As you know, I don’t cook, but I do love to watch cooking shows. The seasoned chefs, they look so effortless, parang napakadali lang magluto. One of my fave cooking shows is Barefoot Contessa starring Ina Garten. I love how she is so calm, and yes -effortless in her cookings, how she is still so in love with her husband of almost 50 years, Jeffrey (tukayo pa ni Kap) always cooking him up a storm; and how she is so simple & unassuming in spite of her status –parang your next door neighbor lang ang peg. Hindi magarbo (4 lang yata ang damit nya, paulit-ulit na black-blue-white-gray hehe) at hindi rin mayabang. <3 It’s actually a cooking show & love story in one, what more can I ask for? 😉 You can check out her recipes HERE.
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Growing up in a 4-storey hospital setting which was the main business of my mom -who also doesn’t cook can I just add, I never laid eyes on a kitchen (it was located on the topmost floor & I was not allowed to loiter). Never saw my mom cook either. So it wasn’t something that I embraced when I became a homemaker myself.
From the get go, PIL stayed with us & MIL was a wonderful cook, so I unwillingly relinquished the kitchen to her -along with my entire house. Hay. That’s another story for another day though. 😛
But I’ve always been fascinated with whipping up delicious meals. Hence, my love affair with Four Season’s Hotpot & Buffet, lol. More than the food offerings, I think it’s the inner cooking diva in me that wants to be released kaya tuwang-tuwa akong magpanggap when we eat there. The resto makes hotpot cooking look so easy, just put everything in the boiling pot & voila.. KAIN NA! 🙂
Dakilang inggitera that I am, I also wanted to hotpot at home. So I set out to buy the necessary equipments & made a choice to “learn”. While I was at the store, I went a little further & bought a round Korean BBQ griller. Can I just say? Best value for my buck as we’ve been using these thingamajigs non-stop haha.
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Bae pointed me to a Korean store that sold this BBQ grilling gadget. Maniwala kayo o hindi, we didn’t know how to operate the butane burner hehe. After some twitches & experimentation, we finally got the hang of it & discovered the many wonders of cooking (or heating food TBH, lolz)! \m/
Korean BBQ.. CHECK! 😉 TBH, more than me, my lovey has been taking more of the cooking responsibilities at home haha. Hanggang bili at tingin (pakialam) lang talaga ako.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Now we’ve been cooking non-stop ala table top hahaha. Yan oh, pati pancake & bacon, BBQ style na rin. ;)) Best purchase ever, we’ve had so many great times bonding & cooking over the weekends lately. Im telling you, invest in one too & have your family members join in the fun, such a great AND YUMMY weekend activity with your loved ones.
See? It seems like err’member of the fambam has taken to the humble Korean grilling gadget hehe. We finally found a use for my Babyson! ;)) He is now our grill master!
Even ask the Lolas, they’ll definitely agree. 🙂
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Ditch the grill & replace with a stainless pot, voila! We can hotpot in the comfort of our own home, kahit wala pang ligo haha. Then a quick dip in the pool after. Now this is the life! <3 I’m really happy we moved the smaller table for outdoor dining.
Kap & I bought ingredients at the Asian Shops at Cartimar in Pasay. There are rows of stores devoted to bola-bola & what have yous. I just love satay sauce so I bought a big can to satisfy my craving. I add a generous dollop to my soup, mis everything together, and I’m in heaven.
No need to squeeze into tight spaces fighting for food like you would at a resto. Now eating hotpot at home is as calm as a gentle breeze.
These 2 shops compete for top place as hotpot heaven! Lahat ng klase ng bola-bola meron sila! <3
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Some time ago, I also bought a raclette & fondue maker. Now the kids & their friends get to enjoy meals out back..
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I’m happy that we get to extend our family bonding activities to their friends who treat our abode as their second home. <3 The girls had a blast melting cheese & drinking sparkling wine haha.
I think I prefer the electric version better & will buy one for our hotpot & BBQ nights instead of the butane na laging nauubos.
Dessert is a must for us GOppets gals. Sweet tooth is a given factor. Yung mga boys wa paki basta may extra rice! :P) Chocolate fondue is so easy to make. Just but chocolate chips, add milk, and boil. Serve wth fruits, instant dessert! 😉
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Now that summer is here, I also bought Ice Cream dishes in different sizes, shapes, and colors for hot summer nights. Just last week Bae & her friends enjoyed an Ice Cream buffet in our patio with even more friends. Next time we’ll make halo-halo naman – the possibilities are endless hehe!
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I love that our house is home to the kids’ friends. They are always welcome with wide, open arms. <3
Shalalalala.. it’s ice cream in the mo-or-niiiing. Leftovers from that night’s ice cream buffet. Why not? 😉
Another perfect summer treat? MILKSHAKES! <3 How to make a Strawberry Smoothie.. Blend half of frozen strawberries, add 1/4 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup vanilla ice cream and 2 tbsp. milk in blender until smooth. Optional: sugar, depending on the sweetness level you want. Pour into 2 glasses. Repeat with remaining strawberries, vanilla, ice cream and milk. Serve immediately.
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Inspired, we also added a waffle maker to our growing cooking gadget collection. Anong sinabi ng iHop at Pancake House? Lutong bahay na all the way in our jammies every weekend hehe. No reason to go out to eat anymore. Kap will be happy. 😛
Even our dearest Lelly has given her stamp of approval. <3 Nakakasali pa sya!
O yes, pati juicer pinatulan ko na rin. Mahirap palang mamasyal sa True Value, lahat nalang iaalok sayo! 😛 My old juicer already conked out, let’s see how much mileage this new one will get. 🙂
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HOW JUICING THESE 20 FOODS CAN PREVENT OR REVERSE TYPE 2 DIABETES
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My next project? Hopefully a TEPPAN TABLE! 😉 Kakaririn ko talaga yan hingiin kay Kap my Kap.
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Our favorite teppan place is Yurakuen at Manila Diamond Hotel. No place else can beat the giant scallops, the freshest seafoods, and the meatiest meats.
At 2,800/pop, Kap will FOR SURE choose to build me one soon kesa mamulubi sya kaka-date diyan sa akin, mwahaha. Lilinggo-lingguhin ko ang pa-date sa kanya diyan hanggang igawa nya ako ng sarili kong mesa! 😉
In fair, he said he will naman daw, pero uunahin nya muna ang project Kastilyong Buhangin, trololol. Dun daw namin ilalagay ang teppan table at pugon ko pang-pizza. Sige na nga, basta yung mga panahong malakas pa ako ha at kaya ko pang magluto! :))
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Pag nagkataon, you can call me na.. the COOKING MAMA! ;))
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Can Baking Mama be far behind? Naaaah, I think I will stop with fantasy cooking haha. Ibang level na itong baking! Merry Berry Cake by Cakes by Miriam. The butter cake is sorta ordinary. Ang pang-bato nya talaga is the icing & the umaapaw fruits with isangkatutak na toothpick to hold them together. Gotta be careful with dem picks, muntikan ko pang malunok! @_@
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Cakes by Miriam
- Cake order (Candles free 18pcs)
- Additional: Cake topper (100) | Lucis (20)
16 Comments
Don’t we love women who cook and eat? I also love Barefoot Contessa and adores The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond, Valerie Bertinelli and Nigella Lawson. Their (voluptuous) bodies are living testament that they eat (like us… hehehe).
On the other hand, I get distracted with Giada De Laurentiis body and the proportion of her face to her small-framed body. Does she even eat?
Ang saya at sarap tikman ng Hotpot! Konting landi pa kay Kap para sa Teppan Table. Looking forward sa mansion na vacation house by the beach. More favor from the Lord!
April 3, 2017 at 8:31 amMukhang mahabang landian pa ito lng teppan table dear Candy hehe. And yes, peke yang Giada na yan hindi ako naniniwalanh kumakain yang babaeng yan hehe. #bitterampalaya
April 3, 2017 at 11:15 amPangarap ko matikman yung Mango cake ng Cakes by Miriam. Kaso ang mahal mahal! Waah! Inggit ako sa ‘gadgets’ mo sa bahay. Gusto ko bumili grilling bbq gadget mo! How much?
April 3, 2017 at 9:27 amBili naaaa less than 2k the burner & the korean bbq griller sabi ni Kap sa buong buhay ko yan lang daw ang binili ko na masaya sya HAAHAHAHAHA! 😛
April 3, 2017 at 11:11 amWaaahhh, matagal ko nang gustong magka-Korean BBQ griller bilang dumaan ako sa phase na I wanted to eat samgyeopsal every weekend. Tapos ngayon we’re into stews na rin so the butane burner will really come in handy. 🙂
April 3, 2017 at 10:30 amomg naglaway na naman tuloy ako sa samgyeopsal na sinasabi mo hehe. :))
April 3, 2017 at 11:09 amIkaw na! Ikaw na ang hindi marunong magluto pero maparaan. May I ask, where did you get the broth for the hotpot? And the sawsawan?
I better exchange notes with you about the raclette. You’re the one who went to Europe and had a first hand experience on how they do it up there.
April 3, 2017 at 1:33 pmGawa ni sexy chef yung broth meding alam mo naman wala akong alam at dakilang nagpapanggap lang hahaha. Chicken broth lang and nagpasarap yung satay sauce na binili namin sa cartimar hinalo ko lang sa sabaw ko. The sawsawan jena mixed it i’ll ask her to text you the ingreds hehe. Ok nga ang raclette mo i lavveeeet!! :-*
April 3, 2017 at 4:01 pmIbang level ng DIY, Mommy Jane! 🙂 Parang iba’ ibang restos experience in the home ang peg!
April 3, 2017 at 6:12 pmSo true haha. Kaya masaya si Kap sa akin ngayon dami ko ganda points, lol. ;))
April 3, 2017 at 6:21 pmOmg you guys went to cartimar? We live super near lang! As in walking distance. It is the place to buy jap/korean ingredients. You can also get good and inexpensive beef for bulgogi or pork belly for samgeupsal in that Korean grocery. Plus their homemade kimchi is good too. and for dessert, they have a huge selection of korean ice cream (not just the usual melona and fish shape).
Di naman super obvious that I’m a frequent shopper. ??????
Also, if you go on the weekends, hatchin jap grocery sells yummy takoyaki, definite must try!???
Hope to run into you one day ms. Jane!???
April 3, 2017 at 11:24 pmWaaaaa sayang. Will go back thurs afternoon for more supplies hehe I hope I see you then & we can have meryenda or something. Mwah! :-*
April 4, 2017 at 9:53 amGo go go Mama Bear! I’m excited to see more of your cooking. <3
April 4, 2017 at 11:49 pmHehe fake cooking lang yan bbbeary. Ni hindi nga ako marunong gumawa ng broth base. ;))
April 5, 2017 at 6:14 amHi Jane!!!
April 5, 2017 at 7:38 pmInspiring!!!
Might i ask where you bought the BBQ griller?
More OOTD please—-love your style!
Enjoy your summer!!!
Hi Cindy. 🙂 The bbq griller Jena bought at the 24 hours Korean grocery in Commercenter but I saw they also have in Cartimar. Less than 2k but the happiness the whole fam gets from it is priceless haha. Thank you for the love I really appreciate you! :-*
April 6, 2017 at 5:09 pm