Almond Jelly and Peaches

One dessert that's very quick and easy to prepare is Almond Jelly and Peaches... this is a favorite in typical Chinese restaurants... If you don't have the time to make your own almond jelly, you can easily buy this at your favorite Chinese deli shops...

To prepare, just cut the almond jelly and the peaches into cubes, throw everything together, including the juice of the canned peaches in a punch bowl and serve with crushed ice... :)

My 100th Post and Serving Fried Tikoy with Langka or Peanuts Spring Rolls for a Happy Chinese New Year !!!

I can't believe that it's already my 100th post!!! ... Time surely flies so fast... I never thought that blogging would take me this far... I remember when I first started this and I don't know what the heck I'm doing!!! ... but again, because of ALL OF YOU GUYS, I learned, and I still am in the process of learning... for that, I am so thankful and greatful...

Also, let me greet you guys a HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!! Yup, Chinese New Year is just around the corner... January 26, to be exact... So Tikoy or Sticky Rice Cakes are everywhere!!! :)

Here in Manila, Chinese New Year won't be complete without Tikoy... this sticky cake is made with glutinous rice flour, starch, water and sugar... the kind of sugar used determines the color of the tikoy... white or dark brown are the usual choices... but for these past years, more and more varieties that comes in so many flavors are coming out... there are ube, pandan, melon, strawberry… but personally, I like the traditional white or brown better... and by the way, now they are vacuum packed... :)


The tikoy or the rice cakes are usually served on the eve of the Chinese New Year to bring good luck and prosperity... the sticky rice cake also symbolizes unity or "sticking together" of family and friends... so, it's really a must for Chinese families and friends to eat these treats together...

So, for my 100th post and for the celebration of the coming of the Year of the Ox... Let us enjoy Tikoy or Sticky Rice Cake together...

Here are two ways I am serving them... of course, with a twist!!! :)

Fried Tikoy with Langka Spring Rolls

First, cut the tikoy into strips...

Get some lumpia wrappers, you can use wanton wrappers if you want to...

Wrap the tikoy slices with strips of langka or jackfruit...

Sprinkle some brown sugar on top of tikoy and langka...

Then wrap them like these...

Deep fry them in a very hot oil...

Drain...

And serve...

Lovely and crispy...



The langka or jackfruit truly gave this traditional tikoy a nice twist...

Fried Tikoy with Peanut Spring Rolls

This time, I used the brown tikoy... again, cut into strips...

Roll a strip of tikoy in peanut powder...

Put a strip of peanut coated tikoy in a lumpia wrapper, again, you can use wanton wrappers if you prefer...

And sprinkle with some muscavado sugar before wrapping...

Again, deep fry in a very hot oil until golden brown and crisp... then drain...

And again... serve to enjoy...

The peanut complemented the sweetness and the chewiness of the tikoy...




Well, I hope you guys will enjoy these simple, yet different treat...

恭喜發財!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!!!

Pigs in a Blanket

The weather has been comfortably and nicely cold these past few weeks, and we are definitely not complaining... living in a tropical area where the hot weather is more prevalent, this is really a very welcome change... Thus, every morning, getting up is much more harder to do... we just want to huddle inside our blanket and never let go... well, maybe that's what these little "pigs" are feeling... is that why they are called Pigs in a Blanket? :) ...

This is my Mom's recipe and has been with the family since I was just a kid... having my Mom bake these treats are always anticipated with much excitement, and always eaten with glee...

Pigs in a Blanket

Mix the following ingredients and set aside...

2 1/2 teaspoon Yeast
1 cup plus 2 teaspoon Warm Water
1 teaspoon Sugar

Add the following ingredients to the yeast mixture and wait for around 1 hour until the dough rises...

1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
1/4 cup Shortening
2 1/2 tablespoon Milk
3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

Roll out the dough and cut into small rectangles...
Wrap the mini hotdog or sausage in the cut rectangular dough...
Placed on a greased baking sheet and brush with milk...
Let rise until the size double...

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees F oven for 25 minutes and Serve...

The View from the Terrace

Just want to share the view from the terrace from the unit of my in-laws at Caribbean Coast in Tung Chung, Hong Kong...



And check this man-made lake and the pool at the back... Amazing huh...



From the terrace, you can see Hong Kong International Airport...


And the view at night...



The development that they did with this area is truly a work of art...

A New Year's Day Dinner at Eastern Gate Seafood Restaurant at CityGate, Tung Chung, Hong Kong

Last New Year's Day, the family decided to celebrate by having dinner inside the CityGate Outlets Mall... Eastern Gate Seafood Restaurant was highly recommended, so here we are...

Looking from outside, you'll think that it's just a small place... but check inside and be surprised...

Choose your live, fresh seafoods here...



To second floor...

Downstairs view while going up...


Assorted Nuts... for appetizer...

Roasted Meat Plates... Suckling Pig, White Chicken, Roasted Goose and Duck...

Steamed Lotus Rice... this is very, very good...

Hong Kong Noodles... nothing special...

Stir-Fry Cuttlefish with Celery...

Baked Lobster with Cheese Sauce... quite tasty... there's a bed of noodles under the cheesy sauce...

Fried Seafood and Sweet Peach Rolls...

Shark's Fin Soup...


Abalone with Goose Feet and Vegetables...

Steamed Fish Garoupa... cooked just perfectly...



Crispy Hong Kong Style Fried Chicken... crispy skin, tender meat... topped with fried minced garlic... lovely...

For dessert, we were served Fresh Fruits... forgot to take picture... too full and everyone's excited to get back to the mall...

Honestly, it was not the best we had in Hong Kong, but it was a good meal... I think the one we had in Sheung Wan Ho Choi Seafood Restaurant in Sheung Wan last Summer was better.. :)


Eastern Gate Seafood Restaurant
CityGate Outlets Mall,
Tung Chung, Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Newest Shopping Craze... CityGate Outlets at Tung Chung

A walk going to CityGate Outlets is always fun for us, more specially during this particular trip... definitely it has a lot to do with this season's weather compared to the last time, it was Summer... Well, for this trip we stayed at my in-law's place at Caribbean Coast in Tung Chung... yes, it's far from the main stream that we usually visit in Hong Kong, like Central, Causeway Bay, Tai Koo, and the likes but everything is already here and it is so convenient to walk and commute in Hong Kong, so no trouble at all... Let me show you why we enjoy walking the long path, from our place going to the mall...

Coming out from our tower, here's what you see...

The mountains...

The Bridgeway... amazing...


The convenience...

Very environment friendly...

Kids has a place to swim and play...





Club House...






And a Christian School nearby...



Finally, CityGate Outlets...


Here, you can find designer brands like Burberry, Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Nautica, and more, more, more...



Coffee Shops...

We're so impressed with this arc...

More shops...

You won't get lost... just read the signs...

My favorite... Taste... lots and lots of goodies...














The Food Court...



Check some more of the different brands that are housed here...









Meet BO, the happy ambassador of CityGate Outlets... and look how festive they decorated the mall...


The arc at night...


And the different faces of BO...






The next time you're in Hong Kong, do check this place out... you guys won't regret it...


CityGate Outlets
20 Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung, Lantau, Hong Kong
Mall Hours: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm daily

Welcoming 2009 at Hong Kong Disneyland

I know things have been so quiet here lately... that's because the family decided to spend the last part of 2008 and the start of 2009 at Hong Kong...

So to say good-bye to 2008 and to welcome 2009, we headed to the land where one leaves the present to enter the world of magic... Hong Kong Disneyland!!!



One can actually feel the difference when you enter this land of magic... the feel of Christmas and New Year is just overflowing... the atmosphere, the cold weather, just perfect... this experience was totally different from the one we had last Summer... imagine, same place, but totally different experience... feel free to check the Summer experience we had here and here...




The Hong Kong Disneyland's Let it Snow Christmas Parade...



























Meet the characters at Fantasy Gardens...





The Merlin's Treasures...

The Train Station...

Mickey's Christmas House...






Look at the crowd... everybody's anticipating the Spectacular Fireworks...




And the New Year's Eve Street Party begins...



The Main Street...

Santa's waiting for you to take pictures with him...

Luigi and Mario are in Disneyland!!!




Kid1 and Kid2 enjoying the water fountain and the cold weather...

Again, it's time to say good-bye... all of us were hesitant to leave this magical place... but we all know that we have to leave this place behind, the same as we have to leave the year 2008 behind... but hey, we have our reality to look forward too, the same as we look forward to God's grace for this new year... the year 2009...


May we all enjoy God's blessings this 2009... Cheers!!! :)