Nestle Ice Cream For Parties

While planning for my Sophie's 7th birthday, I knew there just got to be ice cream. 

While conceptualizing for her birthday, one theme that came to mind was 'Sophie's Favorite Things' among others (I lost count of how many themes and concepts we thought of that time) and ice cream was top of mind. Since ice cream is really one of my kids' fave things, it should never be missed in the party no matter what theme.

I wanted to have something different than the usual sorbetero for the party because it doesn't go well with the Disney Frozen theme. Then I remembered seeing Nestle at a friend's party and googled it. I saw this site: http://icecreamparty.ph/

The website is pretty much user-friendly, just follow the instructions on the site. We chose Mix-It-Up package, they throw in a free cart for every P1,500.00. I got our package for less than P2,000 and we got enough for our 100 guests. Compare that to a basic sorbetero package which starts at P3,000.00 

After you've placed your order, you will have to wait for the confirmation through call or text. Me, the OC mom, had to call them to inform them I already placed my order. Hihi. I was informed I will be contacted a week before the event. True enough, I got a text from a distributor near our area that they will be delivering our order and even offered to upgrade the cart to one that's being used in BGC and Makati City. Not sure what it looks like but I said yes anyway. 

Everyone enjoyed the ice cream! My little handsome ate 3 so can you imagine his energy that day? LOL. 

kids multitasking, eating ice cream while playing games

Recipe Share: Asian Pork Belly

Here's another recipe share for y'all. Something I put together one day when I ran out of ingredients and left with only pork belly in the freezer. 

I call this recipe Asian pork belly. 

Basically just mix in a pan of water 

1 tsp. sesame oil

1-2 tbsps. sugar (depends on how sweet you want it to be) 

2 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 tbsp. soy sauce

coarsely chopped garlic and onions

a little salt and a generous amount of whole peppers. 

You can also add bay leaves and/or drops of lemon for more flavor. 

Just put your pork belly (1/2- 3/4 k. for the measurement above) in the water with the spices and sauces and boil until soft and tender. 

Garnish with fresh basil leaves (because that's what I can find in the garden at that time but it works). 

My family especially my husband enjoys this dish saying it tastes like his aunt's(+) cooking minus the wine added to cooking. That's a super compliment knowing his aunt was the best cook in their family. Awww! Husby really knows the right words to say :)

Enjoy easy cooking! 

Something New + Life Lessons

A week? Have I been MIA that long already? Oh well, the recent fire incident in our company got us all very very busy (and stressed!). We have to keep the 'show running' so to speak despite the situation. I’m just glad that everything is back to normal now.

Anyhoo, here’s a few of the updates from my side of the world. 

1. Husby and I checked out this dining place from our corner of the hood. Casa Renato is a resto/event place that serves Mediterranean cuisine. It’s located in Dahlia street in Fairview but once you step into their foyer, it’s like you’re transported into another place and time. The place has many interesting nooks and crannies. We got a seat al fresco and maybe it was already night time because the air is so cool and refreshing I had to request the waitress to turn off the ceiling fan.

Private Dining area for 6

the foyer

What's on our table. A bucket of ice also arrived with our orders.

the place is filled with these 

We promise to come back next time, I love their lamb curry and beef salpicao! Kulang ang 1 rice. If you’re around the area, check this place. I read the dish description very well because I want to recreate their dish. 

Lamb Curry with papadam P325.00

Beef Salpicao P295.00

 I agree

2. I helped a friend/neighbor bake her very first batch of cupcakes. She wanted to learn how to bake so I helped her through the basics and shared whatever tricks of the trade I know.

Our first batch of chocolate cupcakes. The following day, she sent me chocolate chip and carrot cupcakes. Well, I got a fast learner here.

3. Got myself a new do! I’ve been contemplating on a shorter hair for the longest time and finally had made the time to do it. Actually, I wanted a super short bob with wispy bangs but the hairstylist suggested I take the short do one step at a time so we agreed on this. I’m loving my new-found stylist, she’s an angel. My old stylist changed salon so I needed to find a new one. I also retouched my hair color.

                                          before                                          after

So there. It was one hell of a week but I’m glad to be back to earth. But the challenge does not stop. Apart from toxic work, it's exam week for my little grade schooler so after work, I have to rush home for our review sessions. Haizzz. 

Our experience at work taught us a lot of things and more importantly made us realize how we should be thankful for what we have everyday because we’ll never know what tomorrow brings. In advertising, we have a saying that goes like ' you are as good as your last project' and sometimes in life we have to live like today is our last day to live. We have to say I Love You and show we care to the people important to us, we have to make the most of our time and pray as if tomorrow kukunin na tayo ni Lord. Promise, that's really my realization last week. 

Have a blessed Tuesday everyone! J

Recipe Share: Longganisa and Dinuguan ala Monterey

I used to have a helper that can cook to-die-for Filipino dishes so anytime we crave a pancit bihon or ginataang langka, we just request it from her and wish granted.
When she was still with us, our relatives and in laws would troop to our house every weekend for that taste of ginataang langka (jackfruit with cocunut milk). Some even attempted to pirate her but she remained loyal to us, until she got pregnant and had to leave.
When this helper left, I really felt deprived and realized that I cannot recreate those dishes I used to enjoy on a regular basis. We still communicate,though, so I can ask her for recipes and she said she misses my pastas and cakes naman daw :)

Moving on in life, when I reviewed my Nora Daza and other Pinoy cookbooks, I realized my knowledge of Filipino dish is very limited pala. I can cook tinola, sinigang (which my daughter dubbed as the best sinigang ever :)), a variety of tomato based recipes like pochero, embutido, barbeque/liempo, paksiw (that my in-law loves) and variety of adobo. That's about the Pinoy recipe I can confidently cook. The rest is either Italian, American or Chinese. So, my goal is to learn to cook more Filipino dishes.

I started off with homemade longganisa because one of my goals too this year is for our family to enjoy these breakfast favorites all natural.

Here's my recipe for longganisa (Filipino sausage):

1/2 k lean ground pork
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. white vinegar
pepper, season according to taste
lotsa chopped garlic if you want it that way (I used 4 cloves). Some like it sweeter, just add mroe sugar.

Now, I didn't put this in a casing as I'm not sure where to buy a good (clean) one. I tried to form them into rolls and fried them but after while they just disintegrated so I decided to just saute the batch. My husby calls it buhaghag longganisa, haha! But in terms of taste, it's a winner especially if you let the mixture stay in the fridge for 2-3 days before cooking. The ingredients will become BFFs and yield a tastier longganisa.

Now for the Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew).

Since I'm kinda scared to go all out on this recipe being my first time to cook this, I decided to try the Pork Blood Trio that Monterey meatshop offers. It's a pack that contains marinated pork and 2 packs pork blood. It sort of ready to cook, all you need from your pantry are garlic, onions, vinegar, jalapeno pepper or siling mahaba, water, salt and pepper.

Why Pork Blood Trio, I asked the very accommodating attendants of Monterey (I love their costumer service, really). Well, with the pack you can make 3 different dishes: Dinuguan tagalog-style, Batchoy and Dinuguan Bicol Style. Each pack comes with the how-to guide for each recipe. So convenient, right?

Just follow the step by step guide. 

My take on this recipe? As I've said it's convenient especially for first timers but the taste is okay. It helps that the meat was already marinated but it could use maybe more pork blood. At the last part I had to add more vinegar and salt than what the recipe said to make up for the taste. Each recipe serves 5-7 pax. 

Finish product. 

Recipe Share: Tea and Herb Infused Fried Chicken

Do you want to do something different with your fried chicken. Why not? Try  the fried chicken, a product of my experiment.

When I cook chicken whole it's usually as roasted which I marinated in several spices overnight before roasting. 

One time, I thought why not fried chicken for a change. So here's what I did

Opened 2 packs of tea bag, regular flavor is better. I used Lipton tea bags and combined the contents of 2 bags in one bag. I added some more dried spices like rosemary, oregano, basil, marjoram, salt and pepper. 

seal the tea bag tighter and drop in a big pot (one that can accommodate 1 whole chicken) of boiling water. You can also add soy sauce to the water. Then, very very slowly, put the whole chicken in the boiling water and cook. 

Once chicken is cooked, place it in a drying rack and let the excess water drip from the meat. 

Meantime, prepare the frying pan. Yep, this chicken gets all the beating: boiled and fried to yummy goodness! When excess water drips no more from the chicken, you can heat oil in your frying pan. Ideal you use a deep fryer unless you're a great flipper. In my case, I'm not, thus, the tear on skin. Cook for just a few minutes per side or until the skin gets crispy and golden brown, it's already cooked anyway.

Serve with steamed veggies and enjoy. Can you see our homemade Yang Chao fried rice peeking? :) Honestly, it tastes like the famous Filipino fried chicken and I'm happy that continuously experimenting on ingredients and techniques made me discover great flavors and more to share to you! :)

Lunch Break: Entry Overload

Because traffic is unbelivably heavy on this Friday night,  I would like to make you smile (and drool with hunger) with this food photo overload from my lunch breaks. 

These lunch breaks meals are the reason it's just so hard to keep ze weight in check. 

How can you resist when restos, cafes and milk tea shops just keep mushrooming around my workplace?

Anyway, if your near the area check these out:

A sausage sandwhich and salad from Shakey's. Can you taste the melted cheese? 

Single slab rib dish from RUB in Tomas Morato, served with coleslaw. Ribs that will melt all the stress away and price reasonably. 

Our sizzling lunch from Cow King in Kamuning (near Lola Idangs Panciteria). You can buy a bread or two from Kamuning bakery after :)

The ultimate comfort food for me, chicken enchilada from Mexicali. OMG!

My new fave pizza flavor, smoked salmon pizza. I prefer Italliani's version over all other salmon pizzas I tried. 

This beef and cheese loaded Taco salad and Pan conTomato from Chocolate Kiss in Roces Ave. QC will definitely melt your heart away. Notice how I love cheese? hehe. 

Sweet tooth, are you? I am too! The decadent chocolate cake from Sweet Inspirations will never let you down. (note: Sweet Inspirations is not near my workplace but I had this for lunch) 

or this Chocolate Strawberry cake from Petit Four in Tomas Morato (that quaint resto/cafe accross Il Terazzo). You also need to try out their fried tilapia, it's like no other :)

Hungry now? :0

Recipe Share : Beef and Beans

A bag of red beans has beed sitting in our fridge for I don't know how long. I already forgot when and why I bought those beans, as weight for the pie or to replicate my FIL's pata beans (he makes really good Pata beans). 

since it was holiday last week, I found the perfect time to make beef and beans. I'm not very good at recreating Mexican dish and so I experimented with spices because I know if I put in the basic tomato sauce and soy sauce, it can taste like any tomato-basef dish. So here are  what I used:

250 g. red beans, boiled until cooked

1/2 k. ground  lean beef

3 gloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, julienne

1 cup of canned peeled tomatoes, you can include the juice

3-4 tbsps. soy sauce

2 tsps. paprika, you can add more if you want

1/2 tsp. cumin, for heat

salt and pepper to taste

1 small cabbage, thinly sliced

What to do:

1. saute garlic and onion in a pan with 2tbsps. hot oil.

2. add in beef and cook until brown. add the tomatoes and soy sauce and simmer for a minute or two.

3. add the beans and spices and simmer some more

4. mix half a cup of cabbage, turn off fire.

the paprika and cumin , even just a few tsps into the dish makes a lot of difference. 

top with fresh cabbage and it's ready to serve. perfect with corn tortillas or rice. happy weekend!

Recipe Share: Tortilla Wraps

Happy Tuesday everyone! On this rainy day, I’m sharing again one recipe that's easy to make and a great comfort food on a gloomy day, Tortilla Wraps! This recipe used left over meat (meatballs and roasted chicken) so it's so light on the pocket.

What We Need:

Tortilla Wrap

1 pack Whole Wheat Tortilla (I used small ones)

2 cups grated cheese (you can combine 2 or more cheese types)

3-4 cups left over meat 

1 cup whole fresh basil leaves

2 tomatoes, sliced thinly

1 onion, thinly sliced

a few strips cilantro or parsley (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

1. Fill half of the tortilla with grated cheese, left over meat, tomatoes, onions, 3-4 pieces whole basil leaves. I thought of this recipe because of our left over meatballs and roasted chicken that were a day old and need to get out of the fridge already.

1. Season with salt and pepper. You can add a dash of hot sauce for heat;
2. Fold the other half over and grill away! You can also spread melted butter on the outer part of the tortilla for more flavor.

Serve with salsa dip and salad.

Salsa dip:

2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped so it go easy on the blender

1 tbsp. onion, chopped (add more if you prefer)

2 whole fresh basil leaves (you can also use cilantro)

salt and pepper to taste

How to make the salsa:

1. In a food processor or blender, blend tomatoes and basil together. The goal here is to bring out the juice of the tomatoes while making sure there are still bits of tomatoes left after blending.
2. Transfer the tomatoes and basil into a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix in the onions (I don’t like my onions to be too overpowering so I add this at the last part).

This recipe yields 8 tortilla wraps. Enjoy your tortilla dinner! J 

tortilla wraps served with salsa on a bed of lettuce and chips

You can also make tortilla dessert: spread butter on one side of the tortilla, spread 11/2 tbsps of chocolate chips on half of the wrap, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and grill. Serve warm and enjoy the oozing chocolate goodness.Yum!

Food Share: Wholesome Pop Rice and Live Yoghurt

Happy Tuesday everyone! The past days have been just rain, rain, rain right? This is the season when we stay home more to keep safe and warm and nothing beats staying in bed longer than usual, watching your fave series on cable or dvd while munching your fave snack.

Here are some snacks I found in the grocery, healthy and delicious. A guilt-free way to munch and crunch :)

 Wholesome Pop Rice (P79.00)

A dairy-free, gluten-free and cholesterol-free vegan snack that tastes good and nutrient-packed. I found these in Rustan's Supermarket in Il Terazzo, T. Morato. 

It's got a number of variants with interesting combination of flavor. I tried the 5 grains variant but the green tea and black sesame seem interesting as well. I'll try that next time.

 The 5 grains variant really hit the spot for me. I love how the taste of cashew, almond and sunflower seed comes together in my mouth. And the pop rice, it's always been a personal fave snack. 

The size of the pop rice is as big as a one peso coin for easy snacking.

 Bought the pop rice for me and the Quaker Twinkle fruits (12.00) for the kids. They just love these. 

Here's another new find from the grocery, Live Yoghurt from Hacienda Macalauan in Laguna (approx. P 25) 

I found this in Cherry Foodarama. It's like having your quick fix of live lactobacillus but with the blueberry flavor. Other flavors are mango, nata de coco, pineapple and full cream. My little boy love yogurt because he think it's ice cream and doesn't mind that it's a little sour than ice cream especially if the flavor is mango.

As with any yogurt, this should be kept refrigerated and consumed within 48 hours from the time it was bought.
Healthy yum and it's proudly Pinoy made :)

 How about you, any recent healthy snack discovery to share? :)

Weird/Funny Food Names

For GT topic of food, I have two weird names to share. One is Laswa (pronounced as Las-wah, may lambot sa dulo wahh). Yeah, it's weird right? It's actually an Ilonggo dish that's like a stew of vegetable like alokbati, talong, okra (the slimier the better) and kalabasa. Instead of salt, we put danggit or bagoong (shrimp paste) to season the dish. I'm personally not fond of this dish growing up but my mom says it's nutritious so we have to eat up :(

http://www.cooks-recipe.com/2010/08/laswa-recipe.html

Another weird name that we concocted at home is Palag, short for Palagpat which means tsamba or pure luck. When we cook something at home that's has no name and created from experimenting on recipes, it's initially titled Palag. We invent the name probably the second time na because cooking it the second time means it was a hit the first time so it deserves to have a name already :)

More GT stories here: 

Mommy Moments - Mommy's Hobby

Husband was wondering why I haven't blogged about my new toy. Simple, busyness ang lola for weeks now :( 

Here it is, my new toy! :) An Electrolux gas range with oven, the one I've been eyeing to buy for months now. 

What's even winner about this is that I got it through an auction. I joined a sealed bidding for slightly used appliances and other kitchen gadgets from a cooking show and won. I got this baby for less than half the original price. Winner talaga! (got a sizzler and chopping board, too, from the auction)

My first ever baked dish using my oven - Lasagna made with ground beef and pork, bechamel sauce and mozarella cheese. Topped with fresh basil leaves from our garden. Yum!

Cooking/baking is a hobby I am most passionate about. I love to experiment new recipes, follow recipes from a cookbook and give it a personal touch. Cooking also helps me loosen up those tightened nerves after a stressful week at work. You'll know when I'm stressed, I cook and bake and cook and make everyone at home fat haha! :)

Linking this post to Mommy Moments.

 

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