Let's Be Friends Award

The "Let's Be Friends" Award represents:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I got another this award from a friend, Melody, Shydub and Kikamz. I thanked them for that and for their friendship given whole heatedly. Like them, I also value friendship. I am a friend who can be trusted, looking for a friends whom I can trust with... you might find me quiet, shy, amiable and timid but easy to get along with one you get to know me better.

I am giving this award to the following : Analee, Maria, Dhemz, Niko, Madz, Liza, Amy, Hazel, Jane, Cookie, Ski, She, Richard, Malou and Chris.

Safe and Natural Beauty Products

I was one of those lucky young women who never have problem with my skin. My skin is always clear, soft and smooth. Acne and some kind of skin problems never like my skin. Anyway, when I got pregnant, was so excited and worried at the same time. I wanted everything to be perfect for me and my baby inside. I was careful with what I eat, the medicines I take as well as the cosmetics I use to clean my face and skin and the make up I wear. I must have worried too much back then, but it sure helped with me and my babies during pregnancies. If you are a worrier likes me when it comes to your skin especially when you are pregnant, there is a product especially made for pregnant women. It is called Beaute de Maman. Beaute de Maman was developed by a board-certified obstetrician and uses only natural and herbal ingredients. Many skin care products have all sorts of chemicals in them, things are not probably good for us and are certainly not good for a developing baby. Beaute de Maman is the one for you. And they are inexpensive, too! Why don't you check their website and order now for yourself!

Mommy Moments-Bonding Time

Here is my entry on Friday's

Reading is our favorite bonding moments. We don't really have a specified time to bond; we bond any time we want to. I read books with him. He has no particular fave book, but right now since he's on a Pre K, we read books by Dr. Seuzz...they are very good books to read because of the rhyming of the words.

Sometimes, we just play together like his Lego, Puzzles and board games.

We also do some bonding playing at the playground or just walking around the neighborhood and also pushing him when he go for a bike ride..

Sauteed' MungBean and Marinated Fried Milkfish

One of last week's dinner, Ginisang Munggo and Fried Marinated Milkfish. My son loves both of these dishes. he calls it soup :-). Anyway, once again the recipes are very easy, so I didn't put it here; but if you want, I will post it here, just let me know, Okay?

Marinated Bangus or Daing na Bangus (Milk fish)

garlic
vinegar (Datung Puti vinegar)
soysauce (Marca Pina Soy-sauce)
black pepper
1 whole Bangus

Procedure:
Make sure to clean the fish before marinating. depending on how big the fish is, you need a bigger measurement of vinegar over soysauce. just the right amount to make it slightly sour, then mx the garlic, and black pepper and pour it over the fish.. marinade for 1 to 2 days. make sure you cut the fish first in smaller chunks.. and after marinating.. fry that sucker and serve with hot garlic fried
rice!

Ginisang Munggo

1 cup munggo, washed

1/4 kilo pork belly, cut into small pieces
5 cups water
1 head garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
4 pieces tomatoes, sliced
1 cup malunggay leaves
1 Knorr pork cube
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon cooking oil

PROCEDURE :

1. In a casserole, put water, munggo, and Knorr pork cube.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the munggo is cooked.
3. In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
4. Add the pork and saute until lightly browned.
5. Add in the munggo and stock.
6. Season with pepper and add the malunggay leaves.

Our Weekend Getaway Last Saturday!

We went to Virginia Beach, Virgina last Saturday to send the Balikbayan Box, but because we didn't get up early the Forex office was already closed when we got there; it was only open till 3 in the afternoon. Oh well, I just don't understand why they didn't put an office in Richmond, so we don't need to travel for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours just to send our box. Anyway, we ended up doing nothing, but eat Pinoy Foods and shop Pinoy groceries and veggies. Remember what they say : "don't shop when you are hungry" well we did and ended up buying and eating more. Oh, well this doesn't happen all the time, I guess it is excuse for being shopaholic? These are the items we have purchase after lunch.

Ensaymada
Pitsi-pitsi ( don't really know the spelling, pls correct me if I mispelled it :-)
Ampalaya, Mango, Oragne and Patola
Cake Roll

Calamansi Juice and Buko and the guava juice is not in the pix because hubby drank it already! wahhh, di ako tinirhan :-(

Vuzu - iPhone Entertainment

Have you heard about Vuzu? Do you know that Vuzu is a website called iPhone where you can upload fun crazy videos with no cost to you? Yes, it is free! You can also upload free streaming videos and more. Vuzu is getting more popular that community of users upload the videos everyday. Take note that Vuzu is for iphone and desktop computers use. The great thing I like about it the most is that while you upload videos for free you can also Earn cash from vuzu. Isn’t it great? If you are interested in knowing more about Vuzu and how to earn money, there is a earn cash section on the site for users to make money with vuzu. What are you waiting for? Visit their site now and start earning while uploading your videos free of charge!

Two of My Favorite Filipino Dishes

Here is Ginisang Kalabasa (Sauteed Squash) which I modified by putting bacon instead of pork, that way it will cooked in short time. As we all know we need to cook the meat till it is tender, but with the bacon, you don't even need to put oil. The oil from bacon is enough to saute garlic and onion. Anyway, this recipes is easy to make. This is a very yummy dish even my in-laws love it!

Ginisang Kalabasa (Sauteed Squash with Bacon and Green Beans)

This is Paksiw ng Bangus (Milkfish); another one of those Pinoy dishes that are easy to prepare. All you have to do is put all the ingredients together bring it to a boil and let rhe veggies cooked, then serve with hot steamed rice and ginisang bagoong. Enjoy! If you guys wants the recipes, just let me know and I will post it here.

Need Some Extra Income?

With the unstable economy we have now, some people who lost their job could sure use Some extra allowance . There is a website where you can earn extra income and it is called phoenixpaidemails.com. You can sign up for a free membership as the first step by going to their website. It is easy and as soon as you're done with the registration, you can start earning money. Don't just sit there, click the link provided now! Below are the lists of benefits you will get from your membership:

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You Shouldn't Meme

I wonder why they call this “You Shouldn't Meme”. Anyway, I want to thank Niko, Cacai and Maria for tagging me with this one. Thanks dear :-), so thoughtful and sweet of you to think of me when you made the lists.

The Rules:
1. List these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.
3. Tell 7 unspectacular quirks on yours.
4. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
5.Link the person who tagged you.
6.Leave a comment for each blogger.

7 facts about me:
1. I was once a Missionary for LDS Church (Mormon).
2. I can speak Cebuano language, but not fluent anymore. I have forgotten it since I don't have friends around to speak with.
3. I live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before going to America.
4. Most of my friends back in the Philippines are from Visaya and Mindanao region.
5. I am an organize freak.
6. I get bored easily and I don't like it at all.
7. I am not really fond of an animals, but I like fish and birds.

7 unspectacular quirks:
1. I am a self proclaim Blog Addict :). One of the things I do best!
2. I make sure that before my son goes to school, I said I love you, hug and kiss him with a reminder to be good, listen to his teachers and eat his foods.
3. I don't want someone beside me when I am cooking especially one who tells me what to do.
4. There are two rooms in the house which I like to be cleaned all the time and these are the kitchen and bathrooms
5. I say “I love you to my husband and son at least 15 times a day. People say: saying it to much looses its meaning, but I don't believe that! When I say something, I always mean it.
6. I don't like it when a person said something and do another.
7. I don't want to be rich, just want to have enough for my own family and immediate family (parents and siblings).

I am now tagging, Maria, Analee, Rose, Liza, Clarissa, Jane and Shydub.

Web Design for Idiots

I always admire those friends of mine who know how to design a website. It isn't easy as we know it. I for one have difficulty putting simple codes on my blogs. Web designing needs patience for it is done with codes. Maybe I will learn to do it someday since I am still new in blogging world. Right now, I have friends who help me when I have questions; they are so patient teaching me, for that I thank them, because without them, my blog is probably a total mess. Anyway, even though it would be very hard, I can not rely with my friends help all the time. I need to do something about it. Good thing thing I came across this website called “web design for idiots”; though this blog is new, I see that this would help me since all of my blogs are fairly new also. This website offer some tips for people that are new to web design and need some extra help. You can teach yourself oscommerce for newbies oscommerce file structure and learn all about web designing and find stuffs on this site which will help your website. I am sure this would be a great help indeed on my quest to designing a website myself. If you are interested, take a look at web design for idiots main page website tutorials where you can get your web design questions answered by web design for idiots. Really, this website is all About Web Design for Idiots .

Random Questions #19

I snagged this over Chi-kai of DigitalScrapz: Captured Memories. Thanks dear for letting us snagged all the sets of Random Questions #19. Will snag some more later!

1. What's the last thing you bought? A cellphone for my hubby's birthday.
2. Ever called someone loser? No, not yet!
3. What are you listening to right now? My son's snore while taking a nap.
4. Where is the last place you went besides your house? Virginia Beach to send my Balikbayan bob at Forex, eat pinoy foods and shop pinoy foods and groceries :-)
5. What's one thing you've learned about relationships in '08? Love Conquers All.
6. Where's your favorite place to be in the summer? Beach and somewhere where it is cool with lots of fresh fruits and and foods of any kind.
7. When was the last time you cried really, really hard? Fall last year when I got very mad with my hubby :-(
8. What's the most interesting thing that happened to you in the past week?
Being so depressed that I do not want to do anything but sit, eat watch t.v. and blogs.
9. What are you doing tomorrow? Do chores, run errands with hubby :-).
10. The best thing about your significant other? He's perfect for me!

NOTE: If you want to join, just simply click the link above :-); have fun and enjoy!

Dishes from One of the Dinners Last Week

These are one of the dinners I made last week. Jacob's favorite are sweet potato french fries and chicken nuggets. Sometimes his foods are different that us because he doesn't like the taste of some Pinoy dishes such as the "Ginisang Ampalaya" Sauteed Bitter Gourd.

Jake's Favorite Foods....Sweet Potato French Fries and Chicken Nuggets.

Ginisang Ampalaya with twist of bacon instead of pork; makes it flavorful and less time cooking the meat.

This is Chicken Adobo garnished with Olives for a nice presentation :-). I didn't write the recipes of the last two dishes because I am sure, you guys know how to prepare them.

Free Yourself from Debt!

With the economic crisis we are facing right now, thousands of families are suffering financially from job lost, bankruptcy and foreclosure. And that makes it difficult to manage finances. With credit cards bill, mortgage and all, paying bills can be very hard. Some people didn't expect the lost of job and hardly have any savings; some might be living from paycheck to paycheck and have little or no savings at all. If you are one of those people who is weigh down by debt, you might want to consider contacting a company who can help you with debt management. At CareOne Credit Counseling Services , they have credit counselors who will work with you every step of the way so you can better manage your debt if you can not do it by yourself. Their qualified credit counselor will analyze your specific debts and create a debt management plan to help you begin paying down your debt as quickly as possible. They offer debt management plan like the one at Care One provider that is one type of debt consolidation. There are helpful benefits when you consolidate your debt and it is very often include not only lowered monthly payments but also lowered interest rates, waiving of certain fees and bringing your account current. So instead of paying three bills monthly, you will only pay once in a month. What are you waiting for? Start living a debt free life by contacting Care One now!

Marriage Proposal Tag

Maria of Maria Went to Chicago tagged me with this to reminisce the most exciting and wonderful day of my life. Thanks, dear for creating this tag :-). Amy of Amiable Amy, tagged me, too! Thanks, Amy. I feel like renewing my wedding vows again! Anyway, I really enjoyed making and posting this tag!

This was taken before Matt flew from U.S. to Malaysia

Okay here is our story :-). Matt proposed to me the next day after he arrived to meet me for the first time! As I mentioned before on the other tag, I didn't say "yes" right away. I don't know why? Maybe because I didn't expect it to happen so soon. That night, I prayed about it and felt a warm and peaceful feeling inside my heart. Then, the next morning, he did ask me again and finally I said "yes". We were both so happy. He didn't buy a ring yet, because he was not sure yet if the feeling is mutual. He told me he has a bad experienced before and didn't want to be disappointed again. And that was the reason why he didn't buy the engagement ring yet; that day went to the mall at Tiffany to buy one, we could not find the one I like. So we went back home empty handed. He flew back home after spending a week in Malaysia with me. I didn't know he would send me the ring and so he did and I was very happy. Few months later after our wedding, he bought me a new one because he wants it to be the perfect one! Then, he rest is history :-)

Here we are now happily married living with the fruit of our love, Jacob. I will post the ring, later! It needs scanning, that's why!
Now, I want to know the engagement stories of Juliana, Race, Dhemz, Rose, Malou, Faye, Fhaye, Mye, Clarissa, Sweetiepie, Juliet, Umma, Madz, Liza, Tata, Niko, Maybel, Shydub, Cookie and Lisa.

Yummy Leche Flan!

I have been craving for this dessert for a long time. I think the last time I made Leche Flan was back in Texas. So, I once again searched for a recipe because I lost the one I used before. I haven't try this recipe yet, but I am sure it will be yummy the way it shows on the picture above as long as I follow the recipe exactly!


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp water
1 can Carnation Condensada
4 cups Carnation Evap
9 yolks
3 eggs
1/4 tsp grated lime rind (optional)
1 tsp lime juice (optional)

Procedures:
Place sugar and water in a heavy-bottom saucepan and cook over low heat, swirling pan every so often to prevent sugar from “crystallizing”, DO NOT MIX. Cook until golden in color, this will take about 10 to 15 minutes and pour on 3 leche flan molds. Set aside.

Place Carnation Evaporated, Carnation Condensada and the rest of ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour over caramel and cover with foil. Steam in barely simmering water for 30 to 45 minutes. Making sure the water doesn’t boil so as to have a very smooth flan. Let cool and chill before unmolding.

Beef Calereta

A soon to be Mom and a friend, Michelle of My Small World requested a recipe for Beef Caldereta that is why I am posting this recipe. She loves to cook and I am sure her craving for it will be satisfied. So, here it is dear, Michelle :-). Enjoy the meal with your hubby and the baby inside!

Ingredients:
1 kilo of stewing beef (batok, brisket, short ribs or boneless shanks)
1/4 kilo of white onions, finely chopped
1/4 kilo of tomatoes, finely chopped
1/3 c. of finely minced garlic
4 bell peppers (2 finely chopped; 2 cut in wedges for garnish)
1/2 c. of tomato paste
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
4 tbsps. of olive oil
1/4 k. of chicken livers
4-5 potatoes
12 green olives (stoned or pitted)
3/4 c. of frozen sweet peas
2-3 red hot chili peppers
chopped parsley for garnish
cooking oil for frying the potatoes

Procedure:
Cut the beef into 2″ chunks.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy sauce pan or casserole. Over high heat, brown the beef chunks, in batches if necessary. Add the garlic, onions, tomatoes, bay leaf, chili peppers and chopped bell peppers. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Season with salt. Add the tomato paste. Pour in about 2-3 cups of water, stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for two hours or until the meat is fork tender. Stir occasionally during cooking. If the sauce becomes too dry before the meat is cooked, add more water, about half a cup at a time.

While the beef simmers, prepare the potatoes. Wash, peel and cut them into cubes. Heat about 2 c. of cooking oil in a skillet. When smoking, add the potato and cook until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Boil the chicken livers with a little water. When cooked, mash with a fork or pass through the blender or food processor. Adding a little liquid will make the process easier.

When the beef is cooked, add the fried potatoes, peas, olives, wedges of bell pepper and mashed liver. Simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. Add the chopped parsley and simmer for another minute.
Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Upgrade Your Pantry

I found these tips from Real Simple when I was trying to upgrade my pantry. It is very interesting to learn about the things inside our pantry that we always use almost everyday. I posted it here in case you might want to know. Take four meal building blocks — salt, pepper, olive oil, and cheese — from basic to gourmet

Salt

Replace normal table salt with kosher and sea salt. “Ordinary table salts have additives and whiteners and anti-caking agents and a rather murky flavor,” says Sally Schneider, the author of A New Way To Cook (Artisan, $25, www.amazon.com). “So I use kosher salt as an everyday salt: It’s inexpensive, and it has a very clear flavor.” She then uses sea salt, which varies in flavor and appearance depending on what water it has been evaporated from, at the end of the cooking process. “Sea salts are quite a bit more expensive and stronger, so it’s easier to oversalt if you use them for general cooking,” Schneider warns. Instead, she just sprinkles some on as a “finisher” to lift the flavor of any dish. Try putting it in a bowl on your table for guests to use.

Pepper

Replace that store-bought preground pepper with whole peppercorns you grind yourself. “I have two pepper mills: one for the kitchen and a little one for the table,” Schneider says. Her reasoning? Freshness. “The flavor begins to dissipate as soon as you grind the peppercorns,” she explains. Schneider also recommends purchasing a pepper mill with variable settings for coarse or fine grains, then filling it with quality peppercorns. (Try Tellicherry or Lampong, both widely available.)

Olive Oil

Replace corn oil or plain olive oil with extra-virgin olive oil. “When you have a good olive oil on hand, it can be an instant sauce in itself — it’s that delicious,” says Schneider. Look for oils marked “extra virgin,” which means that the oil has been cold-pressed (no solvents were used to extract it) and that it has less than 1 percent acidity. “The term generally indicates a better quality, a more flavorful olive oil,” she notes. Since extra-virgin olive oils can have a wide range of flavors — from buttery and grassy to peppery — Schneider suggests buying small bottles to figure out what you like.

Parmesan Cheese

Replace generic Parmesan with Parmigiano-Reggiano. This versatile cheese is handmade in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy — and only in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano has the name stamped right on the rind. “Ordinary Parmesan — especially the pregrated stuff — doesn’t taste like anything compared to real Parmigiano, which has a very complex flavor,” says Schneider. “It’s not sharp, but it adds just the right kind of saltiness. It’s one of those foods that goes with just about anything.”

Making Valentine’s Day Shine

While special events make Valentine’s Day lovely to begin with, details make the day shine. Here are a few simple things to make Valentine’s extra special all day long.

• Write love notes and place them throughout the house. As soon as possible, write notes of love or gratitude and put them in places that aren’t obvious, but that your sweetheart will eventually see as he or she goes through their day. If you can’t think of multiple things, use one of the silly (but sweet) Valentine’s cards from your child’s store-bought box and leave it for your spouse; it’s sure to warm the heart and get a little laugh.

• Be a gentleman, and be a lady. Men: Remember to open car doors, theater doors, restaurant doors, or any other doors you come across (except the lady’s room door) for your wife. Furthermore, make sure to pull out her chair when she sits down for dinner, if the waiter isn’t trained to do so. And ladies: once you’re in the car, reach over and open the door for your husband; hold open other doors for him as he walks through. It’s a little way for you to show kindness to him.

• Give an unexpected rose. Arrange for a single rose to be at your table for dinner, if you’re dining out. If not, find another way to give your wife a rose during the evening—whether it’s at the home dinner table or it’s placed by her sink before bed. Consider a special color: Red=Love, White=Purity, Yellow=Happiness, Orange=Desire, Pink=Gratitude.

• Hold hands. This small expression of love can be obliterated as the years go by. So, when the two of you are walking from place to place during the day, remember to hold hands with one another. At dinner, move drinks and plates out of the way so you have a clear space to reach across the table and clasp hands.

• Make the ambiance romantic at home. Follow through with the ideas you’ve had to play music, light candles, and arrange the room for a special evening. Doing things that show planning are especially meaningful for both men and women; it means that you’ve thought about him or her when you were apart, and you worked harder to make time together extra special.

And so that Valentine’s Day isn’t just one of a few days you go out of your way to show love, try incorporating one or two of these suggestions on a monthly basis.

Get the Skinny!

When I was single, I used to be skinny and yet healthy. I also eat healthy balanced diet and get enough exercise to keep myself fit. Then, when I went overseas to work, that was when I started eating more because I love authentic foods. I started going out with friends eat almost every weekends. I gained weight, but not much. Then, I got married with the man who loves to cook and eat. Then, I went dramatically from size 6 to 2! My pregnancy contributed a little bit, too! Now, I want to go back to my original weight before all of these things happened. It will never be easy, but I know it is possible with the help of Skinny And the City.com. For those of you who don't the website yet, it is a website devoted to women who want to be “in the know” on the latest and greatest information pertaining to nutrition, food, fashion and beauty. Their staff is no different than us who like to socialize, shop, eat, drink and play. They are a mix of single and ready to mingle, married, business women and moms. All of us have one thing in common…keep our busy lives balanced in the most meaningful way. They also have registered dietitians who offer trusted advice and most of all, believe in fad diets. Anyway, in order for you to Get the skinny look again, you need to join their daily newsletter reader to get daily newsletter with powerful advice, information and latest trends with a fun twist. Every week day one lucky newsletter reader wins a great prize. Now,what are you waiting for? Sign up now for it is free!

The Hardest Calling... Motherhood!

A lot of people complains about how hard their job is! For me, being a Mom is the hardest calling - and you never get released - and you can't remove the problem kids by calling parents to pick them up, and you are sleep deprived - and you can't do fundraising - and there is no manual with detailed instructions! I think the Lord's servants said:

The noblest calling in the world is that of mother. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece or who can write a book that will influence millions deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose immortal souls will be exerting an influence throughout the ages long after painting shall have faded, and books and statues shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give.

~~David O. McKay~~

Romantic Valentines Day Retreat

Love is in the air and I can feel it; I mean Valentines Day is just a few days away. Any plans with your wife or sweetheart? Chocolates, flowers, jewelry, cards and dinner date are just few of the common things we give for our wife and sweetheart on Valentines Day. Why not surprise her with a romantic Valentines retreat at Branson, Missouri? I have never been to Branson Missouri, but would love to go there someday. I heard that it is a nice place to relax and get cozy with the love of your life after spending time at the great attractions they have such as Amusement Parks, White Water, Celebration City and Silver Dollar City.

There are two famous hotels you and you spouse can relax and be cozy which are the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel; these hotels are located within the electrifying entertainment capital of the Midwest in Branson, Missouri. Here they offer guest access to shops, boutiques, restaurants, a river walk and other attractions. Both hotels are within easy driving distance of Branson’s championship golf courses, lakes, museums, theme parks and 49 live entertainment theaters. The great about these hotels is that they are offering an exclusive Valentine’s Package available throughout the month of February. The Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel Package offers a deluxe accommodations, a $50 food and beverage credit redeemable at any of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets, admission to the Titanic Museum Attraction, vow renewals at the base of the Grand Staircase, a box of chocolates and a Heart of the Ocean replica necklace when you book this package. For complete lists of Packages the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel are offering, check their website now!

Don't Make Dinner Today, Honey!

This is our dinner today. Beef Caldereta, which I have been craving for a long time. And our favorite green, Bokchoy and of course the Pinoy staple, white rice. Hubby told me today not to make dinner, but I made anyway. Then, when he gets home, he asked if the dinner is ready. He ate a lot!

My Comfort Food!

You Are Chicken Noodle Soup

You are a traditional and conservative person. You value the past, and change frightens you. You are very loyal, especially to your family. You prefer a low-key life, with lots of time spent at home. You like soup because it's easy, quick, and cheap. You tend to have a favorite soup you stick to. Why change a good thing?

What Kind of Soup Are You?

This is so true! Chicken noodle soup is my favorite. For me it is not only easy to make but also a comfort food to me. I can live with just a soup.

Matt's Fave Fried Noodles

Hubby is a little bit picky when it comes to eating Pancit (fried noodles); he would only eat much of it if it is cooked like this one here and it should be a yellow spaghetti kind of noodles. I made this one last night and he ate a lot. My son calls it spaghetti noodles.

What I did was, saute' minced garlic, inion, then added the cooked sliced tiny hotdog I bought from Asian market and the left over cooked beef. Then I added kikoman soy sauce since we forgot to get Pinoy soy sauce. After a couple of minutes, I added the veggies like carrots, cabbage and green beans. And elt it cook till the veggies are done, but still crispy. I put two tablespoons of oyster sauce and the yellow noodles that was rinsed and drained. Mixed them all and let it cooked for few minutes. When it gets dry in the bottom of the pan, I just put a little bit of chicken broth so it won't get dry again. I didn't put sliced boiled eggs on top for garnish in here which I normally do. Man, we really have a nice dinner last night :-), and were all full enough to put us to sleep early last night!

The Top 5 Signs of a Toxic Relationship

If any of these signs are present in any relationship you have, whether family, friends, co-worker and so forth, chances are in a toxic relationship and you need too do something about it. It wouldn't be easy and I am sure any relationship would be worth saving; don't you think?

1. You're isolated from friends, family, and social contacts. Whether it's a spouse, sibling, or friend that is isolating you, it's simply unacceptable. A healthy relationship is one in which you can have contact with different people without worrying about negative consequences.
2. They talk about everyone. If someone is constantly going on about how their neighbor is inconsiderate, their coworkers are nosey, and their cousin is fat, there's a good chance that he or she is also gossiping about you behind your back.
3. Their world is always worse than yours. Whenever you have a problem or dilemma, the toxic person feels the need to turn it around and show how much worse their life is. A textbook toxic example: When you mention that you're having car trouble, he or she immediately goes into a rant about how their past three cars have been lemons and they're still trying to catch up on repair bills.
4. Your positives are their negatives. They never congratulate you; instead they use your happy moment as an opportunity to bring you down. Your excitement about a promotion will turn sour as soon as he or she reminds you of the extra hours you'll have to work and the added amount of pressure you'll now face.
5. The other people in your life don't want to be around them. If your other friends or family refuse to be in someone's presence, this should be a red flag that something is very wrong. People who are outside of a situation can often see things that those inside cannot.

Kid Friendly Zone

I must admit, I am not a type of person who will sit in front of the computer playing games during my free time. I would rather watch animation movie with my son. But now that my son is growing fast and starting to like playing educational video game, my husband and I decided to only let him play video games that is kid friendly, educational and family oriented. Nowadays, it is very hard to find a video such as these. So, we decided to visit the usual sites that are kid friendly according to television network we both enjoy. I also searched more sites and found MEGA Brands Kids Zone, a place for kids to play and enjoy without annoying pop-ups and other advertisements which kids don't need to see. In here you will have several selections of all types of games that you and your kids can enjoy like, Pirate of the Caribbean, Legendary King Arthur, Dragons to name a few. The great thing I like about this is that you not only get to play for free but also shop online for toys of all kinds from 0 ages and up. Isn't it cool? I picked the Pirates of the Caribbean and my son and I really enjoyed it for it is simple and easy to learn and play. If you are interested, you can either play as a guest or you can register to play. What are you waiting for? Take on the challenge and amaze the kid in you! I am now hooked into playing video games with my son.

Easy to Bake Apple Pie

What good would all these recipes be without a fantastic finale? Here's the quintessential comfort dessert in one of the easiest forms we could muster. I haven't tried it yet, but I will next time :-)

2 pre-made 9-inch pie crusts
1 can apple pie filling
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch brown sugar

Fill one crust with the apple pie filling. Add cinnamon and brown sugar. Cover with second crust. Bake for 350°F degrees for 40 minutes. For an even sweeter variation, stir in about 12 melted caramel candies for a candied apple pie.

Is Cooking in the Microwave Causes Food to Lose Nutrients?

Microwaved food may retain vitamins better than stovetop-cooked food. And that is because the microwave zaps it quickly and without much water. One study found that spinach retained only 77% of its folate when cooked on a stove, but retained all if its folate when cooked in microwave. Consumer Report Health

FREE Internet Business Starter Kit

My husband and I are planing of starting a small business since he still couldn't find a job. He will be jobless very soon. And we can't think of something to do than this, hoping we will get success. We sure need help in case this plan materialized. As we all know, Affiliate Marketing is very popular nowadays. Almost every business establishments use it to market their business or products to other companies. If you are looking for an assistance in building or starting your own web based business, then you need to check the website called Cash Life Now.com. They are in business to help people like you become successful on the web; and will teach you how to make money using affiliate marketing. The good things about it is that you earn money while you learn. Cool isn't it? The best thing I like about this is that you can do this kind of job anywhere and be successful at the same time. Cash For Life is will be there to teach you on how to earn more money through affiliate marketing, be successful on the internet while working in the comfort of your own home. Of course, you need to put your business first up and running. Then, you can Start your Internet business for only $30 at CashLifeNow.com. You will get a $15 credit, so you only pay $15. With that low price, you will also get free domain name, web hosting, free email and video tutorials and more to help you be successful. This is great because aside from working in your own home, you will deal with your clients without leaving home using internet. Look no further for assistance, just visit their site for more information on how to start and eventually be successful in your business.

Passionate Blogger Award

This Award is over at I'm Walking on Sunshine. Since I am Passionate about blogging as she is, I took the opportunity of grabing it. I hope she wouldn't mind :-)! Anyway, I know a lot of friends who are passionate enough to receive this award and they are: Rose, Dhemz, Umma, Cookie, Madz, Amy, Clarissa, Mommy Liza, Malou, Faye, Niko and KittyKat. Grab it guys, for you so deserve this award, too! Now, I'd like too thank Cen at Cen's World for giving me this award :-).

Here are the things I am passionate about:

1.) Cooking
2.) Gardening3.) Shopping4.) Reading5.) Family

The Rules: 1.) Put the logo in your post. 2.) Write 5 things you are passionate about aside from blogging. 3.) Tag 5 people on your lists and let them know you tagged them. Have fun blogging guys, and enjoy and don't forget to pass or tag your friends whom you think are passionate bloggers :-), thanks for posting it!