(or 24-105mm or 
or... haha. still a confused kitty) lens and a flash. promise, once i have these new toys, i'll be quiet... for sometime. :D
It's been 3 years.
10 years ago
Thursday, July 29, 2010
don't get me wrong. i love the essence of wedding celebrations be it grandiose or a simple one. watching two people exchange vows or simply smiling on each other during the ceremony or the celebration gives me goosebumps and gets me teary-eyed.
i used to research a lot about this occasion because once in my lifetime, i have dreamed of being a happy bride myself... i have dreamed of being escorted by my father and mother down the aisle with all the beaming faces who came to witness such a joyful celebration. i have dreamed of cutting the cake, toasting a wine.. yes, i had that dream.
that was long ago. i am now way past that delusion. i will never be a happy bride. i won't be escorted by my father and mother anymore. i will forever be carrying my maiden name. i will never ever cut a cake or toast a wine with a groom.
i have stopped browsing through wedding magazines or websites. i shun away from seeing wedding pictures. i don't like attending wedding ceremonies or wedding celebrations. yes, i am now a wedding Scrooge.
wedding still gives me goosebumps and it still makes me teary-eyed. that's why i don't like witnessing such. i am not jealous of the bride or groom. apparently, i am happy for them. i am absolutely happy for the bride that she was presented to the public and that her groom is so proud of her. the groom, on the other hand, earned my deepest respect and admiration for taking all his efforts and all his love to show the bride how he values her happiness. for giving her the one dream all girls aspires. they deserve to be happy. they are lucky to have found each other. such lucky people.
still, i hate weddings. it makes my heart quench... i am silently being stabbed... i wanted to cry. wedding celebrations just reminds me how unlucky i am as a girl. it reminds me that i am not someone special enough to be presented, be made up and be photographed. it also reminds me that my father is not here and that there's no one to escort me anymore. it just reminds me that not all of my dreams will become a reality. maybe, i will only be made up and photographed inside the church during my wake. how sad... yes, weddings make me lonely and sad big time. =(
okay, so i still have maximum of four years of stay here in the UAE. as much as possible, i want to shorten it to maximum of 2 years only (2011). however, i still have some things that i want to do (and buy!) before finally setting down under. lemme pressure myself. hahaha.
enrol in OTEN TAFE for the Occupational Health and Safety course. it's a year-long distance learning course which could later on help me in shifting from laboratory work to safety management. since i also have background on quality management, auditing is not new to me and these two will complement. hopefully, i can finalize this plan when the nanny matter gets settled.
go to my wish places (haha, again!) : italy, egypt, spain. yeah, yeah. this list is quite long but okay, i can have at least two?! :)
buy myself a diamond. *grins* since this is the fourth one, it won't hurt me that much if i won't be able to have this. but it'll be an added bonus if i'll be able to buy this one. of course, a free gift wouldn't hurt that much, too.
three (or four) items to do. i have two years to make it happen. goodluck to me.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
it'll be almost 6 years since i have been employed here in the UAE. i wouldn't call it glorious though. my personal life has been a good example of giddiness. my professional life has been....... stagnant. yep, the first year was great. new things to learn, willing professors to guide. however, after that first year... things just went so slooooowwww and so booooring. each day, i feel like i am detriorating and losing each and every plus points in my CV. anyhow, i have been researching about signing up for an online course. i have found some good ones yet costly, too. hahaha.
in the midst of the search, i find enrolling in TAFE OTEN more appealing. i am thinking of getting the Occupational Health and Safety Course which will run for a year or so. hopefully, when things are settled with marvin's employment and lance's nanny, i can get things going.
i am more inclined to get this as it involves both safety and management skills. most of the quality management job posts that i find often combine these two together. secondly, the course is also recognized throughout Australia thus it is equivalent to studying in Australia as well. thirdly, since we'll be moving to Perth where mining and oil and gas industry is predominant, anything concerning safety is in demand.
sigh. i hope things get settled soon.
Monday, June 28, 2010
nowadays, networking websites (like facebook, friendster, etc.) turned out to be venting out websites also. yes, everybody needs to build network of friends and in turn, they vent out to these people about their success, downfalls or just about anything in their minds.
i am one of these people. i check my facebook account more than 3 times in most days just to see what my friends are doing. i in turn, vents out once in awhile in a rather subtle hideous way.
since my mother became "single", i have lost the emotional connection with her. thus, most of my frustrations in life are bottled up inside me. i turn into these venting out websites (this blog included) to pour out a little when i really, really need to unload. i pour some to a handful of friends (to my BFF tina, most especially) when i feel like am about to explode. however, as much as possible i keep my burdens to myself (or type it in here) and spare my friends of unhappy stories. i don't like telling unhappy stories. i don't like to be seen sad. in times like these, i just sing my song....
Sunday, June 27, 2010
a few days back, a friend has forwarded a powerpoint presentation to me about happiness. it says there that one's happiness shouldn't depend on other people or things as both of these change. it stresses that happiness depends on the person's decision to be happy by himself.
i have read the presentation three times since i last received it and i told her that i really couldn't digest the message. my realization was that..i am not truly happy. i am happy with some things but i don't sleep with contentment as i used to have despite having less of what i have right now. though as what the presentation suggests, i just decide to make myself happy. but personally, i think this is happiness half-baked.
after telling her this, she forwarded another message to me about the rotten apple. a person heard that God is giving away apples. after a long queue, she was able to get hold of one but God made it slipped her hands because He realizes later on that it is rotten anyway. it suggested to queue again and wait for the next apple which would take longer to arrive but will be the sweetest apple available.
it was a nice read. however, i do hope that i get to see another version. yung version ng mga pasaway like i am. someone who has no patience to wait and settled for the rotten apple. because right now, i am lost as what to do with my apple that i have spent my time trying to polish and convincing myself that someday it'll taste yummy like the rest that i have missed.
(i never really liked apples. why did i queued, anyway? )
oh my.. oh my.. this blog hasn't been updated or visited for quite sometime. it only shows how uneventful my life is. hehe. anyhow, to recap how the months have been:
- ate bel's not with us anymore. she has gone back to the Philippines last end of March after a stressful visa problem. it is stressful enough for me thus am not willing to talk about it one more time, so pardon the confidentiality. but to summarize it all, i bought my peace of mind and had to let ate bel go despite this decision that truly broke our hearts.
- our Philippines-Australia vacation pushed through. the Australian peep was great, although some personal glitches were experienced. it was difficult to travel with two boys in tow, really.
- after our vacation, lance stayed behind in the Philippines for two more months while i came back to UAE alone. lance was able to celebrate his 3rd birthday in Jollibee with his cousins while i, on the other hand was able to practice my photography hobby when i came back to UAE.
- my home alone experience was not bad at all. some how, being busy paid off. i was able to focus in practicing photography and has been out and about in Abu Dhabi driving around. yep, i am more confident now to drive. of course, parking is another story. ngahaha.
- lance was back in the UAE since June 18 and is now enrolled in a 2x/week playschool. he has been his teacher's headache but hopefully, he'll adjust. i wish, soon enough though. haha.
- i am still the same. lost some friends but gained new ones. a few patient ones are still with me. life is not perfect but living it just the same.
(hmm.. how come i couldn't cut and paste from notepad to blogger, anymore??! *sad face*)
Sunday, March 07, 2010
i believe these are worth posting... =)
incident no. 1:
it was ate bel's day-off so me and lance stayed at home. i was busy reading something when lance popped a question.
lance: where's tita?
mommy: i don't know.
lance: me, neither.
i was so shocked! hahaha. i don't even use the phrase myself! anyhow, days after that, i discovered that he learned that from watching mickey mouse clubhouse. =)
incident no. 2:
lance took the internet card from me which contains the username and password. i couldn't get it from him because i know it would throw him in fits if i do so. anyway, i thought of getting it from him secretly when he is not looking. however, before i could even act on my plan the card's not with him anymore!
mommy: lance, where's the card? where did you put it?
lance: no reaction. as if he didn't hear me.
mommy: lance, where's the card? mommy needs it.
lance: again, no reaction and continued playing.
mommy: searched the whole living room... under the sofa, under the tv, etc.. all the places where he could have inserted it (he likes inserting things and pretends he is mailing letters). no luck and decided to just ask ate bel to look for it some other time.
after 10 minutes with lance playing around me...
lance: (holding up the card) here's the card! i found it! hahahaha. he even used the right tense!
incident no. 3:
i decided to test the portable dvd player that i bought with lance's favorite music karaoke cd. me and lance were on our tummies and waiting for the cd to start.
cd started playing....
lance: looked at me with his big smile. "i'm so happy!!" then he hugged me.
hu-wow... i bought the unpopular portable dvd brand but it has a priceless return! :)
...lance turned out to be a naughty but sweet boy. he has so many funny antics at the moment. too bad, i don't have my videocam with me to document it. anyhow, will try to just post once i find a way. :)
incident no. 1:
it was ate bel's day-off so me and lance stayed at home. i was busy reading something when lance popped a question.
lance: where's tita?
mommy: i don't know.
lance: me, neither.
i was so shocked! hahaha. i don't even use the phrase myself! anyhow, days after that, i discovered that he learned that from watching mickey mouse clubhouse. =)
incident no. 2:
lance took the internet card from me which contains the username and password. i couldn't get it from him because i know it would throw him in fits if i do so. anyway, i thought of getting it from him secretly when he is not looking. however, before i could even act on my plan the card's not with him anymore!
mommy: lance, where's the card? where did you put it?
lance: no reaction. as if he didn't hear me.
mommy: lance, where's the card? mommy needs it.
lance: again, no reaction and continued playing.
mommy: searched the whole living room... under the sofa, under the tv, etc.. all the places where he could have inserted it (he likes inserting things and pretends he is mailing letters). no luck and decided to just ask ate bel to look for it some other time.
after 10 minutes with lance playing around me...
lance: (holding up the card) here's the card! i found it! hahahaha. he even used the right tense!
incident no. 3:
i decided to test the portable dvd player that i bought with lance's favorite music karaoke cd. me and lance were on our tummies and waiting for the cd to start.
cd started playing....
lance: looked at me with his big smile. "i'm so happy!!" then he hugged me.
hu-wow... i bought the unpopular portable dvd brand but it has a priceless return! :)
...lance turned out to be a naughty but sweet boy. he has so many funny antics at the moment. too bad, i don't have my videocam with me to document it. anyhow, will try to just post once i find a way. :)
Friday, February 05, 2010
i tried the chocolate cake recipe of my friend last night. you can find her recipe here: http://beingparisienne.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/vians-chocolate-cake-recipe/.
verdict: i seconded her claim... perfect! so chocolatey, so fluffy and the sweetness is just right. what i like most also is the ease of prepation. only involves manual mixing and i used only 1 mixing bowl. hihi. halata bang tamad mag-wash ng dishes?! =)
verdict: i seconded her claim... perfect! so chocolatey, so fluffy and the sweetness is just right. what i like most also is the ease of prepation. only involves manual mixing and i used only 1 mixing bowl. hihi. halata bang tamad mag-wash ng dishes?! =)
by coincidence, the TV program entitled Secrets of the Masters baked a cake also in their episode the other night. with that, i incorporated the tips that was mentioned while i make this cake. as per the chef's advice: (1) once the dried ingredients was mixed with the wet ingredients, you have to work fast and make it a point to put it inside the oven as soon as you are done mixing. this helps the gluten to rise up inside the oven and not while it is still outside. so??? the end product would be a risen cake that will retain its shape and will not sog after it cooled down. (2) do not put the batter near the flame nor at the highest level of the oven. place it at the middle part where the temperature is more constant.
finally, here are some photos of the Super Chocolate Cake. hihi.
i sprinkled some icing sugar just for presentation since i didn't bother to make icing anymore. but i'm looking forward in making the same cake with icing next time when there's an occassion. definitely, the the cake would be just right for a sweety icing, too.
see the fluffiness??!! so loooove it! =)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
i came across making bento this week and i am hooked! maybe because it combined two of my favorite things... that is, art and food. :) an added plus is it's japanese-inspired! yep, i love japanese food! dunno how to make them, but i definitely know how to eat it. hehe. i am however, up to the challenge. ;)
i was off to Daiso this Saturday and just went gaga with all the bento gadgets available. too bad, they don't have the collapsible sandwich box mentioned in other bento sites. here are the stuff that i was able to get. i actually have to restrict myself to the basics. siguro, bili na lang ulet kapag successful bento'nian na 'ko. haha.
i was off to Daiso this Saturday and just went gaga with all the bento gadgets available. too bad, they don't have the collapsible sandwich box mentioned in other bento sites. here are the stuff that i was able to get. i actually have to restrict myself to the basics. siguro, bili na lang ulet kapag successful bento'nian na 'ko. haha.
the bento boxes
cutters and punchers
the rice molds
shaped-sauce containers
another set of sauce containers
the silicon dividers and plastic picks
for the finale, here's my first bento lunchbox. theme is about family. i have 3 odd-shaped rice molds to represent daddy, mommy and baby. a big heart-shaped rice mold to represent big love. ;) all of these are resting on a bed of lettuce with mayo on the side . the second layer contains the viand and the desserts. chopped chicken nuggets and chicken adobo strips as viands and kiwi and strawberry for fruits. verdict: kulang!!! hahahaha. next week, i'll prepare more. lol.
bento'inks no. 1
Thursday, January 28, 2010
we were supposed to go with the Photobumbong folks tomorrow for the Al Ain Airshow but i suddenly changed my mind. ang lamig kasi sa city ngayon. for sure, mas malamig dun eh kakagaling lang ni lance sa sipon at ubo. he would enjoy watching the planes and all but if he'll catch colds again after that, baka ma-guilty lang ako. saka sobrang aga...goodluck na lang kung magising si lance ng ganun kaaga. hehe.
anyway... browse-browse ako ngayon sa net at may bago akong gustong gawin!!! hahaha. bento-making??!!! from what i understand, it's the art of making art at your lunchbox (redundant ba? lol)... ang galing grabe. aside from fan ako ng japanese food, just looking at it kung baon mo siya sa office, parang makaka-tanggal ng stress. =) seeing those smiling goodies at you. truly uplifting!
backtrack --- ewan ko nga kanina sa office, the whole day... hindi naman ako in-asar-talo ng amo ko, pero ang tamad-tamad ko at antok na antok talaga ako the whole day. the day just got better pag-uwi ko when i took a nap and woke up an hour after kasi kiss ng kiss si lance. hehe. pero kung bento box siguro ang baon ko, baka tanggal bad day ko in a flash. hahaha.
heto nga pala ilang sites ng bento:
http://www.kitchencow.com/category/bento/
http://lunchinabox.net/
yun lang.. sharing lang. i suddenly missed my hello kitty chopsticks. sana hindi pa na-arbor nina IA at Raizza. i'm gonna take them with me pag-uwi namin. makapunta nga ng Daiso this weekend. ngahaha. hopefully, when lance starts schooling, i'll be a certified-bento maker. hihi.
anyway... browse-browse ako ngayon sa net at may bago akong gustong gawin!!! hahaha. bento-making??!!! from what i understand, it's the art of making art at your lunchbox (redundant ba? lol)... ang galing grabe. aside from fan ako ng japanese food, just looking at it kung baon mo siya sa office, parang makaka-tanggal ng stress. =) seeing those smiling goodies at you. truly uplifting!
backtrack --- ewan ko nga kanina sa office, the whole day... hindi naman ako in-asar-talo ng amo ko, pero ang tamad-tamad ko at antok na antok talaga ako the whole day. the day just got better pag-uwi ko when i took a nap and woke up an hour after kasi kiss ng kiss si lance. hehe. pero kung bento box siguro ang baon ko, baka tanggal bad day ko in a flash. hahaha.
heto nga pala ilang sites ng bento:
http://www.kitchencow.com/
http://lunchinabox.net/
yun lang.. sharing lang. i suddenly missed my hello kitty chopsticks. sana hindi pa na-arbor nina IA at Raizza. i'm gonna take them with me pag-uwi namin. makapunta nga ng Daiso this weekend. ngahaha. hopefully, when lance starts schooling, i'll be a certified-bento maker. hihi.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
we are due to make our inital entry sometime on 3rd quarter of this year. just the thought of it is exciting and frightening at the same time. i'm excited because i'll be finally setting foot on the land that i have always dreamed of. frightening because i do not know what's at stake.
it is good that i am going there with my son and husband. however, planning that entry is quite difficult actually. this is because me and lance are continents apart from his dad. hehe. ang hirap mag-plano! airfare palang, pamatay na sa budget. =(
anyway, we have 3 options to choose from. the decision hasn't been reached yet. there are more things to do and plan for prior to that. so far, here's what we have in mind arranged in an order from cheapest to the most dreadfully expensive: lol.
it is good that i am going there with my son and husband. however, planning that entry is quite difficult actually. this is because me and lance are continents apart from his dad. hehe. ang hirap mag-plano! airfare palang, pamatay na sa budget. =(
anyway, we have 3 options to choose from. the decision hasn't been reached yet. there are more things to do and plan for prior to that. so far, here's what we have in mind arranged in an order from cheapest to the most dreadfully expensive: lol.
Plan A
(Will go to Oz for 1 week) March 24 to March 31 ?
March because as per airline websites' April is a peak season. no idea why.. hehe. where in Australia? could be in Perth so we'll be familiar about the situation there. could also be in Brisbane. because as per my aussie officemate's story, this is where the theme parks are. i'm sure, lance will love it here in lieue of the HK trip that i think we need to remove from the plan.
Marvin - takes local flight to Oz (via Qantas Airways) = 30,000 pesos = 3,000 aed
- takes Oz to UAE with Mai & Lance (via Sg airlines) = 3,000-3,500 aed
Mai & Lance - takes roundtrip ticket UAE-Brisbane-UAE (via Sg airlines) = 8,500-9,000 aed
- me and lance should arrive early in Oz than Marvin
Max total airfare involve = 15,000aed
Disadvantage -- napakatagal ng stop-over sa Sg!!!! halos 10 to 12 hours!!!
Plan B
the family will meet in HK, then go to Oz, then to UAE.
March 24-March 30 in HK
March 30-April 7 in Oz
Mai & Lance - flies via Cathay UAE-HK-Oz-UAE = 8,000-10,000 aed
Marvin - flies local flight to HK = 1,000 aed?
- flies HK to Oz to UAE with Mai & Lance via Cathay... = 16,000 aed
BUT kung Mla-Hk-Oz-UAE = 11,000aed (ang weird noh? mas mura pa, hehe)
Max. total airfare involve = 21,000aed
Advantage = Magkakasama kami sa Hk to Oz and Oz to DXB flight. that is, if i will be able to book and arrange everything on time.
Plan C
the family will meet in HK, then off to Oz after. after a week, then Mai and Lance go back to UAE and Marvin stays in Oz.
March 24-March 30 in HK
March 30-April 7 in Oz
Mai & Lance - flies via Cathay UAE-HK-Oz-UAE = 8,000-10,000 aed
Marvin - flies ia Cathay Mla-Hk-Oz = 11,000aed
Max. total airfare involve = 21,000aed
Another advantage: Marvin can stay behind and look for work in Oz. hopefully, i will be able to arrange an accommodation to his trip. thanks to my forum friend, Anavy who's also due to make their big move same as us.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
i have forgotten from whom i owe this recipe from. probably from one of my GT sisters? i dunno. anyway, thank you so much. you are very generous to share this recipe eventhough this is your business recipe. mwah!
ingredients:
1 1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoon lard/oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons semi-bitter chocolate chips
1-2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2-3 tablespoons white chocolate chips or flakes
directions:
- heat the butter and oil in a saucepan until melted.
- add the sifted cocoa powder and place in the butter-oil mixture. heat until melted but make sure to mix continuously so as not to burn it. remove from the heat source.
- add in the chocolate chip and stir in until melted.
- add the vanilla and sugar.
- add the eggs one at a time. make sure to add an egg only after the mixture is fully incorporated.
- add in the flour and the chocolate chip. do not over-mix to avoid making it aerated (not unless you want it to turn into a cake, hehe).
- spread in a greased and lined baking sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes at 350 deg F (warning: do not overbake!).
- cool and cut into squares.
notes (why i love this recipe):
- sobrang gooey nung outcome! this is what i like in brownies.. yung makunat-kunat. hehe.
- i mix this manually. wooden spoon nga lang gamit ko eh! hehe. kasi kapag electrical mixer andun yung tendency na maging aerated siya.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
fresh lumpia has been the family's favorite dish which my mother and my auntie baby make superbly. here in the UAE, i have more or less lived up to the family's standards when making this dish. i made this for the new year (hooray 2010!) and the preparation time was around 3 hours. the sauteed veggies were prepared ordinarily. however, the sauce - which is hit or miss factor which i usually hit. :) my recipe is listed below. take note that i do not measure the vegetable part because i cook with tantiyahan. hehe. but normally, i make sure that i have ample quantity of carrots because it gives color to the mixture. also, it is important to have as much sweet potato because it gives the sweet contrast to the salty sauce.
as for the sauce, i listed the measurement that i use. this is a no-fail proportion. so, be sure to use those measuring cups and spoons! =)
ingredients:
for the lumpia:
cooking oil
finely minced garlic
finely chopped onion
ground pork
shelled and chopped shrimps
chicken/vegetable stock
string beans, julienned
carrots, julienned
cabbage, julienned
singkamas (turnip), julienned
sweet potato, boiled and cubed
celery (optional)
dash of salt and pepper for seasoning
for the sauce:
1 cup sugar
4 cups water
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons of water
finely minced garlic
toasted peanuts, pounded
a dash of pepper for seasoning
extra ingredients needed:
lumpia wrapper (nope, i do not make one! hello, ayoko nang pahirapan sarili ko noh!)
lettuce
directions:
to make the lumpia:
as for the sauce, i listed the measurement that i use. this is a no-fail proportion. so, be sure to use those measuring cups and spoons! =)
ingredients:
for the lumpia:
cooking oil
finely minced garlic
finely chopped onion
ground pork
shelled and chopped shrimps
chicken/vegetable stock
string beans, julienned
carrots, julienned
cabbage, julienned
singkamas (turnip), julienned
sweet potato, boiled and cubed
celery (optional)
dash of salt and pepper for seasoning
for the sauce:
1 cup sugar
4 cups water
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons of water
finely minced garlic
toasted peanuts, pounded
a dash of pepper for seasoning
extra ingredients needed:
lumpia wrapper (nope, i do not make one! hello, ayoko nang pahirapan sarili ko noh!)
lettuce
directions:
to make the lumpia:
- brown the ground pork in adequate amount of cooking oil over medium fire.
- set aside the browned meat in one side of the pan and sautee the garlic and onion, then combine with the pork.
- add the shrimps until it turned into orangy-white color.
- add chicken/vegetable stock. the amount needed to steam the vegetables later on.
- add the string beans, carrots, turnip, cabbage and the sweet potatoes in this order. make sure to cook in low to medium fire at this stage. allow only a minute or two of interval between these ingredients. cover the pan but ensure that the vegetables are cooked still crispy altogether. please lang, do not over cook! not only does you lose the vitamins in the veggies, you also lose the pleasure of biting into a crunchy delight. hindi masarap ang lumpiang hindi na fresh. hehe.
- season with salt and pepper to taste.
- place the sugar in a sauce pan and dissolve in the water. heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- add the soysauce and salt. heat and stir.
- add the mixed cornstarch (with water). heat until the mixture becomes thick.
- add in the garlic and ground peanut.
- season with a dash of pepper.
- let the sauce simmer while stirring constantly. remove from heat once the garlic and peanut flavor are mixed with the thickened sauce.
- lay the lumpia wrapper in a plate.
- place the lettuce on one end with a portion outside the wrapper.
- spoon some cooked and drained lumpia over the lettuce-wrapper portion.
- seal in by turning the ingredients wrapped with the lumpia wrapper.
- put the prepared roll on aplate and spread the sauce over.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
this recipe was taken from my little 200 Chocolate Recipes book. i don't have a kitchen weighing scale yet (sponsor, anyone? hehe), so i just used an ordinary measuring cup with an ounce graduation instead. nonetheless, it turned out really good. :) i'll be posting the original recipe below while i add notes after that to document what actually transpired in my kitchen. happy baking! :)
ingredients for the base:
200 g (7 oz) plain flour
50 g (2 oz) cocoa powder
75 g (3 oz) golden caster sugar
175 g (6 oz) butter
for the caramel:
750 g (1 1/2 lb) condensed milk
100 g (3 1/2 oz) light muscovado sugar
100 g (3 1/2 oz) butter
for the top layer:
200 g (7 oz) white chocolate
directions:
1. blend the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture forms crumbs, then pulse a little more until it forms a ball. turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and well combined.
2. grease and line a 30 x 20 cm (12 x 8 inch) roll tin. press the mixture into the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven, 180 deg C (350 deg F), for 20 minutes until firm to the touch. set aside when done (this is the chocolate shortbread mixture).
3. heat the condensed milk, sugar and butter in a nonstick pan, stirring continuously, for about 15 minutes until the mixture is thick and fudgy. pour on top of the chocolate shortbread, smooth over and cool.
4. melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and pour it over the caramel. leave to set at room temperature, then cut into 20 squares.
notes:
1. of course, cream the sugar and butter first! i used an ordinary sugar because i don't have a caster sugar at hand. no problem was encountered. i wonder if the caster sugar will make the shortbread less sweet??? i didn't do the kneading part, btw. tinamad ako eh. haha. that could be the reason why the texture is not so smooth when it was cooked. pero carry na rin, nasa ilalim naman siya eh. haha.
2. i've read somewhere that shortbreads were meant to be cooked slowly. so, i reduced the oven temp a little bit and just increased the timing. hmm.. i used 150 deg C but i couldn't be specific with the duration because i just check the bread every now and then. so far, my method worked! :) since it's chocolatey, there's a big tendency for it to have burnt sides which i was able to avoid because of the slow cooking. also, don't panic when the supposed dough didn't rise up. it will not. :) yun nga daw ang reason why it's called shortbread. short siya sa height. ngahahaha.
3. as always, i don't measure. haha. so, for the caramel i used the tantiyahan method. =) ayoko na kasing mag-compute what's the equivalent of 1 1/2 lb into oz. :D and since i don't want to have a left-over caramel, i just guesstimate this part.. caramel, sugar and butter. hehe. so far, with about half a cup of condensed milk, 1/4 cup sugar and around 100g of butter, i was able to make a 1/4 inch of caramel layer. not bad... ;) making this caramel reminds me of the brazo de mercedes recipe.
4. this is the part that i liked most. hihi. i melted the white chocolate but i put around 1/4 teaspoon of butter. i've read somewhere too, that melted chocolate with a bit of oil/butter, will be more shiny when it cooled down. so it was! finally, before this layer cooled down completely, i sprinkled some colored sugar decorations on top to entice even those who swore to stay away from sweets. lol.
verdict:
the final result was fab! i was hesitant to make this because of the amount of sugar involved. iniisip ko palang, parang hihimatayin na ako dahil sa diabetes. hahaha. however, with my intention to bake something without using eggs, the ingredients were perfect. in additon, this recipe uses plain flour. as much as possible, i shun from recipes that uses self-raising flour. self-raising flour and me, just don't go together. hehe. anyhow, the final product was a 3-layer goody... with a base having a bittery taste complemented by the sweetness of a gooey caramel and deluctible white chocolatey top. description palang panalo na. how much more when you actually bite into it??!! lol.
200 g (7 oz) plain flour
50 g (2 oz) cocoa powder
75 g (3 oz) golden caster sugar
175 g (6 oz) butter
for the caramel:
750 g (1 1/2 lb) condensed milk
100 g (3 1/2 oz) light muscovado sugar
100 g (3 1/2 oz) butter
for the top layer:
200 g (7 oz) white chocolate
directions:
1. blend the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture forms crumbs, then pulse a little more until it forms a ball. turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and well combined.
2. grease and line a 30 x 20 cm (12 x 8 inch) roll tin. press the mixture into the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven, 180 deg C (350 deg F), for 20 minutes until firm to the touch. set aside when done (this is the chocolate shortbread mixture).
3. heat the condensed milk, sugar and butter in a nonstick pan, stirring continuously, for about 15 minutes until the mixture is thick and fudgy. pour on top of the chocolate shortbread, smooth over and cool.
4. melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and pour it over the caramel. leave to set at room temperature, then cut into 20 squares.
notes:
1. of course, cream the sugar and butter first! i used an ordinary sugar because i don't have a caster sugar at hand. no problem was encountered. i wonder if the caster sugar will make the shortbread less sweet??? i didn't do the kneading part, btw. tinamad ako eh. haha. that could be the reason why the texture is not so smooth when it was cooked. pero carry na rin, nasa ilalim naman siya eh. haha.
2. i've read somewhere that shortbreads were meant to be cooked slowly. so, i reduced the oven temp a little bit and just increased the timing. hmm.. i used 150 deg C but i couldn't be specific with the duration because i just check the bread every now and then. so far, my method worked! :) since it's chocolatey, there's a big tendency for it to have burnt sides which i was able to avoid because of the slow cooking. also, don't panic when the supposed dough didn't rise up. it will not. :) yun nga daw ang reason why it's called shortbread. short siya sa height. ngahahaha.
3. as always, i don't measure. haha. so, for the caramel i used the tantiyahan method. =) ayoko na kasing mag-compute what's the equivalent of 1 1/2 lb into oz. :D and since i don't want to have a left-over caramel, i just guesstimate this part.. caramel, sugar and butter. hehe. so far, with about half a cup of condensed milk, 1/4 cup sugar and around 100g of butter, i was able to make a 1/4 inch of caramel layer. not bad... ;) making this caramel reminds me of the brazo de mercedes recipe.
4. this is the part that i liked most. hihi. i melted the white chocolate but i put around 1/4 teaspoon of butter. i've read somewhere too, that melted chocolate with a bit of oil/butter, will be more shiny when it cooled down. so it was! finally, before this layer cooled down completely, i sprinkled some colored sugar decorations on top to entice even those who swore to stay away from sweets. lol.
verdict:
the final result was fab! i was hesitant to make this because of the amount of sugar involved. iniisip ko palang, parang hihimatayin na ako dahil sa diabetes. hahaha. however, with my intention to bake something without using eggs, the ingredients were perfect. in additon, this recipe uses plain flour. as much as possible, i shun from recipes that uses self-raising flour. self-raising flour and me, just don't go together. hehe. anyhow, the final product was a 3-layer goody... with a base having a bittery taste complemented by the sweetness of a gooey caramel and deluctible white chocolatey top. description palang panalo na. how much more when you actually bite into it??!! lol.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
i always make alibis for my late updates here in my blog. i don't wanna start my post with another one. i'm starting to be an Alibi Queen if i do so. hehe. instead, i'm going to list how i am feeling right this moment.
- mad - i am furiously mad at my hubby's former boss. he always messed up my family's vacation plans and we always end up not spending our holidays together. i am mad that he has no word of honor and doesn't even consider my habibi's status as a family man. i am mad because he is not a good employer. i am furiously mad because he made my husband pay for his own ticket and he did not even give his gratuity. in short, Mr. M deserves all the bad luck in this world. may his company go down the drain along with him. ggggrrrrrr.....
- disappointed - i am disappointed by our department head's way of leading. he takes issues lightly and i feel he lacks the guts to solve things fast. most of my PRs will be celebrating their 2nd birthdays and when i asked him about the status of these so that he could jump and down as well to the procurement department, he just give me the usual reply i get from a person who has no concern. it is me who sits with the students and researchers and each time the SEM monitor turns off, i just dunno how to explain to them that the matter is beyond my control. it is my performance to my role that gets affected in here and more so, it is my face the students sees. and guess what, who gets the bad impression?? i am just terribly disappointed. have i said that twice?
- happy - despite my hubby being banned to work in the UAE for 6 months, i am happy that we now share the same plans. hehe. yep. before, i have plans and he has his own. haha. now, we plan to meet in Oz by next year and then, both of us will come back to UAE in time for his 3-month visit visa.
- sleepy - i am back to taking our bus service and it picks me up at my stop 6:35AM. kumusta naman yun?! i used to wake up at this time before. hay... goodluck na lang that i'll be able to keep my eyes open during the day. coffee to the rescue???
Thursday, November 12, 2009
first thing i did when i arrived in my office was open my facebook account. lol. ssshhh... anyway, from there, i received a message which made my day horrible. it was a personal message from someone i don't know and who may have the habit of ruining someone's day. she did succeeded but i do hope i have her's twice miserable. ngahaha.
after making sure i have redeemed myself, i opened my office email application and lo and behold! an email from my case officer telling me that our visa application's approved and granted! yipppeeee!!! couldn't believe it yet so happy!! :)
yep, 6 months after the lodgment date, no agency... just lots of reading, hardwork and prayers (plus a little help from www.phillippines.com.au friends!), paid off! a million thanks guys and gals! goodluck to all of us to the journey to the land down under. hihi.
so, for those who try their luck in seeking Australian Immigrant Visa, here's an outline of what we did:
after making sure i have redeemed myself, i opened my office email application and lo and behold! an email from my case officer telling me that our visa application's approved and granted! yipppeeee!!! couldn't believe it yet so happy!! :)
yep, 6 months after the lodgment date, no agency... just lots of reading, hardwork and prayers (plus a little help from www.phillippines.com.au friends!), paid off! a million thanks guys and gals! goodluck to all of us to the journey to the land down under. hihi.
so, for those who try their luck in seeking Australian Immigrant Visa, here's an outline of what we did:
- download Booklet 6 from www.immi.gov.au website.
- read Booklet 6 over and over again until you have undertood it by heart.
- assess yourself against the checklist if you meet the minimum points required. i yes, proceed with the next steps. Otherwise, try NZ or Canada??
- register in www.philippines.com.au forum.
- took IELTS exam.
- have your qualification assessed by a respective assessing body. in my case, i had mine assessed by Engineers Australia.
- upon receiving positive assessment result from EA, lodged online application.
- got questions along the way? confused? refer to step # 1 or ask in step # 4.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
nope, not for me.... for lance, who else?! lol. i told myself that we ought to be very wise when it comes to spending money these days because of the expenses that we're expecting for next year. anyhow, i just couldn't help myself. i just love planning birthday parties! :) i will try my best to keep the expenses to the minimum and yet still make the party awesome.
for his 3rd birthday, his theme would be jungle safari. i chose this theme for him because by the time he gets to choose his own theme, i bet he won't be choosing the animals anymore. hehe. secondly, a jungle safari theme would mean less DIYs. well, i hope! hahaha.
for his 3rd birthday, his theme would be jungle safari. i chose this theme for him because by the time he gets to choose his own theme, i bet he won't be choosing the animals anymore. hehe. secondly, a jungle safari theme would mean less DIYs. well, i hope! hahaha.
i have been browsing around and based from my researches, this would be the Party Plan:
- theme : jungle safari
- venue : at the park or home
- decorations : green, brown and yellow inspired, animal standees, luminaries (if venue's in a park)
- food : BBQ, hotdog on stick, spicy chicken, lasagna
- desserts : choco-covered mallows, chocolate cake, Jelly-O's, buko pandan
- give-aways : mugs (adults) and lunch boxes (kids) - haha. yep, i already bought these!
- attire : request the kids to wear white shirt and khaki shorts/pants
- games :
- kiddie games -
- adult games -
- i need to find a perfectly moist chocolate cake recipe.
- i need to learn how to cook lasagna.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
months have passed.. lots of things happened to me personally... and the same things are happenning over and over again. para lang akong nakikipaglokohan sa buhay. hehe. anyway, what's new? here goes:
the not-so-bad news:
the not-so-bad news:
- we had our vacation last june to august in Manila. it was just me, lance and ate bel. it wasn't a vacation for me and lance actually because lance got sick most of the time. me on the other hand, was so dead tired. =( good thing i had a chance to have a good laugh with old friends from HS before we leave for UAE. i never laughed that hard for such a long while. God, i missed being carefree. :D
- i'm still working with the same company. no change in work status or bonus or whatsoever. it's been a long time, really! no good thing is coming my way. =(
- already lodged our visa application. somehow, i want to start a new life. yeah, yeah. i don't think i need to explain further. let's just say, things 'round here is still the same. i just wish that life will be kinder to us when we transfer. i hope and pray that i may be able to find a new job right away. sana, so the moving on will be easier.
- i am having financial difficulty nowadays. it was because of the expenses we have incurred with the vacation, the house repair (see below), an investment and the increased cost of living in the UAE combined. however, i am not that sad about this because i know for a fact that i am far more blessed than most people. budgetting lang talaga ang katapat nito and i have been lousy with that. i'll make this my new year's resolution. oopps..! na naman????!!! hahaha.
the somewhat-good-news:
- things about my migration plans are falling into places. just having a long wait for the final verdict. hopefully, i do succeed on this. if not, will opt for plan B. at ano naman yun??!! eh di ang magpaka-suicidal dito sa UAE. hehe.
- lance is growing up to be such a smart boy. may pinagmanahan talaga!!! haha. at less than 2.5 year old, he already memorized the alphabet, knows the days of the week and the months in a year. you can refer to my multiply site for the video showcasing his prowess. (http://myl33n.multiply.com)
- i was able to have my Cabuyao mini-house renovated. yun nga lang, nabaha naman with the Ondoy Typhoon. hay, ang malas talaga. anyway, the damage is still not as grabe as the ones in Manila. but just the same, it spoiled my newly repaired little house. =(
- busy with a new hobby. photography!! hehe. i'm attending a basic photography course nowadays. at least, such an activity keeps my sanity.
- i am healthy despite occasional backpains, headaches and dizziness. i know, i lack sleep. i just don't sleep peacefully these days. maybe i am bothered, stress
ed, drained?? i need a vacation really. pano naman yun eh kailangan ko ngang mag-budget. hayzzzzzzzz.....
i hope to be on track again and share my daily life, feelings and dealings...to the world out there who doesn't even know me. who doesn't even care that i exist. basta lang. i will try to be more visible, more vocal, more open... whether you like it.. or you like it!!! ngahahaha.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
made a yummy spaghetti and a delicious home-made pizza. marvin said, it almost taste like domino's, except that i forgot to add the pineapple bits! hehehe. anyway, he's still happy for the simple dinner that i prepared. happy birthday!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
i told myself that career will not be my priority anymore. however, for some weeks i have been going home late, working my butt off to finish lab activities for these people. when a professor approached me and talked to me about that training, i thought that somehow my efforts were recognized. but with the news that i received today, i was wrong. i am so disappointed and pissed off. the training that i was hoping to get was not granted to me. kainis. what is more disappointing was the thought that my superiors were not that supportive of my professional development. another department valued me more pa. pramis. i felt this way before and i did something i never regret. will it happen again?! i dunno. basta, for today... all i know is that i'll go home at 4 pm sharp. anyway, my efforts were not valued. hindi ko naman research yung mga yun. hmp.
;;
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