[Celebration] Valentine's Date 2014: Aura Brasserie

photo [via]

My dear one and I spent our post-Valentine's date at Aura Brasserie with 19 other friends.  Aura is owned by Chef Frederic Perrier who is "widely recognized for his creativity and inventive nature by introducing Southwestern, South American and Asian influences in his cooking."  The restaurant is described as "innovative American with an 'inch' of French" and was named one of Houston's Top Ten New restaurants.  

It was a cozy place with a long red seating area on one side and a wall featuring glass art on the other.  The menu was a tongue twister for us (lol) but we it turned out that we chose well.

(top Left to Right)  Tikal Locura, Lyonnaise, Filet Mignon, Filet Medallion,  Berkshire Pork Cheeks, Pan seared Striped Bass, Scallops and Lamb Chops

We got a bottle of Tikal Locura (locura = madness) from Sabores de Argentina.  It was a bold red wine made from a blend of Malbec, Bonarda and Torrontes which are three of Argentina's best variety of grapes.  It was really good - smooth and delicious!  For wine lovers, it is 94 points.  The bottle was encased within an authentic Aregentine pato which is a leather cradle designed to hold the ball in the game of Pato which is Argentina's national sport.  The game combines elements from polo and basketball.  Pato in Spanish is 'duck' and it started out as a violent game - I don't want to get so graphic here but I know you get the point.

photo [via]

These are some of what we ordered:

Salade de Chêvre, Endives et Betteraves $10 Baked Goat Cheese with Salt Roasted Beets, Endive & Walnuts 

Salade Lyonnaise $10 Curly Endive with Poached Egg, Pear, Bacon, Croutons & Mustard Vinaigrette 

Gratinée a l’Oignon $9 French Onion Soup 

Bisque de Homard $10 Lobster Bisque 

Joues de Porc “en Meurette”, et Ris de Veau $11 Berkshire Pork Cheeks Braised in Red Wine then Cooked with Pearl Onions, Bacon, Mushrooms, Crispy Sweet Breads and a Poached Farm Egg 

Le Pâté du Chef $10 Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Mousse with Port Wine & Onions Jam 

Foie Gras “Selon l’humeur du Chef” $16 Foie Gras following The Chef’s Mood!

Coquilles Saint-Jacques $28 Diver Scallops over Cauliflower Puree, Arugula Salad & Brown Butter Emulsion 

Saumon aux Asperges $21 Seared Salmon, Parmesan Crusted Asparagus and Citrus Butter 

Loup de Mer $25 Pan Seared Striped Bass with Crab Meat & Corn Risotto, Saffron ButterL’entrecôte Pommes Frites $30 Prime Ribeye with French Fries, Red Wine Reduction 

Filet au Poivre $29 Filet Mignon with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce 

Cotelettes d’Agneau $28 Lamb Chops with White Beans, Sundried Tomato, Garlic Stew & Fresh Mint Pistou 

Jarret de Porc $19 Crispy 12 Hour Pork Shank with Yukon Gold Mash, Caramelized Apples 

& Dijon Mustard Sauce 

Médaillons de Filet aux Champignons $26 Filet Medallions with Truffle Mushroom Risotto, Cognac Sauce

Whew!  That's a mouthful.  The food was unique and delicious.  

Good food + Good company = Perfect date.

Aura Brasserie
15977 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX 77479(281) 403-2872

We don't have children and while our friends had to pick up theirs from the sitters, we went straight home. That's when we realized that "husband and wife" alone time off from the children is very very precious and important to keep their marriage going.  

Love to you all!

♥ michelle  

[Food] Celebrating 5 at "Underbelly"

Today is our 5th Wedding Anniversary (cue in "Your Everything" by Keith Urban) and we are just grateful to God for giving us another year with each other.

"Your Everything" by Keith Urban

Five years seemed to have gone so fast and now it's time for a C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-I-O-N!  We went to "Underbelly Houston" to discover the "story of Houston Food."  The restaurant is owned by Executive Chef Chris Sheppard who is also Food and Wine's 2013 Best New Chef.  

We loved how they decorated the place because it was spacious and homey.  They added the a lot of wood panel that reminded me of our place in Manila.  Their wall features other local establishments such as Korean and Vietnamese restaurants to show how diverse Houston's restaurant world is.  The kitchen is open to guests so you can see the chefs prepare what they do best.  The shelves were full of jars of picked vegetables, sauces and stuff to fill your pantry.

with Exec. Chef Chris Sheppard of Underbelly Houston

And now, for the good stuff.  

We tried the Korean Braised Goat and dumplings which is one of their more popular appetizers.  It was delicious!  The meat was so tender with a hint of spice and the dumplings were soft with a bit of crunch.  The portion size was enough for both of us but if you're with a bigger group, you'd have to order more.  It's served family style so order several kinds to share with the group.

I got the Vietnamese Stew with Beef, Carrots and rice noodle.  The soup was thicker than the traditional pho and the beef was very tender.  Mr. C got the UB smoked burger which was really good.  The beef patty and thick slices of onions  topped with cheese was just yummy!

Underbelly Houston.Clockwise from top left:  Vietnamese stew with beef, The UB smoked burger, Korean braised goat with dumpling, Vinegar pie and Meyer pound cake.

We didn't finish our main course because we had to leave space for dessert.  I got the Vinegar pie, salt brittle.  Be prepared to tickle your taste buds with this dessert that combines sweet, salty and sour in one bite (I know you are starting to drool right now).   

He got the Meyer pound cake, kissel, sezamki and butter ice cream.  The whaaaaat?  I've never heard of kissel only to find out it's an Eastern European dessert of crushed berries that have been thickened with starch.  Sezamki on the otherhand is a Polish candy dessert using sesame seeds and sugar.  It's similar to peanut brittle or "bandi" in the Philippines.  

Well, we were able to meet, chat and shake hands with Chef Chris who was very friendly and accommodating.  We had a good experience and would definitely return to try their dinner menu.  The price of their lunch menu ranged from $7 - $16 with desserts at $4 and $9.

Oh, the price of good food, great company and cherished memories. 

We definitely left with our bellies satisfied and our hearts filled with joy.  

Cheers!

♥  michelle  ♥

[Flashback] April 2013: Happy Birthday to Me!

A Blessed Christmas to you, my friend! 

 Happy birthday, Jesus, the Reason for the Season!

Since it's also April Flashback today, .allow me to say Happy birthday to me!  Wooohooo!

Mr. C treated me to a birthday dinner at Azuma Sushi and Robata.  This is one of our favorite Japanese restaurants.  We love the hot rock beef where sliced new york strip is cooked on a hot rock with a special dipping sauce, shrimp tempura, soft shell crab roll and the kamikaze roll.

Azuma Sushi and Robata

 A birthday is not a birthday without a cake, or in my case, cupcakes!

In the complex of Azuma is Houston's Crave Cupcakes.

Houston's Crave Cupcakes

I love cupcakes though the icing can be too sweet.  These 4 flavors are my favorite:  Red Velvet, German Chocolate,  Coconut and Chocolate & Cream.  Waaaahhh!  Aren't the fondant topping cute?

"A gourmet twist on a nostalgic favorite."

Now, that's what I'm talking about.

♥  michelle  ♥

Azuma Sushi and Robata

5600 Kirby Drive #5

Houston, TX 77005

Telephone:  (713) 432-9649

Crave Cupcakes

5600 Kirby Drive

Houston, TX 77005

Telephone:  (713) 62-CRAVE (27283)

[Food] Jollibee has landed in Houston, Texas

Jollibee has landed in Houston, Texas!

Jollibee Houston, Texas

If you were in Houston, Tx today and you passed along Main and Kirby Sts, you must have noticed a new store with a long queue of people and a parking lot full of cars.  Let me introduce you to the latest fastfood chain in Houston: JOLLIBEE.

Photo from Jollibee's Facebook

Here's a brief history of the company as seen in their website. 

"Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Philippines, operating a nationwide network of over 750 stores. A dominant market leader in the Philippines, Jollibee enjoys the lion's share of the local market that is more than all the other multinational brands combined. The company has also embarked on an aggressive international expansion plan in the USA, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei, firmly establishing itself as a growing international QSR player."

"Jollibee was founded by Tony Tan and his family with its humble beginnings as an Ice Cream Parlor which later grew into an emerging global brand. At the heart of its success is a family-oriented approach to personnel management, making Jollibee one of the most admired employers in the region with an Employer of the Year Award from the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines, Best Employer in the Philippines Award from Hewitt Associated and a Top 20 Employer in Asia citation from the Asian Wall Street Journal."

As an immigrant to the USA, it brings me joy to have a place such as Jollibee that reminds me of home.  They serve a variety of juicy burgers - my favorite is the Amazing Aloha, fried chicken - Chickenjoy, Spaghetti, Fiesta noodles (or Palabok) and delicious desserts such as Halo-halo which was featured by Anthony Bourdain in his show, "No Reservations" and Peach Mango Pie.  Yum!

 After much anticipation, they opened their doors today, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 at 7am.  We were so excited to be one of the first to be there so we woke up early, arrived at 630AM and waited along with fellow Filipinos and others for the store to open at 7AM.  Oh, it was fun!  It was a thrill to see such an outpouring of support from fellow Filipinos.

Jollibee

Call it crazy but seeing the iconic Jollibee in person made me so happy.  I remember my days as a Pediatrician when my patients would request their parents to go to Jollibee or to bring them Chickenjoy when they were sick.  LOL.  Forget about diet and calories on this very special day!  

If you get the chance to visit their stores in California, NY, Virginia and more, you got to try what they have to offer.  

If you do, please tell me about it.

Disclaimer:  This is the writers' personal blog about Jollibee and is not endorsed or paid for by the company.

Have a wonderful day!

♥ michelle  ♥

Jollibee Houston, Texas

8001 S Main St Houston Texas 77025

[Food] Lobster Chowder

Welcome back!

A friend of ours and her family went to Boston and New Hampshire and they gave us this delicious Lobster Chowder.  It was very good - it tasted fresh and the chunks of chowder was delicious.  

Perfect for this rainy summer day.

Have a wonderful weekend!

♥  michelle  ♥

[Wilton Wednesday] Course 1: Decorating Basics

Welcome back to The Cabby Crafter!

We have good news for my dear readers who love to bake.  We have designated today as 

"Wilton Wednesday" 

and will do so every Wednesday until we run out of things to share with you.  LOL.

Disclaimer:  This is a personal blog of The Cabby Crafter and is not sponsored by or in anyway connected to Wilton Industries, Inc.  Thank you very much!

I have always loved baking since I was young.  My mother would bring me with her to her baking class (she's a nursing professor and took baking classes in the University where she taught) and would let me mix, use the hand mixer, crack and separate eggs and finally lick the mixer prongs.  I have baked a lot of cakes before and took a few courses on my spare time.  Did I mention that I've always wanted to have a glass refrigerated case and a bakeshop?   

My love for baking was rekindled over a year ago when I started to bake cakes for gatherings and church pot share.     Surprisingly, people besides my husband loved my cakes.  Whenever I would bake a new recipe for the first time it would always be above par - except for the icing, that is.  

I need to practice more.

And more.

One day ago, I enrolled in "The Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Course 1:  Building Buttercream Skills" at my home away from home, Hobby Lobby.  I have always been a fan of Wilton though I regret not being able to visit their office during their tent sale in Woodridge, Illinois in the 2 years that we were just an hour away from them... sigh.

The course was not cheap but thankfully, it was 55% off when I signed up - that includes the nice and colorful Course 1 book.

I had some stuff at home but of course, I had to buy the Decorating Basics Student Kit which cost $34.99 (you could never have enough tips or spatulas, my Dahlings!).

The kit included everything you need to get started (that's what the label read).

12 Decorating Tips:  Round 1,3,12; Star 16,18,21; Open Star 1 M; Petal 104; Leaf 352, Bismark 230; Drop Flower 20; Multi-opening 233

4 standard couplers

2 10-inch reusable featherweight bags

2 disposable decorating bags

6 parchment triangles

15 in Flower nail

Cupcake nail

Decorator brush

12 Flower template stickers

9 in. spatula

Practice board with stand and patterns

Our teacher, Ms. Debra was very informative.  She taught us the basics and secrets of baking, how to make buttercream icing, how to make and determine the icing consistency.  We were asked to bring cookies to practice on but we didn't have time to do it but I'm gonna practice at home.  

I will be sharing with you more about it next week.

Our take home message:  Practice, practice, practice.

This is a 2 hour x once a week x 4 week class.  Fun huh?

Come and visit us next Wilton Wednesday, okay?!

See ya!

Happy baking!

♥  michelle  ♥

[Focus on Life Week 27] Texture

Hello there!  It's Week 27 over at Ms. Sally Russick's Focus on Life and it's all about Texture.

" From the course to the soft and fluffy, textures are always at our fingertips but we tend to be too busy to notice. Textures surround us at any given time, we sometimes just need to slow down a little and give them a little attention. Run your fingers down the hem of a quilt or pick up that dried leaf and focus on what your finger tips feel."

I like adding texture in my crafts such as this card - done with textured paper and accented with paper flowers.
A few days ago, I also shared a tutorial using dimensional adhesive.

I also use texture in my jewelry such as in this necklace where I added an embossed a Vintaj blank.  

This necklace was featured HERE.

Texture may also be applied to food and this homemade mango crab salad is full of it!  I combined lettuce, imitation crab and fresh, sweet mangoes.  The dressing was a combination of creamy garlic and Bragg's Hawaiian dressing - it tasted perfect!

Thanks for stopping by the blog.  It's time to head over to Ms. Sally's site to check on different textures.  Have fun!

Have a wonderful weekend!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Food] Zongzi & Dragon Boat Festival

My co-worker from China gave us some Zongzi.  Zong... What? 

"Zongzi is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo, reed, or other large flat leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling."

These sticky rice treats are traditionally prepared and eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival where they commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet.  The one she gave us were wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied with kitchen twine.  One had meat and the other with sweet dates.  We don't have a microwave at home so I steamed it for about 15 minutes.

Meat Zongzi

Sweetened Dates Zongzi

We have a similar type of food in the Philippines, the "suman" which is sweetened glutinous rice wrapped in banana or coconut leaves (called "ibos"  in the Hiligaynon dialect).  I preferably eat it with ripe mango... oh my.. yummy!  Zongzi is also called as "Chinese tamales" - probably because of the similarity of the cooking process.

We enjoyed eating it, dipped the meat in soy sauce and the one with dates in sugar.  Mouthwatering.

Isn't it nice to try food from other cultures?  Try it sometime.  Explore.  Make friends with someone with another culture.  Enjoy!

Blessings,

♥  michelle  ♥

[Food] Slicing Watermelons

It's almost summer and I've been seeing a lot of watermelons in the grocery stores... yum!  Do you love eating watermelon?  If so, do you get bloated, constipated and feel gaseous?  Watermelons have a high water content hence they ferment faster than the other foods that we eat.  In order to avoid unwanted effects, try eating watermelon or other fruits with high water content alone next time and see the difference.  Let me know if this information helped you.

Another way to enjoy watermelons is to prepare them as clean as possible.  Be sure to wash your hands and kitchen utensils appropriately.  I like serving them in small pieces as it is easier to handle, avoiding drips on your white shirt... ekk!
My mom taught me how she does it - clean and simple - and I'd like to share it with you.

Serving Watermelon

Prepare a clean bowl.  Cut one whole watermelon into quarters then into 1 - 11/2 inch strips.  

I like holding the watermelon as seen in the photos but you can place them on a clean cutting board. Remember, SAFETY FIRST!  

Carefully run the knife vertically and cut into 1 1/2 inch strips from one end to the other.  Then, run the knife horizontally, allowing the pieces to fall on the prepared bowl.  When you get close to the bottom, whitish part, carefully slide the knife along the curve of the base, away from your hands and fingers.

In doing so, you avoid touching the fruit hence decreasing the risk of contamination.

This is best served chilled.

Enjoy!!!

How do you serve watermelons?  

Have a blessed day,

♥  michelle  ♥

  

[Focus on Life Week 22] Foodie

It's Week 22 over at Ms. Sally Russick's Focus on Life:  "FOODIE."

I love this week's prompt as it is very close to my heart, or should I say, my tummy.  Yes, I'm one of those who take photos of their meal before gobbling it all up.

Do you like Samoas Girl scout cookies?  Oh, I love it!  

Did you know that Breyers have it as one of their flavors?  Yum yum!

Breyers Ice Cream Samoas

This is our new favorite flavor - we love the chocolate covered coconut.  Ahhh!  The heat is on in Texas and what better way to cool down after a sweaty hot yoga workout than by cooling off my mouth, hahah!

It's the last day of May and we'll be halfway through 2013 by midnight.  Wonderful!  Pretty soon, us crafters have to come up with our handmade cards and holiday sales and gifts.  Goodluck to us all!

Tomorrow will be a busy day for me and dear husband as we will be joining the "Loving Houston" project where we will be doing home improvement and beautification for people in need.  

Loving Houston

Speaking of people in need, my love and prayers go out to the families of the firefighters who died and were hurt on duty and other victims during a nasty fire in Houston this afternoon.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend, friends!

You are loved!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Product Review] ZOKU Single Quick Pop Maker

Welcome back, friends!  How was your weekend?  Mine was great!  I was able to kick off my new fitness routine that I'll be sharing with you soon (once I get results), haha.  

I was also able to go on a mini-shopping spree for work-out clothes and look what I found!  This is a Zoku Single Quick pop maker.  They came in different colors but this green one sold me.  Have you experienced going back and forth the display shelves trying to talk yourself out of something that you don't really need but definitely want?  Oh yeah...

I bought it because my husband and I love to eat ice cream as seen in my past posts and we are trying to cut back.  It's a challenge for us to give up dairy even when I've read that it can cause mucus build-up and overgrowth of parasites and bacteria in my gut.  Heck... I still love it.  As of this writing, we have 2 scoops of 2 flavors in our freezer and that's it...  we decided to stop buying - until our next birthdays (2014).   

Zoku Single Quick Pop Maker

The Zoku single pop maker came with a single receptacle with 3 pop sticks, 1 super tool and 3  drip cups.  After washing all the parts, we placed the receptable in the freezer for 24 hours (until it felt solid, with no slushing sound).   

We used Bolthouse Mocha Capuccino on our first attempt.  We poured the liquid until the fill line and allowed it to sit for 7-9 minutes.  When it was set, we used the super tool to take it out which was physically challenging.  Once out, we inserted the drip cup and finally enjoyed our first mocha cap pop.

The liquid froze well and it was satisfying to think that we just used a small amount (probably 1/4 to 1/3 cup.  We will make different flavors and see how it goes.  

The original Zoku pop maker has 3 receptacles and they have a duo pop maker too.  The only disadvantage for this single pop maker is that it can only make 3 pops, one at a time, and then you'd have to freeze it again.  This unit costs US$25.

We are hopeful that this product will help us make healthier choices.  I will post more of our Zoku adventures soon.  

Today is back to work day.  I thank God for Mondays, otherwise, there will never be Fridays.

Have a blessed week, my friend!

See you soon!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Celebration] Cinco de Mayo and Mi Esposo Cumpleaños

Welcome back!

Today is Cinco de Mayo which is celebrated in the United States by Mexican-American communities and in Mexico to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American civil war.   These days, it is also a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.

For my husband and I, we are celebrating his birthday plus other things.  

We were pretty busy last week when we helped our friend who was admitted at the hospital while her husband was in the Philippines.  We just thank God for His strength, wisdom, protection and for answered prayers.  She was back home yesterday and her husband (our Pastor) was able to change his flight and arrived this morning.

So, in light of Cinco de Mayo and my husband's birthday, we had a Mexican inspired party.




Tamales, Fajitas, Tres leches, Canonigo and Bolillo

 

We made chicken tortilla soup topped with onions, cilantro, sour cream and avocado,  It was delicious, so they say.  The  yummy and reasonably priced $6.50/12 pcs. pork and chicken tamales and bolillo bread were from Aranda's bakery.  

One of our friends brought Chicken fajitas from La Michoacana Meat Market. 

it came with a "green salsa" which was delicately spiced.

For dessert, I made Canonigo decorated with mango balls.  Perfect!

His birthday cake was Tres Leches topped with slices of mango.  In lieu of a handmade birthday card, I made a mini bunting 

and stamped embossed his name...  simple, not too sweet, yummy and you-know-me, colorful.

How was your weekend?

Now that we're back home and sleeping on our own beds, I'm not too eager to clean and keep up with house duties.   

Now that would be another story.

Have a blessed week!

♥  Michelle ♥

[Food & Travel] Cafe Du Monde Beignets and Coffee

Hello, ya'll!  Do you love road trips?  My husband and I do.  

Several weeks ago, we went to South Carolina on board our rented Toyota Yaris.  The car was very economical but it felt so light and small that you could feel the wind draft of the 16 wheeler truck we were trying to overtake.  Yikes!

One of our stops was New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) where we had breakfast at Cafe du Monde. When in NOLA, you have got to go to Cafe du Monde. The place wasn't full as we thought it would be.  

We were able to sit and give our orders right away: Cafe au lait and hot Beignets.

Beignets are French donuts, covered with powdered sugar...yum!  Those deep fried babies tasted oh so soft and delish!

We've been drinking their Coffee and Chicory at home but the way that they made it in the cafe tasted different - it seemed to have more milk - well, it's cafe au lait, duh!  

Cafe du Monde3

On our trip back home 8 days later, we stopped by again but this time, the place was packed that we decided to buy, sit and eat somewhere else.  Well, it took us 30 minutes to reach the take away window.

Two weeks ago, we craved for beignets so... we made some!  We used vegetable oil to fry the beignets because we didn't have cottonseed oil - which has a higher temperature threshold, hence doesn't burn as easily.  Once the beignets were cooked, we dusted them with powdered sugar.

Homemade Cafe Du Monde Beignets

We took out our store bought mugs and made cafe au lait, this time with more milk.  The verdict:  Just as good!  Wonderful!

It was so good that we ate it all.  

Hmmm, I think I should change topic from henceforth, lol!

Let's talk about this beautiful and colorful plate from AR Leal of Talavera, Mexico.  I bought this during our trip to San Antonio, Texas in january.

Oh, and take a look our his and hers mugs and PS3 controls.
I think I should add blings and flowers on the black one to call it my own.  What do you think?

Hope to see you again soon!
Let's chat and sip our coffee or tea together.

Hugs,
♥  Michelle  ♥

Cafe du Monde Coffee Stand

1039 Decatur Street

New Orleands, Louisiana 70116

Toll free (800) 772-2927

www.CafeDuMonde.com

[Sweets] Crave Cupcakes Houston Tx

Happy Birthday to me!  Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday,

Happy Birthday to me!

Psalm 28:7
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him."

Today is my birthday and I feel so blessed!

A friend and sister-in-faith of mine gave me these beautiful tulips and a couple of premium movie tickets. Lovely!  I love tulips when they're not in full bloom yet.  Our coffee table is oh so happy!

Beautiful tulips to celebrate my birthday and also to  remember the people hurt in Boston today.

Lunch was with hubby and our mentors.... Thai Spice buffet.  Yum!

Dinner was at Azuma Sushi and Robata bar... more on that next time.

And the highlight of my day was the dessert!  

I am fascinated by how cute "modern" cupcakes look with their thick frosting and toppings.  I usually scrape off the icing and try the cake to see how moist and delicious it is.

Today, I tried CRAVE cupcakes of Houston.  I've heard good raves about it so I had to try it out.

The store is pretty, bright and clean.  You can watch the staff decorate the cupcakes and be mesmerized by the rows of beautifully decorated sweeties.

Crave Cupcakes
5600 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77005
USA

We got 4 flavors:  Coconut, German Chocolate, Crave Chocolate & Cream, and Red Velvet.

All I can say is:  THEY. WERE. YUMMY!

(Take not of the past tense - "were")

It was a wonderful and blessed day for me.  

However, I also mourn for the family of the people who died and were hurt in the Boston bombing that happened this afternoon, during the Boston Marathon.

May the good Lord bless and keep you, my friend.

Sincerely,

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Focus on Life Week 10] All Wrapped Up!

Welcome to Week 10 of Ms. Sally Russick's Focus on Life:  "All Wrapped Up."

I will be sharing my interpretation of this challenge in a couple of ways.

First, as a jewelry designer, I enjoy working with wire though a bit challenging at times.  Freehand wire wrapping in particular is fun as it always yields a unique design while maintaining uniform shapes.  It is like being a potter who molds it to his desired shape.  

Wired beads

I would like to share with you about my first experience at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo.  I have never been to once hence the excitement!  It is the world's largest livestock show and rodeo that aims to support the youth through education and also to encourage better agricultural practices with the exhibits and various presentations.  Their banner is "Celebrating Agriculture, Education, Entertainment and Western Heritage."

Houston Rodeo 2013

Oh, there was so much to see... and eat!  One event that we enjoyed was the Mutton Bustin' where kids between 5 and 6 years old tightly wrap their hands and legs on the sheep for 8 seconds.  It was so much fun!  I never thought sheeps could run that fast.

Mutton Bustin at the Houston Rodeo 2013

We were also able to watch Bruno Mars in concert.  It was awesome!  While waiting for the show, 2 young ladies seated in front of us could not help but wrap their hands on this fluffy cotton candy.  Oh, to be young and not too scared of sugar... such bliss!

The carnival offered several activities too but we were too old scared tired to even try them. 

I love this photo - how the steel poles and lights were wrapped very securely...  Who knows how many couples have tried riding this with arms wrapped around each other ♥.   

Carnival at The Houston Rodeo 2013

And finally, we just had to get some Tex-Mex food:  Garlic Chicken Burrito.  A burrito or taco de harina is one of the more famous Mexican dish.  It makes use of a wheat flour tortilla that is wrapped to enclose a filling, whether fish, beef, chicken or vegies.   We've tried several burritos from the homemade to the fancy ones at restaurants.  This was delicious... the seasoning was perfect, not overbearing at all.

Garlic Chicken Burrito

Thanks for reading up to this part.  Have a great weekend!

It's a wrap!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Recipe] Zuppa Toscana

Happy New Year!  

Husband and I ushered in 2013 with much thanksgiving and excitement as we look forward to this year.  We have faith that the Lord will continue to be faithful to us, 

no matter what circumstance we are in.

We had a simple New Years Eve dinner at home.  It rained the whole day and it was cool in the evening - very timely to  prepare the warm and delicious soup that we always order and eat at Olive Garden and at our friends house:  

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

Russet potatoes - sliced thinly (1/8 inch)

Garlic, onions

Italian sausage

Chicken broth

Kale - sliced in bite-sized pieces

Heavy whipped cream

Salt and pepper

Chili powder

Zuppa Toscana

I sauteed the whole package of Italian sausage until it was brown, drained the excess oil and set aside.  You must think that we are voracious sausage lovers.. haha.  We used 1/3 of the pack for one  recipe and saved the rest.  Notice that I didn't put the amounts in the list of ingredients - it depends on you.

Saute' garlic and onion.  Add the sausage.

Pour 1 can of chicken stock.  I used Swanson chicken broth and though the label says not to dilute it, I did, 1 can broth:1cup water.  You may add more water if you want it more "soupy."  Bring to a boil.

Add potatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slice.  You wouldn't want it to be too soft as it would crumble apart.. unless that's what you prefer.

Once the potatoes are cooked, add in the Kale. Do you know that eating kale is healthy?  Sources say that it has cholesterol lowering properties, risk lowering benefits for cancer and aids in detoxification.

Finally, add 2 Tablespoons of heavy whipped cream.

Serve hot and with a smile.

Zuppa Toscana

 Bon appetit!

We would like to wish you a wonderful Year 2013:  love, joy, peace and good health for you and your family.

Know that you are blessed!

Michelle

[Cooking] Japchae - Korean noodle dish

Aneyong haseyo.
Have you ever seen a korean drama?  My husband and I love to watch (and read) because how neat, realistic, funny and educational they are.  We've seen a couple of k-dramas that featured their cuisine thereby influencing our taste buds.

This was my attempt to make Japchae which is a noodle dish.

We have several Filipino noodle dishes, called Pansit but it was my first time to cook using Potato starch noodles.  

Ingredients:  

Potato starch glasss noodles

Red and green bell pepper

Cabbage 

Dehydrated mushrooms, and

Marinated thinly sliced beef.  

Soy sauce, sesame seed oil, salt and pepper to taste.

The procedure is very simple:  saute the beef and cook thoroughly.  

Add the vegetables but do not overcook.

For the noodles, bring water to a boil, add the glass noodles and cook per package instructions.  

Once cooked, add a little sesame seed oil and toss the noodles.

Place the sauteed mixture over the noodles and enjoy!

Enjoy your Korean food trip with a glass of barley tea.  YUM!

Kamsamnida!

♥  MICHELLE  ♥