Ice Cream that is actually a Starbucks Frap

She actually thought it was ice cream and I let her taste it but somehow she sipped the coffee at the bottom and didnt stop sipping until she finished half of the Mocha Frap grande her Dad ordered.

I didn’t give her mine as it was stronger.

Anyway, we would need to make one of our orders cream-based next time.

If there is one drink in the Philippines one MUST taste if they are new to the country, it needs to be the mango shake. Our mangoes are legendary and countries try to copy its sweetness. They can make their mangoes bigger, smoother (no black spots) but they cannot copy the sweetness and juiciness of ours.

I once wrote in my first blog (it was on livejournal)’s profile:

“I can manage all day without eating I just need to sip mango shakes.’”

Oh Wendy’s!

I love your iced tea! I love your burgers and I love your bacon potatoes.

I love your fries, and I love your salad.

It is a good thing you are now at the nearest mall we have here.

That is me trying to be poetic but not succeeding
Love Wendy’s, I swear they have the best burgers in the country (fast food wise)

I had some me time to kill in Manila when I was there last Friday. It was 3PM and I havent had lunch yet. Instead of going to McDo or Jollibee or KFC for some quick cheap lunch I decided to splurge a little and eat a REAL (delish) meal – I cant eat here when I have the kids with me.

The mango shake in itself was worth paying the bucks I paid for.

Yes, I am quite partial to peanut butter – namely, the Lady’s Choice brand. Make it a “Crispy” and I can eat it with Gardenia Classic Bread everyday. This is my pangtawid gutom every time. Martha seems to have gotten her liking of it from me, except she wants to it by the spoon (the way she eats butter alone. Yes, she loves making papak butter, I cannot stop her from doing it. I can only prevent it so butter is securely hidden in the fridge every time!).

If there is a drug rehab for peanut butter, ketchup and Coke, Id be in those drug rehabilitation centers already!

Before I get back on track starting today.

Ah. You can’t believe how much this made me happy yesterday.
I have a long post to blog about my health and fitness progress and goals. But that would need to wait tomorrow. For now, I would take care of real life to-do’s and get a headstart on getting fit.

It’s been ten years I think since I last ate at this fastfood restaurant.
I honestly believe they have the best burgers among all fastfood restaurants.
And their iced tea is the best How about their baked potatoes? I love ordering those. Among the burgers, I love the BIG Classic the most. I remember they were the ones who started the Bacon Mushroom Melt.

Ah, you can tell Im craving.

I’ve boasted about cooking a few a days ago and have just about now gone about into posting it
This is based on my all-time favorite food - my Mom’s version of spaghetti. She has always cooked it this way until a few months ago when she went with olives and capers (true Italian spaghetti) and well, I dont know what I like more

Ill stick with her old version because it is cheaper though (heehee).

Here it is:

1kg spaghetti
3/4 ground pork
1 can of mushrooms
1 pack all-purpose cream
1 large pack of tomato sauce - dont get the Filipino style or Italian style or whatever style there is out there, just get the tomato sauce (Original)
Worcheister Sauce for seasoning

And your usual onions, garlic and cheese.

Cook spaghetti the usual way (How’s that for instructions eh?! LOL) but add 3/4 of the cream and season with Worcheister sauce. It will give a creamier (hey, that’s why we added cream!) and tangier taste. We usually use Parmesan cheese (if we had it) but if we use cheese, we would use the brand Ques-o.

I can eat it all day. Even for two days.
And have it for merienda the whole week. The problem is, it is usually gone by the end of the day.
Like the day I cooked it.

For the record, my Mom cooked spaghetti with olives and capers last Saturday and I still have leftovers (for breakfast tomorrow).

Im a self-confessed sweet tooth. I have a great weakness to chocolate.

Add caramel and I go weak in the knees.

Add almonds, hazelnuts or just plain nuts and I go ga-ga.

My all time favorite chocolates are Twix, Mars (I dont see this anymore, so sad), Almond Rocha and surprise — Dove Chocolate

Pinoy Version? I love almost every kind of Ricoah and Goya Chocolates. Who doesnt love Chocnut?

I love mangoes and any food that is made out of it.

From mango shakes to mango cream pies to the famous dried mangoes from Cebu, I devour it like there is no tomorrow. It is so apt that they are the national fruit of the Philippines. I try to eat Guimaras mangoes all the time despite warnings from my Mom who claim Id end up being diabetic like my Dad and grandmother (I reason out, Im going to end up being one anyway Id rather enjoy what I eat now - glutton eh?! :D)

Now, here are my cheap fixes for anything mango:
Mango Shake from Fruitas (It’s cheap and economical and tastes good)
Mango Cream Pie from Red Ribbon (Too bad they dont sell it regularly)
Dried Mangoes from R&M

And a little tip: How to slice mangoes!

Lately, I have been craving eggplant. I usually eat it boiled with a little seasoning - like ginger and vinegar. Or I boil it, mash it, mix it up with egg so it can be a patty. It can be such a great and tasty meat extender and replacement.

Right now I want to make Eggplant Lasagna. A friend told me that you would do it the same way as beef lasagna except the eggplants are fried and there are a lot of mushrooms.

I can feel my mouth watering already.

I love tomato-based dishes!!! I can eat them every other day if I can!

I read this about them:

All filipino tomato-based dishes (pork/beef/chicken) have this in common:

Garlic, onion and tomato are sauteed until the onion and tomato are soft and the garlic is brown. Meat is added and sauteed with the rest of the prior ingredients. Enough water is added for the meat to simmer in for an hour (pork chunks), 30 minutes (ground meat), 45 mins-1 hour (chicken) and 2 hours (beef). Tomato sauce is added when the meat is soft enough. Optional addition of the corresponding broth cube is done.

Now we go to the differences, namely, meat cut and accessory ingredients that greatly define the individual personality of the tomato-based dish you’re cooking:

1. Caldereta/Kaldereta (usually beef)

Use big chunks of meat. After the simmering/softening process, liver spread, potato cubes, green peas and bell pepper strips are added, along with black pepper any other seasoning that you desire (fish sauce or salt).

2. Mechado (beef) and Afritada (pork/chicken)

Use large chunks of meat. After the simmering process, add big cubes of potatoes and carrots, and cut up baguio beans along with black pepper any other seasoning that you desire (fish sauce or salt).

3. Menudo (usually pork)

Small pieces of meat are used. After the simmering process, cut-up hotdog/vienna sausage, small pieces of pork liver, raisins, small cubes of potato, bell pepper and carrots are added along with black pepper any other seasoning that you desire (fish sauce or salt)..

4. Picadillo

Ground beef or pork is used. After simmering, add very small chunks of potato and carrot, and raisins along with black pepper any other seasoning that you desire (fish sauce or salt)..

5. Pochero

Use large chunks of meat. After the simmering process, add cut up “saging na saba”/plantains, medium potato chunks and cabbage along with black pepper any other seasoning that you desire (fish sauce or salt)..

Which Filipino doesnt know the big bee mascot called Jollibee and their slogan, “Bida ang Sarap?”

Our whole family loves Jollibee, we only order the ChickenJoy and spaghetti for the kids all the time (plus french fries). When I was still single, Id rather be dead than get caught dining at Jollibee but here I am, eating there almost 80% of the time when we go out!

I was talking to a friend one time and we were sharing our love for food and everything sweet. I was sharing my love for chocolates when I was literally aghast with surprise when she told she has never eater Tim Tams.

Seriously, Tim Tams?!?!??!!

THE Tim Tams?

(and she’s 30 now, by the way)
So sad.

Tim Tams are a chocolate biscuit made by Arnott’s Biscuits, Australia. A Tim Tam is composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate.

According to Arnott’s, around 35 million packs are sold each year – nearly 400 million biscuits, an average of approximately 1.7 packs per Australian.[1] Tim Tams were first put onto the market in 1964.[1] They were named by Ross Arnott, who attended the 1954 Kentucky Derby and decided that the name of the winning horse Tim Tam was perfect for a planned new line of biscuits.[2]

Hmm, seems like there is competition among the two.

I personally like Red Ribbon better, I so love their chocolate cake (because it chocolate caramel fillings) and their banana loaf crunch - I can eat one loaf in one sitting. I also love their Coffee Crumble cake and of course their mango cream pie.

Though Golidlocks has better styles for party cakes, and my kids love their pambaon snacks (Marble cake and ensaymadas).

Adobo is such a staple food in the Pinoy household. It is easy to cook, cheap, and doesnt really spoil easily. If you go to the house, you’d be guaranteed a version of Adobo cooking every week.

We have different favorites: I personaly like Adobo with grated liver, Edil loves Adobo floating in oil and cooked in vinegar, and the kids like it with potatoes and boiled eggs. I also love how my Mom cooks Adobo Chicken with much vinegar and there are adobo flakes as well.

From Lakwatera’s blog:

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 mins - 1 hour
Serves: 8-10 people

2 lbs pork belly, sliced 2 inch cubes
1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons peeled and crushed garlic
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorn
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of brown sugar (adjust according to taste)

4-6 large eggs, hard boiled and halved
2 large potatoes, quartered, rinsed, and submerged in water
1/2 cup peanut oil for frying

Procedure:
Combine all the first group of ingredients (except chicken) bring to a rapid boil then simmer for 20 minutes or until meat is cooked halfway. Add chicken, remove bay leaf and continue simmering for another 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked all the way through and pork is tender. Add water as needed. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Fry potatoes in hot oil until the outside is crisp. Add boiled eggs just before turning the heat off. Transfer to a serving platter and top with fried potatoes. Do not let the potatoes touch the sauce to prevent it from getting soggy.

Serve hot over steam rice.

Pointers:
Heat affects the flavor of pepper. Cracked black pepper looses its flavor as you cook it, so whenever you use it, try to season twice, once before or during cooking and again adjust seasoning before finishing the dish.

Starchy crops tends to darken when exposed to oxygen. To prevent this, rinse well under tap water and submerge in water until ready to cook.

Adding potatoes and eggs to this dish actually extends it, giving you more serving.

I love love love buko pandan, my mother-in-law makes this at every party and it’s so delicious!

From Glo’s blog:

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 3 hrs
Yields: 15-20 people

Ingredients:
2 package unflavored gelatin
3 cups water
1 tbsp. pandan essence
5 drops green food color
1/2 cup sugar

1 bottle of palm seed (kaong)
1 bottle of cooked sago (tapioca pearls)
2 package frozen buko meat (roughly 4 cups)
1/2 tsp. pandan essence
2 small cans Nestle all purpose cream
1 cup half and half or whole milk is fine as well
1 can condensed milk

Procedure:
Defrost buko packages inside your refrigerator.

Dissolve gelatin and sugar in 2 cups water and bring to boil, add remaining 1 cup water. Turn of heat, stir in 1 tbsp of pandan essence and green food. Transfer to a flat container, preferrably a shallow baking sheet to allow quick setting. Make sure your pan is filled only up to around 1? deep. Refrigerate and allow to set for 2 hours. When set, run a small knife along the formed gelatin horizontally and vertically creating 1? dices.

In a large bowl, take cream, milk and condensed milk and 1/2 tsp of pandan essence and whisk all together. Drain liquid and syrup from buko strings, kaong and sago then toss all ingredients.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

COOKING TERMS AND METHODS:
Buko - the flesh of your coconut.
Kaong - or Palm Seeds, are seeds of the Nipah palm (Nypa fruticans). Nipah palms (or atap) are abundant along coastal shores and near rivers and swamps. The seeds or fruits of palms are boiled down in sugar syrup to make it sweet and soft. This is primarily used in desserts and sweet drinks and is enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia, Malaysia, India and the Philippines.
Sago - Tapioca Pearls is an essentially flavourless starchy ingredient, or fecula, produced from treated and dried cassava (manioc) root and used in cooking. It is similar to sago and is commonly used to make a milky pudding similar to rice pudding. Purchased tapioca comprises many small white spheres each about 2 mm in diameter. These are not seeds, but rather reconstituted processed root. The processing concept is akin to the way that wheat is turned into pasta.
Pandan - comes from Screwpine tree. The tree grows to be twenty-six feet high. The leaves are used there like we use vanilla flavoring. This leaf also has medicinal properties. In ancient times, the leaves were used for making house thatching and women’s grass skirts. The fruit heads are approximately eight inches in diameter and looks like a green pineapple.