Kansas in Black & White

Abandoned

Pen Pal

 No Vacancy

An Invitation to a good conversation

It's not one-sided

Riley, Kansas

Toasted Garlic

Along with the excitement of Fall is the inevitable vulnerability to catching cold virus. Now that everyone in the household has been sick I thought it's time to make some good comfort food. We like to eat chicken noodle soup but this Filipino comfort food counter part is a champion in our household. It's chicken rice porridge, also known as, LUGAW or Arroz Caldo. This soup is similar to chicken noodle soup except this has ginger, fish sauce and of course rice. Once ready, it is served with chopped green onions, fresh ground pepper and Toasted Garlic. 

I love the toasted garlic on it as it gives it extra flavor. It's also good to add on noodle soup and noodle dishes. But in as much as I love having it, I don't really like peeling and chopping idea before the outcome. I guess I just don't like the smell it leaves on my hand. To solve that, I looked for a GARLIC PRESS and found peeled GARLIC cloves from a local Asian Store. So, the long process of making it was cut down to ten  minutes. 

Sprinkle toasted garlic on porridge

What is your favorite comfort food?

Sort'a Sorting

 Fruit loops for breakfast

sorting by colors 

Pink, Green and Yellow loops

Step into Fall

Beautiful pictures of Fall I fell into photographing.

stepped into Fall

Fall Up

Green into Yellow Orange

Shadows and the Leaves

Whole Wheat Croutons

Warm weather triggers your craving for light and cooler dishes. Here's an easy recipe for homemade croutons that will add an extra crunch to your Summer Salads. Or, you may give them to your kids as a healthy snack. My daughter loves them.

4 Slices of Wheat Bread

1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/8 teaspoon Paprika

1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Slice bread into cubes, approximately half inch by half inch.

3. Sprinkle garlic powder, paprika and salt over the bread.

4. Drizzle Olive oil over the bread.

5. Using your hands, mix ingredients altogether.

6. Spread croutons onto baking sheet.

7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly crunchy.

8. Enjoy with your homemade salad.

 

 

Market Day

"Time to wake up", I hear her say. I'm chilly. I can hear the annoying sound from the tricycle engine, which by the way, partially woke me up. So, I got up to see my Apu (Grandma) all dressed up. Telling me to get ready while putting on her make up. Me, barely awake and rushig to get ready so I can make it to the market. My Apu goes to Palengke (In Filipino, it means Wet Market) everyday. She gets up at 3 o'clock in the morning. She is a Palengke vendor. She sells kakanin. Kakanin is a snack that is made from rice. The word 'kanin' literally means rice. My Ingkung (grandfather) is the one in-charge for making the kakanin. He makes four or five different types of kakanin. But they were known for their kutsinta and kapit (sapin-sapin). Both of these contain rice, one calls for glutinous rice, they also contain sugar, one has coconut milk in it. Both are steamed. Kutsinta has a gelatinous texture while Kapit has that sticky texture, hence, in the local dialect the word Kapit literally means to stick. Kutsinta  is topped with fresh grated coconut. Kapit on the other hand is topped with latik, a by-product of coconut milk after it has been cooked.

By 3:30 a.m, her table is all set up. So, I sit back and observed. On my left, is my mom's table. She sells cassava cake, a kakanin made with grated cassava root or yuca. On my right is my grandfather's sister selling another type of kakanin. Behind me are the carenderia, I like to describe these as cafes that serves homecook meals. In front of me are the produce vendors. The background is very lively. In addition to this is the annoying or pleasing sound of karaoke singers. Man, they're everywhere.

By sunrise, Apu asks me if I'm ready to go help her get our food for the day, lunch and dinner. I follow her through the thick and restless crowd. I cup both my hands over my nose and mouth as I am greeted by the unpleasant smell of fresh slaughtered carcass. I just don't like the smell that's all. Did I mention I had to duck down to avoid any blood from getting on my face. I'm tempted to tell Apu I should go back at her stall and wait for her there. But, I went o with her. Next stop is the Fish and Seafood Department. Oh boy. Same reaction. This time I try to hold my breath because I don't want Apu to think that I can't stand being in the fish department. Just imagine you're surrounded by live and fresh fish. Whew, finally at the grocery section. No more smelly odor. Then home we go.

Today, I would like to go back in time to be with my Apu and accompany her at the market. Even if it would mean going through the meat or seafood department. This time I will not complain. Because, I enjoyed being with her. I had great memories with Apu. One of them is going to the market. Today, I'd be at the wet market in a heartbeat. Missing the convenience of fresh meats, seafood and produce the market has to offer  That's why I'm excited for the opening of Farmer's Market this Saturday. I like being in the market. I don't sell kakanins but I love being surrounded by fellow vendors and talking with the market goers.
I like Market days because it reminds me of the beautiful memories I had with my Apu.

About the Famer's Market.



Books For your little one

Farmers Market by Paul Brett

To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda



***This post is dedicated to my beautiful Apu Rosie who is celebrating her birthday today. Thank you very much for the sweet memories. Happy Birthday. Wishing you more years of good health. I hope to see you soon.

More Than You'll Ever Snow

Everything just look so beautiful in snow. So, the little one woke me up this morning and immediately wanting to go outside. So, after breakfast we played outside and I saw so many cool things to photograph.

 

Booted Love

I'll pedal with you 'til the end.

I Love You. 2-hearts-in-1

almost a snowball

To our family in the Philippines, I hope you enjoy looking at the photos. :)

Enjoy the Playlist!

Things Amazing

I like reading to my three-year old daughter. I remember reading to her when she was a newborn and that became part of our routine before nap and bedtime. As she's became more familiar with things,  I noticed that she can easily relate well with books. For example, she was using a straw cup by 14-months after reading and showing her illustrations of bees extracting pollen from a flower. The illustration looked like it was sipping liquid using a straw. So, eversince books have been a big part of our everyday routine. I feel very blessed that I get to spend time with her during her developmental years.

Last year, I heard of a children's book that was based from a classic song "One Love" by Bob Marley and adapted by daughter, Cedella Marley.  The picture book speaks to itself. It easily tells you its purpose. I love the colorful illustration as well. I highly recommend it.

One animated show I learned to like because I only hear about it 100 times a day or more from my daughter is Dinosaur Train. It's about a curious T-Rex named Buddy who was adopted by Pteranodon family, takes the dinosaur train and explore and have adventures with different kinds of dinosaurs. As a parent, I like to see her watch this because not only it teaches her about dinosaurs but also teaches her to be loving of others even if they're different. Just like what the Pteranodon family have done by treating Buddy the T-Rex as their own. I like that.

What shows do you like to watch with your child/ren? What message do they imply?