Morning Talks with Trixie

Trixie sure is a talker.  This morning, the moment she woke up, we talked about "muta."  What is a "muta"?  According to Trixie, it's a small yellow dot. Some are white, some are yellow.  Some are wet, some are dry.  It's a little crunchy but you don't eat it.  It is just like salt.

Brandon and Brenzie Bonding Time

Brandon was relaxing in the living room when Brenzie tried to squeeze himself unto the couch.

Pretend Play

Trixie is such a home buddy. She thinks of all sorts of creative activities at home, and one of her favorites is pretend play. Here, she is a beautiful princess with long hair. Brenzie's trying really hard to cope with his sister. According to Trix, Brenzie is a prince. :)

Holiday Baking

I just love Christmas and the fact that our home always smells great every Christmas.

Chicken Hamonado

Description:
I got this recipe from Food Magazine and it is really delicious. This chicken recipe has a hint of barbecue but without the hassle of grilling. This is sooo easy to make, and with fabulous results.

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken legs and thighs
Salt
1 Tablespoon crushed garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup liquid seasoning (I used Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce.)
3 Tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt (I omitted this.)
1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Wash chicken with salt under running water. Drain well.
In a pot, combine chicken, garlic, onions, liquid seasoning, oyster sauce, pineapple juice, sugar, salt, peppercorns and water. Bring to boil about 10 minutes, then cover pan and lower heat.
Simmer about 30 minutes or until chicken is fork tender and sauce is thick and almost dry.
Serve over steaming hot rice.

Trixie on Being an Atsie

I was in the kitchen baking when I overheard Trixie talking to Brenzie.

Trixie:  Syoti, don't use your hands to wipe your "sipon!"

Trixie:  You want to be "Sipon" Boy ba?

Big Girl = Bigger Questions

Trixie was brushing her teeth while I was taking a shower, then we had this conversation.

Trix:  Mama, why is there no color black in the rainbow?

Me:  Hmm, I really don't know Trix, only God knows.

Trix:  Where does God live?

Me:  God lives in heaven.

Trix:  Where is heaven?  What does it look like?

Me:  I don't know exactly, but it's a very beautiful place.

Trix:  Does God eat?

Me:  What do you think, Trix?

Trix:  I think yes.... I think no.

Brenzie's New Hair

I cut Brenzie's hair last night while he was asleep. It was such an accomplishment for me! Mother = barber :)

Braised Beef Brisket

Description:
I got this recipe from "The New Best Recipe" book by America's Test Kitchen, and I'm posting this because this is really scrumptious! The beef was so flavorful and tender; this one is truly another no-fail recipe from ATK.

Ingredients:
Beef brisket, about 1.3 kilos, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.3 kilos onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon cider vinegar



Directions:
Preheat oven to 300F.
Sprinkle the brisket generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof pan until smoking, then cook the brisket until well-browned on both sides. Transfer the brisket to a large plate; set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, then add in onions, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the browned bits. Cook until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant.
Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, then add in the wine to dissolve the flour. Cook until almost dry about 1 minute, then stir in the broth and herbs.
Bring the brisket back to the pan then bring everything to a simmer.
Cover the pot then transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is super tender that a fork slides easily.
Transfer brisket to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Slice the brisket across the grain.
Add the cider vinegar to the sauce and serve with the beef.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

These are really good cupcakes--- so moist and chocolaty. You wouldn't even think that these don't have any dairy in it. Love, love, love these cupcakes.

Hearty Lomi Soup

Description:
This is one of Brandon's favorite comfort foods. I just love seeing the happiness in his eyes whenever I cook this. For me, the secret to good lomi is the broth; I always use chicken broth which is made by boiling chicken breast/ bones. Sorry, but I'm not a fan of bouillon cubes--- it's just not the same. Lomi is very versatile, so you may add in other ingredients that you like such as liver, squid balls, celery, malunggay, etc.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo (500g) fresh lomi (I buy mine at Rustan's supermarket)

1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
250g lean ground pork
250g suahe or small white shrimps, shelled and deveined
1 whole carrot, cut into strips
8 cups chicken broth
1 bunch petchay
3 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 3 tablespoons water to make slurry
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste



Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook lomi for about 2 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside.

In a big sauce pot, saute onions and garlic. Add ground pork and suahe; cook until shrimps turn pink. Add the carrots and mix everything together. Add the broth and let boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the lomi, and continue cooking until the noodles become a little fat, around 10-15 minutes. Add in petchay and cook until vegetable wilts. Add in cornstarch slurry and mix until soup thickens. Finally, pour in beaten eggs while stirring the soup.

Serve piping hot!

Roast Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

Description:
After five attempts of roasting chicken, I now present you my tested roast chicken recipe which is perfect not just for the holidays, but it will be wonderful for noche buena! I'll be making variations of this roast chicken recipe, but for the time being, this one is wonderful. Take note though, that you have to consider the time in preparing for this chicken. But it will be worth it, I promise. I always use the chicken drippings to make a light gravy (I omit the butter). Please look for the gravy recipe in my site for the basic directions.

Ingredients:
1.4 kilos whole chicken, giblets removed

Brine solution:
1.8 liters cold water
3 tablespoons fine sea salt or table salt
4.5 tablespoons white sugar
1 head garlic, papery skins removed, cloves separated, unpeeled and crushed
3 bay leaves, crumbled

Herb rub:
Juice of one lemon (Put squeezed lemon in chicken’s cavity.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 whole garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning dried herbs
*You may opt to add more fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary.
Salt and pepper



Directions:
Let chicken soak in brine solution in the refrigerator for at least two hours, but no longer than five or six hours. Pour off the brine, then pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

Combine all the ingredients for the herb rub. Rub the entire chicken with this mixture. Place chicken in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Place chicken in roasting rack/pan and roast at 350F for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, until thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165-170. I usually flip the chicken after one hour, to cook the other side. Pour 1 cup water in roasting pan to make sure drippings don’t burn. Add more water as needed.

Let chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Ube Biko

Description:
We brought home some ube or purple yam from our recent trip to Tagaytay, and after an afternoon of ginataan, I wanted to make an ube-based kakanin. This recipe is from pinoyrecipe.net. I found the ube biko to be sweet enough on its own so we didn't put any toppings, but I think macapuno would be great with this.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups ube, boiled and mashed (I used the water from boiling the ube in cooking the malagkit rice.)
3/4 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh milk
1/4 kilo malagkit rice, cooked
Crushed panutsa and grated cheese for topping

(You may opt to put a teaspoon of ube flavoring to make the ube flavor more pronounced.)



Directions:
Combine ube, condensed milk, and fresh milk in a thick saucepan.
Cook, stirring constantly until slightly thick.
Add in malagkit and cook until thick.
Spread onto a banana leaf-lined bilao or tray.
Cut into squares when cool.

Kiddie Cakes

October is the busiest month of the year for me, having to prepare for my kids' birthdays (and others too!). I can't wait for next year hahaha!

Steamed Stuffed Tofu

Description:
Brandon makes it a habit to buy tofu whenever he goes to Banawe, and I'm happy that he does. This dish is easy to make and it is so comforting, especially now that we're having cooler nights. I have to acknowledge Trixie who did all the mixing and shaping of the balls for the stuffing. She is such a darling in the kitchen.

Ingredients:
4-6 large cubes of firm tofu (not tokwa), cut into smaller cubes
Light soy sauce

For the filling:
150 grams ground lean pork
1 small carrot, minced
1 Tbsp. hibe, rinsed, soaked and finely minced (Fresh minced shrimps can replace hibe too, for a more flavorful stuffing.)
1 dried shiitake mushroom, rinsed, soaked and finely minced
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2-3 Tbsp, camote starch



Directions:
Place cubed tofu in a heat-proof dish. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the top portion of the tofu to make an indention or a small hole. Be careful not to break the tofu apart. Set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the filling, adding more camote starch if the mixture seems a little wet. Take note that the filling will be a little salty because of the hibe and oyster sauce, which is really my intention, to compliment the bland taste of the tofu. Make the filling mixture into small balls, then place on top of the tofu squares.

Pour about 2 teaspoons of light soy sauce at the base of the dish, to add more flavor to the tofu.

Steam for about 20-30 minutes, or until the filling is cooked.

Pan-grilled Herbed Pork Chops

Description:
This is now my favorite pork chops recipe- it's juicy, flavorful, tender and so easy to make. The secret is marinading the chops in brine prior to cooking it. We really loved it, including the kids, who really had no trouble eating the meat since it's tender, juicy and yummy. I guarantee it :)

Ingredients:
4 pieces (3/4 inch thick) pork chops, around 120 g a piece
Salt and pepper to taste
McCormick Italian Seasoning Herbs, around 1-2 Tbsps.
2 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil

Brine Solution:
1.5 cups water
3 Tbsps. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. table salt



Directions:
Combine all ingredients for the brine solution; mix until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour solution in a zip lock/ food grade plastic bag. Add in chops, seal the plastic, and marinade in the refrigerator for one (1) hour.

Drain the chops (throw out the brine solution) and dry with paper towels.
Set aside.
Mix together salt (not too much), pepper, herbs and olive oil. It will look like paste. Rub this paste on both sides of the chops. Leave for about 30 minutes for the meat to absorb the flavor.

Heat up a grill pan until very hot. Sear in chops (no need to put oil), around 3 minutes per side.

Serve right away and enjoy!

Little Brenzie Bunny

Meet out little bunny Brenzie :) I'm glad he loves this bunny costume (passed on from Trixie) which he will wear in the costume parties to come.

Trixie, My Flower Princess

Here are some photos of my two kids at Jon and Michelle Go's wedding last October 2, 2010. This was Trixie's third time to be a flower girl, and she was really good at it.

Got to wear shades!

Kids played around with my shades. I remember when I was a kid, I also did that. :)

Birthday Celebration 2010

I had a simple but fun birthday celebration at home. I really couldn't ask for anything more- I have two precious little ones and a wonderful hubby. My life is pretty blessed, thank you God!

Mandarin Sky

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Chinese
Location:	Banawe, Quezon City

This resto serves good Chinese food at a very affordable price. For a lauriat set with crabs and steamed suahe good for 10-12 pax, the price is P4,880! Of course, the place isn't posh and classy, but they serve good Chinese food.

Squash Cake aka Kim-kwe Keh

Description:
This week, my mother-in-law taught us how to make her special Kim-kwe Keh. I consider this a passing on of her legacy as a really good cook and homemaker, and I am grateful. I consider this recipe as a special gift that I will treasure. I'm glad both my kids like this a lot; it's a healthy Asian snack that I hope their kids will enjoy too when the time comes.

Ingredients:
1.5 kilos squash
3-5 cups of water, as needed
375 g rice flour
1.5 cups broth from hibe and dried mushrooms

Filling/ Topping:
150 g ground pork
1/8 cup hibe, rinsed very well and soaked, then minced
4 pcs dried shiitake, soaked and minced
4 pcs shallots, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Remove skin and seeds from squash and grate. Put grated squash in a sauce pot and add 3 cups water. Cook squash until soft and moist, adding more water as needed. (Approximate weight of cooked squash is 1.8 kilos.) Scrape the bottom of pot to prevent scorching.

Prepare filling. Saute shallots in oil until fragrant and light brown. Add in drained hibe, and continue to sauté. (You may set aside a portion of this mixture to serve as toppings.) Add the ground pork and shiitake mushrooms, and continue sautéing until brown and fragrant. Add in oil as needed to prevent drying and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Combine rice flour and broth, then add to the squash. Add filling mixture, season with salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Pour in lined loaf pans/ round molds, then flatten top. Steam for 1 hour or until done. Let cool completely before serving.

Note: Squash cake has a shelf-life of about three days in the chiller.

Serving Squash Cake:

Slice squash cake into about ½ inch slices. Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, then serve with hoisin sauce or sweet chilli sauce.

Birthday Dinner Date

I consider it purely providential that my birthday falls on the week of the annual Restaurant Week (where the finest restos in the Metro offer this fabulous menu of less than P1000 net per person for a gourmet meal complete with wine, Italian water and coffee, check out www.winedepot.com.ph.) Since last year, it has become tradition for Brandon and me to celebrate my birthday at Zucchini's- a mere 2-minute drive from our house (again, providential!). It was a lovely dinner.

Family Portraits by Lito Sy

Here are my family's recent portraits shot by Lito Sy.

Bangus with Sweet Onion Glaze

Description:
Jazz up your plain fried bangus with a special teriyaki-style sweet onion glaze.

Ingredients:
1 whole boneless bangus, daing style
2 onions, sliced into rings

Glaze:
1/8 cup mirin
1/8 cup light soy sauce
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 tbsp. brown sugar (or honey)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsps. water

Directions:
Cut the bangus into 4 large pieces, fry accordingly.

In a separate pan, saute onions in little oil until caramelized or until it becomes brown with a sweet aroma. While the onions are cooking, combine in a bowl the mirin, soy sauce, water and sugar. Pour the liquid into the onions and let boil. Make the slurry by combining the cornstarch and water. When the mixture with the onions boils, add the slurry and cook until thick.

Pour glaze on top of the bangus and serve.

Ratatouille

Description:
This has got to be one of my favorite vegetable dishes. Nothing beats the color and freshness of a medley of vegetables served on the table. Make sure to use fresh produce and good quality olive oil with a rich taste when cooking this dish.

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchinis, cubed
3 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, cubed
2 red bell peppers, cubed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, cubed
a dash of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large saute pan, pour about 1/4 cup olive oil and saute zucchinis and eggplants until a little brown and slightly tender, around 10 minutes, depending on the size of the vegetables. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook the onions until slightly tender, then add the red peppers and garlic. Continue to cook until tender but not brown. Add the tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper. Lower heat, cover and let cook for about 5-8 minutes.

Add in the cooked aubergines (zucchinis and eggplants) and continue to cook until everything is tender but not mushy. There should still be a crunch to the zucchinis and peppers. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

When everything's ready, turn off heat then add in the basil and give it a quick stir. (You may serve leftovers cold or without reheating. Trust me, the flavors do improve.)

Diok Pit He

Description:
"Diok Pit He" or Stuffed Prawns always remind me of childhood memories in Binondo where my Uno barkada would have potlucks and my friend Kris would bring this dish. This afternoon, I learned how to make this dish (with a one-on-one cooking session with Linda) and I felt a sense of fulfillment. I will keep this recipe with me until I'm old and gray, but until then, I will cook this for my family, especially my kids. I now share this recipe with you.

Ingredients:
300-350 g medium shrimps

Meat Filling:
250 g ground pork
1 cup minced singkamas
1/2 cup minced carrots
2 pcs. red onion, minced
1 egg
4-5 Tablespoons camote starch, the mealy type
Salt



Directions:
Remove shell and veins from shrimps, but leave the tails intact. Make slits in the shrimps "belly" to straighten the shrimp. Set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the filling.

Wrap each shrimp with the filling, making sure that the entire shrimp is encompassed by the mixture. Wrap the shrimps while a wok with oil (a lot, for deep frying) is being heated through.

Drop each piece in hot oil and cook over low heat. Do not overcrowd. This will take a while because we want to make sure the filling cooks through. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with catsup or sweet chilli dip.

Grilled Liempo Char Siu Style

Description:
This dish is very Asian being marinated in Char Siu sauce, but it's quite Pinoy too being grilled "liempo." I pan-grilled the pork using a stainless steel pan; I just cooked the pork without oil. Make sure the pan is really hot to properly sear the meat to get a nice crust! This is really good plus it's a breeze to make.

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork liempo

Char Siu Marinade:
100 g Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce
3 Tablespoons mirin
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons calamansi juice
1 Tablespoon catsup
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients of the marinade, then add in the liempo. Marinade overnight.

Pan grill until done, which will take about 2 minutes per side.

Color of the Day

Guess what's the color of the day. Haha, yup, yellow. Brenzie is wearing yellow shorts, but it wasn't shown in the photos, and he's eating yellow corn too. That's me behind the kids in the second photo.

Birthdays this weekend

Made two birthday cakes this week- chocolate cake for my bro-in-law Bryan and carrot cake for Quincy :)

Little things worth remembering

Our stray cat (who is very good in catching mice btw) has recently given birth to two kittens.  Trixie named them Carla and Marla.  The mommy cat is now Leela.


We saw plenty of ants in our wall and there was also the queen ant.  I told Trixie that the biggest one was the queen ant.  This is what she told me, "Mom, that's not a queen ant.  It's an ant wearing a costume."


Trixie, while packing away her toys, told me, "Mom, I think we need a bigger house.  My things don't fit anymore!"


We have been watching our family videos recently, and we came across a video taken at our previous house when Trixie was smaller.  She said, "Mom, why do we have our old things in our new house?   We have the same bed, same table, same pictures on the wall!" 

Trixie's Dream

While in the car, Trixie shared with me her dream the night before...

Trixie:  You know, Mama, I dreamed about a burger last night.

Me:   Really?  What was it about?

Trixie:  I dreamed about the bread, the vegies, mayo and the burger.  I tasted the mayo!



Hahaha, this one is priceless.  Made me think about the movie "Inception."

Whatever, Forever

We just got back from a family trip to Hong Kong, and while inside the plane on our way to Manila, Trixie and I had this mother-daughter conversation.   I can say this is quite a cheesy conversation, but it's very memorable.

Trixie:  Mama, will you still love me if I'm bad like Tatay Ben?  (Tatay Ben was one of the characters in the Kapamilya teleserye "May Bukas Pa."  She saw this episode where Tatay Ben played by the late Johnny Delgado kidnapped little children and made them into beggars in the streets.)

Me:  Yup, I will still love you.

Trixie:  Will you still love me if I become a mirror?

Me:  Yup, I will still love you.

Trixie:  But you will be sad if I become a mirror?

Me:  Yup, I'll be very sad because you'll be so hard I cannot hug you.

Trixie:  Will you still love me if I become a statue?

Me:  Yes, I will still love you.  (I'm now thinking, where does she get such silly ideas??)

Trixie:  But you will be sad again?

Me:  Yup, I'll be sad because I cannot kiss you.

Me:  Trix, Mama will love you whatever and forever.

Trixie:  ______ (She said nothing at this point, but she flashed a big smile.)


Sigh.  I just love being a mom. :)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Description:
The kids loved this! Perfect with steaks and gravy! I got the recipe at the back of the box of Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

Ingredients:
7 pcs. medium potatoes (around 1 kilo), peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic
1 box 8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese, cubed and softened at room temperature
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Boil potatoes and garlic in a large stock pot until the potatoes are cooked through, around 20 minutes.
Drain and return to pan (You may opt to reserve the liquid for future use as vegetable stock).
Add the cream cheese, butter and salt and mash away.

Mushroom Gravy

Description:
From the pan drippings from cooking the steak, you can make a most delightful gravy.

Ingredients:
Oil and drippings from cooking steak
2 Tbsps. butter, unsalted
3 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used button and portabella)
2 Tbsps. flour
2 cups beef broth, hot (You can make instant beef broth by dissolving 1 beef bouillon cube in a liter of boiling water.)

Directions:
Using the same pan from cooking the steaks, add the butter and swirl until it melts. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the flavorful brown bits from the beef. Add the mushroom and cook until soft. Add the flour and cook until it turns light brown. Gradually add the beef broth while continually stirring. Season as you like. Cook until smooth and thick.

Tenderloin Steaks

Description:
The key to making superb steaks is getting the freshest beef you can find. I got these US Angus tenderloin steaks from Santi's.

Ingredients:
Tenderloin steaks, around 180-200 grams a piece
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

Directions:
Let the steaks rest at room temperature before cooking. Generously season the steaks with salt and pepper at both sides right before cooking. Heat up a large saute pan, then add olive oil to coat the pan, and let it heat up until almost smoking. Sear the steaks, turning only once and not pressing the steaks down. I cooked the steaks for 2.5 minutes per side, and they came out medium rare. Set aside to rest before serving. Reserve the pan and drippings to make the gravy.

Father's Day Steak Dinner

We celebrated Father's Day yesterday with a steak dinner at home. Brandon's remark at dinner, "Panalo!" I've been reading a lot on how to sear a steak and you-tube was a big help too. I served the tenderloin steaks with garlic mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, plus organic salad to start off the meal. This is one of the best meals I've ever prepared, truly cooked with a lot of love.

Giada's Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Description:
This is by far the tastiest roast chicken I've ever made (and I've made a lot). I recently got Giada de Laurentiis' cookbook "Everyday Italian" and with this fantastic recipe from the book, I am officially a Giada fan. This is really easy to make and it's delish, trust me. In fact, I'm cooking this chicken dish again this week.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (giblets, neck and backbone reserved for another use)
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves


Directions:
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine the vinaigrette and chicken pieces in a large resealable plastic bag; seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from the bag and arrange the chicken pieces on a large greased baking dish. Roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 hour. If your chicken browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Place the baking dish on a burner over medium-low heat. Whisk the chicken broth into the pan drippings, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the baking sheet with a wooden spoon and mixing them into the broth and pan drippings. Drizzle the pan drippings over the chicken. Sprinkle the lemon zest and parsley over the chicken, and serve.

Chinese Birthday Noodles (Cha Misua)

Description:
I've always wanted to make my friends and family feel special on their birthdays and I now have another way to do that--- by cooking this special Chinese birthday noodles. I've made this twice already, and with wonderful results. This is my version--- light because of the all-seafood toppings, but hearty since this is always cooked with love. Thanks to my mother-in-law and baker friend Johanna for the pointers.

Ingredients:
1 pack egg misua (the one in the red carton)
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 kilo small scallops
1/2 kilo suahe or small shrimps, shelled
6 large fresh shiitake mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup good broth, chicken or pork
Onion and garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper

Garnish:
3 eggs, beaten
6 pcs shallots, sliced into small rings
Cilantro

Directions:
First, prepare the noodles. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the egg misua until it softens. Drain and set aside.

In a large wok or skillet, saute the onions and garlic in oil. Add the carrots, cook for a minute, then add the mushrooms. Add the scallops and shrimps and cook until just done. Do not overcook or the scallops will become tough. Remove everything from the wok, leaving any liquids, and set aside.

In the same wok, add the broth, oyster sauce and soy sauce. Season to taste. Add the egg misua. Mix thoroughly. If noodles appear too dry, add a little broth, being careful not to add too much or the noodles will become too wet. Add back the seafood mix then make a quick stir. Top with garnish.

To make garnish:
In a small skillet, fry the shallots until light brown. Fry until it becomes light brown; don't wait for everything to be brown and crispy before removing from heat or it will be bitter. Set aside.

In the same skillet, make scrambled eggs. Remove from heat then cut into strips.

Chinese Birthday Noodles

I'm a real sucker for birthdays. I often bake treats for friends and family for their birthdays, and now that I recently learned how to cook "cha misua" or Chinese birthday noodles, this is an addition to any family birthday celebration. This is my version--- light and flavorful with all seafood toppings, and most importantly, cooked with love. (Check out the recipe in another section of my site.)

Girlie's Bridal Shower Cake

This wa my first time to make a decorated cake for a bridal shower, and this was the sexiest design I can come up with (looks more like a cake for Valentine's). Trixie kept on asking why there was a baby on top of the cake! I really had fun making this one, although it took me the entire day to bake, assemble and decorate (plus the extra day to make the filling ahead). But more than anything else, it was a darn good chocolate cake. Trixie just loved licking the ganache off the spatula!

Beatrice the Ballerina

Yesterday was Trixie's ballet showcase in school and it was lovely. Trixie wore a red skirt sewn by Brandon's aunt (fabric courtesy of Beth) and Trixie danced beautifully. Another proud moment for me. We are actually considering sending her to ballet school. We think she might really be good at it :)

What happened to Boracay?

We just came from Boracay, and now that we're back, I ironically feel relieved.  I was looking forward to a relaxing trip;  I was expecting nature at its best.  But halfway during our stay, I realized that Boracay is simply not for me anymore.  Here are some of the reasons why.

First, I don't smoke.  Seems to me that smoking is now the norm in the island, and that the famous white, powdery sand of Boracay is becoming a huge ashtray with all the cigarette butts scattered everywhere.  It's also hard to get a pure breath of fresh air even during the early morning as some people must have a smoke for breakfast.  Before, I could just stay on the beach and read a book.  Now, it's more "fresh" to stay indoors.    

Second, I love (and need to) sleep at night. As I remembered it, all the goings-on were usually in Station 2, which was why we always stayed in Station 1.  Now, the party fever is infecting Station 1.  The parties begin late at night and usually end around 4 am (two hours before sunrise!), so there goes any attempt of having a good night's sleep.  They played really loud music, to the point that you can feel the vibration while in bed.  I wonder how the marine life is coping with this kind of noise pollution.  The behaviour of the party-goers is another thing.  Loud music + alcohol + no sleep = very bad behavior.  Nothing good can really come out of this equation.

Third, I don't throw my garbage anywhere.  I was shocked to see empty alcohol bottles, cans and sharp bottle caps scattered on the beach the morning after the terrible parties.  Now that's what I call really irresponsible.  The locals just took it upon themselves to clean up the mess.  They already accepted the fact that Boracay will be abused day after day and all they can do is clean up the following day.       

I find Boracay now to be a scary place to send my children when they are old enough to go out with friends.  Well, if Boracay still exists by then!  With the rate of abuse being done to this island, who knows what will happen to it years from now!  (Pasig River used to be beautiful, you know.)  I also find the island to be full of bad influences now; what happened to the purity and serenity of Boracay?  I do hope something will be done to preserve Boracay.  I start by writing this article to share my views, and hopefully, my message will not fall on deaf ears.

Which fish are safe to eat? - MIND YOUR BODY By Willie T. Ong, MD | The Philippine Star Lifestyle Features Health And Family

Link

I recently bought "samaral" fish at the supermarket (highly recommended by the fish vendor) and I chanced upon this very informative article while looking for ways to cook it.  Turns out "Samaral" or Rabbitfish is one of those healthier fish varieties.  Thank God for reliable fish vendors!    

Baked Ribs al Orange

Description:
I chanced upon this recipe for ribs at the label of our all-purpose Kikkoman soy sauce. I tweaked the recipe a bit and it was a hit. Trix loved this one. I was supposed to give some ribs to my sis to take to a meeting but Trixie objected. So, I happily obliged. :) It's best to use your hands when eating this!

Ingredients:
1.5 kilos baby back ribs, cut apart

Marinade:
3/4 cup Kikkoman soy sauce
3/4 cup marmalade
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup white wine
1 whole garlic, minced
1 whole ginger, minced

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients for marinade in a medium sauce pot and let simmer until slightly reduced. Leave to cool to room temperature. Place ribs in an oven-safe dish and pour the orange mixture. Marinate the ribs overnight in the refrigerator.
Cover the marinated ribs with foil and bake in a preheated 180C oven for about 2 hours or until tender.
Serve with steamed rice.

Persia Grill

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Middle Eastern
Location:	Sky Garden, SM North Edsa

Persia Grill is my new date place with Brandon. I chanced upon this resto in one of the episodes of Us Girls where Angel Aquino ate with gusto. She was right! The food there is really, really good. We've been there twice, and everything we've ordered so far was delicious (except for the yogurt shake). We just loved their chelos and beef shawarma. Wondering why I just gave it 4 stars? Service and restaurant amenities need improvement.

Discoveries of all sorts

Last weekend, I discovered a new variety of banana that we bought at Batangas on our way home from Punta Fuego.  Nobody knows what type of banana it is, but it's a cross between latundan and saba.  The skin of the banana has a smooth velvety feel and the flesh is so meaty and sweet.  I loved it so much that I ate three bananas a day for two straight days, then I discovered that overeating that unknown type of banana led to indigestion.  I've never felt that bloated and nauseous before; I even thought I was pregnant!  Thanks to another discovery--- brown rice tea.  Just a cup made me feel better right away.  No need for alka seltzer anymore, which was long discontinued--- this we found out too in our search for a cure for indigestion.

I discovered a new twist to tinola.  Add buco water and buco meat at the last few minutes of cooking for a fresh, sweet flavor.  The Tinola magically becomes Binakol.

I discovered this week that Trixie cannot speak Tagalog.  Well, she calls it "Pagalog."  See what I mean?   In an effort to verify this, I asked her last night, "Marunong ka bang magsalita ng Tagalog?"  She answered, "Hindi."  She continued, "I only know 'Hindi' and 'May ipis'."  This one's priceless.

Trixie also has a new discovery this week.  While watching Dora the Explorer, she looked at me and said, "Mama, Dora looks like me, right?"

In search of a good oyster cake in the QC area?  Try Maki House's Oyster Cake, located along Scout Tobias.  This one's really good--- with just the right amount of bean sprouts and chives.  Discover this one soon. 

 

Pollo con Peperoni

Description:
Or Chicken with Peppers. I got the recipe from a vintage Italian cookbook called "Italian Cooking" by Moyra Fraser, that I tweaked based on the ingredients I have on hand. (I got the book at a bargain price at Books for Less). This chicken dish happens to be the picture on the cover of the book, and it was delicious. It took a while to grill the peppers and blanche/peel the tomatoes, but it was all worth it. This dish is light but very comforting. I must say it is now one of the family's favorites.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 large chicken leg quarters, chopped
2 large bell peppers (I used one green and 1 red for a nice contast in color)
3 large red tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup basil, chopped


Directions:
First, roast peppers over the fire on the stove until the skins have turned black. Place peppers in a bowl then cover; leave for about 5 minutes. This will allow steam to make the charred skins easier to remove. Remove skins and seeds, then slice peppers into thick strips, around 1 inch thick. Set aside.

Next, the tomatoes. With a knife, cut a small "X" at the bottom of a tomato and remove the top core. In a pot of boiling water, submerge the tomatoes for about 30 seconds. Remove tomatoes then submerge in cold water. Drain the tomatoes. Remove skins, chop the tomatoes, and remove the seeds. Set aside.

In a medium stock pot, add olive oil and butter. Saute the onions until wilted. Add the chicken pieces and cook until brown, turning the pieces once in a while. Season with salt and pepper.
When the chicken pieces have tuned brown, add the white wine and simmer until the liquid evaporates. Add the peppers and tomatoes, and season again with salt and pepper. Add the broth. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring once in a while, until chicken is tender. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped basil.

Creamy Prawn Pasta

Description:
This one is very creamy and satisfying. The white wine lends a nice flavor which differentiates it from carbonara. Thanks to my baker friend Johanna for sharing this recipe with me. Next time, I'll put a splash of lemon juice before serving.

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. chili flakes
1/2 kilo prawns, shelled and deveined (You may opt to cut it in half horizontally for a nice cute curl when cooked)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup all-purpose cream (or more if sauce becomes too dry)
Parmesan cheese or mild cheddar cheese, grated
Linguine, cooked according to package directions (I used around 350g uncooked)
Parsley flakes


Directions:
In a large saute pan, add olive oil to coat the pan. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, then add chili flakes. Add prawns and cook until pink. Add white wine and allow to simmer for a minute. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.
Toss in cooked pasta, then add grated cheese and parsley flakes.

Summer Tomato Salad

Description:
This is super easy but so so good. Be sure to use salad tomatoes and good quality extra-virgin olive oil. :)

Ingredients:
1 large salad tomato, sliced about 1/4 inches thick
150 g fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 tbsp. sliced basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Arrange sliced tomatoes on a platter.
Top with mozzarella slices and basil leaves.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (not too much).
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve at once.

First Coinbearer Stint

Seeing Brenzie "perform" so well as a coinbearer was truly one of my proudest moments. He really enjoyed all the attention; he even stopped in the middle of the aisle to dance!

Call me Mr. Charming

Brenzie is loving the camera! He is growing to be a charming boy- always smiling and dancing. He is so cute in his suit too!

At Ville Sommet

We were at cool Tagaytay over the weekend for Arnold and Melissa's wedding. Here are some of our family photos.

New hair

Yup, I cut Trixie's hair today, but that didn't change her one bit.  She is still so "makulit" and ever so curious.  Here are some of her most recent questions...

Yesterday afternoon, Trixie asked me this about our maid, "Mama, why is Juvilyn brown?"  "Why she have pimples?"

We don't have cable at home (we decided not to get cable to control tv time), so Trixie looks forward to going to our uncle's house every Monday night so she can watch Playhouse Disney.  She kinda figured it out already, so she asked me, "Mama, why we don't have 'Animal Mechanicals' at home?"  I answered, "We don't have cable at home eh."  Her next question, "What is cable?" 

Brandon was bitten by a mosquito yesterday.  On our way home, she asked me, "Mama, why did God make mosquitoes?" Still about God, "Mama, what is God's number?  I want to call him, eh."

She asked me this after dinner, "Mama, why do giraffes eat grass?"

 

 

What he wants

Brandon was able to capture this moment during mealtime, where Brenzie was trying to tell me what he wants to get from the table. He can be so persistent!

Minced Meat with Lettuce

Description:
We have plenty of hoisin sauce in the fridge so aside from having Eng Bee Tin raddish cake for breakfast, I made this "Hieng Dieng Chui Ma" for dinner. It was superb! This is a lighter version, made from ground chicken. Less oily, more fun!

Ingredients:
300g ground chicken
1 medium carrot, grated
3 Tbsp. minced water chestnuts (around 6 pcs.)
3 Tbsp. minced shiitake mushrooms (around 3 pcs, dried shiitake, soaked then minced)
1 Tbsp. rice wine
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. sliced onion leeks
2 Tbsp. minced ginger
4 Tbsp. oyster sauce
Sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Iceberg lettuce
Wansuy
Hoisin sauce

Directions:
For the minced meat:
In a bowl, combine chicken, carrots, water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms. Set aside.
In a smaller bowl, combine rice wine, soy sauce and cornstarch; mix well. Add this to the meat mixture.
In a large saute pan, add vegetable oil. Saute leeks and ginger. Add marinated meat and cook while breaking up the ground chicken that may have clumped together. Add oyster sauce and season with salt and pepper. Off heat, add drops of sesame oil.

Serve with lettuce cups, wansuy and hoisin sauce.

Tip on making the lettuce cups:
Using a knife, remove the bottom of the lettuce. Place the lettuce, cut side up, under running water from the faucet to loosen up the leaves. Remove one cup at a time.

It really gets harder!

Here is another round of mind-boggling questions from Trixie that she asked me just these TWO days...

Yesterday, out of the blue, Trixie asked me these questions about God.  "Who made God?"  "Will Jesus die?"  "Did Jesus make God?" 

While watching Little Einsteins, she asked me, "What is outer space?"

Over dinner, Brandon received a fax call.  Thus began her questions... "Mama, what is a fax?"  "What does it look like?"  "What is it saying?"  It took almost the entire dinner for me to exhaustively answer her questions on how the fax message gets through the phone! 

Romulo Cafe

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Other
Location:	Scout Tuazon, corner Dr. Lazcano

We just discovered a fabulous Filipino restaurant in the Scout area and we're so raving about it. Everything ordered from our last two visits have been good, but we especially enjoyed the Boneless Crispy Pata, Flying Tilapia with Three Sauces, Ginataang Sigarilyas, Baby Pusit in Olive oil and Tuna Sisig. We love love the food and we love love the interior of the restaurant. This is truly a gem in QC.

Me and my boy

These are my latest photos with Brenzie. He is now 15 months old and so charming. He is wearing is daily "SSS" outfit- Sando, Shorts, Slippers :)

Ma-po Tofu

Description:
My version of Ma-po Tofu is sweet and mild spicy, which is very Brenzie-friendly.

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
Half onion, minced
1/8 tsp. chili flakes (Add more if you want it hot.)
150 g lean ground pork
1 can Gulong Minced meat in Bean Paste
1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce (I used UFC)
1 cup firm tofu, cubed

Directions:
Saute onions and garlic until tender. Add the chili flakes. Add ground pork and cook until it changes color. Add Gulong. Using the empty can, add a little water. Add the tomato sauce and sweet chili sauce. Cook until boiling. Lastly, add the tofu and make a quick stir. Serve with rice.

Spinach and Seafood Soup

Description:
This is a popular soup in Chinese restaurants and it's a liberating feeling to finally be able to do it at home. I got pointers on how to make this soup from my baker friend Johanna. This is very comforting and really healthy.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
250 g suahe, shelled and chopped finely
2.5 cups chicken stock, heated
1 cup firm tofu, cubed (Trix did this for me.)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed in 4 Tbsp. cold water (cornstarch slurry)
2 eggs, beaten (Courtesy of Trix again)
Salt and pepper to taste



Directions:
In a pot with boiling water, blanch the spinach leaves until wilted. Strain out the spinach and place in blender. Add a little water from the pot and puree the spinach. Set aside.
In another soup pot, saute the garlic until aromatic. Add minced shrimps and cook until pink. Pour in hot chicken stock. Add the pureed spinach and tofu. Cook until boiling.
Add cornstarch slurry and combine until of semi-thick consistency. Lastly, add beaten eggs while stirring. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and serve.

Maple Bacon Muffins

Description:
These muffins smelled heavenly while baking and they're so soft and flavorful, warm or not. I just couldn't get enough of it. I got the recipe from tasteofhome.com and next time, I will tweak the recipe to make more variations of this wonderful muffin.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
(I used 5 strips Applegate Farms Turkey Bacon)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup maple syrup

Directions:
Combine the flour, bacon, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, oil and maple syrup.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the liquid ingredients. Mix to moisten; do not overmix.
Using a scooper, fill paper-lined standard muffin pans, about 3/4 full.
Bake at 400F for about 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.