What's for Dinner?

I havent cooked for quite some time already thanks to the new Pinoy kainan near our house. But they are closed on Sundays so I prepared dinner for tonight. Here are some pics of the cooking metamorphosis that took place today.

From marinated meat...

To my new recipe of "Mechado" ... cooked for 3 hours...

From Alive....

To "Singapore Chilli Crabs "

Nope, we didn't exactly eat all these for dinner... only the crabs. The Mechado, even if successfully cooked, would have to wait for tomorrow.

So Tired After Class

Today was another Gymboree day for little KC and as usual, she had so much fun! Yes it was fun... and tiring for me... parents participation in the class requires some dancing, singing, jumping, etc so its like exercising at the same time. After KC's class, we headed straight to Marche for a Sunday lunch. Instead of eating with us, KC was just way too tired and instead had her usual milk. At wala ng "hiya-hiya", she got her bag and lied down...tinaas pa ang paa later on!

What is it with Ice Cream??

Kids are so attached to ice creams. Every time KC and will walk by the 7-Eleven store near my place, she would force me to lift her up to the ice cream freezer and then she will get her favorite ice cream Magnum. So everytime, I end up buying her or she will give you a show of tantrums that will embarass you in front of many people. And then we will walk home and she just happily walks with her plastic bag that contains the ice cream. I always tell her to wait until we get home before eating the ice-cream coz' its so much mess to deal with. Just like the pics below...

Just starting to eat...

So much love for ice cream...

The disgusted sticky "mom, its time to clean me up..." look

And that's when I come to KC's rescue...

Is it gonna be a lonely Christmas?

We just got back here in Singapore a month ago and now we're off to Manila again in a few weeks time. Hubby and I decided to just have an earlier than Xmas trip to Manila due to very expensive airfares. Also, little KC is suppose to start school on Jan 2 next year so we're also forced to come back here early.

So anyway, we are leaving Manila by mid-december and will be spending xmas and newyear here in Singapore. While many pinoys are excited in spending the holidays overseas, here I am, always wanting to spend the holidays in Manila. Ive tried spending the holidays here once and it wasn't a holiday at all. Well, yes, all the lights and glitters were there, the music, and people busy doing their shopping... BUT the warmth is just not there. Its like something is missing. And during New Year's eve.... everybody was fast asleep!!! No fireworks, no nothing!

But again, look at the brighter side, we were able to save more $$$ because our airfare is cheaper. And little KC will be able to attend the first day of school. Maybe I just have to bring back some "hamon" and "keso de bola" and perhaps get a xmas tree to make my house look "christmassy"...

Well, a few more months to go...lets wait and see...

Celebrating Hubby's Bday...

Dear husband is a year older...again and again. His age? I wont tell but here is a hint: He is older than my brother and younger than my sister and definitely older than me...but not that old :)

Celebrating last Aug 29 in a Japanese Food Bazaar Resto...the food was excellent and reasonably priced. Definitely must come back even if there's no special occasion.

Hot for hats!

My hubby got too many caps (maybe 20 or something) ...and little KC finds that so amusing! Here she is, trying to wear all of her dads' caps!

Enjoying my vacation in Manila

I've been very very busy these past few weeks... now, back in Singapore, I have more time in my hands again so I hope I get to do blogging more often.

Anyway, sharing a "friendship" pix taken recently in Manila. Ive known this people for 14 years already and share with them a deep bonding that even if we seldom see each other, we're still like super "mare" to each other. Each of us are different in every way, different personalities, different careers, and may only have one thing in common...we have each other. Does that make sense?

Gerry's Grill, Promenade~Greenhills

Meet the newest member of the family...

Name: Coco
Breed: Toy Poodle
Gender: Boy
Birthday: June 4, 2008
Kaartehan: Gustong laging katabi si mommy, as in he literally is more spoiled than my little KC now



This puppy brought so much joy to KC, Miggy, and the rest of us. He is very sweet and malambing. And he is sooooo cute! As in parang doll! Wish we can bring him to Singapore with us...

Bag Talk

When I started working and earning my own money, Ive learned that its better to invest your money in a few real branded bags rather than buy lots of fake replica ones which doesnt last long. Its true. I learned this when I bought my first real Lacoste backpack and it lasted me 10 good years with maximum usage. And then I started buying more expensive ones, Ralph Lauren, Coach and then LV etc.

And now, a proud owner of this wonderful bag... shhhh, brand is concealed at the moment. If your a bag lover, you will know what this is since its quite popular with hollywood actresses.

LV or Gucci? I learned this from my bestest friend and its true. Invest in LV rather than Gucci. If you will notice, Gucci stores have annual sale and thus, resale value for their bags are quite low. Whereas with LV, they never ever put their bags on sale so the value of thier bags, even second hands ones, dont drop. Thats what you call a wise investment.

Finally in Manila!

Yes, KC and I are back in Manila for a vacation con business. I thought the trip going back to the Philippines was gonna be dreadful with me all alone with KC and our luggages in the airport and airplane... but it was rather alright. KC, with little sleep, walked inside the airport and didnt ask to be carried. She said a quick byebye to her Papa and then ran to the immigration counters, excited to explore the big spacious airport. My handcarry was rather heavy with the laptop and baby stuff but I managed anyway. In the airplane, KC sobbed a little coz' she realized that her Papa was not going wtih us. Thankfully, she fell asleep and I was able to get some rest too (even with 3 Filipina domestic helpers chatting so loud at the back seats...). When we arrived in Manila, I was planning to hire a porter to carry our trolley of luggages, but again, KC cooperated by walking so I just pushed the trolley myself and was able to save 100pesos intended as tip.

Anyway, 3 days have past and we are re-adjusting to Manila again. KC is super duper happy with Kuya Iggy and her Wowo and Mama (my mom). She loves riding the car and taking short trips... picking up her kuya in School, going to the mall, etc. Took her to Jollibee and she was happy playing in the playground. My dad cooked nilagang baka and fried daing na bangus and as super bonus, served steamed oysters!!! Life is great when I get to eat this Filipino dishes.

As for me, I realized that prices have increased for almost everything... gasoline, food, milk and diapers, etc. I really pity the Filipinos working so hard just to get by everyday. Prices of commodities keep on increasing and their salaries arent even enough to keep up with such increases. Wish that the Philippine economy gets better soon.

Tonight, had dinner with my bestest friend and chatted for several hours. Went to Trinoma, window shopped, and then headed to Conti's Restaurant. Ofcourse, we showed each other pictures of our kids and talked about family life. 14 years ago, when my bestest friend and I became classmates and good friends, life was very simple. All we had to do was study and go to gimiks. But now, we were talking about family life, in-laws, money, investments, and even expensive bags. Life has become more complicated. But at the end of the evening, we both concluded that after 14 years of knowing each other, we're still thankful to God coz' both of us are living comfortable lives. We may not be filthy rich but we are comfortable. We may have problems but who doesnt?!

Tomorrow, hopefully with plans to make a side-trip to Greenhills with my bestest friend first, I will be seeing more of my friends and Im very excited. Manila is full of chaos compared to quiet Singapore, but its still "home sweet home".

Just a few more days...

Ilang tulog na lang...Manila na naman...

Yes, KC and I will be going to Manila in a few days time for a business trip! And will be staying there for more than a month! Definitely a vacation for me!!! Yup, Im mixing business with pleasure hehehe

So here is a list of some things that I want to do when I go to manila...

1. Spa, massage, manicure, pedicure, eyebrow threading
2. Eat in Jollibee, KFC, Mcdo breakfast, Tropical, Goldilocks, Mr. Kebab, Contis, eat lechon and seafoods and daing na bangus!
3. Watch a movie in a movie house.... a must talaga!
4. Shopping sa Greenhills
5. Go out with my dear best friends, looking forward to overnights and outings and night gimiks
6. Dinner with my bestest friend and talk about whats been happening with our lives this past few months
7. Go malling
8. Spend time with my dear nephew Miggy... take him on a date
9. Spend time with my family
9. Have some time alone... although I love and never regret spending all my time with little KC, having time alone would really be nice :)

Really hope magawa ko lahat ng ito...

Fish Talk

Two Sundays ago, we went to Carrefour to buy some fish but unfortunately, bangus was out of stock so I opted for cod fish. It was pretty expensive but I had no choice coz my other option was salmon with an after taste that I just dont enjoy.

So here is what I created...

Grilled cod fish w/garlic and herbs
Tomatoes,onions, and olives sauteed in olive oil

Looks nice right? :)

KC discovers a new toy

Just like her "wowo", mahilig magkalikot ng electronics... This activity has kept her busy for atleast half an hour...

Dinner Last Night

Food again! Yes, cooking and baking is what I've been doing in the afternoons lately. This is what I cooked last night, Moroccan Beef Tagine with Chick Peas served with Turmeric Rice. Its easy to prepare but the cooking process took me more than 2 hours to get the perfect taste and soft beef.

And for dessert, prepared mini Apple-Walnut Pies. Dieting at this point is almost gone...

Mediterranean Eggplant Salad

Eggplant Ensalada is one of my favorite side dishes especially when there is "bagoong" and something inihaw to go with. But when your in a foreign land, bagoong is really not that easy to get. So I had to re-invent this eggplant ensalada into something with out this salty sawsawan. And alas! My own recipe of Mediterranean Eggplant Salad which went well with Moroccan Bruschettes. Its as simple as grilled peeled eggplants, tomatoes, onions, olives, rosemary-thyme-oregano herbs, a dash of salt and pepper, some lemon juice, and olive oil. Its healthier than putting bagoong right?!

First Time Carbonara

Last night, I cooked my first ever Carbonara. Searching for recipes in the internet, I realized that it was easy to make with little cooking required. Well, it indeed is easy to cook as it barely took me half an hour to prepare the whole thing. Thinking that bacon only will not be satisfying enough, I decided to give the carbonara my own touch by adding garlic mushrooms which I cooked separately. And below is the finished product. Wondering how it tasted? Well, the truth is it tasted so good...definitely a success, definitely worth making again!

Did I marry the right person?

This is a forwarded email sent by a good friend of mine and its worth reading and sharing :)

DID I MARRY THE RIGHT PERSON?

During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question.She said, "How do I know if I married the right person?"I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?" In all seriousness, she answered "Howdo you know?"

Let me answer this question because the chances aregood that it's weighing on your mind.

Here's the answer. EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and likedtheir idiosyncrasies.

Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love...

Because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept off my feet." Think about the imagery of that __expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's thenatural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone callsbecome a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, driveyou nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if youthink about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marrythe right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage forfulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity isthe most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the __expression "the labor of love."

Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM . You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.

Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exerciseprogram makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger.

It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable...you can "make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling...

Saturday Afternoon in Vivo CIty

We went to Vivo City, a 10 minutes bus ride, yesterday afternoon to see whats cooking with the annual Great Singapore Sale. My gosh, the mall is so people infested...everyone shopping in different stores taking advantage of the great sale. I did manage to buy for myself, was able to get a Marks & Spencer jeans at SG$30 (up $99)...yup, its a good buy already! Anyways, 3:30pm, we had our lunch at Marche. Its a nice restaurant where they give you cards and then you go around choosing the food you want and then swipe the cards everytime you order. I got roasted kampung chicken, mashed potato, and rice for KC and me to share. Hubby ordered sausages and mashed potatoes. Not contented, I ordered ham and cheese crepe to share with hubby. After our nice meal, I headed to Daiso to buy some baking stuff again. Oh this place is heavenly with the store selling all items at $2. Its a japanese store and you can find all kinds of unique items worth bringing home or giving as gifts. After this, hubby, KC and I went to Giant supermarket to do some grocery. Luckily, I found out that they chop fresh chickens so I got one whole for me and asked that the head and feet be removed...and also chop the chicken in small pieces...alright, I dont know how to deal with whole chicken so I normally just buy the chopped ones which are more expensive.

After doing our grocery, it was 8:30pm already so hubby and I decided to grab our dinner before heading home. We went to this restaurant called The Chicken Rice Shop. We chose a set meal for two at$23.90. But to my dismay, except for the oyster sauced veggies, everything was a flop and their specialty chickens were not even half good of what we get from the hawkers at my place. I will never ever go back to this place definitely! This gets zero stars!

Envirosax: I love it!

Ever heard of Envirosax? Its been in the market for some time already, maybe since last year. Apparently, moms in Singapore are crazy about this and I decided to buy one for myself and a kids version for my little KC. So what is it anyway? Envirosax are eco-friendly reusable shopping bags printed with exciting trendy graphics. So its hitting two birds with one stone...you get to help the environment by saving on plastic bags and at the same time shop in style! And whats nice about it is that its so lightweight and foldable that it woud barely take space in your bag. Just take it out when your ready to use it! Below is a pic of what I bought for KC and she enjoys carrying it in her shoulder everytime we go to the grocery even if its still big for her... well, the little girl has style!

My first home-made cupcakes

I finally did it! Since it was a holiday yesterday and hubby was home to help take care of our little KC, I finally had the perfect opportunity to try bake some cupcakes. Once KC fell asleep in the afternoon, I rushed to the grocery downstairs and bought the ingredients I needed. Got everything except that the butter is expensive. But never mind... I did hope that the price will be worth it after I see the cupcakes done.

So once I got home, I prepared my tools and ingredients. Hubby gave me a hand by measuring the flour while I operated the electric mixer. After a series of measuring and mixing, I finally finished my cupcake batter and the proceeded to bake. Actually had to bake 2 batches of cupcake since I only have those small table top ovens. After dinner, when the cupcakes have cooled already, I prepared the buttercream icing and then started decorating the cupcakes. And finally, this was the result of my hard work...

Its still not as perfect as the ones you see selling in stores but its definitely a good start! Overall, the cupcakes were yummy and not as sweet as it looks. Little KC loved it so much especially the icing. "Kap" she would say which actually means 'sarap'. I am looking forward to making more cupcakes... hopefully, by Christmas time, I will be able to make the perfect cupcakes to serve my family when we go back to Manila.

Moroccan Brochettes by Hubby

Today, Singapore is celebrating Vesak Day and its a non-working holiday. We decided to stay home and just do some home cooking since most of the hawkers (food shops) in our area will be closed. Hubby promised to cook lunch after we bought our first grilling pan yesterday. So I just sat down and waited for his super special first time to cook dish.




Derived from "The Book of North African Cooking" recipe book, hubby prepared a dish named Moroccan Brochettes. Its made of minced beef, onions, garlics, chilis, parsley, oregano, paprika, cumin and fresh rosemary. Its almost similar to our Kebab in Manila except that it has more cumin taste. Overall, the dish was excellent, still juicy after the grilling process. What made it even better is the yogurt as its sauce and ofcourse, the taste and aroma of the rosemary in the middle of the brochettes. Definitely a must cook again dish!

Sundays with hubby & KC

Sundays are always for my family. Its the only rest day for hubby... yup, he works on Saturdays! But its been like that for so many years that im used to it already.

Anyway, for today, my family went to the Singapore Flyer not to ride the soooo expensive gigantic ferris wheel but to have lunch at Popeye's (finally a branch near our place!). This is one of hubbys' favorite fried chicken fast food chains. Its available in Malaysia and inconveniently in Singapore Changi Airport. Manila used to have Popeye's but its gone now...I think.

Once we got to the Singapore Flyer place, we just made a quick tour of the place to check out the other restos' available and then headed to Popeye's. Price were reasonable enough. I paid like SG$15.80 for 2 sets of 2pc chicken with 1 siding and biscuit and drink. Upsize included. But I was a bit disappointed coz the cajun rice was not available. I really prefer rice!!! But nevermind, all in all, the food was super great! A lot lot better than the KFC here in Singapore. The chicken was finger licking good and the skin was so crispy nice. Ok, I can hear the calorie police coming...

You cant actually see the chickens in the pic above coz the fries are way too dominating...as I said...UPSIZED!

We really had a nice lunch and I cant wait to go back to that place again. I give Popeye's 4 stars for such a great taste and good price. 1 missing star for not having rice!

I was planning to write about our lunch only but I guess I can squeeze in a few of our pics in the Singapore Flyer. Again, we did not ride the thingy... $29.50 for adults and $20.65 for kids is just way too much for me. Yes, it is currently the world's first biggest but there will be promos next time or even free tickets so its nothing to panic about.

KC playing with the rocks in the garden

KC by the man-made waterfalls and koi pond

KC knows her letters
A view of the Singapore Flyer cabins from below
KC & Hubby and the gigantic Singapore Flyer

Starting on my goals...

correction: "SOME OF MY GOALS"

Goal # 1
This is my first ever posting... some of my friends have been blogging for a long time, y not me? Thus, let me see if I can do it as well. I want to know if blogging can also be a part of my life.

Goal # 2

Believe it or not... BAKING is one of those goals. Yes, I told hubby and my sister and my mom that I will learn to bake this year. Self-study though. I am really keen to learn coz I want baking and the fun part of decorating be a mother-daughter activity for me and KC. I can say that Im a good cook... but a total disaster when it comes to baking. Well, I did use to bake a few years back. Apple pie and the no-bake bueberry cheesecake were my two and only specialties. But when I came here in Singapore almost 6 years ago... well, I guess I lost those special skills along the way.

So rewind to 5 days ago.... KC & I attempted to bake brownies. I bought the ready-mix Betty Crocker fudge brownies. I decided to do half od the box only coz my target eaters were only hubby and KC. So bake bake bake we go.... mix here and mix there, put in the oven...wait wait and wait.... and............................

SURPRISE! Yes, I was surprised coz the brownies were burnt and hard as rocks. Remember Charlie's Angel where Lucy Liu baked some muffins and when Cameron Diaz threw it, it practically ruined the door.... something to that effect. Luckily, 1/4 of the baked goodies (or baddies) were still edible and my daughter had a blast eating it!

So this afternoon, while little KC went to sleep, I decided to give it another try. I WILL NOT GIVE UP! And following tips from my mom and sister (Fairy Godmother gave them both baking skills and left me with the cooking skills instead), I was able to bake the 2nd batch of brownies nicely. Well, its still not perfect but Im just happy now that its not burnt and its 100% edible.

Lesson learnt: 1) Dont give up. 2) Always check the temperature of your oven :)

Im taking it slow... next week, I will experiment on cookies. And then hopefully cupcakes or muffins next month. We'll see...