All-Around Pinay Mama

lt's All About Love: Working Mom Magazine February 2015

February 18, 2015

Grabbing and reading a copy of Working Mom Magazine February 2015 issue definitely made me so excited. Many insights were given about nurturing and treasuring love in all forms not just for the love month but everyday as well. The tips found on this mag could fit different lifestyles and personalities.

Here's the sneak peek on what's in store for moms this month:

On Romantic Love...

- Working Mom planned the perfect date options and matched them with the latest trends in fashion (An Affair to Remember, page 25).

- There are doable tips for us, moms, to keep ourselves in tiptop and desirable shape with energy levels soaring high (9 Easy Energy Boosters, page 30).

- Couples can get a dose of libido-boosting foods and get ready for a romantic night at home (Spice Up Things, page 31).

- Maybe we're too shy to ask about certain things about sex. Working Mom has the answers (10 Questions You are Shy to Ask, page 34).

- Giving chocolates is sweet but using it to make a feast is sweeter (You Can Have Chocolate in Your Salad, page 78).

- Planning a quick getaway with hubby is easy with Working Mom's best options (Romantic Escapades, page 82).

- Bringing sexy back in our bedroom can turn our hubbies on for some lovin' (Bedroom Bliss, page 87)!

- Richard and Lucy Gomez inspires married couples to stay bonded and happily married for years (Love Story, page 40).

On Family Love...

- We can help our kids nurture good relationships among themselves (Strengthen Sibling Love, page 61).

- It takes an effort to build a strong mom and son relationship (It's A Date!, page 64).

- It is a must to understand securing our family's future (Operation: Invest, page 56).

- We can prepare fun and healthy bento meals for the kids not just on Valentine's Day but everyday (Love at First Bite, page 63).

- Spreading sweetness to our friends and loved ones with homemade cake pops is fun, fun fun (Make it Pop, page 77)!

On Loving God...

Pope Francis teaches us the true meaning of Christian faith (Faith in Action, page 72).

Mommies, get your copy now from your favorite newsstands and bookstores! You'll enjoy and learn so many things from it aside from the ones mentioned above, promise! There's so much in store for us!

For more Working Mom Magazine updates, you may go to these websites:

https://www.facebook.com/WorkingMom.Magazine

http://twitter.com/workingmommag

http://instagram.com/workingmommag

Papa's Ultimate Healthy Spaghetti Recipe

February 17, 2015

A friend was asking about how Papa and I celebrated Valentine's Day. I said we ate left over spaghetti and vanilla ice cream with the kids, bonded with them after, then both of us had time together when the kids were asleep. We love each other dearly for six years of being in a relationship and 10 years of being married. Everyday is Valentine's Day for us especially now that we have kids.

Papa's love for cooking makes everyday very special for us. We can feel his passion for cooking in every dish that he serves. One of his most requested dishes is a healthy spaghetti where he can actually conceal all the veggies that our kids don't like to eat.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1 kilo Del Monte or Dole sweet style spaghetti sauce

1 head garlic, minced

2 medium red onions, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 kilo ground pork

2 big carrots, grated

2 tablespoons minced coriander

165g bar Eden Cheese, grated

1/2 kilo tomato, halved

400g Jolly button mushrooms

1 kilo spaghetti, cooked al dente

dash of McCormick dried basil and oregano

sugar, measurement depends on your taste preference

water

salt, optional

Procedure

1. Boil meat together with onion, coriander, and pepper until oil comes out. Fry until light brown.

2. Saute meat with garlic and mushrooms.

3. Add in carrots, halved tomatoes, and water until ingredients are slightly submerged. Stir occasionally while cooking in medium fire.

4. Once it's cooked, put spaghetti sauce, grated cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, and sugar. Let it simmer. To adjust the taste, add sugar or salt.

Papa doesn't mince the tomatoes to preserve their juices. Both of us love eating them chunky while we press and mash them before serving the spaghetti to our kids.

Here is the photo of the finished product. By the way, we noticed that the sauce tastes better after 24 hours. If you wish to eat it the following day, don't forget to refrigerate. The sauce can be used as dip or pizza sauce too!

"No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention."

- Christoper Morley

Quick and Easy Creamy Chicken Spread Recipe

February 08, 2015

There is Always Sunshine After the Rain

February 06, 2015

Last month, Kuya had Amoebiasis again while Pope Francis was here in the Philippines. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding promted me to let him rest for another week in prepation for colonoscopy last Saturday. An appproximately 1 cm rectal polyp was found, cauterized, and sent for biopsy. While Kuya was having GIT problems, mom was down with flu. Then I was afflicted with flu too while Bunso was suffering from viral infection. While his temperature rose to 39.1 C, Kuya was having his preparation for colonoscopy. Papa and I stayed awake the entire night monitoring them both. I was doing sponge bath to Bunso while Kuya was going in and out the bathroom. He even had upset stomach that made him vomit in the living room. What a horrible night that was!

Despite the fact that I was sick and it was very hard for me to get out of our bed, I had to forge on and attend to my sons and Mom. There was nobody to depend on except Papa. After Kuya's colonoscopy , he started being febrile that me decide not to let him attend his classes last Monday. His immune system was probably low that he got viral infection. Last Tuesday, Papa was sent home due to the same reason.

As of Tuesday, I was the only one feeling a little well here at home. The question was, could I still stay sane? If that scenario happened 20 years ago, maybe I won't have the same mindset.

I would say to myself everyday that I should keep moving forward. But everyday was getting very difficult as weeks passed. Like last Wednesday, I felt so sad because my hands were tied. I was getting my strength from Papa and Mom but they were sick too.

I closed my eyes, prayed harder, and forced myself to sleep. I had to ease my worries. Good thing they worked.

I had be strong for the family. I had to balance my life. I had to answer customers' queries. I still did orders while being sick to meet deadlines. Yes, I had to keep moving forward to do all these things for the good of my family.

I remembered myself saying this to my single friends, "Before you raise a family, you have to be prepared in all aspects because it's not easy and will never be easy to be a mom or dad and raise a family. When family members get sick, it really hurts..."

If only I could shoulder all my loved-ones' sickness and pain, I would do that willingly.

As the day of the biopsy result got nearer, I felt weaker. I hoped for the best but prepared for the worst.

I also discovered that Mom had a lump near her breasts. Oh Lord, I was trembling. I prayed harder.

Yesterday was the moment of truth. My stomach was churning as I rushed to the laboratory to get Kuya's biopsy result. I bravely read it. Kuya's polyp was free from malignancy. I held back my tears. I was so happy.

Mom was checked by Kuya's doctor. The lump wasn't inside the intestinal cavity or any organ. It was suspected to be a sebaceous cyst. I felt relieved but not too much. It wasn't done yet. A minor operation was sheduled. Like Kuya's, mom's cyst should be sent to the laboratory for biopsy.

My faith in the Lord kept me going. Praying made me sane. Why wasn't I convinced that God wouldn't fail me? Silly me.

Ham and Queso de Bola Waffles Using Hanabishi Hotdog Maker

January 25, 2015

Chocolate Overload Refrigerator Cake

January 25, 2015

Red Ribbon's Richer and Tastier Mocha Roll Makes Everyday Moments Sweeter

January 24, 2015

In every special occasion, even in ordinary days like having simple cravings and indulgence, I always consider cakes as part of making my loved ones or my day very special. When I got a box of this Mocha Roll from my friends from Red Ribbon and Green Bulb Public Relations, it brightened up my day! I was so stressed with too much work that by just looking at it I was invigorated! Once I tasted it, oh, how I loved it! It was richer and yummier, perfect with coffee or tea. It woke up my senses which made it my best companion during my sleepless nights of meeting deadlines.

Red Ribbon Mocha Roll has a taste of heaven in every slice!

Red Ribbon made a delightful twist to this sweet treat that was very, very obvious upon tasting it! I tried it before that's why I noticed the difference.

Let me share with you the latest with Red Ribbon's Mocha Roll. It's newly improved and made even better!

Manila, Philippines—Enjoying cakes has always been a tradition whenever people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions in life. As time has passed, we have started to delight on these sweet treats during the everyday, but special moments. Whether it be by thanking a colleague for helping make one’s work easier, simply treating a friend out, and even bringing a cake home as pasalubong to the family, one is able to make these shared moments sweeter.

Set on making everyday moments more special and memorable, Red Ribbon Bakeshop has recently given a fresh look, and a new taste to its crowd favorite, the Mocha Roll.

I strongly agree that Red Ribbon Mocha Roll makes coffee dates with friends very special.

Fans of the chiffon roll may not easily recognize the classic cake, given its new true rich Mocha icing color, with the creamy rosettes, mini-chocolate bars, and topped off with a sweet caramel drizzle. The roll has the same firm texture, but boasts more mocha filling, making this classic more flavorful. Once you take a bite of Red Ribbon’s Mocha Roll, you will quickly be able to taste the perfect balance of creamy coffee, chocolate, and caramel taste, which will keep you craving for more.

Next time you wish to thank a friend, or bring home a sweet treat to your family, surprise them with Red Ribbon’s tastier Mocha Roll. For only PHP255.00 for the full roll and PHP160.00 for the half roll, you and your loved can make your everyday moments sweeter with the richer chiffon cake that has more mocha filling! The delicious chiffon cake is available in all Red Ribbon stores nationwide.

Try Red Ribbon's Mocha Roll to taste the difference!

For more information, please like Red Ribbon Bakeshop on Facebook, follow @IWantRedRibbon on Twitter, or log on to http://redribbonbakeshop.com.ph/ .