Homemade pita bread

I love pita bread with almost every dish and always try to have it fresh at my house but sadly I noticed it doesn't taste the same on the second or third day.  I knew that it wasn't that hard to bake but never really tried making it.  I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website and it seems very good.

• YieldMakes 8 pitas

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups warm water (100 degrees to 110 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for bowl

Directions

1. Pour water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle yeast over water, and stir to dissolve. Use the paddle attachment to mix in 1 1/2 cups flour. Cover bowl; let sit in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, until dough has doubled in bulk.
2. Sprinkle salt over flour and yeast mixture, and add olive oil and remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer dough to a floured work surface, and knead about 10 turns, forming a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 hours.
4. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Turn dough out onto a board, and cut in half. Cut each half into four pieces, and form each piece into a ball. Cover them loosely with a piece of plastic wrap to keep the dough from drying out. On a floured work surface, roll two balls into circles 7 inches in diameter and slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until puffed and light brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat, baking two pita breads at a time.

DIY Abaya in 2 hours Part II

Assalamu aleikum,
I really like my abaya that I made by combining a shirt and some material for the bottom part and sleeves.  It is very comfortable and perfect for summer since I don't have to wear an underskirt.
But after some experimenting I came up with this nice design that is even easier to do since I used the long sleeve shirt.

As you can see, I just added the bottom part and kept the upper part intact.  I used a very light lavender shirt that has really cute sleeves and added a dark jean material.  What I love about this abaya is that jean material is very hard to stain and wrinkle which makes it perfect for me being around kids all day long.  Also it is not hugging my shape and doesn't "stick" to me if the wind blows when I am outside.  Alhamdulillah.  

Try it if you get a chance and let me know what you think!

Muslim Cutie Baby Clothes

I love these wonderful baby onesies and T-shirts!  They have them in all different colors and sizes and seem very reasonable in price.  The clothes are made in Syria and last for a very long time.  My kids are wearing them and mashAllah they don't fade or wear out.  Its all Muslim business so you know you are supporting your fellow brothers and sisters alhamdulillah.
Check out their website and let me know what you think!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

I am not sure how familiar you are with the recent Oreo cookie controversy but I will update you on that issue.  June 25th is the day when gay men and women have parades all around the world and Oreo cookie issued this picture in support of the event.

I LOVE Oreo cookies and there is no better dessert that a cookie soaked in milk!  Now, I am very hesitant to buy them or even eat them because I feel, in a way, I will be supporting the gay parades.  So here is the recipe I found online and it seems pretty easy to make!  InshaAllah, that will satisfy my cravings :)

Oreo-style Cookies from Scratch (adapted from One Girl Cookies Bakery)

Chocolate Wafers

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon table salt

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 eggs

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter for 30 seconds. Stir them together and microwave an additional 30 seconds. Repeat this process until chocolate and butter have both melted.

Using either a hand-held mixer with the beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle, combine melted chocolate and butter, and mix on low speed for 20 seconds.

Add eggs one at a time and mix on low speed until fully combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Finish mixing with ingredients with a rubber spatula by hand.

Using two sheets of parchment paper roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

Refrigerate dough for one hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using a small round cookie cutter cut out as many rounds as possible and place one inch apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. You can reroll the scraps once.

Bake for five minutes, then rotate the pan in the oven and bake an additional five minutes.

When the cookies are cool enough to handle, fill with cream filling (see directions below). Set aside for 20 minutes while the filling firms up.

Cream filling

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 pinch table salt

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using either a hand-held mixer with the beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle, cream butter and salt at medium speed until light and fluffy

Add half the confectioner's sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.

Add vanilla and mix on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.

Gradually mix in remaining confectioners' sugar, holding some back until you reach the desired consistency. It should be smooth and spreadable, but not so runny that it will drip off the cookie.

Fill chocolate wafers with pastry bag fitted with small tip. You can also spread carefully with a knife or small spatula. A modest amount (about a teaspoon per cookie) is better so it doesn't squeeze out from between the wafers.

Cookies can be stored for up to one week in an airtight container.

DIY Abaya in 2 hours!

I found this wonderful idea on another website and decided to give it a try!  I mean, to make an abaya in just 2 hours seemed pretty impossible.  So I looked into it and I must say, if you have some sewing experience (and I don't mean a professional), then you will find this very helpful and useful inshaAllah.

So the picture above is what I ended up making!  Honestly, I love this abaya, because how light and durable it came out.  I used to have this long shirt (knee length) but I hated that it wrinkled so much and stained really quickly.  It was just hanging in my closet with no use.  I also had a maternity abaya, that was made of grey linen but alhamdulillah I had my baby and was not using it at all. After reading the instructions, I decided to put them 2 together.

 These are detailed pictures of the stitching and as you can see its not perfect (actually far from it) but it worked mashAllah!

 These are the pictures of the exact process.  You can use any shirt you have (preferably cotton) and that will be the top part of the abaya since it is the hardest part to sew. You simply mark the area below your chest and then add material to the bottom.

 Detailed picture of the front of the abaya (original post)

 Sleeves.  Here everything is simple too.  You cut your shirt sleeves a little bit shorter (maybe 2 in but it really all depends on your taste) and add the same material you used for the body of the abaya.  It will bring all of it together inshaAllah.

The original post had these pictures of the finished product and as you can see the author made her abaya's body start right at the chest line so its all your choice.

I hope you find this post useful and try it for yourself!  Please let me know if you have any questions!  Enjoy!

Fun Activity for Girls

If you have little girls, this activity  looks simple but yet so beautiful.  You can make these paper butterflies together and decorate her room.  You could also use them as decorations for your next festivity or a simple picnic in the park.

Outside Activity for Boys and Girls - Painted Rock Playset

Since I have two little boys, I constantly find myself cleaning their mess.  They LOVE getting into everything, reorganizing it and trying to figure out how things work alhamdulillah.  I found it alot easier on myself if I am outside.  There, they can dig in the dirt, play in the sand box, chase my poor cats, water the plants and do whatever else they find amazing! 

I have found this wonderful activity that I think they will love.  You can paint the rocks together and let them have a blast meanwhile teaching them colors, numbers, shapes, etc.