oh bento!

Because of my uncooperative digicam that ran out of battery and me running late for work I only have limited shots of our lunchbox. This was what I packed that went with us last Wednesday, November 7.




Rice (topmost)

I cooked an extra the previous night and the morning bahaw (leftover rice) was just modestly topped with the almost empty purikake that’s been sitting on my cupboard.

Burger patties (bottom left)

It was just an encore of yesterday. I merely changed the shape this time. Cheese was still stuffed at the middle. Hubby requested for this because he claimed that he so loved the meatballs from yesterday *weee*. I spread some mayonnaise to break the dark color and it also tasted well with the patties.

Eggplant omelet (bottom middle)

I softened the eggplant buy passing it over through the fire until I can peel off the skin. This is a shortcut. I know I should have grilled the eggplant first like how my mama does it. Pour 1 beaten egg flatten and stuff a little bit of meat mixture (still the parent of meatballs and patties) before folding the sides, dash with salt, pepper and parmesan and fry. Because I was lazy, the egg burned so fast, the eggplant took its time to cook and meat inside cooked slower. Maybe I will try to bake it next time.

Vegetable appetizer

I cut a few piece from the broccoli head, carved some carrots (what was left from carving I placed in the ref) pinched some salt, pepper and parmesan with half a tsp. of butter and shove it inside a microwave. That’s it!

I cut some slack I know. Maybe the next bento will be better.

oh bento! ang pagbabalik

For few days now I have been spending more time in my kitchen than I usually do. And all we were having for dinner are home cooked meals! Some would be spilled for bento the following day although some were also made fresh. I wasn’t thinking of blogging our lunchboxes that’s why I don’t have all their pictures. But I realize that someday when my brain shunts to a different direction I can just do an encore of my husband’s obento. And always the better way to keep files tidy is to dump most of it online. Heehee!

Tuesday, November 6

You know when sometimes you have a little bit of everything and you don’t know what to do with it yet you don’t want to chuck it away in a bin? Plus by force of nature you are again procrastinating on some assignments? *wink* .This was the aftermath of that!

Fried Rice:

I sliced one sausage into bits and the same for the spinach. Heat the pan with oil. Put in the sausage until it brown and add the rice. I made a mixture of 1 tsp. tomato ketchup, 1 tsp. oyster sauce and 1tsp. of soy sauce and poured it on the rice. Season with salt and pepper then add spinach and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Meat balls:


I prepared the mixture night before and just ball and fry the following morning.
It was a combination of singkamas or yam bean, carrots, onion, garlic, leeks and ground beef all made into tiny pieces by my handy food processor. Oh its soooo helpful! I put in one egg and one bread slice to make it sticky and season with salt and pepper. Before frying I balled it with my hands and stuff a cheddar cheese inside for an extra surprise.

Spirelli as an appetizer

This one is so easy! I boiled the spirelli in cooking directions drizzle with olive oil sprinkle some tuna, chopped nuts and parmesan cheese and finish!!

Rolled scrambled egg

I only did this for purposes of presentation and color! Hehehe. Scramble one egg, season with salt and pepper put in a heated pan with little oil, spread thinly then roll and cut to pieces.

Excesses are good for hubby’s breakfast plate and I still have my usual green tea. Hmmm my dear friends who knows me from head to toe might find one of their eyebrow ceiling high.. but yeah…I’m having green tea and not coffee for some unknown reason.



ps. pictures not taken with my EOS kiss for a very frustrating reason.

better late than never..

Because its autumn and everybody who’s into this season seem to upload some one or two pictures then I’ll join in the bandwagon and post one or two myself (of course more on my flicker)


And because autumn falls on October and I haven’t uploaded any blog entry for a month I obliged myself to fill this space with my progress, frustrations, acquisitions, things I have done and more things I should do..

I initially vowed to study religiously and take an exam by spring 2008. The indicators I set however were blinking in red that I was so preoccupied (read: lazy) the entire month and I have decided to move taking the exam to fall of next year instead.

My Nihonggo lesson started October 2 and as far as speaking I’m okay. But I sucked big time at reading and much more at writing! My assignments are also piled up since I already missed one session because I have to attend a teachers meeting at Tokyo.

The beginning of October was also the beginning of more work since I landed as an art class instructor…a stint which towards the end of the month I gratefully handed down to the new caucasian teacher. It will still be my brainchild though. I will still design all crafts and art activities and the new guy has to do the demonstration. My plate is already full to accommodate another class. My hands have been numb from decorating our building that happened to be a one woman show. No complains coz I somehow enjoy doing and conceptualizing stuff. What better occasion can land on October calendar but the Halloween. So my class made these.. I’d probably blog how we did all these sometime. Unfortunately I don’t have photos of kids in action and some more of their projects. And oh! Our Halloween party at Planet Hollywood was a blast! I came as Snow white’s evil step mom.


Plus plus plus my hubby finally said yes to buy me an SLR! My precious Canon EOS 400D kiss so far has been my favorite frustration. Yeah its true. I’m totally learning on my own and nobody said its gonna be easy. I made very little progress and I don’t have the luxury of time to practice. Sadness! Some of the shots are already uploaded in my flickr.

To this point I have a pile of clothes to fold and assignments to furnish and more on my list that needed a check on the box next to it. I better get going. Belated HALLOWEEN!

Romar's Japanese television debut

From "maglalatik boys" to "pokpok boys" Romar (my brat err husband) leaped to a more mature role of "tinikling" main man in this video (the one in red puruntong or shortpants). It was bared to Japanese public yesterday October 2, 2007 on (ehem) a PRIMETIME! (6:30pm) I know I am basically cutting our era of romanticism by uploading this... but I cant help it! :P details will follow IF I can juice him to spare me some. but for now this will do..

ps. im encountering errors in uploading this to youtube so our multiply is my second best option.

Seven days ago..

Last Sunday, I was still half asleep and I had to feel my husband’s neck to check if he still has fever. And that was all I needed to know to cut me away from my 5 minute snooze habit every morning. The day before, I already listed down his palate’s cravings (a privilege bestowed to sick brats). So I head straight to the kitchen to hit the first in his list.

French Toast. This is a very easy “di sing hirap at di sing mahal” recipe (not as difficult not as expensive).

Whip 1 large egg, one yolk and a cup of milk (evap is preferred, if you’re going to
use fresh milk add more brown sugar to taste, if condensed milk is all you have, dilute with water about 1:1 ratio). Don’t be afraid to taste the mixture. Add sugar and salt to taste. Your bread slice is ready to take the plunge. Saturate it before frying. On a frying pan, put some butter (or margarine) plus oil to prevent the dairy from getting burned. Fry till your desired color.

I fried sausages in one batch, pour a glass of vegetable juice and ONE DOWN. He ate heartily, drank his meds, complimented me and went back to bed.

Second on the list was Pancit Sotanghon (Sautéed Vermicelli or glass noodle). I know my preferred ingredients would be a rare find so I just blindly check about 4 grocery stores to complete the ingredients “that will do”.

To save time, I boiled water with chicken cubes while slicing my vegetables and other essentials (carrots, string beans, cabbage, leeks, onions, garlic, shrimp, pork/chicken). Removed the boiling broth from heat and soaked to soften the noodles and to absorb flavor. I Scooped about half a cup of broth and soak achuete seeds for coloring. In a heated pan with oil, I sautéed onions, garlic, meat, carrots and beans, add shrimp cubes and the noodles. Season with salt and pepper and added the coloring. Paprika can substitute for achuete coloring. Then I added all greens last. Squeezed some calamansi or lemon before serving… and TWO DOWN.

On number 3 was a merienda mainly aimed to recycle the stale breads that occupied the fridge, hence the name Stale Bread Pudding.

I am well…lazy and I prefer things the easy way around. So I just tear about 3 slices of stale bread. Made a custard by putting together 1 whole egg, 2 egg yolks, 1 250ml evaporated milk, brown sugar and a dash of salt. Put the torn bread in the custard, let it stand until completely soaked, whip to homogenize and bake 270 F for 40 minutes or until nothing comes out with the toothpick test. I honestly don’t know any measurements apart from what was written in canned goods. I figure it mostly by tasting and trusting my instincts. Hehe..

His entire wish list made him well, there was some leftover pudding for breakfast and we ate it on the terrace while greeting the autumn wind..


There goes easy weekend recipe treats for your brats, boyfriends, or yourself!

Happy Birthday Mama!

Today is my mama’s birthday. Actually yesterday, but we don’t dare greet her on the exact day coz there seem to be some jinx and she’ll come down with something if we do that. Hopefully by this time she’s all warm and cozy sipping her morning coffee and biting on some crusty pandesal with crumbs falling down the table linen.

Sunday morning is always me and my brother’s favorite. Mama will do her gourmet style cooking while humming with the 60’s classics beating on the radio. She would sometimes cross her kitchen to watch an early morning cooking show while waiting for her dish to simmer. Oh how I miss that!


For your birthday ma, I’m sending this yellow tulip from across the cyberspace. I know you will like it. I also know that you like red roses better. I took the picture myself. And like the way it is in our family, you would gladly accept what me and kuya made of ourselves, yet there will still be red roses for your children to choose to take..

Thank your for walking with us in every step, for smelling every flowers that come our way, for taking out the thorns so we can held out each stem easily, for healing our wounds even if you’re bleeding.. we love you so much.. lets celebrate more birthdays okay?

Okaerinasai! (welcome home)

when I got back from work, hubby pointed me towards a package which contained this..



I fiddle the plastic wrapping before actually exposing it to the atmosphere my house afforded tonight..it seems distant yet it felt real. the day has come for me to breakaway from procrastination and embrace a mission.

Happy 50th to mercky!! always been our bible.. and will still be.. and oh, i did miss the patients who cannot read...