CELEBRATING DIWALI: A MEMORABLE NIGHT

​After the fun and laughter, overflowing red and a wipeout charcuterie board full of goodies: fruit, cheeses, crackers, chocolates and iberico last Halloween; apparently AP wanted more of our company that he invited us back for churrasco last night. 

The party was in celebration of DIWALI, India’s biggest and the most important holiday of the year. Known as the Festival of Lights celebrated in Indian regions; it symbolizes the “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”. This is celebrated with fireworks. 

Cheska opted to light up her entire garden with Christmas lights instead and chose to tone down fireworks with just sparklers and fountain instead of bigger ones so as not to alarm the neighbors. 

The party atmosphere was that of casual elegance and refinement. Upon our arrival, we were offered a charcuterie board full of goodies to go along with wine; red and white were chilling in ice boxes set on the side prepared by our host including the two cartoons of shochu, two different flavors of mojito cocktails 

Since i did not feel like drinking wine, I chose what Cheska offered, a fruit-flavored pink rosé sparkling soda. 

I brought chicken macaroni salad to complement the meats. 

Tess brought our all-time favorite, sauteed crabs in olive oil with a lot of garlic. 

Joy’s tataki, an appetizer with lots of delicious trimmings seemed to be the favorite, it was gone almost immediately. 

I love the samosa that Cheska bought from a reliable supplier. 

And the homemade toasted authentic paneer 

I was impressed with the baked salmon that truly melts in the mouth. It was expertly cooked to perfection partnered with grilled sweet corn that Cheska served

Look at this paella that The Chef set cooking in front of us 

Celine brought roasted veggies and mashed potatoes. 

I loved the sushi bake homemade by Claire, congrats on this bestseller from your kitchen, Claire. I had to sharon some for later. 

The last but the best was the tender, juicy ribeye that Dr. Kim brought and grilled himself. 

I failed to take a picture of the wagyu that Josie said she brought but we were so full that we couldn’t handle that anymore. 

I also missed taking a photo of the cake that Lyanne brought. 

Once again allow me to thank out generous hosts, AP  and Cheska who entertained us so warmly at their beautiful and artfully lighted garden. 

A wonderful gathering of friends and walking buddies, truly a night to remember. 

CHICKEN MACARONI SALAD: MY VERSION

​I’ve been invited to a Churrasco, to celebrate Diwali. I decided to bring chicken macaroni salad. It has become a tradition among my friends to bring something when invited to these neighborhood parties. Instead of a bottle of wine, we often bring a dish. 

Let me share my recipe for chicken macaroni salad. 

                 Ingredients 

1/2 kilo dried elbow macaroni; turns approximately 10 cups when cooked

2 1/2  250 ml pack all purpose cream 

4 tbsps mayonnaise 

2 tbsps mustard

4 heaping tbsps pickle relish 

2 1/2 200-gm bricks ordinary cheese, grated 

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 can 560 gm pineapple tidbits, drained 

1-2cups cooked and cubed chicken breast

big carrot boiled and cubed 

1 big freshpears, cubed

1 big apple cubed

1 cup fresh celery stalks, cut thin diagonally 

                      Procedure

1- add 1/2 kilo dried elbow macaroni in boiling water and add 1 tsp salt. Cook until aldente; remove snd drain. Set aside. 

2- in a bug mixing bowl, put in

 All purpose cream, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, half of grated cheese and mix well. 

3- add in chicken, celery, apple, pear, pineapple tidbits and carrot mix well, 

4- add cooked macaroni and remaining cheese. 

5- mix all ingredients thoroughly and adjust taste;  check if it is sour enough, if not add pickle relish or pineapple tidbits. 

If it is not salty enough, add cheese or salt 

If too salty, add cream. 

You’re the chef, you want the best tasting salad to serve, trust your tastebuds. 

BOOYANIHAN: A HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

​We had a great time last night when AP and Cheska invited us over for drinks after the resounding success of the BOOYANIHAN, the Halloween celebration in our subdivision. 

Cheska made great effort, with lots of love and passion in preparing loot bags for the trick or treat as well as in decorating her home for her kids especially for her daughter.

Theirs is one of the most decorated homes around, capping first place in the BOOYANIHAN Spooky Home Decoration Contest. Congratulations Cheska ! . 

Not to be outdone, Lyanne, the better half of the Chairman; who together as a couple spearheads such celebrations; had their home well-dressed up too. 

And Tess, still inTurkey had her staff prepare lots of loot bags filled with yummy chocolates. These were placed on a table outside with some halloween decor. 

Once again just like last year, the streets of Bayanihan came alive when children in colorful costumes went around trick or treating with their parents. 

Even Joy couldn’t resist bringing around her well-dressed dog. 

That’s Matias, grandson of Juliet 

At the end of a wide street, food vendors set up their booths. I bought bbq and sisig for dinner. 

Friends and neighbors milled around, eating, laughing and taking photos and catching up. 

The celebration culminated in the awarding of best costume winners. We were amazed how the parents came up with such wonderful costumes. 

What got the attention of many were the free popcorn and free ice cream, there were long queues. 

Back to AP and Cheska’s home where there were so much sharing as we kept on drinking and eating. We ended the night with plans of AP’s invitation to a BBQ party in their home sometime next month. Thank you Cheska and AP for a night of fun. 

YOGURT MAKING TUTORIAL

​Yesterday I invited Celine and Juliet, two of my friends and walking buddies for breakfast. They are interested to learn to make yogurt; I thought we would do it right after. 

Another friend and walking buddy as well, Cheska, a cooking aficionado gave us yogurt mother liquor sometime ago; that’s when I started making my yogurt again.  Since I did that too a long time ago. 

Oatmeal is my breakfast staple for more than 25 years. I tried all possible options to make my oatmeal interesting and tasty; but some were not as tasty and healthy as my latest concoction. 

This is my overnight oatmeal recipe good for two servings.  Although the oatmeal with ground flax seeds were cooked ahead, I need to overnight the mixture so the chia seeds can absorb the milk. 

THE OATMEAL RECIPE 

1 cup oatmeal with flax seeds 

1 cup nonfat milk 

1-2 drizzles of honey 

1 heaping tsp chia seeds 

1 cup yogurt 

The yogurt makes all the difference; therefore, I can’t do without it. The sugar content of commercial yogurt is so much, it’s not good for me. I learned that the “lite” version is reduced fat which with additional sugar to compensate the taste quality. 

Right after breakfast, we gathered the ingredients and paraphernalia for yogurt making. 

THE PROCESS 

In a sauce pan I brought to a near boil to 185 degrees a liter of milk. 

Photo 

Juliet held the pan steady on an iced water bath to hasten the cool down to 115-120 and not lower. This has to be monitored closely, the temperature can go down fast. 

Photo 

I dissolved the contents of one sachet of the yogurt starter in a cup and added a cupful of the heated milk and mixed thoroughly. Then added that to the pan of milk. 

This is the starter I use but any brand will do. There are 16 sachets in the box. 

Celine ladled the mixture into smaller containers and must stay in a warm  environment to allow the microorganisms to grow and solidify. I put then inside my oven toaster. 

At this point, we can put flavors to the yogurt like vanilla, lemon, honey or fruits. 

After 8-10 hours the yogurt is formed;  I covered the containers and put them in the refrigerator, they are best within a week but they can last longer. 

I use a container-full for my oatmeal mixture good for two servings. 

My breakfast is that mixture with a slice of papaya and one-egg omelet with onions and tomatoes.  If one of bbm my buddies will invite me for breakfast, I will need a lot of willpower to control my intake. 

YOGURT MAKING SESSION

Today I invited two of my friends and walking buddies for breakfast since they are interested to see how i make my yogurt. 

Earlier on, Cheska, a friend and walking buddy as well who is a cooking aficionado gave us all a yogurt mother liquor.  That made me start making my own yogurt. 

​Oatmeal is my breakfast staple for more than 20 years now. I tried all possible options to make my oatmeal interesting and tasty. Some were not as healthy as I like them to be. I think that this latest concoction is the healthiest and the best so far. 

 I prepare this the night before to let the chia seeds absorb the milk even though the rolled oats and ground flax seeds are cooked ahead. 

MY RECIPE 

1 cup of cooked oatmeal with ground flax seeds

1 cup nonfat milk

1-2 drizzles of honey 

1 heaping tsp of chia seeds 

1 cup yogurt

The yogurt makes the difference, making it creamy especially when the chia seeds expand. 

I have to make my own yogurt since I learned that commercial ones have lots of sugar; and “lite”, version has more sugar to compensate for the lack of fat. 

PROCESS OF YOGURT MAKING 

In a sauce pan, I brought to a near boil a liter of milk to 185 degrees. 

My friend Juliet is holding the sauce pan steady on a water bath to speed up the cool down to 115-120 degrees but not lower. This has to be monitored closely since we don’t want the temperature to lower any farther. 

I added  a sachet of yogurt starter to a cup of the milk from the pan and mixed it well. 

I use this brand of yogurt starter but any brand will do. The box contains 16 sachets. 

I added that to the pan of milk and mixed it thoroughly. 

See Celine ladle the mixture to small containers 

At this point you can add some flavor, vanilla, lemon, honey or your favorite fruits. 

We need to put the containers in a warm place like the range, my oven toaster is big enough so I put them there for the organisms to grow. 

After 8-10 hours, they will solidify and they are ready to be covered and put in the refrigerator. They are best within a week or longer. 

I use one container-full of yogurt for my oatmeal mixture which is good for two servings. 

That’s my breakfast with a slice of papaya and one egg tomato-onion omelet, while I learned to ditch the toast. But if a walking buddy will invite me for breakfast after our walk, oh my goodness, I will need a lot of willpower to control my intake.