sending a big THANK YOU to my Mama!
May 8, 2011
Empty Ref led to Pinakbet
An empty refrigerator always make me smile. why? It means I have not wasted what we bought and I have actually managed to cook for three. Cooking for us three has always been a struggle, I always somehow have a whole lot of leftover which tends to be forgotten and disposed at the end of the week. Also for last week we do grocery shopping every two days cause I need the space for my cakes.
Before C left for his basketball game I told him to buy takeOut for lunch, by 11am he still no call so I decided to make use of what's available and darn yesterday's dough is in the freezer bread was out of the menu. The only available ingredients: Tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, ampalaya (bitter melon), talong (eggplant), kalabasa (squash), okra and crispy chicken skin (chicharon). V asks what are you cooking mama? I want soup miso weed.
To cook Pinakbet: Heat olive oil in a wok or some thick bottomed pan. Saute onion, garlic, ginger and tomato till juice comes out. Add in a 1 spoonful of shrimp paste (Barrio Fiesta Shrimp paste). Mix for less then a minute then add veggies (squash, okra, and eggplant) let it simmer for one minute then add bitter melon give it a quick stir and simmer for another minute. Turn off the heat add in crushed chicharon (crispy chicken skin). Enjoy Pinakbet with steamed rice.
Now this is not the only way to prepare your pinakbet. Any meat will do or no meat at all. Back home we use pork belly and heat it in the pan till its oil comes out (you would omit the olive oil from above) and saute as is.
Before C left for his basketball game I told him to buy takeOut for lunch, by 11am he still no call so I decided to make use of what's available and darn yesterday's dough is in the freezer bread was out of the menu. The only available ingredients: Tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, ampalaya (bitter melon), talong (eggplant), kalabasa (squash), okra and crispy chicken skin (chicharon). V asks what are you cooking mama? I want soup miso weed.
As a kid I hated eating vegetables I remember being bullied by my cousins. They would put a whole chunk of veggies on my plate and tell me not to stand up till I eat up all the vegies in my plate. I would cry to our manangs' (nanny) for help and would sometimes end up sleeping in the dining table. Thankfully our Manang would remove the plate and shoo away my cousins for bullying me. That eventually changed over the years. Spending summer with my Lola mommy taught me to love eating veggies. She would always remind me that eating veggie will make me pretty.
Little V before he turned 3 ate every veggie we give him even the bitter ampalaya! Right now he's only veggie intake are broccoli, carrots, potato, tomato, eggplant and cucumber. While plating up I happily announced "we're eating vegetables today so V will win and Daddy will lose." One of our trick to make him eat his share of greens.
Now this is not the only way to prepare your pinakbet. Any meat will do or no meat at all. Back home we use pork belly and heat it in the pan till its oil comes out (you would omit the olive oil from above) and saute as is.
Empty Ref led to Pinakbet
An empty refrigerator always make me smile. why? It means I have not wasted what we bought and I have actually managed to cook for three. Cooking for us three has always been a struggle, I always somehow have a whole lot of leftover which tends to be forgotten and disposed at the end of the week. Also for last week we do grocery shopping every two days cause I need the space for my cakes.
Before C left for his basketball game I told him to buy takeOut for lunch, by 11am he still no call so I decided to make use of what's available and darn yesterday's dough is in the freezer bread was out of the menu. The only available ingredients: Tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, ampalaya (bitter melon), talong (eggplant), kalabasa (squash), okra and crispy chicken skin (chicharon). V asks what are you cooking mama? I want soup miso weed.
Before C left for his basketball game I told him to buy takeOut for lunch, by 11am he still no call so I decided to make use of what's available and darn yesterday's dough is in the freezer bread was out of the menu. The only available ingredients: Tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, ampalaya (bitter melon), talong (eggplant), kalabasa (squash), okra and crispy chicken skin (chicharon). V asks what are you cooking mama? I want soup miso weed.
May 2, 2011
A Girly Cake Challenge
My friend G requested that I make a girly cake for her birthday, a shoe and bag cake. *gulp I got excited and scared I haven't done anything like that and I have always refused friends request to make them some cute fondant cake. Sad to say i'm not artistic not like my mom and sister, I can't for the life of me draw a straight line without a ruler. G insisted that she wants me and no one else to make the cake for her because she knows I can do it. A little voice inside me whispered "ofcourse we can do it" and so I told her to give me a day or two to decide but to not worry in case I wont be able to do the cake I have a friend who has been making fondant cakes.
Searched the web for inspiration, tutorials, and read forums that would help and encourage me to make the cake. I told hubby C about it and he too was convincing me that I can do it and that he would help. And so I agreed. I showed G several cakes on flickr and agreed on the look.
I have exactly two weeks to practice and prepare the cake. Below is my very first purse cake and beside it the sole of a shoe. Though the cake is not perfect I am overly happy how I managed to make one which actually look like a purse (I think).
What have been little V doing while I'm working with the cake? Well we bought him his set of crayola dough. Before I start with my work he gets to work first shaping his dough and using animal cookie cutters to make shapes. I always remind him that his dough is not a fondant and he can't eat it. About after an hour or two he declares he's finish with his work and it's time for me to do mine. He get's his stool and stand beside me while I work asking a whole lot of why and what for. (i'll take photos of him with his play dough and post it soon)
Searched the web for inspiration, tutorials, and read forums that would help and encourage me to make the cake. I told hubby C about it and he too was convincing me that I can do it and that he would help. And so I agreed. I showed G several cakes on flickr and agreed on the look.
I have exactly two weeks to practice and prepare the cake. Below is my very first purse cake and beside it the sole of a shoe. Though the cake is not perfect I am overly happy how I managed to make one which actually look like a purse (I think).
What have been little V doing while I'm working with the cake? Well we bought him his set of crayola dough. Before I start with my work he gets to work first shaping his dough and using animal cookie cutters to make shapes. I always remind him that his dough is not a fondant and he can't eat it. About after an hour or two he declares he's finish with his work and it's time for me to do mine. He get's his stool and stand beside me while I work asking a whole lot of why and what for. (i'll take photos of him with his play dough and post it soon)
A Girly Cake Challenge
My friend G requested that I make a girly cake for her birthday, a shoe and bag cake. *gulp I got excited and scared I haven't done anything like that and I have always refused friends request to make them some cute fondant cake. Sad to say i'm not artistic not like my mom and sister, I can't for the life of me draw a straight line without a ruler. G insisted that she wants me and no one else to make the cake for her because she knows I can do it. A little voice inside me whispered "ofcourse we can do it" and so I told her to give me a day or two to decide but to not worry in case I wont be able to do the cake I have a friend who has been making fondant cakes.
Searched the web for inspiration, tutorials, and read forums that would help and encourage me to make the cake. I told hubby C about it and he too was convincing me that I can do it and that he would help. And so I agreed. I showed G several cakes on flickr and agreed on the look.
I have exactly two weeks to practice and prepare the cake. Below is my very first purse cake and beside it the sole of a shoe. Though the cake is not perfect I am overly happy how I managed to make one which actually look like a purse (I think).
What have been little V doing while I'm working with the cake? Well we bought him his set of crayola dough. Before I start with my work he gets to work first shaping his dough and using animal cookie cutters to make shapes. I always remind him that his dough is not a fondant and he can't eat it. About after an hour or two he declares he's finish with his work and it's time for me to do mine. He get's his stool and stand beside me while I work asking a whole lot of why and what for. (i'll take photos of him with his play dough and post it soon)
Searched the web for inspiration, tutorials, and read forums that would help and encourage me to make the cake. I told hubby C about it and he too was convincing me that I can do it and that he would help. And so I agreed. I showed G several cakes on flickr and agreed on the look.
I have exactly two weeks to practice and prepare the cake. Below is my very first purse cake and beside it the sole of a shoe. Though the cake is not perfect I am overly happy how I managed to make one which actually look like a purse (I think).
What have been little V doing while I'm working with the cake? Well we bought him his set of crayola dough. Before I start with my work he gets to work first shaping his dough and using animal cookie cutters to make shapes. I always remind him that his dough is not a fondant and he can't eat it. About after an hour or two he declares he's finish with his work and it's time for me to do mine. He get's his stool and stand beside me while I work asking a whole lot of why and what for. (i'll take photos of him with his play dough and post it soon)
Apr 28, 2011
Egg Morning
I love mornings. I have my quiet time while preparing breakfast @ 5:30am. Enjoying the early morning music of boiling water for my coffee.
Fresh brewed coffee makes me start my day with a smile on my face.
C and I get to enjoy quality time eating breakfast. Talking about what his day will be and me asking and planning dinner with him. It's just breakfast and we're talking about what to eat for dinner.
Today's breakfast I prepared Garlic Fried Rice, Sunny-side-up Egg, and Ham. All fried in my trusty wok.
Filipinos love a heavy breakfast and would almost always require an egg. We have a lot of "*silog" breakfast menu: TapSilog - beef tapa, LongSilog - longganisa (sweet pork sausage) , BangSilog (daing na bangus), HamSilog (ham). *"Silog" stands for Sinangag na Kanin (Fried Rice) and Itlog (Egg). If you have notice we use the first 3 letters of the main meat that goes along rice and egg.
How do you crack your eggs?
I used to crack my egg on the side of a bowl or counter but I always end up having bits of shell at the end. One TV chef suggested to crack the egg on a flat surface. I did just that and no more shells.
Wishing each one of you an Eggirriffic Morning!
Fresh brewed coffee makes me start my day with a smile on my face.
C and I get to enjoy quality time eating breakfast. Talking about what his day will be and me asking and planning dinner with him. It's just breakfast and we're talking about what to eat for dinner.
Today's breakfast I prepared Garlic Fried Rice, Sunny-side-up Egg, and Ham. All fried in my trusty wok.
Filipinos love a heavy breakfast and would almost always require an egg. We have a lot of "*silog" breakfast menu: TapSilog - beef tapa, LongSilog - longganisa (sweet pork sausage) , BangSilog (daing na bangus), HamSilog (ham). *"Silog" stands for Sinangag na Kanin (Fried Rice) and Itlog (Egg). If you have notice we use the first 3 letters of the main meat that goes along rice and egg.
How do you crack your eggs?
I used to crack my egg on the side of a bowl or counter but I always end up having bits of shell at the end. One TV chef suggested to crack the egg on a flat surface. I did just that and no more shells.
Wishing each one of you an Eggirriffic Morning!
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