Food Trip Friday: Mangoes

It's Friday once again...and here is my entry for this week's Food Trip Friday hosted by Willa.

I've been eating fruits lately and this is one I like best, MANGOES!

Sunday Stealing: The 6 Ws Meme

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Notbob at the blog Notbob's Bits. He states that he stole it at Milly's Big Fat Me blog. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Cheers to all us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The 6 Ws Meme



Who...
Is easy to love? ~~ Aside from myself...my family.
Do you just wanna smack? ~~ No one.
Do you trust? ~~ My husband... next to God.
Do you talk to when you're alone? ~~ The person on the other line.

What...
Dangerous things do you do while driving? ~~ Watch those crazy drivers.
Are you allergic to? ~~ Nothing.
Is Satan's last name? ~~ No idea.
Is the freakiest thing in your house? ~~ None!

When...
Is it time to turn over a new leaf? ~~ Right now!
Will you be all that you can be? ~~ I already am!
Is enough enough? ~~ Of what? Be specific.
Do you go to the dark side? ~~ Yup, when the sun goes down.

Where...
Are your pants? ~~ I am wearing one right now.
Is your last will and testament? ~~ We haven't done that yet.
Is your junk food stash? ~~ Yup, by hubby.
Is Carmen Sandiego? ~~ I don't know.

Why...
Was the Lone Ranger alone? ~~ You tell me...'cause I have no idea why.
Was The Scarlet Letter scarlet? ~~ I don't think so!
Are musicians sexy and plumbers not? ~~ Are they?
Are there no seat belts on school buses? ~~ Yeah, why? I need to ask my friend who is a school bus driver.

Would you...
Swim the English Channel for a doughnut and coffee? If not that, what? ~~ Maybe if it is a Chicory.
Forgive someone who deliberately hurt you? ~~ Yes, why not?
Rather believe a lie if it hurt you less than the truth? ~~ No!
You still be alive if you were sucked out of an airplane window? ~~ Maybe, if I am wearing a parachute.

Girl Rules: Birth Talk

Honestly, I never asked my parents what their reactions was when I was born. All I know is that, I was born preemie (2 months early) on the 18th of March. I was so tiny enough to fit into a shoe box. Yup, that small. I stayed at NICU for few months... because we were so poor, they couldn't pay the hospital bills. I got baptized at the hospital where nurses and doctors who took care of me became my godparents. One of my godfather was a doctor who wanted to adopt me that time, but my parents and grandparents, NO! My mother went to a postpartum stage; she couldn't really takes care of me, so my grandparents (her Parents) stepped up, paid the bills decided to take care of me. Basically, I lived with till I was seven years old. I was loved by my grandfather, and so I was spoiled then. Because I grew up with them, I didn't get the chance of knowing and living with my parents and siblings till I was about to start going to school. At the young age of seven, I already knew how to wash my own clothes.

Anyway, they (my parents) want me back...and so my grandfather who lives in Isabela dropped me off despite that it was against his will. I remember crying so hard when it was time for him to go back home... but he has no choice. The first few months living with my parents and siblings were difficult since my mother (I thought) hated me so much! I don't remember this but my mother told me that every time my father gets home from work in Manila that time, I always say to my siblings " your father is home again :-)...(yung Tatay nyo dumating na :-)!

That's all ladies....for more interesting entry, just click the badge above.

Food Trip Friday: Braised Beef

I have been craving for Chowking Braised Beef, that is why I search for a recipe and found this one. I couldn't upload the picture of the one I made last week, that is why I grab this one on google search. I will upload the picture when hubby is done fixing the problem. Here is my entry for this week. For more yummy foods, check Willa's Blog.

Ingredients:

4-5 tbsp clarified butter
10-12 pieces beef shortrib
1-2 onions chopped
3-4 small carrots chopped
1-2 sticks celery chopped
4-5 clove garlic chopped
1-3 tomatoes diced
2-3 cups red wine
1-2 cups stock or water
1-2 stems rosemary
3-4 stems thyme
3-4 stems parsley
3-4 stems basil
Salt and pepper

Procedure:
1. Heat large deep frying pan or pot add butter then sear (brown) the short ribs on all sides at high heat.
2. Reduce to medium heat and add each veggie as it is chopped, in the order listed, to the large pot and let them all saute till soft.
3. Add garlic and stir till you smell the garlic begin to cook, then add tomatoes.
4. Add wine and just enough water to cover all the meat and vegetables. Let wine get hot (just to the simmering point), then drop in all the herbs - not chopped!
5. Cover with a lid and place in 250 F oven for 2 hours. Then remove lid and keep in oven till meat is tender and falling off the bone.

Kitchen Renovated

As I mentioned before, we did many updates and renovation in our old house. The one part of the house that we totally renovated was our kitchen which we both love. Matt and I were both pleased with the outcome of our hard work. Yup, we did it ourselves from kitchen floor, painting to the cabinets installation. We spent like $5,000 because we didn't hire a professional to do it for us. Whereas, had we hired, we would have spent like $30,000

These are the photos before...

...and these are after the renovation.