Sweet Heart Pizza

A healthy heart is a prized possession, and during February, we celebrate the American Heart month. The first Friday of this month is the National Wear Red Day. On this day we are encouraged to wear red to support women's heart health.

Red is the color of this cause because it's the color of our hearts. One way to go red this February is to live healthy. Learn new and healthy but delicious recipes that can be added to your cooking repertoire.

According to study, heart disease killed more women than men, so motivate your loved ones to participate in this nationwide awareness to beat heart disease and heart strokes.

So I made this heart-shaped pizza in honor of this celebration. For this upcoming Valentine's Day, this is the recipe you can serve for your sweetheart. :)

Ingredients:

1 lb. wholewheat pizza dough ( low in salt )
1 cup grated mozarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mini pepperoni ( low - fat )
1 cup broccoli
2 red sweet peppers ( heart shaped )
1/4 cup pizza sauce

Instructions:

1. Roll the dough into 12 inch heart shape.

2. Spread dough with pizza sauce and pepperoni.

3.Top with two cheeses.

4.Top with broccoli, peppers, and Italian meatballs.
5. Bake at 375 F until cheese is melted about 15 minutes.

Happy National Wear Red Day!

Seahawks Tini (12th man Cocktail)

The Superbowl is here! It's only a day before the big game. Since we are cheering for the Seahawks, it's gonna be a celebration for the whole weekend for us. We have the gear, the food, and the party won't be complete without a drink. In honor for the team and the 12th man (aka the Seahawks fan), I made this martini inspired by the blue and green colors.

We're looking forward to every moment of the game. They are a step closer to win the Lombardi trophy, which we predict.

Is it Sunday yet? We're excited and in a beast mode! To all the Seahawks fans: let's
CELEBRATE for their victory, to DEFEAT the Patriots, and REPEAT to being the champion of the Superbowl. Go Hawks!

Martini Procedure

Dip rims of two margarita glasses into water, shake off excess. Dip into green sugar. In a blender, combine two cups crushed ice, 1/3 cup tequila, 1/4 cup curaco and 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate until smooth. Divide between glasses. If desired garnish with football party picks and lemon.

For those who don't like alcohol, you can omit the tequila and use club soda instead. Enjoy the party and have fun with the game!

Note: If there's a big party, make a bowl of punch, and double the ingredients. Drink moderately.

Sopas a la Russ (Minestrone Soup)

Since it's the Superbowl weekend, I made this ultimate game day soup called "Sopas a la Russ" in honor of the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. Everybody is busy preparing for the party on Sunday, so you might want to try this food. It is similar to chili soup, but instead, it's a vegetable version, and has Italian seasonings.

This is a filling and hearty soup. It's best paired with cornbread, garlic bread or any available bread in your pantry. It's very easy to make and can be prepared in advance. You can cook it in the stove top or in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion

1 clove garlic, finely chop

1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans

1 can (12 ounces) vacuum packed whole kernel corn

2 stalks celery

1 medium zucchini

1 cup broken spaghetti

3 cups beef broth

2 teaspoons beef bouillon

11/2 teaspoons Italian seasonings

Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and garlic in soup pan until beef is light brown; drain. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid) kidney beans (with liquid) and remaining ingredients: break up tomatoes with fork.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until spaghetti and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Do-Ahead Tip: After browning the beef, stir in all ingredients except spaghetti: cover and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. About 20 minutes before serving add spaghetti. Heat to boiling; continue as directed above.

Enjoy the Superbowl game! What are you preparing for your party?

Seattle Seahawks (Superbowl Gear and Party Planning)

"The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning."

-Pele

Football doesn't usually interest me. Watching it for hours seems like a waste of time. I hosted Superbowl parties before, but I only watched the halftime shows and commercials. However, it changed for me when the Seahawks won the  Superbowl last year. My family loves football, so I decided to understand how it worked, and I started to enjoy watching it. My husband is actually a longtime, diehard fan of the Seahawks.

Last Sunday, for the NFC Championship game between the Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, it was a miracle that the Seakhawks won. It was one of the most amazing and intense games in the history of NFL. How they pulled it off was mind blowing. Everyone even teared up when Russel broke down into tears. If there's one thing that I learned from that game, it was not to "give up." They fought until the very end. They demonstrated an incredible team effort.
     
This translates to our life as well. Always opt to be the best and never quit. If that miracle happened, anything great in life that you envisioned can happen.
     
To support the Seahawks and to keep up the team spirit, we bought gears to be used on the upcoming game. I embellished my beanie hat and made a necklace that matches it to make it more fun and festive.

We can barely contain our excitement at this moment, waiting for the Superbowl XLIX! It's so nerve wracking. True fans always stick and support them all the way. Win or lose we'll forever be a 12th fan, and in our hearts, they're always a champion.

Go Hawks! Aim for a repeat!

Here are some of our gear:

Game Day Food

A Look Back of the Superbowl XLVIII

50 - A Reflection

"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been" - Mark Twain 

Today is my birthday, but I celebrated it this New Year's Eve with a party that had a 70's theme. It was a blast, and it was a fun-filled night.

Reaching fifty years old is a major milestone. It gives me new perspective that I should enjoy life to the fullest and appreciate all the people who took part in my life's journey. Having fifty wonderful years is something to be thankful for. Although it wasn't always easy with the trials and challenges along the way, it still made me a stronger person and strengthened my faith.

People say that when you're fifty, "you're over the hill" or that you're old. For me, it's just a new chapter in my life. All I need to do is accept it, and to find joy and meaning in this part of my adventure. There are changes physically like gray hairs on my temple, fine lines on my face, and aches and pains. However, I'm embracing it; seeing it as a sign of wisdom, maturity, and a life well lived.

Being fifty is just a number. No matter what my age, nothing will take away my passion for adventure, fashion, cooking, and cultivating new interests. It's a state of mind what you do with your time that counts. Stay young and be active.

So what's after 50? One thing I'm sure of is that I'll be wiser and fearless to face more challenges that lies ahead for the years to come. Lastly, my wish for my birthday and for the new year is to be healthy so that I can continue to take care of the people depending on me. Happy New Year!

My twin sister haha!

Family picture

With the hot mamas

The silly kids 

The stylish sisters

With the gorgeous sisters

The beautiful women of Vancouver

With my BFF Tina Turner

 My good friend Amy

The wonderful Madonna

The lovely ladies

Blowing out the candles 

A birthday pose

Happy New Year!

Saying grace before eating 

New Year photobooth

My handmade birthday bread tower