Simply Filipina

The Advantages of Using Coffee Tables in Your Home

2012-02-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the guest post by Rob L.

Coffee tables are used in various places for different purposes; many of the uses of these small tables are obvious to most people. While the initial cost of tables for your home may be expensive, the many advantages that you can make use of outweigh the drawbacks for a lot of home owners.

Firstly, they are ideal when you have visitors and they need somewhere to put drinks. This is, of course, the main purpose that these tables serve; however, people often fail to realize how much easier this makes things. Because they have somewhere to put their hot drinks, there is less chance of a spillage, which means that there's not as much chance that you'll have to start clearing up hot coffee from the carpet!

Apart from being able to put drinks on them, you can put almost anything else on top of them. Many people like to display ornaments on them if they're never in use for drinks. This may give your house a warm and friendly atmosphere, and some delicate ornaments, photographs and other trinkets will add character to the room.

If you get a coffee table that allows you to lift the lid, you can use it as a little bit of extra storage space. Diaries, sheets of paper and pamphlets that you want to keep hold of can be stored inside the coffee tables until you need to take them out again.

Adjustable coffee tables are becoming increasingly popular, mainly due to the fact that so many people are realizing the many uses of these. Not only can you put your drinks down on them, but you can adjust the height to a higher level if you wish, giving you a table that is high enough to eat a meal from!

Just curious

2012-02-11T16:07:00.001-08:00

On how much a gold bar would cost nowadays. Well I just found out that you can actually buy gold bars online from Golden Eagle, coins and bullion too. The price of an ounce of gold bar amounts to a little less than 2000 bucks! I really thought it's more than that. Such items along with other precious metals are nice investments for many individuals because as we know, gold's value just keeps on increasing over time. It is also more in demand because products like cosmetics and food uses gold as a primary ingredient. There are trusted companies that sells these precious gems, find the one worth the investment if you're interested.

Calamares

2012-02-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

1 cup slice baby squids

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup buttermilk or 1 raw egg

5 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup flour for coating

cooking oil

Mix altogether except the 1/2 cup flour dash garlic salt on the flour mixture. Heat cooking oil. Coat each squid onto the flour and toast it to the hot oil cook for 3minutes each side till golden brown. Serve with Asian garlic sauce or your favorite sauce.

Enjoy Cooking!

My video

2012-02-09T20:18:00.000-08:00

I had a hard time the other day on youtube video downloader for the videos i recorded from the kids play last weekend. But glad to know that my cousin taught me how to download those videos so i could share it to my family in the Philippines and friends also. She suggested to do these simple steps so that i can download it on YouTube or in my computer using the best video downloader software. After that, i was able to share the moments that kids and I had. Thanks for her otherwise i still can't get to download those videos!

Have a goodnight ya'll!

They HATE my C'cakes!

2012-02-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

I guess i am in trouble now, lol! Why? because they hate my cupcakes that i made yesterday for my office mates it was my day off so i volunteered to cook lunch and at the same time bake something chocolaty for desserts. Anyway, after the long morning of cooking and baking the lunch is ready and took to the office. Everybody got silly when they saw it too good to eat for the diet people, lol.

Anyway here's the recipe:

1 pack box of chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup of dark chocolate icing

1 cup whipping cream

10 pieces Oreo cookies

How:

Bake the chocolate cake as directed on the box
Cool completely before icing.
Froze the icing bowl (mixer bowl) for at least 10 minutes at the most before prep time.
When ready and cold, pour 1 cup of whipping cream and mix to medium speed until the texture is foamy. Then add the 1/2 cup chocolate icing and continue mixing until it become stiff.
Then start decorating your C'cakes, lastly sprinkle the grind Oreo cookies on the top of the finished cupcakes for garnish!

Enjoy Cooking!!

Fresh Fruit Pie

2012-02-02T20:39:00.000-08:00

This is my finished product, i made a pie instead of cake for try out and see how it goes well i am happy with the result. It was my first time and looks like i did it right! lol. The pie it self was good use the strawberry cheese cake mix and then i prep the fruits then working on my design. Look yummy isn't it? Will share the recipe later after making the fruit cake this time. Nest week probably for the office to dessert in!

I want a massage

2012-01-31T19:48:00.000-08:00

Soon enough I'll ask the husband to take me to the spa nearby. I really need a full-body massage. It's been a long time wish to visit the spa but because of busy schedules, we just can't make it. Anyway, aside from massage, I'd also like to have my hair done, been decades since my last cut. I just love going to spa, if only I could go there more often. The place is so relax, the ambiance so warm with beautiful oriental decorations like those Singing Bowls, lanterns, etc. It's really a place to relax and not to mention, very conducive for sleeping. LOL!

Fruit Cakes

2012-01-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

I am fascinated with fruit cakes and planning to make one for the office this coming Tuesday not tomorrow. Love the look of the layered fruits. Got the idea from a virtual friend in social network site after saw her creations i promised to try it for myself too because it is indeed a very impressive work of art to do! Will see how i pulled mine on Tuesday will share you photos here.

Yummy Sunday #126: Puto & Kuchinta

2012-01-22T20:54:00.001-08:00

My Yummy Sunday this week's entry is very pinoy! Famous delicacies in every part of the Philippine island, puto at kutchinta with fresh grated coconut! Best in the morning breakfast with your favorite beverage. We called it kakanin in local Filipino dialect. Kutchinta is one my favorite kakanin it's always the yummiest thing i've ever ate when i was growing up. Every morning we heard manang tindera roaming around the neighborhood and father never miss to buy some for us to enjoyed! It's good also for snacking and when you have some friends coming over you house to visit you know! Since i was craving for it the other day I've made some just for me and my housemates! Wink.

Beef Ribs Soup

2012-01-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Korean menu Kalbi-tang or in English beef ribs soup with rice noodles. It was so good even it is just simple and basic soup yet the flavor is so deep and very refreshing specially in a cold days meal. Not to mention soup is always good for regaining energy back when you feeling tired you know. The husband wasn't feeling very good so i make sure he well taking care of :-). He loves it and we all enjoy it!

You need:

6-8 pieces of good cut beef ribs

2 cloves garlic chopped

small size onion chopped

1/2 tsp pepper corn or ground pepper

salt to taste

dash of garlic salt

dash of paprika

1 cup rice noodles

2 stalks of green onion (for garnish)

2 potatoes optional (I add mine for extra)

1 egg

How:

Cleaned beef ribs good. In a deep pot boiled them till very tender approx 1 hour. Take away the residue from boiling. Add garlic, onion, salt, peppers, garlic salt and paprika and continue boiling until fragrant. Now add the potato if desire till tender. Add the rice noodles. Lastly the egg. Stir and simmer for at-least 5 minutes. Serve hot with sprinkle onions for garnish.

Enjoy Cooking!

Mom's Business

2012-01-19T07:35:00.000-08:00

Guest post by Gerard Mcdaniel

Being a mom is the most important thing in the world to me but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about my job. I actually work for a small law firm here in town and though that seems low key it’s really been a labor of love. I had to go back to school for 6 months to get licensed to handle the stuff I handle and I’ve been tasked with doing a lot more around there than my job title originally called for. I’ve been looking into small business internet solutions and having everyone new business cards printed and even been talking to interns about coming in next semester – there’s pretty much nothing around there that I don’t have my hands in. I love my job and the opportunity it gives me to get outside myself and not stress so much about what’s going on at home – I need a way to disconnect otherwise I just get consumed with being a mom and a wife and a housekeeper and that’s surely no way to live!

Elegant Dining Settings

2012-01-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

~The Vintage Look~

~The Classic Look~

~ The Contemporary Look~

The perfect food should accompanied with perfect table and dining room settings. This is what i vision my dining areas when i have guess or be a host! Chandelier/s is always perfect for the center piece of the table with vibrant and bold colors such as the table linens & decors, curtains, napkins and of course the dinnerware & glasses. Great memories starts with great dining experience! I always love to get some ideas watching home&gardens shows and food channels so i can get the ideas how to create my own dining room setting. Wink!

Pork chops with mushrooms gravy

2012-01-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

One of the dish that i learned when i came here in the US the pork chops with mushrooms gravy. Inspired by the better half's version he loves this kind of food with matching mash potatoes on the side and steam veges. At first he gave me the idea and later on he thought mine is a lot better and yummy than his, lol. Since i enjoy experimenting and adding stuff on my cooking my version is simply tasty and creamy.

Here's how:

1 pack of boneless pork chop

salt and pepper to taste

3tbsp cooking oil

for the gravy:

chopped onion

chopped mushrooms about 1/2 cup

garlic salt

1tbsp sour cream

1 pack GV chicken gravy mix

ground pepper

Procedure:

Sprinkle salt and pepper onto the pork chops both sides. Heat oil and pan seared the meat until golden brown approximately 5 minutes each side in a medium heat. Set aside.

In a same pan pour extra oil and leave just about to caramelized onion and mushrooms. Using a wire whisk is recommended. In a measuring cup pour the gravy mix in a cup of water and mix well. When caramelized, pour the gravy mix, dash of garlic salt and dash of ground pepper whisk it as much as could then bring bring the meat over and simmer for 2 minutes. Lastly, put a spoonful of sour cream stir well. Simmer a minute then enjoy with your favorite side.!

Happy Cooking!

Never Pass by a Pub

2012-01-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the guest post by Rob L.

If you plan to visit any foreign countries you should really get to know the local people. The best way to do this is to immerse yourself in the culture and the food of the locals. The best place to do this is often the local pub. There are some really amazing dishes and that you can’t find in high lass restaurants because people turn their noses up at them. They don’t like to associate themselves with what they perceive as low class food. Anyone who has ever eaten poutine can tell you that “low class” food can take your breath away. There is something really beautiful about savoring rich food while drinking a beer and shooting billiards on pool tables. It may not be high society but you will make friends if you forget that high society exists.

In regards to libations, one of the best things you can do is befriend a bartender. This is easiest in a small pub or bar because the bartender is more likely to have a conversation with you. They aren’t as busy trying to fill orders and restock the shelves as each bottle runs out. The biggest concern that a small pub bartender has is making sure that nobody tries to dance on the pool tables. Some won’t even be concerned with that. Bartenders love to work their craft and each one has a favorite drink or favorite style. Most pubs aren’t the places to order a pumpkin pie “martini” but if you like real mixed drinks, like the Old Fashioned and gin martinis, you may just find the best mixer on the planet.

Pubs are really the heart of a town. With an open heart, an empty stomach and a little skill at the pool table you may just walk away with some new lifelong friends and a lifelong love of everything “pub”.

Chicken Asado

2012-01-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

You need:

small cuts of chicken with bones

4 small sizes red potatoes

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1/4 cup green bell pepper

1 small tomato sauce

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 small onion chopped

1tsp paprika ( i love paprika)

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup water

How:

Sauteed garlic and onion till fragrant. Add the cut chicken stir let it simmer for 5minutes. Pour the tomato sauce and water let it boil then add salt, pepper and paprika. Cover and simmer for 15minutes or until chicken fully cooked. Then add the vegetables. Simmer for another minutes till veges are fully done, just add water if necessary. Serve hot with plain rice.

Enjoy Cooking!

What a Find!

2012-01-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

I was just doing my daily thing online when I stumbled upon a website that seems too good to be true. For an online shopper hunting for the best deals in most affordable prices, nomorerack scam might be the first thing to enter our minds because what they have in their website is indeed too good to be true. So I dig deeper and read about nomorerack reviews. Accordingly, nomorerack is a top choice for shoppers looking for the latest and coolest items in the world wide web. From accessories, to gadgets and apparels. But here's the twist. They also have the biggest possible discounts you can think of! Insanity deals are what they are called, items like samsung galaxy tab with a price around 400 bucks now down to just 18$! Am all smiles when I saw their EOS rebel SLR camera now available for only 20 bucks! Can you believe that? But how can such offers be possible and true? Here's how it works actually. Nomorerack has a team that constantly searches for the hottest deals, manufacturer closeouts, overrun and overstock products, cancelled orders from different sources. All products are authentic and in great quality are then passed to customers and since it's straight from the factories, the savings are bigger and better! But their deals are available only for one day or until somebody else grabs it already. So if ever you found something you really like, you gotta be fast and put it to cart. The shipping fee is reasonable too, 2$ for every item but as of now they don't ship internationally though. Sounds cool isn't it? But we can't blame ourselves if we are to become skeptical about it. The best thing to do is be wise and consider everything before buying. And the best way to find out if it's true is to try it first hand. Anyway, is there somebody out there who already tried it? It pays to know feedback and be sure rather than sorry. If not, you can drop them a visit and see for yourselves. They could be aplace where we can find amazing stuff that won't hurt our pockets.

Super Moist Chocolate Cake

2012-01-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

I honestly so proud of my cakes specially my specialty the super moist chocolate cake! Every body who grabbed a bite nor slice totally liked it! This is recently i baked and share it to the husband's colleagues. I got a lot of compliments how good it is the cake is so moist and the frosting just perfectly creamy, lol! I am glad that they enjoy every bit of it because i love making stuff for the others. Anyway, I agree that I've made the best cake ever! All i want is to bake more and make more designs and flavors and who knows i could make some money out of it right? ( i accept orders) haha. Everyone loves cake well who doesn't? sure this is a guilty pleasure but it's good! Just make sure to drink some tea after you eat desserts, wink!

Homemade crispy fried chicken

2012-01-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

One of housemates favorite is fried chicken and so do I! It's my number one to list of favorite food of all times. Well who doesn't pretty much sure fried chicken is typically famous. There's plenty of variety on how to cook it some they cook it in slow cooking in soft batter meanwhile mostly they love the traditional way the crispy deep fried which what i want the best. The same as i cook mine. I simply add other spices to add flavor and very tasty. Try it!

Here's how:

8-10 slice of cut chicken with bones

6 tbsp of flour

1tsp paprika

1/2tsp salt

1/2tsp ground pepper

1/2tsp garlic powder

1/2tsp onion powder

1tbsp nacho cheddar popcorn mix

Cooking oil for frying

Rinse chicken thoroughly. In a bowl put all the rest of the ingredients and coat chicken well. Heat oil to the right temperature. Toast the chicken in the frying pan. Fry each side at least 5minutes or until thorough cook.

Enjoy Cooking!

The Common Mistakes in Cake Baking

2012-01-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Baking is a fun activity but at the same time it could be a little stressful since everything has to be exact. The difference it has compared to cooking is that you can’t just estimate the amount of ingredients needed. One wrong move in measuring could lead into a food disaster. But the reward of finally seeing the fruit of your labor makes it truly worth it.

So if you are planning to learn a thing or two about baking or have tried it for the first time remember that it will take practice to make it practice. There’ll be problems along the way; learn from these mistakes and use them as a tool for the next baking experience. Below are also some of the usual baking dilemmas that a fist time baker might encounter along with tips on how to fix them.

The cake is hard to remove from the pan. This problem could be because of the lack of enough oil. Remember to grease the pan with a little amount of oil so that the cake won’t stick when you have to remove it. Another reason is timing. Let the cake cool down for about five minutes before removing it from the pan. Make sure to use a wire rack to make cooling down an easier process.
Another common problem involves the texture of the cake. The perfect one would have been soft and smooth as if it melts in your mouth. A cake with a coarse texture could be the result of having too much baking soda in the batter mixture. This is why it is very important to follow the recipe and make sure that all ingredients are well mixed.

Another thing that could affect the outcome of your cakes is the quality of ingredients. Make sure to use only the fresh ones and throw away those that are already past expiration date or hasn’t been used for a long time.

Mariel is a freelance article writer. Her passion includes traveling, writing and reading. She is currently writing on a wide range of topics and one of them is about gulvafslibning Odense which is about floor sanding in a Danish city called Odense.

Special Chicken Adobo Recipe

2011-12-29T07:23:00.001-08:00

I've been blogging food in here but i realized i haven't gotten to share yet my adobo recipe it is my version of adobo where in it's my number one favorite of all times, lol. Though i add a spice that wasn't really there in a traditional adobo recipe that i know. Anyway, now is the chance to share you guys. I always cook this famous Filipino cuisine my family loves it so much cooking this makes them clean their plates specially my kiddos, my eldest favorite ever since but the lil missy is so picky lately am having a hard time to feed her but when adobo is right in her plate oh boy! Sure they enjoy every bite of it! Happy me, lol.

Needed:

8-10 cut size chicken with bones (i used thigh and legs)

2-3 cloves chopped garlic

1 medium size onion chopped

3 bay leaf

1/4 cup soy sauce (silver swan)

1/4 cup vinegar (datu puti)

1/2 tsp pepper corn

1tbsp brown sugar (this will really incorporate the flavor altogether)

1/2 tsp paprika (spice i add)

1 banana or plantain (cut to your own desire)

1tbsp patis or fish sauce

1cup fat free chicken broth or a cup of water

half size of green bell pepper

1tsp cornstarch (for sauce thickening)

How:

In a deep pot, Sauteed garlic and onion till fragrance arose.

Add the cut chicken and stir simmer for 5minutes.

Pour broth, soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, pepper corn, patis, paprika and brown sugar. Simmer and allow to boil for 20 minutes in a medium heat. If sauce is less you can just add half cup water.

Add the plantain and green bell pepper and cook another 10 minutes or until

the banana cooked. Add cornstarch for thicken sauce. Remove bay leaf and serve hot with rice.

Enjoy Cooking!

Adobong sitaw in beef with fried GG

2011-12-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

This is best described for great meal combo! Adobong sitaw in beef with fried galunggung been craving this for 48years already and just the other day have the stuff to cook to. T'was a stuffed lunch time I've had and i expect i gained weight for that moment. But anyway, i really don't care i rather eat than starve. This dishes are very indeed famous in Filipinos dinning table. You can cook adobo in so many different ways from meat to vegetables and so happened i love sitaw or long green beans and beef so i cooked the combo together and make a yummy adobo dish along with crispy fried galunggung with sawsawan oh boy it's fantastic! Don't forget the side plain rice! Satisfying indeed!

Here's how the adobo green bean in beef.

half a pound of thinly slice beef steak or beef stew

one pack steam fresh green beans (that's what i usually use)

2 garlic cloves chopped

half of onion chopped

1/4 cup silver swan soy sauce

1/4 cup datu puti vinegar

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1tbsp fish sauce

1tbsp cooking oil

How:

Sauteed garlic and onion, bring to the skillet the sliced beef meat. Stir till meat brown.

Pour the soy sauce and vinegar and stir up to mix well.

Simmer for 10minutes or the fragrance arose. Add green beans, ground pepper and fish sauce simmer and cover for another 10 minutes or until the veges is cooked and sauce thickened you can add 1tsp cornstarch in 1/4 cup water if sauce is not enough consistency. Serve with white rice and your favorite side fish or whatever you desire!

Enjoy Cooking!

Caught on camera!

2011-12-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

I was surfing my online thingy and i bumped unto an article about a rude delivery guy guess what he was caught on the act on his bad behavior regarding how he handle a fragile package on a residential house good thing that home has a video surveillance camera and his 35 seconds fame was about to show off to the world wide web! Imagined when he delivered the television he just tossed it over the fence.. geez! He was so in a hurry! Of course what will we expect to happen?? The company is grateful of what happened so that they can cut off those mean delivery men and get the right disciplinary action for them not to do it again!

Cinnamon raisin biscuit

2011-12-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

Have you try the cinnamon raisin biscuit from hardees yet? Ohhh, it is good! I love their country style biscuit and gravy too that's the only i order from them then when we saw this the other day thought of trying because the picture looks so good and I'm right it taste good as well! So when you start your breakfast on a drive thru try hardees and get that one!

About my dream house in the Philippines

2011-12-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

My dream house in the future there in the Philippines would definitely have nice sets of outdoor furniture. I really find park benches appealing and a good spot to relax while reading a good book. I'd like to have a wide garden in the front-yard where we could set up chairs and picnic tables, one will do, for that one fun barbecue night with our loved ones and friends. Adirondack chairs are cozy pieces, where we could just laze ourselves on late, breezy afternoons. I would love to grow flowers, of different kinds and photograph their grace. My ideal house will be simple and modest, yet with a beautiful landscape.

By the way, I happened to stop by a website that has the widest selection of amazing outdoor furniture. Their sets are so lovely, the ones for my dream house are actually all found there. All are made from quality materials like mahogany, cedar, teak and plastic. Comes in so many types, colors and designs. If you want you can check them out to, perhaps you'll find something for your backyard as well. Anyway, whether we live in our dream houses now or not yet, what's important is we are with those we love. Winks!

Simple escabeche recipe

2011-12-20T09:29:00.000-08:00

I was able to purchased last Monday the matambaka fish, been craving this for a long long time! The fish is famous in the Philippines and it is indeed taste good whatever dish you cook to it. You can cook them like crispy fried, tinola, paksiw, the escabeche as what you see in the picture above and many more. Well mine i like it when it's cook like this in particular if you wanted to have a lil sauce with your rice this would be perfect. It's really simple kind of escabeche no more the added other ingredients such as carrots, bell pepper, green onions and blah blah, lol. Just sauteed garlic, chopped onion, couple slices of ginger for fragrance, 2tbsp soy sauce and 1tbsp vinegar in a cup of water with the 1tbsp brown sugar to marry the sweet and sour taste.

Living broke

2011-12-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

The article written by Victor Flowers

I have been broke for quite some time. I have been making some large cutbacks in my life in order to make due. The biggest problem is not telling anyone my problems. I do not want my friends to think of me differently or for them to judge me. However, I think I might be taking advantage of them a little. Since I am trying to save money, I am living on the minimum in my apartment. I keep the heat as low as I can handle, I canceled my television service and my landline. Thankfully, I have been able to watch a few shows on the internet and even programmed my friends DVR using http://www.tvbydirect.com/. I have not had a chance to tell him yet and right now I am hoping he does not notice. He has been such a wonderful friend to me and I hope I am not taking advantage of him. It is definitely a fine line I am walking on, but I hope I have not crossed it.

Getting rid of varicose veins

2011-12-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

Are those veins on legs starting to appear already? Known as varicose or spider veins, not only do they look ugly but painful as well. Prolonged hours of standing or walking might trigger pain and cause swelling. For those who are overweight, it is also common to them. Nowadays there are treatment options available to help those who suffer get rid of it. Sclerotherapy is one example. Through a tiny needle, the veins are injected with a solution that irritates the lining of the vein. It will then collapse and reabsorbed, making it no longer visible. Other solutions would be laser treatments and ultrasound. My mom has varicose veins on her legs. The good thing is it's not severe. When time comes I can have them come over here in the states, might as well treat the veins on her legs so that it won't worsen. Anyway, prevention is better than cure. To avoid having those not so nice looking veins, it would help to keep our legs elevated after long hours of standing. Losing weight can reduce the risk of appearance as well so a healthy and active lifestyle would be the best precaution and treatment of course.

My new toy

2011-12-15T09:16:00.001-08:00

Mom in-law just hand me my new toy to play with and I'm so loving it because i can turn my baking skill into the next level, lol! After they taste my bread she promised to get me an all purpose electric mixer from kitchen aide for me not to use my muscles in kneading those gigantic doughs, haha. With this i am excited to go back when i really make cakes, pastries for living one moment in my life! Well, we do have mixer though from husband before but it's not as great as this one so i am thrilled to play with it actually am doing my first hands on today will bake some pandesal again. Wink!

Beautiful Language

2011-12-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

One of the most challenging thing if you live abroad would probably have to be the language barriers. I must admit, as a Filipina who lives in a foreign country, it's still a constant effort to understand people and be understood as well. It's not very hard though for English is a universal language. I have friends who lives in parts of Europe and their language there are so diverse and way more difficult to learn, much more understand. Sometimes, they would have to attend language courses and even hire translators.

Speaking of, Russian I think is one of the most beautiful language being uttered. Without a doubt, one of the hardest to grasp as well. In cases where one needs efficient and reliable Russian translators, there's available Russian translations offered by Rosetta worldwide translation services. Russian translation service is a company based in London, they provide document translation, transcription, interpreting, localization services and the things alike. They can be very helpful to those foreigners and immigrants in Russia especially if it has to do with important papers. The world's diversity in language spells awe to many, including me. It's actually a dream learning a new tongue, Mandarin perhaps. Oh and why not Russian? That would be so cool and interesting isn't it?

Korean Beef with Maruchan Ramen

2011-12-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fond of this brand of instant noodles not just it taste good but the price is outstanding if you are on the budget! I love to experiment food so to make it a little effort to me to fix this fellow i make it on my own way and sure it taste even better i promised you that. So here's how i cook my instant maruchan ramen into extra ordinary dish. Putting extra spice and condiments is not hard.
First you need to cook the Korean beef recipe: You need a cup of thinly slice beef stew meat, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/8 tsp ground pepper, 1tsp minced garlic, 1tbsp thinly chopped onion. Then sauteed the beef until brown if excess oil is a lot drained some. Sauteed garlic and onion to the beef, pour vinegar, soy sauce and ground pepper mix them well till everything marries. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce soaked to the meat good and beef is tender enough. Set aside.

For the noodles : All you need are a cup of instant noodles (Maruchan brand), a cup of less sodium chicken broth, 1 egg, strips of scallions or green onion. Just boiled them together on a deep pot except the egg. When the noodles is cook enough pour the scramble egg and stir let it simmer until egg is fully cooked. Poured in a desired soup bowl while it's steaming hot, then have couple of spoonful of Korean beef on the top of it and sprinkle with fresh slice green onion or scallion! Eat HOT!

Enjoy!

Daily dose of science

2011-12-11T06:42:00.000-08:00

When we think of science, we think of that subject in school and the systematic study of the world around us. But really, how does it affect our daily lives? I personally think of it as something we have to deal and live with daily. Science works as we open our eyes the moment we wake up. As we turn on the lights in the room, science also moves into action. The changing seasons we experience and all the other things in the universe has to do with science. We don't need to be scientist though or intellectuals to love such kind of knowledge. We just need to love reading and learning. I'm glad to have found a website that provides a lot of daily science news in all fields like the latest technology, the world around us, new discoveries in medicine, about animals and so forth. It's really like a virtual encyclopedia, helpful to students and anyone whose curious about science. Am talking about SciTechDaily, do visit them online too for a daily dose of science. By the way, they also offer a lot of discount codes as well like Orbitz promo codes and Hotwire coupons. This ones for those who wanna travel, I suppose learning science in a more diverse way. Winks!

Yummy Fruit Salad

2011-12-11T06:33:00.001-08:00

You will need:

Half a cup grapes slice it to halves

One medium apple peeled and slice into squares

One big size banana (slice into bite size)

One big size avocado slice into squares

Half a cup of slice strawberries

Half a cup of blueberries

1/4 cup condensed milk

1/4 cup whipped cream

1tsp white sugar

Mix them altogether and chilled in the fridge before serving.

Enjoy!

Because of the ad

2011-12-10T06:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, we buy products not because we need it but because we just want it. The latest products we saw on TV, the pictures on print ads, the goodies we find through online shopping stores, all seems more appealing because of the advertisement. Nowadays, the Internet is the most powerful form of advertising because anyone can have access to almost anything with just few simple clicks. The Internet also reaches more and more people from all walks of life, young and old. The advertising agency that's behind a successful product campaign really does wonders to sell the product or services.Companies and businesses hire them to launch a very creative and effective campaigns to have great results. What if there's no advertisement? Nothing on TV, Internet, not even pictures. A certain product may be available for the longest time already but clients are still unaware about it.

By the way, do you have a business, product or brand that you want to promote? That! Advertising Agency can help you with it. Through mix media like search engine optimization, television and radio broadcast, social media, Internet exposure, and so forth, clients can be sure they'd reach their desired goal and target. Their office is staff with a lot of genius minds and creative ideas, packed with a wide range of services that caters to the needs of their clients. Because of the effective advertisement, people can search for the products they want, go to places they haven't been yet, find out the answers to their questions, eat something they haven't tried, and the like. But of course in all we do, we have to be modest and wise. Advertisements are just a way of opening our minds. In the end, it's still us who decides.

Escabeche Filipino Style

2011-11-29T17:09:00.000-08:00

The recipe isn't so hard my mom's specialty as far i could remember. Whenever we have company coming our house and some special gatherings going on this fish Escabeche is sure on the center of the table. And so from time to time i can't help to missing it! We live in TN state and it is so hard to have such fish to cook for yummy escabeche so when i saw this salt water fish in the market weeks ago i grabbed quite a bit to content me, lol. The husband is not really a fish eater so i ate them all till i drop kidding aside but i was so happy and satisfied at least I've finally cook it.

You will need:

4-5 medium size whole fish (clean thoroughly)

1/2 slice carrots

1 small chopped onion

3 cloves garlic chopped

small size ginger slice into strips

1/2 cup thinly slice green/red bell pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 vinegar (datu puti)

1tbsp brown sugar

1/2cup water

1tbsp corn starch

2tbsp cooking oil

How:

On a skillet, Heat oil and fry fish till crispy brown. Set aside.
On different deep skillet, sauteed garlic, onion, ginger, bell peppers gradually
Next pour slice carrots and stir them altogether for 5minutes or till slightly cooked.
On a measuring cup mix all the liquid ingredients including brown sugar and corn starch mixed it well.
Pour the mixture into the pan and add the fish. Simmer till sauce thickened, season it with salt and pepper. You can decide how sweet or sour your escabeche is by adding sugar or vinegar to it.
Serve hot with white rice.

Enjoy Cooking.

All the pregnant mommies

2011-11-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Woman Within has the widest selection of plus size maternity clothes, you might wanna check out. What I like most about this online shop is that their maternity clothes are so fashionable, comfortable, and affordable. Actually they're a one stop shop for all the ladies who loves dress, beautiful and impeccable without spending a fortune. They specialized the fashion needs of a full-figured woman, whether it's for casual, formal, lingerie, sportswear, and so forth. When I was pregnant with my boy, I was not particular with what I wear, as long as it's comfy then it's fine. But for my second child, the little girl, I was like so picky. I loved leggings and maxi dresses during that time. My maternity pants needs to look cute too, otherwise I wont wear it. Guess it's really like that, what you think? The gender of the baby inside our womb affects our emotions, moods, likes and dislikes, even when it comes to clothing. Surely, getting pregnant is one of life's most beautiful part, for a woman it's like their completeness defined.

Husband's favorite

2011-11-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

There's nothing special about this plate really but this is my husband's favorite, turkey leg is the part of the bird he loves just boiled it to tenderness with my house spices and seasonings along with mashed potato & creamy gravy and side of sauteed green beans... whenever this 3 meets in the plate he said that i truly love him to the deepest level, haha! Thanksgiving is coming so which means turkeys are just around the corner and this time we waited till after thanksgiving so the rack of turkey meat will down price and we get to get several to stock on the freezer for awhile. Wink!

Remember always enjoy cooking!!

Slow Cooking Beef Stew

2011-11-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

I really like this Beef Stew seasoning mix from McCormick brand because it has the natural blend of spices and seasons well made. Sure the delicious flavor of homemade beef stew actually which is one thing i really want in the taste! My family loves it and so do I, cleaned our plate every time i fix this fellow!

I just follow the instruction on the back of the label and i add a little bit of my stuff such as our favorite veges i alter the celery into green and red bell peppers instead because the housemates hates it! As well with extra onions and carrots, I also add paprika on it i love the paprika brings to the dish. Instead of adding water i use half and half chicken and beef broth. And simmer to tenderly perfection. Serve with rice or mash potato, YUM! Try it for your self!

Enjoy Cooking!

Smile makeover

2011-11-12T18:57:00.000-08:00

A smile should be sincere and genuine, it should be priceless. But sometimes, we avoid to smile not because we don't feel like to but we are shy. Shy because we may not have a nice set of teeth or in most cases, dental problems. The good news is, smile makeovers are so possible nowadays. For instance, 33smile is the best San Antonio Cosmetic dentist they are experts in using the latest technology that can correct even the most difficult dental problem. For more than two decades, they've provided the best dental care in San Antonio, crafting the most beautiful smiles their clients dream to have. Their latest breakthrough is the invasalign technology, clear braces that will fix dental problems in an invisible way. Sounds really cool huh? Been thinking of a dental overhaul actually but it still depends on the insurance. If I get to have a good deal next year, I would go see my dentist and let him do wonders. Taking care of our teeth should not be taken any less seriously. It's so important actually.

Anyway, if you like to know more of those cosmetic dentistry, just visit their website and see what they have got.

Bam-e

2011-11-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

I remember when i was in my childhood my folks specially my grandfather cook the best Bam-e in the world, lol. Actually bam-e for me is a special kind of pancit guinisa because of so many different variety of condiments and meats in it. Like pork fat or bacon even sausage in some, seafood such as shrimp, squids and clams. Then theres the ingredients of spices altogether what makes this guinisa mix of pancit canton and sotanghon rice noodles what they called here in the US.

Anyway, since i have complete stuff to make Bam-e the other day so i hastily gather all the ingredients. Kiddos and I enjoyed every bite. Planning to get more of the stuff for the next bam-e day. Wink!

Recipe:

One small onion (chopped)

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

3-4 bacon (Sliced)

1lbs chopped pork

10-15 pieces shrimp

A package of instant pancit canton (i use the ramen i just threw away the spices)

1 small package of sotanghon or vermicelli

1 cup slice carrots

1/4 cup green bell pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 soy sauce

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 cup thinly slice cabbage

1tsp paprika

In a deep skillet cooked bacon till crispy
Add the onion and garlic continue stirring and add the pork until brown add soy sauce then add the shrimp continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Pour carrots, and bell pepper and cabbage stir continuously. Gradually add the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Season it with salt, pepper and paprika.
Then add the noodles stir it well till everything is mix. Covered and check every now and then if the noodles are tender enough. Add broth or water if needed. Serve hot with your favorite bread or side dish.

Enjoy cooking!

Pretty red dress

2011-11-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

I was browsing through different shops online looking for the perfect dress i'm going to wear at my brother-in-law's wedding next year. Until now I still don't have the final look in my head because when it comes to dresses, i am kinda fickle minded. I mean, I almost love everything if it pass my taste. I'm suppose to wear a purple gown for it's their motif and I honestly can't wait because my little girl will be little bride as well. Back to dress searching, I happened to drop by at Roamans. It's a clothing store for plus-sized women actually but I tell you, their plus size evening dresses are lovely! They have this red empire flower dress with full lining and it definitely caught my attention. It's red of course, and the huge, classy flower in the shoulder is so head-turner. Plus it has an embroidered cut-work in the front hem which makes it even more gorgeous. This one's cut is longer, I'd consider it as the style of my gown for the big day. Still browsing though and ain't stopping until I find the one that's mine! Winks!

Pan de coco (Coconut Bread)

2011-11-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

Pan de coco is so popular in our country, you can have them in every time you want, meal time or snack time with a complimentary of your favorite beverages, mine eat it with hot coffee or tea. Anyway two days ago i baked my first trial recipe using my bread maker machine for mixing the dough and kneading to avoid me of being messy! For the dough i use the pandesal recipe.

For the coconut filling: 1/2 pounds of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of water, half bag of desiccated coconut and 1tsp of vanilla extract. Baked in 400 degree for 15 minutes.

Everybody enjoy once again, my boy had 4 piece, lol. Definitely will bake some more next time.

Friendship ring

2011-11-09T07:09:00.000-08:00

Claddagh rings are Irish rings given as a sign of friendship. It may also be used as relationship rings depending on the intention of the wearer and of the giver. The ring's distinctive design shows two hands clasping a heart with a crown on top of it. The heart represents love, the hands represents friendship, and loyalty for the crown. Irish Heart is an online shop that has the finest collection of Claddagh rings, wedding bands, and other jewelries. If you're looking for a nice piece of jewel, hop by their page, you might find one. Such jewelries such as rings are really nice gift to give for those people we love aren't they? It would be so sweet to receive a friendship ring from a close friend. To remind each other you'll have each others back come what may.

Now I'm getting sad. I remember my very best friend who passed away several years ago. I miss her so much and all those wonderful times we shared together. I still get teary-eyed and choke every time I think of her.

Sale Pandesal

2011-11-08T05:05:00.000-08:00

They truly love and enjoy every munch of the hot pandesal i make to the point they can eat it everyday, haha. Family and friends keep craving on them. They even said the est read they've ever taste very flattering right coz they're patronizing Filipino product! Everybody wanted me to sell fresh bread at the office how cool is that! Just so happy they enjoys my food! Wink!!

Just pin it!

2011-11-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

You need pins? Pin Mart has it all. Animal pins, awareness pins, nursing pins, academic, fun and fashion, world flags, hobbies and interest, sport pins, and so much more! They have like more than a thousand different kinds of pins to choose from. It's perfect organizations and groups who wants to strengthen their identities through distinction and quality. Pins can create brand recognition for each product launch, awareness campaigns, volunteer programs, and can relay a message continually in a memorable way. Personally, I think pins are really cute as souvenirs too. I mean, for a family reunion it's nice to see everyone around putting on the same pins. Do you think it would be nice to have it on weddings as well? Been thinking of pins for my brother-in-law's wedding sometime next year. Most in the family adore pins and brooches so I think it would be pretty to have those rhinestone pins as accessories. I really like this particular rhinestone brooch pin, nice for the scarf and shrugs we have in mind. Oh yeah!

Weekend is here again. Have a fun-filled one guys. Keep safe and stay happy! Winks!

BBQ cook out at In Laws

2011-11-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

Taking our selves to the grandparents house this noon for lunch we are having some barbecue out there... nice! Every once a week or twice a month they are inviting us, everyone to stay at them either lunch or dinner time time you spending quality moments with their kids and grandchildren. Mother in-law always cook yummy food and she has the best potato salad I've taste, and she always make plenty when we have get together every one's request :-). Well kids and I will getting ready in a moment meanwhile we will our light breakfast for now! Wink.

Have a nice day ahead!

Stationery sets for you

2011-11-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

Whether it's for business cards, greeting cards, business writing, drawn illustrations, leisure time, or for taking notes, it's important to stand out and not settle for less. A nice and pretty stationery is a good way to have a nice impression. I personally like special papers when writing notes. It's like you're putting more effort and deeper meaning to your thoughts. Nowadays people seem to prefer sending letters through emails. But still it's nice that once in awhile, thoughts and feelings be put in writing. It says more and would make the recipient more special and think about. By the way, if you want to have stationery, and even want to customize it, you can check out The Logo Boutique for all your stationery sets, business and postcards need. Postcards are nice stuff to give away too, giving people you an idea of whats going on with your life through pictures. Gotta see how much this cost though, if the price is right, the why not?

Nice to have you here in my place guys. I really appreciate it. See you around!

Ginangang

2011-10-29T17:09:00.000-07:00

Grilled banana skewers or as what we called ginangang in local Filipino word. I've been longing to eat this in a long time but couldn't find the saging saba here in the states. So i waited and waited until i got the bananas i wanted to make. This is very famous in Filipino delicacies simple and comforting snacks. Anywhere in the Philippines you simply find this food. I indeed enjoyed my first to the last bite of ginangang feels like am in my homeland agin! Wink.

Wanna ride a limo?

2011-10-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

Pontarelli Chicago Limo Service invites you to do so. The company begun in 1977 and since then, they have grown to service their limousine clients worldwide. With just one call, they provide their clients amazing service everywhere they travel. I believed that limousines are just for the rich and famous. Celebrities and movie stars graces an event, arriving in limo with red carpet and all. But you see, with the help of companies such as Pontarelli, with their very reasonable rates, anyone can experience how is it like inside this luxury vehicle. Feeling interested? Just visit their web site and learn more of their service. Which cities and countries they serve and other vehicles they have in store. They do have SUV's, Sedans, Vans, and buses available as well depending on your needs of course. They also have city tours you wanna check out.

Anyway, classy limousines or just a plain cab, it doesn't matter isn't it? As long as it takes us to where we want to be. Joyrides are one of life's simple joys I just love to experience every now and then. How about you?

I won

2011-10-25T08:20:00.001-07:00

Got lucky for this yesterday just my kinda style of wedge shoes so i tried to counter bid for 6.49 in eBay auction and after an hour and half they notified me that i won the bidding i was happy because i love the wedge a lot and it is cheaper than in regular price out there! Can't wait to get deliver because i have already the matching dress with it! Wink!

Happy Tuesday ya'll!

Medical uniforms at Blue Sky

2011-10-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

Gotta check out http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Men/ if you feel like shopping for new sets of scrubs or other medical uniforms. Finding a good quality, classy style scrubs especially for men is so easy now with the help of Blue Sky. These uniforms are cut long enough for a nice tuck in or wear out look. The boot-cut low rise pants are made with soft wrinkle-resistant fabric perfect for the me on the go. Blue sky also has different collections for women as well, they've got custom scrubs available so you can have that attire made just for you. Visit their online shop now and get to enjoy their widest variety of discount medical scrubs.

By the way, if you want your kids to play pretend as doctors or nurses, you can grab some cute and adorable scrubs at the kids collection too. And let's not forget those hats and accessories with cool and vibrant colors that will surely perk up the mood. Hop by their site now to view of their latest products alright?

It's great to know it's weekend again. Chill everyone!

Ginataang Alimasag: Crabs in coconut milk

2011-10-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is by far one of my favorites seafood of all time and as well my specialty! Blue crabs in coconut milk concoction. It is really sure delicious. My families specialty during get together and welcoming family abroad. Saturday was my time to go to world market and seafood's store at Nashville so i grabbed a lot of stuff for my couple of weeks consumption of Filipino cuisines. Blue crabs are seasonal so glad when i got to the store they have them. Been craving for this in awhile.

So here's my recipe of ginataang alimasag:

6 pieces blue crabs (rinse and clean thoroughly)

1 can coconut milk

1 tbsp vegetable oil

chopped garlic 2cloves

half size chopped onion

1 chopped tomato

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

10pieces pepper corn (optional) I love pepper corn :-)

1 tsp curry powder or small size ginger ( i use curry since i ran out of ginger root)

dash of onion powder (eyeball)

dash of garlic powder (eyeball)

20 pieces spinach leaves

1 tbsp ketchup

1 cup water

Rinse crabs really good, in a pot boiled them until they become red and at the same time your are cleaning them. Then set aside
In different pot sauteed garlic, onion and tomato.
Add the crabs, coconut milk and water let it boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and the curry powder. Simmer till the liquid evaporate to half 20-30 minutes at the most.
Last add the spinach and ketchup simmer for at least the leaves cooked. Then serve.

Try it!

Enjoy Cooking!

Wanna be in Hawaii

2011-10-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

Who wants to visit the beautiful islands of Hawaii, raise your hands! We all do certainly. Hawaii is like the ultimate of all vacations. For beach lovers, it's like the perfect escapade, the most anticipated getaway they could ever had! Couple of years ago, my mother's good friend who likewise lives here in the United States, invited us to go with their family in Hawaii. She said they'll take care of everything, our stay at one of those Maui condos featured at MauiRealEstate.net. It's practical for group travelers like us because of the lesser rates. These condos and other properties, by the way, are for sale as well. If it happens you fell in love with the place and decided to stay. It would have been a nice get together for us after so many years of not seeing each other. Well, our plans didn't push through though because of circumstances. I still do hope our family gets to reunite with them someday soon. Anyway, if you wannabe in Hawaii too, you can search for places at the website mentioned earlier. Good rates they've got there.

Ginisang Ampalaya (Sauteed Bitter Melon)

2011-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ampalaya or Bitter Melon in English is considered the most bitter among all the vegetables that's why the named it self comes from the bitter taste of it but i tell you that the vegetable is very nutritious and has many health uses for healing practice! It has a therapeutic properties and mostly use in Chinese medicine or herbal supplements. When you eat this you are sure healthy! Well this is famous cuisine for ampalaya just simple pinoy dish but delicious and full of nutrients and i so addicted with it. I love the tangy and bitterness of the dish and a little bit of saltiness of the shrimp paste that's what makes the dish famous!

2-3 pieces of bitter melon o ampalaya (thinly slice like half moon shapes)

4 slice bacon (slice to minis)

1 raw egg

1 tbsp shrimp paste

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp paprika

cloves of chopped garlic

small chopped onion

small tomato chopped

Crisp the slice bacon on a skillet. Then saute garlic, onion and tomato along with the bacon stir occasionally and simmer for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile rinse the bitter melon with 1/2 tsp of salt in the water and press it as you can to get rid of the excess bitter taste of the veges.
Pour to the sauteed skillet and stir them till everything marries together.
Simmer for 5minutes or until the the vegetable is tender add salt and pepper to taste and paprika. Stir. Then add the shrimp paste simmer for about 2 minutes.
Then lastly pour the beaten egg and stir until the egg is fully cooked. Done. Serve hot with plain rice.

Try it!

Enjoy Cooking!

Scrubs all you want

2011-10-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Blue Sky definitely has everything and anything related to nursing and doctor uniforms, discount medical scrubs, lab coats, and so forth. You can check out this link http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Men/ and view samples of their men's scrubs collection. The nice thing with Blue Sky is that they've turned this classic uniforms into a slimming shirt that is cut just right enough to either tuck in or wear out. Their scrubs are also made from the finest of fabrics, with a wide variety of colors and chic design. They also have other collections, their hats and accessories are so cute and trendy. Whether you're a nurse, doctor, dentist, you will surely turn heads upon wearing this fashionable scrubs from Blue Sky.

It was my dream becoming a nurse. I was supposed to take up nursing in collage but my love for travel outweigh it and so I ended up being a historian, lol! But I will always look up to anyone working in the medical field. Such a noble job that deserves praise. Not to mention they look so nice and descent with those uniforms of course.

Ranch Life

2011-10-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

Posted by Gaylord Campbell

We recently relocated to Texas. My husband and I bought a ranch when we retired. We always wanted to live on ranch and live the lifestyle, but both of our practices constantly kept us busy. When we turned fifty-five, we decided that it was time to sell our practices and use the money to by our ranch, which we named, Doc’s Ranch. Living on the ranch has definitely been an adjustment. We got Crystal Texas Wild Blue Service, a satellite internet service that would reach way out in the country where we are. We don’t get to see our friends too often, but we stay in touch with them through e-mail. We have also had to adjust to getting up so early to feed the animals. The rooster starts crowing at 5:30 AM most days! I haven’t been in the office until at least nine o’clock for the last thirty years! Although adjusting has been interesting, I wouldn’t change our new lifestyle for the world. We are truly living our Western dream.

Suman Lagkit

2011-10-19T08:13:00.001-07:00

These are the Suman i was craving about and i am in mode right now i make sure it will last me for a week to consume them. It is good than i expected because of the super sticky brown rice but it is really tasty. Here's the recipe if you wanted to know:

2 cups sweet rice

2 cups liquid mixture (use a can of coconut milk and the rest is water)

2 tsp of salt

1/2 cup white sugar (optional) i prefer sweet suman so i put sugar

Steam in the pot until the rice is cooked
Let it cool
Prepare the banana leaves
Then spoon serving size of cooked sweet rice to prepared leaves
Wrap it like you see on the photo above, repeatedly until all done
Boil them at least 20 minutes. Serve with coffee or hot chocolate drinks

Shopping galore

2011-10-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

Not me though but a friend of mine. We chatted the other day and she was asking where to find good deals on women's apparel. Plus size clothing in particular because according to her, she can't seem to find trendy and fashionable clothing for big women. So anyway, she know very well am a certified online shopper and she's right. You see there are websites that literally serves as online malls because of the huge variety of products they have for their clients. In my friend's case, she's looking for plus size clubwear and dresses. I think she has an affair to attend and OneStopPlus by the way, have what she's been looking for. This pink pleated faux wrap dress avenue, is so nice, anyone will look as pretty as this dress upon wearing it. I think she did grabbed some jackets, cardigans, and coats as well because it's getting colder in their place. I bet she enjoyed her shopping! It's free shipping with them, you really can save more. I'm glad am able to help her by sharing useful links. You too can dropped by there too if you feel like shopping. Winks!

Suman Mode

2011-10-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was into pinoy food lately since we went to world market last Saturday i got the chance to grab some stuff for my carvings right now. I got few of them Chinese eggplants, bitter melon or shall we called it ampalaya, grab a medium size patola for my sardines/misua soup later, and few kinds of fish that the one i cook the paksiw out of it! Some blue crabs too! I have full week supply of pinoy food already, lol! Anyway, I bought Korean brown rice as well because been craving suman or biko in awhile so just took the advantage while am in that Asian store the other day. So today it's my second day for making suman supposedly i have done it yesterday already but the rice was so hard as rocks that it took me forever to steam it! I should have get the regular sweet rice but thought for a change and my folks in the PH mentioned that brown glutinous rice is a lot nicer than the white once! So i gave it a try just 48 years to boil them and so glad it cooked last night and now am wrapping it to the banana leaves for complete suman mode timely i still have tablea... perfect!

Got to to go now have a wonderful weekend ahead to all!

Paksiw na Tulingan

2011-10-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

This is so popular in Filipino home cooking the paksiw as what we called it. We can use all kinds all fish but the best one is the tulingan or Mackerel in English term. Tulingan fish is boiled with garlic, onion and ginger with vinergar and water simmer it till the sauce soaked to the fish thoroughly then poured some vege oil so the flavor will marry altogether of course the salt and pepper corns always present. My grandmother has the best paksiw or we called it in visayan INUN-UNAN she made the best one and the entire family loves it! I use her recipe to make mine and i did a good job it is delicious just the way i like it!

On sweaters

2011-10-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

I love sweaters and cardigans. I don't go for quantity though but quality. I also like those trendy looking and unique. Now that fall is here and winter is fast-approaching, I do like to add sweaters in my closet. Might as well you guys can join me in finding some pretty jackets and sweaters. Let's check out Jessica London's web-page. Actually, they specializes in plus size sweaters and other big girl's clothing. And that's the reason why I like their collection because when it comes to jackets, shrugs, ponchos, I do prefer the not so tight ones. For me it's more classy and warmer during the cold months. Anyway, I really like their purple pointed tip cardigan. It has a fly front opening design and tips pointed slightly at center which gives a dramatic effect. Gosh, it looks really nice! Would be working in the office soon too so I need this kinda attire. Oh well, that's how it is here in the States, new season means new set of get-up isn't it? How bout you ladies? Getting new sweaters as well? Enjoy your shopping if yes. Happy Friday everyone!

Chocolates Chip and Raisins Banana Cupcake

2011-10-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is kinda long name for a cupcake but sure it is delicious! I called it white chocolate chip and chocolate coated raisins banana cupcake with banana cream frosting and fresh strawberry garnish. Whew! lol. My kiddos enjoys cupcakes and so the husband so even i am not into cupcakes before i kinda like it now because i always makes them every now and then and i was inspired in cupcake wars show you know and from then on i am trying to make different flavors and all that stuff! MIL as well is fond of baking and she always shares me her baking and cooking ideas.

This recipe is so easy and quick preparation. All you need are:

2 mashed ripe bananas (large size)

1 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 white chocolate chip

1/2 cup coated raisins

For Frosting:

1 cup all purpose whipping cream

2tbsp powdered sugar

banana extract

1 mashed ripe banana

couple drops of yellow food coloring (optional)

HOW:

Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom of the muffin pan with cupcake cups.
In large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except the chocolate chips and raisins.
Blend well on medium speed using electric mixer.
Stir in chips and raisins.
Pour batter into the prepared muffin pan
Bake 350 F for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool for 1o minutes then remove cool completely before frosting

For Frosting

Mix the whipping cream till foamy add the confectioner sugar and mashed bananas gradually.
Drop couple of coloring continue mixing till mixture become stiff and start to decorate on top of the cupcake garnish with fresh strawberries on top if desire.

Enjoy Cooking!

Depositions and Litigation

2011-10-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Those two words are so foreign to me. The thing I know though is that those two are related to the law and attorneys, in lawsuits and other legal matters. I think it's a process involving both parties. A process that uses a computer to record, gather, discover, to obtain all the facts and testimonies used in the court during trials. With this in mind, deposition and litigation are very serious matters which should be handled by experts. Depo Texas is one of the largest and most experienced deposition services and litigation support firms, serving Texas area for over 2 decades already. Their office is packed of the finest registered court reporters, interpreters, process servers, conference rooms, videoconferencing, state-of-the-art Internet deposition tools, and so much more. You can drop by their website to know more of what they do. As for me, in order for me to understand more about this legal matters, I think I should read articles about it first just like my husband he reads a lot so he understand every detail and information . Not bad though for someone who encountered these words for the first time right?

Have a happy, blessed week ahead everyone!

Sardines and misua soup with spinach

2011-10-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

Finally was able to fix this dish that I've been longing it for 5 years but just can't get a chance or do favor to cook it until the other day! I am so glad that i put at least 2 sardines and misua in my lists of grocery at the Filipino store that my cousin did for me in seafood city, San Diego! Just thathe Asian store we have here is not as fresh as they've got there so i rather not get a lot of stuff and realizing it will go to waste besides i am the only one likes sardines for all we know we loves this stuff right no to doubt about that but the husband has no chance of eating them.

So anyway, in my behalf i was enjoying every bit of the soup with spinach! Nothing can't beat the taste of Filipinos home cooking!

To those who enjoy eating sardines all you need are basic ingredients:

can of sardines - $1.99
1/2 cup misua noodles - .50cents
1 clove chop garlic - .25cents
half of onion chop finely .25cents
1 chop tomato -.25cents
8-10 spinach leaves - .25cents
salt and pepper to taste
a cup of water

Just sauteed the garlic, onion and tomatoes till mushy then add the sardines and water let it boil. Simmer for 2minutes then add the salt and pepper to taste and the spinach let simmer for at least 1 minute. Serve hot with rice or just soup.

Total Cost: $3.49

Enjoy Cooking!

Treats up for grabs

2011-10-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

Halloween is near, we don't celebrate it though. But it's during this time of the year when goodies and treats come flooding. It's when I get to buy stocks of chocolates and candies for the pantry. The obvious reason is because during this time, the prices really goes down and lots of great deals are available. I'd like to grab chocolates soon, not for trick and treats but to send home in the Philippines. Another thing too, those cool and goofy costumes, false teeth, wigs, and hats, they're nice for gifts. My sister likes collecting weird stuff, she likes playing prank and been asking me to send her some. She likes to have those false teeth with braces, and be goofy with her friends. I might also include face paint, I bet she'll love it. I know these kinda stuff are quite expensive there and hard to find too. Anyway, will be checking the local store soon for these items. If not then would have to grab it online, after all there's a whole lot of bunch!

Got to go, that's it for the update. See ya around folks!

Baked bacon wrapped potato w/spicy dipping sauce

2011-10-09T20:05:00.001-07:00

One of my guilty pleasure besides chocolates! Well can't resist on bacon? surely it is good! I made baked bacon wrapped potato husband and I's favorite great appetizer bites to start up your meal or just watching TV. I mix my own sauce sour cream with sriracia i tell it was good and savory! Try it so you will know.

For bacon wrapped potato recipe:

4 small potatoes cut into wedges- $1.00

10 bacon cut it half- $2.99

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of garlic powder

For dipping sauce:

2tbsp sour cream- .99cents

1tsp sriracia sauce- .50cents

Just rolled the bacon into the potato wedge repeatedly until every wedge are done.

Preheat oven 400 degree and baked it for 40 minutes. Turn the side in 20 minutes baking for evenly brown both sides.

Total Cost: $5.48

Enjoy Cooking!

About home restorations

2011-10-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, things happen that would lead some to restore their homes or properties. It may be because of fire, victims of natural disasters and stuff like that. It is important that the key to avoid stress is to avoid panicking, remain calm and think of a solution. Easier said than than isn't it? But let's not forget too that nowadays help can be available in a snap.

I'm talking about renovation companies of both residential and commercial properties. They are the guys that would help individuals or families build up, literally, what they've lost. Triton Disaster renovation is one example. They are the leading provider of Houston water damage restoration, fire, wind and hail damages as well. Serving the community for 30 years already with satisfied and happy customers. We don't want to think about things like this to happen I know, but it's also good to be informed and know where to turn to in case emergency situations arise. Especially to those around the TX area, feel free to visit them online and know more about what they have to offer.

On Calgary vacations

2011-10-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

To those of you out there who has plans of going or moving to Canada, Calgary in particular and looks for a place to stay, you can visit http://www.rentcalgary.com. You can find your home online through the help of this website for they have the widest selection of Rent Calgary apartments, houses, and town homes available for you. Their price range are pretty reasonable depending on number of rooms and property types. It wouldn't be so hard to find a place to settle for you and your family. I have a girlfriend in Canada, we met through online and been keeping in touch with each other since then. She has a very unique and pretty personality which clicks with mine. Who knows I can visit Canada in the near future, I would love to see her and be amaze even more, lol! Anyway, feel free to browse the above mentioned website if you wanna check out their rentals. They really have lots of options and great deals that suits your needs.

Thanks for coming everyone! May we all have a beautiful and blessed week days ahead of us. Let our minds travel and wander. Winks!

Monkey Bread

2011-09-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

Have you try this recipe yet? if so, guess you love it huh? Out of curiosity and wanting to make something outside my taste buds i found this monkey bread recipe in popular pills bury biscuit dough kit. Timely i have 3 cans of biscuits and all i have to add are 3/4 cup white sugar, 3 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 stick butter. Then for 40 minutes under 350 degree you have this super delicious melts in your mouth monkey bread! You've got to try it so you will know what am talking about! Wink.

Here's How:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoon cinnamon
3-4cans Pillsbury Biscuits, Country Style, Value Pack, 4 - 7.5 oz
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease fluted tube pan with cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Shake it to mix.
Separate the biscuits dough and put inside the bag. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan.
In small bowl, mix brown sugar and melted butter; pour over biscuit pieces
Bake 350 for 40 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Enjoy Cooking!

Big job next week

2011-09-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

Weekend is fast approaching and as always it's our bonding time. We could ask daddy to give as a joyride, or have dinner in our favorite restaurant, and maybe the kids can play with their cousins. Got to be fun for next week will be a very busy week for us. Speaking of, the husband got a big job to do pretty soon. A woman close to our town hired him to do her kitchen cabinets, from the designs to the installation. Would also have some renovations and stuff like that. The other day, they talked about the arrangements and estimated cost, it's pretty much a big project actually. The husband really enjoys this kind of job. He loves to work with his hands, build, construct, design projects. I know it's not easy though and it's a tough, heavy job but fulfilling as well. Good thing because he could use different tools to make his job a lot easier like this construction estimating software we found online. A very helpful website wherein we can browse for anything and everything related to the building and construction industry.

It's like a directory which leads you to the right people and right building products. It has extensive articles and resources from engineers, contractors, and so forth to help you decide for the best. And if you're a contractor, you can also advertise with them and reach future clients. Sounds really helpful indeed. I'm talking about BuilderSpace, you can check them out too if you want.

Hazelnuts Nutella Crepe

2011-09-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

My kiddos Bf and they both enjoyed it because of the hazelnuts nutella spread is their favorite thing!

Here's how to make this basic and simple crepe recipe for your kids to enjoy!

1 cup sifted all purpose flour

2 eggs

half cup milk

half cup water

2tbsp melted butter

1/4 tsp salt

2 table spoon confectioner sugar (optional)

Procedure:

In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour and eggs together.
Gradually add in the milk and water, stir it to combine altogether
Add the butter and salt beat good until smooth
Heat a round frying pan or cast iron over medium heat. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of each crepe mixture in the pan. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so the batter coats the surface evenly.
Cook the crepe until brown, scoop with a spatula then turn and cook the other side.
Filled with your favorite filling or use the hazelnut nutella filling along with slices of fruits!
Sprinkled with confectioner sugar on top before serving! Serve HOT!

Enjoy Cooking!!

On payday loans

2011-09-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

It can help us during emergency situations and times when we run out of cash. Though it's good to get a loan from the back but sometimes, it takes forever for them to grant our request. Nowadays, payday loans can be availed through payday loan store, which is easier and faster for the transaction can be done online. The Cash Store for example, with their competitive terms, high-approval rates, and experienced team, anyone can get an easy payday loan when the need arise. Clients can either file for cash advance, title loans, installment loans, and so forth, of course depending which ones you like.

The cash you need ready in three simple steps. Just visit their website and apply online, then go to any cash store locations near your area, by the way, they have 270 locations in 7 States. And lastly pick up the cash that very same day! I really haven't tried online cash advances but sometimes, it does cross my mind. Especially now i'm up to something, I think might as well give it a try and apply. How about you? Have you tried such service? Is it good and reliable?

Good day everyone, see you around!

How to make Kutchinta

2011-09-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

~Combine 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 cups water, 1tsp lye water and couple of drops yellow food coloring or it's up to you how you want your Kutchinta color wise~ Mix it well and sift for smooth texture.

~ Pour in individual molding mini pans. Steam them for 15-20 minutes. Your rice cooker would work for steaming.~

~ Let it cool for 5 minutes~

~The finished product~ Serve with fresh shredded coconut or desiccated coconut~

Enjoy Cooking!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-09-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

4 huge mashed potatoes (equivalent to 3cups)
1 cup brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter

Topping:

9 pieces big size marshmallow ( better if slice it half and half)

Procedure:

Microwave the 4 potatoes or boiled them till tender and mashed them.
In a deep bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour in to a buttered casserole or square pan.
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
Continue baking for 10minutes with the marshmallow on top. Let the marshmallow brown.
Serve and enjoy!

My husband and kids simply love it!

Make up your bed!

2011-09-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

I guess it's perfect timing to get a new set of blankets and sheets, quilts and bed sets for autumn is here and winter is just around the corner. Change of season means a new look for the house, our room in general. I'd like to give our bed a new look in particular. So might as well browse for that one perfect, autumn style. Glad to have found it at BrylaneHome's website. Their shop has the coolest collection of anything and everything for the home. From kitchen, electronics, furniture and decors. And as what I need, some new Bedspreads and Comforters! I love their puff top printed bedspread. It has a cushiony puff and triple ruffles, it looks so pretty and comfy, perfect for long, cold autumn nights.

Anyway, am also planning to send some bedding in the Philippines. My mom's been bugging me about for so long and still I haven't. It's about time, thought I need to look for a better courier this time. It takes me ages to send packages back home and I hate it! Mom will surely love to receive stuff like this! Hope I can do it before the year ends, gosh, it's just three more months I must say!

Sauteed Cabbage with corn beef and pastrami

2011-09-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is delicious i tell you that! Just experimenting ingredients that i have in my fridge one day afternoon. It is sauteed cabbage with corn beef and pastrami on it, some bake chicken honey tender and basically spicy sauce that i myself combined two sauces to make it tastier, and white rice to complete the meal. Here's the recipe:

For sauteed veges:

2 cups strips slice cabbage
Chop small onion
Chop 2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup strips slice green bell pepper
1 cup slice corn beef
1/2 cup slice pastrami
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth

Procedure:

Saute garlic and onion. Add the meat and stir together let it simmer for 5 minutes or till meat gets brown.
Add the cabbage and bell pepper, stir altogether add chicken broth and salt/pepper to taste. Simmer till cabbage is cook.

The team that cleans

2011-09-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Steam Team is the leading choice for cleaning and maintenance and has been serving Texas area for over two decades already. Whether it's for commercial or residential, you entrust your needs with TST. Some of the services that http://www.thesteamteam.com/ offer are upholstery cleaning services austin, carpet cleaning, leather, rug, tiles cleaning. Air duct maintenance, smoke and fire restorations, pet odor removal, water extraction, and so much more! Have an aunt in Texas and she mentioned how this website helped the hospital where she works, that it did a thorough cleaning job, very quick and courteous, and that the place smelled wonderful the next day. I hope we have something like this here in our place. Sometimes, we just need some serious cleaning and it would be so nice to have reliable people around, ready to lend a hand.

Anyway, speaking of cleaning, got a lot of chores lined up waiting for me. First up, the kitchen. And the kids room too! Did I just fixed it the other day? Seems like a tornado just passed through. Oh well, kids will be kids. Gotta go for now, see ya around peeps! Take care and enjoy the rest of the day!

Custard tarts

2011-09-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

This is so delicious if you are craving some sweet and crunchy! When i was in my hometown i love to buy once in awhile the boat tarts of Goldilocks bakeshop. And my sister used to make some of our version. Actually this is my first time of making them again for a long time! I thought i couldn't make it anymore because i kinda forgetting the recipe but i tried there's no harm in trying well in my mind if it doesn't work then will just toast in the sink! haha.

So anyway to make my long story short here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 roll of pie dough

6 egg yolks

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1tsp vanilla extract

1cup all purpose whipping cream

1/2 cup confectioner sugar (optional for garnish)

basil leaves (optional)

Procedure:

Preheat oven 350 degree
Spray butter on the molding pans
Prepared the pie dough on the mini molding pans ( i bought 12 pieces of mini sauces server from Walmart since i couldn't find the tart molding pan and it works!)
Combined the 4 ingredients eggs, milk, whipping cream and vanilla until it is well blend. Use blender for easy job. Sift the mixture for refined texture.
Pour into the prepared tart pans and distribute well.
Bake into the oven for 35-45minutes or until the pie is brownish. Poke toothpick to make sure it is done.
Let it stand for 15minutes before taking out from the molding pans.

Enjoy cooking!

Kitchen makeover

2011-09-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

While browsing the net for some cute decors for my daughters newly finished princess bed, I also got to see a lot of other on sale items especially on home products. Good timing because a friend is planning to change the look of their kitchen and dining area. She wants it to have a minimalist look, with marble countertops, and red as motif. I bet she'll find what she likes at Discount Granite, they have this huge sale right now on counter-tops, sinks and faucet, back splash and more! I must say the designs are so chic, the colors so bright and classy.

When we did a little makeover in our kitchen not so long ago, I was the one so thrilled and excited. Kitchen is after all a girl thing. It's like our territory, our haven, our reign. Am pretty sure my friend will have a fun time renovating their kitchen. Who wouldn't?

On a second note, I'll be baking bread again. In my previous post, I was so glad being able to make a bread for the first time. Not using a bread maker though, knead it my own hands. The in-laws really loved it so they're asking for more. Am thinking maybe this will be a good business, a bakery in the process I guess? Lol!

My Bistek

2011-09-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

I got the perfect recipe of bistek or (beef steak) but i love the Filipino style that my mother used to cook for us family. Since i wasn't living with them anymore i once in awhile longing for it! One day i was so happy i bumped into panlasangpinoy everything about pinoy home cooking you can think of are there! So that day i cook the bistek recipe! it turn it yummy and love love it! Here's the recipe or visit there.

Ingredients:

1 lb beef sirloin, thinly sliced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 piece lemon or 3 pieces calamansi

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, sliced into rings

3 tbsp cooking oil

salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

1. Marinade beef in soy sauce, lemon (or calamansi), and ground black pepper for at least 1 hour

2. Heat the cooking oil in a pan then stir fry the onion rings until the texture becomes soft. Set aside

3. In the same pan where the onions were fried, fry the marinated beef (without the marinade) until color turns brown. Set aside

4. Put-in the garlic then saute for a few minutes

5. Pour the marinade and bring to a boil.

6. Put in the fried beef and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Add water as needed.

7. Add the stir-fried onions and some salt to taste.

8. Serve hot.

Girl Being!

2011-09-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

It's fun being a girl, a lady, a woman. We get to enjoy and just expressed ourselves through different things. One way of course is through our dress and grooming. Nowadays, being fashionable starts at an early age and doesn't stop though we become grannies already. I must admit, I love shopping! Shoes and bags most especially, girls clothes too. I'm fond of leggings and maxi dresses now, so feminine and comfortable. But I guess it's time to change the wardrobe and get back on jackets and hoodies for autumn is here already and winter's next.

Girls are blessed to just be a girl! We can mix and match, put on make ups and stuff like that. It's cool, but we can't go over board too. Balance and modesty should be put to mind. We also need to consider our budget and not just shop till we drop. For moms like me however, there are more important things to attend to than just shopping. But we're very good at looking for bargains and great deals mind you. It's sure fun grabbing some for our loved ones, isn't it?

Got to go for now, thanks everybody. See ya around and take care all the time. Winks!

Pandesal

2011-08-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Pandesal- A Filipino bread that so delicious and very comforting! It's been so long i haven't eaten this kind of a bread you know freshly bake from the oven and still HOT and melts in your mount each and every bite! They're good to start up your morning with a cup of coffee or a hot coco it's also good for snacks as well. Today i am thinking of going to try to make some pandesal, i have some ingredients in my pantry that am sure i can make few. So looking forward for it fir the first time!

Making good music

2011-08-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

They say that music is a universal language that everyone understands. People relate to it depending on his/her mood, feelings, and emotions. On my part I like country music, pop, love songs, those feel-good-songs in general. But do you ever wonder how something so beautiful like music is done? A lot of talent and much hard work is involved. The singer, the band, the song, are among the few. But there are still plenty of technicalities and process to have a beautiful finished product. That's where cd mastering comes in. It's the process of creating the final product or the album. Its one of the most specialized and critical aspects of audio production. Only a skilled audio engineer can perform tasks like correcting improperly mixed frequencies, equalize the sound of each track, balance stereo channels and so forth.

Only the experts can do such a thing like cd mastering services, and we have it here in TN. I mean, TN is the home of country music and a lot of famous song artists, bands, and musicians including the legendary Elvis Presley is from here. No wonder the best studios are here as well. By the way, Sage Audio for instance offer such service. If you want to know how your song would sound like after cd mastering, simply create an account with them, upload your song and they will send you back a fully mastered version absolutely free. Hear the difference and fall in love with music.

MANOK HALANG-HALANG (LUTONG PINOY)

2011-08-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

~ Manok Halang-Halang or Spicy Chicken~

Another inspired by my friend and i am craving and wanted to make one tomorrow! Recipe is easy as 1 2 3... heres how it goes:

1 whole chicken (cut in your desired sizes... i love big ones)
garlic (any amount you like....i love many)
ginger (any amount u desired, its good for chicken)
lemongrass ( i put many coz i love it, i used the paste one)
chillies (i used the flakes one so not cutting the chillies anymore)
1 and half cup of water
fish sauce
chicken cubes 1 or 2
pepper
fresh basil leaves (optional)
spring onion

PREPARATION METHOD:
1. fry the chicken in oil until it gets browned.
2. then add the garlic, then the ginger, and then the lemongrass. keep on frying. then add the chillies
3. add the knorr chicken cubes. pour 1 and a half cup of water.
4. cook for more than 1 hour in a very low heat. add fish sauce when the water is going down, after cooking for 1 hour. add the pepper.
5. before you turned it off put the basil leaves and the spring onion.

Enjoy Cooking!

Not paying even just an arm for textbooks

2011-08-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

Guest post written by Catherine Gillman

I seriously don't get why people will just go and buy all new textbooks every semester. It's such a waste of money, but so many people do it that stores get away with doing that. I don't fall for that though, not even for my first ever semester of college. i don't really go into bookstores to buy books either. Instead, I do a lot of online shopping for them. It has to be a pretty remarkable deal for me to take the time to go and buy it in a bookstore.

I was actually looking up some of my textbooks for my semester about two or three weeks ago, when I ran across the website GETCLEARWIRELESSINTERNET.COM. Ocne I looked through it some, I forwarded it to my roommates and we made the decision to change over our home internet service to oen of hte plans on there.

I actually pulled off getting most of my textbooks from one website, so paying shipping wasn't that bad at all because I bought enough and qualified for free shipping. Taking that extra time to do some online shopping can really make a difference.

Treats from Home

2011-08-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

My Philippine home... wink! My friend is from Dipolog city and she just had her 2months vacation to PH not long ago and one thing i really requested her when she comes back to US are these the fish paste and shrimp paste... yum! the photo on top this is the pride of Philippines and it is a delicacies that no one can beat even a ribeye or new york steak... haha! Well, i thank my friend for sending me this one a week ago and guess what? its my meal treats for a week now.

This is one of the plate and how i compliment the fish paste or shrimp paste to the menu. Hard boiled egg which is my favorite along with slices of fresh tomatoes, steam rice, vegetables of any kind and meat, that's a pork chop. My dinner was totally rock and was stuffed. Forget the diet for a little bit! Wink.

Just smile

2011-08-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Face life with a smile, we often hear those words. And it's true, no matter what we're going through, good times or tough we need to keep a happy disposition. It lightens the load and makes people around us stay positive as well. But sure it's quite difficult to smile if we have a dental problem right? Young and old alike have some kind of dental problems and of course it should be treated before it's too late. But you know what, here in the U.S seeing a dentist is quite expensive. I mean, before meeting our family dentist now, I was like 'oh this can't be the rate, I need to go back to the Philippines!' LOL!

Seriously, finding good dentists can sometimes be hard but with the help of web sites like the Smile Generation, it just so easy. It is our resource to find the right dentist, orthodontists, endodontists, oral surgeons, or general dentistry that fits our life, schedule, and most importantly our budget. They even have special offers and coupons that allow clients to really save a lot. They say that it's good to visit our dentist like every six months, with or without dental problems. Yeah, so we can confidently smile to the world, for we do have lots of reasons to. Winks!

Seafoods

2011-08-16T07:44:00.001-07:00

I had the best dinner ever the weekend ago a bowl of clam soup with basil and lemon grass paste and a plate of tuna fillet adobo style, hard boiled egg and serve with red rice. It was deliciously yummy! Haven't done this dining experienced for a long time since I've been here in the states! My place it's not easy to just grab the seafood i like so i have to get it somewhere an hour or so drive away, lol! But anyhow, it was my best dinner i love seafood so much!

~ Clam soup with basil and lemon grass~ Just bring the clams to boiled for 30 minutes or until they open. Season it with salt and pepper, dash of garlic salt, 1tsp of lemon grass paste ( find it at Walmart produce section), a little drizzled of olive oil or vege oil and 3-4 fresh basil leaves.

Meanwhile my entree is Adobong Tuna or Tuna fillet- Slice them into desired sizes, cook it like adobo style (soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, chop onions, brown sugar, pepper corn), hard boiled egg and the red rice. My tummy was stuffed and am happy!

That's it!

Got Junk?

2011-08-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

And you wanna dispose it properly but don't know how and where to throw it? The answer is simple, just visit 1800gotjunk.com and they will take your junk away like it didn't exist! Based in Chicago and proudly serving the surrounding area, they are the world's largest junk and hauling service. Some of the things they do are appliance removal Chicago, fridge, furniture, etc. Computer, printer and monitor recycling for office junk removal, and of course general junk removal. The nice thing with them is that they make sure all those stuff are recycled, disposed properly, and even donated.

Sometimes in life we have to clean up our mess, throw useless things, and start anew. That maybe moving to another place, renovating a building, or just pure general cleaning, yet we don't wanna handle the tough job and tire out. Good thing a company like this exist so clients can just sit back and relax isn't it? So when the need arise for something like appliance removal Chicago and you need somebody to help you, Got-Junk is just a click away. Visit them online to request for a free quote or call them anytime for a same day service. Winks!

Toron (wrapped banana fritter)

2011-08-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Craving for these? A truly Filipino decadent that melts in the mouth banana fritters wrapped it with fresh homemade spring roll (LUMPIA WRAPPER). I was so craving for TORON but i wouldn't make unless i have the fresh wrapper so what i came up is to experiment some and i was very successful despite i have no right tools to do the thing! Since i have griddle i thought of why not use that for molding the wrapper although it's not a rounded one but it works, i still thinking to get in the future the crepe maker because it is round and for convenient.

Anyway, for the lumpia wrapper i just mix 1 cup of flour to 2 cups of cold water and mix them altogether. The mixture should be like liquidy like texture. Spray the griddle just about not to stick when you start pouring the liquid mixture. Then wait until it fully cooked then just pill it from the griddle gently and slowly set aside or you can directly put the slice plantain/banana. Do the procedure repeatedly.

For the Sauce: I use caramel sauce instead of the traditional (caramelized sugar) I added butter and all purposed whipping cream to the sugar mixture, let it boil till thicken. Pour it to the banana fritters and dash it with confectioner sugar if desire.

Enjoy Cooking!

A tool for success

2011-08-08T01:18:00.000-07:00

When it comes to online business, Search Engine Optimization really does help a lot. But first what is SEO by the way? It is a process that involves creative authoritative content which is useful to visitors of your web site. It helps put your site above the others as a resource within your industry. By using proper keywords, minimizing the load time, SEO friendly information and so forth, visitors will be to find your site and your business in general. Some other ways to increase rank is of course through blog posts, link building, and social engagement. With the help of this kind of tool, a successful online business isn't so hard to achieve. On my part, I maintain several blogs and of course my online shop. I need traffic and constant visitors, and SEO really help a lot and gave me the buzz I need.

By the way, heard about webimax? It is the premier SEO company worldwide. It has provided the successful digital marketing strategies to countless of companies and websites, helping them prosper in this highly competitive online world. Their service of interest includes Search engine optimization, landing page optimization, website design, social media management, brand design, and much more! Feel free to visit webimax If you wanna try their service or just request for a free consultation.

Creamy Gnocchi with Bacon and Pesto

2011-08-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ivy for sharing a photo of her yummy looking dish that she made. I sure try to make this one later on i bet my housemates will love it as much hers do!

CREAMY GNOCCHI WITH BACON AND PESTO

Ingredients (serves 4)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 6 rashers bacon, rind removed, chopped
• 600g fresh gnocchi (see note)
• 2 teaspoons sundried tomato pesto
• 2 teaspoons basil pesto
• 300ml carton light cream
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn

Method:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and bacon. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is soft and bacon is light golden. Remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Cook gnocchi in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until just tender. Drain and return to saucepan.
3. Add bacon mixture, sundried tomato and basil pesto’s, cream, sour cream and parmesan to gnocchi. Stir over low heat until heated through.
4. Add basil, and salt and pepper to gnocchi mixture. Toss gently to combine. Spoon into serving bowls. Serve.

Enjoy Cooking always!

Shopping mode

2011-08-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness it's Friday! We have lots of things to do this weekend, probably going to go food shopping later after the husband's work. And perhaps tomorrow we will be going back to hardware store to buy some stuff for the house we need to fix something before somebody will look at our house for possible buyers you know. Anyway, need some check list so i won't forget what to get in the hardware store. Will sure get some paints, door locks and lots of LED bulbs our living room needs couple of these as well the both of the bathrooms.

I guess will remind him to get extra bulbs for her mom, she keeps asking him about it but he is so busy to remember whenever he goes to the store so i make sure he will definitely remember this time around. Oh talking about led bulbs, i want those colorful once i love it when my room is brighter and alive, lol. Even he doesn't really agreeing with me, well if he don't get one for me at the store i probably just check online so i can browse different varieties of colors and designs. Bulb America is there for me. Wink!

Dinner

2011-08-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

Am not a vegetarian leaks but sure i love eating everything! lol. Anyway, this was our dinner tonight a grilled tilapia finished it in the oven to fully cook with rice on the side. Husband loves his plate with baked potatoes meanwhile am opposite since we like veges as well we both have different kinds of side dish. I fixed his sweetcorn and as you can see mine i serve it with sawsawan. Mix with slice tomatoes, chop onions, soy sauce and vinegar. We're stuffed!

STIR FRY AND PLAIN RICE

2011-07-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Another food trip that i wanna share with you from a good friend of mine and as well the great chef of Aussie! LOL. I just love her cooking and her presentation is gorgeous just like her simply beautiful!

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

300G CHICKEN/BEEF (CUT INTO SMALL. OR ANY SIZE YOU LIKE)
OYSTER SAUCE
ABC SAUCE (SWEET SOY SAUCE)
1 400G CAN OF YOUNG CORN
1 400G CAN OF CHAMPIGNON (BOTTONS MUSHROOMS)
2 MEDIUM SIZE CARROTS
1 MEDIUM SIZE ZUCCHINI
1 MEDIUM SIZE BELL PEPPER
SNOW PEAS (ANY AMOUNT YOU LIKE)
1 ONION, CUT INTO SQUARES

WHAT TO DO:

1. MARINATE CHICKEN/BEEF FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES WITH OYSTER SAUCE AND ABC SOY SAUCE (SWEET SAUCE). YOU CAN ADD A PINCH OF TURMERIC IF YOU LIKE.

2. TAKE THE CHICKEN OUT FROM THE MARINADE AND FRY IT. THEN TAKE IT OUT FROM THE PAN AND PUT IT ASIDE.

3. USE THE PAN THAT YOU FRY CHICKEN... PUT THE VEGETABLES ONE AT A TIME. PUT FIRST BOTTON MUSHROOMS, THEN YOUNG CORN, THEN CARROTS, ZUCCHINI AND THE REST... PUT ONION AND SNOW PEAS BEFORE YOU TURNED IT OFF OR 1 MINUTE BEFORE YOU TURNED IT OFF.... PUT THE SAUCE OR THE MARINADE FROM THE CHICKEN OVER THE VEGETABLES AND PUT BACK THE CHICKEN.

4. ITS NOW READY TO SERVE WITH COOKED PLAIN RICE.

Happy Cooking!

Homemade Dessert

2011-07-19T08:34:00.001-07:00

Who does like the freaking hot weather lately?? I promised the weather right now is much hotter than last year or years before i feel like am in the tropical place every time we go out somewhere! Family thought that i love this kind of temperature... but in fairness there is no way i can handle the heat right now, it gives me headache. Anyway, to make my long story short since humidity is just around the corner i make sure my housemates is comfortable so once in awhile i make some treats for all of us just like this delicious homemade dessert i fix last week.

All you need are plain vanilla and chocolate ice cream, i use the individual minis so we won't over eating the ice cream you know. Then 1/4 cup of butterscotch syrup or caramel syrup and crush peanuts.

Place the ice cream in the serving dish, drizzled the desired syrup (i use caramel on ours), then lastly sprinkled the crush peanuts on top! Very good and refreshing!

Pork Binagoongang

2011-07-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

Another delicious cuisine i would love to share with you here! A friend of mine who enjoys cooking and a food lover just like me made this pork binagoongan or we called it pork with shrimp paste.

HERE'S HOW TO MAKE THIS:

BINAGOONGANG BABOY WITH COCONUT CREAM

1 KILO PORK (with skin and fat on it)
1 MEDIUM ONION
1 WHOLE GARLIC (cut into small OR minced)
1 TSP COARSE BLACK PEPPER
1 MEDIUM BELL PEPPER
2 TBSP SHRIMP PASTE ( use barrio fiesta spicy shrimp paste so no need to put siling labuyo in my recipe)
1 400G COCONUT CREAM
1-2 TBSP SUGAR

WHAT TO DO:

1. CUT PORK INTO CUBES OR YOUR DESIRED SIZE AND FRY IT INTO 2 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL.

2. WHEN PORK IS BROWN ALREADY. PUT THE ONION AND STIR IT TOGETHER WITH THE PORK. THEN AFTER 5 MINUTES, ADD THE MINCED GARLIC AND COARSE BLACK PEPPER.

3. ADD THEN THE 2 TABLESPOON SHRIMP PASTE, YOU CAN ADD MORE... IT DEPENDS WHAT YOU LIKE... THEN ADD THE COCONUT CREAM.

4. ADD THE SUGAR AND LET IT SIMMER FOR 1 HOUR OR SO IN A VERY LOW HEAT...STIRRING OCCASIONALLY.

5. WHEN THE SAUCE BECOMES THICKER AND THE OIL COMING OUT, THAT THE OIL FROM COCONUT, THEN YOU CAN ADD THE BELL PEPPER FOR 2 MINUTES THEN TURNED YOUR STOVE OFF.

6. IT'S READY TO SERVE NOW WITH PLAIN RICE.

*IF IT'S NOT SALTY FOR YOU, YOU CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT OF FISH SAUCE BEFORE YOU TURNED IT OFF. OR TO MAKE IT MORE TASTIER, ADD KNORR CHICKEN CUBES.

Enjoy Cooking!! Ciao!

Home Style Philly Hotdogs

2011-07-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

~ Deep fried cheesy hot dogs with bacon bits and caramelized onion, sauerkraut and mild cheddar sauce with ketchup~ Really good! It's easy and fast to make for busy mom like me. The housemates like it a lot! They don't refuses this yummy thingy here anyway, lol. This is how i like to fix mine...
Meanwhile the husband's Philly hot dogs style is like this he doesn't like to put on his the cheddar sauce instead the mustard which is that's how it really be but i hate mustard sauces. So just about it. Promised guys it is good and very quick fix good for lunches. You can experiment your own filling you know just be creative. Wink!

Huge Sale

2011-07-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hey guys we all know that summer just started and we are not even close to cold winter weather ahead right? But i tell you i found an online store, they are giving away a winter huge sale up to 60% off is that cool huh or what? Well, time fly by really fast so if you love natures and all that kinda of stuff better get prepared all the time while things are on sale right! But anyway the store caters everything that the outdoors supplies has to offer. Every seasons long they have wide selection of outdoors stuff that you need for your activities. From top gears, accessories, to safety measures they have it all. you can shop from different range as well men's, women's, boys, girls and a lot more!

The price is right to your budget as well, My family loves outdoors activities, so we might put this store to top of our lists to shop online. We are looking forward to do our first big out of town vacation to the mountains up in Florida so i really need to get stuff gathered. Wink!

Oh well, time really flew by quickly! I didn't noticed that it's time to cook again... man! I'm still clueless of what to cook before the boss gets home for lunch! See you guys and talk to you later! Ciao!

Italian Food

2011-07-08T03:41:00.001-07:00

~ Shrimp Bruschetta~ At Tony's little Italy in Huntsville, Alabama. The best bruschetta recipe I've ever eat so far! If you are an Italian food lover or just love to explore different kinds of cuisine? You got to go there definitely u gonna enjoy the food are massive one slice of pizza is like 3x bigger, not only their food but the ambiance is great also!
~ Parmesan Crusted Chicken~ Good! good! good! flavored wise. Two fresh grilled chicken breasts, topped with a Parmesan garlic crust serve with your choice of sides. I got medley veges this time. The chicken are so savory melts in your mouth literally! One of the best chicken I've ever eat. That's one thing whenever we go out somewhere out of town LongHorn Steakhouse is one of our destination to dine out. Husband just love their LongHorn porterhouse steak it is superb to the bone! If you go to this restaurant you know what am talking about! For those didn't yet? Try it for you to believe. Wink!

Filipino Cuisine

2011-07-05T08:03:00.001-07:00

~ Chicken Menudo~

~ Aroz Caldo~

~Chicken Sarshado~

I've been craving for the last few weeks now of real Filipino dishes. So lately been cooking and fixing these guys here! No wonder i feel am gaining weight again but just can't help it just love to eat!