Easy Tomato Soup

Some days I'm inspired to cook. On those days, you'll find me browsing
through my favorite sites, looking for something new to whip up for the
family. On other days... Well, let's just say the easiest dish to cook will do.

Easy Tomato Soup is just what it is, Tomato Soup plus your favorite
ingredients. It can be light or hearty, refreshing or comforting, simple
or complex; it all depends on what you decide to put in it for the day.


Easy Tomato Soup

* 1-2 tbsp olive oil

* 1/2 medium white onion, chopped

* 3 cloves garlic, chopped

* 250g beef

* 1 can tomatoes (your favorite kind)

* 1 celery stalk, cubed

* 2 medium potatoes, cubed

* 2 medium carrots, cubed

* 1 cup beef stock

* herbs (optional)

* Worcestershire Sauce (optional)

- In a sauce pot, drizzle the olive oil. Saute the onions until soft. Add the 

garlic and saute until soft.

- Add the beef. Saute until half cooked. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Add a few drops of the Worcestershire Sauce. Continue sauteeing until 

almost done.

- Add the veggies and saute for 1 minute.

- Add the canned tomatoes and the beef stock. Add a dash or so of your 

favorite herbs. Season with salt and pepper (if needed).

- Simmer with the lid on for 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are cooked.

Serves 4-5

Oh yes, I usually slice up the celery into sticks. I know a lot of people 

who find celery overpowering. Slicing them up into sticks makes it

easier for eaters and non-eaters alike.

The kind of canned tomatoes you use plus the combination of herbs you 

put changes the "regionality" of the soup. The last time I served this soup, 

I used regular canned tomatoes and Italian Herbs. The soup was yummy 

in an Italian way.

Today, I decided to use the extra can of Mexican Style canned tomatoes.

H bought them when they were on special. This seemed like the safest
recipe to try it on. I sauteed onions, garlic, and red kidney beans. I added
the tomatoes and a cup of water. This result was a nice Vegetarian Chili Soup.

I sometimes get asked about what goes in our kitchen. Foodie Fridays is a

peek at what gets served at our dining table.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

- Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss

We recently purchased Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss. It's one of the

books we got for Little M's homeschooling. Little did I know that it would 

turn out to be a book that we all would enjoy. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go is a book about life. It presents a no nonsense view

of life that children and adults can appreciate. It tells us how sometimes you'll

be up, and sometimes you'll be down. Regardless, it's what you decide to do

with your life that matters: if you work it, good things will manifest in your life.

And so if you're ever in need of a simple pick me up, grab a cup of tea and

curl up to Oh, the Places You'll Go. It's guaranteed to give you a good dose

of warm fuzzies.

On Fire

What comes to mind when you hear the words "On Fire"?


Passion

Couples for Christ's Theme for 2012 is On Fire. Wow!

I did some introspection and faced up to the fact that I could NOT truly describe
my relationship with God as On Fire. Hmmm!?!

Honestly, I don't want to go through the: I will do this this this list. It's too
"tired"and tested. Instead, I will try to approach this "renewing" in the
same way that others are pursuing their passions. 

Learn it!
Zee is really into stocks. He constantly updates himself with what's happening
in the market. He closely monitors stocks. Many mistakenly think it's all a
breeze. Time and time again, Zee will tell you that the art of buying and selling
stocks is a discipline.

Ahhh, discipline. I'm sure Zee spends a few hours per day studying everything
so he can make the right stock picks. I'd love to say, "I will devote x amount
of hours everyday to praying and meditating on God's word." However,
I can't peg a number just yet. I also don't want to be too methodological
about it. I am simply aiming for daily prayers and bible reflection. I'm glad
I was able to bring over a 2012 Bible Diary; it has the scripture passages so
all I need to do is read.


Love it!
Jay is a running afficionado. Looking at him now, you'd never know that once
upon a time, he was extremely overweight. He's now quite fit. And then there's
the running clothes and shoes!!! Yes shoes!!! Apparently, running shoes should
only have a certain mileage in them. Then it's off to a new pair. Otherwise, you
risk seriously injuring yourself! As for Jay's schedule, expect to see running
events blocked off until the end of the year!

Time is so dear to us. Sometimes, all I want to do is chill. Instead, H and I have
decided to allocate more time to growing spiritually. There is the regular CFC
activities to participate in. We're also excited for a recent discovery; we hope
it will be a means for us to attend more teachings.


Live it!

My memory is a bit fuzzy on this but -- I think I first met Teacher Weena on the
night that she shared to our community her decision to pursue teaching. I didn't
really know her back then. Regardless, I admired her for making such a brave
career move; teaching is not exactly a lucrative career. Today, Teacher Weena
is an excellent Early Childhood Educator who is positively touching the lives
of children in her community. Kudos to her for living her passion!

I'm currently going through an interesting phase in my life. The recent move is
a bittersweet affair. I'm thankful for this great blessing. Yet it has it's own
share of challenges. Regardless of the circumstance, I've tried to stay positive. So
far so good. I've decided to be more open to sharing my experiences with
others. I've learned so much from the moms out there, I think it's about time I
added to the community pool.


Learn, Love and Live. Can't wait to see if these will put me On Fire.


Image courtesy of matthewvenn

Ham, Potato and Cauliflower Un-Omelette

I love omelettes. All you need is an egg or two, add a few choice ingredients

and voila, you have a quick, delicious and filling meal. Unfortunately, we haven't

had omelettes in a long time due to family food allergies.

I dubbed this the Un-Omelette because someone looked at the ingredients then 

asked, "Are you preparing an omelette?" I weakly replied, "Sort of"…  Admittedly, 

I created this dish because we were finally down to our last batch of holiday ham. 

Plus, we had this bowl of cauliflower that was taking days to finish. Oh what a relief

to have consumed all the holiday food, with nothing gone to waste. 

Ham, Potatoes and Cauliflower Un-Omelette

* 2 potatoes, diced

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 1/2 medium white onion, chopped

* 6 slices ham, cut to bite size pieces

*1/3 cup cauliflower, chopped

* 1/4 cup milk

* grated or sliced cheese

- Place potatoes in a pan. Add water just enough for potatoes to get covered. 

Boil until half done. Set aside the half-done potatoes including its boiling liquid.

- In the same pan, add the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent.

Add the ham and saute for a few minutes.

- Add the cauliflower, the potatoes and the boiling liquid. Cover and cook until 

the vegetables are cooked. Add water as needed.

- Pour in the milk and add the cheese. Stir for 1 more minute. Season with salt 

and pepper if necessary.

Serves 4-5

I was quite happy with how this turned out. I'm considering creating more

Un-Omelette combinations. I think it's important that you pre-boil the potatoes. 

The boiling liquid helps thicken the sauce. I also skipped the salt, I felt the 

ham and cheese had enough salt for the entire dish. No, the ham was not the 

salted kind; I just prefer my dishes low sodium style.

I sometimes get asked about what goes in our kitchen. Foodie Fridays is a

peek at what gets served at our dining table.

It's Time to CONNECT!

My 2012 officially started today. We've been on vacation mode for a few weeks now.
Spending the holidays in our new home was a great way to end 2011. Yes 2011 was
a good year for us. As for 2012, it's going to be better!

Instead of the usual New Year's Resolutions, I've decided to welcome 2012 with a
theme: CONNECT

I wish I had some witty acronym on hand. Unfortunately, Creating Opportunities
Now by Networking, Executing, Creating and Trying doesn't exactly work wonders
for me. lol.

In case you missed it, I am now faced with the challenge of creating a new life in
a new country. One month into this new life and I already know that my life is no
longer what it used to be.

Hence the need to CONNECT.

1. Connect to the One Above
Sadly, I'm having a case of "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about
many things...." My prayer time has taken a backseat to all the things that need
doing. I definitely need to block off more quiet time. Lately, my prayer has been:
Lord, guide me that I may be a source of blessing to my family and to all whom I
encounter.

2. Connect Within
I know it's only been one month but I'm already longing for some me time. Since
the move, little M and I have been inseparable. No daycare for now. It's been great
as I get to see him grow. But it does have it's tiring moments. And, I have yet to
resume my VA work. I intend to do a shifting of sorts --- do errands and take care
of M during the day. Then do VA work at night. I know it's doable; I did get the
idea from a mom who works part time in the evenings with a bank.

3. Connect to those Beside Me
Okay, I know this sounds cheesy, but all whom we love, regardless of age, need
our time and attention. I am consciously trying not to let every day life get in
the way of BEING there for H and little M.

4. Connect Back
A few months before I left, an expat's wife commented that the price one pays
for living overseas is the possibility of returning home then discovering that one
is already out of touch with the people that stayed on back home. I am truly
grateful that technology has made it easier for H and I to reach out to people:
Skype, FB, email, sms, etc are all there for us to use.

5. Connect Anew
New country = new experiences = new relationships. It doesn't get simpler
than that.


I'd like to end by saying Thank You for being a part of this Pinay Mom's 2011
Adventures. I hope we continue to journey together in 2012! An abundance
of blessings to you and the ones you love!

Merry Christmas 2011 : Emmanuel by Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ

Emmanuel by Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ

Isang dalaga'y maglilihi
Batang lalaki ang sanggol
Tatawagin Siyang Emanuel
Emanuel

Isang dalaga'y maglilihi
Batang lalaki ang sanggol
Tatawagin Siyang Emanuel
Emanuel

Magalak isinilang ang Poon
Sa sabsaban Siya'y nakahimlay
Nagpahayag ang mga anghel
"Luwalhati sa Diyos!"

Isang dalaga'y maglilihi
Batang lalaki ang sanggol
Tatawagin Siyang Emanuel
Emanuel

Isang dalaga'y maglilihi
Batang lalaki ang sanggol
Tatawagin Siyang Emanuel
Emanuel

Isang dalaga'y maglilihi
Batang lalaki ang sanggol
Tatawagin Siyang Emanuel
Emanuel

Kahuluga'y "Nasa atin ang Diyos!"
"Nasa atin ang Diyos!"
"Nasa atin ang Diyos!"

- - -

Kuya B (3 yrs. old): "Mama, whose birthday is it?"
Kuya B's Mom: "Anak, we're celebrating the birthday of Jesus."

I had not heard those words mentioned in a looooonnnnnnggggg time.
So much so that I consider myself blessed to have been reminded of
the true reason for Christmas.

A Blessed Christmas to you and your family!

A Day in the Life of an Overseas Filipino

The December 2011 Calendar

My goodness, how time flies! I can't believe it's been a week since M and I moved

into our new home. I'm really happy that the family is finally together again.

As you can see, we're starting over... I thought it was about time we made a

calendar for our Christmas activities... Unfortunately, we didn't have a printer,  

so I hand made the calendar instead. 

Yes, moving overseas is not just about packing your bags and leaving; more

so when there are kids involved. This move has long been planned and prayed 

for. Our non negotiable: we'll do this only if the family can be together.

I share this because I know many Filipinos dream of living overseas. Don't 

just jump and take the plunge. Pray and discern. Research and prepare as

much as you can. 

If you're leaving a spouse or child behind, give yourself a deadline for how 

long you will be apart. Learn from the mistakes of others; there are way too 

many broken OFW families. Refuse to be a statistic!

A new adventure has begun. It is scary and exciting at the same time. We 

continue to pray for His blessing, guidance and grace.

p.s. I just realized that I did not say much about what my day is like... It's 
not all set yet... However, the goal is for me to do VA work during the 
evenings so that I can take care of M during the day. 
... Oh yes, the calendar photo is dark as it was taken late in the evening...  
Computers and toddlers don't exactly work well together...  As such, I have
limited my computer use to late at night...