Arts/ Home Ideas | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas

Home Cooking During the Coronavirus Pandemic

By on July 31, 2020

The pandemic season has given us more opportunity we never thought we would experience but up to now we are still facing similar crisis following the given protocols and restrictions under each level of quarantine from ECQ—MECQ—GCQ and of all measures, ECQ is the strictest. The COVID 19 stay home orders to keep us safe and minimize the risk of spreading, the great concern to wear mask and comply with social distancing measures to stay homebound but our country cautiously to loosen slowly back to the new normal life adopting to new rules to follow. Since it is impossible to predict when the pandemic will end or how long it will take to recover, people should not be expected to remain indoors indefinitely.

There are many things to ponder in times of great unpredictability, such as the current state of our economy and the hardships faced by those who have lost their jobs or are struggling to make ends meet due to the closure of businesses hit hard by the pandemic. However, I would like to express my gratitude to the government aid programs that have provided unemployed citizens with cash handouts and food packages.

I think I’ve finished up after the lockdown. Since everyone in my family now works remotely, I’ve been spending most of my time seeing to their needs and ensuring their safety. I’m afraid the worst is yet to come. I’ve recently deleted Facebook for five months so that I can devote my full attention to my family and their needs, shop online, and narrow my focus to the bare minimum.

Despite the difficulty of the situation, I was able to maintain a positive outlook by taking pleasure in learning about exciting new cooking techniques and delicious new recipes. The summer season (March–May) was fruitful, with a plentiful supply of in-season fruits at discounted prices, including nearly the best fruits and some of my favorites at their peak. Having a stocked fridge gives me a wide variety of meals to choose from. The only way I know to keep loving and happy while quarantined during a pandemic is to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen. Do you agree that everyone needs a break after being locked up for so long?

Here are the meals I cooked for my family at home and documented with photographs before serving them during the pandemic

Breakfast in the garden (with Frosty, the family dog, joining us, of course).

Cooking from the garden features seafood dishes that can be prepared quickly and easily.

My Chicken Congee with Century egg

We look forward to our favorite breakfast together each and every Sunday. The most important meal of the day is breakfast, and it’s even better when it’s eaten with people you care about.

Bulalo is a dish made with beef, and the bone marrow that is present in all of the bones can be plainly seen in the dish. It has always been a fan favorite.

Steamed Crabs with Black Bean Sauce

Sizzling Sisig They can be made to look like this with some extra work on your part. This is the type of recipe with which I grew up, so I know I can trust the results.

Sizzling Spicy Squid with Vegetables is another sizzling recipe of the day.

Beef Burger with Mushroom Gravy, Additional side dishes, such as steamed broccoli and French fries, are presented in a base formation.

My Japanese Gyoza

My Special Cheezy Morcon is delicious and addictive.

Steamed Shrimps with Fried Slices of Eggplant. Beautifully arranged on a plate, the circular order or rounded form presentation, my family will be able to enjoy the rest of the meal.

Snacks and Desserts

My sister Anne is a registered nutritionist-dietitian, so she is an expert when it comes to calorie counting, but I am not, so I gained a little bit of weight while cooking, cooking, and more eating.

During the pandemic season, it seemed like my family’s meals were specifically designed to be exciting new experiences. It’s easy and straightforward no matter which of the many available simple courses you choose to pursue. What should I do to get ready? Sorry, but you’ll have to wait until your next post to share more photos.

 Late afternoon, I’m fortunate to view the sunset from our own garden.

The fact that we have our very own pomelo tree gives us a sense of pride, and the presence of pomelos in our very own backyard is exciting.

I used to wake up earlier on Friday nights so that I could blog, but in order to make up for lost time on Saturdays and Sundays, I made it a point to turn off all electronic devices, including my laptop, my cellphone, and the television, so that I would not be disturbed while I was trying to fall asleep. It’s almost time for me to head off to dreamland now. Good night to everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog!

Stay Home and Keep Safe Always

Continue Reading

Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas | Technology/ Learning Tips

My Quarantine Activities

By on July 3, 2020

Its been more than 3 months since ECQ but still infection rate is high, to the rest of the world we see similar numbers raging. Coronavirus pandemic, dangerous as it sounds, more and more people being infected, it’s effecting the entire country and the world.

From my previous blog last month, I have mentioned (with back-up photos) on how pandemic has quitted Pasig city and my hometown Piat Cagayan. Before I forget, today is the feast day (July 2) of ”Our Lady of Piat” the patroness of Cagayan Valley, the Sambali celebration deferred this year but devotees will gather for a special mass at Santo Domingo Church on Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. You can just imagine how coronavirus disrupted our lives, no more public events, no gatherings, the need of wearing mask and social distancing, it seems to be a normal part of life already. This year 2020 is a big blow following 2 patterns of events, after the major eruption of Taal volcano in Batangas last January and now faces COVID 19 pandemic, this is a big blow to our economy and its relatively hard to face the crisis.

The government COVID 19 Task Force extended quarantine measures with new rules to adopt, we are still undergoing new restrictions except for essential purposes following appropriate measures. During challenging times, we are experiencing concerns, many have been working from home for almost 11 weeks now, we don’t know how long coronavirus last with another new rules to adopt upon reopening this coming July and still raising hopes there is vaccine. Other countries cautiously reopening from months long shutdown and Phils slowly reopening.

Oftentimes, my sisters would talk about fiestas, missing social events like birthday celebrations, fancy night out parties, graduations, buffet gatherings, get- together with friends and traveling. Mindful of social distancing blues, no more face to face bonding, other people are very eager to go out as I’m also missing social gatherings with my buffet friends too. Months of March-April-May and July, it was a summer homebound for the family and now, rainy season coming up next, we are really facing a new phenomenon, summer 2020 is not like no other this year. Coronavirus has disrupted everything and I’m trying to live by it.

What’s the impact might be? Would be sharing some of my quarantine activities here, got 5 family members here, a sort of, like prisoners staying inside the room for long hours working that I have to feed them, preparing home cooked food and of course clean water for them, not to mention all the alcohol, hand sanitizers all around ready to use.

Mobile Palengke in Pasig to lessen public trips around, it is ”Presyong Palengke” and it’s very convenient.

My daily life is no boredom, being flexible coming up with a schedule that keeps me busy all day long, the entire day devoted to my family, it’s a home to share bringing family closeness together, the good bonding and dedication will hold us firmly.

While at home, it’s really a homey feeling of togetherness, my family is complete and I’m keeping a master list on hand, there are a hundred things to do and this is also the best time to appreciate the beauty in our own backyard, we are the Backyardigans experiencing beautiful adventures in our own backyard. Moving productively, more and more things done in one day and in the coming days and months. The things I’ve missed before, those things I’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done yet, this is the perfect time to get things done, it’s a big opportunity to finish and not to rush. Cheers!

Here’s sharing with you my stay home ECQ activities that keeps me going from day to day, just a few list of stuffs:

Enjoying my daily cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My Mango Float is an easy recipe and it’s everybody’s favorite.

Everyday Photography

I have captured few morning visitors in the garden, this kind of pleasurable activity keeps me going from day to day.

Gardening/Landscaping

Gardening includes planting, morning visit in the garden and harvesting fruits. Photo above, just one of few snapshots taken around, a lovely butterfly pollinating a wide variety of flowers.

Morning walk with my favorite pets

Excellent date to take out our dogs and cats for a morning sunshine.

Among others, of course I need to update my blog, daily exercise, cleaning, afternoon nap, playing piano and electric guitar, listening to my favorite songs, reading my latest books and watching TV for the latest coronavirus pandemic updates. All these activities saved me from boredom blues during this pandemic season and dreaming we would be back to normal life soon, to welcome friends without any mask and social distancing.

Take time to take to check my daily photography snapshots going on for the best subject in our own backyard. I’m really hopeful we will overcome this crisis soon and hoping our economy will bounce back before the end of this year. I wish you all well and keep updated.

To all those who are in the frontline,”our COVID Warriors” I’m inspired by your courage, Thank you very very much and May God bless us all. Keep safe and Take Care!

Continue Reading