Ang aking damit na pangkasal ay gawa sa pilak na tela. Kaya hindi na kailangan ng maraming burloloy o magarang disenyo.

My wedding gown is made of silver cloth. There was no need for too much accessories or intricate design.

FILIPINO ARROZ VALENCIANA

Ingredients:
2 cups rice, cooked
2 cups malagkit (sticky rice), cooked
2 pcs chicken thighs and legs, chopped into small pieces
1/4 kilo pork, sliced into thin strips
1/2 kilo chicken liver and giblets, chopped
4 pcs frankfurters, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup green peas
2 pcs bell peppers (red and green), cut into thin strips
2 small cans of tomato sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp patis
1 tbsp atchuete oil
2 tbsp margarine
salt to taste

For garnishing
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
spring onions chopped

Directions:

1. Flake rice and malagkit with fork while still hot. Set aside.
2. In a deepn pan, saute garlic in atchuete oil. Add onion.

3. Add pork, chicken and giblets. Season with patis, then cover. After 2 minutes, pour in 1/2 cup of water.
4. Cover and simmer until half done.

5. Add frankfurters, pepper, and tomato sauce. Season with salt to taste.
6. Boil for five minutes, then add rice, malagkit, margarin and peas.
7. Mix until well-blended. Reduce heat, then cover.
8. Garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs and chopped spring onions.

Sa lahat ng ayaw ko yung pinagliliban yung pagbuo ng mga furniture na binili namin sa Ikea. Alam nyo naman ang Ikea products puro do-it-yourself. Kung ayaw gawin agad ng asawa, eh di ako ang gumagawa. Okay lang kasi mahilig naman ako magbuo.

Among all the things that I hate is delaying to build the furnitures we buy from Ikea. Well, Ikea is well known for its do-it-yourself products. If my spouse refused to do it right away, I do it myself. I’m alright with it because I love to build things.

Lettuce Wrap

Ingredients:
16 lettuce leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
chili pepper sauce (optional)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons (dark) sesame oil

Directions:

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Isa sa mga minimithi ko ay ang makapagbakasyon. Sa wakas natuloy din. Dito kami pumunta.

One of my wishes is to go on a vacation. Finally, it came true. This is where we went.

Rellenong Bangus (Stuffed Milkfish)

Ingredients:

1 big bangus (milkfish)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion chopped

2 tomatoes, diced

1 egg

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons of cooking oil

ham, finely chopped

raisins

cooked peas

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Scale and remove the intestines of the bangus.
2. With a very sharp knife, slowly remove the meat of the fish from the skin through the opening cavity below the head. Remove the spine by snapping off the bone at the base of the tail and head. Use a long spoon to scrape all the meat from the skin.
3. Marinate the head and skin in lemon juice, soy sauce and pepper.
4. Boil in 1/2 cup of water the bangus meat with some salt for 5 minutes.
5. Sauté the garlic and onions until slightly brown then add the tomatoes and carrots until tender.
6. Add the chopped ham, cooked peas, raisins and the bangus meat to the mixture. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add a beaten egg to the sauté and mix well.
8. Stuff the mixture inside the bangus skin and head. Sew the cavity if needed.
9. Fry in oil until golden brown.
10. slice slightly diagonal (1 1/2 inch thick) and serve.

Ito ang isla ng Boracay noong 1996. Virgin pa ang dalampasigan ng Boracay noon hindi tulad ngayon. Ang hirap pang puntahan ang kabilang dako ng isla kung nasaan ang white sand. Sumakay kami ng tricycle at naglakad ng malayo bago kami nakarating. Medyo maputik pa noon at sinisimulan pa lamang ang pagtayo ng hotel at golf course. Alam ko marami ng pagbabago ngayon sa islang ito. Kelan kaya ulit ako makakapunta dito? Basta ang alam ko hindi na ito tulad ng dati.

This is Boracay Island in 1996. The beach in Boracay is still virgin during this time unlike today. It was hard to get to the other side of the island where the white sand is. We took the tricycle and walked far before we reached our destination. It was a bit muddy at that time and they were still starting to build a hotel and golf course. I know that there’s a lot of changes in this island now. When can I visit this place again? All I know is that it’s not the same as before.

This is how Filipinos do picnic – an abundance of food. You’ll think you’re going to a feast. There’s marinated pork, fish stuffed with diced onions and tomatoes, hotdogs, macaroni salad, roasted chicken and a lot more like this spread.

This was a long weekend in August of last year. Hopefully, we will have another picnic this year with the same group.

Flip style picnic is no fun without food!

Filipino Style Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1 can (17 0z) fruit cocktail, drained

1 bottle (10 oz) sweetened kaong (sugar palm)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 can condensed milk

1 bottle young coconut

1 can (14 oz) pineapple chunks, drained

1 can (14 oz) lychees, drained

1 1/2 cups cubes apples (optional)

Directions:

1. Begin draining the fruit cocktail.

2. Mix the heavy cream and condensed milk.

3. Wash, dry, core, and dice the apples leaving the skin on. Add it into the mixture.
4. Add all ingredients and the fruit cocktail into the mixture being careful not to create extra juices while stirring. Stir only enough to coat the fruits with the cream and milk. (Extra liquid results in lumps and curdling)

5. Ready to serve, but best when chilled for about 30 minutes.

Ang luntiang gulay ay mahalaga sa ating kalusugan.

Green vegetables are good for our health.