Tuesday

Today is baking day. I wonder why there’s a certain drive I feel on Tuesdays.

There should be something strange about Tuesdays because I feel so obliged for a kitchen encounter.

Soon, I’ll find out.

The ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh milk
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems
• adding cheddar cheese squares is an option!

Our kitchen is my comfort zone. At least, there's nothing else to worry about! :)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

Here are my Blueberry and Cheese Muffins-
for your hot coffee on a Tuesday afternoon.

Simple and easy to make, super moist,

oh my goodness delicious, a delectable recipe to keep.

~Ina~

a taste of heaven

"A day without chocolate is a day without sunshine,

Life without chocolate is like a beach without water."

There’s just something about baking that makes myself feel that I’m in a world of harmony, no chaos.

Perhaps the reason is the ‘after feeling’ of baking. When all tense muscles seem to loosen up and seeing a beautiful result that becomes your potential masterpiece relieves the sensation of being self-deficient.

So far, this is the best recipe I have come up with. Oh, it feels so great! :)

cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, cocoa, sugar, vanilla extract, semisweet chocolate.

Cheese + Chocolate = HEAVEN

semisweet chocolate, heavy cream, espresso powder.

I remember an old story about a guy who found a bottle on the ocean. He opened it and out popped a genie. The genie asked for his three wishes. The guy wished for a million dollars, and poof! there goes a million dollars. Then he wished for a convertible, and poof! there goes a convertible. Lastly, he wished if he could be irresistible to all women... poof! He turned into a box of chocolates. :)

Forget LOVE, fall in chocolate.

Chocolate is cheaper than any other therapy and you don't need an appointment.

This is my therapy. There’s always something good happening, you just have to break up earth and find a little heaven somewhere.

Lasagna is LOVE

There’s too much Italian desire for me these days. Since my Zeppole discovery to Pasta Alfredo experiment, I have not stopped longing for some more Italian meal. Now, it’s time for Beef and mushroom lasagna. I wanted to make them on my own so I arranged it for lunch today and my sister loved it.

Without having a quick look at the recipes found on the internet, I felt modestly proud of how it came out just so wonderfully.

I made use of these ingredients:

garlic, onion, basil, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, ground beef, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, black pepper, rosemary, nestle all-purpose cream, mushroom and its cream, pasta (lasagna), salt and sugar.

I love drinking wine, eating pasta and bread.

I need them once in a while...

Every good food to taste is worth the gastronomic challenge.

As long as there's something sweet for my tooth, I'm OK and I call it a day!

Life is a combination of magic and chocolates.

I obeyed my Italian desire today. What’s for tomorrow? Let’s see. :)

you're the apple of my eye

I have been loving APPLES since my parents started introducing fruits to my meals. Obviously, it's so long ago.

Do you ever find it hard baking an Apple Pie to perfection? This recipe just tastes like one. It's CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS with STREUSEL TOPPING. It's very easy to make, I promise.

I have NOTHING much to say but this mouth-watering dessert is VERY SIMPLE yet AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. :)

Nice-to-know:
Apple is a good antioxidant.

Hence, they say..."An apple a day keeps the doctor away".

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Streusel topping, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

I gave him a piece. He got happy!

“Good dessert is a considerable part of our domestic happiness.” -Jane Austen

comforting swim

When my Mom left for the states, I have promised my sister that if she continues to be good for the next few weeks with me, to her yayas and follow house rules obediently, I could take her for a night swim at Sabins. Becoming conscious that the whole week was tough for her and knowing her “lifetime best friend” (our mom) has flown away temporarily, I had to be a little rewarding; a positive reinforcement is what she deserved.

We went out. I drove her to Sabins and had a comforting night swim. Seeing a very BIG smile on her face was worth my time and patience. Until finally, I pulled her out from the water because she was sneezing all over- I’m pretty sure she was having an allergy or whatsoever. So, as we went in the car, I asked her, “lipay ka martita?” then she answered, “o uy!” and smiled so charmingly. I looked at her saying, “kapuy ka noh?” she said, “o, pero puydi pa ta mag popcorn.” I couldn’t help myself from laughing. Our yayas reacted, “da!” and laughed too.

See, my sister is somehow witty… she knows where and when to strike her cleverness. I don’t know where she got it from. :)

Making my short drive to a bit longer one, we headed off to the city and bought her popcorn. She was then completely satisfied. Right after we got home, yaya gave her Benadryl then she went upstairs and bathed herself. While I was jokingly chatting at her, she walked quickly and landed on her bed with eyes half closed. I didn’t realize that I was merely talking to myself because the next time I glanced at her, she was already fast asleep. So, I smiled at her saying, “Good night martita”. :)

It's just me and her. We miss RICA.

Although she gets on my nerves sometimes, she is my happy pill during rainy days. :)

My sister continues to surprise me with her character every single day.

:)