Startin’ A New Life

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.

 Hubby and I went at farmers dampa for dinner. Grabe I really have to work out later, I have eaten a lot. Who would not be tempted to eat sinigang sa miso na sugpo and baked mussel, yummmm. We’ve been to many dampa already and could say na mas reasonable ang prices ng fresh food nila which is very obvious because mura naman talaga sa farmers market.
Our favorite paluto place is the Trinity. I really love their sinigang sa miso. We’ve been to farmers dampa thrice already and I always order sinigang sa miso (tuna belly, twice na and sugpo this evening). Sorry I wasnt able to take pictures masyado akong nag enjoy sa pagkain ko hehehe

Pinigil ko talaga sarili…I really tried na 1 cup of rice lang nag kainin….hay struggle struggle but I did. 1 cup of rice nga lang pero naman, nag didiet nga ko, dapat I should only have light dinner. hay ang hirap hehehe. Oh well…the best I should do na lang is to visit the gym  and burn more calories.

Try nyo rin kumain sa Farmers dampa…promise its okay. Clean ang place and me acoustic pa every friday and saturday evening

Tried ko lang gumawa ng meatballs and spag and hubby love it

A half kilo of ground beef plus chopped ham, add a dashed of salt and pepper. sprinkled with a little flour. Mix mix well. Add 1 beaten egg. Now this is the fun part. With the use of your hands, grab a small part of the mixture and form into balls. It’s up to you what size of the meatball you want. Deep fry in low heat. Low heat para nde masunog at maluto cyempre yung loob ng meat balls

Now for the sauce. Madali lang…the basic. Saute garlic and onions. A pack on del monte italian sauce then add a bottle of UFC banana ketsup. Throw the sliced mushroom. Add the meatballs and simmer. Put a little salt and pepper. Then add the pasta mix well. Served topped with cubed cheese. I love my cheese bigger para mas feel ng tastebud ko. hehehe.

O di ba madali lang

Grabe…sinful pero ang sarap

Yep holiday ngayon so…I have all the time to prepare something special. Asked hubby what he wants for lunch and he answered with cripsy pata…hmmm…sinful sinful pero cge na nga minsan lang naman ito.

You’ll need:

1 pork pata (preferably the front),
1 whole garlic (crushed)
1 whole onion (quartered)
peppercorns
some Salt

Here’s how:

Clean and scrape the skin of the pata with a knife. Use a kitchen torch burn any remaining hair.

Place the pata in a casserole with water. Add the crushed garlic. onions, peppercorn, and salt. Set over high heat and let it boil. skimming off scum as it arises. Lower the heat and simmer again until meat is tender.

Remove the pata from the broth and drain well. I used my turbo and roast the pata. Set the turbo at 250 degree for 1-1/2 hrs or until the rind is golden brown.

Serve with steaming rice and ensaladang talong. Yummm….Tara kain na