The One About the Spanish Rice and Salpicao

Salpicao is a dish that I have been cooking for a while now.  It's pretty easy and fast to make.  But what ups the whole salpicao-eating experience is when it is paired with salivatingly good Spanish rice.

I learned how to make this dish from a colleague and ever since I first prepared it, I would always look forward to when I can make it again.  I swear, that mound of golden brown beef on a bed of tastebud-tickling tomato-ey grains would make one shun the thought of eating out on a Saturday night.  It's that good!

I follow a fuss-free Salpicao recipe.  I marinate beef cubes in olive oil, crushed garlic, soy sauce, freshly ground pepper, and a little sugar and leave it overnight for the flavors to marry.

For the Spanish rice:
1.  Saute chopped onions and minced whole head of garlic (at this point, you already know it's going to be good. Go, garlic!).
2.  Add roughly chopped boiled tomatoes (I did away with boiling and they turned out fine).
3.  Add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste and about a cup of tomato sauce.
4.  Add a little honey.
5.  Add a tablespoon or two of pesto. Yup, pesto!  I myself was thinking the first time I heard it if it really did belong in there.  My tummy was thankful that it did. :)
6.  Add chicken stock.
7.  At this point, you can add your uncooked rice to cook in the sauce a la paella.  Or you can do what I do: wait for the sauce to thicken then add the cooked rice.

So there!  Writing about this dish conjures pangs of hunger and craving for it!  Wait, you're still reading this post?  I thought somewhere between the pesto and the chicken stock, you'd be in front of your stove already!

Try it.  You'll love it!

Wednesday Nugget

Spread it lavishly.

Liberally.

Handsomely.

Spread it well.

Spend the hump day spreading kindness. :)

The One About the Felt Cookie Set

Yes, there's a new felt food set!  And I must say that it's painstakingly adorable!  Just thinking about the enormous amount of attention to detail that I have put in the project and sewing through all those nooks and crannies ups the preciousness factor of the set!

It's definitely a little girl's dream baking set.  Here's a closer look at all the handcrafted cookies...

Chocolate chip cookies

Iced sugar cookies with sprinkles

Peanut butter cookies

Dark chocolate cookies with white chips

Gingerbread cookies

And for good measure, here's a closeup of the incredible details. :)

I made two of each cookie so any little girl can share them with a friend...or a stuffed rabbit during make-believe tea time.

Happy crafting!

The One About The Summer That Was

As I write this blog entry, I am taking a break from unboxing my stuff from last school year in preparation for the advent of a new one.  I am slowly willing myself to get back into the teaching groove given that I have one more week before classes start.  However, it is proving to be more challenging than it used to be given the kind of summer vacation that I just had.

The summer that was was nothing short of wonderful.  Apart from a quick trip to Hong Kong, it was really nothing grand but every minute of it was well-spent and none of the I-just-lazed-around-and-watched-TV-and-slept-all-day kind.

I still woke up at around 5 o'clock in the morning to prepare my husband's baon.  Once he is off to work, I would steal a few more minutes of sweet slumber before finally waking up and preparing myself a light breakfast of either yogurt or omelette.  And I then I would clean the house until it is spic and span.  Twice a week, I would attend Zumba classes in a nearby gym which would send my endorphins singing well until the end of the day.  No need for coffee -- at least for two days a week. :)

Upon coming home and taking a shower, I would devote the rest of the day to either sewing, knitting, reading, trying out new recipes, or drawing up plans for my passion projects.  It would involve me sitting with Miss Gertie (my sewing machine and, yes, she has a name because, why not?) as she hums away happily as we churn out a new soft toy or an article of clothing.  It would involve me catching a good movie on TV with my knitting needles and a ball of yarn in my new attempt to make Waldorf balls for my new niece.  It would involve me curling up with a good book as I attempt to make my bedside pile shorter.  It would involve taking a quick trip to the grocery, picking out ingredients for a new recipe.  It would involve taking trips downtown, scouring for materials and supplies for future projects or sitting in a cafe with my laptop or notebook of ideas, mapping out the steps I will soon take for the things I am passionate about.  At times, I would catch up with friends I have not seen in a while.

More on this kimono soon!

Took an online workshop that fit right in my passion project plans!

At the end of each day, I have never felt more productive.  My husband has never felt more cared for.

At the end of each week - Fridays - to celebrate accomplishments no matter how small, I would treat myself to breakfast or lunch at some place as a way of indulging myself after a productive week.  It did not need to be expensive but I ate what made me happy.

Breakfast as Third Cup Cafe

Lunch at The Royal Picadilly Restaurant

 Breakfast at The Breakfast Table

On my last day of summer, I simply unplugged myself from my "work" schedule and took things easy.

And so, the summer that was.  There was no opportunity to be bored simply because I did not let myself be.  Poor TV was seldom turned on because there was always something "more important" to do.  The days were simple; the moments were all lovely.  :)

The One Who Cooked Chinese Fare

A couple of months ago, I wrote about attending a Chinese dimsum and dumpling class at 25 Mushrooms Kitchen (see blog post here).  It may have taken a while but this summer vacation has witnessed me finally buckling down to sourcing authentic Chinese ingredients and preparing some of the dishes I have learned to make from that class.

And I couldn’t be happier with the results...

 Radish cake

Steamed spareribs (didn't add black beans because Hon-some's not a fan)

 Hefty bundles of pork and shrimp siomai

My tummy can attest to the pleasant results of my Chinese cooking attempts!  And while they are not part of the cooking class repertoire, I went further and made...

Salt and pepper squid

Hong Kong-style fried noodles

I have yet to try out the other recipes (the hakaw, in particular, overwhelms me) but at this stage, I feel pretty strongly that the P1,100 I spent for that cooking class was the best P1,100 I ever let go of!

The One About the New Felt Breakfast Set

My first foray in creating lovely bits of felt food began with this breakfast set.

 Since my sewing skills have levelled up (“ahem, ahem,” –Miss Gertie), I created a much better, much lovelier one.

Oh hello, brekkie...

In case the difference doesn’t show in the photos, the pieces this time are bigger, almost mimicking the actual sizes of pancakes, eggs, bacon, syrup, and pats of butter.  The previous set had pancakes the size of silver dollars (although, yes, silver dollar-sized pancakes are still made in some homes these days).  Imagine how fun for a little one to play with real-life-scaled toys such as these!

On that note, won’t it be lovely to wake up to a hearty plate of these beauties?

Speaking of breakfast, I have often declared that it's my favorite meal of the day.  As I write this, I am having breakfast at this charming gem called Third Cup Cafe.

Here's to the happiness brought about by a hearty plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.  Or in my case, a steaming cup of cappucino and a jalapeno poppers sandwich.  Right now, I have the place all to myself which is a good thing because I brought work to do.  This blog post is just one of the many things on my to-do list.

Having said that, here's to a lovely day, a lovely breakfast, and a completely ticked off to-do list at the end of it. :)

Wednesday Nugget: On Time and Silence

My summer vacation began two days ago but the past two days saw me at a frenzied rush, organizing a small themed party for a six-year-old.

Today, my vacation officially starts.  And by vacation I mean luxuriating in the things that make me happy.  Today, I shall bask in silence and the thought of the many creative things I can do given all the time I have right now.

Have a lovely midweek, lovelies.