The Baking Corner & My Little Miss Happy Baker

Since we moved here late last year, I've been meaning to go to the dollar store to shop for some things for our new place and to get some ideas for DIY projects. And last week, we finally made that trip. It was not that far; just a 10 minute drive from our place and the best part is that it's right next to a Starbucks with a drive thru! *wink! So right after our little trip to the dollar store, I finally had a tall green tea frappe I've been craving that week. :)

The main thing I was looking to get at the dollar store were kitchen jars for my baking corner.  Lucky me, I found these cute, clear jars that were just perfect! And at just a dollar a piece, they are a steal! :) I also got a couple of black 5x7 frames, shelf liners, a coloring book & stickers for Chlo, and some brushes and sponges for each of the bathrooms at home. (Imagine having 3 bathrooms and only having 1 cleaning bucket to clean all! Not to mention how huge I am right now plus it is a tri-level home. So going back and forth the stairs with a bucket in one hand and a mop on the other is just plain hazard... or yea, maybe it's just me being my obsessive-compulsive self. Hehe. Anywayyyy....)

I was so excited to finally organize my baking corner! It didn't actually take that much to do it. I just printed out some labels from Pinterest and I made sure that the labels were the same color as my mixer. I didn't have any sticker paper on hand so I just used regular bond paper and clear packing tapes. And voila! My baking corner is done! :) Now everything's looking neat and pretty, and more importantly, within reach; making baking just a breeze! :) Seriously, it cuts the time of baking when everything is right there instead of coming back and forth the cabinets for the things I need. And I was even able to entertain Chlo and let her "help" me bake some yummy blueberry cheesecake cups.  :)

Here's a photo of her putting back the cupcake tray that she helped get lined and a photo of the cheesecake cups that I'll be sharing the recipe here soon. For now, it's time for us to head out and do a little grocery shopping. Happy weekend everyone! :)

- C ♥

Light & Easy Tuna Pasta

I can't believe that February is almost over. Time went by so fast and in just a few more days, it'll be March already. Anyway, it is Monday and today the whole household is down with the cold. And I promised myself that Chlo and I will take it easy today.

So while Chlo is busy with her flashcards, let me share my  easy breezy pasta recipe! We usually make this dish in those lazy nights we don't want to spend that much time in the kitchen preparing dinner. Most of the ingredients are already in the pantry, and can be customized according to what you feel like adding to it. With this one, I kept it simple and light. Perfect and oh, so good! :)

For this dish you will need:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 tomatoes, cubed

1 can of tuna flakes

8 oz thin spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

green onions, chopped

parsley flakes

shredded parmesan

Start by heating the olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onions, garlic, and followed by the tomatoes. Cook in medium heat until the tomatoes become soft.

Add in the tuna flakes and cook for a few minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, add in the parsley and green onions and give it a stir. then in goes cooked pasta.

Toss the pasta until it is well incorporated with the tuna.

Add in the shredded parmesan and more parsley flakes...

And dinner is ready! 

Did I mention how good, and light, and easy  this dish is? :)

It is so delicious, my husband and I can finish the whole thing! It is that goooooood! 

Happy eating, everyone! :)

- C ♥

Jasmine and June Get Hitched

I just love weddings! May it be a grand one or just a small, intimate wedding, it will always give me this genuine feeling of warmth and happiness. And a week ago, our dear Jas and June got hitched! But unfortunately we couldn't make it to fly or drive to Virginia because of the blizzard and Mark's schedule. So I asked my trusty and pretty sis-in-law, Gizelle, to take pictures of the big day. :)

The wedding is beautiful and intimate, celebrated with close  family and friends. And with the groom's humor, I can imagine how fun the wedding turned out just looking at the pictures! I just love seeing them so happy and in love! Congratulations, you two! We love you and cheers to beautiful beginnings!

- C ♥

Ginataang Bilo-Bilo

I have been craving for ginataang bilo-bilo or palarusdus for ages! I remember back in San Diego, I did try to make some of this but I opted to use store-bought, frozen bilo-bilo. Which is an utterly, big mistake because they ended up being chewy/hard instead of fluffy and soft. So this time, I made my own bilo-bilo :) And they were a big success! They are soft and fluffy, just the way I remember from eating them back home. 

I made this dish the weekend of the blizzard which was perfect because I like to have this yummy merienda warm, but it can also be enjoyed cold. :) Making the bilo-bilo was easier than I expected. And because I made a lot of tapioca pearls and have some more of the ingredients, I think I'm gonna make another batch later this week. It is that good! :)

Here are the ingredients:

3 cups glutinous rice flour & 1 1/2 cup water to make bill-bilo

2 cans of coconut milk

2 cups of water

1 large sweet potato, cut into cubes

3 banana plantains, cubed

1 cup jackfruit, cut into strips, 

1/2 cup jackfruit syrup

1 cup cooked sago (tapioca pearls)

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 cup water & 1/8 cup glutinous rice flour for the thickener

Procedure:

Start with preparing the bill-bilo by mixing the glutinous rice flour and water until a smooth dough is formed. It should hold together and separate cleanly from the bowl.

With floured hands, take a pinch off a small piece of dough and roll into a ball about the size of a marble. 

Bring coconut milk and water to a boil.

Once it is boiling, drop the glutinous rice balls

Wait for the glutinous rice balls to float, like this.

Then add the sweet potatoes and continue boiling until they are half cooked.

Add the plantains and continue cooking until they start to get soft.

Add the jackfruit strips.. 

and the cooked tapioca pearls.

Pour in 1/2 cup of jackfruit syrup..

and sugar. Feel free to add more if you prefer it sweeter.

Lastly, add the thickener mixture. Again, it is up to you how thick you want it to be. I opted not to add the thickener because I prefer it not so thick. :) This is just perfect for me! And it'll eventually thicken up some more once placed in the fridge...

See? :) It looks so good and taste even better! Preggy mom approved! :)

- C ♥

Superbowl Weekend

It's superbowl weekend! And the Patriots (my husband's team) won agains't the Seahawks! Woohooo!  I don't know why I'm so thrilled about them winning, especially when I know absolutely nothing about the game! Haha! But seeing Mark jump with joy when the Seahawk's play was intercepted was just priceless! His team was also behind with just a few minutes left so it really was a good win! The funny, witty, and tear-jerker commercials and Katy Perry's half time performace were a plus! The halftime show was just wow! And Chlo really enjoyed the dancing sharks! Haha! 

We were supposed to watch the game with some friends and a feast of a potluck dinner, which I was really excited about. But thanks to this blizzard, the howling wind and never ending snow showers, we all ended up staying home. It was a bummer, but at least we're all safe and warm at home. Anyway, who would want to brave a weather that looks as scary as this?

On a lighter note, we got something in the mail yesterday... My birthday gift from Mark; shiny and new, and in ice freakin' blue! I've always loved this tiffany blue color. And I've always dreamed of having a kitchen painted with this and with white, clean shelves. And of course, to have a kitchen aid mixer is in every woman's wish list. And I still can't believe that I finally have one! So now, I just need my tiffany blue and white kitchen! Haha! 

Oh, she is such a beauty! I can't wait to bake tons of good treats with this! Thank you, Bee!  My life as a housewife is now complete! Haha! 

- C ♥