Breakfast Bowl

"A good breakfast fuels you up and gets you ready for the day" - Anonymous 

They say that happiness is always a decision; so, when I wake up each morning I say to myself that I will be in a good mood. Say good morning to your body by eating a proper breakfast, and the rest of the day you will feel energized and fulfilled. It is the most important meal of the day.

When we’re in a hurry to make breakfast, sometimes we are tempted to eat whatever is convenient like donuts or bagels. However, it should not be complicated; just be creative with a little preparation the night before and you can have a delicious and nutritious breakfast. You can prepare this ahead of time and when you're ready, just stick it in the oven for about twenty minutes while you're doing errands or taking a shower. You can bring this also as a snack and can warm it up in the microwave.

Ingredients:

Eggs
Ham or spam
Spinach
Cheese
Whole wheat dinner rolls
Milk or whipping cream

Procedure:

1. Cut a hole in the bread and remove the inside in form of a bowl.

2. Diced the ham and put it in the bottom of the bread.

3. Put a little spinach on top.

4. Then crack an egg next.

5. Sprinkled with black pepper, then pour a little whipping cream.

6. Top it with cheese and bake for 350 degrees oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Eat warm and enjoy!

A New Year Reflection – Welcoming 2016

As the year ends, it can be a great time to look back at what we accomplished from our goals and resolutions from the past year. We are always busy and tired from our everyday life, which is why this is the best time to know the progress of where you have been, what you have accomplished and what you might do differently.

Let the end of the year be a time to pause and appreciate life, especially the little things that make us happy and fulfilled, and also including things we have took for granted. Life is never perfect, but it never fails to be beautiful. There may be bumps on the road, but there are still a lot of blessings to be thankful for.

It is easy to jump quickly into our hopes that the change of the year will change our habits for the better such as being happier and healthier. But, with the new year, we should also have time to celebrate; to reflect from our past mistakes and learn from them.  

For me, last year's goal was partly accomplished. It was actually an answered prayer that I have been praying for quite a while now. I believe now that everything will be possible if you have faith and perseverance. My resolution this year is to just continue to be brave, patient and do the things that make me happy. To be specific, I want to read more books, do hiking and try more recipes.

This January, why not start the year with an empty jar and fill it with notes about good things that happen each day. Then, in the New Year's Eve, empty it and see what amazing things happened that year.

Pictures from 2015:

January - February

March - April

May - June 

July - August 

Fall 2015

Holidays 2015

Garden pictures

Gift Card Sleigh

There are only nine days before Christmas, and everyone is busy shopping, preparing for dinner for the holidays, and decorating their houses. Buying gifts for your loved ones is always hard, because you wonder if they're going to like your present or not.

During this season, I can't help but miss my home in the Philippines, and I remember my school days during Christmas. We sometimes did gift exchanges called "monito-monita" (which is similar to "Secret Santa" in American culture), and it's very simple to do. Kids would randomly select a name of whom they will give a gift to, but not tell the person receiving the gift. It's more exciting and fun. Also, the teacher set a maximum price for the gifts, so that it would be fair for everyone.

Since I'm always busy at work, I usually prefer to just give a gift card or some money as my gift. It's so that my loved ones can just buy whatever they want, and it's easy and practical. For me, though, instead of just putting some money or a gift card inside an envelope, I made this gift card sleigh to make it more creative and fun. There are many ways to let your loved ones feel appreciated this holiday, but you can just do a little planning and include some creativity. Your gift doesn't need to be expensive. Just remember that it's always the thought that counts, not the amount.

I hope that everyone has a happy holiday. Feliz Navidad, everyone!

Materials

Stack the small chocolates on top of the Kit Kat bar in a pyramid shape.

Attach the candy canes to the bottom of the Kit Kat bars.

Finished! :)

A View From the Top (Beacon Rock)

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”

--Jim Watkins

Summer is almost over, so we're trying to enjoy the remaining sunny days. Last weekend, we went to Beacon Rock, and it's been on my bucket list ever since, but we never got a chance since we're always busy. We always pass by this place when we go to Bridge of God and I always wonder how it will be like to be on top of this big rock. As an added bonus it's located in the Columbia Gorge, which is one of the prides of the Pacific Northwest. This is one of my favorite places; with its breathtaking view and majestic mountains.

Halfway up

Overlooking the view 

The bridge

The top of Beacon Rock

It was scary at first, but it was worth it when we reached the peak. The view was spectacular and it felt like we  were on top of the world. I wanted to give up when we went halfway, since I felt lightheaded, but my daughter urged and encourage me to go on. I realized that the only way to overcome your fear is to face it. It's the same thing in life. Reaching for your dreams is like mountain climbing; it can be rough and perilous, but when you attain it, it's the best feeling in the world.

History

Beacon State Park is located in 34841 SR 14 Skamania, Washington. It was originally named by Lewis and Clark on October 3, 1825.

On 1811 Alexander Ross of the John Jacob Astor expedition called the rock Inoshoack Castle. It was known as Castle Rock until in 1916, the United States Board of Geographic names restored the name Beacon Rock.
Henry J Biddle purchased the rock in order to build a trail to the top. The trail was built, and in 1935 his heirs turned the rock to the state for uses as park.

Random pictures and a picnic at the end

Rice and Corn Pudding

During summer corn has been everyone's favorite side dish during backyard barbecues, picnics, and outdoor parties. There are several ways of preparing corn; whether they're corn on the cob, chowder, or pudding.

We recently went to a farm in our area and bought freshly picked corn. Locally produced food are better than the ones from the store because it's fresh and we are helping the local farmers.

This recipe actually brings back many memories of my childhood. During rainy days my mother would cook this as our meryenda (snack) after school. Sometimes we would go home soaking wet because of the downpour on the way home from school. We would play in the rain first then she would serve us this hot and steaming bowl of pudding. It's so comforting when you're hungry and cold. It's a special memory that I'll always cherish.

Ingredients: 
1 can cream style corn, about 2 cups
1 can whole sweet corn (I used fresh corn, about four ears)
1 cup sweet rice or glutinous rice
3 cups water
2 cans coconut milk (about 4 cups)
3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar
1 tbs flax seed
condensed milk (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium and let it simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice cooked.

(If you want, you can replace the two cans of corn with 3-4 ears of fresh corn. Just cut the kernels off the cob with a knife and scrape the cob with a spoon to get the corn milk.)

Note: If you'd like, instead of using sugar, you can substitute with condensed milk. Adjust the sweetness to your liking. I recommend using the Nestle La Lechera because it comes in a bottle and is more convenient than the regular condensed milk in a can.