dream job: housewife

I've been telling Jaims how badly I wanted to become a full time housewife and this weekend I finally get to perform the role for a short while. as I've mentioned in my last post, we spent Christmas in Dagupan but since Daddi has work on the 27th we went back with him last Friday. The role began on saturday morning. Friday didn't count. We were too tired from the trip (took a bus) that we decided to eat at Chowking for dinner.

He left early so I didn't cook breakfast. When Sofi and I woke up, I dropped the laundry in our washing machine and started doing other jobs such as boiling water for her bath, washing her soiled bottles, cooking rice and bringing out the maggot-infested trash which was left there Wednesday morn. I gave her a bath before cooking my breakfast: sunny side-up eggs. A few hours later the washing machine broke and I wasn't able to wash the beddings. Mother said the new year should start fresh and new, this includes washing all the sheets before the new year comes. I thought this was the perfect time to do so. There was no competition in the laundry since no one was home except my family...and my brother who doesn't seem to exist :) It was already past 12 and the eggs don't seem to energize me so I decided to cook my lunch while Sofi takes a nap.

Chicken Adobo
Ingredients:
10 pcs chicken cuts
Soy Sauce
Vinegar
Garlic
Sugar
Water
Salt
Pepper, whole
Oil
2 laurel leaves

Procedure:
In a pot, place pound garlic and pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, water and sugar. I couldn't fine whole pepper and laurel leaves in my mom's store so I cheated my adobo and just used ground pepper.   Bring to a boil and set aside. In a pan, heat oil and fry the chicken parts with pound garlic. When all the chicken parts start to brown, pour over the sauce and boil them in low heat.

In my case I had to fold clothes so I allowed the chicken to swim a little longer. I only ate 2 slices for lunch because I wanted Jaims to have a taste of my adobo. It turned out that this was the recipe he liked. Our canteen cook likes her adobo swimming in oil and ginger that we forgot how real Adobo taste like. I thought the rice I cooked for breakfast that day was enough for both of us but it wasn't. I had to cook rice again and wait for it to be cooked until we can resume our rudely interrupted dinner.

The following day, Sunday, Jaims has another shoot so we had to hear mass at 9AM. I told him breakfast will be served at 8am the night before, so when I woke up at 6.30 am I decided to cook our breakfast.

Arroz Caldo
Ingredients:
3-4 chicken cuts, small
rice
water
ginger
garlic
salt
pepper
1 chicken cube
Oil

Procedure:
Saute the garlic, ginger and chicken in oil. Wait until the chicken turns a little brownish before adding the chicken cube. Add rice and water, plenty of water. Mine was all dried up after the mass. Wait until the rice has cooked before seasoning it with salt and pepper.

I didn't expect my lugaw to taste good. I made lugaw many times before and I often feel that there's something missing. This time i feel so triumphant. maybe it was the real chicken or the ginger that made it taste this yummy.

Jaims left after the mass so Sofi and I bonded by going to the mall. Kiko, jaime's friend already warned me that the mall was packed for the past few days. But I decided to still go since I wanted to buy a few more gifts.  We ate at Wendy's for lunch.  When we got home, daddi wasn't home yet so I decided to just have noodles for dinner. Instead of just adding boiling water to the noodles, I thought of cooking it and adding egg. Sofi liked it and she ate a lot.

When we woke up for breakfast, my other brother who went with Jaims on his shoot the night before was still there. Good, another guinea pig. I asked him if he ate already and he said no. I wanted to cook fast so I grabbed mama's ever reliable longganisa and fried them. I'm starting to love cooking, in fact I can already fry without my food sticking to the pan. To do justice to my new found role I cooked another viand -- Tinapang tilapia which was given to Jaims by a client/friend before Christmas.

Jaims has another shoot at around 2pm so I ran back to the kitchen at 12.30 and cooked lunch. I was planning to make Shrimp Chowder, a recipe I got from the Alaska evaporated milk can but when I was starting i found out I have no potatoes. So the instant cook in me got me thinking. I need to invent lunch.

Shrimp in Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
1 sachet of Knorr Mushroom Soup
6 pcs Shrimps, peeled
evaporated milk
grated cheese
garlic
onion
oil
pepper
salt
water

Procedure:
Saute the garlic, onions and shrimp in oil. Pour in water, milk and powdered soup. Add grated cheese while stirring. Season with salt and pepper.   Be careful with adding salt since the soup is a stand alone base and might turn out too salty especially if you add cheese and salt.  Serve hot.

Yey! I have picture.  Since Jaims was on his way to a shoot I forced him to take a picture of my soup.  Honestly, all I wanted was a lame picture.  One shot and that's it but the photographer didn't want his name being dragged to a picture that does not boast of anything.   Love the pic, thanks dad!   I love how the shrimp flavor rose in the mushroom soup. It has this very distinct taste yet does not overpower the soup base. This with rice alone is good to go but I added fish fillet and iced tea to complete the entree.  and by the way, the fish fillet recipe does not deserve a slot in my blog because it turned out too salty. 

Myy stint as a cook ended before dinner.  The original queen of the house is back and she doesn't want anyone taking her throne.  It's hard being a daughter of people who spent most of their parental life cooking.  Mom and Dad love to cook for their friends and my friends, too.  I remember how much my high school friends love to go here since this was a food haven for them.  While the experience was exhausting I enjoyed playing every bit of the role.  I told Jaims i'm starting to love this housewife role thingy and he said, "oh no!"  I know it will take some time before i can muster enough courage to invite friends and have them taste my cooking.  As for now, I am contented feeding my husband and daughter.  At least if Jaims doesn't like the taste he'd still eat the food.  But since the cook role is over and my full time housewife role won't end til January 5, I will be focusing on two other roles -- Sofia's mother and Jaime's wife.

Christmas (with the Mendoza's)

As far as i can remember, all 28 Christmas(es) I've had are spent in Pangasinan; from the time we barely can talk until now that I have daughter of my own who barely can talk, too. I remember my parents struggling to load us in a provincial bus since going home before is as difficult as it is now during the holidays. Everyone wanted to get inside the bus that even if the bus was still trying to park people were already trying to get in. We didn't have a car back then and the only way Papa and Mama can reserve seats was by dropping us one by one (we are 5) through the window.

Basically, the practice became a tradition. We go home on the 24th, cook lunch (as we always get there by lunchtime), we sleep (while papa and mama go to the market and grocery), we cook dinner, prepare the salad for the noche buena, eat again, cook again for the noche buena, rest a little then attend the Christmas Mass. Apparently, Christmas masses were always the same, although we have changed churches in the past years. We used to hear mass at St. John Cathedral but in my several years of attending mass there i was always so sure I can never be seated. It was only 3 or four Christmasses ago that we started attending mass at St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Masses are not really celebrated inside the Church but in a nearby gym owned by the school beside the Church.

The place can turn pretty crowded as the mass progresses. the mass starts as the lector reads the long list of mass offerers and petitioners -- from passing board exams to those who wanted to find jobs. I wonder why they wanted to tell the world what their petitions are. I think God knows what our hearts desire the most. Instead of reading the Gospel, they usually have a Christmas program depicting Mary and Joseph's journey towards parenthood. It never changes. I wish they can change the concept maybe instead of role playing they can have a film showing, or quiz bee show...imagine the possibilities. heheh...

Anyway, my little angel slept on our way to the church and woke up at the start of the program. She was cranky and I think she hated the fact that she woke up at the middle of her deep sleep and she can't even go around since the place was packed. I had to urge jaims to leave the gym as I couldn't breathe. We stayed outside.

We got home a few minutes before 12. we have spaghetti noodles with tuna mushroom sauce and meat sauce, fruit salad (made this one), cdo ham (courtesy of XSPA), leche flan, tasty and coke. I forgot to take pictures since i was too sleepy and tired to even join them for the noche buena. i wanted to use Sofi as an excuse so i could sleep but I got some scoldings from the man of the house. At 1am, Sofi and I were ready to call it a day.

Merry Christmas everyone!
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Fruit salad

ingredients
Fruit Cocktail
Red apples
Del Monte Fruit Cocktail
Nestle Cream
Condensed Milk
Cheese

instructions
Drain the fruit cocktail from its juice. Set aside the juice. Cut red apple slices (bite size) and drop them in the fruit cocktail juice. Apples must be dip in liquid to avoid discoloration. Dice cheese. Mix everything together. Add Nestle Cream and a few spoonfuls of Condensed Milk. Bring out the fruity taste by adding more cream instead of condensed milk. Place in chiller and serve cold.

Holiday Rush

christmas shopping seemed to consume everyone's time and patience lately; and going home has been terribly difficult. While traffic along Ortigas Ave. is not new to me, since I have to pass Xavier, ICA, LSGH and St. Paul (Meralco Ave.), I dread passing here when Christmas is fast approaching. It means going through extra traffic congestion because Ortigas Ave./Meralco Ave is sprinkled with malls -- Greenhills Shopping Center, Robinson's Galleria, SM Megamall and Shangri-la and Starmall at the far end.

Since Jaims will be home the entire day Monday, I asked permission if I could have a taste of Christmas Rush. He agreed and I dropped by Galleria after work. I wasn't brave enough to go to Megamall; not even my fat gift checque can push me to go there. I already have a list of recipients so thinking what to give was my only problem. I ended my shopping stint at 7:30pm but there's still a lot waiting to be crossed out from my list. I'll do that next week but I have to prepare myself to a more busy mall atmosphere.

When I got home that day, there was a load of feeding bottles waiting to be washed. I was supposed to wash the bottles every other day to ensure that Sofi will have something to used. And to top that, I also forgot to buy her milk. Stupid mommy! Anyways, Jaims bought milk while I wash the bottles.

I ended the day at 1am after wrapping some of the gifts. There's a few more left but I'll do that after the break.

constipation

i texted daddi after 12 to check if he's pushing with his plans of bringing Sofi to XS.  I got a call instead and he said he couldn't leave because Sofi is constipated.  When i got home in the afternon, she hasn't done the deed yet and everyone was reporting how Sofi has been crying the whole day.   Daddi has to leave now and it's my turn to help Sofi with her "burden".   Daddi already tried the suppository trick but he wasn't successful.

She had her share of constipation in the past and we've gathered some interesting ways how to help a tod passed big poops.

1. Water. Let the baby drink plenty of water and cut the milk for the meantime.  I gave her cookies and crackers to nibble on.  Made her ate rice.  Then let her drink as much water as she like.

2. Cycling motion. Let her lie down on her back and gently move her legs as if she’s riding a bike. This will make the stomach muscles move and, in turn, put gentle pressure on the intestines to make them move.

3. Tummy massage. Massage her tummy in circular motion to loosen the poop that won’t come up. Piece of advice; never do this if she has just drunk milk.

4. Fruit juice. Apple, pear or prune juice. It contains Sorbitol (Sugar alcohol) which stays long in the intestines thus increasing the poop’s liquid content. I remember Gerber has a juice line and one of them is apple. Maybe you could try it. Too bad, my little angel hates juice.

5. Warm ba-bath. Nothing soothes the senses more than having a warm bath. Allow her to stay in her wash area a little longer. This will also be a good time to massage her tummy.

6. Glycerine suppository. I have seen her constipate several times and believe me, it’s not easy. Her mommi-i-am-scared face never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I have always told Jaims to make suppository as a last option. I know he too is taken by the daddi-i-am-scared face, so rather than seeing her oh-so-fave-daughter suffer, the suppository becomes a handy gadget. We got a generic one from Mercury Drugstore and it has stayed in the refrigerator for some time. It’s a stick-like wax inserted in the child’s anus. It melts due to body temperature leaving waxy residue in the passage allowing the poop to pass out. When she was barely one, we only used 1/3 of the stick but now it seems that it’s not enough. Daddi used the same amount this morning but it didn’t work. I tried it again with the same amount and I still failed. It was only after using one whole that she was able to poop. Although it wasn’t as successful as the first one when it literally rolled out without us knowing.

7. Laxative. I remember giving her oral laxatives (I forgot the name) when she was less than 6 months. Sofi hated water before and she would only take in milk. She was also using a Isomil then, a soy-based milk . And I didn’t know that the lack of lactose will make an infant constipate thus her pedia then recommended Laxatives. The bottle’s still inside the refrigerator, I think we only used it once. Sofi never liked it anyway.

I tried tricks1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 but i'm not sure which really helped her.  One thing is for sure, the need to re-assure your little ones that you will stay beside them no matter what is a must.  This is not the time for angry and impatient voices.  if you need to sing to her or tell her stories to calm her down then do so.  The more they become upset, the longer they will hold on to it.

terrible two's

they say when your child turns two that's when all the seemingly impossible things happen.  but sofi is barely 17 months and mommy is already feeling her terrible weekends.

saturday, dec 06

• Sofi spitted the rice she was chewing because she wanted Kuya's (my nephew) instant pancit canton


• threw tantrums when i didn't allow her to go out (will she do this if dadi doesn't allow her to go on a date?)


• I bought her a toy sprinkler in a surplus shop outside our village, worth P50.  When we got home I was asking her to give it to me so we can put water inside.  She was mad and she refused to let go of the sprinkler. 


• threw her shoes and didn't want to pick 'em up


• After ba-bath time, she grabbed the remote control and threw it on the floor when mommi asked for it.  The RC broke into pieces.

Sunday, Dec 07

• Children run towards the priest after the mass so they can ask for the priest's blessing.  Bishop Martirez celebrated the mass today.   Jaims brought Sofi in front and when it was her turn to be blessed, Sofi swayed her head on the side.  Bishop tried again and Sofi did the same thing.  Bishop told her: "loko 'to!" Jaims told Sofi to look at the other kids and Sofi finally gave in.


• She pooped and didn't want to cooperate.  how can I wash her butt if she prefers sitting on the floor of the sink?


• She slapped the cactus and got a 1cm cut. 


• Mama was tending her plants and I went inside to get the keys.  Then I heard mama and our cook shouting.  i ran outside to see what happened.  Sofi ate soil. 


• Jaims and I decided it's high time that Sofi get another haircut.  She was placed in the sink and was being prepped for ba-bath time.  Jaims asked me to get a comb in our room when I went back I heard Sofi screaming even if I was still in our garage gate.  The problem? Sofi was scared of hair...her own hair.    She was squirming out of the sink because she didn't like to see her hair.

Tomorrow, Monday, is a Catholic school holiday.  This means extra day-off.  This means another day with Sofi.  While her tantrums gets to me at times, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

cookout

Of all the friends I’ve met, it’s my high school friends whom I go out most often. While there are only three of us left in Manila (most have gone abroad while others join only once in a while), we try to see each other as often as possible. Sometimes only occasions can put us back together like the recent wedding we had.

Today, a government holiday, we forced Madel to let us test her kitchen in their new abode. Madel was the one who got married recently and one of her wishes was for their guests to give them tried-and-tested family recipes. When I asked Analyn last week that we should go out some time, she suggested having a cookout. It’s a good way for the new wifey to learn cooking techniques. Since a holiday was coming I forced Jaims to go fishing so I would be guilt-free to go out.

I volunteered to make dessert. Madel wanted to try her carbonara recipe which she got from her wedding. She said she received two recipes for carbonara so she wanted to try it out. Analyn wanted to have baby back ribs or steak. How we ended with porkchop, that I dunno. Anyways, our menu was Carbonara, Salt-and-Pepper Porkchop and Crema de Fruta.

_______________________________________________

Madel’s Carbonara

Ingredients:
ham
bacon
mushroom
garlic
onions
green bell peper
Nestle Cream
Milk
Spaghetti Noodles
Salt
Pepper
Canola Oil
Cheese

Do the basics – chop onions, garlic, and bell pepper; boil the noodles. Cut the ham into small squares. Fry bacon strips and make them crunchy. The crunchier they are, the easier to crush them later. Set aside bacon. Sautee the garlic, onion, bell pepper and mushroom. Add ham. Pour in the Nestle Cream and add milk. Let it simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside the sauce.

Drain the noodles and add the sauce. Mix in low fire until all noodles are covered with sauce. Top with bacon and cheese.

Mommy’s Crema De Fruta

Nestle Cream, refrigerated
Condense Milk
Egg, Beaten
Fruit cocktail
Gelatin Mix, transparent
Sponge Bread (Butter Slice or ordinary mammon bread)

Procedure
In a saucepan, heat the beaten egg and condensed milk together. Do not overcook. Separate.

Get a rectangular bowl and lay the sponge bread until the entire base is covered. It would be good to slice the bread in ½” to ¾” thickness. Spread the condensed milk mixture. Add refrigerated Nestle cream and spread it over. ¼” thickness will be fine. Add fruits. Let it cool.

Prepare the gelatin mix as instructed from the box. You may use the juice taken from the fruit cocktail as water. Let it cool first before pouring over the refrigerated cake. Serve cold.

Analyn’s PorkChop with Mushroom Sauce
Porkchop slice
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Nestle Cream
Mushroom
Beef broth
Oil

Coat each slice with salt and pepper. Rub chopped garlic to add flavor. Refrigerate for one hour or until your friends are done in the kitchen.

Fry the porkchop individually. Set aside. Sautee the mushroom using the oil from the porkchop. Pour in beef broth and wait until it has boiled. Add Nestle Cream and let it simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Top porkchop slices with the mushroom sauce. Serve hot.

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It was her husband, her mom, her brother and Sofi who served as critic.  Verdict?  empty plates and smiling faces that calls for a part 2.

hilot

Wiki defines Hilot (/hee-lot/) as:

an ancient Filipino art of healing, commonly used today to relax stressed muscles.

Ever since Sofi was born I have heard more than a dozen of old beliefs surface.  Mostly warnings on how to take care of little angels.  There are some which I follow and there are more that Jaims and I secretly laugh at behind my mother's back.  I remember mama saying "oy, wag nyo isakay si Sofi sa likod nyo at susungki ang ngipin!" Jaims will retort (of course behind mama's back), "para namang ang ganda ng ngipin ko", referring to his misaligned teeth.  And one time, mama said "never ever kissed a baby's feet or else she will kick you when she grows up..." yeah right?!

two weeks ago was different, Sofi has been restless.  Her fever kept on recurring.  Cold at one time, terribly hot at one point.  Colds and cough kept her awake at night and she would threw up every time we give her something to drink or eat.  Seven oz of milk will just go straight to our bedsheets.  We literally smell like vomit and I have to wash her clothes every night just to lessen the scent.

The recurring fever and the vomitting continued.  The pedia recommended an antibiotic but she continued to not feel well.  Friday night, mama decided to look for a hilot.  At this point I will accept any type of healing possible.  Our neighbor, Aling Gloria, who has been here in the village for almost 2 decades said there was one in Malvar St.  Mama was supposed to bring Sofi there but Aling Gloria said, the hilot can just come to our place.  Sofi and I waited for a few minutes before a not-so-old lady came.  She was Chinese looking and her skin was so fair.  If she didn't tell us that she lives in the iskwa side of our village she would passed as a rich Chinese.  She was not the hilot I was thinking of.  She made chika first then she brought out an oil bought at Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan.  Sofi was crying.  But she said that it's alright for Sofi to cry for a few minutes than struggle in pain for more days.  She said Sofi has many pilay.  That we wouldn't contest.  Sofia's so active, there wasn't a day after she learned how to walk by herself that she wouldn't climb tables, fall off the ground and stand up at once.  After putting up a brave front every time she falls, it's not surprising that the pain will show all at the same time.

Aling Virgie said Sofi will still experience a little fever maybe that night or the next, but she will be okay afterwards.  Sofi fell asleep, while half naked, as I lead Aling Virgie by the door.  True to her words Sofi ran a little fever the next morning.  But she didn't had fever in the next days anymore.  I still brought her to her pedia the next day because I was worried about her vomitting.  She had a blood test to check for dengue but it scored negative.  Her pedia gave her another set of meds but Jaims and I decided not to give her the antibiotic.  We gave her the anti-histamine instead following a regular schedule.  In a few days Sofi was okay already.

The world may be as modern as it is but there are still things that are hard to comprehend.  I still believe that Hilot has scientific explanations and medical experts can actually attest to that.  Aling Virgie says she works also at the health center of our village so I know for one that she understands anatomy like any docs do.  But my belief still holds true, that not all medicine can cure what they claim they do.

this is home

after months of hiatus, i'm finally back online.  it feels good to be back home.  while there is no assurance that people will go back to my blog if i change format, i still think it's much better talking about what really matters.  while non-sense entries may come once in a while, this will be mainly about parenting, mommyhood and the like.  i have to admit that my biggest dream isn't really about making it big, working overseas or being rich...but to be a housewife.