Not the Typical American Food

This is not the typical American food menu for Christmas but; my husband is happy and cooperative for what we have on the table. I miss Filipino food so; I have "sotanghon", it's a vermicelli pasta with vegies and shrimps.

 

I also have "maja blanca" for dessert and with these, my tummy is happy and contented. Well, hubby cooked ham as well. We have a great "noche Buena". We attended a midnight mass but, we went to church at 11:20 PM to listen to a Christmas Carols. We were home at quarter to two. We eat, watch a Christmas movie on TV and sleep late. In the morning, we open our gifts. Hubby loves my gift and I did too.

Okay, I have lots of fruits here. I made fresh fruit juices each morning. I still have the pineapple though.

Tomorrow, we will do the grocery shopping for New Years eve celebration. I have no idea what to prepare this time. I think pork and chicken adobo is a great idea and fettuccini pasta too. Hubby will also prepare for a seafood menu and a .... gumbo.

I need to buy fruits too. How about you? What menu do you have for New Year's Eve?

I am now so sleepy so; I have to say good night and thank you for visiting this blog always. I would like to wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May God bless us all with good health, love and happiness always.

Don't you think this Santa is great looking? Yes, he is! Bye now and stay safe!

Red Baron Pizza : My Favorite Pizza

I can't believe that I am loving pizza these days. When we did grocery shopping, we found an on sale large pizza for 3/$9. We bought it and in less than a week, we ate it all. The fact that I am not a pizza lover, I am truly amazed that I ate 4 to 5 slices at a time. I love the crusts and the toppings. I don't even like pepperoni but, with Red Baron Pizza, it is surprising that I love the taste. Red Baron Pizza is now my favorite. Try it and tell me if you like the pizza of Red Baron as well.

Delicious Belgian Chocolate Treats

One of the amazing delights in blogging is receiving great products from companies. Just last week, I received a generous amount of products from #Guylian. I have been waiting for these chocolates for almost two weeks. There was a delay in shipment for a good reason. Right now, I am tasting each pack at a time. I will be reviewing this product this week and I hope you could come by and enter the giveaway.

If you love chocolates, you should try this product. #Guylian will be sending generous packs of delicious Belgian chocolates for one winner of my giveaway. It will be posted this week so; I will see you soon.

Remembering Friends and Family at Christmas Time

I am not done shopping yet. I am not even done sending Christmas cards to my friends and family. Today is the last day of sending Christmas presents in the mail and it will still arrive on Christmas day. I received many Christmas cards from friends and family already and yes, the thoughts really matter. It is heartwarming to know who truly remembers you at Christmas time. Today, we will pick up some presents in the store and directly send them in the post office.

How about you? Are all the presents put together under the Christmas tree yet? If something missing for the music minded member in the family, take a last minute shopping of a jones oboe reed medium today. If you think this present will delight him/her on Christmas Day then, go get it. Have a wonderful Christmas you all and may your Christmas be filled with good cheer, happiness and love.

TGI Fridays at Merritt Island Florida

There is definitely great food, great drinks and great rewards at TGI Fridays. Last Sunday, after the mass in a Merritt Island Catholic Church, hubby and I went shopping at the Merritt Island Square Mall. I had problems with my iPhone5s too so; we went to see our carrier's rep. After few minutes, I take home my new phone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Christmas gift to myself. Anyway, after shopping, we dine in at :

TGI Fridays at 785 Merritt Island Causeway, Merritt Island, Florida 32952

Hubby ordered the unlimited soups and salads with bread sticks. He had the Broccoli Cheese Soup which is a creamy blend of American and cheddar cheeses with broccoli, his favorite. His salad has a bleu cheese dressing. The bread sticks though are not appetizing as you see from the photo above.

It's our first time in this location and we had two servers. I asked the assistant (trainee) her suggestion of a good drink (no alcohol). I ordered the Strawberry Lemonade Crush which is made from fresh muddled strawberries, lime juice, lemon juice, cane sugar, fresh lemons, and Sprite for zest. It was really good and high 5 for her suggestion.

I was hungry so; I ordered white rice and mashed potato for the side order and the Jack Daniel's Ribs half rack of slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone tender baby back pork ribs which is fire-grilled and basted with Jack Daniel's sauce. Oh my goodness, I clean the plate so good, burp burp burp ... opps, sorry!

The spinach Florentine flat bread appetizer is really good too. We ate it all. It is really crisp. The oven-baked flat bread is topped with spinach and artichoke heart spread, a bruschetta mix of diced tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and a hint of crushed red pepper and oregano.

Rate : 4.5 stars of 5. The servers were really enthusiastic and knows the menu well. We will be back in this location for sure.

P. F. Chang's Delicious Holiday Treats

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of P.F. Changs. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Christmas tradition in our household is a combination of American and Asian where Santa Claus decors are present everywhere in the house as well as the Christmas lanterns visibly hanging outdoors. It is heartwarming to celebrate Christmas when my culture is evident in the home decors and food preparation. I make sure that I have those yummy goodness Asian treats that my family enjoys. To have all these in our home brings back memories of good cheer and the beautiful family tradition. By introducing sweet flavors of the season,  P.F. Chang’s offers the same spirit of tradition with their seasonally-inspired and delicious holiday treats for all their customers too. I was actually looking at their site and amazed to see their delicios desserts and cocktails.

If you are looking for a new flavor to sip on this holiday, try the P.F. Chang’s new handcrafted holiday beverages: Peppermint Mocha Cappuccino and Vanilla Bean Milkshake. Check out the photo above, isn't it good? Oh how I love to smell the peppermint and mocha in the kitchen. I love cappuccino and I will definitely try this.

 

P.F. Chang's introduces their new handmade treats of wontons too and for all the sweet tooth lovers out there, check this out. I am so thrilled right now! Honestly, the Chocolate Raspberry as well as the sweet vanilla cream are delicious desserts which are truly delightful to my eyes. In my mind right now is to try the two desserts and you should too.

Visit P.F. Chang's site to try out the Holiday menu items and you should Follow @pfchangs in Twitter to know the latest menu they have. Follow P.F. Chang’s on Pinterest too and tell me, what new menu item are you most excited to try?

The Panera Bread

It's been few weeks since our last visit to Panera Bread in The Avenue in Viera. I was browsing some photos in the PC folder and saw these yummy goodness. We will be heading to the Avenue this afternoon and am thinking to have an early dinner there. I miss the soups and they probably have a new menu by now.



I miss the Broccoli Cheddar soup. This soup has a chopped broccoli, shredded carrot and select seasonings with velvety smooth cheese sauce. This order is served with a French baguette. 

Do you have Panera Bread in your area? You should check it out and give it a try. Oh, before I forget, did you know why I like Panera Bread aside from their delicious soups? This company has a big heart to less fortunate people. At the end of the day, all unsold breads are given away to charity groups to feed the hungry. Amazing isn't it?



Cold Stone Creamery: International Delight

During this cold season, it is always nice and comforting to sit back, relax, get warm up and enjoy the Christmas holiday with a hot of cocoa by the fireplace (if you have any). We do not have a fireplace at home. We really don't need one. We live in Florida so; we can live by without it. Okay, are you for hot cocoa or coffee? If you choose coffee then, you should try this coffee cream. They are delicious in your coffee.

Just try one and tell me what you think about it. My two favorites are Mocha and vanilla.

Not a good shot but, just sharing you a cold stone creamery location near Orlando Int'l Airport. We have Cold Stone Creamery in Merritt Island Mall but, I bought my coffee creamer in the supermarket. Check it out and I am sure, you will find it. Enjoy your coffee.

Using the BHTV While Barbecuing

This post brought to you by Bright House Networks. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband is all the time delighted when he is barbecuing especially on a Football Sunday. Watching the game on TV and barbecuing at the same time is not a problem at all. How is that possible? Did we move the TV by the back porch? Nope! That is too much of a hassle!

My husband can watch his favorite Football game by the barbecue grill via BHTV of Bright House Networks. BHTV is both an app and a website and it is free for all Bright House Networks subscribers. Having the BHTV app is truly a heaven sent especially for a football fan like my husband. Thru BHTV, he can view live HD programming anywhere in the house. Make Any Room a TV Room!When he is in the gazebo, barbecue area, back porch, front porch, by the garden and when he is in the garage doing DIY projects, he is always glued on TV. That's no joke! He uses BHTV app in his iPad.

 

If you like this service and would love to give it a try, subscribe to Bright House Networks and read the BHTV’s FAQ first. To download the app, you need to have an iPad, iPhone, and most of the Android devices are also compatible. If you have none, you can also access live BHTV programming in your computer as well. Take note also that this app will only work with in the range of your home's wireless network. So far, this app works great for my husband's need in terms of entertainment.

#VitaFrute Perks from #Klout

Receiving an awesome cocktail perks from Klout is just an amazing experience. We went to Viera Mall in Melbourne to find #VitaFrute cocktails. Our wine store in this area does not have this product. The owner of the wine store though tried to know about this drink so that he can have a supply for Vita Frute. There you go Vita Frute, I refer you to the wine store in the neighborhood already.

Okay, you know who is the happiest man who tried this cocktail? My husband and he loves it!

Why Bakery Cookies Look So Good

If you enjoy baking, chances are you’ve walked by a bakery window and wondered why your cookies don’t look like that. Whether they’re big, fluffy chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies with intricate icing designs, they are hard to replicate at home. You can always purchase these beautiful baked goods; you can even order them online from www.cookiesbydesign.com, but what is it that makes bakery cookies so hard to match at home?

Artists

One reason is that bakeries have artists who are responsible for decorating their cakes and cookies. These artists have learned many techniques through training and experience, so they are able to do spectacular things on a cookie. You can take classes or look for videos online that teach you these same techniques, and with enough practice you can get pretty good. The artists in a bakery have the benefit of practicing on hundreds of baked goods each day.

 

Edible Printing

Another advantage bakeries have over home bakers is access to edible printing. When you see a high-detail logo or image on a sugar cookie, chances are that an artist didn’t do that by hand. Instead, special printers are able to take any image and print it out on an edible sheet that can be applied to cookies or cakes. These printers are expensive, so you won’t likely be able to afford one for your home, but you can order custom edible prints online for special occasions.

 

Experience and Control

Aside from the meticulous icing and other decorations, sometimes bakery cookies just look better. They may be fluffier or their shape may be more appealing than what comes out of your own oven, and it’s experience and control that help them achieve these results. A bakery has a cookie recipe that has been used thousands of times, and has been adjusted for perfection. At home, you likely only use a cookie recipe a few times a year. A bakery also uses the exact same ingredients each time, whereas at home you may use a different brand of butter or flour each time. With a lot of practice and attention to detail, it is possible to achieve great looking cookies at home, or you can avoid the hassle and purchase them from www.cookiesbydesign.com.

Home Fries with Mayonnaise and Hot&Spicy Banana Sauce Dip

For a long time, I do not like to eat fries. I just dreaded the grease. Not that I am picky with what I eat in fact; I eat anything tasty without minding the calorie content. My husband said that I am fickle minded especially with food choices and kind'a crazy with food cravings really. For example, I love eating avocado. For maybe a week, I will eat avocado twice or three times a day. I will make avocado shake and have it in my sandwich or have it in my salad. After few days, good bye avocado and see you next year. Weird huh? I forgot when was the last time I eat avocado. It's been ages LOL.

Same thing with fries. Last Saturday, I was so hungry when we travel from Cocoa to Orlando so; I told hubby to stop by at McDonalds. I have a large fries and my goodness, it was the best fries I ever had for a long time. Guess what, after the mass yesterday, we did the grocery at BJ's and as we drove home, I told hubby to stop by at McDonald's again and he bought just a small fries.

Today, my mind is on the French fries again so; since I have French fries in the freezer, I decided to make home fries. The dip is made of mayonnaise and hot & spicy banana sauce. I know, my taste buds and cravings are weird. Let's chow anyway! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great Monday.

Chinese Restaurant: The Buffet Village in Titusville Florida

Are you craving for a Filipino food? Go and visit a Chinese Restaurant in your area. That's what I did! There are days that hubby and I are both lazy to cook for lunch or dinner. For less than $20, dining in a Chinese Restaurant truly saves the day.

Egg drop soup and clams

Apple Pie

Buffet Village in Titusville, Florida

Chinese Seaweed Salad and Sushi

Tilapia, Rice with Beef Sauce and asparagus

fried plantain, apple pie and

More Sushi and Chinese Seaweed Salad

Buffet Village in Titusville, Florida

Watermelon and banana pudding

The Buffet Village is located in

3125 Columbia Blvd, Titusville, FL 32780
(321) 268-1778

This Chinese Restaurant is new in the neighborhood. The food tastes great and the whole place is clean. Their servers are nice and so far, this is the nearest Chinese Restaurant that we like to visit.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Happy Thanksgiving! Is the turkey in the oven yet? Mine is not LOL. Actually, Hubby and I had our early thanksgiving dinner yesterday. Sister-in-law and her family from Mississippi were in Orlando for a short vacation and they came over for dinner. We had turkey, sweet potato casserole, rolls, savory stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potato, salads, corn, green peas, and ham. Today, we will have the leftover but, I will have a fresh turkey for tonight's dinner. Just for hubby and I. It will be my first time to cook a turkey. For now, here's a sweet potato casserole for you.

Here is the recipe that I used:

Have a great day and have fun with your family and friends on Thanksgiving.

Singing the Christmas Carols

When I look around in our neighborhood today, I felt the nostalgia. There are few families who are ready for Christmas and most of them have their Christmas lights and decors set up already. Christmas back home is more fun! I remember that as early as December 1, there are carolers roaming in our streets and most of them do the caroling for a good cause. They give out letters and they will come when the family said yes to their request.

The carolers have their guitarist, a soloist and they usually sang 3 to 4 songs. Their guitar is not as fancy as the  taylor baby guitar mahogany top but, they sang beautifully. By now, the church choir is busy practicing for Christmas songs every night. As a matter of fact, my mom is busy in her church group too. They're practicing a Christmas Carol for their up coming Christmas party.

Beef Bone Marrow Recipe

Here is another recipe that a vegetarian wouldn't dare to look, much less to try. This is not for you. For those who venture away from the usual food they love, this might be a great option to try.

Ingredients:
- 6 pcs of beef bone marrow
- 1 pc white onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 4 Cups of Water
- 12 pcs baby carrots
- 1 bundle of bok-choy, chopped
- 1 pc large tomato, sliced
- 1 beef cube
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil

Instructions:
- Rinse the beef bone marrow, set aside
- In a hot pot, add oil and sauté the garlic and onion until golden brown.
-Add carrots and cover for few minutes.
- Add water and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place the bone marrow and bring to a boil until the carrots are cooked.
- Add beef cube and the chopped bok-choy, return to a boil.
-Lower the heat, add the sliced tomato and simmer until bok-choy is cook.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy

#ChooseSargentoCheese for Snacking

Do you like cheese? I do but, I am not familiar as to how they taste in comparison to each flavors. There are hundreds of types of cheeses and they come from different countries. I can only mention two of my favorites, I love Mozzarella in pizza and cheddar in macaroni salad. Few days ago, I received this box containing two #Sargento coupon, one is a free coupon and the other is a $1 off. This cute box also contains a single cheese pouch which is really cute.

I went to #Publix in our neighborhood and claimed the coupon choosing the #NaturalBlends #SharpCheddarJack #CheeseSnacks. I never tried this in #Sargento brand so; this will be my first. When I get home, I poured a glass of sauvignon; and sliced a fresh pineapple,  grapes and the sharp cheddar jack.  

The taste is an explosion of honest to goodness flavor. The texture of the sharp cheddar jack blended well with the sweetness of grapes and the juiciness of the pineapple fruits. The combination of flavors is delightful and I admit, this is really a great snack whether you are on the go or having a mid- afternoon relaxation.

When I was working in the casino, our break room cook provided me an information about different cheeses. We have more than 20 variety on display as we ordered our hot lunch. I was ordering a quesadilla and don't know what good cheese to add. She added lots of Pepper-Jack cheese.

Anyway, this is a healthy snack that you should try. Get out from that comfort zone and #ChooseSargentoCheese in your snacking for a healthier you.

I disclose that I received these products complimentary from #Influenster for testing purposes. No compensation was received. My opinion is truthful and may be different from yours.

Black Pearl is Pretty

Do you love to eat oysters? My husband love them. He can eat it raw and with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt, he can gobble a dozen at mealtime. I am not a big fan of oysters. I can eat one or two steamed or fried oysters but, a dozen? I probably can't finish eating them in an hour. Oh well, the only thing that make me interested with oysters is when I saw a pearl inside them. My brother used to give my mom a real pearl. He got them from local pearl divers in the Philippines. They bartered the pearls in exchange of the products of my brother.

It is not as beautiful as MIKIMOTO though. The pearls of my brother are small. If I have to choose, black pearl is my favorite. It looks pretty than the white pearl. What do you think? Do you prefer white or black?

Onion Rings Recipe

When hubby and I craved for onion rings, he decided to make a homemade onion rings. So far, this is the tastiest onion rings he made. Maybe because of the tasty batter. Try it! It is crunchy and as I said, the batter is truly delicious!

Ingredients:

- 3 large sweet onions
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- cooking oil for deep frying
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 well beaten egg

Procedure:

Peel the onion and cut it into 1/4-inch thick rounds and separate it into rings. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, seasonings, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk then, add this mixture to the dry ingredients, blend well.

Dip the onion ring into the batter and deep fry at about 365°. Make sure to turn both sides and fry until golden brown. Remove and put the onion rings into the paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with a little salt upon serving. Enjoy!

Moving to the Gulf Coast

Today, I was browsing some photos in my folder and boy, I craved for shrimps, snow crabs and sea foods. Did you know that down in the Gulf Coast, you can buy large shrimps for $2.50 / lb? We live there for almost two years and when we bought properties in Florida, we moved in the Space Coast area for good, and so we thought. Next month, we will be spending Christmas Holidays in the Gulf Coast to be with our family. Another reason why we will be there is to look at some properties.

We thought that living closer with family is a good thing. It is a security blanket and besides, it is fun to be around with family all the time. Hubby and I decided one Sunday morning that we will go back to Mississippi and live there for good! Right now, we are looking for properties and I was introduced with goconnect app for realtor checklists. I never tried this app yet. I need to read more information about it. This app might be useful!

Mashed Potato with Onion Gravy and Pork Chop

How are you today friends? Have you noticed that time flies so fast? It's already Hump day tomorrow.  I thought I just went to mass yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas but, I don't want it so soon. Uh uh, I need more time to save for buying gifts. Anyway, are you ready for Thanksgiving? If you do, good for you! Oh my goodness, I am  not!

Hubby and I just hangout at home today, I was doing my blog updates so; I told him he had to fix for lunch. He gladly fix for less than 30 minutes and here's what we have on the table. Fresh and crunchy tomato in Olive Oil, mashed potato with onion gravy sauce and tender pork chop.

Oh my goodness, right now I am so full. I think I will need a power nap in few minutes. How about you? What's for lunch?

Using the #EZTofuPress for the First Time

Have you ever tried to cook tofu but it comes out watery? If you like to achieve the right tofu texture, pressing and draining the water out of it should be done right. With the help of EZ Tofu Press, preparing your tofu meal can be easy, and it surely saves your time and energy.

EZ Tofu Press is the latest product that I received for free in exchange of my fair and honest review. It is a compact kitchen device used for pressing out water from tofu. When it arrived this week, I was on the hunt for a tofu recipe and boy, I had a great time cooking. The recipe is posted in a separate post and please check it out.

Shipping and Handling

The EZ Tofu Press arrived in perfect condition and inside this box are the EZ Tofu Press, a manual and a handy measuring device. I was pretty happy to receive the product for I find it really helpful in preparing a Tofu meal. To tell you honestly, I have never tried cooking a Tofu recipe before so; I challenge myself to go beyond my comfort zone to find a recipe, cook it and use this tofu press. Tofu is known as a super food because of its amazing and significant nutritional benefits. Most vegetarian and health conscious people use tofu to substitute meat in their diet. Tofu is healthy, gluten-free and made of soybean. According to a study, it helps to fight cancer, it helps to prevent ulcers, a good source of calcium thus; prevents osteoporosis and more.

Using the EZ Tofu Press:.

I have a big round plate ready to catch the dripping water. I unscrew the tension knobs and placed the Extra Firm Tofu centered in between the two plates. I tightened it simultaneously as far as I can go and the water started to drip out. Using the measuring device shown on the photo below, I quit at 1 inch thick and the water quit dripping. It was super easy to use, no sweat and no mess at all, which are reasons that I like this product. The EZ Tofu Press is the best kitchen device to use when you plan to cook a Tofu. It gets most of the water out from the tofu therefore, it will absorbed more of the flavor that you added.

Features and Benefits:

You can buy the EZ Tofu Press for $35.00 with free shipping at the Amazon. But, if you are a Prime member, you will get it at $25.99 with free shipping. EZ Tofu Press can press all sizes of firm and extra firm tofu. It will only take at least 15 minutes or less to press a right textured tofu. You can prep food and marinade while turning the knobs every 2 minutes. It presses faster compared to spring based tofu presses. Most importantly, EZ Tofu Press is easy to clean, a dishwasher safe, and fewer parts to break. The paper and cloth towels are now a thing of the past when you use the EZ Tofu Press.

One secret that you should not forget when cooking a tofu is to press the water out to get the better flavor absorption and improves the texture. Start cooking tofu today! For more information about Tofu Press, please visit the Website. EZ Tofu Press is now priced at $25.99 and you can buy it in Amazon.

In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR,Part 255: "Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising", Food Delights and Etcetera received a small amount of compensation and one EZ Tofu Press product for free in exchange of an honest review. The opinion stated above is honest based from experience and it maybe different from yours.