My Very First Homemade Brazo de Mercedes

My 5-day long weekend was mostly spent lying in my mom’s sofa. Unlike last year, this year’s Holy Week was all about being lazy. Well, not exactly 100% lazy because, in between commercials, I was able to squeeze in three projects. All of which by the way, are semi fail. Hahaha!

The first project was potty training Aki. My main contribution was packing all of Aki’s shorts and briefs. Ate Durina did most of the work ( wiping the floor and washing Aki).  There was no actual training. We just let Aki roam free without a diaper during the day to make him more aware of his ihi and poopsie. I excitedly await the day when we no longer need to buy diapers.

The second project was a cookbook of our favorite dishes. I will blog about this once I am done, hopefully in the next two week. I am 32.356367% done as of April 26.

And my last project was baking my very first Brazo De Mercedes. Brazo is my all-time favorite cake! I can eat it everyday every meal.

I got the recipe from my sister’s Goldilocks cookbook. This book is  a  bit expensive so do what my sister did. Tell your favorite sister that it is the only thing you want  for Christmas. I will fill in the blanks after my sister lets me borrow her book again

For the white part, you will need

7 egg whites

___ tablespoon cornstarch

___cup confectioner’s sugar

___ tablespoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven at ___ degrees. Using a mixer, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and cornstarch on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and gradually add the sugar. You can stop once you see the soft peaks, around 4 minutes. Transfer the meringue to an oiled and lined baking sheet. Use a knife or spatula to evenly spread the meringue.  Bake for ____ minutes.

Make the filling while waiting for the meringue to be cooked. These are the ingredients for the filling

5 egg yolks

___ evaporated milk

___ condensed milk

___tablespoon butter

Put  all of  the ingredients in a pan and heat.  Mix until you achieve a spreadable consistency. Set aside.

Once the meringue is cooked, transfer to a sugar-dusted cheese cloth.Make sure that the white side is up.  Spread the filling on one side and fold or roll. Spread more filling and fold again. And you are done!

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My Name is Vahwn Tooom-poh

Aki has a new name for himself. For two months now, he has been declaring to the world that his name is Ati Benten or Benten Ati. For a week or two, he started calling himself  Vahwn Toompoo as in brown trumpo/top. His fascination with tops has been going on for a weeks. Bayblades might be the in thing now but in our house and in my mom’s, this old school top, the latest addition to Aki’s collection of traditional Filipino toys, tops our list of favorite toys.

Unfortunately for Aki, only his Lolo Toto knows how to play the toompoh. Franco has his chamba moments but he still needs to brush on his trumpo skills.

At first only Aki was interested in watching Lolo Toto play

Filipino Traditional Toys Collection

Here is a super delayed post. I think I need to post this first before I blog about Aki’s toompoh obsession.

Presenting… Aki’s Pinoy Toys Collection.

Unlike Benten and Power Ranger toys, these old school toys aren’t easy to find.

I got this from Dapitan Arcade

My mother-in-law bought this clay cooking set from one of the stalls in the sidera during the Tanay town fiesta last year

Manang made this sipa for Aki the night before she went home. This was her last gift to her alaga. We miss her everyday

I asked my officemate Annie to buy this wooden snake  for Aki when she went to Baguio

I bought this hay piggie  in Lucban during the Pahiyas festival back in ’04.

My in-laws bought this classic paper mache rocking horse  from the Antipolo market.  We also have a rattan horsie which we got from one of the roadside stores in Pansol, Calamba.

Indian Treats

 

I don’t blog about work not because nothing exciting happens in the office. Not because I hate my work. It is actually the opposite. I love being part of a recruitment team. I love being a business partner.  I love my company, my boss, my teammates and all the friends that I made. If I don’t love my work, I won’t be commuting everyday to and from Paranaque to Ortigas. Most of all, I love recruiting because I become part of people’s lives. I love seeing the smile in the applicants’ faces when we tell them that they passed the interview. I love it when applicants sign the job offer for their dream job. I love hearing about success stories of applicants whom I hire who later on gets promoted.

So why don’t I blog about work?  I don’t know. Hehe. It just does not feel right to talk about work when I am at home.

Loving the Bulol Phase

I am so loving Aki’s bulol phase. Writing down some of his bulol words because 1) for sure, I will miss hearing them once Aki’s pronouncation gets better and 2) I will forget them if I don’t list them now.  Thanks to my momnesia.

Guides
(‘ ) – pronouncation is maragsa
(” “) – English pronouncation
(-)  – short pause between syllables

As of April 21

 bak – black
nnnohw/nnnnehw – no
apoh – apple
Ati “forced” – Aki first
Akicha/Atita – Akira
Mhay – mine
gamgam – langgam
baaaahs-tos – bastos/rude
it -liit/small
Ohhhh men – oh men
uuuuh “no” – oh no
gin – green
yed – red
“booo” – blue
vhawn – brown
ohneyz – orange
ling – ring
fiiiis – pleeeeease
taptap – laptap
baaaah-nana – banana
jadibi – jollibee
ti’ti’ – Nikkie
Tahteh – Ate
Sahwn – sound as in No sahwn, Tatay! meaning please stop playing your songs, Tatay
Yahtowt – yakult
Kuk – coke
pahnteyt – pancake
pahteyt – cupcake
teys – taste
sudat – sugat/wound
nana – Wala na
“Sir” tel – circle
Lalon – Lion (nasal)
Clab – crab
tahwnt – count
jow jow jow – go go go!

Two Ingredient Lemon Glazed Fish Fillet

I have been more cautious of what we serve on the table since early this month. That means, less oil, less pork, less soy sauce, less oyster sauce, no beef, no salt, more chicken, more fish, more veggies, more steaming, more grilling and more tedious menu planning. It is  all worth it because Franco’s blood pressure and weight both went down.

Here is a 2- ingredient lemon glazed fish fillet recipe.

 Let me say it once again. I love anything citrus-y! I can’t say the same for hubby but he did like this dish.

The secret to this quick and easy dish is lemon curd. How I wish it is locally available. Next to taramasalata, it is  my second favorite palaman.

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Hide and Seek

Aki (in a teasing tone): Maaaaami, tajoh tajoh Ati.

 

Mary Help of Christians Parish Sunday Tiangge Finds

Aside from the fish pond, we love the Sunday tiangge at our parish church.

Pambahay short and sando sets for 3 for 100. That is right! One set only costs 33 bucks. I used to always go here to buy Aki’s pambahay clothes. Too bad, Aki is now a bit too big for their biggest size.

Dresses for little girls. For bigger toddler, this can be a top. Also 3 for 100. My picture is lousy  but this dress with its giraffe prints was really adorable.

This is top is perfect for the summer. Guess how much? 3 for 100 too! If only I have a little girl or younger nieces.

The Sunday tiangge is also my go-to place to buy my pambahay shorts..

Hello Hélio

I learned something very important about my son this weekend. Yesterday, I learned how to correctly pronounce my 30 month old son’s second name! Haha.

A brief background on his not so brief given name. Aki’s given name is Franco Hélio Akira. Franco after my husband. Akira after the great Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa. Hélio after Hélio Gracie, the father of Brazilian Jujitsu. All this time, I thought his second name is pronounced as Heel-yoh. Thanks to the video below, Franco and I now know that the correct pronouncation is El-yoh.

Trivia: Aki was conceived on the same day Hélio passed away.

Holy Week 2012

 We spent the Holy Week in the most relaxing resort, my mom’s hacienda.

Mother does not have a pool but she does have a lake. Hehe. While the aircon in the houses of the city folks were in full gear,  we were happily  enjoying the strong cool winds of  Bayog

This picture was taken last year

Franco and I always make plans of going out like a date night  in Elbi Square ( I am not even sure if it is still open. The first and last time, we were there was in 2004) or eating  in Isdaan, but none of those ever happen. It is always more fun to chillax in Dorie’s mansion.  So what do we do  in my mom’s house?  Nothing!  Just how we like it. Aki was far busier than Franco and I whenever we are home in Elbi

Here are some of his regular activities

Enviously watch the neighbors’ kids play with old rubber tires. I asked the kids why they have so many tires when they are only four in the group. One kid said they bring extras for those who would like to join them

Feed the chicken. Later on, chase them.

Marvel, inspect and take a bath at the poso