Sibuyas Republic

After throwing up a small dinner for the “man in the house” last Monday, we had had barbecue leftovers in the fridge. Meat cut was pork chop, but, the kids wouldn’t want the fat part, so, I cut out the bone portion, while the fat stand in the marinade back off to the fridge.

The baby back ribs (is it?) find its way into the oven (because barbecuing isn’t my thing, too lethargic for such a task^_^). While, it is baking, I do prepare the mashed potatoes, and the mushroom gravy made from scratch ,  added pieces of canned mushrooms and peas to the gravy, and viola!

Lunch is ready.

 Linking this post to Thursday Brownies, Food Trip Friday, Foodie Friday

Vacation days are here. The whole gang is always looking for something to munch on. In as much as I get tired cooking in the kitchen outside, I do run out of something else to serve. Would wake up in the morning thinking what to cook. Last week was a very busy one for me. I hadn’t had time to write a post, but then,  allotted more time in the kitchen. I did batch cooking, so that if ever I/we had to go out, the family had food to reheat when we do get back. Batch cooking always saves the day

Yesterday, after an early morning mass (simbang gabi), I “reinvented” the pancakes which they sooo love into something something…We run out of loaf bread so it got me into thinking of using this “rarely” used sandwich maker…

The usual pancake batter.. very easy to make and more economical…

Drop a spoonful of the batter into the sandwich maker or waffle maker if you have one and placed filling of your choice. The kids had these  for the filling…

After 3-5 minutes, here they go…

The little fretful miss who had difficulty waking up for the early mass had her share. She asked, “Is this a waffle, mom? Why is it triangle shaped?”

Do checked on pancake with apple filling, the kids loved them, too

Linking this post to Wednesday Whites.

We have been snubbing this small store for eons. Whenever I would go to this mall, I had to pass by this small alley where food kiosks were located. I would often saw students queuing up at this small ice cream corner. The kids, with their strong scent for something sweet had prodded me to try this one out.

This so-called Granitaholics with eye catching and colorful menu had sundaes, ice creams cones, and milkshakes in affordable prices. I had tried the huge sugar cone ice cream. Which was, at 15 pesos, hmmm, not bad. The little miss had this sundae smothered with the usual choco syrup topped with toblerone. Though, I wasn’t sure or, err, I doubt, if it was toblerone, after all. For 39 pesos this cup…okay, will give a three out of five:)

The niece who had the same order gamely pose for me…

Here they are, enjoying their soft ice cream inside the DINO, who lived up to its name…eating out tokens much to my dismay:)

Linking this post to Color Connection, Pink Fridays

Students may sometimes find they are at a lost as to how they will tackle the education essay they were assigned to do. Especially when family or friends were not immediately available to help them. Frustrating as it can get, they need not fret, help can always be at hand. It is in this best interest that an editorial essay be made. Limiting the writing prowess on available materials at hand, a well researched essay written in a structured and organized manner should find exulting favor through the eyes of the teachers.

As long as the subject flows into context, the evaluation essay should pass the scrutinizing eyes of the readers/professors. Article should be stated in specific details, articulately written, and grammar and content must be taken seriously to arrived at a desired result. taking everything up to the smallest detail one can arrived at an essay very well-written that can surely gain good grades.

This is a pack of shiitake mushrooms I bought at the market for twenty pesos. Glad that finally, our local market sells them. When, I had to look and buy them at the city. Funny thing is, the vendor was giving me “tengang daga” (a variety of black fungus also) whenever I asked for shiitakes. I would always say, they are of different stuff.Yes, they are both fungus. In appearance, they do differ. The tengang daga resembles that of a tutu or those Mexican flowing skirts. It is more of jelly-like and slippery when soaked in water.

Tengang daga (or wood ear, mouse eat, …whatever) is a little rubbery when cooked. Or, maybe, I just didn’t know how to cook it properly to achieved that crunch found mostly in Chinese dishes. With that failure, there goes the obvious preference for shiitake mushroom instead.

Preparing to cook this brown fungus is easy. It needed to be re-hydrated (soaked) in water for say 10-15 minutes before cooking. Drain and discard the liquid. That easy. I am actually stocking up on few packs of these dried mushrooms. They would always make my meeky pancit  more flavorful and oh, it adds sweetness to stir-fry veggies.

There has been growing promotion over the beneficial effects on health of shiitake as antitumor, lowers cholesterol and boosting the immune system. I sure bet.

For now, I would want to enjoy my pancit canton…

Linking this post to Thursday Brownies, Food Trip Friday, Foodie Friday

Year 2004 was the year when we had the internet connection. We felt the need for a good connection because eldest daughter, then, who were in high school, needed to do research papers. Plus, it gave way for me and my brother who were in Australia to communicate often via Skype.

Personally, at first, I hadn’t had nothing to do about it. Computers were not my kind of stuff. Reading the news were my only connection to the pc, where, I believed, I can enjoy better watching/hearing it on tv. When me and the daughter had started browsing off fancy products in the web, it caught my attention. I get so interested at how many people were transacting using the web as a tool. The web industry I came to realized, is one busy marketplace.

Soon thereafter, after brainstorming with daughter, we planned to put up an online shop. For our initial investment, we bought bulk supplies in the metro and photographed every stuff. We have also met few suppliers who shipped the goods directly to our place.Then came the time when we do need to make a website. An own domain which by the way is a lame site up until now after a year of operation. But who would believed how viral it gets. It is always helpful to do personalized business. Checking on emails, and replying to the mails promptly. Technically, daughter oversees everything. Oh, I do my share in answering queries of our customers and stay as honest and patient as I can be. Because, there will always be problems arising from out of nowhere.

I am participating in a blog campaign from Bucks2Blog for a website design software company and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Weight watchers beware. False and fallacies lead us into believing that these diet foods will make us lose weight.

1. Diet sodas. No one enjoys drinking diet soda because of its slightly bitter taste. That’s because of the less sugar used which means fewer calorie intake. But, dieters tend to compensate the loss of calories in other foods they gobble up, thinking they wouldn’t gain weight because of the diet soda.

2. Smoothies. Fruits and vegetables provide nutritional benefits. Agree. But, the flavorings that keep smoothie creamy and sweet, were the ones that carry loads of calories.

3. Light salad dressings. Beware of the word “light”. Sure is, it contains sugar no matter what.

4. Processed diet foods and snacks. Frozen food items contains more salt and traces of sugar, too, because both can extend shelf life of  processed foods.

5. Flavored yogurt. Plain yogurt is packed with calcium and minerals. It is those flavorings that makes is a threat for dieters. Choose plain yogurt and add natural fruit slices into it for a more healthier option.

6. Artificial sweetener. There is a study that these sweeteners can make weight watchers hungry. Instead, opt for the natural sugar, and keep dose on a minimum level.

7. Baked chips. Although, a better alternative than fried, baked chips can be overloaded with sodium and sugar, too.

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/7-unhealthy-diet-foods/7/

Had the chance to catch up last leg of the Martha Stewart tv show this afternoon. Her guest was an American educator and he advocated uplifting the educational system in the US. “Our education is broken”, caught him saying this line. A depressing statement.

Education plays major importance in every individual’s quest for success. I do remember Steve Wozniak interviewed by the very witty Piers Morgan. Piers asked what advised Wozniak could give to the youth. He simply said that kids should get the best benefit that they could get from going to school. It is better to learn knowledge systematically and through proper education rather than getting out of school and acquire knowledge through street experiences.

In the light of the growing issue of how learning and fundamental institutions were key determinants in a country’s economic growth, look at how these familiar faces merits a chance to become the famous person as they are.

This graphic I wished to share so my readers would be influenced and be inspired of how formal learning lead these men to become the greatest names their country has ever produced.

Via- MFA Degree .net

When purchasing power becomes too low the impact on the market balance becomes significant. When people/consumers felt something is wrong in an economy, people tend to guard off their money. People don’t wanna buy goods other than basic necessities. There will be widespread drop in overall spending.  In retrospect, businesses may slow down its production and worse, the need to cut back on labor force. Given a decreased economic activity, a market too volatile might succumbed to recession.

Let the graphic shown below reminds everyone how recession effected global turmoil that led to financial crisis. An event that will likely to occur should the government do not addressed the increasing unemployment rate, improving policy on home ownership, and, leniency on interest rates.

Accounting Certifications will teach you about the economy

Just because I felt like a lazy cat these days, find myself lounging by the chaise, that my favorite binge eating on sweets were placed on  “standby mode”. Wouldn’t want to talk to anybody “outside” our home, never wanting to mingle with friends, even FB friends, for that matter. Don’t want to eat much. Just coffee and a loaf bread in the morning. Maybe half a cup of rice for lunch, it’s not too good to missed meals with no reason at all, not a good example for the kids. Hubby and the kids were used to seeing me enjoy my cooking adventures, even if it often resulted to “unflattering” dishes. I lost interest lately. I lost my appetite for sweet indulgences, as I would mostly fret if hubby would not buy me my favorite sansrival.

Not because I am sick.  Except for occasional vertigo, I sense nothing indifferent. Not that I am dieting. Yay, NO. I am a sucker for sweets!

Melancholy mood?

I shouldn’t be feeling this. IT IS DECEMBER. Heavens!

That time of year when peeps were thinking of too many celebrations, reunions, Christmas parties. FOODIE FEAST. Yay! Perhaps a magical juju beads should get me off this somber thoughtfulness…

Then, over lunch at yesterday’s Gat Boni day, the lad asked me what dishes/menus am I planning to cook at this busy month. December was that month were I am most exhausted as that carabao whom I watched today as I rested in the native hammock in our “kubo”. Was that the reason of the melancholia?

And, I haven’t started listing off the would-be menus in each celebration…two potluck class reunion…hubby’s 49th…noche buena…daughter’s 19th…hoped new year’s eve would be the last of the busy season…I AM BOOKED.

Wouldn’t even know how to start with the list…for sure…this familiar lavender color sweetened jam will never missed its show.

This was last Christmas where hubby had helped me cooked this one. Halayang ube is a dish too laborious to cook. It needs to be continuously stirred to make it sticky and dry but still moist and creamy.

For this recipe, since it is Christmas, I used 3 kilos of purple yam which cost around 30-40 pesos per kilo at the local market.

Other ingredients were;

2 cans evaporated milk

2 cans condensed milk

1 package of quickmelt cheese

3 cups of coconut cream (from 2 coconut)

half package of Anchor butter

 Cooking procedure:

1. Wash thoroughly and boil the purple yam. Peel when cooked.

2. Grate the ube. I used meat mincer in grating.

3. Mix in the coconut cream and bring to a slow boil.

4. Lower the heat and add in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and cheese.

5. Continue stirring until desired consistency is reached.

6. Add in the butter.

Cooking this sweet delicacy is a passion for both me and the hubs because it is what both our late mothers have prepared every Christmases…it is akin to reliving their memories.

Aw, now I do get the reason…feeling blue and nostalgic pala

Linking this post indeed to Rose’s Nostalgia

…and Sharing this Christmas favorite at Food Trip Friday , Foodie Friday, and Yummy Sunday