Simple Valentines Day at Home..

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Instead of going on a date, our parents came home with sweets overload: 2 kinds of Selecta ice cream(Hersheys Kisses Ice cream and Pistachio and Cashew Nuts Ice Cream),  Goldilocks Brazo de Mercedes and Goldilocks Leche Flan and a box of Chocolate Crispies balls. We still do not have a dining table due to Sendong, so pardon the image you see below.

For dinner we had barbecue from BBQ Station, bihon which Sweetie cooked and grilled "panga"  (fish jaw) bought from Inilog Grill.

River was overjoyed as Goldilocks Leche Flan is his all time favorite--- he could actually finish it half in just one sitting..

The Chocolate Crispies Balls was actually bought from one of NCIP scholars selling them because my mother took pity on the child profit will go to the child's fare in going home.

And I was totally floored as Brazo de Mercedes is in fact my favorite.. But since I tasted that of Baker's Joy in Butuan City, or that rich Brazo from Tiny Kitchen or Lachi's in Davao City, which is quite similar to that from Vienna Kaffeehaus here in the city, I find that Goldilocks Brazo de Mercedes is not that yummy compared to them... But Brazo de Mercedes will always be Brazo de Mercedes to me, so I am happy this valentines day! Hehehe..

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Baker's Joy - Butuan City

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During our trip to Butuan City, another cake shop that we went to is Baker's Joy. And for me, it's the second best shop to go to, next to Margie's. I guess even the group wearing Marcus scrubs, during our visit there, would agree.

It was yet very early, and the place has just opened for the day. As soon as we entered the establishment, we could already smell the delicious aromas as we were greeted by their very courteous staff. Then we went directly to the display of yummy cakes and pastries, for we were looking for a cake to give our cousin, the birthday celebrant.

We found Baker's Joy Double Chocolate Cake so tempting, so it was what we bought. But seeing that they have my favorites, we ordered them as well, but per slice.

I so love Baker's Joy Brazo de Mercedes. I do not know how to describe it though. It's just perfect. It's not too sweet to the point that one will reach a point of not wanting to eat it anymore. The middle part is rich and creamy, but not oily like some Brazo de Mercedes that I have tasted. The outer part is not at all airy, so you really know you are eating something, lol.

 And of course, Baker's Joy Nelusco Cake. I love the cake itself. It's rich. And the frosting is just divine. Those pretty caramels sprinkled all over are also  very nice.

We also tried Baker's Joy Brownie. Well, my sister likes brownies, she loves it. I wouldn't say I didn't like it, but it's just not "my brownie". But it tastes good, nevertheless. Overall, it was a very nice experience there, added to the fact that the staff are really nice.

Oh, and that's Baker's Joy Double Chocolate cake's look when sliced. It's truly worth noting that after thirty minutes that it was served, one slice was left for everyone loved the cake.. The next visit to Butuan City, we will surely get some more cake adventures at Baker's Joy..

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Say Goodbye to Food Stains

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Whether you’re a budding chef or you just like good food, there’s nothing like a hearty homemade meal to beat the winter blues. A nice glass of wine by the side is always good too. But sometimes, no matter how careful you are, you can end up with the odd splash or two of your favorite sauce or red wine over your clothes. And let’s face it, few things are more annoying than pesky stains, especially when you find one on your new glad rags. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry – there’s a washing machine out there with the answer.

If scrubbing away doesn't work and there’s no stain remover to hand, you’ll need a washing machine with anti-stain programmes to shift those food and drink splashes. Siemens’ IQ-700 series are one of the best examples of stain-busting washing machines. Equipped with the autoStain system, they’re some of the most intelligent washers on the market.

The innovative autoStain system can remove food stains without the need for pre-wash treatments, stain removers or harsh chemicals. It’s really quick and easy to use too. All you need to do is choose one of the 16 stain treatments and let the washer do the rest. By changing the drum action, water level, temperature and wash duration, autoStain can tailor each cycle to that specific stain. Whether it’s red wine, coffee, chocolate, tomato, butter or oil, this clever stain removing system has you covered.

And don’t worry about your clothes suffering during a wash. As Siemens say, these washing machines might be tough on stains, but they’re extra gentle on your fabrics. You can find autoStain on the top of the range 8kg WM14S890GB model. Rated A+++ for energy efficiency, this highly intelligent washing machine can save you up to 30% in energy costs compared to A-rated models. Not only can take care of any stain, it’ll save you money in the process. Can’t argue with that.

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Margie's Kitchen in Butuan City

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Finally, my sister and I were able to visit Margie's Kitchen to sample some of their delectable cakes and pastries. Every time we come here in Butuan City, we plan to drop by Margie's Kitchen, but always fail to do so. Our attempts always fail because we usually lack the time to do so. So today, after looking for liquid image summit series, we decided to go and drop by together with our cousin Grace.

We were not hungry really, we just wanted to sample some of their food. I have always wanted to try the Nelusko Cake, their house specialty. Unfortunately, it was not there today. Or maybe we were late? Anyway, I read that people love their Margie's Cookie Monster Cake as well as their Sans Rival.

That is truly yummy Margie's Cookie Monster Cake there.. Not too sweet, yet really rich chocolate.. At P 90 per slice, it truly is comforting to know that you wont feel guilty after eating a slice.. It was heavenly, I swear! Now, I find Margie's Sans Rival Cake (below) really tempting that I heard it calling our for me the moment we stepped inside the cafe.. And truth be told, it was really worth its price.  At P 95, I find it huge a portion. But well worth its price as I find myself really in cake bliss when I started taking it bit by bit..

My cousin Grace, on the other hand wanted something for early dinner, so she ordered a Thai dish which I do not exactly know the name because I forgot to ask earlier, lol.

So there-- my first time at Margie's Kitchen. And guess what? We are going back to taste other goodies, as well as linger in that cozy little cafe. I love how the decor comes overflowing with memorabilia and all that artistic touch. Reminds me of my room back in high school where graffiti and art have blended well with books and stuff. I hope to try the Margie's Kitchen Nelusko Cake on our next visit. I couldn't get over the fact that I was there.. so close to tasting it.. Hmm.. maybe tomorrow? hehehe, we'll see...

I like Margie's Kitchen in the sense that conversations there are intimate and the staff are actually really nice.. Best of all, Margie's Kitchen is a great place when you are with good company-- had a blast at Margie's Kitchen this afternoon with the two ladies above..  

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Hormel SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey

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If you live in the United States, you wouldn't just be looking for cowgirl boots at BootCity.com, but you may have SPAM included in your everyday breakfast list, as it is after all common there. But here in the Philippines, unless you are well to do, you will not have SPAM on a regular basis. You may not have SPAM even on a monthly basis. Technically, you will find SPAM at the imported section of the grocery. And if you are running your household on a tight budget, you will not have SPAM in your grocery list.

After TS Sendong hit our city, we were running on a really tight budget. With our house and vehicles up for repairs and clean up, we knew that expenses are gonna be bumpy. Plus expenses for other things will surely arise. It was a depressing scenario but we managed to smile when my father, out of humor, brought home this Hormel SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey. A day after that, it was cooked and served during breakfast. That particular day, we were about to start cleaning up again after the Christmas holiday. That afternoon that he bought the Hormel SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey, was actually the afternoon he received his differential from his retirement fund. We asked him why he bought such a pricey canned good, and he said that with all the canned goods we have been receiving, we must at least have something that will make us want more out of life. I couldn't quite figure out what he meant, but it was like, after Sendong hit you and you have been spared, been given canned goods that actually have the same labels, you must have one that must be unique to keep you wanting for more out of life. If I am to put that in simple words, it would be "a canned good for inspiration" with a twist of my father's humor. I guess that is quite understandable...

So yeah, after that SPAM was devoured, my sister told me that we should be able to stand up after the storm that passed. Otherwise, we may not have another chance to eat SPAM again, lol.. Kidding aside, I think it worked. 

Anyway, if you wanna know more about Hormel SPAM you can find data here.

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Basa fillet (commonly called Pangasius Fillet)

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Another type of fish that we have been buying since the TS Sendong devastation is this Pangasius Fillet imported from Vietnam. We have plenty of them at our local supermarket. And that is quite a blessing. 

This white fish meat is actually very popular everywhere in the world, not only for its tasty meat, but also because of its cheaper price. And what's really good about this fish fillet is that, it is boneless, so no hassle for the cook or for the eater, lol. 

How we cooked the Pangasius Fillet comes in a variety of recipes. Here are two ways we cooked the Pangasius Fillet. This one below was just sauteed with a little garlic, onions, some chili peppers and other spices.

 There's the breaded fillet which we pan fried..

Of course, there are many other recipes for this kind of fish. One very good ingredient if you prefer light meals, or if you wish to substitute meat in a meat recipe. If you have a recipe to share, do leave them as a comment here, as I am very much interested to know how you cook Basa fillet or Pangasius Fillet.

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The Poor Man's Bangus Belly Soup..

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After TS Sendong has devastated our city, we have not been able to eat fish because we were afraid of buying fish. Let alone, what we could see in its belly... But then, one day, we just couldn't take eating pork, chicken and beef alternate with the canned goods that we have plenty of. So one time, we decided to buy Century Bangus Belly. It's quite pricey if you compare it with the fresh Bangus that our supplier always sell to us. But even our supplier have temporarily stopped her fish business after TS Sendong passed through... 

Well, here's what we did with the Bangus Belly. Some soup minus the vegetables to go with it.. We didn't have any vegetable to go with the soup. Some cabbage or Petchay would have been perfect. You could say it's a poor man's Bangus Belly Soup, since it lacked some of the ingredients, lol.. 

Anyhow, it was still a pretty good soup.. We just love how Bangus Belly is when cooked this way. Other recipe would call for steamed Bangus Belly, or Baked Bangus Belly. Well, maybe next time. So far, after Sendong, we have only been able to buy frozen and prepacked fish. I so miss the fresh ones--- Well, it's better that nothing at all. On a lighter note, do you know that when i looked for wind spinners online, all I have been seeing are milk-fishes hanging by threads of different colors? Am I hallucinating or just day dreaming? hahaha...

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Crazy Over Dodol...Special Dodol...

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Here's one treat that I think I have already posted about in the previous posts. I am posting this again because this one is quite different from the previous treat I tasted.. 

Last week, my mom came home with this yummy treat from her office mate. This is a huge special dodol. Special indeed because this is not too sweet or too oily. The taste is quite different from previous dodols I have tasted. 

Dodol is actually a treat more common among our brothers and sisters of Islamic faith here in Mindanao. At least the kind that I am featuring here on this blog. It's a sweet treat they serve during celebrations customary to their faith. Of course, when it is served, it shall be placed in grandiose dishes befitting the occasion.  The taste and texture is quite similar to a hardened Calamay, the treat that Bohol is famous for. But if you go to Cebu, a certain place there serves Calamay that is hardened, much like the dodol.. So in a way, Dodol and Calamay are quite similar.

Anyhow, if you search about Dodol online, you will learn that there are many different kinds of Dodol. 

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Ice Cream and Pizza Combo

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My daughter and brother had been asking me for pizza and ice cream since Sunday, but we didn't have time to buy some, so last Tuesday, we ordered from Alberto's Pizza two kinds of pizza and pint of ice cream too. I would not have been able to buy some or order, if Alberto's staff didn't call me to inform that I am only two points away from my free pizza. 

 The ice cream had always been our favorite since we first tasted it...

 The Alberto's Pizza varieties comprised of All Sausage Pizza and All Pepperoni.

Ice cream in rich chocolaty goodness, combined with spicy pizza was a knock out! We all loved the said food combination.. If you ask my daughter to choose between this food combo and a set of personalized bracelets, she will definitely give you a yummy answer..

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Banana Bread Galore...

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Sorry I was not able to update right away. I had been busy. Anyway, here's one update that will surely leave you craving for bananas and all other recipes with banana as the main ingredient. 

But let's just focus on what my sister made from the bananas that my cousin gave us.. It's Banana Bread--- though some call it, Banana Cake. 

In the course of baking, my sister was able to bake 8 of these babies.. The bananas given to us were actually export quality Dole Bananas, and my golly! There were too many of them. We were told that it will take a month before they can be eaten but 3 weeks after, they were ready. So much bananas and so few of us to eat all of them, so we ended up giving most of them away.. Some of the baked goodies too were given away to friends and family.. That's what I call, sharing blessings.. perhaps next time it will be Golden Eagle gold bullion that we shall share.. That is when luck falls in place after the Chinese New Year. Well, we'll see.

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Welcoming the New Year

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Christmas eve and New Year's eve came and gone. It's officially year 2012. The year-ender was quite devastating, yet we continue to hope for a better new year ahead. During Christmas, we tried so hard to be happy and thankful that none of my family members died, but knowing that we have friends and neighbors who lost family members, we were devastated as well. It was not the same Christmas celebration compared with those of the previous years. We may have cooked and prepared food, but we didn't have a table to place all of them on, as well as the zest to be merry. So yeah, we had a thankful celebration, but not a merry one. Come to think of it, it was more like a rest day for all of us who had to clean up and wash clothes after the storm. And funny, even now that 2012 has arrived, we are still not done.  On the lighter note,  we did enjoy the food, for when we got hungry, we had food to eat.

Earlier in the day, prior to New Year preparations, CDO Bloggers distributed Media Noche treats in Barangay Pita, Kauswagan, in Macanhan and in Balulang. And I could say that my family, although a survivor as well, are way better than their current condition.

 We didn't have to chase cars of people giving relief goods, or race with each other to have more...

We didn't have to sleep in the cold pavement in the night, and stay there in the heat of the mid morning, high noon and afternoon..

We had food, though not as grand as the previous New Years.. No Lechon, no table.. no house of our own... But we had the following...

 Beef Nilaga cum Bulalo...

 Manang Bebing's Ginataang Langka...

 Sauteed vegetables...

 Beef Caldereta...

 Squid Rings and Fried Chicken..

 Tapioca/Fruit Salad...

 Chocolate Cake...

Manang Bebing's Biko Espesyal with Buko and Peanuts...

Sotanghon with lots of chicken...

Oro Ham...

And fruits... It's not exactly like the previous years where we have a complete assortment of Christmas fruits, but they're good enough.. We have each other, and that's all that matters, right? But with no table, we also didn't have any family photo for 2012..  Somehow, we slept through the New Year, except for the short time watching fireworks outside.. Not quite a happy new year, but it was all okay.. Hopes are high, though spirits are low..

Well, from my family to yours, from TS Sendong survivors to the world, Happy New Year... a blessed one for all of us.. 

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