S P E E C H L E S S

Fri - August 1, 2008

chi's vietnamese rice noodle soup

FOR SOUP, you'll need:
1 medium sized fresh ginger, punctured with fork
1 medium sized onion, punctured with fork
femur/marrow bones (soup bones)
4-5 pieces of star anise
1 stalk scallions
3 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
water
beef rump roast, cut into small pieces (you may use trimmings from the roast you'll use for toppings, but avoid fatty portions)

char the onion and ginger in the grill/stove top. place bones in a stockpot and bring to a full boil. dump water. fill the stock pot with water. add star anise, scallions, salt, sugar and the charred onion & ginger. add a few pieces of beef for more flavor. simmer at least 2 hours. the longer it simmers, the better the soup will taste. skim fat and impurities that form on the surface. the soup should taste clean and fresh, clear and not oily.

FOR NOODLES, you'll need:
rice noodles
water

in another pot, prepare rice noodles per package instructions. set 1 serving size in wide soup bowls.

FOR TOPPINGS AND SEASONING, you'll need:
2 white onion, quartered
2 bunches cilantro, finely chopped
2 stalks scallions, finely chopped
bean sprouts
thai basil leaves
mint leaves
beef- rump roast
limes
hoisin sauce
sriracha sauce
fish sauce

slice quartered onions thinly. thoroughly mix in the finely chopped cilantro and scallions. place in a serving bowl, set aside. slice beef rump roast paper thin across the grain. arrange in platter. keep in the refrigerator until serving time. prepare bean sprouts (wash and dry). cut limes into wedges. arrange in platter along with mint and thai basil leaves. place hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce and fish sauce in individual bowls. provide serving spoons or thongs for each topping and seasoning.

once the soup is ready (the pot can be kept on the fire to keep the soup hot), call everybody to prepare their own noodle soup bowl. start by placing a few slices of beef on a ladle. drop the ladle in steaming hot soup pot to cook the beef to desired doneness. place in bowl and continue to add onion, cilantro and scallion mix and bean sprouts. drop a spoonful of hoisin sauce (sweet). add a few drops of sriracha sauce (spicy) and fish sauce (salty) as desired. tear a thai basil leaf and mint leaf. squeeze a wedge of lime then enjoy. be careful- soup will be hot. hot but really good. makes 8-12 bowls.

note: the recipe is based on the last time chi and i made the soup.
quantities are not absolute, and may be adjusted to suit individual taste preferences.

Posted at 09:28 PM

Fri - October 5, 2007

P I N K

pink is not my favorite color. but i think i look good in pink. i take no offense to the color, but there are somethings that are not supposed to be pink. pink tools in a pink tool belt? or a pink dodger hat?

for breast cancer awareness month, i am going pink. it does not seem like much, but i'd like for it to be a reminder for all the women that comes across my weblog to perform self-breast exams regularly. it's easy and there's no excuse for not doing it. we are fabulous women and we, more than anybody else know our body.

Posted at 09:15 PM

Thu - June 7, 2007

project dollhouse- phase 2

just a progress report- the exterior are painted pistachio mint, white windows and trim. we have started laying the roof, shingle fashion. as you can see, my roofer is not that experienced yet. but she is a lot of fun to work with!

Posted at 09:49 PM

Thu - May 10, 2007

happy mom's day

Posted at 09:38 PM

Mon - April 30, 2007

what's in your bag?

well, purse is the more appropriate term, but i like calling it a bag. mine is not too small, not too big. not too dull, not too fancy. works with jeans- very casual....best thing is- it carries all the stuff i need. wanna know what's in my handy dandy bag? here goes....
digital camera, wallet, ipod, mini swiss pocket knife with mini flashlight, pens (red & black), back up battery for my camera, pez candy refill (kai's not mine), rewetting drops for my contact lenses, patanol eye drops (for allergy), clinique lip gloss (no fuss emergency beauty item), cherry flavored chapstick, a small pad of post it notes, wet wipes, band aids, panty liner, organ donor card, hair tie, hair pin, individually wrapped toothpick, altoids minis and some change.

Posted at 11:57 PM

project dollhouse- phase 1

it was a rainy day sunday. days like this remind me of my young, six year old self, sitting on the window sill, watching the rain, paint brush on one hand. rainy days were my water color days. today- well today is a project perfect day. kailea got a dollhouse from my mom-in-law for her birthday. unlike the big, plastic, ornate dollhouses sold these days, i recommended she get a small, natural wood, unfinished one. that way, kailea does not only get a toy, she gets to work on it herself. for selfish reasons, i wanted it to be our project together. years from now, she can look at that dollhouse and remember all the fun we had decorating it. we started with a color scheme. kailea knows exactly what she wants. she insisted that she come with me to the craft store to pick the paint, because she wants to make sure i pick the right green. pistachio mint it is. we painted for an hour. and then, we watched the paint dry.

Posted at 11:30 PM

Tue - April 24, 2007

on giving

am i the only one bothered by the ad campaign "don't almost give. give." do people really say "i almost gave to the cancer society"? does it make you feel like only the tangible gifts matter? that prayers don't count? doesn't the ad make you feel guilty for all the times you wanted to help, but could not? and if you gave as a response to this ad, did you really give to help?

i know the intentions are good, but the motivation for giving is askew.

Posted at 11:20 PM

Mon - April 23, 2007

in memoriam

kailea and i talk in the car, on the way home, every time i pick her up. i ask a casual "so, how was your day?" and each day, you'll never know what you'll get for an answer. sometimes she says, "ok. we played, played, played." sometimes she could go on and on and on...some of our most interesting conversations happened in the car.

a few weeks before the tragic event that took place in virginia tech, on our way home, kailea told me that they had a fire drill and a lock out drill. at kindergarten, i was curious on how the lock out was presented to such idealistic young minds, so i asked what a lock out is. she said, "it's when there's a bad guy in school, the teacher will lock the doors and shut the blinds and we will stay away from the doors and windows, and hide under the tables. so the bad guys won't get us".

yes, it is sad that this is the world we are in. but drills like these help prepare staff and students survive a fire, a natural disaster, a nuclear meltdown (we live by diablo canyon- yes, we have drills, elaborate evacuation plans and a syringe that you stick in your heart- maybe brent was joking...), or a tragic event such as last week's.
it's comforting to know that the schools have our best interest, our children, protected.

i pray for the souls of the victims, may they rest in peace, and the hearts the living be comforted.

Posted at 11:08 PM

Wed - March 14, 2007

my birthday girl

it was a blast. the cupcakes were a hit and the kids were all excited. everyone wanted to be next to her. she was the star!
kailea got 6 real hugs and a pinch (for an inch) from ms. carr. the kids made special messages and cards just for her. she was also thrilled to deliver the special cupcakes to mr. collins, their principal.

we usually let her pick the restaurant for her special dinner. this year, she picked panda express. she lined up, ordered sweet and sour kids meal and carried the tray to the table. she looked so grown up. my little girl is not so little anymore. one thing will never change- she'll always be my girl!

happy birthday sweetie kai!

Posted at 08:43 PM

Sun - March 11, 2007

unplugged weekends

i spend an hour or two on the computer everyday. after all the chores, after kailea's gone to bed, i check my mail, check my bookmarked sites, the usual. some nights i download stuff from itunes, upload photos from my camera, write an entry on my blog. on rare occasions, i chat with my friends.

this weekend, we have been really busy with all the activities that i didn't even got the chance to check my mail until a few minutes ago. do you know what i found out? i did not miss a single thing. it was rather nice, all my time was spent away from the computer. i got to spend a lot of time with my hubby, my daughter, and some friends. talked on the phone with my mom and mom-in-law to catch up, read a few chapters of charlotte's web to kai, helped her with her homework and played paper dolls. on top of that, the chores are done and i even made it to walmart for my grocery list.

hence the announcement: i will be 'unplugged' from friday night to sunday night. if it can wait till sunday night, then i prefer not to be bothered with it. i'd like to spend my weekends savoring life. i recommend you do too.

Posted at 10:26 PM

Wed - February 21, 2007

mom, i'm harvesting!

green bean casserole, anyone?

Posted at 09:38 PM

raising the bar

it seems like kindergarten teachers are in dire need of a challenge...my daughter decided to make checking homework more interesting for ms. carr. notice also on the bottom page- an age old debate. which came first? the chicken or the egg?

Posted at 09:37 PM

so little time...

i will take an exam next saturday. i still have a lot to touch on my study guides and there's just so little time left. finding time to study is really hard when you're juggling career and home. don't get me wrong- i am not complaining. it actually makes life interesting. 6 years ago, i was getting started on the licensing process, until i found out i am going to have a child. some people may call it 'putting your life on hold'. but i never looked at it that way. it is life- happening. and i am so happy with the way things turn out. right now, i thought it is time to do something for myself...no, my priorities haven't changed- i just need to add more balls up in the air. juggling can be fun, you know...

Posted at 09:10 PM

Sat - February 10, 2007

birds of a feather...

think wonders together...yes, i made that up. i thought it's an appropriate introduction to my new favorite group, pinoy moms network. the name says it all. and you all know what we'll be blogging about- our kids. no, it isn't a brag site for our cute, smart and amazing kids (ok, maybe once in a while...we can't help it. we're moms!). it will be a place to share experiences, voice out our views and opinions about important topics on parenthood. time and distance may restrict us from meeting at a coffee shop, but we are there for each other, offering genuine concern and support. after all- being a mom is not as easy as it looks.

Posted at 08:37 PM

teriyaki salmon

salmon fillets
salt
lemon pepper
orange peel
1 tsp butter
teriyaki honey pineapple glaze (kikkoman)

pre heat oven to 350°F. season salmon with salt, lemon pepper and orange peel. press down to form a crust. heat butter in the cast iron pan. sear salmon fillets, 1 minute on each side. if your salmon has skin on, sear the skinned side first, then flip. glaze salmon with teriyaki honey pineapple glaze. finish cooking in the oven, about 8-10 minutes.

serve with rice or pasta and your favorite vegetable side dish.

Posted at 08:07 PM

Thu - January 11, 2007

solo

for the moment, the whole thing about photography overwhelms me. i'm an amateur, with an eye for it (some people tell me so)...but i lack the technical knowledge to take it to the next level. i don't have the expensive, high tech gear, but armed with my 'regular' digital camera, i aim to prove that just about any camera can capture a moment.

one friend's advise is to know your camera like the back of your hand (thanks, josie). i'll do that- and to simplify things, i'll start with portraits. i hope to get good luck in finding people who'll allow me to have their photographs taken. volunteers? tips and tricks are welcome as well.

Posted at 08:41 PM

Sat - January 6, 2007

cutie pie

'i called her cutie pie, because she is cute, but we are not going to make a pie out of her.' 'we're not?' 'NOOOO!'

kailea was dying to have a dog or cat but they are not allowed in our apartment complex. the closest thing we can get is a hamster. that was her christmas present . we wrapped the cage and a book on hamsters. she opened her presents and blurted out, 'i'm getting a pet!' we took her to PETCO (one of her favorite stores, See's is her first favorite) to pick one. cutie pie jumped into her cupped hands and remained there long enough for us to even take pictures. and so kailea declaired, 'let's take her home.'

the little one is a real cutie. she's very curious, friendly and surprisingly comfortable around us. each night, we all spend some time huddled around her cage, with smiles plastered on our faces. and kailea- adores her. she write notes to her every morning before she goes to school.

Posted at 08:49 PM

Wed - January 3, 2007

berries blue

blueberry sauce
strawberry sauce
boysen berry sauce
try the boysenberry sauce...

will i die immediately?
what? no, silly. i said boysenberry.
oh, i thought you said poison berry.

Posted at 10:16 PM

wheels are spinning...

well, i still had a hard time getting out of bed this morning- i got to work at 8:30 am. yeah, i was late- but i was able to get this butt to the gym- and met with chris for some studyin'. i sent e-mails to some friends and family last night and look, i am writing a blog entry. true, resolutions are passe', but to me, the new year is synonymous with fresh start, a clean slate, even a second chance which i definitely can use. it feels like i didn't do squat last year. i thought of making a list of resolutions, things i'd like to try/do/learn....i thought i'd get to the bottom of things and start with 'BE INSPIRED' and see where it will take me.

and oh, yeah- i'll eat my veggies.

Posted at 09:24 PM