NewGate Lentil Soup
I haven't tried lentil soup up until my friend let me have a try when we went to an Indian restaurant in London. It was good, really. So, I remembered to try out Lidl's canned Lentil soup which costs around.
I'm not a fan, it could do some more work with it's spices. There's a hint of tomato puree in there.
Hotdog
If you're looking for a lesser Tender juicy hotdog which hits Filipino taste buds and closer to home, I think that this hotdog is it with being less salty
M&S Raspberry & Peach Iced Tea
While waiting for the next bus, I've decided to try out M&S Raspberry & Peach Iced tea which costs around. Sadly, I didn't like it.
Netflix: Korean drama - Resident's Play book
I'm smiling from ear to ear because they are cute! I liked the progress of the 2nd leads rather than the main character.
Warning. Next paragraph contains spoilers
Sa-bi and Jae-il
Ep 9
Remaining 13:50 - Sa-bi was found out to be a long time fan of Hi-Boyz
Ep 10 Remaining 9:27 Churros
Ep 11
Remaining 57:56 Wheelchair
46:41 wheelchair
36:50 grabbing coffee
Ep 12
26:13 Jae-il admits
Nam-kyung and Gi-on
Ep 7
7:30
Ep 12
23:40
Attempt to make Longganisa recipe
I tried the Savory easy recipe and it really tasted like a Longganisa which needed a bit of tweaking.
Tiktok - Fintech Founder
I like how she was able to explain things in a sensible way. She dissect personal finance in a simple way which is digestible (don't take it literally).
The 50 quid in the UK
If you're going to the UK and is planning to spend money using cash (though everything is pretty much cashless nowadays here), it was advised by my UK based agency not to get the 50 quid (or pounds) as you would only be suspected of having fake notes. The 50 quid is not commonly used.
Kani cucumber salad
There were ingredients in the fridge that has been there for a long time and I was hungry so I decided to make a kani cucumber salad tonight.
Here are the
Kind words from a colleague
At the end of the shift, I'd had the opportunity to talk to one of my colleagues and the conversation somehow went into how long have I've been a nurse.
Then, I had the feedback that I've been doing well and I am good with my patients which is very much kind of her.
Villains Are Destined to Die
I'm absolutely engaged in this manga series. I've stop at 164 episode (end of season 4)
Valentine - Kina Grannis
When I was on my break during my night shift, I suddenly reminded of a song and it seems at the tip of my tongue. I tried to rack my brain to retrieve it.
Luckily, I was able to. This is such an OG song. I personally liked the animation in the video. 😁
Hash browns!
Hey there! How are you today? I hope you're alright with the sunshine today I'm the UK.
I think that I'm definitely in the right country. I always liked potatoes, absolutely adored mash potatoes, can't get enough of their chips (it's called fries in America) and my dream of having hash browns to my hearts content!
I used to order it in McDonald's in the Philippines during breakfast but as not frequently as much as it is a bit pricey for a small one. Im talking like less than the size of my hand.
In here, you can purchase a frozen one less than a kilo gram for 2-3 pounds and enjoy.
Got my third credit card yesterday!
I just tried on my HSBC and I got another one with a 3k limit. Woohhoooo!
Decoding my P60
I thought I was taxed the wrong way but it was a good thing to go through over it again as I was ready to email the payroll!
I received my P60 for the year 2023-24. So in the Pay and Income details, just add all the basic pay, pay arrears and deduct the NI pension and there you will have your final Income for the whole year.
Making Spinach Dip
Though it's not my first attempt in making a spinach dip. I like this version better
Blanch spinach in boiling water and rinse in cold. Drain and chop using scissors
Saute minced garlic and onion in butter until almost translucent.
Add chopped spinach.
Add cream cheese and cheese
Add salt and pepper.
Adjust according to your desired taste.
Top this on a toasted bread.
Gyoza dipping sauce
This is my favourite dip so far that I invented
Knorr Liquid Seasoning
Blue Dragon Mirin or mizhan Mirin
Spring onion, add a lot!
Better if one red chili or if not available, chili flakes
Pepper
Lemon
Braised Salmon
Salmon fillets
Dark soy sauce and Japanese Mirin 1 espresso cup:2
Minced Ginger
Spring onions
Marinate at least overnight
Panfry the salmon
Add the marinade
Add the chopped spring onions
Simmer
Yippee! Got my 2nd credit card approved from Capital One!
And yes! Being the bearer of good news today.... I got my 2nd credit card today!! Woooohooo!!
To tell you a story, it was in my mind for weeks now to increase my total credit card limit minimum of 4k pounds so that it could also increase my credit score.
I was contemplating on applying for a credit card increase in my first credit card with a credit limit of 1k but when I did some search on how much should I ask for an increase so that there is a high chance for it to be approved, it says around max 25% of your current limit. So that is like 250 more.
So I thought why now apply for another one? If I could get another (since the 6 months period has passed, so it's safe to apply for an account), then I could add another 1k into my total limit.
God is good! All the time! I was approved from Capital One with a credit limit of 1.5k!
This is something that is like trial and error.
But I discovered that you can increased that by maxing up to 25% of your credit score and leave it until end of the month.
Boil water with diced onions
Add dashi and dissolve according to instruction
Add bokchoy
Add tofu
Add miso paste
Enjoy!
Saute ginger then garlic and onion until light golden brown. Add small amount of butter
Add the shrimp. Let it cook halfway. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper
Add the kalabasa. Saute for a bit
Add Blue dragons coconut. Season with Patis, salt and ground pepper. Adjust according to taste
I was talking to my patient and he was saying that Sweden and they had laws on alcohol and it has something to do with their history
I'm mostly bed rotting when I'm home because of the cold weather. It's nice for a change that I have accomplished finishing a series of Korean drama though it is only 13 episodes. Technically, I watched it in one go. Yay! You can watch this in Viki.
The story was good. It revolves around Koo Ae jin, a high schooler who is bullied for her looks so she has her alter ego, Genie, a popular influencer which she made using her photoshop editing skills.
What also made me watch this drama is Cho Bomin. I thought that he looked familiar. He was is 18 again and I found him cute there. I looked him up and was surprised that he is an idol.
It has a great depth in umami flavor which is quite different what we normally have. White Miso in the local palengke/supermarket in the Philippines has coarse bits of the soybean and it is usually sour (because it is fermented).
Because I was able to brought back my favorite ground coffee beans from the Philippines, I need some coffee filter paper. Unfortunately, UK supermarkets doesn't have readily available coffee filter papers as I researched that they are more consuming espresso drinks which I have not verified this yet.
Anyway, I've looked in Amazon and they costs around 2.99 GBP for 80 pieces per box. This can be used for filter coffee machines. I haven't anticipated that the pour over coffee which I also bought was smaller so it looked like this:
Probably a #2 then. Ahihihi. 🤣
Sinigang is one of the known signature Filipino dishes. I've been craving for some sinigang, but make it a salmon as one of the main ingredient. Head of the salmon could make this dish a chef's kiss, but I'd kept it simple for now.
Ingredients:
In a heated pan with oil, saute the garlic, onion and tomatoes until soft and translucent. Add the patis and the miso paste. Mix well. Add water. Once near boiling, adjust broth according to your taste. Add salmon. Cook for around 6 minutes. Add the Pak choi and simmer until soft (6-8 minutes). Enjoy!
You can also add cut long beans, radish/Daikon, eggplant into the mix. Just put it before the salmon.
I'm still constantly looking out for a cheese which has a resembling taste to Eden cheese back in the Philippines and this one I think is the most nearest taste that I've tried so far. Only that, it has more depth of flavor. I bought it at Lidl for 1.99 GBP.
In the Philippines, we rarely opt for the Angus Beef because it is expensive.
I am not familiar in cooking beef patties which are thick so I made again another experiment and can conclude that these patties are cooked 4 &1/2 to 5 minutes each side.
Ingredients:
Heat small amount of oil in the pan.
Add chopped garlic until light brown. Add butter.
Add mushroom.
Add small amount dark soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
Add mirin.
Cook until tender.
When I went to a brief vacation in the Philippines this year, it was in my plan to pamper myself and my family. I thought that I will not be able to tick this item in my checklist but during one Saturday, my brother jokingly commented that we need to have massage after going to Mass. It is a good thing that we were able to secure 4 persons reservation in the morning, and the massage was in the evening because I forgot to call them a day prior.
This is not the first time my family and I went in Fresh Touch spa. Their basic massage price has gone up from 299 php to almost 500 php. It is not posh but I could say that it was relaxing and worth it for it's price. They got promo packages which you can check out and honor senior discounts. They also accept cash and credit cards. My brother decided that we have Package 5 which costs around 549 php.
Package 5 - 759 php
Body Massage
Chinese Foot Massage
Ventosa
One thing that I won't repeat anymore is the Ventosa. Not really a fan once I've experienced it.
Making Kwek kwek
1 cup Plain flour
1/4 cup Cornflour
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Magic sarap granules
Salt
Pepper
Food colouring
Water
Hi there! I am Trying out Argos' Click and Collect because curiosity won.
So when you proceed to the checkout, you pick the click and collect which will let you save on delivery fees and you can get the product right there and then.
I thought that you have to collect it on the same day so that's why I've been holding back in trying this service.
Fret not as it takes multiple days before they take out in their storage the unclaimed products.
Anyway, back to the story. After checking out. They will send you multiple emails which one of them contains the acknowledgment and receipt that they had received your order. Inside one of those e-mails is the details and the bar code which you might want to keep on your phone. This will be scanned by the store attendant in order to process your order.
It took less than 10 minutes (was it 5?) to get my items. Which was cool, BTW
Making Mashed Potato
2 big potatoes, cubed
Salt
Water
Boil potatoes in a hot water with dash of salt for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
Drain potatoes.
Using fork, mash potato and add lurpak butter.
Adjust according to your preferred creaminess. The higher amount of the butter you put in, the tastier it gets.
Add small amount of whole milk in order to make it a bit fluffier
Season with salt or pair up with your meat. Enjoy!
Making Gyudon
500 g lean diced beef
1 large red onion diced
Dark Soysauce
Mirin
Sugar
Pepper
Marinade overnight
2 large onion julienned
Oil
Fry until half translucent
Add 1 beef bullion
1/4 cup water
Soysauce
Mirin
Mix
Add marinated beef
Slow cook for 1 hour
Add Soysauce, adjust accordingly
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year! I may not be in the best festive mood today as this is my first time celebrating(or not!) so celebrating the New Year as I slept up until 12:30 midnight due to exhaustion of my previous long day duty.
To tell you the truth, I'm starting to feel like an empty cup. And I know for sure that I'm not feeling homesick.
The gloomy weather here doesn't help either.
