N@w This Is Priceless

       Volunteering to do the 2013 N@W Breastfeeding Calendar's layout was a no brainer for me, albeit I had recently lost both my yaya and helper at that time. I knew it would be challenging, given all the domestic demands and that of a five-year-old handsome boy with special needs. But for the love of N@W who had always been my sanity saver since the W@W days, I knew it was payback time, so i offered to do the job.
       Working with the lady boss Benz Rana, thru Facebook messenger, email and text was a walk in the park. The sleepless nights didn't really feel like it, because she was fun, easy and light to work with. I wouldn't have done it of course without the very supportive husband, "Ako na dito, gawin mo na yung sa N@W", and sheer luck (thank you Universe) that the handsome son was on his best behavior during those times.
       And so we did it. I was excited to get my own copies during the N@W Christmas Party but stall on looking at them until around midnight when the boys were already asleep and all the house works were done. In other words, I planned to savor the moment during my "ME" time.
       I took them out of the loot bag and noticed that one copy didn't have the board base for the desk calendar to stand. I thought it was ok.. and that I'd keep that one for my portfolio.

       I took a second look, and then I saw it...

       ... and I knew it was going to be a very special "ME" time. :)

       This was the sweetest thank you I have ever received and I cried as I read the messages one by one.
       You are very welcome and always will be, dear N@Wies. And thank you for the overwhelming LOVE you have been showing our family to this very day. 

The N@W 2013 Breastfeeding Calendar

            It's August, and since it's Breastfeeding Awareness month, I thought of sharing the N@W (newlyweds@work) Breastfeeding Calendar I did last year. The models are my pretty co-mommies in the group with their adorable kiddos.

               Awesome... breastfeeding rocks! :)

Mango Graham Cake

ANG BONGGANG DESSERT

                                 I made these for my Byenan, and boy was she happy

                                 It was her 65th birthday, syempre pa may party
                                 Packed very carefully, we brought them for lunch
                                 But what she had to say, no one had a hunch

                                 "Itago na yan sa ref!" Kami ay nagulat
                                 They all wanted a bite, but Byenan said DO NOT!
                                 I wondered, ba't kaya, 'ndi yata na-impress
                                 Pero sabi nya bigla "Whoa, this is the best!"

                                 Ay naku ang lalim, ng aking sigh of relief
                                 Akalain ko ba naman, Byenan pala'y bilib!
                                 "Dadalhin ko 'yan bukas, I'll be given a citation
                                 Kasi I'm retiring na, sakto 'to sa dessert station"
         
                                 I love my dear Byenan, wala yang halong bola
                                 Knowing that I made her happy, puyat ko'y sulit na
                                 She texted me pa the next day, dessert ko daw ay mabenta
                                 Now lang daw sila nakakita, pang-himagas na bongga

I'll be sharing the recipe on my next post, and how to make it bongga. Stay tuned! =)

The Secret to the Bonggang Dessert

Here's how to make this easy but bonggang dessert.
Prepare the following ingredients:

• 4 big ripe mangoes
• 2 packs Crushed graham crackers

• 1 300 ml can Nestle cream, chilled
• 3 tetra packs all-purpose ceam, chilled
• 225 ml condensed milk (1 can is 300ml)
• 1-2 tsp. lemon juice (optional)

1. Mix the last 4 ingredients well to make a rich, creamy mixture. Set aside. Since the cream is chilled prior to this step, chances are, we'll get the perfect consistency later, when we start layering. (it turns out too thick if too cold; and runny if not chilled)

2. Now it's time to prep the mangoes. Slice like how we all do it, leaving the seed, like photo #1 below. Scoop the fruit from the skin with a big spoon or a wide mouth glass; see photo #2. Then chop of both ends of the scooped mango and slice thinly the rest thinly. refer to photo #3.

2. Now let's start layering the 3 major parts of  the obra: The crushed Graham crackers, the cream mixture and the mangoes. Apparently that's the correct sequence.

                  So again, that's crushed Graham crackers, the cream mixture, mangoes.

                  Crushed Graham crackers, cream mixture, mangoes.

                  Crushed Graham crackers, cream mixture.... STOP!

3. It's time to make it bongga. Arrange the mangoes in a circular fashion, starting from the edges as shown in photo #1 below. Work your way towards the center, making sure to place the 'petals' in an increasingly upright position until you reach the middle. By then, you shall have formed the beautiful flower.

                                 Put it now in the ref, chill for like 20 minutes

                                 Then magbihis ka na bilis, dont ask na kung bakit!

                                 Birthday man o hindi, go bring that to your Byenan

                                 At least, for the record, nakapag-sipsip ka kahit minsan

Hopya

Here's a common scene in the house that has probably been making our helpers cringe.

I welcome Totoy giddily from work, "Guess what's for dinner?"

He sniffs 3 times and guesses. It doesn't matter if he's right or wrong; I run to the kitchen to get the masterpiece of the night. This usually happens when I cook something he likes that I've never cooked before or when I cook something I know he's been craving for.

"Knock! Knock!", my voice from the kitchen.

"Who's there?" he'd say. My husband is always ready to answer my knock-knocks.

"Hopya." I start walking at this point.

"Hopya, who?"

"Here. HOPYA LIKE IT!" I say as I put down the dish on the table. I carefully watch the pacing of my walk to achieve that perfect timing.

Here's a dish that was once a part of that scene. I hopya like it too!

CHOP SUEY RECIPE

(inspired by Hap Chan's Chop Suey)

Prepare the following vegetables to blanch:

• about 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 1/2 cups snow peas (chicharo)
• 1 big chayote
• 2 cups baby corn
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 1/2 cups green (Baguio) beans
• half head cabbage

For the sauce, premix the ff to a slurry:

• 2 cups water
• 1 chicken cube, dissolved on 2 tbsp hot water
• 1/2 cup rice wine
• 1 1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp. patis
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

and these: 

• 2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. minced ginger
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 chopped big white onion
• 2 chopped red bell peppers
• 1 big can button mushrooms

 For garnish:

• 2 doz. boiled quail eggs
• sesame oil
• cilantro

1. Boil salted water and blanch the vegetables. You can do it in batches according to which vegetables you want to make more tender. Limit the cooking time per batch to 1 to 5 minutes only to avoid overcooking. Drain and set aside.

2. Stir fry ginger, garlic, onion and bell pepper on sesame oil until aromatic. Add the mushrooms, then the slurry. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.

3. Add the vegetables and stir until heated thourougly. Serve with quail eggs, top with few cilantro sprigs and drizzle with sesame oil.

  Hopya! :)