FTF: Chicken Afritada

This dish is one of hubby's fave Filipino Food because it is cooked similar to stew, only we use chicken instead of beef. It is a complete meal; it has potato for starch, carrots, peas, and sweet red or green pepper. I make a twist for I added olives and raisins (hubby likes it that way).

For more scrumptious foods, head to Willa's Kitchen and drool with us :-)!

GT: The Last Time I Pig - Out!

Every time I get the chance of eating the foods I crave particularly Filipino foods, I tell you I pig out on it to the point that I forget that eating too much rice is not good for me especially if it is the white one. Anyway, the last time I pig out was last weekend when we went to Mesquite Rodeo. Juliet and I went to Pinoy restaurant and bought dinuguan, fried tilapia, bbq, fried tilapia and ginisang kalabasa.

Filipino BarbecueFried Tilapia

Black Stew...and
Sauteed Squash with Okra


Visit who else pig - out on what, by clicking the badge below...hurry!

Havahart Made Our Life Easier!

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

Don't get me wrong I love wildlife like birds, rabbit and squirrels playing in my garden, but not when they start eating my homegrown vegetables, eating bird seeds, and invading our attic. Back on our first house, we didn't know that squirrel lived in our attic! It was like a nightmare because we didn't know how to get it out up there. It was ruining the attic insulation and the worst was, it fell down the dryer vent! Hubby tried to get that squirrel out, but to no avail. We didn't know what happened to it. We just thought it finally found its way out! We never see that squirrel again, thank goodness! Then, we adopted a rabbit from a friend, at first we were having fun playing with it, but then, one time we accidentally opened the cage and made it's way out; the problem starts when our vegetables garden lost its fruits! The worst was we were not able to put it back on the cage. The rabbit is gone for good! That was sad :-(!


Anyway, had we known that there was a product called Havahart Easy Set Small Animal Trap, we would have never hard time catching that squirrel up in the attic...either the rabbit with the help of Havahart Easy Set Large Animal Trap! Now that we will soon be moving to a new house, we would never experienced that problem again and these animals will be happier! But in case, we would be prepared especially now that we've found some Animal Trapping Tips online. The great thing about these live animal traps is that they are constructed of sturdy rust-resistant wire mesh with steel reinforcements for long life. Mesh openings are smaller than competing traps of comparable size to prevent escapes and stolen bait. Aren't these live animal traps great or what? We would be buying these two for future use. To those who invented it, thank you! You, guys made our life easier!

FTF: Smoked Turkey Legs

We love going to State Fair and Rodeos because we always had a blast! One of the thing I make sure while there, and that is eating a Smoked Turkey Leg! It is so yummy, tender and juicy. If you guys, haven't tried it yet, you are missing something good! You don't have to go to State Fair to try one...just go to your grocery store deli section and get one! It won't be as good as the one at State Far, but close to how it taste.

Smoked Turkey Legs

For more yummy FTF entries, head to Willa's Kitchen now and dig with us!

Crab Leg is the First Food I Choose!

To tell you the truth we only go to a Chinese buffet restaurant when I am craving for crab legs. Yup, I am addicted to it alright? So there...what about yours? Share it with us by clicking the badge below.

Studio Apartments for Rent

Based on our experienced, finding a place to live whether a house or apartment is not easy. Thanks to the modern technology called internet our search for a place to live was like a piece of cake. The apartment where we now live has the amenities every tenants are looking for. It has swimming pool, fitness center, playground, close to the hospital, mall, shopping center, school, work, library, and church. I tell you, if we have not found a house we can call home, we will never move out of this apartment this summer.

Anyway, aside from the internet, we got help from Rental Assistance, so if you guys are in search of an apartment, why not try using internet, that way you will save time, thus no need for you to go from place to place in search for it. Talking about apartments, I noticed that ever since we moved back here in Texas 10 months ago, there are many studio and luxury apartments are being built in the city. Its location is accessible to everything. I am sure wherever we go, studio apartments is everywhere, like the Nashville Studio Apartments in Tennessee. My cousin who lives in California with his new wife found an studio apartment in there, as well!

Missing These Pinoy Foods

Look at these foods, I bet you are already drooling by just looking at the photo especially if you are a Filipino like me. I miss it so much! I must admit I can cook, but not an expert of it especially when it comes to the foods below. Lechon or pig roast, Siomai, and Barbecue in Skewer are Pinoy foods most Filipino crave for.

How about you? What Pinoy foods you greatly miss since you arrived here in United States or in the country where you reside now other than Philippines?

Finding Luxury Apartment Has Never Been Easier!

Before my Aunt and her husband decided to sell their house overseas, they looked for an apartment that suit their need. They didn't really care whether it was expensive or not because they can afford to pay the rent no matter how expensive it is as long as it is a Luxury Apartment that has the amenities they were looking for like swimming pool, fitness center, tennis court, shops, restaurants, close to the mall, hospital, and more. They got what they needed and are now happy living in their new abode.

For those who are not as fortunate as they are, there is a program that can help them fulfill dream of owning a house. Affordable Housing Options can help. This option will benefits those who are in need of government help to avail what they are eligible for. So, worry no more, for this program is the answer for your worries regarding roof under your head.

Talking back on finding luxury apartment, by the way, my Aunt found their dream apartment through a great source online. The same thing happened when we used the internet to find the apartment where we live now. It made our apartment search easier and stress free. Just like my Aunt, we are happy where we are now.

Cleanliness and Safety in Restaurants

Last night, we decided to eat in one of the Indian restaurant in town. This restaurant is not really close to where we live, but we thought that the foods taste good and the prices were fair until we experienced stomach ache and diarrhea half an hour after eating. At first, I thought I was just bloated because of not passing gas, but I was wrong. When we got home, complained the same thing! We figured out after recalling what we have eaten the whole day that it was from the Indian foods we ate. We both had hard time sleeping, both awake most of the night going back and forth in the bathrooms. The result, both of us were weak the whole day and afraid to eat something that might worsen our conditions. Thankfully, after lunch today, we were feeling much better and were able to put something in our mouth to satisfy our hunger.

We should has seen it coming had we pay attention with the appearance of the people who work there and the messy floor of the restaurant. The foods tasted good and the price was right is what matters most to us that time, anyway, we've eaten there twice already and nothing bad happened to us until last night. We decided that we will never eat there again ever! I think this restaurant didn't compel to the safety and sanitation requirements to such establishment. I am not praying that this restaurant be closed, but practice sanitation, and safety laws, that way, the incident that happened to us will not be repeated.

It Helps to Buy Owner Financed Homes

For the past six months, we were on the look for a house we can call our own and also our home. I tell you, it wasn't easy to search for a dream home in spite of the helped we got from the Realtor whom we hose to work with us. Every time we pick a house on the lists he gave us, we always disappointed. It's either the house needs extensive repair or renovation, it is way above our budget or much more expensive than it was appraised. Two sellers even offered an Owner Financed Homes which was good, but after five viewings, we decided to pursue our next plan which is to have our dream house be build instead. When we talked with the two home builders, we picked the one that meets our need.

During the process, the person in charge with paper works and stuffs, explained many things to us including FHA Information, loan application, financing, price of the house, updates, property tax and more. Man, it was really hard to absorb all those things in one seating, thank goodness he gave us folders full of important documents we can refer to if ever questions arise regarding everything that pertains to house building and stuffs like that. We are now done with all the paper works...and are now waiting for the builder to contact us s o we can schedule a time to meet and talk about building a foundation for the house. Yesterday, we went to the site and found out that they already started leveling the ground. Hubby and I were very happy and excited. We couldn't wait to see the house and eventually move in there this summer.

Expenses from Buying New Home!?

After hubby and I picked Jacob up at school this afternoon, we all went to Costco to buy ceiling fans for our new house. We are not moving yet, but we want to take advantage of the $30 off for their ceiling fans. We purchased two, one for the living room and the other one for the master bedroom. The other two bedrooms will just get a cheaper ceiling fan at Lowe's. Before moving in, we plan on painting the inside of the house first with the color we want, that way it will be easier to do it than when the rest of our stuffs are in there already.
Talking about buying stuffs for our house, we still need to buy washer and dryer, and also refrigerator for they are not included in the house. Oh boy, I didn't know that buying new custom built house is that expensive and the purchases of other things needed can be overwhelming!

His Dream Truck

Hubby and I are exited moving into our new house in July. We couldn't wait to pant and decorate it the way we want it to be. Anyway, talking back about moving, the only thing I don't like about it is that the packing and unpacking our stuffs. Although we have downsized our stuffs before we move back from Virginia, we still have plenty o stuffs and I need to take care of it while packing. We also decided to hire people who will load and unload our things up just like we did before; and that will save us body pain and stress. It would be nice if we have truck that has a truck rack for it will help a lot. Right now, we cannot do major purchases because our house is about to be build. Maybe, next year that would be our next project because it is hubby's dream to have his own truck!

My Fave Summer Dessert!

Back home, when I was little, my mother used to sell Halo Halo (Iced Tropical Fruits Topped with Ice Cream) on summertime when the heat is very intense. I had fun helping my mother shave ice and cook the ingredients. Halo Halo is very popular in the Philippines any time of the day and any day of the year. This is one of the foods or dessert I greatly miss since I came here in the U.S. Anyway, for some who don't know or no idea what I am talking to here, I have looked up the meaning of it on Wikipedia and this is what it says:

Halo-halo (from Tagalog word halò, "mix") is a popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and milk to which are added various boiled sweet beans and fruits, and served cold in a tall glass or bowl.

There is no specific recipe for this dessert, and a wide variety of ingredients are used. The order in which the ingredients are added varies widely. Primary ingredients generally include boiled red mung beans (munggó), kidney beans, garbanzos, sugar palm fruit (kaong), coconut sport (macapuno), and plantains caramelized in sugar. Other components may include jackfruit (langkâ), star apple, tapioca or sago, nata de coco, purple yam (ube) or sweet potato (kamote), sweetened kernels or pounded crushed young cornrice (pinipig), leche flan or custard, ice cream and gelatin. Other fruits, such as papayas, avocados, kiwifruit, bananas or cherries, may also be added. Some preparations also include ice cream on top of the halo-halo.

Generally, condensed milk or evaporated milk is used instead of fresh milk, due to the tropical climate of the Philippines. In terms of arrangement, most of the ingredients (fruits, beans, and other sweets) are first placed inside the tall glass, followed by the shaved ice. This is then sprinkled with sugar, and topped with either (or a combination of) leche flan, ube halaya, or ice cream. Condensed or evaporated milk is poured into the mixture upon serving.

The dessert exemplifies the "east-meets-west" culture in the Philippines, with the ingredients used coming from a wide variety of influences (to cite some examples: red mung beans which are from the Chinese, garbanzos from the Indians, leche flan from the Spaniards, and shaved ice itself, which was introduced to the islands by the Americans).

Benefits of Using Bath Salts

Part of my personal hygiene is taking a shower at least once a day preferably in the morning after eating my breakfast. By so doing, I start my day fresh and ready to get going. However, I rarely take a bath for the reason that I am not comfortable with it. I grew up taking a shower and not having a bath tub home. But when I feel like doing it instead of shower, I prefer to have Bath Salts for it helps improve cleaning, improve the experience of bathing, and also serve as a vehicle for cosmetic agents. I heard that it can also be beneficial to your health.

Food Trip Friday: Tomato Rice and Beef

Hubby was thoughtful enough buy me a meal. Awhile ago, after eating dinner at Chinese restaurant, he ordered this dish for me and dropped it off home on his way back to work. Really I didn't know what to post for this week's FTF...and the answer came in. This dish is delicious! Visit Willa's Kitchen for more yummy entries :-)!

Left Over Food for Dinner!?

On those days when I don't feel like cooking, sometimes we are lucky enough to have some left over foods in the fridge. Am also lucky to have a husband who doesn't care eating left over, unlike my own father and also father in-law, they don't eat left over the next day. So, here are some of the foods we ate on one of those lazy days of mine:

My son enjoying his fave food, spaghetti....
..and I had a bowl of cereal....
...hubby had half of the spaghetti...
while my son had this plate of fried brown rice and Pinoy hotdogs.

Food Trip Friday: Bibimbap

Finally, got the chance of trying this popular Korean dish, Bibimbap two weeks ago for lunch. I love the foods Korean airlines serves in the plane, and this one is not bad at all. Click this link: Willas' Blog for more sumptuous food entries and dig in!

Dimplex PowerChef Electric Grills

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dimplex North America Limited. All opinions are 100% mine.

It is summertime once again and that means going on vacation for most family with kids, camping, and all sort of stuffs. Camping is very popular even though the weather is warm. Whether it is cool or warm, many people love to eat grilled foods. My family for one loves grilled meats, seafood and poultry because it is healthy to eat that way. As you grill meat, the fats melts and drips out of the meat and it is not greasy anymore. However, grilling is not possible for some people including us who live in an apartment or condo for the safety purposes. Others have safety concerns about the gas tanks, lighting and flare-ups. But I have a good news for you; those problems are not an issue anymore because of the new invented grill called the “PowerChef grills. PowerChef grills solve those problems and also it provides the added health benefits of grilled food. Fat drips away from the food as it cooks for quick, easy and healthy meals without kitchen clean-up. Isn't it amazing or what!?

I am glad for powerchef, now I can grill our food without using gas or charcoal. My fearof flames, tanks, lighting is gone. No more burned BBQ for my because of the heat that is not easy to balance by using gas or charcoal grill. And most of all, powerchef grill is easy to use and easy to clean as well. No more messy cleaning of the grill. Dimplex has plenty of grills to choose from, but my favorite is their PowerChef PBQ. Since we will be moving to our new house soon, we would be needing grill and I will definitely consider buying a Powerchef grill for myself. The table top grill easily converts for a freestanding or wall-mounted application with the addition of the optional accessories. It is very versatile that you can bring it anywhere you go. Check the link provided here to learn more about Dimplex PowerChef Electric Grills.

You will love these PowerChef grills because it has a unique dual element cooking system that delivers performance never before seen in an electric grill. You get the perfect 'steak house' sear marks that you expect from grilled food, which also locks in the flavor and juices for delicious results. One more secret of PowerChef's performance is the unique digital control. It comes pre-programmed for a wide variety grilled foods. With a few quick steps PowerChef automatically cooks what you want, exactly how you want it cooked, and chimes when its time to flip and time to serve. PowerChef eliminates the guesswork from grilling, making it easy for anyone to cook like a pro!

Aren't you interested yet, if so, then you should check this video out by going to this link: http://www.dimplex.com/grillvideo1.html

Etiquette on Parties and Gifts

Proper use of etiquette in everyday life and special occasions seemed like more of a social must than a matter of personal choice. But times have changed. However, just as chivalry isn’t dead, proper etiquette isn’t either. If you’re already employing these etiquette tips in your life, congratulations – Miss Manners would be proud. if you’re slacking on your socially savvy abilities, a little refresher course never hurt anyone.

1. Always RSVP to a party in a timely fashion, even if you won’t be attending.
Holding off on a response makes the host feel like you’re waiting for a better offer to come along.
2. Don’t ask the host of a party for a tour of their house unless it’s a housewarming. Let them offer one if they want to.
3. If a wedding invitation specifies you and a guest, don’t call to ask if you can bring your children, too.
4. You can bring a gift for the hostess, but just make sure that it isn’t something that would preoccupy them before or during the party.
If an invitation says no gifts, don’t bring them, or else you might embarrass other gift-less guests.
5. If you've been invited to a wedding but can’t go, you should still send a wedding gift.
6. Don’t ask for cash gifts as wedding gifts. Rely on word of mouth instead.
7. Thank you notes are a must after receiving a gift. Make sure the thank you note gets to the person within two weeks of receiving the gift.
However, an exception might be wedding gifts, since you might be busy honeymooning.

Come and Celebrate Silver Dollar City’s 50th Birthday!

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

My family and I love going on a trip. During my husband's long week off, we would always go on a long trip to camp, enjoy the beach, tour museums, visit state parks and spend time with in-laws. The highlight of our last year's trip was a visit to Washington, DC where we saw the White House, Lincoln Memorial. Just a month before we moved back to Texas, we went to Virginia Beach and Outer Banks, NC. Oh man, we had a blast!

This summer, if there is one place I would rather be right now, it would be in Branson, Missouri; a perfect place for the whole family. I called it that way because it is kid-friendly and fun place to visit. I never been there, but based on my friends experienced, they had a great time! I also learned from the research I've made, that we would have so much fun at the Silver Dollar City theme park. Right now, it would be great to go there for they have this deals called the Silver Dollar City Package for their customers as they celebrate their 50^th years of wonderful memories. This exclusive package includes deluxe accommodations for two nights in the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, as well as two adult tickets and two children’s tickets (ages 4 to 11) for two full days of fun at Silvery Dollar City. It also includes a $25 food and beverage voucher for Level 2 Steakhouse located on the second floor of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. This two-night, three-day package starts at $455.00 plus tax. Additional tickets are $53 (plus tax) per adult and $43.00 (plus tax) per child. Come and avail yourself for some great special offer.

While there, there is no better place than staying in either of two great hotels like the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel located at Branson Landing where they offer guests access to shops, boutiques, restaurants, a river walk and other attractions when you’re not enjoying the fun at Silver Dollar City. These two hotels are within easy driving distance of Branson’s championship golf courses, lakes, museums, theme parks and 49 live entertainment theaters., right in the heart of all the city. These hotels offer some wonderful packages for your family visit to Branson. What are you waiting for? Better check it out now and book this special package by clicking the “Hotel Specials” button on the Hilton Promenade or Hilton Convention websites.So, better check it out now!

Food Trip Friday: Baked Quail

Here is my share for this week...thanks for sharing you dinner, too!

If you eat quail eggs, then I am sure you would love this small bird, too! Hubby wanted something to eat for dinner when I wasn't in the mood of making one; he found this frozen quail in the freezer and baked it after it was thawed :-). This is very yummy!

Head on to Willa's Kitchen for more yummy entries :-) and drool!