Baking on a rainy day...

It's been raining in the bay area for about 2 days in a row and I'm kind of getting tired of it already. However, what better way to use your time in the house besides doing laundry or sprucing up your home to get ready for the holidays?

Well, it's baking time for me! When I use to live in the Philippines, My sister and I get so excited to eat these filipino delicacies, they only come out during Christmas time. My grandmother's house was so close to the church that after we would be done with church, we were so excited to buy & eat these desserts, one being "bibingka" (pronounced: bee-bee-ing-ka) which is Rice cake and two "puto-bum-bong" (which is a steamed glutinous rice (puto) cooked in bamboo (bumbong).

For today, I will be sharing this very easy dish. There are so many variations of this Bibingka, there are some that have coconut milk, salted eggs etc. This dessert is often eaten mid-afternoon with tea or right after dinner. I have a thing for "mochi" (japanese rice cake made with glutinous rice). So, the consistency of my bibingka will be like that, this is not a cake consistency bibingka. Either way, you will love this dessert!

So let's get to the ingredients:

1 box Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour
3 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 stick melted margarine or butter
4 eggs beaten
1 Tbsp of margarine or butter (to spread on the baking dish)
9 x 13 baking pyrex glass dish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crack the eggs and by using a fork, beat then until completely mixed. Set aside

3. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in 30 second increments until the butter is melted but not burned!

4. Grab pyrex dish, and spread the 1 tbsp of butter, NOT the melted butter that you just did in Step  3.

5. In a deep bowl, Pour the milk, beaten eggs, baking powder and sugar. Mix completely with a whisk.

6. Then, Add the whole box of Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour in the mixture and stir until mixed.

                

7. After mixing it, pour the mixture in the buttered 9 x 13 pyrex dish and place in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350 deg F. 

The Bibingka will pretty much make it's debut (it will smell really good) in your home after about 30 minutes or so and you will be tempted to pull this out, but don't! Let it bake in the oven the full 50 minutes please.

8. Once you noticed the edges and the middle is starting to turn golden brown, you can pull it out and let it rest on a cooling rack for a good 15 minutes. You will notice that when it comes out from the oven, it's "poofed" in appearance, it will go down and settle. 

I tend to eat the corners first, that's just me though. I usually have to fight for it between my husband and I! anyway, hope you bake this one day and give it a try. Let me know what you think! 

Thanks,

Darlene

GlassBlock Light Display

Happy Holidays! I apologize for not being on here as much as I wanted too. Been busy with son's school activities and work.. typical day for me.
I've been trying to add more crafts on this blog but I just can't seem to find the right time to do it. Speaking of Crafts, I was given this as a Christmas Gift and I was totally blown away by how pretty it was! It's a Glass Block/lights display! (not really sure what would you call it?) BUT it's super creative and beautiful!
I was a little afraid that it will heat up, but to my surprise, the block is warm but it does not get too warm that it will burn (then we may have to call the Fire department for that matter -lol). You can also add other lights (colored), the one that was given to me, had just steady clear white lights, it does not matter, I love it!

If you attempt to do this craft, here is what you'll need is what I was told:

strand lights that will fit into the block - probably 10-15 inches
bow maker, or you can simply make one
Glue Gun
Christmas ornaments
Wired Ribbon (Any colored ribbon)
Glass Blocks ( Home Depot has it sold with 4-5 in a package)
Diamond Cutter

I don't have any step by step pictures to show you, but just passing along instructions from what I gathered from the person who gave it to me:

Directions:
1. Start with the diamond cutter. Cut a round circle to have enough space to have the lights enter the block.
2. Take the ribbon and wrap it (like a cross), then hot glue it
3. Make the bigger ribbon (refer to instructions manual) on top by using a ribbon maker, once you got the size and it's done, hot glue that on top of the (crossed ribbon)
4. To add trinkets, take any colored christmas ornaments and hot glue them as well.
5. Lastly, insert your lights and the plug left out so you can insert that to the wall outlet
6. Once completed, plug it into the wall and there you have it! A Glass/Block Light Display

Here's the information on the creators of this: 
Mollie & Michael Broussard
650-996-6897
mollieb2000@aol.com

that's the small hole to insert the lights

isn't that beautiful? 

here it is, under my christmas tree!

What to do with Empty Jars?

Yes, we all have it in our kitchen whether it be empty spaghetti bottles, water bottle, baby jars and your wondering what to do with them? California is really big on recycling things so what better way to do so by recycling those bottles and turn them into beautiful art!

I was suppose to show you a craft that you can do with your kids in this post but I realized I was missing a couple of things needed to complete it, I was going to make a snow globe but that will be for another post, sorry about that!

In the meantime, I'm sharing some ideas on what to do with those empty jars you have at home instead of throwing them back in the recycle bin!

I've gathered some of my favorite ones:

Silouhette Jars from laurenelisecrafted.com

Glowing Firefly Jars from www.curbly.com

Vintage Photo Jar from http://shannoneileenblog.typepad.com

Terranium

Chalk Jar from diycraftyprojects

Polka Dot Jar/Luminary from savedbylovecreations.com

Floating candles emmalinebride.com

Decoupage Jars arrowandapple.com