camping #2

at the summit, hiking for a bit ,after lunch



just simply beautiful meadow



there still quite a few wild flowers



still goofing around behind those tress

After lunch, we went up the summit to hike and check the stargazing site. there were a few astronomers up there, setting up their equipments. on our way back to the campsite, i can't help but to stop and take a picture of every tree , mountains, and wild flowers around the area. we have done so much eventhough we got there late, it seems that everytime we go up there the time seems slow. i just can't help but wonder, when we are home, sometimes you have accomplished nothing all through the day, and the next thing you know it's already time to bed. But up in the mountains, everyhting is in a slow paced. we have enjoyed so much. we ate lunch, pitch our tents, took a nap, we went up the summit, we took a hike for a few hours, then we came back at the camp, still too early for dinner.   So, the kids decided to goof around and take funny photos of themselves.

INTO THE WOODS...camping #1

grapevine



MT. Pinos road




destination, McGill Campround. lunch time, we had baked chicken





the kids pitching their tent



my guy, pitching the toilet, our tent was an easy one, it was a KODIAK pop-up tent. absolutely love it. easy as 1-2-3. You just open the zipper, pull the string..and whalaaaa...there's your tent!



TADAAAA.......this we spent a few minutes to finally set it up. i wish theres a pop-up shower too!



at the summit



the astronomers



marshmallow time



goofing around

So we went camping last week at Mt. Pinos. We go there just about once or twice every summer.
We love the place so much, since it is really far far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The campground is so primitive, no lights, no shower just restroom. But i never enjoy that part, so i had to bring our own shower tent and portable potty and doodie bags. At around 10 pm everything is just peace and quite, except the rolling sound of wind, the night birds and some other night creatures. The temperature was just perfect, though it was freezing cold at night, around 40 something degrees.

GLYCERIN & ROSE WATER: BEAUTY MUST HAVE!

  I RECENTLY WENT TO OUR CVS DRUGSTORE AND FOUND THIS PRODUCT. ACTUALLY I WAS THERE LOOKING FOR A LOTION THAT REALLY WORKS ON DRY CRACKED HEELS. I HAVE TRIED ALL SORTS, GOLD BOND IS OK TILL I FOUND GLYCERIN & ROSE WATER. IT WAS JUST AN EXPERIMENT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. I AM REALLY GETTING TIRED OF USING  LOTIONS THAT DOESN'T WORK NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PUT INTO. THE WORD ROSE WATER REALLY CAUGHT MY EYE,  I HAVE READ THAT ROSE WATER IS GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN, SO I THOUGHT I'D GIVE IT A TRY PLUS IT'S NOT THAT EXPENSIVE, AROUND $3 SOMETHING.

   WELL, MUCH TO MY SURPRISE IN JUST ABOUT A COUPLE OF DAYS IT WORKS WONDER ON MY FEET, KNEES, ELBOWS JUST ABOUT EVRY PART OF YOUR BODY THATS DRY. EVEN ON YOUR FACE! I DONT KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE TRIED THIS PRODUCT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, I SWEAR BY THIS, THE STUFF REALLY WORKS! AND I AM GLAD TO SPREAD THE WORD OF WHAT THIS PRODUCT CAN DO! 

   SO IF YOU HAVE CHAFED, CHAPPED OR CRACKED SKIN AND LIPS DUE TO WIND, SUN, OR OTHER CAUSES THIS PRODUCT IS WORTH A TRY! YOU CAN  FIND THIS AT THE CVS DRUGSTORE BEAUTY SECTION, WHERE THE IMPORTED ITEMS ARE LOCATED.

MARUYA (BANANA FRITTERS)

TRADITIONAL SNACK IN THE PHILIPPINES. THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THE POPULAR STREET FOODS IN OUR COUNTRY. EASY TO PREPARE AND IT'S GREAT TO EAT IT WITH ICE CREAM, ESPECIALLY ON A HOT SUMMER DAYS! YUM!

YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 c sifted flour
• 1 t baking  powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 T sugar
• 4 T milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 ripe bananas(plantain)
• 1/2 c cooking oil
• powdered sugar (optional)

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. add milk, water and egg to the dry ingredients and mix until batter is smooth.

Peel the bananas and slice lengthwise into 4 pcs.

Dip in the batter and roll lightly in flour. Deep fry in oil, browning evenly. Drain and serve with powdered sugar if desired.( i like to use granulated sugar instead)

YIELD: 16 fritters

Banana chocolate chip muffins

recipe source: VEGAN BAKING

a versatile recipe, that can be made in the form of muffins, bread, or a cake. Just simple and delicious, perfect for vegan's. Nuts and choco chips would be a nice addition to the recipe. I baked mine just plain, since my daughter doesn't care much for nuts and we're not a fan of choco chips either. Both are delicious in any ways. The muffins are soft, moist and just the perfect sweetness. ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 C (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 C (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/3 C (80ml) canola oil
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 C (60ml) water
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 C (175g) nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 C (150g) walnuts (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 350 F (180 C, or gas mark 4)
lightly grease your muffin tins.
       In a medium size bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
In another bowl, beat the sugar and oil together, then add the mashed bananas. stir in the water and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture, along with the chocolate chips and stir to mix.
        Fill each muffin tin halfway with the batter. Bake for 20 to 30 min, until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

YIELD: 12 muffins or one 9-inch cake.

NOTE: if you are baking this as bread or cake, you may need to abke for 40 to 45 min. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into center.

New item! Libbey beverage glass

SET OF FOUR VINTAGE LIBBEY USA CUT GLASS

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GARDENER



MAINTENANCE GUY




SOUS CHEF



MODEL

DRUMMER

PIANIST

POOL GUY

MOST OF ALL,  HIS MY DAUGHTER'S FATHER AND MY LOVING HUSBAND. HE'S OUR ALL AROUND ENTERTAINER, AND MY HELPER IN EVERYTHING. WE LOVE YOU SWEETHEART! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ALWAYS.

DRAWING #2

   Again, i was "googling" images on the web the other night. i came across a very nice painting of a Lady by AMADEUS. i liked it a lot, so i took out my sketch pad and pencil and pastels. I dont know what i was seeing but i made the lady's head bigger than her body...hahhahahah.....drawing #1 on my previous blog was sort of a malnourished gal because i made her so skinny. This time i made her head big? gosh...ahh...let's just say that this is my own interpretation of the art :( ooooohhh...spooky.....
    Anyway, i just thought i'd share it with my blog guest, after all this is my "tried so hard" work of art! feast your eyes......LOL! Like i said, i'm not a "for real" artist, i just like to draw : )

BANANAQUE

My sis-in-law Aimee brought some yam or kamote and some banana (plantain) or as we call it Saging Na Saba. The day after my daughter's birthday we decided to fry some banana for a little snack before they head back to Anaheim. BANANAQUE or deep fried plantain coated with syrupy brown sugar. It's a very popular snack in the Philippines, and they are the most common street food too. Traditionally, these plantains are served on a bamboo skewer.

if you want to try this, here's what you will need:

vegetable oil for deep frying

ripe plantain bananas

bamboo skewer (optional)

brown  sugar

heat the oil in heavy skillet or pan. deep fry bananas for at least 4-5 min. sprinkle some brown sugar on bananas until the sugar melts and bananas are coated (like a sticky syrup) keep on turning the bananas. do not over cook. transfer on a platter or string bananas on a bamboo skewer at least 2 banana per stick.

if you want, sprinkle some powdered milk before serving to make more special.

ENJOY!

Daughter's Birthday

Got so busy over the weekend. It was my daughter's 17th birthday. My sis-in-law came up from Anaheim with the whole family and my daughter invited a few of her friends. Everything i prepared was all filipino food except the cupcake.

CHOW TIME.........

THE FOOD........

CALDERETA

PANSIT



barbe-Q



LUMPIA



EMBUTIDO



my sis-in-law's ADOBO



DINUGUAN

 THE DESSERT............



FRUIT SALAD



LECHE FLAN



PEACH MANGO PIE, FROM JOLLIBEE (FAMOUS FILIPINO FAST FOOD CHAIN)



MOCHA CUPCAKE(MARTHA STEWART'S CUPCAKE BOOK).
 I PARTICULARLY DIDNT LIKE NOR ENJOY THIS ONE. IT'S NOT THAT GOOD. I LIKE THE COFFEE SMELL OF IT BUT OTHER THAN THAT THE CUPCAKE WAS NOT GREAT AT ALL. IT'S A LITTLE DRY, COMPARE TO ALL THE CUPCAKES I HAVE BAKED FROM HER BOOK. I SHOULD HAVE BAKED HER TIRAMISU CUPCAKE. IT'S MORE MOIST AND DELICIOUS THAN MOCHA. BUT ANYWAY, MY DAUGHTER REQUESTED THIS ONE, SO WHAT CAN I DO? I'LL PROBABLY EXPERIMENT WITH THIS CUPCAKE AGAIN SOMETIME.

AFTER eating the two kids went to play Wii

the teens were playing some horror game on PS

the grown-ups were jammin'

the others on karaoke.....the two kids join in too!

later that evening, my niece asked to play sequence. we had so much fun playing. we get a kick out of the two kids!!! they were so halarious!!! we played till 2 in the morning. i dont know where this kids get their energy considering they were out all day swimming. my niece Jya, was so funny, she kept picking on her BFF Andre. It was Andre's first time to play the game, and he was just adorable. Jya named him the "BOY". They were a team in the beginning of the game, after a while Jya decide to dump him because they kept on losing...we thought that was so hilarious! So the "BOY" kept changing teams, he desperately wanted to win the game...hahahaha....meanwhile the birthday gal was already in bed when we started playing.She just crashed after her visitors left.

I'm telling you, we had such a good time that day. There is nothing like being with your family and having a good time.....