MEGA Creations: Spanish Style Sardines

It all started with a simple craving--- again. I went to a nearby convenience store to check if I can find something different to munch on. I have nothing particular by the way, I just suddenly had the urge to eat something that I haven't eaten in the past weeks. Aside from the usual fried- rice toppers and fixed meals there was nothing else, so I went through the pile of canned goods. To my surprise, I found an extraordinary piece of canned product, Spanish- style sardines. Why extraordinary? 

Personally, I am more familiar with those packed in bottles and labeled as "gourmet" Spanish- style sardines. Well, basically those considered "gourmet" are prepared/ cooked/ soaked  in a more natural set of ingredients like olive oil or they make use of a better choice of fish like Bangus (milkfish) belly. These "gourmet" items costs a lot for a small bottle. I must admit, hey, we all take the bait because it's really good. 

Whatever I found that Friday afternoon at a random convenience store was heaven sent. 

1. I now have a more affordable option. 

2. It taste exactly like those "gourmet products". 

3. It's made of simple ingredients like sardines, soya oil, salt, carrot and spices. The sardines are not the tiny ones, they're right for the size. 

4. It's easy to open, and a 155g can at (24php Hi- Top Supermarket price)  contains 6 chunky sardines.

5. I don' t know if this is allowed to bring abroad for your loved ones, but if so, I highly recommend it.

In the container--- equivalent of  (2) 155g can

I have this habit of eating sardines with pandesal (bread) or rice. Transferring the content in a microwavable container makes it easier for me to access and pair it with anything even pasta. For small servings such as mine,  a clean container prevents spoilage (if properly stored), less spills and you can serve it anytime.

Shopping Made Easier

Adjusting period has been very exciting for me as a homemaker. The change of location opened up a lot of options in terms of malls and supermarkets where I can do my grocery shopping. Though I've been to some of these places, it's just now that I'm really discovering the home essentials they offer.

Like everyone else, if we're new to a grocery store or supermarket, we get lost or shopping takes longer. As for me, I go from aisle to aisle. At the same time, right at home I've already come up with a shopping list. I use my mobile device on making a list so I don't need  to take out a piece of paper that will later on serve as trash anyway.

One of the perks of gadgets is convenience. I make my list using Notes for iPhone. A list makes it easier and faster for me even if I need to go through the items lane by lane. But you see, even if I have a list on my phone, it can still be confusing at times.

There's an app that can actually get your list ready, where you can organize the list of items as you go through shopping, and it is the most awesome thing.  Since I love to cook, I am very particular about the freshness of a product. So if have a list ready, shopping is quick and I'll be able to come home and cook my favorite dish. The fun part I like the most on making a list is being able to come up with recipes too. Sometimes while at the grocery and by just looking at the shelves, I can come up with a new viand to cook. This very same app that can create a shopping list for you, can also offer a range of food ideas which can be very useful.

Nowadays, especially those living abroad rely more on shopping list apps that can make shopping entirely different and of course, easier.

My First Dinner Rolls

 It took quite sometime to be able to share something again because the whole summer I was so busy fixing our new home. Summer of 2015 was scorching hot that my husband and I had to lay off some plans for the condo and go for a new air- conditioner instead. Next, I decided to ditch my old desktop and start anew with a laptop. Everything you'll read and see on both my blogs are the latest events in my life.  

For this entry, I would like to share with everybody that I've finally tried to put my hands on making fresh bread from scratch. It was just all about creating something new aside from my usual pastries, then my husband encouraged me, why not try a simple bread recipe and see what happens from there. So the next thing I did was to go online to search for easy recipes. I found a few, but I went back to Laura Vitale's recipe which I found easy and more flexible. I've been an avid Laura In The Kitchen follower. She makes the most amazing dishes and desserts. It's amazing because she sticks with easy recipes and the results has always been superb. You can visit her website and simply go to search for recipes. (this is not a paid ad)

In the previous posts I've mentioned that making  bread is nothing new. My mom used to make breads and she owned a bakery store. Of course as she aged and due to more practical reasons, she didn't continue it. So when I finally got to try this new experience it kinda made me feel even more complete.

My dinner rolls didn't turn as beautiful as Laura's. But it was soft and aromatic. I love the smell of fresh bread!

Our my dinner rolls was paired with our spaghetti and salad.