Food Friday

This week's Featured in Food Friday player is...

Ms. T. Julie, who owns the blog Plateful of Fun, with her blog post Pizza with Hot Sauce.

Most, if not all, of us LOVE pizza! It's a great pick-me-up snack, or meal; what I love most about pizzas is that you can choose to put only the toppings that you like. So, you can make it into an all-meat meal, or purely vegetarian. Or both. Or you can even choose to make the whole pizza yourself! Now am making myself hungry. lol. Aside from this yummy pizza, you can also view recipes and food shots taken by T. Julie herself. Do take the time to drop by!

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Cooking the same dishes can be quite tiring, so I thought I'd come up with something a bit different than my usual routine of beef and potatoes. I call them: Cheesy Potato Pockets. :)

Ingredients:

• boiled potatoes (cut in half)
• ground beef (cooked; seasoned with pepper, salt, bellpeppers, garlic, onion, herbs)
• cheese (quick-melt preferred)

Procedure:

• Hallow out the inside of half of a cooked potato, then replace the hole created with the cooked ground beef and a bit of the liquid.
• Layer some cheese slices in a criss-cross pattern on top.
• Place in oven/toaster just to melt the cheese. In my case, I set the temperature too high and the cheese got burnt instead. lol.
• Can be served hot or at room temperature.

My eldest son said that he would have wanted it to be smothered in gravy, lol. I will, next time. :D


Reminder: Please don't forget to link back (a simple text would be great, or you may use the buttons provided here). Also, please try to visit the other party-goers and leave some commentluv to let them know that you dropped by. Many thanks! :)

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Star Apple during the Weekend

STAR APPLE!

They are in season now, and I just couldn't resist eating at least one! We used to have a tree-ful of star apples while I was growing up (we had the all-green variety, though). My siblings and I would climb the tree, stand on our garage roof and try picking the "caimito" fruits using a tall bamboo with a net on the other end. I was terrible at it, but my brother was a pro. We all loved the fruit, including a few pets. Yup, we had at least two dogs who waited for their share...and they knew how to eat the fruit, too: leave the seeds and try 'munching' on the fruit without tearing the skin into shreds.

Sinking my teeth into the juicy fruit sent me hurtling back to those warm sunny days when all we really ever cared about was how to spend our weekends (and summer days, when classes was out) playing with our friends... :)

shared over at Jenn's Weekend Eating

The Great WAHM Event is now LIVE!

Together with several bloggers and some of the best WAHM's (work at home mama's), we have teamed up to bring you some super awesome stuffs! There's no need to "like" every page, or "follow" every WAHM on Twitter....but WHY shouldn't you, huh? This will not only give you a better chance to win, BUT will keep you up to date on any specials, seconds, clearance, or a sneak preview on some of these great WAHM's items! 


Below are the participating bloggers...

Hosted By:  Green Baby Goods

I Heart Giveaways                      Chic Foodies

Made By Gen                              Taking Time For Mommy

Giveaway Promote                       Our Share of Crazy

Catching Each Breath                  Incognito Crunchy

Picture Clusters                           The Rebel Sweetheart

SJB My Photopage                      The Frugal Free Gal

Food Friday

This week's Featured in Food Friday players are ...

Mr. Erwin, a guest blogger and chef, and Ms. Iska, who owns the blog ISKAndals.com. Their post last week was CEVICHE.

 That shot reminds me of  "Kinilaw", a very popular dish back home (I haven't tried making it myself, though). But this dish is actually quite different (you've got to visit the post to see it!) and turns out to be something that I'd love to try. Ms. Iska's foodie site (she also does 'sketches') is a heaven for those who loves food and enjoys preparing it. Together with guest blogger Chef Erwin, they offer us dishes that are familiar yet has been modified to create something that is all their own. Their recipes, coupled with wonderful informative shots, actually helped me liven up some of my boring dishes. Oh yes, it did! :)

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My food post for this week is one of those boring dishes, lol. But it's really easy: Squash with Moringa in Coconut Milk.

Ingredients:

• Squash
• Moringa leaves
• Coconut milk/cream (you may use powder or canned; I prefer to use freshly grated coconut and wring the liquid out. basically, I use "thin" {second pressing, with around 2 cups of water added} and "thick" {obtained during the first pressing, with about half a cup of water added} coconut milk, reserving the latter during the last phase of the cooking)
• Bell pepper (red)
• Ginger, Chili, Salt
• Fish Sauce (optional)

Procedure:

• Clean and cut squash. Put inside a pot together with "thin" coconut milk. Dump in the crushed ginger, bell pepper slices, chili, and salt.
• Let boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes until squash is half-cooked.
• Add the moringa leaves; wait for about a minute, then mix in the "thick" coconut milk. Continue mixing until it starts simmering again. Taste and adjust seasoning. I added fish sauce. Turn off fire.
• Serve hot.

Loved it with fried salted fish and rice. Ahhh, soul food! :D

Reminder: Please don't forget to link back (a simple text would be great, or you may use the buttons provided here). Also, please try to visit the other party-goers and leave some commentluv to let them know that you dropped by. Many thanks! :)

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Weekend Eating at Razon's of Guagua

Am not really a fan of halo-halo, but it's one of hubby's fave so if ever we get the chance to eat at Razon's...we almost always grab that chance. I saw their restaurant in Pampanga years ago, but we didn't stop because it was full. Good thing they have lots of branches here in the city now! What I love about them is that they serve affordable and delicious meals...and hubby gets to have his halo-halo fix. lol. Besides, I wanted to try their sizzling bulalo...and I wasn't disappointed! :)

sharing over at Jenn's Weekend Eating

My Nephew

My youngest nephew was hospitalized when he was really young, and his medical cart was filled with records and schedules for his medicines and milk. Things were really touch and go during those trying times, and it's a good thing the nurses, doctors, and other hospital staffs were really kind and offered their help. But that's a thing of the past now (I hope) and he's currently one happy one year old kid.

There are still times that we worry, but that doesn't stop us from enjoying life. On the contrary, we choose to continue spending quality time with him and show him that we will always be here for him. :)

Food Friday

This week's Featured in Food Friday player is ...

Ms. Che who owns the blog Sweet Memoirs with her blog post: Cereal Prawn

This is the first time that I've heard of Cereal Prawn, but it looks like it's something that my family and I will love!  Sweet Memoirs is a personal blog by Ms. Che where she posts not only about food but also about about her life and family in Singapore. I particularly like her blog's mission, which is to donate whatever blog income she can generate and donate it to those in need. Just LOVE that! So why don't we all give her a visit and send her some encouragements, foodies! Greatly appreciate it! :)

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My post is something fast and only requires a few ingredients:  Quick Rainbow Noodles.

Ingredients:

• vegetable noodles (they were "color-coded"; am guessing that the orange color stands for carrots, yellow for potatoes, red for beets, while am not sure which green leafy vegetable is added to make those green noodle strands...)
• ground meat (i used pork, around 1/4 Kg; seasoned with the following: salt, pepper, some dried mixed herbs {thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, oregano, and sage}, soy sauce, and loads of garlic.)
• bok choy/pechay (i used two bunches)
• water (around 1/4 cup)

vegetable noodles

Procedure:

• Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. You may add a bit of oil so that they wouldn't stick together.
• Put water and seasoned ground meat in pan. Let boil, then mix. Wait till it gets cooked (it will turn brown, which isn't long) and water has reduced in half.
• Add chopped bok choy. Simmer for a few minutes.
• Dump in the cooked noodles. Mix. You may add more salt, pepper, or soy sauce. You decide. The noodles will absorb the remaining liquid, which is great since that means it will also absorb all those amazing flavours. :)
• Best served hot.

Cooked that for dinner one time when I was so busy and so wanted something fast and nutritious (I'd like to imagine that this dish is nutritious, lol) for my kids and I. Glad they both liked it, and I finished my work on time! :D

Reminder: Please don't forget to link back (a simple text would be great, or you may use the buttons provided here). Also, please try to visit the other party-goers and leave some commentluv to let them know that you dropped by. Many thanks! :)

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Meow

Like most bloggers, I love to take pictures. I don't have the time to edit them as much as I want to, though. That's why when I have the time, I edit and edit. Usually I use picasa3 (you can download it for free, and it not only edits...it organizes your shots, too - within the program, of course) and this was one of the results. Weird, huh? LOL.

...looking at the shot..i think i'd like to see this on a shirt. :D

shared over at Happiness Is... by KM

Lumpiang Sariwa {Fresh Spring Rolls}

Got these at a food stall beside the church: fresh spring rolls.

I loved the raw crushed garlic (the white thingies on top) that came with the peanut-like sauce. Back at my parent's home, our fresh spring rolls are always paired with strong garlic sauce and I miss snacking on those. No peanuts or sweet sauce on our fresh spring rolls, too. Quite different from the shots above, but it's not a problem for me; I have learned to appreciate and welcome the taste differences between regions. :)

...sharing over at Jenn's Weekend Eating

$160 Giveaway: Luck O' The Irish (Open WW)

Coupons For Wisconsin, Operation $40K and Coupon Spice have joined up with 43 other blogs to bring you the Luck O' The Irish Cash Giveaway! The giveaway will be open for entries starting March 10 until March 16th at 11:59PM EST.

St. Patrick's Day is 17th, and the winner will receive an email that day with the news that he/she is $160 richer!

To enter, log in below, and click the green “Do It” buttons to get your instructions!

Good Luck!

This giveaway is open Worldwide (18 years old and above, with a valid Paypal account). Terms and conditions listed below. 

Food Friday

This week's Featured in Food Friday player is...

Ms. Arlene, who blogs over at Healthy Lifestyle, with her post: Fish Nuggets

A plateful of fish nuggets like that won't last long in my household, even if there are only three of us here at home most of the time. Eating healthy food is not the only way to a healthy lifestyle, but it's a great step. Ms. Arlene's Healthy Lifestyle blog tackles not only about food but also some of her life choices that can ultimately lead her to continue on practicing the healthy way of living. Why don't we go on over and give her some more encouragements, shall we?

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My post for today is: Just Chicken.
yeah, so original. lol.

Ingredients:

• marinated whole chicken (cut into serving pieces, and preferably marinated overnight)
• marinade: soy sauce, salt, pepper, mixed herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, sage and marjoram), spanish paprika, crushed garlic, coconut vinegar (you can substitute with calamansi or lime)

Procedure:

• Put chicken in pot together with marinade and about 1 1/2 cups of water.
• Let boil/simmer until just cooked through (mine was about 15mins).
• Transfer to an oven-proof container and sprinkle chicken with additional mixed herbs, spanish paprika, soy sauce and vegetable/olive oil.
• Bake until brown and skin is crispy.
• Serve hot with fave dip. Or with rice. Your choice.

Actually,  you can skip the first part of the procedure (the "boiling" part) and just directly bake your chicken; it would have taken a much longer time to cook, of course. Still, I think you can get the same result. I just like "boiling" them since I like to use the liquid afterwards: I add in some veggies, or it becomes the base for a soup.

Had that with rice and some veggies that day. :)

Reminder: Please don't forget to link back (a simple text would be great, or you may use the buttons provided here). Also, please try to visit the other party-goers and leave some commentluv to let them know that you dropped by. Many thanks! :)

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Eventually...

I didn't mean that in a negative way. lol. It's just that sometimes (specially when you meet someone for the first time) people always let us see their good side and never when they are in a tantrum or something. But that's just being polite, I suppose. Proper etiquette too.

Still...

I know, we'll learn more about each person (as well as ourselves) as we continue to interact together.

Eventually, I'll know you. As you'll know me. :D

shared over at Happiness Is... by KM

Great WAHM Event

Together with Green Baby Goods, we would like to get some great WAHM (work at home moms) out there the opportunity to expand their business and as well as give you the chance to try out their products!

Here's the sign-up link (if you too, would want to help them out): Click here.

Snack: Fried Bananas

Had some really nice plantain bananas and we ate most of them raw. lol. Yes, we like them that way. The 'leftovers', I decided to cook. Added toasted sesame seeds and local honey after I fried them.

Yummy snack!

...sharing over at Jenn's Weekend Eating

All the weight...

I know, am gaining weight again. My weight really went down when I got pregnant with my youngest (which troubled my Ob-Gyne) but now it's back up again! Oh no, getting pregnant again isn't what I want (my 3year old's a handful already! lol), but just something that will cause me to lose all these unwanted pounds. Maybe I should read up on those weight loss safety topics that can be found online. Or maybe I should just moderate what I eat and get some more exercise! lol.

Decrease the butter (but it tastes soooo good!), but not totally eliminate it...decrease red meat intake...and definitely eat less rice. lol. Moderate, not eliminate. :)

Plus, discipline. I need lots of those. :)

Lots of luck to me! :D

Interesting Pans

Oh yes, am so loving these! Too bad it's too expensive for me (around Php5000 for the set). Still, it would have made an interesting photo with the cooked food inside! :)

Fitting Gift

I remember a couple of years ago when my nephew wanted one of those iPod gadgets. Most of his classmates had them, and he said he'd like to get one for himself, too. My sister (his mom) told him he can have one if he can consistently get high grades. It's a good thing he did, and so off to the shop they went, when the school year ended. The store only had a iPod 8gb, but my nephew didn't mind. He was so happy he immediately downloaded his music collection on the same day! lol.

He certainly deserved it! :)

Backlinks Galore

Being a blogger, we all love it when someone links back to us. That's why am joining BC Bloggers where you not only get backlinks but bloggy friends as well! Want to join us? Then click the button below. :)

Food Friday

This week's Featured in Food Friday player is ...

Ms. Jessica Cassidy, who blogs over at Home Cooking with Jessy, with her blog post: My egg omelet for breakfast.

Like Ms. Jessica, I also am a firm believer in breakfasts, specially when it concerns kids. What you see before you is what she usually prepares for her kids (omelette, steamed rice, noodle soup, and fresh juice): it's energy packed! Her food blog is fairly new, so why not drop by her site some time and give her a warm welcome and don't forget to leave a comment, or two. 

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My post for this week: Banana Muffin.
Nothing spectacular about it, except that so far it was the best that I've made! Ermmmm, this was my fourth try (using different recipes; I even tried one of those premixes..which was a disappointment.) lol.

I followed the recipe this time (i usually do that for baked goodies), except that I halved the portions and I skipped the frosting (I ran out of cream cheese! ugh). Next time, I will try it with the frosting. I will. Plus, instead of making it into a cake, I made muffins! Much easier to serve, specially with kids around...

This is the original recipe from MomsWhoThink:

Banana Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (add to pureed bananas)
3 pureed bananas, very ripe

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 stick butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar (1 lb.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan or two 9" layer cake pans.

2. Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Sift flour several times, then add the salt and baking powder to the flour.

3. To the creamed butter mixture, add the milk and flour (alternating, beginning and ending with flour).

4. Add vanilla and mashed bananas (with the baking soda added to the bananas) to this mixture.

5. Bake layer cakes (9") for 25-30 minutes, oblong (9x13") for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and blend well. Spread on cooled cake.

I was surprised with the result. Pleasantly surprised. Told myself I'll try it next time with the frosting. :D

Reminder: Please don't forget to link back (a simple text would be great, or you may use the buttons provided here). Also, please try to visit the other party-goers and leave some commentluv to let them know that you dropped by. Many thanks! :)

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Bloggers Needed: Kodak 14.2 MP Easyshare Camera Giveaway

Eager to increase your social media followers without breaking the bank? Sign-up starts at $2.50 only!! Yes, it's true!

Not only would you increase your readership, but also give one of your fans something back in return: no less than a Kodak 14.2 MP Easyshare M23 camera (14.2 MP 5x zoom - Retails for $129.99 at Staples and has awesome reviews)! It's a win-win situation.

Sign-up now! 

Hurry, only a certain number of bloggers are needed. Click here!

Please don't forget to mention PICTURE CLUSTERS as the blog who referred you, thanks!

Yup, I got it. You can, too!

In my previous post (two posts back) I mentioned that I first thought of starting a blog because I wanted a dslr camera. At that time, my family was really skeptic about it (including hubby); they never thought that you can make money online through blogging. I was a bit hesitant about it, too...that is, until I read a blog that mentioned she got her first dslr camera through blogging! That certainly got me inspired!

From then on, I tried searching for sites that offered paid blogging (there are a gazillion out there! lol, and I wasn't that choosy) as well as did a bit of linking and backlinking. Fortunately, I seemed to be doing the right thing back then...I got LOTS of offers and within that same year I got my dslr camera! That goes without saying I hardly slept at all during those days and nights, too...I was always on the look-out for opportunities. lol

I had to slow down when I got pregnant with my youngest, though. But, I got to do it...and am sure whoever is interested and has the drive to accomplish their goal(s) can do it, too! :)

Windy...

Had a bit of a hard time taking this shot...the plant was moving around so much for my camera's liking! lol. :D

*This is my share for this week's Happiness Is... meme by KM

This blog

Why did you start a blog?

Honestly, I started a blog because I wanted a dslr (digital single lens reflex) camera. I was already way into photography by then (not that my photo-taking skills are any good right now, lol) but was envious of those photographers who owned dslr cameras and produced such amazing results. I was (and still am) a SAHM, and since I didn't want to ask hubby for the $$$, I thought of getting it myself. Blogging seemed the best option, and at that time it was!

I didn't do any researching about how to properly start a blog, but I wish I did! It would have made the journey easier. lol. Still, with the help of blogger friends, I made some progress. Eventually, my dream to get that dslr camera came true...and with it other huge financial blessings tagged along. All because of blogging.

I'm glad I got introduced into blogging...it has now became sort of a refuge for me. Where I can post my half-baked shots (LOL) and thoughts. And I learned that getting that dslr camera isn't really everything to help you with your shots. It can help, but what's more important is the photographer and how he views each and every shot that he/she has made. :)

Wow. I must be getting old. :D