Surprise Party for Esmeralda

I saw this picture below recently in my Facebook page which was posted by Sylvia who is at the top row on the left.  All of us in the picture were classmates at St. James Academy in Malabon Rizal or Metro Manila now. I believe we just finished our 4th grade when this was taken in the late fifties and we were on our break from school. At the front row from left to right are Celia, Esmeralda and Mary and at the back from left to right are Sylvia, Vida and myself. But what was the occasion when this photo was taken you might ask?

If my memory is correct, Vida organized the group to go to Esmeralda's Dad's photo studio, V'Rionez, to attend Esmeralda's birthday party.  Vida lived across from our house in Tonsuya and she invited me to go with her to Esmeralda's dad's photo studio in Sangandaan.  We rode the commonly used public transportation in the Philippines called jeepney to get there.  I was both excited and scared to ride this very unique and iconic colorful Filipino vehicle without any grown up with me. Just my very confident friend Vida. If you know Vida she can conquer the world including in this case my own fears.

I really do not remember how Celia and Mary got there.  Celia lived pretty close to Vida's place and might have gone with us by walking from their house at Borromeo Street. Mary who lived by Bayan might have taken a short jeepney ride to Vida's place  to go with us.  Sylvia's house was quite a distance from where all of us lived in a street called Acacia Street and might have been dropped off by a relative.  Anyway somehow we all were at the V'Rionez Studio.

There was one problem.  Esmeralda's parents did not know we were coming and that there was a birthday party.  I think their daughter mentioned it to Vida and the latter just assumed there was one. I wonder if Esmeralda herself knew this was going to happen.

Both parents were surprised but unflappable. Esmeralda's mom improvised and fried hot dogs.  I could still picture her frying them in oil in a tiny little cubicle in the studio. They were so delicious that their taste and aroma are stilll embedded in my memory.  Her father made the occasion extra especial by taking our group picture as shown above and also a picture of each one of us giving a gift to Esmeralda.  I think I brought her a handkerchief as a gift or maybe we just used a pretend gift for the picture.   Of course we were thrilled.  It is much better than an iPhone shot don't you think?  We had a professional photographer after all and hey look the group picture landed in Facebook decades later.

Almost everybody still keep in touch with each other except we have not heard from Esmeralda. She left after grade school and did not go to St. James for high school. I wonder what she would have said of that day we surprised not only her but her unknowing parents!

This whole surprise event is a testimony to Vida's leadership and organizational skill which are evident even to these days as she generously hosts several reunions at her place in Los Angeles some of which I have written about in this blog.

Vida is leftmost at the back while Sylvia is second from the right. I am in front on the left. This was a mini reunion of our high school classmates at Vida's place in 2009. Left to right standing, Vida, Temy, Cbristy, Irma, Jenny, Sylvia and Malou. In front sitting, me and Zeny who were both surprised with flowers, leis and even a crown for me during the reunion by the thoughtful host, Vida.

A Prayer

Touch my soul Lord so

I can replace judgement with

hope and compassion.

Lessons Given, Lessons Learned (Not)

As I start my new 3rd Grade CCD (religion) or Faith Formation class, I thought of getting pumped up by recalling some memorable moments and quips said by my students in my class this past school year. During the first meeting last year, I gave this class an activity wherein I paired up the students and they then interviewed each other with questions like their favorite sports, food and what they liked best in their previous class.  For the last question, one student said honestly snacks!  Why not?  I might have said the same thing especially when it was an early nine o'clock morning class.

Now and then, I shared stories with them to drive a point or to inspire them. One time I attended a talk given by a lay missionary in Africa in which she mentioned that young girls there were not given opportunities to go to school. This actually
moved her to establish a school for them. When I told this to the class, I did not expect their reaction.  They were not shocked but actually exclaimed they were jealous wishing they had the same situation.  They felt it was so cool not to go to school. Oh well.

When I was teaching about the Eucharist, I told them what Fr. Tony experienced after his ordination when he said his first Mass at St. Louis de Merillac where he did his parish work experience when he was a seminarian. When he raised the host during the consecration part of the Mass, he felt his hands shaking.  Later on, a fellow newly ordained priest told him that when Fr. Tony raised the host, he saw instead a heart that was pumping.  Again I did not expect what one student said, "how creepy".  It is hard to comprehend the mystery of the Eucharist and to hear a story illustrating it is real is perhaps even harder to swallow for some of them.

In order to help them remember the Apostles Creed, I asked them to illustrate with drawings each of the statements in this prayer. One student hit a mental block when they were asked to draw God.  She said with all honesty that she has a hard time picturing how God is like.  I thought that was deep.  It showed she had been thinking and had reflected on this. 

One time I pointed to them that we should thank God for making us and the whole world. He made all of us because he or she loves us.  This same girl asked the proverbial difficult question "but who made God?".  That floored me and I was at a loss as to how to answer.  I think I said that there are things that we could not fully understand and have faith and believe.

As a teacher you second guess how you teach the lesson for that day.  I decided to teach the different parts of the Mass hoping they will understand them and pay more attention when they attend Mass.  For the activity I asked them to arrange the different parts, all 30 plus of them, in the correct sequence.  I wondered to myself as they struggled if I was pushing them too much and also if it would have an effect in their behavior during Mass.  I would know right away since we were attending Mass after class. I remember one guy sitting behind us in church wishing me good luck as I told the students to pay attention. They did not behave after all that lesson activity.  I actually was frustrated I broke a bit in tears during Mass.  But wait, good things take time.  The next time we attended Mass together I saw them using the Mass book and asking the location of the parts of the Mass in it.

During lent, part of the lesson asked what the class wanted to do as a project. One suggested "let us have a lemonade sale".  Okay.  I was open to it and asked to whom the funds raised would be given and they suggested the animal shelter and I also added the Ladies of Charity pantry.  I distributed the tasks and the next meeting they came with their assigned stuff.  During the day of the lemonade sale, I will not forget the scene when dollar bills were flying that windy day because they could not fit them into the two money boxes.  They raised 265 dollars!! Amazing.

I am not a craft type of person.  Thank God my assistant, Sue, was.  She helped the students make cards and art works that I donated to nursing homes.  One project, the mosaic crosses, actually graced the doors of the leadership team at CSJ Baden which I gave to comfort them when I felt their sadness when I attended the funeral of a member of their congregation.

I am glad I went through memory lane and recalled the sometimes unexpected delightful moments of my class last year,  I am now pumped up for this coming year.

Slow Cooker Orange Glazed Country Ribs

My husband and I ate at Fortune Buffet at Miracle Mile in Monroeville PA this past Sunday.  We both had their pork spare ribs and while I did not mind the over browned ribs my husband did not enjoy them.

I decided to look for no fuss recipes online for ribs to make up for this disappointing experience my husband had and found several using fruit preserves.  I adapted them for the slow cooker to be sure the ribs have a "fall off the bone" texture which my husband prefers.

I did not use boned in spareribs but boneless country style pork ribs which is a cheaper cut of meat. I used orange marmalade which I always have on hand.  The result is amazing. You would want to drink the sweet delicious sauce.  And yes the texture was what my husband prefers - soft and juicy.  He gave this two thumbs up.

This is an easy recipe with a short list of ingredients you might have already in your pantry. So delight your picky family members like my husband with this crowd pleasing recipe for your next dinner.

Slow Cooker Orange Glazed Country Ribs

• 3 lb country style pork ribs (I used boneless)
• 1\2 cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce
• 1\2 cup orange marmalade or other fruit jam or preserves
• 1\4 to 1\2 cup honey or according to your preference
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Place all the ingredients in a crockpot and mix well. Cook at high setting for four hours or at low for eight hours.  I cooked mine in a Crockpot Brand Casserole Slow Cooker for four hours.

Caresses from God

Never cease to be

in awe of earth's wonders and

feel His warm caress. 

Chickpea Santorinis

I had the Fava Santorinis at Mykonos Grill, a Greek Restaurant located at Rockville, MD recently during a visit with my friends Bob and Seville.  It was an appetizer highly recommended by our waiter and it did not disappoint. It was made of fava beans pureed and topped with olive oil, lemon, chopped onions and parsley. It was fabulous and has that certain taste I attributed to green onions which set it apart from other bean dip I have had.

I decided to make a chickpea version that was oil free.  It gave me the same satisfaction as what I had at the Mykonos Restaurant  which made me want to do the Greek happy dance. The green onions gave that "what is that" taste as I had guessed.

Fava Santorinis at Mykonos Restaurant.

Chickpea Santorinis

• 1-14 oz can chickpeas, drained saving the juice
• Juice of 1\2 lemon
• 1\4 tsp garlic powder or more to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• White parts of 3 stalks green onions, chopped, saving  green part for garnish

Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix till smooth. Add a few teaspoons of the chickpea juice to achieve the consistency you want. 

Garnish with the green part of the chopped green onions. Serve with pita bread triangles.

Vegan Shitake Ramen Pho (Vietnamese Soup)

This is an easy, delicious soup prepared in the microwave. This was inspired by the one from The Pioneer Woman show on TV.  I substituted shitake mushrooms for the beef used in the original recipe. The umami generated by the broth from the dried shitake mushrooms is incredible you will not miss the beef.

Vegan Shitake Ramen Pho

1-2 servings

4 dried shitake mushrooms
2 cups water
1 lime
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup Julienned carrots
1 star anise, optional
1 package ramen noodles (only noodles will be used)
1/2 cup spinach leaves

Add the shitake mushrooms in water in a medium bowl and microwave for five minutes. Take out from the microwave and allow the mushrooms to soak for 20 minutes. Take out the soaked mushrooms and slice in strips. Return them to the broth in the bowl.

Zest only half of a whole lime then cut in half and juice half of it. Add the juice with the zest into the bowl with the mushrooms. Cut the other half in wedges and set aside.

Add the onion slices, minced ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, julienned carrots in the bowl.

Add the ramen noodles without the seasoning to the bowl.

Microwave the mixture for three minutes.

Add the spinach at the end.

Can We All Be One?

In this age of divisiveness, can we all be one?  Is that possible?  How do we achieve that? My vacation to Orlando, Florida convinced me it could be done when I visited two very different places.

During my tour of Cape Kennedy, I learned about the international space station which is shared by several countries in the world, namely, the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada. Whereas the earlier expeditions to space were competitive during the cold war that existed between the United States and Russia, these two countries together with the other three groups have realized doing things together is much better.  One ambitious goal, a great sense of practicality, and international treaties and agreements are the driving forces in making the station work for the past 20 years.

Another type of oneness was exhibited at Sea World, another attraction in Orlando. We saw a show called One Ocean in this park that showcased the thrilling skills of the killer whales. As we connected with these creatures' magnificent showmanship, I felt not only the "energy and spirit underneath the sea" but also the joy that was exuded by the audience.  During these moments, I felt we were all one. One World, One Ocean as the mantra of the show stated.

Two different examples to illustrate we can be one.  One is serious with a sense of purpose whereas the other more carefree and filled with awe and wonder.  Let us keep trying. Let us keep our hopes high.  

When the End Brings Back the Beginning

As most people do now, I was checking my email and browsing through my Facebook page to while the time when the funeral march started before the Mass. I looked up and saw my friend Judy whose husband was being buried, asking me if Bob my husband made it to the Mass to sing the songs they requested the day before at the funeral home and I said yes.

Just a few minutes later my husband's voice singing the song Amazing Grace filled the church and I saw my friend Judy leaning on her son Joey's shoulder overcome by emotion. It was a sad touching scene and I was teary eyed.

At this point flashbacks of our days in the Mothers Group which both Judy and I were members of in the early nineties came back. Both our kids, Joey and Bettina, were not yet ready for kindergarten and they were babysat while the Mothers Group members got together with Sr. Ursula for some discussion of the topic of the day.    It felt surreal being brought back to those days like watching a movie. I felt the nostalgia gripping me and amazed how time flew with our kids now in their thirties.

The same nostalgic feeling engulfed me when I heard the news that my classmate, Manuel, from college in the late sixties passed away unexpectedly in his office at Caltech. I wrote his wife in an email how Manuel has fulfilled most of his dreams at this point of his life.  In retrospect, I question myself after writing the email how do I really know what his dreams were. I just remember him as being highly intelligent and just surmised he would fulfill whatever dreams he might have had. I do not even remember what exactly what my dreams were then either. It does not matter. We both had dreams and that was what was important to sustain us to go with the flow in our lives.

The journeys I took back in both instances were cathartic. I am grateful to have gone back in time and saw that those days were happy ones and I am happier now partly because those times made me who I am today.

What is the Filipino Identity?

This question was expanded on by a Filipino priest, Father Vincent, in his sermon during the First Filipino Mass in the Greensburg Diocese, held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Irwin, PA on July 8, 2019. Father Vincent is one of the seventeen priests from the Philippines called upon to help out the Greensburg diocese due to the dwindling number of priests in the United States.

The whole liturgy was in Filipino including his sermon. He did translate some of his jokes in English to the delight of the predominantly English speaking audience. I was eager to hear how he would address this question especially in a sermon.  I should have guessed. It is our faith! He made his point using two statues we have devotions for.

The first one he mentioned was the Infant Jesus of Prague which almost every household in the Philippines including ours has a statue of.  For him, the devotion reflects our love for children.  I would like to add this symbolizes also the trusting spirit and positive childlike nature exhibited by the Filipinos.

The second one Father Vincent mentioned is the Black Nazarene, which is the statue of Jesus kneeling as he carries the cross.  We have this in most churches in the Philippines and once a year millions, mostly men, attend the procession outside the Quiapo Church in the Philippines to celebrate its feast. For Father Vincent this devotion reflects the persevering spirit of Filipinos as they meet challenges and sufferings in their lives including the ones they undergo when they migrate to another country.

I would like to add a third one, Out Lady of Perpetual Help, which is not a statue but a painting of iconic origin of the Blessed Mother with baby Jesus.  For me, this symbolizes the Bayanihan spirit of the Filipinos or their desire to unite and help their neighbor in times of need.  This characteristic is exemplified by these seventeen Filipino priests as they share their ministry with the Greensburg Diocese.

 
The gratefulness of the diocese and its members was palpable that night as they worshiped and sang with the Filipinos in a language foreign to them during Mass and feasted on a grand buffet of Filipino food after. It was a joyous night assuring each other we are in this together.

Umbrella

Shelter from the rain.

I do not get wet. You don't

too. Meant for sharing.

Tale of a Lost Puppie and an Owl

My grandchildren love their cuddly toys.  They take them everywhere and that was the case when we went to the zoo one fine sunny day two weeks ago.  Maddie had her puppy named Puppie while Luca had his owl named Amen as we traversed the zoo grounds. Their cuddlies were with them as they excitedly viewed the beautiful tiger, the ferocious lion, the elegant Flamingos, the magnificent giraffe and the mighty elephants in their park like confines.

We then ate lunch after which we decided to stay in the large sand box in the so called Island part of the zoo.  They set their cuddly toys on the Adirondack chair beside mine while they enjoyed making structures with the sand which happened to be very dry to work with that day. It did not matter they loved every minute of it and we stayed there for about an hour.

At the end of our stay in the sand box, Maddie wanted to pose for pictures with Luca in the giant Adirondack chair with the word Island on it. She could not resist following the other zoo goers' example of posing for photos on that chair. We then visited the monkeys and gorillas in their covered abode and the different fishes in the aquarium.

We then stopped for a cool treat.  Who could resist the dippin dots? We couldn't so we had them. While we were sitting eating them, we heard thunder and lightning signaling to us it was time to go home before the rain comes.

We hurriedly walked back to the exit but the rain caught up with us and we settled for shelter on a bench at the tunnel close to the exit of the zoo. When the rain subsided we walked back to my car.  As Maddie was buckling herself she noticed that her Puppie was gone.  And so was the owl.  She was confident we left them on the bench at the tunnel.

I returned to the tunnel for their toys but they were not to be found on the bench. I went to see if they were on the shed where we ate the dippin dots but Puppie and Amen were not there either. Then I remember the sand box and how we set the two cuddlies on the Adirondack chair beside me.  I decided not to go back there since the Island was quite a distance. As I went back to my car, I requested a zoo personnel if they could look for the two cuddly toys at the sand box. When asked to describe them I said one was a puppy and the other was a bear.  For some reason, I always thought Amen, which was an owl, was a bear.

When I relayed the news to Maddie that I did not have Puppie, she bawled. I told her she has an exact one at home but she said it was not as soft as this lost one.  She said she would have a hard time sleeping. I assured her they would find Puppie and Amen.  I told her I requested the zoo personnel to tell the custodian in charge of the Island sand box to look for a puppy and a bear. What! Boy was she mad that I mistook Amen for a bear.

The traffic was pretty heavy going home so I decided while sitting on traffic to proceed to call the zoo to correct the description of Amen. I had blue tooth service so they could hear the voice of the receptionist who answered the phone.  That helped calm them down.

The next day I called at eleven in the morning and they said no toys have been turned in.  My heart sank but I was hopeful it was because the custodian at the sand box had not cleaned up yet.

In the meantime, I was preparing for Plan B if they were not found.  I started practicing a lecture in my head about life's realities which include losses while I was sitting in the hair salon having my hair permed. Then I got the call with the good news.  They found them, the lost cuddlies.

I decided to make the trip to the zoo that same afternoon to get this crisis over with.  I have not been any happier in my life and extremely relieved when I saw Puppie and Amen on the receptionist desk. There is indeed a God looking over grandparents in distress.

I went by my daughter's house to drop the lost and now found cuddlies. Since nobody was in I just propped the two, Puppie and Amen on their dining table.  My daughter texted later and asked if I was the one who placed the two on the table.  I texted back, grandma fairy did. She texted back a photo of Maddie grinning ear to ear with her beloved Puppie.

This past Sunday I was telling them how it took me two hours to go to the zoo and back to their house to return the cuddlies  The effort it took must have sank in Maddie's head and heart. Sometime later she said a heartfelt thank you for finding her Puppie.  That was enough for me. All is well that ends well. But what a crisis!

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

Who could resist a good, creamy dip?  I couldn't. This one is full of flavor, creaminess and crunch, thanks to the water chestnuts added.  The silken tofu effectively fills the role of the sour cream and mayonnaise usually used in non vegan versions. Try this for the coming July 4th picnic.

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

1- 12 oz silken tofu
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp dried minced onions
2 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
1\4 tsp black pepper
1-8 oz bag fresh Spinach  (or you can also use 10 oz frozen spinach thawed and liquid squeezed out)
1-14 oz (8oz dry weight) artichokes, drained and chopped
1/3 cup chopped scallions (around 3 stalks)
1- 8 oz can of water chestnuts, chopped



Mix the tofu up to the black pepper in a blender till smooth. Set aside.

Microwave the fresh spinach for 3 minutes at high setting.  Squeeze out the water.

Add the spinach, artichokes, scallions and water chestnuts in a bowl.  Add to them the tofu mixture and mix.

Cravings

I really do not know when a craving for a certain food will come to me. One time for some reason on my way to my Zumba class I caught a whiff of fried chicken when I entered the gym.  I could not get out of my system the longing for chicken coated with heavy crispy breading the whole time I was in my dance class.  I could hardly wait to go to KFC but surprisingly I got lazy to drive to the other side of town for this dish.  I actually was able to wait two weeks later when we celebrated Father's day at Wooden Nickel where my husband and I savored crispy fried chicken wings as our appetizer.  So good.

Another time while I was at a weekday Mass, out of the blue, I had this yearning for Indian food. I was really distracted while I was salivating for the rich curry spiced dishes but then again it was easy to daydream during Mass.  I was on a mission to hit an Indian restaurant in town for lunch.  However, for some weird reason during this same Mass, my craving switched to Chinese food, specifically pepper steak.  This took me by surprise. How did that happen?  I am not sure what triggered this change in my palate. Update: The Indian curry won and I went to Mintt Indian Restaurant.

One thing I have cravings for most of the time is Panera bagels.  Two weeks ago, I dropped by at the Monroeville branch and picked up a dozen of them. While munching on one at the restaurant before going home, a lady remarked that I must be feeding a crowd when she saw the package of bagels on my table.  If she only knew that I would be having two more when I got home.

Cravings are my motivators for preparing the dishes in my food blog.  I could not always just go to a restaurant to satisfy my yearning for Filipino dishes since there is none in Pittsburgh. I have recreated dishes I have had during a trip or cruise like the oxtail stew from our Alaskan cruise and the rum raisin ice cream.  In a way, cravings have been good in making my blog interesting.

Air Fryer Sticky Barbecue Chicken

Are you craving barbecue chicken coated with sticky sweet and spicy sauce but do not want to grill outside or inside with your huge oven? Then use your air fryer. The sauce takes only three ingredients and they make a delicious mixture.

Air Fryer Sticky Barbecue Chicken

• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 1-2 tbsp garlic chili paste 

Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on both sides of the chicken pieces. 

Mix the Hoisin sauce, catsup and garlic chili paste in a small bowl. Set aside one third of the sauce. Using the rest of the mixture, baste the two sides of the chicken. 

Spray the air fryer with nonstick spray or oil spritzer. Place the chicken pieces on the air fryer. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Flip and add more sauce on top of each piece. Bake for 5 minutes more. 

I Called Them by Name

I never grew up with pets and never had any. But wait I did have two but only for a very brief time.

Anita and I hang out during my graduate school days at Iowa State University.  I met her on a weekday student Mass at St.Thomas More and we just hit it off.  I had been to their house for Thanksgiving and she was one of the sponsors in my wedding. I forgot now whether she was a veil or candle or cord sponsor.  Sponsors are given tasks in rituals unique to Filipino weddings and were assigned to ones closest friends to do.

We loved to eat out and I remember eating at Long John Silvers where we over indulged one time.  We were ready to burst when we burped. We also loved to go shopping. We decided to go to a pet shop one day where they were having a sale on gold fish.  Anita convinced me to buy a couple of beautiful ones which I brought home in a plastic bag filled with water.  I transferred them to a fish bowl where I even decorated with plastic leaves and a bluish decorative thing which I think I still have.  

I excitedly put the pair of fish in the bowl and fed them with some food I bought.  We decided to name them after the two young actors in the movie we just saw, The Turning Point. Their names were Mikail after Mikail Barashnikov and Leslie after the female lead actress.  I placed the fish bowl right beside my bed in Buchanan Hall.

When I woke up the next day, I was stunned to see my two new pets floating not swimming in water.  They were dead and I was devastated.  I have heard before that once you call a pet by name it is very hard to let go of it.  I named mine and though I had them only for a day I had become attached to them.

I called Anita since I had to ask her how I would bury them.  I was thinking of doing so on the pot with my plant beside my bed.  She nixed the idea since they would smell.  So I reluctantly and sadly flushed them down the toilet.

I had to attend our weekly group meeting with our research adviser, Dr. Russell, that morning.  I spent a lot of time fretting over the loss of my two pets and was emotionally drained,  I did not feel like attending the meeting. I called Dr. Russell up on the phone and told him I could not make it to the meeting.  I was dying to tell him why but I felt he might think it too looney a reason to say I was grieving the death of two pet goldfish.

My life with my two pet gold fish was short but somehow after 40 years, memories of losing them still linger in my mind.

Olive Tapenade (Oil Free)

I sometimes want something salty to spread on my bagels or crackers for breakfast or snacks. This recipe is easy to prepare and spreadable despite having no oil which is added in most tapenades.  It is delicious and satisfying. 

Olive Tapenade (No Oil)

• 1\2 cup green olives with pimiento center
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cashews
• 2 tsp tomato paste

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend till well mixed or up to the texture you like.

Feeling a Loved One's Presence

When our loved ones pass away, it takes time to get over our grief and during those times we would have this longing to be with them and talk to them again.  This particular need was very evident from the face of a woman who came with a relative to see  the Angel Ladies at my favorite restaurant.  The latter ladies are mediums who used to occupy an office at the third floor of this restaurant. When I asked the woman if she had lost a loved one recently, she said yes with sadness in her voice as well as her eyes.  The relative with her had seen the mediums and believed in them. The hope for the same experience was painted all over the face of this woman as she talked to me.

I have lost many close friends, Lena, Kathy and Emma, these past three years or so.  Every time I pass the streets where they lived I would have this sinking feeling in my stomach and gnawing pain and sadness in my heart.  We have shared many things together as associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph.  We supported each other and just loved being in each others' presence. I particularly miss talking to them.

 No I never sought the mediums. However, I do now and then sometimes impart meaning and significance to certain events that give me the hope that they somehow are expressing their hello to me from the other side.  

This past weekend, I attended the yearly Sisters of St. Joseph Baden Auxiliary luncheon which was held this year at the Sheraton Hotel in Mars, PA and was attended by 500 people.  Among the multitude of people in the middle of the long lobby where they were selling baked goods, I saw a friend, Mary Anne, from some group I belong to or activity I attend but I could not place her right away. She approached me and said we attend the same Line Dancing Class at a gym. When I asked her how she knew about the affair, I was pleasantly surprised that she did through an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph, my late friend Kathy. Kathy, she and a host of her other friends with her were from the same pediatric department. When I heard this, something in me immediately put some significance to this. Could Kathy be giving a sign to me, namely that she misses me and the other associates too as we miss her? I was trying to explain to Mary Ann about what our meeting meant to me but I could not.  I was too overjoyed I was breaking into tears. 

Anyway whether what I perceived the significance about this meeting was real does not matter to me.  For that moment during the chance meeting, I have felt my friend, Kathy's presence, and it made me happy. I know that is what she wanted and I get the message.

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Balsamic Bone-in Pork Loin Roast

I adapted this easy delicious pork dish from the most popular recipe in the Food52 website. One comment described it as fusion adobo, a popular Filipino dish since it does have its characteristic ingredients, garlic, soy sauce and vinegar. This recipe however has brown sugar and sage not found in adobo.

Food52 used pork tenderloin when it first published the recipe and then switched to pork shoulder in a later version. Both were boneless cuts of pork. In this adaptation I used bone-in pork loin roast which luckily fitted the Aroma Brand rice cooker/s!ow cooker I used. I decreased the water to half cup rather than the one cup the recipe called for and also added carrots and potatoes. I also just dumped all the ingredients in one step.

My picky taster, my husband, gave this two thumbs up. My friend, Claire , who is recovering from surgery and with whom I shared this dish , texted me that it made for a great dinner.

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Balsamic Bone-in Pork Loin Roast

Adapted from this recipe

• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tsp ground sage 
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper 
• 4 bay leaves 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 1/4 cup soy sauce 
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard 
• 2 tbsp cornstarch 
• 5 lbs bone in pork loin roast 
• 2 cups baby carrots 
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed 

Add all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the order shown. Cook on high for  six hours. I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 5 hours at slow cooker setting.

Serve over rice.

Note: You can refrigerate the dish for a few hours or overnight and remove the fat if you like and reheat.

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Luca's Cuteisms

Nothing brings a smile to my face than memories of my grandchildren at their cute stage. What they say and do are worth keeping a journal of.  I have written about Maddie when she was between age 2 and 4 and reading them warms my heart.  I want to continue the same with her younger brother Luca who is now 3 years and 2 months old.

I took care of Maddie, now five,  once a week when she turned two until she was ready for kindergarten.  When it was time for me to do the same with Luca in September of last year, I expressed my fears to his Mom.  I never have taken cared of a boy before having had two daughters and no son.  Wendy, Luca's mom, reassured me it will be no problem.  It was actually smooth sailing.

There are similarities and differences between the two siblings. Just like Maddie cannot sleep without her plush toy, Puppie, Luca cannot sleep without his Amen, his cuddly one.  He also brings it everywhere just like Maddie does with her Puppie.  Whereas Maddie loves to play with dolls, Luca favors cars. I actually do not see the fun in moving those toy cars back and forth on the table at all but Luca does this with a lot of intensity and joy. He loves bringing them everywhere. Now and then I would find one or two in my hand bag.

Luca went through a phase before he turned three of saying the word NO rather emphatically. No. No. No. Thank goodness he is over that. One word he still says repeatedly ad nauseam is WHY which is followed by another why and another.  He gives my aging mind a lot of exercise. I for one do not want to tell him tall tale of a reason but I have been tempted because of exasperation.

He goes through phases. We are all relieved that "His dread over going to daycare" is over.  He went through that stage for several weeks and has just stopped crying when he is dropped off.

Overall he loves food. He has not reached the picky stage yet. After storytelling at the Monroeville Library, our favorite jaunt is McDonalds where we meet his Aunt B for lunch.  There he relishes his chicken nuggets and fries. It is no surprise he learned the letter M early before he was three since he loves the place. He loves to play being a McDonald sales person when we go to the yellow playground where there is a sort of store.  When he charges me for my order he loves to use the number 8 for every thing. I really do not know how this love for this number originated.  Ask him how many things there are and his answer is 8.

When I think he does not listen to what I say, he has surprised me many a time with phrases he has repeated after hearing them from me. One time he said something to me that hurt my feelings.  I actually repeated what hurtful thing he said and explained to him how it broke my heart.  Ever since that time he uses that phrase "you broke my heart" every time his feelings are hurt.  One time he even told his Dada, who looked sad that his heart must be broken.

One time I mentioned to him that my back hurt every time I picked him up and put him in his car seat.  I also told him I wish he could go up the car and into the car seat by himself.  I was very touched the following week when he tried his best to climb up the car and even get into his car seat. He has done so ever since even proudly saying "I am now a big boy".

Out of the blue yesterday morning when I was at their house, he said, "I like being with you, Lola".  I said something similar to him and Maddie at the end of their overnight stay at our house this past weekend and he must have liked the phrase.

There are other things he utters that I think comes from his own heart. The one thing that always melts my heart is when I say I love you to him and he says back tenderly and softly, "I love you too".  I am over the moon every time.

I know there will be more memories to encapsulate in the future but these are  more than enough for now to draw from when I need a smile on my face and warmth in my heart.

Slow Cooker Curry Cauliflower Chili with Sriracha

This is adapted from a fusion recipe from the newly revived 30 Minute Meals Show hosted by the talented Rachael Ray.  As she mentioned in the show, curry and chili dishes share many ingredients like chili, cumin and coriander thus fusing them makes sense.  Instead of using chicken, I utilized the versatile vegetable, cauliflower, in its place.  For the garam masala, I used cardamom and cinnamon powder, two of the components of the spice mixture.  Aside from the chickpeas, I added 1/4 cup of yellow split peas to increase the protein content of the dish. I decided to use the dump and forget it approach via a slow cooker. The result is an easy to prepare comforting, hearty stew with crunch and full of flavor.  My picky taster, my husband, devoured it and so did I.

Slow Cooker Curry Cauliflower Chili with Sriracha

Adapted from this recipe

Stew

• 1/2 head of cauliflower including stem and core, cut into bite size pieces
• 1-14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup yellow split peas
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-14 oz can stewed tomatoes
• 1-8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 jalapeno pieces from a jar
• 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
• 1.2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cardamon
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tbsp sriracha

Garnish

• lime slices
• cilantro, chopped
• green onions, slices
• more jalapeno slices
• naan bread 
• rice

Combine all the ingredients of the stew in the slow cooker.  Cook at high setting for 3 hours or at low for 6 hours. I cooked mine in the Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.

Serve the stew with lime slices, cilantro, green onions and more jalapeno slices. You can serve it with naan bread or over rice.

Oil Free French Vinaigrette Dressing

I brought a salad with the original oil based version of this  vinaigrette dressing to a gathering and a couple of guests just had to have the recipe for it. I adapted it from Ina Garten's recipe and tweaked it using more garlic powder and Dijon mustard called for. I also used De Lallo brand red wine vinegar with a higher acidic content of 7% than the suggested champagne or white wine with the standard acid content of 5%. The result is a tart mustardy delicious dressing. It is good especially with a salad spring mix available in any grocery store. You will not need any other embellishments like tomatoes or croutons, thus making this recipe convenient to serve for a party.

I took the challenge of making the dressing oil free using an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce for the oil and tested it with my picky taster, my husband. He loved it as much as the original. So there. A good crowd pleasing healthy and easy
salad vinaigrette!

Oil Free French Vinaigrette Dressing

Adapted from this recipe.

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1\2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1\4 cup water (optional. Use if using vinegar with 7 % acidic content)
• 3\4 tsp salt 
• 1\2 tsp black pepper 

Mix the ingredients together in a container with cap and shake till well blended.

Slow Cooker SirloinTip Roast

When you think roast beef, your go to cut is most probably chuck roast. It does give a moist, tasty dish, but it is also high in fat. Sirloin roast tip is a healthier, leaner alternative.  With the help of a slow cooker and spices you possibly have already in your cupboard, you can prepare an equally delicious and moist roast beef your family would love.  My husband gave this two thumbs up. 

Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast 

Adapted from this recipe

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp yellow mustard sauce 

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

2 cups baby carrots

2 stalks celery, sliced

3 large potato, peeled and cubed

3 lbs beef sirloin tip roast 

garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and dry oregano

Mix the ingredients from the minced garlic to the cold water in the slow cooker bowl.  Add the vegetables.

Sprinkle the sirloin tip roast with the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and oregano on both sides.  Place the whole sirloin roast on top the vegetables and sauce.  Push it down so at least half of it is submerged in the mixture.

Cook at high setting for 5 hours or at low for 10 hours. I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand slow cooker/rice cooker for 6 hours at slow cooker setting.

Fearless Soul

A grateful heart will

have no fear but hope and trust

that all will be well.

Easter

He created the 

earth to show his goodness. Rose

to show His mercy.