Maftool From Heaven...

Today, me and husbandi are fasting, for it's the 9th of Muharram, and God's willing, we'll do it tomorrow too, the 10th of Muharram. Anyways... yesterday, I warned jeeej that I wont be making food to break fast, because I work the whole day today and I don't have time to cook, we decided to get some food from outside, and since we leave from work tired, It's more likely to just get fast food.

Before my manager -from Egypt- left, he came to my cubicle, carrying some disposable food container -I don't know what it's called :p-
He asked me: Do you cook for your husband?!
I said: yes! But not today!
He said: Why?!
Me: Because we are fasting:)
Manager: Does he like your cooking?!
Me: he LOVES it:p
Manager: You know coscos?!

Now the smell of food in his hands was is the air ;p

Me: YES, it's maftool!!
Manager: I don't know, we call it coscos...This coscos, is made by "someone good" and would like you to have it!!!!!! Would you accept it?!?!

Me with myself: OH YESSSS YESSSSSSSSSSSS....YYYYYYESSSSS...profissional Arabic cooking!! finalllyyyyyyy...and one of my favourites too:)))

Me speaking to him: Yes, with pleasure :))) hehehe...thank you very much brother:)

So, Jeeej is at work now, dreaming of the yummi maftool from heaven we are having tonight!

P.S. : Nourty, you are invited ;pppp

Acura TL or Honda CR-V???

Ok so I'm talking to a friend at work who is talking about the place he used to work at (an Acura dealership) and I tell him how I want this car they have there that just came out (Acura TL type S) and how if I could get a lease for the payment I want (which is very low) that I would have it now. Before I can say another word he's calling his friend who still works at Acura and 5 minutes later his friend says he can do it for LESS!?!?!?! I was shocked because being in the business and having done my homework already it is a very good deal!


Here's where the tricky part comes in; Not 2 days ago I told Wifey that I was thinking of selling my car to get us a new Honda CR-V (which is her dream car) since my current car is a stick shift and she refuses to learn how to drive it. I had wanted the Acura but decided against it 'cuz I was sure it was going to cost us too much, until today wooohoooooooo! On further analysis I found out that the insurance is actually cheaper for the TL (which is odd since it's a sports sedan) but all in all, it would cost more to get it over the CR-V since its a lot more car.


So on the one hand we can save a little bit of money with lesser car and happy Nido :( or we pay a little more and we get alot more car and happy Jeeej :D:D:D Bare in mind she would be happy with this car just not as happy. And I kinda of think it's ok since I'm giving up my sporty stick shift to accommodate my bride. What would you do?




P.S. any one want to buy a brand new Honda Accord ;P

Pan's Labyrinth

I do NOT regret watching Pan's Labyrinth, a unique experience, incredible movie, amazing masterpiece, terrific acting, breathtaking scenes!!!! BUT....would rather not watch such movies again:)

Husbandi liked it & said: it's one of the bluntest movies I have ever seen!!!

I got it!!

well, not yet! It's on the way though:) The test -yesterday- went really well and the instructor was friendly, unlike the scary guys in uniform who made me fail twice back home...

Now, all i can do is wait for my prince to get me my dream car:))))))))) I can do that!!!

Alo! Chef mama?!

When we got engaged, a lot of my friends and relatives, congratulated jeej for picking me! ESPECIALLY because I have taken cooking classes...which means i can cook:) but what poor jeej didn't know was that I learnt how to make many dishes from some parts of the world, but the Arab one -HIS favourite!-... I kept asking him not to believe them, but he thought I'm just being modest...Oh well...I tried to be honest, but...

The biggest challenge was getting married a couple of days before Ramadan, and what made it even harder was moving away from home, which means, no more mama's cooking to fill our stomachs:(

We both like variety in food...and for Ramadan, it's better to start with soup, some salad and then the main dish...and if you are lucky enough, you get a decent dessert... and guess what?!! all has to be ready by prayer's time!!! for both of us, those last several minutes were the craziest ever! I still remember that every single day, I kept reminding myself to start 15 or 20 minutes earlier next time, to have everything ready on time...that wasn't easy at all...some times it worked well, really well, I have to admit!

I always thank God for having 24 hours connection to the Internet right here and back home AND for having Chef mama! So whenever I have a question about a recipe or if I had an emergency, I'd simply ask the chef :) and she's been always there for me! time difference between us made it hard sometimes...but no complains...she's doing great and I'm still learning:)

I'm still filling the wedding scrap book I have and on one of the pages -Highlights from our first year of marriage-, they ask us a question:
What's the biggest surprise?!
jeej: I was surprised that Nido doesn't REALLY know how to cook!!!
well, he likes what I cook after i get the instructions ;)
as for husbandi, to be honest, he really knows how to cook, and when he fixes us dinner, it's a BLAST! especially his steaks! I heard a lot about them before marriage but never got the chance to try them until later!

So far, I've cooked mahashi, malfoof, grilled chicken, sayadeyyeh -thanks to summer and maha- , magloobeh, dawood basha, sawani aaaand mansaffff!!! but no jameed, not yet! only low fat yogurt, sorry Jordan:p
When it comes to dessert, this site is the best!
Our very first home made meal here was Green beans in tomato sauce, served with white rice:) Big mess, but fantastic taste:)

I enjoy cooking, a lot! and I want to keep learning! No matter how much time or effort it takes, it just makes me happy and I have to confess that without Chef mama & husbandi's help, acceptance and support, I wouldn't have become the CHEF I am today:ppp

The Hitcher.

IF you have watched "The Hitcher" already...I'm sorry:( IF not...STAY AWAY! horror movie?! NOoo!!
A stupid one...

On the other hand, make sure you watch "Perfuuuuuuume"

Thanks for trusting me:)

No quitting this time!!

Since graduating from university, I've never had a full time job for more than a month! if I don't like it I just leave it! On the other hand, I always enjoyed having a part time job, or a job where I can build it's schedule by myself!
So, as far as I remember, I have never signed a contract with a company I worked for! Maybe that's why it was easy to leave whenever I wanted, or maybe I left because I never enjoyed it, especially because it was never related to my educational background...

People around me were always against my behaviour, saying that my C.V will never look appropriate, ever! But who cares...I just want to enjoy what I do...otherwise, it would be a waste of time, less productivity and undeserved salary!!

The funny and nice thing about most of the -SEVEN- jobs that I had since 2004 was dealing with kids, I always enjoy having them around, and bringing action to their lives, I don't mind their craziness or the chaos they cause...it makes me smile!

yesterday i signed a contract! YES! I FINALLY DID! a part time job, and again, related to kids! Although I'm the office manager, but all for kids...This time, little Muslim ones from all over the world:) I find myself spending time with them during their breaks or prayer times more than the time in front of my computer at my cubicle...It's so much fun there...and I only get to see them twice a week;)

This time...No quitting! i made a contract with them until June...so if it lasted until then...it's going to be a first!

...Nido, when was the last time you did something for the first time?!
- I signed a contract!! yyyyyyyyyyyyyessssssss!!!

Tagged:: 5 things you don't know about me...

I have been tagged by ramroom and actually it's the first time somebody tags me, I had to ask my friend
Dima about it's "concept" and so thank you Dima, you have been tagged!

So...here we go:
1- I always read the last page of any novel I get, even before deciding whether to buy one or not!
2- I'd prefer to watch the movie AFTER knowing exactly how it ends! might be similar to the first one, but I have to give 5 answers;)
3- I took a cooking course, for a whole year, but every single time i cook rice, it's a tragedy! sorry jeej:)
4- I can NOT drive a stick shift car...would not..wont ever do it:) I failed twice back home to get my license, and the third time, I got it ONLY because my uncle knew someone there!
5- I spent a whole year letting my sisters and my friends cut my hair the way they want...i even allowed my fingers to do it twice!!

that was fun:) thx ramroom! I tag anyone who might be interested...

Captain Ward

When I was a little girl, I preferred watching captain Rabih over captain Majid kids' show. I still don't understand why my little brother Ward is so much taken by captain Majid, maybe it's because they still show it on kids channels. I recall how excited he got when I got him captain Majid's perfume from Riyadh, although it smelled like water melon...

Recently he has been asking for the captain's t-shirt...Me and husbandi looked around but didn't find it and decided to make it myself! I bought the white t-shirt, and the iron on numbers, and did it all! I just cant wait to see him wearing it...I hope he'll like it as much as I liked and enjoyed making it:)

it's just so hard for anyone in my family to ever say no to his requests, why should we?! ;)

Cutting the TIE?!

Yesterday, i was supposed to cook my first -mujaddara-, but husbandi called and asked me not to, for he'll eat at work. He came back home late carrying pizza for dinner AND was starving. He decided to eat before even changing his clothes.

I was preparing myself to start eating while he was starring at me with a strange smile on his face! I said: why don't you at least take your tie off before you start! more comfortable! he asked: do you notice anything?.

-No, I don't...wait a minute...OH MY GOD! your tie!!!! it's cut! from below!! what happened?? ...

I started to panic...who or what did this to you??? tell me!
He laughed and said: IT'S A TRADITION! when you sell your first car at your new job, this is what happens! the other part is given to the customer!

That was amazing! such things can never be forgotten! I'm going to save his part forever! We both were thankful it wasn't one of his favourite ties;)

I remember long time ago, at my father's work, back in Jordan, similar traditions would take place, such as throwing someone into a big hole of mud!! either because of failing a flying test or because of passing it, can't really remember, but was fun to watch!

Finally...

I finally have my own blog!! what was holding me back is that when I write a letter, an e-mail or in my diary book, it's so hard for me to stop,,,so I thought this blog would be the worst and the most boring one!
and then I was chatting with my friend M and she made me think about it in the other way, saying that this might be the good reason behind amusing blogs...and then husbandi said that whenI write here, I should not be thinking of what others would be saying or commenting, for what I write will be my thoughts and moments to treasure and preserve!

I -deep inside- believe that one day i will be thanking myself for doing this, and wondering: why haven't I done this earlier...

to my husband, family, friends and people all around...
enjoy reading ME:)