them, I love them for all they are mashaAllah.
3.Independent Learners
Chasing Children and recipes
Strangerin this duniyyah

Blast from the past

I recently found loads of old school mates on Face Book (FB) and one my old primary school best friend. Feels strange and also nice in a way, reminiscing on old memories. As when i left school at 15 1/2 yrs old i never had any contact with anyone. Nice to See how people have changed and moved away. Gone in to causes and professions that fitted their personalities so long ago. The circle of life................along the way are happiness and pain but best of all experience alhamduilah(all praise is due to Allah).


My Primary School

Half Term, Schools out

so the kids managed to break the keyboard and this one i had in the cupboard has a sticky space bar but alhamduillah its better than nout hey? The weather is much more milder and spring is showing is first signs with its new life and colours subhan Allah.

We had a quiet week now when i think back i don't know where it went? I took the kids ice skating, no i never got on the ice (lost my nerve). I had a good laugh watching everyone, it was so funny seeing the fear some people have and the screaming not to mention embarrassment. My lot had a fab time mashaAllah.
We made a day of it and went for meal at a Lebanese restaurant a dear friend joined us so we have a good day mashaAllah.





We did a little crafts we made some finger pupets and then the kids put on a show in Arabic whic was good fun.

M'barja

I had ago at making M'barja a favorite of mine. I have atempted these before but never made it to the heat as they fell apart. I tried Stanger in the dunniyah's recipe and tequniqe masha Allah its the first time they made it to the heat and were consumed but they could have beeen better, more practice i think. They crumbled but not a bad try have a look:

Begir [Algerian Pancakes]

My mother in law often showed me how to make these and often hoped i would turn these out at coffee time. i did a few times but then i was using a recipe my friend who was the wife of a Moroccan used, different recipe same results. I tried these today using chef Zadi's recipe and pleased to say mashaAllah they worked out just fine. Have a look



I made up a syrup consisting of orange blossom water, water , buter and honey to drizzle over my begir yummy.


The kids photographed this post.

M'cherak Ariyan aka Gazzel Horns

I have to give all credit to a sister from another forum who posted this recipe in it's simplest form. As i already knew the technique from my years in Algeria as i had made them a few times before with sister in law . I noted when the Algerians cook , the task looks so long and drawn out, almost laborious and tiring but when the Europeans turn out the same recipes its so easy so it seems for me anyhow.

You will need
3 bowls of plain flour
1 bowl of ghee
3/4 of the bowl full of sugar
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup of mazar [orange blossom water] or as required
fillingground almonds
sugar
Cinnamon
Flaked almonds
Mazar to bind

Using a large bowl get measuring out the pastry ingredients first


mix together with your hands.........make sure the ghee is melted.
[IMG]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa190/rimaram/McheweakAriyan004.jpg[/IMG]
I put the dough into a plastic bag and left it to sit for about 3 hours.

I got the filling ready , i put the dry ingredients into a bowl and slowly added the mazar until it binded to a soft texture.

Now i didn't have the correct cutter, i used a bowl to cut the pastry with. I ideally the triangle is a better shape to be used here.

Place onto a greased tray. you place a little of the filling at the top of the circle and roll and curve it{no picuture sorry Ines] in slightly. Brush with egg and sprinkle flaked almonds on top.

Bake on a moderate heat until golden in colour
Allow to cool and remove carefully , i dusted them with some icing sugar.

Leek and Potato Pie [with some other veg]

What started out as a simple pie soon became filled with other veg delights, as i had so much veg in the fridge and could see some was old and risked spoiling soon . I must add this one tasted nicer than the chicken pie, maybe coz i am more a vegi at heart. Well it was one way to get broccoli down the kids.
so i started by steaming my veg

These next ones are carrots and parsnips, i had beetroot in the pot part of the steamer and while i was away it rose up and coloured and flavoured my white parsnips and carrots too. Nice colour.

I made a roux and added this to the veg

the rest is as with the previous pie

This pie was meant for my sister who was to come and visit me but canceled at the last moment. Well i am sorry sister once the kids got home they spotted the pie and only a little left now and DH is due home any moment now.