Recipe: Chopsuey

One of the common Filipino vegetable dishes is Chopsuey. It is a dish normally made of chicken or pork or seafood cooked with different kinds of vegetables.

Let me share to you the recipe that I found in the net.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kilo shrimp
• 1/2 kilo boneless chicken
• 1/4 kilo chicken liver
• 1 tsp garlic
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 piece cabbage, quartered
• 1 green bell pepper,sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 5 pcs young corn
• 1 shrimp/chicken cubes
• 1 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper

Instructions: 

1. Saute the garlic and onion
2. Add the boneless chicken and saute for 2 minutes
3. Put-in the chicken liver and let cook for 3 minutes more
4. Pour 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and shrimp/chicken cube then sprinkle some salt and pepper.
6. Add the oyster sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
7. Put-in the cauliflower, young corn and cabbage then mix well
8. Add the carrots and bell peppers. Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked
9. Dilute the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water then pour mixture in the pot. Mix well.
10. Serve with smile.

Source:

www.panlasangpinoy.com

Recipe: Sauteed Mung Bean with Spareribs

This is one of my favorite among Filipino Dishes. I feel very proud of myself after cooking and even while cooking it. The moment when you are smelling the dish and convincing yourself that you are on the right track and you are doing it right.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of Mung Bean/Monggo Beans
• 1/2 kilo of Spareribs
• 1/4 kilo of shrimp
• 1 bundle of ampalaya leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 garlic, chopped
• 2 pcs tomato
• Chicharon (optional)
• 1 pc of pork cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp of cooking oil

Instructions:

1. Boil the mung bean for 30 minutes in a casserole
2. Add the spareribs and salt, let it simmer for 15 minutes
3. Heat the cooking oil in a pan
4. Saute garlic and onion
5. Add the tomatoes and shrimp, mix for 3 minutes
6. Transfer the mung bean and spareribs in the pan
7. Add 1 cup of water (or more if neccessary)
8. Add the pork cubes
9. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
10. Add pepper, salt and ampalaya leaves
11. Add more water. Let it boil for 5 more minutes.
12. Add chicharon and mix for 2 minutes.
13. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Source:

www.panlasangpinoy.com

Recipe: Garlic Butter Shrimp

This time I will share the recipe of my Garlic Butter Shrimp with Baby Potatoes. Since I am craving for shrimp and excited to try another dish to cook I have decided to keep asking my friend on how to cook this.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kilo of Shrimp
• 1 pc Onion, chopped
• 1 pc Garlic, chopped
• 3 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 5 Tbsp Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Place the baby potatoes in a boiling water with salt. Let is boil for 15 minutes and put in a bowl.
2. In a separate pan saute garlic and onion with butter for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add Shrimp. Mix it until the color turns orange. Estimate time is 10-15 minutes.
4. Add Oyster Sauce and mix it for 3 minutes.
5. Add the butter (depending on how many butter you want to add)
6. Let the butter melt. 
7. Add the cooked baby potatoes.
8. Mix and after 2 minutes the dish is ready.
9. Serve with smile. 

The recipe was just shared to me by my close friend except from adding the baby potatoes as extenders. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pork Sinigang

It was an ordinary day but happened to be a fulfilling day for me. I tried to cook PORK SINIGANG. I really don't know how to cook, well I can fry but not to cook an entree. Even my frying power seldom fails. Thankful for a lot cooking sites out there.

I choose pork sinigang because I want something with a soup. So here is my ingredients and my simple instructions. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Kilo of Pork (too much for 1 meal)
• 1 Onion (Sliced)
• 4 Tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 Radish (Labanos)
• 2 Bundle of String Beans (Sitaw)
• 2 Bundle of Kangkong Leaves
• 1 pc of Taro (Gabi)
• 1 Bundle of Okra
• 3 pcs of Green Chili Pepper
• 1 pc of Sinigang Mix

Instuctions:

1. In a large pot with water boil the pork with salt, onion and tomatoes. Estimated time is 45 mins until the pork is tender.  
2. Once pork is tender, add taro, radish, okra and green chili.
3. Add sinigang mix and let it simmer.
4. After 10-15 minutes. Add string beans, kangkong leaves and water. Add salt if needed.
5. Wait for 10 minutes, mix and it's ready.
6. Serve with rice. Enjoy!

Source: 

http://myfilipinorecipes.com/ 

http://panlasangpinoy.com/

Baguio City: Again and Again

Since Sept 1^st is a US Holiday and I can’t just stay at home doing nothing I tried to convince my friends to go somewhere we can relax. We agreed for Baguio City. At first the plan was to use a personal car but end up commuting due to one android application says there’s a storm in Baguio. (crazy app...)

There are several bus terminals in Cubao that offers hourly trip to Baguio City. We choose Victory Liner since we are already comfortable with their service. (Fare: Php 450)

August 30, 2014 (Saturday)

10:30PM 

Departure from Cubao (travel time is 5-6 hours)

August 31, 2014 (Sunday)

04:30AM

Arrived at Baguio City. We stand by at 7eleven store in front of the terminal to grab a coffee and snacks while I plan for our itinerary and because it is still dark.

06:00-07:00AM

We attended mass at Baguio Cathedral. It's been always a good start to pray, thank and ask guidance from above. 

Baguio Cathedral by morning

07:00-09:00AM

We had breakfast at Café by the Ruins. The food was good but not exceptional. It is quite pricey but the ambiance was very nice. It’s a breakfast-in-the-garden style.

Cafe by the Ruins exterior.

Sagada Rice from Cafe by the Ruins.

The very artistic Menu of Cafe by the Ruins.

09:00-10:30AM

Since we don’t have reservation we inquired to different hotels/lodging nearby. And thanks for Agoda.com for being very informative. We selected Holiday Park Hotel, just a walking distance from Burnham Park and Café by the Ruins. What was amazing is that they have UNLIMITED BREWED COFFEE which really captures my attention. The room is spacious and very homey. They also offer promos with complimentary breakfast.

Holiday Park Hotel: Deluxe Double Room for Php 1,500/night

11:00-01:00PM

We took a cab to BenCab Museum. There was a road construction on-going that time so our travel time is approximately 20-30mins.

BenCab Museum exterior design.

The BenCab Museum is a project of the BenCab Art Foundation, a non-stock organization that supports activities related to the arts and environment.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tuesdays to Sundays 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
(last entry at 5:30 pm). Closed on Mondays, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Admission to the Museum:

General: PHP 100.00
Students and senior citizens with valid ID: PHP 80.00
Special rates for student groups with prior arrangement.

TRANSPORTATION ACCESS

Car: 15-minute drive from Baguio City center.
Public transport: Jeep to Asin from jeepney terminal near Baguio market.

Source: http://www.bencabmuseum.org/ 

Bencab Museum Guide. Entrance Fee is 100 Php.

Collection of Anito in the wall from ground to second floor.

The pair that captures my attention.

Outside view from the deck of Bencab Museum. This is open for guests.

Going back to the town proper from Bencab Museum is not easy, cab seldom pass through the street so we need to walk for about 5mins to the jeep terminal going to Burnham Park. We waited in the jeep for 15mins and it was so hot and we are both hungry.

01:00-2:00PM

From Burnham Park, we took a cab to 50’s Diner. The first branch was full and there is a long queue outside good thing our taxi driver suggested the other branch. Luckily, it was also full but there’s no long queue. The waitress asked our order in advance for them to prepare the food. After 5-10mins of waiting we had our space and the food was served just in time. 

Just half of the Menu

50's Diner's Shrimp and Fries with Strawberry Milkshake

Saw a customer ordered this and we just copied. The presentation is as good as its taste.

50's Diner exterior.

02:30PM

Back to hotel and sleep.

08:00PM

Woke up and prepare to go outside for dinner. We walked to Burnham Park and saw an “Ukay-Ukay” and checked what’s there for us. The whole street was almost covered by the sellers. There are lots of items like Bags, jackets, shirts, bed sheets, shoes, etc. in a very low price. Though we are not in the mood to buy, we only bought bracelets for less than 100Php.

Ukay Ukay near Burnham Park

09:30-11:00PM

As planned, we had Pizza and Pasta for dinner. We ate at Pizza Volante along Session Road. I saw good reviews in the net and suggested it to my friends. 

It has 2 floors and the interior is kinda old but still good. Be ready to wait for couple of minutes because the restaurant is usually crowded.

We ordered Seafood Pasta, Four-Cheese Pizza and Sardines Pizza. They are all tasted good specially the Seafood Pasta.(if only we can order another plate)

Counter at the first floor of  Pizza Volante

The exterior signage of Pizza Volante Restaurant.

Dinner: Seafood Pasta, Four-Cheese Pizza and Sardines Pizza.

11:30PM

Back to the hotel and sleep… again. 

September 01, 2014 (Monday)

06:30AM

This is our last day in Baguio so we woke up early. We had complimentary breakfast.

07:30AM

Took a Jeep to Camp John Hay (my first time there). We strolled and just enjoyed the forks-like-sceneries. (we have a twilight fan here...)

They also have has Tree Top Adventure that was featured in different TV shows. BPO Offices and american food chains also branched out there.

Camp John Hay

08:30AM

Next in the list is Mines View Park. I visited the place for three times already and it was very different from my last visit. Construction is on-going; they placed a smooth-path from the road to the viewing deck. The view didn’t change of course, it was still lovely and overwhelming.

Mines View Park

The viewing deck of Mines View Park.

Outside Mines View Park there are lots of stores that sell pasalubong in a cheap price. They have Peanut Brittle, Lenggua de gato, chocolate flakes, cringkles in three flavors and souvenirs. We bought a lot for family and friends for a reasonable amount.

09:00AM

Then we walked to Good Shepherd to buy their famous Ube Jam. They sell limited number per customer and that time big jars are out of stock.

10:30-11:00AM

Back to Hotel and pack our things. We had lunch at the restaurant in the center of Burnham Park so we can just sleep and relax in the bus.

Me at the counter of Holiday Park Hotel.

11:30AM

Departure from Baguio City to Manila.

It was an overall great travel. Every time I visit the City of Pines with new places to visit and food to try it always excites me. What I also like there is the honesty of the taxi drivers by giving you the exact change as well as the flat rate is at 35 pesos only. The weather and the surroundings are still awesome and very relaxing. I will surely visit this city again and again.

Join Me

I attempted several times creating and managing a blog. I think it is more than three times pushing me writing from scratch, selecting what free blog site and hardest was what name to use. But still I always fail. It is maybe I am not giving enough time for it or because I am afraid I am not ready yet. I may be not confident on how to put things into writing or what style should i use. What I only want is… I want to make it unique. I want it to be different. But it is difficult.

I don’t want to surrender this time. I will again attempt to write and to share.
My purpose is just to share my stories – travel adventures, food trips, life’s challenges, crazy and happy thoughts, random celebrations and simply how i value living and love life.

To start with let me share you quotes that in some point changed my view about life.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, Once is enough”, Mae West

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: IT GOES ON”, Robert Frost

“Life isn’t about finding yourself, Life is about creating yourself”, George Bernard Shaw

So let us keep it moving. Please bear with my style, sentence construction and grammar errors because I don’t have extensive writing training…just making excuses :D

Join me. Let us explore life together.