Dining Set

Finally got our dining set....no more meals on the floor! ....except for the occasional snack in front of our TV, erm...I mean PC.

Table from red apple and chairs, IKEA.


Matches our wall, eh? Check out the bottom interior of the table, stainless steel bars to support the tempered glass top or was it just design? Anyway, we love it!

The Tie That Binds - Kent Haruf

Bought this book on a warehouse sale, I think it was Popular, or was it Times? Wasn't looking for a specific title or author. Just love books. Anyway, did not expect it to be such an encouraging book (very much worth the price I paid).

The book really does explains the title. Ties. If you're one of those who thinks that you have a lousy family or that your parents and siblings are unlike family to you at all, then this is a good book to read.

I would think that most parents or more specifically fathers are not like one in this fiction. But what matters is that how his daugther could endure her entire life with such a father, sacrifying her own life and yet provides love and happiness for others.

Definitely a recommended read!

No Bake Granny Apple Cheesecake

Had 3 small Granny Apples left in my fridge and did not know else what to do with them. Been drinking apple juice for the past 2 weeks...yeah, they were too sour to eat, had to mix with some carrot juice.

Mum's birthday was around the corner and I've always wanted to make her a non-bake cheesecake. Just didn't know what flavour to do, already made blueberry, strawberry and Oreos....wanted to try something new. Found a recipe online but it was with eggs and ground cinnamon....didn't want any of these in the cake so I omitted them and modified the recipe a little...Granny Apple Cheesecake

Crust:
6 pieces Digestive biscuits
1/4 cup peanut butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Press firmly into a 8-inch springform pan( I used loose bottom type). Chill for 1 hour.

Apple-Cheese Filling:
1 tbsp gelatine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
500 gms Philly cream cheese
100 gms non diary whipped cream
2 large Granny Smith apples, pared, cored
and chopped into cubes (2 cups)

In a medium saucepan, combine gelatine with 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in milk and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in gelatine mixture. Stir in apple cubes. Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.

In a small bowl, whip non diary cream with icing sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into apple-cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Chill overnight or 8 to 12 hours until firm.

The cake turned out to be a bit wobbly, tasted weird at first (first time tasting chilled apple cheesecake, not sure what to compare to) but the recipe's definitely a keeper.