Foxy Foxy

It was quickly turning dark, and after a brief sprint to get away from territorial dogs, she paused to stop at a bright corner to catch her breath. Panting heavily, drool dripping from her agape mouth, she looked around---seemingly trying to make a decision. Should she go forward, away from the mad and terrifying dogs? Or should she turn right, where delicious aroma of food is wafting from every direction. Her empty belly made the decision for her.

It was at this point where it can be said that she made her first right decision after her monumentally stupid one of running away from home. For a short walk from this corner lives a family who lets animals run (and ruin) their lives. TheHusband, who is already weary of walking, or rather being dragged, by a stocky Labrador and her son, a Labrador-mongrel mix of unknown paternity, is naturally not keen on taking on another animal. But he loves his wife dearly, and she exploits this love when it come to bringing home yet again another animal to the brood, and their one and only daughter seemingly having inherited her mother's madness for critters, huge and tiny alike.

And so the bushy-tailed canine walked until she saw a parked car, and she decided to rest for a bit. Which, in retrospect, is another right decision. For the guy who owns the car gave her food, despite the protestations of his exhausted wife. Quite ravenous, it was almost as if she inhaled the food offered to her. Fed and satiated, and exhausted from all the walking and running, she fell asleep almost immediately.

It was a very long and deep sleep, with dreams of food and chasing and terrorizing kittens as well as nightmares of dogs chasing her in turn and cars honking at her to get off the road. She was awakened by a shrill whistle. It was the morning already, and the sun was shining bright. She bolted up and saw this woman with a Labrador, calling her, smiling, and beckoning her. Glad to be in the presence of humans again, she walked towards her, and the Labrador walking with her seems to be overjoyed when she approached. "Who  are you?," the woman cooed. Looking at her bushy tail, the woman said, "Well, you look like a fox...I'll call you Foxy." The fair-furred dog with a huge bushy tail seems to like the name, or perhaps the idea of being named, being someone's dog again, even vaguely, and wagged eagerly. The Labrador wagged his tail as well, excited at having a playmate. 

And that was how Foxy came into their lives and their hearts.

Celebrating With Callos

I had blood work done last February, and my lipid profile results were within reference range, albeit my blood sugar was a bit high. Haaaayyy, aging sucks big time. Madami nang aches and pains. When you're middle-aged na, each relatively good lab result should be celebrated.

How did I celebrate? I cooked a huge pot of very rich callos.

Ingredients:

2 kg beef tripe
1 small bottle of green olives, pitted
1 small can chickpeas
1 can chorizo de Bilbao
2 medium sized red bell peppers
1 regular-sized can of chopped tomatoes
1 bulb of garlic, minced
2 onions, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper
red wine

1. Slice and boil the tripe for around 2 hours until tender. Save about 3 cups of broth. (Would be easier to use pressure cooker, but I'm terrified of using one. Long story.)
2. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add the chorizos and tenderized tripe.
3. Add tomato sauce, bell peppers, chick peas, and olives. Stir. Add the broth. Add a splash of red wine. Simmer.
4. Season with salt and pepper.

Super sarap. Feeling ko next blood work ko eh NOT within reference range anymore. Oh well. We cannot constantly eat bland food naman. Everything in moderation. Next year na uli ako magluluto ng callos.

Quickie Cebu

The main reason we went to Cebu was to surprise my MIL. She has been living for the past 3 years in Texas and she's visiting. She was on her way to her hometown in Cebu and TheHusband planned to surprise her when she flies in from Manila. 

We were supposed to travel by ship going to Cebu, as we usually do, but all beds in the air-conditioned rooms were already fully booked. Ayoko naman sa open air area kasi I would feel too exposed sleeping there. *Arte mo, natutulog ka ngang nakanganga sa LRT eh. Hehehe.* So we were left with no other choice but to take the bus to Cebu.

It. Was. Not. Relaxing.

Not only was it not relaxing, there weren't any stops for food. I was so hungry and dizzy. TheHusband bought me a siopao when we transferred from the ferry to the bus, but it didn't help me much. After about four hours, nakarating kami finally sa South Station. Agad-agad akong bumili ng lanzones, which I ate in the cab. Hahahah! So pedestrian. Sharkteeth, who's not into fruits, ate as well kasi hangry na daw sya. We went straight to Ramen Sora in Robinson's Galleria and proceeded to order. And order. And order. Rice bowls. Bacon-wrapped shimeji mushrooms. Lasagna maki (yes, there is such a thing). Ang dami naming nakain. The waiter who recommended the lasagna maki asked us if we liked it, and while I indeed liked it and found it delicious, I wasn't certain if masarap ba talaga or gutom na gutom lang ako. Sabi ko rated PG, for patay-gutom, kami. To which Sharkteeth retorted, "ako SPG!" When I asked what SPG meant, "super patay-gutom" daw. Hahahaha! Hindi pa dun natapos ang kain namin. TheHusband and Sharkteeth went to Starbucks for dessert and I went to Sans Rival for a slice of date-walnut dacquoise. I am pretty late in checking out Sans Rival's cakes, usually just going for the usual treats like sans rival and silvanas, but their date-walnut dacquoise is sooooo delicious. Like titirik-ang-mata-mo-at-makakalimutan-mo-pangalan-mo delicious. Nung unang try ko pa nun, I didn't know how to pronounce dacquoise [pronounced as \dä-ˈkwäz\]. I just pointed it out to the cashier. Hahahahaha! Sabi na eh, so pedestrian.

We then proceeded to the hotel to rest a bit, went to church, and then to Ayala. By the that time, my allergic rhinitis was full-blown. Sale sa H&M! Keber sa allergy. Hahaha! I got myself an oversized cup a la Friends. Saka gift cards -- pang-emergency regalo. Ang daming cute na bunny prints. I got a bath towel as well, which I justified by thinking na wala pala kaming dalang towel, so pa'no kami maliligo sa SM Travel Lounge kung wala kaming towel? To whom was I justifying it to, I don't know. Malamang eh sa sarili ko. Still on the process of KonMari-ing and heto ako at bili na naman ng bili. Hahahaha! H&M has pretty nice household items, 'noh? And not as expensive as, say Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel. TheHusband was able to get a few items of clothing as well. I told Sharkteeth that she can buy something from H&M (within my budget, of course), but she got a book instead. Pero huwag ka, when we went to Forever 21 and I offered to buy her a shirt, dalawa ang nabili. Mas gusto pala nya sa Forever kesa sa H&M, according to her. Kokonti ang magandang items sa Daiso. :( Barely bought anything there, unlike dati na ang daming cute stuff.


Like I said, the main reason we went to Cebu was to surprise my MIL. And surprised she was. And so very happy. We initially planned on bringing her to Temple of Leah, but I had allergic rhinitis (again!) and after I took an antihistamine, I kinda spaced out. I couldn't think well. Antok na antok ako. When we were on our way to SM, I was wondering kung ano nga ba yung pupuntahan namin dapat and only then did I realize na dapat pala ay pupunta kami sa Temple of Leah. *Toinks* 

We were able to book aircon accommodations on our way back to Dumaguete. The trip took a long time, which was fine by me, as I was able to sleep and rest well. We got home early in the morning, and the boulevard, which is near the pier, was already teeming with health buffs and humans walking their dogs, and vice versa. We were exhausted but happy with the brief break we had.

Live Another Day

Caption from Sharkteeth: "Don't go towards the light!"

As you might have noticed, I was exceptionally quiet last October. For the entire October, I only posted thrice, two of which were about my blog anniversary promo. Well, aside from my Instagram business picking up faster than I expected (thanks to a great stroke of luck on my part), my dear doggie got sick. And I can't stand it when a part of my family, human or not, is sick -- it paralyzes me with worry and makes me lose sleep, making me irritable and horrible to be with.

Two Mondays ago, I noticed a soft lump on dear doggy's right side, on the ribs, near the scapula. It was acute, as it wasn't there when I gave him a bath the Sunday before. I initially thought that it might just be a case of aural hematoma. He had it a year or two years ago, and with proper medication and wound care, he survived it. (My other dog didn't and died of it years back.)

Come Tuesday, the lump got bigger and I decided to bring him to the city vet, who prescribed high-dose vitamin C. Googling "high-dose vitamin C+dog+lump",  I learned that it is used for canine cancer.

I was crestfallen.

When Friday came, it seemed like the lump was much bigger and firmer. I brought him back to the vet, but she was blasé about it. I suggested excising the lump, but with TheDog's advanced age, she said that it's going to be risky. She told me to wait it out till the following week, and if the lump isn't getting smaller, I should have him X-ray-ed. But last Saturday, the lump was almost as big as my palm. Hard, yet with fluid at the bottom part near the chest. Add to that was his general lethargy, which at any other time I would have attributed to his old age, but that time, it just made his condition look darkly ominous. I sat beside him, and while I stroke his fur, he tenderly rested his paw on my thigh, and I all I could think of was, "Syeeeeetttt, nagpapaalam na yata sa akin ang bruho." That was it -- I couldn't wait anymore for Monday and brought him to a vet near our home. When we got there, he seemed to perk up and looked happier. He even had the strength, and guts, to bark at an English bulldog brought there for checkup. He was very taken with one of the crew holding him down during the examination, licking his hand and asking for tickles. Turned out the crew knows him because TheDog sometimes go near the clinic to loiter around and look for bitches in heat. After some blood tests, he was prescribed some antibiotics and corticosteroids.


His medications and vitamins are given thrice a day, and after I gave him his meds for the umpteenth time, he went to me, rested his chin on my thigh and wagged his tail, and I immediately recognized it as his sweet "thank you." *Awwww...you're welcome, dear friend. So very welcome.*

When Monday came, the lump was already significantly smaller. By Wednesday, there was no more palpable lump and he seemed more upbeat. Everyone in the family is so happy, even TheDog's fierce nemesis, TheHusband. I'd hazard a guess that even TheHamster is happy, well, only because we'd have more time for her again.

Speaking of TheHamster, she sure is one lucky rodent! Sharkteeth cleaned TheHamster's cage and left her running around, not realizing that TheDog was inside the house. Good thing TheDog was sleeping; otherwise, we would have been burying a dead animal, and it won't be the one I was afraid we would.

Update:

I can safely say that he's out of the woods. I left the gate open when we left yesterday and here's what came bounding to me from the fields when I got back:

Who are you and what have to done to TheDog?!

He looked like a dugyot Dalmatian. He must have fought again with the village dogs. Either that or rolled inside a kiln. Tssskkk... Oh well, I'm just thankful his canine hedonism is back.

TPS Does Drama Queen

Every time we get back from Manila, may baon kami pagbalik. Sakit, that is! TheHusband was the index case sa House KoKo. Medyo masama ang tama kay TheHusband, kasi, aba, um-absent ang lolo! Hindi naman yun nag-a-absent unless may trip kami. Even after he got better, he was a bit lethargic.


Then Sharkteeth. Minsan tumawag sa akin ang secretary sa school. Nasa clinic daw si S, nilalagnat. Juskopo. But when I got there, she was feeling better na daw. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Nakuha pang magpunta ng National Bookstore at bumili ng libro. But come Saturday and Sunday, all-out trifecta na: cough, cold, and fever. Naturally low ang temperature ni S, and even without taking her temperature, I know when she has fever. Others get feverish at 37.5°C, siya, 36°C lang, lagnat na. Thank goodness she got better by Monday.

Then yours truly. Ang yabang ko pa. I said, "ako lang ang hindi tinamaan ah!" Hubris. Come Wednesday afternoon, I kept on sneezing na. Not the allergic rhinitis type of sneeze. Tapos ang sakit na ng throat ko.

Hindi pwedeng magkasakit!


Paracetamol, check!
ConzACE, check!
Green tea, check!
Turmeric tea, check!
Lemon water, check!
Pineapple juice, check!


Tapos hirap na hirap akong makatulog. Nakakatulog naman ako ng maaga, but I'd wake up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep. You must know by now that sleeping and my relationship with my bed are things I hold most sacred. So, grumpy akong maghapon. Come Thursday, ang dami kong deliverables -- editing files and IG sales alike. Had to refund somebody and with my old Nokia phone out of commission (where my BPI app is), I had no choice but to go to the bank. I tried so many times depositing the money in the automated deposit machine, but it just won't accept the cash. Akala ko problem sa account. I had to return in the afternoon. Pagbalik ko with new bank details, ganun pa rin. Apparently, ayaw ng machine ng crisp bills. Kailangan medyo luma. *Eyeroll* Grabe, pagod na pagod ako.


I spent Friday and Saturday lying on bed, watching films and shows, feeling sorry for myself. Sorry, drama queen lang ang peg. Pero ang dami kong napanood na films -- Little Boy, About Time, Mamma Mia, Game of Thrones, Friends, etc. So it wasn't so bad after all, kasi I rarely get to relax. Heto, Sunday morning na, and I'm feeling better, pero like what happened to TheHusband, lethargic pa rin. At least, may panglasa na ako. I made some egg drop soup earlier and I can taste it again. Unlike last night when TheHusband got me a bowl of lomi and wala talagang lasa.

Feeling ko kasalanan eto ng flu shot ko eh. I felt something off with that shot kasi I don't usually get a fever sa flu shots, but this time, not only was the shot very painful, but I got low-grade fever and swollen lymph nodes as well. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I just hope to feel better soon.

TPS Kitchen: Raisin Scones

Seeing all these women collecting teacups and saucers made me hanker for some scones. I don't know where to get some decent ones here so I just made them myself. I used Ina Garten's recipe, with some modifications. I think my modifications led to a cakey scone rather than a flaky one.


Ingredients
    2 cups flour
    1 tbsp sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
    1 tbsp baking powder
    1 tsp salt
    half a bar of butter, frozen and grated (using a frozen grater)
    2 eggs, lightly beaten
    1/2 cup cold sour cream
    1/2 cup raisins
    1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk or water, for egg wash
    Makes ~20 two-inch-diameter scones

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Ina recommended using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, which I don't have. I just used my rubber spatula. Pwede naman, nakakapagod nga lang. Blend in the cold butter. Combine the eggs and sour cream and add to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended.

2. Add the raisins.

3. Place the dough onto a floured surface. Flour your hands and the rolling pin and roll the dough out to 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter.

4. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the outsides are crisp and the insides are done.

*Nigel! Bring me my tea! And some clotted cream and jam.*

Fountain Of Youth

Fair warning to vegetarians: Close the browser and visit another time. Maybe then we can be friends again. For the meantime, this post is for meatatarians.

Sorry, hindi maganda pagka-picture ko. Gutom na eh.

Ginaya ko lang kay Neri Naig yan. Madali lang lutuin. Oooopps. Wait. Madali as in easy, not quick. Mabuti nang klaruhin. Baka mamaya eh may uuwi na gutom na gutom and think na mabilis lang eto maluto. No.

Soooo...I modified Neri's recipe a bit. Instead of marinating the baby-back ribs for an hour in olive oil, salt, pepper, I prepared it in the morning and kept it in the ref for ~7 hours. I also added paprika and chili flakes. I baked it in low heat for ~2 hours then in high heat for ~15 minutes to properly crisp the skin.

It was very TENDER and JUICY and so FLAVORFUL. *Yes, kailangang all-caps.*

Isang bandehadong rice pa nga!

Yellow Fingers

I noticed an increasing number of people planting cacti. I was rolling my eyes, muttering to myself, "Hello!!! Cactus?! Eh super-daling alagaan yun. Saka sabi ng mommy pag nag-alaga daw ng cactus TATANDANG-DALAGA." *I know, right?*  Fast forward last weekend, may isang ale na nagbebenta ng stargazers and cacti sa sidewalk. The stargazers were so expensive, PHP650 for a flowering plant. The cacti were being sold for fifty pesos. Long story short: nakiuso ang lolah nyo. 

Yesterday, the first flower opened. I'm calling it Pinky. Well, the plant looks like it has five fingers, hence the name.

This morning, three flowers opened: Thumb, Ring, and Pinky, and the last seemed to be in a foul mood and closed its petals.

Thumb, meanwhile, is fully opened. So gorgeous, right? Perfect shade of yellow.

Apparently, prickly pears (Opuntia sp.), as they are called, are edible, high in dietary fiber, and are used in folk medicine to regulate blood sugar.

I'll just continue this tomorrow. I'm so sleepy na.

Continuation...

Hayan, alive, alert, awake, and enthusiastic na naman ako.

By the way, Index blossomed na. Late bloomer yata si Middle. Si Pinky, sullen pa rin. Teens nowadays...

As I mentioned last night, prickly pears fruits are edible as well as the pads and the petals. Careful though. They have tiny thorns, aside from the needle-like ones, that are so prickly. But being so tiny, they are difficult to remove using tweezers. A wiki tip is to cover your hands with glue then remove when dry. It should function like those nose masks that take take away the blackheads along with the dried glue. Perhaps when my cactus grows large enough, I can try cooking some pads and adding the petals to salads. *Salad? Who are you and what have you done with TPS?*

 

Easy And Filling Ham, Egg, And Cheese Bun

I'm a fan of the One-Pot Chef, and he inspired me to make these ham, egg, and cheese buns. I swear they're very easy to make.

1. You'll need some buns (something big and preferably crusty/flakey on the outside), ham slices, eggs, cheese (I used orange cheddar), pepper, and onion stalks (for garnish). I added a couple of pepperoni slices per bun (not in the picture, it was an afterthought).

Hellooowww!!!

Hellooooowwww!  How are you all? I hope you all had a restful weekend. Especially all laborers like me. You know, if there is one holiday that I always celebrate (by not working), it is Labor Day. 'Cause not doing so seems sadly ironic.

It was TheHusband's birthday last weekend, and we were supposed to go to Bohol for some R&R, but apparently, Oceanjet's Bohol schedule has been moved to late afternoon and it's not worth going there paying for a whole day of hotel accommodation yet arriving early in the evening. We decided to go to Siquijor instead.

BUT WAIT, it ain't over till it's over!

Reese's Bread

With Sharkteeth home 24/7, I am constantly being badgered for food. As in kakatapos lang ng breakfast, "Mymy, do we have some spuds? Can you make me some chips?" "Mymy, what's for lunch?" "Mymy, Mymy, I'm so hungry na..." Kaya heto, ilabas ang talent sa improvisation. As always, I need something easy to cook or make. I saw this being featured online and instead of making something savory, I decided to make something sweet.

I sliced a batard, making a crisscut pattern. I then spread peanut butter between the slices and added chocolate chips. You can add as much choco chips as you want, I won't stop you. Heat in the oven at around 350°F till the chocolate chips soften. Boom panes!

Say bye-bye to the bewang!

Sorry, I haven't posted my flea market finds. Sharkteeth and I got cough and cold after we got back home and I wasn't feeling so good last week. I finished the book I was working on, and it really drained me. I spent the rest of the weekdays and the weekend resting. Hopefully, I can get on with it this week. For the meantime, feast your eyes on this delicious Reese's bread.

Royal Albert Love

Thank you, Christine.

Gourmet(?!) Tuyo In Oil

Madear and Fadear sent us so many packs of tuyo and tinapa, but the former was so salty, medyo naawa ako sa kidneys namin. Ayoko namang itapon. Waste not, want not. And you know me, Ms. Make Do, Ms. Improvise, Ms. I-have-a-solution-for-that. My (delicious) solution? Gourmet tuyo in oil.

1. Lightly fry the tuyo in corn oil. (You can use canola or sunflower or any other oil that doesn't taste nutty). After frying, let the tuyo soak in oil. I did that to get as much salt off as possible. Then I drained the oil.

2. Remove the scales by firmly holding it by the tail and running a knife just underneath the scales from above the tail going up toward the head. If properly fried and soaked, it should be easy to remove. After removing the scales, fillet and remove the bones. Arrange the fillets in a bottle.

 

3. In a saucepan, add a bit of oil and sauté minced garlic. When the garlic is transluscent, add sun-dried tomatoes, chili flakes, ground pepper, whole black pepper, and olives. You can add capers as well. Be sure to wash the olives to remove the saltiness. Turn down the heat to avoid burning the garlic.  Add half a cup of corn oil, half a cup of olive oil, and one-third cup of vinegar. Let this simmer for a few minutes. Turn off the fire and let the mixture cool.

4. Pour over the tuyo fillets. Let it rest a bit to let the flavor of the oil seep through the fillets.

Et voila!

I was supposed to give away the other jar, pero sorry, masarap eh, and naubos agad namin yung isang bottle and wanted more. :) Soweeee... Di bale, pag-uwi ko sa Bulacan sa April, I'll buy lots of tuyo and make one na pang-giveaway.

Remembrance Of Youth

There's a forest near our home. Actually, "forest"   is too generous a term. It's just a piece of land with a few trees and overtaken by decaying fallen leaves and weeds. Sharkteeth was complaining that we have stopped going to the fields, and when I asked her to go to the forest with me during the Chinese New Year break, she was of course excited. So off we went -- moi, TheHusband, Sharkteeth, and TheDog. TheDog, with this usual bravado, charged ahead of us. I saw a foot path leading to a cacao tree. There are a number of fallen cacao fruits, but most were worm-infested and I didn't dare open them further. There are others that were sliced open and with pods spirited away, perhaps by the noisy kids who visit the forest every so often, collecting dry wood and fruits from the trees. There's also a breadfruit tree, but I didn't go anywhere near it. There are lots of decaying leaves around it. In short, takot ako sa ahas. Sharkteeth was agitated because she didn't expect the place to be so littered with dry leaves. And she shares my fear of snakes. So we didn't stay long. Just long enough to take pictures. I was calling out for TheDog, but he was nowhere to be found. After we left the forest and crossed the field, I saw TheDog, waiting for us outside the field. Loyalty-schloyalty. Hmmmppp...

I thoroughly enjoyed going to the forest however short it was. It reminded me of the simple and careless days of my childhood when I would go to the forest near our home, picking up guavas, cashews, duhat...then sitting on a low-lying branch of the old mango tree, munching on my finds. I can still remember when that old mango tree fell. It was a humid summer night, and it made a big, loud boom when it fell. Apparently, the huge trunk of the mango tree was already hollow and gave, and inside, there were numerous bee and wasp colonies. We collected honey and a number of orchid-like plants with flowers. Come to think of it, my childhood was so privileged. I mean, how many can say that they rode a paragos or planted corn and peanuts or got chased by a hot-tempered carabao known to have impaled someone. Well, okay, the last one isn't really a privilege. But let me say this, it has got to be the fastest run I've ever done or ever will. [I'm so sorry, Auntie P, but when that carabao was stolen and butchered, I chuckled a little.]  

Needless to say, I'll be back. Besides,  I'm waiting for a cacao pod to ripen. :) Hopefully, it would still be there when I come back.

Munchies

Lantanas?

I think this is a lantana flower. I think lang ha?

Beauty everywhere, even in decay

I'd like to imagine this as the portal to the forest

Canopy of the palm "portal"

Tree canopy

Orb weaver spider

Cacao tree with fruit

Bread fruit
Click this one to enlarge the picture. It's a beautiful tree.

My faithful steed. Weh? Di nga?

Little Bars Of Happiness And Sunshine

I admit, in the ignorance of my youth, I turned up my nose on lemon bars and other lemon-based desserts. I mean, it's a baked treat, for goodness' sake, why muck it up with tartness? [Silly me, what's sugar for?!] I remember buying a tiny bar in the office cafeteria, you know, try-try lang. Boy, was it SOOOO GOOD!!! So good that I bought four or five more. Okay, fine, aaminin ko na, seven bars! Seven more bars of  happiness and sunshine! But it was pretty expensive for something that was smaller than a matchbox. Fifteen pesos, if I remember it right. I saw a recipe in a local daily and tried it. It was by Crukitchen, and it was so easy to bake, and delicious, of course.

Crukitchen Lemon Bars

2 c all-purpose flour
1 c powdered sugar
1 c butter, melted
4 medium eggs
2 c white granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ c all-purpose flour
½ c lemon juice
Additional powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper. (Or use nonstick baking paper.)
2. Combine flour, powdered sugar and butter in a bowl. Mix until very smooth and evenly yellow in color. Pat into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden.
3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, white sugar, baking powder, flour and lemon juice until fluffy. Pour over the hot crust.
4. Return crust to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes more or until light golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with powdered sugar then cut into bars.
  

Stress Oreña Drilon

You know it's never good when a call is opened by, along with crying, "Mymy, please keep calm. Don't panic!"

I was on my way to pick up Sharkteeth when she called and asked me to come get her ASAP because she tripped while walking down the ramp and hurt herself. Imagining horrible scenarios, I was screaming and panicking, which made her cry even more. When I arrived at the school, she was alone and crying. She has a huge bump on the forehead and numerous abrasions on her arms. I wanted to bring her to the doctor, but she didn't want to. She's terrified of doctors and hospitals. Lagi kasing nagkakasakit, and her checkups turned to hospitalization one time too many. Si Dr. Mymy na lang ang nag-treat sa mga sugat. Which took, like, two hours kasi takot sya sa Betadine. I was rolling my eyes na. "Mymy! Stop rolling your eyes! Can't you see I'm in pain?!" Soweeeeee....

She's okay now.

I'm not. Napakahirap maging nanay. I don't think I would ever stop worrying about her. Every little cut, every little bump, every little sadness hurts me hundred times over. If only I can kiss away the hurts like when she was a baby. And she's not exactly the dainty sort. One time I kept looking for her around the campus grounds but couldn't find her. Then across the basketball court, I saw a kid at the back of the basketball board. I thought, "Naaaah, it can't be Sharkteeth...that board is too high for her." It was Sharkteeth. Hay. I will always worry. 

Holidays, Holy Days, Crazy Days: Part 1

We're at the tail end of the holidays. Everything is winding down. Nabuksan na ang mga gifts. Napagtaguan na ang mga inaanak. Naubos ko na LAHAT ng chocolates.

I don't know what is it about the Christmas season that makes me crazy for it yet turns me literally crazy as it approaches. Case in point:

Yes, dear readers. That happened. Not the first time, actually. This time I realized it while hurriedly walking. I briefly looked down and saw my right foot wearing my patent pink flat, fully knowing I was wearing my floral one on my left. I shrieked a little, making Sharkteeth jump. Hahahaha! Good thing we were going to the grocery. When I asked the nice saleslady for some flipflops, she ushered me to the rack displaying Fitflops™ -- jowsko naman, pinakamura ay 1.8K, kasya nang pang-Noche Buena yun! I repeated myself, "Miss, flipflops, thongs, yung de-ipit." Understanding dawned, and with that she relegated me to the back of the grocery, and there I found flipflops. Flipflops, fifty pesos. Being saved from embarrassment, priceless.

I was so stressed last December because I took a brief time off work to attend my high school reunion. It's a kwento worthy of its own post pero I don't want to anymore. May mga nega parts kasi, and you know, new year, new beginnings, iwas nega. Suffice it to say, avoid nega people. Kung kelangang mag-deactivate ng Facebook, do so.

After I came back from the reunion, I got a bit under the weather and wasn't able to work for a few more days. Must be from all the late nights, bad (yet oh so delicious) food, and sleeping on the cold airport floor. So piled up na naman ang work-work, home-work, and Christmas-work ko. 

 

These were just about a third of all the gifts I wrapped for Christmas. Token ni S sa classmates nya. May dagdag na gifts pa for her close friends. Meron pa sa teachers. Saka for TheHusband's officemates and friends. For nephews and nieces. It was endless. There, let me see, 35 for her classmates, 12 for her friends, 7 for her teachers, 25 for TheHusband's officemates, and 7 for TheHusband's nephews and nieces. For my friends, family, and relatives, wala nang balot-balot. Yung ibang gifts, I brought with me when I flew to Manila. I thought baka pabuksan pa sa akin sa airport, masira lang ang balot. Paper bag na lang. Yung iba, I shipped. Up to the last minute, nag-si-ship pa ako. P for procrastination.
 
December 24 na when I was finally able to clean up the house and set up the decor. Yes, December 24. Nakahabol pa. I fought valiantly! Hahahaha! For the longest time, ang daming kalat sa living room. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief nung medyo maayos na ang living room.

Thank you again, Sheryl! So lovely.

One of my favorites

This is our white Christmas tree's swan song. Some parts developed rust and I covered them up with fake snow. It looked great at first, but the fake snow aggravated the rust and now it has creamy patches. Bye-bye, Christmas tree. You'll be missed.

I got inspired by Leah's roast chicken and made one for Christmas eve. But instead of Italian sausage, I used Hungarian sausage. #Rebel. Hahahaha! Seriously, I just used what I found in the ref. Cheddar and quezo de bola? Sure, why not?! Various unidentifiable leaves and herbs? Join in! The more, the merrier. Before cooking, I soaked the chicken sa milk to keep it juicy. I wasn't able to add yogurt sa stuffing kasi S made a bowl of fruit salad and added the yogurt by mistake. It turned up yummy and golden. Sayang, walang picture, kasi we were so hungry na.

With the exception of our gifts to each other and to Sharkteeth, most of the gifts had been opened na before Christmas eve. Alam nyo naman, low EQ. So many gifts! And talagang pinag-isipan. I don't deserve my friends, sa totoo lang. They are all so very nice and thoughtful. Thank you all so much.

My gift to myself

Come Christmas day, may sore eyes si Sam. Then the following day, si TheHusband naman and ako. The gift of Christmas. Falalalalalalalala! 

More Than Meets The Eye

When Sharkteeth came home last night, she was furious. You should see her when she's angry -- brows knitted, eyes flashing dangerously, and lips curling up in disdain. The Furies personified, with Lady Sif thrown in for good measure. An unstoppable force of nature in a tiny bundle.

Sharkteeth: Mymy! You know what?! Bush* and his friend accused me that I took his Lego! But I didn't. I just played with it and returned it on his table.
TPS: That's rude...pero, anak, baka someone took it and they thought you didn't return it. 
Sharkteeth: But I did return it. I'm going to ask teacher to change my Kris Kringle baby. I don't want to give those Hotwheels to him. 
TPS: Anak, I'm afraid it's too late for that. You'd have to suck it. Ibigay mo na lang yung gift and ignore him na lang. 
Sharkteeth: Fine. I'll give it to him alright. I'll SHOVE that gift to his face!!! 
TPS: Huwaaaaggg!!! 
Sharkteeth: They were so rude to me!!!


This went on for a while. Pag-uwi ni TheHusband, sinabi din daw sa kanya. Bubusa-busa daw.

Christmas party. When we met for lunch, S said that the boys apologized na daw. Kasi Bush found the Lego inside his pocket.


TPS: That's good. It's nice they know they should apologize when they wrongly accuse someone. 
Sharkteeth: They only did because I asked them. When Bush said it was in his pocket all along, I DEMANDED that they apologize. Or else I was ready to make them apologize the HARD WAY. [hitting her palm with her fist...ominous, right?]
TPS: So they did? 
Sharkteeth: Yes. They must have realized that there's something BIGGER IN THIS LITTLE GIRL IN THE CUTE DRESS.

Cute naman talaga yung dress.
Akala ko hindi isusuot kasi ayaw nya ng dresses.

*Not his real name, of course. Let's protect the innocent, however rude they might be.

Trials And Tribulations

Oh, hi, dear blog-friends! Buhay pa ako. Yay!

I was just so busy. I had to learn a new tool in a matter of hours and turn around urgent files quickly. How quick? The turn-around time was 6 hours! Grabe, muntik nang mag-total eclipse ang heart ko. Corneeeeyyyy. Sorry. Kulang sa tulog.

Needless to say, medyo nataranta ako...medyo naloka ako...medyo nangilid ang luha ko habang nag-wo-work. Sa isang eye lang. And I wiped the tear even before it can fall. I'm hard that way. Hahahaha! Pero diba nga, thankful ako for this work? So I sucked it. There was no choice but to march on. And march I did. For six days. For freaking six days, I barely cooked. I barely mumbled. I barely went out of the house. Okay, tama na. OA na ako. The important thing is tapos na yung project na yun. I can breathe easier.

Or so I thought...

May bagyong padating. Hagupit! Pangalan pa lang takot na ako.

Back in Thursday morning, Dumaguete was included in the list of projected areas that might be affected. Nataranta ako. I bought a powerbank and canned goods. Seems every other Dumagueteño had the same idea. Isang kilometro yata ang haba ng counters. Exagge ako. Hehehehe. Pero very long talaga ang lines. Friday classes were cancelled. Sayang, mahina lang naman ng ulan today. I guess the city government wanted to play it safe. Mahirap nga naman pag inabutan ng ulan ang mga kids. I think Yolanda traumatized all Pinoys, not just Taclobanons.

So far, wala pa namang malakas na ulan. I hope magtuloy-tuloy na ang good weather. And sana wala namang tamaan ng malakas. We all deserve a happy Christmas.

Easy and Fluffy Japanese Cheesecake

Oo, nasunog ko ang gilid. What can I do, I'm torch-happy.

I practically cheated when I made this cheesecake, I should rename it the almost-immoral cheesecake. You know why? Because I basically dumped all the ingredients, save one, in the rice cooker pot, mixed the batter, switched it on, and let the rice cooker do the job. Then I took the credit!

This is very easy to make. At the risk of sounding like an insufferable know-it-all, let me just clarify that this isn't like the New York cheesecake, which is dense and creamy. This one is fluffy and more cake-like, hence lighter and not quite as tummy-filling as the New York variety but just as delicious. 

 Ingredients:
1 usual box of cream cheese
40 g cake flour
40 g white sugar
200 ml milk (or cream, if you prefer it creamier)
3 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Mix everything except for the egg whites, which I beat until stiff and then folded into the cheesecake batter. (Actually, it is the batter that should be folded into the beaten egg whites. But whatever.) You don't have to separate the yolk from the white and just mix everything at once. But I did -- I'm a fancy baker that way. LOL!
2. Turn on the rice cooker. Trust the rice cooker with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Hehehe. When the light switches to "warm," do the toothpick test. If still uncooked, just turn the rice cooker back on.
3. Once cooked, remove the pot from the rice cooker and let it cool.
4. Place a plate on top of the cheesecake and flip it over.
5. To serve, you can eat it plain or with jam. I prefer to sprinkle some sugar, which I caramelize till it is golden.
 
Try not to cry when you see how beautiful, and taste how delicious, your cake turns out to be.

Love, 
TPS
Proponent of easy cooking and baking
"You lost me at the seventh ingredient."