I Love Coffee

As a coffee grower I would like to share my little experiences and know how about the easy way to prepare a quality and premium coffee fee taste.
This process start in the harvesting of the coffee berries :
1) Harvest only the fully ripe berries
2)Apply the floating method by pouring the newly harvested coffee berries into a pan of water.
Segregate the floating berries ,get only the sinker
3)De pulp it in the pulping machine and repeat the floating method.
4)Immediately dry it into a suspended flat form.
5)When it get dry to 13 % MC (moisture content) it's time for milling
6)Segregate the broken beans, foreign bodies and other impurities.
7) Roast only the whole grain beans, to get uniform roast
8)Ground it in the grinding machine

This method maybe helpful for some user in preparing a premium ,flavored,aromatic taste.

Beary Surprise

I just can't resist this one. I think this is one the best idea in surprising someone on her/his birthday. Last week  was my friend's birthday and she's miles and miles away from me. And I don't have enough time to mail her a gift. I'm just glad that we have options to surprise someone on time such as in Sharri's Berries.We can send happy birthday gift baskets  to surprise them. They have so many nice gift baskets to choose from and this gourmet fruit and nut rose is one of my favorites. it's very creative.This has dried peaches, dried jumbo pears, jumbo almonds, jumbo cashews, smoky almonds, dried Apricots, California colossal pistachios, dried ruby red plums. All arranged in a nice wood tray.

She is so Spoiled Not Just By Me

AfterSteph's 3rd birthday party, I decided to make the kids' next birthday celebrations simpler. I used to organized parties for her and invite many people but now as our small family is growing, we can't afford to be lavish anymore. But even though I didn't organized a party for her, it will just turned out like a big celebration. On her 4th birthday, her best friend Adam and his brothers surprised her with doughnuts for breakfast and later in the afternoon her Aunt Marie and her kids brought a cake for her.So I end up throwing a party for her on the following month for the rest of her friends. I'm not the only one spoiling her. Everybody is!

Steph's Birthday Cakes

Her first birthday was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the 2nd was Dora the Explorer. I ordere all of them at Safeway. They're pretty good. I always order chocolate cake with custard and strawberry filling plus I make sure that the frosting is real whipped.

Kitchen Solution

When recipe calls for :

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch for thickening substitute with 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour.
• 1/2 cup tartar sauce substitute with 6 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing plus 2 tbsps. pickle relish and 1 tbsp. finely chopped onion.
• 1 cup tomato juice substitute with 1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water.
• 2 cups tomato sauce substitute with 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water.
• 1 cup ketchup substitute 1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons vinegar.
• 1 cup bread crumbs substitute with 3/4 cup cracker crumbs.
• 1 tbsp. prepared mustard substitute with 1 tsp. dry mustard plus 1 tbsp. water.
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce substitute with 3 tbsps soy sauce plus 1 tbsp. sherry.
• juice of 1 orange substitute with 1/4 cup orange juice.
• 1 tsp.dry mustard substitute 1 tbsp. prepared mustard.
• 1tsp. pumpkin pie spice substitute with 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon plus 1/4 tsp. ground ginger plus 1/4 tsp.nutmeg.
• 1 tsp. mixed Italian herbs substitute with 1/2 tsp. leaf basil plus 1/4 tsp leaf oregano plus 1/4 thyme.
• 1 tsp. allspice substitute 1/2 tsp. cinnamon plus 1/8 ground cloves.
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice substitute 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp. cardammon or ground cloves.
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning substitute with 1/4 ground thyme, 3/4 tsp. ground sage, 1/4 tsp.dehydrated onion. 1/8 tsp. garlic powder or granules.
• 1 tbsp. fresh herbs substitute with 1 tsp dry herbs,
• 1 tbs, fresh chopped chives substitute with 1 tsp. freeze- dried chives.
• 1 tbsp. gingerroot, grated substitute with 1 tbsp.candied ginger; rinsed and finely chopped or 1 1/2 tsps dry ground ginger plus 1/2 tsp lemon juice.
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped onion substitute with 1 tbsp dry minced onion.
• 2 tsps. minced onion substitute 1 tsp. onion powder.
• 1 clove fresh garlic substitute with 1 tsp. garlic salt or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder.
• 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa substitute with 3/4 cup regular cocoa powder plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
• 4 oz German chocolate substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder  plus 1/3 cup sugar and 3 tbsp fat.
• 1 square semi-sweet chocolate substitute with 3 tbsps. chocolate chipc or 11-oz square unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tbsp sugar.
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate substitute 3 tbsps cocoa powder plus 1 tbsp, butter or margarine.
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar substitute sherry or cider vinegar.
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar substitute with 1/4 cup white vinegar.
• 1 cup corn syrup substitute with 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water.
• 1 tsp. lemon juice substitute with 1/2 tsp. vinegar.
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar substitute with 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp cornstarch processed in a blender until powdery.
• 1 cup brown sugar substitute 4/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses,
• 1 cup molasses = 1 cup honey
• 1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid.
• 1 cup egg substitute = 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder plus 6 egg whites and 1 tsp. vegetable oil.
• 1 whole egg = 2 egg yolks plus 1 tbsp.water
• 1 cup butter or margarine = 1 cup vegetable shortening plus 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk = 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. evaporated milk plus 1 cup sugar and 3 tbsp. butter or margarine. Heat ingredients until sugar and butter are dissolved.
• 1 cup creme fresh = 1 cup sour creme, 1 cup whipping cream plus 1 tbsp. buttermilk or yogurt. 1/2 cup whipping cream plus 1/2 cup sour cream.
• 1 cup light cream = 7/8 cup milk  plus 3 tbsp. butter.
• 1 cup yogurt = 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup ricotta cheese = 1 cup cottage cheese plus 1 tbsp. skim milk.
• 1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain yogurt; 1 tbsp. lemon juice plus enough evaporated milk to make 1cup;  or 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese plus 2 tbsps. skim milk and 1 tbsp. lemon juice.
• 1 cup homogenized milk =1cup skim milk plus 2 tbsps. butter.
• 2 tbsps. flour for thickening = 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tbsp. potato or rice starch, 1 tbsp. arrowroot or 4 tsps. instant tapioca.
• 1cup self- rising flour = 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 tsp. baking powder plus 1/2 tsp. salt plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
• 1 cup cake flour = 7/8 cup all purpose flour 
• 1 tsp. baking powder = 1/2 tsp cream of tartar plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch for thickening = 2 tbsps. all purpose flour. 

Going For Excellent

My Pansit Bihon Guisado

I love Pansit Bihon Guisado. It is rice sticks noodles with vegetables. Everytime I went to Filipino parties, I'm excited for the Pansit but sometimes I'm disappointed when it wasn't cooked well. I have a friend who's very good in cooking Pansit. Everytime she cooked pansit she always saved something for me. I've been practicing cooking pansit but I fail many times. But then since I'm using the Excellent brand of noodles, my pansit guisado turns out perfect. My husband and children love them. From now on I'm going for the Excellent brand.

Kitchen Tips

With sugar at 48 calories per tablespoon , sugar adds nothing but empty calories to recipe.
The solution is using less sugar than what's called for- up to one third less, with successful results. Another trick to enhance sweetness is to add a touch of cinnamon vanilla or orange zest to recipes. Use a pinch and all you'll detect is a hint of sweetness.
Additionally , fruit can be exchanged, for instance, one cup of sugar can be replaced with 3/4 cup of apple sauce.

BBQ Time

We got this grill for a year already and I’m still and always loving it. Here in our place you can see many people having BBQ every weekends especially if the sun is shining bright. When I attend parties I often bring BBQ chicken or kabob. I have fun doing it especially if they love my food.

Healthy Alternatives/Money Saving Tips

Here's a money saving tips I got from the Seawood Village News (Crescent City). This is not only healthy for your wallet, healthy for the body as well.



***Making Your Own Groceries***



The first basic rule is to know that equivalents and substitutions are two very different things. Substitutions are ingredients that will work in the recipes like other ingredients. For instance, 3 tbsp of cocoa powder plus 1 tbsp. of shortening can be substituted for 1 square of unsweetened baking chocolate in a recipe.

1. If recipe calls for 1 tbsp. cornstarch for thickening, substitute with 2 tbsps. all purpose flour
2. If recipe calls for 1 tsp. baking powder, substitute 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3.If recipe calls for 1 cup cake flour, substitute with 7/8 cup all purpose flour
4. If recipe calls for 1 cup self-rising flour, substitute with 1 cup all- purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder plus 1/2 tsp. salt plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda
5. If recipe calls for 2 tbsps. flour for thickening, substitute with 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tbsp potato or rice starch, 1 tbsp arrowroot or 4 tsps. instant tapioca.

So there you go, I those tips will help solve some of your cooking problems. I'll be posting for more tips later on.

Cheers to Healthy Snacks

My daughter will be three years old this coming September. She can speak clearly now and can express what she wants and what she dislikes. She choose the dress she wants to wear and the shoes to match. I think it's fantastic but we set boundaries on how far she can get what she wanted most especially when it comes to food. I make it sure that she has proper nutrition. That's why I'm concern when she's going to school already, where the junk foods are accessible because of the vending machines everywhere. Some schools actually sells unhealthy snacks. But I'm happy to know about the YoNaturals - Healthy Student Vending program. This is a very good alternative in replacing those traditional junk foods. I wish all school will participate in this program for the parents' peace of mind and for the children's good health.