I Cook When I’m Stressed Out

Yesterday, half of my day was spent with roasting and baking. It actually started out last Saturday morning when I remember that it’s been a long time since I baked. I’ve been contemplating making Sassy Lawyer’s Chocolate Marble Cheesecake since last month but haven’t got the time to make it. And also there’s this fear of not making it right the first time. But alas my stress level has reached its limit and I knew that I had to do something to level it down. So I resorted to my first love-cooking.

Here you go ladies and gentlemen, my Juicy Roasted Garlic Chicken and Chocolate (not so) Marble Cheesecake straight right out from my oven.

The chicken was marinated for almost 24 hours in roasted garlic, water, lemon, pepper and salt. Before roasting, I placed chopped celery and cubes of margarine inside the chicken cavity and tied the legs together. It was slowly roasted for 1 hour and 15 minutes in an oven with 350° F temperature. It was also basted with margarine every now and then to keep the chicken moist and juicy.

This cheesecake was a little challenging to make. First because it’s my first time with using cream cheese as an ingredient. I was afraid it would turn out sloppy. Second was finding the cream cheese which is the main ingredient of this recipe. Two BIG grocery stores here in Singapore has no stock of cream cheese. Would you believe that? Why would they not have this? I panicked because I already have the rest of the ingredients like the chocolate bar, crushed chocolate cookies and eggs but not the cheese. Anyway, my search ended in the small grocery store near our place (bleh).

 Rudel described this as the most perfect cake I’ve ever made for him. He’s really not into desserts especially sweet ones like Chocolate Cake and Leche Flan. But this recipe wasn’t to sweet and it melts in your mouth with a bit of a crunch from the cookies. I think that’s why it was a HIT for him.

Totally slipped my mind

While I was enjoying the sunset of Boracay and stuffing myself with all the pinoy foods I could get in to, my colleagues had been busy registering for the 2010 elections. I hate hate myself for forgetting to register before I went off for vacation. It would have been my chance to finally vote and I just let it just slipped away (sigh…).

Voting didn’t interest me before. I haven’t experienced voting for national elections ever since I became of “legal” age. During the past elections, I felt at that no one among the past candidates deserve my vote. However, after watching the ANC forum last June on TFC my point of view changed. On the show, I got the chance to get to know the people vying for THE position. I like Richard Gordon’s ideas best.

 

“What is important is leadership by example,” he stressed, adding that constituents only follow what they observe a president does. “A president should be hands-on. You cannot move [a nation] just by yourself. It should be both inspiration and perspiration.”

I would want to vote for him if only I was given another chance. Sayang talaga!

And you know what? I chanced upon him on our way to Boracay! I even gave him a handshake! It was now or never I thought because who knows, HE might be the NEXT president.

   
                                           Gordon just arrived in Aklan Airport

It’s been a while now…

Hello there.

I guess I’m back to the blogging world. Not for good that I’m sure. It’s been a hectic 4 months. I’ve been everywhere (literally). I’ve lost and gained and gained and lost a few pounds. I still feel I have to loose more. A lot of my clothes still doesn’t fit me the way it used to 2 years ago. What to do, what to do. I do my best to exercise at least twice a week. A little bit of stretching here and there. I drink lots of water and juice. I eat 2 big meals a day (as in a cup of rice and ulam). No snacks. No dessert. No coke and less sugar on my coffee and milo. BUT it still not WORKING! Could it be because I couldn’t give up RICE? I can’t. I really can’t. HELP Me…

I just spend an entire paragraph about my diet dilemma. I wasn’t planning on talking about that here but it just came out of nowhere. Oh well.

So why I’m here (again). I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been awake for 18 hours now. A lot of things are going through my mind including this blog. I feel like writing today so I took the opportunity to update this neglected blog of mine.

What have I been up to?

May 2009 – nothing really major happened. I was just not in the mood to write. I’m a moody blogger hehehe

June 2009 – same as above.

July 2009 – This was my busiest MONTH of the year. In fact, this was the busiest month I’ve ever had in my entire adult life!

1. 
   
   My ma, sister and youngest brother came all the way from Wales to attend my cousins wedding and to have a vacation in the Philippines. Airfare from UK to Manila isn’t really cheap so they had to squeezed in all their activities in one month. I on the other hand only had 3 weeks. Our first 2 days was spent in our home in Pangasinan. We all miss that place so even though we were all tired from our flights we forced ourselves to travel (by bus) 5 hours just to be there and be with my brother (middle child). We bonded for 2 days. Ate pakbet, bangus, pansit and many more. Even though I eat these here in Singapore, there’s this weird happy feeling of eating them in the place where we all grew up. It still is the PLACE to be when I’m with my family. In fact, up to know nothing could top the Christmases and New Years we’ve had in that place. We went back to Manila two days after to prepare for the wedding. We shopped for our shoes, had my hair permed, my sister had her hair rebonded. Ma had a her hair trimmed and all 3 of us had pedicure. It’s our one thing in common when it comes to being vain hehehe. My youngest brother on the other hand had facial (yes, as in facial sa Let’s face it). I kid you not, he’s the vainest of us all but that’s another story.
   Bro and sis with Ella


2. 
   
   Two days before the wedding we went to Libis for a night out and the day after we had lunch at my Uncle’s place in Cainta. Our place is in Paranaque so our travel to these places had been really a challenged. We don’t have our own car so just imagine the things we have to do and endure just to reach those places. Truly a nightmare!
   
   
   In Libis with the whole gang!                              Sis, ma and my tita’s


3. 
   
   My (dearest) cousin’s wedding. My sister and I were one of the bridesmaid and my brother was one of the groomsmen that’s why we had to prepare a just LITTLE. The wedding was successful. We were a little emotional while the bride was walking down the aisle but that’s expected right?-at least for us girls. The reception was a lot of fun. There were games, a little dancing and or course eating! I was just disappointed with myself as I wasn’t able to fully enjoy the food due to my “just right” dress. There was no extra space for a big tummy in that dress so after a few bites I was so full already (what a loser) that I didn’t have the chance to go back for another plate.
   
   
   The newly weds                                              Fun fun fun!


4. 
   
   Boracay trip. This was the highlight of our vacation. I’ve been to Boracay a long long time ago. I only had a few pictures and didn’t get a chance to try the “Things to do in Boracay” activities. So it was still like a new place for me. Just check out our pictures!
   
   Boracay Jumpshot                                         cliché Sandcastle shot
   
   
   Boat ride to banana ride and Island hopping                       Merienda
   
   
   Overlooking Boracay Island                                                  ATV! I survive
   
   
   Happy!                                               Manny Pacquiao’s Place
   
   
   Helmet Diving                                   It wasn’t really painful, she was just acting
   
   
   Sunset shots


5. 
   
   Butuan trip. A day after Boracay my ma and I went to Butuan City. It’s my ma’s hometown. We went there with my cousin and other relatives to visit their Farmhouse and my grandparent’s grave. We stayed there for 2 days then back again to Manila. (I told you it was the BUSIEST month).
   
   It was raining so we had to wear botas                        With cousins


6. 
   
   Ma, sis’ trip to Singapore. A day ( yes, the day after arriving from Butuan) after our trip from Mindanao was our flight to Singapore. Two weeks of my vacation was spent in the Philippines and the third week was spent here to give my ma and sister a little tour of my work place. We brought them to Sentosa, Suntec, Orchard, a few malls and the Merlion park in Esplanade.
   
   

Whew! That was a long entry.

Until next time!