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!

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!

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!

Baked Green Mussels

This was a fantastic treat after a grueling past week at work.  Thank God for days off!  

-      * 2 kilos of green mussels, boiled cooked,  detach one shell and making the other as its bed.  Discard the ones that remain closed which indicates dead mussels.  Set the detached mussels on a lined baking tray ready for filling

-       *One head garlic, chopped

-       *¼ cup butter

-      * ¼ kl bacon, finely chopped

-       *about ½ cup of thick cream

-       *¼ cup of melting cheese (mozzarella or quick melt)

-       *salt and pepper

-       *dried herbs

-       *parmesan cheese

Melt the butter and sauté the garlic in a small pan, stirring constantly as not to burn the garlic.  Let it cool. 

Once cooled, add in the rest of the ingredients (except the last one)  and scoop the creamed mixture unto each  mussel, covering it well.  Bake at 180 degrees C for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with lemon or orange wedges.  You may add in some chili flakes if you want it a bit smothering hot!  


Makes about 60 to 70 mussels.  Fantastic as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvres.

Seafood Noodles

 -2 teaspoons peanut oil

-250g firm white fish fillets, cubed

-300g medium green prawns, deveined, peeled, tails intact

-a handful of mussels, taken out of shell

-250g sliced squid

-250g rice noodles

-250g egg noodles

-1 large brown onion, halved, thinly sliced

-3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated

-2 garlic cloves, crushed

-200g shortcut rindless bacon, chopped

-1 large green capsicum, sliced

-1 large carrot, peeled, sliced

-1 celery stalk, trimmed, thinly sliced

-1 cup shredded cabbage

-1 tablespoon mild curry powder

-1 1/2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauc

-4 green onions, thinly sliced

      Heat half the oil in a wok over high heat. Cook mussels in 2 cups of water (do not discard the water), fish and prawns for 2 to 3 minutes or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.

      Meanwhile, place rice noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Separate noodles with a fork. Drain. Rinse under cold water.

      Heat remaining oil in wok. Add brown onion, ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add bacon, capsicum, carrot, celery and cabbage. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add curry powder. Stir to coat. Add about 1 cup of the water from the mussels and let it reach boiling point.

      Add the rice noodles, egg noodles (the egg noodles will absorb the remaining liquid), soy sauce and half the green onion to wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Return mussels, fish and prawns to wok. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Add in a tablespoon of corn flour if too liquidy.  Top with remaining green onion. Serve.

Keep warm this winter, folks!

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29) NIV.

If we hit the pause button on our lips and think about these instructions, we can live more harmoniously with our families, friends, co-workers, acquaintances…even strangers who cross our paths. More importantly, our testimony will not be tarnished by the use of careless words. Stop and think about the visual of "concealed lips" before you snap back with a quick response to someone in your "line of fire." Use words that build up, rather than tear down. You never know when your kind words may be life-changing for someone. Choose to sow peace with your words, rather than anger…my lips are concealed.

Sate Babe Recipe

(my version of Bob’s - Bacolod Style)

*Warning:  the measurements of ingredients specified herein are just estimates as I don’t  usually measure when I cook.  Please season to your taste.

-       1 kilo pork, preferably belly, sliced into, rectangular ½ inch thick (pork chops is viable too)

-       1 cup “creamy peanut” butter

-       3-4 heaping full spoons of brown sugar (add a bit more according to your taste)

-       ¼ cup of barbeque sauce (I used MasterFood)

-       ¼ cup of apple cidar of brown malt vinegar (Del Monte Vinegar is also a good choice)

-       5 tbsps of soy sauce

    5 cloves garlic, chopped

-       3 Tbsp of prepared mustard

-       3 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

-       ginger, thinly sliced

-       salt and crushed pepper to taste

Mix all together the ingredients and marinate the pork overnight.  Set aside in the fridge. 

(You will need at least 2 hot plates for this or a large skillet)

Heat up the hot plate.  Fry the pork with a bit of oil (olive or peanut oil.  Lay enough pork (avoid crowding)  on the surface.  MAKE SURE WHEN FRYING THE MEAT, TAP OUT OR SPOON AWAY EXCESS PEANUT SAUCE AS IT WILL EVENTUALLY BURN DURING THE COOKING PROCESS).  Cook the meat on each side at least 8 minutes on medium heat.  Scoop a ladle full of the peanut sauce on the cooked meat just before serving.  Be careful as the sauce may cause splatters.  Season with salt and crushed pepper.

Serve immediately.  Serves 4

All the more “namit” with Atshara and garlic and herbed friend rice.

I dream of Spring!

Windows all closed

Dreary winter, all wet

nippy wind ferociously bold

Leaves me miserably cold.

Where are the tulips,

the golden sunshine?

lovely ladybug that creeps

the scents of roses divine?

The air so blunt

The skies all taunt

Melodious bluebird

Will you sing again?

Oh,  I long for the teasing

colorful sights

Of blooms and buds  of trees

As they develop into leaves

The love watching new life

As the baby birds

and butterflies

And baby creatures

learning, creeping,

crawling, buzzing!

the look of children’s faces

for new sounds,

new beginnings!

A new flame

unfolding, yearning,

hugging, loving.

Hurry dear Spring,

how I so long for thee!

As of now I dream

For you to come swiftly

‘tis the season

that most revives me.

Green Curry

A simple, fast dish but oh so delicious! This spicy Thai-style green curry will warm you up inside and out on cold winter nights. Serves 10. But with my family, this huge dish is gone in one sitting.

Enjoy!

Ings.

Red capsicum, sliced
Green capsicum, sliced
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Chopped garlic, 1 head
Sliced shallots, 1 head
Sliced sweet onion, 1 head
12-14 pcs chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 can coconut cream, 400 gms
1 can thick cream, 400 gms
Palm or brown sugar, 2 tbsps
4-5 tbsps of prepared green curry paste
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Procedure:

Preheat oven at 180 degrees.

On a hot skillet, fry seasoned chicken with VOO until golden brown. Set aside.

With the same skillet, sauté garlic, shallots, onions until transparent. Add in the spices: coriander, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg. Pour in the liquid ings: coconut cream and thick cream. Let it boil for a minute or two (being careful not to overcook the coconut cream as it could curdle). Add in the rest of the vegetables: capsicum, cauliflower, broccoli. Add in the sugar, salt to taste.

Immediately transfer to a deep 13 inch baking dish and bake in the oven, fan forced at 180 degrees for approx. 20 minutes.

Serve hot with steamed Jasmine rice.

He is ever Present

How awesome that we serve a God who never leaves us. He is with us through every good time and every bad time.... every time of blessing and every time of loss. He is with us when we are afraid. He is with us when we are confused. He is always there. Because HE is.

He Himself has said, "I will not in any way fail you or give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I WILL NOT, in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you nor let you down." Heb. 13:5 AMP

Now that is PROMISE that never gets broken.