Coffee Break

Guest written by our friend Jamie Gross

I had just crashed into the chair after dinner and cleanup when the phone rang. It was my friend from down the street wondering if I was interested in making a coffee run with her to our local spot for a little dessert. I said of course, and I slipped into my sweats and headed out the door. The little place was hopping with business filled with coffee and dessert connoisseurs alike. The aroma alone was intoxicating and before I knew it, I had a large java in one hand, and lemon pound cake in the other. We settled into a corner booth close to where the Expert Satellite tv was on some nostalgic channel. We watched for a few minutes while enjoying our goodies then proceeded to catch up on each other’s lives. The coffee and the conversation were smooth and satisfying and we leisurely made our way home to begin the evening rush of homework, baths, and laundry. That’s when I realized I was glad I ordered the large coffee, I was going to need it.

My Second Fondant Cake

Hey everyone how are you doing? I want to share the second fondant I made not long ago. It is a Hello Kitty cake. Someone wanted to order me one so I decided to see and practice if I could really make one and I am so glad of the result. My kids thought its awesome. I hope you like it too.

Sticking With Pumpkin Orange For My Fall Decor

Guest post written by Kate Eller

I've been told so many times before that my skin tone just can't pull off pumpkin orange and I know it. I don't know why I've kept trying to wear it over the years when I clearly can't. Well now I'm just going to stick with using the color to decorate my house for the fall season instead.

That way I can pull off being surrounded by this wonderful color without worrying about how it personally looks on me. I was online looking at my wireless internet service not too long ago getting ideas when I just decided to go all out and use that color as an accent during the fall season. I was able to find all types of shades of it too!

I've incorporated pumpkin orange decor in most, if not all, of the rooms of my house. I even bought some hand towels in that shade to hang up in our guest bathroom on the first floor of our house. Then of course there are some actual pumpkin accent pieces. I prefer the fake kind that doesn't rot to the real thing.

My First Fondant Cake

I successfully decorated my first fondant cake with the help of my son James. I realize fondant is not easy to do but I admit I did love the result of what we made. James helped me knead the fondant and put the decoration on top of the cake. I think he finds it fun too. I can see my future chef here. I gathered the materials and ingredients. It took a little while to do that since I did not make a list of it. I don't know why I didn't. I wanted to attend a cake decorating class this October in AC Moore but it was already full so I might as well try next time just out of curiosity's sake.
I made chocolate and yellow cake and put some icing butter in the middle. I made pastel colored flowers, leaves and stems as decor. It came out really awesome.

Japanese Food

It poured the whole day yesterday but it didn't stop us from eating out. We had dinner at the Wasabi Japanese restaurant. We don't usually go out on midweek but hubby said since my daughter is out to eat then we too can eat. I'm so happy that I get to choose where to eat. It's awesome food. I ordered the Deluxe Chef Sushi and seaweed salad. Hubby and James got hibachi rice and chicken. I love Japanese food.

Enlarge your house with glue

Roasting Veges for Dinner

Whipping up dinner in a spur of the moment always happen to me. Yesterday I made some roasted cod fish and broccoli. It turned out really good. The kids who don't love broccoli started eating some and they confirmed that yes it taste better than plain ones. Today I decided to roasted come chicken thighs that we bought at bi-lo for 69cents per pound last night. I added some peppers, carrots, cauliflower and sweet potatoes. It even turned out better today than yesterday. We are trying to stay away from fried foods. I think roasting is a healthier option.

Baked Chicken

I made some baked chicken for dinner last night. Hubby loved it so it must have been good. He brought some of it for lunch today. Here are the ingredients:
1lb chicken cut into strips
1 small onion bulb sliced
1/2 cup red pepper cut into strips
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup cauliflower
1/2 cup carrots sliced
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup water
1 can mushroom condensed soup
1 can chicken condensed soup

Cooking Directions:
1. Boil chicken strips for 30mins or until tender and set aside.
2. Heat up pan and saute garlic, onion and red pepper.
3. Place the chicken strips and the vegetables.
4. Then place the mushroom and chicken condensed soup.
5. Mix and bring to boil.
6. Put in a pyrex bowl and bake for 300 degrees for 20-25 mins.
7. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top and put back into the oven for 10 minutes more.
8. Take out and cool for 10 minutes then serve. Enjoy!

Diet and Exercise

In my twenties I weighed around 98lbs can you believe that? I was so skinny. I look like stick and bones. Then when I had kids the baby fats never dissolved from my body. Now I weigh 150. Arghh... Will I ever loose weight again? So much for this fats I have to take it off. I have kids and I want to live longer to see them.

In my journey to losing weight I decided to have vegetable salad everyday. Lately I discovered that I love romaine lettuce so I bought two bags. This will be good for the whole week since I will make the salad good for four persons. I also bought some broccoli, red pepper, cranberry raisins and carrots. I also bought some mangoes to throw in to my salad. It is such a struggle to lose weight when it is not your way of life. Everyone in the family has to be involved. Slowly but surely I am getting there. I have my diet tracker on my phone on what I eat and the amount of calories I lose every time I exercise. Diet and exercise are married together and they are a perfect complement to each other. One without the other is not a good option. They are a perfect couple. And then I realize that I should be a vegetarian but it seem like a hard option yet I do wish someday I will be a vegetarian.;-) Im so used to eating food with some meat in it. I grew up eating vegetable but usually it's being cooked and made into soup. I am glad I am slowly learning how to eat raw vegetables which contains more vitamins and minerals. I also wanted to eat as much fruits as I can since it's a healthier option so I decided to get a blender. I make shakes for everyone and the kids love it. Strawberry banana shake, peach mango shake to name a few. I exercise an hour almost everyday and I keep track of the calories I take off. Lately I started sleeping early so I can wake up earlier to be able to exercise early in the morning. I feel better when I exercise early in the morning and that is what hubby is doing too. It is when I exercise that I get conscious with what I eat because it is not easy taking the calories off. That is why morning exercise is a way to go for me. How about you what motivates you to live healthy?

Credit Card for Household Bills

This guest post from Edgardo Rosa

My parents write checks for all of their bills. They have a credit card, but only use it for emergencies and buying things on-line. I think that the move to usinhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifg credit cards for rewards and paying everything on-line is a generational thing. I recently got a new service on the internet that uses company websites and pulls all of your bills onto one website. When it is time to pay your bills every month on-line, everything is in one place. I accidently left my credit card bill at my parent’s house the other day. My dad called me and sounded concern. He asked, “Why did you pay your bills , gas, and electricity bill with a credit card?” He was concerned that I was out of money. I tried to explain that I was not using my credit card because I had no money, but that I got two percent cash back if I used my credit card to pay household bills. I explained that I paid it off each month. He still did not understand the concept. So all I could do was to just assure him that I was fine and that I would let him know if I needed any money.

Anniversary Dinner

We celebrated our 4th anniversary yesterday with a dinner. I chose Blue Fish Grill. We almost gave up looking for the place but good thing we didn't. It was located off the hi way making it a little bit hard to find. We found the pretty cool place. We had greek salad, rockefeller oysters, one appetizer he set on fire for us.;-) I had grilled mahi-mahi and for hubby he had stuffed salmon. They were really both to die for.
Great ambiance for the celebration. This calls for a martini darlin'.;-)

Updating Our Kitchen Stove

One of the best place I feel comfortably good at home is the kitchen. The family stays most of the time there preparing meals. I love to cook most of the time that is why a beautiful kitchen matters to me. I really wanted to update our old kitchen. In between our vacation to the Philippines and moving from one state to another all I can do for now is go online to compare the prices of a good self cleaning smooth stove just like what my girl friend Jen has. We like to stay in their house and cook too. I already told hubby what I wanted and he thinks it's a really good choice. This oven comes with a really nice oven and broiler. It is also large enough to handle jobs like stir frying, boiling large pots of water and precise baking.

Lunch At Eastern Buffet

We had lunch at Eastern buffet today. There were Chinese and Japanese food to choose from. There were a lot of food but I was not impressed as hubby thought I would be. The dessert choices seem to be a day old. I saw the kids choosing to have fresh vege salad and fruits which was something new to me. I never seen them choose these foods before but I am really glad that they did. I think that would my last lunch in that restaurant.

Heaven and Spencer's Birthday

My daughter and nephew celebrated their birthday together today. They celebrated it at Jollibee Mactan. The kids surely had a blast celebrating it with family and friends. There were games and prizes and giveaways too. They had spaghetti, yum cheeseburger, chicken joy and sundae. It was really good. My nieces, nephews and friends were there. Hubby had a blast too since he danced with one of my uncles. The gathering was a success since the kids enjoyed it a lot.

Mom and Dad's New Place

This guest post from Lewis Beck

When mom and dad first bought their place in Texas I didn’t really know what kind of advice to give them. We’re all from up north so there wasn’t really anything I knew about San Antonio that could help them so I just went with the flow and talked to the real estate agent. She was super helpful and told me about all kinds of stuff they needed to know. For example, the sales tax in Texas is a lot higher than anywhere else and it has something to do with the way they do income tax. She also told me about Shopelectricityratestexas.com which is where all the Texans go to look into a good rate on their energy costs which are apparently deregulated. I was glad to be able to pass on some useful information to mom and dad and I hope I’ll be able to fly down soon and help them get their life all set up there. I can’t believe they’ve moved so far away but I’m excited for them!

Why I Like My Wife's Group Exercise Class

Thanks for the post, Vernon Lowe

I married the greatest woman in the world; she's smart, beautiful and a great wife and mother. We've been married ten years and they've been the ten happiest years of my life. I'm worried about her, though, and I thought if I wrote it down I could see better how to help her. You see, she thinks she's fat; even though I tell her she's beautiful she doesn't believe me. We have three of the greatest kids around. I know every woman thinks she's fat after having a baby (my sisters did), but my wife took off the extra weight after the births.

I think it's these women's magazines she reads a! lot. Every single copy has an article about women's weight loss in it and she eats it up. So I searched for something to help her and I think I've got it. What I want to do is enroll both of us in a group exercise class at the local gym. I don't want her thinking I consider her fat and, to be honest, I could lose the spare tire, myself. So Wednesday night I'm going to set the home security alarm from Atlanta Home security and take her to work out. I might even dance in the group exercise class, too. I want this to be fun and helpful for us both, something we can share.

Updating the House

What's the most important thing to do when we sell a house? I remembered when we bought this house like three years ago. We went to visit different houses for sale. We always look forward to seeing the kitchen and the master bedroom in every place. These are the two most important spaces where most of the time we like to stay.

We are in the process of staging the house for sale. We will be moving out soon but before this will happen we need to update the house a little bit to sell it faster. One cabinet is missing a door since we got here. Now that we are moving we need to make it look better than just leaving it it open and empty. A mini-fridge or a wine glass rack would really look good there as the handyman suggested. There are many things that needs to be done in this house I realized. I love to organize especially the kitchen area where it needs to be very clean and tidy when people come and visit. The pantry cabinet needs updating too. I am trying to empty the counter space and I really wanted to put a bread slicer in one corner to make it look great.

Dinner @ Borgata Buffet

I did my best in losing weight or was it my best? Exercise, weight loss pills and choosing the right kind of food. After bringing my booklets upstairs and downstairs I got lazy writing down the kind of food I eat which was supposed to be done with my Alli booklet. The nice thing about it is you get conscious wuth what you write down and what you eat the funny thing is I bring it everywhere i go and loose it somewhere. Yet I am conscious of the things I put in my mouth since it is not easy to bring it out on the other end. Ilove exercising on my Blowflex it has really helped me tons. I lost 5 lbs which is not bad. Hey it's a reason to celebrate. I treated myself to Atlantic City shopping and Borgata buffet dinner. It was one of the most memorable dinner buffet. The food was good and I felt like I am in control of myself no matter how much food there is in front of me.
There's a lot more to lose but it feels great that I have started this regimen just to make me feel good inside and out.

Man vs. Food

Guest post from: Kent Lara

Man vs. Food has got to be, hands down, my favorite travel show of all time. I am sure some people will argue and say that it is actually a food show. Well, it is both, which is partly why it is so awesome. I am lucky enough to be able to watch Man vs. Food on satellite television so I get to see it in better quality than most. Every time that I see that Man vs. Food is on I have to either drop everything and watch it, or frantically save it to my Satellite TV. This is one show that I and my husband can agree on. I love that not only do we get to see exotic locations, hear about their native customs but also learn about authentic cuisine. I absolutely adore the host too. His laid back vibe makes watching him eat local cuisine enjoyable. I have never been one for cooking shows. I also thought, “Why do I want to watch people eat food that I cannot smell or taste myself?” Man vs. Food has broken that trend for me. My idea of a fun night use to be getting dressed up and heading out for dinner and dancing, now as I age, I tend to be more low key. I would much rather order in some take out and spend a night on the couch.

Weight Loss Support

I just finished my 1-hour exercise. I'm happy that I am able to get on the treadclimber consistently. Yesterday I did a 30-minute walk but it's alright at least I was doing something. I bought some stuff today to help me with my diet and exercise. I bought an Alli starter kit, Slimquick fat burner and Ballerina Tea for cleansing. I already bought something of another brand yesterday and returned it since I realize they're very expensive and I am not sure if they work for me. The starter kit has a lot of things that come with it so I think it's worth it. It has a calorie counter book, companion guide, healthy eating guide, daily journal, capsule shuttle. I checked my height and weight index and it's telling me I'm obese. Arrgghh..this is disgusting. Diet is controlling the amount of food intake not really trying to make yourself hungry. Exercise helps your body circulation. I'm so guilty of sitting more than moving around so now even if it is cold outside I have my treadclimber and I sweat out rain or shine.;-) Lucky me hubby is so supportive of my desire to get in shape. I'm excited in my journey of losing weight ang living a healthy lifestyle. Health is one's greatest wealth.

Grocery Shopping At Wegman's

The sweet couple Gen and Sean sent off hubby to the airport. Thank you guys for always being nice to us. Youre the best!
After dropping hubby off I went grocery shopping with them at Wegman's in Cherry Hill. I thought I was already done grocery shopping yesterday with hubby but I was wrong. I got a few stuff like strawberries, soy milk, honey crisp apples, yogurt a whole chicken that I'm gonna bake later, a small coconut pie, a roasted chicken and a few more stuff. By the time I was done I spent 64 dollars. I thought I spent more than I expected. By the time the couple was done they spent 200 bucks. This store is a little bit expensive but the food is better and fresher. We ate lunch there then went home. We dropped by Gen's place because she wanted to give me some macaroni salad that she made.
I'm so thankful Sean and Gen brought me along there. I would definitely go there with them again. Many thanks to you guys!

Thanks Adgitize

How much should one spend to advertise? Do you want your blog to have more viewers?

I thank adgitize for helping this blog gain access to viewers and readers alike. Ever since I started having adgitize on my food blog it has tremendously gained population. I truly noticed the difference. Paying 14 bucks a month is not bad for a an average of 50 readers/droppers a day. I don't even have to lift my finger to visit other people's blog when I it's a lazy day. I love blogging. Through this I have made friends, learned so many things, even helped others and the best part is earning.

Simply click the link image above if you want to advertise your blog without hurting your wallet.

5 Reasons Why You're Always Starving

I am trying to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle so I am trying to read, learn and apply some interesting facts. I thought this is interesting read from the weightwatchers so I am sharing it with you.

Article By: Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.

A foolproof plan to keep hunger from gnawing away at your weight-loss goals.

You’re driving along on your way to work, to the gym, or to pick up the kids and—bam—it hits you—that overwhelming gnawing hunger. The next thing you know, you’re pulling into a drive through and ordering up a storm.

Isn’t it fascinating (and frustrating) how the “I have to eat now!” feeling can hit even if you’ve been making good nutrition a top priority? Experts are discovering that when you eat, what your food tastes like, and even how much you drink can have a major impact on how often hunger pangs strike.

We asked leading nutritionists to share with us the five most common reasons you’re frequently famished, as well as their top tips for maximizing satisfaction and keeping hunger at bay.

1. You eat the right foods at the wrong times.
Eating at different times every day can make it difficult for you to tune in to your body’s hunger signals, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of Nutrition Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Haphazard eating can hurt your metabolism as well. When British researchers asked women to eat meals at either the same time or at different times each day, those who followed a predictable pattern ate less and burned more calories than those who ate at a different time every day.
The Fix: Plan ahead.
If you’ve been journaling, review your food diary to zero in on when you’re most likely to fall prey to eating at erratic times. (If you haven’t been keeping a food diary, try doing so for a few days.) Then, says Moore, write out a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat.

2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.
Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.

The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .

3. Your diet is flawless but flavorless.
If ho-hum, diet-conscious standbys like grilled chicken and steamed veggies are staples on your dinner plate, you could be headed for trouble. “You’re going to get bored and eventually have difficulty sticking with your weight-loss plan,” says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

The Fix: Spice it up.
Getting creative in the kitchen will give your stand-by recipes new life—and keep you more satisfied in the long run. “Experiment with fresh, flavorful herbs, like basil, gingerroot, oregano, and mint,” suggests Moore. Also, adding acidity (a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar) and sweetness (a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar) can make your staple dishes more complex in taste—and more satisfying. Texture is also key: Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. Try tossing chopped nuts on your greens or mixing granola into your yogurt.

4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.

The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.

5. You drink your meals.
With the ever-increasing popularity of lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away. But drinking too many caloric beverages can ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied. When researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, gave study participants 450 extra calories daily in the form of either fluid or solid food, those who ate the extra solids ate less later in the day whereas those who drank the extra fluids did not. The reasoning: Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is digested more slowly than liquids.

The Fix: Rethink convenience.
Slurping down a meal might seem fast and easy, but in the time it takes to drive to the coffee shop, stand on line, and pay for that latte, you could have had something just as quick—and far more satisfying. “Try a slice of toast with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with some fruit,” says Lona Sandon. If it’s the comfort of a hot drink you crave, go ahead and have that latte—just order it with fat-free milk. And instead of sipping it solo, enjoy it with a few whole-grain crackers or a banana. In other words, focus on food combinations that will get you through to your next meal—no starving required.

* Ready to start losing weight?

Corn and Chicken Soup

What kind of soup do you love to make on a cold winter? When I was young my mom used to make vegetable soup(utan bisaya) on a rainy day. I did have a fair share of fond memory of such things my mom used to make.
Tonight I made corn and chicken soup. I got this packet of chinese style soup mix from Knorr. I followed the very simple instructions found at the back of the packet with some modifications. I simply boiled 3 cups of water. Melt the mix in a cup of cold water then pour it to the pot when it is boiling. I threw in some onions, carrots, broccolli and leftover ham. It turned out good even if I forgot to throw in an egg in it. Soup over rice taste so good. My kids love it. I so love it too. Yay this is how comfort food should taste like.;-)

Hosting A Party

It took me a while to raise my hand and take the turn to host a party among my friend. It has been a while that I have attended parties in my friends' houses. Our oarties are basically simple yet fun celebration. We do always have pleasant conversation with everyone. We live in a townhouse so we definitely have limited space in and out the house. Nevertheless this did not stop me to invite my friends to come and dine with me in our humble abode.
I hosted a party on New Year's Day with my friends. New Year marks a very important date to us that's why I chose the said date. I love making food so I made sure they will enjoy the food that I serve. I prepared , fried bangus, pinakbet, chop suey, beef caldereta, pork sinigang, bam-i, chicken adobo, embutido and ham. I also had fresh fruits and vegetables. For dessert I had fruit salad, selecta mango ice cream, and brownies. My friends brought in some macaroni salad, apple pie and some wine. My vegetarian friends also came and they brought some food with them. We all had a blast during the party. We partied til 1AM.
I thank my friedns for spending their time with me and my family on the new year. I am so happy that you guys were able to. You are such my treasure...youre the best!!!