Mama Bet’s Cookbook: Holidays 2011

Happy New Year!!!

Pardon me as I rake the ashes of 2011, because I wasn’t really contented about how the past year went for me. It has brought me a lot of frustrations. About academics, I wasn’t able to graduate on time and my thesis got extended. Regarding my social life, me and some of my close friends began to grow apart as some inevitable circumstances came. Those things had great effect on me, especially on my temper. I became too sensitive, sulky and low-hearted. It was like the melancholic and choleric side of me joint forces to make me miserable.

My despair has not only caused trouble to myself, but also to those people I hold dear in my heart. Because I acted like it’s the end of the world for me, I also disappointed those I consider so special. I stopped showing them how blessed I am to have them around. Instead, I built a wall without them in it and drove them away. I shut myself from ways of reaching out to them, which in turn made them feel that I didn’t want them in my life. I didn’t mean to hurt them. It’s just that I still didn’t know how to deal with setbacks constructively. I’m still groping even now.

Bad times may be part of our yearly happenings, but there also are pleasant ones. I can say with a smile on my face, that I somehow found a silver lining in my gray 2011 sky. There are a great number of things that made me thankful about the past year. I got to dine at different restaurants. That’s something since I’m a big foodie. I got to meet new cool friends (You know who you are). My blog gained a lot of followers and visitors. My boyfriend and I celebrated our four years of being together. Lastly, I got to finish all my major and minor subjects apart from thesis.

I can’t believe another year has passed again. I don’t usually feel this giddy about new years, because knowing myself I’m very pessimistic; but you know what, I have a very positive impression about 2012. The moment our clock struck 12, I instantly felt that this year is going to be a good one for me. I pray that it’s God’s way of telling me that I am finally going to start getting hold of my dreams this year. I also hope that this unusual optimism that I have in me now will eventually turn into something beneficial for me and my loved ones’ future. God willing!

I’ve already let my views out about 2011. Now, let me discuss about how my family and I celebrated the holidays at home, particularly the food my Mom prepared for us. And by the way before I proceed, it was Mousy and Caramel’s first time to be with us this recent Christmas. I wasn’t able to take a picture of Caramel with Santa and Snowman because she keeps on moving. I could only take blur photos of her, too bad.

Christmas Eve Celebration

We had the delicious Blueberry Cheesecake, Mango Delight, Swiss Deli Ham, a whole lot of Lasagna, Queso de Bola, some fruits and this non-alcoholic beverage called Ma. December 24 was such a happy day especially for me, because my boyfriend came and had dinner with us. Actually he was also there to get the Chocolate Cake we prepared as a gift for him and his family. The last time he visited was two years ago. I didn’t want him to visit me here, because I’m afraid my parents wouldn’t like his presence at home. But I think they feel better about him now.

Anyway, let’s talk about the food again. It was Mom’s first time to make a Blueberry Cheesecake, but it really tasted so heavenly. It didn’t feel like it was her first time to do so. My friends Lerr and Regine got to try it, and they said it’s perfect! Mom used DariCreme Margarine and Crushed M.Y. San Grahams for the pie shells; Milkmaid Evap, Magnolia Butter, Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Knox Gelatin for the filling; lastly, she used Cornstock Blueberries for the important topping. She refrigerated the pie shells overnight, and then added the filling the next day.

Mom used Chiffon Cake from Bread Factory, Evap & Condensed Milk, and of course ripe mangoes for the Mango Delight. She sliced the chiffon cake thinly, and layered it with the milk and mangoes consecutively. She prepared it the Mango Float style, except that she didn’t use Graham crackers. I’m not a fan of it though, because I don’t like mangoes and chiffon cakes but my boyfriend tried it, and he loved it big time. The Lasagna was a special one because she added some Swiss Deli Sausages in it. I ate a lot of this dish, since I’m a huge lover of pasta.

New Year’s Eve Celebration

For the New Year’s Eve celebration or Media Noche, Mom prepared a 2.9kg medium-sized turkey for the main course. We also had Ham, but I didn’t take a photo of it anymore. Because our Turbo Broiler is just very small, she only cooked the half first. She barbecued the other half the next day. Mom marinated the turkey in soy sauce, calamansi juice, salt, garlic, lemon grass, pepper and rosemary seeds. The latter made the dish smell so good while being cooked. Next year, I plan to buy some ingredients that will make our next Turkey dish taste even better.

We also had Chicken Sotanghon which is also very tasty and siksik, because it’s filled with vegetables like carrots, sweet peas, cauliflower and spring onions. It’s also filled with my favorite chicken meat, liver and heart. Oh, so yummy! The Chocolate Cake was a special one because Mom even used Anchor butter instead of DariCreme. She also used Goya EasyMelt Buttons for the ganache frosting instead of Dutche Chocolate Bar. Mom also bought us a lot of chocolates. That 250g Ritter Sport Alpine Milk Chocolate bar in a nice sky blue wrap was all mine.

I’m posting that photo of our favorite Gardenia bread and Guava Jelly spread, because the latter has always been a significant part of our dining table during Christmas season. It reminds my Mom of how they used to celebrate the holidays back then when grandfather was still alive. Mom said Grandpa wouldn’t miss a chance of buying them Guava Jelly every Christmas. This memory of my Grandpa has remained seared in my Mom’s mind, and now she’s passing the tradition to us, her children. We’ll surely continue doing it until we’ll have a family of our own.

Top 10 Resolutions for 2012:

Be closer to my God and family.

Be optimistic.

Be less moody.

Be aggressive in looking for opportunities.

Be a confident woman of style and substance.

Be a responsible spender.

Be adventurous in learning new stuff.

Be less OC.

Be a great lover to my friends and special someone.

Be charitable to people in need.

Again, Happy New Year everyone!!!