Halie's Kitchen

Choco Mucho for Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T12:08:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, Valentine's Day, my former students surprised me with a big bar of Choco Mucho Dark Chocolate Wafer.

It was a sweet gesture so I decided to give them a shout out here. Thanks Erica, Loreanne, JC for this big bar of dark chocolate! I love it!!!

Brightest Blessings!

Grilled Chicken and Veggies

2012-02-06T23:59:00.000+08:00

I'm not really a fan of pre-prepped food in the grocery. But, when I saw these sticks of chicken breast fillet marinated Jamaican style with some peppers and garlic, hubby and I decided to try them out.

All I can say, it was all worth the money. If there are celebrations and I want some barbeque, I would not hesitate to buy these yummy treats in bulk to serve them.

BTW, these pre-prepped chicken BBQ is from the Magnolia Chicken Station which is available at all leading supermarkets.

Brightest Blessings!

Max's Gateway Branch

2012-02-03T12:34:00.000+08:00

Filipinos have known about Max's for what seems like ages now. I'm one of those kids who grew up to having lunch in one of its branches every now and then.

Nine years after being married and I would say after a few months, nay, years of not even glimpsing at the said restaurant, hubby and I decided that it was time to go back to Max's and see if the quality of their food has changed.

For one, the menu has definitely expanded! There are items listed that may not have been available in the previous years.

To celebrate our great nine years together, we decided to have:

> 1 order lumpia

> 1 order of Bicol Express

> 2 cups of garlic rice

> 1 pitcher of iced tea

Our total bill Php600

What can I say about the restaurant?

Ambiance, well, given the fact that the restaurant was located at the entrance to the Gateway Mall coming off from the MRT Araneta Center station, it was quite cozy.

The food that they served was delicious and worth every penny spent.

Service was fast, efficient and the staff were accommodating.

Would I go back? Even without anything to celebrate, I would definitely visit the place again to try and sample their different dishes.

Brightest Blessings!

Halayang Ube

2012-01-27T12:34:00.001+08:00

Among the many recipes that I have learned from my mom, this one is my favorite. I learned to make Purple Yam desserts when she made it into a business and I started helping out. So, when I saw some purple yam when I went to the market, I decided to make some last Chinese New Year.

What you'll need:

1/2 K Purple Yam

1 small can condensed milk

1 small can evaporated milk

1/4 K of white sugar

1/4 stick of butter

1L of water

What you need to do:

Boil the yam in water until it becomes tender. Take it out of the water, peel of the skin and grate it in a small pan.

Add both cans of milk, sugar and half of the butter

Place the pan on top of the stove and start stirring. You will know that the yam is cooked once it starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Let the yam cool down for a few minutes then start placing it in moulds.

*Use the remaining butter to smoothen the surface of the yam and mold it.

Brightest Blessings!

Mocha Roll by Goldilocks

2012-01-23T21:14:00.000+08:00

We planned to stay in one house for one whole day a couple of weeks back. That plan came into fruition yesterday.

For the "Bahay ni Ate" challenge, I decided to bring some snacks for the "participants" a half roll mocha cake.

Brightest Blessings!

Leche Flan

2012-01-20T13:52:00.000+08:00

Leche Flan or custard is popular in the Philippines, especially when there's a big celebration. It can be cooked either by baking or by steaming the mix.

What You'll Need:

10 egg yolks, well beaten
1 big can evaporated milk
1 big can condense milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 moulds
Aluminum foil
3/4 cup water

To make the syrup. mix water and sugar in the moulds. Parboil in very low fire until it turns brown and sticky. Do not overcook the sugar to avoid it turning bitter.

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla. Pour the mixture in the moulds and cover with aluminum foil. Steam for about 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from the steamer after checking if the custard is cooked by sticking a toothpick or butter knife in the center. If the toothpick/knife comes clean, it means that the custard is done.

Alternative way of cooking the custard: Bake it for 45 minutes 370F placing the moulds in the middle of a bigger oven safe dish which is half filled with water.

Let the custard cool down then refrigerate it before serving.

Taking the leche flan out of the mold is easy, you just need to run a sharp knife around the edge and carefully invert it on serving dish, letting the syrup flow over the leche flan.

Brightest Blessings!

Vegetables and Dieting

2012-01-18T14:54:00.000+08:00

Just posting a photo of what I had for breakfast - 2/3 cup of rice, 2/3 cup of vegetables

*No photo but for lunch I had 1/3 cup of rice, an egg and a tomato.

Dieting can be hard, but there's definitely a reward for eating right!

Brightest Blessings!

Cassava Cake

2012-01-16T13:51:00.000+08:00

A neighbor of ours gave us some slices of cassava cake last Friday night. Because it was already late, hubby and I decided to forego even trying the tempting delicacy. Saturday morning while we were preparing our lunch, we decided to give it a try for breakfast.

If there's one thing that I can say, it was a good pair to our morning coffee! Yummy!

Brightest Blessings!

Fish Fillet in Cream Sauce

2012-01-13T14:50:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I shared some recipes here at my blog. Let me start off by greeting everyone a Belated Happy New Year. With that said, let me share with you a dish that I prepared last New Year's Eve.

What You'll Need

1K Cream Dory Fillet cut into two inch squares or strips

Breading of your choice

Cooking oil

For the Sauce

1 can of sliced mushrooms

1 small can of evaporated milk

1/4K of sweet (green) peas

1 can cream of mushroom

1/4 cup water

3 cloves garlic crushed

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon lite butter and/or 1 tablespoon of olive oil

What You Need to Do:

Clean the fish and once it's dry, cover it with the breading of your choice. Fry it in oil and put on paper towels to drain excess oil.

To make the sauce:

Saute garlic and onion in olive oil and/or lite butter. When the onions are caramelized, add the mushrooms. Add the water after a minute, the evaporated milk and the cream of mushrooms (add more water if you want the sauce thin). Simmer until the desired sauce thickness is reached, then add the green peas. Simmer for another five minutes taking care that the milk does not curdle.

To Serve:

Arrange the fillets in a serving platter and top with the white sauce

Dish is good for two to three servings.

Brightest Blessings!

Healthy Breakfast Oats and Fruit

2012-01-11T15:42:00.000+08:00

After all the celebrations that I've attended and of course the holidays, it's time to go back to my healthy living. Today, I prepared a great breakfast for hubby and I.

> 3 cups of water

> 2 cups of oatmeal

> 2 cups of dried non-fat milk

> 3 tablespoons each of that yummy dried cranberries infused with cherry juice!

A healthy and delicious meal that helped us get back on track!

Brightest Blessings!

Happy Birthday, Awesome!

2012-01-10T00:57:00.000+08:00

It was my goddaughter's birthday celebration last Saturday. She had so many guests that I wasn't able to photograph the other food on the table. The only thing left for me to photograph was her cake, given to her by one of her friends.

Awesome, that she was that day! She played the guitar during their "mini birthday concert" and I was awed by her skills!

Brightest Blessings!

New Year's Eve | Simple Feast

2012-01-02T21:50:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

To welcome the coming of 2012, I decided to make some simple dishes for our Media Noche table spread. The menu consisted of Basic Mac and Cheese with some herbs, pizza pan de sal, leche flan, cream dory with white sauce, potato wedges with garlic-mayo dip, mixed vegetables with lite butter, a pitcher of iced tea and some sparkling wine.

Preparing these simple dishes made me smile a lot. I know that tradition says that we must have fruits on the table, etc. but hubby and I decided to be a little more practical. I mean what would be luckier, a table full of food that would go stale because we can't finish them or having just enough to celebrate the passing of the year and welcoming a new one?

Aside from these food on our table at home, we also had a New Year's Eve party with some neighbors who decided to add some more food on the table. It was a great weekend and now it's time for me to get some rest as I am unfortunately sick since yesterday.

Brightest Blessings!

W for Walnuts

2011-12-21T12:20:00.000+08:00

Image from Google Images

Medical benefits and claims: Source Wikipedia

Raw walnuts contain glyceryl triacylates of the n-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is not as effective in humans as long-chain n-3 fatty acids, and (mostly insoluble) antioxidants. Roasting reduces antioxidant quality.In 2010, a report published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition said that walnuts and walnut oil improve reaction to stress.

A study has suggested that consumption of walnuts increases fat oxidation and reduces carbohydrate oxidation without affecting total consumption, suggesting that walnut consumption may improve the use of body fat in over-weight adults. Walnuts have been shown to decrease the endothelial dysfunction associated with a high-fat meal.

On October 11, 2006, ScienceDaily published a report which stated "New research shows that consuming a handful of raw walnuts along with meals high in saturated fat appears to limit the ability of the harmful fat to damage arteries," and attributed the result to a 2006 article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The lead researcher, Emilio Ros, MD, PhD, was quoted as saying "People would get the wrong message if they think that they can continue eating unhealthy fats provided they add walnuts to their meals." Funding for the study was provided by the California Walnut Commission, an industry marketing agency.

Fun Facts and Trivia Source: Food Reference

It would take 1,051,818,240 walnuts laid end to end to circle the equator.

There are 72 people in the U.S. listed on whitepages.com with the last name 'Walnut'

(Mark Morton, 'Gastronomica', Fall 2010)

Walnuts are the oldest tree food known to man, dating back to 7000 B.C. The Romans called walnuts Juglans regia, 'Jupiter’s royal acorn.' Early history indicates that English walnuts came from ancient Persia, where they were reserved for royalty. Thus, the walnut is often known as the 'Persian Walnut'. Walnuts were traded along the Silk Road route between Asia and the Middle East. English merchant marines transported the product for trade to ports around the world and they became known as 'English Walnuts.' England, in fact, never grew walnuts commercially.

Consumers will purchase an estimated 2.7 million pounds of walnuts to enjoy with the 2008 Super Bowl; enough to bury the playing field in over 3 feet of walnuts!

California produces two-thirds of the world's walnuts.

The official state nut of Missouri is the Eastern Black Walnut.

Shelled walnuts contain about 4% water content by weight.

Rich, crunchy walnuts are always delicious, whether sprinkled on top of a waffle at breakfast, added to brownies you've whipped up for an after-lunch treat, or tossed with a crisp green salad for dinner. Walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, thought to reduce risk of cancer. They also provide protein, several essential vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants, yet are free of trans fats and cholesterol. Today, they're ranked as America's third most popular tree nut.

An Entry for ABC Wednesday

Brightest Blessings!

Chicken Aloha Pasta

2011-12-10T00:17:00.000+08:00

Pasta, one of my favorite dishes. Chicken - a great ingredient for a lot of dishes. Mix them together and there's something new brewing in the kitchen.

What you need:

1K pasta (cooked according to package instructions)
1 medium onion finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of basil leaves (finely chopped)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1K chicken breast fillet (diced) or 1/2K ground chicken
1 small pouch of pineapple tidbits
1 pouch of tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese

What to do:

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then saute garlic and onions. When the onions are caramelized, add the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, add tomato sauce - simmer for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how thick you want the sauce to be). Add the pineapple (with the syrup) and basil - simmer again for another 5 minutes.

Serve on top of cooked pasta and top it with grated cheese

Brightest Blessings!

Burger in Olive Oil and Butter Sauce

2011-12-02T15:40:00.000+08:00

I've been looking for a good option to just frying those cute little delicious burger patties. Last week was experiment day and I was able to come up with this.

What you'll need

10 burger patties

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lite butter

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup low fat milk

1 teaspoon mayonnaise lite

salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Sear the burger patties in olive oil and butter
Once the burgers are half done, add water, milk and basil - simmer
After 5 minutes add the mayonnaise, salt and pepper - simmer for another 5 minutes
Serve over hot steamed rice

Brightest Blessings!

Natural Light Food Photography

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000+08:00

What's the best lighting when it comes to food photography?

Many photographers have different opinions when it comes to photographing food. Some would say that the best way to do it is by using a studio set up, combining different lights to create a great looking food photograph. There are those who would say that in order to make your photos look a little more natural, you can go ahead and place your food near the window to make use of natural lighting.

What do I have to say about it?

Hmmm, I'm not a professional food photographer, but I'm trying to learn the ropes. My personal favorite when it comes to taking food photos would be natural lighting.

What do I do to get some appetizing photos?

I experiment with where I put my food. There are times that I place it on the counter, near the window. There are times that I choose to bring it near the stove where there is a lot of natural light. Then there are times that I would take the food to a spot in the house where there is a contrast of light and shadows.

What's the answer then?

If you love natural light, try and take advantage of all that it could bring to your photographs. Experiment with the placement of your plate, near the window, far from natural light or somewhere in between. Once you place your plate in a location, take photos from different angles, different sides then transfer to another location with a different lighting situation, take more photos then transfer again.

Once you feel like you have more than enough shots, transfer it to your PC and then look at them closely. Choose the one that looks more natural, colors, lighting, sharpness and everything else that you look for in a photo. And like what I always say, do not overdo the processing. Correct the white balance, contrast and sharpen it a bit.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Burger Experiment

2011-11-29T14:45:00.000+08:00

In my efforts to eat healthy even during my cheat days, I decided to deviate a little from the normal frying of those yummy burger patties.

I decided to perform another one of those wacky kitchen experiments last Saturday and to be perfectly honest, hubby and I were not disappointed with the results. I will be sharing the recipe this coming Friday. If you have time or you are just plain curious as to how I made these, please feel free to visit me.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Sizzling Tofu from Max's

2011-11-21T22:10:00.000+08:00

Hubby and I went to Max's last Saturday, that day being my cheat day! Even with this small fact in my head, I still decided to get something mildly disgusting (in a good way) but healthy at the same time.

I love sisig and this is a healthier alternative to all that pork thingy ingredients in that sizzling plate. I have to say though, this dish was well prepared, delicious and definitely really good!

Brightest Blessings!

Healthy Options at Kenny Rogers

2011-11-18T16:34:00.001+08:00

Grilled American BBQ

Healthy Plate

When I embarked on this road to wellness I promised myself that I would not deprive my taste buds of good meals from different restaurants. The only glitch - I had to look for healthier options.

I wasn't disappointed when I went to Kenny Rogers because they serve great food which are healthy and are honestly quite affordable.

The top photo is hubby's meal. I tried the cheesy garlic potatoes and all I can say is YUM!

My plate which was called The Healthy Plate included the following:

1 Chicken Classic

All Veggie Salad - Solo

A Muffin

Fresh Fruits

Regular sized Lite Ice Tea

all of which for only Php185. Great deal! How about the taste? Yummy! Healthy!

My verdict: Affordable healthy meals, great service and a bunch of choices for their healthy plate meals, I wouldn't hesitate to go back and try their other offerings.

Brightest Blessings!

Butter Macaroons on a Diet?

2011-11-14T15:47:00.000+08:00

Let's talk about something that no dieting person in their right mind would go grab and eat, especially when they are on a diet - Goldilocks' Butter Macaroons.

When I started this road to wellness I thought that I had to give up everything that I love to eat - sweets! And I challenged myself if I can stay on this path for more than one month. Officially, I have been on the diet and exercise routine for a month and a half and I'm glad to say that I haven't gained a single pound, instead I've shed some last October and when I checked the scales earlier today, I found that I have lost a total of at least 4 more pounds for the last 2 weeks!

Scary as it may be, I found that I can eat anything as long as I know my portions. Yes, these macaroons are temptingly sweet, but since I have learned how to control what and how much I eat, I was able to get a taste of this simple treat last weekend.

I consider Saturdays to be my cheat days - reward days for some, but I still had some macaroons yesterday (Sunday) so I decided to eat the last two pieces sharing them with hubby. So yesterday, it was one macaroon and a looooot of water.

Who said that I have to deny myself of the sweet things in life?

Brightest Blessings!

Veggie-Corned Beef Twist

2011-11-12T16:35:00.000+08:00

I get tired of eating corned beef the way that we normally cook them, sauteed in garlic and onions with some potatoes. Here's what I did to give this canned, processed meat a healthier twist.

What you'll need:

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 small can of corned beef

1K squash, diced

1 can of young corn (drained) or 1/2K fresh young corn

1 small can of mushrooms (water drained, if whole, cut into quarters)

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves or 1/2 teaspoon fresh basil

1 pouch of tomato sauce

1 whole head of garlic, finely chopped (3/4 fried in olive oil)

1 medium onion finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Saute the remaining garlic (1/4 of a head) and onions in olive oil

Once the onion has caramelized, add the corned beef

When the corned beef is cooked, add the squash and cook it to your preference (we like ours half done)

Then add the young corn and mushrooms.

Put the tomato sauce in when the veggies are almost cooked, simmer for 5 minutes

Serve while warm and top it with the toasted garlic.

Brightest Blessings!

Quick Healthy Meals for People on the Go!

2011-11-10T16:46:00.000+08:00

Today, I'm posting an article sent by Carolyn Knight from Blog Content Guild. Here's what she has to say

Leading a healthy life usually means eating right. However, eating healthy can be a challenge for some. With busy schedules and grueling work hours, people just don’t have time for food preparation. But you don’t have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen to eat healthy. Additionally, a healthy meal can be just as delicious as junk food. With a little bit of creativity and innovation, you can whip up some yummy, quick healthy meals! You never know, you may that perfect ingredient spices up your healthy, yet boring, recipe. Here are some ways to eat healthy, without disappointing your taste-buds.

Balance your Meals

It is important for you to make an effort to serve well-balanced meals when you cook up something in the kitchen. Every meal should include a wide variety of foods, such as veggies, fruits, dairy, protein, and grains.

Know your Portions

Always keep in mind that just because you are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle does not necessarily mean that you have to give up the good stuff, such as cakes and takeout food! The secret to maintaining a healthy weight, while satisfying your sweet tooth, is in portion control. Instead of taking a whole slice of pizza, for example, take half of it. This way, you are able to satisfy your yearning and, at the same time, cut your calorie intake in half!

Get in the Kitchen

Preparing a meal at home has a number of advantages. For example, when preparing a meal at home, you have full control of your portions. You can also guarantee that the food you are about to chow down is not loaded with oil, butter, and other unhealthy, fatty preservatives. It is good to eat out and grab some hamburgers once in a while, but nothing beats a warm, home-cooked meal! Maybe it’s a good starting point when you want to watch on your diet to minimize eating out and practice eating at home. If you don’t have much confidence in your culinary prowess, you can always search the internet for some new ideas and recipes to spice up your old favorite dishes. Try to be bold once in a while by experimenting with food that varies in color or by using exotic spices. A colorful dish is usually full of nutritional value. Purple and blue fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, resveratrol, and zeaxanthin. When you want something that contains Vitamin C and beta-carotene, go for yellow fruits and vegetables. These scrumptious fruits and vegetables can substitute for your typical starch. Rather than going out and ordering lasagna, why not prepare for a sumptuous eggplant parmigiana. Don’t be fooled, this recipe is really very easy to prepare!

Brightest Blessings!

Q for Queries

2011-11-10T01:08:00.000+08:00

Query For a Guest Post

Query for Link-Up

Today has been quite a remarkable day! I was sitting here, quietly contemplating on my blogs and what to do with them when I saw these two emails in my inbox!

One of the emails was asking me a question about writing a guest post for this blog and of course there's no reason for me to say no, is there?

The other email was a query about linking up to my blog in their upcoming directory! I can't ask for anything more. I love this day!

My post for ABC Wednesday

Brightest Blessings!

Healthy Eating - A Brand New Start

2011-11-08T15:36:00.000+08:00

I went to the grocery yesterday and almost fainted when I saw the prices of vegetables! I mean, a very small cabbage head was priced at around PHP20.00 ++. How in the world would I eat enough vegetable servings a day if this is the case?

Well, health cannot be compromised so I decided to buy some vegetables and spread them over the next couple of days. Today I made a side dish from cabbages and eggs, then we had daing na bangus for our main viand. I don't care if the fried fish looked dry, because I made sure that I drained the fish of excess oil. For the veggies, I decided to use olive oil to fry the beaten eggs and saute the cabbage.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Suman sa Latik

2011-11-07T22:01:00.000+08:00

I love suman!!! I mean, I really LOVE it. My favorite type though is the one that you have to dip in sugar. last Saturday, there was a vendor selling suman around the neighborhood and I decided to deviate from the normal sticky rice thing that I normally go for.

Suman sa Latik, yes, I like it, but I would always go back to my first love - sticky rice dipped in plain old sugar.

Brightest Blessings!

Stir Fried Vegetables in Rice Wine

2011-11-04T14:37:00.001+08:00

I always loved my vegetables when ever I go to restaurants and here's one of my favorites - stir fried veggies with a Japanese flair.

What you need:

1 small head of cabbage - coarsely chopped
1 medium onion - julienned
1 medium carrot - coarsely chopped
1/2 kilo of toge (mung bean sprouts)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of lite butter
3 tablespoons of Sake (rice wine)
salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Heat a pan with olive oil, once the olive oil is hot put the butter
Put in the carrots until half done, then add the mung bean sprouts, cabbage and onion
Once the vegetables are half done, add the rice wine and season the the vegetables to taste
Simmer for 3 minutes
Serve as a side dish or eat as a full meal without rice

Brightest Blessings!

Grilled Skinless Porkchop

2011-10-31T16:56:00.000+08:00

Sunday is back to dieting day and since it's quite expensive to fry these babies in olive oil, I decided to just grill the meat and have porkchop bbq.

I had the crazy idea of photographing the meat while it was cooking and the brainstorm ended when I took a photo of it while it was standing on the grill. Don't worry, I was just cooking the fat even if we don't eat it.

I am quite lucky when it comes to pork dishes, I never learned how to eat the fat that's why it's not a big deal to me if the pork only has a little fat on it.

Brightest Blessings!

Appetite Restaurant Festival 2011, Last Part

2011-10-28T13:34:00.001+08:00

I have cut this post into three parts and this would be the last installment of photos from the said event.

In alphabetical order, here are the other participants:

Cafe Provencal
Serves French Cuisine
2/F Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 631 8046

Appetite Menu Php 500.00

French Onion Gratinee
Grilled Chicken Provencal
Apple Tart Tartin

The dishes were great and I won't think twice to return to this restaurant.

Claw Daddy
Serves American Cuisine
Located at the 6/F The Ledge, Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 636 5679

Appetite Menu Php 699

Buffalo Wings
Choice of: Smoked BBQ Chicken Quarter and BBQ Baby Back Ribs with Dirty Rice or BBQ Baby Back Ribs, Fish and Chips
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bar

The pieces were quite big during the launch (American sized proportion).

Cravings
Serves International Cuisine
Located at the 5th Floor Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 635 6087

Appetite Menu Php500

Caesar Salad and Mushroom Soup
Chicken Ala Pobre
Baked Fish in Olive Oil
Mango Creme Crepe

Good salad for those who are conscious about what they eat. Quite a healthy platter for those who are on a diet.

Cyma
Serves Mediterranean Cuisine
Located at the 6th Floor, Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 637 3090

Appetite Menu Php620

Zucchini and eggplant, Zucchini flowers or Kalamarakia (served with Tzatziki)
Chicken Souvlaki served with parsley salad and pita
Moussaka served with roasted potatoes
Yiaourti Me Meli

The Moussaka was great. Can't wait to check out their restaurant even after the festival!

Green Tomato
Serves Italian Cuisine
Located at the 6th floor, Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 633 5348

Appetite Menu Php 600

Spinach Dumpling
Sausage and Shrimp Pasta
Four Cheese Pizza
Tiramisu

Another restaurant for my dining pleasure this coming November!

Pages Deli
Serves International Cuisine
Located at the G/F Streetscape, Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 477 4718

Appetite Menu Between Php500 and Php700

Set A Php500

Crunchy chicken breast with Mango and Papaya
Chocolate Mousse

Set B Php500

Mushroom or Tomato Soup
The New York Times Bestseller Sandwich (signature triple decker)
1 cup Chocolate Mousse
1 cup Coffee

Set C Php500

Turkey Greens (salad)
Journey to the center of the Earth (6" sausage sandwich)
Classic Cheesecake

Set D Php700

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with Tomato Vinaigrette (salad)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Grilled Fish Fillet with 1 Cup Rice or Mashed Potato)
Bolognese Pasta
Apple Pie

Set E Php700

Onion Soup
Turkey Greens (salad)
Much Ado About Nothing (Quarter Chicken with 1 cup Rice or Mashed Potato)
Classic Cheesecake

Set F Php700

1 cup Mushroom Soup
Taming of the Shrew (Roast Beef with 1 cup Rice or Mashed Potato)
Belgian Chocolate Cake

Pho Hoa
Serves Vietnamese Cuisine
Located at 6th Floor Shangri-La Plaza
(there are other locations for Pho Hoa)

Appetite Menu Php500

Fresh Spring Rolls
Com Thit Nuong Cha Guio (Grilled Pork and Fried Spring Rolls with Rice)
Mango Crepe with Ice Cream

Secret Recipe
Serves International Cuisine
Located at the 5th Floor Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 637 0367

Appetite Menu Php500

Minestrone Soup
Tom Yum Spaghetti
Grilled Black Pepper Chicken
Chocolate Indulgence

Sing Hainanese
Serves Chinese Cuisine
Located at 6th Floor Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 577 7406

Appetite Menu Php500

Green Vegetables with Oyster Sauce
Fish Cakes
Hainanese Chicken
Coco Pandan

Pepper Lunch (no photos, sorry)
Serves Japanese Cuisine
Located at Garden Court Level, Shangri-La Plaza
(02) 634 3231

Appetite Menu Php500

Miso Soup
Cut Steak and Burger (served on one hot plate with mixed pepper rice)
Koromitsu Ice Cream

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Eating at Lemongrass

2011-10-24T15:15:00.000+08:00

After the Appetite Magazine Restaurant Festival Launch, I made up my mind to visit some of the restaurants that participated in the said event.

Last Saturday, hubby and I did just that. I was able to taste the Appetite Sampler Menu from most if not all the restaurants at the event so I recommended that hubby order the sampler and for myself I had the Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich.

It was quite good, but it could definitely use a little more umph to it.

Brightest Blessings!

Appetite Restaurant Festival 2011, Part 2

2011-10-21T14:51:00.000+08:00

Last week I shared some of the images from the launch of the Appetite Restaurant Festival 2011. Today, I'll be sharing the first three restaurants that I had the pleasure of tasting the food from. Without any further delays, here they are:

C2
Serves Filipino dishes
Location: 6/F Shangri-La Plaza
Contact Number: (02) 636 1510

Appetite Menu Php500

> Ensaladang Prutas at Lato

> Seared Tilapia with Coconut Emulsion

> Pork Humba

> Durian Brulee (no photo available)

The plates were near this participating restaurant so my friend Jenn and I decided to start our foodie tour with food from C2.

As we were getting our food, I asked the server to just put the tilapia on my plate. I can say that I enjoyed it and I wouldn't hesitate to go to this restaurant to try their other dishes. As for the pork and the brulee, I am avoiding fatty red meat and since I saw that there were chunks of fat on the meat I decided not to even taste it. Durian is something that I don't eat too much of. I can eat one piece of the candy but not all the time so I decided to not try it as well.

Crustasia
Serves Asian Cuisine
Location: Level 6 The Ledge, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City
Contact Number: (02) 9104096

Appetite Menu Php798

> Steamed Fish Fillets with Black Bean Tapenade (no photo)

> Hunan Cumin Ribs (no photo)

> The Grand Javanese Sampler

> Indonesian Banana and Caramel Crepes

When I got to Crustasia, I asked the server to put one piece of rib, a slice of the fish and one Javanese sampler.

My thoughts

> The rib was good.

> The Javanese sampler that I got was a little oily.

> The fish fillet was spicy and definitely my favorite!

Lemongrass
Serves Asian
Location: G/F Shangri-La Mall
Contact Number: (02) 633 8481

Appetite Menu Php500

> California Maki, Pork BBQ in skewers, Thai Tago with Water Chesnut (pictured in photo below far left)

> Lemon Chicken Fillet with Tangy Sauce served with Garlic Rice

The food from Lemongrass was superb! I was able to try the California Maki and the lemon chicken. You can actually eat the Maki even without the condiment/dip. The chicken wasn't dry and you can actually taste the lemon in the sauce.

As for dessert, I only tasted it from Jenn's serving and it was quite good. Maybe I should try going to Lemongrass during my diet cheat day so I can eat more of that gooey and yummy dessert.

From these three restaurants I'd say that Lemongrass was love at first bite. I might visit their restaurant either tomorrow or Sunday.

I was able to sample the food from 11 different restaurants at the event. I'll be posting the others in the next weeks.

The Appetite Menu from these restaurants is available until the 30th of November. I suggest that you try the food from any of the participating restaurants.

Disclaimer:

As fortunate as I was to be invited to the event which happened last October 13 all the opinions on this article are solely the author's and is no way influenced or asked by Appetite Magazine, Shangri-La Plaza, Mastercard or any of the restaurants which participated in the said event.

Brightest Blessings!

New York Cheesecake

2011-10-18T23:06:00.000+08:00

Cheesecake Trivia

It is believed that cheesecake originated in ancient Greece. The first recorded mention of cheesecake was in 776 B. C., when it was served to the participating athletes during the first Olympic Games. However, New Yorkers insist that cheesecake wasn' really cheesecake until it was New York cheesecake!

Source

New York Cheesecake:

New York cheesecake is the pure, unadulterated cheesecake with no fancy ingredients added either to the cheesecake or placed on top of it. It is made with pure cream cheese, cream, eggs, and sugar. Everybody has a certain image of New York Style Cheesecake. According to New Yorkers, only the great cheesecake makers are located in New York, and the great cheesecake connoisseurs are also in New York. In the 1900s, cheesecakes were very popular in New York. Every restaurant had their version. I believe the name "New York Cheesecake" came from the fact that New Yorkers referred to the cheesecakes made in New York as "New York Cheesecake." New Yorkers say that cheesecake wasn't really cheesecake until it was cheesecake in New York.

1929 - Arnold Reuben, owner of the legendary Turf Restaurant at 49th and Broadway in New York City, claimed that his family developed the first cream-cheese cake recipe. Other bakeries relied on cottage cheese. According to legend, he was served a cheese pie in a private home, and he fell in love with the dessert. Using his hostess’ recipe and a pie she made with ingredients he provided, he then began to develop his own recipe for the perfect cheesecake. Reuben soon began to serve his new recipe in his Turf Restaurant, and the cheesecake quickly became very popular with the people who frequented Reuben’s Broadway restaurant.

Source

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Spicy Tuna Pasta

2011-10-17T17:35:00.000+08:00

Sunday is my dieting cheat day, although it doesn't mean that I won't make a conscious effort to keep track of my portions.

Last night, I ate some dinner after 6PM and here's what we had:

I had about 125g of pasta with 3 tablespoons of Century Spicy Tuna flakes in oil. For the topping we decided to put some cheese on it and some toasted garlic.

To make sauce:

Heat the pan and cook the tuna in its own oil. Once it's cooked, top the pasta with it add some toasted garlic and grated cheese. Voila! An easy to prepare emergency pasta recipe.

Brightest Blessings!

Appetite Restaurant Festival 2011, Part 1

2011-10-14T14:36:00.000+08:00

I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation from Mega Publishing for the launch of the Appetite Restaurant Festival 2011 which happened yesterday.

I arrived at the venue early so I had the chance to take a photo of the set up which was basically a blank canvass.

Here are the guests at the registration table

The guests at the tables waiting for the event to officially open

The event was opened by host Ms. Sam O

Along with some speeches from

Ms. Monique Buensalido, Associate Publisher

And Appetite Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Ms. Nina Daza-Puyat

The three gorgeous ladies on stage

And the unveiling of the event

The awesome people who played percussions to the delight of the guests

And finally the guests lining up to sample the flavors from around the world

What was the celebration about?

Well, it's the 7th anniversary of Appetite Magazine. Together with Shangri-La Plaza and Mastercard, Appetite launched the Restaurant Festival 2011. This event will be on from the 14th of October to the 30th of November.

Restaurants participating in the event have special menus which include appetizers, entrees and dessert. These specially created menu sets are all under the Php1,000 range; these great money savers would allow you to enjoy great dishes from these restaurants: Cafe Provencal, Claw Daddy, Cravings, Crustasia, Cyma, C2 (Classic Cuisine), Green Tomato, Lemongrass, Pages Deli, Pepper Lunch, Pho Hoa, Secret Recipe and Sing Hainenese Chicken!

Aside from low priced dishes, you can also get additional treats from C2, Claw Daddy, Green Tomato, Lemongrass, Pages Deli, Pho Hoa and Secret Recipe by presenting a special coupon which you can find inside the November issue of Appetite Magazine along with an order of any of the sampler Appetite Menu. These coupons would also be available at the concierge of the Shangri-La Plaza.

As if these are not enough, you can also avail of free parking when you use your MasterCard to spend a minimum of Php1,000 which includes purchasing any of the Appetite Menu from the participating restaurants.

If you want more information or to get the latest updates, please visit Appetite Magazine's Website, follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

I thoroughly enjoyed the event. Not only did I get to see my good friend Jenn of Tara Let's Eat, but I also got to talk to some other bloggers around the food scene. Good company, great dishes and wonderful organization made the event one that I am looking forward to. By the way, the review of the food would be cut into quite a number of parts since it would take a whole day for me to talk about all the wonderful dishes that each restaurant served at the event yesterday.

After the event, guests were given a goodie bag each which included a copy of the October issue of Appetite Magazine. I was able to leaf through it today while typing this post and this I can promise you dear readers: I would try some of the recipes on the magazine and I will be more than happy to share them with you.

Disclaimer: Although Appetite Magazine generously extended an invitation to yours truly, all opinions on this post are solely the author's and it is not in any way influenced by the representatives of the magazine at the event.

Brightest Blessings!

Healthy Weekend Feast

2011-10-10T15:29:00.001+08:00

A serving of Fresh Fruits

Healthy Plate

For three weeks now I have been trying a new approach to eating, healthy! This journey is currently being chronicled at my new blog - Simply Halie, from Ordinary to Divalicious.

Last weekend hubby and I went out. Looking for a place to eat we chanced by Kenny Rogers and looking at their menu we decided to stay.

For my plate, I had their Classic Healthy Plate which came with 1/4 roasted chicken, some fresh greens, a serving of fresh fruits and a small glass of lite ice tea. What more can I ask for? I wasn't able to finish everything on the plate, 1/2 of the chicken went to hubby, but I finished the salad and the fruits. Yummy!

Brightest Blessings!

Appetite Magazine's Taste the World

2011-10-05T16:46:00.000+08:00

Click for a larger photo

I'm happy again! I received an invite from a representative of Appetite Magazine which is happening this October!

I can't wait to go to the event and celebrate with great people from all over the blogosphere.

Brightest Blessings!

Koko Krunch

2011-09-28T12:46:00.001+08:00

One of the most popular brand of cereals here in the Philippines is Koko Krunch, chocolate cereals from Nestle.

It's not only popular among the younger generation, but even with adults who like to have some chocolate crunchy but at the same time healthy snack inside their food keepers.

Brightest Blessings!

Reviews for Bloggers

2011-09-25T17:38:00.000+08:00

I've come across this website and it looks really promising!

It offers a great resource for sponsored reviews so that we can all earn a little extra from doing the thing that we love to do - writing and blogging.

Find all these by visiting:

Brightest Blessings!

Uncle Cheffy | Affordable Global Cuisine

2011-09-23T14:25:00.000+08:00

This is review is posted quite late. Hubby and I dined at Uncle Cheffy sometime July. Here are the details.

Uncle Cheffy
Ground Floor
Ali Mall Phase 1, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Telephone Number: 02 709-4104
Telefax: 02 709-4105

What did we have?

For starters, we had the Medium Crazy Bacon and Garlic panizza (Php 195)

What can I say about the panizza?

Definitely worth every penny, in this case centavo! It was thin, crunchy, doesn't taste like uncooked dough. What really made it special are those little servings of fresh vegetables and the different sauces that came with it.

It was a great starter while we were waiting for the Back Ribs which came in about 5 minutes after the panizza was served.

And for our main meal, we had the Memphis Barbeque U.S Beef Back Ribs (Medium Php 300)

We didn't eat rice that day, we settled for the back ribs with some fresh veggies and marbled potatoes. Those marble potatoes were very flavorful. The meat was tender and juicy. When compared to other similar dishes, this one wasn't sweet and although it may look burnt, it definitely wasn't. For the price, the panizza and back ribs were more than enough to satisfy our gastronomic cravings that day.

Our total bill: Php 529.39 (for a medium panizza, a medium serving of the back ribs and 2 glasses of chilled fruit juices)

Value for money: For the size of the servings, it was affordable. Uncle Cheffy dishes come in two sizes, Medium and Family. They also serve platters which serves 4 to 5 people.

Ambiance: Even if it was located in Ali Mall near one of the busiest streets in the Araneta Center, it was quiet and a gave a sense of privacy for the diners.

Service: The crew members were fast and efficient

Taste of the Food: Very good, we would be going back there when time permits.

If you want to get a taste of Uncle Cheffy's dishes, you can find them here:

Uncle Cheffy 1, Unit A216 and 201 Level 2,

Eastwood Mall, Eastwood Cyberpark, Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City

Tel: 02 383-7215

Telefax: 02 470-2750

Uncle Cheffy 2

Unit C Bellagio II Forbes Town Center,

Rizal Drive corner Burgos Circle

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Tel: 02 659-8030

Telefax: 02 659-8031

Uncle Cheffy 4

At Solenad, Nuvali Sta. Rosa, Laguna

Tel: 502-5968

Telefax: 502-5970

Uncle Cheffy is another concept by: Chefs' Quarter. If you may remember, I posted two reviews of Chefs' Quarter sometime last June.

Brightest Blessings!

Enhancing Your Food Photos

2011-09-15T15:02:00.001+08:00

Please allow me to share something different this Friday to you guys.

It's so nice to see good looking food photographs. Restaurants and other food service industries rely on the quality of their photos to draw in customers. I mean, we have to admit it, if something does not look appetizing on photos would we even dare to try eating it? Personally, I wouldn't.

If you have a food blog, how do you expect people to look at your recipes or your food reviews if you do not have decent photos?

Here's a tip on enhancing your photos visually to make it more appealing to your readers.

One thing that I do not want to see on food photos is a representation of a plate of some greasy, oily fried food.

What can you do to make your fried food look appetizing without making it look like it's swimming in oil?

> Try to take a photo of your fried food after you take it out of the frying pan. The oil that's clinging on to the surface of your food has not yet dried up so it would still show in your photos.

> If you can't avoid taking a photo of your fried food after a few minutes, you may want to drizzle your food with some dressing and sprinkle it with a dash of some fresh herbs.

> Plate your food in a manner that would show some contrast in colors, height and texture. Avoid making your food look so flat.

> Angles, angles and angles. Take photos of your food from different angles and camera positions.

> Lighting and white balance, check them both. You don't want your photos to look pale, cold and stale. Check your light source and see if your white balance settings are appropriate. Try to take the settings out of auto and experiment until you get a more natural looking photograph.

> And lastly when it comes to post processing, remember that when it comes to food photos, less is more. Avoid too much contrast boost, color saturation and things that you may experiment with on other photos. Make it look more natural.

Brightest Blessings!

Cool Trivia | Ice

2011-09-14T11:47:00.000+08:00

Photo Source

Ice is now mechanically produced on an large scale, but before refrigeration was developed ice was harvested from natural sources for human use.

Ice harvesting

Ice has long been valued as a means of cooling. Until recently, the Hungarian Parliament building used ice harvested in the winter from Lake Balaton for air conditioning. Icehouses were used to store ice formed in the winter, to make ice available all year long, and early refrigerators were known as iceboxes, because they had a block of ice in them. In many cities, it was not unusual to have a regular ice delivery service during the summer.

In 400 BC Iran, Persian engineers had already mastered the technique of storing ice in the middle of summer in the desert. The ice was brought in during the winters from nearby mountains in bulk amounts, and stored in specially designed, naturally cooled refrigerators, called yakhchal (meaning ice storage).

There were thriving industries in the 16/17th century in UK whereby low lying areas along the River Thames estuary were flooded during the winter, and ice harvested in carts and stored inter-seasonally in insulated wooden houses as a provision to an Icehouse often located in large country houses, and widely used to keep fish fresh when caught in distant waters. This was copied from the Chinese who had been doing it for thousands of years. This was reportedly copied by an Englishman who had seen the same activity in China.

Commercial production

Ice is now produced on an industrial scale, for uses including food storage and processing, chemical manufacturing, concrete mixing and curing, and consumer or packaged ice. Most commercial ice makers produce three basic types of fragmentary ice: flake, tubular and plate, using a variety of techniques. Large batch ice makers can produce up to 75 tons of ice per day.

Ice production is a large business; in 2002, there were 426 commercial ice-making companies in the United States, with a combined value of shipments of $595,487,000.

For small-scale ice production, many modern home refrigerators can also make ice with a built in icemaker, which will typically make ice cubes or crushed ice. Stand-alone icemaker units that make ice cubes are often called ice machines.

Uses

Sports
Ice also plays a central role in winter recreation and in many sports such as ice skating, tour skating, ice hockey, ice fishing, ice climbing, curling, broomball and sled racing on bobsled, luge and skeleton. Many of the different sports played on ice get international attention every four years during the Winter Olympic Games.

Other uses

Ice cubes or crushed ice can be used to cool drinks. As the ice melts, it absorbs heat and keeps the drink near 0 °C (32 °F).

Ice can be used to reduce swelling (by decreasing blood flow) and pain by pressing it against an area of the body.

Structures and ice sculptures are built out of large chunks of ice. The structures are mostly ornamental (as in the case with ice castles), and not practical for long-term habitation. Ice hotels exist on a seasonal basis in a few cold areas. Igloos are another example of a temporary structure, made primarily from snow.

During World War II, Project Habbakuk was a British programme which investigated the use of pykrete (wood fibers mixed with ice) as a possible material for warships, especially aircraft carriers, due to the ease with which a large deck could be constructed, but the idea was given up when there were not enough funds for construction of a prototype.

SOURCE

Brightest Blessings!

Hamburger Trivia and a Quote

2011-09-07T14:56:00.000+08:00

An entry for ABC Wednesday

This hamburger was really delicious, but here are some facts about this sinfully delicious sandwich:

The Big Mac was introduced in 1968. The price was 49 cents.
In 1999 there were more than 25,000 McDonald's in 115 countries.
Burgers account for 40% of all sandwiches sold. (2001)
8.2 Billion burgers were served in commercial restaurants in 2001.
65% of all hamburgers and cheeseburgers are consumed away from home. (2001)
The biggest hamburger ever served weighed 8,266 lbs. It was cooked in 2001 at the Burger Fest in Seymour, Wisconsin. Hungry hamburger fans can visit Seymour, the "Home of the Hamburger" and site of the Hamburger Hall of Fame, paying tribute to hamburger inventor Charles Nagreen. According to local legend, Nagreen served the first burger in 1885 at the Outagamie County Fair.
Another large hamburger was made in Rutland, North Dakota. In 1982 the town made what was then the World's Largest Hamburger, 3,591 pounds, which was consumed by some 8,000 people.
Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania has offered a 6 pound hamburger, named Ye Olde 96er (6 pounds = 96 ounces) since 1998. It comes garnished with 2 whole tomatoes, 1/2 head of lettuce, 12 slices of American cheese, a cup of peppers, 2 whole onions, plus large quantities of mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard. No one has been able to finish one.
The Hamburger hall of fame is located in Seymour, Wisconsin. (SOURCE)

Brightest Blessings!

My Very First Giveaway!

2011-08-31T14:59:00.001+08:00

I'm excited to announce my very first giveaway!

If you're the type who enjoys being creative, this giveaway is perfect for you. This giveaway is sponsored by My Memories Suite, a digital scrapbooking software.

What you need to do:

1. Join the Back to Basics Meme for all the Saturdays of September (This coming Saturday, the theme is Heads in the Street, instructions can be found HERE.) and follow my blog.
2. Like My Memories Suite on Facebook
3. Follow them on Twitter
4. Leave me a comment every Saturday that you are joining.

What's in store for the top entries?

1. The top winner for the month of September (voted as the best SOOC) gets a copy of the My Memories Suite absolutely FREE!
2. The second winner gets a $10.00 discount coupon for the My Memories Suite and another $10.00 discount coupon for downloads. A total of $20.00 discount! By the way, the coupon code that you will get is free to share with your friends and family.

My entry for ABC Wednesday

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | For the Love of Food and Everything That Is Holy!!!

2011-08-30T13:13:00.000+08:00

Have you ever had something quite nice, yet when you try to find it you end up getting frustrated?

Here's the low down on this simple yet quite tasty snack. Hubby and I adore it, we can go through a bag in one day but after the first time I bought it, I had a hard time finding it again in the grocery. Why? Because the first time I saw it, I didn't read the label, I assumed that it was spelled correctly. Lo and Behold! When we went to the grocery, I found out that the reason for me not seeing at once is because it was spelled using "Text Lingo"!

For the love of food and everything that is holy, why can't they spell this thing right? I know that marketing strategists would say that it's all part of selling the product, to make it more memorable. I gotta say this though, if not for the packaging, I wouldn't even remotely think that this was the same snack that hubby and I bought the first time.

And now people are wondering why kids can't spell right or even construct a decent simple English sentence these days....

...tsk...tsk.

I miss those days when all you have to do is go to the grocery and everything is easy to find just because you can read and spell.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Tuna Omelet

2011-08-22T11:38:00.000+08:00

If there's one thing I love doing in the kitchen aside from experimenting on different dishes is preparing something easy which still tastes good.

Last Saturday I was able to do just that.

For the omelet

2 whisked eggs

1 small can of spicy tuna

Fry the eggs in one tablespoon of oil. Once the egg is cooked on one side, place the tuna in the middle of the omelet and fold the egg in half.

Top with some of the remaining tuna and serve with warm toast.

For the toast

Half a loaf of bread

Spread butter thinly on the bread

Then toast to your liking

Brightest Blessings!

Disappointed and Disgusted

2011-08-17T12:50:00.000+08:00

This blog has been in existence for about a year and today when I checked some of my posts I noticed that this blog has been toyed with.

Two posts of mine had two photos changed into an icon of someone whom I don't know and when I checked on my badges, I noticed that one of them was changed as well into something that I would never even think of putting up.

For that someone to take time to change the contents on this blog only means one thing, that person cannot write anything decent, take decent photos and even take time to put up a blog. Should you be reading this post, I hope that you do realize that destroying someone's intellectual property is a very low blow, it is disappointing and definitely disgusting.

I ask that you not destroy other people's hard work. Try respecting others, it works.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Yema Tart and a Slice of Cake

2011-08-15T17:05:00.001+08:00

I wasn't able to join Weekend Eating last week, so in order to complete my 52 week food project, here I am again posting two weekend's worth of food.

Last week:

August 7th hubby and I went to the grocery. I love the sweets from Sitsirya and one of my definite favorites is the yema tart. What I love about it, it's not too sweet and even if the yema is placed in tart cups you can still taste the milk of the custard.

This past weekend:

Was hubby's birthday. To celebrate his birthday I cooked some pancit and we had some Capuccino cake from Goldilocks. Again, the cake was not too sweet and the mocha with the chocolate glaze made his birthday a little more special.

Brightest Blessings!

Food Photography Tip | Enhancing Your Photo

2011-08-14T13:47:00.000+08:00

If there's one golden rule that we all have to remember when it comes to taking photos is knowing our cameras. It doesn't matter if you're using a point and shoot camera, a bridge camera (point and shoot with manual settings) or a DSLR with a good lens, if you don't know how to use your tools properly then the plating, lighting and presentation of the food would not matter at all because at the end of the day we wouldn't be able to capture the food in a manner that would make it look really delicious and appetizing.

Now that we know our cameras a little better, let's talk about enhancing your food photos. When dining out at a restaurant we can easily take photos of the food because they are all plated and presented well. How about if you're at home and you want to take a photo of your food so that you could post it on your blog or website?

The answer to the dilemma is enhancing your photos. Oh, no, we're not talking about taking your photo to your favorite editing software and edit it to your heart's content. Here are a few tips that you can follow to make sure that you get the best photo of what ever it is that you have prepared.

Presentation. To enhance your food photos you must present your food in a manner that would appeal to your viewers and readers. The basics of presentation would be, color, height and texture. For color, if you have ingredients in your food with multiple colors try grouping or arranging them in a sense that they would compliment each other instead of clashing with one another. Height, try to give your food some height, stick something edible on your rice vertically to draw the eyes of your viewers to other parts of your photo. Give your food some texture by arranging elements that have the same texture on one side and then another texture on the other side - give it contrast.

Once that you have these elements on your plate, enhance what you have by let's say brushing some olive oil on your fried food to make it glisten a little more. Let's talk more about how to enhance your presentation next week!

Brightest Blessings!

Cream Dory with Mayo Garlic Dip

2011-08-05T15:37:00.003+08:00

After tasting this fish for the first time, I said to myself, I'll look for other ways to cook this fish and make my own menu from it. So far, I have gotten around to at least three recipes and they were all edible. =)

For this dish you will need:

4 pieces of cream dory fillet
1 garlic head, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of unsalted peanuts, grounded
1 medium lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon each of thyme, basil and coriander or cilantro finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
About 5 tablespoons of Olive oil

For the dip:

1 cup of light/lite mayonnaise
1 garlic head crushed
1 tablespoon of coriander or cilantro
1/2 teaspoon of honey mustard sauce
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare:

> Marinate the fish in lemon, herbs, salt and pepper.
> While marinating the fish, heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and toast the garlic along with the peanuts.
> Once the garlic is done, remove from the pan and set aside.
> Sear the fish on both sides first using high heat. Once both sides of the fish is seared, turn the heat down and continue cooking the fish until it is well cooked.
> Place the fish on paper towels to drain excess oil.

For the Dip:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

To serve:

You can serve the fish with freshly steamed rice, topped with the sauce and some toasted garlic with peanuts. Enjoy it while it's warm.

Brightest Blessings!

Memories with Thermos

2011-08-02T12:48:00.002+08:00

Today I'm not going to talk about food. Indulge me as I walk down memory lane with something else, although still connected with food.

I have said in my previous post that I, together with my husband attended the event that Thermos Brand hosted in cooperation with Shangri-La Plaza. When I got there I was surprised at all the new products of Thermos.

My memories start with having two Thermos jugs when I was in Pre-School. My mom used to pack two drinks for me in two separate Thermos flasks. The first flask contained Hot Milo because I always wake up late and I don't eat breakfast, she packs something with substance for me. The other one would be a flask with some cold juice or even water so that I don't get thirsty during my stay in school. This "tradition" so to speak continued until I was in 4th grade. After which, my mom would then let me choose my drinks and pack it in my bag, still using my Thermos flask. One thing that I can safely say, my flasks lasted for a long time.

Other things that I remember, at home, we always have a big Thermos flask to keep our hot water in and those flasks really kept the water warm until I arrive home from school. Mom would usually make me those instant oatmeal snacks using the water from the flask at home.

I can't speak for my husband, but we have talked about the brand and he has told me that he also had the same experiences as I did. By the way, he fell in love with one of the new flasks which were on display during the Thermos event and his request, he wants one as either a birthday present or a Christmas gift. The only thing that worries me, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, since I have to ask him which one he prefers, or if there's a new product out by then, he may want the new product as his gift. =)

Some may say that the products are quite pricey. This is my only rebuttal, if a product is quite pricey, but it lasts for a long time, then I prefer the pricey one. The reason, the costs of replacing something that breaks down within a short period of time would be a lot higher over time than buying something that is pricey but would last a long time.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Eating | Fried Chicken

2011-08-01T12:23:00.000+08:00

We woke up a bit late last Friday and while we were hurrying to cook lunch and my hubby's packed food, I remembered the chicken in the fridge and decided to make fried chicken.

To make it a little tasty, you know, avoiding the blah-bland and dried up chicken, I decided to boil it first in water with a little basil, salt, pepper and thyme. After boiling it, I rolled it in those store bought spicy chicken fry mix and deep fried it in oil.

For the dip, I decided to make a simple mayo and ketchup dip, adding some parmesian vinaigrette to it, that was it!

A simple meal that allowed us to enjoy lunch without making the hubby late for work.

Brightest Blessings!

Rustan's and Thermos Celebrating Health | Cooking for Health

2011-07-31T18:22:00.001+08:00

I am a proud Thermos user from since I can remember. When I received the invitation for Rustan's and Thermos' event memories came flooding back. I remember those days when I went to school carrying two Thermos jugs, one for cold drinks and the other for hot drinks. Being a believer in the product, I was excited to check out the event and see what this brand has come up with.

Hubby and I arrived at the venue a little early which actually gave us some time to photograph some of the products that were on display.

Here are some of the photos that I was able to take yesterday:

The event was held at the spacious Grand Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza.

At the start of the event, Thermos Head of Brand Marketing Mr. King del Rosario introduced the products - the star of the show so to speak.

If you want to read about his thoughts about the event, you can visit him HERE.

The host of the event

Ms. Mary Viernes made it lively with her wit, which was matched perfectly by

Chef Nino Laus' (of Ninyo's Fusion Cuisine) humor, wit and of course his cooking skills. His prowess in the kitchen was shown via a video showcase. If you're interested to learn about the recipes that he shared yesterday, you may watch the videos at Thermos' Official Facebook Page.

After each of the recipe videos, a game was played wherein the hosts asked questions related to the recipe and the star of the event - The Thermos Stainless Steel Cookware Set. It was a fun game! Aside from learning some thing new, a lucky participant would also win some Thermos items and of course five lucky participants were able to take home one piece from the Cookware Set!

Yes, my dear readers. That lucky guy went home with an original Thermos Stainless Steel Wok from the Stainless Steel Cookware Set. If you're a cooking enthusiast like me, then you can't help but be green with envy!

And of course that was the event, but let's go on to the real STARS of the show! The Thermos brand products!

Like what I said, memories came flooding back when I got the invitation, but more memories flooded when I saw the products on display.

Talking with one of the representatives of Thermos, I was informed that there are products which can keep hot drinks warm and cold drinks cold for hours, just like that little container which held the ice cream.

Now who wouldn't trust a brand that has a product that can keep ice cream from melting? As you can see, the sticker on the lid of the product states the time when the ice cream was placed inside the container. About two or three hours have passed from when the ice cream was placed inside that cute Thermos container to the time that I arrived and took this photo.

Okay, those are the stars of the event. But here are the SUPERSTARS of the event.

The product which was launched yesterday was the Stainless Steel Cookware Set. And these babies are not your average kitchen pots, these are top of the line must haves for food, cooking and kitchen enthusiasts. These lovely woks, pots and pans are made from 5 layers of quality materials. The 1st and last layers are made from 18/10 high quality stainless steel, the 2nd and 4th layers are made from High Heat Conducting Aluminium Alloy and the third layer is made from Aluminium Alloy.

I know these sound all technical to you, to simplify things, the use of these layers and materials mean that you can be assured of even heat distribution which means that you don't need to worry about your food being cooked on one side and raw on the other. The lid of this cookware set also help in ensuring that the flavor and all the necessary vitamins and minerals would not escape during the cooking process through evaporation.

I say, these babies are now officially included on my Christmas wishlist!

As if the delicious recipes shared by Chef Nino and the snacks that were served after the event were provided by Cravings were not enough, every guest was able to take home a Thermos Travel Mug which is perfect for those who are working or even if you're just a stay-at-home person who does not like drinks spilling all over the place!

Disclaimer:

Although I was invited to the event by Thermos, all the opinions on this post are solely mine. As I have mentioned, I have been a Thermos user for a long time and I believe in the quality of the products brought about by years of personal experiences.

Even if Chef Nino was more than generous enough to not only share his recipes during his video presentation, but through printed recipe cards as well, I deem it more prudent not to share his recipes here on my blog. If you are interested to watch the videos of his recipes, please visit the Official Thermos Brand Facebook Page.

Brightest Blessings!

Pan de Amerikana | Upside Down Restaurant, Katipunan Avenue

2011-07-29T13:36:00.000+08:00

Pan de Amerikana
131 Katipunan Avenue, St. Ignatius, Quezon City

For Inquiries, please call
(02) 442.5601 (Katipunan Branch)
(02) 475.2398 (Marikina Branch)

I have featured a review of Pan de Amerikana a few months ago and that was the time when hubby and I went to their branch in Marikina. The Marikina branch boasts of a chess themed dining place while the Katipunan branch is known as the first and only Upside-Down Restaurant in Asia.

The reason for this would be much better by these photos

The facade is totally upside down! One could only really understand when you see it personally. And inside the restaurant, there's an upside down living room hanging from the ceiling complete with an upside down baby grand piano! What a theme!

But of course we didn't go there just to look at the facade and take photos, we went there for the food.

Fresh Lumpia Php40.00

It was quite tasty, but it was lacking in certain flavors like garlic and a little of the sweetness that I associate with the sauce of the lumpia. Overall though, it was good and cheap.

T-Bone Steak Php170.00

For the price and size, this one really stole the show! The steak was tender but not raw (rare), it was juicy despite the fact that it was well done. I would definitely go back to any of their branches to eat steak again.

Bicol Express Php40.00

If you're into spicy food, this one is definitely for you. The serving is good enough to be shared by two people, although small, because of the taste and the spicy-ness you may tend to have more rice with just a tiny amount of this delicious dish.

Everlasting Php40.00

I don't exactly know what this dish is, but from what I tasted, it was made from ground pork with some green peas and other things that I can't remember. Quite plain, but again, for the price you can't ask for anything more.

As for the service, it was fast and efficient. The crew were friendly and accommodating and you don't need to ask twice for anything.

The ambiance, the restaurant is built with high ceilings and windows to let natural air in. However, since it is in the middle of a busy street, it would have been a little better if they had more fans to help with circulation.

The price: For all the things that we ate, including a pitcher of Ice Tea and 2 servings of plain rice, we paid a total of Php400.00! Cheap + quite good food = My Cup of Tea!

Brightest Blessings!

Excited for Saturday! Thermos and Rustan's Event

2011-07-28T18:16:00.000+08:00

Deviating from the food photography tips for today. I just want to share this excitement that I'm feeling because of an invitation that I have received from Thermos and Rustan's.

When I opened my Google mail, I was surprised to find an invitation to an event that is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. After I sent a reply to Thermos' representative, I was asked about when they could expect me. I chose Saturday because it's the cooking demo day!

From what I have read from the invite, it says that they would be showcasing new Stainless Steel Thermos cooking equipment. I'm excited and I can't wait to take down notes of the recipes that would be shared on Saturday.

If any of you guys are attending, see you there!

Brightest Blessings!

Beverage

2011-07-27T13:58:00.001+08:00

In 1879 there were at least 43 breweries in the Brooklyn area of New York. In 1977 there were none.

In 1935 Krueger Brewing became the first brewery to sell beer in cans. The cans were made of steel and the can itself weighed in at 4 ounces!

Beer was the first legal alcoholic beverage to be sold when prohibition was repealed. Beer was legal on April 7, 1933, but other alcoholic beverages could not be legally purchased until December 5, 1933.

Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria decreed in 1516 that beer could only be brewed from barley malt, hops and water. This Rheinheitsgebot (purity law) was the world's first consumer protection law.

The oldest known code of laws is the Code of Hammurabi from ancient Babylonia, about 1750 B.C. It regulated the practices of drinking houses, and called for the death penalty for proprietors found guilty of watering down their beer.

At the 1893 Chicago Fair, Pabst beer won a blue ribbon, and was called 'Pabst Blue Ribbon" beer from then on.

Ale is the primary style of beer consumed in England. Lager beer is the dominant beer style throughout the rest of the brewing world.

The most popular beverage in the world is tea, and beer is number two. However, in England and Ireland, beer is the most popular beverage.

In 1900 there were over 1,800 breweries in the U.S. In 1980 there were 44. According to The Brewers Association, there were 1,449 breweries in the U.S. in 2007. This included 1,406 small, independent and traditional craft brewers.

Supposedly the oldest known written recipe is for beer.

The people at Guinness, Ireland’s most famous brewery, estimate that in Great Britain alone, 92,749 litres of beer each year are lost in beer drinker’s moustaches and beards. They estimate that each pint (approx. ½ l) is raised 10 times, and each time, 0.56 ml is absorbed into the facial hair.

For more fun facts and trivia regarding this beverage, please visit Food Reference

Brightest Blessings!

Sinigang na Baboy | Pork in Tamarind Broth

2011-07-25T15:26:00.000+08:00

It was raining hard yesterday and we had the perfect food for the cold weather - Sinigang!

How do I love my sinigang?

I love it when its minimal. I only put the following veggies in my sinigang: Okra, eggplant and taro (gabi). I also love it when it's really sour - I use two 2 liter sachets of tamarind broth (one original and the other one with gabi, which makes the soup thick as well) which is good for 4 liters, but I only use about a liter to two liters of water.

Memories that it brings: Mom used to say that I don't eat pork. I would only eat gabi and the broth with a little patis (fish sauce) with my rice and that was it. My other fond memory of this dish is this: My sister was not really a kitchen person but when she got married, she was able to prepare one of the best sinigang I have ever tasted. I guess it's because sinigang is so easy to prepare that she mastered it without much effort. And lastly, when I was a child, I remember my mom preparing sinigang using fresh tamarinds, she'd boil them then mash them, but she was thankful when this ready made sinigang mix came out in the market.

If you have any food memories or fond food stories to share, you can link up with me using the comment luv gadget in the comments section. Thanks!

Brightest Blessings!

A is for Asparagus

2011-07-20T13:02:00.002+08:00

It's a brand new round of ABC Wednesday. This week, I'd like to share this with you guys:

According to the USDA, 29,200 Acres of Asparagus were harvested in the United States in 2009.

All commercially grown asparagus must still be harvested by hand.

Some individuals have odorous urine after eating asparagus, and it was long thought to be a genetic trait since some people seemed to be immune to this effect. The odor is caused by a asparagusic acid which the body converts into methanethiol (closely related to skunk spray!).

The small 'scales' at the tip of an asparagus spear are actually the leaves.

Female asparagus stalks are plumper than male stalks.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a member of the Lily family and is related to onions and garlic.

Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period. Each crown will send spears up for about 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer. How often spears may be picked depends on the temperature. Early in the season, spears may be picked every 4 days or so, and later as the average temperature warms up, they may have to be picked every day!

Source: Food Reference

If you're wondering how this dish was prepared, you can visit the recipe HERE.

Brightest Blessings!

Ground Lean Pork

2011-07-18T12:53:00.000+08:00

Ground Pork is my emergency main ingredient here at home. If I can't decide what to make I would usually get my ground pork and make it into omelet or as in this case, with tomato sauce, carrots and potatoes.

Aside from being easy to prepare, it tastes quite good. Hubby loved it and half a kilo of this dish is enough for the both of us until dinner. Having two people inside the house makes it easy for me to prepare dishes, I only have to cook once a day. =)

Brightest Blessings!

Spicy Shrimp and Garlic in Olive Oil Pasta

2011-07-15T13:44:00.001+08:00

Hubby and I went to a restaurant called Seafood Island and we fell in love with their Spicy Garlic Shrimp in Olive Oil. I wasn't into photography that time yet so the review would come sometime in the future.

Curiosity got the better of me so I decided to venture into the kitchen to prepare some seafood pasta for hubby and I.

What you'll need:

125g of medium sized shrimps, de-shelled and de-veined
250g of pasta
1 whole garlic head, finely chopped
1 medium sized onion, chopped
3 pieces of medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon of basil
1 tablespoon of thyme
1 tablespoon of coriander
3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper powder to taste
cheese

250g pasta cooked according to package directions

How to prepare

In a saucepan heat the olive oil over low heat. Once the oil is heated, put in the garlic and toast it until it becomes light brown. Remove some of the garlic from the pan and set it aside.

Put in the onions and wait for it to become clear before putting the tomatoes.

Saute them until the tomatoes are cooked.

Add the shrimps and the herbs (basil, thyme and coriander) and saute until the shrimps are well done.

Add the pepper, salt and cayenne pepper powder to taste.

To serve:

Arrange the pasta in a plate, top with your spicy shrimp sauce, cheese and some of the toasted garlic. Serve while warm.

When I made the dish, it turned out to be good for at least 4 medium sized servings. What is nice about the dish was that the herbs took out that "fishy" (malansa) aftertaste when eating seafood. The peppers added some corner to it which gave it a full bodied taste.

Fat Camp Friday

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast | Caught Up, Finally.

2011-07-11T11:15:00.000+08:00

Catching up is quite difficult especially when you have a lot of things in mind. Thankfully, those days seem to be over and I'm back in the groove of things.

For the last two weeks that I've missed here are the dishes that we had:

Escabeche, our favorite seafood dish does make its way to the table every now and then. The rainy season makes the prices of fish sky rocket, but who can resist fresh fish and the possibilities it offers? We weren't able to resist the call of this fish, so I bought half a kilo and cooked it.

A very fitting dish for the cold season! Tinola, one of my favorites and definitely a must have on the menu during the rainy cold weather.

Last Saturday we went out and tried the sister company of Chefs' Quarter: Uncle Cheffy. The branch in Ali Mall was small but cozy and the food...

...very appetizing Panizza!

Brightest Blessings!

Chefs' Quarter | Part Deux

2011-07-08T17:08:00.000+08:00

I just have to share this with you guys!

I have posted a review of the restaurant Chefs' Quarter a couple of weeks back. Two weeks after our first visit, hubby and I decided that it was time to go back to the restaurant just to have dessert.

We both love our coffee after each meal and we thought that we should try to have it in the said restaurant.

What we had:

Coffee - the aroma was just irresistible. Php90.00 x 2 (Php180)

Hubby had the Banana Langka Samurai Crepe Php120.00

And I had the Mocha Roulade Php70.00

At first I thought that the Banana Langka Crepe would taste like the usual turon, but to my surprise I was mistaken. It was more than your traditional turon! If there is one thing that I can say comes close to it is a pie.

The Mocha Roulade can be described as food for the gods. The slice is as thick as the slice of the Mango Brazo that I featured in my last review.

But that center was the clincher. It was like cream or ice cream, I still can't put my finger on how to describe its texture. All I can say is it was HEAVENLY!

We paid Php403.04 for everything. Quite cheap, since the portions were big and the price that we paid for is quite comparable to the price that we pay when we go to Starbucks for coffee and dessert.

Brightest Blessings!

Food Photography 101 | Going Macro

2011-07-07T13:53:00.000+08:00

I've been posting food photography tips for about 3 weeks now and I hope that you find delight in reading them.

This week, let's talk about going up close and personal with your food. Macro photography is is a term used for close up photos. It is a term applied to most close up photos but should actually only be applied to photos which have a 1:1 or closer magnification.

Now if you don't own a macro lens or a DSLR camera, you can still move in closer to your food using your point and shoot camera and its built it macro function.

Wide and Far Angle

Moving Up Close and Personal

Maybe now you can see the difference. Although the wider angle shows the whole plate, the food and the amount of food in the plate, sometimes it's a little better to go in tighter and closer to show more of your food's details.

Try taking photos of your food, one using a wider angle and the other one shooting it up close and personal. Look at the difference and maybe you'll notice that you don't take photos of the clutter around the plate when you go in a little tighter.

Brightest Blessings!

Clara Ole | Share Eat!

2011-07-06T22:36:00.000+08:00

I read this on my friend Jenn's Food Blog (thanks Jenn!) and I got interested.

Click Image to enlarge

Aside from wanting to spread the good news to as many people as possible, one other reason for me to share the event is, I use Clara Ole products like their spaghetti sauces and our most recent addiction: the Parmesian Vinaigrette.

I hope I could attend this event. I don't really plan to join the contest, but hey, it's an opportunity to photograph more food!

Details:

> Registration for the event starts at 9AM on Sunday the 10th of July.
> Event starts at 10AM
> The event will be held at the Mercato Centrale
> The photo contest will be open to a) Food Bloggers and b) non-bloggers

Interested? I know I am!

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast of Memories

2011-07-05T14:41:00.001+08:00

I can't believe that I let the past few weekend eating slide.

Anyway, here are two of my previous weekend feasts:

First up: Baked Cream Dory with Parmesian Vinaigrette and Chips

Another experiment in the kitchen. Cream Dory is a very versatile fish that you can use it for almost any dish that you can think of.

Aside from being easy to cook, it doesn't taste too fishy (malansa) which means that it is a great main ingredient for fried or baked and maybe I'll try a dish with broth in it as well.

Then we had Bicol Express

Really love spicy food and this Bicol Express just fit my taste to a tee.

What I remember most about this dish is, when my brother-in-law was working as a seaman, he asked me to cook some of this spicy dish for him because his friend went home to the Philippines and the friend can bring it to him.

BTW, I learned the basics of this dish through a good friend of mine.

Brightest Blessings!

Pasta Experiment

2011-07-01T11:42:00.001+08:00

We had a block of tofu in the fridge one time and I didn't know what to do with it. After seeing some pasta in the pantry, a spark lit in my brain and voila! Tofu pasta.

I know y'all might think that it's gross, after we ate the pasta, I searched the net for recipes which were similar to what I did. Wonderful fate! There were quite a lot of them around.

Let's get down to business now, shall we?

What you'll need

1 250g block of tofu, diced into about one inch pieces
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion chopped
500g of pasta, cooked according to package directions
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pouch of spaghetti sauce (for this recipe, I used a pouch of Clara Ole Italian with Chunky Tomatoes)
Grated cheese
1 tablespoon of dried basil leaves
1 laurel leaf (snip it with a pair of kitchen scissors)
salt and pepper to taste

To cook the sauce

Saute the garlic and onions in olive oil until the onions are caramelized (clear), then add the tofu.
When the tofu is seared (brown outside, soft inside), add the spaghetti sauce (of your choice)
Simmer for about 5 minutes then add the herbs (basil and laurel), salt and pepper to taste
Simmer for another 5 minutes

To serve

Top the pasta with the tofu sauce and sprinkle grated cheese. Serve while warm

Brightest Blessings!

Food Photography Tip # 3 | Down Low

2011-06-30T18:46:00.000+08:00

I'm a fan of Digital Photography School and I really find their tips most useful.

HIGH UP

DOWN LOW

According to the tips on the website there are times when a high angle would really make your food photos look good, but there are times that taking a photo of your food using an angle that is slightly lower may make a better impact.

The author stated that many new food photographers make that slight mistake of photographing their food from a very high angle. From my experience, I would say that the reason for this is, many new food photographers think that the best way to present their food is by taking a photo of the whole plate and most often than not, taking a photo from a high angle really does a great job.

But Darren Rowse, the author suggests that you may want to take your camera lower, at plate level or just a little slightly above your food's plate.

I would ask you, of the two photos posted above, which one looks better? I'd go for the second one. The first photo was taken with me standing while the plate was on a stool. The second photo was taken at plate level.

Brightest Blessings!

From My Kitchen | General Kitchen Talk

2011-06-29T23:05:00.001+08:00

It's my first time to join From My Kitchen

Mommy Dharlz, the host of the meme asks the following questions:

What's your Favorite Gadget/Tool to Use? And what have you prepared from your kitchen?

And here are my answers:

(1) My favorite gadget/tool/equipment in the kitchen would be the more than 10 year old set of knives that my mom passed on to me. I have a sister who never took much liking to cooking, so when I asked my mom for the set of knives that my aunt gave to her, she didn't think twice. I guess she thought that it would serve me well since I was her little kitchen helper since the age of nine.

(2) What have I prepared? Unfortunately hubby and I woke up late so we decided to just buy something from the neighbor who sells cooked meals.

We bought a couple of servings of Nilagang Baboy (pork in simple broth)

I have some fond memories of this dish.

My mom used to prepare something with broth during the colder months of the year and my favorite was Nilaga. She used to say that "Give her (me) a piece of pork and tons of potato, drizzle it with some fish sauce (patis) and she'll survive."

A Photo of My Version of Nilaga

I invite you to join me as I open my meme called Foodie Memories formally next week (Tuesday). The meme will open Tuesday (12MN) Manila Time and will close Friday 12NN (Manila Time).

Let's all walk down memory lane as we talk about our favorite comfort food and the fond memories that we have of them.

Brightest Blessings!

Chefs' Quarter

2011-06-24T12:29:00.000+08:00

Happy Friday people! It's been raining heavily for the past couple of days here at home and I was reminded that I haven't shared these yet.

Chefs' Quarter
SM Megamall Branch
Level 3 SM Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Tel No: (02) 401.3658
Telefax: (02) 706.5336

It was my birthday a couple of weeks back and hubby decided to take me out to a nice restaurant for lunch. We couldn't decide where to go so we tossed up a coin and SM Megamall won. The restaurant of choice: Chefs' Quarter which mainly served French dishes - loved it!

What we had:

Appetizers

Hubby's choice was the French Onion Soup Php150.00

I tried it and I must say that they cooked it to perfection. I love that the top was crusty and the onions were naturally sweet. I never imagined that I would love onions when they are served as soup.

My choice: Waldorf Salad (Solo) Php150.00

The freshness of the apples really gave this salad a great taste. The salad was not served with its typical mayo dressing, I think the restaurant served it with their own blend of vinaigrette.

Entree

Hubby's Choice: Beef Stroganoff Php250.00

I tried it and compared to other stroganoff servings that we tried, this one was definitely a LOT better.

I wouldn't say that I'm a fan, but if you're the type who loves stroganoff, the serving from the Chefs' Quarter is highly recommended.

My Choice: Chef's Quarter Steak Php295.00

The best thing that I could say about this is that the steak was not dry. It was juicy done to perfection. I don't like medium rare steaks, I mean, I like my steaks dead and well done, not bloody and looks undead. Although the meat was well done, it was still tender and the juice of the meat was...

...I just ran out of words! And the veggies that came with it, crunchy right on the spot!

Dessert

Hubby's Choice: Warm Apple Pudding Php100.00

When it comes to sweets I really am not fond of caramel, but the caramel of this warm apple pudding was not just an olfactory feast, it was also a feast for the palate.

My choice: Mango Brazo Php70.00

Not your typical slice of Brazo. It was refreshing and naturally sweetened by the ripe mangoes. The ample drizzle of the mango sauce gave it a little more flavor, not overpowering but it added some texture and a natural sweetness. Compared to regular brazo, this one is also fluffy, soft, but it had its own firmness that makes you aware that you are chewing something other than air. Oh and the size of the slice, definitely worth your Php70 bucks.

Verdict:

Food: Let's just say that we went back to the restaurant two weeks after our first visit!
Service: For what ever we reason we forgot to order drinks on our visit, but the staff of the restaurant paid good attention to their patrons. They were able to refill our water glasses quickly that it seemed like we never drank from it.
Price: Total expenses Php1,150.00 for two people. I'd say that it wasn't that bad since we paid for a three course meal, Appetizers - Main Course - Dessert.

Recommendations:

Highly recommended.

If you're interested about their Catering Services, you may contact them at:

Chefs' Quarters
Level I Midtown Wing, Robinson's Place Manila, Adriatico cor Pedro Gil St. Malate, Manila
(02) 381.3449 | 381.7716
Fax: (02) 567.1910
Mobile Numbers: (0920) 924.3044 | (0926) 743.8863

You may also visit them at their other branches/restaurants

Old Vine Grille by Chefs' Quarter
Unit A 119, Level 1, Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City
Tel No. (02) 706.5573
Fax: (02) 706.5574

Old Vine Grille by Chefs' Quarter
The Venice Piazza McKinley Hill Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Tel Nos. (02) 836.4966 | 836.4969
Fax: (02) 836.4970

Uncle Cheffy Brick Oven Global Cuisine
Unit A216 and 201 Level 2, Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City
Tel No. (02) 383.7215
Fax: (02) 470.2750

Uncle Cheffy II
Unit C Bellagio II-Forbes Town Center, Rizal Dr. cor Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Tel No. (02) 659.8030
Fax: (02) 659.8031

Kuse Traditional Filipino Cuisine
The Venice Piazza, McKinley Town Center Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Tel Nos. (02) 836.4966 | 836.4969
Fax: (02) 836.4970

Beurre Blanc
2nd Level Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, Newport, Pasay City
Tel Nos: (02) 836.4342 | 659.4020
Mobile: (0920) 924.3044

Brightest Blessings!

Waldorf Salad

2011-06-22T14:04:00.000+08:00

I just loved this serving of Waldorf Salad that I had when I celebrated my birthday a couple of weeks ago. It was refreshing and delicious, a light meal that allowed me to have some more space for other food items.

Are you wondering where and why this salad got its name?

A Waldorf salad is a salad traditionally made of fresh apples, celery and walnuts, dressed in mayonnaise, and usually served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal.

The salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (the precursor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which opened in 1931).

Oscar Tschirky, who was the Waldorf's maître d'hôtel and developed or inspired many of its signature dishes, is widely credited with creating the recipe.

"Waldorf Salad" is the title of a 1979 episode of Fawlty Towers which concerns an American guest's increasing frustration with Basil Fawlty's incompetence, symbolised by Fawlty's continuing inability to produce the salad of the title: "I think we're just out of Waldorfs." He asks the question: "What is a Waldorf anyway, a walnut that's gone off?".

June serves Waldorf salad as part of a special dinner for Ward in the Leave it to Beaver episode "Beaver’s Short Pants."

Source: Wikipedia

Brightest Blessings!

Food Photography Tip | Lighting and Presentation

2011-06-16T20:13:00.000+08:00

Taken near a window

Taken using natural + artificial light

Natural light works well to highlight the great tasting colors of food.

If you look closer at the first photo, it doesn't look as delicious as it really was. The reason, light was too harsh that it made the crab look pale and couple that with the clutter and as you can see DISASTER is guaranteed.

The second photo though is quite attractive. The diffused light that came from underneath that plastic sheet reflected a very nice glow which highlighted the browns of the drink. It also helped to take out the shadows that the natural light from the window cast on the wall behind the drink. Lastly, the presentation of the drink was clean and simple, no clutter, a simple background which made the drink stand out even with all the negative space on one side.

For the past two weeks, we have learned a little about lighting and presentation. I think it's time to challenge those of you who read these tips to put the first two tips to practice and show me what you've got. I'll share some photos next week!

Brightest Blessings!

V for Vegetables

2011-06-15T13:34:00.000+08:00

Vegetable salad with some grilled chicken pieces, it was a heavenly healthy treat.

It was my first time to venture into eating vegetable salad which was combined with fresh ripe mangoes and some grilled chicken meat.

Vegetables other than greens may be used in a salad. Common vegetables used in a salad include cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, spring onions, red onions, avocado, carrots, celery, and radishes. Other ingredients, such as olives, hard boiled egg, artichoke hearts, heart of palm, roasted red bell peppers, green beans, croutons, cheeses, meat (e.g. bacon, chicken), or seafood (e.g. tuna, shrimp), are sometimes added to salads.

Brightest Blessings!

Garlic and Asparagus with Parmesian Vinaigrette

2011-06-10T12:11:00.000+08:00

It's been quite a while since I experimented on good food in the kitchen. I've been so complacent with the things that I already know how to cook that I fall back on the usual recipes and dishes for the last couple of months.

On my birthday, I decided it's time to take myself out of the rut and try something new. Since asparagus was quite cheap, I made up my mind to come up with something really easy but quite delicious. I was totally scared to put all these ingredients together since I don't know how it would taste like, but hey, here I am now sharing the recipe!

What you'll need:

1 block of tofu, diced into about half an inch squares
1 whole head of garlic, chopped
20 stalks of asparagus, washed
3 tablespoons of olive oil (no substitute)
salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

In a frying pan heat the olive oil and toast the chopped garlic.
Remove half of the toasted garlic and set it aside
Fry the tofu with the garlic until lightly brown
Quickly sear the asparagus stalks with the garlic and tofu for about 1 minute (low heat)
Then salt and pepper to taste before turning off the heat

* To serve

Make a bed from the fried tofu and garlic, place the asparagus stalks on top of the tofu bed, sprinkle with the garlic that you set aside and serve it with a generous amount of your favorite vinaigrette.

** I used a store bought Clara Ole Parmesian Vinaigrette for my dressing

I hope you enjoy preparing and eating this as much as hubby and I did!

Brightest Blessings!

Food Photography and Lighting

2011-06-09T14:17:00.002+08:00

An Example of BAD LIGHTING

Examples of Better Lighting

The first and most important thing that any photographer should learn and remember is lighting. How the light plays on your subject can make the shapes and colors of your food stand out, which could then help you convey how good your food tastes like.

As you can see from the three photos above, the first photo did not look appetizing nor enticing. The colors are a little off and I will be the first to admit that it looked rather gross. It would have been better if I took the photo under natural lighting conditions, but because I took the photo at night, I had to use an overhead fluorescent light which made it look cold and bland.

On the other hand, the next two photos looked better because of the light inside the restaurant. I was fortunate that the light inside the establishment highlighted the food.

So now that we see what lighting can do, what should we keep in mind when photographing food and the lighting conditions are less friendly?

1. The most essential tool of a photographer is not the camera, but light. Even if we have an expensive camera in our hands if we don't know how to use light properly, we will still end up with a photo just like the very first one above.

2. Look for some natural light as best as you can. Natural light can bring out the real colors of your food and it can make dishes look really delicious.

3. Right lighting can bring out the texture and shape of the food on your plate or table. If you can find a flattering light source, it can make your food look more three dimensional instead of leaving it flat and featureless.

As a food blogger and a photographer, it is important to me that I have great looking food photographs. Food in restaurants have been styled and most of the time, lighting in these establishments are good and are designed to highlight the dishes that they present on your table. So next week, let's talk more about lights and presentation.

Brightest Blessings!

U for Unagi

2011-06-08T20:51:00.000+08:00

Image from Sustainable Sushi

Unagi is the Japanese term for fresh water eel.

Here are some facts about one of the most sought after sushi ingredient:

The huge consumption of unagi and the high demand for it is unfortunately one of the reasons why there seems to an environmental problem concerning this ingredient.

These days, about ninety percent (90%) of the unagi consumed in the United States is produced by farms from China, Taiwan and Japan.

Eel farms are often located in coastal wetlands. Most use open-tank systems that flush farm waste into the surrounding areas, which causes pollution and threatens local ecosystems.

Source: Sustainable Sushi

How about you, do you actually eat Unagi sushi? I honestly don't.

Brightest Blessings!

Birthday Feast

2011-06-07T13:21:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, hubby decided to take me on a date for my pre-birthday celebration. We tossed a coin to help us to decide whether we were going to Felicity or to Megamall to look for a suitable restaurant and go around to relax. Megamall won that toss coin so we ended up going to the mall to look for a new place to eat in.

The verdict was - Chef's Quarters at the new Atrium of the mall. The photo above is of a dessert that hubby chose for himself, the Warm Apple Pudding, it was soooooooo yummy!

Before I forget, I would like to welcome you to the first post for my weekly Food Meme - Foodie Memories.

Foodie Memories will be posted every Tuesdays, so I hope you can take time to post a photo and a story.

The rules:

> The photo should be yours. It can be from the archives or something new.
> Please include the Foodie Memories button (code found at the side bar) on your post.
> Tell us a story of the food that you posted and the memories that you have when you eat it.
> For the time being, you can put your links in the comments section.

The memories that pudding and ice cream brings to me:

We never had an oven but mom knows how to make some treats that are supposed to be baked by other means.

She loves saving bread loaves and when she has time she'd make some great tasting pudding for everyone to enjoy.

As for ice cream, I never really liked vanilla, but I learned how to appreciate it when my sister bought some Hershey's Brown Cow and drizzled some on the ice cream. Yummy!

Brightest Blessings!

A Spanish Food Experience at Dulcinea

2011-06-03T11:18:00.001+08:00

You may now have noticed that hubby and I love to eat out and try different restaurants serving different types of cuisine from Asian to Western.

About two weeks ago, we decided to eat again in

Dulcinea, 2/F Ali Mall
Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

Here's what we had

For starters we had a serving of this dish called Tortilla Riojana. The serving was good for two and it was like omelet with Spanish sausages and some herbs. It came with a serving of two pieces of bread and slices of butter.

There was no fancy dip with the dish, it just came with a small serving of tomato ketchup. All I can say is that even without the ketchup, the Tortilla Riojana was really good!

For our main meal, I had the Dulcinea Favorito #2: Chicken Ala King. It was good, creamy and seasoned just right, but I have to say that I prefer to buy my Ala King from French Baker.

Hubby had the Ducinea Favorito #4: Spicy Chicken Strips. I had a bite or two of his food and I can say that it was good. If I am to go back to Dulcinea some time soon, I wouldn't hesitate to order this for myself.

The best thing about the Favorito meals:

>They come with a glass of ice tea
>A serving of the soup of the day is included
>And for dessert, it comes with a serving of two pieces of their mini cream puffs.

*I wasn't able to take photos of the cream puffs because we ate it at home and it didn't look that good anymore after being inside my bag, but I can tell you that it was good. The first sugar crust was not burnt, it was crunchy but not too hard and the custard wasn't too sweet!

We also had a serving of Churros Con Chocolat and it was heavenly!

As for the service, we got to Dulcinea a little after rush hour and the service was quite fast. Unfortunately, our server was quite new to the job and he forgot to serve our cream puffs until I asked for it. That's the reason for me being unable to take photos of it since I asked that the person behind the counter wrap the cream puffs to go.

The price: We paid Php676.00

The largest item on our bill was the Riojana which billed at Php280, both the favoritos were billed at Php149 each (and with the main meal + drink + soup + dessert) it was very cheap! Lastly, the churros was billed at Php98. This amount plus the tax, I can say that we paid for a meal that was cheap but with the quality that you would expect from a known establishment.

The restaurant accepts catering and other special services. If you're interested, you can contact them at

Tel#: 6340612
email: dulcinea_megamall@yahoo.com

Brightest Blessings!

Facelifting Food Talk

2011-06-01T23:17:00.000+08:00

For those who are following and are actually reading this humble blog of mine, I would like to inform you guys that starting next week this blog will see two new fabulous changes.

The first change, I'll share some food photography tips every week and I will continue doing so when I come across something new and interesting as I further my study (self-study at that) in the field of great presentation of great looking and most of the time, good looking food that I encounter. And I promise to do my best to post photos that I take after following the tip that I will post for that particular day. I also invite you to share your food photos after following the tip that I post. It's not a meme, but it sure is a way of learning new things from other fellow food photographers. You don't need a DSLR, all you need is camera and the desire to further your skills in photographing food.

The second change would be the introduction of my meme which is called Foodie Memories. Food Memories is not about the emotions that we attach to food but about the random things that we remember when we have a certain food at hand. Foodie Memories would be every Tuesdays and I invite you my foodie friends to join me as we share memories of our favorite food items.

Brightest Blessings!

T for Tofu

2011-06-01T12:59:00.001+08:00

Fun Food Trivia

TRIVIA QUESTION: I am commonly called "meat without bones." Instead of asserting myself, I take on the characteristics of those around me. This may make me sound rather soft, but I can be firm as well. What am I?

TRIVIA ANSWER: Bean Curd. Known in China as Doufu, and in Japan as tofu, it has been a staple in Chinese cooking since the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). Regular tofu comes in a variety of textures, ranging from soft to extra-firm. Firm tofus are the best choice for stir-frying - they hold their shape better while being stirred and tossed in the pan.

SOURCE: About

Brightest Blessings!

Double Dutch Ice Cream

2011-05-30T16:08:00.000+08:00

What better way to cool down on a weekend than sharing a tub of ice cream with the person whom you love the most.

Last weekend, hubby and I decided to just do nothing, as in nothing at all. We bought some new DVDs, got a family pack of Selecta's Double Dutch Ice Cream, ate it while watching horror flicks! Love the weekend!

Brightest Blessings!

Chicken Pineapple Menudo

2011-05-27T13:03:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I last shared a recipe and I dearly miss it.

Here's a simple, yet yummy treat for you guys! I got the base recipe from Food Magazine's insert about Del Monte Products. And I decided to make this just to give the ordinary pork menudo a twist.

What you need:

1K chicken breast (or any part of your choice) fillet
1 small can of pineapple tidbits
100g of hotdog, sliced
100g potato, cut into cubes and fried
100g carrots, cut into cubes and fried
1 250g pouch of tomato sauce
1 pc each of green and red bell peppers, cut into cubes and fried
cooking oil
1/4 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Saute chicken in oil for 3 minutes. Add hotdogs, potatoes and carrots. Saute for another 3 minutes, then add the pineapple syrup. Cover, simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, water, salt and pepper, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pineapple tidbits and the bell peppers, then simmer for another 5 minutes.

Preparation and cooking time between 30 and 45minutes.

Brightest Blessings!

Spaghetti Trivia

2011-05-25T12:34:00.000+08:00

But did you know

Spaghetti is made of semolina or flour and water. Italian dried spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but outside of Italy it may be made with other kinds of flour.

Spaghetti is the plural form of the Italian word spaghetto, which is a diminutive of spago, meaning "thin string" or "twine."

In the United States around the end of the 19th century, spaghetti was offered in restaurants as Spaghetti Italienne (which likely consisted of extremely soggy noodles and a tomato sauce diluted with broth) and it wasn't until decades later that it came to be prepared with garlic or peppers.

The world record for largest bowl of spaghetti was set in March 2009 and reset in March 2010 when a restaurant in Garden Grove, Buca di Beppo, outside of Los Angeles successfully filled a swimming pool with more than 13,780 pounds (6,251 kg) of pasta.

SOURCE: Wikipedia

Brightest Blessings!

Menu Planning

2011-05-23T22:22:00.000+08:00

It's my first time to hop over to Menu Plan Monday and here's my share for this week's plans:

Today (Monday) - Soft tacos, chicken filling and homemade chunky salsa

Tuesday - Spicy Buffalo Wings

Wednesday - Spaghetti (lean meat)

Thursday - Hotdog sandwiches with some veggies

Friday - Sweetened Pork

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend Feast @ Dulcinea

2011-05-23T14:49:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday it was time to go to the grocery and run errands again. Hubby and I decided to have lunch at Dulcinea.

Here's what I had last Saturday:

Dulcinea's Favoritos - Ala King. It was creamy goodness but I do prefer to have my Ala King in French Baker.

The nice thing about the meal, it was cheap and it came with some goodies for only Php150.00 (details to follow).

I remembered something when we ate there, I remembered that my sister used to buy a log cake from Dulcinea, it was like Brazo de Mercedes, only better. I can't remember the exact name, but I remember the smooth, fluffy and soft texture of that cake. It wasn't sweet and the custard center was like leche flan. Loved it!

Yesterday, I made some Veggies and here's how it looked like

Brightest Blessings!

Sbarro's

2011-05-20T14:46:00.000+08:00

I'd like to apologize for the delay of the posting of this review. Blogger had to undergo maintenace last Friday (at least according to them), thus the delay.

Hubby and I love Italian food and since our bellies were complaining when we went to SM Megamall two weeks ago, we decided to go to the first restaurant that we saw that serves pizza and pasta. Sbarro seemed to be the most logical choice that time.

Here's what we had:

Lasagna, I think y'all know by now that I love lasagna. This serving was so huge that hubby and I had to share in order to finish it.

The taste, it was with the right amount of the sour tomato taste that we love.

The downside, there was just not enough meat in it. The first bites were all filled with the sauce and pasta, but we were looking for the meat.

Hubby had a slice of their meaty pizza. I had a bite or two of it and it was good. Cheesy with the right amount of gooey-ness to it.

My choice of pizza - Hawaiian. I got full from this slice so I wasn't able to eat much of the lasagna. But I didn't regret it. The thin, chewy crust of this pizza made the whole thing easy to eat.

Pros of Sbarro

* Quite affordable (we paid less than Php500 for the meal which included two large glasses of ice tea)

* Big servings

* Delicious food

Cons

* When we placed our order for the pizza, the server asked us if we want to have our pizza with mozarella cheese. We said, "Of course we do." When we saw our bill, we saw an extra charge for the cheese on our pizza.

I don't agree with this style of upselling. The staff of Sbarro are ill trained with bad business practice. They were trained to suggest things to the customers WITHOUT informing them that they would be charged for it. (This is actually the second time we experienced this. The first time this happened was when we went to Sbarro in Ali Mall, the staff there asked me about my preference for my lasagna, would it be meatballs, tomato sauce, etc. They also asked us for our preferred cheese on our pizza - mozarella, etc. What we didn't know was that they were actually putting EXTRA stuff on our food and that we would be charged for it. I complained to the manager of the restaurant and it seems like management didn't listen.)

Sbarro should really change this very bad practice. People eat in their restaurant because of their food, but I for one DO NOT want to be fooled by false advertising or upselling techniques. If I want something extra on my food, I'll order it myself. I don't need someone suggesting something to me and then CHARGE me for it.

Upselling should be a suggestion but is it too hard to ask the customer if they want "EXTRA" something on their food. The mere fact that one is asked for additional or extra whatever would give the message that they would be charged for it.

The food may be good, but if this restaurant keeps on doing this to their customers, I would NOT be surprised if first time customers would not go back again.

My suggestion, if you eat at Sbarro and someone asks you if you want something, if you say yes, please be prepared to see an extra charge on your receipt. If you're not willing to pay for a suggestion, please say no.

Brightest Blessings!

Rice Trivia

2011-05-18T12:06:00.001+08:00

One of the food items that usually makes its way to the table

But did you know that:

Arkansas is the largest producer of rice in the U.S. accounting for about 46% of U.S. rice production.
California is the second largest rice producing state, growing about 17.7% of the U.S. rice crop on more than 500,000 acres.
September is National Rice Month.
Rice is the first food a new bride in India offers to her husband and the first food offered to newborn babies.
Rice is the main dietary staple for more than 1/2 of the world's population.
One seed of rice yields more than 3,000 grains. It is the highest yielding cereal grain and can grow in many kinds of environments and soils, which is why it is grown everywhere.
According to Shinto belief, the Emperor of Japan is the living embodiment of the god of the ripened rice plant, Ninigo-no-mikoto.
Americans eat a little more than 24 pounds of rice per person each year. Asians eat as much as 300 pounds per person each year, while in the United Arab Emirates it is about 450 pounds, and in France about 10 pounds.

SOURCE: Food Reference

Brightest Blessings!

Pizza's Smile for Weekend Feast of Memories

2011-05-16T16:52:00.001+08:00

Last week was about my craving for Italian food. This past weekend was the same.

Sbarro is quite expensive so we can't really afford to buy a slice of their heavenly pizza whenever we want to, but hey, we were craving for some slice of pizza.

Fortunately for us there is a Pizza's Smile branch at the market near our home. We went to the market, bought raw ingredients for our week's food supply and then we went to Pizza Smile and grabbed a box of their Ham and Cheese Pizza. And for a pizza that was enough to fill our bellies (hubby's and mine), it was quite okay. We only paid Php120 for an 8in sized serving.

One thing I could say about it is that it reminded me of the old 3M Pizza, those stalls that sold pizza slices for about 2 or 3 pesos that time. Good old memories!

If you have any fond foodie memories, you may want to share it with us. Link up using the comment luv form and maybe this coming June, I'll open up a linky party for all our foodie memories.

Have a great week!

Brightest Blessings!

Quail Eggs

2011-05-10T21:37:00.000+08:00

One of the ingredients that I rarely use is quail egg. I don't use it often because of the nutrition value that used to be associated with it.

But did you know:

Quail eggs can:

help remedy digestive tract disorders

help eliminate stones from the kidneys, liver and gallbladder

promote good brain activity

strengthen the immune system

SOURCE: Genius Cook

*Caution: If you are unsure of the effects of quail eggs on your health, ask your doctor about your recommended consumption.

Brightest Blessings!

Weekend at Sbarro's

2011-05-09T18:28:00.004+08:00

Before I start, I'd like to apologize for the new layout of the blog. I'm currently using the old post editor and it does not give me options to resize my photos online, please bear with me. Photobucket does not offer different photo sizes, I'm using the original uploaded size of the photos which is 640x480px.

Last Saturday was grocery day. Hubby and I decided to go out malling before we do our errands for the day. We left the house early and decided to have a late brunch in a restaurant that serves pizza and pasta.

Arriving at Megamall, we were hungry and a bit thirsty so instead of going to Shakey's which is our pizza/pasta/chicken craving solver, we went to the first restaurant that we saw and that was Sbarro's.

What I had:

A slice of Hawaiian Pizza. (Review to follow within the week) All I could say at this moment is, I got full after eating that slice.

Brightest Blessings!