A Mother’s Heartbreak

My heart broke this week when our little Brenzie got hospitalized due to cough and colds.  He got the virus strain from Trixie and Brandon, so just imagine what our family is going through these days.  We decided to admit him at UST Hospital because he's barely a month old and he can't fight the virus on his own.  I was fighting back the tears while we were at the pediatrician’s clinic, waiting for the doctor’s orders for admission.  At the hospital, I witnessed twice how the doctors inserted tubes in Brenzie’s nostrils to suck out the thick mucus.  I also saw how they put in the needle through his wee little hand for the IV.  Watching those procedures was okay for me (I think Grey’s Anatomy prepared me for it) but hearing my baby’s cries was unbearable.  My poor little baby, you were so brave!  If only I could take the pain for him.  Thank God his lungs cleared already and he is now at home recovering.  I pray that something like this won’t happen again to any of my kids.

What to Expect When You're Breastfeeding

Through these three years that I've been a mother, I've had many friends who have asked for my experiences in breastfeeding.  Like most moms out there, I learned how to do it the hard way.  There are plenty of books about breastfeeding which tackle the science and how's of breastfeeding, but nothing quite prepared me for the real thing.  And so at 3am while breastfeeding Brenzie, I thought of writing about my experiences breastfeeding, hoping this might be of help to moms out there who are planning to breastfeed. 

So, what does it really mean when a mother decides to exclusively breastfeed her baby?  Well, aside from the fact that the baby will be getting a lifetime of benefits and the family will be saving a great deal of money (plus the nice perk of mom losing weight quite swiftly), I will honestly say that mom is about to experience something totally new and shocking.  Exaggerated, huh?  Well, it was really shocking for me.  Nobody warned me about the physical and emotional turmoil breastfeeding would bring.  Let me share my experiences.

1.  Breastfeeding was really painful.  Talk about sore and bleeding nipples for about a month.  Even though the baby's latch was correct, the nipples took getting used to, so everytime my baby nursed (which was like every hour!), I would cry and keep the pain to myself.  When my milk came, engorgement came along with it, which was also painful. 

2.  Breastfeeding was a sacrifice.  I had no sleep for about a year and I had this feeling that the only reason I'm alive was to be a "milking cow."  I couldn't go out on my own or have a date with my husband without bringing baby along.  (See photo on the right.  We brought Trix to HK and I breastfed on board the ferry to Causeway Bay.)  I didn't pump my milk; it didn't work for me--- I found it more of a hassle- sterilizing bottles, storing milk, having somebody else care for my baby (I didn't hire a yaya and we didn't live with our parents; we were truly on our own.)

3.  Starting to breastfeed was depressing.  I found breastfeeding (and baby care) to be more difficult than the lamaze birthing experience!  The struggle and pain seemed endless and I needed support badly.  I came so close to buying formula milk had it not for fervent prayers and Brandon who really supported me all throughout.  He was there when I cried and he never pressured me.  He encouraged me to go on by printing out flyers about the benefits of breasfeeding which he posted all around the room to constantly remind me that I'm doing the right thing.  This I couldn't forget: he told me that even Lucio Tan couldn't give our baby what I have- my own milk.  Thank God for my husband!

4.  Breastfeeding was the most difficult challenge of my life.  With all the pains and emotional struggles plus learning to love the baby in my arms, breastfeeding really tested my endurance and perseverance.  It took me a lot of strength of heart and body to keep going but after a month or two, everything normalized ("I got used to it" is a better way to put it) and I got to enjoy nursing my baby.  The bonding between Trixie and me brought fulfillment and I'm so glad I did it.  There were no regrets whatsoever.  Simply put, it was one of the best things I've done in my life.

To end, I just want to point out that this is my personal account only; other moms might have a totally different experience from mine.   I wrote this as honestly as possible just to give a clear picture of what's to be expected, but my hope is that moms would not be frightened by my account, but instead, be ready and eager to take the challenge.  I have become sort of an advocate of breastfeeding and I really, really want every baby out there to be breastfed.  Breast is best :)

Gehlai Fare

Most Fil-Chi women who have given birth would probably understand what I'm going through- the traditional Gehlai Experience- no baths for a month and indulging in foods that are "dyet" in nature (can't really find an English word for "dyet"). One good thing about this Gehlai is that I have all the time in the world to nurse Brenzie while taking care of Trixie, but I sorely miss being in the kitchen. And so this is the part where my mom and mom-in-law take active role in--- preparing most of my meals. Feast your eyes on these.

Trixie loves art

Before going to bed, Trixie usually spends time with Brandon doing all sorts of art. (Notice she's wearing PJs on both occasions.) She just loves doing art so for her birthday, I got her an easel board to expand her horizons.

The Second Pregnancy

There are not much books available that talk about the second pregnancy, but I chanced upon one at Books For Less (see photo at the right) and I learned plenty of things in it that I found to be true in my case.    I decided to write about it for the sake of those parents out there who are ready (or maybe not) for a second one.  Here is my list of lessons and experiences during my second pregnancy:

1.  Belly was bigger the second time around.  The muscles in my tummy area didn't forget the feeling of being stretched so stretched it did.  By my third trimester, I found people staring at me, telling me how big and low my tummy was and that I will be birthing soon.  Tell me ssomething I don't know, please!

2.  Movements from the baby were more noticeable.  Or maybe my little boy was more active than Trixie, I really don't know.  But I guess I was more sensitive the second time, but there was a time during the last month when I couldn't differentiate Braxton Hicks from the real one.

3.  It was more exhausting the second time around.  That's true for me being a full-time mom.  If during the first one I refrained from driving and had more time to rest and relax, it was the total opposite for the second one.  I drove Trix to and from school, went grocery shopping, and still cooked and baked for the family.  The first trimester was also more difficult for me- terrible morning sickness. 

4.  I was less enthusiastic to go to my OB for regular check-up every month.  I also lost track of the pregnancy period I was in, so when friends would ask me, I just sort of guessed haha.

5. I felt that I was less cared for by my husband and family members.  Well, probably because I was in a non-risky pregnancy, but just the same, if during the first one baby movements were anticipated, there was less (or none!) excitement during the second one.

6.  I was more worried about how my eldest would accept the baby than how my pregnancy was going (or even how I would take care of a second baby).  I even got very emotional during the first trimester at the thought of my not being able to put Trixie on my lap and stopping to nurse her (but she just stopped nursing all by herself during my second month of pregnancy, so the worrying was useless after all).  Good thing I was able to find books that somehow helped prepare Trixie for my pregnancy and the new baby (got them at Booksale and Books for Less, respectively)- "I'm a Big Sister" by Joanna Cole (see left photo) and "What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby" by Heidi Murkoff.  But even now that I've given birth, I still worry about how Trixie would handle having a baby brother.  But that's another story (or blog entry...).        

7.  There was pressure to have a baby boy the second time around because my first one was a girl.   Even people I don't know very well would say they hope the second one would turn out to be a boy.  Of course as a mom, my utmost concern was to have a healthy baby, but honestly, having a boy would be nice too.  I thank God our prayers were answered.  (Side comment:  Brandon was specially happy when we found out we were having a boy.  We had the ultrasound monitor all to himself; I was not able to see the baby at all!)

That's all I remember to be unique during my second pregnancy.  I hope this would be helpful to moms out there who are expecting a second baby or hoping for a new one.  If you'd ask me if I want to get pregnant again, my answer is a quick NO.  I hope not, really.  :)   

I've given birth already!

I am happy to announce that the agony of carrying a big bulge is finally over for me :)  I've given birth to a sweet boy last October 20 at 3:56pm.  Welcome my little darling- Brendan Andrews Yu Lim.  We call him Brenzie for short.

Trixie as Tinkerbell

Brandon and I went bargain shopping at Subic Apex by accident and we got this adorable Tinkerbell costume for Trixie for free (they had a sale over the weekend, buy-one-take-one promo). She will wear this on Wednesday, just in time for her Halloween Party in school :)

Trixie's Halloween Party

Start:

Oct 22, '08

Also Trixie's last day of school.

Trixie's 3rd Birthday

Start:

Oct 18, '08

Trixie is three years old today!

Melona Korean Ice Cream

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

This is Trixie's favorite ice cream and rightfully so, because the flavor is so refreshingly melon and the texture is so so creamy. I never thought Korean ice cream would be this good, and it's also a hit with the oldies. It sells in Korean groceries for around P30 a bar, but it's cheaper when you buy it in a box at S&R. Go try this one, and other Korean ice cream bars too when you get the chance.

Baked Herb Salmon

This is one of my dad's favorite dishes so I always bake extra for him.  I buy my salmon fillets at Santis; they slice up the fish for me and they remove the skin too.  Very convenient.  This fish is quite pricey but considering it's a super healthy food, it's still much cheaper to have this at home than at a fine dining resto.


Baked Herb Salmon
(Serves 4)


Ingredients:
4 pcs. skinless fresh salmon fillets
(each piece approximately 200g)
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried basil)
2 Tbsp. fresh dried parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried parsley)
4 Sprigs of dill weed (or 2 tsp. dried dill)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
Juice of half a lemon





Procedure:
Make the marinade by combining garlic, olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. 
Place salmon fillets in a shallow baking dish then pour marinade.  Marinate for about three hours (or more if you like), turning the fish every hour. 
Just before baking, pour the lemon juice over the fish. (I used to combine the lemon juice with the marinade but it "cooked" the surface of the fish, giving it a dull pink color.  It also made the fish more sour than it should be, so just add the juice at the last minute.)
Cover the baking  dish with foil, then bake in a pre-heated oven at 350F for 30 minutes or until done.  Be careful not to overcook this delicate fish. 

Tip:  I added plenty of herbs for that extra flavor, but just put in whatever you have.  I also think it would be more special with melted butter poured on the fish as a finishing touch, but then again it will make it less healthy that way.  Have it your way. :)

A Happy Birthday

I recently turned 30 and happily so. I had a nice birthday, better than previous birthdays really. I guess it comes with age- the simpler the birthday celebration, the better, plus the fact that Brandon made it really special this year with a bunch of beautiful flowers at midnight and a waffle iron that I've always wanted as a birthday gift. A funny story too on the morning of my birthday- I told Trixie it was Mommy's birthday and I asked her, "How old is Mama?" Her answer? "Too old!
Hahahaha! Of course, later that week, we had waffles for breakfast paired with papaya shake. (See the recipe for whole wheat waffles in my blog section.)

Whole Wheat Waffles

Inspired by my health-buff Atsie, I decided to tweak a typical waffle recipe and make it extra healthy with whole wheat flour, soy milk and unrefined sugar.  The result?  Still soft and fluffy waffles with a distinct flavor from the muscovado sugar and cinnamon.  It was a nice breakfast treat :)  But I have a confession to make- this is even better with butter and syrup.


Whole Wheat Waffles
(Makes a big batch enough for two breakfasts for 3)


Ingredients:
2 eggs
125 g whole wheat flour
125 g all-purpose flour
1 3/4 c Silk Plain Soy Milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
40 g muscovado sugar
4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 t vanilla


Procedure:
Using a stand mixer, beat eggs in a large bowl until light and fluffy. 
Add the oil.  Combine thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon--- or basically all the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with milk.  Add vanilla.  (I did this to prevent lumps in the batter.)
You can store this waffle mixture in the fridge for about a week.  
Cook waffles in a waffle iron until golden brown.
Have a healthy and happy breakfast, everyone!

Beef Salpicao

This is simply beef bliss.  This has become one of our favorites when we just want to enjoy really good food right at home.  The key to making good salpicao is to allot enough time for the garlic to infuse the beef, and of course, using top quality meat.  I always buy US Angus Beef Tenderloin cut into cubes at Santis.  Believe me, it's really worth it.  The beef is so tender that even Trixie doesn't have trouble eating the entire beef cube.  I once joked Brandon that he'll love me even more because of this dish, haha.  I'm happy to share this recipe with you.


Blissful Beef Salpicao
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
400-500g beef tenderloin, cut into cubes
1 whole garlic, roughly chopped
3 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1/8 cup Lea and Perrins Steak Sauce (You can also use liquid seasoning, but I find it adds unnecessary saltiness to the dish)
1.5 Tbsps. oyster sauce

Procedure:
Combine olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika.  Add beef to this garlic-oil mixture and marinate overnight.
Using a heavy-based pan heated until very hot, saute the beef including the marinade.  The pan should be very hot to sear the meat.  Toss the beef until light brown in color; do not lower heat.  Add steak sauce and oyster sauce then cook a little bit more.  Serve immediately.

Trixie's 3rd Birthday Party

We celebrated Trixie's third birthday party in school today, five days earlier in anticipation of my giving birth anytime soon. It was a simple party really, everything that Trixie loves home-cooked and baked, so imagine how busy I was yesterday! Menu consisted of Baked Pasta, Baked Pork BBQ, Buco Pandan Drink, and Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Balloons courtesy of my sis-in-law Lisa. On our way home, Trixie told me she wanted a party again, so that meant she really had fun which was most important.

Balay Indang

Three years ago, we discovered Balay Indang via Kris's friend. It's a beautiful garden tucked somewhere in Cavite (around 20 minutes from Tagaytay) offering fresh, cool air, wonderful service and great food (eat-all-you-can, actually). Rates have changed since then, but at P2000 per person (full board with accommodations in their nature-inspired cottages), we find it great value for money, so Balay Indang has become one of our family's favorite getaways anytime of the year. We've been there many times already, and the place and the food keep getting better :)

Silk Organic Chocolate Soy Milk

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

I haven't been fond of drinking cow's milk and I think I passed that on to Trixie. From breastmilk, Trix switched to soya for her milk needs. Then my mom gave us Silk Organic Chocolate Soya Milk to try and we just love it. It is made of organic soy beans and the chocolate taste is reminiscent of Magnolia Chocolait. We buy Silk at S&R (a bit pricey though, around P120 a liter, but for me it's worth it) and there are two other flavors- Vanilla and Unsweetened, but Chocolate is the favorite hands-down. With the milk catastrophe in China and certain studies showing the disadvantages of cow's milk, Silk Soya gives Trixie something to smile about each day (haha, with a chocolatey smile).

Baked Pork BBQ and Garlic Java Rice

I discovered a very nice marinade for barbeque- Mama Sita's Barbeque Marinade (I heard that this product came from the family who opened Aristocrat's), and so I thought of making pork bbq at home.  But instead of going through the hassle of grilling (but I'm sure Brandon wouldn't mind doing it if I asked him to), I decided to bake them using a Turbo Broiler.  The result?  Really nice and flavorful barbeque.  Not oily at all and no burnt bits.  Here's the very easy recipe:

Baked Pork Barbeque



Ingredients:
Fresh Pork Kasim, fat portion removed and cut into small cubes
Mama Sita's Barbeque Marinade

Procedure:
Marinate the pork cubes in Mama Sita's Barbeque Marinade overnight.  Place meat through skewers or barbeque sticks.  Bake in preheated turbo broiler at 375F for 10-15 minutes (or until done), turning each stick halfway and brushing the tops with remaining marinade.



Just before dinnertime, I decided to whip up a very easy java rice as the perfect accompaniment to any barbeque dish.

Garlic Java Rice 

Ingredients:
Cooked plain rice
Cooking oil
Star Margarine
Lots of minced garlic
Minced onions
Tomato Sauce (I used Hunt's)
Salt and Pepper

Procedure:
Place oil and Star Margarine in a pan (both oil and margarine were used to prevent margarine from burning).  When hot and ready, saute the onions and garlic until very fragrant.  Don't let the garlic turn brown and bitter.  Add the cooked rice.  Combine thoroughly.  Add the tomato sauce little by little (too much tomato sauce will make the rice sour), then toss well until rice turns into a nice light orange color.  Season with salt and pepper.  If desired, add more margarine as a finishing touch to make rice glossy.  Serve with pork barbeque.  (I wish we had atsara and java sauce!) 


Note:  I'm sorry that these recipes don't contain exact measurements, but that's how I usually cook.  Just trust your tastebuds :)    

Trix BBQ

We had Baked Pork Barbeque and Garlic Java Rice for dinner (check out the very easy recipe in my blog). I'm so glad Trixie liked it (she had seconds!) coz that's what I'm planning to serve at Trixie's mini birthday party in school next month. Notice also Trixie's new haircut. She really is no longer a baby...

Trixie's New Shoes

My little girl is a shoe person.  (I think she got that from my mom.)  So when her favorite pink shoes (the one I wrote about in this site) and rubber shoes got tight, she happily and excitedly went on shoe shopping with us yesterday.  Much to our delight, most of the shoes at Mothercare Trinoma were on big sale, and I mean huge.  Check out these two pairs of shoes.  Brandon got her these dainty, pink suede shoes for only P480 and the cute trainers for only P240!!!  Trixie was so happy trying on lots of shoes- no complaints at all.  She would walk and even jump all over the store, telling us which ones were comfortable and not-- oh she's our little shopgirl.  Thank God for big discounts!     

Vinamit Jackfruit Chips

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

I'm typically not a langka lover, but when a Singaporean associate gave us Vinamit Jackfruit Chips as pasalubong (it was really for Trixie, hehe), we just loved it. It is really crunchy and flavorful, and it's one of very few snack chips that we can willingly give to Trixie. There are no added flavorings or seasonings; just crunchy jackfruit packed by an ISO certified Vietnamese company (so the packaging says that). We now buy our Vinamit in some supermarkets and food stores, with price at around P65.00 for the small pack, but there's a bigger pack at around P100. It's relatively more expensive than other popular chips, but it's healthier and it's for the whole family. Do try this one out- for something healthy and pleasantly good. (Another thought -- I'm not afraid to consume it or give it to Trixie because it's not from China!)

Santis Delicatessen

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	International
Location:	Timog

Clarification first: Santis is not really a restaurant but a delicatessen. I go to Santis to buy premium meats and fish, but yesterday, I got to taste their blueberry muffins and it's really good. Priced at P61.00 a piece, I was hesitant to buy one because I find it quite expensive for something I can make at home, but it was really good. It was moist and tender, and the crumb melts in the mouth. Real blueberries were also used so that's a plus (I hate muffins made with artificial preserved fruits). Well, aside from this nice discovery, I have tried their sandwich too and it's really satisfying. This is really filling so it makes a quick lunch or a heavy merienda. Priced at about P100 a big sandwich, they put in generous layers of cold cuts plus a bounty of fresh vegetables between their soft, brown bread- even Trixie likes their sandwich. :)

It's Chocolate Cake once more.

I'm obviously obsessed with baking chocolate cakes this week (three times in a row to be exact) and I blame it on the rainy weather hehe. This time, I made it into a two-layer cake and I frosted it with Cote d'Or Belgian Dark Chocolate which I got as a "pasalubong" from Gatch (I'm blessed with generous friends, really). This version, I must say, is the best among the three. It really pays to use top quality ingredients; it's so worth it. This is my official chocolate cake from now on. Side comment: I decided to put Trixie's photo in the end because she helped me bake the cake and she happily waited for Brandon to finish taking the photos so we could sing a birthday song and blow an imaginary candle. :)

Ghirardelli Chocolate Cake

Thanks to my kumare Maybelle who gave me a big can of Ghirardelli cocoa (best gift ever!), I am happy to present this chocolate cake for everybody's visual enjoyment. This is just a simple but moist chocolate cake that I topped with satiny, bittersweet chocolate glaze, dark chocolate chips and chopped pistachio nuts-- really satisfying! Photos by Brandon who was rewarded with a slice after the shoot :)

Long weekend at Subic

We spent last week's long weekend at Subic and we went there via SCTex- a really impressive highway. The highlight of the trip was our afternoon at Ocean Adventure.

The fun is in trying :)

Here is a video of Trixie trying to pump a balloon. Trix, try and try until you succeed... well, even if she didn't really succeed in making a huge balloon, she had loads of fun trying.

Chicken Teriyaki

Here's another winner recipe for chicken teriyaki.  I got the recipe from Pinoy Cook, but I added some elements to our liking.   This is one satisfying meal; next time, we will try grilling the chicken instead of frying it in a pan.

Chicken Teriyaki
(Serves 3)


Ingredients:
About 400g chicken thigh fillets, skin-on
1/4 c light soy sauce
1/4 c of mirin (sweet rice wine)
1/4 c of sake
2 Tbsps. sugar
Ginger strips
Cornstarch Slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water)
Toasted sesame seeds (I did this in the oven toaster.)


Procedure:
Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar then marinade the chicken fillets for several hours in the fridge.  (I did it in three hours and it was enough.)  Drain the fillets and save the marinade.
Add oil to a pan and when hot, add the ginger stips until fragrant.  Add the chicken pieces with the skin side down and fry until brown, then flip to the other side.  Drain excess oil if necessary.   Add the marinade and simmer until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken pieces from the pan (leaving the sauce in the pan) and cut into slices.  Put the chicken on top of hot rice. 
Let the remaining sauce in the pan boil then add the cornstarch slurry and cook until the mixture thickens.  Lower the heat to prevent the sauce from boiling over.  Pour the teriyaki sauce on top of the chicken slices then top with toasted sesame seeds.


Tip:  Save remaining teriyaki sauce for another dish; i.e. Pan-seared/ Baked Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce (Yum-yum!  Will do this soon.)

Silly Faces

After dinner, Trix was in such a happy mood so we took these photos of her making silly faces.

Baked Baby Back Ribs

We had juicy, succulent, fall-off-the-bone baked baby back ribs for dinner, and we're so glad with it that I'm sharing with you the key to baking these babies. First, I marinated overnight the rack of ribs in dry rub, then I added barbecue sauce to the ribs, wrapped each serving in greased aluminum foil, then marinated them for 4 hours. Still tightly wrapped in foil, I baked them for 2 hours at 300F. The final touch would be to open the foil packs, add more barbecue sauce on the ribs, then broil them for 30 minutes for that nice crusty color. The result? Really tender, juicy ribs, even my parents won't have trouble eating these meaty ribs! This is really the good life- to enjoy a nice, home-cooked meal with your family.

Pizza Hut

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	American
Location:	Trinoma Mall

What, a review for Pizza Hut?!? Yup, you're right. It just so happens that our dining experience at Pizza Hut was really pleasant, that I have to write a review about it. Since Pizza Hut's facelift into a Bistro here in Manila, we never bothered to try it out until recently, and we were quite happy with the food, the ambiance and the affordable price. There's an ongoing dine-in promo in Pizza Hut restos where you get a complete meal for only P99, and we tried the combo with the Caesar Salad and Pasta. Brandon and I are salad eaters and we just enjoyed the meal. We also tried their Spareribs Rice and it was satisfying- very tender and flavorful ribs served with a hefty portion of rice and sauce. And thanks to Kris who suggested Pizza Hut delivery one afternoon, I got to taste once again their pan pizzas (after many, many years) and we really enjoyed it. Now, we're officially Pizza Hut patrons, haha!

Trixie is just like her dad

I am proud to say that I have been reborn in Trixie.  There's no denying the fact that Trixie looks like me- we have the same eyes and hair, and friends often tell us that we're twins!  But lately, I've been seeing plenty of Brandon's likes and traits in her.  Just see the photo insert.  We took this photo of Trixie when she fell asleep on her bed.  Look at the way she positioned her legs- very similar to the way Brandon sleeps.  Then there's her love for the water.  She just loves to swim (very unlike me) and stay by the bay or sea.  She loves the sound of strong waves and the wind blowing in her face.  We also found out this week that she loves longgan- one of Brandon's favorites too.  And just today, Trixie had her first taste of durian candy and she loved it.  I totally loathe durian, but Brandon loves it.  Now, he has someone to enjoy durian with.

Bonding Time

I had early dinner with Wens yesterday at Savory MOA while Brandon and Trixie had some father and daughter bonding time by the bay.

Trixie at Play

Trixie's lesson in school a week ago was about emotions. So while Trixie was playing at Greenhills West (during Leroy's first birthday party), Brandon had fun with his digicam, taking photos of Trixie showing her happy and sad faces. I wonder where she got the idea of putting her hand in her cheek to show her sad face, haha!

Welcome back Lino and Stew!

We had a festive dinner lauriat at City Best :) Special mention to Lesly- it was nice seeing you!

Day out with Jennie

Great food and company! Jens, we miss you :) Photos courtesy of Gatch

Microplane Zester

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

I baked orange chiffon cake this morning and I got to use my Microplane Zester for the first time. This is such an amazing kitchen tool! Talk about effortless zesting! Oranges looked bald after zesting- nothing put to waste!

How we dealt with school anxiety

Trixie is officially a preschooler.  She has been attending school at Little Sandbox for the past three weeks and miraculously so.  Let's just say that Brandon and I sort of had our "baptism of fire" as parents to a toddler during the first two weeks of classes and it is only now that we're reaping the reward- meaning stress-free mornings and relaxing lunches. I never thought we will have trouble sending Trixie to school because she had an enjoyable two months, attending summer play group and art classes.  She was familiar with the school already and she even happily attended the first two days of school- no crying, no forcing.  But we were faced with a terrible dilemma in the days that followed.  Trixie simply refused going to school.  She would bug me not to send her to school before she would sleep at night.  She would wake up many times early in the morning (not her usual habit) to plead and beg for me not to bring her to school.  It was even harder after she ate breakfast-- she wouldn't get ready for school and would plead and plead for us not to take her to school.  It was very heartbreaking for us to leave her crying so pitifully in the arms of her teacher and seeing her so stressed out at such a young age.  Then there's the issue of being "hurt" unintentionally by her classmates in school.  Trixie is quite petite (which is a non-issue for us) and she is not used to being with rowdy children, and so she gets bumped and hit by her classmates to her dismay.  It even came to a point where we contemplated not sending her to school.  I seriously had headaches for days just thinking we might have done something wrong and we desperately needed some good advice.   Last week became the "make-or-break" week for us.  Instead of going to school last Monday, we let Trixie stay at home since she was a little feverish and had a runny nose.  She happily obliged to stay at home with our maids as company while she "forced" us to go out.  She never allowed us to leave her at home in the past; she would always want to go out with us, so we were surprised with her decision, which was choosing the lesser evil (being left in the house instead of going to school).  Brandon and I took that opportunity to have a movie date (finally!) but we couldn't enjoy ourselves knowing we were sort of tricked by our own little girl!  It was a similar scene sending Trixie to school the following day and my headaches persisted.  We simply couldn’t go on like this anymore.  I started to search the Internet for articles about sending kids to school and I learned that there was such a thing as school anxiety or phobia and the feelings brought about by it to children should be taken seriously by parents (who wouldn’t?).  The advice given by the experts on how to deal with anxiety- just continue to send the child to school and she will eventually get over it.  It sounded too simple, huh?  I also read that a teacher in school would read the book “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman (see photo) to his students to help them cope with separation from their parents.  I bought that book a year ago for Trixie and I thought this was the opportune time to read the book to her, which I did starting Monday night (and everyday up to now).  She loved the book!  I stressed to her that even though the mommy bird left the baby bird in the nest at the start of the story, she still came back in the end.  Come Tuesday and Wednesday, it was the same banana for us.  She wanted to stay home again with our maid and I would have let her, but then I saw a naughty spark in Trixie’s eyes which told me I shouldn’t let her have her way.   (By the way, I must say that Trixie learned the wrong alphabet tune from our maid when we left her.  Imagine, I left her for a few hours only and she quickly learned the wrong song!  Warning for those who constantly leave their kids with the househelp – but that’s another story.)  And so I stood my ground.  I was firmer with the decision to send her to school and I calmly told her (a most difficult thing to do amidst her whining and pleading) that school is good for her and that she will go whether she liked it or not.  Since Tuesday, her teacher reported to us that once we left her, her crying shortened and the following day, it was a mere whine from her and she started having more fun in school.  We saw a miracle come Thursday.  She wanted to go to school already (she even brought Menthos for her friends) and in the car on the way to school, she wanted me to drive faster to get to school quicker.  On Friday, she was rushing me to bring her to school already and so we arrived way too early for her class.  She waved good-bye, hugged, kissed and told me “I love you, Mama” (truly unforgettable!) before letting me go and she told me that she knows I will be back.  Now, it’s a different story over the weekend.  She now tells me that she wants to go to school and so I’m glad that it’s another school day for her tomorrow.  What a journey it has been!  And so I thank P.D. Eastman for writing such a marvelous book!  I really don’t know whether or not the book really helped her, but the book was part of Trixie’s process of overcoming school anxiety.  And I thank God for answering our prayers.  Whew, being a parent is really heart-breaking, but like I said, there are always rewards in the end.    

Rainy Day Bread Pudding

What to do on a stormy day—this is one question I have an easy answer to.  Aside from keeping updated on the latest weather bulletin, I just find it so enticing to make something rich yet comforting on any rainy day.  We were lucky enough to experience only an hour of blackout, so while Brandon and Trixie practically napped the whole day, I made Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding.  I got the recipe from Periplus’ Crazy for Chocolate Cookbook (gift from Stew from way, way back) and the result was just what I wanted.  It’s really rich and satisfying being made from dark chocolate, yet it’s so homey and so easy to prepare since the base is just white bread.  It was great served warm with vanilla ice cream but it tasted heavenly served cold the following day.  I’m posting the recipe here for you to enjoy this on your rainy days! 

 

Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding

60g butter (I used only half)

6 slices fruit-loaf bread (I used soft white bread)

½ cup milk

2 cups thick cream

½ cup caster sugar (Plain white will do)

100g dark cooking chocolate, chopped (I used bittersweet couverture)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup dark choc bits (I used less than a half cup of Hershey’s semi-sweet choc chips)

2 tablespoons golden syrup (I didn’t have any so I omitted this)

 

Procedure

Preheat oven to 160C/ 315F.  Brush a 4-cup capacity baking dish with oil or melted butter.

Spread butter on bread.  Cut bread into diagonal quarters.  Place bread in dish in single layer, overlapping it.

Combine milk, cream and sugar in medium pan, stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Bring to boil, remove from heat.  Add chocolate; stir mixture until melted and smooth.  Cool slightly; gradually whisk in eggs.

Pour half the custard mixture over bread, stand 10 minutes or until bread absorbs most of the liquid.  Pour over remaining custard mixture.  Sprinkle with choc bits.  Drizzle with golden syrup.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until set and slightly puffed and golden.  Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream.

Fruity Prawn Salad

There are days when you just want to indulge.  After a busy day at home, I was in need of something rich, creamy and refreshing, but I also needed to keep my toddler busy with a fun activity for her to do.  And so I thought of making this quick salad to satisfy my craving and get my daughter involved in the kitchen.  I might as well call this “Trixie’s Fun Salad” because she basically did all the mixing, while snacking on the fruits and having oodles of fun!   

 

Fruity Prawn Salad

(Serves 8)

1 can Fruit Cocktail (My favorite is Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Salad.  The fruits are crunchy and not too sweet.)

½ kilo Fresh Prawns

1/2 cup real mayonnaise

1/4 of a big can of Condensed Milk (or approximately half of a small can)

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Procedure:

Drain the fruit cocktail and reserve the syrup.  Set aside.

Place the syrup in a sauce pan and boil the prawns in it, until fully cooked.  Remove heads and shell of the prawns then cut in half through the back of the prawns, then remove the veins.

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and condensed milk.  (If you want a sweeter dressing, add more condensed milk.)  Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Add the fruits and prawns.  Toss well then serve. (You may opt to chill the salad, but I liked it at room temperature.)

 
Tip:  Make this salad even more colorful by serving it on lettuce cups.  Now that will be more impressive!

 

 

West Side Story

My friend Stew is also selling tickets to the Broadway-hit musical WEST SIDE STORY on September 12, 2008, Friday. Venue will be at the Meralco Theater, 8pm.

For ticket and show inquiries, you may email Stew (song1@jnjph.jnj.com) or SMS him directly (+63917-8735412).

HAIRSPRAY the MUSICAL

My friend Stew is selling tickets for  November 14 (Friday) and November 23 (Sunday).  It's a great show, winning 8 Tony Awards in Broadway.  It's also being produced and directed by the same group as Rent, Avenue Q and Cinderella. Venue will be at the Star Theater, CCP Complex, 8pm. 

For ticket and show inquiries, you may email Stew (song1@jnjph.jnj.com) or SMS him directly (+63917-8735412)

China Man in Action!

Shanghai La Mien is our new favorite noodle place in Banawe and Trixie just loves watching how the noodles are made. This is amazing, and most important of all, the noodles taste great.

Shanghai La Mien

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Chinese
Location:	Banawe, corner NS Amoranto Street, QC

Shanghai La Mien is truly a delightful discovery. An authentic China man makes your hand-pulled noodles upon order and it's amazing to watch how he makes those noodles (check out the video we took of the China man in action!) You basically make three choices when you look at their menu- first, dry or noodles in soup; second, choose among beef, fish, chicken, pork or dumplings; and third, the size of the noodles which are either round or flat, big or small. They have added Chowmein to their menu as well and they're also good. We love their fried dumplings which go well with the noodles. The portion is really big (which is just great for me and Brandon) and the price very, very reasonable. This is our family's new favorite place in Banawe.

Fun with Play Dough

A gift from Stew last Christmas

Trixie just loves playing with dough. I find it therapeutic too, making all sorts of stuff with the dough.

Recipe for Cooked Play Dough

This home-made play dough is just fantastic.  It's very easy to make, safe and non-toxic (it's edible but I wouldn't risk tasting it) so soft and fun to use, it lasts quite a long time (as long you keep it in a sealed container), it's so much cheaper than the commercial brand and most of all, the fun starts in the actual making of the dough.  I got the recipe from the book "Wonderplay" from the 92nd St. Y Parenting Center that I bought years ago from Books for Less.  I'm sharing this with you so you could share this with your kids.   There's another recipe for play dough in the book which is an uncooked version recommended for older kids.  I'll try that when Trix gets older.  Remember, a fun activity + an active child = a happy mom :)

Cooked Play Dough














Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water


Procedure:

Combine the dry ingredients and put in a sauce pan.
Mix together the wet ingredients then add to the dry ingredients.
Cook over medium flame while stirring vigorously until the entire thing comes together like a sticky ball.  Turn off heat.
Knead the dough until smooth- you may opt to use your hands but the dough will be hot!  So I just used a spatula to knead the dough while still in the pan.
Transfer to a plate then cover with plastic.  Let cool.  (You can put the dough in the freezer to speed up the cooling, but don't forget about it!)
As soon as the dough is cool enough to handle, divide it into portions and start coloring them with food color. 
Have fun with the dough and place in a sealed container after using to keep the dough soft and nice.

Tip:  You may add drops of water to the dough and knead it if it becomes a little hard when exposed to the air for a time.

Blueberry Muffins

I finally made blueberry muffins that I'm happy about, thanks to the ever reliable "The New Best Recipe." These are moist, but still light and fluffy, and I especially love the cinnamon-sugar topping. I found it very hard to give these away :)

Home Sweet Carton :)

What to do on a rainy day? Well, for me, I just lounged on the bed while my ever reliable hubby transformed a big carton into a house for Trix. Of course, Trixie helped excitedly and she's busy playing with it now. We will beautify it this week by painting the walls and adding some miniature furniture :)

Finger Painting Again

I made another batch of finger paint, using the Cornstarch-and-water only recipe, and I wasn't so pleased with the results :( It was too solid and not smooth and gooey at all. It was also quite a challenge to mix in the food color. I would recommend the previous recipe I posted over this one. Well, my little girl still loved it, and everything was still put to fun use.