Sunday Dinner with the In-Laws

I invited my in-laws for Sunday dinner. It was partly so the family could get together and partly to celebrate the mooncake festival. It has become a tradition for us to gather and play the dice game every year. I've been hosting it the last 3 or 4 years. But this year, the timing is not right. Some of my in-laws are on vacation, others have to work, then next week I have guests over, etc., etc. We are running out of weekends in October! =)

So, anyway, I decided it would be just dinner this year. I spent the afternoon cooking a somewhat Chinese dinner and decided that since it was a special occasion, we would use real plates (instead of paper plates). The kids (who ate in the kitchen) had real plates and silverware too.

I made chili garlic prawns. My mom's secret recipe that's super easy to make but is a real crowd-pleaser!

I also had sesame seed chicken. I marinated the chicken the day before so even if I used breast meat, it was very tasty and not dry.

This is a classic at our place. Mapo tofu - I use a mix of ground pork and turkey.

I had to have a vegetable dish. I decided to serve just steamed green beans sprinkled with garlic butter. Not very Chinese, I know =)

After dinner and dessert, it was picture-taking time. Here we are with my mother and father-in-law.

These are some of my in-laws. This is just half the group - we are usually a much bigger group than this =)

For All the Women Out There ...

Someone sent this to me the other day. I don't normally read mass emails and am very unlikely to re-send them. But I found this so profoundly true that I just had to react to it.

I've re-posted it below. (My comments are in italics).

For all the women out there ... keep this in mind!


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

1. Enough money of her own to move out and rent a place for herself even if she never wants to or needs to... (CHECK. One thing both my parents told me is that I should always have money of my own – and Jojo respects that. We have three active accounts: Our joint checking account, our joint savings account and my own savings account).
2. Something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour... (CHECK to the work outfit as for a date outfit … hmmm … I guess … if it still fits ... ).
3. A youth she's content to leave behind.... (CHECK. I had a great childhood that has helped me become who I am today).
4. A past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age.... (Not so sure how juicy it was but certainly nothing that I am too embarrassed to talk about).
5. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra... (CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. Believe it or not, I actually purchased the bra last!).
6. One friend who always makes her laugh.. and one who lets her cry... (CHECK and CHECK. I’m lucky to have more than one each).
7. A good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family... (CHECK).
8. Eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored...(CHECK – I’ve thrown a couple of successful dinner parties that I can brag about!).
9. A feeling of control over her destiny… (CHECK)
10. Dreams she has accomplished and dreams she is working towards (CHECK and CHECK. My “dreams-to-do” list is always a work in progress).


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

1. How to fall in love without losing herself...(It helps if you have the right guy to fall in love with!).
2. How to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship...(I’ve done all three and have lived to tell the tale!).
3. When to try harder... and when to walk away ... (it’s a fine, fine line).
4. That she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents…(or that she can’t change others, only her self!)
5. That her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...
6. What she would and wouldn't do for love or more... (Again, another one, wherein the distinction is not always clear).
7. How to live alone... even if she doesn't like it... (I lived alone … it had it’s good points but honestly I didn’t like it very much … but I definitely grew up as a result of doing it!).
8. Whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally... (I think this is a lifelong lesson).
9. Where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table.. or a charming Inn in the woods.... when her soul needs soothing... (I can think of several places I would consider my haven).
10. What she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year... (Am still working on this one!)

Typhoon Ondoy

My thoughts and prayers are with all the Filipinos suffering from the wrath of Typhoon Ondoy. Since yesterday, Metro Manila and surrounding cities are in a state of calamity over the strong winds and torrential rains that have resulted in massive flooding. I have been reading local news, blogs and posts from friends who live in Manila. It sounds so awful. I feel so bad for all those that are affected by this massive typhoon (apparently one of the strongest in the last 40 years).

I am seeing pictures of people swimming in the streets, stranded on rooftops, and trying to call for help. I am reading about people who have lost their homes or have their belongings ruined by the rising water. I am hearing about people stranded and families missing their children.

I pray that the rains stop soon and that the waters subside. Hopefully the damage and devastation won't be so bad and people can rebuild their lives. The fighting spirit and the good nature of the Filipino people will see them through this calamity. That and their strong faith in God. I am praying for my family (who thankfully are safe and sound), my relatives, my friends, my in-laws who are in Manila on vacation, people I know, and those that I don't. This is a time when we need prayers more than ever.

Baby Fever

A few days ago I was reading the blog of my friend, Ina. She had posted about her unexpected pregnancy with baby number three. Ina had written that this was totally unplanned and was actually not the "right time" since she has so many things on her plate.

Yesterday I got an email from Vivien, a friend of mine from New York. I have not heard from Vivien in a while but we used to joke about how we wanted to be pregnant together. After she suffered a miscarriage, she was being really cautious about trying to conceive. Turns out she already is pregnant (and is actually due to deliver her baby on October 2nd).

Today, I got an email from my former co-worker (Shari) who wrote to tell me that another colleague of ours (Cherry) is pregnant. Cherry is newly married and didn't even want a baby the last time I talked to her. Now she is expecting a baby by January next year.

And just now, I was talking to Joy who told me that our helper, Diane, is 5 months pregnant! Diane wasn't even planning to have another baby. But she's with child!

OMG! Every one is pregnant! And the one thing they all have in common is they all did not plan to get pregnant. Maybe that's my problem. Maybe I'm trying too hard! I have to relax and just take it easy. There's BABY FEVER going around and maybe if I'm relaxed enough, I'll catch it too!

The Counter

It's the middle of the week and I decided to surprise Jojo by picking him up from work and taking him to lunch. We drove over to the El Segundo Plaza to have lunch at The Counter. It is a place that allows you to custom-make your burger, so you get exactly what you want!

This is what the place looks like inside. Very minimal, nothing fancy.

As soon as you are seated, they hand you a clipboard so you can customize your burger. You start by choosing your burger (beef, turkey, veggie or grilled chicken) and how big you want it (1/3 lb., 2/3 lb., or 1 pound). Then you pick what kind of cheese you want (there are about a dozen different kinds). Next you pick your toppings (you can choose up to 4) from a long list of choices. Then comes your choice of dipping sauce. And lastly, you pick the kind of bun you want (regular, wheat, english muffin or on a bed of lettuce - if you are cutting your carbs). Also, there are a list of sides like fries, sweet potato fries, onion strings, etc.

I had a 1/3 lb. turkey burger (medium well) on a whole wheat bun. My choice for cheese was the horseradish cheddar. My toppings were roasted green chillies, lettuce, tomatoes and dill pickles. And I had a horseradish mayo dipping sauce. My burger tasted really fresh and was so juicy!

Jojo had a 1/3 lb. veggie burger on a whole wheat bun. He had sharp provolone cheese, grilled pineapple, caramelized onions, tomatoes and a black bean & corn salsa. His dipping sauce was peppercorn steak sauce. It looks messy but Joj said it was really good!

After lunch, I dropped Jojo back at work and then I was off to run some errands.