I made my very first smoothie with the Magic Bullet this afternoon!

I rinsed all the parts of the bullet last night and considered having juice for dinner. But I wanted something really cold and we had no ice. So I took the advice of several users and popped fruits in the freezer overnight.

My Mango Banana Smoothie has 1 large banana, and half a ripe mango. I then added skim milk, maybe about 2/3 cup or so. I am using one of the party cups by the way. I popped on the cross blade, and then on to pulse pulse and mix mix mix. My cold smoothie was done in less than a minute. It was quite thick too. Yum!

Looking forward to making more flavors, and more healthy ones too!

Celebrity Erwan Heussaf blogs as The Fat Kid Inside. I don’t really know much about him except that he is a trained chef, he’s the Food Editor at Esquire Philippines (I think), he is boyfriend to actress Anne Curtis, and brother to Solenn Heussaff. But he didn’t land on my Reader because of those. I read about his nomination to Nuffnang Asia Pacific’s Blogger Awards last year so I checked out his blog. I wasn’t about to vote for him just because he is Pinoy. I wanted to do so out of real appreciation for his blog.

Yes, I voted for him. I also subscribed to his feeds (are you subscribed to mine?).

Recently, he started what he calls the Skill Shop. He has two posts for this category so far and I’ve Pinned them both.

I love that he shares videos and not just photos of his food/recipes. The focus of his videos is the process, and the food itself. You don’t even see him after his signature opening billboard. He’s got skills, this guy! So far, he has the best blog videos I’ve seen.

The food he shares are mostly healthy. He also talks a lot about exercise and living a balanced life. He trains and runs. That’s how he keeps the fat kid inside, and mister lean and healthy outside.

I kinda half-expect to him to be doing art or music too. I can imagine him with a Rogue Bass guitar, or maybe not. Maybe he’s the type who plays the violin, or the piano. A Classical music guy. He just seems like the type. A perfect guy really. Haha.

What I really really like about his blog? His writing style. He’s very easy to read. Not complicated. Doesn’t try to be funny. His topics, very relevant to me who is all fat outside.

People know that I can bake, but I don’t cook. Never really tried. So Erwan’s Skill Shop is something I appreciate, I really hope to learn a trick or two from it. Maybe I’ll try the Perfect Creamy Scrambled Eggs for brunch tomorrow. Maybe.

Which means I have something to write about for Between the Covers, but I’m not in the mood. So my latest post will still have to be The Hunger Games. Oh how I wish I could go see the movie right now. And then I’ll go grab books 2 and 3 and read them too.

For the meantime, here’s a recipe I Pinned, to be tried (hopefully) some time. Katniss’ District 11 Bread, from Our Best Bites:

Mmmm. I really should start baking again. Or start learning how to cook real food.

Well, the time says 10:35PM, but it’s really more 10:35AM when I tweeted that on Wednesday. I finally got a taste of Magnum ice cream that I’ve been hearing about all over the social networking sites. It was love at first bite! That Belgian Chocolate is yummy!

Richmond (Senior Line’s resident angry bird, at work) agreed to run to the Supermarket across our office building to get us a bar each. He was back very quickly. My Almond Magnum almost melted only because I insisted on taking these photos.

The Magnolia Pinipig Crunch we grew up on is no match to this. The almonds are way better than pinipig, and the chocolate coating is just divine. The bar is thick, more than enough ice cream for one serving.

We’re a family who loves their ice cream and chocolate, and I couldn’t resist not sharing the Magnum goodness with the rest that same afternoon. So after taking my car for a much-needed wash, Alfred and I went to a supermarket to get some more.

This time, I tried the classic bar. And guess who loved his Magnum too?

Yes, I had two ice cream bars in one day. I just couldn’t resist it. This afternoon, Alfred kept on hinting at wanting more and it took all my strength to resist grabbing the keys and driving off with him to the nearest 7/11. Even more to keep my hands off the last bar in the freezer – Dad hadn’t eaten his until after dinner tonight.

These bars are a delightful treat. They cost 50 pesos apiece so I don’t think I’ll be having these everyday. But one Magnum a day would really make me happy. haha!

We had potluck lunch at the Loyola Memorial Park in Tandang Sora to celebrate Papa’s birthday. He would have turned 85 tomorrow, February 27. On Tuesday, it will be the 40th day after his death. We will mark that with a Memorial Mass right here at home, followed by dinner for family and friends (guests).

So here we all are (minus Alfred, who took the photo), just before leaving:

By the time this photo was taken, we had:

- A sumptuous lunch of chicken adobo, bulalo (deadly!), liempo, and eggplant and mango ensalada. For dessert we had Crema de Fruta and Cathedral Window from Goldilocks. We had plenty of ice for water and soda so we had cold drinks too.

- Setup and taken down Kagawad Walter’s tent. I didn’t know he had one. Mayor Bistek’s face is all over the thing. Okay lang, at least we didn’t have to melt under the heat of the intense sun.

- Two contests! The first one was involved the name Maria and the kids spreading out taking as many qualifying photos as they could. The second was a classic: who could say Happy Birthday Papa the longest! Fun!

We used to go on picnics frequently when we were kids. There was no need for any occasion, we would just decide we wanted to have lunch together and have a picnic. Usually, we’ll have it on the grassy area of the basketball court. Or under the caimito trees lining the volleyball courts. Those days are long gone.

But I foresee more picnics in our future. We’re thankful that there’s ample space beside and above Papa’s grave. They can seriously put a small sunroom out there if they wanted to. But it’s not really necessary. I can imagine that during All Souls’ Day, when the other families are there, we can have one big picnic with them. We know almost everyone who has a loved one buried in that lot.

Mama and I were talking about picnic gear and I remembered the cute colorful picnic plates and utensils at Greenhills. They’re Ikea and I loved them. I should go back and buy a set, for next time. 

Today, I stopped by SM Cubao to get some wrapping paper. Mom’s orders. As I was paying for the rolls I got, I saw this display stand of Japanese chocolate – Meiji!

Me: “No Choco Baby. Hmmm. Oooh, the Strawberry ones are there. Hello Panda! Hey, what’s this?”

It’s available in two variants, creamy milk chocolate and Strawberry. I went with the safer variant because I wasn’t sure it was going to taste great.

I’m not sure why I ever doubted that.

It opens this way, like a gift:

Inside, there are more snowflakes in the packaging. Nice touch. Festive. It’s individually packed. Doesn’t make it any harder to go through one box though. But I was driving so I only had one, or three.

Okay, I lost count. At least they reached the house! My mom saw them right away, and she almost finished up all that was left. Had to stop her.

They’re like square chocolate truffles. Melts in your mouth.

A box costs PhP 119.00. Not cheap. But worth it. Consider it a treat.

Chocolates like these – though hardly high end nor gourmet – these are luxuries. Like arturo fuente cigars that you would only take out of the box for special occasions. (Okay, I exaggerate). That’s how I like to think of these Meiji chocolates so I won’t buy them so much.

Before you go grab a box, consider donating first to relief efforts for Typhoon Sendong victims. See my previous post, for links. Better yet, go straight to http://donate.unicef.ph/ and hit the Donate Now button. Whip out your cellphone, type RED 500 and send to 2889 if you’re a Globe user. That sends Red Cross a Php 500 donation for #Sendong.

I have been staring at Becky Higgins’ Andes Mint Cookies on and off in what might be the last 24 hours.

Photo linked to source.

Since seeing it featured in her 12 Videos of Christmas, I pulled up the recipe and it’s been there in the background while I got busy with other online activities.

I love chocolate cookies, and mint chocolate is a household favorite – Andes Mints being one of the brands I love.

It is probably not a coincidence that I saw Andes Mints the one time I accompanied my Mom for grocery shopping two weeks ago.

At the time, I successfully kept myself my buying a package or two. But this recipe is the perfect excuse to go get some.

The thing is, I haven’t baked anything in over a year. Since moving companies, in fact.

Christmas has always been a time for cooking and baking. Families would be doing so much because they have people over, or they make stuff to give and sell.

I was like that for several Christmases in the past ten years. I loved spending hours baking goodies even when I know that at the end of it all, none would be left for me to eat because they’re all orders and I only make enough to cover orders. Being so busy in the kitchen gave me sleepless days and nights because I still had my regular job to attend to.

I loved it.

Again, the thing is, I haven’t baked anything in over a year.

My stuff is all over the place. I’ve got ingredients that have likely spoiled already.

Measuring spoons and cups have been used for other purposes.

Our kitchen isn’t ready for my baking.

So in order to get baking, I first have to be organized.

Organize and declutter my baking supplies, and hopefully our entire kitchen area while I’m at it.

That’s what’s keeping me from baking.

I’m so lazy to do the work so I can get to what I love to do.

Let’s see if I can get over it today. Or this week.

Besides, it would be nice to give away some homemade cookies.

Anyway, check out Becky’s video: