Good Bye and Thank You 2012

Photo Credit: Raj Qsar / Pinterest

Goodbye and thank you 2012.

Before the clock strikes twelve and welcome a new year. Please allow me to thank you.

Thank you 2012 for every bits and pieces of blessings and most of the time challenges (even so) a BIG thank you to you. For I know that these challenges are your ways of preparing me to a bigger and better opportunities.

2012, you have been a witness to all my struggles and triumphs. I thank you for recognising my existence and vulnerability for it has taught me to be humble.

I thank you 2012 for extending the blessings and challenges not just to me but to my mates and family, as well, even frenemies.

You don't know how thankful I am 2012 for a splendid blessing of good health to me, to my family and mates. For every morning that I see myself alive and breathing to every night that I can close my eyes and cannot wait to see the next day, thank you.

Oh 2012, as the clock strikes twelve, I will be here waving goodbye to you. I don't know what the next year has in store for me but I am here ready to embrace it.

Please don't be sad 2012, I will be here watching you as you fade away waving goodbye to you. Our memories together will forevermore be remembered.

Goodbye and thank you, 2012.

Formaggi Verde con Gamberi

I just wanna share another recipe I made this Christmas Day. It's something that I read somewhere. lol. It's called Formaggi Verde con Gamberi. Formaggi because the base sauce is said to be composed of three (3) different cheeses (Parmesan, Cheddar and Mozzarella). Now Verde which means green is because of the green leaves added (Basil and Spinach). Gamberi is Italian for shrimp. Makes sense now? lol.

I may be missing one ingredient, but this is because every groceries I go, they're already out of it. The Parmesan. lol.

Ingredients:

• 500g Spaghetti (or any pasta of your choice: Fettuccine, Penne, Ziti, Farfalline, etc.)
• 400g Pasta sauce (canned)
• 400g Shrimp/Prawns (peeled, de-veined and chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Dried Basil
• 1/2 cup Pitted Black Olives (sliced)
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic (sliced)
• 1 medium Onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Fresh Basil
• Black Pepper (ground)
• 2 tablespoon Sugar (optional)
• 1/2 Spinach (optional)
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

How To Make:

1. Cook pasta per package instructions (al dente). Drain. Set aside

2. In a sauce pan, sauté garlic, onions and tomatoes in olive oil. Add dried basil and shrimp/prawns. Cook for a few minutes then add the fresh basil or spinach and pasta sauce. Cover cook. Add the olives and black pepper.

3. If you want your sauce to be sweet, you may now add sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Note: You don't want to add salt as the olives are salty enough to balance the sourness of tomatoes.

4. Add the drained pasta. Toss.

5. Serve with Parmigiano-reggiano on top. Partner it with a dry white wine.

Easy! 

Eat!

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Mango and Apple Crumble Pie

Officially it's Christmas! What else are you looking for aside of opening your gifts? FOOD!! And which meal course is your favourite? DESSERT of course! lol. Every household celebrating Christmas in the Philippines will definitely NOT pass on this part of the meal. It is like imperative to have sweets after your main course. Usually, frozen salad (Fruit Cocktail, Coconut and even Macaroni Salad). There also came a time when this refrigerated cake has been a darling of the holiday. 

As for me I made a pie. I just followed these instructions I saw. It's my first time to make one. So forgive me. lol. But I still wanna share how I did it... You know.. For the sake of sharing. Since Christmas is all about sharing. lol. 

Ingredients:

CRUMB:

12 pieces Graham Crackers (crushed)
3 tablespoons sugar
(225g block) Unsalted butter

FILLING:

2 pieces of Apples (Cubed or Thinly Sliced)
1 Piece of Mango (Sliced)
1/4 Brown sugar
Cinnamon powder
1/2 Tablespoons flour
5 Tablespoons water

How To Make:

1. To make the crust: Melt butter in a pan. Add the Graham crackers and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes or until the ingredients are already combined.

2. Pour half of the cooked crust into  a square pan and evenly pressed it. Refrigerate the crust for 30-45 minutes. 

3. To make the filling: Combine apples, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, flour and water in a pan. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until apples are tender. Add the mango slices. Cover cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce have thickened. Set aside filling and chill it.

4. Spread the filling over the refrigerated crust. Spread the other half of the crumbs over the mango/apple filling. Firmly press the crumbs. Cover and chill before serving. You may top it with a whip cream or vanilla ice cream before serving. For this, I only got some cream and found extra slices of pears for toppings.

Counter Clockwise: Cinnamon, Cream, Apple and Mango in a pan, Brown sugar, Mango slices and Apples in a pan

Happy Holidays!!

Merry Christmas To All!!!

Cheers to everyone all over the world celebrating the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas to you and your family!