Wordless Wednesday #9

Wordless Wednesday

"Pork, Broccoli, Cauliflower & Green Pepper Stir-fry With Quail Eggs"

Ingredients:

• 250 grams pork shoulder (kasim), slice into thin strips
• 1/4 ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 12 quail eggs
• water
• 4 tbsps sunflower oil
• 1 small head (220 grams) broccoli
• 1 small head (160 grams) cauliflower
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 2 big cloves garlic
• 1 large red onion
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp all-in-one-seasoning

for the sauce:

• 2/3 cup water
• 3/4 tbsp flour
• 1/4 ground black pepper
• 3/4 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

Procedure:

Combine in a small bowl, the first-three ingredients. Mix well. Stand aside.

In a deep casserole, put the quail eggs. Level with water. Bring to boil over medium-high fire. Let boil for a minute. Sit in hot water until needed.

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets, disregard the stem. Slice into thick strips the green pepper. Finely mince the garlic. Cut into half the onion and slice thinly.

Change the water several times inside the pan where the quail eggs are, until it cools down. Shell the quail eggs.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Stir until free from lumps. Set aside.

Heat in medium-high fire a wok to smoking hot. Put 1/3 of oil. Stir-fry for a minute the broccoli, cauliflower and green pepper together. Remove from pan.

Add the rest of the oil. Saute garlic and onion together until garlic is fragrant not brown. Put the marinated pork. Stir-fry until it changes color. Put water and all-in-one-seasonng. Mix. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Increase fire to high, put the sauce, vegetables and shelled quail eggs. Stir-fry until sauce is a little thick. Do not overcook the veggies.

Serve with steamed rice.

Weekend Snapshot - Chuy, The Fishball Man

Weekend Snapshot

Fishball is one of the many streetfoods that Filipinos enjoy so much. We had this for our merienda yesterday. Chuy is our neighbor who sells fishballs, squid balls, chicken balls and kekiam. He's been selling it for almost 30 years now! No kidding! I was still in grade school when I first saw him walking our street with his wooden cart, yelling happily the word "Chuuuuuy!", that's his name. Also, the cue that his around selling the infamous fishball.

Things About My Life

Got this tagged from Mommyallehs thank you sis:

4 Jobs I’ve had in my life:
1. Summer job in a Merchandise Store while I was in high school
2. Service crew at Burger King during my college years
3. Part-time wife.... isang dakilang katulong! hehe!
4. Full-time mom.... isang dakilang yaya! hehe!

4 Shows I’d DVR(Tivo)
1. House
2. Charmed
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. 24

4 Places I’ve Been
1. Davao City
2. Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
3. Tagaytay City
4. Baguio City

4 Favorite Foods
1. Siomai
2. Sinigang... lahat... bangus, liempo, buto2, chicken!!!
3. Scrambled Egg (malasado)
4. Purefoods Jumbo Hotdog

Now, I would like to pass this to anyone who likes to snag it! Enjoy!

"Burger Steak Mimicry"

Good for 5 servings

Ingredients:

for the patties:
350 grams lean ground pork
1 medium white onion, finely minced
1 big clove garlic, finely pounded & minced
1/2 ground black pepper
1 sachet (8 grams) all-in-one-seasoning
1 tsp garlic savor
1 tsp barbecue marinade or worcestershire sauce
4 tbsps breadcrumbs
1 pc egg, lightly beaten
4 tbsps cooking oil

for the sauce:
1 cup water
1 pack maushroom gravy powder
1 small canned button mushrooms (optional)

Procedure:

Combine in a bowl all the ingredients for the patties except the oil. Mix well. Form into a ball (2" diameter), then, slightly flatten. This recipe will make 10 patties. Fry in in medium-low heat on both sides until done. Do the same to the rest. Place in a serving platter. Set aside.

Drain well the canned button mushrooms. Slice into to two.

In a small sauce pan, bring the water to boil over medium fire. Pour in the mushroom gravy powder. Stir using a wire whisk. Cook until slightly thick. Add the button mushrooms. Mix. Remove from fire. Pour over the patties immediately.

Serve with steamed rice.

"Minadaling Sinampalukang Manok" (Quick & Modified Chicken In Tamarind Soup)

Native chicken is still best for this recipe but living in the city, it is quite difficult to find one. I just settle for the dressed chicken bought in wet supermarkets. For the tamarind fruits, as an alternative, I use the very convenient, economic and always in season tamarind powder. The classic "Sinampalukang Manok" only use tamarind young tops. I cannot find any, therefore, I substitute the low-land vegetables abundantly available in the market.

Good for 5 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 tbsps cooking oil
• a chunk (30 grams) of ginger root, sliced
• 5 cloves of finely pounded garlic
• 2 medium (75 grams) red onion, halved & sliced
• 3 pcs (115 grams) red ripe tomatoes, halved & sliced
• 3 pcs (750 grams) chicken quarters, cut into small serving pcs.
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsps fish sauce
• 5 cups rice wash
• 2/3- 1 small pouch of tamarind powder with taro (if you want your soup to be more sour in taste put all the contents of the pouch)
• 2 small pcs (200 grams) taro, each cut into three or large chunks
• 2 pcs (175 grams) radish, sliced at 3/4"thick
• 6 pcs okra, remove both ends
• 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
• 2-3 pcs finger chilis
• a bunch of swamp cabbage (tender stalks and leaves only)

Procedure:

In a wok, put oil. Heat moderately. Add garlic and ginger. Saute until garlic is golden brown. Follow with onion and tomatoes. Cook until limp. Put chicken, black pepper and fish sauce. Mix. Cook until aromatic, about 6-8 minutes.

Add rice wash, tamarind powder with taro and taro. Cover. Bring to boil. Then, decrease fire to low. Simmer for 18-20 minutes.

Increase fire to medium-high, add radish and okra. Cook until half-done. Follow with eggplant and chilis. Cook for another minute. Add the kangkong. Cover. Put off fire. Let it sit for 2 minutes until kangkong is done.

Serve hot and with steamed rice, also, with fish sauce, for your dip.

How Open Minded Are You?

You Are 72% Open Minded

You are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

What Generation Do You Belong In?

You Belong in Generation X

You fit in best with people born between 1961 and 1981. You are fun, laid back, and very independent. You are willing to take risks and live your life however you see fit. You are casual, accepting, and friendly. You see everyone as your equal.

What Generation Do You Belong In?

Feast One Hundred & Eighty Eight

Appetizer

Name something you would categorize as weird.

can't seem to think of anything weird as of the moment... Me, I'm weird! hehe (",)

Soup

What color was the last piece of food you ate?

light brown (fried chicken)

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

Between 7-8, though I'm friendly, I still like to have my privacy.

Main Course

Fill in the blank: I will never vote for a corrupt politician in the coming election.

Dessert

Describe your sleeping habits.

I usually toss and turn while sleeping but I love sleeping with my feet on my favorite pillow.

Yen's QOTW #16

1. Have you tried running far away from home alone? How does it feel?
nope.

2. Who or what is most beautiful to you?
of course, my lil'one! who else?

3. You are still sleeping and suddenly someone wakes you up. What would be your first reaction?
open my eyes...

4. What’s your significant other/partner/husband/wife calls you? And what do you call him/her?
my H calls me, maman. I call him, dada.

5. Someone is knocking at your car window, and you see a little girl selling fruits for $1. Are you going to buy one or just ignore her? Please be honest.
Maybe I will, depends on what kind of fruits she's selling...

6. What time did you wake up today? Happy or Sad?
pass 8.30 am, happy! I had a goodnight sleep :)

7. Do you go to work everyday? Where?
Nah, I'm a full-time mom!

8. What did you do this past weekend?
We watched The Forbidden Kingdom, foodtrip with hubby, household chores...

9. A random photo off the web…anything at all that you think is worth posting. Post it here.



10. Why did you chose that picture/image?
I would like to have a ladybug bracelet.

Wordless Wednesday #8

Wordless Wednesday

Weekend Snapshot - Siomai House & Magnolia Ice cream

Weekend Snapshot

Our snack yesterday, H is been craving for ice cream while I've been craving for siomai. My cravings were fully satisfied and also my hubby... yum-yum!!!

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...