Best Gift Ever!

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

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.. :)

Benguet Province..

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

Makulay na Buhay.. :)

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

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

    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

      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

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..

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...

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

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

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

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

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..

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

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

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!

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

 

 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..

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...

 

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.. :) 

i love my mornings..

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!..

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..

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!