Helping Brother Cook!

This entry is actually a day late, but you cannot blame me as the events that transpired in this entry happened in the late night, well into the wee hours of the morning. So, my dear reader, you may recall my 2nd EKS subject of Shepherd's Pie. My kuya was just so enamored with it that he asked for help to cook it for his girlfriend. I think he was kind of nervous as he hasn't really tried his hand in cooking (aside from reheating canned goods in the microwave) but I assured him that he'll be able to do it. (I totally made sure that he was the captain on this venture.)

It was quite cute to see him try his hand at sauteing, flavoring, creating mashed potatoes, and last but not least, making gravy. It was a joint effort. B was there with me. So was kuya's girlfriend, Hazel.

Laughter was abound and the conversation was great. I'd have to say that he did really well for a beginner in the kitchen. I, unfortunately spaced and didn't manage to get a snap at his delicious gravy. I will admit that it was even better than mine! It was the right kind of tangy, a bit of spice, just a dash of sweetness and the consistency was great! Kuya didn't say much but I'm pretty sure that he's proud of 'his creation'.

Also, remember last Sunday's subject? Well my mother brought over some leftovers to her office. Poor mom didn't stand a chance against her marauding office mates. They ate half of her packed lunch.

Mom's tone was that of a really proud parent as she told them that "My daughter made it. She experiments with different recipes every Sunday!" You cannot imagine the joy in my heart as I heard her retell the story to me. She's even gone as far as say that "When you're free, whip up a batch of your Shepherd's Pie and I'll feed it to my office mates! Maybe you could charge them for it!" Leave it to mom to see a business venture in everything.

Back to topic though, this is kuya's finished product:



Looks better than mine, doesn't it? I have to say the fancy plate helped a lot (presentation-wise anyway). Note to self: Buy fancy plates! My heart sings with jubilee as more and more people say that what I make is great. It makes me look forward to making other dishes every Sunday! ♥

E.K.S. 3rd Go!

Today was another Experimental Kitchen Sunday. It was a lot more fun because my older brother wanted the details on last week's subject. He said that he wanted to learn how to prepare it for his girlfriend. Yesterday was a really busy day, I had to go to the grocers, do essays, help B with his articles, help my little brother with his assignment, help the same elder brother with his training sim, and to cook. Wow. That really looks like a lot when I look back on it now.

In any case, I didn't have a minute to spare so my kuya (elder brother) had to accompany me and B to the grocery. All the while picking out the ingredients that I needed, I was giving him tips on how to cook it. He thought that it was really easy to make (and it is!) so he was buying up the necessary ingredients that he needed too.

When we got home, mom and Mattie went out to see I Am Number Four. I was totally envious, I wanted to see it, but oh well, there's always DVD. So back to topic, kuya and B were all busy typing away at their respective PCs and I was left alone to cook in peace. I totally blanked out and forgot to take a picture of the finished product before eating it. Luckily, I was able to snap some shots while preparing it! Here's what it looked like before it got gobbled up:
It was kind of easy to make but I suppose it's one of those, serve instantly kind of things, that is, if you want to get most out of the creamy cheese sauce before it coagulates. In either case, it was another success! ♥

P.S. What I made is Chicken and Potatoes in Creamy Cheese Sauce!

Ants, Me, and God

As I was working, I noticed an ant going about its business and I started to wonder, does an ant see me? Do they stop and stare at the being much larger then them? A being that could, if it so desired, squish the ant, bar its path, move it to a new location, and so many other things.

Then I got to thinking, does God perceive us humans in the same manner? Does he ever wonder while he watches over us: "Do you see me?" Does He ever say: "Hey, I can change your life in an instant." If seen in that light, God seems to be quite scary...

"He was scary back then," says Boogie. "If you remember in the Old Testament, after Adam and Eve ate the apple, we were regarded as servants. Remember when the Ark of the Covenant slipped and a boy stepped forward to catch it, he died the moment he touched it. That was God's orders. It may even seem cruel. But that's how he was back then. Then Jesus came, sacrificed himself and made us square with God. We became his children."

Yes, He does seem to be quite scary. Then what I would remember is that God changes our lives if we let him. We have a choice. Unlike the poor ant that has no choice with whatever I do with it, who is left to deal with the consequences of my actions, I can decide if I let God do his wonders in my life. I do envy the ant, if it can see me. At least, the ant can see the being much larger than itself that can change so much.

And me? I have it a lot harder. He may or may not be there but that's where this little thing called FAITH kicks in.

E.K.S. 2nd Go!

So it's another Sunday and I stuck to my hopefully constant tradition of Experimental Kitchen Sundays. Today's recipe was from B's mom. I was looking forward to cooking this all week! So what is it?

Shepherd's Pie

It was loads of fun going to the grocery and going through different aisles to get the ingredients that were listed. So like always, here are some pictures:

The trip to the grocery is always fun. B and I often walk there since it's nearby anyway. It's a good bonding ritual we have. Conversation, as always, was non-stop. There weren't a lot of people there today. I suspect that Donaire's fight has something to do with that (not that I'm complaining, I rather prefer groceries when people don't come out en masse and appear to be buying up for the apocalypse). I particularly love going through the greens section of the grocery. Everything looks so fresh and healthy that I can't help but already plan other things to cook! But of course, I had to reel in my enthusiasm and stick to the list I made. So the trip was fairly quick and before we knew it, B and I were home. The procedure was simple, the process was smooth and very easy to follow.

The creation of the mashed potatoes was startlingly easy! I suppose that it only took roughly around an hour or so to cook the meat, make the mashed potatoes, and to serve up some gravy. B was really happy about the gravy! Before I forget, here's the finished product:
I love how it doesn't take a lot to make you feel full! I look forward to next week's E.K.S. subject! ♥