The Freaking Hilarious Acerbic Humour of Trevor Noah - Afraid of the Dark

A must see..

Seriously? This Is An Option On Netflix

Okay so I had to Google this as I wasn't entirely sure what it stood for. Now I'm C for confused. I thought Q for queer was an old term for LGBT but it is a category on it's own. I would be interested to know how one clarifies as a queer. It seems in fact, the 'Q' can stand for 'questioning' or 'queer' and sometimes you may see the acronym written as “LGBTQQ” (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer]. When the Q” is used as a stand-in for questioning, you're right that it means the individual is uncertain of his or her orientation. Now I want you to know that I am certainly not queer bashing but merely intrigued and uneducated in this field.

Eid Mubarak

WTH I'm Thinking To Go Vegan

What is left to eat? Don't watch this film if you don't want to be freaked out and very, very confused. If anyone knows what we can eat please let me know.

Tiny Tribes Summer Camp

Big Mess at The Airport Expect Delays Checking In

Most Fabulous Fathers Day Cake

Love it! 'Bil 3alam' translates to 'in the world'.

Um Ali The English way

Don't get me wrong I love Um Ali anyway I can get it. The Egyptian way is delicious. But yesterday for iftar with the family I decided on a less moist more fancy bread pudding blend and it was delish.

So we'll call it Um Sheikha :OP

Um Ali'esque Warm Pudding Heaven -  Serves 8.

8 honey croissants - Al Fayasel family pack were good

Custard

1 cup total of chopped nuts, sweetened coconut, yellow raisins, pistachios

Mix into nut mixture a 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of powder cardamom

Thick cream 250g 

Powder sugar

Yep that's it. Place in warm oven 10-15 minutes at 180c. Voila! Did I tell you I love easy recipes. 

So mix up your custard - I make a homemade recipe (see below) but you can do it from a tin or buy it in a can. Just put the custard about two inches deep in the pan and rip up your croissants and place into custard. Leave the top of the croissants exposed and not in custard to get crunchy when heated. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the chopped nuts, sweetened coconut, yellow raisins, pistachios. Place in oven. At last 3 mins add the cream just splodge it around as to not cover all the crunchy croissant. Put back in oven for a few more minutes. Remove, sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of nuts, sweetened coconut, yellow raisins, pistachios. Use a sieve and sprinkle 1 tsp of powder sugar all over the top. Serve warm.

Best and easiest custard recipe ever

In a heavy base sauce pan put 8 tbsp of cornflour, whisk in 900ml of full fat milk slowly, 8 egg yolks, 170g sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt.

Place on med-high heat and whisk until it starts to boil. Takes around 3-5 minutes but you have to stay with it stirring it or it will burn. You can stop at this stage because you will cook the custard more in the oven for this recipe. 

If using the custard alone or for another recipe then keep cooking until thickened takes a few minutes more.

Enjoy!

Artists for Grenfell - Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Here's the official video for Artists For Grenfell's ’Bridge Over Troubled Water’ featuring #BGT's Tokio Myers. You can download the single now with all proceeds going to The London Community Foundation to support those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire: http://smarturl.it/AFGBOTWits

Please download for $1.29 

https://itunes.apple.com/album/bridge-over-troubled-water-single/id1250455201?app=itunes

LWDLIK - Crying buckets here. Stay strong and united Britain it is the only way through this tragedy. Peace and love can conquer all.

The Little Scientist Summer Camp at TSCK

Tel. 60999732, 60999847

Review: Rock House Sliders

Original Chicken KD 0.950

RHS Special Sauce - Crispy Chicken Fried In Peanut Oil - Cheddar Cheese - Pickles & Fresh Lettuce

Rockin' Messy Fries KD 1.600

Fries Drizzled With Chopped Jalapeños & Bacon Bits Topped With Natural Cheddar Cheese - Frizzled Onion & RHS `Secret House Sauce` - Fried In Peanut Oil

My preciousness ordered Rock House Sliders tonight and they were delish. Poor Babygirl did not know that Mumma Bear would be trying them out. She ordered two Original Chicken Sliders which are small-medium sized burgers (that means larger than some of the teeny tiny sliders you normally get from other places), and the Messy Fries. But as they were pretty big sliders she allowed me to have one all to myself and a few fork fulls of the Messy Fries and oh boy were they good. Crispy coated chicken that was moist and perfect in every way. I really wasn't expecting to like the Messy Fries as it's not something I would normally order but they were fabulous. What have I been missing out on all these years. 

Talabat takes forever to deliver so my next RHS will be at one of their many restaurants. Overall a very reasonably priced unforgettable midnight snack for two. 

Website Rock House Sliders

Locations map

It's a Bo Derek 10. Really showing my age here, my daughter's clueless.

Maury the Drama King

No dog was harmed in the making of this video - only a lot of shaking like a leaf. He did look super gorgeous and smelled so good after the visit to the pet salon.

Kuwaiti Food Spot - With thanks to Marybeth Alawadh Ortua

Lentil soup /shorbat adas al ahmar is main ingredient for many authentic Levantine dishes. It’s believed to be one of the oldest cultivated legumes in the region. Having a quick look at its nutritional facts, lentils are rich in fiber, protein, and vitamin C and low in calories which makes it a super healthy and veggie friendly option😍. While learning about the importance and meaning of Ramadan, it's a common household dish to break the fast at the end of the day in Kuwait. This soup is often the first course of iftar when eaten at home and it is delicious! This is a simple soup, but don’t be deceived – it’s quite flavorful. The key is to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice into your bowl of soup before eating it & usually topped with oven roasted pita bread cut into squares drizzled with organic olive oil.

There are various different recipes some are unblended and some add a little vermicelli and loumi (dried lime).


Lentil Soup 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups brown lentils
• 2 quarts chicken stock (or your choice)
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped or sliced
• 1 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons butter, less if desired
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon cumin, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash lentils thoroughly and soak if desired.
2. I never soak them, and they always seem to cook up quickly.
3. Bring stock to a boil.
4. Add quartered onion, garlic, tomato and lentils.
5. Return to boil, then lower heat and allow to simmer, partially covered, until lentils are tender.
6. The amount of time will depend on the freshness of the lentils and whether or not they were soaked, but plan on an hour to an hour and a half.
7. Over-cooking wouldn't be a problem since this is a blended soup, but under-cooking would.
8. As lentils approach tenderness, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium-low heat.
9. Add thinly sliced onion and allow to fry until very dark brown.
10. Add cumin, saute briefly.
11. Add mixture to soup and stir through.
12. Ladle one ladle-full of soup at a time into a blender or food processor.
13. Using a dishtowel, hold lid down and process soup until homogenous.
14. When soup has been completely pureed, return to a pot and reheat until ready to serve.
15. Enjoy!

Real Life Goals

Quote of the Week

Recycling

Very happy to see this today.

The Summer Contract

SUMMER RULES

HAVE YOU:

-         Brushed your teeth?

-         Washed your face?

-         Gotten dressed?

-         Made your bed?

Plus

-         

       Performed a chore (hoovered a room, washed dishes, tidied, etc..)

-         Asked if you can help with something

-         20 minutes of reading, learning, Arabic or French

-         Ensured your clothes are hung up or folded

-         Arranged and ironed your clothes for the day

-         Taken a shower

-         Help prepare meals, clear away and wash up if asked

All the above requirements are to be completed before you get your electronics. xoxoxo

Adorable Kuwaiti Kids React To Meeting Football Legend Ryan Giggs

Kuwaiti Food Spot - With thanks to Marybeth Alawadh Ortua

Kibbeh (Arabic: كبة‎‎), (also spelled and pronounced kibbe, kebbah, kubbeh, kubbah or kubbi depending on region, known in Kuwait as kubbah is a Levantine dish. Kubba is a type of dish usually made of a bulgur or potato dough, or in long-grain white rice dough, that is stuffed with a ground meat mixture, often hand-shaped like an egg, sometimes flattened like a croquette, then either boiled or baked or deep fried. Some people shape them into balls, but the far superior kubba maker will shape them like eggs. The shape changes the texture and ratio of each bite and makes everything in the world just right. A good potato kibbeh should be crispy on the outside and moist inside filled with ground meat mixture called qeema, and this simple qeema is mixed with finely chopped parsley , minced onions, and finely ground lean beef, lamb, goat, or camel meat(depending on your liking) with Middle Eastern spices (cinnamon powder, nutmeg, clove, allspice, sumac & sometimes mixed with walnuts or chili flakes ). These kibbeh balls freeze perfectly and can go directly from freezer to fryer. There are many kinds of kubba: Kubba't Hamuuth, Kubba't Mosul, Kubba't Burghul, Kubba't Jareesh, Kubba't Puteta, Kubba't Bil Sayneah, and so on and on. Almost every family has a treasured recipe, and best recipes are those that are passed down from one generation to another. 

Kuwaiti Food Spot - With thanks to Marybeth Alawadh Ortua

Falafel Arabic: فلافل‎‎ is a deep-fried ball, doughnut or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern food, commonly served in a pita topped with chopped mix salad, drizzled with tahini based sauce & hot sauce or simply eaten alone and dip in hummus, musabbaha, mousaka or mutabbal dip! Your choice...

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound (about 2 cups) dry chickpeas/garbanzo beans - you must start with dry, do NOT substitute canned, they will not work!
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3-5 cloves garlic (I prefer roasted)
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Pinch of ground cardamom
• Vegetable oil for frying (grapeseed, canola, and peanut oil work well)

YOU WILL ALSO NEED

• Food processor, skillet

Servings: 30-34 falafels

• Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak overnight. They will double in size as they soak – you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking.
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• Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans well. Pour them into your food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour, salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.
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  Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process till the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, and a more paste-like consistency will help with that... but don't overprocess, you don't want it turning into hummus!
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  Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed.
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  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
• Note: Some people like to add baking soda to the mix to lighten up the texture inside of the falafel balls. I don’t usually add it, since the falafel is generally pretty fluffy on its own. If you would like to add it, dissolve 2 tsp of baking soda in 1 tbsp of water and mix it into the falafel mixture after it has been refrigerated.
• Fill a skillet with vegetable oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches. I prefer to use cooking oil with a high smoke point, like grapeseed. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into round balls or slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop. I usually use about 2 tbsp of mixture per falafel. You can make them smaller or larger depending on your personal preference. The balls will stick together loosely at first, but will bind nicely once they begin to fry.
• Note: if the balls won't hold together, place the mixture back in the processor again and continue processing to make it more paste-like. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil, they will bind together and stick. If they still won't hold together, you can try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour to the mixture. If they still won't hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should fix any issues you are having.
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  Before frying my first batch of falafel, I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to brown (5-6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again. When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the falafels in batches of 5-6 at a time till golden brown on both sides.
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  Once the falafels are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon.
• image: http://toriavey.com/images/2011/01/Falafel-8-640x480.jpg

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  Let them drain on paper towels. Serve the falafels fresh and hot; they go best with a plate of hummus and topped with creamy tahini sauce. You can also stuff them into a pita.
• Troubleshooting: If your falafel is too hard/too crunchy on the outside, there are two possible reasons-- 1) you didn't process the mixture enough-- return the chickpea mixture to the processor to make it more paste-like. 2) the chickpeas you used were old. Try buying a fresher batch of dried chickpeas next time.
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  SESAME FALAFEL VARIATION: After forming the balls or patties, dip them in sesame seeds prior to frying. This will make the falafel coating crunchier and give it a slightly nutty flavor.
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  HERB FALAFEL VARIATION (GREEN FALAFEL): Add ½ cup additional chopped green parsley, or cilantro, or a mixture of the two prior to blending.
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  TURMERIC FALAFEL (YELLOW FALAFEL): Add ¾ tsp turmeric to the food processor prior to blending.
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• EGYPTIAN FALAFEL: Use 1 lb. dried fava beans instead of chickpeas; cover them with cold water, soak them for at least 24 hours, then drain, rinse and peel them. You can also use a mixture of fava beans and chickpeas if you wish; just make sure the weight of the dried beans adds up to 1 lb.
• After the beans are soaked and rinsed, add the Classic Falafel ingredients to the processor along with the following ingredients – 1 leek, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered; ¼ cup chopped dill; ¼ cup chopped cilantro; and an additional ¾ tsp cayenne pepper. When mixture is processed to a coarse meal, pour into a bowl. Stir 2 ½ tbsp sesame seeds into the mixture with a fork until it’s evenly dispersed throughout the mixture. Refrigerate and proceed with frying. If mixture seems too “wet” when making the falafel balls, add additional flour by the teaspoonful until the mixture sticks together better. Continue with frying.
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• HOW TO MAKE A FALAFEL PITA: Making a falafel pita is actually really simple. The two main ingredients are pita bread and falafel.
• Cut the pita bread in half to form two “pockets.” Each pocket is a serving size. Stuff the pocket with falafel, as well as any add-ons you fancy. Tahini, tomatoes, parsley and pickles are a favourite.
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Kuwaiti Food Spot With thanks to Marybeth Alawadh Ortua

Zaatar is the Arabic word for thyme, it is a wild herb that grows throughout hills and fields of the Levant and East Mediterranean regions. Zaatar bread also known as “fatayer fallahi” which means villagers’ pie, is a typical Palestinian pastry mostly made in spring, which is the official season of collecting fresh wild thyme. It is a flat bread, oily but crunchy, stuffed with fresh zaatar leaves, onions and sumac.
Personally, I’m in a never-ending romantic relationship with zaatar bread! Smelling the scent of freshly baked bread mixed with the aroma of roasting thyme greased with olive oil, is where the romance starts over & over again every time…

Breaking News: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates Have Cut Diplomatic Ties With Qatar, Accusing It Of Destabilising The Region

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionQatar has so far made no public comments on the latest developments

They say Qatar backs terrorist groups including Islamic State (IS).

The Saudi state news agency SPA said Riyadh had closed its borders, severing land, sea and air contact with Qatar and largely isolating it.

It cited officials as saying it was to "protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism".

The unprecedented move is being seen as the most serious split yet between powerful Gulf countries, who are also close US allies.

The row comes two weeks after the same four countries blocked Qatari news sites. Controversial comments by Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, appearing to criticise Saudi Arabia, appeared online.

The government in Doha dismissed the comments as fake, attributing the report to a "shameful cybercrime".

In the latest developments:

• The United Arab Emirates has given Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. Abu Dhabi accuses Doha of "supporting, funding and embracing terrorism, extremism and sectarian organisations," state news agency WAM said
• The UAE state airline Etihad Airways said it would suspend all flights to and from Doha from 02:45 local time on Tuesday
• Bahrain's state news agency said the country was cutting ties with Qatar because Doha was "shaking the security and stability of Bahrain and meddling in its affairs"
• US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in Sydney, urged the countries to resolve their differences through dialogue.

The Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels also expelled Qatar from its alliance because of Doha's "practices that strengthen terrorism" and its support to groups "including al-Qaeda and Daesh [also known as IS], as well as dealing with the rebel militias", according to SPA.

Qatar has provided its warplanes to carry out air strikes against the Houthi rebels.

Qatar, which is due to host the football World Cup in 2022, has so far made no public comments on the latest developments.

Source http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40155829?ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=facebook