Account Compromised!

It seems a lot of accounts are getting hacked nowadays. I don't know how they do it, but I think I have half a dozen friends whose accounts got compromised in the past week alone. I have the most complicated password ever, and yet, someone got into my mail the other day.

Was it you? LOL!

Anyway, it is time for crazy measures. That same day, I changed my passwords (made it even more complicated) and activated phone verification.

Phone verification is such a hassle. At home, where there is hardly any signal from my mobile provider, I sometimes have to wait a good 3-5 minutes. But! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

Here's how you activate 2-step verification on Google Mail/ Gmail:
1) On your account, go to settings.
2) On settings, click on the Account tab.
3) On accounts, go to change account settings, and click on Other Google Account settings.
4) Then click on the Security tab.
5) Enable 2-step verification by providing a local mobile number, and you're good to go.

Enabling 2-step verification means Google will send you a text (via the mobile phone number you provide) with a numerical code that you have to input each time you log into your Google account. It's usually a 30-second step that needs to be done, but it will help keep your account secure.

Stay safe, everyone!

3-2-1! Voila! 1-minute Microwaveable Cake!

I've been wanting to try this out ever since I saw it shared on lifehacker. And for days, I have been wanting that quick fix, to no avail (only because the grocery store next door doesn't sell imported cake mixes!).

So yesterday, while waiting for church to start (we were in the area early), I decided to grab a few essentials from Unimart. I was all too eager to try this out, but had to wait 'til today. See, I no longer keep a microwave oven at home. Our old one (one I got for a wedding gift) is now in the office pantry.

Anyway, back to that cake craving and the quick fix, here's what you need in order to make yourself a quick and easy, moist, hot cake out of the (uh...microwave) oven in less than 3 minutes.

CAKE MIX
Get two packs of Cake Mix. One has to be Angel Food Cake. You can use any other cake flavor for the other pack. I chose Red Velvet. Mix the two cake mixes together and store in an airtight container. I separated my already-mixed mixes into three pint-sized ball jars. That way, I don't have to bring everything to the office (and risk everyone asking for cake, LOL).

Once you have that mix, it doesn't take much to make yourself a single serving.

From top: 2-in-1 Cake Mix in a pint-sized Ball jar, my Worship Generation mug, a tablespoon and water in a cup.

SINGLE-SERVE CAKE
3 tbsp Cake Mix
2 tbsp Water
Mug

1. In a mug, mix 3 tbsp Cake Mix with 2 tbsp water.
2. Pop in microwave oven and cook on High for one minute.
3. Cool a bit and enjoy your cake.

Optional: You may top with frosting, whipped cream and/or fruits.

Put 3 tbsp cake mix in a mug.

Add 2 tbsp water.

Mix well. Make sure you get the mix by the bottom edges of the mug.

Ready for the microwave oven!

Microwave on High for 1 minute.

Be sure you cool your cake (and mug!) a bit before topping with frosting, cream or fruits.

Excuse the blurry pic. I was too excited to top my cake with whipped cream!

Et voila! Cake! Omnomnom!

So easy! There ARE days when you just have to forget about that diet. Haha!

Enjoying my red velvety angel food cake at work. Mmmm...

Enjoy!

No-Wilt Cilantro (Guaranteed!)

I'm cooking up a Bento Giveaway (more like a pre-giveaway to a grand BentoMommas Giveaway), but need a little more time to gather prizes. So while we're waiting for that post, I thought I'd share this quick tip I learned over the Christmas holidays.

My daughter A and I are big Cilantro (wansoy) fans. Whereas my siblings cannot even tolerate it in Chinese dishes (or any dish - how sad!), A and I are in-love with this herb! Anything with Cilantro is omnomnom for us - even the ordinary noodle soup gets plus points with a few sprigs of chopped Cilantro!

So anyway, we've been having a hard time keeping cut Cilantro fresh. I mean, we buy a bunch and they are sure to wilt within 24 hours. We've tried every single tip like keeping the roots soaked in half an inch of water, wrapping the bunch in newspaper, keeping it by the ref door, etc. Name that tip, we've tried it - to no avail. If the leaves don't wilt in a day's time, they should keep for a couple of days max. Wrapping it in paper AND keeping it by the door seems to extend its life for a few more days - only they dry up and not wilt. But then, what good is Cilantro, if not fresh? 

Right before Christmas, one of my bffs from work invited us over for Christmas dinner. While there, over good food and stories about our kids and office politics, I learned this special trick that keeps Cilantro fresh for weeks! 

And you know what? IT WORKS!

Now, if you own a supermarket or a vegetable stand, and want to keep those sprigs fresh... you should try this!

Get a bowl or reusable food container, and soak those sprigs in about an inch of water (depends on how much fresh Cilantro you have). Keep in refrigerator. That's it.

So that's how you keep them babies alive!!!

We've had these for over a week, maybe two. And they're still alive!!! I've probably wasted hundreds of pesos on Cilantro alone - throwing the unused and wilted sprigs after a day. This is going to save me money (and trips back to the supermarket!). Thank you, R and J for this great tip!

Don't forget to change the water every other day!

Now why didn't I think of that? 

Like this tip? Click LIKE and share this post on Facebook! Thanks!

Cracking Chestnuts!

It's that time of the year!

Okay, okay... I know you can get chestnuts (the Mandarin Castañas kind) all year round now, but you know what I mean! Mmmm... imagine walking past a stall where freshly cooked castañas are sold. Or remember how they used to actually cook it in front of you in Greenhills? I remember how this was such a treat for us whenever we'd spend Christmas in Hong Kong. Yes, cold weather + the smell of cooking chestnuts = Christmas.

So I was at the grocer's earlier (to get cake for an officemate) and right in front of the bakery was this stall selling castañas. Not exactly freshly cooked as it wasn't steaming hot, but fresh nonetheless. I was tempted to get a fourth of a kilo (more would always result in a sore throat) and was excited to start peeling my way to its delicious and meaty flesh. But they wouldn't crack right. Nope, they weren't hot enough to peel properly.

You know how frustrating it is to want to eat castañas when you can't enjoy the nut in full? Well yea, so I had to wait 'til I got to the office.

Here are two tips on how to get to the full flesh of it all without pulling your hair out:

1) HEAT OVER STOVE - They never tell you that you can reheat these things at home. Well you can. Just get out a pan, heat the nuts over low heat (so they don't burn) with NO OIL. Make sure you stir them around so you don't over-heat a particular side. When you smell them (should not smell burnt), take off heat, and peel 'em babies.

2) HEAT IN MICROWAVE - Just put one layer (don't let them sit on top of each other) in a microwable plate or bowl. Heat on high or medium high for around 20-30 seconds. Let cool for a few seconds before you touch them because they're going to be HOT! Then peel and eat to your heart's delight.

It's beginning to look and smell a lot like Christmas!

So yes, that's how you get the skin not to stick to the flesh. And that's how you get to enjoy those castañas at home.

Who said it should be difficult to crack and peel castañas?

Bento 101: Charaben

From Wikipedia: 
Kyaraben or charaben, a shortened form of character bento is a style of elaborately arranged bento (Japanese boxed lunch) which features food decorated to look like people, characters from popular media, animals, and plants. Japanese homemakers often spend time devising their families' meals, including their boxed lunches. 

Originally, a decorated bento was intended to interest children in their food and to encourage a wider range of eating habits. It has now evolved to the point where national contests are held.


With all these bento photos that I've been uploading both here on the blog and on Instagram, I've received many requests to do tutorials on how charabens or decobens are made. These are very popular in Japan, and I suppose it is the same way here, with bento-making on the uptrend.

Recently, I've had the chance to teach Michelle (Momma N' Manila) and Mia (my soaperstarmama friend and stalker) how to make owl charaben, and I think I've pretty much mastered (well, sort of) the art of molding onigiri without the mold. In fact, the girls were thinking it would be easier to mold with just their hands, but I guess this bento momma proved them otherwise (didn't I?), hehe.

So anyway, here's what we made that day.

From left to right: Mia's, Mine and Michelle's. Hoot! Hoot!

I shall save the retelling on what went on during our mini-workshop for another post. Today's all about making charabens, and I will teach you how to make a bear-y simple one. Haha, get it? Bear-y easy bear charaben. This will be a photo blog, as there are a lot of photos to help you with the step-by-step procedure on how to put this one together.

BEAR-Y EASY BEAR CHARABEN

Ingredients:
Rice
Main Dish
Vegetable Dish
Side Dish of Fruit or Vegetable
Cheese
Nori/ Dried Seaweed
Bread
A stick of Uncooked Spaghetti

We had pork adobo leftovers, and that basically influenced my choice of which charaben to make. I was thinking I could use the sauce to make brown-colored rice, and it would make a nice bear. Charabens need not be complicated. You can use leftovers! I always do.

Here's how I made my bear-y easy bear...

I took some sauce and mixed it with my rice.

You don't need adobo to make this. Use brown rice or seasoning mixed with white rice.

Scoop enough rice in a food-grade bag to mold the bear's head.
Make sure rice is packed such that it doesn't break when taken out of the bag.

Place directly in your box or in a large, round silicone cup.

For ears, scoop about a teaspoon of rice into the bag and mold.

You will need two. Break off about an inch of uncooked spaghetti noodles.
Dip ends in mayonnaise or sauce to make it stick to your rice balls.

Push your noodle halfway through the small balls to make ears.

Attach ears to head like so.

Using a bear cookie cutter, punch out some cheese.

Once you get the bear punched out, reverse the cutter and punch again.

You will then have an oval for the bear's face, and ears for the bear's... uh... ears. Hehe.

Attach to rice like so.

Take a piece of bread and flatten it with a rolling pin or glass jar.
You don't need the whole slice, just a tiny piece. But my kids love eating bread scraps. Hehe.

Using a small circle cookie cutter, punch out two circles for eyes.

Attach to the bear's head like so.

Punch out two nori circles using a single hole puncher.
Attach to the bread circles using mayo and tweezers.

Using the HapuMogu face nori puncher #9 (available at Saizen), punch out a couple of half moons.

If you don't have this puncher, just use scissors to cut out those shapes.
The nori puncher just helps with precise shapes.

Attach those half moons to the ears like so.

Using a smaller single hole puncher and a HapiMogu face nori puncher #8, punch out more nori circles.
Apply to face to add details to the bear's cheeks.

Using the nori I used to punch out the half moons, I took a pair of scissors and cut out the bear's mouth.
I followed the shape of the half moon to help me get the right curve.

I wanted to serve vegetables and a side of cherry tomatoes with the pork adobo,
so I used three mini oval silicone cups.

Voila! My bear-y easy bear charaben! Nothing to it, right?
Served my bear-y serious bear with pork adobo, fried zucchini slices and some cherry tomatoes.

I used the following bento tools to make this charaben.

These tools are available at Saizen!
Rolling Pin, Hapi Mogu Nori Punchers, Single Hole Punchers, Silicone Cups, Cookie Cutters, Picks and Tweezers.

Because I hardly get to make my not-so-little girl bentos anymore, she got this bear-y cute bento for lunch today.

Pleased with her bento, although I doubt it filled her tummy. This is RL's small bento box after all!

For more bento fun, follow me on instagram!

http://instagram.com/momma_makes_imbento

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Have you submitted your photo entries for Saizen's Create Your Own Bento Photo Contest? You have three more days to make them and beat their September 30 deadline! Hurry! Make those bentos and send in your photo today. You can win upto P3,000 worth of Saizen Gift Certificates!

To those asking, the photo entry should contain three elements: 
1) Your finished bento, 
2) The Saizen tools you used to make your bento, and 
3) A photo of you making your bento.

Edit these photos together to make one photo like so...

Pretend A made this bento and that photo is of her making it.

For detailed mechanics, check out Saizen on social media:

| facebook.com/saizenph
| twitter.com/SaizenbyDaiso
| instagram.com/saizenph

Bento 101: Simple Bento

For first-timers, the world of bento-making could be overwhelming. Take my word for it, when I started out making bento meals for my then 5-year old daughter, A, I would do it sporadically. Like I said in my previous post, bento-making takes a lot of dedication. Not to say it is difficult to start doing it, since once you get a hang of it, it becomes fairly easy. 

There are three things I would advise first-timers in bento-making. These are as follows:
1) You can use leftovers... and whatever you have in your pantry. 
2) Use photos of other bentos as a guide, but don't let it limit your creativity! (You can use kamias to fill in the spaces in your bento. LOL)
3) It won't hurt to collect more tools. Hoard if you must. LOL.

I decided to teach the kids a little bento-making today. We were having quite a slow Saturday - the nanny was out to see her kids, and Momma woke up a wee bit later than usual. I figured if I had them participate in making lunch, then that would keep them busy. I didn't want another Saturday in front of the telly, so I dubbed today "Activity Saturday", and did all sorts.

The key to bento-making is keeping everything in proportion. In fact, bento is a great way to keep food proportions in check. The Japanese use the 1:1:2 ratio when filling their lunch boxes: 1 part rice/grain, 1 part protein, 2 parts vegetables/fruits/dessert. There are others who prefer the 4:3:2:1 rule in bento-making (4 parts vegetables, 3 parts meat/ protein, 2 parts grain, 1 part fruit/dessert). I like to keep things practical, so I usually go with the Japanese ratio (1:1:2) but I don't let it limit my ideas. There are days when my pantry isn't stocked, and I break the rules. Haha!    

Anyway, let's show you how to put together a simple bento lunch.

With simple bento, all you need are a few tools. Don't be discouraged if you don't have much, there are other ways to beautify that lunch box!

WHAT YOU NEED:

FOOD
Rice
Meat/Protein
Vegetables/Fruit

TOOLS

Bento Box

Silicone Cups

Picks

Barans (optional)

Rice Molds (optional)

Bento tools - all available at Saizen!
(Top L, clockwise): Hand-held tools, Assorted picks, Silicone Cups, Rice Mold, Barans. 

The kids and I decided to use bento boxes with different shapes and sizes. 

The small rectangular box was mine, RL had the small round one, and A had a big appetite. LOL.

I thought it would be appropriate to use what we already had prepared for lunch. I had marinated beef for Salpicao in the chiller, so I cooked that. I also had some hotdogs, broccoli, baby lettuce, cherry tomatoes and green apples prepared for balance and box fillers.

I like keeping fruits and vegetables handy because my kids love them!

Rice is our grain of choice today!

PROCEDURE

1. Take your rice mold and scoop some rice into it. Make sure you pack your rice (so it will hold its shape), and flip onto your bento box. 

2. If your main dish has sauce, it is best to use a silicone cup to hold that sauce. You don't want the sauce to mix with your rice. 

3. Take some fillers (in this case, some hotdogs, broccoli and fruit) and fill up those extra spaces. 

4. Use barans to separate the fruit/sweets from everything else. 

5. Decorate your bento with picks.
Optional: Add cut cheese or carrots (shaped like stars, hearts, etc.) to spruce up your box. 

The best way to demonstrate how to put together a bento box is to show you. So I took a few photos of the kids putting together their bento lunch.

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RL's BENTO

RL scooping his rice onto his bento box.

RL chose a small silicone cup to hold his steak. He prefers hotdogs.

Carefully filling out the spaces in his bento box with a green apple slice.
Notice he uses two silicone barans to separate the fruit from his rice.

Adding picks to his bento.

Voila! My little boy's first bento ever! I think he did pretty good, donchatink?
Guess all that bento lunch he brings to school gave him pretty much an idea how to put this together.

"I wanna eat it up!" - RL

A's BIG APPETITE BENTO

Pretty girl getting ready to make her own lunch.

She was reluctant to use the molds, because she wanted to fill her box with rice. Hehe.

Carefully filling her silicone cup of choice with Salpicao.
I intentionally cut the pieces that small for the little boy's benefit.

Once you've placed your rice and main dish in the box, work on filling up the spaces.
A chose to put her hotdogs in a silicone cup as well.

My daughter is a big rice-eater. She can have just rice and no meat or veggies.
Excuse the broccoli, it has been sitting in the fridge for a while.

My not-so-little girl is very proud of her work. She says she will try to make her own lunch everyday.

KAYE's BENTO

My bento lunch, showing the right ratio: 1 part grain, 1 part meat, 2 parts veggies/ fruits.

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Like I said, bento-making need not be complicated. The usual bento in other countries are made this way - simple. It takes about 5 minutes (or even less!) to put together a simple bento, provided everything is ready to go in the box. Remember, a big part of bento-making is in the planning. Plan ahead! Keep a bento notebook and write down all you're going to need for the next day. That way, you have everything prepared and bento assembly will be a breeze.

Follow me on Instagram at:
http://instagram.com/momma_makes_imbento



Wanna try your hand at bento-making? Or join a bento-making contest maybe? SAIZEN IS CELEBRATING BENTO MONTH! Purchase a few bento tools at Saizen, make a bento lunch, take photos, and get a chance to win P3,000 worth of Saizen gift certificates!

Visit Saizen on Facebook for details!

| facebook.com/saizenph 

| twitter.com/SaizenByDaiso 

| instagram.com/saizenph