Dinner Date with Rose

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Chie

Happy New Year!!! :) I’ve been gone for quite sometime and I know I have some serious catching up to do. I needed to focus on something really important for the past months and time wouldn’t allow me to update my websites. But now, I’m back! I’m going to try to start posting as much as I could and give you really YUMMMY food posts! Thank you to my regular visitors and to those who continuously leave comments on my posts. I have tons of comments to read and approve. :)

For my first post this year, I would like to share with you a few photos from my dinner date with my ever dearest BESC (best friend), Rose! I have a lot of other close friends whom I love but there’s a spot in my heart that belongs exclusively to Rose. She has been one of my trusted friends for more than a decade now. I’m so glad we finally got the chance to go out and spend time with each other. The last time we saw each other was in May 2010. So, I guess you could imagine how terribly we miss each other!

We decided to have dinner at Friday’s. It took us a while before we ordered food because the moment we saw each other, we started talking and laughing. There’s just never a dull moment when we’re together. Hahaha! We talked about a lot of things and agreed that we will have another date this month. I would also like her to visit our house so I could cook and bake for her.

Here’s what we ate at TGIF!

Filipino Pork Liempo with Java Rice

Three pieces pork belly marinated in garlic and sweet soy sauce, grilled and served with java rice, native ensalada with their own vinegar and garlic sauce

Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp

Sauteed garlic marinated chicken breast and plump shrimp tossed with zesty Roma tomato-basil salsa, served with onions and peppers and their cheddar cheese mashed potatoes on a sizzling platter of melted Colby and Jack cheeses

Green Apple Slush for me and Strawberry Lemonade Slush for Rose

I truly enjoyed our meal and the short time we’ve been together. I thank Rose for another unforgettable moment with her and I thank her for paying for our food. She hasn’t changed a bit! She is still as sweet and sincere as she was when I first met her. :)

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The Sizzlin’ Pepper Steak

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Chie

The Sizzling Pepper Steak is a new addition to our family’s favorite dining places. According to what I have researched, the restaurant was introduced in the Philippines by the Pancake House Group, in partnership with Mr. Brain Tiu, the brains behind Teriyaki Boy, in 2007. It is a Japanese steak restaurant which offers a modern way of eating popular beef dishes. Filipinos can now enjoy steaks made from 100% imported beef at reasonable prices. Steaks are served in sizzling hot plates which make them more appetizing. I must say that the food they serve is far different from the ordinary sizzling platters I have tried at different fast foods here in Metro Manila. Their steaks are juicy, tender and tasty. You also get to choose which sauce you’d want for your steak. I got to try few of their sauces for free.

We have gone to the Katipunan branch a few times already and we’re looking forward to going back very soon. The Katipunan branch is a bit small but we sure love the ambiance. The cozy interiors make me want to stay longer and take a lot of pictures. Tables are equipped with individual exhausts to suck the smoke coming from the sizzling plate and for you to not smell like food afterwards. Service is good, waiters and waitresses are pleasant and accommodating. We love it there! We saw the Eastwood City branch a few weeks ago, it’s spacious and it’s full of happy diners. :)

Restaurant logo (I find it really cute!)

Here’s what we usually order…

Beef Pepper Rice (PhP 185.00)

Thinly sliced beef, seasoned with cracked pepper, garlic butter with teriyaki sauce. One of the best sellers. A must try! This is the hubby’s favorite.

Pork Pepper Rice with Egg (PhP 155.00 plus an additional PhP 10.00 for the egg)

Those thinly sliced pork tastes really delicious!

Gravy Hamburg (PhP 140.00)

Peppered Chicken Steak (PhP 185.00)

Boneless chicken rubbed with roasted pepper

Salmon Steak (sorry, i forgot its price)

Fish N’ Chips (PhP 220.00)

My favorite! One of the reasons why I want to keep coming back!

Crunchy Kani Salad (PhP 105.00)

Shredded cucumber on a bed of lettuce, Japanese mayonnaise topped with ebikko

Creamy Corn Soup (PhP 55.00)

Creamy, sweet Japanese corn soup

Pepper Rice (PhP 40.00)

Gravy Fries

A must try! (I’m not sure of its price, maybe PhP 50.00 to PhP 60.00)

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (PhP 87.00)

One of the simplest but yummiest desserts I’ve had in my life. It isn’t too sweet, it’s perfect! I think I can consume 3 cups of this! :)

…and here are some of our pictures taken at the Katipunan branch! :)

I’m hoping to bring my Dad at The Sizzlin’ Pepper Steak when he arrives here in the country next month!

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An Unforgettable Event In My Life

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Chie

Hello everyone! This is a super late post about my Graduation Party and my Mom’s Birthday Celebration. The party was held on my Mom’s birthday which was two days after my academic graduation. My family of origin has been residing in the United States since 2003, but my Mom and two of my siblings went home to witness that very important moment in my life. Their presence was the most wonderful graduation gift I have received! I was so happy to see, kiss and hug them once again. My Dad and my other sibling weren’t able to come home because of work and other responsibilities but they got to watch my whole graduation program through FaceTime. Thanks to technology.

A few weeks before my Mom’s arrival here in the Philippines, she told me over the phone that she wants us to have a simple celebration with our relatives and friends. So, I immediately arranged all the things we need for the party. I chose the clubhouse in our village to be the venue for the party because of its accessibility to us and to most of our guests. The clubhouse is big and I think it can accommodate up to 250 people. The rent was affordable and we were allowed to use the place for a total of seven hours. Three hours were allotted for the preparation and the remaining four hours were for the party and pack up time.

The food was from Wowlu Catering Services. The lights and sound system were from Sounds Ko.

The sad thing was that it rained so hard that night so there were a lot of people who didn’t make it to the party. We had dinner at 8 o’clock and had a simple program after. Some of our guests sang, two of my classmates did a dance number and some gave their messages and words of encouragement to me and to my Mom. :)

Here is my husband singing one of his compositions. He sang about three songs and one of them is entitled, “Tayong Dalawa.” That is a wedding song he wrote a couple of years ago and I love its lyrics. He also gave a message to my Mom who is soooooooo loving and supportive to us and to our son. We owe my Mom a lot! She selflessly gave up so many things just for us. We love her dearly.

Here is our picture with our Associate Pastor, his wife and some of our closest friends from church. I’m so glad they made it to the party. They are God’s blessings to me. These people help me grow spiritually and I know that they always remember me and my family in their prayers.

These are my college friends! I love them all so much! In those four years that we have been together, we went through a lot of hardships, trials and challenges but because we love one another, we made each other stronger and better. We treat each other as family. They are my siblings from another mother. Hahaha!

This is my beautiful mother in front of the elegantly decorated buffet table. I love my Mom’s evening dress. Her hair was done by my sister, Geejay. My sister also did my make up. She’s the best! :)

My baby brother Gabriel and my baby sister Geejay, looked awesome that night. Their hugs and kisses made me really really happy during their entire vacation here in the country. Most of our pictures from the party were taken by my gorgeous sister.

These are my relatives whom I love so much. How I wish all of our relatives were able to attend the party and celebrate with us.

The buffet table caught the attention of our guests, not only because it has delicious food on it but because it looks elegant and perfect.

Black and Silver Motif

The motif I chose was black and silver because they are two of my favorite colors and they make a perfect combination. I also thought of royal blue and silver, lime green and purple, brown and orange, fuchsia pink and silver but I concluded that black and silver would be the best combination for an evening party.

And now……… THE FOOD!!!

Dessert: Mango Banana Float

Pasta: Beef Lasagna

The lasagna is a bit dry and bland. I was expecting it to be really delicious because a lot of our guests are pasta lovers. They should add more meat sauce and bechamel sauce.

Seared Fish with Black Olives

In my opinion, this was the best tasting food that night. It’s perfectly seasoned! I admit, I ate a lot of this even the day after the party.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This was not the kind of  Chicken Cordon Bleu I was expecting because I believe it’s supposed to be deep fried or baked. I guess what they did was, they sliced the chicken into pieces and added the sauce. I should have verified this to the caterer prior to the party. Well, lesson learned. Oh, but my son said he liked it!

Beef Stroganoff

Most of our guests loved this, like it’s everybody’s favorite food that night. It disappeared as the party ended. :)

I would like to say thank you to all of our relatives and friends who came despite the bad weather. We appreciate you so much. To all who sang and gave their messages for Mom and I, thank you. We love you all dearly. You made our celebration very special and an unforgettable one. :)

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Happy Birthday, Baby!

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Chie

This is my entry to the Techie She Lucky Blogger Weekly Giveaways Week 19. This week’s prize is $10 paypal credits from Ruby of Postcard Enthusiast.

It was my dearest son’s 13th birthday last September 30. I still couldn’t believe that he’s a teenager now. How time flies! I saw one of our family pictures yesterday and he was just one year old when that photo was taken. He was sitting on my lap and my arm was wrapped around him. I wouldn’t forget all the joy he has brought me since he came into my life.

A few weeks before his birthday, he was telling me about his plans of having a birthday party inside the classroom, with his teachers and classmates, of course. But, a few days before his special day, his plans changed. So, we just had a simple birthday dinner for him at Yellow Cab Pizza Co., then we watched Johnny English Reborn at Eastwood Mall Cinema. I was so happy to see that my son really enjoyed the food, the movie and our time together. Special thanks to his very kind and hardworking grandma Aurora, who gave the money for his birthday celebration. :)

The birthday boy and I, while waiting for our food.

We were supposed to have Dinner Buffet but because my son loves pizza as much as his Dad and I do, he chose pizza for his birthday dinner.

The hubby, pouring a glass of water for his little BIG boy!

We ordered an 18″ Manhattan Meat Lovers Pizza. Yes, it was too big for the three of us! We just took the remaining slices home. The pizza costs PhP 790.00.

We also ordered Chicken Alfredo Pasta. My son and I loved it! It has a lot of chicken chunks and it was soooo flavorful! Sorry, I forgot the exact price. I inadvertently lost our receipt but I think it costs less than PhP 250.00.

The day after my son’s birthday, he went out with his closest friends. They went to a mall near our house to eat and play at an amusement center. I also cooked Cheesy Tuna and Mushroom Pasta that day.

Two days after my son’s birthday, my wonderful and amazing sisters sent their nephew his birthday present and my son told me he wants another pizza! So, we ordered an 18″ Sandy’s Special Pizza! Yes, it’s an extended birthday celebration for our son! We had the pizza delivered to our house. It costs Php 599.00 plus PhP 40.00 delivery charge. My sisters usually send a postcard through mail whenever there is an occasion but I guess due to their very busy schedules, they weren’t able to do so. They just sent money for their beloved nephew. :)

And to end our beloved son’s long birthday celebration, we bought him a Black Forest Cake from Goldilocks Bakeshop for PhP 320.00. This is one of our most favorite cakes because it isn’t too sweet, just perfect for our taste buds!

I told my son that God has blessed him with so many things and he shouldn’t forget to thank the Lord for His goodness. He is also blessed to have his ever loving grandma Aurora who never fails to think of his grandson’s needs even if she is on the other side of the world. I pray that my son would learn to always appreciate everything he has and may he continue to be an obedient son and a God fearing man. :)

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Food I Recently Ate: September 2011

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Chie

Hello there! Sorry, I have really been busy lately so I couldn’t give you food updates as often as I want to. Anyway, it’s a rainy and windy middle of the week here and I want to share with you today my September post for the Food I Recently Ate. :)

Cheesy Baked Penne

This is what I cooked for the hubby’s birthday. I’ve cooked this a lot of times already so this isn’t new to us. I just made sure that it’s loaded with CHEEEEESSSEEE!!! and that’s what made it extra special!

No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

This is the dessert I made for the hubby’s birthday. It’s my first time to make one so please pardon the not so perfect looking Blueberry Cheesecake. I wanted it to look perfect but I do not have an electric mixer so the cream filling was just hand mixed. My husband, son and in-laws said they all liked it and their comments gave me peace of mind. Hahaha!

Sago’t Gulaman of Lola Idang’s Bahay Pancitan

Root beer float of Slice N’ Dice

Pinakbet from Lola Idang’s Bahay Pancitan

Lechon Kawali of Lola Idang’s Bahay Pancitan

My cousin and I went to Lola Idang’s Bahay Pancitan in Quezon City last week. Sorry, I didn’t get to take a picture of the place. It was just a small and simple dining place. It’s hardly noticeable but once you’ve tasted their food, I’m sure you would want to keep coming back. The food there is very affordable and delicious. She made me try their Lechon Kawali and Pinakbet. I loved them! I hope I could bring my son there soon because he loves Lechon Kawali as much as I do.

Cheese Steak Sandwich of Slice N’ Dice

This is what I ate for lunch last Saturday. We had our group review at my friend’s house in Quezon City. There was a Slice N’ Dice near their place so we ate our lunch there. The food was fine, there was actually nothing superb about their food but they serve unlimited rice for their steaks so I guess that’s one of the reasons why people choose to eat there.

Well, there are a couple of days more before September ends. I want to try to eat or cook something new. Anything you would like to suggest? :)

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Desserts I’ve Been Wanting To Make

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Chie

Two days from now, the hubby will be celebrating his birthday. Yesterday, I asked him what does he want for his birthday and he plainly replied, “I just want to stay home and be with my family.” I asked him if he wants me to cook something for his special day and he immediately replied, “I want a blueberry cheesecake.” I smiled after hearing his response because I’ve been wanting to make a blueberry cheesecake for a long time now and this is the perfect time to make one! So, I bought the ingredients yesterday and I am planning to make a post about it soon. It will be my first time to make one so I’m quite excited.. and nervous. :)

Aside from blueberry cheesecake, here are other desserts that I would love to try making one of these days.

Pavlova

This is a meringue-based dessert and is traditionally decorated with a topping of whipped cream and fruits such as strawberries, kiwifruit and passion fruit.

Silvana

It is often the cookie version of Sans Rival. It is a crunchy, creamy, frozen cookie made up of a layer of buttercream sandwiched between two cashew-meringue wafers, and coated with cookie crumbs.

Hummingbird Cake

This is a yummy dessert with sweet, moist layers of banana, pineapple and pecans with a cream cheese frosting.

Turtle Cheesecake

A mouthwatering cheesecake with semi-sweet chocolate morsels, chocolate syrup, caramel sundae syrup and pecans. The hubby used to buy me this when he was still working at Citibank Philippines.

Carrot Cake

This is a moist and sweet cake cake which consists of grated carrots mixed with batter and frosted with a delicious cream cheese forsting.

Baked Alaska

This is a dessert made of ice cream placed in a pie dish lined with slices of sponge cake or Christmas pudding and topped with meringue. The entire dessert is then placed in an extremely hot oven for just long enough to firm the meringue. The meringue is an effective insulator, and the short cooking time prevents the heat from getting through to the ice cream. Thanks to Wikipedia for this information.

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Tuna Adobo Pasta

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Chie

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 medium onions, minced or chopped

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

5 (155g) cans of tuna (Adobo flavor), undrained

1 tablespoon Knorr Real Sarap All in One Seasoning Mix

1 kilo of any type of pasta, cooked

Directions:

1. Sauté garlic in cooking oil.

2. Add in tuna, onions, tomatoes and Knorr Real Sarap All in One Seasoning Mix. Mix well.

3. Boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and pour over pasta.

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Food I Recently Ate

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Chie

Pork and Potatoes with Peanut Butter

This is the hubby‘s newest experiment. He just got bored doing the typical pork and potatoes with soy sauce so he added peanut butter. If I remember it correctly, he also added butter and calamansi juice. This is one of the best dishes he cooks for us. It may look like a typical dish but it tastes really good!

Fettuccine Alfredo with Pizza and Garlic Bread Stick

This is what I ate when I went out with friends a couple of weeks ago. You can see that I added croutons in my pasta. Croutons are a salad staple but I really think that they go perfectly well with pastas as well.

Shawarma Rice

The hubby and I bought Shawarma Rice after our grocery shopping a few days ago. It’s one of our favorite on the go meals. I usually eat this during my hospital duties when I was still a student nurse. I love the sauce that they put on top of it! Aside from the beef, it also has cabbage, tomatoes and onions on it.

Kentucky Friend Chicken’s Tower Burger

Yes! I finally got to taste it! It has buns, creamy mayo, crisp and fresh lettuce, a hash brown, flavorful cheese and the yummy original recipe chicken patty. The Tower Burger can go as high as 2 and a half inches. Your jaw will surely drop to be able to take a full bite on this burger, but I have my own way of eating it. I placed it on the plate, sliced everything into bite size pieces and poured gravy on top of it. :)

Chocolate Chip Brownies

This disappeared on our dining table in less than 24 hours! Need I say more? :)

Avocado

We do have an avocado tree here at home and it bore so much fruit! We have been eating avocados for more than a month now. It’s really quite addicting. We would usually have avocado shake or simply make it into a dessert of milk, sugar and avocado.

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Banapple Makes Me Happy!

Posted on August 13, 2011 by Chie

It was just November last year when I first went to Banapple, and the moment I went inside this small bakery café, I instantly knew why it captured the hearts of many people. Since then, I have been going back once in a while. I brought my friends and family there. Its ambience, colorful marble tables, comfortable chairs and nicely decorated walls are just so enthralling. I was surprised that this small bakery café serves a wide variety of food. They offer hot dishes and baked goodies. They have pastas, entrees, sandwiches, fluffy pancakes, savory pies, cheesecakes, coffee and smoothies. Their cake and pie selections are truly mouthwatering. The price is also satisfactory, two people can actually share a meal because they have huge proportions. It is definitely one of my favorite pig out spots. It’s a perfect place for everyone. :)

Pasta Verde (PhP 170.00)

Dark Chocolate Tiramisu Cheesecake (PhP 110.00)

A slice of this cake is happiness. :)

Breaded fillet of cream dory with honey thyme mustard sauce (PhP 185.00)

Honeylovin’ Crunch Cake (PhP110.00)

Classic Pecan Pie (PhP105.00)

Two-nut Caramel Cheesecake (PhP105.00)

Old-fashioned Chocolate Cake (PhP 100.00)

BANAPPLE:

225 Katipunan Avenue QC – Tel 4392675 • 206 Katipunan (too) Ave Blue Ridge QC – Tel 4382675

2nd Level Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato Cor Sct Madrinan, South Triangle QC – Tel 4132675

Ayala Triangle Gardens, Ayala Ave, Makati – Tel 7562675

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My Western Chicken

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Chie

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken thigh fillet

cooking oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Del Monte Carbonara Sauce (250 grams)

12-oz can whole kernel corn, drained

Directions:

1. Heat cooking oil in large heavy skillet.

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper.

3. Dip chicken in egg to coat then dredge in flour mixture.

4. Put chicken pieces in hot oil and fry until well browned.

5. Pour the carbonara sauce on the chicken then top with whole kernel corn.

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