Happy New Year To All !!!

HAVE A GREAT YEAR 2008!!!

Holiday Greetings to Everyone.....

Given the time constraints that I have been under this year I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to my family, off and on-line friends, and readers, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone.

So, I wish to say the following:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non- addictive, gender neutral celebration of the summer solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that it is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.


Best wishes,
The Addams Family (Leo, C.A., Kulit & Luigi)



Disclaimer: No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced.

Weekend Snapshots - Mosquito On Fruit Salad

My hubby and I, as we were finishing our snack yesterday, the last batch of fruit salad in the freezer, this mosquito dived into it. Sad for the insect, he died! (",)

Blog Of The Month Award

Thanks sis idealpinkrose for this award. I really appreciate it (",)

I'm sharing this to fretz, ging2x, juliana, pretty, belle, janine, yen, retche, precious

Meatballs & Vegetables In Oyster Sauce

The meatballs in my ingredients are the excess of the Lumpiang Shanghai (Meaty Spring Roll) mixture I was making earlier with Andeng for tomorrow's Media Noche (New Year's Eve) Celebration. Andeng is my hubby's cousin. She's staying with us until she gets her work visa and leaves for Bahrain. Here's the recipe.






Ingredients:

• cooking oil for frying
• 12 pcs meatballs
• 2 tbsps sunflower oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion
• 2 medium (75 grams) red plump tomatoes
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsps oyster sauce
• 1/2 head (250 grams) cabbage
• 1 pc (100 grams) potato
• 1 small (80 grams) carrot
• 1 pc (30 grams) red bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

thickening agent:

• 1 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Procedure:

Fry the meatballs until golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the cabbage into chunks. Julienne the potato, carrot and red bell pepper. Cut into half the onion & tomatoes. Slice thinly. Finely pound the garlic. Combine the thickening agent in a small bowl. Mix well.

In a wok, place over medium-high fire. Heat moderately. Put the sunflower oil and garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute until soft. Pour the fish sauce. Saute and mash until aromatic.

Add water, oyster sauce, cabbage, potato, carrot, red bell pepper and black pepper. Pour the thickening agent. Mix well. Cover. Cook until veggies are done, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Best "Bad Credit" Offers Online

There are a considerable number of consumers today in the U.S. with "bad credit" standing, and it keeps on growing on a daily basis. Most of them are quite hopeless in acquiring a new loan that will in-part finance their previous bad credit loans. This usually happens to consumers with bad credit loans from credit companies and other lending institutions. New loan approval is a lot harder for these people. There are several online resources that offer tips and advice to people where and how they can acquire new loans and get a better chance of approval.

Badcreditoffers.com is one of the best online resources that offers available "bad credit" to consumers. They have several loan choices you can select from auto, home, credit to personal. Their expert staff monitors the credit marketplace daily for the best offer available to consumers that will fit according to their financial needs regardless of their bad credit ratings. Website visitors can easily compare dozens of bad credit offers feature from major providers that best fit their needs. Consumers now have a better chance to rebuild a good credit standing.

For a quick result, you can apply online for your choice of loan.

"Giniling Ala Bistek" (Steak-style Ground Pork)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 3 pcs (350 grams) white onion, sliced thinly, ring-cut
• 1/2 tbsp liquid seasoning
• 6 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 1/2 kilo lean ground pork
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 7 pcs (80 grams) Philippine lemon, topped
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 pcs (180 grams) potatoes, julienne

Procedure:

In a wok, place over medium fire. Heat lightly. Put half of the oil. Dump the onion, Stir-fry until soft. Remove from pan. Set aside.

Add the rest of oil to the wok. Put the garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Put the ground pork, black pepper and soy sauce. Squeeze the Philippine lemon, strain the seeds. Mix well. Cover. Bring to boil. Mix again. Lid back on. Cook for 6-8 minutes.

Put the potatoes and cooked onions. Mix. Lid on. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to medium-low, cook for 5 minutes.

Serve with warm cooked rice.

Photo Hunters - Theme: "Messy"

photo hunt

The picture was taken almost two years ago. A messy background. Rhonaville Townhomes was still under construction the time I took this. The place is near our home and secured, my kid can skate all he wants without me worrying about the vehicles that he might bump into.

Benefits of Paid Reviews from Pay Per Post

I've been blogging for more than a year now about cooking tips, recipes, and about family matters. I put considerable amount of time, effort and resources doing the things I like to blog. One of them is writing and publishing useful information that will benefit not only me, but other people as well looking for these particular information.

Maintaining a blog requires time, effort and money. It's quite a while now that I've looking for ways to at least minimize the cost of internet connection. One thing that I'm always considering besides accepting site-displayed advertisements is reviewing a product that I'm interested with and relevant to my blogging niche. Here come Pay Per Post opportunities. One fellow blogger referred me to it. I've seen a lot of bloggers doing reviews provided by Pay Per Post on a regular basis. Now, why I did not think of that before? It's quite an incentive for me doing the things I like--blogging and at the same time earning from it. I've also heard that Pay Per Post is paying bloggers quite well doing reviews. So, I recently signed-up and try it myself.

I've been itching to buy a decent digital camera for quite sometime now, I guess the chances of owning it is a more realistic now because of the money that I will be earning from Pay per post.

Ihaw-ihaw Sa Kanto (Grilled Foodies In The Corner)

Pinoy-style street food: The guy in the picture is selling different kinds of grilled foods, from chicken leg & breast barbecue up to the chicken internal organs, like the chicken heart, small intestines, kidney, liver & gizzard. As well as pork. After grilling, they are brush with banana catsup and oil, then, dip in a specially made vinegar with chopped onions, chilis, sugar, salt and black pepper.

"Inihaw Na Puso Ng Manok" (Chicken Heart Barbeque)

I bet you, they are good and delicious. As you may know, we eat this stuff sometimes, though they say it is not clean because of how they are prepared and handled. Also, they are bad for your cholesterol and uric acid (",)

Before hitting home, after my kiddo's skating lesson and practice at the rink. We bought our dear Luigi some chicken heart barbecue and chicken intestines for our pasalubong for him.

"Arroz Caldo" (Chicken Congee)

Ingredients:

• 400 grams uncooked glutinous rice (malagkit)
• 8 cups water
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 8 cloves garlic
• 50 grams ginger
  
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion
  
• 2 pcs (650 grams) chicken thigh & leg part
  
• 250 grams chicken liver & gizzard
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 10 cups hot water
• 2 pcs chicken cubes
• 1 tsp iodized coarse salt
• 3 leaves pandan, tied in a knot
• 1 heaping tsp of wild saffron (kasubha)
• 6-8 pcs or more shelled hard-boiled chicken eggs

Procedure:

In a medium thick bottom casserole, put the uncooked glutinous rice. Wash twice. Drain well. Put water. Cover. Place over medium high fire. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to very low. Cook with lid on for 15 minutes. Mix well. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat the casserole. Set aside until needed.

Meanwhile, pound finely the garlic. Slice the ginger into julienne. Cut in half the onion, then, slice thinly. Cut into very small pieces the chicken. Cut into two each chicken gizzard & liver.

In pan, place over medium-high heat. Put oil, garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic is rich golden brown. Follow with onion. Saute until translucent. Put the chicken, liver, gizzard, black pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fry until very aromatic.

Add the cooked glutinous rice, hot water, chicken cubes, salt and pandan leaves. Mix well. Cover. Bring to boil. Stirring often.

Sprinkle the wild saffron on top. Mix. Cook for another minute.

Serve hot. Drizzle with Philippine lemon juice (kalamansi) and fish sauce (patis). For more enticing taste, top with toasted garlic and minced spring onion. You can also add hard-boiled eggs.

My Little One's Christmas Party In School

I should have posted this last week but due to busy schedule... So here it is... This was taken last December 20. My kiddo's Christmas party in school. Click here to see more pictures.

"Pork Chops & Potatoes With Salted Black Beans"

Ingredients:

• 8 small pcs (750 grams) pork chops
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 tbsps soy sauce
• 1 tbsp + 2 tbsps + 2 tbsps sunflower oil or any cooking oil you have
• 3 small (200 grams) potatoes
• 10 grams ginger
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 large (100 grams) red onion
• 4 medium (150 grams) red over ripe tomatoes
• 1 can salted black beans (tausi), washed & drained
• 1 pc (30 grams) red bell pepper
• 2 cups water

Procedure:

In a bowl, combine the pork chops, black pepper and half of the soy sauce. Mix. Set aside.

Bruise the garlic, then, chop with skin on. Slice the ginger into julienne. Finely mince the tomatoes and onion. Coarsely chop the salted black beans. Remove the seeds and slice the red bell pepper into strips.

Place a wok in a medium-high fire. Meanwhile, skin the potatoes. Cut into four wedges each potato. Put a tablespoon of oil in the wok. Heat moderately. Add the potatoes. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until sides turn light brown. Remove from pan. Retain the oil.

Add 2 tbsps of oil to the wok. Lightly pan-fry pork chops on both sides, about 10-15 seconds on each side. Set aside. Reserve the marinade.

Back to the wok, add the rest of oil. Put garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic turns light brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute and mash until limp. Add the salted black beans and red bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Pour water, the rest of soy sauce and marinade. Put back the fried pork chops along with its drippings. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Put the fried potatoes. Mix. Cover back on. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with warm cooked rice.

Wordless Wednesday #2

"Mr. Froggy clinging on our Philippine lemon plant."

Pretty Bedding Designs For Young Girls

As I was surfing the net to find a birthday gift for my little one's skater friend. She is a young girl and we want to give her something unique, something that she truly likes, something she will remember us.

I came across with the site, Vision Beddings and their products for Girls Bedding. I was so amazed by their wide selections of choices of beddings for young girls, not just the typical pastel colors and girlish designs. They offer sporty and outdoor activities designs for young girls. They have nature themes to animals designs. They can even accommodate your own created designs, print it in your beddings, like your favorite pictures or images. One more thing, they are authentically made in the United States.

Young girls nowadays have strong sense of who they are, some is the typical girl who loves pink, butterflies and flowers. Some is the sporty type who loves the boyish and outdoor stuff. Others have their own way of expressing their own creativeness.

Whoever they are, who they want to be, definitely, they can express their own-style personality through these wide selections of girls beddings. Giving them the comfortable feeling while resting or sleeping in these beautiful designs beddings made personally or customized for them.

Noche Buena

Our simple but satisfying Noche Buena, consists of Purefoods Fiesta Ham (hubby's favorite Noche Buena food), Gardenia's White Loaf Bread, Grandma's Fried Chicken, Maman's Istapeggi (my version of Pinoy-style Spaghetti & my Little One's request) and Fruit Salad (",)

Have a Blessed Christmas to all!!!

Merry Christmas To All!!!

Christmas Glitter Graphics

Weekend Snapshots - Pancit'on

The noodles you see in the picture is my Little One's all time favorite food, "Lucky Me Instant Pancit Canton". Though, not recommended by his pediatrician to feed him often, it is still a junk food considering it has a high-content of sodium and msg. An occasional treat for him, once a month. He loves this so much that he always begs for it (kung makikita nyo lang ang mukha nakakaawa talaga!). He had this yesterday for his snack in the afternoon. Yeap, my kid is little in size but he has a huge appetite.

"Quickie Mussel Soup"

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo mussels (tahong)
• 1 bottle (12 oz) clear soda
• 1-1/2 cup rice wash or water
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 4 cloves garlic, whole & skin on
• 1 large red onion, quartered
• a large chunk (50 grams) ginger, sliced thickly
• 1 pc finger chili (optional)

Procedure:

Clean the mussel. Remove the beards.

In a large wok, place all the ingredients. Tightly cover. Place over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. Keep it boiling for a minute or two. Serve immediately.

"Fruit Salad"

Ingredients:

• 4 pcs coconut
• 1 large can fruit cocktail
• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 1 bottle sweet coconut gel (nata de coco)
• 1 bottle sugar palm gel (kaong)
• a handful of seedless raisins
• 3 bricks (250 ml each) all purpose cream
• 2 big cans (300 ml each) condensed milk
• 1 small can (158 ml) evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, finely minced

Procedure:

When you buy your coconut, let the vendor separate the coconut meat from the coconut water. You can also made them cut the coconut meat into strips, meaning less work in the kitchen, hehe! Reserve the coconut water in the fridge until needed or just drink it as it is.

In a very large colander, put the coconut meat, fruit cocktail, kernel corn. Let the liquid drip until it is fully drained, about 15-20 minutes. Reserve the strained liquid in the freezer for future use.

Now, in a smaller colander. Do the same with the sweet coconut gel and sugar palm gel. Disregard the syrup.

In a very large mixing bowl or plastic basin (planggana), that's what I used. I have a collection of colored coded green, small, medium and large sizes of plangganas for food use only in my kitchen. Combine all the ingredients. Mix until well-blended. Place in several containers. Cover tightly and freeze. I like placing my fruit salad in several containers, small to medium sizes, for it wouldn't be hard for us to get and eat it, straight in the container, no need to place it in small plate. This also means less dishes to wash.

I prepared this one day ahead of the traditional celebration of Noche Buena. I like my fruit salad to be frozen, really hard and I want to reduce my work in the kitchen on the 24th (",)

"Pork Bulalo Sinigang"

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs (1.5 kilo) pork bulalo, cut up
• 8 cups rice wash
• 2 medium red onion, quartered
• 3 large (150 grams) red plump tomatoes
• 1 tbsp iodized coarse salt
  
• 200 grams taro (gabing tagalog), skinned
• 1 big pack tamarind powder
• 8 pcs of string beans (sitaw), cut at 2" length
• 8 pcs medium okra, remove both ends
• 1 big eggplant, sliced diagonally at 1/4" thick
• 3 pcs finger chilis
• a bunch of swamp cabbage (kangkong), tender stalks & leaves only

Procedure:

In a large pot, put the first-two ingredients. Cover. Place over high heat. Bring to boil (remove scum as it arises). Add the next-three ingredients. Cover again. Bring to boil. Then, reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Put the taro. Cover back on. Cook for another 20 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high, put the tamarind powder, string beans and okra. Cook for 5 minutes. Follow with eggplant and chilis. Cook for 3 minutes. Lastly, put the swamp cabbage. Cook until done.

Serve hot.

Photo Hunters - Theme: "Light"

photo hunt

The stray cat, we named "Miming", sun bathing in our backyard.

Choo-choo Train

Got tagged by Retchel. Thanks girl! This is really nice of you. I'm passing this to Pinaymama, Precious, Fretz, Idealpinkrose, Pretty, Kaje, Eds and to all those who like to grab it!

The rule: When you get tagged, you have to add your name below the person who tagged you and by doing so you are letting the list grow.


Limadang.comRamblingMoo.comblogginginmypyjamasChinneeqDora-zooropazooBabyshernHiPnCooLMoMMaRachel’s Soulful ThoughtsWhen Silence SpeaksDancing in Midlife TuneUnderneath it AllI am DzoiHobbies and Suchmoms.....check nyoChoc Mint GirlAmel's RealmMy ThoughtsRusin RoundupJuliana's SiteMaxRooms of My HeartMariucaA Great PleasureMondayMorningPowerLadyJava's LoungeColin aka CotojoNafaSGHannaMy Life My WorldMommy's Gibble GabblesAuthor's Sweet LifeA Window To Our WorldJenny's Wandering ThoughtsRetchel's Pure LifeBehind D Scenes Of ME
D' Cooking Mudra
Puto Pinoy

"Chicken Afritada With Quail Eggs"

Ingredients:

• 24 pcs quail eggs
• water
• 2 heaping tsps of iodized coarse salt
• 925 grams chicken, thigh & leg part, cut-up
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps soy sauce
• 3 tbsps corn oil
• 4 small pcs (280 grams) potatoes, chunks
• 5 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 2 large (100 grams) red ripe tomatoes, halved & sliced thinly
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & cut into strips
• 2 cups rice wash or water
• 1 pouch (250 grams) tomato sauce
• 3 tbsps cheese, grated
• 1 pc chicken cube
• 1/2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 small (80 grams) carrot, chunks
• 2 tbsps green peas (optional)

Procedure:

In a deep pan, put the quail eggs. Level with water. Add salt. Pace over medium-high fire Bring to boil. Keep boiling for a minute. Remove from fire. Let it sit in hot water until needed.

In a bowl, combine the next-three ingredients. Mix well. Set aside.

In a large wok, place over medium-high fire. Heat lightly. Put half of oil and potato. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until sides turn light brown. Remove from pan. Retain the oil.

Put the rest of the oil and garlic. Saute until golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute and mash until limp. Add the chicken, marinade and bell pepper. Mix. Stir-fry for 6 minutes or until aromatic.

Pour rice wash and tomato sauce. Add in the cheese, chicken cube and sugar. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Remove cover. Stir. Keep boiling for 15 minutes. Stirring every 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shell the quail eggs.

Back to the wok, add the fried potatoes and carrot. Mix. Cook for another 8 minutes.

Put the shelled quail eggs and green peas. Cook for 30 seconds.

Serve.

Doggie & Treasure Awards

Got these two from Juliana... Thanks so much! My first time to be tagged, so nice of you to consider me as your friend. Hope you feel better soon... pagaling ka agad!



I'm sharing these two to Belle, Texas-sweetie, Eds, Wildcatlady29, Fretz, Idealpinkrose, Ging, Janine, Yen, Pretty, Emz

Bubble Bath

This is the "bubble bath" my kid knows. Bath tub here in the Philippines is not a common accessory in a bathroom, we don't have one, this plastic drum will do. It is where he loves to bubble bath and play with water while taking a bath before he goes to bed. The drum you see in the picture is filled with warm water and a good splash of baby liquid bath soap. After his Christmas party in school and ice skating lesson & practice, I allowed him to have a bubble bath though it was quite late already, it was around 11 pm last night.

Wordless Wednesday #1

"Our dear Luigi's right eye close-up shot."

A Box Of Brownies

"Last night, my Little One was happily munching a brownie after dinner".

Giniling Na Luto Ni Pao (Ground Pork Cooked By Pao)

"Eto ang luto na Giniling ni Pao"

"My whole fried plantain bananas"

"Fried tuyo with garlic-chili-vinegar for the dip"

I have an injured finger for 2 days now, my right ring finger. It has allergies. Then, me being clumsy (in which normally I'm not!) in the kitchen, the finger which has the allergies got splashed with hot oil while I was frying. For this reason, I'm not able to cook because it got worst. I'm taking antibiotic and pain reliever for it. Fortunately, we have so many left-overs to reheat. But for tonight, I requested my hubby's niece to cook for us. Her name is Pao. She stays here with us during weekdays when she's working in Makati. She cooked Ground Pork with Potato and Carrot, the usual! The kids staying with us, they love any dish made with ground pork. She even fried "tuyo", she's craving for it. Tuyo is a sun-dried salted sardines common here in the Philippines. I did fry the plantain bananas "saging na saba", I showed them how it is fried without the banana sipping the oil too much. You need not cut the banana, just fry it whole but make sure the oil in your pan is thoroughly hot. It should be fried in medium-high heat until all sides get brown, as you can see in the picture. I didn't even drained it in paper towels. The verdict with Pao's cooking? Personally, it's okay, need a little more practice but for tonight it will do! But her brother, Awe didn't like it. I asked him why, he said there's something in the dish in which he didn't like. All I can say, we are all entitled to our own opinion.

Are You a Cheapskate?

You Are Not a Cheapskate

When it comes to money, you're very fair. You're generous when you can be, and you never cheat anyone out of what they deserve. If you have the money, you enjoy splurging. But you never overspend.

Are You a Cheapskate?

It's nice to know that I'm not a "Belekoy" meaning I'm not "kuripot", hahaha! (",)

My Zodiac Sign

Lets101 - Free Dating Site

Half of this result is true, the other half is not. Oh, what the heck! I took this quiz just for the fun of it. Anyone wants to try?

"Munggo Guisado" (Mung Bean Saute)

Ingredients:

• 350 grams mung bean (munggo)
• 5 cups of water
• 2-3 tbsps vegetable oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely pounded
• 2 medium (70 grams) red onion, halved & sliced thinly
• 2 large (100 grams) red plump tomatoes, halved & slice thinly
• 4 tbsps fish sauce
• 1-2/3 cup rice wash
• 50 grams pork cracklings (chicharon), this is optional
• a bunch of young moringa leaves (talbos ng malunggay)

Procedure:

In a heavy bottom casserole, put the mung bean. Wash twice. Drain well. Add the water. Cover. Place over medium-high fire. Bring to boil. Then, reduce fire to low. Cook until liquid is gone or until seeds burst. This will take probably 20 minutes or a little longer.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

In a large wok, place over medium-high fire. Put oil. Heat lightly. Add garlic. Saute until rich golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Saute and mash until very limp. Pour in the fish sauce. Cook until it dries up or very fragrant.

By this time, The mung bean is ready. Mash it carefully.

Back to the wok, put the mashed mung bean and rice wash. Mix thoroughly. Cover. Bring to boil. Add the pork cracklings. Stir one more time. Put off the fire. Then, sprinkle the young moringa leaves on top. Cover until ready to serve.

This is usually served every Friday here in the Philippines. I dunno why, maybe because every Friday we should abstain from eating meat as the Catholic teachings say..... whatever! I'm a Catholic but a non-practicing one!

Here in our home, this is best with "Paksiw na Bangus" and tons of warm cooked rice. (though a veggie recipe, malamang... sira ang diet mo! ang sarap sa kanin, grabe! hehe!)

You can substitute bittermelon leaves (dahon ng ampalaya), if you don't have moringa leaves. Or if you are living abroad, spinach will do.

One more thing, To make your this dish really creamy and thick. The secret is cooking the mung bean like you are cooking rice, see step one. Just sharing one of my secret techniques in cooking.

Enjoy!!!

Who Are My Compatible Zodiacs?

I snagged this from Texas-sweetie.

So right! Hubby is a Sagittarius (",)

I'm tagging Butchay, Tere, Retche, Juliana, PrettyLifeOnline, Fretz, Kaje, Kcat, Janine, Idealpinkrose... have fun girls! And whoever wants to grab it!

Lets101 Quizzes - Fun Quiz

Lechon Paksiw

Ingredients:

• 1.1 kilo leftover Lechon, cut up
• 1 big head of garlic, finely pounded with some skin on
• 2 medium red onion, minced
• 2 tsps freshly cracked peppercorns
• 4 tbsps white vinegar
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2-1/4 cups Lechon sarsa
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsps white sugar

Procedure:

In a large wok, put the first-five ingredients. Cover. Place over high-fire. Bring to boil. Let it boil until aromatic before opening the cover. Put oil. Stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Lid on. Bring to boil again. Decrease fire to low. Simmer for 15-18 minutes. Stirring often.

Serve.

Lechon Baboy (Whole Roasted Pig)

The traditional way of roasting a whole pig in the Philippines.

For the past several days now, this is the scene you will see adjacent to our house. I have a neighbor who's business is this. Christmas parties and gatherings are in right now. For us Filipinos, party wouldn't be complete if there's no Lechon on the table.

Puto Bumbong

Christmas is just around the corner, you can smell it in the air! Tomorrow is the start of "Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo" or 9 Consecutive Dawn Masses. It's a Catholic practice in celebrating the Birth of Jesus. One of the things, I look forward is, the "puto bumbong" and "bibingka". They are traditional Christmas delicacies here in the Philippines, sold outside the church, usually brought as pasalubong or eaten for breakfast. They are wrapped in banana leaves. Then, wrapped in old newspaper. It's good to know that Filipinos can still be earth-friendly.

Puto Bumbong is made up of ground glutinous rice that is colored purple, called "galapong". They are cooked in small tube bamboos in a specially made steamer, rolled in hand-grated coconut, called "niyog". Sometimes, spread with a little margarine. Then, sprinkled with "pardo", I think, it's called raw sugar. As for the Bibingka, I haven't had any photo to post.

My hubby went out earlier to do some errand. When he got back, he brought home Puto Bumbong. He told me, while walking home, he stumbled upon a small stall selling these little cuties. He loves native kakanin, simply cannot resist them. He bought several packs. Though, still trying to less my food intake for today because of last night's Christmas Party we attended, I simply can't resist! It is so yummy! Even my kiddo loves it! Here is the picture of my Kulit eating the Puto Bumbong....

Elite Blades Figure Skating Club Christmas Party 2007

This was the Christmas Party we attended last night. It should have started at 8 pm but you know how Filipinos are... it started at around 9.30 pm. Tita Ching was a great host. She was able to make the coaches dance one at a time, looking silly, hehe! The kids had a blast playing games. The food brought in was overflowing... yum-yum! We had a great time and our tummy too! They even made us bring home some of the "Lechon". Tomorrow, I'm going to make "Paksiw na Lechon" out of that! (",)

"Easy Milky Eggy Macaroni Soup"

Ingredients:

• 9 cups of water
• 2 pcs chicken cubes
• 1 heaping tsp of iodized coarse salt
• chicken or pork bones (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 whole head of garlic, skin on
• 2 large (100 grams) onion, quartered
• 200 grams macaroni pasta
• 1/2 cup of finely minced carrot
• 24 pcs hard boiled quail eggs, shelled
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tbsps margarine or butter

Procedure:

In a casserole, the first-seven ingredients. Cover. Place over high heat. Bring to boil. Put macaroni. Lower heat to medium, cook for 15 minutes.

Add the carrot, quail eggs and milk. Stir. Bring to a light bubble. Remove from fire. Put the margarine. Mix until margarine melts. Cover.

Serve hot.

Poor Izzie!

It hasn't been raining for over a week now. The weather is great, no rain but it's cold. The "lungaw" in our backyard has almost no water in it. My hubby transfered Izzie for the meantime in the fish bowl we bought for her. Izzie is a gold fish, who lives in my Mom's famous "lungaw" in our backyard. The fish bowl would be her temporary habitat while we are waiting to rain again. Also, Izzie needed protection from the stray cats that visits our backyard. The cats were trying to scoop her out of the water, when it's too shallow. Poor Izzie! For now, she is safe in her fish bowl, inside our home. Maybe some of you are wondering why not keep her in the fish bowl? We love Izzie, though an ornamental fish, we wouldn't deprive her of huge space to swim around plus all the tadpoles and algae she can eat. Still, natural habitat is the best for any kind of animals.