Pata Tim

Description:
Since I found out that pork hock (leg) is relatively cheap, I knew I wanted to try making Pata Tim one day. There was a time when I was actually craving for it.

I researched about it then tweaked my own cooking combining different recipes. I also used my slow cooker instead of the stove top. It turned out pretty well. I'm glad that I now know how to make it so I can have it at the comfort of my home anytime I want. :-)

Ingredients:
1 pork leg
dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water
1 bunch chingkay, stem trimmed, blanched (I think pechay can be used too)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
garlic, crushed
1 piece star anise
1 stick cinnamon bark
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
salt


Directions:
1. Wash thoroughly pork leg and remove all traces of blood. In a saucepan put cut pork leg, pour water to cover, bring to a boil and simmer for a minute.

2. Drain first boiled water and rinse off all scum. Return cut pork leg in the saucepan (I used the slow cooker this time) pour fresh water to cover, add in garlic, soy sauce, star anise and cinnamon. Cook until tender.

3. Add sugar, oyster sauce, mushroom and continue to simmer until the pork skin is soft like gelatin. Thicken sauce with cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup water. Season with salt to taste if required. Serve in a platter lined with a bed of blanched chingkay or pechay..

Another Stab in the Heart

I could feel my heart being ripped apart again today. It was just a routinary blood exam but they couldn't find Cerise's vein. We were supposed to have it done last Saturday but after an hour and a half of poking and squeezing and looking for it, the chief med tech said that we should just try again on another day to let Cerise rest also.

Today, Mier didn't go to work so he could accompany me to the hospital. We usually do it at the ER so Cerise can lie down and there's ample light for the medical technicians. But then they still had difficulty doing it. Oh, she was crying her heart out and looking at me with imploring eyes! I had to be brave. I had to find strength and I was praying so hard that all will be well.

They were able to extract some blood but since Cerise is more active now, they lose the vein when she moves. They decided to prick her instead and squeeze the blood out for the remaining needed blood. They needed about 3-4cc of blood for seven tests. TSH, FT3 and FT4 for Thyroid, SGPT and SGOT for the liver, Ionized Calcium for the Genetic clearance and the usual CBC. My poor baby!

Finally, they were able to collect enough blood. Now for the wait. Now, we pray that results are good. We pray that it will all be good.

Future Prima Ballerina

This was Alyssa's first day of baby ballet class. She was beyond excitement! She couldn't stop smiling and twirling while still at home. She enjoyed her first day immensely and is looking forward to the weekly class. She just looked so adorable! But what made her more endearing was when she couldn't express her excitement enough and just hugged me and said, "Thanks, Mom! I love you!" :-)

Corned Beef and Egg Salad Sandwich

Description:
For breakfast or snacks. I made the egg salad already for breakfast but one of the girls was craving for corned beef and rice. So I thought why not put both together in a sandwich. Yum! I had it with my coffee on the side.

Ingredients:
corned beef
onions
egg
mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
lettuce
pan de sal
butter

Directions:
For corned beef: Saute onions in pan. Add corned beef and simmer til well cooked.

For egg salad: Make hard boiled eggs. Peel off shells and mash eggs in a bowl. Mix in mayonnaise then season with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Butter pan de sal. Put a leaf of lettuce then some egg salad then corned beef

Fish Fillet with Black Bean Sauce

Description:
I found this recipe in a magazine and since it was so easy to make, decided to try it out. I bought Lee Kum Kee's Black Bean and Garlic Sauce which I used for the Steamed Pork recipe. I'm glad to have found another recipe for it.

This dish was yummy! Raya had lots of servings. Alyssa loved the baby corn and wanted to eat it like a regular corn. LOL!

Ingredients:
2 pieces fish fillet (I used cream dory), sliced into 1½-inch pieces
cornstarch
oil for frying
1 can sliced baby corn
minced garlic
chopped leeks (green part)
1 tbsp bottled black beans and garlic sauce
2 cups chicken stock
soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
sprigs of celery for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Coat fish in cornstarch. Fry a few pieces at a time until lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

2. For the sauce: Heat oil in a saucepan. Sauté garlic and leeks. Add black beans and mix well. Add stock. Simmer and season with soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper to taste. Add dissolved cornstarch and mix well. Cook until thick.

3 Add fried fish fillets and corn to the sauce. Mix gently. Spoon a few on top of steamed rice. Garnish with celery leaves, if desired.

In 2 weeks

Two more weeks and school will be officially starting again. I haven't enrolled the girls nor have we purchased their school supplies and essentials. Yaya Anie has been gone for a week already and will be back next week. Til then, we can't really do much because I can't leave Cerise at home nor do I want to bring her with me to the mall. The girls are getting restless but are enjoying their last few days of summer vacation. Tomorrow, I plan to take them with me to their school so we can enroll. I'm sure the trip would excite them for school to start. They miss their friends and are eager to find out who their teachers will be.

Today, I set up these letter posters in our house to help Alyssa remember the alphabet and sounds. Thanks to my sister, Mabel for the idea. I plan to start teaching Cerise as well so it'll be like hitting two birds with one stone. :-) Hehehe!

Bonding Weekend

It was an enjoyable weekend for all especially the girls. They all had their time bonding either with Daddy or me. Saturday morning, both Nadine and Raya got up early for horseback riding trail ride with Mier. They're both showing exceptional skills in riding which of course thrills Mier to no end. May kadamay na siya to horse craziness. Hahaha!

Raya and Nadine on their horses

Then that afternoon, I accompanied Nadine, Raya and Alyssa to a Paint Splash Attack activity organized by some of the teachers from the girls' school. They had so much fun playing with water especially on the hot summer day!

Me and my girls

I posted more photos of their splash activity on my Facebook account. While The girls and I were having fun, Cerise had her own bonding time with Daddy at home. Mier stayed home to babysit Cerise. They slept together, watched a movie and went out for a walk in her stroller. :-) She also pooed twice which Mier had to clean. Hehehe! Good job Daddy!

Daddy and Cerise