Reminiscings over a cup of brewed coffee

Thursday, January 17, 2008

UNIQUE GIFTS

The Christmas rush is past - the decors neatly wrapped and tucked away, gifts have all been opened with all the wrappings thrown away... but I would like to make my one last post for Christmas 2007 just to share with you the little things I gave away to friends and co-workers.

You see not everyone is blessed with lots of money to buy pretty gifts and it seems kinda awkward to always be just on the receiving end of gift-giving when Christmas really is all about showing someone how much you have appreciated them all these years.

Thus, in my own little way [and meager government employee budget] I still managed to give away the following little tokens of appreciation:

For little kids, I gave away these little beaded coin purses which takes me about two hours to make.... but since I am only able to do this when I get home from work (usually while I am watching my telenovelas) I am only able to do one each night. Often, when I help my kids with their assignments I don't get the chance to do anything at all. So I was only able to complete about 20 coin purses this Christmas which I was able to give away to cutesy nieces and even daughters of friends.

For teenaged nieces and lady friends, I had a choice between cellphone holders or cosmetic cases made in varying colors. I had to take pains to find out which is their fave color so that I know they would really be able to use the ones I made for them.

The gifts for our bosses I did not really make. Instead, I had my mother-in-law whip out her secret recipe for atsara which I then placed in red bowls, wrapped in sinamay, tied with a red ribbon and voila! A truly delicious and unique gift which they'd hopefully appreciate (well, if they eat atsara, that is!)

Finally, for some friends and co-workers, I baked some muffins and cookies which I then placed in red boxes or in pretty Christmas themed square plates, wrapped in cling paper and tied up with a gold ribbon. The gifts do not really cost me much - only my time, patience and a whole lot of love... just my own little way of showing how much I care...

WALKING

Today, I decided to start walking outside the office compound. I would’ve wanted to walk around inside the compound but I just hate to be at the receiving end of questioning stares and smirks by some people and so I decided to go out of the compound and walked around the office area. It helped a bit that another friend decided to walk with me otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to gather the guts to start exercising again…these are the times when I really miss my life in Camp Crame because there I can always do tae-bo on Tuesdays and Thursdays – no questions asked! No raised eyebrows??? So unlike the crowd here… oh well I guess I just can’t have it all. Anyway, what’s important is that I have started to walk again and in fact, I just recently bought new shoes pa (which were on sale about a week ago!) So I just hope that I TRULY would be able to sustain this and continue my pursuit of wellness coz after all I ain’t getting any younger hehehe…

Monday, January 14, 2008

MY FIRST PDI BREAKTHROUGH

Finally, after about three months of operation, and after three months of sending letters to editors to the different newspaper outfits I finally had my first breakthrough in PDI…well, I have already seen most of my letters published particularly in Malaya and Manila Times but this is the very first time ever that I got one published in PDI…this particular paper kasi is so fussy in choosing which letters to publish so the time I was able to get one published is truly some cause for celebration! Well, this isn’t actually the first one for the office, because I think Joanne already had a first, but this is just the second and I’m just so glad that it came from me!!! HURRAH! HURRAH!

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

KITCHEN (MIS) ADVENTURES [PART 3]

Just being true to my word, huh? well, at least it's still the second week of the year so I guess I have no reason to slack off just yet... Well, last weekend, I started to fulfill another vow I made to myself and my kids - to return to baking!!! And besides, I still have a few friends whom I haven't given gifts for the holidays so I'll just bake some goodies for them, wrap them in special packaging and voila! edible yet special presents for special people, no less! (my other unique gift ideas will be the subject of another blog...)

OATMEAL COOKIES WITH NIPS

I saw this recipe in an on-line site, I guess it was from a chocolate company like Nestle or something like that. What I really like about this cookie is that I am able to feed my little girl fiber-rich oatmeal which she otherwise would not have eaten if it were served in a traditional bowl with hot water, milk and fruits. She thinks it's yucky when oatmeal is served that way but she just adores oatmeal cookies, not knowing they're made from the same stuff she hates so much. I don't really remember the recipe much (even if I have done this for countless times already, I still need to have my recipe card file on hand) so I guess I'll just recount the procedures I followed...

First I creamed the butter using a standard mixer, added sugar (I used moscovado by the way, some say it has less of the artificial stuff found in most white sugars), egg and vanilla. Then, I added the pre-mixed and sifted dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Finally, I added about 3 cups of oatmeal ( a mixture of instant and bran oats to make the cookies chewy). Then, I formed them into balls, placed them about 2 inches apart in lined cookie sheets then my daughter placed some nips onto the cookies and popped them into the oven for 10-15 minutes.

CORN MUFFINS

This one's a recipe I got from sassy at pinoycook.net (you may check her website). What I like

about most of sassy's recipes is that they're very easy to follow and she gives very detailed instructions that even a dimwit in the kitchen like me can easily follow. I won't anymore give details of the recipe... just take my word for it, go visit her site. I'll just post photos of what I did. [BTW, her pics are better than mine coz I think she uses a 10 megapix camera while I only use my celphone's 2 megapix cam, so there!] Anyway, I can assure you, they taste better than how they look... proof of this is the way I almost didn't get to taste them coz my kids ate them as soon as they were out of the oven. Good thing I saved a few to give away to a friend...

BAKED CHICKEN

Well, this is one recipe that didn't really come out right but I promised to post even those that became kitchen disasters so that I would remember not to do them again... You see, I decided to bake something for lunch coz I figured I'm already baking cookies and muffins, why not save myself a little time and just pop something in the oven after I have finished baking sweets. But I didn't have a baked chicken recipe on hand so I decided to use instead a bbq chicken recipe I found from an old newspaper file. I thought it would turn out the same but I was dead wrong! While the chicken was being baked it smelled great! But after about 30 minutes, I began to notice that it wasn't cooking as fast as I wanted it to and when finally I took it out after about 40 minutes, it still wasn't cooked through. So into the fryer it went and we ended up having fried chicken instead... I guess it was wrong for me to place it in an oven-proof baking dish, like what I use when baking fish. Maybe it would have turned out better if I just placed it in the oven's griller and never mind if I had a whole lot of mess to clean up afterwards... anyway, I guess I've learned my lessons well...

Thursday, January 03, 2008

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

I guess everyone has to go through with this... some may think it as a very tedious chore that tradition dictates everyone to do at the start of the year but end up not fulfilling, so they tend to stop doing it altogether. But for me, even if I don't really manage to accomplish all the resolutions that I have made, I guess it helps that I somehow set some goals for myself otherwise I would end up not striving for anything at all... so here goes...

Resolution No. 1 - DIET! DIET! DIET! I've tried doing this [albeit half-heartedly] for the entire year last year but instead of losing weight, I ended up gaining 10 pounds!!! So this year, I intend to really stick to my diet - eat food only in moderation (less rice! no sweets!), drink lots of water and try to put in some exercise, especially during the weekends. I also intend to let my 11-year old son join me in this crusade since he weighs as much as I do (130 lbs) and he's only 11 and not even five feet tall!!!

Resolution No. 2 - Go to mass every Sunday - Last year, I admit to have been a little complacent in my relationship with the Lord thinking that He'll always be there no matter what. But I guess I need to prioritize HIM more in my life especially now that I have so much to be thankful for...

Resolution No. 3 - BLOG more often. Last year was the year I started blogging and admittedly with all the things going on in my life - I guess, I took my writing for granted so now I vow that never again will I let this happen! I hope to be able to blog at least once a week... (especially now that I am allowed to bring the laptop home)

Resolution No. 4 - Spend more quality time with the kids and the hubby (I guess I've been neglecting him, too). If last year was the time I vowed to cook more delicious meals for them more often, this time I still intend to continue that (thanks to sassy! and other new cooking sites I discovered) and also take them out more often - even if for simple picnics at the park or trips to the zoo. This month, I promised to bring them to the science centrum at the Mall of Asia - that would be a good start!

Resolution No. 5 - I need to find a second job... well there are so many things that I have planned to do this year - maybe a trip to Cebu, with a sidetrip to Bohol during the May fiesta or to enter my kids in some English tutorial lessons or ballet - and I can't do all of these without any money so I really need a part-time job, maybe tutoring Koreans through the net - anything at all! Just so I would be able to fulfill all these dreams.

Resolution No. 6 - I also want to refurbish or finish the renovation of our kitchen. You see, last 2005, we had our kitchen extended but our funds ran out and we never really got around to do the finishing touches like the cabinets, tiles and even painting of the walls. We just made do with it coz anyway, we're able to use it as it is. So I guess more money is needed to finally make my dream kitchen become a reality.

Resolution No. 7 - If I can't yet find a second job, I guess I need to rejuvenate my chocolate candy or cookie business so I can earn even a little money on the side and at the same time make sure that I provide healthy snacks for my kids. I hope they would shun junk foods and only eat the baked goodies that I make so they'd remain healthy and fit.

Resolution No. 8 - Continue scrap booking! I know some may think that with the advent of blogging, scrap booking will be a thing of the past but this is not really necessarily so. So I guess I need to dig up my scissors, my colored paper and glue and start scrapping those memories away!

I guess that's just about it... these eight resolutions are already quite hard for me to muster but I'll try to add some more when I think up something new. Wish me luck!!!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

SAVORING COFFEE BREAKS

These past few days have been wet and dreary... although the newspapers do not report a storm, they say the rains are here to stay for the next few days because of the cold front that also signals Christmas is approaching. But instead of lifting up my spirits, the weather has gotten me sort of blue and a little bit depressed...

I guess it also doesn't help that these past few days the headlines, too, have been hogged by depressing news - the latest bribery scandal in Malacanang and the bombing/explosion in Glorietta. So rather than let out my emotions with a scream and contribute to the existing mayhem , I would rather find solace in mundane everyday things - like indulging in a hot cup of brewed coffee and a slice of rich creamy pastry.

There is a coffee shop a spitting distance from our office and it serves great coffee and an array of pastries that are simply to die for...chocolate decadent cake, blueberry cheesecake, choco caramel cake, banana walnut and blueberry muffin. It is perfect for quiet moments alone or when meeting long-lost friends. The past two months, I have met two different sets of friends whom I haven't seen for the longest time - one just came from a one-year stint abroad while the other was simply busy rediscovering herself.

But during moments when I take my coffee breaks alone, I simply indulge in Arabica brewed coffee courtesy of our office coffeemaker and just buy pastries from the corner bakery - I can take my pick - carrot slice, banana bread, cinnamon roll, brownies, or crinkles... my choice of pastry, a cup of steaming hot brewed coffee, and an internet-connected computer - these three things are enough to inspire me to blog and chase my blues away.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

KITCHEN (MIS) ADVENTURES (PART 2)

Most weekends, when I can't decide what to cook I usually settle for a popular Filipino comfort food. It's perfect for a rainy day, or even during days when you just want something hot, steaming and yet quite easy to prepare. It's actually a popular Filipino snack - the type of food that is usually served when visitors are coming or even on special holidays.

CHICKEN SOPAS

As I mentioned, cooking this food is quite easy and the variations are many - you may use the elbow type of pasta or the shell, or twirly kind. I use them all interchangeably, depending on whichever suits my fancy or whichever is available at the village minimart. In one of the photos posted here, I used the pasta which was given as pasalubong by an American relative of my house companion. [she's not considered a maid coz she's my brother's sister and she only cooks and accompanies my kids while we're in the office]. The pasta is actually the straight kind which looks a bit yellowish since it is actually part of a microwave dinner which we decided not to use.

Then, you may also use a variety of panahog - from the usual shredded and pre-boiled chicken, to chopped ham or hotdogs or even corned beef. In the photos below, I think I used shredded chicken and some bits of ham. After sauteing the chicken meat and ham in garlic and onions, add lots of water and drop the pasta shells. When the shells are cooked, usually around ten minutes after the water boils, you may add vegetables - usually shredded carrots and cabbage. Cook for a few minutes more, season with salt and pepper to taste and just before turning off the heat, you may add the milk. It can be evaporated, fresh or even skimmed milk as one friend told me but which I haven't really tried yet.

CHICKEN AND VEGGIES STIR-FRY

Here's another recipe which my kids and hubby liked and yet took only little preparation. I actually used the remaining shredded chicken from the sopas, sauteed it in butter and lots of garlic. Added a small pack of frozen veggie mix (the kind that can be bought in most supermarkets) with green peas, corn and carrots. Then you just add a half pack of cream of mushroom soup mix or any chinese soup mix that you dissolve in about one cup of water. And voila! a chicken and vegetable dish just like the ones you eat in some Chinese resto but without the cost and the hassle.

CHOCO CHIP COOKIES

This is another of my kids' favorites and one which I actually learned last year pa - since I remembered giving away choco chip cookies last year for Christmas. I almost always cook this on weekends since my kids would often request for something to munch on - while they're watching their favorite TV shows. My daughter even saves some for her baon on Mondays and to give to her teachers.

I have actually forgotten already where this recipe came from, I guess it came from one of the popular sites in the net - what's needed is to mix together dry ingredients - 2 c flour and/or oats, 1/2 tsp each of baking soda and powder plus a pinch of salt. Then, in a mixer beat butter, 1 c brown sugar, an egg and vanilla. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well. Add choco chips, nuts and/or raisins. Form dough into balls and place in cookie sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 15 minutes. Cool before serving or placing in airtight containers.

You must have noticed that I placed flour/oats in the recipe when the original actually called for just flour. This is still a carry-over of my 'Southbeach phase' when I tended to shun all flours, so now I realized I can't take it completely off my diet since I love baking and wheat flour costs so much so I just make do with half-and-half using oats in lieu of flour - truly a healthier alternative which my kids do not even notice.

Friday, October 05, 2007

A RAINY RENDEZVOUS IN BAGUIO

Baguio ... the city of pines... this is the place that forever will conjure up images of foggy mornings, long walks in flower-filled parks, ukay-ukay and cold nights in front of a warm fireplace. Ever since I was in high school, Baguio always held a certain magic for me... it was the place we always go to when we want to escape the blistering summer heat. When my cousin entered the PMA, it was not just summers anymore that we go there but even Christmases when he can't go down to Manila for a vacation because of some minor infraction...

By the time I was in college, my friends and I would even spend our semestral breaks there... (some instance we even told our parents it was a school seminar/workshop just so they'd allow us to go up once again). It even came to the point that I actually considered living and looking for employment there... but it turned out to be just one of the dreams I would not be able to pursue for some reason or another...

Then when I got married, I was only able to go back to Baguio twice - once with my Crame girlfriends and their families and the other with my husband's company outing which was actually just a swim trip to Pangasinan and got extended one more day to go up to Baguio... I still remember being eight months pregnant at that time and having with me only sundresses and sleeveless maternity clothes to wear to the beach so you could imagine the adjustment/ difficulty I had to go through just to spend one cold night in Baguio - but we relented just the same and went up on a whim!

So this time... when I learned that one of my research projects would be bringing me to Baguio I figured I ought to be prepared and bring my whole family with me so they, too, could enjoy the sights and climate that I have come to love ever since I was young. A week before the actual date I already called up possible hotels to stay in... I even searched blogs about Baguio and looked for threads discussing cheap hotels and places to visit.

I already settled on a particular hotel which many bloggers said was quite cheap and near Session Road so it's quite accessible but on the day before we will finally leave I decided to contact someone from my mom's 'old office' to ask if my favorite house in Baguio was available. Alas, she was unable to offer me their 'guesthouse' (since it was super short notice daw!) but she was able to refer me to a better alternative - a place that was really cheap at PhP100 per head per night and yet was very clean and accommodating... (check out the pics...) The room had three single beds which we pushed together to make a king-sized bed and a bathroom with hot water(that's a plus!). The ATF guest house is truly recommended for vacationers on a tight budget...

Outside the room there's a common living area with a television, a common dining area and kitchen where we could cook our meals... how's that for a super tipid holiday!!! So off we went that stormy Saturday morning... the weather bureau said there will be continuous rains but we did not let that small piece of news dampen our spirits as we gleefully hauled our stuff to the nearest Victory Bus station and waited a few minutes before the bus finally left at 1 pm.

After seven or more hours inside a bus, two stop-overs for snacks and toilet breaks in Tarlac and Pangasinan, we arrived in Baguio... surprisingly my 5-year old daughter did not feel bored at all even if she slept for only two hours the entire ride. She merely busied herself listening to the MP3, or watching TV and the torrential rains outside the window... yes, for once PAGASA was correct in its forecast although the rains dwindled a bit as we neared our destination. Still, it was drizzling when we finally reached the pension house and decided to go out for dinner coz it was too late to cook.

The next day, was a Sunday... and wonder of wonders! the sun was out shining!!! My daughter jumped for joy upon waking saying that her prayers have been answered and so after eating a quick breakfast and taking our baths, we all left to visit Mines View Park. The place looked the same, not much different from the last time we were here - the only thing missing were the kids begging for coins to drop over the edge of the mountain although I might say it's one good riddance since it was a dangerous place to beg anyway... And so after the picture taking at the different sites in Mines View (at the viewing deck, my daughter atop a white horse with pink mane, and surrounded by yellow sunflowers), eating corn on the cob and haggling with vendors to buy some leather wallets and silver trinkets... we left Mines View Park.

Next stop was the Mansion house... all those times when I visited Baguio (I've lost count!), I have never seen the inside of this house, we were only allowed to take pictures of the house from the outside and have our pics taken with the mansion in the background... maybe some time when my cousin who now guards the President (yes, he's the one we used to visit in PMA a few years back...) is in Baguio... maybe we can have a guided tour with him... but this time, we'll just pose in front of the house like most tourists do...

After eating strawberry-flavored taho, we walked down some more steps to Wright Park where the kids enjoyed a 30-minute horse ride... suffice it to say, the kids had fun riding a brown mare named Mandarin while my husband and I sat on a nearby bench taking videos and pictures. It was almost 11 when the kids finished their horse ride and so we decided to take our lunch first at Session Road (Greenwich since I forgot to blog search on cheap eats in Baguio). After eating, my husband and the kids left for a bike ride at Burnham Park while I headed off to the market to buy dinner and shop for pasalubong!!!

I bought the usual stuff - ube jam, peanut brittle, lengua de gato, and the usual veggies for salad, also brocolli and ground coffee. I also bought for myself some knitted blouses and would have wanted to vist my old ukay-ukay haunts but by that time, I was already lugging around so many bags that I decided to ignore the urge and stick to my (limited!) budget. When I finished shopping, it was raining once again so I guess the kids had to stop their bike ride, too, and find some place to seek cover from the rains.

We decided to go back home and sleep the afternoon away since the rains still hasn't stopped by then. By the time we got home though, I nor the kids couldn't really sleep so I just prepared the salad to chill in the freezer while the kids went outside to play in the playground near the house (coz the rains also stopped by then) After the dinner preparations, my husband and I decided to take the kids out again since we won't be doing much indoors anyway... we walked down Navy Base road to the Botanical garden where we walked in the park amidst pretty flowers and had pictures taken of new gigantic statues of Igorots. There were also new Igorot houses... or maybe they were already there before but I just did not notice...

After that we went back to Burnham to continue the kids' disrupted bike ride... while they were busy biking, I visited the orchidarium and marveled at the beautiful flowers there. I wanted to buy some flowers but I held back since I have had previous experience with buying plants and flowers from Baguio before which just wilted and dried up after being exposed to the humidity and heat of Manila. Besides we didn't have a car this time so it would be difficult for me commuting for seven hours with flowers on my lap... so I did the next best thing and took pictures instead.

While I was busy engrossed in the orchidarium, it started to rain once again so we had no choice but to go back to the house and spend the rest of the night there. While the chicken adobo was simmering, I paid a short visit to the caretaker of the 'guesthouse' I used to frequent as a teener and gave her a little something to show my appreciation for accommodating my request at such short notice. Our chat was cut short since it was almost dinnertime and I haven't finished cooking our food. I just told her I'd be back to visit her longer the next time I'm in town.

After eating a hearty dinner of vegetable salad and chicken adobo, we rested awhile in the room. I read up a bit and revised some of the questions I would be asking for the interview scheduled tomorrow and then decided to curl up with a good book. It was still to early to sleep so I went out to the common living room and watched TV with the hubby and the kids... after all, we went to Baguio to bond as a family so I might as well spend time with them. It's good that we had the place to ourselves since most of the vacationers who occupied the rooms beside ours left this afternoon for Manila. Even if we were quite noisy as we watched and ate some chips, it was OK since we were not disturbing anyone...

The next day after cooking breakfast for them, I took my youngest daughter with me for the scheduled interview at BCYA near Session Road. It started at around 10 and we were finished in about one hour so we were able to go back to the ATF by 11:30. We ate a quick lunch of Baguio longganisa, sinangag and the remaining salad from last night so that by 12:30, we were on our way to the bus station.

It was just too bad that just before we left was when we decided to venture upstairs and discovered that the entire third floor was a function room equipped for a seminar and one that had a fireplace!!!! We should have seen it last night so that we were able to curl up before a warm fire and exchange scary stories in the dark... like we did when we were young.... well, maybe next time when we get back... coz we surely will go back. My kids truly loved going to Baguio and we all hoped that the next time, we'll be able to borrow a vehicle so we could visit more places that the kids were unable to go to like Camp John Hay and the PMA. Who knows... maybe that next time will come soon enough, and we don't have to wait for another research project to come along...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

NAPOLI'S PIZZA

This isn't really a review... I do not claim to be a food critic - I guess I just want to post photos of what we ate last week when my office mates and I hied off one afternoon to escape from abominable persons in authority and just let off steam. I guess after a week of waiting ... (for nothing!!!) my co-workers and I decided to just go off and eat at this really cool pizza place which is just a short distance from our workplace.

It was a Friday, anyway... and a payday so even if there wasn't really an occasion to celebrate we figured we had enough reason to brood--- in fact, we have been depressed the entire week!!! (or to put it more accurately - an entire year!) So in the end we decided to just stop hoping (for it!) and just celebrate the fact that we can still find a reason to laugh about it and forget (that the promise was ever made) ... that way we won't be so depressed if it doesn't come true (diba???)

The resto was highly recommended - the food even more so - check out the pizza and spaghetti meatballs we had. The pizza we ordered was quite huge and there was just four of us! We even ordered spicy chicken wings and spaghetti so by the time the pizza arrived, I was already quite full... but I still tried the two flavors we had - coz you can split the pizza in half and have two different flavors served at the same time. All I can say was that it was great! The service was great... and the staff was kind enough to take our picture...

Here's hoping we'd be able to go back to this place soon ... and maybe next time we'd really have a reason to celebrate...

Friday, August 10, 2007

MY KITCHEN (MIS) ADVENTURES (PART 1)

I do not consider myself to be a good cook - but I know how to work my way around the kitchen. Since I entered college, I have learned to cook for my siblings since my mom isn't always there to cook for us. Her job responsibilities included frequent travels to different places all over the country and abroad so we are mostly left to fend for ourselves. Then, when she and my dad separated, she still comes to visit once a week to cook up a storm and we are left with a week's supply of food which we just reheat come dinnertime. But during moments when our supply runs out, I remember poring over recipe books and following the procedures step by step until I am able to whip up something that my younger sisters and brother find palatable (well, their plates end up clean...unless, of course they feed it to the dogs when I am not looking)

But I could never be like the cooks I see on tv coz no matter how hard I try, I simply can't seem to memorize the ingredients needed for a dish. Unlike my mom, a typical Kapampangan who can cook without measuring ingredients - I always seem to need a recipe on hand, to make sure I'm doing things right. And what's more, there are even cases when even if I follow the recipe, I still do not manage to cook the same dish and have it turn out the same way.

Which is why, this year I have made it a personal vow to not cook the same dish twice lest my family discover that I am not really a whiz in the kitchen but merely a pretender!!! (ha,ha,ha) No, what I really want is to document a little what I have been doing so that I will know where I went wrong and what went right... Further, I intend to learn more secrets from cooking experts which is why I have started surfing the net more frequently just to find some recipes to cook for my ever-demanding kids.

This is partly the reason why I discovered blogging - once while I was searching for recipes I stumbled on Sassy's pinoy food blog and then I started browsing other blogsites and the rest is history... Thus, I owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Connie Veneracion since it is through her that I am able to discover so many recipes to try and they all come with a step by step guide to make it easier for us kitchen newbies to follow. In addition, it is also through Connie that I discovered the joy of blogging which in turn inspired me to create my own blog. Though mine is not dedicated to cooking (unlike hers!) I still want to post some of my (mis) adventures in the kitchen.

But mind you, I will not be posting recipes here ... maybe I'll just refer you to where I got them. Instead, I will just be putting in some pictures of what I did and descriptions of how I did it... maybe a few tips on what not to do, especially if my meal turned out a disaster... (he,he,he)

So, here's a glimpse of my first kitchen adventure....

TUNA HASH BROWNS

Last year, when I embarked on the Southbeach diet I learned that potatoes are not really good for the body since it has more starch/carbo than the sweet potato. But I love fries and mashed potatoes so when I stopped doing the Southbeach diet... (coz it was a bit too strict for me!) I returned to eating potatoes with a vengeance but I decided to lessen the carb content of what I was eating so I always put half and half of the potato/sweet potato even if the recipe called for potatoes. That way, I will not be sacrificing flavor since the end product will still taste and feel like potatoes and I guess the carb content will also be reduced considerably. (just a guess though, no scientific basis for this yet...)

I saw this recipe in a newspaper, and it seemed quite easy for me since it will not require much cooking - all that is needed is about 3 cups of grated potatoes (in my case I used 1 1/2 cups each of potato and sweet potato or camote), a can of tuna, a pack of tomato sauce, eggs, salt and pepper to taste. You just mix them all together, transfer to a heat-proof or baking dish, top with grated cheese and bake for about 20 - 30 minutes, or until the top turns golden.

Well, I wasn't sure if the finished product was what the recipe actually intended it to be but mine looked like some form of lasagna. My original concept of a hash brown were the flat pancake-like pieces that McDonald's sells during breakfast but mine didn't turn out that way. I guess it was because the hash brown was fried instead of baked so it looked more a lasagna/baked mac to me... nonetheless, my kids and hubby loved it... I guess that's what matters most to me!

BANANA MUFFINS

This is another recipe I got from the newspaper... I just couldn't remember where??? It's the usual recipe for a muffin - You need to mix all the dry ingredients first - flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in the center where you will slowly add the wet ingredients - oil, milk an egg and vanilla. Then you add 2-3 pcs mashed bananas. Stir everything with a wooden spoon and transfer to muffin cups up to 2/3 full and bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes.

Well, the recipe turned out fine and the kids loved the muffins... the sad part though was that the batch I made only filled 1 muffin pan and a small loaf pan so my plans to reserve some for my kids baon went unfulfilled since they all gobbled up the muffin for snacks, while the hubby and me ate some with our afternoon coffee... just perfect!