Category Archives: special occasions

Superheroes Easter eggs – DIY

Posted on March 26, 2016 | 2 comments

We’ve been talking about the superheroes eggs since last week, non stop! Nady can’t wait to decorate them. The excitement is invading his heart, so thrilled and happy, he is up today at 6:00 am and ready to start coloring the eggs.

We can’t be late to start, he is jumping up and down uncontrollably, it’s one of the Easters i will never forget! The house is full of children joy, we are blessed!

We started to color the hard boiled eggs with red, blue, yellow, purple and we left some white. After they are dry and ready to work with, we cut out the shapes we want to stick on each egg. Batman on yellow eggs, superman on blue, red and yellow, hulk on green and purple, captain america on white and blue and finally spiderman on red.

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Nady is enjoying so much coloring,cutting and pasting. I was proudly watching him doing things by himself and asking me not to interfere because he is a big boy now. Can’t express my feelings, i am overwhelmed!

Click on superheroes file to download a high resolution version to use.

Can you imagine how happy Nady is? I am even more happy to see him that over excited. Give your children this pleasure if they are fan of superheroes, and don’t hesitate to decorate your Easter eggs if you didn’t start yet.

Now we are totally living in superheroes world at home.

Happy Easter to all المسيح قام حقاً قام

I wish you all happy holidays with your loved ones and lots of new beginnings and blessings.

If you like this post give it many likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Posted in design, DIY, special occasions

Tagged creative, design, DIY, easter eggs, Easter2016, how to do, jaymmy, kids craft, lebanon, marmite et ponpon, qatar, step by step, superheroes, tutorial

Chocolate strawberry cake

Posted on February 12, 2016 | 4 comments

Of all valentine’s desserts i believe a decadent chocolate and strawberry cake shouts it better! Nothing says i love you more than a homemade dessert, it holds so much care.

This special cake is not just looking beautiful but it is delicious too. It is love at first bite!

Whether you celebrate valentines day or you don’t, you can bake this cake any day you wish to spread love and joy at home.

You will be surprised from this foolproof cake, how easy and doesn’t require baking skills at all. You will be encouraged to do it more often if you are not really a big fan of baking.

You will need:

1 1/2 cup flour sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted(of a good quality)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup chopped strawberry

Mix all dry ingredients together then add vanilla, vinegar, oil and water. Combine well before folding in the strawberries.

Grease a 9″ heart pan and bake on 180°C for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Keep aside until completely cool and meanwhile prepare the ganache to wrap it up.

200g chopped chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Heat the cream until about to boil and dump in the chocolate. Let it rest for 5 minutes before mixing well. The silky ganache will appear gradually while mixing.

Let it rest 15 minutes in the fridge to hold itself before pouring it over the cake.

I told you it’s so easy and could be done in no time! Garnish with strawberries for the festive look. Isn’t it so beautiful?! Wait until you taste it too.

The moist texture is heavenly. It stays up to 3 days outside the fridge, and if you wish to serve it cold, keep it for up to one week in the fridge. This cake doesn’t feature eggs, milk or butter so the life duration is longer. Don’t hesitate to try it and give me your suggestions.

I wish you love 366 days a year. Isn’t 2016 a leap year? An additional day to love and be loved 😉

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Posted in dessert, special occasions

Tagged blog, chocolate strawberry cake, delicious, easy, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, recipe, say i love you, strawberries, valentines

Endless ways i love you

Posted on February 10, 2016 | 1 comment

After the success of last year’s wheel of love i found an urge to revisit this activity, to express my endless reasons i love my family especially my family has grown since then.

As said before, telling your children “I love you” more often and expressing it for every occasion develops their secure attachment to you, knowing that they are loved unconditionally. Strong closeness to the family will lead no doubt to positive relationships in adulthood and high self esteem.

I still have faith in celebrating love if done in deep and expressive ways. Lot of you including me, find Valentines day becoming very shallow and commercial. Lets not go this path and teach our children the true meaning of love, the way of Valentinus the patron saint of lovers.

I used an old wood tray; i gave it some festive bright look by painting it with vivid colors.

I prepared our homemade clay dough, and hand it to Nady to cut out heart shapes and color them.

A quick reminder on how to do the dough:

You will need:

1 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to medium heat. Whisk continually until it starts to thicken. It will take couple of minutes to look like mashed potato in consistency, remove it immediately from the heat. Place it in a bowl and cover it with damp cloth until it’s cool. Knead it on a smooth surface by adding cornstarch if it feels a bit sticky. And it’s ready!

Stick the hearts on the tray:

Enjoy writing on the hearts the many and endless reasons why you love your children and husband/wife too 😉 It’s not just for kids! Do it to your significant other and let love flourishes in your hearts and homes!

Hang it on the wall as a frame, and if your children are old enough to write, you can get them involved in the game and stretch it for a longer time. Ask them to write the reasons they love you too and play this mutual love game starting a week ahead, hanging everyday one heart from each, until valentines day when you have filled all the hearts.

My boys are still too small to be able to read, Antoun and I filled all the hearts and read them to Nady. Joud (6months) was enjoying the colors and kisses!

I wasn’t surprised with my Nady who visually memorized them and was telling me each heart is saying what! This is a reason why i love my smart boy.

Don’t forget that love is not only words, it should be followed by actions, and the most important the presence. Be present for your kids, in love, protection and service. Happy love xxx

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Posted in design, DIY, special occasions, way to play

Tagged blog, colors, design, DIY, frame of love, hearts, homemade dough, jaymmy, kids activity, love, marmite et ponpon, reasons i love you, St valentines day, valentines, way to play, wood tray

Epiphany traditional sweets – Zlebyeh

Posted on January 5, 2016 | 1 comment

Epiphany (غطاس) is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of Jesus, the son of God: In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates the visit of the Magi, the three kings Gaspard, Balthazar and Melchior who came to pay their tribute to the world famous baby born Jesus. La galette des rois , is a typical french tradition celebrated on this day.

Moreover, the feast in Eastern Christianity commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river. Zlebyeh(زلابية) or fried dough is one of the Lebanese traditional sweets prepared that day.

The story says; on the epiphany day, Jesus met a poor woman, she was frying a dough to feed her children, so he multiplied and increased her dough. We fry zlebyeh to remember this act of kindness, asking God to increase our blessings.

Another tradition for that night, requires to prepare a small dough with coins inside and we hang it on the tree waiting for Jesus دايم دايم to pass by midnight and bless it. This way our food and money are blessed for the whole year. I love these traditions, they are so beautiful and it’s nice to practice them and pass them on to our children.

You need:

1 cup flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast to be dissolved in 1/4 cup of warm water and a dash of sugar
1/2 cup of water

Mix flour, oil and sugar. Give the yeast 10 minutes to dissolve in the warm water with a dash of sugar, after that add it to the flour mix with another 1/2 cup of water. Knead well and let it rest (covered at room temperature) for at least 2-3 hours to double in size.

Divide into 10 strips (10-12 cm each). You can keep them as is like fingers or twist each two together like i did. Fry them until golden brown. Usually they are served with sugar, but some people like them with honey too.

This is my first post to this year, happy reading and happy Epiphany.

دايم دايم بالخير

دايم دايم بالصحة

دايم دايم بالمحبة

دايم دايم بالفرح

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Posted in dessert, special occasions

Tagged deyim deyim, epiphany, fried dough, ghtas, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, recipe, sweets, traditions, zlebyeh

How to host a Raclette party at home

Posted on December 30, 2015 | 2 comments

Raclette is a type of cow milk cheese, consumed in Switzerland and France. It’s commonly used for melting in small pans known as coupelles that are placed under a specialized grill looking like an electric table-top grill. Then the slices of melted raclette are poured over veggies, pickles, charcuterie and meat. Served with wine to seal the deal!

Throwing a raclette party at home is the most fun thing. Tomorrow is new year, and with kids outing became a bit difficult; We are hosting at home a raclette concept party.

Not going so much traditional, we are not just melting raclette, we got gruyere, mozzarella, gouda and brie. You can use any cheese of your choice that melts. As for the side ingredients with the cheese, you can go as much creative as you want; go for anything that pairs well with your choice of cheese.

My favorite raclette ingredients that i am serving :

Veggies (fingerling potatoes, sliced courgettes, sliced aubergines, sliced mushrooms, asparagus spears, broccoli florets, sliced capsicum, onion rondelles and cherry tomatoes). You can precook them if you want to save time.
Fruits (melon, strawberry and grapes)
Pickles (cornichons, pearl onions, jalapenos and olives) you can add to this list anything pickled that you fancy
Meat (strips of beef, bresaola, salami)
Condiments (salt, pepper, basil, rosemary and oregano)
Nuts (walnut), the crunch of nuts is a tasty contrast to the creaminess of cheese.

You can simply pour the melted cheese over these ingredients or include baguette slices.

If you want to end your dinner with a dessert, melt chocolate and marshmallows to satisfy your sweet tooth. With fruits you can take it to the next level.

Hopefully this post was beneficial to you whether it’s your first time to have a raclette or you are already a connoisseur. Enjoy it, nothing says happiness more than cheese 🙂

With this post and being the 7th most viral blog for 2015 (in lebanon), i wrap up this year, wishing you a beautiful new one ahead full of blessings, joy, good health and new exciting events in your life.

If you wish to see me again among the top Lebanese bloggers in 2016, like my post and give it some shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come. See you in 2016!!