Shirashi-sushi

Shirashi-sushi is actually a sushi rice tuna, salmon, omlet, kampyo, salmon roe, cucumber, steamed salmon, surimi and wakame. It's an Osaka style sushi and taste really good.

We have tried this shirashi sushi at Niji restaurant in Angeles Pampanga.

Nido Science Discovery Center

Nido Science Discovery Center is an art museum good for both adults and kids as well. It's an informative venue for the whole family and field trips for students. 

When we have our company outing, my kids did enjoy especially on the discovery of the universe. There's also a basics on nutrition, nature and animals, human anatomy, astrology and many more.

The place is nice. And is recommended for youngs as well as young at hearts...

May 2016 holiday in Philippines

May 1 is a holiday in the Philippines. And most people here usually go to beaches. The month of April and May are the hottest. Thus, expectedly many people wants to refresh themselves.

Also, since May 1 is a Labor day, job fair is everywhere. It happens in malls nationwide.

As for my family, we book to one of the beaches in Labrador, Pangasinan. We enjoyed the beach as well as foods that we prepared. More importantly is our family bonding.

Extending Deepest Sympathy

After seven years of not seeing my relatives in San Jose, Binalonan, Pangasinan, I, together with my family, went there to extend my condolences to my cousins and especially to my uncle.

Yes, sad to say, my uncle's wife passed away due to cardiac arrest. That was the second time she had attacked. The first one happened last June or July, and her healthcare provider said that when she will have a second heart attack, maybe she can no longer bear it or it will be hard for her.

After seven years, I never had any communication with them. But two months ago, I was glad to see them in Facebook. At least we can chat and exchange some messages to greet, ask help, and other stuffs through the Internet.

I was just shocked when bro Juni chatted me about their loss. Of course, it would certainly be hard for us who love and care for her because we'll surely missed her warm smiles and the like. I know, her memories will definitely remain in our hearts and she will be remembered by her kindness...

Birthday Bash at Fortune Restaurant, Tarlac City

Our Japanese boss, Suwa-san, invited all his team members and families to celebrate his nth birthday at Fortune Hongkong Restaurant located in MacArthur Hi-way, Tarlac City last September 9, 2010. September 10 was actually his birthday but we celebrated it on the 9th because Malacanang declared 10th as regular holiday in observance of EID’L FITR or Feast of Ramadhan.

Together with my husband, my 3- year old daughter and 1-year old son, we go to Fortune at 7pm. This restaurant is a really good and lucky fortune indeed. They serve Chinese dishes mainly. What we have in the table? Well, a good tasting seafoods, fish fillet, pork, shrimp dumplings, shrimp siomai, Chinese rolls and spinach soup.

Dessert follows with “ube” cake from Red Ribbon. We also gave a simple token to the birthday celebrator such as barrel man, sling bag, and a coin purse made from real bullfrog! I guess we made his birthday in a special way somehow…

Eat All You Can at Huat Chan, Tarlac City

Last August 24, we joined Sir Rey’s farewell party at Huat Chan in Tarlac City. Huat Chan has a promo of Eat All You Can, Ice Tea All You Can that time. It was a sad thing to say farewell to a friend who have been a companion for 12 years in the company. But, all are happy because the foods are all great.

I guess I have tasted all the foods present on the serving table. Menu includes Yangchow fried rice, Huat Chan fried chicken, sweet and sour pork, fried spareribs, fish fillet, sautéed beef with broccoli flower, special pancit canton, cold cuts, hot cuts, pork asado tepanyaki, crispy pata, sisig, tempura, fried prawn, steamed crab, and many more. We also had a bottomless ice tea, halo-halo all you can, and coffee all you can!

Yakiniku at Niji Restaurant

We all know that Japanese cuisine offers a great variety of dishes and regional specialties. The word 'Yakiniku' means grilled（焼） meat（肉） in Japanese.

At Niji restaurant, we ordered several types of prepared raw ingredients which are brought to our table. Raw ingredients like beef, pork, and vegetables. We cooked the ingredients on a grill built into the table throughout the duration of the meal, several pieces at a time. The ingredients are then dipped in sauces known as tare before being eaten. The most common sauce is made of Japanese soy sauce mixed with sake, mirin, sugar, garlic, fruit juice and sesame.



The yakiniku tastes really good!

Dining at Niji Restaurant, Angeles City

Angeles City is becoming an International Culinary hub because its culinary spectrum has broadened significantly all these years. The city has embraced the international cuisine and very eager to learn new ways of preparing foods.

Weeks ago we have a dine-in at Niji Restaurant, which is located along Friendship Highway in Angeles City. The restaurant has captured Japanese ambiance. After tasting what they have prepared for us, I can say that Niji Restaurant has excellent and authentic Japanese cuisine.

Food has never tasted this good! Hopefully I can dine again here soon.
Here’s the contact number- maybe you are interested…

NIJI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Location: Angeles City
Contact: (63) 45 893.1737 / 321-060

Reminiscing The Past

It was 2002 when I was hired with my current company. I am part of the Circuit Development Team and we were 19 members before.

Year 2007 came when it seems everybody were not happy of what they have because of different reasons (from different individuals). Some members claimed that they can no longer sustain their family needs with their current compensation. Some reasoned out that they wanted to take a greater challenge with their career by joining a company with better career opportunities. And some have realized that they need to make a career move to support a long term dream for their family. Maybe a better environment and life style for their family.

In the picture shown below are the original members of our team (only 10 members were present). All of the members in this photo, except me, are now in different companies abroad. And I think they have a better life now!


The original 19 members of the team have left 5 members only. I am still working with my company for many reasons and prefer not to list them here. Now our team composes of 9 members (4 oldies and 5 newbies).

With my Hanyo/ Sanki Group



With Jansen, Israel, Michael, Jessemar and Dennis

Dinuguan

One of Grandma’s specialty is dinuguan. Once you taste her recipe you will surely love it.

Ingredients:
3 cups cubed boneless pork ½ inch cubes
1 ½ cups pork blood
3 tbs. oil
½ cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbs. salt
1 medium onion sliced
3 cloves garlic crushed
2 pcs. hot peppers chopped

Procedure:
1. In a pot, place the pork and add the vinegar mixture.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer. Cook until the pork is tender – approximately an hour.
3. Heat a frying pan and add the oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is clear.
4. Add the oil, garlic, and onion to the boiled pork and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Puree the pork blood in a food processor. Add pureed blood to the pork little by little at a time, continously stirring the mixture while adding, and then bring to a boil.
6. Add the chopped pepper and simmer uncovered to reduce the sauce for a few minutes more. Serve hot.

Mommy’s Daing na Bangus

Bangus taste really delicious. Try making daing na bangus and you will love it! Here’s how:

Ingredients:
1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless milkfish, butterflied
2 to 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt, pepper
Oil for deep-frying

Procedures:
1. Combine fish with vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper to taste in container with lid or anything that can be covered with plastic wrap.
2. Cover tightly and marinate in refrigerator. Heat oil in deep-fryer until hot. Fry whole fish until golden brown and crisp on outside.
3. Makes 2 to 3 servings.This dish is traditionally served with fried rice.

Chicken Relleno

Chicken recipes are my favorites and so with my kids. Yesterday, we made chicken relleno and it was delicious! Succesful!

Ingredients:
1 chicken (about 3 lbs.)
Salt and pepper (approx. to taste)
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ pound ground pork
¼ pound lean bacon, chopped or coarsely ground
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup raisins
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 egg
1 carrot, cooked and cut julienne, or 1/2 cup green peas, cooked
3 ounces cooked ham, cut julienne
2 Spanish chorizo de Bilbao or pepperoni, approx. 5 ounces
2 hard-cooked eggs, cut in halves
1 to 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Procedure:
1. Bone chicken for stuffing, leaving wing and drumstick bones intact. Rub chicken with salt and pepper to taste, soy sauce and lemon juice. Letstand at least 30 minutes - Refrigerate if longer.

2. Combine ground pork, bacon, cheese, raisins, pickle relish and egg. Mixwell. Place chicken on board, skin side down. Place half of stuffing in boned cavity of chicken. Arrange carrot and ham strips, sausage and egg halves in rows on top of pork mixture. Cover with remaining mixture, stuffing boned thighs.

3. Bring 2 cut sides of chicken together. Fasten edges at one-inch intervals with wood picks or skewers, then lace with string. Turn bird over and mold it back to resemble original shape. Tie legs with string and tuck wings akimbo. Place on rack in roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking additional 1 hour or more until golden brown, basting with melted butter. Collect drippings, if desired, and make flour gravy.

3. Remove skewers and string. Serve in platter garnish as desired with vegetables or fruit. Carve into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal or crosswise slices, starting from wing sides.

Kare-kare

Grandma is fond of cooking lately. She prepared kare-kare last night and I want to share the recipe with you. Her kare kare is a combination of meat and vegetable stew in peanut sauce.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs Pork hocks or oxtail (cut into 2" lengths)
1/2 lbs Stewing beef (optional to make a meatier dish)
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Cooking oil
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 med Onion, sliced
1/2 cup Achute water (option
3 tbsp Peanut butter
2 tbsp Toasted powdered rice-Mochiko (optional)
1/2 lbs Green beans
1 medium Eggplant, cut into 8

Procedures:
Place hocks or oxtail pieces in a large pot.
Add enough water to cover.
Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for 1-½ hours or until tender.
If using achute water, soak 1 tablespoon of achute seeds in water 30 minutes.
Squeeze seeds between your thumb and finger tips until the water turns red.
Strain and set red water aside.
Or heat 2 tablespoons saute achute seeds in oil until oil turns red, discard seeds.
Use oil sauteing rest of ingredients.
Heat oil in a skillet and saute garlic and onions.
Add cooked mea 2 cups of the broth.
Add and achute water.
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in peanut butter and toasted rice powder, bring back to simme cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
Add green beans and eggplant.
Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables tender, stirring occasionally.
Correct the seasonings.
Serve with hot rice and bagoong, plain or sauteed.

FILIPINO PORK ADOBO

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs Boneless pork shoulder (2-inch cubes)
1 cup Water
1/2 cup White vinegar
2 tbsp Soy sauce
6 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp Pepper
4 tsp Vegetable oil

Procedures:
On a rack in broiling pan broil pork 6 inches from heat source until rare, 5 to 6 minutes; transfer to 3-quart saucepan.

Add water, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper and stir well to combine; bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until pork is fork tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to plate; set aside.

Increase heat to high and cook pan juices, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half; remove from heat and reserve.

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; add pork cubes and cook, turning meat frequently, until well browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add reserved pan juices and stir well; cook until sauce is heated, about 1 minute.

Grandma’s Embutido

Kairi and Cj just love the embutido grandma had cooked last week. As Filipinos, Embutido is a Filipino style of meatloaf. The two kids even consumes the whole wrap of embutido in a single setting.
This embutido is wrapped with an aluminum foil. Here’s how to do it:

Ingredients :
•1 lb. ground pork
•1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
•1 cup (6 slices) finely chopped (sweet or cooked) ham
•3 tbsp. minced green bell pepper
•3 tbsp. minced red bell pepper
•1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
•1/4 cup raisins
•3 whole eggs
•1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
•dash of liquid seasoning
•salt & pepper, to taste
•1 tbsp. cornstarch
•slices (wedges) of hard-cooked eggs (see recipe)
•slices (wedges) of Vienna sausage
•aluminum foil, 10" x 12" sizes

Procedures :

1. Prepare a steamer and set aside. Alternatively, prepare a baking pan and a wire rack and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until well blended.
3. Divide the mixture into 2 to 4 portions (depending on how many you want to make).
4. Spread and flatten the mixture onto the center of each foil, divide the slices of hard cook eggs and Vienna sausages. Place each slices at the center of each mixture. Hold the foil onto your hand and roll until the ends of the mixture covers the eggs and sausages. Alternatively, by holding each ends of the foil, roll the mixture back and forth until it covers the slices of eggs and sausages in the center.
5. Finally, roll the aluminum foil into a tightly packed log about 1" to 2" in diameter, sealing on both ends. Repeat with the remaining pork mixture.
6. Place the embutido in a steamer and steam for an hour. Alternatively, place embutido in a wire rack on a baking pan, half filled with hot water. Cover with aluminum foil (Be sure the steam will not escape). Steam-bake in the center of the oven for an hour.
7. Remove from the oven. Let it cool and slice into rings. Serve with your favorite catsup or sauces.

Like the Apple Cake

I have started liking this delicious cinnamon-spiced upside-down cake which is made with golden delicious apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Here’s how to make Apple Cake:
Ingredients:
4 Apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
1 tbsp Baking Powder
2 cups White Sugar
4 Eggs
2 tsp Cinnamon (ground)
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
5 tbsp White Sugar
5 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil


Procedure:
Mix flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
Take a different bowl and put vegetable oil, sugar (2 cups) and eggs into it. Beat the mixture well.
Now, blend the egg mixture and flour mixture until smooth.
Take a small bowl and mix brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon in it.
Pour half of the oil-egg batter into a pan. Add 2 apples followed by half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture to the pan.
Repeat the last step.
Bake the mixture in a preheated oven for about 50-70 minutes.
Let the cake cool. Invert the pan over a plate.
Apple Cake is ready to serve.

How To Bake Black Forest Cake

I have learned to bake black forest when dad bought an oven! Here’s how:

Ingredients:
225 gms Maida (all-purpose flour)
400 gms Sweetened Condensed Milk
2-3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cooking Soda
125 gms Butter
200 ml Aerated Cola Drink
A pinch of Salt
125gms Dairy Milk Chocolate
250 gms Fresh Whipped Cream
10 Cherries

How to make Black Forest Cake:
1. Place a thick bottomed pan on very low flame and melt butter in it.
2. Remove from the flame and let the butter cool.
3. Add condensed milk and mix well.
4. Sift maida, cocoa powder, baking powder, cooking soda and salt together. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
5. Grease a baking tray with little butter.
6. Dust it with maida and keep it aside.
7. Take a pan with little butter and put the maida mixture with the condensed milk-butter mixture.
8. Now add aerated cola and mix it well.
9. Pour the batter into the greased baking tray and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 175 degrees C (350 degree f.)
10. When it is done, let it cool and then slit it horizontally into two.
11. Whip the cream till light and fluffy.
12. Sandwich the two layers of cake with whipped cream and cherries.
13. Top with whipped cream and cherries.
14. Grate dairy milk chocolate bar and sprinkle over the cake.
15. Serve it chilled.

Choco Mousse

My daughter, Kairi, always love to order choco mousse when we go to Jollibee Luisita, Tarlac. Well that the reason why I must learn how to bake one.
Here’s how:

Ingredients:

200 g of Dark chocolate
3 large eggs separated white from yolk
10 g of unsalted butter
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tbps of sugar

Whip the cream then put in the fridge. Melt the chocolate with the butter in bain marie, stirring constantly until it smoothen. Cut the fire, beat the egg whites then add the sugar and continue beating until they are foamy gently until its foamy. Add sugar and continue beating. Add the yolks in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the whipped cream in the chocolate-yolk mixture. Gently incorporate the beaten egg whites. Put in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.

Chicken Barbeque Experience at Mang Inasal

Mang Inasal, which is an Ilonggo word for Mr. Barbecue, is a common fast food chain in the Philippines. Many times we dine in here and I can say that their barbeque is delicious. Indeed, Mang Inasal was instantly successful that it spread throughout most of the Visayas, to Mindanao and then Metro Manila to the rest of the country.

Swimming Experience in Coconut Grill

After my son’s christening and having lunch at Pabilyon Coconut Grill, we have time to relax at BaleTamu, which is a 2-storey house near the swimming pool. Bale Tamu is an air-conditioned venue perfect for relaxing stressful bodies. We also have time to relax at the swimming pool where my daughter Kairi loved to stay. After an hour swimming, we have an enjoyable dinner waiting us. The place has complete amenities such as refrigerators, TV, air-conditioners, and the like.