Monday, August 27, 2012

Our Little Peanut is an Angel



She is our little angel and she does flap her wings-
She is like sunshine, oh so much delight she brings.
She brightens up dreary days with her melodious laughs,
She is such a joy, what such blessing to have.

Her face so sweet, so innocent, so pure.
Some days she can be willful but oftentimes, demure.
She gives the yummiest hugs from morning ‘til night.
Her warm embrace heals, so loving, so tight.

We call her “Little Peanut” as she is such
Her little giggles we hear so sweet, she is loved so much.
She dances so gracefully and swings her hips to and fro
Oh my darling Caila, you’re so adorable, do you know?

She said, “I want to be a nurse, just like you Mum, someday.
I want to help sick people get well, is that okay?”
When she sees someone is sad, it opens up her heart.
She wants to do all that she can, she wants to do her part.

She'll squeeze away the sorrow and make you forget the pain.
She shows you where the sun is when you’re hiding from the rain.
She brings you hydrangeas from the garden, all white, pink, and some blue-
While she holds your hand, so warm to show you the morning dew.

My heavenly Father must love me when HE brought my angel’s face.
I remember I held her in my arms cradled in a fancy little lace
That very moment, I recall when she came into my world,
I knew that she was so much more, in my hands she curled.

Every night she says her prayers and as she goes to sleep
I pray dear Lord, please protect my little angel and always keep.
Annoint her talk, her hands, her dreams and precious wishes too,
And someday let her be the woman that praises and glorifies YOU!

Happy birthday, our Little Peanut, our angel! Love you, love you, LOVE YOU!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Bread Pudding

Before you chuck away the almost expired bread, transform it into a mouthwatering dessert!   This is one that I like of a bread pudding.  Gina, my friend found the recipe  somewhere in cyberspace and when I first tried it, I thought it was amazing.  I have tweaked the ingredients and the technique a bit to present a much custardy-like base.  I tripled the recipe as I had 3 different kinds of bread.  However you can use whatever left-over bread you have in your pantry.



Ings.

- 6 slices of bread (you can use white.  I combined three kinds:  white, raisin and wheat-- it turned out just as yummy)
- 3 tbsps butter (originally, the recipe calls for 2 but to achieve the custard-like consistency, I have added a bit of butter)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cups white sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon or all-spice
- 1 tsp vanilla

Procedure:

1. Slice bread into squares, set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot, set aside and let it cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat in the eggs and add in the rest of the ingredients.  Pour in the sliced bread and mix it well, coating each piece with the egg mixture.  Leave in a bowl covered with a towel for at least 30 minutes.
4.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C.
5.  Pour bread-egg mixture in baking dishes until 1/2 full.
6.  Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown but turning the dish in between the baking process.

Serve with either prepared cream (condensed milk with cream) or prepared vanilla custard.

Enjoy!


Monday, August 6, 2012

Boeuf Bourguignon

T'was my good friends, Bong and Jard's birthday, an opportune time for me to cook the famous Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon from the book, The Art of French Cooking.

I followed it by the book and boy, oh boy!  It was heavenly!



As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavor when reheated. 

Vegetable and Wine Suggestions
Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish. Buttered noodles or steamed rice may be substituted. If you also wish a green vegetable, buttered peas would be your best choice. Serve with the beef a fairly full-bodied, young red wine, such as Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, or Burgundy.


Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients
  • 9- to 10-inch, fireproof casserole dish , 3 inches deep
  • Slotted spoon
  • 6 ounces bacon
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
  • 3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 sliced carrot
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti
  • 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 cloves mashed garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. thyme
  • Crumbled bay leaf
  • Blanched bacon rind
  • 18 to 24 small white onions , brown-braised in stock
  • 1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter
  • Parsley sprigs
Directions
Remove rind from bacon, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.

Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers
very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the melt is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

For immediate serving: Covet the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Copyright © 1961, 1983, 2001 by Alfred A. Knopf. Reprinted by arrangement with the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

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this recipe is dedicated to my good 'ole friends, Bong and Jard!


 Dinner table set up for the special people!


 Three of my commissioned paintings by painter friends in my home country, depicting Philippine culture and practices:  (bottom up) 1. Harana    2.Blessing   3.Mano Po.


 Firstborn CJ with friends, Marco and Grace


 With the De Leon's : Gio, Gina and Jard


 Jard with hubby Bim and secondborn, Jed


 Little Peanut and Sweetie Pie pigging out on the hors dourves


 Just having a good time!


Me and hubby--- the blessed life!

Praise the good Lord!