funny side up

You know the feels when watching fleeting clouds shift shape as the wind blows ?  Yes, a happy moment.🙂 In this fast-paced generation, simple things are precious, and helps put us back in the right track. Eating onigiri in any shape and form likewise evokes the same fillings  (pun intended!)  for me and my family. Onigiri is a traditional Japanese rice ball. (Hurrah! Nihon!)  There are many variations on its filling. In the few times I've been to Japan, I noticed that it was usually enjoyed for lunch or snacks; mostly by  students or busy workers on their quick breaks. Onigirazu is similar to onigiri, only it's not round, but flat, quite easier to prepare for tiny hands of the little ones. TACTILE PREP ping  - kids can literally get their hands on this to help you prep (and how much do kids love to just get their hands into anything?) FUN TASTE TWEAKS - a smorgasbord of choices can cater to the unique tastes of the entire brood. want sour? use plum flake...

The aroma of sardines sauteed in oil leads me down Childhood Memory Lane.  Of busy cleanup weekend mornings, each to his own task, happily or grudgingly 😆, nail down that shining shimmering spotless clean ✨ as Mum would like it.  When all's done, there will be lunch al fresco on a bright sunny Saturday. A flurry of us back & forth from the house to the garden, plates, cutleries,  pitcher of fruit juice & cups, warm rice and viands on trays in tow, not to forget pitching the giant picnic umbrella ⛱ , and voila, everyone seated, said grace, and dug in! Growing up, many a times canned sardines got my family through difficult times. Back then, a single can of 555 or Hakone was inexpensive. When m ixed with a lot of veggies like sayote, ripe tomatoes, aromatic onion, and odong noodles, it can make for a satisfying and substantial meal. Thank God for my wise mum, our huge brood was filled to the full! Nice one to cap with our 🧹🚮 mission accomplished! In this di...

Ok, true or false: Caesar Salad is a staple in Italy 's menus. False. Caesar Salad was invented by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. Veni, vidi, vici !   False. This classic salad hails from Mexico .  TRUE! ✅ Caesar salad was in fact invented by Caesar Cardini, an Italian-American chef & restaurateur who lived in Mexico in the 1920s.  So, is this salad muy delicioso?  TRUE! ~~~ 🥗 Croutons -   2 tbsp Olive oil 1 garlic shredded 4 slices of bread, diced Parsley bits A small knob of butter dash of parsley 🥗  Dressing- 1 cup plain chilled yoghurt 1 garlic shredded 1 tbsp chilled mayo 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup cheese shredded Salt, pepper (to taste) Mix well in a dressing serving bowl. 🥗 Veggies & Proteins- 1/2 Japs cucumber sliced not so thin 1/2 carrots julienne 8 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 head Lettuce, washed, spin-dried 1 small bag of chips, crushed roughly crispy croutons olives, sliced* jalapeno, sliced* roasted chicken* grated cheese (best: pa...

Listen to the thunda rumble when the drum rolls. Our contender for best dessert comes into the ring. 🥊🥊 Clad in golden purple gear, looking crisp and ready. The audience of 5 is ecstatic, excitement is palpable. DING !  Round ⓵ !  And, it's a KnockOut ! 🍇 Ingredients - Crust : 2 cups APF / plain flour 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup white sugare (better to err on less ) try lesser next time (maybe 1/3 cup?) 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 + 1/2 stix) 1.5 tsp vanilla extract 2 LARGE eggs (yolks only: "crumbly"; ALL: "solid" 1 to 2 tsp apple cider vinegar *add 1 TSP water if need more to "clump" 🍇 Steps : mix, clump, put in mold/pan, press to form crust. set in fridge. (don't press too much tho, so it's less dense) 🍇  Ingredients - Fruit mixture : 3 cups fresh berries / stone fruit (peach, etc.) 1 tsp lemon zest 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup white sugar 1 to 4 tsp cornstarch  (the more, the firmer the fruit filling will be) pinch of...

"Well, hello there, Mr. Baked Sushi .  🤵  So very pleased to make your acquaintance." Somehow, I relate this dish to a wonderful and kind gentleman, looking crisp in his tux, at a midnight ball in his elegant chateau, everything sparkly and cozy lit up.😜 Likely because all this happened on Christmas in the Philippines, and hands-down  n othing is more festive and wonderful than Christmas in the Philippines with family .🎄 ⭐ 🎄 ⭐ 🎄 And so, settled back in our humble abode in the little red dot  after the Yuletide holiday,  the baked sushi experience was not over yet. I prepared it for  Media Noche ( New Year's Eve). My other sister made it too for their's . Noice noice.👌  This "gentleman" and the grand ball  ⧓  surely left a wonderful impression in our memories. 🍣  Tools  🍣  knife & chopping board spatula scissors baking pan/mold oven 🍣 Ingredients - base 🍣 Japanese rice, cooked - 4 cups salt - 1 tsp sugar - 1 tbs...

👑  ~~~~~~~ 💙 + 💙 ~~~~~~~ My simple food ode to the   great Queen Elizabeth II   who recently passed on to   the sweet by and by, to be with the   King of Kings,   The Lord Jesus .   ~~~~~~~ + ~~~~~~~ "pepino sa pan"?  quizzical . 💭 T o me, it's totally unheard of. But directly translate that to " cucumber sandwich " and then it starts to make sense. interesting . I have been on the lookout for healthier but filling alternatives to our usual sandwiches; I got curious when I saw this cucumber sandwich on my FB feed a few days ago.  promising .  'Seems to me a typical high tea sandwich that I've never tried before. I don't know about you, but a teeny slice of pickled dill in a hamburger is just about my closest to this cucumber sandwich! 😁  So we tried this English staple and h ere was our 1st take for a light dinner; it was pleasant and soothing, a little heat from the chili, but the cucumbers were cool to the throat, just...

For my Zoe who just turned 13. always, my song for you.  ................................ 🎵  Dream a little dream of me 🌸 Stars shining bright above you Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you" Birds singing in the sycamore tree Dream a little dream of me Say "Night-ie night" and kiss me Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me While I'm alone and blue as can be Dream a little dream of me Stars fading but I linger on, dear Still craving your kiss I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear Just saying this Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you But in your dreams whatever they be Dream a little dream of me Stars fading but I linger on, dear Still craving your kiss I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear Just saying this Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you But in your dreams whatever they be Dream a little dream of me. 🎵  Dream a Little Dream of Me - Emilia Mi...