Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Choosing Kitchen Cutlery

Selecting the right knives to use in your home can be a challenge as there are so many chef knives to choose from. Avid cooks and cooking enthusiasts often enjoy researching all of the cutlery options available and can spend hours seeking out the prefect knife for each and every task. If that’s your passion you can browse and shop to your heart’s content and build a collection of knives over a lifetime of cooking. That’s what the professional chefs do and often their knife collection represents one of the largest investments they will make in their career.

Selecting the right knives to use in your home can be a challenge as there are so many chef knives to choose from. Avid cooks and cooking enthusiasts often enjoy researching all of the cutlery options available and can spend hours seeking out the prefect knife for each and every task. If that’s your passion you can browse and shop to your heart’s content and build a collection of knives over a lifetime of cooking. That’s what the professional chefs do and often their knife collection represents one of the largest investments they will make in their career.

For the average home cook who simply wishes to prepare meals on a daily basis the prospect of researching exotic knives and investing huge sums to build a collection is simply not an option. Many folks head out to the local housewares store and grab the first knife set they see or they pick up a knife here and there, often at the supermarket while doing food shopping. That’s probably not the best strategy and the result is generally a mash up of random knives and cutlery tossed in the gadget drawer. The knives are not sharp, not safe and you can never find the right one anyway so you just grab whatever you can and make do.

A better idea is to invest in a knife set that never needs sharpening – the JA Henckels brand offers a variety of options such as the Everedge and Eversharp collections which feature good quality knives designed specifically for the amateur and home cook.  The JA Henckels company has been making knives since 1895 so they have a handle on how to design and manufacture cutlery that will stand the test of time.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Stargazer Lily

I am not sure if this is a stargazer lily but it's so pretty. I saw this at my SIL's garden.

A Spice A  Day # 175
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 22, 2012:

  • I made some mung beans for lunch.  Hubby baked a pan of brownies for dessert.
  • Doing laundry today.  We are also n building a 2,000 pieces  jigsaw puzzle that my friend Dhemz sent me, thanks sis.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Puto Pao

I made some Puto Pao during the Father's Day celebration. I used the palm corned beef for filling.

A Spice A  Day # 173
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 20, 2012:
  • We went to the store and get some groceries after we visited my FIL.
  • Today  is the celebration of West Virginia Day.  It is also the first day of summer.

Monday, June 18, 2012

White Chocolate

Of all the cookies that we bought during the end-of-the-school year get together, the white chocolate macadamia nut was the one I liked!  Do you have a favorite cookie?

A Spice A  Day # 170-172
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 18, 2012:

  • We  dined out tonight at Eat 'n Park.  I promised hubby that we are going out for dinner on Father's day but I changed my mind as I know there are so many families dining out that night.  Besides, we have to spend  time with Dad anyway so we did not go yesterday.  We enjoyed it much tonight because there are less customers.
  • We visited my FIL  after dinner.
  • Then we rode our bikes  for our exercise.  I would strongly recommend that biking is a great family bonding.  So if you want to  have something to do together, bikes are a must.
June 19, 2012:

  • Me and the kids  went for a bike ride but  the heat of the sun is too much so it only last for 17 minutes.

Family Meals on Budget

Walmart had their corn on sale last weekend for 15 cents a piece so I bought some and cooked it on my birthday. I also made some rice noodles, egg rolls or lumpia, and french bread pizzas.
Some people might say that why on earth  would you cook on your birthday?  I am a very practical person and I'd rather  stay at home, cook a little bit of food and enjoy it with my family.  Why pay an expensive meal if you can enjoy  your day at home for less!  But of course it is the frugal in me that's talking lol.
A Spice A  Day # 167-169
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 15, 2012:
  • Hubby took the kids to Starvaggi  to swim.
  • We went and celebrated my SIL's  16th errrr 61st birthday at  Dad's.  Grilling was the theme.  Grilled chicken legs, unpeeled corn on a cob, and sliced potatoes.
  • Happy happy birthday Chris!
June 16, 2012:
  • We went to my SIL,  hubby and kids swam in their swimming pool while me and Bolt picked some  black raspberries at y SIL's  garden.
  • We  visited my FIL afterwards.
June 17, 2012:
  • I woke up early and made   some breakfast.
  • Did laundry and folded them before we went to Dad's.  
  • I made some puto pao and brought it at my FIL's.
  • I prepared some food out there, we had  pork ribs, egg noodles,  corn, and green beans.  Ms. Burrito picked the green beans  at Dad's garden and cooked it too.  I also made some  battered fried banana for dessert.
  • We played at the backyard when we came back.  Then put away the folded clothes.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Colorful Birthday Cake

Instead of buying a cake, my husband decided to bake me one which I truly appreciate because aside from the fact that it's cheaper, it also made with pure love!
He baked it the night  before my birthday then he woke up early, put the icing on it, and he sliced some fresh strawberries and  decorated it on the side of the cake.
When my daughter woke up, she helped Daddy  decorating it.  It is not as fancy as the one you buy in store but for my eyes, it's the most beautiful and tasty cake.
Here's to my last year of  curvy numbers hehehe.
A Spice A  Day # 162-166
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 11, 2012:
  • Did laundry today.  
  • Me and Mr. Burrito made some review on his reading skill.
  • Made some fried chicken, fresh salad, and egg noodles for dinner.
June 12, 2012:
  • Made some  individual  egg omelet stuffed with smoked sausages and cheese and fried rice for breakfast.  We had sliced  fresh strawberry for dessert.
  • Me and the kids enjoyed watching the Hail.
  • I grilled some pork chop and hubby made some mashed potatoes and  cream of corn for dinner.
  • Me and the kids  rode our bikes for  30 minutes while waiting for  hubby to arrive from school.
June 13, 2012:
  • I just got done  vacuuming the floor, you won't believe how much dog hair I've got, whew. 
  • My daughter prepared breakfast for us today.  Bacon and egg and I  showed her how to  make fried rice.
  • I prepared grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli florets, and wild rice for dinner.
  • The four of us went bike riding for 30 minutes around the neighborhood, it was a good exercise for all of us.
  • We visited my FIL, we had pop corn shrimp and banana fries for  snacks.
June 14, 2012:
  • I am making some  beef stew right now, you want some?
  • We are going to ride our bikes again later on and visit my FIL as well.  We visited my FIL and dropped by  for a quick visit  at my SIL's home.

Vibrant Veggies

We prepared some snacks during our  one-day  fun at Kennywood.  I know that there are plenty of food there but   to cut the cost, we  brought our own.  It's healthy and we are sure that it's clean.
The small containers that I have here  won't fit inside the container where I stacked the  cut up veggies  so I  used one of the  cucumber's end to put the  ranch.
Pigs in a blanket, cut up fruit and veggies, lay's stax were our goodies that filled our bellies.
A Spice A  Day # 160-161
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 9, 2012:
  • We went to the store after we visited my FIL.  We bought some  groceries.
  • My husband baked a cake.
June 10, 2012:
  • Hubby woke up early today, put the icing on  my birthday cake, went to the store and got  what I want for my birthday.  Thanks Hon!  Him and Ms. Burrito coked  breakfast to pamper me a little bit.
  • I cooked some pancit, lumpia,  french bread pizza for lunch.
  • My FIL came over  and ate lunch with us.   Thanks for the  pot of plants Dad!
  • My niece-in-law called us and  invited us to  Tomlinson Run so  off we went.
  • We rented some paddle boats and  enjoy our day there.  I had a blast celebrating my birthday.
Thanks for the birthday greetings guys!

Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy reminds me of my childhood. My kids likes this too once in a while.

A Spice A  Day # 159
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 8, 2012:

  • We went to  Raccoon Creek  today, a pre-celebration of my birthday.  It was fun!
  • Thank you so much to sis Dhemz of Life's Perception and Inspiration for the birthday gifts! 

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Sequia Oranges

We like clementines but when it's not available, the Sequia oranges are our next choice. They are big and juicy and sweet too!

A Spice A  Day # 157-158
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 6, 2012:

  • It's laundry day today.
  • We visited my FIl  and I did some gardening at  the side of his house.  I reorganize his  plants.
  • I also did some gardening at my  backyard when we came back.  Our neighbor gave me some zucchini plants and sun flowers.
June 7, 2012:
  • My body is hurting right now.  I just came in from our backyard.  I did some  re-organization of my flowers.
  • We will be visiting Dad when Mr. Burrito wakes up.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Beautiful Colors

I sliced the red bell pepper and see this undeniably pretty green color inside.  Bell peppers have beautiful colors inside and out.

A Spice A  Day # 156
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 5, 2012:

  • I have some catching up to do in visiting blogs.  I wasn't able to do it last night because I was hurting.  I got so tired with my gardening project.
  • Will be cooking some beef steaks here in a little bit.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Chicken Wings and Salad

I picked some lettuce from my garden and made some salad yesterday. We had fried chicken wings.

A Spice A  Day # 154-155
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 3, 2012:
  • I started  gardening  this afternoon but the sky decided to pour some rain so I stopped.
  • We visited my FIl and I made some pork chopped, mashed potatoes, and green beans for dinner there.
June 4, 2012
  • I continued gardening  today, I started real early and I got  done at 5 pm.  Now my whole body hurts because I did some digging and  picking up rocks, whew.

Scrambled Egg and Hotdog Wrapped with Bacon

 My husband loves hotdog wrapped with bacon.  It's one of our breakfast a couple of weeks ago, paired with scrambled egg and  steamed rice.
 A Spice A  Day # 152-153
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
June 2, 2012:
  • We are going to Kennywood today.  Will update this post later tonight.  Thanks for visiting.
  • We were so exhausted, me and the kids  slept as soon as  we arrived home.  

Fire Witch Dianthus

I had this kind of dianthus last year but the construction team killed it. I wasn't able to salvage it. What I like about this dianthus is that, they come back every year and it spreads out the garden.  According to the  research I did online, this is called Fire Witch Dianthus.
Small butterflies love this kind of flowers.

A Spice A  Day # 152-153
 - My quest to update this  blog daily -
May 31, 2012:

  • We visited my FIL, the kids played with the neighbors kids and I got to talk to their Mom as well.  
  • Hubby went to the store and got some things that we need for the Kennywood picnic.
June1, 2012
  • I can't believe that the month of May slipped by so quick.  We were supposed to go to Kennnywood for the school's picnic but it is raining so we decided to postponed  it to a later date.  I am not sure if   some will go there today.

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Bon Appetit!

This blog does not focus on food only but also include different kinds of spices that affects our lives. So hang in here and explore the world of fun with us. Please bear in mind that little bit of this and a little dash of that makes a Sumptuous Life!