The Peach Kitchen

Egg in a Nest

2009-11-14T09:26:00.005+08:00

Egg in a nest is basically egg fried in a hole in the middle of a sliced bread. But this breakfast treat is also known as Egg in a hole, egg in a basket, toad in a hole, moon egg and one-eyed jack.

This is very easy to make and would make for a nice breakfast. You can also make your egg in a nest more special by adding chopped bacon and grated cheese on top.

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 sliced bread
1 tbsp butter
pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

Using a small cookie cutter or the mouth of a glass. Cut a hole in the middle of the bread.
Melt butter in a non-stick pan.
As soon as butter is melted, place bread in the pan and grill for a few seconds.Flip it and grill the other side.
Break egg in the center of the bread, season with salt and pepper and let it cook.
You can flip the bread over if you want or you can just wait until the egg is done, it depends on how you want your eggs cooked.
Pan grill the round piece of bread you got from the hole and serve it with your egg in a nest.

an entry for .

Real Property Management

2009-11-14T09:06:00.000+08:00

Sometimes if we own a property, we tend to just let it sit there and grow weeds. We know that we can have it leased or rented out but we want to avoid dealing with renting problems. They are very stressful, I tell you.

Real Property Management is the best choice if you have a property that you want to put on the market. Why? Because they take care of everything, and by everything I mean every single thing. An example is if you have a property that you want rented, what they will do is they will help you find tenants quickly, they will collect the rent, they will inspect the property three times a year to make sure that the tenants are taking good care of it and if necessary, they will cover the cost of any eviction.

That is a very sweet deal.

Calamansi Marmalade/ Calamondin Marmalade

2009-11-13T00:05:00.000+08:00

Calamansi is Philippine lemon and is commonly used for cooking.It is known in the west as acid orange, calamondin orange, or Panama orange.

Marmalade is a fruit preserve, made of orange or other citrus fruit, sugar, and water. Recipes include some amount of peel and zest, which imparts a sharp, bitter taste from the bitter citrus oil.(Source: Wikipedia)
Whats usually made into marmalade are Seville oranges which are higher in pectin than other oranges. Pectin are acid molecules which serves as thickener and forms a thick gel when combined with sugar.

Calamansi has a very good amount of pectin so it is perfect for marmalade. I also find Calamansi's flavor fantastic. I'd choose an ice cold Calamansi Juice over Orange Juice anytime. I've heard a lot about a good calamansi marmalade sold somewhere in Quezon City but I don't know where to get it so I thought of making one myself.

Ingredients:
300 grams of Calamansi
2 ½ cup Sugar
3 cups water

Directions:

Wash the calamansi very well because you will be including the peel in making the marmalade.
Remove the stem ends and squeeze the juice through a strainer so as not to include any seeds. Your marmalade would become very bitter if you included the seeds.
Slice the skins thinly.Pour in water and bring it to a boil.
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Let it cool to room temperature and place in the fridge overnight to extract maximum pectin.
Take the cold calamansi soup out of the fridge and add sugar.
Boil the mixture in medium high heat until it reaches 220°F in a thermometer [setting point]. If you don't have a thermometer, like me, [which reminds me, I have to get one] just boil/simmer it for 20 minutes.
Skim the scum on top and put in sterilized jars.
Set in the kitchen counter until it settles.

This measurement yielded two and a half small bottles of great tasting marmalade. Do not attempt to make this if you don't like the sweet-bitter-sour flavor of Calamansi but I recommend this highly if you do. This is magnificent tasting Calamansi marmalade. I'm not saying this because I made it, I'm saying it because this is such a great recipe. I'm amazed with the results. So perfect on buttered toast...

an entry for and. Have a great weekend!

Predictive DNA Testing

2009-11-13T00:03:00.000+08:00

We usually see DNA Testing being done on tv or movies to identify a suspect but did you know that DNA testing is not limited to genetic profiling? Personal DNA Testing can be used to help individuals reduce and minimize their risk of developing certain diseases. This is called predictive DNA testing and this is done to help individuals learn more about their health and heritage and detect diseases and pathogens at the earliest possible stages and therefore save lives.

CyGene Laboratories specializes in predictive DNA testing and what's good about it is that ou don't need to leave your comfort zone to get a DNA testing that is accurate, safe and affordable.The tests conducted can be done at the privacy and comfort of your own home and you can guarantee that it is confidential.

Over the Top Award

2009-11-11T19:48:00.004+08:00

Over The Top Blog Award: According to the rules of the award, I must provide my readers the answers to the below 35 questions in ONE WORD I also must THANK my award giver: my new friend from A cupcake or two for this fun award AND grant 6 of my FAVORITE BLOGGERS this award. Then, give them the heads-up that they have been nominated by yours truly..

Where is your cell phone? Drawer

Your hair? Black

Your mother? [The] Cook
Your father? [The] Taster
Your favorite food? Burger
Your dream last night? can't remember
Your favorite drink? Yogurt Shake
Your dream/goal? Rich
What room are you in? Cafe
Your hobby? Blogging
Your fear? Drowning
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Own House

Where were you last night? Bed

Something that you aren’t? Unhappy
Muffins? Blueberry
Wish list item? Sketchers Shape-Ups
Where did you grow up? Philippines
Last thing you did? make coffee
What are you wearing? shorts
Your TV? oldschool
Your pets? dead
Friends? love♥
Your life? Rollercoaster
Your mood? Tired
Missing someone? Nope
Vehicle? None
Something you’re not wearing? Heels
Your favorite store? Gourdo's
Your favorite color? Purple
When was the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? monday
Your best friend? DJ
One place that I go to over and over? moviehouse
One person who emails me regularly? tita becka

Favorite place to eat? Tender Bob's

I'll pass this on to everyone I know because I love every blog I visit. Thinking of 6 will take some time.

British Airways World Sale

2009-11-11T17:49:00.002+08:00

No season is more perfect for travel than this season, specially now that it will soon be the Holidays. This is the time to see distant family, relatives and friends. Just in time for the upcoming holidays, British Airways is having a WORLD SALE. This gives travelers a wonderful opportunity to travel to a variety of exciting destinations like London/ Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. Prices range from $229* for flights and $659** for flights+ hotel packages. Hmmnn, I could visit my aunt in London.

You can also get the "Upgraded" experience that BA offers which includes:
• 200+ On-Demand Entertainment Options
• Complimentary food and cocktails on all flights
• World Class service
• Comfortable in-flight experience: Ergonomically designed seat, complete with lumbar support, adjustable headrest and recline. We also provide you with blankets, cushions, eyeshades and flight socks to make your journey a more comfortable one.
• Convenient and relaxing lounges at Terminal 5
• Destination guides to help you plan the best holiday experience.
• MetroTwin, an online community that ‘twins’ London and New York and provides recommendations of the best places in both cities. Designed to be useful for time-starved, novelty-seeking metropolitans living in or traveling between the two cities.

Just book on or before November 19, 2009 to avail of this great world sale.
*Each way based on round-trip from New York to London. **Round-trip New York to London, double occupancy and 3-night stay. Government taxes and fees extra for both. Terms and conditions apply

Sinigang na Bangus sa Bayabas/Milkfish in Guava Soup

2009-11-10T22:12:00.002+08:00

Some people don't like this dish. Some says it smells like armpit, some says it smells like bad B.O. But very few thinks that way. Most of us love 'em because of the fragrant soup which, I think, alleviates tiredness.

The first time I cooked this was traumatic. I was 12 years old. I was assigned to cook because my mom goes to the local market every morning to sell meat.My mom and dad were meat vendors at the local wet market back then. They gave me instruction on how to cook the dish and told me that the fish was in the freezer. I did everything they told me to do and my Sinigang looked perfect except that when my dad took a spoonful of the soup it turned out to be very bitter......very very bitter. How was I to know that I was supposed to clean the fish before cooking it? Of course, I didn't. They didn't tell me to. The gallbladder was the culprit. Anyways, to avoid wasting food, my father still ate all the fish and vegetables....and we lived happily ever after..heehee. But you'll never hear the end of that story.

Ingredients:
400g Ripe native guavas
1 medium size Milkfish, cleaned and sliced diagonally
2 pieces finger chili (siling haba)
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
bunch of kangkong leaves or kamote tops [sweet potato leaves]

8 cups of water

Directions:

Wash guavas and cut into quarters.
Boil in water.Simmer for a few minutes until soft then mash it to flavor the water.
Pour in fish sauce and sugar. Stir.
Add fish slices and simmer for a few minutes until fish is cooked.
Add the finger chili and kangkong leaves/ kamote tops. You can also add other vegetables if you like.
Simmer for a few minutes until kangkong leaves are wilted.
Serve with steamed rice.

Torrents Download

2009-11-09T23:50:00.000+08:00

I just watched Orphan from the shop server and it scared the hell out of me. The movie is a torrents download. I've been using torrents download eversince I discovered I can download everything from it, specially movies. I love movies!But download is not limited to movies only, you can also download games, music, recipes and e-books for free in to time without the fear of downloading an empty and incomplete file.

Queen Torrents is very easy to use because it has a very simple interface and since it is updated regularly, it has a huge file base making it a very powerful search engine.I'm currently downloading Julie and Julia and I'm very excited to watch it tomorrow. Wasn't able to catch it in cinemas.

Good Night.

Instant Snacks

2009-11-09T21:07:00.001+08:00

This is the first instant Mac & Cheese and Baked Mac in our market. I wanted to see if it tastes good so I bought a pack of each. I'll try one of them tomorrow.

This is my entry for and .

Little Herb Garden

2009-11-08T23:21:00.001+08:00

I didn't know I'm going to dig my hands into gardening until I started cooking. I don't really like flowers. Well, I do, but I don't like growing them. I like them grown and put into a pretty vase. But when I started cooking, I know I'd like some fresh herbs for whatever it is I'm cooking. Problem is, these fresh herbs are not available in palengkes or local wet market. And sometimes, at the grocery too. So I thought, why not grow my own herbs?

So I bought four kinds of herbs to start my little garden. I got Sweet Basil, Dill, Italian Oregano and Rosemary. I already transferred them to their new homes and I think they like their new home. I even think they're beginning to like me...

an entry for and .
Happy Start of the week!

Popiah/Chinese Lumpia

2009-11-07T18:22:00.001+08:00

Sis and I went to Ongpin [Chinatown] two days ago. After doing a little food shopping, we indulged ourselves in no less than Chinese Lumpia [Chinese Spring Roll] or what is better known as Popiah.

This is the first time we bought from a little hole-in-the-wall called New Po Heng Lumpia House. Our mouths watered when we saw fresh lumpia being prepared through the glass window.

Popiah is fresh spring roll made up of stir-fried grated jicama, grated carrots, bean sprouts, lettuce leaves, tofu,ground pork and chopped peanuts. It is made special with the addition of shredded seaweeds. Then, it is wrapped in a special thin, crepe-like wrapper topped with a sweet brown sauce.

Here, the stir-fried vegetables are added before rolling it up.

Final verdict? We found it to be too dry. The wrapper should be thin and soft, theirs are a little thicker and chewier like it was a couple of days old. Our cravings for Lumpia were not satisfied so we went someplace else. A place where Chinese Lumpia is a specialty..... The New Eastern Garden Restaurant.

Beef Tapa

2009-11-05T11:41:00.004+08:00

Who wouldn't want to wake up to this? Black coffee, scrambled eggs and beef tapa with grilled tomato on the side. I'm sure your mornings, just like mine, would be perfect.

Tapa is dried or cured beef or venison. [Although, I have yet to try venison]. This is thinly sliced meat cured with sugar,salt and spices to preserve it. It is often served with fried egg, garlic rice and pickled papaya.
Today, there are lots of available marinades in the grocery. You just have to add water and its done, of course nothing beats traditional marinades.

I marinated the beef two days ago and kept it in the freezer. This is one of those recipes you can prepare when you have time and then keep in the freezer for days when you are too busy to cook something.Just pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw for a while. Fry it in a few minutes and you'll have a good homecooked meal in no time. The longer you keep it in the freezer, the tastier it would become.

Ingredients:
750g beef sirloin, sliced and cut into strips
4 tbsp sugar
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
oil for frying

♥ for the grilled tomato:
1 tomato, halved
salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Make sure marinade reaches all beef strips.
If your going to cook it the same day, let it sit for at least two hours in the refrigerator before frying.
Heat oil in a pan.Cook beef until it's done.
Rub some salt on the halved tomato and grill it in a pan.
Best served with garlic rice.

an entry for and. Have a great weekend!

You Gotta See This Video Contest

2009-11-04T21:03:00.001+08:00

Do you have a video showing how people enjoy themselves at home,work or vacation? You know, just simply going to the gym, having karaoke night or swimming. Then you have a good chance of winning cash and prizes at the “You Gotta See This” iLASIK Video Contest . This video contest was launched recently by Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), a global leader in laser vision correction.

They want to know, show and let people be aware of how better vision could improve and has improved people's lives.It's very easy to join. First, you have to submit a video that qualifies in any of the three categories namely:

• “My contacts are getting in the way of my good time”
• “My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision”
• “You should see life after the iLASIK® Procedure”

Once you have submitted your video, you can ask friends to vote for you because the number of votes is one of the key factor in determining the winner. There will be three winning videos for the first and second prize and one grand prize winner. The Grand prize winner will win $5,000.It will selected from all submitted videos.
The First prize winners will win an HDTV package (a $2,500 value). One video will be chosen per category. The Second prize winners will win the Flip UltraHD camcorder (a $199.99 value). One video also be chosen per category.

This contest is still open for more entries. What are you waiting for?

Roasted Pig's Head/ Lechong Ulo ng Baboy

2009-11-02T15:16:00.001+08:00

Nope, this is not a Halloween dish.

Before you cringe, say "eeeewww" or be grossed out, I want you to know that Lechon [Spit-Roasted Pig](click to see) is a must-have of any important occasion here in the Philippines. The one in the picture is not even a whole pig or a whole head for that matter but half...on a platter.No-offense to the vegetarians out there.

When perfectly roasted on live charcoal, this roasted pig's head has an oh-so-crispy skin so perfect to dip in liver sauce.

And why do we have this special treat today ? It's my Dad's 69th Birthday. I wasn't able to take his picture today before he left to go to the cockpit. Yes, its his thing.....he loves watching cockfights.

Happy Birthday Tatay!

If you don't have the means to slow-roast this on live charcoal, you can also roast this in an oven or a turbo broiler. Anyway,here's the recipe if you wanna enjoy this dish....

Ingredients:
Half Pig's head
water for boiling
salt and pepper
1 cup soy sauce
juice of 7 calamansi
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sugar [optional]

Directions:

Use a large pot that could accomodate the pig's head. Fill it up with water enough to submerge the whole head.
Put 1 tsp or salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer pig's head for at least 30 minutes.
Combine soy sauce, calamansi juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add sugar, if you want it a little sweet.
Marinate pig's head in this mixture for four hours.
Slow-roast in live charcoal or oven until skin is crispy. Baste with marinade from time to time.
You can also skip the boiling part and just marinate it in soy sauce mixture but roasting will take some time.

Learning about Wines

2009-11-01T19:50:00.000+08:00

I don't drink at all. Not beer, not whiskey.....not even wine. But when I started on these cooking adventures, I know I will have to learn about wine soon and I'm really open to that. A great wine would only compliment an equally great meal. My family doesn't use wine in cooking so I've never tried a dish which has wine in the recipe. I don't know how a dish with wine taste like and I want to explore these recipes.Who knows? I may or may not like them.

I found a great chicken recipe which calls for dry white wine. So, I visited some online wine clubs to read some information about white wines. I guess its better to buy wine online mainly because they offer more information about their wines plus a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with their product. And since they spend less with marketing, you know that what you get are good quality wine for less.

I am a newbie on this wine thing. Once I get my hand on a good white wine, I know I will be taking a gulp or two just to see what it taste like...heehee

Dirt Cake

2009-10-31T15:37:00.001+08:00

Nope, I didn't just start gardening. This is where I used the chocolate pudding I made yesterday. Good ol' Dirt Cake ..... just in time for Halloween! This is a great conversation piece on your food table ,I tell ya..

I was planning to make this in little pots for single serving but I wasn't able to find a pot to my liking. They are either too small or too big ...or too dirty! I was shopping for pots at a plant/garden store, after all. Well, If you don't want to make this in pots, I suggest a wheelbarrow, a garden trowel, or a kid's pail and shovel set.

I know the cake-thing on the name of this recipe is intimidating but this is really a no-bake recipe and is fairly easy to do. 30- 45 minutes tops. Other versions of this may take longer to do because of the addition of other ingredients such as cream cheese and butter to enhance the flavor.

Ready to eat dirt? Then here's the recipe...

Ingredients:
gummy worms
oreo cookies, crushed
chocolate pudding
whipped cream [optional]

♥ you can also use other items like: candy rocks and artificial flowers to emphasize the garden effect.

Directions:

If you are using a flower pot, make sure it is washed and dried. Put aluminum foil on the inner part of the pot so your cake won't leak out of the little drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
Oreo cookies can be crushed using food processor or can be manually crushed using mortar and pestle.
In a bowl, mix pudding and whipped topping.
It's good to start with oreo and end with the oreo. Layer it in the pot. Oreo- Pudding-Oreo.
Repeat layers and chill until ready to serve.
Add gummy worms before serving.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Chocolate Pudding

2009-10-30T14:46:00.006+08:00

What I know about chocolate pudding before is that it comes in a box. Just add hot water and Voila! you can enjoy a nice chocolate pudding for dessert. If you want an easier way to have your chocolate pudding, you can buy a packed choco pudding at the grocery.Just open the tab and you can dig in.

I just had to discover how I can make a chocolate pudding of my own....from scratch. Why? I'm going to use it for something I will be making later and I need lots of it. Buying ready-made ones is too expensive and the ones in the box just won't do it for me right now.

Ingredients:
¼ cup + 1 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup sugar
2 cups milk
a pinch of salt
2 cups of semi-sweet choco chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine cornstarch, sugar and salt on top of a double broiler.
Slowly whisk in milk until dry ingredients are dissolved and place on top of the simmering water.
Stir occassionally to prevent lumps.
After the mixture has boiled and thicken, add the chocolate chips.
Continue stirring until the chocolate chips are dissolved and pudding is smooth and thick.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Can you guess where I'm going to use this? Come back tomorrow and you'll see.....

an entry for and. Have a great weekend!

Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary

2009-10-27T13:32:00.002+08:00

I have this thing with roasted chickens. I find it very suitable for family sunday night dinners or romantic dinners.I don't know why but it somehow evokes a feeling of bonding but not today. I cooked this for lunch. My mom doesn't like roasted chickens --err--maybe she just doesn't like MY roasted chicken..heehee.

It would be very romantic to pair this with wine..only my peanutbutter♥'s at work and I would be cooking this for his dinner later. This recipe is very easy but the combination of the ingredients gives the chicken a lot of flavor. Its nice to combine some vegetables and let it roast with the chicken but I prefer to cook the veggies separately.

Ingredients:

4 pieces of quartered chicken
5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
6 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp dried rosemary [♥ I gotta start my herb garden, fresh herbs taste so much better!]
Salt and pepper

♥buttered veggies:

baby potatoes
beans
2 tbsp butter
salt and garlic powder

♥gravy:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 beef cubes
3 cups water
salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine rosemary, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest in a large ovenproof dish. Place the chicken in this dish and turn to coat by mixture.
Cover and let it sit in the fridge. You can let it sit for 2 hours before cooking but the longer the better so I let my chicken soak in the mixture overnight.
Roast chicken in an oven at 250ºC for 20 minutes. Then reduce temperature to 190ºC. This will make the skin crispy.
Baste chicken with drippings from time to time.
Continue baking until chicken is golden brown.
For the buttered veggies: wash the baby potatoes and cut it in half. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove ends of string beans. Melt butter in a nonstick pan and toss the potatoes and the string beans until beans are cooked.Sprinkle some salt and garlic powder.
For the gravy: heat butter in a pan with the garlic.Let garlic infuse butter with flavor. Make roux, by adding flour and continue stirring until roux is golden brown in color. Add beef cubes and continue stirring.Pour in water and bring it to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve roasted chicken with buttered vegetables and gravy.

an entry for [potato] and .

Salad-O'-Lantern

2009-10-24T13:43:00.005+08:00

If you are planning a party for the kids this coming Halloween, this is a great way to sneak in fruits on the menu.What I did was put the Fresh Fruit Salad with Ginger-Lime Syrup I made yesterday into these little jack-o-lantern oranges!

You will need:
Oranges
colorful spoons
My fruit salad.....or any fruit salad that you want...heehee

Directions:

To make the lantern,use a small knife to cut the top of the orange. Cut around its interior and scoop out the orange segments. You can either chop it up and mix it with the salad or do other things with it.[ I used mine to make fresh orange juice for ykaie]
Carve the facial feature of your lantern and put a slit on the top part for the spoon.
Scoop salad into the oranges, insert the plastic spoon and slid in the lid.

Well, what do you think? I think the orange on the left is smiling at you...hee

Missed a lot of your favorite shows?

2009-10-24T13:13:00.000+08:00

Missed a lot of shows lately?? Working moms, like me, sometimes miss a lot of favorite TV shows because we are too busy with work and the kids. Well, who has the time to wait for their favorite TV shows when our family needs us? But do you know that when you have Charter Digital, you also have free access to On Demand??

On Demand lets you watch your favorite TV shows anytime you want it. They are available the day after they are aired on TV for free. Whether you missed Heroes, 30 Rock or The Office, it doesn't matter because you can still watch it and more. There are over 6,000 movies and shows available at your fingertips.

Sometimes kids are having tantrums and wants to watch their favorite TV shows like Dora the Explorer or Spongebob Squarepants. They don't really understand that these shows gets aired on a schedule. On Demand will help increase your bonding time with your kids because you can watch their favorite shows with them.

Too busy to catch a movie? No worries, because there is no hassle of waiting for the DVD at the mall. You can watch it right on On Demand.

Curious? learn more at charter.net/ondemand.You can also get updates and fun extras on Charter’s Facebook page.

Fruit Salad with Ginger-Lime Syrup

2009-10-23T17:35:00.000+08:00

This is the perfect dessert for those days where in you're craving for something light. Or those days that you want dessert but your pants-are-going-to-burst-if-you-eat-some-more. Fruits. Fruits and more fruits. Eating fruits sometimes gets boring, though, so you have to spice it up a little. The ginger-lime syrup does the trick. It is very refreshing and not too sweet, it also enhances the flavor of the different kinds of fruits in the salad.

When I saw this recipe from Coconut & Lime, I immediately wanted to make it but it got stuck on that pile of "Recipes I Wanted To Try". Until today, I am craving for a fruit salad but I don't want to eat the usual Filipino Fruit salad with lots of cream and condensed milk. I wanted something that I could also snack on and wouldn't feel heavy on the tongue.

Ingredients:
♥ for the salad:
1 ripe mango, cubed
½ small melon, cubed
1 cup pineapple [canned or fresh]
1½ cup grapes
2 kiwi, cubed

♥ for the ginger-lime syrup:

½ cup water
½ cup sugar
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 inch ginger, sliced

Directions:

♥ ginger- lime syrup:Combine all the ingredients in a small pot and heat to a boil. Simmer for around 20 minutes until syrup gets a little bit thick. Strain pieces of ginger and lime zest.
Combine all the salad ingredient.
Pour Ginger-lime syrup and toss
Chill before serving.

an entry for and. Have a great weekend!

Infant Formula: Expensive Brand Vs. Store Brand

2009-10-23T17:32:00.002+08:00

Although there are a lot of infant formulas in the market today Breast Milk is and will always be the best for babies.Both the medical and scientific communities will agree that although companies say that their products gives the same nutrition as breast milk, none do. Breast milk is still the gold standard in nutrition being recognized by the The American Academy of Pediatrics.

To encourage mothers to breastfeed, WIC launched a new initiative that reallocates the funding for all currently provided foods, baby foods, juices, fruits, vegetables and infant formula. This was effective as of October 1, 2009 and it means a reduction of up to 20 percent in infant formula subsidies. Parents will now have to purchase some of the infant formula which WIC paid for in the past.

If parents are buying branded formula from big pharmaceutical companies then they in for a very expensive change. According to Dr.Barbara Levine of Weill Cornell Medical College, "Buying a heavily marketed, expensive, brand-name infant formula from a big pharmaceutical company does not get your baby any closer to human breast milk than a store brand formula".

If this is the case, then parents have to be wiser in choosing their infant formula. All formulas are regulated by FDA and nutritionally equivalent whether its store brand or expensive brand. They can save hundreds of dollars annually just by choosing to buy store brand formulas. The money they can save can be used for other things that their babies or families need.

Binatog

2009-10-22T22:11:00.000+08:00

Warm Binatog (P5/$0.10)

Binatog is boiled corn kernels sprinkled with salt and grated coconut on top. This is one of the popular meriendas [afternoon snack] sold on the street. I don't put salt on my binatog, though. I prefer sugar.
Sugar makes everything better.*grins*

This is a very humble snack,sold by a vendor pushing a cart with two pails and clanking a metal which serves as a bell. The bigger pail contains the boiled kernels...

and the small pail contains the grated coconut.

Binatog, anyone?

Castañas/ Roasted Chestnuts

2009-10-21T17:17:00.000+08:00

Another sign that Christmas is soon to come, Roasted Chestnuts can be seen from supermarket to the local wet market to sidewalk vendors. I'm not that fond of Roasted Chestnuts but this is my dad's and one of peanutbutter♥'s fave Christmas food.

When I saw freshly roasted warm chestnuts on the sidewalks of Divisoria last Sunday, I thought of the only two people who loves chestnuts in my family and bought half a kilo for them. peanutbutter♥'s share is still in a container,though. I think he has forgotten all about them.The change in his work schedule is stressing him out a little.

These chestnuts are roasted while churning continuously with rounded little black things. I think they're special kind of stones.

Have you bought your first roasted chestnuts of the season?

Caramel Apples

2009-10-19T23:01:00.003+08:00

There is no doubt it's apple season. Apples are everywhere and they are for sale for a really low price. And when it's apple season you know it's Caramel Apple Season too!

I got these seven teensy apples for P50 ($1.06) from Divisoria yesterday .Ooops...I think I missed the bruise on that green apple or maybe I did that bruising but I was too busy shopping to notice.

I wanted to make caramel apples for a really long time now but I was looking for something other than melting those yummy Kraft Caramel Squares and dipping crunchy apples into them. I guess, I wanted something that doesn't sound easy..hahaha. Who am I kidding? I'll be the first one to back out of a recipe if I find it too hard or meticulous. Reason? I don't have the time. I just really really love cooking and blogging that I try to find even a small quantity of time to squeeze in these things in between taking care of my daughter and watching the internet café.

I stumbled upon this recipe from 101 Cookbooks and I thought, why not give it a try?

Ingredients:

7 crunchy apples
1 c heavy cream
½ tsp sea salt
1 c honey
lollipop sticks or wooden sticks or whatever stick you like
candy thermometer

Directions:

Since I don't have wax paper, I used foil to line up a tray.
Push lollipop sticks or wooden sticks into the core of the apple.
Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
In a small pot, heat heavy cream and salt until tiny bubbles start forming, just before the simmer.
Stir in the honey.
Bring mixture into a boil.
Reduce heat into simmer and cook while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 20-30 minutes Or until mixture reaches 255-260°F
To stop cooking of caramel, immerse bottom of pan into ice water mixture and let it cool a bit.
Stir until caramel thickens then dip the apple in the caramel until it's coated.
Now, you want your caramel to be thin enough so it can coat your apple but not runny and thick enough to stay where they coat the apple.
Now place each coated apple onto the foil to let it cool and set.

an entry for .