I'm visiting Pinas in october!  After 3 years living in Florida, I am definitely very excited to go home.  One of my main agendas (other than to attend the sister's wedding), is to eat out as much as possible.  I am therefore making a list of places I would like to check out (just in case I forget).  If you have any suggestions, please add!  I will be constantly updating the list time and time again.

Serye

Eastwood City Cyberpark, E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Bagumbayan, Libis

I've done adobo quite a few times, and I still couldn't make it the same way twice.  It should be a good idea then to write it down, yes?

Chicken Adobo

What you need:

1 lb chicken (I prefer the ones with bones, the boyfriend likes those boneless, skinless ones better; ionno, I think it lacks flavor)

1/2 cup vinegar (I like apple cider better than distilled vinegar)

a few squirts of lemon, depending on your vinegar (if it's distilled vinegar, I use 1/3 vinegar then use lemon to fill up the 1/2)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 small clove of crushed garlic

peppercorn

4 bay leaves

What to do:

Saute the crushed garlic.  Once golden brown, put the chicken in and brown it a little bit.  Add the vinegar, lemon, soy sauce, bay leaves and peppercorn.  Cover and leave until it boils.  Once it does, lower the fire, and heat until it boils again.  Then, you're done.  The end.

So i tried my hand at embutido.

Unfortunately, it didn't turn out too well.  I thought it was yummy, but it was crumbly too; fell apart when I cut it.  Also I think I didn't add enough raisins and sweet pickle reslish, and put too much tomatoe sauce.  So the revised recipe should go like this (will be revised again once I've re-tried it):

EMBUTIDO

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork

1/2 cup of carrots

1/2 cup of onions

1/2 red bell pepper

5 tsps of pickle relish

3 small boxes of raisins

2 large raw eggs (or 3 small ones)

enough tomatoe sauce to make the entire thing red (get the smallest can)

2 boiled chorizos, cut in quarter

4 boiled eggs, cut in half

salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients, except for the chorizo and boiled eggs; start by mixing the raw eggs and ground pork first.  Once done mixing everything, place the mixed stuff in the middle of the aluminum foil.  Make sure that you don't go over the edges.  Roll it in, and make sure everything is stuck before closing the whole thing. 

Heat up the oven at 350 degrees F.  Bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F for an hour for every lb.  Once done, let it cool before cutting it up.

Fry the cut up pieces and serve with sweet and chili sauce.

I am doing this because I have finally decided that I want to have a place to write how I cook certain things.  Yes, I usually find them in the internet anyway; but at least these one are the ones I know work.  Also, usually available.  I don't have good access to the filipino/asian stores.  I was debating on making a new blog for it, but I like this blog, and I am way too lazy to design a new one.  So here it goes.

Filipino Barbeque Marinade

I have used this for pork and beef barbeque/skewers, and also for tuna steaks.  I think it taste awesome with any grilling needs.

You need:

1/2 small clove of smashed garlic (could be fresh, but those minced ones in the jar works too)

a couple of dashes of garlic salt (I like my garlic)

few tablespoons of sugar

few squirts of banana ketshup (or tomatoe as this is the most readily available one)

some sprite

soy sauce

lemon

a few dash of pepper

a lot of Mama Sita's barbeque mix (I like to think this makes up for whatever is lacking in my marinade)

Mix everything.  I don't put the measurements cos I hoestly don't know.  I put enough to cover everything with the marinade, and I base everything on the smell.  If it smells too salty cos of the soy sauce, I would add a few more squeezes of the lemon.   Once my hand starts smelling like what a marinade should, then I know it was good.  Then, marinade for a few hours.  The end.

While I am definitely not the best driver in the world (not even close to being good), there are some things that drive me absolutely nuts when I'm in the highway.  Of course, because of the recent speeding ticket, I'm lying low on the speeding department.  It's kinda' funny though, back in the Philippines, I woud never think that I would ever drive, ever.  But when I moved here, I can't imagine not driving.  Trip to snowy Utica made me miss driving.  Crazy, I know.  Here is a list of the things people do in the highway that annoys the heck out of me.  It's a bit of a rant post.

Top ten things that annoy me on the road:

1.  Driving slow in the fast lane.  Just pisses me off.  The right lane is free, move your ass to the right.  Why bother everyone else who is trying to go by faster? 

2.  Driving too close to me from behind.  Makes me want to break check every single time.

3.  Drivers who change lanes or turn without signalling.  I just think it's rude.

4.  Drivers who do not turn off their signal lights when they're done turning.  Blinking lights annoy me.  I know, it really doesn't take much.

5.  Motorcycles in the highway.  I'm sorry, this is a prejudice.  Whenever I see a motorcycle in front of me, I have this urge to "tap" him, which I have never done by the way.

6.  Drivers who can't stay in their lanes.  Get away from me!  You are very dangerous, and I can't say I will get out of your way.  Srsly.

7.  Drivers who can't figure out which lane they want to stick to.  I mean, everybody's almost going the same speed cos of traffic.  So really, switching lanes too much is just annoying to watch.

8.  Drivers who block traffic when there's no traffic in front of them.  It's a two lane road, why do you have to go the same speed as the person on your right?  You're in the freakin' left lane dude, go faster!

9.  Rubberneckers.  Get on with it.  If you want to gawk, go park on the side of the road. 

10.  Drivers who harass me.  Yes, I've had a few of those.  Funny, I only met them driving down hwy 54.  Do I honestly look like I am looking to race anyone?!

Tell me, what's your annoying driver stories?  Hopefully I'm not in it. lulz.

Yey driving me!