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.