TAKE 2 AT LOPEZ FARMS

It’s our second time to visit this place and this time we spent my sister and niece’s birthday. My sister was not with us the last time we were here, it was just my brother, my half-sister and her family and my Dad and step-mom. So this time was a first for her together with an Aunt and her family who weren’t able to join us also the last time. It’s good that they also enjoyed the ambiance of the place but this time around, the climate was much cooler since it was nearing December. We still occupied the same rooms downstairs while my Aunt and her family stayed in the room they were supposed to occupy upstairs beside Papa’s room. My sister stayed in my Papa’s bedroom since it was quite big while my half-sister was in the room next to ours, in the basement, where just outside there’s a billiard table, table tennis and a swing.

We still enjoyed the second visit that we made here at Lopez farms. Though we were a bit late in joining them since I had to go to work for a bit yesterday then we just followed them to the farm in Cavite. Admittedly, we got lost a bit and had to ask many times for the right directions but we got there at around six in the evening pa din...just in time for dinner. Mt Aunt and her family arrived just as were about to eat and after eating, the boys got busy downstairs playing billiards while the rest of us stayed in the family room browsing over the old photographs in Marinduque...too bad that I just brought that album since that is all that Papa asked for e...next time I will bring the others. We had fun goofing around and stayed up until very late with the kids watching movies in the laptop.

The next day, we did nothing much but eat and laze around all day...the kids swam in the pool again and played basketball and the numerous fun games and swings the place had to offer. I tried to read a book but ended up sleeping and not reading at all, the place is just so conducive to sleeping! I just love their hammock and wish that someday I would be able to install one just like it...in our teensy weeny home hehehe. We feasted/gorged ourselves with food... and took naps in between family chats. In all, it was a totally relaxing and fun-filled weekend, spent meaningfully with the people we love. Till next time and next foodtrip!

KITARO FOR THE HUBBY’S BIRTHDAY

Aside from Italian pasta and pizza, another favourite cuisine of our family is Japanese. In fact, our fondness for Japanese food is displayed even by our children who also love eating sashimi and sushi. And so for our lunch today, we decided to eat at a small Japanese resto near the office – Kitaro and we were quite surprised since their meals are priced reasonably and yet still offer enough authenticity to make it seem that we were truly dining Japanese fare. When we entered the resto, the staff were quite courteous and attended to us immediately (I guess it helped that we were the only ones there, hehehe) We ordered our favourites – California Maki, Tofu and Mixed Tempura...all were made fresh and tasted good but the one we were quite surprised about is the Tofu steak which was crisp and breaded outside but quite gooey and still fresh inside. Someday I hope to bring my kids to this restaurant since they too are such suckers for Japanese food. But due to its exorbitant prices, we are usually only able to partake Japanese food whenever we go to my dad’s place in Makati. So now with this new discovery of a truly affordable Japanese resto, Kitaro, we’d surely be able to eat Japanese a bit more often.

KITCHEN MISADVENTURE SERIES 14 - KALDERETANG TILAPIA

This dish is one of the hubby’s favourites and since it is his birthday, this is what we had for lunch yesterday. I only learned about this kind of dish from his relatives in Pampanga. I only knew that kaldereta can be cooked using beef, pork or chicken, I did not know that tilapia can be cooked this way too but it was just delicious! The first thing they do is to fry the fish normally in hot oil. Then garlic, onion and tomatoes are sautéed and when the tomatoes are soft and mushy, liver spread is added and some tomato sauce. Pour the second gata of the coconut milk into the pan. Add the fish and let simmer until the sauce is a bit reduced. Season with salt and pepper and finally add the kakang gata before turning off the fire. And voila another super yummy dish!

KITCHEN MISADVENTURE SERIES 13 - BAKED MACARONI

This is one dish that I have done countless times before in different versions but I believe that this version that I got from my favourite food blogger, Connie Veneracion is the best that I have tasted so far. In fact, way back in 2000 while I was still pregnant with my daughter, I remember I used to always be craving for baked mac but at the time, we simply did the quickie version with cooked macaroni smothered in spaghetti sauce then topped with shredded quick melt cheese then baked in a microwave oven until the cheese melts...that easy! But this recipe is a bit more complicated than that with a whole lot more ingredients to make the cheese all goooey and just simply delish!

For the exact recipe, please just visit the Casa Veneracion blog site:http://casaveneracion.com/