KITCHEN MISADVENTURE SERIES 24: Lemon chicken

Last night I finally tried to make a dish that my son has been hankering me to make for so long. You see ever since he tried some sort of a lemon chicken dish at my father’s house some time ago, he has been pestering me to replicate it. But since lemons are very rare in our talipapa or even near our office market, I was not able to fulfill his wish. But yesterday when I saw some lemons and turmeric ginger in Salcedo market, I immediately bought some so I could try to make the dish. And so armed with a recipe from Connie Veneracion of Pinoy Cooking Rocks, I finally ventured to make lemon chicken last night…and how did it go? Well, for starters I think I placed too many lemons (I used 3 lemons to make ½ cup of juice) or maybe I didn’t know how to zest a lemon properly which was why my dish turned out too sour. I tried to place more sugar and it turned out OK…not very spectacular but not too bad either. Here’s the rest of the recipe:

500 grams chicken fillets sprinkled with salt and pepper
½ c corn starch
cooking oil
½ c. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ c. of water
1 to 1-1/4 c. of white sugar
a small piece of turmeric
lemon zest





To make the sauce, boil water, lemon and sugar in a small saucepan. Sassy advises against stirring the sauce to prevent crystals from forming, but you may swirl the pan. Let boil for ten minutes or until mixture thickens and changes color. (but not dark brown) Then lower the heat and add the turmeric and lemon zest.

Place sliced chicken pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper then dredge in corn starch. Fry in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain in paper towels. Then transfer to a serving plate, pour the lemon sauce over the chicken and serve hot!

SCENES FROM THE SALCEDO MARKET

After our Yakult Fun Run, we decided to visit Papa at his condo to get the airbed that we need to borrow for an upcoming office outing and to also take a bath. They wanted us to have our breakfast with them but we were already on our way to 'Fishy all the Way' when we saw their text message, so we were unable to have breakfast with them. Anyway, Papa wasn’t there but in Cebu to attend a classmate’s funeral so it was ok.

When we arrived, they were on their way out to buy weekend food to bring to Rachel and since it will be Keith’s turn first in the restroom I decided to tag along with them to catch my first glimpse of Salcedo market and boy it surely did not disappoint! It was indeed a shoppers paradise, a foodie’s haven, all rolled into one. The only problem was – I didn’t have any money with me to shop!!! Waaaaah! So I just feasted my eyes and of course, took pictures…

There were pretty colored baskets...and boxes!















Lots of cooked food – you name it…they probably have it - from the regular Filipino fare to the exotic ones from different countries. . (You can find Japanese food, Ilocos empanada, different kinds of puto and kakanin, Pad Thai…even Cebu lechon!)






































There were also lots of fresh fruits and vegetables…





















...and even plants and potted herbs...there was even wheat grass for the health buff!


















They also had wines…honey …and my favorite – brewed coffee! Too bad there was no free taste…sayang! Well, maybe next time when I return I would have money to truly shop what I want to my hearts’ desire!

Yakult Fun Run @ CCP complex

Keith and I were left behind (by the others who went home to BP) for a reason - a very healthy and apt reason for both of us. Healthy because we have decided to join the Yakult Fun Run at the CCP complex! And apt because it’s high time that we both get some exercise after all we’re both getting quite fat already. So when April asked me about two weeks ago if I wanted to join I immediately asked my son Keith and when he affirmed I gave money for our registration fee (even if it’s out of my budget already… it is after all for a good cause!) In fact, I even did a practice run last Friday at the UP Oval, which is about 2.2 kilometers so when I started my run at CP Garcia, I guess my 3K was already covered.

So on D-day, my son and I left early at 4am to meet up with April and her sister, Pinky at their house. We traveled by car to Manila and got to the CCP complex early. Our only problem was that we could not enter the complex since there many roads being re-routed (possibly because of the race) but we found out later that there were in fact two races being conducted – the other one says Manileño in its singlet and has almost the same route as ours – only thing was that theirs climbs over the flyover – tough luck huh! So we had no choice but to park someplace far and walked to the venue na lang. We reached it a few minutes before 6 am but it turns out that the 10K and 5K races started already at 5:30 and 5:45 so what we joined in already was the 3K run.

But it was OK coz there were distinctions naman between 3K, 5K and 10K runners so we’d have no problem finding our group even if they already ran ahead of us…we’ll just catch up. However, I don’t think we ever did catch up because we took our own leisurely pace – sometimes running, most of the time walking. I guess what’s important is that we all had a good sweat and we all had fun! I think only Keith didn’t have fun because he was lagging way behind all of us and I only found out later that it was because he had a stomach cramp – maybe because of the sandwiches he ate in the car – well, at least now we know that next time we shouldn’t eat before the race…serves him right for being so greedy! So even if we only got a single yakult as a freebie when we finished the race, I can still say it was truly a very worthy adventure for our first ever fun run!




*** By the way thanks to Mr. Garing for the photo! ***

Buffet Breakfast @ Fishy All the Way (Libis)

Okay, okay I know this may be truly sinful but we couldn’t help ourselves!?!? We just had to eat breakfast buffet after running at the Yakult Fun Run for a whopping cheap price of PhP 150 per head but I promise this would be our last time to do this! (Hehehe) Because I know it truly defeats the purpose of running if you just eat to your hearts content at a buffet breakfast like the truly sumptuous breakfast spread that they have at Fishy All the Way at Libis.

I started my breakfast with an appetizer – waffles and a little lugaw - just a bit so as not to excite my tummy because indeed with the numerous choices available, one would be truly overwhelmed! Then, I followed it with my main course for the breakfast – pancit palabok (instead of fried rice), omelet (though not the make what you want kind) hotdogs, salami, beef tapa, lumpiang shanghai, and spicy sardines. There was even chicken adobo, ham, longganisa, noodles, etc (which I didn’t try anymore). Finally, I had some desserts – more waffles (with either apples or bananas / choco or maple syrup – or even everything on top if you want!) and some kakanin (palitaw, corn maja, bibingka and fried sweet saba)I guess all the calories that I shed during the one-hour 5K fun run were all for naught eh???? Well, next time after running, we’d stay away from buffet breakfasts! But for just this one time I’m glad that I didn’t hesitate to leave my diet behind and ate at Fishy all the way for it is one truly sulit meal that I would return to again!

Bringing Brownie to the Vet!

Last week, I finally found what I have long been looking for – a vet near our place! You see I have wanted to bring the rabbits for so long to a vet to get treatment for what I suspect is mange (that has been affecting their skin like crazy so that no matter how much I bathe them, they don’t get cured!) It was a small shop, immediately after the rows of metal shops and other repair shops so it was quite unnoticeable so it may not exactly be new but I just didn’t see it. I told the hubby to drive a bit slower so I could get its number and when I called them up, I learned that the vet is available on Saturdays. And so without much prodding and with only a bit of money to spare, I went there with Kit and Myk (coz the hubby and the others went home to the province) with Brownie placed in a box. We rode the jeep going there and expectedly when we took Brownie out, he was shivering maybe in fear because of his new surroundings. The doc weighed him up first and then gave him two shots for his mange…ivermectin shots(like what I have been reading in the internet) He was also given some ointment to rub on his wounds (to help hasten its healing) and his nails trimmed. I paid a total of 650 for everything (250 for the shots, 250 for the ointment and 150 for the vet’s consultation fee) He was slated to return after two weeks (April 9) for a follow-up check up, though probably not anymore an injection because often animals get cured after just one shot. I sure hope he would get cured. My only problem now is Whitey because the vet said she can’t be injected while still nursing so I have to wait until the bunnies get weaned before I could bring her to the vet and that would be by the end of April…oh well, at least what matters is that they will hopefully get cured!

Jogging again at the UP Oval

Finally, after a very long time (I think almost a year) I am starting to jog again. Actually, I wanted sana to start last Tuesday pa but we were busy with so much meetings and then the other days were spent preparing for another upcoming meeting so there just wasn’t much time. But today, out of necessity I really decided to put aside everything and start running again. Why is it necessary? Because this coming Sunday will be the Yakult Fun Run and if I don’t do some sort of a warm up like this I don’t think I would be able to run 5 kilometers!!! I guess it helped too that the boss went on halfday today because his daughter is graduating and so I had no difficulty at all going out because I didn’t have to ask permission from anyone.

I left at around 4pm (which turned out to be a mistake because it was too late!) I got to Philcoa at 4:30 and I started walking to the UP oval to warm up…started jogging after CP Garcia Road and got to circle the oval only once because my MP3 player showed that it was already 5pm. So I hurriedly took a jeep to Philcoa and then another to the office but when I arrived it was just 5pm at the office clock, turns out that my MP3 player’s time is advanced pala. Well, that’s too bad, I could have made a half-run more. Anyway, what’s important is that I have started exercising again. I just hope I am able to keep this up even if I am all alone in this endeavor! I know can do this!!!




(BTW, the pic above is not mine…just got it from the internet…thanks to whoever took the shot, sorry I don't remember anymore from what site I got it from)

New pets…and more cute bunny pics!

When the kids went home after our beach trip to Bolinao, Pangasinan they also brought home with them some new pets which they intend to take care and even sell – hermit crabs! One time we saw these tiny things being sold at a stall in SM – for 150 each! The only difference was that those sold at SM had Sponge bob or Spiderman characters painted on the hermit crab’s shells… so, how’s that for over-pricing huh! Kaye and Denise were able to take home so many big hermits and even numerous small ones…their only problem is that they wouldn’t know if the seaweed they brought home would be enough to feed the hermits and if it runs out…what more could they use to feed them???











Meanwhile, here are more pics of the baby bunnies at 16 days…they are definitely getting much cuter now since they have more hair and are truly quite playful! But we’re still afraid to touch them still although we did take out one of them and took it inside the house to play with.

Kaye’s recognition day

I went on leave today to attend a very important occasion – my daughter’s recognition day at Village Montessori school. I am happy because every year, her rank keeps getting higher. Last year she was ranked ninth so she was Sixth honorable mention. This year, however, she not only ranked eighth and got a Fifth honorable mention medal, she also got a best in Math award for topping their Math Quiz Bee!!! I am so proud of you baby! Keep it up and I hope you do even better next year!

First summer salvo @ Bolinao, Pangasinan

Today, we embarked on our first summer outing of the year – courtesy of Ate Ne and her sisters who wanted to take their Inang for a birthday treat to the beach. Finally, after so many tries, we would finally be able to go to Bolinao – what some consider also a good beach in Pangasinan…well, the beach was good but totally over-rated like Pagudpud and not at all what I expected it to be!

We started the day early at 2:30 a.m. because I had to heat water for Kaye’s bath and cook breakfast of hotdogs and sinangag for them. But Kaye and I didn’t have time to eat na, only Jun and Kit ate while we took our bath. They took their bath na kasi already last night so they just washed up a bit this morning before dressing up to leave. Before 4 am we were at Inang’s house to wait for Ate Ne before we could proceed to Tigbe for her Ate’s house. After that, off we went na to NLEX though we made a short side trip muna to Baliuag to drop off Inang’s lona via a meet-up at the Shell Station along the highway.

We traveled six hours non-stop with only a toilet break at Camiling, Tarlac and then got waylaid by traffic at Alaminos, Pangasinan due to their fiesta. Then we got lost a bit pa because Jun made the wrong turn and ended up at Hundred Islands. After a bit more of searching, we finally reached the rest house that April found online (via Sulit) and had our first glimpse of the beaches of Bolinao.





It was already 11 am by then, and so we first had lunch / breakfast then rested a bit before setting off to explore the rest of Bolinao first because it was still too hot to hit the beach. We first visited the Bolinao lighthouse to have some picture-taking and enjoy the view / panorama of Bolinao. Afterwards, we visited ‘Enchanted’, an underground cave where they say some scenes of Marian Rivera’s fantaserye ‘Dyesebel’ were shot. Just too bad that we weren’t able to bring any swim wear because the cave we descended into was quite cool and after the hot weather upstairs, it was very enticing indeed to take a dip in its natural pools. So that was why the lady/caretaker upstairs doubted our statements that we would just look at the caves and not swim…for true enough the kids couldn’t help themselves and even sans swimwear went ahead took a dip. So we had to pay an additional PhP 20 per person who emerged wet from the cave since the day entrance was only Php 30 while swimming entailed a fee of PhP 50. Nice gimmick huh!




After the kids had their fill of swimming ala Dyesebel, we all returned to the resort. Expectedly, the kids headed straight to the beach and so despite the heat (it was still around 3pm by then) I just let them be. Meanwhile, Jun and I took a nap for a while after I saw that even Ate Ne and April were sleeping. An hour later, we were on our way to Bolinao market to buy some fish to cook for our dinner. After buying both fresh and dried fish and some fresh fruits for our dessert, we returned to the resort and were just in time to catch the sunset.








We took a short dip in the sea (because it was already quite cold after the sun has set) then took our baths while Jun, April and Arnold grilled the fish, pork and hotdogs…only problem was the hotdogs seemed to be flying and disappearing all at once so they were unable to even fill a plate! (hehehe) After our hearty dinner, we retired to our room and I was planning to just close my eyes a bit and then go out to join them in the bonfire but I ended up sleeping through the night already…



The next morning we awoke bright and early and found that the oldies already went off to church and to market to buy again some fish and shrimps to take home. So after eating breakfast, we once again swam in the cool waters of Bolinao. The water was very calm and inviting just like a large wading pool that’s perfect for kids but not so much for big kids and real swimmers like Keith and Jun. What’s more, the first few yards were filled with so much corals so you have to go a bit further to catch some wave near the breakwater. The kids though had their fun even swimming near the shore and they also spent some time catching hermit crabs both big and small which they intend to take home as pets.



By 11, we all took our baths and got ready to leave. We ate our lunch at Mang Inasal at Hacienda Luisita, passing by Tigbe to drop off Ate Ne’s sister with their families before going home to San Jose…in all truly a great way to start off our summer vacation!

KITCHEN MISADVENTURE SERIES 23: Corn Maja

Today, I cooked another of my kids’ fave desserts – one that’s so easy to make too – corn maja! But mind you I was not able to make this dessert so easily at first! I went through so many trials trying to find out which recipe would work best and after so many tries – wherein my family suffered through a ‘soft’ maja, a watery maja and worse maja that tasted slightly of luya (because I used powdered gata and little did I know that the packet I chose had ‘ginger’ flavor to be used in gata gulay recipes) hehehe! And so after so many hits and misses here’s one recipe that truly worked for me…my only complaint was that the recipe used too small quantities so I ended up with only a half-inch high of corn maja on my 9x5 rectangular container. So next time, I will just double the ingredients so they’ll have more maja to eat! Here’s the recipe although I already forgot where I got it from.

2/3 c cornstarch
2/3 c sugar
1 can sweet corn
2 c coconut milk (powdered or fresh)
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

You just mix everything together (except the butter) and let it boil in a saucepan. Continue stirring until the mixture starts to thicken and then you turn off the fire. Transfer the mixture in a rectangular container whose sides and bottom have been buttered. Cool and chill until it sets.

MORE BABY BUNNY PICS

Today, I cleaned out again the rabbits cages and since I had no other place left to put them in, I just left them inside their cages while I cleaned one and then the other. What I did take out were the baby bunnies because I was afraid to get them wet and so I placed them on the floor of our garage while I cleaned out the cages. Anyway, there is no danger yet that they may wander about and get out since at seven days they still cannot open their eyes yet and move about as much as they want. So instead, my daughter looked over them (though she was still quite afraid to touch them!) and took pictures of them still sleeping in their box/nest...here are the pics she took.

KIDNEY STONE SCREENING

This morning the office scheduled a kidney stone seminar and screening for its employees and knowing that I once had trouble with my kidneys, I gladly attended the seminar to learn more about it and how to prevent it. The lecturer, a doctor, gave a good briefing – he enumerated very well the food that people with kidney problems must avoid and he gave us tips on how to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones. One statement of his, however, alarmed me – he said that once a stoner always a stoner so there is danger that my stones would keep on recurring if I don’t watch out and true enough after the seminar and it was time for the tests – the results proved positive for me, I had a stone - .04 cm in size on my right kidney. So I guess the treatment I had before did not really flush out everything. But what’s worse is that Jun had it too…the same size and the same right kidney. So I guess that now we really need to watch our food intake together! Otherwise, we’d both end up having difficulty peeing or worse, having our kidneys taken out with an ultra-expensive operation!!! Anyway, the doctor did not altogether ban any kind of food, what he emphasized was to eat certain foods in moderation since they do have a tendency to form stones faster (like calcium rich and uric rich foods) AND THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT TO ME --- DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!! The size of our stones is not really much reason for us to be alarmed…I guess it just gives us a wake-up call to every once in a while watch carefully what we eat.

BABY BUNNIES!

Last night, as we were eating (my birthday) dinner Kaye suddenly came in the house asking about the presence of cotton balls inside Whitey’s cage!?! I immediately stood up, went outside and saw her pulling hair from her tummy and knew--- she’s in labor! After our dinner, I set about fixing her nesting box, Jun already made the wooden box about a month ago, but I procrastinated with buying/looking for hay or straw for the nest itself. Instead, Kaye and I shredded newspapers and placed the box inside her cage and waited. She kept on digging and digging her way under the box and I knew she was agitated – maybe its because she felt a bit of pain… all night I waited with her but she showed no sign at all of giving birth. She just kept digging inside the box and pulling hair from her shoulders and her chest which she would add to the newspapers already inside the nest. I decided to sleep at 12 and set my alarm at 2 am then when I came down – lo and behold! I saw four cute bunnies in the nest while one lay forlorn beside Whitey outside her cage! So I immediately carried the tiny one and laid him/her inside the nest alongside the others. I was so excited but I very well couldn’t wake anybody else because they were all sleeping and so I just decided to take pics of the newly-born rabbits and hoped they would all survive and grow up to be cute little bunnies!

KITCHEN MISADVENTURE SERIES 22: ORANGE GLAZED PORKCHOPS

This next meal was again based on Connie Veneracion/Sassy’s Orange and Honey Glazed Porkchops (check out her blog for the recipe)Again this was another hit meal for the kiddos! My only problem with the dish I made is that the porkchops were still not tender enough (maybe it’s the kind of meat that I bought) or it could be that my decision not to let all the liquid dry up since my kids want to have a bit of sauce to spoon over their rice did not help matters any. Furthermore, next time I would follow Connie and use real oranges next time and not the ponkan variety so that the sauce would have that natural orange tang instead of being sweet…oh well, it still tasted good but I would do better the next time.

KITCHEN MISADVENTURE SERIES 21: CHICKEN A LA KING

This could very well be my most favorite comfort food in the world – chicken a la king. I used to cook this often for my family when I was still living with my parents in our family home and I still recall that even back then my family loved it – who would go wrong with anything that has milk/cream and of course, lots of cheese!!!This is why I am glad that my kids and the hubby loved this too! I do not remember anymore where I got this recipe but the one I browsed from Connie Veneracion’s food blog is similar to it I guess the only difference is that I used regular chicken cuts and not chicken fillet. I also added lots of garlic and cheese. So for those who would want more details on the recipe, just check out her blog (at Home Cooking Rocks sorry but I don’t know how to link…)

The good thing about this recipe is that I can pre-boil the chicken the night before so that the next day, I can have less time to spend on cooking and food preparation. Thus, in the morning I just sautéed the chicken in some butter with lots of garlic, pimientos, carrots and mushrooms. Then I melted some butter, slowly added the flour and the chicken broth (reserved from boiling the chicken last night) then the sautéed chicken mixture, milk/cream then finally the cheese! Stir a little and wait for the cheese to melt and the sauce to thicken a bit and voila! Some of it was served for breakfast; the rest went into my elder son’s baon (since he rarely eats breakfast nowadays)