A Pretty Mug!

This was supposed to be a Christmas gift to myself but I guess, I can't wait 'till Christmas to buy it so, I got it today! I love things with kitschy designs and expectedly, I fell in love with it when I saw it. Isn't she lovely?! :)

Just some of my things with kitschy design.
Hankies...

Umbrella..

Dessert plate...

Dipping Sauce Bowls

About a couple of weeks ago, I received a beautiful little glass bowl as my prize from a give-away (Random Act of Kindness) draw in a group I am in. It was from Stephanie (Smadronia's Adventure). At the start of the draw, she said to write two of our favorite colors. So, the glass bowl is really very personal. It was made for me! Below is the picture. Isn't it pretty!

Anyway, having this bowl made me realized that I actually have a few assorted dipping sauce bowls. When I saw them grouped together, they look like I am collecting them! I bought them all from different thrift stores at different times and they are all really cheap. 10-15 Philippine peso.

Got it! Purple Whistling Kettle!

My 10th wedding anniversary gift to our kitchen, my coveted Purple whistling kettle! Love it! :)

Homemade Cacao Balls!

I harvested some cacao pods from the one cacao tree in our backyard. I love drinking hot choco, especially if it is "tablea" (how we call cacao balls in the Philippines). So, I searched the internet for the process of making it. It was a lot of work and a lot of waiting but well, it is all worth the wait!

The Cacao Pods. Took out the seeds and fermented it for 10 days. Then sun dried them for 3 days.

Roasted nibs. Ready to grind.

Grinded and made into balls!

End product of my first ever homemade cacao balls! "Mayo man ah"! (Good enough! - Ilonggo dialect in the Philippines)

I enjoyed 2 cups already! Tasted like dark chocolate because I only put 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I can say it was a success and I'm happy!

Homemade Crushed Pepper Flakes

Everytime I am in the herbs and spices section at the grocery store, I always wanted to buy pepper flakes. However, it seems a little bit pricey, as most of the dried herbs and spices here in our country. I am trying to cut my grocery shopping and I thought of making my own pepper flakes since I just throw away the seeds from the peppers I use. So, I searched the net for ideas on how to make them and for my first try, I decided to use two whole peppers. I sun dried them and after two days, they were ready to be crushed and grinded. Good thing, hubby bought me a mini coffee bean grinder. It was the first time I used it too!

I am just so happy that my first homemade pepper flakes is successful and I was able to save money! I'm pretty sure I would be making it again in the future.

Too bad I always forget to take the before and after pictures of the things I make. But here is the final product.

A New Drinking Glass!

My happiness is shallow, I must admit! I just can't help to be ecstatic when something new interests me. Well, maybe some people can relate.

I had lunch at McDonalds today and I noticed that the woman before me bought a drinking glass. She seems happy to have it, so when it was my turn and after I made my order, I asked the crew about the glass. She handed me two glasses and told me that's the colors they have left. It was a 2012 London olympics glass partnered by McDonalds and Coca-Cola. Since, the price is reasonable, I decided to buy a Purple color one. I like Purple too anyway!

When I got home, I washed it and used it. Gosh, I don't know but it just felt so refreshing to drink from! The contour of the glass is also nice and the color is great. When there is water, the color really comes out. I think it will be my drinking glass from now on!

Soft Choco Chip Oatmeal Cookie

Yehey!!! My first ever "successfully baked" cookie! This is the third time that I tried baking cookies and finally, I got it right! I over baked the first one and I don't know what happened with the second one (it did not dropped or spread out). I did follow the recipes, but maybe something went wrong with how I mixed the ingredients? Well, this time, I watched the video here over and over and followed it well!

The joy of baking, really!

Last week, I also baked my first pie. A pumpkin pie! It was okay, though my pie crust was not really flaky and I think the filling was a little bit watery. But I'm happy that I now know how to make a crust and bake a pie!

Linking to:

Longganisa Fried Rice

It's frugal Friday today! This time I am featuring my dinner (I'm eating alone) from some left-overs. I have about a cup and a half of steamed rice and two pieces left-over of Longganisa, a Philippine sausage. It's garlic flavor and it is really yummy! I usually save the garlicky oil that it produced to flavor fried rice. So, for this dish, I am copying the Chao Fan fried rice of a local Chinese fastfood. Well, eating alone can also be fun!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup steamed rice (left-over)
2 pcs. Longganisa (Philippine sausage)or Chorizo in Spanish
1 egg, scrambled
2 cloves garlic, minced and browned
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Longganisa oil
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley

How I made it:

1. Crumble one piece of Longganisa. Set aside.
2. Scramble one egg. Then slice it into small cubes. Set aside.
3. Saute steamed rice in minced garlic and Longganisa oil.
4. Add crumbled Longganisa and mix well. Add scrambled egg.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in sesame oil.
6. Slice the other Longganisa into thin slices.
7. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Pork Kaldereta

Kaldereta is one of Philippines most loved dishes. It is my husband's favorite and when he comes home from his work overseas, he requests his brother to cook the dish. I wanted to learn cooking it myself, so I asked and tried it. The feedback is very good and I am so happy!



Ingredients
1 kilo pork
2 pcs. potatoes, large
2 pcs. carrots, large
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 pcs. whole pickles
1 can liver spread, small
1 can evaporated milk, small
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
cooking oil
salt
pepper

Cooking Method
1. Slice pork, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and whole picles into medium size cubes.
2. Heat cooking oil in a casserole and sauté the garlic, onion and the beef. Add water, evaporated milk, tomato sauce and liver spread. Simmer until pork starts to become tender. Add in the potatoes, carrots and pickles.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Continue to simmer until pork and vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens.
5. Serve hot with plain steamed rice.

Linking to the following blog parties:

Measuring Spoon & Cups Holder

I am very new to baking and I feel the need to surround myself with little notes about important details related to it. When I need some measurement conversions, I had to use the conversion application in my phone (I even use it for the timer since my timer broke down). It is really fine though, but sometimes, when I need to check something and my hands have flour or batter, I feel its inconvenience.

I had this measurement conversion printed when I joined a swap in swap-bot and the lady I had to send to love owls. It was cute so I printed one for for myself too.

Now that I need it, I want to hang it by the wall for easy reference. My first plan was to frame it in a wooden frame. I wanted a wood frame so that I can attach some hooks to hang my measuring cups and spoons. Since I don't have that frame on hand and I am practicing frugal living, I searched my recycling stash for something that will make do. And this is what I found. A cheap plywood wall hook and some wooden sticks (from the Desiderata scroll... the one I framed).

I just covered the board with a patterned paper and decoupaged the printed conversion on it for a laminated effect. The piece of cork was once a stand for a picture frame (I had the frame up in the wall so I took off the stand). I also covered the stick with a different paper for emphasis. Then screwed some hooks on it to hold my measuring cups and spoons. I used a wire to hang it. And this is how it turned out!

I also have this small temperature conversion (I really need it!) that I clipped from a food magazine and some stickers with baking theme.

Since the clipping is really small, I just decided to attach it to a scrapbook paper, stick the stickers around it, then brushed the whole thing with a transparent glue. The clip stand has not been used since a long time ago and now it has found its new partner!

Linking this project to:

DIY Decoupaged Coasters

Still in decoupaging mode! This project was also inspired from another blog hopping day (I am so sorry I cannot recall from which blog). I bought this set of wooden coasters for DIY projects. My original plan was to wrap them with different scrapbook papers since I don't have similar designs enough for the four of them. But when I saw this project, I thought it looked better to leave a small portion on each sides blank (like a margin) and I can just use one scrapbook paper for a matching coasters.

Collecting Demitasse

Today, I got the chance to take a picture of my very small - but growing demitasse collection. They used to be my mini cup and saucer collection, until I learned that they are actually called "demitasse".

So, what is a "Demitasse"? According to wikipedia, "a demitasse is a small cup, used to serve Arabic coffee or espresso. In Spanish, it is called a pocillo".

My interest in collecting them started when my mother gave me a set of this mini cup and saucer (the green one). She got it from a neighbor who are having a garage sale. It was so cute. I did used it for tea and it was fun!

The other ones in my collection were bought out from the bargain shelves of different stores. They all came in just one pair. That is why maybe they were in the bargain shelves. I am always at a look out for them in those stores. I really wish to grow this collection!

Baking Adventure Began!

I have been on blogging break for the last three or four months. Months when I have so many things I wanted to blog about, if only I had the time to do so. My husband was home for a short vacation from work, so most of my time was spent chatting with him, doing more household chores and cooking... oh, a lot of cooking!!!

Last July, we bought a new gas oven and I decided to try baking. Something I have always wanted to do. I was so excited!!! I still am! There are still so many recipes I wanted to try. So, my baking adventure began...

Baking is really fun! My first time, I just used a pre-mixed ingredients. It was a butterscotch mix, where you just add fresh eggs and butter, then mix them all together. I was nervous, but it turned out okay. Yay!!!

I wish Talisay (my hometown and where my immediate family are), is just so near! I feel sad that I was and am not able to have my mama, my nieces and everybody back home taste my baked goods. :(

What's the Occasion?

"What's the occasion"?... My niece asked me that question today, when I asked her opinion about the Chicken Teriyake I cooked for lunch. I always love her opinions because she would really rate it with phrases like, "I really really like it", "delicious, but not so so", "you shouldn't have put this and this" or "i don't really like it"!

Anyway, I was surprised with her question. I told her, there's no special occasion today, I just feel like cooking it. I seldom cook, and when I do, they are new recipes that I just wanted to try. That must be why they are so excited when they see me cooking in the kitchen... it makes them feel it is a special day!

My Chicken Cordon Bleu

Today is my husband's birthday and I cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu for lunch. It was my first try in cooking this dish and it was a success!!! I'm so happy! My mom, brother and nieces loved it! I have to wait for my sister's verdict later, as she was a little bit hard to please... jeezzz!



It's really a great feeling if you cooked something special and it's very much appreciated. My husband will surely like it, too bad he's still abroad. He's very excited though and it's gonna be one of the first dishes I'm going to cook for him when he's home. This dish is one of the main courses in our wedding reception. That's why it's special to me. Now, I'm inspired to research, learn and try new recipes!

Kitchen Theme

My recent trip to the mall and visit to the kitchen ware section had me thinking of re-doing my kitchen. My present colors are blue and yellow. I really do not have a theme but it is done in country style. I am thinking of having more reds or maroons this time. I am also thinking of having a theme and I would love cherries!

Playing in the Rain

We had a heavy rain today here in our place. There was a loud thunder and flashy lightnings. I was enjoying my blog hopping when the power went off. With nothing to do anymore, I went outside to check our yard. Then I saw the children in our neighborhood playing and bathing in the rain. They were really enjoying it. I then remember and missed my father. When my sister and brothers were little, our Papa lets us bathe and play in the rain. Sometimes, he would join us. Well, those were the days, but I'm glad I have those memories to cherish with our father. I miss you, Papa!

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Trip from the Bookstore!

Went to several bookstores yesterday looking for a local home decorating magazine where it featured houses from my hometown and the home of my high school classmate. Sad to say, they are not available anymore.

Anyway, as I was browsing some cookbooks at the Booksale, I saw this arts & crafts book with a very low price (not surprising since it's a book sale, some books do happen to get lost!). I know it would be a good book and with it's price, it surely is a good buy. The book is "Crafty Chika's Art de la Soul" by Kathy Cano Murillo. A craftaholic Mexican-American from Phoenix, Arizona.

The other book I bought is Tara Road, a novel by Maeve Binchy. It was priced really cheap, so I didn't think twice in getting it. I cannot tell yet if it's a good one, but I have read quite a few novels by Maeve Binchy and I did liked them. So, I'm pretty sure this one will be worth it.

I will be posting my review after I'm done reading the books in my Reading Matters page.

Fried Okra

I finally made the fried okra recipe. I had it for lunch today! I first heard about it when a high school friend mention it on facebook. I got curious, so I looked it up in the internet. It is such a very simple recipe and yet, it is really good.

I plated it and took a picture...for souvenir =)

Callos and other firsts...

I cooked Callos for lunch today...first time and more of a testing. It's just alright, looks and tastes like Callos!

Today, I bought pork liver and it's also a first time... When I saw it in the market, I suddenly craved for fried pork liver that my mama and grandpa used to cook. My first time also to clean and slice an innard, and it went just fine!

I think, what I still can't really do is clean a live fish or any other seafoods!