Heavenly Apple Cake

The simple title of this cake speaks for itself; it's divine and heavenly delicious cake.

You can't go wrong with 'cinnamon' and 'apple'; it's just a perfect combination.

This simple cake as in it's title is easy to make and you will want to make it more and more. It is moist, melt in your mouth tasty cake. Good company with a cup of tea in the cold winter month to come or just as good to have as any days.

Oh, I have to put this image as I was playing around setting for this cake photoshoot. I think it is lovely !

I like to modify a simple cake by adding a cinnamon creme sauce. I made the cinnamon creme sauce myself; and to my surprise it tastes even better with the cake.

As you can see I am having fun doing the photoshoot and eating the cake at the same time.

And the piece of cake is getting smaller and smaller !

Did I see an empty plate ?

Recipe

APPLE CAKE

12 servings

- 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs

- 1/2 cup granulate sugar

- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

- 2 Granny Smith apples

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick ) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

- 1 large egg

- 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt

- 2/3 cup half-and-half ( I used low fat)

- 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and coat with the bread crumbs. 

2. Toss together the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.

3. Peel and core the apples, then slice on apple into 16 wedges. Combine the cinnamon and 1/3 cup of the sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Add the apple wedges and toss to coat. Roughly dice the remaining apple.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and remaining sugar mixture on the medium speed until light, fluffy, and lemon-colored, about two minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, baking powder and salt mixture. Slowly add the half-and-half and mix until combined. Fold the diced apple into the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Arrange 14 of the apple wedges fanned a long the outer edge of the pan and place the two remaining wedges in the center. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is golden brown. {Note; I like my cake a little moist so when inserted tooth pick comes out clean or still with a little pieces of cake I remove the cake from the oven. I found that over baked the cake will come out dry textured cake.}

6. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a small offset spatula around the edges to release the cake from the pan and remove the springform. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, then cut in to 12 wedges.

 Cinnamon Creme Sauce

- 2/3 cup half-and-hal

- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix and stir together in a low heat until thickens. Do not over cook and boil the mixture.

******

 Have a lovely week-end Everyone !

"Hearty Chicken Salad with Rice Vinegraette"

This is one of my own creation and favorite healthy light meal.

This single dish is just perfect for you and 'your love one' when you want an easy light dinner meal. {Which we always like to have during week days.}

The sweet and sour taste of the seasoned rice vinegar mixed with olive oil and low fat mayonaisse is blending with the tart of apple and sweetness of raisins.

The sauteed breaded chicken can make your dinner meal just feels light and not too heavy in the stomach. This is definitely one of your diet delicious meal.

Recipe

Serves 2 

- Spring salad

- 1/2 apple of your choice; preferably Honey Crisp but I am using Fuji Apple

{cut into thumb nail sizes}

- 1 small box of dark raisins

- pistachio nuts

- 5 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs in a plate

- 5 tbsp flour in it's own plate

- 1 egg lightly beaten mix with 4 tbsp of water in it's own plate

- 4 stripes of chicken tenderloin

- 2 tbsp. Weight Watcher low calorie butter

- 1/4 cup olive oil

 Breaded Chicken

1. Season flour with pinch of salt. 2. Season egg with dash of salt. 3. Dredge and shake stripe of chicken in the flour. 4. Then dip the chicken in the beaten egg. 5. Roll the chicken in the bread crumbs. 6. Heat olive oil and butter in shallow pan then put several breaded chicken and sautee both sides until golden brown. 7. After 15 minutes cut the chicken on an angle about 3/4" thickness. Put a side.

Rice Vinegraette Dressing

- 6 tbsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar available in Asian grocery store

- 3 tbsp. olive oil

- 2 tsp mayonaisse

- salt

Mix well all together.

{Note: Measurements of above are depends to your like. When the first time making this try to use a small amount first and then adjust to your like. I do not have the exact measurement on this salad dressing recipe. The taste is depend on your taste personally.} 
You can also use any of your favorite dressing. My husband Steven loves the Raspberry Vinegraette Dressing.

Raspberry Vinegraette Dressing
- 4 tbsp Italian Balsamic Vinegar
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp raspberry jam
- salt
Mix well all together. 
Again, adjust the measurement accordingly.

Mix Spring salad, apples, raisins, pistachio nuts and rice vinegraette dressing. Then arrange the chicken on top of salad.

******

Good Luck Everyone, and thank you for reading !

Dream Home Color Palette

Our house is on the market for almost 2 years now. We are definitely eager to move in to a more spacious home.

Selling a house is not as easy these days since the house market has gotten weak. Each day I am more and more anxious, dreaming and picturing in my mind what the house would be like; what is my studio would be like. I am excited but I would not lie that I am quite nervous each time people comes to see the house knowing after a working hard cleaning and tidy up that they will leave and never hear from them again. At the end I keep on telling myself; when the time comes then I will start thinking more seriously about the details, etc.

In the meantime I can only dreaming about the color palette of the living room, the bedroom, the kitchen and a little about my working area and studio. After all, it is good to dream and imagining things that makes you happy.

I fell in love with greyish and pewter color interior. So here are sample of color palette that I would like to see popping in my dream home.

Source: buknola

Source; BetterhomeandGarden

Source; decorpad

Source: Habituallychic

Source: Crushculdesac

Source: ThatinspirationalGirl

All of these interior rooms has one thing in common; they are all has  gold accent to the room. It can be a wall molding, a mirror frame, a chair frame, table lamp or a tray.  I think it adds glamor, elegance and drama to the room. I love gilded furniture as long as it is being displayed sparingly. The dominant colors are grey and white/cream.

These are definitely the colors I would like to see in my future dream house.

Good night ! And thank you for reading !

Our Love Cards Binding Book {DIY}

I was inspired by Something Turqoise DIY Card Mini Album to create my version of this lovely Cards Binding Book.

I have been collecting our 'Christmas, Valentine and Birthday' cards through out the years since we have been together.  And when saw this site  thought that I could make similar to keep those lovely cards together.

Here is a tutorial step-by-step on making what I called "Our Love Cards Binding Book.'

These are the basic supplies for this Card Binding Book

 

What you need,

- Varieties of craft art papers for cover and back.

- Card boards for front and back. I am using double water color paper cold press since I do not have card board.

- Scissor

- Hole puncher

- Ring binder {I purposely using large ring binder for this project thinking that I can add more cards for years to come.}

- Dot glue or stripe glue for paper craft making

- Ruler

- Your collection of cards

For the front cover

 Take the biggest size of collection cards and measure the size of the front and the back cover; leaving 1/4" edge around.

Since I do not have 'heavy duty hole puncher' I punched holes on each paper and carefully mark it so that they will line up with one another.

 Using stripe glue to join the two paper together {this is so the front and back cover will be strong and sturdy}

{Note; please do not mind of the paper I already used since it will be covered with other paper later on}

About a little more than half way down of the front cover glue a our design. I am using purple craft paper. {Again do not forget to punch a hole first before you glue them together}

Then glue another craft paper of your design to cover the bottom part of the front cover. The bottom paper must overlap and inch over the top paper. {Remember, the line between the top and bottom paper is where your ribbon is}

Back cover

Like the front cover, I am using double water color paper then cover with craft paper of your design.

Now cover with left over craft papers on the 'inside' of the front and back cover.

Creating antiquing on the edge of the covers

Mix  yellow ochre and black acrylic paint. Using sponge lightly dab the edge of both front and back cover.

Embellishments for the front cover

 - Glitter craft lettering

- Brats

- Ribbon

- Miniature metal frame for scrapbooking

- Tassles

- Small art stamp (Birds)

- Small glitter trimming {I decided not to use this !}

- Vintage cotton trimming

- 2 title embellishment that I created myself using tracing paper and a little drawing.

 - I printed a small of our picture together that fits on the miniature scrap booking metal frame

Using super glue, arrange and glue all of the embellishments on the front cover as per your design.

Putting ribbon on the back cover

 Line up together the front and back cover side by side and make a mark on the back cover where the line of two paper joined together on the front cover. That is where the ribbon will be placed.

Carefully make a hole through the ribbon and the back cover by using x-acto knive. You might want to place an old magazine or foam board underneath so you will not damage the surface you are working on.

 Now that both front and back cover are finished; start putting the cards together in the ring binder start with the back cover, cards and last the front cover. {You might want to insert the tassle amongst the cards}

And last, tye the ribbon together.

Which one do you like best? The one with the black tasle or the light purple one ?

I wanted to stamp two love birds but  one did not come out good. I am planning to do something else to cover up the flaw. But I will do it some other time.

All materials are available at Michael

I am so sorry that this is a quite long post with so many pictures.

I am happy the way 'Our Love Cards Binding Book' turned out to be.

Thank you !

Sunday Interior Arte & Collage Journal

This is an interior and decor collage journal idea about blue and white oriental ceramic vases.

What I love about this particular interior is the white furniture setting where this lovely vases being displayed. The over all look is just lovely, clean and elegance !

Rows of urns holding flowers placed on a long wooden rustic table caught my eyes when flipping an interior magazine one day. A set of varieties style of wooden chairs than added a unique, cohesive and elegance to this dining room. I can feel the playfulness 'not so serious' style of the owner when putting together an interior of this room. {Last seen here}

More of beautiful, creative and lovely art journal collage !

Source: ohgollygosh

Source; The Creative

Source ; wild goose chase

I am definitely crazy making and creating these type of journals. There is so many creative ideas that you can go about to create these lovely treasures. I am planning to make one from  traveling, art, nature (like the above)

I can picture these journals will be tucked away somewhere for many years and I am imagining that one day my grand children will be inspired by them.

Have you written a journal lately ?

Thank you for stopping by ?

Have a lovely week end, Everyone !

A little vacation & surgery trip !

So I hugged my wonderful, kind and caring Dr. John Chang (Vascular Surgeon) when he told me that he is going to send me to Dartmouth Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire to get the surgery done. This procedure is much less invasive than the initial open surgery. It is 'endovascular' procedure. A relative new state of the art procedure to fix aorta and arteries.

We had a week end to explore north part of New Hampshire bordering South Vermont. And what a lovely place this area was ! The weather was so lovely; hot summer day during that particular week end. I fell in love with this area ! Lush green rolling hills covered with all kinds of wild flowers. Just lovely !

Cottage houses situated on the foot hills hiding behind a beautiful green foliage of trees surrounded by beautiful gardens with colorful flowers. I was dreaming owning a small shabby chic cottage here. I was wondering; what is my husband would say about this ? Perhaps one day !

I felt like being on a vacation far a way from New York and the fact is only 5 hours driving by car to get there. I felt so peaceful driving around and just looking out the window car seeing the serene scenery. We are planning  to  come back  next summer and perhaps rent a place for a week.

What I love most are the flea markets and the antique stores. I was just like a kid in a candy store. Here we  bought 10 vintage bottles for USD 3.00 and 12 vintage milk glass bowls for USD 3.00. They were displaying on the table {as seen on picture, a wrapped glass bottles on the empty table} so we bought them all. I figured I could use them for projects and props for a photo shoot. Oh yeaaa......!!

The two times surgeries went very well. What a cheerful and peaceful way to go on a surgery and as a result the next morning after the procedure I walked around the hospital hall way. And 2 days later I was discharged.

My Vascular Dr. John Chang in New York  kept on calling me in the hospital room just to make sure I was alright. And Dr. Richard Powell who did the surgery was ever so kind taking care of everything I need during the  4 days hospitalized in Dartmouth Medical Center, New Hampshire. 

I feel like the most luckiest and special person on earth to have received these treatments from people and Dr (s) around me. 

I am feeling at ease, healthy and happy now and looking forward to a bright future doing what I love most and be the best of what  I can be.

Thank you for reading !