tango-mango:

Bad day. Good meal.

Working as a contractor was something that was new to me. I’ve enjoyed being my own boss in two successful business ventures, and have experienced “working for the man” as an FTE in the corporate world. The opportunity as a contractor gave me an experience to connect with some of my favorite people from my last job, and add value to a new project. It’s all good. The gig is over and now I can focus on creative endeavors. I’m grateful for the chance to work with some really nice people at the job I will walk away from tomorrow.

Basil chicken with cashews recipe inspired by Martin Yan. 

Ingredients:

Marinade

• 1/4 cup lager-style beer, like Tsingtao
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper 
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Sauce

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon lager-style beer, like Tsingtao
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce  
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 4 ounces trimmed asparagus or green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (my own idea because I love carrots)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 4 teaspoons water
• 1 fresh jalapeno or serano chili, thinly sliced into rings (optional)
• 1/2 cup lightly packed Thai basil or sweet basil leaves
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews
• cooked Jasmine rice

Directions:

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place a wok or wide sauté pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the chicken, asparagus and carrots and cook, stirring constantly until the chicken is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the sauce and bring to boil. Add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in chili pepper, basil leaves and cashews.

Note: If you decide to use green beans, they require more time to cook. I steamed mine separately, and added them at the end. 

themacandcheesefiles:

Jalapeno Mac and Cheese

(photo taken from Domestic Fits, click the pic to head over!)

Menata hati untuk cinta yang hakiki”
Berkahi dan Ridhoi jalan kami ya Robbi :)

elvinadiah:

It’s too easy to cry, when you:

(1) hear someone memorizing Ar Rahman for you.

(2) miss your family, and you really really wanna go home.

(3) sad and nobody can understand you, except Allah.

(4) miss your future husband.

(5) miss your future children.

(6) remember your sin and remember that death is so near.

(7) pray and you feel Allah.

(8) remember that Allah always love you very much.

(9) remember that: there must be some difficulty with ease. 

(10) talk to your cats :’D

patah hati ternyata sangat menyenangkan,
bila kita serahkan serpihannya pada Tuhan,
sedangkan kita sendiri tetap mempertahankan senyuman,


Tuhan, ini saya serahkan…
 

*Galaksi Midwifery

berdoa dalam diam…berharap dalam diam…rindu dalam diam…mencinta pun hanya dalam diam….

Yang dicinta kan pergi
Yang didamba kan hilang
Hidup terlalu singkat jika hanya tentang cinta antara kau dan “dia”

Menangislah karena ALLOH
Menangislah karena kelalaianmu menjaga hati
Menangislah karena berusaha mentergesai ketetapan-NYA

Menangislah karena DIA…..

Maaf telah membuatmu marah, sejatinya aku ingin dirimu membenciku,
Maaf telah membuatmu membenciku, sejatinya aku ingin melupakanmu
Aku memang bukan orang baik, tidak berperasaan, bahkan pemfitnah,
Betapa jahatnya diriku yang memfitnah bidadari bumi pujaanmu itu
Kau memang pantas mendapatkan bidadari itu„
Terimakasih telah kau ajarkan aku, apa itu arti “ikhlas” dan “kehilangan”
Kau tahu, stempel-stempel yang telah kau lekatkan padaku
Membuatku semakin ingin memperbaiki diri
Terimakasih ya atas stemple-stempel itu
Setiap mengingat stempel-stempel itu, pasti aku menangis,
Tapi dengan tangisku, justru membuatku semakin menyadari betapa hinanya diriku
Terimakasih„,Semoga Alloh mempertemukan kita di surga ya,
Meski kau dengan bidadari pilihan hatimu„,
Terimakasih untuk semuanya„„,
_Teruntuk calon peminang bidadari_

Hari ini aku ikhlas melepasmu pergi, meski aku mencintaimu….
(T_T)