Another year has passed ......

Life only gets better with age.

Thank you for all the warm greetings, texts, calls and emails.

Sumo Sam in Nuvali II

Our intentions were good. Hubby and I drove to Nuvali to spend the afternoon biking. The clouds were against us and are hiding somewhere in the mountains. The sun was just too hot and I was slowly making sour faces and getting irritated. Poor Hubby, he tried to appease me by letting me drag him from store to store to browse.

We decided to eat first while waiting for the sun to go down a little bit. In typical Hubby fashion, we dined at the most convenient Japanese restaurant in the area, Sumo Sam.

Hubby ordered the Tempura Ramen. I was surprised that it was good. Most ramen that I've had in other restaurants were either too salty or suspiciously taste like they were made with instant broth. Anyway, Sumo Sam's Tempura Ramen was nice, with just the right balance of saltiness and just a hint of sweetness. I would order this again.

I ordered the Chicken Sesame Yakisoba. It was good too, but a bit too spicy. I would request it to be less spicy next time. The yakisoba tastes like Kung Pao Chicken, a dish I really like.

Hubby had the Calamansi Iced Tea, not sure why it was colored red though. My Hubby is muy gwapo 'no? :-)

Fully sated, and the sun no longer as harsh, we unload our bikes and pedaled with the cool wind blowing on our faces. We like biking in Nuvali because it's so windy there and there are no cars in certain areas. Very ideal place for two old farts biking.

Such a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Chicken Pasta

I often have go to recipes in my "arsenal" when I wanted something quick, delicious but looks like I put so much effort preparing it. I find the simplest recipes are often the best and the most pleasing.

This recipe of Chicken Pasta only has a handful ingredients and is super easy to prepare. It's a great last minute recipe, as long as the chicken fillets are de frosted. You need to place the fillets between two sheets of cling wrap and pound or whack them with a frying pan, depending on your mood. It's a great stress reliever, I tell you. You can also just slice them thinly so that they cook faster.

So here's the simple recipe:

Spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

2-3 Chicken breast or thigh fillets, pounded thin

Extra virgin olive oil

5-6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can, diced tomatoes

Chili Flakes (optional)

Canned button mushrooms (optional)

Fresh or dried basil leaves (fresh is best)

Freshly ground salt and pepper

Grated parmesan or edam cheese

1. Season chicken fillet with salt and pepper. Using olive oil, lightly fry chicken fillets in a non-stick pan until cooked through, do not brown. Remove from pan and set aside to cool slightly. Slice or tear chicken fillets to bite-sized pieces.

2. In the same pan, add a little bit more olive oil, add garlic and saute until just about fragrant. Do not brown. 

3. Add chili flakes, cook for a few seconds and add in the diced tomatoes. Season to taste. Simmer in low heat for a few minutes or until your kitchen smells like an Italian restaurant, he he he. The tomatoes should turn a little dark after a few minutes. Add in the basil.

4. Add the chicken and mushrooms until warmed through.

5. Add cooked pasta to the pan and mix well. Mine had too little noodles that's why it's swimming in sauce.

5. Add grated parmesan right before serving.

Simple yet delicious. 

Home Made Sukiyaki Beef Tapa

I know I've been neglecting this blog lately. It's not because I'm busy or anything. In fact, I've had a few forays in the kitchen plus some new restaurants that we tried. I don't know,  maybe I lack inspiration to actually write and string a few sentences together . I have a few unpublished/unfinished posts that are rotting here and waiting to be edited and published. But I feel that they are past their prime :-)

Anyway, this post is mainly for my personal reference than anything else. For the first time, I made home-made tapa using sukiyaki beef. The marinade turned out really great (I was even surprised myself). I didn't write any of the measurements down as I was making it, and winged it by tasting the marinade (before adding the raw beef of course). Here's the approximation:

Sukiyaki beef slices
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce (local brand is best)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of white sugar
Sea salt (about three to four turns using a salt grinder)
1 to 2 teaspoons sesame oil (yes, this is the secret ingredient)
Vegetable oil for frying

1. De-frost sukiyaki beef. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the next five ingredients (you can add freshly ground pepper too, if you like. I didn't though). Mix well until the sugar is well incorporated.
3. Add the sukiyaki beef to the marinade and let stand for thirty minutes only. Sukiyaki beef is very thin and would absorb much of the salt if you leave it too long in the marinade.
4. Add a little vegetable oil to a non-stick pan and pan fry the marinated beef until done. It will take only a minute or less, per side.

I need to make this again soon.

Farewell to the greatest visionary of our time

With thanks every time I post using my MacBook, while I text using my iPhone, while listening to somber music using my iPod and while surfing the web in bed using my iPad. Thank you.

Steve Jobs. Visionary. Gone too soon.

Bubbles

The punks decided to play with bubbles outside after having dessert at Cafe Breton. I filmed the tail end of their playtime. Ashley was already coughing from running and jumping.

There's also a nerd talking in the background. He he he.

Mona Lisa Italian Restaurant in Alabang

It was the day after Hubby's birthday. We drove to a nearby Italian restaurant called Mona Lisa, located in Alabang. Hubby's been there before, to wine and dine some expats who are visiting. For me, it's my first time to go.

Since it's just a few minutes' drive from our place, we decided to try it out together.

Hubby ordered Shrimp and Pomelo Salad (can you see a pattern here?, ha ha ha). I took a taste of the dressing but I didn't like it.

I ordered the Arancino Siciliano, fried  brown rice balls stuffed with mozzarella cheese over tomato sauce.   I loved this dish. The brown rice was crispy on the outside but still moist inside. I would definitely order this again.

I also ordered Pollo Pizzimenti, fettuccini in a creamy mushroom sauce with mushrooms, asparagus, broccolli and chicken pieces. The dishes at Mona Lisa are quite big and often can be shared by two or three people. My order of Pollo Pizzimenti was too much after a heavy appetizer. The sauce was good though but I prefer it without the chicken.

Hubby had the Mona Lisa pizza, with pepperoni, mushrooms and bell peppers. I didn't get to taste this since I was too full already. Hubby fished half of the pizza, yes, by himself.

We has so much leftovers, we took them home and ate them for dinner.

 I would definitely go back to Mona Lisa for the Arancino Siciliano. I really enjoyed eating that.

Belated happy birthday to the love of my life, Hubby :-)