Got up early on a Saturday to surprise my friends with a little DIY brunch. Made a rich scrambled eggs dish with smoked salmon and extra creamy brie and served it with a simple salad (mixed greens tossed with feta, garlic croutons and vinaigrette), sourdough toast, maple bacon and fresh fruit.
I haven't blogged in ages!
(skip this paragraph if you want to skip my college woes) When I entered fashion school, I knew it wouldn't be easy (given that I had no prior sewing/draping/sketching knowledge), but I didn't expect it to be this time-consuming and draining. Whenever things get crazy, I automatically ponder how things would be like if I just took up hospitality management or culinary arts/pastry. I practically grew up in the kitchen so though I'm not assuming it would be easier, at least things would come more naturally to me. I can handle a stove/oven without much stress, but a sewing machine? That's a completely different (possibly even tragic) story, haha! What keeps me going though, are two things. First, taking the easy road would just be counter-productive. A challenge is always a good thing. I've always loved fashion, but it had to take a backseat while I pursued my love for dessert.Now that leads to the second motivational piece of wisdom. I was watching one of my guilty pleasures, Dancing with the Stars, one night and I remember Olympic ice skating champ Evan Lysacek's coach describing his journey. He said that Evan didn't start out as the best skater, but he was the most determined. Now look at what he's become! Hopefully this path I chose would lead me somewhere and all those tremendous challenges would be worth it down the road. And fingers crossed that my life goal of merging fashion and food would actually materialize somehow.
Okay so how does that lengthy speech relate to this Sunday brunch post? After eleven long, hard weeks of slaving over patterns and sketches, I finally have a few weeks off to put my dress form aside and kick back. What I'm most excited for is to have the luxury of time to enjoy the thing I'm most passionate about; food. Lately it's been a toxic diet of 5-Hour Energy drinks, granola bars and (at the risk of the gourmet gods striking lightning at me) Easy Mac. Now that I can put that on hiatus for a while, it feels great to begin my break with a sanity-restoring Sunday brunch.
To make this, butter and toast an English muffin (cut in half). Layer a thin slice of provolone cheese on one slice and a ham of your choice. You can also use turkey breast, bacon, spam, whatever your favorite sandwich-filler is. While that's toasting, prepare your eggs the way you like it. The picture up there shows two kinds; runny yolk sunny-side up and scrambled with sea salt and pepper. Take your toasted English muffin pieces and layer the egg on the cheese/ham piece. Put a thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese on top of your egg (the heat will melt it nicely) and top off with the other muffin piece. Serve with a cold glass of OJ or your favorite morning coffee. (Best enjoyed at 11am on a Sunday, wearing a fluffy fleece robe). Now for those of you thinking of turning the OJ into a morning mimosa, try to forego the idea altogether! Not the best idea for a lazy Sunday!
Have a great Sunday everyone!
My mom and her friends have enjoyed this uber-quick dessert for years now. It's easy, fast, and a great way to enjoy your strawberries for a longer time. It's also perfect for entertaining because there's barely any preparation needed. Watch out though, because a dessert like this is ultra addictive. Measure out your portions or you'll have an empty pint of ice cream before you know it!
Once the strawberries have been in the freezer for a day or more, take them out to thaw them for a few minutes. Scoop some chocolate ice cream into a bowl and layer a generous amount of strawberries over them. A touch of whipped cream and a mint leaf would be a nice touch if you're entertaining. Crush the strawberries ever so slightly with a teaspoon, swirl it into the ice cream, and enjoy!
If you're trying to eat healthy, use a sugar substitute with the strawberries instead of white sugar. Layer the strawberries with nonfat yogurt and granola for a quick parfait or blend with other fruits for an ice-cold smoothie.
Just a teaser. Will post the recipe soon!
Sorry about the backlog in posts! Been so busy with school, projects and a bunch of other things. And just to sweeten things all the more, I caught the flu last week! When I'm sick, there's a miracle healing effect in a bowl of chicken noodle soup that makes me feel better almost instantly.
Made this quick, creamy version with 2 packs of Lipton chicken noodle soup, about 3 cups of water (A single pack usually needs 4 cups, but I like it rich, so I use very little water), a cup or so of milk (the milk and water proportions can be adjusted according to personal preference of course), an egg, a dash of salt, pepper, and Emeril's Chicken Rub (random, I know, but it gave it a nice extra dimension). Added a dash of red pepper flakes just to balance out the richness of the soup. It's really all about finding the combination that works for you.
The next day, I woke up feeling a million times better. I probably can't attribute that to the soup entirely, but it sure helped!
My friends and I went to the Getty Museum in LA and dropped by the cafe for a quick bite. Found this sandwich that gave me a good recipe idea! Rye bread, cream cheese w/ chives (or any herb of choice), lettuce, tomato, and smoked salmon. I would add a squeeze of lemon and maybe a dash of cayenne just for an extra kick.
One thing I wish we had in Manila is accessibility to a good assortment of berries and cherries that are moderately priced. When I'm in the US, I go crazy with these. Here's a really easy Triple Berry Crisp I made with fresh blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
It was so difficult not to sneak in a few pieces while making this!
Tossed the berries in a few tablespoons of sugar to give them that beautiful juice when they're baked
The mix of the tartness of the berries intermingling with the sweetness and coarse texture of the crust made this dessert so irresistible! This recipe doesn't call for very precise methods and ingredients. Use your favorite crumble / oat crisp recipe (or get one online at Epicurious.com or FoodTV.com) and the berries/cherries you might have on hand already.
Okay okay, I know the title sounds cheesy. I actually saw a mobile baby back ribs cart that had that as their title. Never got to try the ribs, but the name pretty much stuck to my head. Anyhow, a big plate of braised beef ribs falling off the bone is a surefire to bring out the fatty in me.
yum.. falling off the bone!
this makes me weak in the knees!!
Sweet potatoes slathered with butter on the side
A good rib recipe my family loves is Emeril's Baby Back Ribs with Homemade Barbecue Sauce. Click here for the recipe.
I've read a lot of dieting / healthy eating books, articles and lists. One consistent thing I seem to always come by is the "make your plate colorful" tip (or variations of it). I don't mean spilling a bag of Skittles on your plate, okay. A colorful, healthy plate connotes something like this; a hearty ham and cheese sandwich with fresh, healthy condiments.
It's a simple idea, really. But just in case you want the exact ingredients of what I have pictured above, here it is:
I'm a fashion student who owns a dessert business with plans to conquer the world one cupcake at a time.
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