July 28, 2015

Crispy Pata Kare-Kare


Kare-are is a traditional Filipino dish consist mainly of oxtail cooked until tender. This is then enhanced with thick and flavorful peanut sauce. It is then paired with bagoong alamang or sauteed shrimp paste.

Crispy Pata Kare-Kare

Instead of using ox tail as the main ingredient, others uses alternatives like ox tripe and pork leg while others uses goat chicken or pork meat.

I used to prepare kare-kare using pork leg or pata slice. To add additional twist, I blanched the vegetables, made the pork crispy-pata style, prepare the sauce separately before pouring it over the other ingredients.

Crispy Pata Kare-Kare

CRISPY PATA KARE-KARE

Ingredients:
1 kilo pata slice, cooked crispy pata style
1 piece puso ng saging, cut into 8 pieces, blanched
10-15 pieces string beans, blanched
2 pieces eggplant, sliced diagonally about half  inch thick, blanched
1 bunch penchay, balanched
1 pack Mama Sita's Kare-Kare Mix (100 g) dissolve in half liter of pork stock
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
In a plate, arrange crispy pata slices and balanche veggies.
Set aside.

In a pot, saute garlic and onion.
Pour Mama Sita's Kare-kare mixture.
Bring to boil and simmer until sauce thickens.

Pour over veggies and serve with sauteed shrimp paste.
Read More »

July 25, 2015

Start your day right with McDonald's All-New #CheesyEggdesal


Who loves pandesal? Raise your hands! Me, me, me... 


Pansedal is one of Pinoys' favorite breakfasts. It makes us feel full and energized, just what we need to start our day. However, rushing in the morning makes us skip our breakfast. Good thing that McDonald's has this All-new Cheesy Eggdesal!

All-new Cheesy Eggdesal

Manila, Philippines – For Filipinos, nothing beats waking up to a good breakfast that is not only delicious and filling, but one that also brings a sense of comfort and familiarity.

Starting July 24, Pinoys are in for a breakfast solution that will bring customers the familiar feeling of home, allowing them to enjoy relaxed and worry-free mornings. The all-new Cheesy Eggdesal is the perfect combination of fluffy folded egg and melted cheese in between warm pandesal buns. This new McDonald’s offering is sure to make mornings extra awesome, while giving the energy that one needs to face the day’s challenges.

All-new Cheesy Eggdesal 
For only P39, the Cheesy Eggdesal is an affordable and convenient breakfast option for working individuals who are always rushing to go to work and complete their tasks. Not only does it give them a delicious home-style breakfast, it does so without having to empty their pockets.

Along with the Cheesy Eggdesal, customers can also enjoy their mornings with their Hamdesal favorites – Hamdesal Plain, Hamdesal with Cheese, and Hamdesal with Egg, now made with softer and tastier buns.

Whether you’re an early riser or a ‘savor-every-minute-of-sleep’ kind of person, McDonald’s gives you reasons to look forward to every waking moment with its affordable, filling, and delicious breakfast options.



All-new Cheesy Eggdesal with McCafe
Enjoy the all-new Cheesy Eggdesal and any of your favorite Breakfast Everyday McSavers from 4:00 AM to 10:30 AM in McDonald’s stores nationwide through Dine-In, Take-out, Drive-Thru, and via McDelivery.

Digging the all-new Cheesy Eggdesal? Share your breakfast experience on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/McDo.ph, or tag @McDo_PH on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #McDoBreakfast and #CheesyEggdesal.


Breakfast McSavers -  New Cheesy Eggdesal
Start your day right with McDonald's all-new Cheesy Eggdesal
Read More »

July 24, 2015

DIY Spiderman Invitation


Last June, our son celebrated his 5th birthday. Yearly since his first birthday, Daddy A and I do our best to give him the best party ever. Last year he had a McQueen themed party. This year he had a DIY Spiderman party.

Like the previous years, I was the one who design and made the invitation. I searched inspiration on the net and I came up with this design.

DYI, Spiderman, Invitation, Birthday Party
DIY Spiderman Invitation

Then Daddy printed this on a photo paper using our Brother DCP-J100 Printer that we have purchased last February.

DYI, Spiderman, Invitation, Birthday Party
DIY Spiderman Invitation
The invitation turned out really nice because of the printer high quality results.

DYI, Spiderman, Invitation, Birthday Party
DIY Spiderman Invitation
Daddy checked the ink level and he was surprised because the level does not drop that much even if we printed about 30 4R-sized invitations. That's because of the low ink cost feature of Brother DCP-J100 Printer.

That's the DIY Spideman Invitation. My son loves it!
Read More »

July 14, 2015

Sizzling Barbecue Kawali

Sizzling Barbecue Kawali

Last week, I craved for barbecue. Though the preparation of this one is easy, during bad weather, this is not a good idea unless you have an electric griller at home.

Here is a suggestion on how to have barbecue on any type of weather, anytime. Instead of grilling, stir-fry it. The dish will be named as “Barbecue Kawali”. To add more twist, serve it the sizzling style.

Chicharon or fish crackers together with spiced vinegar will a perfect match. This can be also serve with a glass of ice cold beer during happy time.


Sizzling Barbercue Kawali

SIZZLING BARBECUE KAWALI

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork sliced for barbecue
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 head garlic, minced
1 tbsp baking soda

Instructions:
Marinate the pork with the remaining ingredients.
Store in the fridge for at least 4 hours but better if this will be done overnight.
Heat wok and stir fry the marinated pork.
Continue until tender.
Transfer in a greased and hot sizzling plate before serving.

Tip/s: Baking soda is used as meat tenderizer.
Read More »

July 10, 2015

Soaked or Overnight Oats


I've been seeing individuals who are into overnight oats. This is very easy to prepare. Just combine the ingredients in a jar, placed in the fridge and serve.

Soaked Oats

Since most of the time, I am out visiting other plants, I used to prepare this as my baon for lunch.
Read More »

July 9, 2015

Grayscale Thursday: By the Shore

"For any child, life remains a sea full of experiences
just waiting to be explored."
Natan Gendelman


On the Shore
This post is supposed to be a grayscale but I found it nicer in a sepia mode. The kid is enjoying the sea early morning.

Taken in El Pescador Hotel and Resort in Bolinao, Pangasinan.
Read More »

July 4, 2015

On Giving Our Child A Reward and A Punishment


First, I know as a parent we have our own way of raising and disciplining our children. But there's no one good way to raise a good child. As a parent, we never really know what it is all about until we are there already. Just like what I have wrote about the 11 Most Important Lessons I have Learned as A Mom, it takes one to know one.

One of the hardest tasks of being a parent is how to discipline our child. At first, I though it was as easy as 1,2,3. I also thought since Daddy A and I both grew to be a good child (ehem!), our son will be like us as well. But I am totally wrong because our son is a unique individual.


There's no doubt our son is a bright boy. He's doing well in school as evidence of his examination results. Look how many big stars he can bring home.


Having big stars indicates that he do well in school. And not only that, that also indicates he behaves well in school. For that, we promise him to give rewards. He can ask for anything, as long as we can buy it. I even look for a more attracting reward like a guitar from musicianfriends.



However, this week. Aside from big stars, he also has small stars. I asked him why. At first he doesn't want to tell us. But when I told him I will not get mad, he told us his teacher gave him small stars because he does not behave well and he's not following instructions.

As a mom, knowing my son is not behaving well stress me a lot. I am asking myself what went wrong. I am always reminding him to behave accordingly. I am not telling him to always just bring home big stars, but I want him to understand that right attitude and behavior matters a lot too.

This time, we imposed punishment. At first, we agreed to get one of his toys for every one small star he will bring home. It seems he's no affected as he still continue to not behave well. He even run away from his teacher when she's giving him small stars. He told us he also get mad. That made me realize, I am sending him the wrong message.

Until the other night, when I almost lost the last straw of my patience. It was a very hard decision to impose physical punishment. The last thing I want to do is hurt our son. But because he's not learning how to follow us through getting his toys or refraining him from watching TV or playing out side, this is our last resort.

We had an agreement that for every one star he will get from not behaving well, he will get two palo. My son agreed. But to my dismay, he even bring home 4 small stars and he even lie to us. He said he behaved well and he followed his teacher. It was all lies. Honestly, I was disappointed. I told him we will proceed to what we agreed upon. He has crying even when he's not even beaten.

I asked him to lie on his stomach but he refused to. I begged him to follow me as I am losing my temper already. He's really hard and he's telling me it will hurt. I told him to trust me and do what I have told him to do.

Actually, I will not beat him. I asked him to lie down not to beat him. I want to see if he will follow me. He just do what I told him when I gently hit him twice on his legs and when he saw I was really angry (but that was hard because I almost laugh seeing his overacting reaction and hearing his funny excuses). When he's down already, I told him "I will not hurt you. I just want to know if you will follow me. We have an agreement and I want you to understand how important it is to honor your words." I also told him by not following what it is told, he will get hurt. He hugged me tight and say sorry.

I know he is young but it's better to discipline him and teach him good values now than later when I can't control him already. The next morning, I heard him telling his tita. "Tita, narining nyo po ba iyak ko kagabi? Kasi sabi ni mommy dumapa daw ako. Kaso hindi ako dumapa agad. Tapos noong dumapa ako, di naman pala nya ako papaluin e." With that I know, even at a very young age, he can understand. And when he got home, there's no more small stars. He had 4 big stars. Yey!


Sometimes, you need to learn the hard way. Hopefully, he will learn from us what he should learn to be a good man. Oh, it's really hard to be a parent right?

Are you imposing reward and punishment too?
Read More »

July 1, 2015

Yema Cake Chemist Dad’s Version


Last Saturday, one of Mommy’s nephews turned 7 months and we had a simple celebration at home. I was requested to make a Yema Cake.

Yema Cake

This will be a another challenge to my baking experience. The first time I tried this is an "epic fail". But whatever the outcome is, I always keep this in mind: "Just keep on baking!"

I used chiffon as the base cake with fingers crossed. Mommy is always asking me to try doing chiffon cake but I have the difficulty in making a perfect meringue.

The chiffon is fluffy and almost perfect. Everyone enjoyed the yema cake and asking me to bake another one. Sayang lang because the celebrant is not yet allowed to take a bite of the cake.

Read More »