Project: Eat, Pray, Live.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Microwaved Buttered Fish Fillets

2012-02-25T14:20:00.001+08:00

Project: Eat

Just another ordinary weekend, will visit Rosa again later with the other friends though.

Heat's up today and everyone's lazy... here's a fast-cooking meal that will do the trick. =)

Microwaved Buttered Fish Fillet

Filleted White Lapu-Lapu
(I used this since it doesn't need long cooking time and this literally melts in your mouth!)
Melted Butter
Crushed garlic
Dried Tarragon
Dried Basil
Pepper
Lemon or Calamansi Juice
Sliced Fresh Tomatoes

Heat butter on sauce pan. Cook garlic, add dried Tarragon, Basil Pepper and Calamansi Juice and simmer.
Arrange filleted fish on a shallow microwaveable pan and coat with the butter sauce. Set microwave on medium high and cook fish for 5 minutes.
Garnish with sliced tomatoes and serve.

The Amateur's Kitchen - The CHE Sandwich

2012-02-19T10:33:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat

Breakfast, breakfast! (Oh wait, brunch na pala! Uh oh!)

CHE (Cheese, Ham and Egg) Sandwich

2 Ham Slices
olive oil
dried basil
salt n' pepper
cheddar cheese
scrambled eggs
mayonnaise

Lay ham slices on tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle dried basil, salt and pepper on top. Heat on oven toaster for 5 minutes. Set aside. On the same pan, toast bread with cheddar cheese slices on top. Heat on oven toaster til cheese melts. Take toasts out, layer eggs, mayonnaise and ham on top, then continue toasting. Stack up and serve.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Open Tuna Lasagna

2012-02-17T20:33:00.001+08:00

"Being solitary is being alone well: being alone luxuriously immersed in doings of your own choice, aware of the fullness of your won presence rather than of the absence of others. Because solitude is an achievement."
~ Alice Koller

Project: Eat

I have been alone for the whole day in the office since all finance staff were on field work, and alone at night at home since mom and dad and Kris are in Baguio and Kimmy's on her way home still for her field trip.

Being alone isn't really that a big deal. I have enjoyed this actually on my 2-year stay in San Nicolas and miss these - the freedom, the independence, the adventure.

Now I sit alone watching a forever-crush John Lloyd and Bea movie, updating this blog and divulging on another pasta dish. Aww, these are the times when I wish I have someone to share it with...

Open Tuna Lasagna

Lasagna Sheets
Olive Oil
2 cloves sliced garlic
1 small green bell pepper, julienned
1 can tuna flakes in oil
milk
cream

Garlic Powder
Dried Basil

Salt n' Pepper
the juice of half a lemon
Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Saute garlic and bell pepper. Add in flaked tuna. Gradually add milk and cream and simmer. Season with dried basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and lemon juice.

Arrange cooked pasta on plate and add sauce on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

The V-day gifts

2012-02-15T07:00:00.000+08:00

"Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love." ~ Leo Buscagli

Project: Love (este, Live)

Valentine's day was always just an ordinary day (except for Kimmy's birthday that is), and while most are enjoying the day's romantic theme showering every couple with flowers and sweets and cuddles and cheesy love song dedications and fanciful candle-lit dinner dates, I have spent most Valentine's days celebrating Kimmy's birthday. Haha, the irony, that I have been in the longest relationship but did not have even a single dinner date! Lol!

Nothing's different now. In fact I have spent the whole V-day in the office working my butt off til 8 pm. But the whole day I spent with wide smiles and red cheeks, too inspired for the day!

Sleepyhead has been a constant company for the whole day. Thanks to the handy FB messenger, I never felt alone on V-day for the very first time. As like everyday, whole day conversations make me feel his presence. His gifts might be the simplest and cheesiest of all the cheesy gifts ever given but the thought of giving them alone and the intentions behind them make them the most perfect gifts I have received.

Ain't you one giant cheeseball Sleepyhead? I love cheeseballs though. =)

Of bows and skirts and everything nice

2012-01-23T16:48:00.000+08:00

Project: Live

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

What do we get when the minds of B1 and B2 meet? Binge on food, nonstop kuwentuhan and a gazillion of pictures!

Kat was the last I met when I had my heart broken, and she was the last I met when I had my heart healed. Why were you always the last haha?

Pictures care of Kat, whose blog is http://mypeachdays.blogspot.com/)

Oh, and I so love this GIF picture she made from the burst shots we had with Mr. Tripod...

Kudos to a thirteen-year old "bestfriendship" and more Kat haha!

The Amateur's Kitchen - White Sauce Bacon on Linguine

2012-01-21T21:56:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat and Live

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."

~Bill Watterson

(...As I write this, Papa, as always, visited me in my room and is having chit-chats with me again. I don't know why he keeps on coming here. Ay, distracted na ako. :p )

I so love weekends! The middle-of-the-month weekends that is because the first and last weekends of the month are more often busy at work. These days are the perfect time for long 8-hour and up sleeps (to which sometimes I am very deprived of but most likely love it because I get to talk with my Sleepyhead lol), and do a lot of pointless (nah) home activities I always yearned to do. Extra time at last!

Today's weekend isn't any different. I slept 9 hours, had a brief chat upon waking up with Sleepyhead (whose left palm had a box cutter cut and a staple wire stab at work, very lucky indeed, lol), got out of bed for Brunch, watched TV a little, spontaneously decided to cook pasta again just to update this blog and for snack since these Tres Marias did not eat lunch, had a try on the bendy rollers and sampled my locks with rough curls, and boxed in some of Mama's gazillion corporate clothes stuck in my closet...

Very pointlessly productive! :)

Anyway, here was the attempt on a white sauce based pasta a while ago...

White Sauce Bacon on Linguine

Linguine
Bacon
an onion bulb
cloves of garlic
butter
flour
milk
cream
garlic powder
salt n' pepper
grated cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

On a skillet, cook bacon 'til brown and crispy. Crumble, set aside and save bacon drippings. On the same pan, saute in minced onions and garlic. Add butter to melt, then gradually add flour stirring constantly to make a roux. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until desired smoothness and consistency is achieved. Mix in cream and bacon bits. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Meaty Spinach Lasagna

2012-01-01T10:17:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat and Live

Welcome Year Twenty-Twelve! YaY!

Twenty-Eleven was a real shocking roller coaster ride - scary, exciting, and on a high, and at the end of it I darn enjoyed the ride. Like real-life fairy tales - 2011 began with tears and desperation, and along the way things were patched up, fixed this distressed lass and ended with a happy ever after, the happiest she has ever been. Ah 2011, you have been unfair, but you rewarded me more with countless blessings I will cherish starting today. There is one 2011 gift though that I love the most and an answered prayer I will always be thankful for, that is giving Sleepyhead along the way.

My friend Sandy was all alone at her new apartment in Guangzhou for the holidays so we decided to do this before the new year ticked:

Ay ang gulo but fun! It is always fun doing the countdown with the family and nicest sharing it with closest friends. I got in the Video conferencing at exactly 10:29 pm, a minute before the agreed time haha! Yay, I was not late thank goodness!

Ok anyway, I took a very risky first-time shot on this delicious, mouth-watering Lasagna dish baked at home. Lasagna is one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes, so yeah, why not try this? I couldn't find fresh herbs at the grocery stores and I almost burned this dish as I was busy doing the cake frosting and garnishings for the Chocolate Fudge Cake (don't be deceived, this is instant Cake Mix lol!) we baked earlier...

but thankfully this pasta dish turned out uber perfect with the "purrrrr!"

Meaty Spinach Lasagna

12 Lasagna Sheets
Ground Pork/Beef
Minced Garlic
Minced Onions
Salt n' Pepper
Oil
One large red bell pepper
One large green bell pepper
Tomato Sauce
Dried basil
A bunch of Spinach, chopped
2 cups Cottage Cheese
1 egg
half a cup of butter
half a cup of flour
1 big can full cream milk
Grated Quickmelt Cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Pre-heat oven at 350 F.

Boil ground pork on water and add garlic, onions, salt and pepper for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, reserve stock.

On a pan, saute minced garlic, onion and bell peppers. Add in ground pork. Mix in tomato sauce and some of the reserved stock. Season with salt, pepper and dried basil. Set aside.

On a separate bowl, mix cottage cheese, chopped spinach and egg.

On a sauce pan, start on bechamel sauce by melting butter then whisking in flour, milk and a little of the reserved stock gradually to avoid lumps.

On a rectangular oven-safe pan, arrange dish starting on a little of the meat sauce first, then 3 sheets of lasagna, meat sauce, 3 sheets of lasagna, all of the spinach-cheese mixture, 3 sheets of lasagna, meat sauce, 3 sheets of lasagna, the rest of the meat sauce, all of the bechamel sauce, then grated cheese and sprinkle with dried basil.

Bake on pre-heated oven at 350F for 40 minutes or 'til cheese melts and browns.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Basil-Oregano Pesto on Spaghetti with Seared White River Cobbler Fillets

2011-12-25T17:30:00.002+08:00

Project: Eat

     What do gifts, gatherings, good cheers and lots and lots (and lots) of food mean? Christmas Day! ^.^

     The Eugenios' reunion was uber fun-fun again, this time held at Tita Agnes' house in Lingsat. Games and exchange gifts, crazy antics and Dougie dances, life and love updates (yeah, haha!) and FOOD, are what defines this yearly reunion.

     This is the perfect time of the year where everyone is at a heightened level of gastronomic cravings. And because everyone knows about this amateur's food blog entries, I didn't break free from requests, lol!

     I panicked due to less ingredients and the Eugenios' big bodies, but anyway, here goes nothing!

Basil-Oregano Pesto on Spaghetti with Seared White River Cobbler Fillets

Pasta Spaghetti

half a bulb of garlic, peeled

salt n' pepper 

a handful of basil leaves, chopped for easier grinding

a handful of oregano leaves, chopped for easier grinding

olive oil

grated cheddar or parmesan cheese

ground toasted walnuts

the juice of half a lemon

sliced garlic

diced red bell peppers 

butter 

White River Cobbler, filleted and cut into strips

Cook pasta according to package directions.

For the pesto, start on crushing a few cloves of garlic with salt and pepper on a mortar and pestle. Add in basil and parsley leaves and grind. Sprinkle a dash of olive oil, then add in cheese and walnuts. Continue grinding while adding a dash of lemon juice and olive oil until desired consistency/texture is achieved.

On a pan, heat butter and olive oil. Sear fish 'til browned. Set aside.

On another pan, brown sliced garlic and bell pepper. Add in pesto 'til fragrant. Toss in cooked pasta and mix to coat.

Plate on with the seared fish fillets as sidings. 

On moving on

2011-11-09T00:16:00.000+08:00

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens,
but often we look so long at the closed door
that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."
- Helen Keller

Project: Live.

     I cherish this picture of me and mom taken in January. These were the days when we were at our happiest. No one, not even a glimpse of chance, have foreseen that our wheels would turn 180 degrees and hit rock-bottom darn hard in just a second. All our life we were out conquering the world with heads held high, and then at one moment we two were found lying in bed with the reddest and wettest of eyes, arms held on tightly, gathering up every drop of strength that's left with each other.

     These were the days where plans were envisioned to materialize. They were clear-cut plans, or so I thought. Why didn't it occur to me that plans, like promises, are meant to be broken? 

     Ah, move on. These two words are the easiest to utter yet difficult to ponder on. Somehow there are still questions that remain unanswered. Somehow, the curiosity of knowing these answers remain interesting, puzzling. Somehow, this curiosity is what's keeping this pursuit of happiness in a halt. These answers stay elusive. They stay buried in the deepest - who knows how to dig 'em up? Time will definitely tell, they say. What is with time alone anyway that it tells? Unless someone makes the move to tell, I have the littlest of ideas. 

     I do believe in one thing, that a little goes a long way.

     We have gathered up some fruits of our hard-earned labor converting our little garage into this multipurpose space where we can put up any kind of business necessary:

     Little by little, this too shall pass. If mom and dad had survived it 26 years ago, why wouldn't they now? If mom and dad survived, why wouldn't I? This is one tough smiley daredevil.

     Chances are it may take time. It may take lots of it.

     Mom and I are still on the state of trauma, each with different fears, but supporting each other. I try vanishing her fears by sneaking her out from home once in a while and face the world again as she confidently had. She tries comforting me with motherly words and pieces of advice and makes me feel loved and secured.

       Somehow this personally gives me a different notion of what moving on  is all about. It's not about finding someone to cover up all the hurt  and correcting the mistakes you did to another lover. It's about finding  ones self, fixing ones self first, regaining self-respect, setting  priorities and seeking one's true happiness, and every other thing shall  fall into place. I might have lost myself for seven long years. It is  high time I find this little lost lass and send her back on track. And maybe one day I might realize that the track I left might be the track I might begin with again. I have never lost faith on it yet, but I am open to any other subdivided tracks.

     Oh, and that little multipurpose garage space? Who knows, I might put up my little noshery dream of pastas someday!

The Sky Blue Jacket

2011-11-04T02:06:00.002+08:00

"What a strange power there is in clothing."
~Isaac Bashevis Singer

Project: Live.

     Ah, the power of clothing and colors indeed. 

     I wore Kris' happy-looking Sky Blue jacket off to work right after lunch. The fact that I didn't have enough time to look for my San Miguel jackets resorted me to grab this one as it caught my eye. Every single one at the office had their sight on this... whether it was because of its eye-catching color, the style, the fit, I really don't know. They all did say one thing - I looked "blooming." With one eyebrow raised with question, I LOL-ed very darn much at this considering all the stress and surprises from the previous days.

     Funny how this single simple piece of clothing masked my grays. That's why I started considering wearing vivid-colored garments as opposed to the neutral tones I always had... they uplift my spirits.

     The power of colors and clothing. This is my secret to concealing all the grays. Oh, and I never forget flashing that killer smile (even if it does kill!). 

The Amateur's Kitchen - Honeyed Pesto Penne

2011-10-31T11:49:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat.

     Oh no! No car for the day!

     Somehow this little aquamarine Avanza has been my best friend, and even if I had hurt him a lot of times on his bumper, side doors, rears, breaks, hand break, and the list goes on, it never left me. That feeling of companionship, that feeling of security - this little aquamarine Avanza gave me. I will never break up with him.

     Gah, on another note, I never had the opportunity to enjoy long weekend vacations! It always falls on either the last or first weeks of the month, and since I was in OSB way back in Ilocos and disbursements now in Cordillera, closing's always relied on me. Ah, konting tiis na lang Karen, ipon pa.

     So anyway, for pot lock lunch in the office later, I had this honeyed pesto to the taste-test. I have to clear out the refrigerator from these herbs, and the curiosity of having to add honey for a sweet kick had me going on this.

Honeyed Pesto Penne

Pasta Penne
half a bulb of garlic, peeled
salt n' pepper
a handful of basil leaves, chopped for easier grinding
a handful of parsley leaves, chopped for easier grinding
olive oil
grated cheddar or parmesan cheese
ground toasted cashews
the juice of half a lemon
honey
sliced garlic
chicken nuggets (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions.

For the pesto, start on crushing a few cloves of garlic with salt and pepper on a mortar and pestle. Add in basil and parsley leaves and grind. Sprinkle a dash of olive oil, then add in honey, cheese and walnuts. Continue grinding while adding a dash of lemon juice and olive oil until desired consistency/texture is achieved.

On a pan, heat olive oil. Brown sliced garlic. Add in pesto 'til fragrant. Toss in cooked pasta and mix to coat.

Plate on with chicken nuggets as sidings.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Calamares on Penne with Creamy Hollandaise Sauce

2011-10-23T13:14:00.001+08:00

Project: Eat.

     At last, Audit's done! Results weren't as favorable as I thought it would be as I had one major major finding (careless, yeah.), but yeah, as they say, lesson's learned. One more Files Audit to go on the 25th and we're ready to roll on surfing break!

    Anyway, this morning mom had defrosted some squid at the kitchen counter. I had to ask for some of it and put these little tired hands (from filing) and this new Ixus cam I bought to the test.

Calamares on Penne with Hollandaise Sauce

Penne
Olive Oil
minced garlic
minced onion
shredded Basil leaves
shredded Parsley leaves
Squid, cut into strips
Lemon juice
Garlic powder
salt n' pepper

Hollandaise sauce:
3 egg yolks
cream
melted butter
Lemon juice

     Cook pasta according to package directions. On a pan, heat olive oil. Saute garlic, onions, basil and parsley leaves. Add in squid strips. Sprinkle in lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Toss in pasta to coat.

     On a ceramic bowl (I'm using improvised double broiler for this), stir in 3 egg yolks and cream. Heat a pan filled with an inch of water and bring to a simmer. Put the ceramic bowl with the mixture on the pan. Keep stirring this slowly while gradually adding melted butter to prevent lumps from forming and until a smooth consistent texture has been achieved. Remove from fire and add in lemon juice. Top this on the tossed pasta and garnish with parsley leaves.

Bookmark

2011-10-13T23:38:00.000+08:00

"The air is clean after the rain - just like the heart after the pain."
~ Ate Joan S. Ancheta

 Project: Live.

      Ms. Jo handed me this Taurus bookmark gift in the office on my birthday last May. After 6 months, as I flipped it over the very first time, later did I find that she had scribbled these short, inspiring words... flashbacks, and then a drop of tear fell.

      Six months ago, seven so to speak, it was as if my whole world had crashed - where I'd rather have myself buried in its deepest darkest trenches and shun every possibility of any saving act than see the lucid harsh realities of life. Every waking day was torture, every working day was tear-filled. 
 
      Every decision was darn hard heartbreaking.

      Somehow, though, saving is inevitable. With one hand that left, a hundredfold outstretched theirs. With every pull from that dark abyss is a beam of light and a glimmer of hope that someday, if not the soonest, I may find clarity and accept a fate I once dreaded.

      The rains have long gone stopped but the clouds are still in their grayest. With the little whiffs of winds, all these grays shall someday be swept away and reveal the clearest and bluest of the heavens. For the meantime, I have my umbrella readied in case it pours again.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Tuna Puttanesca

2011-10-02T08:40:00.002+08:00

Project: Eat.

    Ah, this Puttanesca. This brings me back to my Ilocos coffee days... Tribeccan coffee sips, this overly sour pasta, and my good ol' laptop friend that kept me company during those solitary days. I'd sit around Tribecca alone for hours taking advantage of the free internet connection and call someone I used to be friends with. Somehow this place, their coffee, and this pasta were so dear I'd have to go for de-stressing during the weekends when I had to stay up North.

   The sourness of it... Ah! This gives me über freedom to don in lots and lots of cheese. No limits!

Tuna Puttanesca

Linguine

olive oil

butter

diced garlic

diced onion

diced bell pepper

1 can tuna flakes in oil

sliced olives

1 can diced tomatoes

1 sachet tomato paste

tomato sauce 

dried basil

salt n' pepper

cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. On a pan, heat olive oil and butter. Saute in garlic 'til golden. Add onion and bell pepper to sweat. Toss in tuna flakes, olives, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce and simmer for minutes. Sprinkle in dried basil, salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated cheese of your choice.

Quotable quotes from the Stephen Covey Seminar

2011-09-25T20:35:00.001+08:00

Project: Live.

I had this fortunate experience of attending the Seminar on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and this has the most impact on me out of all the seminars that I have attended.

Sharing with you these quotes scribbled during the seminar...

The Amateur's Kitchen - Bacon-wrapped Chicken Nuggets

2011-09-11T13:16:00.003+08:00

Project: Eat.

  Mommy's cookin'-tired, Pappy's out. Kimmy's, well, not cookin'-reliable. And so I did the lunch cookin'. Then with the cookin' came the munchin', then the munchin' to burpin'. Then... oh well, here goes nothin'!

  Let's do the chickenin'! ^.^

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Nuggets

chicken fillets cut into pieces

the juice of 1 lemon

crushed cloves of garlic

dried tarragon

a dash of vanilla extract

olive oil 

garlic powder

salt n' pepper

strips of honey-cured bacon

Pound chicken fillets lightly to incorporate flavors. In a bowl, mix in lemon juice, crushed garlic, tarragon, vanilla extract, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and marinate chicken for a few minutes. Wrap each nugget with bacon strips. Grease pan with olive oil and fry nuggets til golden brown.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Kani Pesto Bowties

2011-09-10T14:24:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat.

I was curious of Pesto ever since I tasted one in a pasta restaurant somewhere in Baguio. The idea of herbs is always a healthy choice, and knowing that those at the house need be health-conscious, I tried a hand on it. Basil is a hard find at the locale, and since parsley and oregano were all I know I can have, I had them as good substitutes. And yeah, the "raining cats and dogs and 19-foot crocodiles and elephants" didn't stop me in grabbing these ingredients! Go chowing!

Kani Pesto Bowties

Pasta farfalle
half a bulb of garlic, peeled
salt n' pepper
fresh oregano leaves, cut for easier grinding
a handful of parsley leaves, cut for easier grinding
a dash of dried basil
grated cheddar or parmesan cheese
ground walnuts
the juice of half a lemon
olive oil
butter
minced garlic
chopped celery
crab sticks, separated into strips

Cook pasta according to package directions.
For the pesto, start on crushing a few cloves of garlic with salt and pepper on a mortar and pestle. Add in oregano and parsley leaves and grind. Sprinkle a dash of dried basil leaves, then add in cheese and walnuts. Continue grinding while adding a dash of lemon juice and olive oil until desired consistency/texture is achieved.
On a pan, heat butter and olive oil. Brown chopped garlic then saute in celery. Add in pesto and crab sticks 'til fragrant. Toss in cooked pasta and mix to coat.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Bacon Bolognese

2011-09-04T00:30:00.002+08:00

Project: Eat

My office mate had me cornered on a pasta promise I have not fulfilled this morning due to girl cramp issues. Nevertheless, I rushed on going home by lunch to cook for her and thought of bacon on my way home. Took on the apron again for the weekend! (not literally, lol!)

Bacon Bolognese

Linguine 

Bacon strips cut into squares

Ground pork

Minced Onion

Minced Garlic

Chopped Red bell pepper 

Chopped Carrot

Oregano leaves cut into thin strips

Tomato sauce

Pork broth

Salt n' Pepper

Full cream milk 

Cream Cheese

Cornstarch dissolved in water

Cook pasta according to package directions. On a pan, cook bacon 'til crisp. Add ground pork 'til cooked. Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot and oregano leaves on meat drippings. Add tomato sauce and broth and simmer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. On another saucepan, scald milk, cream cheese and cornstarch, stirring constantly until desired thickness. Arrange pasta on plate and top with layers of the sauces.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Pan-fried Chicken Tikka with Cheesy Yogurt Sauce

2011-08-30T10:47:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat

This dish was inspired by Little John's Chicken Tikka. Instead of grilled though, I made a pan-fried version and created a sauce out of its marinade. Kali Orexi!

Pan-Fried Chicken Tikka with Cheesy Yogurt Sauce

Chicken breast fillets

1 pint creamy Yogurt (not the sour one!)

Dried Tarragon

Dried Rosemary

half a bulb small garlic, minced

juice of half a lemon 

Garlic Powder

Salt n' Pepper

Olive oil

bread crumbs

chopped Parsley

Potato marbles, cut into wedges 

Cream Cheese

a stalk of Lemongrass

sugar 

Wash chicken breasts and pat dry. Pound breasts just enough to infuse flavors. In a container, mix yogurt, tarragon, rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Marinate chicken breasts on yogurt mixture and leave overnight.

Heat oil on pan. Scrape off excess yogurt from fillets and lightly coat with bread crumbs. Fry fillets 'til golden brown. Drain excess oil on paper towels.

On the same pan, saute in chopped parsley and cook potatoes 'til golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.

In a saucepan, heat remaining marinade with continuous stirring. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Add a bruised stalk of lemongrass and cream cheese, stirring occasionally. Add at least 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Strain mixture to achieve a smooth sauce. 

The Amateur's Kitchen - Spanish-Style Sardines in Linguine with Lemon Butter Sauce

2011-08-29T10:58:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat

Rain's still nonstop and I have to go overtime. These are the days when you don't want to go out soaking wet and stay in the comforts of home. Not for me though, so I cooked up for lunch to bring in the office and thought of another pasta dish.

Spanish-Style Sardines in Linguine with Lemon Butter Sauce

Linguine
Salted Butter
1 bulb onion, chopped
half a small bulb of garlic, chopped
chopped parsley
1 can Spanish-style Sardines in oil, flaked (save oil)

Garlic Powder

Salt n' Pepper
the juice of half a lemon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat oil from sardines, add butter. Saute in onions, garlic and parsley. Add in flaked sardines. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss in cooked pasta. Sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Pan-Grilled Chops with Pineapple and Beans Sauce

2011-08-28T12:45:00.001+08:00

Project: Eat

I was browsing on a magazine when I chanced upon its Food Section and found a picture of their Pan Grilled Pork Chops with Apple and Beans Sauce. The interesting combination of fruit juices with pork and beans made me curious I had to try one. Tweaked on their recipe a bit by getting rid of beef cubes and mustard and tried on pineapple juice instead. Let's get it on!

Pan-Grilled Chops with Pineapple and Beans Sauce

Pork Chops
Garlic Powder
Ground Dried Rosemary
Salt 'n Pepper
1 large onion
1 small can of Pork and Beans
1 cup Pineapple juice
tablespoons of Lemon Grass Syrup

Pat dry chops. Mix garlic powder, ground rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub mixture on chops and leave for a while (20 minutes will do) to infuse flavors. On a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil and cook chops 'til golden brown. On the same pan, cook onions to sweat, then work on a sauce reduction by adding Pork and Beans, Pineapple Juice and Lemon Grass Syrup. Bring it to a simmer until desired thickness and consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper. Pour Sauce over chops, and, chow!

Kimmy's first time food-binging and the College conversation

2011-08-27T21:42:00.000+08:00

" A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double."

~ Toni Morrison

Typhoon Mina's up in La Union at Signal # 1, but the binger ain't stopping herself for food trips. This time the li'l sis came along as she sweetly mooched (with puss-in-boots eyes) on dining in at this newly-opened Pancake House franchise just around the corner. Can't help 'em puss-in-boots eyes, aww.

Clockwise from top left:

Maple Chicken and Crispy Waffle - a plate of maple-glazed chicken, caesar salad with potato croutons and crispy waffle served with a dollop of creamy butter and maple syrup. YUM!

Carbonara - a classic. Linguine tossed on creamy white sauce, bacon bits and mushrooms

Orange Freeze and Grape Shake

Frozen yogurt topped with Honey Almond Cereals and Butterscotch Syrup, and Chocolate Syrup and Candy Sprinkles

   She's good at food criticism 'ey! I gave her a taste of my Maple Chicken and she said, "Siguro may orange na nilagay dito." "Bakit mo naman nasabi?" I said. She answered, "May nalalasahan akong orange e. Maasim na matamis, parang Orange Chicken ng Chowking." True enough, I gave mine another taste. "You're good ha!" I applauded.

   Along with the binging was this conversation about her College future after her upcoming high school graduation this 2012. She said she didn't want Accountancy, so I advised her to get a course where she's good at. She said she's confident with Math. Engineering's one of her options. I said she try studying in Baguio. And then her Math teacher came in at the resto. Lol.

   Ah, Kimmy, we should do this more often!

The Amateur's Kitchen - Tuna-Apple Primavera on Farfalle

2011-08-20T09:50:00.000+08:00

Project: Eat.

Audit's up on Monday. Stress! Took advantage of the morning weekend before going to work again to cook the zucchini and parsley I bought a week ago and attempt on an original Primavera recipe... for mom. ^.^

Tuna-Apple Primavera on Farfalle

Pasta Farfalle (or Penne)

Butter 

Garlic, minced

Green Onions

Bell Pepper, cubed

Parsley, chopped 

One can Tuna in Vegetable Oil (save the oil)

Garlic Powder

Salt 'n Pepper

Zucchini, cubed

Carrots, cubed

Milk

Cream Cheese

Red Apples, cubed

Walnuts, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions. Melt butter with vegetable oil from tuna on a skillet. Saute garlic, green onions, bell pepper and parsley. Add Tuna. Season with garlic powder, a dash of salt and pepper. Add cubed zucchini and carrots and cook for around 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and milk, simmer. Toss in apples and cooked pasta and stir. Garnish with walnuts and chopped parsley. Serve.

The Amateur's Kitchen - Garlic Adobo-Tocino Rice

2011-08-13T12:13:00.001+08:00

Project: Eat.

Warning: This is a very, very sinful recipe. :p

Mommy's out of town. And when mommy's out, this calls for a little cooking responsibility. Woke up early and found leftover rice and Adobo from last night swimming in its sinful, fatty, high-bloody oil (drooolll!). Breakfast cooking on the go!

Garlic Adobo-Tocino Rice

Adobo leftover
Steamed Rice leftover
Half a bulb of garlic
Garlic Powder, Salt n' Pepper
Tocino drippings

Adobo meats were flaked, its fats were minced. I toasted the pork fat first on the Adobo's oil drippings on low heat. Garlic cloves were minced and browned with the fat. Meats and steamed rice were then added. This was seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

I cooked tocino next. Looking at the caramelized tocino drippings after, I was tempted to scoop three laddlefuls of the Adobo Rice and spread them on the drippings.

The Amateur's kitchen - Cheesy Spam Spread

2011-08-13T11:48:00.001+08:00

Project: Eat.

Bored on a Saturday afternoon. I was looking for something to munch on while doing t.v. viewings and found leftover Spam slices from breakfast on the table. This calls for snack time!

Cheesy Spam Spread

toasted spam cubes

pickle relish

mayonnaise

2 kiri cream cheese blocks

salt n' pepper

Lemongrass syrup (a sugar substitute)

Flakes/Toasted bread/Any biscuit of choice

I cubed and toasted these leftover Spam slices over a little oil 'til browned. On a bowl, I combined the rest of the ingredients and folded in the toasted spam cubes. Served them with Sky flakes, more preferred than loaves.

A date with Kat

2011-08-09T21:19:00.001+08:00

"... Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them."

— Marilyn Monroe

Kat sent me a text message for a Sunday date. I have been dying to see her since that March 29 discernment. Thank God for the modern world though, every tear has been shared first to her and comforting words have been embraced, making this whole rendezvous as light as these photos were taken (sans the timer) after that Brunch-all-you can binging...

So what if we barely see for months, or years? Every 1 hour meeting is enough nonetheless... as if every conversation is endless. This thirteen years of "bestfriendship" is the truest, and irreplaceable. 

Scratches Part 2

2011-08-07T19:09:00.000+08:00

" If you look at the number of accidents out there you can always find something that could have been done to prevent it."

- Dave Jones

Project: Live

So okay, the incredible hulk in me was unleashed Friday lunch. These piles of chairs were like dominoes that came toppling down as this Avanza's butt lightly pushed the first pile aback. I had to check on any damaged chair, but none. At least there's still a bit of luck left! ^.^

Pink Sisters

2011-07-31T09:18:00.000+08:00

"Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. Night and day, He is there. If you really want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist, come back to that Adoration."
- Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Project: Pray

I had two childhood dreams. One was to be a doctor where Mom and I wished to come true through a wishing bone, and two, to be a nun. Neither of them fulfilled.


Credits to http://mercifulmother.yolasite.com/photocontestentry27.php

This is the Convent of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Baguio City, more popularly known as the Pink Sisters convent. Besides all the pink that surrounds this building, this is one of my most chosen place of adoration because of its solemnity and serenity.

I have had several encounters in this adoration chapel, most mainly due to heavy needs. Once in my board review days in Baguio, I had to accompany Tita Mela for a minor surgical procedure for the removal of her breast cyst. It was diagnosed as malignant at the time. I saw Tita's eyes fill with tears as we headed straight to this convent after. Hers might have been prayers to save her from this deceiving disease. Mine were prayers for my young cousins. For some reason as we headed out, there was this fleeting feeling of hope that Tita will surpass this. And she did.

I went up to Baguio again yesterday to meet a lessor. This gave me the chance to pay another visit in this pink convent after a few years. I did not pray for specific needs this time. I only prayed for gratitude and guidance.

Adoration as well as devoting even minutes of free time have been part of my routine. Night vespers in the adoration chapel have been an occasional habit. Somehow, fulfilling this devotion need me not to be a nun after all. 

Then there was Amy

2011-07-24T21:47:00.000+08:00

"I don't ever want to do anything mediocre. I hear the music in the charts and I don't mean to be rude, but those people have no soul. Learning from music is like eating a meal - you have to pace yourself. You can't take everything from it all at once. I want to be different, definitely. I'm not a one trick pony. I'm at least a five-trick pony."

- Amy Winehouse, 9/14/83 - 7/23/11

Project: Live

'Valerie' - Live Acoustic

Ah, that raspy, soulful alto voice. I shake my head along with her 'eclectic mix of musical genre' as it echoes across the room. Who can resist? I can't. She brought out the jazz lover out of me with her "Back to Black" rendition, and this video be my most favorite Amy Winehouse cover of 'em all. I always love 'em live!

I used to play Amy Winehouse's songs back in my Ilocos Office 'round 2007-2009, and only Kat, who was also my board mate, joined me in admiring this British singer-songwriter's unique genre. There is something about her singing, her majestic euphony, her powerful voice, and her "real" songs that give me chills and goosebumps inevitably.

It sucks that this talented singer lost her battle. As a friend commented on facebook, "They tried to make her go to rehab but she said no, no, no." Her talent wasn't wasted though. She has done enough songs, classic ones, which prove that she ain't one of the many few fake one-trick ponies in the world of mediocre music charts.

Doodles

2011-07-23T11:07:00.000+08:00

"I would hardly call myself an artist in that sense; I doodle, I draw, I'm not a trained artist, I couldn't sit down and do an accurate portrait of anyone."

- Rene Auburjonois

Project: Live

Alas, meetings. Not only do they exhaust these little brain loops. They make these uber-tired eyes fall into the force of gravity and lead you to the paths of dreamland... but before they do, I take out my sword, this trusty little pen, and doodle may way out.

Lol! I was scanning my little red notebook for important notes. Instead, I found these sketches filling up the empty spaces where my notes are written. Ain't I bored, am I?

Scratches

2011-07-23T09:48:00.000+08:00

"Few people even scratch the surface, much less exhaust the contemplation of their own experience." - Randolph Bourne

Project: Live

Thursday morning. I was heading for work. Pappy opened the gates for me. I went out in reverse. I looked at my right side for moving vehicles. Pappy was on my right side guiding me. I drove. And then... screech!

Here is the unfortunate aftermath from a careless juvenile:

Scratches on the left bumper and a little scratch on the rear.

As Tito Ray told me, lesson learned. Beep, so the gates will fend off scratching itself too. :p

On death

2011-07-10T22:01:00.001+08:00

"Death, when it approaches, ought not to take one by surprise. It should be part of the full expectancy of life. Without an ever-present sense of death life is insipid. You might as well live on the whites of eggs." - Muriel Spark

Project: Live

My work mate's older sister just arrived home from somewhere overseas with her husband. She approached her brother, my work mate, with a tight hug, passed by us and still managed to flash a little smile while holding back tears. I heard her mourning sobs get louder as she approached the white wooden coffin where her father's lifeless body laid to rest as if proving herself of the loss. I held back tears.

My work mate's mother then narrated the stories of his husband. I was stunned on how he composed every chapter on his 60-year book. His was full of adventures and sacrifices, of triumphs and failures of being a father. If there was one that he has not written on his book yet, that would be him not experiencing being a grandfather to any grandchild. Sixty long years was indeed not enough. His book has been closed that soon.

Ah, death... a process of life's cessation, an inevitable phenomenon every person has to face. I personally fear death or anything associated with it like moo-moos or horror movies. Thinking about it deeper though, I fear because I feel like I have not done enough yet from the twenty-six years that has been given to me. Sometimes I tend to forget this predestined fact and roll in the tides of being too attached to a monotony I did not want to let go. My obsession to this monotony, this wearisome uniformity, prevented me from moving onto another chapter of this book. Why the lack of adventure? Or change, or the denial of it? I do not know. I still might have this fear of change, but I try. I darn try hard somehow... all for the efforts of composing a "perfect" biography and tuck in everything that has to be in my story - regretful or not.

The Playlist

2011-07-09T13:44:00.002+08:00

Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul." - Anonymous

Project: Live.

Philips earphones on its case, my handy KU250, and this 500G Samsung external drive... they all have every song - current, classic, corny - all piled up, ready for shuffling... A myriad of ear candy melodic tunes, soothing euphony and lyrical fanaticism that lead me to a world full of nostalgia, or escape me from this adventurously exhausting reality of life.

Ah, lyrics... they are my weakness, no matter what the genre or who the interpreter is. I can't seem to get rid of these current lines that either struck my soul or enveloped my being.

I had myself a game on shuffling. Listed are the 20 songs randomly played on my KU250. Ah, fate, that these songs played. Read between the lines.

"...That made everything feel better, and even then my eyes got wetter."
   - Rihanna

"Funny when you're dead how people start listening."
   - The Band Perry

"I won't let you close enough to hurt me, no."
   - Adele

"Your faith was strong but you needed proof..."
   - Alexandra Burke

"I often think about where I would roam. More I do, the less I know."
   - Adele

"I'm gonna park my car in the middle of the mile-long bridge and then I'm gonna cry. Well maybe just a little."
   - The Band Perry

"I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing."
   - The Script

"Now I see myself through different eyes, it's no surprise..."
   - Alicia Keys

"My heart is like a loudspeaker that's always on eleven."

- Natasha Bedingfield

"I see the sun in the distance, just keep on moving with the wind..."
- Nicole Scherzinger

"You paint me a blue sky and go back and turn it to rain."
- Taylor Swift

"I'm about to go and say I'm jumping off this train. Whether wrong or right, I'll be gone by night."
- Rihanna

"Is there a place for the hopeless sinner, who has hurt all mankind just to save his own beliefs?"

- Bob Marley

"Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be."
   - Sara Bareilles

"Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements even if it leads nowhere?"
   - Adele

"Wag mong isipin na hindi ka na mahal, sarili ko'y hahanapin ko lang."
   - Yeng Constantino

"In each tear, there's a lesson - makes you wiser than before, makes you stronger than you know... no mistake, no heartbreak can take away what you're meant to be."
   - Mary J Blige

"I know my heart will never be the same but I'm telling myself I'll be okay."

- Sara Evans

"And I hope you find it, what you're looking for..."
- Miley Cyrus

"...And I go back to December all the time."
- Taylor Swift

I LOL'd at the last song. Why must that be the last? ^.^

On repressing

2011-06-28T23:32:00.001+08:00

"People who are constantly repressing, not transcending, feelings toward a higher meaning find that it affects the quality of their self-esteem..." ~ Steven Covey

      Project: Live.

     If there was such contest as having the longest patience, I might be a candidate. I showed anger in silence. Worse, in tears. I never had confrontations. In debates, I lose. Chagrined by a lot of disappointments on the past years, I never thought I kept a lot of them now that flashbacks of untold letdowns keep creeping in... all still hidden because of fears of being laughed at, contradicted, or that someone changes the topic again because dramas from me, as I see him perceive it, is overrated. That was when I lost my self-esteem.

     The first time I revealed every disappointment, every anger, every truth... the world came crashing down in a blink of an eye. I wanted a listener. Instead, I met a neglector guffawing at every word I thought can mend the bruises.

     Now the dilemma comes in. Should silence keep its place, or let confessing have its toll?

   Here is when the answer "eh kasi... wala lang." takes its role - it saves you from the possible judgment of the judging, and the silence one deserves.

Blog... blag!

2011-06-26T23:58:00.001+08:00

"You know, some of the good part of blog theory was that blogs would be like diaries that the world could read. They would be spontaneous, whatever pops into your mind, as a diary would be." - Gregg Easterbrook

Project: Live.

Kat wrote in a facebook comment. "We were blogging since 2004-ish? Haha! Yes. Tayo mga nauna sa blogosphere." Oh yes, seven years on August!

I started rankunrou.blogdrive.com some time in 2004, and my very first blog post on August 23, 2004 was a heavy-hearted one. Had it for a year, then transferred to fujin.blogdrive.com where I have written 193 posts for seven long years. I actually had four blogs including these two, but the other two were privately maintained. The first two are still alive but inactive... both containing stories that will form part of memories yet to be erased.

I treated blogging like diary writing... like instead of the classic pen-and-paper-doodling-and-hiding-it-under-the-bed kind of thing, I preferred the modernized, public way of story-telling. What better way to share life experiences? They are often be the best teachers anyway.

I revisited Fujin to check on other bloggers linked on this blog. Out of the 55 that I followed, I found only four whose blog updates were in 2011, and only 1 was updated this June. The rest stopped 2 years ago or less, and their last posts were either due to lack of enthusiasm and, most, had their happy ever afters while I, not having enough, started a new blog. And I promise this will not contain melancholic blog stuff again (...they will remain on my tumblr account, LOL!)

This life has become an open book with a blog... and will remain open until, (1) I lose enthusiasm, to which I dare not do, (2) I have my happy ever after too, to which another blog shall emerge, and (3) I breathe my last breath.

The Baguio Food Trip

2011-06-25T17:43:00.003+08:00

"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." ~Voltaire

Project: Eat.

I headed up to Baguio alone last May 11 in the evening for a 2-day audit. Alone and starving, I called my younger sister up for dinner at Session Road.

Vizco's Restaurant and Cake Shop

Vizco's is a pizza, pasta, specialty dishes and cakes restaurant located along Session Road. I have known it through it's popular not-too-sweet Strawberry Shortcake.

Kris had a plate of Mixed Seafood in Saffron Cream Sauce (top-left photo) - Fettucine with mixed shrimps, squid and fish sauteed on garlic, onions, pepper, parsley and mushrooms in a fragrant Saffron cream sauce flavored with white wine. I on the other hand had a Parmesan Crusted Fish Fillet meal (top-right photo) - Parmesan-coated, pan-fried Creme Dori alongside roasted tomatoes with pesto and cabbage salad on vinaigrette served with garlic mayonnaise. I have also tried their Chicken Cordonbleau with Caesar's Salad before, which is a classic breaded chicken breast meal stuffed with ham and cheese. All of them were really tasty.

I was not contented with no dessert on hand, so while walking down session road with my sweet tooth uneasy, we passed by Yellow Cab and bought myself half a pint of Pistachio Ice Cream... to which I devoured late at night in my hotel room. Lol.

Tokyo Tokyo

Lunch for May 12 with an office mate, I had a Mixed Seafood Tempura on the menu.

The Old Spaghetti House (TOSH)

I love, love pasta inasmuch as I like cooking a variety of them, so I'm never afraid to try any pasta dish on the menu. For dinner, I had Puttanesca - spaghetti with tomato-based sauce with olives, garlic, capers and herbs. The pasta dish was too sour due to the lack of anchovies which should have made it a little salty. I did try their Golden-crusted Chicken, Ham and Cheese Crepe with Angel Hair Pomodoro, and no doubt this is their bestseller.

Everything Nice

Lunch on May 13 was set at this quaint little cafe in Mile-Hi Center at the Camp John Hay Commissary. I had a Creamy Baked Penne (top left photo) pasta, a baked macaroni version of the cafe that's baked in Bolognaise sauce topped with extra creamy Bechamel Sauce and cheese 'til golden brown, served with toasted french bread. I am a sucker to creamy white sauces, which is why I ordered this in the first place. True enough, it was yummy-creamy. My office mates had Spaghetti Bolognaise and Chicken Cordon Bleu, also a bestseller. For dessert, they had slices of Creamy Cassava Cake and Italian Cheesecake (top right photo). The cassava cake was heaven, a must-try in this cafe! The cheesecake, however tasty too, was a bit to dry to the palate. Later did I know after "googling" it that Italian version of cheesecakes are indeed drier than the American version because of the different type of cheese used.

Giligan's Island

Dinner time. I decided to stay for the weekend and checked in at a hotel in Legarda Road. Nearest to this was Giligan's Island Restaurant. Commonly known for catering large groups of people, this serves mostly seafood and other dishes served on big portions. Kris and I had to try the Sizzling Bulalo Steak, curiously because most restaurants in Baguio have this in the menu. We had it with servings of mashed potatoes and Grilled Chicken Salad - a mixture of lettuce greens and grilled chicken topped with croutons and vinaigrette. The steak, obviously, tasted like bulalo sans the fatty soup and replaced with a very creamy gravy. It was a little chewy and dry though. Further, we prefer KFC's mashed potatoes as compared to this with regards to its smoothness. Glasses of Shirley Temples quenched our thirst.

Cafe Will

Baguio retreats won't be complete without late night outs. Me and my sister both dig music, cozy chairs and chic eats - and Cafe Will's the perfect place. This Korean-owned Cafe served us Mozarella Cheese Sticks, Piña Colada and Mai Tai. A little alcohol won't hurt.

Little John's Convenience Outpost

Brunch time, May 14. I was itching to go shopping at CJH Commissary. I dragged Kris for a little stroll, bought myself a pair of slippers, and dug in at this little outpost along the commissary. I had me a Chicken Tikka (top right photo) - an Indian/Pakistani dish chicken marinated in spices and yogurt, and Kris had Fish Steak (bottom right photo). We killed time in doodling/drawing. This restaurant features artworks from customers and displays them on their walls.

Ah, Baguio... the cold weather invites every food that comes your way. No wonder this city above the clouds is a haven of a myriad of ingenious cuisine creations yet to be discovered.

Dolphins

2011-06-23T23:32:00.001+08:00

"What sweet mystery about this sea, whose gentle stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath."

- Melville

Project: Live.

I have long been wishing to see actual dolphins my whole life. They only lived on my childhood collections before - figurines, stuffed toys, key chain, a pair of earrings, even a tattoo...

My favorite of all were my glow-in-the-dark bottle-nosed dolphin stickies clinging on my bedroom ceiling since high school. I loved how, as I turn off my lights, they seem to be swimming around the dark night. I gaze up imagining I was floating with them... wandering off the dark, escaping all gloom 'til these weary eyes tire and kiss off a good night's rest.

    I was damn right excited when pappy broke the news about this Subic adventure last week for fathers' day. Yey, a close dolphin encounter at last!

    The road to Subic was full of misadventures, prolonging the agony of me seeing these beloved sea creatures right before my anxious eyes. But yes, after all the twists and turns, I finally had a touch of them...

HappYness!

BBQ Chicken

2011-06-21T22:52:00.001+08:00

Project: Eat.

We were now starving and really exhausted after a long day's travel-adventure that Saturday evening. Since we were all noobs, we decided to find restaurants nearest the hotel site. We found this quaint restaurant alongside other Korean establishments while driving up to Canal Road at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and decided, since it doesn't sound Korean, we try this one. Not true enough, this was Korean-owned. ^.^

BBQ Chicken serves a fusion of, yeah, you got that right, Chicken Barbecues and Korean Food. And then we tried the fusion, literally.

Clockwise from top left:

Grilled Chicken Bulgalbi - Bulgalbi in Korean is a dish grilled over fire. This meal, though it literally pertains to short ribs for galbi, is chicken breasts marinated in ganjang-based sauce (Korean soy sauce made from fermented soy bean). BBQ Chicken's version melts in your mouth, chicken perfectly cooked tenderly, and marinated just enough for the usually strong Korean spicy taste.
Spicy Seafood Ramen - Popularly known as Jjamppong, this is a spicy noodle soup flavored with onions and chili oil. Koreans do like 'em hot 'ey? I mean, really hot! My mistake was eating this ramen first before my dish, as it overpowered all the flavors I should have tasted with the others. I enjoyed eating this though!
Barbecue Chicken - The usual barbecued chicken with a slight hint of spice, Korean style.
Kimchi - traditional fermented Korean dish. For us was Kimchi made of napa cabbage alongside pickled radish as banchan.
Chicken salad - Typical garden salad made of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumber and red bell peppers with fried chicken nuggets on the side.

The tall, long-haired Korean owner was courteous enough to lead our way out after that sumptuous meal, a thing most restaurant owners don't do. I did a smile and a bow as a thanking gesture.

Project: Eat Pray Live

2011-06-20T12:29:00.000+08:00

It started with the movie Eat Pray Love, then the unexpected inevitable big twists of unfortunate events.
One day I saw Kat's "Live, Love, Travel" bracelets and requested mine based from the movie. Kat brought her "Live" bracelet instead of my "Love"... and then my outlook in life changed...

This be my mantra of idealism... the endless pursuit of dreams. The calls of everyday living.

The next few blogs will feature chic eats, inspirations and travels of this ordinary girl who wishes only the finest life can bring.