Broiled Pineapple with Butter-Rum Sauce

Description:
A unique way to serve pineapple, this dessert will get your family and guests' attention. Not all pineapples are naturally sweet, so this will be a good alternative to turn a not-so-sweet pineapple into a delectable dessert!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 c dark rum (any kind)
pinch of allspice, cinnamon and nutmet
8 on-inch thick slices of ripe pineapple.

Directions:
-Combine the butter, sugar, rum, allspice, cinnamon and nutmet in a medium saucepan over medium heat stirring until the butter is melted and
the sugar is dissolved.
-Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce beocmes slightly syrupy and coats the back of a spoon.
-Preheat the broiler and place the pineapple slices ont he rak of a broiling pan.
-Broil the pineapple until they caramelize about 8 to 10 minutes each side.
-Transfer into the plate and serve immediately with the warm sauce!

Curried Mussels (Tahong) in Coconut Milk and Lemon Grass

Description:
For seafood lovers, try this delicious and easy-to-do mussel recipe.
The lemon grass (tanglad) is optional but it makes the dish smell good!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp curry powder
1 stalk lemongrass trimmed and cut into 4 pieces...each smashed using
a big kitchen knife
3 pounds or approximately 1-1/2 kilos of mussels, scrubbed and cleaned,
washed and rinsed.
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup dry white wine of any brand (you may skip this if you wish)
1/4 tsp ground pepper (freshly ground is best)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
1 lime, cut into wedges


Directions:
-Melt butter in a 5- to 6 qt pot over medium heat.
-Add the shallot and cook for 1 minute until softened
-Stir in the curry powder, coconut milk and lemongrass
-Cook for 3 minutes
-Add the mussels and stir well.
-Turn up the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil
-Reduce the heat slightly, cover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes more or
until the mussels open. (Discard mussels that do not open)
-Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels as they open into a bowl.
-Season with salt and pepper.
-Sprinkle with jalapeno and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Veggie Delicious Casserole

Description:
This is good for vegetarians, although the cheesy dish is rich!!!
But, try serving this to non-vegetable eaters (kids especially) and they won't complain!!! Total time to prepare is around 25 mins, while baking time is 15 minutes.....definitely, the result is a sure knock-out!

Ingredients:
8 small new potatoes
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
8 baby carrots
4 stalks asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small can of canned or fresh corn kernels
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Salt
Black pepper
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh parsley


Directions:
1. Bring a 2-quart saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes; cover and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat the cooking process with the cauliflower, carrots and asparagus, cooking just until crisp-tender.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole with butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the cheese, stirring until melted.

4. Arrange the vegetables in the buttered casserole. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and sprinkle with the parsley. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Good Old Days -For those born in the 40's, 50's and 60's

Someone in my office posted this on our bulletin board and I thought it was such a good honest piece that perhaps, people like me, will like to reminisce and relate with the good, old days! I did relate with some of these myself, and perhaps you too!.  So, here goes-----

First, we survived being born to mothers who, perhaps, smoked and/ or drank a glass or two while they carried us.

Our mothers took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a tin, and did not get tested for diabetes

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a van - loose- was always great fun.

We drank water from the garden hose pipe and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends,from one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cakes, white bread and real butter and drank pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......

        We were always outside playing!!!!

On weekend, we would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day, and we were OK

We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill only to find out we forgot the brakes.  After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to resolve the problem.

We did not have playstations, nintendos, x-boxes, no video games at all, no 120 channels, no cable TV, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cd players and no headsets to listen to personal cd players, no cellphones, no text messaging, no personal computers, no internet or internet chat rooms...we only  had our  friends to play with!

We fell out of trees, suffered  cuts, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We played with sguiggly  worms and other insects,or mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever!

We made up games with sticks  and stones, and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we rarely poked out any eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door, rang the bell, or just yelled for them!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.  They actually sided with the law!

This generation has produced one of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas!"

                                                ******

I am happy to say I belong to that era...

 

April 7 - Special Day

Today is a special day for Rick and me....it is our 6th wedding anniversary! 
We exchanged simple anniversary cards and he gifted me with my favorite red Bromellad plant.  Our union, he said, can be likened to this plant ----which grew over the years, and will continue to grow as we water and nurtured this relationship with love, understanding, laughter,  humor, patience and care which we have done all these years and will continue to do.
We only have each other here at home but Rick has embraced my daughters, Anne and Jade and their husbands, Yani and Duane, into his life and, most of all, my 2 lovely grandkids: Migs and Gina.  Conversely, I communicate with his sisters and dad who are all based in West Virginia. 
To celebrate this day, dinner will be at a favorite restaurant then watch a movie.  This is our simple celebration...yet nothing is simple when we consider each other as the best that has happened to both of us!  

Heaven and Elections

A friend from Manila sent me this joke and I thought

it's quite a timely reminder when we go to the polls come election day.

I hope you'll have a good laugh, as I did! Here goes....

-------------------
 
While walking down the street one day a Philippine
senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at
the entrance.

Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you
settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see
a high official around these parts, you see, so we're
not sure what to do with you." No problem, just let me in,"

says the senator.

Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up.
What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and
one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend
eternity."
Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in
heaven," says the senator.
I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator
and he goes down, down, down to hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a
green golf course.
In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front
of it are all his friends and other politicians who
had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress.
They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce
about the good times they had while getting rich at
the expense of the people.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on
lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very
friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and
telling jokes.

They are all having such a good time that before the
senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a

hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in
heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's
time to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of
contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing
the harp and singing.  They have a good time and, before he

realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in
heaven.  Now choose your eternity."

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers:
Well, I would have never said it before, I  mean heaven has been delightful,
but I think I would be better off in hell." So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes
down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the
middle of a barren land covered with waste and
garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up
the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash
falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around
his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers the senator.
"Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course
and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar,
drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now
there's just a wasteland full of garbage
and my friends look miserable. What happened?"
The devil smiles at him and says, "Yesterday we
were campaigning

 

but Today, you voted."

The "niceties" of Valentines Day 2007!

Rick prepared a special dinner for our 6th Valentines Day together.  Since the weather was bad with snow, ice, etc., we opted to spend the evening at home.  And with the dinner were a bunch of red roses in a cute red vase, cards, red candles and the one that I enjoyed the most was a huge heart-shaped balloon---not an ordinary one---but rather--a singing balloon.  He asked me to tap the balloon and once I did---it sang  a cute song: "how sweet it is to loved by you..."  Ha ha ha...I was most surprised and pleased!  I've never seen or heard of a balloon like this!  I guess I will have to play it every Valentines Day.

I am posting some photos of our beautiful Valentines  night!  Also, a video of the singing balloon!