Read some of these fascinating tidbits about popular staples found in any family’s pantry.

• Jelly Beans keep their shine with Shellac – Shellac is regularly associated as being a type of wood finishing material. Its common uses include furniture, guitars and even AK-47’s that special shine. Shellac is derived from the excretions of the Kerria lacca insect which is native to the Thailand forests.
• The FDA allows bugs and rodent hair in peanut butter – The FDA allows an average of 30 or more insect fragments and one or more rodent hairs per 100 grams of peanut butter. To find out more about other foods, here is the link to the FDA Defect Levels Handbook, which provides this scary information.
• Sugar derived from pure sugar cane goes through a purification process using bone char. Bone char is manufactured by using bones from cows that have died of natural causes. These bones are mostly from the countries of I Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. After being bleached by laying in the hot sun, they are then sold to exporters who in return sell them to the gelatine and sugar companies. Read the rest of this entry »

Yehey! Hubby and I are celebrating our fifth year anniversary together. I am a bit worried last February that we might end up celebrating our special day on Holy week just like last year. Good thing it’s over and we can freely celebrate it with fun.

Since he is working today I will just surprise him by cooking a delicious food that is different from our usual meals. Where to get the recipes? Well, my answer is in Ivillage food section. I used this site to get Holiday baking recipes that I cooked for the Holy week. One of those recipes is the Apple Mince Walnut Pie. Honestly, I had a hard time looking for walnuts in the supermarket. Good thing I find one after hoping from one mall to another.

Anyway, I am still thinking what to cook for dinner tonight. I will just choose two dishes; one for the main course and one for appetizer. I will just buy either chocolate cake or brownies for dessert. For the main course, I am choosing between the three Grilled Salmon with Korean Barbecue Glaze, Creamy Tomato-Stuffed Chicken and Pork Tenderloin with Rum Chutney. Those sounds delicious, but I will only choose one whose ingredients are available in the supermarket. For the appetizer, I only have one choice and that is Dumplings with Soy Slaw. It’s easy to make and we really love it.

Whew! It sounds like I have lots of things to do. Hopefully, I’ll get everything right. I don’t want to spoil the day by not perfecting the meals. If that happens, hubby will surely get mad for wasting resources. That’s why I’m a little scare now. Hehehe But, I am confident I will make it perfect. Hopefully!

So, I have to go now. I still have to buy those the ingredients. I’m sure it will be a long day for me. Oops I almost forget to buy a gift for him as well.

I missed eating this food. But, it’s a coincidence that our landlady is celebrating her daughter debut. For that she gives us some food. Luckily, this squid is part of her menu. I am so happy and enjoyed until the last piece of it.

This is not the actual picture as I don’t have the camera on hand. This photo is taken almost a year ago. But, since it’s the same topic and it’s okay to share it.

Just this day I make my first pancake. But, to my dismay it turns out to be quite unsuccessful. It is still edible though, but it doesn’t have any taste at all. I actually forgot to put sugar in it. And, the salt is not enough. The truth is, I followed the recipe I found in the web though yet I produce a not so pleasant one. I don’t know where I made a mistake, but practice makes perfect.

After which, I slump myself in front of my computer looking for phentermine reviews. I’m enjoying reading different views its users. It’s funny to read the different opinions of individuals as there are positive and of course negatives. As I am reading it, I am also eating the pancake I made even if it’s not that tasty.

Many herbs and supplements have been researched and found to help improve your cognitive capabilities. Sit back and let these herbs keep your brain young and your memory sharp:

• Green tea prevents an enzyme found in Alzheimer’s disease and is also rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help prevent premature brain aging. Drink two cups a day to get the brain benefits.
• Leaf of the ginkgo tree – shaped like a human brain and some believe this is why, in Asia, it has always had a reputation of benefiting the mental processes. A dwindling memory and decreased concentration is largely caused by decreased blood flow to the brain and loss of brain cells; ginkgo has been confirmed to boost circulation to the brain and other organs, improving memory and cognitive functions. If you are taking medications, consult your doctor before taking ginkgo.
• Chinese club moss – helps to improve learning, memory retrieval, and memory retention. The moss, Huperzia serrata, yields a substance called Huperzine A that is similar to drugs used to control Alzheimer’s disease. The Chinese have used it to boost memory, and it is usually brewed as tea and given at a dose of one or two cups per day. Look for it in a health food store or Asian grocery. You can steep the moss itself in hot water, one teaspoon per cup, and drink as a tea, or you can take 50 mcg twice a day in capsule form. Because of its potent actions, you should only take Huperzine A under the supervision of your doctor.

I do want to explain my cravings, but sad to say I can’t. It’s a bit strange; I am just watching a sci-fi movie when I suddenly feel that I want to eat Lumpiang Shanghai. Don’t get me wrong I am not pregnant.

It’s sad because I can’t cook that food. Good thing I can still eat it because one of the drive thru of the roasted chicken stores is just few walks from our house. Yepey!

But, here is the recipe for Lumpiang Shanghai for those who want to cook it.

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds of cooked ground pork or beef
* 1 can of water chestnuts, sliced into small pieces
* 1 stick of carrot (grated)
* 1 cup of shrimp (cooked, unshelled, and minced)
* 1 cup of raisins
* sesame oil
* soy sauce
* 1 onion, sliced into small pieces
* 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
* oil
* 2 egg yolks
* lumpia wrapper (egg roll wrappers will work also)
* ground black pepper
* green onions, sliced into small pieces

Procedure:
Mix ground meat, water chestnuts, carrots, shrimps, raisins, sesame oil, onions,1 egg yolk thoroughly. Add soy sauce or salt, and pepper to taste. Put a one tablespoon of meat mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Flatten mixture. Roll wrapper like an egg roll. Fry. Serve with pineapple juice thickened with corn starch as sauce or with a mixture of soy sauce and lemon.

Onion maggots are one third to one fourth inch long white maggots. The greatest threat of damage comes during a very wet spring. The adult fly lays its eggs near or on the stem of the onion. The maggots often attack the leaves or neck of the stem first, which can lead to the plant appearing yellow and limp. The maggots may completely eat off the onion stem and enter the bulb where the bulb becomes an infested, rotting mess.

Onion sets are more susceptible than larger onions to the maggot. Try setting out onions as early as possible to give the onions a chance to outgrow the problem before it happens. Also, you may try covering the soil with a layer of sand or wood ash.

I can’t resists this sweet treats.

Well, this is not really good for those who are dieting like me. It composed of too much calories and fats. The sad thing is that I can’t stop myself from enjoying this sweet indulgence.

I think its okay to reward myself to enjoy both the cake and the coffee after dieting and exercising. I am just fooling myself. Hahaha!

It’s really yummy!