A Young One's Attempt to Make Cheesecake

Oreo Cheesecake

Click here for the recipe.

Oreo Cheesecake

This is a no-bake version that uses yoghurt and Oreo biscuits.  A wonderful way to refresh the biscuit quota of emergency stock in the Swallow's household.

OREO CHEESECAKE (serves 6 - 8)

Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients

2 packets Oreo chocolate creme biscuits (137 g each)
500 g cream cheese, at room temperature
150 g fine sugar
150 g plain yoghurt
Juice of 1 small green lime
3 tsp gelatine
1/4 cup boiling-hot water

Method

1. Remove the cream from the Oreo biscuits and set it aside.
2. Break up 12 single pieces of the biscuits into small pieces and set them aside.
3. Place the remaining biscuits into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and seal the bag.  Using a rolling pin, crush the biscuits into fine crumbs.  Pour the crumbs into a bowl.  Add the Oreo cream, which was set aside earlier, to the biscuit crumbs and mix well.  Pour and press the biscuit mixture into a springform pan.  Chill the biscuit mixture in the refrigerator.
4. Mix the gelatine with the boiling-hot water.  Set aside.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 5 minutes.  Add the sugar and continue beating the mixture until it is light and fluffy, about another 5 minutes.
6. Add yoghurt and beat the mixture again for another 2 minutes.
7. Add the lime juice and gelatine mixture (from step 4).  Mix well.
8. Using a spatula, mix one half of the broken pieces of Oreo biscuits (from step 2) into the cream cheese mixture.
9. Remove the biscuit base from the refrigerator.  Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the biscuit base.  Sprinkle the other half of the broken pieces of Oreo biscuits (from step 2) onto the cream cheese mixture.  Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours.
10. Serve cold.

Notes

This can be a parent-child project.  Young ones may enjoy crushing the biscuits, and licking the mixing bowl!

I Know Who Holds the Future

In Singapore, apart from sudden tremors following earthquakes in neighbouring Indonesia, the Swallow has not encountered the devastation that hit New Zealand and Japan recently.  Thus, even with the ample news coverage in the media, she was and is unable to fully understand the magnitude of suffering and loss.  With friends living in Christchurch and California (with a possible earthquake waiting to happen), she can only pray that they will continue to lean on the Lord for His grace, strength and comfort to go through any crisis that follow the natural disasters.

A couple of years back, the Swallow had spent time with several Christian mothers, sharing the joys and heart-breaks of parenting, and learning from each other how to bring their young ones up according to God's word.  One mother had shared how her young one was coping with teenage problems.  Thus it came as a shock when the news of his death came last year.  He had committed suicide.  When the Swallow attended the young one's funeral with several of the mothers, they were all at a loss for words.  What could they say?  The fear of every loving mother had been realized in this mother's life.  They could only share a hug and many tears with the sorrowing mother.

The Swallow had grieved over the loss of her plant a month back.  When one of her siblings sent her an SMS to check how she was feeling lately, the Swallow was able to say that she is coping with her loss.  She had chosen to look at the One who had first blessed her with a well-growing plant, instead of focusing on her loss and thus with His help, was able to overcome her grief and bitterness.

I KNOW WHO HOLDS THE FUTURE (author unknown)

I do not know what lies ahead
The way I cannot see
Yet One stands near to be my Guide
He'll show the way to me. **

**I know who holds the future
And He'll guide me with His hands
With God, things don't just happen
Everything by Him is planned
So as I face tomorrow
With its problems large and small
I'll trust the God of miracles
Give to Him my all.

I do not know how many days
Of life are mine to spend
But One who knows and cares for me
Will keep me to the end. **

I do not know the course ahead
What joys and griefs are there
But One is near who fully knows
I'll trust His loving care. **

Yes, the grief over a stolen plant can never be compared to the grief over the loss of a loved one. Nor can it be compared to the grief over the loss of one's home and heritage. However, the choice is the same for everyone who grieves. Choose to look at the Creator who made the heavens and the earth - He is a Surety and Help in times of trouble, or focus on the loss.

Psalm 91 : 14 - 16 (NKJV)
Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

Spicy Stewed Chicken

A simple and easy recipe to follow.  The Sweet Chilli Sauce can be made a day or two in advanced if pressed for time.

SPICY STEWED CHICKEN (serves 4)

Spicy Stewed Chicken

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Cashew nuts (optional)

Method

1. Marinate chicken drumsticks with 1 cup of Sweet Chilli Sauce, in a Ziploc bag, for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. Turn the bag over occasionally.
2. Pour everything into a non-stick pan and cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with cashew nuts (optional).

Notes

This recipe can be used for a BBQ, using chicken wings instead. Follow step 1, then grill over a white-ashed BBQ for about 30 minutes, turning the meat over occasionally to ensure a thorough cooking. If using drumsticks, cut the meat at the thickest part to check that it has been cooked properly.

Sweet Chilli Sauce

Eaten as a dip with Fried Popiah or other suitable fried food, this Sweet Chilli Sauce can also be used to marinate meat such as chicken or pork, then stewed in a non-stick pan over low to medium heat until the meat is cooked.

SWEET CHILLI SAUCE (makes about 2 cups)

Ingredients

• 400g palm sugar
• 400ml water
• 5 chilli padi
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 4 tbsp hua tiow jiu
• 4 tbsp light soya sauce
• 2 thumb-sized knobs of fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper

Method

1. Put palm sugar and water together in a pot.  Bring to a boil over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.  This mixture is palm syrup
2. Meanwhile, blend chilli padi, ginger and garlic together.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until the mixture is well mixed.
3. When the palm syrup is ready, add the blended ingredients to it.  Continue boiling the mixture, over low heat until it has thickened, about 30 minutes.

Stewing Chicken in Chilli Makes for a Tasty Dish

Spicy Stewed Chicken

Click here for the recipe.

Almost Missed Them - Good Camouflage

Can you spot the pair of birds?

How Great Thou Art

The Swallow has been busy, busy, busy.  On top of the daily tasks and chores, often necessary and needful, which usually fill up the her days, the last couple of weeks have also been inundated with ad hoc projects that had put a strain on her time and energy.  Parenting issues and family's health issues had left her mentally and emotionally exhausted as well.  How does one cope when everything comes at once?

Looking back, the Swallow knows that it is only because her Lord God is the One who has given her the grace, the comfort and the sustenance to meet each day as it comes.  He is the One who has promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Hebrews 13 : 5, NKJV).  He is the One who has promised, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  (2 Corinthians 12 : 9, NKJV).

Her heart is filled with gratitude each time she ponders on the love the Lord God has for her.  Her soul is refreshed each moment she remembers that she is not alone.  There is One who has gone on before her, who never quit in His journey to the cross, and He is the One who is with her in this busy, exhausting, just-coping part of her journey in life.

Green Bird hiding in the tree

Pausing for some quiet moments beside her window this morning, she was distracted by some fluttering among the leaves of the tree outside the window.  She spotted two green birds, one of which was red-breasted.   A little while later, they hopped to a branch closest to the window and cuddled.  Then the red-breasted green bird flew off.  Having such a close-up view of the birds was a rare opportunity.  The closest ever was when some yellow birds did their birdsong in the trees.

A pair of Green Birds

The red-breasted green bird returned soon after, with a piece of twig in its beak.  Passing the twig to the other bird, it flew off again.  It returned again and again, each time with a piece of twig in its beak, and flew off again and again, each time following the same flight path.  The other bird would ruffle its feathers, make some cooing sounds, and place the twigs together.  A nest in progress?

Ten minutes later, both the birds flew off but left no nest, just some twigs hanging together by a thread and some beautiful memories for the Swallow.  It was a fresh reminder that if she takes time to be still before the Lord God, He will never fail to show how great He is and how wonderful He is!

HOW GREAT THOU ART by Carl Boberg (1859 - 1940)

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed!

(Chorus) Then sings my soul
My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burdens gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"