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Tuesday, 25 September 2007
my little boy has been asking me over and over again to bake him some cupcakes. no, not buy, but bake! i barely made an edible adobo the previous time and he's asking me to bake? *lol*. i don't know how or when he decided he wants them. probably i'll just buy one and pretend i baked it?
i was looking at this site and it's pretty interesting. her cupcakes look delicious!
one of these days.... one of these days.. Labels: mommyhood
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
i have never cooked in my entire life. so when i was able to cook a very edible adobo last weekend, i was ecstatic! my son liked it (maasim!, he said hehe). here's where i got my recipe:
The Philippines is south of China, North of Indonesia, and no where near Latin America. Thus, you may be wondering why I have a Filipino dish on my Latino page.
In 1521 Fedinand Magellan reached the island of Samar and claimed the entire archipelago for Spain. 44 years later when Philip II became king of Spain colonial rule was established that lasted about three centuries. Following the Spanish American War the United States got control of the Philippines in the Treaty of Paris of 1898. By the End of WWW II, the Philippines became independent. Spanish and Asian influences can both be found in their cooking styles. In addition, I just happen to like Filipino cooking and the following is one of my favorite dishes.
1 cup white or cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons peeled and crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 pounds of chicken (large pieces or hacked small)
2 ½ pounds pork butt cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil (optional)
¼ cup of red wine (optional)
hot sauce or dried hot peppers (optional)
1/2 cup to 1 full cup of brown sugar (optional)
Variation: Some Latin countries have an almost identical recipe, except they add the optional ingredients: red wine, hot sauce, and brown sugar. These are not traditional additions in the Philippines.
You can use either your favorite chicken pieces (thighs and legs are frequently used) or "hack" one whole chicken. Hacking refers to cutting a whole chicken into small pieces with the bone still in. Leaving the bone in the pieces helps to retain moisture and shape. You do not want to make this dish with boneless chicken.
In a large pot bring to a boil the vinegar, water, garlic, salt, bay leaves, hot pepper, and black pepper. Add the cut up meat cover with the brown sugar and once again bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add the soy sauce and the wine and cook an additional 10 minutes.
Remove the meat and continue cooking the sauce until it is reduced by half.
Optional: While the sauce continues to cook, you may want to brown the chicken and pork pieces in a hot skillet with the peanut oil. If you used large chicken pieces (ie leg quarters) skip this step.
Serve the meat and the sauce over white rice. YUM!!!
Labels: food, mommyhood
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Why is discipline such a big dilemma? Because it feels like a tightrope act. On one side there's the peril of permissiveness — no one wants to raise a brat. On the other side there's the fear of over-control — who wants to be the hardliner raising cowed, sullen kids? What we need is a comfortable middle ground to ensure that our little ones grow up to be respectful, caring, and well behaved.
First, the ground rules: To set the stage for discipline success, here are the bottom-line rules many experts agree on: 1. We're all in this together. Right from the start, teach your kids that your family is a mutual support system, meaning that everyone pitches in. Even a baby can learn to "help" you lift her by reaching out her arms, says Madelyn Swift, founder and director of Childright and author of Discipline for Life, Getting It Right With Children.
2. Respect is mutual. One of the most common complaints parents and kids have about each other is "You're not listening." Set a good example early on: When your child tries to tell you something, stop what you're doing, focus your attention, and listen. Later you can require the same courtesy from her.
3. Consistency is king. One good way to raise a child with emotional strength? Be consistent and unwavering about rules and chores, says Harvard professor Dan Kindlon, author of Too Much of a Good Thing. Even if you pick just one chore to insist on, your child will be better off, Kindlon says. "Being firm and consistent teaches your child that you care enough about him to expect responsible behavior."
4. Life's not always fair. We're so afraid of disappointing or upsetting our kids — too afraid, say some discipline pros. "If a child never experiences the pain of frustration — of having to share a toy or wait their turn in line — or if they're never sad or disappointed, they won't develop psychological skills that are crucial for their future happiness," says Kindlon. So if your child's upset because a younger sibling got a different punishment, for example, it's okay to say "I understand that this seems unfair to you, and I'm sorry you're upset, but life isn't always fair."
taken from here Labels: mommyhood
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