Welcome to Mels World: January 2008

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Award from Justine

Thanks waffa JAJA for always giving me an Award muwah & hugs

Tour In Baguio

Have you been in Baguio? if not i recommend you to visit there lolz, it was a nice place to stay so relaxing and very convenient for vacation i like the park in baguio, the weather, and the Nature. here some pic of mine during my Vacation in Baguio with my Asawa take a peek hope you like it!!!

My Vacation in Tagaytay

I was browsing on my computer files this morning and this picture capture my eyes. This picture was taken November 2006. My Asawa second visit in PI we stay in tagaytay for about 3 days and the hotel we stay was so great, called Days Hotel it wasn't too cheap but you will be satisfied with the service and the location. My favorite spot location is water but of course I like beaches not lake. The time we went to tagaytay I really didn't appreciate it the weather was so cold for me, but I'm sure next time when we get home in PI I will choose to stay there because I been used to cold weather now. Anyway check this out guys To get some of the best prices on hotels in Rome, check the internet first. You'll be able to get great packages for hotels in Barcelona as well. For the absolutely best prices on Amsterdam hotels, visit an online booking website.

I Wake up Early

Good Murning Everyone, how was your Early day so far? Mine was great me and the Baby sleep last night around 1:00am,then woke up around 6:00am. it was the first time i have at least 5 hours sleep at night since more than two weeks. i hope my Baby sleeping pattern will change to normal soon coz so tiring to be awake whole night at least last night she give me a break she didnt keep me awake for the whole night. My Baby do a good job last night she let her Mom snore finally hahaha, Anyway thanks for reading and Happy Wednesday!!!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Spousal Dinner

I Never imagine that before you go out in the hospital here in the states the offer you, what kind of dinner you want ( Anyway im inoccent coz wala sa pinas ganyan lol) so many names i just remember the one that we pick up lol, called spousal Dinner!!! it means that the couple needs to celebrate for having a new baby, i really like the food it was so yummy and i have a full tummy on that evening, we are hoping that day that i can get out on the hospital but the doctor came in our room and we got surprise when he said that i need to stay one more night to be sure that everything will be ok, the doctor are worried in my case coz i have lots of stiches can u imagine having 50??? kinda hard for me till now but i guess everything going better since i can move better now compare to the other weeks.

Flowers from my Girls

My Girls give me flowers during my first day at the hospital isnt sweet? yes it is!!! the are so happy that finally the can hug now & kiss there sister the been waiting for a long time to come out in my tummy. After i give birth to my Baby her Older sister was crying guess what why she was crying sad or happy lol??? she was so happy an excited thats the reason she was crying, thats a good sign for me that the are not jealous with my Baby instead the are very happy that we have a new family member, the like to take good care of a Baby. lucky i am that my girls can help me changing diapers and the can look the baby when im busy doing chores.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

FRIENDSHIP DAY

Friendship Day is a time for showing our Friends what they mean to us. Friends are dear to the heart. Friendship Day gives us a chance to express our gratitude to our friends, who have been there in our dreams, in our sorrows and joys, in our jokes and stories. Friends are our precious assets. With true friends, our Life is like a flower that blossoms in the sunshine of happiness !

I Wanna pass this Cute Friendship Teddy Bear that i been shop online to my Sis Snow, Malou & Justine hope you girls like it lol!!!

Cutify Award from My Sis Snow

Sis, thank you so much for the Award it was so cute i like it!!!
God told me that he will send,
Someone whom I can call a 'Friend',
Someone who will leave me never,
So that we are Friends Forever !

Friends are many, but only a few friends make a mark on our Life. They are not just our friends, but our ideals. We consider them as mentors who teach us the lessons of life. We never want them to go away from our Life. They spread smiles wherever they go, they help us, they encourage us. They give us the motivation, which is the single factor which can turn the tides. Through ups and downs of our life, they are with us. They make us feel the spirit of Life.

Cutie Award

Thanks waffa Justine for always giving me an Award you such a sweetie muwah & hugs!!!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Adobong Pusit

Ingredients
½ kg Small fresh squids
½ c Native vinegar
10 Cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 md Onion, sliced
2 md Tomatoes, chopped
Extra salt and pepper for seasoning
1 ts Vet-sin (monosodium glutamate) (optional)
Directions
Got down my single Filipino cook book and found this little gem. My grasp of Tagalog is non-existent but I'd guess that the name translates as "Squid Adobo". At any rate, it's squid stewed in vinegar. I assume that the reference to "native vinegar" refers to nipa sap vinegar (sukang paombong). The bottle I have is a milky looking vinegar that tastes pretty much like any vinegar so I imagine that you have some latitude on what type you can use. For those of you who have never tried it, Filipino food is an intriguing cuisine that has elements of Southeast Asian, Chinese and Mexican or Spanish influences. It has everything from spring rolls (lumpias) to rellenos dishes. Wash the squids very well. Remove the long thin membrane in the head and slit the eyes to bring out the ink. Place the squids in a saucepan with vinegar, 6 cloves garlic crushed, salt and pepper. Cover and cook slowly until the squids are tender. Cut cooked squids into 1/2 inch slices crosswise. Crush remaining garlic and saute in a little lard in another pan. Add the onion and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are very soft. Add the squids and the liquid in which they were boiled. Simmer for 7 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and vet-sin.

Inihaw Na Bangus (Grilled Milkfish)

Categories: Fish Filipino Main dish
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 Whole bangus (about 2 lbs) or white fish, dressed
2 sl Lemon
1 ½ ts Salt
? ts Pepper
½ c Tomatoes, chopped
¼ c Onions, chopped
2 Green onions, chopped
Directions
1. With sharp knife, cut along back of the fish and remove the backbone. Rub fish inside and out with lemon slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Mix tomatoes, onions and green onions. Stuff fish with the mixture through its back opening. Wrap in foil and grill over live coals until done. (about 15 minutes on each side).
3. Serve with lemon wedges or with a lemon juice and patis (fish sauce) dip.
Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes Serves 4 Recipes

Fresh Lumpia Wrapper Skins

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 cup water
1 Mix all ingredients until very smooth.
2 Lightly grease a non-stick pan and heat. Brush mixture onto pan. When dough starts to come away from the pan, lift wrapper out carefully. It will not lift out if mixture is not done.

Siomai

Siomai
Siomai is a dimsum of Chinese origin which is also quite common in the Philippines. One can order different kinds of siomai but the base is always pork. The ground meat should have some fat otherwise the cooked siomai will be too tough. I tried to experiment on chicken siomai some years back and made the mistake of taking out the skin and fat and it turned out to be tough. Prawns or shrimps can be substituted for part of the pork if desired. For the binder, some use flour or corn starch but I find it to leave a raw taste so I use egg instead (proportion is 1 egg to 1 kg pork). I strongly recommend adding vegetables to give the dimsum some crunch and for nutritional reasons too. If desired ¼ cup of chopped mushrooms or black ear fungus and 1/3 cup fresh or frozen green peas can be added to the recipe below:
Ingredients
1 kg ground pork (suggested proportion of fat to lean meat is 1:3)
1/3 cup chopped water chestnuts or turnips (singkamas)
1/3 cup chopped carrots
2 medium or 1 large minced onion(s)
bunch of spring onions or leeks
1 egg
5 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
50 pcs. large or 100 pcs. small wanton or siomai wrapper
soy sauce, calamansi (lemon or kumquats), sesame oil and chilli paste (for the sauce)
Directions
Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture into each wrapper. Fold and seal.
Meanwhile, boil water and brush steamer with oil.
When the water gets to a rolling boil, arrange the siomai in the steamer and let stand for 15-20 minutes, longer for larger pieces.
Serve with soy sauce, calamansi and sesame oil. Chilli past is optional.
Update: Someone asked me for the recipe of chilli paste and siomai wrapper that’s why I’m reproducing it here.

Siomai Wrapper
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable or corn oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
Beat egg and mix with flour till free of lumps.
Bring water, cooking oil and salt to a boil, then pour in flour.
Remove from heat and beat until mixture forms a ball.
Divide the dough into 1 1/4 -inch balls.
Roll each ball on a floured board until paper thin. Set aside.
Simplest version of chilli sauce would be to chop chillies well and fry them in oil, sesame or vegetable oil, never olive oil if you want it to have an Asian taste.
The chilli paste found in restaurants is a combination of chillies, garlic and oil. Combine chopped chillies and mashed garlic then simmer for around 20 minutes or till most of the water has evaporated. Add oil, simmer and stir well.

Galantina

Ingredients
1 chicken (capon)
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1/4 kilo ground pork
1 can sausages
1-1/2 pig's brain, boiled and mashed, the membranes peeled off
1/2 cup chopped pickles
Salt and pepper
Cooked chicken meat, cut into strips
1 piece chorizo de Bilbao, cut into strips
2 eggs, hard boiled
Chicken stock
Directions
Dress the chicken. Split it down the back and open it flat. Lay the bird skin up on a cutting board. Remove the skin and the meat carefully by cutting away from the bones so that the skin comes off in one piece. Marinate the chicken in lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Mix the pork, sausages, brain, and pickles well until blended thoroughly. Lay and spread the deboned chicken. Spread the filling over it and arrange the chicken and chorizo strips, and the eggs in the center.

Form into a roll; then, sew it up and roll in a piece of cheesecloth. Drop the roll into boiling chicken stock. Cook for about two hours.

When done, remove the roll from the stock. Drain and lay the roll on a platter. Place a weight on top of the cooked galantina to press it a bit. Allow to cool. When cool, remove the cheesecloth. Keep the galantina refrigerated.

To serve, slice and arrange on a platter. Garnish with parsley or kinchay.

Bopes

Ingredients
1 kilo pig lungs
1/4 kilo pork fat
Lard for sauteing
1 head garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
Vinegar
2 medium radishes, cut into thin strips
4 medium bell peppers (red and/or green), cut into thin strips
Salt to taste
Directions
Wash and boil the pig lungs and fat; cool, then chop finely. Saute the lungs and fat in lard with garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Add vinegar and simmer until almost dry. Then add the radish and pepper strips. Season with salt.

Cocreta De Patatas

Ingredients
1/2 kilo potatoes, boiled and mashed well
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup milk, or enough to make a paste
Salt and pepper
Minced garlic
Minced onions
1/2 kilo ground beef or pork
Oil for sauteing
1/2 cup water
Spring onions, minced
Flour
Bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Directions
Blend the mashed potatoes with butter, milk, a little salt and pepper to taste. The mixture must be smooth and must form a paste. Set aside.
Saute garlic, onions, and ground meat in oil. Stir in the water and simmer until the meat is cooked, and the mixture almost dry. Season with salt and pepper, then add the spring onions. Blend in a little flour to get a moulding consistency. Shape mixture into firm separate forms the size and shape of eggs. Cover individually with the mashed potato mixture. Roll each one in bread crumbs. Set aside.

Heat the oil for frying. Dip the potato-meat "eggs" into slightly beaten eggs, then fry. Serve with a hot sauce.

Ukoy (Shrimp Patty)

Ingredients
BATTER
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup annatto water
1 1/2 cups shrimp broth
1 egg, well beaten
cooking oil
TOPPING
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup chopped green onion
2 pieces tofu, cut into strips
1/2 lb small shrimp, cleaned
1 cup papaya
Directions
1. Sift the first five batter ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Blend in the annatto water, broth and egg.
3. Beat until smooth.
4. Heat oil in high heat for deep-frying.
5. Set aside.
6. Arrange a bed of bean sprouts and green papaya in a saucer.
7. Top with some green onion, tofu strips and shrimps.
8. Add about 1/3 cup of batter.
9. Slide the mixture carefully into the hot oil.
10. Fry until crisp and brown on both sides.
11. Drain.
12. Serve with a mixture of vinegar and crushed garlic for dipping seasoned with salt and pepper.

Embutido

Ingredients
2 lbs ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 hot dogs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup shredded bread
salt
pepper
soy sauce
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tablespoons powdered milk (optional)
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly.
3. Roll 1 ½ cups of mixture in foil.
4. Steam for 1 hour.
5. Let cool.
6. Chill for 4 hours or overnight.
7. Slice diagonally

Filipino Sinigang (Tamarind Soup)

Ingredients
3 lbs pork ribs, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1 packet sinigang tamarind soup mix (found in international food section)
16 cups water
1 bok choy, chopped in 1 to 2 inch slices
1 daikon radishes, chopped in thin round slices (optional)
1 small tomato, chopped fine (optional)
Directions
1. Saute ribs garlic onions and salt to taste until brown.
2. In Separate large pot add water Sinigang tamarind soup packet (found in international food section) to taste I like the whole packet but less is more in this case if it is to sour for you.
3. Remember you can eat this with rice.
4. Then add the tomato and the pork, cook on medium heat for about 40 min and then add the potatoes cook for another 10 min and then add the Daikon Radish and the Bok choy cook about 10 more min.
5. It is good if the meat easily comes away from the bone.
6. You can eat this straight or over rice or both.

Hot Diggety Dog! Stew Classic Recipe

Ingredients
3kgDog meat
1 1/2 cup Vinegar
60 Peppercorns, crushed
6 tbl Salt
12 Cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup Cooking oil
6 cup Onion, sliced
3 cup Tomato sauce
10 cup Boiling water
6 cups Red pepper, cut into strips
6 piecebay leaf
1 tspTabasco sauce
1 1/2 cups Liver spread, ** see note
1whole fresh pineapple, cut 1/2 inch thick
Directions
1. Cut meat into 1" cubes. Marinade meat in mixture of vinegar, peppercorn, salt and garlic for 2 hours.
2. Fry meat in oil using a large wok over an open fire, then add onions and chopped pineapple and suate until tender.
3. Pour in tomato sauce and boiling water, add green peper, bay leaf and tobasco.
4. Cover and simmer over warm coals until meat is tender. Blend in liver spread and cook for additional 5-7 minutes.
* you can substiture lamb for dog. The taste is similar, but not as pungent.
** smooth liver pate will do as well.
Suggested Wine: San Miguel Beer
Serving Ideas : Rice, naturally.
NOTES :For the faint of heart, you can always substitute lamb in place of next door's rover, but the meat will not be as sweet or as rich in flavor.

Igado

Ingredients
1/4 pound each pork tenderloin, liver, heart and kidney
2 tablespoons green peas
salt to taste
1/2 cup iloco vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup bell pepper
1 tablespoon garlic
Directions
Soak pork liver in vinegar. Saute garlic and pork tenderloin in cooking oil until golden brown. Add pork heart, pork kidney and soaked pork liver. Add soy sauce. Simmer until all meats are tender and sauce is thick enough. Add green peas and bell pepper.

Lengua

Serves: 4 - 5
Ingredients
1 piece ox-tongue, thoroughly cleaned and sliced
Lea and Perrins sauce
salt and pepper
10 pieces calamansi
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium onion, sliced
1 can (12 ounces) Cream of Mushroom soup
button mushrooms
button olives
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup grated cheese
Directions
Marinade ox-tongue in Lea and Perrins sauce, calamansi, salt and pepper for an hour. Fry tongue and when browned, braise for 30 minutes. Saute garlic and onions in butter. Add soup. Garnish with mushrooms, olives and grated cheese.

Sinigang na Sugpo

Ingredients
10 cups water
2 pieces onion quartered
4 pieces tomatoes, seeded and quartered
2 pieces daikon (peeled and sliced diagonally into discs)
12 pieces long beans (sitaw), cut into 2-inch lengths
4 pieces green chili peppers (sili)
35 ounces prawns or shrimps, trimmed
14 ounces spinach or Asian watercress (kangkong)
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Add onions and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add daikon, long beans, chili pepper, fish sauce, and Mama Sita's Sinigang mix. Continue to simmer for three minutes, uncovered. Add the shrimps and simmer for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the spinach or kangkong. Cover to steam-cook the vegetables. Serve with fish sauce.

Nilagang Baka (Boiled Beef)

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. beef cut into 2X2 inch pieces
2 cubes beef boullion or beef stock (plain water would suffice)
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 small onion chopped
2 medium-sized carrots cut into quarters lenghtwise
3 medium-sized potatoes cut into quarters
1 small head of bok choy (pechay) (optional if not available)
I small head of cabbage cut into quarters
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Boil beef, peppercorns and onions in a pot with enough beef stock to cover the meat. Place lid on pot and simmer over medium heat. If you want more stock (sabaw), add more.
After 30 minutes of boiling, or if the meat is very tender, add carrots and potatoes. Boil for another 10-15 minutes.
When vegetables are done, add the rest of the ingredients and seasoning. Boil for another 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

Longganisa (filipino-style sausages)

Ingredients
Mixture of 30% ground beef And 70% ground pork For every 2.2 pounds (1 kilo Mixture add:
2 1/2 tb Salt
1 1/2 tb Sugar
1 1/2 tb Soy sauce
2 tb Vinegar
2 tb Wine
1/8 ts Saltpeter; (salitre)
1 ts Ground pepper
2 ts Chopped garlic
Sausage casings--Available any butcher shop
Directions
Mix all ingredients together and cure mixture for 5-6 days in the refrigerator and stuff into casings. This kind of sausage should be stored in a cooler, ready for use. To cook: Place a small amount of water in a skillet. Place sausages and let boil in water for about 10 minutes. With a fork, pierce casings. The Longganisa will be ready when juices flow out and turn a dark caramel color. The sausages should also turn the same color and some oil should leak out. Suggestions: You can eat the Longganisa and tapa with pieces of lightly salted tomatoes. This will make a perfect compliment to the sinangag. Recipes taken directly from the cookbook called Favorite Filipino Dishes by J.F Silverio, Solar Publishing: Manila. All measurements were converted to coincide with American measurements.

Caldereta

Ingredients
2 lb Lamb, beef or goat, cut into -1 1/2-inch cubes
3 tb Distilled white vinegar
1 1/4 ts Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tb Olive oil
3 Whole dried hot red chiles
5 Garlic cloves, peeled and -minced
1 lg Onion, peeled and minced
1 t Whole black peppercorns
1 Two-inch cinnamon stick
2 Bay leaves
4 ts Tomato paste
2 md Potatoes
1/2 lg Red bell pepper
8 Whole stuffed green olives
Directions
Put the cubed meat into a bowl and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain the meat, saving the liquid, and pat it dry.
In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When it is hot, add the chiles. Stir for a few seconds or until they swell and darken. Remove chiles with a slotted spoon and set aside. Put as many cubes of meat into the pan as will fit without crowding.

Brown the meat on all sides and repeat until all of the meat is browned. Remove meat from pan.

Put the onion and garlic into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any pan juices. Put in the black peppercorns, cinnamon and bay leaves. Stir and cook another minute. Return the meat to the pan with its accumulated juices, the chiles, the reserved marinade and the tomato paste. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. When the meat has cooked for 15 minutes, add the potatoes. Cover and continue to cook for 45-60 minutes or until the meat is tender. Seed the bell pepper and cut it into 1/4-inch wide strips. When the meat is tender, put the peppers and olives into the stew. Stir and cook another 3-5 minutes

Mechado (Filipino beef stew)

Ingredients
1 k. beef (cut into pieces)

cooking oil

4 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 onion (sliced)

2 . potatoes (quartered, fried)

1 carrot (cut round)

2 tbsps. lemon juice

2 tbsps. soy sauce, salt, peppercorn

1 cup tomato sauce

1 pc. Laurel

hot water
Directions
Brown meat in cooking oil. set aside.
In same oil sauté garlic and onion. add lemon, soy sauce, peppercorn, tomato sauce, laurel and salt, simmer for a few minutes then add water. cover and simmer.
Add potatoes and carrot when meat is tender

Lumpia with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
1 c Pork, finely cubed
6 tb Lard
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 md Onion sliced
1/2 c Diced bean curd
1 c Raw shelled deveined shrimp
1 c String beans, cut into 1" -pieces
1 c Cabbage, cut into 1" squares
1 c Cubed sweet potatoes
Salt to taste
1 Stalk celery, finely chopped
20 Lumpia wrappers (recipe -below)
Lumpia sauce (recipe below)
----------------------LUMPIA WRAPPERS---------------------------
3 c Flour
1 tb Salt
5 c Water
Pork fat
------------------------LUMPIA SAUCE-----------------------------
6 tb Cornstarch
1 c Water
1/2 c Soy sauce
1/2 c Brown sugar
Directions
Boil the pork in a pot until tender and the fat comes out. Remove the pork from the pot and drain. Put the lard in a large skillet and saute the pork, garlic, onion and bean curd. Add the shrimp, string beans, cabbage, sweet potatoes and a little water. Season with the salt and cook over medium heat until tender. Set aside on a platter to cool, add the celery on top.

LUMPIA WRAPPERS
Sift the flour into a bowl. In another bowl, mix the salt with the water. Add 1 cup of salted water to the flour to make a stiff dough. Beat the dough hard against the sides of the mixing bowl to soften and make it elastic. Add more of the water to soften the dough. Continue beating and adding water until the mixture becomes very elastic and has a consistency of heavy cream. Use only enough water to achieve this consistency. Heat a frying pan greased with pork fat and pour in about 2 tablespoons of the thin batter, tilting the pan to spread the batter as thin as possible. Turn the wrapper when it can be freed from the frying pan And fry quickly on the other side. Remove from pan. Do the same with the rest of the batter.

To serve, put 2 tablespoons of lumpia mixture in each wrapper and fold into a tight roll. Serve with lumpia sauce.

LUMPIA SAUCE Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.

Shrimp & Shiitake Mushroom Lumpia with Orange Chili Mint

Lumpia Ingredients
2 lb Diced Peeled Fresh Shrimp
2 c Chopped Shiitake Mushrooms
1/2 c Thin grated Carrot
2 oz Bean Sprouts
2 oz Shredded Kai -Choy Chinese Mustard
2 oz Shredded Won Bok Cabbage
1/2 oz Garlic Chopped
1/2 oz Chopped Lemongrass
4 ea Kaffir Lime Leaves
4 oz Cooked Long Rice Noodles
2 tb Chopped Fresh Mint
2 oz Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1/2 oz Nam Pla Fish Sauce
1 oz Oyster Sauce
1 tb Hot Chili Paste
Sesame Oil
Soybean Oil
24 Lumpia Wrappers
Sauce Ingredients
3 Oranges
2 c Rice Wine
1/2 c Rice Vinegar
1/2 Bottle Lingham Chili Sauce
Fresh Picked Mint Leaves
Directions
Lumpia:
Stir fry at high heat in a equal parts sesame-soybean oil blend, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, carrot, cabbage, mustard, mushrooms, bean sprouts. Add the lime leaves, cilantro & mint and season with the oyster sauce, fish, soy and chili paste to taste, keeping the vegetables crisp. Set aside to cool. Fold in the cooked rice noodles with the vegetable mixture.
In a hot saute pan stir fry the chopped shrimp in sesame-soybean oil with chopped ginger & garlic, finishing with the same seasonings of fish soy, oyster sauce & chili paste. Combine the shrimp with the vegetable/noodle mixture.

Assemble:
On a lumpia wrapper, place a mound of the shrimp vegetable mix, brush the edges lightly with egg, then roll the mixture up folding in the edges to close the ends. Pan fry in soy bean oil til golden brown & crispy and drain well on paper towels. Place the orange chili sauce on a plate and slice the rolls at an angle, arrange on the sauce & garnish with a spoonful of the diced fruit salsa, mint, cilantro and black seeds.

Sauce:
In a sauce pan, add the wine, vinegar, oranges cut in half and squeezed (include rind & skin). Bring to a boil. Add the lingham chili sauce, simmer for about 5 minutes, and strain. Set aside warm.

Serve immediately.

Adobong Antigo

Ingredients
1 kilo (2.2 lbs) chicken or pork, cut in serving pieces
1/4 cup vino blanco or five-year-old rum
4 tsp. soy sauce
5 cloves garlic
2 tsp salt
1 cup vinegar
1 cup buko juice (coconut water)
1 small head garlic, crushed
Directions
1. Marinate the meat in the vino blanco or rum, soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar, for at least two hours. Drain.
2. Fry meat till golden, pour off excess oil and add buko juice. Simmer till tender and adobo begins to give off oil. Fry the extra garlic and sprinkle on the adobo before serving.

(5 portions)

Mussel Soup

Ingredients
2 lb mussels, still in shell
medium sized piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced into julienne strips
1 medium sized onion, sliced
several spinach leaves
freshly ground pepper
salt to taste
Directions
Boil mussels in water just enough to cover them. Add ginger and onions. Once the shells are opened, add spinach leaves. Simmer for about two minutes. Add pepper and salt to taste. Serve hot.

Pancit Canton

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, hacked into pieces, boiled in a big casserole with one medium sized onion, 2 sticks of celery and pepper corns. Cover chicken with enough water. Remove meat from bone and don't forget to save the stock!
1 lb pork, sliced into thin strips
1 cup shrimp, cooked, deveined and unshelled
1 can straw mushrooms
1 can water chestnuts
1/2 head of bok choy (pechay) or 1/2 head cabbage, sliced into julien (sp) strips
1 piece of carrot, julienned a few pieces of snow pea pods
1/2 lb mussels or scallops (optional)
soy sauce to taste
patis to taste
salt to taste
2 cloves of garlic, chrushed
1 medium sized onion, sliced ground black pepper, fresh if you can
oil for frying
1 or 2 packages of pancit canton or a package of vermicelli or angel hair pasta. If you really can't find pancit, try egg noodles - although they may be soft, or spaghetti if you're that desperate
4 or 5 green onions
1 lemon
Directions
Heat oil in a pan (or wok if possible). Sautee garlic and onion slices until the onion is transparent. Add chicken and pork. Cook until pork is brown. Add half of the chicken stock. Boil for about three minutes. Add salt, soy sauce or patis to taste. Also sprinkle some ground black pepper. Simmer for about another three minutes. Add shrimps, mushrooms, carrots and other ingredients except the noodles itself. Simmer for another 3 minutes or so (covered). Add the remaining stock. Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, patis and soy sauce. Add the noodles. Mix thoroughly until noodles are soft.
Garnish with sliced green onions and sliced lemon. Serve with lemon juice.

Ukoy

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp. salt
2 cups mung bean (mungo) sprouts
1 tsp. baking powder
1 2/3 cups shrimp juice (do this by taking the heads out and crushing it in 1 2/3 cups water)
2 green onions
12 shrimp
Directions
Mix flour, egg, shrimp juice, baking powder, garlic and salt. Blanch the mung bean sprouts and shrimp. Finely cut green onions and mix all ingredients together. Heat oil for frying. When oil is hot enough, take the mixture and fry it in the shape of pancakes. The ukoy will be done when the outside is brown and crispy. Serve with a sauce made with vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic.

Crispy Pata

Ingredients
4 pig's trotters
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. MSG
oil for deep frying
Directions
Wash the pig's trotters under running water and place in a large pan. Cover completely with cold water. Bring to a boil and season with salt, pepper and MSG. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid, lower the heat and simmer gently until meat is cooked. Drain meat. Heat the oil in another large pan until it is almost smoking. Deep fry trotters for a few minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.

Menudo

Ingredients
1 lb. pork, cubed
1 cup liver, cubed
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsps. achuete seeds
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1/3 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, sliced
2 medium sized potatoes cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tsps. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Directions
Get color from achuete seeds (Place seeds in 1/3 cup water and stir around. Water should turn red.) then discard when done. Saute garlic, onions and tomatoes; add pork and cook until done. Add potatoes and water, if the dish is a little dry. Add liver when potatoes are done. Season as desired and bring to a boil. Serve hot with rice.

Lumpiang Sariwa

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsps. cooking oil
1/2 lb. cooked pork, diced
1/2 cup chopped shrimp
1/2 cup cooked garbanzo (chick peas) beans
1/4 cup cooked ham, chopped
2 cups julienned carrots
1/2 cup green beans, sliced thinly, french style
2 cups shredded cabbage
18 egg roll wrappers
lettuce leaves
Directions
Cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add pork, shrimp, garbanzo beans and ham.Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add carrots, green beans and water. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add cabbage and salt, stir until cabbage is done. When all of the vegetables are cooked, let the dish cool. To prepare egg roll wrappers, cook one side only on a lightly greased skillet until wrappers are slightly brown. Cook one side only.
To assemble, place an eggroll skin unbrowned side up on one corner facing you.Top with a lettuce leaf and 1/3 cup cooled vegetable mixture. Roll up, folding in one end of eggroll wrapper and leaving other end open. Serve immediately with Brown Sauce.

*Brown Sauce In a saucepan, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp. cornstarch. Stir 1 cup chicken broth and 2 tbsps. soy sauce. Cook and stir until mixture bubbles, lower heat and add 1 clove finely chopped garlic. Cook until thickened.

Laing

Ingredients
40 taro root leaves (dahon ng gabi), chopped
1/2 lb. pork, chopped
1/2 lb. shrimp, chopped
1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
siling labuyo according to taste (whole chili peppers)
2 tbsp. bagoong according to taste
3 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup water
Ingredients
Place gabi on the bottom of cooking pot. Put the pork, shrimp, ginger, coconutmilk and water on top and let boil until pork is tender. Add bagoong and siling labuyo, stirwell. Note: To make the dish spicier, crush siling labuyo. Let cook for another 5 minutes.

Bagoong Alamang

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 small onion sliced
1 small tomato sliced
4 tbsps. alamang
Directions
Saute garlic, onions and tomato in a little oil. Add alamang. Saute for another minute.

Oxtail Kare-kare

1 oxtail (3-5 lbs.)
5 tbsps, oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium sized onion, sliced
water from 1/4 cup achuete, soaked
1 banana heart, sliced crosswise
2 bundles Chinese long bean (sitaw), cut into 2-inch pieces
4 eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/3 cup rice, toasted brown in a pan and ground to a powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
salt and pepper to taste
MSG (optional)
Directions
Cut oxtail into 3 inch pieces. Boil once and discard water. Boil again until tender. Saute garlic and onion in oil. Add achuete water, sauteed garlic and onions to meat and bring to a boil. Add vegetables and enough water to make a sauce. Add the powdered rice and peanut butter dissolved in 3/4 cup water into the meat. Season with salt, pepper and MSG. Serve with Bagoong Alamang on the side.

Pork Binagoongan

Ingredients
1 lb. pork, cut into pieces
1/4 cup oil
1/2 head garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 large tomato, sliced
1/2 cup bagoong alamang
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups water
Directions
Fry pork pieces in hot oil. Saute garlic, onions and tomatoes after pork has browned. Add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer until pork is tender. If desired, let water reduce. Serve with rice.

Chicken and Pork Apretada

2.2 lbs. chicken cut in pieces
1 lb. pork cut in 1 1/2 inch squares
salt and pepper to taste
flour
cooking oil
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 medium sized tomato, chopped
4 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 small bayleaf
1 sprig oregano
1 bell pepper cut into 1 inch squares
4 medium sized potatoes cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas
3.5 oz pimento cut into 1 inch squares
Directions
Dust chicken and pork pieces in flour, salt and pepper. Brown quickly in hot oil. Saute garlic, onions, tomatoes and tomato sauce in separate pot. Pour 2 cups water and let boil. Add browned chicken, pork, bayleaf, oregano and bell pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Add salt and pepper according to taste. You may thicken the sauce by adding flour dissolved in water into the pot. Finally, add peas and pimento and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve with rice.

Hot and Sour Shrimp with Watercress And Walnuts

Ingredients
1 lb Large uncooked shrimp, -peeled, deveined, -butterflied
4 tb Dry Sherry
1 tb Grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 c Chicken stock or canned -broth
2 tb Soy sauce
2 tb Catsup. [See note. S.C.]
1 tb Cornstarch
1 tb Rice vinegar or white wine -vinegar
1 tb Sugar
1 ts Oriental sesame oil
1/4 ts Cayenne pepper
6 tb Peanut oil
2 tb Chopped walnuts
3 bn Watercress, trimmed
2 md Bell peppers, cut into -1-inch squares
2 Garlic cloves, minced
8 Green onions, cut -diagonally into -1-inch-long pieces
Directions
A light marinade of Sherry and ginger flavors the shrimp, which are stir-fried with ted bell peppers and green onions. Watercress makes a colorful bed for the shrimp.
Combine shrimp, 2 tablespoons Sherry and grated ginger in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons Sherry, chicken stock, soy sauce, catsup, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and cayenne pepper in small bowl.

Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add walnuts and stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer walnuts to plate using slotted spoon. Add watercress to wok and stir-fry until just wilted, about 1 minute. Divide watercress among plates. Add 2 teaspoons peanut oil, bell peppers and garlic to wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add remaining 2 teaspoons peanut oil, shrimp mixture and onions and stir- fry for 1 minute. Stir stock mixture, add to wok and cook sauce until clear and thick, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.

Spoon sauce and shrimp over watercress. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

NOTE: You can use Jufran sauce rather than catsup. Jufran is a Philippino sauce that's looks and tastes much like catsup. It's made from bananas and other stuff, however and has a more complex and interesting taste. It comes in both mild and hot forms. The mild is not too hot++somewhat like a spicy catsup. The hot stuff is much hotter, although not intolerably so. If you use this, be prudent about how much cayenne you use, at least the first time until you can see how they balance out.

Makes four servings; about 265 calories per serving.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Busy Day

As a Mom and wife you need to do chores everyday cleaning the house, take care of the Baby isnt fun? or sometimes sucks lol...most of the day i spend my time with my Baby then if she didnt cry i put her on her crib so that i can do some chores, since i didnt do anything yesterday i have lot of things to do like laundry, washing dishes, cleaning the house pick up some stuff that was in the floor lolz, plus i need to take care of my self also since im stil on medication...need to take medicne every for hours until a month probably or depends when is the pain go away, can u imagine me having 50 stiches after the baby its quiet painful until now lolz, at the same time my left ear is infected need to undergo medication also for at least a week what a life??? but need to survive thats life so many trials to overcome...Anyway Have a happy Weekend everyone and happy reading!!!

Wax blockage

Definition
Wax blockage is obstruction of the ear canal with cerumen (wax).

Alternative Names
Ear impaction; Cerumen impaction; Ear blockage; Ear wax
Causes
The ear canal is lined with hair follicles and glands that produce a waxy oil called cerumen. This protects the ear by trapping dust, microorganisms, and other foreign particles, preventing them from entering and damaging the ear. The wax usually makes its way to the opening of the ear where it falls out or is removed by washing .

In some people, the glands produce more wax than can be easily excreted from the ear. This extra wax may harden within the ear canal and block the ear. More commonly, the ear canal may be blocked by wax when attempts to clean the ear push wax deeper into the ear canal and cause a blockage.

Wax blockage is one of the most common causes of hearing loss .

Symptoms
Partial hearing loss , may be progressive
Noises in the ear (tinnitus)
Earache
Fullness in the ear or a sensation that the ear is plugged

Exams and Tests
During a physical examination , the health care provider will look into the ear for signs of wax blockage.

Treatment
Most cases of ear wax blockage can be treated at home. Mineral oil, baby oil, glycerin, or commercial drops can be used to soften wax in the ear. Detergent drops such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may aid in the removal of wax .

Another method of removing wax is called irrigation. Body-temperature water should be used (cooler or warmer water may cause a response consisting of brief but severe dizziness or vertigo ). With the head upright, straighten the ear canal by holding the external ear and gently pulling upward. Use a syringe to gently direct a small stream of water against the ear canal wall next to the wax plug. Tip the head to allow the water to drain. Irrigation may need to be repeated several times.

Never irrigate the ear if the eardrum is not known to be intact, because irrigation with a ruptured eardrum may cause ear infection or acoustic trauma . Do not irrigate the ear with a jet irrigator designed for cleaning teeth (such as a WaterPik) because the force of the irrigation may damage the eardrum .

After the wax is removed, the ear should be dried thoroughly. A few drops of alcohol in the ear or a hair dryer set on low may be used to help dry the ear.

If attempts to remove the wax plug are unsuccessful, consult a health care provider, who may remove the wax by repeating the irrigation attempts, suctioning the ear canal , or removing wax with a small device (curette). Occasionally, the wax must be removed with the help of a microscope.

Outlook (Prognosis)
Wax blockage of the ear usually responds well to removal attempts, but may happen again in the future. Hearing loss is usually temporary, and hearing usually returns completely after removal of the blockage.

Possible Complications
Perforated eardrum
Middle ear infection (otitis media)
External ear infection (otitis externa)
Permanent hearing loss from acoustic trauma

When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if the ears are blocked with wax and attempts to remove the wax are unsuccessful.

Also call if earwax blockage has been present and new symptoms develop, especially drainage from the ear , persistent or severe ear pain , fever , or persistent hearing loss .

Prevention
Individuals who suffer from frequent blockages may benefit from weekly irrigations. Never attempt to clean the ear by placing any object into the ear canal , such as a Q-tip. It is better to clean the outer ear canal by using a cloth or paper tissue wrapped around your finger .

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Tired for the Day

I dont fell gud for two days now, my Asawa decided to bring me in the hospital my left ear hurts so bad and didnt sleep for the whole night last night. plus i need to take care of my Baby it keep me wore out for the day. after going to the hospital i fell relief the doctor give me the prescription for my left ear that infected, i got antibiotics and for pain reliever. Im so happy finally that after having the pain for two days i can relax now for a while. anyway thats the update for today see yeah later gals

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

PRAY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!!

Gud Afternoon Co-Bloggers and friends, i want to share this awesome prayer i got from my Brother in Law have fun reading and god bless!!!

This is one of the best Prayers

I think I have ever read.
PRAY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!!

IT WILL ONL Y TAKE A MINUTE.

I started not to do this, but as I read it.... I understood God to say, 'You need a miracle tomorrow.... so here goes... Prov. 29:25...

You never know when God is going to bless you!! Good things happen when you least expect them to !!!!!!!!
Change the number in the subject box when you forward it by adding one!!!

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this
day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind so thatI can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.
And give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can’t pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong so that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted so that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others I pray for those that don't believe.

But I thank you for that I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters
and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace ,love and joy in their homes, that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. E very battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it.
If you prayed this prayer, change the number in the subject box before forwarding the message so people can See how many people have done so. God Bless!!!!!!!!!!! Just repeat this phrase and see how God moves!!
God I love you and I need you, come into my heart, please. Pass this message to 10 people except you and me. You will receive a miracle tomorrow.
Don't ignore and God will bless you.
Know that you are already blessed by the person who sent this to you

In Remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr.

O Guardian of Israel,
Our shelter and shade,
Stir up in us that flame of justice
That Jesus incited on this earth,
That rages in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

O arouse in us
That very flame of righteousness
That enticed Martin
To be a living sacrifice of praise,
To seek freedom for all God's children.

O to you, God, ever faithful and true,
Be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

Are you Aguilar Fans here the latest

Freddie Aguilar wins Korean Asia Star Award

Internationally renowned Filipino folk singer Freddie Aguilar added yet another award to the countless ones he has already received; the latest is the Asia Star Award from the prestigious Korean Modeling Association (KMA) last Friday (January 18).

The KMA gave Aguilar the award Friday (January 18) for his achievements in bringing Philippine music not only in Asia but throughout the world.

The award was a huge surprise for Freddie who went to Korea thinking that he was just booked to perform with actress Iza Calzado and another Filipino, male model Robby Mananquil.

Unknown to him, his presence was requested by a group of civic-oriented Korean businessmen and culturati not only to sing for their fellow Koreans but also so that he could receive an award.

"I was told by a production staff from the Philippines, Jenny Donato, to prepare a three-minute speech and I asked her what for.

She just smiled and just told me to do what she said. So I prepared a speech for whatever," Aguilar told abs-cbnnews.com.

Aguilar proceeded to prepare for his numbers, the world famous song "Anak" and "Larawan," a cut from his latest record album "Love Songs by Freddie Aguilar."

After finishing his performance, Aguilar was called upon to receive a trophy for his invaluable contribution to world music, especially for his signature composition and interpretation of "Anak" which has been translated into various languages around the world.

"Nagulat ako nang tawagin ako sa stage para bigyan ng award. Ang ganda ng trophy kaya lang, hindi ko mabasa ang nakasulat dahil Korean. Alam mo na naman ang mga Korean, napaka-nationalistic ng mga ‘yan. Hindi sila nagsusulat ng Ingles sa trophy o plaque of appreciation. Hindi tulad natin na napaka-colonial," Aguilar said with a chuckle.

(I was shocked when I was called again onstage to receive an award. The trophy was nice except that I couldn’t understand the inscription because it's in Korean. You know how Koreans are, they’re very nationalistic. They don’t write English on trophies or plaques of appreciation. They aren’t like us who are very colonial.)

In return, he gave the Koreans a dose of their own medicine. He delivered his acceptance speech in Filipino.

Calzado and Mananquil also received awards. Calzado was awarded the Model Star prize while Mananquil accepted the Male Model Star award.

The remaining awardees were Koreans who understandably ventilated their thank you speeches in their native tongue.

"Nainggit nga sa akin si Iza dahil siya ay nag-Ingles. Sabi niya, sana, nag-Tagalog din siya. Ang suot ko, Filipinong-Filipino rin. Naka-Muslim-inspired suit ako, V-shaped ang neck at ang fabric ay galing sa Davao. Gustung-gusto rin ni Iza ang suot ko. Siya kasi, naka-gown," said the singer.

(Iza regretted not giving her acceptance speech in Tagalog when she received her trophy. My attire was very Filipino: a Muslim-inspired suit with a V-shaped neck. The fabric came from Davao. Iza liked it so much she also regretted not donning a Filipino dress.)

Everyone was proud of the new international recognition for Aguilar, who has forgotten how many awards he's received due to the sheer number of them. He has given up on counting them.

"Ang natatandaan ko lang, ‘yong mga bagong bigay (I only remember the recent ones.)."

Monday, January 21, 2008

Welcoming my Baby Girl From Waffa Friend Justine

i got this cute Award from waffa justine thanks girl muwah & hugs i like it!!!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Tortang Tagalog

Ingredients

1 small Japanese-type talong (eggplant) per person (4 of them then)
1 egg per person
1 onion
salt, pepper to taste
tomato, cilantro or kinchay to garnish

Directions

Roast the eggplants, either in the oven or over gas flame (latter is preferable) until the outside skin is charred. Peel off the skin and mash the flesh with a fork. Make sure to keep the whole thing as intact as possible.
In a skillet, fry the onion until translucent and remove. To prepare one torta, beat an egg in a bowl, then dip the eggplant. Hold the whole thing by the stem and don't dip that part in the egg. Add salt and pepper as you like, and if you really want to, add finely chopped cilantro or kinchay to the egg mixture. Heat oil in a frying pan, then when the oil is hot, add the mixture to the pan and layer some onions to the top of it. Let set then turn over with a spatula. Remove to a plate and garnish with tomato slices and cilantro/kinchay. Serve with rice

Sinangag

Ingredients

Yesterday's left-over fried rice (say 1 cup of cooked rice)
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped into small bits
1 small piece ginger, also chopped into small bits (yes, we like ginger in our sinangag!
1/2 c peas (we generally use the frozen kind)
salt and pepper to taste
toyo (soy sauce) for colour

Directions

Heat about 1-2 tbsp veg oil in a skillet or karajay (wok) until hot. Add garlic, saute until light brown, then add onions and ginger. Fry until onions are translucent, around 3-4 minutes. Add the peas, fry for around 2 minutes, then add the rice, salt and pepper. Fry for around 2-3 minutes. Add toyo to colour the rice. If you can eat eggs, then consider stirring in some scrambled egg bits into the rice before removing from heat.
This dish is quite versatile. My dad loves putting in vetsin (MSG) in the rice as well (I think that's what makes it really yummy!) but that is optional since there may be some people allergic to it. Instead of peas, you can add capsicum, celery, whatever vegetable you want.

Ginataang Saba

Ingredients

4 - 5 unripe (very green!) bananas or 2-3 (very green) plaintains
1 tsp salt
1/4 c oil (can cut down on this)
2 c coconut milk
3-5 cloves of garlic (to your taste), chopped finely
1 small onion, finely sliced
2 fresh chillis, sliced (optional)
2 tsp dried shrimp, soaking in 2 tsp hot water (omit if vegan)
1/2 c sili leaves (or other greens that might go with this, like spinach, for example)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Peel the bananas or plaintains, cut them in half cross-ways, and then in slices or quarters lenthwise (to whatever size you wish). Rub them with the salt.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and then fry the slices a few at a time, until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels (or in a collander) and set aside.

Heat ~1 tblsp (or so) of oil, then fry the garlic, onion (and chilli if using) for about a minute or so, then add the cocounut milk (and dried shrimp in its soaking water). Simmer for around 5-10 minutes. Add the fried bananas and the leaves and simmer until the gravy is thick. Adjust the saltiness and pepper levels to your taste. Serve over rice.

For an interesting taste, try using coconut oil as a medium of cooking (not for frying the bananas though). Even though it might be more unhealthy, it does give a nice flavour to the food.

Misua

Ingredients

1 small bundle misua (fine rice vermicelli)
3 eggs
2 cups water
1 tbsp veg oil
1 clove chopped garlic
1 onion
salt or patis and pepper to taste

Directions

Saute garlic in oil until light brown. Add onion and saute until onion is translucent. Add water, salt or patis and pepper to taste. When the water boils add eggs whole, one at a time. Break misua into 3-inch lengths and add. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Bulanglang

Ingredients

1 cup malunggay leaves (if you can't get this, try spinach or kangkong -[swamp cabbage, watercress can also substitute for it - Ken.])
1 cup squash, cubed
1 cup upo (gourd), sliced [substitute with zucchini - Ken]
1 cup tokwa (tofu), cubed and fried (don't fry for a lower-fat dish)
1/2 onion
1 cup water
tomatoes
Directions

Mix tomatoes, onion, and squash in a deep sauce pan or pot. Add water and boil. After 5 minutes cooking, add tokwa and upo. When the upo is almost tender, add malunggay and cook 2 minutes longer or until malunggay leaves are wilted. Remove from heat. Salt and pepper to taste (or instead of salt, you can add patis, it will give a better flavour). Garnish with fresh tomatoes and cilantro or kinchay (Chinese celery).

Banana Blossom Ginataan

Ingredients

2 banana blossoms (I just used the ones in the can, 10 oz drained)
1 cup pure coconut milk
2 tbsp vinegar (if using 5% acidity vinegar, try 1:1 vinegar/water)
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp veg oil
2 dried red chillies (optional if you want this slightly spicy) salt and pepper to taste
Directions

If using fresh puso ng saging (banana blossoms): remove the tough covering of the blossoms. Slice thin crosswise. Add 2 tbsp salt and squeeze off bitter juice. Rinse in water and squeeze dry. Set aside.
If using canned puso ng saging: drain, rinse then drain again. Slice thin crosswise. Set aside.

Heat oil in skillet, if using dried red chillies, add them when the oil is hot but not smoking and let the skins darken somewhat before you add the garlic. Saute garlic until light brown. Add onion, fry till translucent, then add tomatoes. Cook for around 3 minutes. Add banana blossoms and vinegar/water mixture and then bring to boil without stirring. Simmer for around 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir. Continue to cook until banana blossom is tender. Add pure coconut cream and remove from heat. Let stand for a few minutes to help develop the flavours.

Adobong Gulay

Gulay - Vegetables = talong (egg plant), potato. Adobo is a style of preparation, which in Philippine cuisine - is stewing in vinegar and soy sauce.

Ingredients

*1 onion
*3 cloves of garlic (adjust to your taste)
*peppercorn, to taste
*2 bay leaves
*vegetable oil (2-4 tablespoon)
*potatoes or talong (around 1 lb or so), cubed, sliced
*soya sauce (1/4 c)
*sukang Paombong or your favourite vinegar (1/4 c)
p*epper and sugar to taste (use a generous dash of pepper and a tiny tiny amount of sugar, to bring out the taste of the rest)

Directions

In a Pan, heat oil then add peppercorn and bay leaves. When the bay leaves start to turn brown, add the garlic. Saute until brown. Then add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the pepper and the sugar, stir briefly to mix, then add the soya sauce and vinegar. Lower heat to medium then add the potatoes or eggplant. Stir briefly then simmer, covered, around 25-30 minutes for the potatoes or around 35-40 minutes for the eggplant. They should be soft but not mushy. Add water if liquid level drops too low.
Serve over rice. Note: Now, in this Lenten season, I decided to try something interesting. Try using the above recipe with whole, hardboiled eggs. Follow the recipe as for the potatoes. When the potatoes are almost done, add the whole, peeled, hardboiled eggs, with a few cut marks (not deep) into the egg white to let the flavour penetrate the egg more easily. This particular dish (adobong itlog) really tastes well the next day.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Tagged from My Sis Snow the Tag Ticket.

Here are my answer this tag.

How long have you been bloging?

I just start blogging last November im actually new on this word blogging,dont have idea what is blogging all about before and just one of my friends told me about this things and i try to create an account here in blogspot and figure it out how to do it, from the start hard for me coz dont know much but later on i found out that i start liking it and besides the idea that posible you well going to earn money from your blog great isnt it???

What inspired you to write a blog, and who are your mentors?

Well, i like surfing on the net and sharing some of my ideas to my friends and since most of them are far from me trough blogging is good way of communication with them, and having lots of friends online is my hubby also i like exchanging thoughs and sharing something that im going to learn from it, my friend from texas justine and Cindy is the one who convienced to do blogging.

What are the 3 things that you love about being online?* Well since i live on the other side of the world were i came from now, i like being online to chat with them, like my family,relatives and friends
*I like to surf music, tsismis back from the country i grew up i want updated always lolz, can search it trough online
*If im bored i wanna go online so that time pass so fast lol

What are the 3 things that you struggle with in the online-world?• Want to know more things and like the codes using in blogging especially those HTML
•Dont have patience sometimes to learn new things especially if i want to change the background of my site
• Dont know much in computer thats why im having hard time to create things that wanted to be look a like

Friday, January 18, 2008

11 Ways to Raise a Healthy Child

As a parent, you are an important teacher of health care and health information for your child. Here are 11 recommendations to help you succeed at this important job.

1. Choose breast over bottle.

Breast-feed and you will give your baby a health advantage from day one. Breast milk provides all the nutrients a newborn needs. It also has important antibodies that help babies fight infections. Research shows that breast-fed babies have fewer ear infections and allergies and less diarrhea.

2. Be wise: Immunize.

Immunizations protect your child from serious diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, and hepatitis. Children should receive most of their shots before age 2. But older children and teenagers also need certain shots. Talk with your child's doctor to find out which immunizations your child needs and when.

You may worry that your child will have a reaction to an immunization. But when reactions do occur, they are usually mild. The benefits of immunizing your child far outweigh any potential risks.

3. Take children to checkups.

Your baby needs regular checkups before age 2. After 2, your child's doctor will recommend a checkup schedule that is appropriate for your child. At these checkups, the doctor tracks your child's growth and development. Checkups allow doctors to spot potential problems early, when they are easiest to treat. Checkups are also a good time to ask questions about how to keep your child healthy.

4. Buckle 'em up.

Beginning with your child's first ride home from the hospital, always use a car seat. Car accidents kill and injure more children in the United States than any other type of injury. Protect your children by placing them in a car seat that is appropriate for their weight and height. Be sure to read the directions so that you understand how to properly use the car seat. Most crashes are head-on, so always put kids in the backseat.

Children should use a car seat for as long as possible. Once they have outgrown car seats, they should sit in a booster seat until they are big enough to use a seat belt. For proper fit, the shoulder belt should fit across your child's shoulders, and the lap belt should lie flat and low across the hips.

5. Start dental care early.

Healthy teeth can last a lifetime. So teach kids good dental care at an early age. Even before the first tooth appears, wipe baby's gums with a clean, damp cloth after feeding.

Once the first tooth appears, begin brushing. Start flossing your child's teeth as soon as any two teeth touch. Once children begin brushing their own teeth, supervise them to make sure they are doing a good job.

Because letting food sit on the teeth promotes tooth decay, teach children to brush after meals. Bottles filled with milk or juice can also cause decay. So don't put children to bed with a bottle or let them walk around unattended with a bottle. If possible, wean kids from the bottle by age 1.

The American Dental Association recommends that you take your child to a dentist within six months of getting the first tooth and no later than 1 year old. Your child's dentist can tell you how often your child should get regular checkups thereafter.

6. Put safety first.

It only takes a second for an accident to happen. Here are a few basic safety rules:

Keep medicines and household chemical products where children cannot get to them.

Don't leave kids unsupervised, especially when they are outside, near the street, or near or in water.

Make sure your children wear helmets when bicycling.

If you have guns in the house, make sure that they are kept unloaded and locked up, and that the ammunition is kept in a separate place and locked up, as well.

7. Let kids live smoke-free.

If you smoke, quitting smoking is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children (and yourself). Kids who live with a smoker cough and wheeze more and recover more slowly from colds. Secondhand smoke increases a child's risk for ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections, and asthma. In addition, infants regularly exposed to smoke are at higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome. For your child's health, and your own, kick the smoking habit.

8. Offer healthy food.

Good nutrition is especially important for growing bodies. Children under 2 have special nutrition needs, and for them low-fat eating is not healthy. By age 5, however, a child's diet should be similar to a healthy adult's, with lots of fruits, vegetables, and grains, and low in fat, sugar and meat.

Make it easy for your children to eat healthfully by offering a wide variety of nutritious food choices. Also, let them help choose what foods to buy.

To promote healthy eating habits, it's important not to force a child to eat or make certain foods off-limits. Doing so may lead to poor eating patterns. A healthy diet can include any food in moderation.

9. Court a love of exercise.

Active kids are healthy kids. Children should be physically active every day. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which includes recommendations for exercise as well as for nutrition, says that children should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily. Regular exercise boosts cardiovascular fitness and overall health. Help your kids be their healthiest by joining them in physical play. Tag, swimming, bicycling, and walking can all be enjoyed as a family.

10. Keep children's skin youthful.

As great as outside play is for kids, there is a downside—sun exposure. Skin cancer later in life is directly related to sun exposure in childhood and adolescence and cumulative sun exposure over a lifetime. When sun exposure has the potential to cause sunburn, kids over 6 months should wear sunscreen, even in the water. Sunscreen should have a minimum SPF of 15. For sensitive areas, such as the nose and ears, use zinc oxide. It is a total block.

Have kids wear clothing made of tightly woven fabrics and hats that shade their face, neck, and ears. To avoid the most intense sun exposure, schedule outdoor playtime before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. whenever possible. Also, have kids play in the shade, where the sun is not as strong.

11. Be a role model.

Children learn many of their most valuable lessons from you. In other words, choose a healthy, active lifestyle for yourself—and include your children in it. Teaching by example makes a lasting impression on your children, and creates healthy family traditions in the process.

About Me

Entrecard

Blog Archive

My Ranking Status

BlogCatalog

Recent Visitor's

BlogCatalog

NeoCounter

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Friday, January 25, 2008

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Monday, January 21, 2008

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Friday, January 18, 2008

Check This Out

Leave Comments

My Other Site

Sistah Site

Friends Corner

Visitor's Location

FEEDJIT Live Traffic Map