Food Friday

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

Ms. Iska, with her post: Tuyo Fried Rice, on her blog, ISKAndals.com

I have heard of this dish but never tried it myself. I LOVE (can never emphasize it enough, lol) tuyo (dried salted fish) so I just know that this is a dish that I know I must try making myself! Hopefully, soon. If you want to know Ms. Iska's version, then do click  the shot above.

------------ oo000oo -------------

This was one of the restaurants that we went to, while in Davao City (Philippines): (The Original) Conching's Native Chicken and Fastfood. I believe that this is a branch of a similarly named restaurant in Cebu, which is well known for their unique barbecued native chicken, imbao (clam), and "puso" (rice cooked in a pouch made from coconut leaves). I couldn't resist trying their moist chocolate cake and crab relleno, too. :P

What we had, together with plain steamed white rice (their brown rice "puso" wasn't available yet), bottled water, and pineapple juice:

I must admit: their barbecued native chicken tastes different. I mean that in a good way, since aside from the usual lemongrass and spring onions they also added other herbs inside the chicken's cavity; which is somehow familiar but I just can't name (... maybe anise? or rosemary?!). The chicken was tender, too. But what I really loved that night was the clam soup - so similar to what we used to have at least once a week, back home. My mom prefers a different type of bivalves, though. Forgot the name, but the soup tastes the same.

The crab relleno and the moist chocolate cake wasn't that great, though. Something was lacking in both. Maybe I should have tried their grilled squid or their kinilaw (tuna "cooked" in vinegar), instead. Next time ... :)

Appreciate much your taking the time to share and link your food posts here at Food Friday! :)
Please don't forget to add a link back to this site (you can get the buttons here; deciding to use text instead of buttons is fine also) to be able to add your posts below. Many thanks and hope everyone is going to have a blast this weekend!

Food Friday

This week's Featured Food Friday contributor is ...

Ms. Czjai, with her post Japanese KitKats! on her blog The Rebel Sweetheart.

Just look at that stash! I never knew that KitKat had so many flavors available! Well, I don't think that all of the flavors are readily available from where I'm at; so far, the only one that I have tried is their Green Tea (aside from the Original). I liked it; which is not really surprising since I have a sweet tooth. If you want to know how, where and what the other flavors Ms. Czjai had, then do click on the shot above!

------------ oo000oo -------------

Since we are still currently on vacation, I would like to share what we had for lunch when we passed by Malaybalay City, Bukidnon (Philippines).

We had the following: Crispy Tadyang and Fish with Vegetables. Plus rice and our drinks, of course.

Mint Leaf Cafe is a relatively new restaurant and a bit far from the highway. So, it was quiet and since we arrived past noon already, very few diners. I loved the laid-back appearance (I seem to see a lot of that around here in Mindanao - in the few places that I've visited), and the fact that they also have wifi available (if you ask for it).

The taste? We loved their Crispy Tadyang (Beef) since it was really crispy on the outside and can be easily flaked using a fork! Taste-wise, I would highly recommend it to meat lovers out there! The fish, on the other hand, was a bit bland (but I still liked it). Perfect for someone who likes food that doesn't give much of a kick but would be a great accompaniment to the other dishes (like the beef). The food was relatively cheap, too (well, compared to Manila prices), since we paid only about Php400+ for everything.

Verdict? Oh yes, we would definitely go back again. Maybe try some of their desserts...when we get the chance to visit Malaybalay City again. :)

Appreciate much your taking the time to share and link your food posts here at Food Friday! :)
Please don't forget to add a link back to this site (you can get the buttons here; deciding to use text instead of buttons is fine also) to be able to add your posts below. Many thanks and hope everyone is going to have a blast this weekend!

get the InLinkz code

FREE Ebook: Paleo Kid Snacks

Paleo Kid Snacks: 27 Super Easy Recipes that Kids Can't Get Enough Of (Primal Gluten Free Kids Cookbook)

My latest download (and it's FREE!)!
This should be an interesting read... :)

More Space

Our house is small and getting smaller. Well, there are probably other houses smaller than ours, but with all of the stuffs that we've accumulated over the years, our free spaces are getting smaller. Our old fashioned drawers just doesn't seem to do the job anymore. I think we need one of those multiple wall to wall modern drawers with 22" drawer slides capable of full extension. That might do the trick. Or maybe we can also just give away some of the stuffs that we no longer need. Huh?!

Honestly, I know we should do both! :)

Food Friday

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

Ms. Oggi, with her post Banana Blueberry Frozen Swirl Dessert, on I Can Do That!

This homemade dessert is just about perfect right now! It's days (and recipes) like this that makes me wish I have an ice cream maker (though you can make this without an ice cream maker)! I highly encourage you to take a peek at how Ms. Oggi made this delicious homemade treat...you'll love it!

------------ oo000oo -------------

First, am so sorry for my late visits to your Food Friday posts! My family and I are currently on vacation and internet connection is unreliable. Ugh. But with persistence (and loads of patience), I know I'll get there. Expect to see more eats that I didn't prepare (do I hear a sigh of happiness? LOL) since I won't be in my little kitchen...chances are, we might be eating out or my mom's cook did all the cooking. :D

This is what my family had during lunch on the day that we arrived here in Cagayan de Oro City, two days ago (forgot to take a shot of the fried chicken - good thing we all know what that looks like! lol):

Our flight was delayed (it seems to be a norm now, the flight delays) so we arrived in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) at about half past eleven in the morning - time for lunch! Since I wasn't in the mood to wait for our food (and I know the kids were hungry, too), I asked hubby to take us to a restaurant that serves food fast, was delicious, and wouldn't burn a hole through our pockets (always a Scrooge, LOL). He took us to Cucina de Oro and I was glad the place wasn't full; we had to wait for around ten (or was it fifteen?) minutes for our food, though.

But it was worth the wait! I really liked their pochero (reminded me of bulalo, but with lots of meat on the bones and the soup was thicker); the chicken ati-atihan (and their fried chicken) was delicious but nothing spectacular; the barbecued ostrich meat was a bit tough (first time I had it and surprisingly, almost gamey); and their sinuglaw (grilled pork meat which was diced and mixed in with the raw fresh fish; prepared ceviche-like) was a nice surprise. All in all, a very satisfying lunch!

I know there are loads of great restaurants here in CDO (saw Kenny Rogers, and Max's during our first night) but I want to try the ones that I won't be able to find back home. Hopefully, ones that aren't so darn expensive! lol. ;)

Appreciate much your taking the time to share and link your food posts here at Food Friday! :) 
Please don't forget to add a link back to this site (you can get the buttons here; deciding to use text instead of buttons is fine also) to be able to add your posts below. Many thanks and hope everyone is going to have a blast this weekend!

get the InLinkz code

Just Reminiscing

I have a niece who formed a band while she was still in high school. She and her band mates used to practice almost every weekend at my sister's house; my niece played the drums, a couple played electric guitars (I wondered if they got a danelectro 12 string at guitar center), one used a high tech keyboard, and one was the lead vocalist. Maybe I got it wrong, but all I mostly remembered during those days were the beating drums, lol. I marveled at how my niece could produce such fast beats! Youth, am sure. :P

But that's just a thing of the past now. My niece will be graduating from med school this month and after a short break she might take the board exams.

Just wanted to reminisce, that's all. Getting old, that's me. :)

FREE ebook: From My Mama's Kitchen

From My Mama's Kitchen: food for the soul, recipes for living

Found another free ebook which I think I am going to like. I still have to buy this..before it reverts back to it's $12.38 paperback price!

Just Rambling

My sister plays the guitar, and I don't. Not because I don't want to, but because I couldn't quite grasp how to play the intrument...and I never did take any guitar lessons, unlike her. I must admit, I do envy her a bit (just a teeny weeny bit, lol) but I guess I am also relieved that I don't have to take care of any musical instrument. She loves her guitar and even has some of those mf guitar humidifier just so she can properly take care of it. A brother-in-law has a guitar, too...but I never heard/seen him use it. Well, I don't stay long during visits so maybe that's the reason why I have never seen him strum his guitar.

The only instrument that our parents made us study was piano and at first I totally hated it. But gradually I came to realize that it has given me an advantage in my music classes (reading the names was easy)! :P

Our parents do know what is best for us...maybe 99% of the time. :D

#Giveaway: Coach Purse (ends 4/20, US)

Twitter Blast Coach Purse Giveaway!

Here's another awesome giveaway for our awesome fans out there!

You can Enter to WIN this beautiful Coach!

Sponsored by Madame Deals and Blogging Mom of 4

Co-Hosted by:

The Mommy Island| Everything Mommyhood| Ramblings of a Caffeinated Army Wife| Tidbits from a Mom| Bay Area Mommy|Love Laughter Forever After| Answers2Homework| Freebies in my Mailbox

It could be yours! All you need to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below. Mandatory entry is an easy "secret word" and optional Twitter Follows to get you bonus entries!

Food Friday

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

Ms. Tetcha, with her blog post Graduation Blowout at 8 Spices Thai Cuisine, on Delight My Appetite.

Bagoong Fried Rice (above shot) is just one of the dishes that Ms. Tetcha and her family had when they ate out to celebrate their young man's notable achievements! There are other drool-worthy shots in her post and if you want to know, just click on the picture above! Yummmmy!

------------ oo000oo -------------

My post for this week is another easy-peasy snack. Had it as an almost-midnight snack actually, with hot choco. I don't like tinkering much on the kitchen (when I should have been sleeping, lol) so I grabbed whatever was available and made Pepper and Cheese Toast.

FREE Ebook: Living Rich by Spending Smart

Living Rich by Spending Smart: How to Get More of What You Really Want

Another free ebook! I think a lot of us could benefit from this one. Got my copy...still have to read it. :D