Benguet Cook..

Eats in Benguet.. Inglay Restaurant

2012-01-23T02:31:00.000+08:00

Here is a favorite spot for moi and the Hubby when we crave for something good in this side of town. I have always believed that great flavors always stand out when they are in their simplest form, no additives, frills and fancy stuff. This being the reason why for years now we keep coming back to this place.

The all famous Pinikpikan made special with Sagada etag is what they offer best alongside their tasty versions of all time favorites. One's meal is best savored with their cup of freshly brewed coffee and for years now it never fails to satisfy moi's love affair with caffeine.

What i had was Pork Binagoongan whose flavors were just right while Hubby had the Lechon Kawali which is his all time favorite. These along with red rice and vegetables. Overall the meal was great and satisfying.

The place has a homey feel to it along with cozy wooden dining sets. It has a relaxing atmosphere making one forget about the daily noise of life. Cheers to Life! :)

Inglay Restaurant
Betag, Km.6, La Trinidad along National Highway
Tel. No. 422-1857

Best Gift Ever!

2011-12-26T15:55:00.000+08:00

Was being able to complete the 9-day Aguinaldo Masses!

Hubby and I are so blessed to finally have the time, energy and help to go on with the early morning rituals. It is such a blessing for us indeed, you see ever since we got married, we didn't have the chance to complete the mass year after year. What with the kids growing up, sleepless nights feeding them and other parenting stuff that we had our hands full on.

Every year, we were able to serve as choir in the parish for a particular day of the mass but not complete it. With all the hustle and bustle around us, people buying gifts and prepping food for the Christmas dinner and festivities, we had our hands full of practices to sing during the masses in two different venues, gathering for the Family Day in the Familia Community, preparing the kids for a cousin's wedding and having to sit down through hours of traffic. We were also able to sneak in a dinner date which was fun and enlightening since we had time to talk about plans, not just for us but also for the community we serve in. And we hope to see the realization of these plans soon, with God blessing each of them.. :)

I write this in bed, resting a sore body from all the tasks done from the past days. Hubby is also nursing a cold but had to work today, his forced leave days starts tomorrow. Even the kids are with cough and colds, what with the cold Baguio weather.

Our vocal chords tired from singing, but no regrets since everything is for God's greater glory! He blessed us with talents, to share not to keep. May we always have a meaningful Christmas! :)

Pinoy Beefsteak

2011-10-09T20:34:00.001+08:00

An early trip to the market on a rainy Saturday morning was what I did for a plan to cook up something special for the Hubby. Bistek is what I had in mind after spying some lemons in our fruit tray, harvested from my sister's home garden. This dish is one I learned from my Mama, its a favorite during special occasions and earned a lot of praises for her cooking.

I bought sirloin beef and had the butcher slice it "tapa-style" for easier handling. Back in my college days while helping out Mama do this, the hardest part was slicing the beef thinly which needed really sharp knives and a lot of patience. Mama wanted her steak evenly cut and no shortcuts were allowed. Next came the tear jerking onions which had to be cut in rings only, once I made a mistake of slicing it to strips and a scolding followed. Lemons are what we use not calamansi. It imparts a great aroma and flavor to this dish that calamansi cannot render. Thus Mama only uses lemons which are abundant here in the highlands. The tartness of lemon coupled with the salty caramel flavor from the soy sauce blend to make this dish so flavorful it makes one have more than a cup of rice! :)

Ingredients:
1 kilo of sirloin beef (sliced thinly)
3 bulbs of medium sized white onions (you can add more)
juice of 10 small sized native lemons
soy sauce
vegetable oil for frying

Wash the beef and slice into serving size, place in a glass bowl. Pour into it the lemon juice and slowly add the soy sauce, adjust the flavor accordingly. With your hands, mix the marinade into the meat to evenly coat and add the onions too. Cover bowl and marinade for an hour. To fry, heat vegetable oil in a pan. Drain the beef pieces from the marinade leaving the onions. Sear the beef pieces and drain the oil, do this until all the beef is done. Then remove the oil from pan, put back beef into the pan and pour in the marinade. Cover and let simmer. At this point you can also adjust the taste by either adding soy sauce or lemon juice. Let simmer until liquid is almost sauce-like in consistency. Serve with red rice, Enjoy!

Jam up your Breads.. :)

2011-10-08T11:01:00.000+08:00

Benguet Province..

2011-09-30T00:32:00.000+08:00

When you wonder where it is, then read this.. :) And as to the history of our place, go here

Makulay na Buhay.. :)

2011-09-24T00:48:00.000+08:00

Color is one thing essential in our life, thus what could be more appetizing than lively yellows, greens and reds on the table! These M&M mugs i found tucked in a corner at the Sunshine supermart. When i was going to pay at the counter, the cashier was sad i found them because she was hoping to get it soon as payday comes. I felt sorry for her that i actually apologized for buying it! :)

And these lovely colored plates were bought at SM and Tiongsan. So much for patterns and sets for eating, i want to enjoy my food and what better way than to add colors to everyday food!

A simple breakfast with the Hubby.. garlic fried rice, longganisa, tuyo and eggs!

mangan tako! :)

Tuna Ham Carbonara

2011-09-20T16:09:00.000+08:00

Here is my take on a famous pasta recipe that almost anyone can whip up. For the pasta, cook a 500 gram package according to directions and set aside.

For the sauce:
1/4 k. chicken ham sliced into strips
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 small can Century Tuna in oil or brine
1 box Alaska cream
1 pack of Knorr cream of mushroom soup (dilute in cold water)
dried basil
ground pepper
salt to taste
grated cheese (Magnolia Cheezee)

Heat some oil and then fry up the ham until a bit toasted, then dump in the garlic. Saute until garlic is golden brown, add the tuna and stir. Measure 1/4 tsp. of dried basil and place on the palm of your hand and rub it before sprinkling into the pan. This way the flavor and aroma are released. Then season with salt and pepper. Pour in the cream soup base and cream. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat. The sauce will thicken due to the cream soup base. Adjust flavors according to taste. Plate up some pasta, pour the sauce and top with grated cheese. Yum! :)

Desserts at the Sweet Stop

2011-09-13T16:09:00.001+08:00

Homemade it is. Flavorful, decadent, heavenly..are just words to describe the yummy creations tucked in this quaint corner of The La Azotea. Tried out some but the choco-mint brownies wowed my taste buds, it captured the perfect blend of chocolate and mint that i have always loved in a brand i used to crave a lot. Their cassava cakes are made not from cassava flour but from real, grated cassava.

And these chocolate chunk cookies pack a lot of flavor, moist with a chunk of chocolate thus its name. Again not to sweet, just right.. So if you crave for something sweet but not overwhelming, the Sweet Stop it is! :)

Eats in Baguio... Jen's Fastfood

2011-09-11T16:11:00.000+08:00

After much rain for days, a sunny Saturday morning was most welcome thus what could be more fun than strolling down Session road.

And looking for good eats makes it all the more enjoyable. Moi and hubby thought of where to have a good lunch, a lot of names came to mind then suddenly we thought of going somewhere off the grid from the usual. There's this place that had good mami for Sunday breakfasts after Mass. Off we headed to Jen's Fastfood, and our palates were oh so satisfied!

While waiting for our food, moi spotted desserts! What joy to have the creamiest brazo de mercedes! No frills, just pure heaven. :) Will definitely come back for the cream puffs! :)

A typical "rice meal" in Baguio is a plateful of rice, vegetables, fried chicken or pork and an egg. The version of Jen's is made special by their fried rice or shanghai rice with bits of chinese sausage and scrambled egg and green onions.It had much flavor I ate it with just soup! :)

Hubby had the fried chicken rice, what could be more yummier than the classic fried chicken sans coatings etc. Their version is simply flavorful I may want to come back for a whole chicken! Also tried their pork asado and it had just the right flavor to it, not too sweet or salty. The way asado should be.

So when in Baguio, check them out along Diego Silang St. Just food with a lot of flavor, none of the fancy stuff. :)

Passion Fruit Jam

2011-08-31T14:34:00.002+08:00

Its fragrance fills the room as i write this piece on the wonderful gem of a fruit which ironically is named after the Lord's Passion.. passion fruit! It thrives in cold weather which is ideal for our Benguet climate. And yes it is indigenous to my hometown of Mankayan where during the rainy season, it grows wild and in abundance too. So when my mom comes visiting us in the city, she brings a bagful of these gems along with some soon to be ripened bananas as well. We make fresh fruit juice right away savoring the heavenly smell and lovely tangy taste! yum!

The health benefits of passion fruit are so immense that people call it "the wonder fruit" . At this site is found a list of benefits of passion fruit. But what amazes me is how it is likened to the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ through these attributes which I'm re-posting from Wikipedia:

The three stigmas reflect the three nails in Jesus's hands and feet.
The threads of the passion flower resemble the Crown of Thorns.
The vine's tendrils are likened to the whips.
The five anthers represented the five wounds.
The ten petals and sepals regarded to resemble the Apostles(excluding Judas and Peter).
The purple petals representing the purple robe used to mock Jesus' claim to kingship (Mt. 27:28)

The recipe for this delight starts with thoroughly washed 3 pcs. of passion fruit to yield 1 1/2 cups of pulp and seeds. Cut open the fruits and scoop out the pulp and seeds of each and put in a bowl. Store in the refrigerator. The 6 halves of fruit shells you will need to soak in 2 cups of water in a bowl too, which you will also chill overnight. Next morning, take out pulp from the fridge and boil in water for about 10 minutes. Take out from the water and cool.

Peel the skin away from the inner flesh that remained on the shells. Place the inner flesh into a pot, along with 1/4 cup of water, and mash to a pulp. Add the pulp and the seeds that you removed yesterday, along with the 2 1/3 cup sugar and the juice of half a lime, to the same pot and boil for 15 minutes. During this time the mixture should thicken.

Pour the hot jam into hot, sterilized jars, to within 1/4 inch from the top of the jar. Seal the jars. Enjoy them with toasted bread and butter! And a hot cup o' brewed coffee of course! Once again, a food indigenous to the highlands! :)

The Bakings of Ygoymom..

2011-08-27T00:27:00.000+08:00

It's a dream for moi and hubby to finally have a cooking range and a good one at that! Indeed, blessings come to those who work for good. Thus comes this part of moi's posts.. bakes! and more bakes! pastries at the moment and then maybe to some more yummier main dish, pasta and so on.. i can go on with the possibilities.. but most important is the joy of being able to share the bounties that can be had with this Elba oven. :)

I don't have a formal training in bakes but then anything can be had thru the net.. learning is a process and being inspired by food blogs do help a lot..

Here are just some of the moi's bakes with acknowledgement for the recipes.. :)

Frosted Vanilla Cupcakes thanks to this site

Chocolate Cake thru the site of ms. Berry Halley

Vanilla Cupcakes fresh off the oven, my kids love it!

Date Squares via this site

BlueBerry CheeseCake...

2011-07-18T13:22:00.001+08:00

Of all desserts that I've craved and gained pounds from, this one always makes me crave for more. Given the hefty price of a slice in coffee shops, the curious Ygoymom learns her way thru the magic of the no-bake blueberry cheesecake.

Had a good slice of it at the Cafe City 1888 in SM Baguio. Then on a rainy Friday evening, while walking home I suddenly craved for this dessert. It got me so frustrated that I vowed to make one or even two pans at home and indulge.. :)

The recipe I've always relied on is right smack on the box of a Magnolia Cream Cheese, tweaking it a bit to suit my taste. Ten steps to a blueberry cheesecake starts here:

1. The path to the cheesecake starts with the crust. You will need 1 bag of crushed Graham crackers, 100g softened butter (roughly half of a block), 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tbsp. brown sugar.
2. Mash altogether in a bowl until you achieve a "coarse sand"-like consistency.
3. Then press it firmly unto a bottom of a 9" pie plate or spring form pan. Chill or freeze for an hour or more.

4. For the filling, a box of cream is emptied into a bowl and to it is added 2 tbsp. of white sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form then set aside.
5. In another bowl, a block of softened cream cheese is again beaten together with 3 tbsps. of sugar until well blended.

6. In a saucepan, pour 3 tbsp of fresh milk and add 1 tbsp of gelatin powder, bring to a heat but do not boil! Stir to melt and dissolve the gelatin only then remove from heat. Pour on to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.
7. Then fold the cream cheese mixture in to the bowl of whipped cream. Mix well.
8. Into your chilled crust, pour the mixture and level. Put back into the chiller until its firms up.
9. Place the blueberries before serving up, this way it won't mess up when you slice the cheesecake.
10. Enjoy! :)

Eats Adventures..Aling Lucing's Sisig

2011-07-12T19:18:00.000+08:00

I'm starting this new feature in my blog with a legendary Kapampangan specialty, SISIG! And eating it where it all started makes it all the more special for Ygoymom.

We hied off to Antipolo City to attend the 18th anniversary of Familia Community which found us in the company of elder leaders ever so accommodating. After being awed by the spiritually uplifting praise and worship, it was time to trek back home to the cool mountains of Baguio. But not before having dinner, and its when the discussion was to please have no more fastfood! Everybody breathed a sigh of relief when all agreed to exit to Angeles City and visit Aling Lucing's..

How sisig came to be is found here. How we enjoyed this yummy treat, here are shots.. :)

A "must visit" place! :)

chunky potato-corn cream soup

2011-05-28T20:54:00.000+08:00

Potatoes are a major crop that's grown here in the highlands. Thus, it is but fitting for us to eat more of it than buy them skinny fries in the fastfood joints. Make your own "french fries" using home grown potatoes. Not only do we enjoy the good nutritional values, but we get to help also our farmers.

This recipe I came up with due to my kids' love for cream soup. Since cream soup is just plain i decided to add potatoes for a chunkier treat. Other vegetables may also be added such as broccoli, carrots and beans.

First, eight medium sized potatoes were peeled, washed then cubed. Then, one head of onion was also cleaned and cubed same size as the potatoes. In a pan with heated oil, saute the onion till its transparent then dump into it the potatoes. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Continue cooking until they are half-done. In a bowl, dissolve one packet of cream of corn soup with five cups of cold water. Pour into the pan. Add two tablespoons of alaska crema and one fourth cup of grated cheese. The mixture will thicken once it boils due to the cream soup mixture. Adjust the flavor accordingly. Remove from heat when the potatoes are cooked.

Enjoy! :)

chicken siomai

2011-05-10T23:59:00.000+08:00

This recipe came up due to my kids' love for "chinese food" as they call it which translates to siomai. We buy it at Siomai House and since then they look forward to this treat after our Sunday mass. Lately, them siomai from the house have been all too draining on the budget, with four pieces costing 30 bucks and gone in a minute. What with the big appetite my kids have. So i decided to make our own at home, best part is we get to buy the ingredients knowing that they're fresh, no extenders, less sodium and less MSG too.

For the filling we used 1/2 k. ground chicken bought at the Magnolia chicken station at SM, 1 c. grated carrots, an egg, salt, pepper, 1 pc. Knorr shrimp cube (in place of shrimps), 1 c. crushed Skyflakes (in place of bread crumbs) and 1/2 c. cornstarch. Mix them altogether except for the cornstarch which must be sprinkled evenly at the last part while incorporating it into the mixture. Chill in ref for at least 30 mins. Separate the molo wrappers slowly as not to tear them, prep them up in a plate for easier wrapping later.

The trick in forming the dumpling is take a wrapper, place on top of your thumb and index finger forming a ring to support the wrapper. Then place a teaspoonful of the filling gently pressing it to take the form of the circled fingers. Gently close up the wrapper onto the filling. Practice makes perfect so don't expect to get it the first time. Continue doing so until you have used up all the filling.

We used the steamer of a rice cooker to cook them, over a stove top of course. First fill up the cooker with at least half-level of water and let boil. Then carefully arrange the siomai onto the steamer taking care not to cover the holes where steam will circulate. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean.

Serve with soy sauce and calamansi or chili-garlic sauce. For my kids, a bit of soy sauce will do. The thing is, it was so yummy no sauce was needed. I was hoping to make a batch to store in the freezer for future snacks but kids had it until breakfast the next day. Oh well, there will be a next time for this treat! :)

Eats in Baguio... 50's Diner

2011-05-01T13:12:00.000+08:00

A lovely Sunday with The Hubby started with a mass then walking at the Bowl. Then we decided to walk around the city and that's when we chanced upon the new branch of 50's Diner along Military Cut-off Rd.

We got excited to see a fresh venue of our old time fave and decided to have breakfast. Brewed coffee is one thing not to be missed here, they brew it fresh though i wish they would have at least one free refill. But anyway, me would rather have one fresh cup than a big stale one. We ordered the pancake sandwich which consists of three pancakes and sandwiched in between is a chicken patty and bacon. It comes with a sweet n sour syrup creation, i stuck with the plain syrup while The Hubby preferred hot sauce n catsup. The coffee was so good we ended up buying seconds and our food was satisfying.

A favorite for locals and visitors alike, 50's Diner is well known for its yummy creations that come in huge servings. Now it has a new branch in this cozy side of Baguio, where one can enjoy a lovely view of pine trees and bask in morning sunshine. Prices are reasonable and service is excellent, smiles from lovely crews too.

Ygoymom noticed though the short choices for salads. With the abundance of fresh produce in our market, we wish that restos in Baguio would give more salad choices at reasonable prices. The menu needed proofreading too, hope something will be done about it.

Overall, 50s Diner hasn't lost its old school touch and has come a long way to being one of the favorite food destinations in Baguio City.

bangus sarciado..

2011-04-22T19:49:00.000+08:00

For lunch this Good Friday, we had this yummy creation.. a good way to enjoy fish and to nourish the soul too. I bought bangus yesterday at the market together with some fruits. First thing is to defrost since it was in the fridge overnight. Then season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown and set aside. Slice up some onions and tomatoes then sautee in a new pan with hot oil. Add water and let boil, then mix into it one beaten egg. Then add into the pan the fried bangus pieces, let simmer. Season to taste with salt or patis. The tails of the bangus i kept in a container, to be used for my pinakbet in a day or two..

pritong paksiw, ensalada at pulang kanin

2011-04-21T12:16:00.000+08:00

Galunggong has always been one of my favorites, it being so tasty even when plain fried. Thus my disgust when imported ones flooded the market coming from China. The imported ones were flat and tasteless, while the good ones are rounded. So when going to the market, check our authentic galunggong and don't be charmed by vendors who sell the imported ones. Imported is not always of the best quality.

To enhance its flavor, i decided to cook it as paksiw then fry afterwards. The idea of paksiw or cooking in vinegar originated from the early Philippine kitchen, when refrigerators were unheard of. After cleaning a kilo of this fish, arrange it in a shallow pan, sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Chop up some ginger and garlic, add together with three pieces of siling haba. Pour 1/2 cup each of vinegar and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer in low heat for 10 minutes. Let it cool before frying.

This we had for lunch the next day, together with ensaladang kamatis at sibuyas. Tomatoes are cheap in the market this summer time, selling for 20/kilo. This ensalada is made up of de-seeded and chopped tomatoes and chopped onions. I mixed together soy sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper and vinegar, pour and mix it all up. Let is stand for 15 minutes.

Serve with red rice, enjoy! :)

baguio beans and spam

2011-04-15T10:06:00.002+08:00

This is one way to enjoy Baguio beans :

Open a can of Spam Garlic flavor, divide into two, keep one half in the fridge for breakfast. The other half, dice and brown in oil, remove from pan and set aside. Prep up some onions, tomatoes and the beans.

Saute onions and tomatoes until it becomes pasty, then add beans. Add a cup of water, let it simmer. Season with salt, pepper and oyster sauce according to taste. When it starts to boil, add the spam cubes, turn down heat and continue simmering until beans are cooked. Top on rice and enjoy!

One's visit to the Cool City would not be complete without savoring our vegetables, which by the way are grown in neighboring towns surrounding the city. If you're a tourist wanting to eat at authentic local places, soon i will post places to eat while in Baguio and Benguet. :)

plump, lovely tomatoes!

2011-04-12T16:24:00.000+08:00

On a beautiful Sunday, after hearing mass at the Baguio Cathedral, we strolled down to the Market to buy some fruits. This after bargaining with Ethan that i buy him strawberries instead of the occasional "chinese food" treat, siomai. So off we went, bought a pineapple and half a kilo of strawberries at 50 each.

These gem of Tomatoes were tucked away in a corner in one of the rice stalls, couldn't help but ask how much. Lo and behold, it sells P25 a kilo!

So there i was happy as a child with my bag of tomatoes, my mind already picturing it soaking in the goodness of my home made vinaigrette...

Indeed, its sweetness was heightened by the flavors of the vinaigrette. We had this for lunch, over warm rice and a can of Century corned tuna.

Simple and exciting flavors!

eating to a healthy heart

2011-04-10T21:29:00.001+08:00

This bowl of concoction is what adults in the house (me, hubby and Papa) have started eating for weeks now. Its my own mix of old fashioned rolled oats, instant oats, low fat milk and fruits on the side. Salt and sugar may be added as to preference. Plain water may be added in place of milk. The mix of oats gives it texture, add some chopped nuts too.

Oats are a good source of fiber needed by our body, milk does us good but if you don't want the added calories go for low or non-fat, and fruits abound in our market, do yourself a favor by chowing down on fruits this summer..papaya, guyabano, melon, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries and mangoes. People would say fruits are expensive, but exchanging other processed food you eat in a day to a serving of fruit does more good. May not be an easy switch, but practice may lead to a healthy habit.. Cheers to Life! :)

white beans & sausage..

2011-04-06T21:54:00.003+08:00

Beans are a staple food in an Igorot's diet, be it dried or fresh ones. It goes well with our etag or kinuday. The reason being it supplies the needed energy by the body in order to plow the rice fields or tend to our vegetable gardens. Also for the cold climate that we have, the energy supplied by beans help keep our bodies warm. White beans is one variety common to us, cooked into the famous pork and beans.

These white kidney beans i bought from old ladies who say it was harvested all the way from Sadanga, Mt. Province. These are the kind which are unbleached and not stored for long. It was just the right thing to cook for my friend Lucille who requested for an easy dish.

This is a one-pot-dish, slowcooked starting from softening the beans, then adding chicken sausage or longganisa as we call it, bought from a Magnolia chicken station at Sunshine supermart. The flavor from the sausage was enough to enhance the beans, i only added salt, no sauteeing needed. Then last to go in are the pechay leaves, bought from the SIHM store at the Porta Vaga parking lot. Cabbage or wombok may be added instead. The flavors from the sausage mixed with the creaminess of the soup makes for a yummy dinner.. Enjoy!

kids' breakfast...

2011-04-05T11:57:00.001+08:00

Tuesday morning as i prepare hubby's breakfast of oatmeal and non-fat milk, Troy wakes up, comes out of the bedroom and greets us good morning. Then he asks his dad for some "choco-weit", which is how he calls his formula milk. After prepping up a bottle, hubby gamely hands it to him and suddenly he frowns... dad: huh? you don't like? troy: no! spaggenti!

mom & dad: uh-oh!.... funny, he must've dreamt of pasta in his sleep!

So there i was quickly thinking of what to cook for my boys. Luckily, a pack of penne pasta was at hand together with ingredients for cream sauce which i plan to use. Dad heaved a sigh of relief on hearing me assure Troy that pasta indeed he's gonna have for breakfast.

After finishing our oatmeal and kissing our goodbyes to their Dad who's off to work, i set down to cook.

The sauce for this dish consists of:

1 box cream

1 can tuna

1/2 cup grated cheese

3 pcs. hotdog chopped

dash of mustard

1 small head onion chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 carrots, coarsely grated

1/2 cup fresh milk

salt, dried basil and pepper to taste.

Pasta was cooked as to directions. First to saute is garlic, then onions followed by hotdogs, then carrots. Pour in the tuna and cream, stir to simmer then add the cheese and mustard. Season to taste. Simmer in low fire. Pour onto the cooled pasta, mix and enjoy! just like my boys did.. :)

2011-04-03T20:50:00.000+08:00

i love my mornings..

2011-03-29T09:10:00.001+08:00

waking up to a new day, thank you Lord..
list'ning to the sounds of Your creation...
being of service..
for all the wonders You have done..
Thank You Lord...

'tis the season o' strawberries!..

2011-03-29T08:59:00.007+08:00

the fruit we are made famous for! yup, its strawberries.. one of the many reasons why living in the Cordilleras compare to nothing.. we enjoy the bounties of the earth! fresh produce all year round, organic vegetables and fruits, bounties from the sea are just an hour's drive away, cool weather and best of all, the warmth of the people!!

on a Sunday evening we went to the market to buy a kilo of these jewels which by the way cost us Php50, way cheaper than when tourists will be flocking to the city during the Holy Week, then prices can go as high as Php80-100.

my son Ethan loves strawberries, plain and simple dipped in salt. Washing them thoroughly and i mean thorough, is a must, if its gonna be eaten as it is, no cream or milk or cooked. It comes directly from the farm thus expect nothing else, roll up your sleeves and start cleaning..from removing the leaves to washing it in water several times.. What i do is wash them berries until the water comes clear of dust particles and murky color..then i make a vinegar and water solution, soak the berries for at least 5 minutes..then wash again. Serve together with your other favorite fruits..and the newspaper?..well, a Sunday in an Igorota's life will not be complete without the Baguio Midland Courier.. live and love!

healthy greens..

2011-02-19T19:40:00.004+08:00

on a Sunday afternoon after chores had been done and Sunday obligation attended to, it was a perfect time to brew some coffee..then thought of what to eat with it..

this recipe came up because of our craving for the "accidental garlic sauce"..

we used chicken breast which luckily was marinated days ago with garlic and rosemary..one could only imagine the flavors it had..then we had it simmering in a covered pan in its own juice.

the organic lettuce i bought at the LaTOP stall in the La Trinidad Public Market..

the garlic sauce recipe i repeated..

in setting up, we washed and drained the lettuce then tore them into serving pieces, next the cut up chicken pieces are laid out on top then the garlic sauce is drizzled over it..and the outcome is this yummy and healthy salad..perfect pair to an equally perfect cup of brewed coffee!

chicken mami!

2011-02-06T03:14:00.000+08:00

as you can see on the date of this picture, it was during the New Year noche buena... the family opted for something different, rather than spaghetti or pancit..it was Chicken Mami!! and its not just your ordinary mami...the soup stock was slow cooked for hours composed of chicken back and pork spareribs with sibut (chinese seasoning), salt and pepper...then the other ingredients were also prepped up..pancit miki, chopped green onions, chicharon, toasted garlic, boiled egg cut into pieces, calamansi...assemble them in a bowl and pour in the soup...yummy!! :D

the accidental garlic sauce..

2011-01-28T20:28:00.002+08:00

it was gonna be a merienda cena birthday celebration of cousins who are siblings, since its just a week apart they decided to have it at once..thus we planned the menu.. they wanted a pasta and barbecue party..chicken and pork barbecue, pasta was gonna be pesto and carbonara...then the idea for nachos salad came up..i have always loved how Don Henrico's does their Nachos Salad and it served as an inspiration to make one at home..

we had a hard time looking for nacho chips, so we opted for store bought nacho chips with cheese, it saved us on cheese actually..then we added black olives and freshly torn romaine lettuce, for the ground beef i just boiled it in little water then sauteed it in oil..seasoned it with soy sauce and black pepper..for salsa, it was the store bought kind in glass jar since time was of the essence and we were running out of it..then came the part to make the divine yummy white sauce that completes the package...the garlic sauce!! what i tasted in restos was a tad too salty or the garlic was too strong, maybe because it was raw garlic..then i came up with my own recipe:

half block of dairy creme butter

half cup of pressed garlic

1 box of nestle cream

2 tbsp of mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

first heat up a pan then place the butter to melt only, lower the heat and place the garlic. simmer it for a few minutes do not fry..after 3 minutes turn off heat..in a blender pour the cream and add the garlic-butter, blend until garlic is pureed..add the mayonnaise then season with salt and pepper according to taste..transfer to a container and cover.

to assemble the nacho salad, spread the lettuce on the plate then the chips then olives, if you grated some cheese then add some and of course the ground beef..then drizzle the garlic sauce and salsa..voila! indulgence in a fraction of the price! why no photos? it was too delish to even stay for five minutes in the table..definitely gonna make this one again..this weekend maybe?

our "food"...our service...

2010-12-10T22:13:00.001+08:00

I write this piece about a different kind of "food", that which nourishes our soul. Would like to share how me and hubby are nourished in a different way..by the service and life that we have come to share in Familia. For the years we have known each other until now that we are married, Familia has always been a beacon light, guiding us and reminding us of the reason we live..to serve others. Thru all the joys and trials of our family, the love and support of our ka- Familia is most evident and heartfelt And for the years to come, may we be able to serve more and grow together through this "food" that we have come to love..

2010-12-09T11:05:00.000+08:00

strawberry wine..and 17..so goes a beautiful country song.. tells a story of a girl falling in love one summer time...it is one favorite country song among Igorots in the highlands..how we come to love country songs is a testimony to our way of life..we like it laid back, peaceful and optimistic..the Igorots of Benguet are peace- loving and always welcoming.

and in our place abound strawberries, sweet and succulent come December when they start to fill the air with their scent..up until summer time when visitors try out fruit picking in our farms..check out locally made strawberry wines at the la trinidad strawberry farms..

2010-12-06T17:31:00.000+08:00

i long for a freshly brewed hot cup of coffee, picked from my grandmother's age-old coffee trees in our hometown...looking forward to it this Christmas holiday!

squash maja blanca

2010-10-30T15:48:00.001+08:00

an early morning trip to the market made me remember of my plan to cook what's left of the huge squash sitting in our fridge. i have long planned of making maja blanca, since it has always been a favorite dessert with my hubby. you might say hesh.."sisiw lang yan!"..but then i guess the art of cooking at home makes it more delicious and surely a treat for my kids too. so i bought freshly grated coconut because i didn't want to settle with powdered instant gata. boiled water to use for the gata, i used a cloth to squeeze out the milk, just as we did years ago when i was a kid where we would always help Mama prepare kakanin for Nov. 1..

boiled the squash and mashed them..

then mixed them together, added 3/4 cup of cornstarch diluted in water to prevent lumps, added a dash of salt

used 1 can of condensed milk in place of sugar and evaporated milk..

mixed them thoroughly and passed it thru a sieve to give it a smooth texture, note that this takes a long time if you want your mixture to be smooth and free of lumps and fibers from the squash.

then the mixture is placed in low heat to cook, continue stirring to prevent from sticking until it boils..it becomes cooked when it has a "shiny" texture to it...

pour into pans to cool...shredded cheese may be placed instead of toasted coconut...

squash spaghetti sauce

2010-10-29T23:54:00.016+08:00

Troy is 3!! yup and as a treat for him we made spaghetti for dinner which is a must for my chinese heritage which says noodles bring long life so for every birthday in the family, a noodle dish must be present. In this case i opted for spaghetti (again!)..
The sauce we made was vegetable enriched, in this case we added squash. My dad brought home a half of a big squash and i remember Troy enjoyed them a lot boiled or added to pinakbet. Made good use of it which i boiled, mashed and stirred into the sauce. Chopped some garlic, sauteed in a bit of oil then added in some tuna (from the can), next came the squash, seasoned with salt, pepper and dried basil. Let it simmer then add 2 packs of spaghetti sauce. Stir then sprinkle some grated cheese.. serve over pasta..enjoy!

chicken penne-pesto pasta..

2010-10-16T20:21:00.001+08:00

Saturday night dinner is pasta..again? you might ask..well, it's a family favorite and it can be prepared in a lot of ways too. This time i made a new sauce called chicken pesto on penne pasta. It was summer time when i had my first taste of this recipe and only now did i have to chance to re-create and suit it to our taste. You see, the one i had at the restaurant was a tad too salty, and the pasta was not so al dente.

The pasta i cooked as to package directions and set it aside. For the sauce, it was one chopped medium head of garlic, about two tbsps. of freshly chopped basil leaves, bite-size sliced lean chicken breast, one box of Alaska cream, grated cheese and some black pepper. No salt was added since the cheese was enough to give flavor.

Saute the chicken pieces in hot oil until they turn white, push the pieces to one side of the pan and saute the garlic next. Stir until it turns golden brown then mix the chicken, add the basil leaves then stir. Add the cream then season with powdered pepper. Sprinkle in the grated cheese, continue stirring and adjust flavor. Turn down the heat and mix in the pre-cooked penne, mix well. Serve immediately..

It was an instant hit with my kids, really rewarding to see them enjoy what mom prepared..

Chicken Tausi

2010-10-04T21:04:00.002+08:00

It is common for me to be cooking meals out of ingredients i find in the fridge and usually they turn out better than the ones i plan for, i mean those that i list down its ingredients. Thus is what happened for dinner today.

It is also my first time to use tausi or black beans in cooking. Bought a can last week to use for fish tausi, then kept half of it. The fish tausi recipe was such a hit with my hubby that i decided to try it out again this time with chicken..

While the fish dish i did was fried then sauteed with lots of onions and soy sauce, this chicken recipe was done another way. First the chicken pieces were simmered in water for about 20 minutes. Then i sliced up 3 heads of red onions and 8 medium sized tomatoes. Sauteed it in hot oil then put in the tausi. Then i poured in the chicken together with its stock, the idea was to let the stock simmer until it thickens into sauce. We had a leftover adobo sauce and that went in too, and i put 2 teaspoons of Pinoy Kurat suka and salt to taste..voila! the flavor was tangy and just right! We ate it with red rice and me had a cup of tea after...ahhh..a simple meal made special when shared with family!

spicy pesto-sardine pasta!

2010-09-19T21:13:00.002+08:00

Meals from scratch really taste better all the time..for dinner on a lazy sunday, hubby thought of whipping up spaghetti for the kids. This got me into craving for pesto pasta too, well lucky for us we have homemade pesto stored in the freezer. So he cooked the pasta and divided it into two parts and did the sauce for the kids which is tomato based with carrot and hotdogs while moi did the pesto sauce.

For the pesto sauce, fresh basil is always available at the baguio city market, ours was made with olive oil, garlic, salt n pepper and blended till smooth. Place in a jar and store in the freezer for longer life. It is ideal for pasta sauces and sandwich spreads.

I came up with the spicy pesto-sardine sauce when i was pregnant with Troy and was always craving for new tastes. It has since been a favorite recipe especially for my hubby who loves spicy foods. A can of spicy fried sardines sauteed with garlic and the pesto sauce completes this oh-so yummy, elegant-looking-but-affordable creation..bursting with flavor too!

lumpiang ubod...my mama's way.

2010-08-10T22:58:00.003+08:00

over the weekend we had the chance to go home to my parents' place in Mankayan. It was to celebrate our dad's 58th birthday. It was gonna be a simple lunch with the family. So i brought ingredients for spaghetti, then hubby made pinikpikan with a native chicken while my sis brought pork for adobo. Mama's recipe was lumpiang ubod, so lovingly and painstakingly prepared. First the young bamboo shoots are harvested, peeled, chopped then boiled with salt.

Then the wrapper is cooked one by one. The sweet sauce comes next, along with chopping and toasting the nuts and garlic..the result is a yummy treat which an Igorot like me rarely encounters in my mountains! I ate 2 pieces of the lumpia along with the lunch, whew! it was a guilt-free indulgence considering everything was naturally prepared and no cholesterol too!

veggie-laden chicken curry..

2010-07-20T20:10:00.004+08:00

dinner tonight is one of my most loved recipes, it has such flavors that even my kids have come to like..it was months since i cooked this and missed it a lot.. it is vegetable loaded this time- carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, camote, string beans and the usual aromatics- ginger, garlic, onions and tomatoes..did a lot of peeling and chopping here..

this is how i did it-
slice up a kilo of chicken thighs and season with salt, fry them till slightly browned on sides, remove and set aside, saute the aromatics starting with the ginger, garlic then onions and lastly the tomatoes. Then put back the chicken pieces into the pan, add water to boil, then season with salt, pepper and curry powder. I used the powder variety of coconut milk and it is equally good, mix and taste.Let it boil. When seasoning, put each spice in moderation as not to have one taste overpower the rest and putting a lot of the curry powder may cause your dish to have a bitter taste so be careful. Add the cut up potatoes, carrots and camote then cover and let boil.

when the veggies are half-cooked, add beans and bell peppers and let simmer..serve with rice or maybe eaten as is, the vegetables have all the carbs as with rice...this is my version of chicken curry...mangan tako!

pickled ampalaya

2010-07-03T14:56:00.002+08:00

a good way to enjoy raw ampalaya is by pickling or in Filipino we say ensalada.. this recipe we picked up from Jarz, a colleague and neighbor. Hubby improvised by slicing the ampalaya thinly and soaking it in salt then squeezing out the liquid..this way the bitterness may be reduced..then we added chopped tomatoes, onions and ginger and juice of two lemons..season with salt, pepper and vinegar..the original recipe we tasted had green mangoes in it but i wasn't able to buy some today. the good thing about this ensalada is it can be kept in the fridge, thus i can buy some green mangoes and add it up tomorrow...goes well with fried foods, looking forward to eating this with boneless bangus..

bukayo..

2010-07-03T13:44:00.001+08:00

the soft and chewy kind..what a delight!! went to the market this morning and there amongst the display of lowland vegetables sat an old woman with her bilao of freshly cooked bukayo. it was a rare find for me since bukayo varieties nowadays are the already hardened ones formed into balls and sprinkled with sesame seeds..my mom introduced me to this delicacy during my childhood, and since then have always looked forward to it as a treat.. it is such joy to savor the natural goodness of coconut not the dessicated or canned kind..
after enjoying a hearty breakfast, am now munching on this sweet delicacy while typing away..yummy!

2010-06-27T00:07:00.001+08:00

in an effort to start eating healthy, me and hubby opted for ham sandwich for dinner..boiled ham, slices of cucumber and tomatoes, romaine lettuce..and a dressing made with sour cream, mustard, salt n pepper...this in the hope of consuming lesser calories which is a goal for us both... also made potato salad and same dressing was used..this can last for days and best when chilled first... also made mashed potatoes for the kids..

lovely orange colored camote mashed up with a few potatoes...

brewed coffee

2010-06-26T09:41:00.002+08:00

a beauty of being in the highlands is having great access to coffee, not the instant kind but the freshly picked, roasted and ground beans.. i always buy my coffee in Garcia's Pure Coffee at the baguio public market, the friendly lady at the counter (manang to me) is expert at her beans i say, have been in the business for long they were one of the originals in the market. you can also buy brown sugar or muscovado from them, which is the perfect sweetener for that freshly brewed cup. Garcia's brew good coffee is an institution for Baguio settlers. Manang confirmed even that a well known uber expensive coffee shop buy beans from them! why? because our home grown arabica beans taste way better than their imported ones! reminding me not to spend my money on that coffeeshop again, i can make my own cup of brew at the comfort of my home

..my sister now based in South Korea brought with her kilos of coffee as pasalubong and how her in-laws loved it! now she misses them!! one of the things she misses about Baguio.

indonesia also has great coffee selections, me and hubby always look forward to a bag or two of their brews whenever my sis-in-law comes home for a visit.. here is a variety which is a mix of arabica and robusta varieties, from Singa Coffee.. tastes so good i can have two full cups for the day and not be jittery..good cup of brew.. :)

pinikpikan..

2010-06-25T15:11:00.001+08:00

native chicken, etag (salted pork), ginger and sayote....these are the main stuff in bringing out a really authentic pinikpikan..a true-blue Igorot food..

umali kayo, mangan tako!!!

Fathers' Day food

2010-06-24T09:38:00.001+08:00

my own version of garlic-rosemary micro-grilled chicken.....love the smell!! of course tastes yummy and juicy too!!

post Dad's day treat for my Babe...Ethan says "mommy can i help..please!!"..we did this together..he mixing while i poured ingredients...nice team work!!

malunggay-enriched pancit miki..

2010-06-16T16:34:00.004+08:00

Dinner for Sunday was pancit miki which i bought from the BSU marketing center last week.. It is a new product which is vegetable enriched, malunggay was added thus the green color of the noodle. Since my family love noodle-based dishes, this is a welcome find..not only delicious but superbly nutritious as well. Also i was able to buy a head of cabbage which is organically grown in one of the university's greenhouses. It costs a fortune but knowing that it was not pesticide-laden was worth it..

i cooked it together with ground pork and seasonings and it was oh so delish....

afternoon coffee..

2010-05-29T17:10:00.002+08:00

made a visit to my hubby's office last week for a change, the kids paid a visit to their grandparents' house thus had the afternoon off from them..while hubby was clicking away at work, i was trying to finish off a paperwork that needed to be given elsewhere. Then 'twas coffee break, nice time for a hot cup of coffee..hmmm..so where might there be a good one? then he remembered of a coffee brand that was inside the university marketing center. So we walked over and lo and behold! it was the Rocky Mountain Cafe that i was reading all about in the news! for a coffee lover like me, it was a happy moment! so there i was all eager to have a cup of their brew, and another cup of latte, wouldn't want to miss the flavor! funny thing he never mentioned that they had set up shop inside the university. When i asked the crew since when they started, they said January of this year.. oh my here i am so excited about a coffee find when it was right under my nose all these days..oh well, i say better be late than never to have tasted such a good and fresh brew!

And the good thing about the company is they source their coffee beans from Benguet farmers which is a good way of supporting and sustaining the coffee industry of the province.

So there i was savoring the coffee with a freshly-baked cheese bread from the ovens of the BSU Bakery...pure bliss for the fraction of a price of coffee in the mall !! be going back for more soon..check it out and experience for yourself the simple pleasures one can find in La Trinidad..

penne from scratch..yummy!!

2010-05-20T02:21:00.002+08:00

dinner was a pasta dish i made from ingredients found in the ref...

pasta dishes are a family favorite, my kids love pasta so much they can just eat it without the sauce! well anyway, here is a simple sauce to make for penne pasta,

for the sauce i used two varieties which are the sweet style and pesto-cheese combi. For most times, we add a lot of vegetables like carrots, zucchini and bell peppers. But since me had no time to go to the market, i just grated in a piece of carrot..there goes the veggies, disguise them in the sauce so kids will eat them.

Tricks a mom would really love!

first i finely chopped 5 cloves of garlic, then in a pot placed about 1/4k. of ground pork, put a bit of water to boil the meat up. when the water has gone, put some oil, move pork to one side of the pan then saute garlic. when it has turned brown mix it with the pork then grate the carrot into it..stir it all up, add salt, pepper and basil with a bit of water to boil..then add the two sauces and about 1tbsp. of cream..let it boil, then lower heat to simmer..season to taste..cook the pasta according to directions, when done drain off water. grate the cheese on top of cooked pasta before mixing in the sauce...mix well...

dinner is served!!

homemade chicken sandwich...

2010-05-18T19:06:00.001+08:00

simply delicious!! had a guilt-free lunch today, made my own chicken sandwich spread from ingredients found in our refrigerator...half a bottle of mayonnaise, a teaspoon of mustard, canned chicken breast, salt n pepper...this can go a long way..mix it all up then store it back into the mayonnaise jar..heat up some whole wheat bread and enjoy!!

my son's favorite food...(.foods for picky eaters..)

2010-05-13T16:27:00.001+08:00

lately my son Troy has been choosy about foods he eat, and always mouths "yuck!" for every food that comes near his lips..thus it's always a dilemma for us to think of something he might want aside of course from his formula, pasta dishes and cream soups. One thing i love about him is he so loves potatoes, either fried or mashed, he will always open up to eat..

so today i decide to make mashed potatoes with a twist, i added camote or sweet potato. For us here in the highlands, we also call it the musical fruit, why? because if you eat too much it makes your butt sing a lot....=)

so for the recipe, i used 1 kilo of potatoes together with 3 large pieces of camote, peeled and cut them equally in order to be cooked uniformly. then washed and placed in a pot with enough water to cover, oh and do put a pinch of salt too..boil them for maybe 30 minutes or when you insert a fork and no resistance can be felt.

when it's cooked, drain the water and mash it up one by one in a round bowl, slowly adding butter and i also used condensed milk with it, so much for diets, its for the kids anyway. i set aside a few potatoes which i also made into chicken potato salad. but that would be for another post. so while mashing up the camote and potatoes, the butter and milk will melt into it to form one yummy healthy treat for my kids. mix it thoroughly to have a smooth texture, but sometimes i make this chunky, it is also one favorite comfort food for us...

right away Troy ate spoonfuls of this, and i am sure he will love it for dinner again. so instead of spending bucks buying baby food, why not make it at your own home, this way you will know what goes into it and to steer clear of artificial stuff. this food is a great source of energy for kids who play all day long, and best of all, its all- natural.

his brown teeth..(what not to give your baby when teething..)

2010-05-13T01:05:00.000+08:00

My son EJ always has a smile for everyone he meets, we raised him to be friendly and to "mano" or bless elderlies in the family. One thing that people notice right away is his teeth, and ask why the brown tint? Nope we didn't spoil him with sweets, though I admit to being a sweet tooth myself. The brown thing was an effect of the iron- supplement when he was a toddler. It was in 2006 when he just turned a year old when we thought of bringing him for a routine under-five clinic check-up. It included a random CBC where the nurse revealed that my son was anemic, meaning he had low red blood cell counts, suddenly my world crumbled. Why? I thought that Iwas giving the best for my son by breastfeeding him, but then the nurse implied that it was an occurrence for big babies, my son fell in that category since he weighed 3.84 kgs at birth which when compared to Filipino standards would be big, almost weighing like American babies. At least some comforting over there. And so we were prescribed with an iron-supplement to correct this deficiency which should be administered for four months. This we did, but unfortunately it also coincided with the time that his baby teeth were growing out. The vitamins were too dark that it really stained his teeth to the point of making them look rotten.

People would often be taken aback when they see him smile but when asked, we tell them about it. We had brought him to various dentists and they had one thing to say, just wait for it to grow out..and so we did..lesson learned: iron supplements can only be given at a certain age of babies, so as not to interfere with the quality of their teeth when it grows.

And as i write this his second permanent tooth is growing out, it was a proud moment for us to see his first baby tooth fall out and see a new pearl peeking. Then me and hubby vowed to really take good care of our kids' pearly whites.

Luckily, our second son didn't encounter this dilemma, one of the reasons am really thankful we switched pediatricians. She was so hands on in offering advices for the kids that she even reminded us that she is prescribing the iron supplement at a time when our second son's teeth will not be out yet.Why? So that it will not ruin his tooth growth, omg! why didn't i hear this from my previous pediatrician? Oh makes me boil!! I was so mad at the incompetency or maybe just plain indifference of our previous doctor! And to think that he was oh so friendly and accommodating. Or maybe he has a growing number of clientele that he tends to skip the essentials and just go about with the routine check ups never minding the details.

As a mom I wanted to give the best for my kids and so we wanted out as his patients. And it truly makes a difference if your pediatrician has kids of her own, you know they talk about their profession well, as it is accompanied by experience. Then you know you are in the same boat. So for moms out there, be not afraid to seek out second opinions especially if it concerns your children. It won't hurt to ask, than paying the price later and blaming oneself......

my 6th year as a mom..

2010-05-08T15:09:00.001+08:00

tomorrow is a special day for women who chose to take a noble path in life..to become bulky and enlarged for nine months, give birth after, breastfeed, have sleepless days, missed meals, big-appetite (due to BF), routine check-ups and everything that comes with it..overall, it adds up to MOTHERHOOD..i take my hats off to fellow mommies..most especially to Igorota mommies out there!! cheers to us!

i recall the days of my first pregnancy when i was almost clueless on what to expect when your expecting..then thanks to the power of the internet, it was a helpful tool for me to keep track of my baby's development... it was babycenter.com that opened my eyes into the whole world of motherhood, i learned and appreciated a lot of facts. they have a monthly update on the developments of the fetus as it grows inside you, yup literally from day one up until now that my boys are growing, they still send helpful information on how to rear our kids. not only do they help with kids but also have articles about marriage and fatherhood. such a helpful site i may say, so for newbie mommies out there whilst surfing do take time to check this site out and surely you will come to know a lot of stuff that even your pediatrician won't tell you...

have a beautiful Mother's Day!!!

pepeng's wrath..

2010-03-02T13:07:00.000+08:00

took this shot during our new year trip to Mankayan, vegetable gardens were not spared by the landslides.....how sad to think that years from now, the spot where i once strolled with my kid will be no more...

who am i.....

2010-02-22T13:56:00.001+08:00

just like the song that keeps playing on my mind, one may ask who is ygoymom? me is a mom to two adorable boys, who quit her job with an NGO to care for her sons and make the best of writing about anything..

i love to write, dream that one day will write a book of short stories- cum- biography of my family.. my experiences growing up, encounters with family, happy and sad moments.. i have always been fascinated with my family genealogy..

always want to write about caring for my kids too, how breastfeeding has become my battlecry for newbie moms out there..it pays very much..once you decide to be a mother, immerse yourself in it..forget about your physical attributes for a while and indulge in the happiness of nourishing your children..inner beauty will always prevail.

why ygoy? i am an Igorot by blood and passion..i am passionate about my ancestry and will write about experiences here in Igorotland..