Thursday, April 22, 2010

Spring Fling

(This t was my guest post at  Chow and Chatter a couple of days ago.  Such a great honor and joy to have been invited .... Thank you Rebecca!)

It's almost noon during an unseasonably cold, hazy spring day as my daughter, hubby and I decided to take a walk at the beach. The beach? Really? On such an overcast day?  I know, I know... it doesn't seem right but the beach being just in our backyard seems to always beckon us... especially when my eldest daughter comes for a visit...  coming from a highly stressed environment, the beach is therapeutic... even minus the bright skies.

Spring is evident all around, even under grey skies.   We drove past rows of flowers all in bloom.  Vivid hues of shimmering yellow, romantic red and vibrant purple... the lively chorus of birds chirping and the rhythm of their flapping wings as they fly in droves... ahhh this is why I love spring!

On the beach, surfers in wet suits glide with the waves with grace and balance.  The beach is not crowded, that makes us appreciate it more.  My daughter and I giggled as we realized we moved in synchronized motion as we took our shoes off and ran towards the ocean.  Meanwhile, my husband was standing, watching over us by the roadside, seemingly content with the captivating views of the the cliffs and the ocean... and relaxing to the sound of the crashing waves landing on the shore.

We screamed every time the waves hit the shore and washed our feet.  We could see my husband's head shake as he hears our screams and shreiks.. but we didn't care... we were there to enjoy and celebrate the beauty of God's gifts in a rare occasion where it's just the three of us.

As we dusted off the sand from our shoes  before entering the house, my daughter glimpsed at the pictures posted on the wall. The gallery of photos has always been there on the entry way all these years, but having a wonderful feeling coming from the beach, she looked at these pictures differently.




 "Heartwarming" she said... to see the last pictures we had at about the same time in early April, one Easter weekend ten years ago in my hometown..  Even when we move, these pictures always find their space on the entry wall.  It happened to be  the last Easter we celebrated before we moved to the US.  They never fail to remind us of the good times we had in the past. The nostalgic feeling led my daughter to request me to cook one of  her favorite comfort food from my home town... and yes, which leads me to share with you the recipe of a noodle dish known in my home town as BATIL PATUNG.

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Batil Patung  is stir fried noodles served with an egg topping (patung),and a side serving of egg drop soup (batil) the dish is not complete without the sauce--- soy sauce and vinegar with lots of raw onions. It maybe high in cholesterol and sodium but hey there's no taste like home!


Ingredients:

1/4 lb. ground beef
1 pc. chinese sausage, sliced
chinese cabbage, sliced
mongo sprouts
carrots, sliced
onions, diced
garlic, minced
soy sauce
oyster sauce
beef stock
fresh egg noodles (found in the refrigerated items section in an asian store)

Directions:

Saute garlic and onions. Add ground beef and sausage. Cook for about 4 minutes or until beef is brown and the sausage is cooked. Add the vegetables.  Season it with soy sauce and oyster sauce.  Adjust to taste. Make a quick stir. Set aside. De-glaze the pan using a beef stock. (if you don't have a beef stock, use chicken or pork) Add soy sauce and let it simmer. When the soup stock is simmering, break an egg and stir it into the soup. Ladle up some soup in a serving bowl and set aside.




Using the same pan, add the noodles. (You may add more beef stock if needed) Cook the noodles for about 3-4 minutes.



Put the noodles on a serving plate. Top it with the stir-fried beef , sausage and vegetables. Top it with a poached egg.


Condiments:


Soy sauce with lemon or a little vinegar
Diced onions.































Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Friends Across the Blogosphere

I didn't know what I got into when I started blogging  five months ago. I was encouraged by my brother Paul to start a blog two years ago, but it was only late last year that I gathered all my strength and courage to press the word PUBLISH.  Soon I was led to discover the whole new world of food blogging.   And like most new bloggers, I thought that this would just be temporary.  However, blogging has become a big part of my life.

Blogging is just like living in the real world wherein it is inevitable to meet new friends.  I am amazed at how I started meeting people and becoming friends with them instantly online.  I can't explain it but I immediately felt the chemistry and the compatibility even if I have not met them in person.  I am grateful to everyone I've met along the way, and most especially my friends who support me and recognize the work I've put together.

Last month I was surprised to receive awards from other bloggers (I know it's long overdue for me to acknowledge them).  One of them is Mia of  Vanilla Strawberry Springfields.  We maybe far apart in terms of distance and age (about 20 years) but our love for life and passion for cooking has bonded us together.  I feel like I've known her for the longest time.  Here are the awards she gave me, and yes Mia, it's such an honor to receive these from you!




Another blogger whom I have developed a friendship with is Liren of  Kitchen Worthy. Liren has become my friend through Twitter.  She's new to the blogging world herself but already she has won awards and has been featured in foodbuzz.   When you visit her blog, you know she's literally Kitchen Worthy for all the accolades she has received.  Liren, I would like to thank you for the Sunshine Award.



As I was writing this post, I was disrupted by 3 loud knocks at the door.  It was the mailman delivering a package.  A smile came across my face as I saw that the package came from Caroline of  When Adobo Met Feijoada.  Homemade  Meyer Lemon Marshmallows and Strawberry Marshmallows were neatly
packed in two separate glossy white boxes and carefully vacuum sealed

.
It was a wonderful feeling to receive such a package because you know it was done with so much love.  It also gives you a tingling sensation that friends in the blogosphere are now my true friends. Thank you Carol and I hope we're going to meet each other sometime soon.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended my first foodie event in Los Angeles.  The whole experience was totally awesome.  It was great to meet  the people behind the food blogs I read online.  The seminar was organized by the founders of Food Blog Forum,  Jaden of  Steamy Kitchen  and  Diane of  White on Rice Couple.   I would like to invite you to take a peak at this video clip: Food Blog Forum Seminar in Los Angeles.  I'm thrilled that I had a brief appearance at the end of the video.

And to you my readers, thank you so much for the support and for all the love.  See y'all at the blogosphere... Cheers!

xoxo,
Malou

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