Healthy and Easy to Prepare Meals

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hormel Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

Don't get me wrong, I love foods and cooking, but preparing dinner every night can be overwhelming sometimes.I bet many mothers can relate to that whether they are working mothers or just a stay at home Moms. That is why we have plenty of canned foods and easy to prepare meal inside our pantry especially now that I have a son who is hungry and needs to eat after after school. My son is not used to eating junk foods even during snack time, so I made sure I have hormel products on hand. He loves rice especially the fried one, but he can tolerate steamed rice as long as I heated some Dirty Moore Stew on top of it. One of my husband fave is Chicken Pot Pie, and Dirty Moore Chicken Pot Pie made it easier for me to make it. All I need is a pie shell and a pastry crust, Dirty Moore Chicken Pot Pie and egg wash and it is ready to be baked in the oven. Anyway, my favorite is the Chili Con Carne which I learned to eat when I got here in the U.S. Hubby and I always crave for it at night specially when we are watching our favorite shows on a cold winter night.

As the nation’s leading chili brand, Hormel® chili, has topped nachos and filled the bowls of American families for generations. Jiggs and Maggie from “Bringing Up Father” were used in Dirty Moore® advertisements. In fact Ray Milland, star of “Copper Canyon,” appeared in print ads. In the 80s, pro football player Fran Tarkenton was tapped to promote Hormel® chili. Indeed, Hormel Chili has been around like forever. If you want easier to prepare and yet healthy meals and recipes, just check this site: http://www.hormelrecipes.com for more ideas.

Do you know that Hormel® chili and Dirty Moore® are celebrating its 75th anniversary? Yes, and if you want to learn more about Hormel and its products, visit this link www.hormelfoods.com .

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki

Another easy to make and mouthwatering recipe I've found on the internet. Great on hot summer day dinner :-)!

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions:
Place chicken, teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and sesame oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours, turning every so often.
Preheat grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Remove chicken from bag, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

They Need Eye Wear to See Clearly

A clear vision is very important when you are driving especially at night. And you have a problem with your vision and is not wearing an eye wear, don't you think it is time to wear one for you protection and safety of you and your loved ones as well. I am a diabetic person and has a problem with my vision, that is why I wear eye wear or prescription eyeglasses so I can drive safety. Lately, my vision became blurred and I worry that I am having eye problem because of my blood sugar level, so I convinced my husband to take me to an eye doctor to make sure that everything's fine with my vision. Thank goodness, none of my eyes has the sign of blindness or something associated with my diabetes. On the other hand, hubby is stubborn enough not to wear his eye wear because he thinks he doesn't have the roblem driving at night. Oh well, I hope he is right. Hubby, son and I do wear sunglasses on summertime to protect our eyes from the heat of the sun. My father finally hid to my advice to see an eye doctor so he can have his own eyeglasses instead of borrowing my mother's.

Food Trip Friday: Sirloin Beef Tips with Mushrooms

We went to IHOP for a dinner during my birthday. We were so tired after the long 12 hours trip from NM, and no time to go to my fave restaurant for it was already passed 11pm and IHOP is open 24 hours a day. This is the meal I have ordered while hubby and son ordered the usual, pancake with eggs and sausages.

Head to Willa's Kitchen for more sumptuous food entries :-)

Asparagus Tips: Through Thick and Thin

Asparagus is one of our favorite harbingers of spring. These delectable stalks with their vivid color and delicate flavor are good hot or cold, dressed up or down.

Asparagus comes in several sizes, ranging in diameter from thinner than a drinking straw to fatter than your thumb.

Thin, tender spears can be sautéed, steamed, or rubbed lightly with olive oil and grilled.

Fatter asparagus spears will need to be trimmed and either steamed or boiled in order to be tender.
While some people prefer the smaller spears for their delicacy and tenderness, others like thick asparagus for its more robust flavor and meaty texture.

How to Buy and Store Asparagus

Whatever size you chose, look for firm, brightly colored stalks with tightly closed tips.Asparagus begins to lose its sweetness as soon as it's picked, so try to cook it as soon as possible after you buy it.

If you do plan to store it in your refrigerator for a few days after you get it home, treat it like a bouquet of flowers: trim a small amount from the bottoms of the stalks with a sharp knife and place them in a tall glass with a little water in the bottom. Cover the top loosely with a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator. This will keep the stalks firm and crisp until you are ready to cook them.

Source: AllRecipes.com

Easter Basket Blog Hop

Many thanks to Shy for for tagging me with Hershey’s Better Basket Blog Hop. This is perfect for coming easter egg hunt. Here’s what to do:

* Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
* Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
* Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
* Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
* Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this Better Basket Blog Hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
* Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).

* Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.

It's time to tag: Liza, Juliet, Sweetipie, Tetcha, Niko, Amy, Clarissa, Dhemz, Rose, and David.

Food Trip Friday: Green Chili Stew

This is one thing I make sure I eat every time I go visit my in-laws in New Mexico, a Green Chili Stew which is so yummy and a little bit spicy. Great soup for that place where it is cold anytime of the year :-)! It will keep you warm and very satisfied...I serve it with corn bread instead of flour Tortilla. I had it twice during our trip this week :-)! You will find the best Green Chili Stew at Benny’s Mexican Kitchen – Bosque Farms, New Mexico.

It is made of either ground or cubed beef with green chili, tomatoes, and garlic and sometimes with potatoes. I made this one before and my in-laws were very pleased :-)! Anyway, for more yummy foods, visit Willa's Kitchen now!

Food Trip Friday: Salmon

This is an early entry for I will not be able to post it tomorrow. We will be traveling for a spring break vacation in New Mexico :-)! See you, guys when I get back. Thanks for stopping by :-)! Anyway, Hubby baked this Salmon in just 15 minutes. It was good! He found the recipe on the internet and cooked it for our brunch, yummo!

Visit Willa's Kitchen for more delicious food entries and drool :-). Dig in with us, guys!

Austin Orthodontics, is Best!

When I went to visit my family back home last year back, I noticed that one of my nieces was wearing brace. I didn't know that her teeth alignment. I bet her teeth look better now than before since it's been a year since the last time I saw her. Before, I thought that braces are part of the trend and to me, it was kind of cool! Anyway, if in case someday Jacob would need a brace, then I would take him at Austin Orthodontics. Dr. and Dr. Dustin Roden-Johnson are Orthodontists have three clinics at Austin and is a family-friendly dental practice where they served adults and children alike. Dr. Henry has been practicing for nearly 10 years; they are the experts when it comes to your teeth alignment need. So visit their site for more info on how they can help you give your loved ones a perfect smile!

Recipe for Baked Bass

Some of you, guys requested for a recipe of Bass fish I have posted on Food Trip Friday; so here it is...enjoy your baked fish!

Ingredients:
1 medium size bass
3 pcs. tomaoes
1 sm. ginger
salt and pepper
granulated garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1bsp. oyster sauce
fresh lemon grass (optional)

Procedure:
1. Clean the fish thoroughly and then pat dry it. Cut slits on both sides of the fish, and place sliced ginger inside.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder both inside and the sides of the fish. Then, on top of the fish, placed sliced tomatoes and sprinkle again with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
3. Place fish on a baking dish that has aluminum foil with olive oil (to avoid fish from sticking on the bottom). Right before wrapping the fish with aluminum foil, garnish the top of the fish with lemon grass, and bake in a preheated oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes or till the fish is done...you may need to check the fish every once in awhile to avoid overcooking or drying it.
4. Pour the warm mixed soy sauce and oyster sauce before serving it with rice and your choice of side dish.

Film Licensing

I know few friends whose hobby is to make short films. I remember one time they did a film about their friend's and I think it was good. My cousin on the other hand filmed our reunion back home using his mobile phone. I bet he can keep it and nobody can see it without his permission; he just need to take it to film licensing. We have some short films ourselves and most of them are taken when our son was born, and all the milestones during his infant and toddlers life...maybe we can do the same, too. Oh well, need to talk to hubby first to see if he will agree.

Food Trip Friday: Baked Bass

Here is my entry for this week; for more yummy foods...check Willa's Kitchen.

Attention Aspiring Health Enthusiasts!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of wellnessdaily.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I was still single, I weighed only 100 pounds and the size of my clothes were extra small. Not in my wildest dream that I would gain weight since no one in my family is overweight. Yup, I did gain extra weight when I got married and so was my husband. And that was the result because of our love for and cooking. We decided it was time for us to get busy and start eating right not only for the sake of our health but most of all, for our son's sake.

I tried walking at least 30 minutes a day and another 30 minutes stretching. It worked for a few months, but then I stopped because of lack of motivation. My husband on he other hand did some bike riding, eating right, and diet fad, but same thing happened with him. I thought then that there must be something out there that can help us with our goals to lose weight and be healthy again. And so, I searched magazines and website to get some helpful information. I tell you, it was overwhelming to see many information that can sometimes be confusing. It helped us a little bit though.

I am happy to know that there is a new website like www.wellnessdaily.com , an online community that collects the latest news, healthy living blogs, expert opinions, easy, nutritious recipes and videos on a variety of topics including weight loss, healthy eating, exercise and mental well-being. Personally, I really like the eat right and 10 chocolate treats under 100 calories. This site is great! Right now, they are giving away one year supply of Jennie-O-Turkey Store product and a one-year gym membership, valued at $1,250. To win the prize package, you can also follow it @wellness_daily & RT this! http://bit.ly/tbd123." you need to hurry, for this special promo runs only from Feb. 24 through March 2010.

Proper Ettiquete

Tipping:
~ Server at a restaurant: 15-20% of your bill, or less or more, (more if the party is especially large) depending on the service.
If you received free food or a discount, tip the amount as if you paid full price.
Only tip the host if you received special service.
~ Bar: 10-20%
~ Valet and pizza delivery: $1-2.
~ Salon services (hair, nails, massage): 10-20% per service, or depending on the quality.
~ Hotel maid: $1-2 per day of service.
~ Hotel bellhop: $1-2 per piece of luggage they haul.

Phone:
~ In most places other than your home, it’s rude to talk on your cell phone when the call is not significantly important, such as chatting about the weather or personal information.
~ If you must talk on your cell phone, use a quiet voice.
~ Don’t forget to turn your cell phone off in performance venues and in hospitals.
~ And please don’t drive and talk.
~ For a business phone call, if you must put a person on hold, make sure to check back with them every minute or so, so that they know they haven’t been forgotten.
~ State your name before requesting to speak to someone and offer to leave a message if the person requested is unavailable.
~ Make sure a caller knows if you have placed them on speakerphone or a three-way call.

Miscellaneous:
~ When walking down the street, or up or down stairs, always stay to the right.
~ Keep any food, drinks, briefcases or paperwork in your left hand so your right hand is free for handshakes.
~ Always address an elder or higher-up professional with their last name until they specify otherwise.
~ It’s OK to take the last piece of pie, but ask everyone around first if they want it.
~ Don’t brush your hair in any place other than the bathroom or in private.
~ Always say “please” and “thank you” and always acknowledge someone else in the room.
~ Don’t forget that proper etiquette never goes out of style!

Let the AccuWeather Be Your Guide

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of AccuWeather. All opinions are 100% mine.

For me and my family, weather affect everything we do in our everyday lives. For instance, one time my husband thought that the weather will be best to ride his bike while waiting for me to finish my doctor's visit. And so after he dropped me off at the hospital, he rode his bike only to get disappointed because after two miles bike ride, the rain started to pour. He ended up going back to the parking lot soaked and wet. I was glad he didn't get sick. From then on he made it a habit to check the weather forecast before doing anything outside home...be it riding a bike, camping, walking or simply playing with my son at the playground. Good thing that AccuWeather recently redesigned their website for easier monitoring of the weather. I really like how they made it to cater people need. The new site includes four new lifestyle areas: Weather and Health, Weather and Travel, Weather and Home and Garden, Weather and Outdoor Activity. These new sections include a variety of five-day forecasts for key weather-for-your-life parameters that allow users to plan business, recreation, travel, exercise, medication, and more; thus letting us pursue our personal and family daily activities. So, if I were you, I will head to their website right now to see what the weather would be, then be prepared.

Chicken Adobo Slow Cooker Style

This is a new style of cooking Adobo found online. Try this recipe to see if this is really good compared to the original Pinoy style of cooking it. I saw it on this website...and borrowed the pictures as well. Will post the picture later after cooking this one. I will be adding bayleaf and brown sugar on mine.

Ingredients:
1 small sweet onion, sliced
8 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 bayleaf
1 tbsp. of brown sugar (optional)

Directions:
Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a small bowl mix the onion, garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar, and pour over the chicken. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.