Egg Misua

Misua is always used for special occasions such as birthday, blessing, baptism, anniversary, Christmas, New Year, and festivals. Misual symbolizes longevity and prosperity.

Misua is made from flour. There are different types of misua. There is the white misua wherein it is used for cooking into soup. The brown misua is for stir fry type of cooking.

For New Year 2012, mom cooked egg misua. This is to start the year with hopefulness of abundance, longevity and prosperity. 

Misua soup is best cooked with a soup base of either pork, beef or chicken. Variation of seafood misua, chicken misua, beef misua, or pork misua is an option, or a combination of both. Mushrooms can be added as well as asparagus. Misua soup can also be cooked super sticky. Just add more misua to the soup than usual to lessen the soup.

In our family, we always serve misua soup with egg during birthdays, Christmas, and New Year. We also prepare misua when one of the family members is going on a trip. It is said that eat misua before trip can keep you safe. Old wives's tale but it doesn't hurt to believe in it.

2012 New Year's Eve Meal

As always, mom plans and make our menu for our new year's eve meal. This year, our menu consist of steamed shark's fin, patatim with eggs, crab omelet, asparagus soup, plain rice, shrimp gambas, dinuguan, ox lengua, chopsuy, and sotanghon. Only thing missing is the sweets. Mom made chiffon cake but after dinner, dad craves for something sweet like cakes.

Everything is so delicious since my mom is a good cook and definitely knows her way running a household.

The family gathers for dinner and with so many food to choose from, I do not know which food to start on! So, starting slowly, I took portions of every food and devoured slowly. Chatting with family and savoring the moment.

I thank God that as the year ends, we get to have the family together. With food on the table and a roof on our heads. A bed to sleep in every night and clothes to wear for comfort.

My new year's eve celebration would have been complete if only Big and I could have been together...

Mango Float

I've always been fond of mango float but I've never made it.

For the first time, I made a full batch of mango float good for 300 person.

As per request by Auntie Julie, she asked me to help with the Christmas party of the local government office in their province.

I searched the internet and and view you tube on its process. 

Ingredients include crushed graham, all purpose cream, condensed milk, and lots and lots of mangoes. Pile up your container with graham, cream, mangoes and so on until desired level is reached.

I am happy to say that I was able to make a good mango float for a first timer.

Mango float is best eaten frozen.

Sweet Chili Crab

I used to watch my mother cook crabs. I saw how she kills and cleans the crab before cooking.

Crabs are a delicacy for us. It is expensive to buy crabs in the city. More expensive when you order at a restaurant.

There are 3 genders to choose from - the male, female and gay. The female and gay ones are the best. Their fats are so juicy.

During my stay in the province, I was able to buy crabs at a very cheap price. Luckily also, the crabs I chose were so fat and meaty. For the first time, I killed, cleaned and cooked the crabs myself.

There are many ways to cook crabs. I chose sweet chilli style. This is my favorite way to cook it and fortunately Big also likes this. 

I cooked 2 crabs and we share it over dinner. My favorite combination with crabs is plain rice. I like to cover my rice with the sweet chilli sauce of the crabs.

A very sumptuous meal that we shared together under the breeze of Christmas air.

Chicharon Bulalak

Chicharon bulalak is a favorite appetizer dish. This may be pork or beef intestine deep fried in oil. It is dipped into vinegar when consumed.

My friends and I love chicharon bulalak. We always order this dish whenever we dine out. 

It may be of high cholesterol food but it is fun munching on it and sucking the juice from the intestine. With the vinegar as dipping sauce, saltiness and sourness taste mixed together is so delicious.

A funny occurrence happened the other week when we went out for dinner. We were a group of 7 and we were anticipating the foods that are to be served. As part of our routine, we ordered chicharon bulalak for our appetizer. The waitress told us that the serving is good for 3 to 5 persons. However, we were so disappointed when we were served our chicharon bulalak. A puny serving that is only good for 2. In order to salvage our dinner eve, we each took only a piece so everybody can can a piece of the chicharon bulalak. Despite this, we still enjoyed our night but we definitely won't be going back to that restaurant. Pricey meal tags with small quantity serving.

Roasted Herbed Chicken

My sister had her 2nd baby. For her homecoming, I made dinner to be held at her place. Just us family, consisting of 12 people.

One of my menu is the roasted herb chicken. This is my first time to try this recipe. A recipe which I imagined the ingredients to be mixed into. My other menu includes a lasagne, stir-fried vegetables, soup, grilled pork belly, grilled hotdog, lug-lug, and fruit cocktail.

Surprise surprise, it tasted good! My father and brother praised me for it and even recommended me to sell it for interested buyers. I made 3 roasted herb chickens and the family devoured it. 

It was a very satisfying meal. Almost all the dishes were devoured. Everybody ate contently and satisfactorily. I'm happy I was able to serve a good meal and if I may say so, I am proud that I was able to prepare the meal all by myself.

Cuttlefish Ball Soup

Cuttlefish belongs to the squid family. Though its name has a 'fish' in the end, it is not a fish but a mollusk. 

Cuttlefish meat are tender and has a contingency with the likes of a bubble gum. It is chewy in a chewable manner and can be easily digested.

I was able to buy cuttlefish ball at our local supermarket. I decided to make soup out of it. Using pork as my soup stock, I added the cuttlefish ball, button mushroom and spring onions. 

For the first time, Big was awed with the soup. He commented "wow" as he was scooping up the soup and the cuttlefish balls. He rarely praises my cooking. He usually just sits down on the dining table and devour the food. I can have an idea that the food I cooked is up to his standards because he takes more servings.

Thanks to the cuttlefish, I got praise and appreciation.