My Kitchen Table

A More Useful and Convenient Refrigerator

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:30:00 +0000

When we upgraded our kitchen about two years ago, we were supposed to upgrade the kitchen appliances as well. But our plans were put on hold by the economic downturn. All our appliances are still working perfectly anyway, except that we wanted them in uniform stainless style to match the new look of the kitchen.

I've always wanted to replace our fridge with one of those Shallow Refrigerators with bottom drawer freezer which I find more fitting and convenient to use in my kitchen, than the side by side refrigerator we have right now. I always have difficulty getting into my freezer because the wall restricts the freezer door to open wide. Most of the times I prepare food in advance and freeze them in vacuum-sealed bags so I would have food anytime I wanted and especially that I can't always cook everyday. My freezer seems always crowded though since I can't get around it easily I just load bags of food whichever way I can. I sometimes buy food that I already have only because I couldn't dig them out of the freezer. The shallow refrigerator with bottom-freezer would be the perfect refrigerator for us. I saw different brands of bottom-freezer refrigerators at shop.com and hopefully early next year we can finally buy the refrigerator that will be a lot useful for us.

The Cookware That I Like to Have

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:19:00 +0000

To say that I love kitchen stuffs is an understatement, I'm crazy about them. When my aunt came over for a visit, I took her shopping in the mall but I ended up buying bagfuls of kitchen items instead. Oh and she came home with a photo frame. Now that the holiday season is almost here, I am drooling over a lot of items again in the kitchen section, I'm just trying to control myself from buying. Well I guess I just have to content myself by looking at different home websites online for now.

Like I saw this website of Wasserstrom restaurant supplies that are used by professional chefs. I'm a regular viewer of Food TV Network and I really admire the professional cookware that they use on the show just like the ones shown on Wasserstrom website. I've been wanting to have this enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven and French oven dish, but they're quite pricey. But of course the price goes with the high-quality cookware products and I'm sure they are very long lasting. I hope to get one of these someday.

Taking My Sweet Time

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:50:00 +0000

I'm taking my sweet time today because my son is staying in school for an extra hour. I packed him four little triangle sandwiches of ham and cheese; few pieces of grapes and some flavored water. He will eat lunch with his teachers and some classmates. It should be a lot of fun. I should have gone to Bed Bath and Beyond to get the stacking wire cubes that I needed to organize the closet in the study room, but instead I got stuck here browsing through a website with Grohe faucet. But I guess it would be better to stick around because I might get carried away when I see kitchen products again and not get to school on time to pick up my son. But the good thing is, while online I got the chance to read through my online course and also finished some online work. So this is a very productive three hours so far. But in less than an hour my energetic little tot will be all over me again, so I better type away to get more things done.

Cappuccino Crinkles

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:17:00 +0000

I bought this special edition magazine of Better Homes and Gardens that contains 100 best cookies recipes. I've been into baking mood lately and all the recipes here are very easy to make. And most importantly the ingredients some require, I already have in my pantry. So here's the first recipe I tried - Cappuccino Crinkles. My hb and I both love to drink tea and these cookies will make a perfect pair with my fave green tea or hb's black tea. We could forget about how to lose belly fat for now while we indulge in this soft and chewy cookie.

CAPPUCCINO CRINKLES

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals (instant coffee)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping side of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites and yogurt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
2. Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch bowl. Roll balls in a sugar to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

Yield - 32 cookies

KITCHEN TIP#10

Using egg whites instead of whole eggs will make these cookies extra light and tender.

High Quality Kitchen Products

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:04:00 +0000

In one of my previous posts I mentioned about browsing online already for my Christmas wish list. Whenever I make a list, jewelry and kitchen items are always on top of it if not the only two items in it. When I go to a mall shopping, even if I went there for another item in mind, I always gravitate towards the kitchen section and then stay there forever. I admire high quality kitchen products that will last long. I usually browse online and compare items so I know exactly what to ask my hb to buy me for Christmas.

I never had copper cookware before but I've seen quite a lot of them at my aunt's house. She even had these copper molds of different designs that hang on her wall. While browsing online I saw this ruffoni cookware that I found quite interesting. When I read through the website I found out that ruffoni copper cookware is an excellent heat conductor and cooks evenly. But they're quite expensive and require polishing, but still they are the choice of many professionals. I'm still on the lookout of high quality cookware that I want for Christmas and I will keep ruffoni in mind. I have yet to look for other kinds; compare the quality and prices before I decide on which one to buy.

Pumpkin Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:27:00 +0000

My bff and I created this tradition of gathering in my place for some trick or treating and dinner and we've been doing it for three years in a row now. We accompany the kids to go house to house for Trick or Treat and then come back to gather for dinner and other treats with our families and some other friends. This year I tried my hand on this Pumpkin Cake I saw in Kraft Foods website. It's my first time to make a cake with frosting and though it didn't turn out exactly as in the website's photo, it tasted great I thought. The sweet frosting complimented the chocolate cake mix that I used, very soft and creamy you might consume more than what you're allowed to eat if you are counting calories ;-). But you can always use the best fat burners afterward. Anyway, here's how you can make the Great Pumpkin Cake.

PUMPKIN CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg. (2-layer) cake mix, any flavor (I used chocolate)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Few drops each: green, red and yellow food coloring
1 Ice Cream cone (Comet cup)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare cake batter and bake in 12-cup fluted tube pan as directed on package. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan. Cool cake completely.
2. Meanwhile beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended after each addition. Remove 1/2 cup of the frosting; place in a small bowl. Add green food coloring; stir until well blended. Spread half of the green frosting onto outside of ice cream cone; set aside. Cover and reserve remaining green frosting for later use.
3. Add red and yellow food coloring to remaining white frosting to tint it orange. Spread onto cake to resemble pumpkin. Invert ice cream cone in hole in top of cake for the pumpkin's stem. Pipe the reserved green frosting in vertical lines down side of cake.

KITCHEN TIP#9

If you don't have piping bags like I do, just use a resealable plastic bag instead. Just spoon the frosting into the bag and seal. Cut off a tiny piece from one of the bottom corner of the bag. Twist the bag at the top to let air out. Hold the bag with one hand and guide the tip with the other.

Christmas Wish List

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Time flies so fast, Christmas is not very far away. The other day I was browsing online for Christmas presents for loved ones and friends already. I also have my own wish list and one of them is a pair of diamond earrings. I saw these earrings that I've long wanted to buy. I always love to have a pair of solitaire diamond earrings but lately since I'm into dangling earrings, a pair of dangling with diamonds isn't bad at all. I've been hinting it to my hb as early as now so he'd have more time to order them for me, lol. Anyway, I hope to buy all presents before the stores get crowded, otherwise I'll stick to the favorite way of shopping I know,,online of course.

Another Great Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:37:00 +0000

I thought my son would not have a nice Halloween night because of all days, he had to be sick on that day. But thank God we gave him medicine just in time plus the weather though windy was pretty warm so his Trick or Treating night turned out fabulous. Some of our friends came and joined us and we had dinner afterward. I was up till past 3am the previous night so I got really tired and fell asleep with my son when I read to him at bedtime. I planned to get up before midnight but couldn't so I missed going online to get free life insurance quotes that my aunt was asking me to do for her. Anyway, I'm looking forward to another great day today especially that I earned an extra hour of sleep. Yup today we adjusted our clock one hour back.

School Morning Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:46:00 +0000

When I took my son to school today, he was unusually clingy. He didn't want to walk from the car to his classroom. It was very chilly this morning so I thought that maybe he was just cold and wanted to be held. But when we got to the classroom, he asked me if I could stay with him too. Though the classroom desks were filled with interesting things about their Farm Theme, my son was just ignoring them. But I know there's one thing that he couldn't resist, the sand table. So I took him to the sand table and played with him for a minute or two. And when I saw that he was having fun already, I kissed him goodbye and he let me go without a problem. Well even pre-schoolers can have first-day-of-school morning blues too, but the sand table saved the day.

Help in Emergency Situations

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:36:00 +0000

Two years ago my father had a stroke while doing his daily morning walk. It's a blessing that some neighbors noticed him clasping his chest in pain and rushed him to a hospital. If not for the quick thinking of these neighbors, he would have suffered enormous damage to his brain. It's a good thing that he didn't suffer much and after only few therapy sessions you couldn't tell anymore that he had a stroke. My mother is doing a great job of monitoring my father's diet too. He had a total turn around from eating too fatty and too salty to low sodium and healthy dishes. But I still worry about not being around my parents at their old age. In emergency situations, I wish that a Lifeline AED would always come handy so my parents would still have protection even if my siblings and I are not around to help.

I Feel Light

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:42:00 +0000

Believe it or not, despite pigging out in my recent vacation in the Philippines, I didn't gain any weight at all. In fact when I weighed today, I was only 125 lbs! I was lighter than when I left, wow! Probably because I moved a lot and sweat a lot while on vacation. It was really hot when we arrived, and there were a lot of things I needed to accomplish, so I was on the go most of the times. Here in US even if I workout in the gym, I don't sweat as much as I did in the Philippines. I feel very light as if I finally used some weight loss pills that work. I wish I could maintain this weight though. The thing is it's very cold here again and cold makes me lazy to move again, lol.

Back to Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:54:00 +0000

As soon as I arrived from my two-month vacation, the first thing I did was to clean the fridge. I threw a lot of left-over food that have gone moldy, and I took out and washed all the shelves and drawers. Then I cleaned the kitchen counters and kitchen sink really well and also vacuumed and spot-cleaned the kitchen floors. I just couldn't function properly with a dirty kitchen, I really had to clean it before I retire from that 27 exhausting hours flight back home, call me OC but I guess I'm proud to say that I am, lol. We all went to bed at past 2am, I woke up at 11am while I let my two boys to get as much sleep as they can. I'm already missing my Nanay (mom) who always made life so easy for me. I practically lived like a single woman while on vacation. My Nanay was always there to take care of my son while I do my errands out. I practically did nothing while I was with Nanay, she took care of everything. Now that I'm back to reality, there's nobody to turn to but me.

In a Shopping Mood

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:04:00 +0000

It's good to be back home again, though I'm not thrilled at the chores waiting for me to get done. Just imagine how it is to come back to a house that has not been cleaned for two months. I haven't stopped cleaning since Wednesday night, I only grabbed a few winks here and there, then went back to my date with the vacuum cleaner and duster again. Anyway, I look forward to unpacking a luggage-full of native Christmas decors that I bought in Manila. They are export over-runs so I got them at very cheap price tag. So part of my holiday to-do-list has been taken care of, all I need to do is list down the holiday gifts that I need to get for loved ones and friends. Every year I planned to get gifts in advance to avoid the crowds in shopping malls, but unfortunately that seldom happens, so I hope this year I can really shop in advance. After all I'm still in a shopping mood since coming back from our vacation.

Keep Indoor Air Fresh

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:57:00 +0000

The weather is getting cooler again and it means our windows will remain shut for most days. I hate to not have fresh air circulate inside the house but I wouldn't like to get frozen by chilly air as well. So what I do is to make sure I replace our HAVC filters as often as necessary to keep air pollutants at bay. My hb is prone to allergies so I use HAVC filters that are effective in reducing pollen, dust, pet dander, and other fibers from our indoor air.

Fish Pond in the Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:37:00 +0000

We had lunch with my parents at Dencio's Grill in Tagaytay yesterday. That was our second time to dine there, the first time was two years ago. It was not only a great place to eat but it has a nice view of the famous Taal Volcano at the background as well. But since it has been raining the past days, it was colder in Tagaytay and a bit foggy so we didn't get a good look of the volcano. So my son contented himself to watching the gold fish at the other side of the resto instead. When it was time to leave, my son was still fascinated with the fish and wouldn't like to go with us. As young as my son is, he is already asking for a pet fish. I guess fish is a better alternative to having another dog to train. Another pet dog can wait when my son is old enough to care for one. My hb and I are now thinking of building fish ponds in our backyard to grant the wishes of our son. Hopefully we'll get pond pumps and other supplies in the pond supplies soon.

Few Vanities

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:19:00 +0000

It's been ages since I had my last facial treatment. I used to do a lot of facial regimen and must have tried the best wrinkle creams there are while I was here. But when I moved to US things changed. Facial treatment was one of the few vanities that I had and it felt wonderful to have it again a few days ago. It is quite expensive in US so I seldom do it. So to take advantage of the cheap price here, I might get another treatment before we leave for US.

Food Here Is Much Better

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:06:00 +0000

Since I arrived here in the Philippines for my two-month vacay, we've been treated to lunches and dinners by our good friends and some new friends. When Filipinos get together, it's always with sumptuous food involved. Here are the few restos that I remember going to - Recipes; Banana Leaf; Haiku; Persian Resto; Dencio's Grill; Mushroom Burger; Aussie Resto; Gerry's Grill; Almon Marina; Friday's; Tony Roma's; Italiani's; and a lot more. My hb has been complaining that since he's back to a three-meal-a-day routine again, his waistline is getting bigger again. Unlike when I left for this vacay ahead of him, he sort of regulated his food intake and only ate one full meal a day and few small snacks. When you're married to a Filipina you should expect to eat a lot,lol. Well, hb confessed that the food in restos here are far better than in US, and there are a lot of choices too. And I of course agreed to that big time!

Vacation With Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:20:00 +0000

My good friend with her whole family are thinking about visiting US again early next year to make use of their visas before they expire. They are going to visit their relatives in Chicago. My hb thought that we might join them in Chicago since we haven't really seen the best places of the state. When we went to Indiana two years ago we only made a side trip to Chicago and stayed there overnight. Not only would it be fun to visit the place again, but it would be even more fun to stroll with our good friends. We have another good friend in North Carolina and they might visit them too. So it would be a great idea that they take Gatlinburg vacations as well so they can cover a lot of places. But we won't join them in North Carolina and Gatlinburg anymore since we were only there few summers ago.

Don't Come Home with Bed Bugs

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:43:00 +0000

Before our little boy came, my hb and I loved to travel a lot even if it was not summer vacation. We could drive to New York in a spur of the moment when we felt like watching a Broadway show or to Canada when we wanted to take a breather from busy schedules. We stayed in different hotels from three stars to five stars. Everywhere we went we brought home different souvenirs but one thing we didn't like bringing home were bedbugs. Despite some hotels appearing to be spotless, bedbugs could be anywhere like under the bed or behind the furniture. I heard about how difficult it is to treat bedbugs and I know it costs thousands to get rid of them once your home get infested by it, not to mention the skin diseases you may get as well. So now that hb travels every three weeks as required by his new work, I won't allow bedbugs to get a chance to cling to his luggage and come home with him and infest our home.

I saw at NorthShoreCare.com these bed BugZip travel products that will help prevent bed bugs to attach to luggage while in hotels where bedbugs are commonly acquired from. BugZip Bed Bug Resistant Luggage and Clothing Encasement are designed to protect the luggage; clothing; and other personal belongings from bed bugs and critters as they are tightly zipped and durable and will prevent the bedbugs to cling to the luggage. BugZip come in different sizes and can safeguard large suitcases; carry-on luggage and garment bags from bed bugs. With the use of BugZip I can now have peace of mind that my hb won't bring home bedbugs from his trips. BugZip is definitely a great solution and safeguard to preventing bedbugs to come home with my hb's luggage and other belongings. Aside from BugZip Travel encasement, there are still other great bed bug products from North Shore Care that I'm also interested in like mattress encasement, bed bug monitors, PackTite Bed Bug Heater and more.

Browsing Through Old Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:16:00 +0000

My parents' 50th wedding anniversary is a few days away. I had to divulge the 'secret' plan to them since I was caught calling up some immediate relatives on the phone. They didn't want to have any big celebration at all, they wanted to be as practical as can be. But since this is a great milestone and not a lot of couples are fortunate enough to reach this far, my siblings and I wanted to have something memorable for our parents.

We're going to have a very small celebration with very close relatives and friends on the invite list, to respect my parents' wishes. My siblings and I contributed to make this happen and I'm very excited that all three of us are here to celebrate with our parents. It's very seldom that my brother and I can take time off and fly here at the same time.

Right now I'm very busy prepping our house for the occasion. I felt nostalgic seeing through the albums of our childhood while looking for my parents' old pictures. I even saw some of the pictures of our orlando vacations with my hb, that I've been looking for in a while. I thought I brought everything with me to the states. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing our friends and relatives this weekend. I don't know how long ago I've seen them last. And this will be their first time to see my little boy.

New Bathroom Fixtures

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:04:00 +0000

Every time I come back to my hometown to visit my parents, I find a lot of things that need to be repaired or replaced in my house. Like I had to replace the toilet bowl and sink in one bathroom and the Delta faucet in the master bathroom. They just have gone too hideous to keep. The deep-well water in the village causes permanent stain on the ceramics and faucet fixtures and nothing seems to work to remove them, even the most powerful bathroom cleaner I've seen in the store. Now everything is looking great and presentable again.

What Salt Can Do To Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:01:00 +0000

I have been eating home-cooked meals since I arrived here in the Philippines. Though I'm pigging out a lot, I'm also sharing in my dad's low-sodium food, so I guess it's not too bad. I thought it would not be fun to eat somewhat tasteless food, but it just a matter of getting used to the taste.

I read that salt can be damaging to our health and has been linked to many illnesses, including cancer, asthma, Alzheimer's, PMS, stroke, and cardiovascular disease to name a few. So if you want to be healthy, you should cut down on salt intake. Salt is very dehydrating to our bodies. When excess salt enters our bloodstream, the body is forced to store it between cells until our kidneys can deal with it. While it is there it causes a burning effect on the tissue. The tissue cells protect itself by releasing water to dilute the salt. When cells lose water they lose elasticity and shrink. This causes an imbalance as a result of the low of potassium. Having low potassium results in more salt penetrating the cell walls and when sodium levels rise, waters enters to dilute it. This causes the cell to become swollen and this continuous disruption to the cell's fluid balance in time calcifies and destroys the muscles, valves and arteries of the entire coronary system.

Completely cut out table/sea salt if you want to be healthy and lose weight. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and greens and this will help you completely eradicate salty cravings and also help you enjoy the finer things in life - fresh whole ripe natural foods.

(Source - ezinearticles.com)

A Memorable Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:30:00 +0000

One of the most memorable milestones in my life was when I got married. My fiance then was overseas while I planned all the details of a perfect wedding, from wedding invitations to list of menu in the reception. He flew in a week before the wedding while his family arrived just in time for the Despedida de Soltera. My brother and his family also took time off from their busy schedules and flew in to join us. It was a very exciting experience and my sentimental touch was written all over the event. Both our families and close friends were part of the nuptial celebration and also had participation during the reception. It was very intimate. I just enjoy putting together any event, and my wedding was the best one I've done, if I have to say so myself ;-).

Benefits of Vegan Diet to Women

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:21:00 +0000

I read of some people converting to vegetarian lifestyle for different reasons. For women who are going through menopausal stage, perhaps considering the vegan diet would be helpful. A diet full of phytoestrogens in soy foods, beans, and flaxseed helps reduce hot flashes and lowers the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. It has been shown also in a lot of studies that women who eat lots of fruits and vegetables have a 54% lower risk of stroke than women who do not. And research also has shown that vegan diets with no animal products at all, including milk and eggs, help postmenopausal women lose weight and improve their sensitivity to insulin, which is important for preventing diabetes.

But vegetarians who eat no meat or dairy products need to be certain they get enough vitamin B12, calcium, and iron in their diets. Most breakfast cereals are fortified with adequate amounts of B12, and iron, and soy milk and many brands of orange juice are fortified with calcium. (Source - RD Food Cures)

My Ideal Cruise Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Mira) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:18:00 +0000

One of the things that drew my hb and I to each other was our love for adventure. We love to spend at least three weeks every summer visiting new places; embracing new cultures and savoring new cuisine. It has always been our dream to go on Caribbean cruise and see the rain forests of Dominica; experience the crystal waters of St. Thomas; immerse in the seaside villages of Barbados; and enjoy the white beaches of Aruba.

A Caribbean cruise is my ideal family getaway as I learned that there are many fun activities in store for every member of the family to enjoy. It is always a challenge to travel with a little toddler and its good to know that there is a Camp Carnival on board where little kids can have their space and enjoy activities like board games; outdoor fun; reading and story time; finger painting; and many more. And another great thing is, they offer great babysitting services on certain hours every night as well, which means hb and I can have some romantic time to ourselves. Of course, we can splash together as a family at the Carnival WaterWorks or enjoy a family movie at the seaside theater.

This is one ideal Caribbean escapade that has always been in the works, and hopefully will push through before the summer is over.