Creamy Chicken with Spinach

Delicious and easy to prepare. Serve to your loved ones, I am sure that they will like it. 

Ingredients for 5 servings:
1/2 kilo chicken breast
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch Spinach
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup all purpose cream
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic then add the chicken and stir for s minute.
2. Add the water and simmer until chicken is cooked. Add the all purpose cream then the spinach, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Simmer until done then serve with a smile :-).

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Weekly Menu

It's been a couple weeks since the last meal plan for good reason, we've been on vacay!  Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks in Montana... pictures from the trip will come soon as well as tips on eating around those parks.

We're not fully unpacked yet and we have more travel plans soon, so meal plans are short and sweet for the next few weeks.

spaghetti squash and meatballs
pizza night with garden veggies
sausage stuffed peppers
ravioli and garlic bread
jerk chicken sandwiches and crispy roast potatoes

homemade pickles
kale chips

Anyone go to Oktoberfest this weekend?  I think it was my first time having schnitzel... but I'm always up for some Bavarian pretzels (had one in Switzerland last year and it was the best ever!).  And I'm pretty sure I would not be able to survive an Oktoberfest in Germany...

A couple pics from our trip, more to come...

 

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Fried Rice with Turmeric

This is a simple fried rice but made special with turmeric. Turmeric or yellow ginger is one also of the ingredients in curry powder, have you tried this spice before? Try it and let me know.

Ingredients for 3 servings:
3 cups cooked rice
10 grams turmeric powder
250 grams bacon (slice into small pieces)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Put the bacon in a pan and cook over medium heat until the natural oil comes out, then brown it, add the garlic and saute until a little brownish then add the turmeric.
2. Add the rice and give it a good stir, add salt and pepper to taste then continue to stir until done. 
3. Mix in the parsley and serve with a smile :-). 

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Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon and Purple Cabbage

A potato salad loaded with yumminess.

Ingredients for 6-8 servings:
1 kilo potato ( diced)
100 grams purple cabbage ( sliced thinly)
1/2 cup crispy bacon
1 cup mayonaise or according to your taste
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Boil the potatoes until tender but not overcooked. After boiling drain and pass through a running water then drain to remove excess water.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients.
3. Serve and enjoy :-).

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Camp Breakfast Is In the Bag - total time 30 minutes

Have you seen those pins on Pinterest where they show a paper bag sitting over the campfire to cook breakfast? I definitely have. But have you ever seen the end result? So many pins about allegedly being able to cook a camp breakfast without any clean up... sounds too good to be true.

So I tried it out...

To my surprise, no Pinterest fail occurred, which is good because we were hungry. I shouldn't really be a surprised that the layered cooking works on a campfire because I did it with bacon, onions, and potatoes last year... but had to clean my cast iron afterward. So now we can go pan free!

I love breakfast sandwiches, so the ingredients in this are perfect after a night sleeping in tents or really any time. The bacon acts as a liner to the paper bag preventing the eggs from leaking out and the fat prevents the bag from burning in the fire. I also add a little cooking spray just to be in the safe side. The biscuit on top gets just enough air through the paper bag that it cooks perfectly (unlike covering a pan of biscuits with foil... if the steam can't escape, your biscuits will be soggy). Where to put the bag once you have everything ready becomes the tricky part. You don't want flames constantly hitting the bag... the bacon can protect the paper that well. But you also need it close enough to cook before you get hangry.

Read more �

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Pork Sinigang sa Santol

My family loves this so much when I let them taste it. 

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork
8 pieces santol ( skin or rind removed)
1 litre water plus 3 cups for boiling the santol
1 bunch swamp cabbage (kangkong)
1 onion 
2 tomatoes
3 tablespoons fish sauce (patis) optional
salt and pepper to taste

santol

Procedure:
1.  Slice 6 pieces santol into halves, put in the pot together with the 3 cups of water then bring to a boil, when boiling reduce the heat and just simmer until the santol flesh is tender, around 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let cool. Remove the santol seeds then put the santol flesh and the water in a blender and blend well until smooth. 
2. In a pot,  put the pork,  2 pieces santol (slice into quarter),  onion and tomatoes then allow to simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat .
3. Add the water and bring to a boil, then simmer until the meat is tender, season with fish sauce, salt and pepper.
4. Add the swamp cabbage (kangkong) and simmer for a minute,  then add the santol puree and seeds according to your taste,  simmer until the flavor is well blended. Turn off the heat.
5.Serve and do not forget to smile :-). 

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Onion Appetizer

 I made this for a friend's birthday party and her guests liked it. Easy to make, yet so delicious and a perfect dish to liven up the buffet table.

Ingredients:
5 onions (slice into rings)
1 cup bottled sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup almonds (roasted)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Procedure:
1. Heat the olive oil then put the onions and stir for a minute or until half cooked and remove from heat.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the cooked onion, mushrooms and almonds then put in a serving dish and enjoy :-). 

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Garlic Shrimp and Crabstick

Simple and very easy to prepare less than 10 minutes cooking time :-).

Ingredients:
250 grams shrimps ( de-shelled but left the tail)
8 pieces crabsticks
3 cloves garlic (minced)
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic then add the shrimps and stir until changed in color (orangey).
2. Add the crabstick, salt and pepper to taste then stir for a minute or two then turn off the heat.
3. Put in a serving plate sprinkle with some toasted garlic and sliced spring onion. Enjoy!

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Mixed Salad with Dried Tomato and Crouton

This simple mixed salad is perfect to pair with any meat or fish.  I mixed the lettuce, watercress and dandelion leaves sprinkle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and topped with dried tomatoes and croutons.

You can mix any leafy salad vegetables of your choice.
Enjoy and have a good time :-).

If you want to make croutons here is the link for it 
How to make crouton

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How to Stay Organized in Online College Courses (tips from an expert)

Yesterday was Labor Day, which means that it's officially BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON everywhere! 

And you know what that means! ...school supplies, new class schedules, and for many of us, online classes! 

Online classes can be tricky because they're sooo convenient. However, they're also sooo easy to fall behind in! Enter: Our secret weapon, Professor Myers! 

That's right, today's guest post is actually from an ONLINE PROFESSOR! Who better to give advice on how to keep it together this semester, right? She has some amazing tips (and a book with even more amazing tips) to share with us! Ready?! :D

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Even college students who live on campus take online courses because they are convenient. You know, like you don�t have to get up at 6 am to get to a 7:30 class. But what many students don�t understand is that online college courses are not an easy way to get through a class that they aren�t necessarily looking forward to. 

Yes, they are convenient because you can �attend class� anywhere, anytime, but that doesn�t mean they are easy. The professors who teach online courses must teach the same amount of material in the same amount of time, so even if you don�t have to physically show up (dressed) for class, you do have to show up and do the work. 

Students new to online college courses often buy into the common myths that:

1| They will save time
2| They are self-paced
3| They are a breeze

Every college student needs ways of staying organized and keeping their stuff together, but for the online student, this is paramount to success (or just passing by the skin of your teeth.) 

Here are some ways I recommend you do that:

There�s an app for that�Students love apps, and they are a great way to keep organized and keep on top of things. I�ve gathered a bunch of the best ones for online students, including scheduling and grade trackers, as well as distraction-free writing tools and motivational apps that help you keep on-task and get stuff done. You can find these must-have apps here.

Schedule time�To avoid forgetting about reading and assignments, schedule time into your week to �attend class.� Online courses require you to read/watch/listen to lectures, post in discussion boards, read the textbook and complete assignments. Set up several hours at the same times each week�a couple of times each week�just like you would if you had to get dressed and show up in a particular classroom. This will help you keep on top of assignments and ensure you don�t forget about the class.

Print the syllabus and calendar�I know you may be thinking that since this is an online course you shouldn�t have to print anything. But, if there is one thing you will learn in an online course, it is that technology isn�t foolproof. Servers go down and students can�t access their class. Does your professor have a policy for how to deal with that? What should you be reading in the textbook to make sure you don�t fall behind while the class is unavailable? See what I mean? Semester classes move at the speed of lightening, and just a day or two of lost time can mean a great deal of stress trying to get caught back up! Printing a few pages is worth it!

Log in often�Check your class, even when there isn�t something due. This is important because things change. For example, there have been times when I have pushed back an assignment due date or eliminated some required reading because of unforeseen events. Logging in several times a week, even when you don�t need to, will make life much easier in the long run.

Want to learn more strategies for being successful in your online college courses? Check out my new book, Your Online College Course Survival Guide. 

You can learn more about it at http://onlinecollegecoursesurvivalguide.com.

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  Jacqueline Myers has been improving writing skills since the 1990�s and is still hard at work, struggling to put an end to comma splices and stamp out accidental plagiarism. 

She is an online college English professor and a freelance writer & editor, as well as the owner & writing expert at Nitty-Gritty English, a site dedicated to providing academic writing tips to the reluctant college writer. 

Have questions about college writing or online courses? She�s all about answering them. Send them to her at jsm@nittygrittyenglish or post them on the Nitty-Gritty English Facebook Page

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Weekly Menu

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day, long weekend!  And that you stayed hydrated in this heat!  I am so glad summer weather came back, because the fall weather we were having recently was weighing on my mood... not because I don't like fall... but what comes after it.  :/

Any time there is a long weekend, it seems like it centers around food.  Okay... maybe all weekends center around food for a food blogger.  :)  We have been meaning to try Los Guachos as soon as we saw that the Food Networked ranked them as one of the top five tacos in the country (article here).  I tried a chicken taco and the pork taco that they are famous for (and what ranked them number three by FN).  The pork taco is kind of like a taco take on Hawaiian pizza.  It was pretty good.  The chicken was a little dry and not as flavorful as I was expecting... actually very similar to the chicken tacos I had in El Paso.  Then my husband had the spicy shrimp tacos... I had a taste and it was sooo spicy!  While we were eating, several Mexican-Americans were coming in ordering tacos, so I think the tacos are probably very authentic, but I prefer Local Cantina or Condado Tacos... perhaps they are a little more "Tex-Mex"?

Went to the Chocolate Cafe in Grandview with some work friends which I had never heard of before.  While I thought by the name it would be chocolate only, kind of like the Chocolate Bar in Cleveland, but it was also true to the cafe name with sandwiches and soups as well.  The martinis were on point and I took some brownies home to try later (also very tasty). 

Did you know Alchemy Juice Cafe and Crest Gastropub are partners?  You can get Alchemy juice mimosas at the Crest and they are delicious!  My favorite was the Strawberry Chia... mmm.  And we can't go to Clintonville without stopping at Pattycakes... I have a serious cookie addiction.

I finally got over to Grandview to try out Zest juices... their green smoothie (which is actually purple) tastes like a blueberry muffin and I always love a good orange + carrot juice.  :)  Finished off Saturday with pizza and drinks at Forno, which has become one of our food go-to's in the Short North, and some gallery hoppin'.  That picture below is made out of crayons!  So crazy!  

The new Whole Foods opened at Easton this week.  I have been waiting for this for sooooo long!  We used to live across the street, literally within walking distance, to the Whole Foods in Dublin.  But when you're just out of college and living in a tiny apartment, Meijer was more budget friendly for groceries.  Now that I want (and can afford) all of those fun, different foods... it is such a loong drive from Reynoldsburg.  This new location is definitely smaller than the Dublin one.  And you could definitely tell it was opening weekend because it was CROWDED.  Like, fire code might be breached, my foot was run over by carts, and playing human bumper cars kind of crowded.  I wasn't looking to buy groceries, just a few items... like cheeses and tea cookies... some breads... quickly filled my basket and had to checkout because it was too heavy to carry.  Oh, and a cold brewed coffee on nitro... just what we needed on our way back out into the heat.

Alright, it is a short week and we're getting ready to go on vacay... so the menu is simple and short.

summer veggie pizza
fresh raviolis (from Whole Foods)
steak tacos and corn on the cob
jerk chicken with rice and beans

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Chop Suey with Shrimps

Chop suey is a Chinese dish which literally means different pieces, making the dish looked attractive, that is why I like chop suey because it has lots of different vegetables. This is my first choice when it comes to vegetable dishes. It is believed that this dish originated in America from  Chinese immigrants and came out in an article  "Chinese cooking"  in 1884. The original recipe has sprouted beans and many Asian countries adopted the recipe and made different versions, my Pinoy version that I've learned from my sister in law. 

Ingredients:

1/4 kilo shrimp 
1 chuchu or chayote ( sliced)
1 medium size carrot (sliced)
1/4 kilo cabbage ( sliced)
1/4 kilo broccoli
1/2 cup button mushrooms 
6 pieces quail's eggs
1 glass water 

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic and onion
2. Add the shrimps saute for a while and add the water, let it boil.
3. Add the carrots and chuchu simmer for few minutes the add the rest of the vegetables and simmer until it is almost done, add the quails egg mix it well and simmer for a minute
4. Serve it hot.

You can dissolve 1 teaspoon flour in a water and pour it before it is done for a thicker sauce.

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Chicken Liver Adobo

Exotic or not? that is the question. :-) Of course this recipe is not exotic if this is an ordinary food for you, but for those who do not know that chicken liver can be eaten, it is really weird or exotic for them, I cooked this because I challenged one friend from U.K that chicken liver can be eaten, he said yuck! Then we laughed! As I am about to put it in my mouth he said throw it away! I said noooooooooooooo it is really yummy hahahahaha, funny. Anyway liver is rich in iron therefore it is good for our health. Eat it.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo chicken liver
1 small onion
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon ginger (strips)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vinegar 

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic and ginger, then add the onion increase the heat
2. Put the liver and braise for a while. 
3. Add the soy sauce, vinegar and pepper, reduce the heat and cover then simmer until it is done.
5. Serve and garnish  it with green onion.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

Easy to prepare and so delicious.

Ingredients for 8 cookies:
1 cup sweet peanut butter
1/4 cup self raising flour
1 egg
8 kisses

Procedure:
1. Combine all the ingredients until fully mixed. Get a portion then form into cookies, top it with Hershey Kisses.
2. Bake at 180C for 3 minutes then adjust the temperature to 200C and continue baking for  3 minutes.
3. Serve and enjoy :-).

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Eggplant A La Lasagna

A simple eggplant dish that you will surely love.

Ingredients:
3 Chinese Eggplant
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
Sauce - see the recipe at the bottom of this post.

Procedure:
1. Slice the eggplant, then cut each slice into halves, like the picture below.

2. Put in a reheated oven for 5 minutes or until soften at 200C.

3. Make a 3 layer of eggplant and sauce in a baking dish then top it with a melting cheese ( I used mozzarella).

4. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes or until done at 200C. Allow to cool then serve.

Ingredients for sauce:
1/4 kilo ground beef
3 packs tomato sauce ( 250g)
1/2 cup nestle cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 med. size onion
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure for the SAUCE:

1.Saute garlic and onion, then add the ground beef and ground pepper then simmer for few minutes until the pinkish color of the beef disappeared.
2. Add the tomato sauce and sugar, simmer for few minutes, ( add salt if necessary).
3. Add the Nestle cream and simmer for a minute then turn off the heat. 

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