The Forbidden Kingdom

This is the very first movie team up of the two famous martial arts icons, Jet Li and Jackie Chan, both our my favorites. We, my hubby and I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to watch them on the big screen, of course, together with our movie buff son, like us! It was full of action, great moves and funny like the other movies of Jackie Chan. As for for Jet Li, he's funny too but with a mysterious side as always. In the movie, Jackie Chan plays a drunken master while Jet Li is a monk warrior. The story is about an American teenager who loves to watch Kung Fu movies and came across with a magical charmed staff. He travels back in time in which he needs to use the staff to free the Monkey King who was turned to stone. Jet Li and Jackie Chan were the travel tour guide of the "Seeker Of The Prophecy" which is the American teenager. Once in a lifetime movie to see, you should watch it. Highly recomended!

The Hoops School

My kiddo has been attending the basketball summer clinic, The Hoops School, in their school. It was only today I accompanied him. And to my surprise, though short in height, he's good at shooting and defending the ball. As you may know, I don't like basketball, can't even understand the game. But I want to be supportive in whatever endeavor he wants to engage with. That's why, when he told me he wanted to join the basketball summer clinic. I said, yes. One more thing, look at the pictures, he is the only one wearing jogging pants instead of shorts. though, he's a boy, I don't want him to scratch his knee or legs and get scars, hehe! I don't mind how many jogging pants he reaps off or tear apart because he is so hyperactive just as long he does not have scars (",)

"Kilayin & Tuyo Rice"

Two days ago, my hubby, a friend and I, attended the JMK (Julius Maggi Kitchen) free cooking demo class. I just would like to share two of the many recipes I've learned, in which I tweaked a little to my own taste preference.

According to JMK, "Kilayin" is Pampanga's version of "Kilawin"; the meat is marinated in vinegar and soy sauce, then, braised to its tenderness and full-flavor. As for the "Tuyo Rice", it is my opinion, that it is another way to serve the usual fried tuyo, fried rice and chopped tomatoes.

Good for 5 servings.

Ingredients:

for the "Kilayin"

• 1/2 kilo pork shoulder (kasim), cut into thin strips
• 1/4 kilo pork liver, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 head garlic, finely pounded with some skin on
  
• 1 pack (8 grams) all-in-one-seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cooking oil

for the "Tuyo Rice"

• 2-1/2 tbsps & 4 tbsps cooking oil
• 6 pcs (50 grams) salted fish (tuyo)
• 1/2 head garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) tomatoes, diced
• 5 packed cups cooked rice
• 1 pack (8 grams) all-in-one-seasoning
• 1/2 tsp iodized coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Procedure:

In a deep heavy bottom pan or wok, put all the ingredients for "Kilayin". Mix. Cover. Stand aside.

Meanwhile, mash cooked rice until grains separate. Lightly fry the tuyo in 2-1/2 tbsps of oil. Let cool, then, shred. Removing the scales and head. The shredded tuyo will render 1/3 cup. Lastly, prepare other ingredients.

Place the pan with the marinated meat over medium-high fire. Cover. Bring to boil without stirring. Let it boil for a minute before opening the cover. Mix. Lid on back again. Decrease fire to low, simmer for 25 minutes. Remove cover. Increase fire to medium-high and let all the extra liquid evaporates. When dry, add oil. Stir-fry for a minute. Serve over "Tuyo Rice".

Meanwhile, In a wok over medium-high fire, heat moderately. Put 1/4 cup oil and garlic. Saute until garlic is light golden brown. Follow the shredded tuyo. Stir-fry until aromatic. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 seconds only. Put in the mashed rice, all-in-one-seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix. Cook until rice is fluffy.

Serve hot or top with "Kilayin"

"Bicol Express" (Pork & Chilis In Rich Coconut Sauce)

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs matured coconuts
• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 1/2 head garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, peeled & minced
• 3/4 kilo pork belly, skinned & diced
• 3 tbsps fresh bagoong alamang
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 pc bird's eye chili pepper (siling labuyo), minced or 1/8 tsp dried pepper flakes
• 5 pcs finger chilis, minced with seeds

Procedure:

When you buy your coconuts in the market. Let the vendor grate and squeeze them for you, using their manual jack pump. The first squeeze which is the coconut cream (kakang-gata) and the second squeeze, the coconut milk (pangalawang gata). This type of service will only cost you an extra php2.00, not bad, right? It also means, you'll have less work in the kitchen.

In a wok, put oil. Heat moderately. Put garlic, saute until golden brown. Follow with onion, cook until limp. Add in the diced pork, fresh bagoong alamang, black pepper and pepper flakes. Stir-fry until pork is no longer pink and bagoong is aromatic.

Pour the the coconut milk. Cover. Bring to boil. Remove lid. Stir. Bubble away in medium-low fire for 30 minutes. Stirring every 10 minutes.

Increase fire to medium-high, add in the coconut cream. Do not stir until boiling. Cook for 2 minutes. Put the minced finger chilis. Mix. Cook for another minute.

Serve with steamed rice.

Yen's QOTW #15

1. Were you named after anyone?
Yup, after my mom's 2 aunts, named Andrea and Juana and from St. Claire.

2. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
sometimes yes.... sometimes no....

3. What is your shoe size?
6.5

4. If you were a flower, What flower would you be?
a sunflower, my fave & it is such a happy flower to look at!

5. What is your fave smell?
of course, the smell of my h and little one :)

6. Which do your prefer scary movies Or happy endings?
anything... just as long the movie is great and has a good story.

7. Last movie you watched?
sound of music

8. Do you prefer hugs Or kisses?
both... and lots of it!

9. Favorite Dessert?
not a sweet tooth!

10. Look to your right, do you see a yellow color? What is it?
yeap, my side plates

Wordless Wednesday #7

Wordless Wednesday

Sunset at Manila bay at the back of SM-Mall Of Asia.

World Wide Link Love

--- start copy here ---

Join the Worldwide Link Love!
Benefits of Worldwide Link Love!

1. Make new friends around the world.
2. Feel the Link Love.
3. Gain new readers and subscribers.

Rules:

1. Copy from ~start copying here ~ to ~ end copying here ~ and paste it on your blog.
2. At the end of the list, put your name and the country your in, it doesn’t matter what’s your nationality just put the country where you are publishing your blog. Don’t forget to put links at your name.
3. If u have many blogs, you can link all of it, just make sure you post the same on each blog.
4. Tag eight (8) or more of your blog friends.
5. Tip for blogspot users: make sure you copy and paste the code in Compose mode.

Wanna join, and you can’t find your name on the list? Just leave a comment here.

Worldwide Link Love! Participants:

1. Julia (Philippines)

2. Catherine (Malaysia)

3. Shimumsy (USA)

4. Mitch (Philippines)

5. Hailey (Philippines)

6. Chez Francine

7. Le bric à brac de Cherie

8. La Place de Cherie

9. Gracie de Guzman (Philippines)

10. Chicshopaholic (Philippines)

11. Blog District (Philippines)

12. My Fave Hangout (Philippines)

13. Istilopinoy (Philippines)

14. Princess (USA)

15. Filipina in HI (USA)

16. A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh (Philippines)

17. Idealpinkrose (Korea)

18. Korean food (Korea)

19. Kimchiland (Korea)

20. Allinkorea (Korea)

21. D' Cooking Mudra (Philippines)


Thanks heidi, all in korea & jona for tagging me!
Passing my love to jana, jk, sweetpea, emz, crissy, eds, chikai, daddynator & butchay

"Ground Pork & Bell Pepper Stir-fry"

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps corn oil
• 3 cloves garlic, pounded & minced
• 1 large red onion, minced
• 1 large red plump tomato, chopped
• 250 grams lean ground pork
• 1 tsp all-in-one seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 pc of bell pepper, cut into strips

Procedure:

Heat wok at medium-high fire, put oil. Saute garlic until golden brown. Follow with onion ant tomato, cook until soft. Add ground pork and all-in-one-seasoning, stir-fry until pork is no longer pink. Put soy sauce and bell pepper. Stir-fry until liquid evaporates.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

tip: if all-in-one-seasoning is not available, substitute it with salt and pepper.

Weekend Snapshot - Bunso's Birthday Treat

Weekend Snapshot

candid daw... taken at SM Mall Of Asia Esplanade

ang mga buraot...

My Little One playing with his new kiddie meal toy.

I'm with the two persons whom I consider my siblings.

Kulit, me, Bunso and Tin at Greenwich

Dada and GJ

Due to our busy and crazy schedule, it was only last Saturday, we got the chance to celebrate Bunso's birthday. We met and watched the Pyro Olympics at SM Mall Of Asia. Then, for the first time, Bunso treat us. We ate at Greenwich. What a wonderful evening we had! Thanks Bunso.... sa uulitin (",)

My Homemade Chili Garlic Sauce

My chili plants are very abundant nowadays. Everyday, as I water my plants in our backyard, the chili plants would greet me with several red ripe fruits which I will pick happily. It is a nice and warm feeling to harvest fruits from your plants. As the chili fruits get accumulated and dries, I decided to make them into a chili-garlic sauce. So, here it is... It is made of oil, garlic, chilis and soy sauce.

What Flavor Gum Are You?

You Are Wintergreen Flavored Gum

You are laid back, low maintenance, and super cool. You go with the flow, and you never cause too much of a fuss. You are very in touch with nature and the world around you. You prefer to keep things simple. Complexity stresses you out. You are a very real person. Openness and honesty are important to you. You can be friends with almost anyone, as long as they tell it like it is.

What Flavor Gum Are You?

100% correct and true (",)

Weekend Snapshot - Cleaning Our Backyard

Weekend Snapshot

my nephew, GJ, just before cutting down the biggest banana plant we have.

My son plowing the soil using a hoe, locally known as "asarol".

Yesterday, with the help of GJ, my nephew and Little One, we pruned the banana plants and cleaned our backyard.

"Baked Tilapia In Rich Herbs & Spices With Coco Cream"

From the Carabao Restaurant of Coco Beach Island Resort from where we had our summer escapade. A copy-cat of their famous dish, "Pinutas". This is my version, instead of wrapping it in banana leaves and deep frying it. I lined a baking dish with banana leaves and baked it in an oven, that's for healthy reasons without sacrificing the good taste and cost cutting as well. Cooking oil has doubled its price lately. And for the fish, I used tilapia instead of tambakol.

after being prepared... before going to the oven...

after being baked... hmmm, looks yummy, isn't it? It is, indeed!

Ingredients:

• 3 pcs coconuts
• 3 pcs (3/4 kilo) tilapia, scaled & gutted
• ground white pepper
• a large chunk (50 grams) young ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 large (50 grams) red onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 small (30 grams) red bell pepper
• 3 pcs finger chilis
• 2 pcs hot chili pepper
• fish sauce
• 4 pcs pandan leaves, tied in a knot
• banana leaves

Procedure:

When you buy your coconuts. Let the vendor squeeze them for you, they have this manual jack-pump. Less work for you in the kitchen and you will have a pure coconut cream extract.

Clean the tilapia. Place in a colander. Let it drain. Set aside.

Meanwhile, mince the ginger, garlic, onion, celery, red bell pepper and chilis.

Line a baking dish with banana leaves up until the sides. Arrange the tilapia. Sprinkle moderately with ground white pepper. Put all the minced herbs and spices on top of the fish. Drizzle with fish sauce. Pour generously with pure coconut cream. Add the tied pandan leaves. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in an oven (I used a turbo broiler oven, my conventional oven is broken) for 50 minutes in 475 fahrenheit. Remove the aluminum foil, banana and pandan leaves before serving.

Best with warm cooked rice.

"Eggplant Salad Omelet"

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/3 cup eggplant salad (recipe here)
• 1 tsp minced finger chili
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine
• 2 pcs eggs
• salt and white pepper
• 2 tbsps minced cheddar cheese
• dried oregano leaves

Procedure:

In a small bowl, break the eggs. Add salt and white pepper. Beat. Set aside.

In a non-stick pan, put half of the oil. Add the eggplant salad. Cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes or until soft, stirring often. Put the finger chili. Cook for another minute. Remove from heat.

In another non-stick pan, over medium fire. Put the rest of the oil and butter. Heat lightly. Pour the beaten eggs. Place the cheese and a good pinch of dried oregano leaves on half of the omelet. Follow with cooked eggplant salad with chili. Flip the other half of the omelet over the mixture. Place in a plate. Sprinkle some more with dried oregano leaves.

Serve immediately and with bread.

Coco Beach Island Resort, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Phils.

From April 1 to 3, we went to Coco Beach Island Resort in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. A summer escapade treat from hubby. It's such a nice place, very homey and relaxing. A nature paradise as I may say it! Their staff are friendly and accommodating and they have a concept of a service family that will cater to your needs. The beaches we went to, are great also. My Little One really enjoyed the waters. He even picked stones for souvenirs. Over all, it's highly recommended to go to.

Papa Mac's Unplanned Birthday Bash At Nayon Base

Hello guys!

Been gone for almost two weeks, sorry guys! I've been busy as usual, with being a mom and a wifey. I'm not complaining though, but the sad part is, no blogging for me. Well, now I'm back and will post some of the things I've been doing for the past days and my homemade recipes. To all my frequent visitors, thanks so much for always dropping by. Later, I promise to visit your blogs and see what i had missed. But for now, it's lunch time. Take care...