among the most famous winter comfort food in the Arab Emirates, there are few variations that depend on the type of produce, some use carrots and in my home town pumpkins are very popular.

ingredients :

1 1/4 c whole wheat flour

250 g pumpkin (fresh or canned )

4 c water

1/2 cup sugar

50 g butter

saffron

cardamom

to prep the pumpkin:

either boil it, or roast it in a hot oven until soft and mash it , but my fav way is to microwave it for 5 mins on 600W. of course if you are using the canned variety you’ve just made life easier, enjoy the extra free time

Method:

toast the flour in a dry pan over a medium heat until it turns golden in color, set it aside

in the same pot mix in the water , mashed pumpkin, saffron and cardamom, stir it a little and wait until it heats and starts to simmer.

add the flour in 4 batches and mix vigorously to blend it in completely, once all the flour is added stir the mixture for at least 30 mins so the flour cooks, the gruel will thicken a lot

add the sugar and butter, and taste to check sweetness, you might want to add more sugar .

serve warm, this is typically enjoied with arabic coffee

I almost gave up on making melon-pan at home, I tried 3 times before and the results weren’t even edible. Because I’m impatient  wouldn’t knead the dough enough, or the cookie shell won’t be rolled thin enough.

In my defence, my trials were during the time my first son was 2, now my situation is much better, he’s 3 and I have another baby , so baking is such a joyful stress-free activity (or so I keep telling myself)

this recipe is a translated version in cookingpad.com, it will make 6 huge breads or 12 normal sized ones.

for the bread:

300g flour ( I used regular all purpose flour, but it is recommended to use bread flour)

pinch of salt

50g sugar

30g butter , cold and cubed

1 medium egg

50 ml milk

80 ml water

1 tsp dry yeast

for the cookie shell:

230g flour

1 tsp baking powder

100g butter

1 medium egg

80g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp matcha (optional)

start by activating the yeast, mix the water and milk for the bread and heat it until it’s body temperature, then add the yeast and leave it for 10 mins.

now let’s make the cookie shell, cream the butter with sugar, add the egg and combine , mix in the vanilla

fold in the flour and baking powder (and the matcha if you’ll use it) in two parts, knead the dough until it comes together, wrap it in cellophane and chill in the freezer while you make the dough

whisk the egg and the liquids then add the dry ingredients little by little, the dough should be a bit sticky, add the cold butter and knead the dough until it’s very smooth, let it rise in a warm place for at least 40 mins or until it double in size.

divide the bread dough and the cookie dough to equal number, and then shape the bread dough into balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.

roll the cookie dough thin and cover the bread dough ball, and with a sharp knife score the cookie shell, set the bread to rise for 40 minutes.

bake it for 18 minutes in a 180C oven.

Note: this video might help in the bread shaping part

I love cinnamon rolls, my kids love to have them for breakfast, lunch and as a snack. If I could I would make a batch every day but it takes more time than I like, so when I came across this I was happy to find a way to get something that will taste the same in under an hour.

This recipe is fantastic, the cake tastes exactly like a cinnamon roll, but feels a little healthier (?) because I can control the amount of topping to add, I probably use half the amount next time and see how it’ll turn out.

Cinnamon roll cake (adapted from easy crumb cake)

for the cake

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 tsp powdered cloves

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

for the topping

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup flour

50 g cold butter

To make the cake: whisk the wet ingredients with the sugar until well mixed, add the dry ingredients and  mix until the flour disappears.

to make the topping: mix all ingredients, due to the amount of butter the mixture won’t be crumpley, but it’s ok it’ll melt in the oven

pour the cake batter in a greased cake tray and try to distribute the topping equally on the top, bake it in a 170C oven for 25-30 minutes.

Love to sit and watch:

Title:Usaru San, うさるさん

Production:  Media Factory

Airing: Oct 3rd (Sat)

Links: Official

ANN: –

Seiyuu:Sayaka Nakaya, Amina Satō (AKB48 members)

I love bunnies, and monkey-suit-wearing bunnies are the best XD

[Read about the rest after the cut]

Title: Kobato, こばと

Production: Madhouse Studios

Airing: Oct 6th (Tue)

Links: Official, ANN

ANN:Kobato is a young girl that for unknown reasons, needs to fill a mysterious bottle with the feelings of people with a heart in pain, for that she needs to “Cure” other people’s hearts and make them happy, but this could become even more difficult than she thought.Her companion for this task is a grumpy plush dog she calls Ioryogi-san

Seiyuu:Kana Hanazawa, Tetsu Inada, Miki Shinichiro, Fumiko Orikasa

Sounds like fun, and I like how CLAMP designed the main characters outfits, since I read about it in “New Type Romance” I’ve been waiting to get any news about this.

Title:Darcker Than Black :Ryūsei no Gemini, DARKER THAN BLACK 流星の双子

Production: BONES <3<3<3

Airing: Oct 8th (Thu)

Links: Official, ANN

ANN:Two years have passed since Hei and Yin escaped the Syndicate after the events of the first season. Making their way to Russia, Hei encounters a young girl named Suou Pavlichenko, whose family is gradually pulled into the war between contractors and various intelligence factions. Meanwhile, Misaki Kirihara has quit her position in Foreign Affairs to begin her own investigations into Hei, the Contractors and the Syndicate.

Seiyuu:Hidenobu Kiuchi, Kana Hanazawa, Kenta Miyake

Finally, hope this time it will be as great as the first one. In the trialer Hei looks so XD~~~~ with longer hair and cooler moves. Because of my undying love for BONES I’m willing to waste some time watching this

Title:Kuroshitsuji, 黒執事

Production:

Airing: TBA

Links:

ANN:

Seiyuu:The same I think, OnoD and Maaya Sakamoto

I’m waiting for this since the ending of the first season was a HUGE cliffie, and alos to hear ” Yes, My Master”

Will check out:

Title: Miracle Train ~Ōedo-sen e Yōkoso~, ミラクル☆トレイン～大江戸線へようこそ～

Production: Yumeta Production

Airing: Oct 4th (Sun)

Links: Official, ANN

ANN: –

Seiyuu:Big names like: Hiroshi Kamiya, Hiro Yuki Yoshino (XO),Ryotaro Okiayu, Disuke Ono, Akira Ishida, Tomokazu Sugita  aaand Fujiwara Keiji 

Arugh, sounds Awful but I will check it out just because of the cast list

Title: So-Ra-No-Wo-To, ソ・ラ・ノ・ヲ・ト

Production:  A-1 Pictures Inc

Airing: 2010 Jan

Links: Official , ANN

ANN: –

Seiyuu:Yuu Kobayashi, Aya Endo, Eri Kitamura

I don’t know what is it about yet, but I know that I like the character design and the whole feeling of it

Title:Kaicho wa Maid Sama, 会長はメイド様！

Production:

Airing: TBA

Links: Official , ANN

ANN:In a high school recently turned from all-boy to coed, Misaki Ayuzawa, chairwoman of student council, battles “stinky and dirty” male students every day to protect the few (20%) females in school. Off campus, she works hard at a maid café to supplement the income of her household (as well as leftover foods) after her father had deserted the family — whose action contributed to her hatred toward males. However, Takumi Usui, a handsome guy (and a heartbreaker of many girls) accidentally found out her double identities. She thought the entire school would know by the next morning, yet he kept her secret away from others, making her even more suspicious of his motives.

Seiyuu:Rie Tanaka, Hiro Shimono <3, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Tomokazu Sugita, Yuuichi Nakamura

I remember years and years ago I read the first few chapters promising myself to go back and read the rest, it’s a very funny story and quite original… may I add that the cast includes very fav seiyuus of mine XDDD

Title:Dhurarara!!, デュラララ!!

Production:  Brains Base

Airing: TBA

Links: Official, ANN

ANN: –

Seiyuu:Ono Daisuke, Hiroshi Kamiya, Fukuyama Jun

The Other Story form the [BACCANO!] writer, it should be good, he writes the best characters XD

Side notes: Fujikei role count = 1

you can find the original recipe [here]

P.S: I find adding the salt and colouring to the egg custard before mixing it with the egg whites much easier

penne pasta with sasuges in chili and tomatoe sauce, chesse twist and club chocolate bar

no matter what I do, pasta bento tends to look super ugly ToT

Pasta salad, crispy chesse stick and chocolate +strawberry pudding

ah~ I think I like having breakfast food for lunch XD

Chocolate breakfast cereal, chocolate cupcakes, strawberries and of course milk

TwT star shaped pancakes (ah I can live on the stuff, and I ate the heart shaped ones before I took the pic XP) and tamagoyaki

since I weren’t at my office today, I had my lunch out

Roast beef sandwich

and chocolate eclair and cafe creme