Back to Grilling

I am almost done doing the DIY patio and hubby is preparing dinner from the grill. I thought I will be done in four days but, the weather halted my project. There were gusty winds yesterday and I thought, it would blow off the newly put-up canopy. Glad, it made it! When TS Isaac passes by the Florida territory, we took down the canopy for at least 3 days. Yesterday was already 91 degrees and no sign of Isaac but, there was few isolated rain bands left by Isaac. It was about 20 minutes but, nasty. Whewww, it scared me. Up to today, there are pretty decent showers from time to time. Anyway, that will not stop us from grilling!

Yema Balls Recipe

When I was in my elementary grades, yema balls are my favorite dessert. I learn to make them when we had our cooking class in Home Economics subject. It is easy to make; it taste delicious and nutritious as well.Here's the ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil, 1 can condensed milk, mixed nuts: peanuts, almonds and cashew (chopped)I used my Magic Bullet to finely chopped the mixed nuts.It looks like this after:Cooking procedure:
1. Place the olive oil in a heated non-stick saucepan.
2. Stir-in the condensed milk.
3. Continue stirring until the milk becomes thick.4. Set the heat to low and continue stirring.
5. When the milk becomes thicker, add the finely chopped mixed nuts. 6. Mixed well and should look like the picture below.
7. Turn-off the heat and allow the mixture to cool down.8. When the temperature of the mixture is tolerable, scoop a spoonful then roll with your hands to form a ball shape.
9. Chill in the fridge for about an hour. Serve and enjoy!

Espresso Coffee

One of the things that I can't do without is a cup of creamy espresso on a lazy afternoon. Isn't it tempting?My espresso coffee is heaven. I always prefer my coffee to have a thicker consistency. Foamy is better and it delights my senses, aww y'all know what I meant. LOL! Anyway, when I go to Starbucks, I prefer latte, cappuccino, macchiato, or mocha coffee. I know that espresso coffee has more caffeine per unit volume but, the usual serving size is smaller about 1 US fluid ounce shot of espresso has 40 to 75 mg of caffeine. That's less than half the caffeine of a standard 8 US fluid ounces cup. Awww! I really do not care about figures. All I know is that I like my coffee and I am enjoying it. Yum!

Vegetable and Fruit Garden

I have a vegetable and fruit garden in our backyard. After a good number of harvest, my tomatoes quit producing more flowers. I decided to pull out the dying vine and plant the growing okra. They grow so fast and I have about almost 30 of them. My husband is excited since Okra is his favorite vegetable. Now, I am searching for information on how to make a pickled okra. For sure, harvest time will be fun. My bitter melon is growing so good as well as the green beans. Fruits started showing up with my lemon, calamondin, and sour orange. I can't wait to use them in my kitchen.

Fort Lauderdale Boulevard

Hubby and I drove down AIA in Miami Beach last week. Since we are not in a hurry, we drove all the way to South Beach Park in Fort Lauderdale and dine in Bubba Gump Shrimp Co Restaurant and Market. Their food is great and delicious. We sat on the outdoor area of the restaurant and this was the view from where we were seated. It was a lovely day by the beach.The picture below was taken along the streets of Fort Lauderdale Boulevard. I like it here. There were shops, restaurants and of course, the beach is just across the street.As you can see, there were tourists in the area but, not that crowded. Hubby said, we will be back here and spend maybe two nights or more and explore the place. I am excited.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant and Market

When we went to Miami the other day, hubby and I decided to just hit the AIA road. If you look at the map, it is a scenic route. If you love nature, beach, tourist area and bikini baby hehehe, AIA route is the best way to have a road trip. Anyway, from Downtown Miami, we hit Miami Beach up to the North Beach and parked our car at Sunny Isles Beach to take some pictures. Then, moved on to South Beach Park and finally stop and find good eats along Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard. Oh my goodness, this area has awesome beach, endless restaurants, hotels are endless and anyone will have fun under the sun. We just saw the Bubba Gump Restaurant along the road so; we decided to dine in and checked it out.The picture below is the view from where we chose to sit. Isn't it gorgeous? This time of year, there are tourist in this area but not crowded which I really love.I ordered the Cajun Shrimp which was sautéed in a hot and spicy Cajun Butter Sauce and served with Garlic Bread for dippin. The price is not bad for $8.99 as one of their signature dish. Hubby tried their Seafood Hush Pups which is truly not the quite Hush Puppies. It taste good and even better with tasty Shrimp and Fish and cooked to perfection. This golden Corn was deep fried and served with a Remoulade Dippin’ Sauce for $8.29. See the picture above.Hubby and I enjoyed these signature appetizers at Bubba Gump and we are looking forward to come back and try their other seafood menu. If you happen to be in Miami or Fort Lauderdale area, head the Beach Boulevard and you will not miss the Bubba Gump Restaurant. Enjoy the food and the beach! Be safe!

Home Baked Rolls Using Nectresse Sweetener

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NECTRESSE™Sweetener. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you love watching the National Geographic Channel then, you must have known the American Journalist Lisa Ling. She is the host of National Geographic Explorer and has been sharing reliable stories for years. Now, see her testimonial about living healthy and her finding the secret of the sweetener she used on her food and she was so excited to share.

The maker of Splenda has made NECTRESSE™Sweetener, the only all-natural no-calories sweetener and made from the natural sweetness of Monk Fruit extract and it is available from where you shop. NECTRESSE tastes 150 times sweeter than the regular sugar in fact; I used it when I made my Home Baked Rolls. Instead of using 1/2 cup of sugar, I used less than a quarter of a cup or 20 packets of NECTRESSE Sweetener. It tastes really good and I like the fact that it is 100% natural sweeter, no calories and made from real fruit.  Here's the recipe and procedures:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups bread flour

20 packets of NECTRESSE™Sweetener

5 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 cup fresh milk, warm

1 pouch rapid rise yeast

1 tsp. salt

1 cup bread crumbs

1 piece raw egg

1 tbsp. cooking oil

Procedures:

- Combine the yeast, 2 packets of NECTRESSE™Sweetener and warm milk and stir until the yeast and NECTRESSE™Sweetener are fully dissolved.

- In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, 18 packets of NECTRESSE and baking powder. Mix well.

- Add the egg, butter, cooking oil and “yeast-NECTRESSE-milk” mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix it well until dough is formed. Use clean hands to mix the ingredients.

- In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine.

- Mold the dough until shape becomes round then put back in the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with damp cloth and let the dough rise for at least an hour.

- Put the dough back to the flat surface; divide into 8 equal parts using a dough slicer.

- Roll each part until it forms an oblong shape.

- Roll the sliced dough over the breadcrumbs and place in a baking tray with wax paper but, makes sure to provide gaps between the dough.

- Leave the sliced dough with breadcrumbs in the tray and cover with damp cloth for another 10 to 15 minutes to rise.

- Pre heat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

- Bake the dough in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy.

Try this recipe using the NECTRESSE™Sweetener and you will like it. It is healthy because it is zero calories. Watch the video of Lisa Ling and share her testimonial to your friends especially those who have sweet tooth. Would you like a FREE sample of NECTRESSE™Sweetener? Visit the link and sign up to get your free sample today.

Ice Cream and Migraines

I had a terrible migraine today. It feels like my head is ready to explode. Migraines are related to a mix of environmental and genetic factors. I noticed that when it's a scorcher outside, my body is like a sponge that even when I am indoor with 74 temperature, I can feel the 96 degrees outside. Well, fluctuating hormone levels also play a role why I had migraines. According to studies that I read, the mechanisms of migraines are unknown. There are times that eating ice-cream helps the pain away. Today, I do not see that happen even if I finished half of this pint already (sighs).Migraine is a chronic disorder from moderate to severe headaches together with nausea. If I had it, it's really painful. It's like I am dying so; I would try anything to satisfy what I need to eat. If I eat that one thing that I craved for, migraine's gone. Weird!

My pain is on one side of the head and it's excruciating and pulsating. When I had migraines, I always have these symptoms: nausea, vomiting, photophobia-sensitivity to light and phonophobia- sensitivity to sound. Before the pain, I am so sensitive with so many things like the smell, taste and sound which tends to signal that migraine will occur soon. Now, I am eating ice cream again, I am burning!

Discount Coupons at Famous Footwear

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear. All opinions are 100% mine.

Most of the time, shopping and dining go in the same direction so; we eat when we get tired and wanted to relax our feet. If you are not done shopping for school supplies and kids footwear, I got good news for you! I found this amazing coupon at Famous Footwear and guess what; you will enjoy the 15% discount and BOGO promo when you visit the store now. Check out BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon, print it and bring it when you shop at Famous Footwear in your area.

You will not be overwhelmed when you shop in Famous Footwear in fact; you will experience comfort because this store values your time. Once you find the item you want, you can check it out fast and easy. If you can't find it in the store, they will order it for you and ship the product to your home. No hassle at all and if you prefer to pick the product in their store, it's free of charge. That's good customer service right? Anyway, I compared their prices to other stores and they have amazing and affordable prices especially on name brand products such as Skechers, Adidas, Nike, Reebok and more.

If you buy one item, you will get the other item for half a price which is really great deal plus, you can use the 15% coupon so; that's big savings already! You can only use this coupon from 8/2 to 8/18 so, hurry and take advantage of this unbeatable offer.

One more thing, if you sign up on their Rewards Program, you will get 20% off on your purchase plus more exclusive discounts and perks every time you shop at Famous Footwear. Not only that, when you spent $1, you will earn 1 point which you can accumulate and earn certificates for up to $100 a year. How amazing and deal breaker is that? Visit the store nearby or shop online at Famous Footwear and have fun shopping!

Chocolate Crackle Cookie

My husband is a cookie monster LOL so; once a week I baked cookies. This is my first time to bake a crackle cookie. If you have ALDI store in your area, buy the KRUSTEAZ mix which has 3 packs in one box.

Here's the ingredients: 1 pouch of chocolate crackle cookie mix, powdered sugar, 3 eggs, and 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Pre-heat oven for 350F and prepare a cookie sheet. Set aside 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl ( for coating). Put the cookie mix into a medium bowl and add the oil and eggs. Stir until soft dough forms, should be sticky. Drop a rounded tablespoon dough into the powdered sugar and gently coat it with the sugar. Roll it into a ball and double coat it with sugar. Place the cookie dough into the cookie sheet and bake 11-13 minutes. The cookie will be soft and looks like underbaked. Let it cool. It taste delicious! Be careful though, it is really sweet! It's not bad if you have this once in a while. Enjoy!

Central New Jersey Restaurants

Dining out is expensive but, when you work hard for the family, you need to treat yourself and your spouse for a fine dining at least once a month. If you are pre-occupied with the bills, mortgage and car loan payments, you simply miss living. Chill out! You might as well enjoy what you earn because you work hard for it. If you can afford to treat your family then, bring your whole family and celebrate life. Plan a vacation especially when kids are out of school that way, you are creating fun memories with your children and your most beloved spouse.

Have you been to Central New Jersey? Bring your family to Crystal Springs Family Aquatic Center or to a Festival of Ballooning. You and your family will surely have fun in the outdoor activities. Of course, after you all burn that energy; enjoy a fine dining at Central New Jersey restaurants. There's nothing to worry when it comes to food because this area offers variety of restaurants that suits your palate and budget.

If you are craving for Asian Cuisine, check out Hotoke in New Brunswick. This Thai Restaurant has an elegant ambiance and their food is just right on your family budget. They have affordable Miso soup and Hotoke Salad. Check it out and I am sure you will be amazed.

Would you prefer dining in a steakhouse restaurant? Are you craving for a Chipotle Orange Scallops, pan seared and glazed or a Sirloin Steak with garlic dipping sauce? Then, you should check out Steakhouse 85 at New Brunswick. If you love Italian, French, American and Japanese cuisine then, Central New Jersey has it all for you.

Places to visit, activities to enjoy, and food that satisfy your cravings are all here. All you have to do is plan a vacation for your family to Central New Jersey. For more information, visit www.gocentraljersey.com today.