Best Homemade Playdough

It's all about Children,

Children... they are in fact who always wiser and more mature than us, the parents.

They are actually who teaching and mentoring us to be a better person everyday.

No matter how bad we are as their parents, they are always be the best children we ever have.....

We owe to them always... Children who everyday become the victim from how bad we control and manage our own emotion.

The children who burnt by residue of our incompetence for trying to be an adult human being.

Actually the children who suffer and endure the consequences of worst days we made day by day...

The children who probably sacrificed their future just because we couldn't contrive our own.

But they are still laughing and giving us so much love.. They always make our life happy and bright.

Assalamu'alaikum..... Merhaba from Turkey....

Cold and mostly cloudy and rainy days.. sunny and warm day outside no longer there accompany our kids playing outside the house. My kid is pretty much active and easy to get bored in something, so outdoor activity is her favorite thing to do. But this mid fall when raining almost everyday make her outdoor activity (mostly in playground) become muddy and wet.. I don't mind the dirty part... but when it follow by illness and flu after it...that makes me try to keep my daughter stay inside for a while.

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Homemade pumpkin Puree

Selam everybody.....Merhaba from Turkey....

Today I'll share my homemade pumpkin puree. Maybe because pumpkin pie or anything using pumpkin puree is not popular dessert/dish here in Turkey, canned pumpkin puree is not something easily to find here. 
So this makes an advantages for me living here, I can learn making anything from scratch. Just like I make my Indonesian food e.g tofu and tempeh and many other more--things I never made before in my life when I was living in my homeland!

So here I am today make my own pumpkin puree. I found pumpkin is in season this fall.... since I live in Turkey I learnt about what fruits, vegetables or fish available on farmer market base on it's season. I made a list here too.

Living in four season country adjust me on some new skills and knowledge.. of course I enjoy it as much as I love living in my own homeland. While something in season here the price is cheap so I learnt to store things in season now and keep in my freezer--but of course with certain long life for consuming.
Just like this pumpkin now. I make them puree and store in my freezer so I have ready use pumpkin puree anytime I need it.

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Season table list for fruits vegetables and fish in Turkey

Month	Fruits	Vegetables	Fish
Jan	Apple, pear, quince, pomegranate, banana (local), orange, grapefruit, lemon and citrus family	Celery, cauliflower, cabbage (white and red), broccoli, carrots, turnips, beetroot, leeks, spinach, kale, radish (white - red - black)	Mackerel, bluefish, sea bream, bonito, mackerel, mullet, anchovies, çinekop (small bluefish), mullet, red.
Feb	Apple, pear, quince, banana (local), oranges, grapefruit, lemons	Celery, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, turnips, beetroot, leeks, spinach, kale, radish (white - red - black)	Shield, red mullet, sea bream, mackerel, salmon, flounder, (mackerel, bluefish and bonito)
Mar	Apple, banana (local)	Broccoli, carrots, turnips, beetroot, leeks, spinach, kale, radish (white - red - black)	Mullet, sea bass, halibut, mullet,
Apr	Green plum, raw almond/ çağla (almond) çağla . pict from Marmaris agaclar	Fresh onions, fresh garlic, asparagus, green beans, smartweed, purslane, samphire, poppy, tangled, the crocus, hibiscus, mustard, dandelion, nettle, dandelion, radish sprouts, the Cnicus, wild spinach	Shield, coral, sea bass, swordfish, red sea bream, mullet
May	yeni dünya,   Green plum, almond (almond), yeni dünya / "malta eriği" , strawberries, blackberries yeni dünya	green/ spring onions, fresh garlic, asparagus, green beans, artichokes, baby carrots, grape leaves, smartweed, purslane, sea böğrülce, the weasel, tangled, the crocus, hibiscus, Haradalen, dandelion, nettle, dandelion, radish sprouts, blessed thistle, wild spinach	Sea bass, red mullet, flounder, mullet, swordfish, red, scorpion fish
Jun	Green plum, yeni dünya, strawberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, mulberries, blackberries, raspberries	Fresh onions, fresh garlic, asparagus, fresh beans (until the middle of the month), artichokes, baby carrots, grape leaves, purslane, lamb with spinach, green beans, peas, zucchini, okra, black-eyed peas, pepper, bell pepper, cucumber	seabeam family, sea bass, red mullet, mullet
Jul	Apricot, peach, yellow plum, cherry, raspberry	Green onions, fresh garlic, purslane,  green beans, peas, zucchini, okra, chinese long bean, pepper, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, eggplant, bean, green pepper, carrots ,	Sardines, mullet,
Agts	Apricot, peach, cherry, red plum, damson plum, raisins, sunflower, wild pear,	Purslane, zucchini, green beans, okra, black-eyed peas, pepper, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, eggplant, bean, green pepper, carrots	Gypsy bonito, sardines, swordfish, coral, sea bream, dentex fish,
Sept	Red plum, damson plum, raisins, sunflower, wild pears, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, apples, olives, blackberries, cranberries, rosehips, black currant	Pumpkin, pepper, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, eggplant, bean, green pepper, carrots, turnips, mushrooms	Sardines, swordfish, bonito, bluefish, sea bream, red fish
Oct	Raisins, peanuts, apples, olives, blackberries, cranberries, rosehips, black currant, hawthorn, blueberry, walnut, pear, banana (local), grapefruit, tangerines, lemons	Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, black carrots, turnips, mushrooms, spinach, jerusalem artichoke, leek, cabbage (red and white), radish (white - red - black)	Bonito, bluefish, mackerel, swordfish, anchovies, sardines,
Nov	Grapes, apples, olives, cranberries, rosehips, black currant, hawthorn, blueberry, walnut, pear, banana (local), grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, pomegranates, quince,	Carrots, turnips, spinach, sweet potato, leek, cabbage (red and white), radish (white - red - black), red beets, turnips, kale, pumpkin, celery, cauliflower	Bonito, bluefish, mackerel, swordfish, anchovies, sardines, tuna
Dec	Apple, pear, banana (native), grapefruit, lemons, pomegranates, quince, orange, orange family	Carrots, turnips, spinach, sweet potato, leek, cabbage (red and white), radish (white - red - black), red beets, turnips, kale, pumpkin, celery, cauliflower	Mackerel, bluefish, bonito, tuna, mullet, anchovies, sea bream

* Dill, lettuce, parsley, mint, arugula, watercress, chard available in four season

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Yayla Çorbası (Turkish yogurt soup)

Selam..... Merhaba from Turkey...

Getting cold here in my town, feel hesitate doing outdoor activities.... for me of course I don't mind at all stay inside and do my daily housework... but with one very active kid, going out to park / playground is a must even not everyday though.... No matter how much I try to make her busy doing thing inside she still gets bored easily. I wish we live in like my homeland...where kids could play outside on alley safely. Neighbors watch each other to their kids....  

Well.... no complaint about where I live or where I wish to live in.... I am just grateful what I have now and enjoy my life with my family here.....
And for these chill days.. I always try to make something that can comfort us e.g soup. Many kind of soup in Turkey, and like other 4 seasons countries each season has it's own comfort soup.

And my today post is Yayla Çorbası or "highland meadow" soup. The name of Yayla took from word "yaylalar" or high mountains meadows in northern of Turkey where grazing is at its best and high quality yogurt and dairy products abound. In Turkey, this soup is considered a good menu to fight cold because it has mild and minty flavor which easy and light for your stomach.

So if you want to have healthy and comfort soup during your chill days here I share my yayla Çorbası recipe. I like my yayla Çorbası has light and not really thick. So if you compare with other recipes mine has less rice and flour in certain amount of stock (about 1,2 lt). But if you want to go with thicker soup, you may reduce the stock/ broth. And with 2 egg yolks I guarantee you'll have best creamy and yummy yayla Çorbası 

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Gingersnap cookies recipe

Merhaba from Turkey..

Today is cookies day for my family.... It's like almost more than 3 months since last Eid al-fitr I didn't make any cookies. So today I'll refill my empty cookie jars which are stored clean in my cupboard for these few months (^,^)

And for this fall I choose spicy cookies ginger bread cookies cause I think it's suit with this season. For today I make gingersnap use Alton Brown's recipe in FoodNetwork. I made this cookies before this and it was turn great. I like more crunchy version than chewy one. For more crisp and crunchy texture for this recipe said you can add more baking time.

You can check my other version of gingersnap here.

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Bal Kabağı Tatlısı (Turkish Pumpkin Dessert)

Selam everybody.... Merhaba from Turkey...

What's in season now? 

Red-orange color?

Apples?

Thick and colorful sweater?

Pumpkin?

Hard blowing wind?

In my house, it's " flue with cough season".... so sad. Autumn always comes with those seasonal sickness. 

First person who brought it from outside was (like always) my husband. Maybe because he's the only one in our house who interact with many people outside. So he is easily infected (maybe) from somebody outside there then my kid can not far away from her father whenever he's in home... So you can guess who's gonna get next..

  

With two sick people around me I MUST stay healthy... I think every mom MUST stay fit and healthy all the time (^,^) .. if you understand what I mean.. A mom is like everything is her family. Mom is a chef, accounting, laundry and cleaning department, baby sitter... you mention it... a mom is a motor who must work 7/24 ... Imagine if that motor broken....

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Tavada Böreği / Borek pastry in pan

"Start your day with good breakfast"

Selam everybody... Merhaba from Turkey....

Are you a mom who always wandering around the web or cookbooks looking for rich, quick and healthy breakfast variety everyday? 
With a growing kid around the house, no wonder if you are in situation like that. Especially my kid is "no same meal in a raw" type... You know what I mean?

Different from my husband, he likes to have egg almost everyday for is breakfast, no matter just boiled egg, omelet, with sücük (Turkish spicy sausage).... just egg enough for him.

And this tavada böreği (borek pastry cook on pan) is now become my new list for quick breakfast idea. It's easy and fast to prepare yet freshly yummy. 
As other typical turkish börek you can vary the filling with anything you like such as, potato, spinach, any kind of cheese or even minced meat.

But for easy and quick version I just use cheese and filling, optionally you can add chopped parsley as well.

Serve 4~6 portion.

Ingredients:

• 3 phyllo sheets (for börek pastry)
• 300 ml milk
• 2 Tbsp yoghurt
• 1 large egg
• 100 ml sunflower oil
• 100 gr butter, melted
• salt and pepper to taste
• Crumbled cheese, either ricotta or white cheese
• margarine/ butter for brush the pan

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Resep Tahu Tek khas Surabaya (Surabaya style Tofu in peanut sauce)

Resep dalam Bhs Indonesia ada di bagian bawah













Selam.... Merhaba from Turkey....

You know, Indonesia has many many traditional food and each regions or city has their own typical food as well. 

And my today post is "Tahu Tek" , it's one of Indonesian traditional meal originally from Surabaya city-East Java. Tahu means tofu in Indonesian language. People call "tahu tek" maybe because the seller (mostly mobile traditional street vendor, we call it "gerobak") make a typical noise sounds  " tek..tek..tek..tek" very loud and shrilly along kampoong/ alleys. That sound comes from the wok clink with fork or spatula by the seller to get attention.

Surabaya is "the home" of "tahu tek" . You can find this food seller more than 2 or 3 sellers almost at the same time in same alley, it's different from in other city. You should go to a certain place where one seller have open a stall.

The typical of "tahu tek" is they use scissors instead of knife to cut everything during the serving with a very noisy sound they make...clak...clak...claakk. (^,^)

Another unique thing about this "tahu Tek" is they only sell this food only at night, in many kampoong/ alleys you probably can meet this "tahu tek" seller upper 8 or 9 pm. I have no idea why...but for me (also for my families) the taste would be different if you eat it at noon or morning... This tahu tek kick your appetite when it ate beyond 9 pm or even midnite! it's REALLY... ! So I call it "midnite snack" (^,^)

I am original from Surabaya..so I know almost everything about this my favorite food (^,^) 

poto sent by my sister

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