MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan

He’s 8!

April 15, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 22 Comments

I still can’t believe that my little boy is already 8. We celebrated with the family last Friday, and since it was his special day, Little MrC got to choose where we would have lunch and dinner. For lunch, he chose one of our super favorites, Omakase. For dinner, it was Project Pie.

Before heading out to dinner, MrC gave our birthday gift to the kiddo. He asked for binoculars, and MrC was able to find a nice National Geographic one at Hobbes and Landes.

I think the binoculars make him look like Wall-E

At Project Pie, I was initially overwhelmed because it was our first time there and there were so many options! It takes me a while to order because I can never decide what it is I want, so I was feeling kind of pressured in line when it was time to build my pie. Yes, I take these things seriously. Fortunately, I did good with my pizza, which had red sauce, mozzarella and Gorgonzola cheeses, prosciutto, fresh mushrooms and a sprinkle of Parmesan on top.

I think the little guy and MrC put red sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms, pineapple, pepperoni, meatballs, bacon, mozzarella and Parmesan on our second pizza. I recently discovered that I’m not a fan of pizza that’s loaded with toppings, so I only had a couple of bites of this one.

I, of course, tried everyone’s creations, and among all the pizzas our family made that night, my favorite was the one built my my sister’s boyfriend, Koko. He chose the #6, which has grilled chicken, sliced red onion, cilantro, mozzarella, Gorgonzola and barbecue sauce, with additional bacon. I am definitely ordering this next time, but without the cilantro (I don’t like cilantro!), and with prosciutto instead of bacon. Yum.

After dinner, and before bed, we sang Happy Birthday and had some cake at home. I am so, so proud of my friend, Mina, for decorating this amazing Regular Show cake! She works at Daisee’s Bakeshop in Las Pinas, and they make really nice custom cakes that taste good and are super affordable. I super duper, highly recommend them!

Spot Mordecai, Rigby, and Lola who was having too much fun

Time really does go by so quickly! Imagine, MrC and I have been parents for 8 years. What an adventure it has been so far, and for sure, it’s gonna keep getting even more exciting as the years go by.

(Not) Just Thai

April 14, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 28 Comments

I love Thai food, and we actually make our fair share of Curry, Tom Yum Soup and Pad Thai at home. Oddly though, we rarely eat at Thai restaurants. I’m not sure why that is. Like, in the case of Just Thai in Molito, we pass that place all the time but never really go inside. MrC or I would say, “Oh we should try this place one of these days.” And then when we’re out again, we opt to eat somewhere else.

Last week, we finally got to find out what we were missing at Just Thai. I was invited by a fellow southie mommy blogger, Kathy Kenny, to join a small group of bloggers for dinner. I’m actually super happy that I was allowed to bring the boys with me, too. The three of us always eat out together, and the experience just wouldn’t be the same if they weren’t there.

Little MrC and I got there at around 6pm, and we waited for MrC to join us, as he was on his way home from work. I got to chat a bit with Kenny and a couple other bloggers I met at the Chicdriven launch I attended at Azumi Hotel a few weeks back. The restaurant was nice enough to feed my little boy ahead after he so loudly declared that he was super hungry, then proceeded to down a plate of peanuts and a mango shake.

Kid-friendly food

The kiddo was served a plate of Chicken Sate and a bowl of Pandan Rice. Super good, and super kid-friendly. I often worry about what to feed this kid when we dine at Asian and Indian restaurants coz some flavors and spices just don’t agree with a child’s taste buds. I’m happy to report that, at Just Thai, this will not be a problem at all.

While waiting for everyone to arrive, we were served cold drinks. Of course, I chose my super forever favorite, Thai Iced Tea . I love how thick and creamy Just Thai’s version is. I would seriously go back just for this. MrC tried the Tamarind Juice , and he said it tasted like those sticky tamarind snacks that he likes.

Thai iced tea on the left, tamarind juice on the right

Starters and main dishes

After a while, our group was complete. I was so excited to finally have a face to match one of my favorite Twitter friends, @SouthSnippets, and also to finally attend a blogger event with my real-life friend Joei.

And then, it was time for dinner. We started with two big bowls of soup and a salad. The Tom Yum soup was quite nice, tangy and spicy and really MrC’s type. The Kuai Tiao Neua, was a beef noodle soup with a hint of sourness. It was good, but I can’t eat a lot of it. I loved the Yam Neua, a salad topped with spicy-sweet beef that went so well with the fresh veggies.

The main dishes were all really good, too. I love that we got to try so many of them, and believe me, there was a lot to sample. My favorite was the Pad Gaprow Talay, which is a mixed seafood with basil dish swimming in a coconut-cream sauce, kind of like a curry. The basil really gave this dish a clean, fresh taste.

We also got to try the Pad Thai, which is a must-order for me at every Thai place. Just Thai’s was different because there was a hint of tomato in there. This is the first time I’ve had Pad Thai like this, and I order this dish a lot. I even make it at home. I enjoyed it though, and I like that it’s not the usual.

Also served to us were the Gai Pad Met Ma Maling, which is chicken with cashew, the Gaeng Leuang, a yellow curry dish with vegetables and tofu, and Crabmeat Fried Rice. I was glad that the kiddo had some plain steamed rice left over, coz the main dishes were so flavorful that they really needed plain rice. I imagine the crabmeat fried rice would be good with Pandan Chicken, which is something I have on my must-try list for our next visit to Just Thai.

There’s always room for dessert

We were all super full (and the boys were actually sleepy) after all that food. There was no way we were leaving without trying the desserts though. We all loved the Tha Kho coconut pudding, which was really light and not very sweet. It was a great ending to a meal that was so full of flavor.

I also had a bite of the Khao Niaow Ma Muang, which we all felt was too pretty to eat. It’s a super heavy dessert made of sticky rice topped with mango with a coconut sauce on the side. I prefer it without the sauce, though. I think this would actually be great as an afternoon snack.

We officially have another restaurant to add to our must-visit places in Molito. Thanks so much, Just Thai, for a wonderful evening. The boys and I super enjoyed, and we certainly went home stuffed and happy. We will be back soon!

Just Thai Alabang
Molito Lifestyle Center
Alabang, Muntinlupa
Phone 808-4058
#/pages/Just-Thai/194210380589164

Recipe: Baked French Toast With Cinnamon Sugar Topping

April 10, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 17 Comments

I promised this recipe to a bunch of people last week, and I’m really sorry that I haven’t been able to post it until today. Last week was quite a challenge, as you know if you follow me on social media. (If you don’t, please do here, here and here.)

Anyway, better late than never, as I always say. Here’s a recipe for a super yummy and sweet breakfast treat, Baked French Toast with Cinnamon Sugar Topping. This is perfect with a mug of coffee, so start your day right by brewing some!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×9″ glass baking pan with cooking spray or butter. Use unsalted if you don’t want to have a salty crust on your French toast. Then, tear up about 5 cups of bread and arrange the pieces inside the pan. I used an assortment of regular loaf, whole wheat loaf and pandesal. I like to store bread in the freezer, and this dish is a great way to use up that stash.

I really had fun tearing up these bread pieces

In a bowl, whisk together 5 eggs (1 egg for each cup of bread), 2 cups of whole milk, 1/2 cup each of brown and white sugar, and 2 tablespoons of vanilla.

Yes, this is another fattening recipe, I’m afraid.

Pour the custard over the bread, making sure that each piece is moistened. I like to press the bread down, bringing some of the liquid up to the top. Refrigerate for a few minutes and allow to soak.

While this is happening, combine 1/3 cup each of flour and brown sugar , plus 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a separate bowl.

Take a stick of cold butter (must be cold, this is important), and mash it into the flour and sugar mixture until little pebbles are formed. Try your best to keep this cold, otherwise you will end up with boulders instead of pebbles. Again, if you don’t want this to be too salty, use unsalted butter. Or you can also opt not to add more salt to the mix.

See, my butter ended up warming up faster than I wanted it to, so I had rather large pebbles

Sprinkle topping over the entire casserole. Then, pop in the oven to bake. If you want the finished product to be soft and squishy, keep this in the oven for 30-35 minutes. For a more firm, slightly dryer French toast casserole, bake for 40-45 minutes.

One last look before going into the oven

That’s it! This is really nice eaten warm, but also good when cold. Next time, I’ll try to make a version with apples in it. Yum! Oh, one last note, this recipe is a cross between The Pioneer Woman, Rachel Ray, and one more recipe I found online that I cannot remember anymore. Enjoy!

Baked French Toast with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

2014-04-10 07:46:04

French toast, done differently.

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Ingredients

5 cups torn up bread
2 cups whole milk
5 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp vanilla

For the topping

1 stick butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x9" glass baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Arrange the torn bread pieces in the pan.
In a bowl, make a custard by whisking together the milk, eggs, sugars and vanilla.
Pour custard over the bread, making sure that each piece is moistened. Refrigerate and allow to soak. You can actually prepare ahead up to this point and let the casserole soak overnight.

Prepare the topping

Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
Mash cold butter into the dry ingredients using a fork to form pebbles.
Sprinkle the topping over the soaked bread.

Bake uncovered for

30-35 minutes if you want a soft and squishy consistency, 40-45 minutes if you want your French toast to be more firm.

Notes

Enjoy!

By Mrs C

Adapted from assorted online recipes

At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

The Mysterious Chairman Wang and His Prime Beef Noodle House

April 9, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 32 Comments

The little boy and I joined a couple other bloggers last week at an intimate lunch mini-event in the newly opened Chairman Wang’s Prime Beef Noodle House in Molito. We have been excited about this event since mid-March when we received the invite because we are always in Molito, and we’d really been waiting for this place to open for some months now. Chairman Wang’s finally opened it’s doors last February, and I hear from their Operations Manager, Blush, that things have been going well for them so far. It’s not surprising, really, because, as we discovered, the food there is really yummy.

Who is Chairman Wang

This was actually the first question that I asked Blush and the restaurant’s Marketing Malanger, Alyz. I had actually expected Chairman Wang to be a fictional character, but apparently he is real! He is a chef, an expert noodle-puller and restaurant owner in China, and he decided to open a noodle house here together with some Filipino partners. We were told that Chairman Wang trained the chefs in noodle-pulling himself, and he was also very hands-on in developing the menu for the restaurant.

We got to watch one of the expert noodle-pullers in action!

My follow-up question was, “Is he old?” Why did I ask this? Well, it’s because I kind of imagined Chairman Wang to look like those old Kung Fu masters I remember seeing on TV when I was little, when Sunday mornings meant that Chinese Drama Theater was on. As in the ones with long hair, either white or black, long mustaches, long beards, and sometimes even long eyebrows. This was pre-cable, so I don’t know if any of you younger guys out there know what I’m talking about.

Checking out the beautiful restaurant interiors with my fellow bloggers

No, Chairman Wang is not old and he does not look like a Shaolin master according to Blush, who had the chance to train under him. The restaurant, though, looks like it came straight out of a Kung Fu movie set, and I think that might be what sparked my inquiry. Lol. A lot of the accents including their wall panel decor, mural and drop lights were actually imported from China for the noodle house. I really wanted to see what Mr Wang looks like, but I guess his face will have to remain a mystery for now.

Hand-pulled noodles and Szechuan-style cooking

Here in the Philippines, Chinese restaurants usually serve Cantonese cuisine. Chairman Wang’s features more of a Szechuan-style menu, with bolder spices and stronger flavors. In contrast, the freshly made noodles in their signature dish – the prime Angus beef broth – was mild and delicate, perfectly complementing the other food that was served to us.

Blush and Alyz did most of the ordering. Here’s what we had.

We were served a carafe of Chrysanthemum Iced Tea, which is a mix of chrysanthemum tea, longgan, goji berries, honey and mint leaves. This is super refreshing, and really my kind of iced tea. There was also some Lemon Ginger Ale, which I wasn’t able to try. For our appetizers, we tried the Smoked Duck Breast in Hoisin Wrap and the Braised Beancurd Skin with Soy Tofu. I loved the beancurd skin. It was really crispy and tasty. The duck wrap was good also, except that there was cilantro inside, and I really don’t like cilantro.

I know that people would usually try new things when in new places, but because I am a creature of habit (and I had a kid with me), I requested for the Sweet and Sour Pork and Olive Fried Rice. Little MrC actually wanted to try a different kind of fried rice, but it was the olive rice that was highly recommended. He wasn’t so hot on the idea of this unfamiliar dish so he ended up eating plain rice instead. I thought that the olive rice was really flavorful and went well with the sweet and sour. Instead of the usual pineapple chunks, the pork dish had orange wedges in it. It was good, but definitely not what we’re used to.

As for the noodle bowls, we got to try the Chairman’s Prime Beef Noodle Soup, which I loved, and the Poached Sliced Beef with Vermicelli in Spicy Sichuan Broth, which was good but really flavorful and oily. It was also on the spicy side. MrC would super love this.

The kiddo and his special request + my favorites

My favorites of all were the Shrimp Hakaw (I told you, creature of habit), and the Chinese Curry Lamb Caserole, which was a total surprise because this was the first time that I ever had lamb at a Chinese restaurant. I love lamb and I love curry, and so this was an expected hit for my taste buds. This dish needs plain rice though, as it’s really so potently flavored, so I was happy to finish off what was left of the kiddo’s jasmine rice bowl.

Little MrC and I both agree that dessert was the best part of our meal. We each had a bowl of Chilled Coconut Milk Soup with Sago and Fresh Fruits. This was soooooooo good, not too sweet, and super refreshing. It’s perfect for a hot summer snack with the fresh grapes, dragon fruit and other tropical fruits swimming in the coconut milk broth. I would go back just for this. Really.

Thumbs up, Chairman Wang!

This restaurant gets a thumbs up from me. I promised Blush and Alyz that the fambam will come visit some time, and guess what, they already did! Last weekend, my parents and my brother had dinner in Chairman Wang’s and they were pretty happy with their experience, too. One thing that my brother noted was that the servers really knew their menu. He has food allergies, and they were able to tell him what he could and couldn’t eat.

Blush told us, actually, that the servers really were made to learn their food offerings inside-out, and I noticed that when we were there. Of course, I figured they would all bring their A-game for us bloggers. So when my brother told me that the server during their visit knew his stuff as well, I was definitely impressed. I can safely say that Chairman Wang’s staff members really offer top-notch service to their customers.

Thank you, Blush, Alyz and the rest of the Chairman Wang staff!

MrC has yet to try the yummy food here, so we will definitely see everyone again at Chairman Wang’s! Thank you, Blush and Alyz for being such gracious hosts, and of course, for allowing me to bring the little guy along for lunch. I super appreciate it.

Chairman Wang’s Prime Beef Noodle House
Unit 18 Molito Lifestlye Complex
Madrigal Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Phone: (02) 828-8477
#/chairmanwangs

Soccer Mom For The Summer

April 7, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 20 Comments

I am so excited that the kiddo enjoyed his trial class at the Futbol Funatics Summer Camp here in Alabang. That means that I am officially going to be a soccer mom this summer. *Happy Dance*

Yes, I am excited about this for so many reasons. First, we get to maintain a regular schedule even though it’s summer, so we won’t be so thrown off once it’s time to get back into the school year groove. Second, the kiddo gets to learn something new. This is his first time to try any team sport, and I’m happy that he likes it so far. Third, he and I get to spend time outside of the house away from our gadgets at least twice a week. And finally, I get to practice my very amateur photography skills during his sessions.

I just started using the 55-200mm lens I got from Mom On Duty Kim (thanks, Kim, for the safari/paparazzi lens!), and it’s a bit challenging because the shadowy parts end up really dark in some photos. I’m also still trying to find a good apperture-shutter speed-ISO-white balance for the time of day that we’re out on the field. Hopefully, as summer goes by, this kid’s soccer skills improve, and so does my photography. Let’s see, let’s see!

This post is really just for me to share my favorite captured moments from our first day at soccer camp. So, what do you guys think? Which picture do you like best and why? And to my readers out there who are experienced photographers, what can I do to improve my photos?

Sunday Seven: My Videoke Playlist

April 6, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 45 Comments

I don’t know about you guys, but I love a good videoke session. Something about singing and dancing along with a group of friends or family really lifts my spirits. And just like every videoke enthusiast, I have my set of must-sing songs, or my videoke playlist, so to speak. Because everyone in my family loves to sing, my family and my in-law’s, everybody from both sets of parents to our Little MrC, the usual three hour singing session is not enough.

For my birthday last February, we decided to check out the newly opened Music 21 in Alabang. It’s oh so conveniently located down the street from our village gate, right across Alabang Zapote Road. The place was super clean and nice when we were there because it had only been open for a few weeks. Even the restrooms were really clean, and they even had toilet paper. I really hope that they manage to keep up the cleanliness coz that’s going to be a major factor for me on whether or not we ever go back.

As soon as we got there, we ordered some food and, well, MrC started to warm up his vocal chords.

I actually remembered my videoke celebration because I saw some of our photos from that night while cleaning up my laptop’s folders. So, for today’s Sunday Seven I thought I’d share the seven songs that absolutely positively must be on my videoke playlist, no matter what.

1. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston

I may not be thebest singer, but I know I can carry a tune. As far as range goes, well, let’s just say that I can manage this song on good days. The important thing is that I have fun with it anyway, right?

I’m so glad that my sister- and brother-in-law were able to join us, coz they’re from far, far away.

2. Love Will Lead You Back – Taylor Dayne

Honestly, I don’t know why I love singing this song, I just do. And not just at videoke. In the car, in the shower, in the supermarket, pretty much every time I hear it, actually.

3. Through The Fire – Chaka Khan

Through The Fire will always and forever be my grand finale videoke song. I don’t like the version of Nina though. Once I key this song in, you’ll know I’m planning to head home already haha!

See my mom in red? She’s out-singing me, even without a microphone. And that’s my dad next to her, holding a crispy pata bone.

4. A Very Special Love – Maureen McGovern

My mom thinks that I like this song because of the John Lloyd – Sarah Geronimo movie. Well, okay, maybe I do. But I don’t sing the Sarah G version, okay?

I’m also glad that the usually shy Koko, my sister’s boyfriend, actually sang a few songs, too. Yay!

5. Endless Love – Lionel Richie and Diana Ross

Let me ask you, what’s the point of having a husband who sings if you don’t duet with him? Sure, he may sound a whole lot better than I do, but overall, with his harmonizing and my emote singing, we do pretty well together. This is one of our favorite duets, and we sometimes play a videoke version at home on YouTube and sing in bed when we have nothing better to do.

MrC did this really exaggerated version of Aerosmith’s Amazing, and we all thought it was funny. Even my brother.

6. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

I once sang and danced to this song on Just Dance at home, and I got really, really tired and short of breath in the process. Everyone thought it was hilarious. After that, I thought I wouldn’t want to sing this song anymore, but I was wrong. It’s still one of my videoke favorites.

Siblings + Significant others + Little MrC

7. I Think I’m In Love – Kuh Ledesma

Yay, an OPM song! I actually had trouble deciding between this and Dina Bonnevie’s Bakit Ba Ganyan for this list, but I Think I’m In Love wins because it’s my mom’s favorite also, and I love imitating her while singing this.

Do you like to videoke? What songs are your favorites?

P.S. If you’ll notice, I didn’t so Sunday Seven last week. That’s coz I’ve decided to alternate my weekly features. Last week I posted a recipe for pork chops and skipped Sunday Seven. This week, I have the Sunday series but no recipe. So there. Hope you guys had an amazeballs weekend!