NadineDesGriffes's Xanga

Monday, April 13, 2009

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:36:53 GMT

Just a small sampling of what I've been up to...

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 02:13:52 GMT

hi. i heart mohammed meah.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:37:43 GMT

People who have played board games with me know that I am the absolute biggest cheater. I can't help it. I just don't see the fun in playing by the rules when the game itself is so frivolous. Everything else in life requires so much honesty and integrity - games by Parker Brothers, on the other hand, don't. If I'm not cheating, I'm being a sore winner (this includes trash talking, pointing and laughing, mockery, and patronizing). If I'm not winning, then I'm an even bigger sore loser, which involves a range of things such as overturning the game board, hiding the winning pawns, accusing the winners of cheating, and of course... cheating.

I can't blame myself for this behavior, however, because I recently discovered that my cheating-at-pointless-board-games trait is genetic. I was playing Sorry! with my 8-year-old sister the other day, and when it was my turn to draw a card, I overturned a card that I had not recognized. Instead of a Disney character instructing me to move 2, 3, or 4 spaces, I saw that I had chosen a homemade card... written in green highlighter, demanding me to move either 64 or 15 spaces. I peered up at Asma, upon whose face slowly grew a sly, guilty smile.

"Asma, what is this?" I asked accusingly.
"Oh, that's a special card. If I get that card, I get to move 64 spaces, and if you get that card, you have to go 15 spaces... backwards."
"What the... Why do you get to move 64 spaces?!"
"Um, because that's how many spots there are on whole board... so I would win, and you would lose!"

Yes, she actually counted the number of spaces all the way around the board, devised a new rule that would ensure her victory, and snuck these fraudulent cards into the actual game. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for using children's games as a way to teach kids honesty and fair play... but I have to say, I was quite impressed at Asma's strategic cheating. While I hastily swipe Monopoly money and accidentally knock over game pieces, Asma actually demonstrated a thoughtful, cunning maturity in her trickery. Maybe that's not a good thing, but she definitely made me proud.

On a separate, yummier note, we went blueberry picking in Michigan this weekend and picked 15 pounds of blueberries! Needless to say, I've been baking quite a bit...

Visions of Paradise

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 03:31:55 GMT

The other day I was watching a show called Visions of Scotland (very nerdy, yes). It was basically a beautiful helicopter tour of Scotland's landscape and castles narrated by a guy with a heavy Scottish accent and a chorus singing in Gaelic (or Latin... how would I know?). Subhan'Allah it was so impressive... lush, verdant green hills, majestic castles thousands of years old, rugged cliffs protruding into the North Sea. It looked so calm, so relaxing. I just looked at those stretching mounds of green and thought... wouldn't it be nice to just wander through the fields all day long? To live in a huge, rustic castle, sprawl out on the grass, and wade through a waterfall at a moment's notice? To not have any responsibility except laying out in the sun?

It hit me then, that subhan'Allah - that's what Jannah is. A place of peace, pleasure, and tranquility for all of eternity. No tasks, no responsibility, no struggles... just gardens under which rivers flow, mansions built upon mansions, rivers flowing with sweet wine unlike that in this world. Allah (swt) has prepared a great reward for the believers, and Allah's promise is true. This world is a place of work, toil, and struggle. We're planting our good deeds now so we can reap them later; this isn't the time to harvest. I'm reminded of the hadith where the Prophet (S) says, that Paradise is surrounded by hardship and Hell is surrounded by temptation. The way to Jannah is truly paved with work, good deeds, and submitting yourself before Allah (swt). And if we seek our reward in this life, then what will be left for us on that Day?

That little castle looks like a little Lego piece plopped on the side of this hill.

Instead of feeling tempted to live a life of luxury as I watch Visions of Scotland or any other gorgeous place on earth, I should just be reminded of what I'm truly working for - meeting Allah (swt) without any veil, and dwelling in tranquility in His permanent abode of Paradise.

Hmm... didn't mean to get all preachy there. I'm really just reminding myself, I suppose. For those wondering what's going on in my kitchen, here's the latest and greatest:

This is the real reason people are friends with me.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Mon, 12 May 2008 11:52:49 GMT

Topics Include:
Guarding the Gaze & Avoiding Haram
How to Survive School: A Guide for the Pious Muslim
Getting Married & Finding the Right Spouse
Parents and Children: Rights and Responsibilities
A Day in the Life of a Pious Family
Better Parenting

Darul Hikmah's Spring Retreat
Blueprints
Building a Muslim Community

Starting
Friday, May 16th (Asr), 2008
to
Sunday, May 18th (Zuhr), 2008
ICC Des Plaines | 480 Potter Road
Des Plaines, IL

Ideal worlds are built from ideal nations. Ideal nations are built from ideal communities. Ideal communities are built from ideal individuals. No different from a building, the ideal Muslim community is constructed from the bottom up. Every brick is critical to its stability and success. Every father, daughter, mother, and son, that resides in it plays a vital role in its preservation.

Influencing one’s social atmosphere is not easy, and yet, it is the sole solution to not only our communal problems, but also to our individual and private ones. How then should we build this utopian society, a society where friends and family bring us closer to Allah? What can we do as individuals to bring change in our lives and become solid bricks in the public foundation? Where do we start?

As Muslim children in a this society, what responsibilities do we have to our parents? What are our rights? As a Muslim husband or wife, what are our duties and responsibilities upon each other? As practicing Muslim students, how do we survive in public high schools and universities?

This retreat seeks to discuss the answers to these critical questions and lay out for every concerned believer the Blueprints for Building a Muslim Community.

Speakers Include:
Shaykh Junaid Kharsany
Shaykh Nabeel Khan
Hafiz Amir Toft
Imam Abdul Hakeem Dickenson
Imam Minhajuddin Ahmed
Shaykh Omar Hussaini
Shaykh Bilal Ali Ansari
Imam Azeemuddin Ahmed
Imam Khalid Herrington

Program Features:
Two-night Brothers Stayover
Sisters-only sessions
Q&A sessions
Babysitting Services Provided
Program is Free
Food is Free
Babysitting is Free
Open to Brothers and Sisters

Scabs

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:35:14 GMT

I've been eating these dried cranberries lately. They're pretty ingenious - they're real fruit and they're good for you, yet they taste like fruit snacks. What's not to love? Nayela says they look like little dried scabs. They kind of do, but I eat them anyway.

My Protegé

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:37:05 GMT

Asma has a habit of crawling into other people's beds at night. A few nights ago, she came knocking on my door in her pink Disney princess pajamas asking, "Can I sleep in your bed? Even if I can't sleep I'll pretend I'm asleep so you won't know I'm here." I couldn't refuse.

The next morning, as I stretched awake and turned over, I found Asma next to me, wide-awake, engrossed in a cooking magazine that was on my nightstand. She was carefully studying the recipe for a prize-winning chocolate cupcake. "I wanna make these!" she exclaimed with promise.

Then, this evening as I was driving home, she called me on my cell.
"Aliya aapi, um, do you know where the cocoa powder is?"
"Uhh, yeah, it's in the cabinet above the microwave, it says Nestle, N-E-S-T... why do you need it?"
"I'm making cupcakes."
"Oh... who's helping you?"
"Um, you can help me when you get home."

As we were scooping mounds of batter into muffin tins, Asma slurped on a piece of candy she had in her mouth. "You know what kind of candy I have? It's a COFFEE candy, " she giggled as my eyes guiltily wandered to the freshly brewed cup I had in my hand. Weird.

She even went the extra mile to whip up a homemade frosting. So ambitious, masha'Allah.

The cupcakes turned out surprisingly delicious - very chocolatey, but not tooth-achingly sweet even with a rich chocolate frosting. The secret ingredient? Cider vinegar! (Or "cinder" vinegar, as Asma called it.) I never would've imagined it, but the proof is in the pudding! As requested by some loyal readers, here's the recipe:

ASMA'S MOCHA CUPCAKES
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup cold brewed coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons cider vinegar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mocha Frosting:
6 tablespoons chocolate chips
1/3 cup softened butter
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons brewed coffee

1. Combine the dry ingredients first, then mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
3. To make frosting, melt chocolate chips. Add butter and still until mixed well. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and coffee and mix until smooth. Frost cupcakes generously, and prepare to be amazed.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:38:21 GMT

Just because Spring Break ended, the baking hasn't. See for yourself...

Rich milk chocolate, savory walnuts, creamy white chocolate, and mini M&Ms nestled together on a buttery cookie... appropriately named Magic Bars.

Remember those Hostess chocolate marshmallow cakes that were never halaal? Well, make your acquaintance with Chocolate Moon Pies... even better than Hostess (not that I would know...)

One of my most beloved 5th grade students left for madrasa to finish her memorization of the Holy Qur'an. This was the cake for a little party we had on her last day. Needless to say, it was a hit.

Marriage

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:59:25 GMT

Today was such a beautiful day that Asma and I decided to take a walk to the park. We spent the most time on our favorite playground attraction - the swings. While we heaved back and forth, we had an insightful conversation wherein Asma shared some playground wisdom...

Me: Look, Asma, we're going even... our swings are swinging at the same rate!
Asma: You know, at recess, when a girl and a girl are going even, or a boy and a boy are going even, it's called A Sleepover.
Me: Oh, really? Well what's it called when a boy and a girl are going even, then?
Asma: Um, it's called They're Married.
Me: (wild laughter - so hard I almost fell off the swing)
Asma: Yeah, it's weird.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:13:34 GMT

Meet my latest masterpiece:

Yes, those are strawberries INSIDE the layers :).

I must say, I've outdone myself. It tasted even better than it looks... and that's saying a lot. Where did I get the recipe? Oh, I don't know... I MADE IT UP. I made this for a friend who is going through a difficult pregnancy and is restricted to bed rest. Needless to say, this put a smile on her glowing face. I guess that's a good way to put barakah in my new hobby - doing it for someone else. She thought I was being a good friend, when really, I was just looking for an excuse to make something outrageous.

Let's take a closer look...

Ok, now I'm just showing off my awesome digital camera.