Tablescape (Bunny Bread Centerpiece)

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

-Matthew 4:4

It means that we don’t just live on physical food alone, which usually nourishes our body. We also need to live on spiritual food, which will nourish us spiritually.

This Easter, it’s time for reflection and remembering Christ for his sufferings in order to save us from our sins.

Tablescape is a term used to describe a tabletop arrangement or centerpiece to showcase or highlight a specific object or certain event.

Since it’s Easter, I used the bread bunny as a centerpiece for our family dinner. I put different kinds of vegetables around it, then in the middle, I put some hummus dip. I always think of a way to serve food creatively, while it is also appetizing and nutritious. If you’re having a dinner this Easter, this could be perfect for the occasion.

Dinner should not be elaborate that you’ll have to pressure yourself in the kitchen. Just a little planning and creativeness goes a long way.

Happy Easter!

Salmon or Tuna Sisig in Taco Shell

It’s Lenten season, and it’s time for penance, reflecting, fasting, or just simply giving up certain foods, like meat. So, I prepared this dish that you can serve during this season.

Sisig is a Kapampangan term, which means “to snack on something sour.” It also refers to a method of preparing fish and meat, especially pork. The pork is marinated in a sour liquid such as lemon juice, and then seasoned with salt, pepper, and other spices.

Sisig has found its way into numerous fusion recipes nowadays like Sisig pizza and tacos.

In the Philippines, it’s originally eaten while drinking beer or liquor, also called “pulutan.” This can served as an appetizer or main dish. I used fish instead of pork for health-conscious eaters, and this is a good dish for Lenten season. This version of Sisig has a more international appeal.

Ingredients

1 can of pink salmon or tuna

1 lime

1 tsp soy sauce

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tbs spring onion

1 jalapeno

1 fried egg

Salad greens

Sour cream

Taco shells

Salsa

Cheddar cheese

2 tbs olive oil

Directions

1.      In a pan, fry the salmon in olive oil, then set it aside.

2.      Sautee the garlic and onions until translucent. Add in salmon and stir for one minute. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, chili, peppers, and lemon and stir until absorbed.

3.      Serve in a hot plate with an egg in the middle. Sprinkle the chopped onions on top.

4.      As an alternative, serve it in taco shells with salad greens, sour cream, and salsa. Top with cheese and green onions.

5.      Or, if you’d like, you can serve it with rice. 

Easter Bread (Ensaymada)

Easter is the most important and oldest festival of the Christian church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, Easter Sunday is celebrated all around the world. Some do it with hot cross buns; some celebrate with dyed Easter eggs and candies.

This bread is perfect for an Easter dinner, to serve in the table as a centerpiece. Put in some green straw and scatter the bread like you’re making an Easter egg hunt. Put some fake eggs with candies inside, or just put money on it. It will be a good gift basket for friends, or if you’re having a potluck this Easter.

It’s also fun for the kids; they can stay inside, especially if the weather doesn’t cooperate for an outdoor Easter egg hunt.

You can put in a basket, too. Wrap it with plastic and put a ribbon around it. You can bring it to a potluck or give it as a gift for a friend this upcoming Easter.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs sweet bread dough

½ cup simple syrup / corn syrup

Sprinkles

Colored eggs (uncooked eggs)

Directions:

1.      Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface. Punch down, divide into 12 pieces.

2.      Roll each piece to form a 1-inch thick rope at least 12-14 inches long. Taking two pieces, braid them together, pinch the ends, and loop into a circle.

3.      Place the circle on parchment lined baking sheet and lightly cover it and let it rise until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).

4.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush each bread ring with egg wash and set the dyed Easter egg on the center of the ring, gently pushing down to make an indention on the bread, Bake until golden brown for 25-30 minutes.

5.      Remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Brush each of the bread with syrup and sprinkle on the sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!

Note about the eggs: Refrigerate the eggs if you’re not serving it right away. When it’s ready; place it back on the bread.

Have a blessed Easter!

Cherry Blossoms

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”

--Walt Disney Company, Mulan

University of Washington

In Japan, the cherry blossoms represent the fragility and the beauty of life. It’s a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful, but it’s also tragically short. We should enjoy life to the fullest, so we can reach our goals and not have any regrets in life.

Spring has arrived. During this season it seems that everything is coming to life. Flower bulbs are coming out from the Earth, and leaves from trees started growing and are getting greener. Some flowers are blooming; it’s a magical process, like a princess waking up from a long, deep sleep. Every time this season comes, it reminds me of one of my favorite animated movies, Mulan, where her father compared her to a cherry blossom. Despite being a woman and having to face the hardships she went through, she brought honor to her family. In the end, she saved the whole dynasty from being invaded.

Cherry blossoms symbolize beauty, strength of character, perseverance, and commitment… all of these developed through the harshest seasons. It’s true to life, too, that amidst trials and hardships, God has an amazing gift to us, the beauty of life.

This season, the University of Washington had a cherry blossom festival.

Also, there were cherry blossoms in the St. Joseph Church.