First Signs of Spring

 Although technically, the vernal equinox won't be till March 20th, I can't help but be happy upon seeing these blooming buds - the first signs of spring. On a side note, we have planted two calamansi trees and one banana tree in...

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Snowman Cookies

The kids made Snowman Cookies to match our theme - Winter! Adorable, huh? And they taste good, too! What you need:  24 pieces sugar cookies1 tub buttercream frosting 48 pieces red Lifesaver gummiesred and brown m&m'sabout 2 cups...

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Chocolate Truffles

I decided to make chocolate truffles for give-aways this past Christmas. There's something about making the gifts that you give to people you love. I feel that it is more personal, and just thinking that somebody took the time (and effort)...

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Phở Bò (Beef Noodle Soup)

Pho is a nourishing soup that is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. There are many versions of it, each one adding a different condiment or ingredient to suit one's finicky palate. The version I made was Phở Bò, which literally translates...

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Chirp! Chirp!

   I found this bird nest in one of our trees in the backyard. As to what kind of bird built that nest - I have yet to find out. I have seen mockingbirds and cardinals on that tree before, though. From another angle   ...

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Creme Brulee

With blueberries on top! Last Christmas, I received a creme brulee set as a gift and I was ecstatic! It has been on my wish list for the longest time and I was glad to have finally gotten it. So naturally, after the festivities were over,...

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Spicy Prawns

This post is actually long-overdue. I cooked this before the recent oil spill, and I have not made any shrimp dish since. I already forgot about this dish, if not for the picture that was in the deep recesses of my folder (yeah, it's that...

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Ham and Cheese Bites

Here's a great way to use left-over bread - bring it up a notch! Now, I wouldn't recommend using stale bread on this, but just those extra few pieces of bread that nobody wants to finish.  This recipe is great as snacks for the kids,...

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Open-Faced Meat Sauce Sandwich

Who doesn't love a good meatball sandwich? Unfortunately, we had meat sauce instead of meat balls, so hubby decided to improvise. The result was a delicious open-faced sandwich, and it looked so yummy that I had to make one myself, too! So...

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Sister Schubert Hotdog Sandwich

   I cooked hotdogs a few days ago, hoping to make sandwiches, only to find out that we are out of hotdog buns. Or any kind of bread for that matter. A quick look in the freezer showed that we have frozen bread - dinner yeast rolls...

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Owned!

This cardinal totally owned the bird bell! He actually chased 2 little chickadees away from it! (Pardon the home-made bird perch...

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Lechon Paksiw

I made oven-roasted lechon a few days ago, and of course what would follow but ol' reliable lechon paksiw? Hubby loved it so much that he almost inhaled it.  Technically, paksiw is meat or fish cooked in vinegar and garlic. The addition...

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BBQ Beef and Bowtie Dinner

Have you ever seen old western movies where people would cook in their chuck wagons using their cast iron pots? That's exactly what came to mind when I saw this recipe from the Aug/Sept issue of Betty Crocker magazine. I don't know, it sounded...

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Product Review: Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares with Caramel Latte Filling

Thanks to the holiday season, we had a slew of sweets and other yummy goodies to fill our stash (think: bear getting ready for hibernation). Homemade, store-bought, self-made - you name it. But this by far is our favorite - the Ghirardelli...

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Calamansi Juice

I was feeling under the weather lately so I made myself a tall glass of calamansi juice. I know, I know... they already debunked the myth of Vitamin C helping you get over colds. But old habits die hard, right? Yes, those are calamansi....

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Happy New Year!

Sparkling juice (non-alcoholic) for us! Cheers to 2011! Here's to more health and happiness this coming year. P.S. New year - new blog template! Do you like it? "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;  old things...

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