Startin’ A New Life

It was only last year when I discovered that I love baking. Wherefore I’ve baked a lot lately that brought my tummy a little bigger hehehe (buti na lang I go to the gym). Last month I made banana chocolate round cake, it taste well but it was so tiring to prepare. So I decided to stick to cupcake baking, easier to do and little mess to clean, hehehe.

This afternoon, I made red velvet cupcake. Hubz love it. It was absolutely good. It tastes like yellow cake but with a kiss of chocolate. I’ve posted the recipe here. Just in case you wanted to try, please visit my othe blog. Oh It’s another week again..do have a great week everyone

One comfort food that I like eating is the hotdogs (yeah, yeah..unhealthy indeed). Our fridge wont be complete without these yummies and for me, kaldereta, menudo and the picadillo should have hotdogs in it (para ba kong bata, hehehe). Have you tried the spicy squid and tofu, If you like eating hotdogs, try switching the squid with the hotdogs, Im certain you will love it too.

So this morning, went swimming with hubz, and his in-laws. This red yummies are my request.

Each bite is so heavenly

Beat the heat with this sweet and luscious ice candies

I’m not into eating ice cream. I’d rather drink ice cold water and dunk myself in our big palanggana :). But, these ice candies which I bought from the supermarket for 18php (way cheaper than ice cream, hehehe) one thing that I can’t resist during this kind of hotness.

Aren’t the color summery and refreshing So what flavor do you want. Mine is the grape flavor. Not only soothing it’s yummy too. I can eat 3-4 pieces in one sitting. My bad..not good for the health, hehehe Okay, minsan lang naman di ba (excuse, excuse, hehehe)

I remembered, we have pieces of squid and a block of tofu in our fridge and was not really sure on what to cook that Monday night. Actually, the squid was meant for grilling and the tofu for cooking tokwa’t baboy but decided to make a more exciting dish.I checked our cupboard and there was, a bottle of ketchup, tomato sauce, pepper, chili sauce. I gathered all those ingredients and come up with this dish.

Hubs Verdict….masarap daw

This dish is so easy as 1,2,3…you’ll need

cut and clean squid (I had 3 pieces)
Fried Tofu (squared)
onion
garlic
bell pepper (cut in squares)
ground pepper or chili pepper
some ketchup
some tomato sauce
a can of century tuna chunk (drained)(optional)

What you’ll do…

In hot oil, saute the onions, garlic and bell pepper, add the squid, do not overcook. Pour the tomato sauce and ketchup (add enough according to your taste) simmer for a minute, slide in the fried tofu and tuna chunks. Add the pepper or chili peppers (according to you taste) simmer for a minute. You could also add some sugar to sweeten it a bit. Then it’s done. Easy peasy

To add more thrill, you can serve this using a sizzling plate.

In my previous post, I hold mentioned that will be preparing cupcakes for my niece’ 11th birthday celebration. Her birthday was last March 20, albeit falls on a Maundy Thursday, so my parents decided to do the simple celebration yesterday (Sunday), her mom is a overseas worker by the way.

However I had a bantam fever lasts Black Friday, niece was praying that I get well immediately so I can make her cupcake on the dusk of Saturday. Luckily, I was a bit okay then but still had a bad cough and cold. So I joke Kath that I cant bake for her, then she shed tears. Hehehehe, my bad, making fun of my niece. I told her I was mimicking and I’m about to bake for her. She then smiled and said thank you tita

This was her birhtday cupcakes, strawberry flavored. The cupcakes were soft and yummy, the stawberry frosting smell really good but too sweet for me. I couldn’t hardly eat whole thing. I’m not really into sweet. So next in my project is to look for less sweet frosting.

The piece I can’t consume in one seating.

The cupcakes are nice to look at. So I cant resist taking pictures while it was being lighted by my sister

My Aunt Fhe love the cupcakes. She even asked some pieces to take home.

I so love the weekend. Sino ba naman hindi di ba. One thing I love about the weekend is, hubz and I got the chance to enjoy breakfast together. During the weekdays kasi, he flees the house at around 5:00am, where I’m still sleeping. Its only weekend that we share the table together.

Hubs and I so love longa breakfast meal of MCdo. We have been having this for a month already. Thus I am so dopey to prepare breakfast during Saturday morning since sobrang pagod nga throughout the work week. I just order na lang sa MCdo. But for today, Sunday (we haven’t had this favorite yesterday because we had our swimming nga) I opted to order it this morning. Na miss kasi namen hehehe.

We also had the Big breakfast Meal. Loving this meal too. Too bad, it’s the only breakfast meal mcdo have. The others are already excluded from their breakfast menu meal. Expecting they come up with a different menu shortly baka magsawa kasi kami.

So what did you have for breakfast today.

yes…It’s a Saturday. Time to unwind and be happy. After the tiring week, I deserve some relaxing right. For today, hubz, I and my ever loving in-laws went swimming. Guess what??? I havent forgot hubs swimming pointers, hehehe. Yung nga lang I enjoy it at 3-4 feet lang. Cant go deeper yet, still don’t have the guts but who knows, we might go swimming again and I might try having the glory

and oh, it’s AJ birthday. He’s 10 now. I baked coffee cupcake (which my mother inlaw so loved) and devil food chocolate cupcake both topped with buttercream frosting. I’m so glad they both love my cupcakes. Yebah.

here’s the two flavors I baked. Sorry not yet good in swirling. I’ll practise more

here’s my favorite, coffee cupcake (hubs too love this) promise this is yummy

Hmmmm come to think of it, I have baked 4 flavors already. Done the butter cupcake (lasang puto to, hehehe) Chocolate cupcake (that’s actually 2 kinds, chocolate chip cupcake and devil’s food chocolate cupcake), banana cupcake and my latest coffee cupcake. Hmmm…Im excited to try a new one. Got to do more research pa

I’m so lighthearted. Know why…I went home a little bit early than the usual. Whats the usual ba…hmmmm we have been rendering much overtime lately so…the usual is going home late say 9pm be the earliest. But anyway, as I’ve said I am so merry because, I was able to buy ingredients for my baking stint for Saturday. This is what you call happiness (babaw ba). I am excited already. I shall bake the cuppies tomorrow evening, sana maaga ako makauwi ulit.

here’s the things I bought and those are so cheap ha. I found a cakeshop supplier store near our office as in walking distance lang. So feeling ko, it’s a sign na dapat ko i-continue tong hobby na to. Malay natin, I might own a cupcake shop someday. Hmmmmmm..sarap mangarap hehehe.

I mentioned here that I’m planning to make cupcake for my niece birthday this March. Today, I baked Chocolate Devil’s Food Cupcake topped with Chocolate Buttercream frosting. Niece K had her taste test this afternoon and she surely loved it. The chocolate cake and the butter frosting goes so well. It was just enough, not too sweet as what I wanted it to be. Hubz loved it too. He had two serving of it.

But I guess before baking this for my niece, it’s hubz’ nephew who’s gonna celebrate his birthday this Saturday. He requests me to make refregirated cake but hubs suggested my cupcake instead. Let’s see.

Who wants coffee raise your hand…

if anyone would question that, I will absolutely raise my hand. Yup I am a coffeeholic. I so love coffee that I could not stand the day without sipping a hot cup of brewed coffee. Yes I do love starbucks too, I usually have caffe mocha but I got fed up with it’s sweetness. Early last year, I tried the brewed coffee of country style. I so love their blend. Mild but bold. A sip of their steaming hot coffee makes me merry. Usually what I do, after work, I visit their coffee shop at cubao (buti near our office) and order for a tuna sandwich which I find it so yummy yet healthy (if you love sandwich you’ll love this)or the tiger paw donut(sorry no pics, naubos ko eh)…it’s called that way because it shape like tiger paw (gets nyo, hehehe). Also I love hanging out there because the service crews are really nice and friendly. In fact, on my birthday last month, one crew gave me a box of 12 of tiger paw and apple fritter (another favorite). Touch ako as in. Super sweet naman nila.

Kaso…since I am so busy with work and I go to the gym 3x a week, hindi ko masingit sa sched ko ang pag visit sa CS. Miss ko na ang kape nila

I took a picture one evening while waiting for hubby. We usually meet there after office. The top pic is my cup while I finish eating my tiger paw, then my coffee club card (bottom pic). I always have a free cup or a regular donut when ever I complete one row. I have 4 cards already since I always forgot to bring it with me.

jazz up your morning fried rice. Add a little soy sauce and put a handful of kangkong. Then you’ll have this yummy and healthy treat. I so love this, the taste of the kangkong and soy sauce blend well. Kahit walang ulam solve na hehehe.

Try this one and tell me if you love it.

Im planning to make cupcakes for my niece birthday. For a cute change, I’ll be making cupcakes for her. Im a so excited tita talaga eh to think sa mid March pa ang birthday ni Kath, hehehe.

Kahit na medyo nag bawas ako ng weight, the love for cooking and baking will always be there. For the past weeks, I’ve been mastering the art of baking chocolate muffin and chocolate cupcake.

I have research online for the perfect recipe. I’ve tried a lot recipe kaso there are some ingridients na wala ako. Kasi for me, what so ever yung mga needed ingredients if its not within my reach dito sa house, I’ll omit those.

After trying many times, here is the recipe na for me is perfect. The ingridients are readily available and the procedure is so basic.

What you need:
2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
half cup cocoa powder
half cup chocolate chips
1 tsp. baking powder
2 large egg (beaten)
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
half cup butter (melted)
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large bowl mix the first 5 dry ingridients. In another bowl, mix the beaten egg, sugar, milk, butter and the vanilla. Fold the butter mixture with the flour mixture. Dont over mix.
Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely. Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with your favorite frosting recipe or decorate as you desire.

I’ve unfrosted my cupcake. Hubs and I are not into sweets kasi. Pero the one I gave my niece has it yun nga lang when Im about to take a pic eh naubos na nya, hehehe. “

For the muffin, Next time ko na share, cant perfect it pa eh.

Yan ang partner nung inasal na chicken namin last Sunday. Yummmy nya, mapapalakas talaga ang kain pag me ensaladang talong. Actually kulang pa yan dapat with chopped onions kaso tinamad ako magbalat, hehehhe.

This is very easy, just grilled the eggplant, peeled set aside. Chopped onions and tomatoes. In a plate arrange the peeled eggplant, top it with the chopped onions and tomatoes then add shrimp paste. You could also used green mangoes instead of the eggpant if you like

Try also this, another version of ensaldang talong:
You need:
4-5 pcs eggplants (boiled or grilled then peeled)
tomatoes chopped
onions chopped
crushed garlic
soy sauce (1/4 cup)
vinegar (1/8 cup)
sugar (1tsp)
chili peppers

Mix everything except the eggplant. In a separate bowl put the eggplant. Pour the dressing over the vegetable and toss. Let it stand for 30 minutes.

Dali noh, sarap pa

I prepared chicken inasal for dinner yesterday. Actually 7 pieces yan kaso 2 na lang natira :D. My sister said it was yummy

Tomorrow will be the 10th birthday of my niece and sis asked if I could prepare this again

It’s easy to prepare this. You’ll just need

Chicken thigh or leg part

…for the marinade
ginger
fish sauce
salt
pepper
calamsi juice

…for achuete oil you’ll need:
achuete
butter (I used magnolia lite)

So what I did, I mix all the marinade ingredients and marinate the chix about an hour or much better if you’ll marinate it overnight.

For the baste… in a saucepan heat the butter (you can use cooking oil instead of butter) then put the achuete and heat for a minute, it’s ready when the oil turns orangey.

So when grilling the chicken just baste it with the achuete oil once in a while until the chicken part are done

There..thats so easy right.

Tips on grilling:
Avoid using gas for grilling…the fume of the gas somehow effect the taste of the dish.
You can use your gas stove. Put the grill wire-rack and the charcoal on stove. Heat the charcoal until they became red hot then transfer at the griller.