Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Mozzarella and Tomatoes

Description:
I love mushrooms, never mind that sometimes I think I overdo it and have a pain in my joints after eating bushels of 'em *grin*

Because I usually can access portobello mushrooms, I grabbed the recipe from the internet.



Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing grill pan
4 large portobello mushrooms (about 5 inches in diameter), stemmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 small to medium sized vine ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella, drained, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat) or griller.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms.
Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
Drizzle olive oil on grill pan to prevent mushrooms from sticking.
Grill until the mushrooms are heated through and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

Whisk the extra-virgin olive oil and garlic in a medium bowl to blend.
Add the tomatoes, cheese, and basil and toss to coat.
Season the tomato salad, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Place 1 hot grilled mushroom gill side up on each of 4 plates.
Sprinkle with more salt and pepper.
Spoon the tomato salad atop the mushrooms, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil to finish, about 1 tablespoon and serve.

Background music from Dudeldrum..those bagpipes and other instruments sure sound awesome!

Shanghai Surprise!

Start:	Oct 21, '11
End:	Oct 26, '11
Location:	Shanghai, China

Called that way because I had no plans of traveling or buying a ticket for Shanghai this month.

I was chatting with a friend in Malaysia. She asked if I was still interested in going to Korea.
I said of course - if there is a bargain flight available!

Surprise! (galing naman ng timing)
.... there was a zero-fare for both domestic and international flights from Cebu Pacific, and Korea had some open dates.

But I couldn't reach her again to ask if that schedule was ok with her as she went offline.

++++
For the longest time, I wanted to visit Shanghai due to the old movies I saw depicting it as the Paris of the East.

I thought also that I could probably face one of my fears - that of backpacking in such a place as China *cross fingers*

I am gulping here because for one, remember its just been recent about that Filipina in Bali, then there was that drug mule image Filipinos sentenced in China yet! and thirdly as a woman traveler who may do this again by myself...there are bound to be issues with language again. *sigh*

Well, fortune never favored the faint-hearted.

4 days ought to be enough for a first-time visit... (the schedules for leaving are tight)

and even if some people have just the idea that Shanghai is just one big city, I would like to delve into more than just the Bund and Shanghai's "big city" image.
that its more than the initial impression...

Hey, who wants to join?

Eiga Sai 2011 in Manila (July 1 - 10)

Start:	Jul 1, '11
End:	Jul 10, '11

Philippines-Japan Friendship Month Opens on July 1
with Eiga Sai—The Japanese Film Festival

July 1 - 10 (Shang Cineplex Cinema 4, Shangri-La Plaza, EDSA, Mandaluyong City)

July 22-24 (Gaisano South City Mall, Davao City)

August 2-7 (Ayala Center Cinema,Cebu City)

August 17-20 (UP Film Institute, Diliman, Quezon City)

This year's featured films include -
Departures (81st Academy Award "Best Foreign Language Film" 2009),
The Summit: Chronicle of Stones,
The Chef of South Polar,
One Million Yen Girl,
Your Friend,
Yunagi City, Sakura Country,
Summer Days with Coo,
Climber's High,
Feel the Wind
Villon's Wife


For details, contact:

The Japan Foundation,
Manila (JFM) located at the 12th Floor, Pacific Star Building,
Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, cor. Makati Avenue, Makati City 1226,
with telephone numbers (632) 811-6155 to 58,
fax number(632) 811-6153;
and email address at email@jfmo.org.ph.

It started with the song from Celtic Woman, then I wondered what was up with the movie. The plot seems intriguing, I wonder what the secret is in "Princess Toyotomi". http://asianmediawiki.com/Princess_Toyotomi

Binangkal (Sweet Sesame Doughnut)

Description:
I remember eating this Cebuano/Bisaya doughnut (or maybe it can be called fried bread?) whenever I visited my maternal grandma's home, about 50 kilometers south of Cebu City, Philippines.



I asked a favorite foodie and adopted mom of mine in Multiply - Mommy Loy - for permission to repost as I want to be able to access it if I make some in the future.

Thanks to Mommy Loy for sharing the recipe which I copied from her link, please click here to view it.

....and I also want to thank Chelo for starting the binangkal ball rolling on this...

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c. brown sugar (some people swear Muscovado sugar is the best!)
2/3 c. water
2 tbsp oil
Sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. Mix brown sugar, water and oil then add to the flour mixture.
3. Mix until its well-blended.
4. With a teaspoon, take small bits of batter (it depends on how big you want it to be), then roll in the sesame seeds.
5. Fry in deep hot fat until its golden-brown.

Will people please stop with the mixing or selling of double-dead already? Que fish or pig...WTH are you doing?! How about eating it yourselves....at least maybe we can have triple-deads and feed you to the worms if they deign to eat you!