Easy to make egg noodles!

August 21, 2015 by feyma 1 Comment

Easy to make egg noodles!

Living back here in the Philippines for a long time now, certain products still is hard to get here often from the grocery store. Just not much people wanting them I guess. One of the items that I know that it’s hard to find here would be the egg noodles. I could see in the grocery store once in awhile but it’s not their regular thing to stock up there. As always it’s good to have internet nowadays, you can definitely find almost everything. 🙂

Here is the recipe for the homemade egg noodles:

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour (plus more when rolling out the dough)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Procedures:

Combine the flour and the salt in a mixing bowl, using spoon mix the ingredients together. In a small bowl crack the eggs and beat just a little. Make a well in the middle of the flour mix. If you’re using smaller eggs, the dough might be a little drier, if that happens try to add 1 more small egg. Just really eyeball the wetness of your dough.
Use fork to mix. Gradually start mixing the flour to the eggs, slowly from the side of the well to the middle until it mix properly.
Continue working on the flour into the eggs until a solid dough is form. As you keep working on the dough keep sprinkling more flour and it will start to look quite sloppy and sticky, don’t worry just keep mixing and sprinkle more flour, it will come together.
Transfer the dough into a floured surface, floured your hand and continue kneading until it feel smooth and no longer sticky.
Cover dough with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
On a floured surface, using rolling pin, roll out half of the dough between each time you roll. Make sure the dough is not sticking to the surface, sprinkle flour if needed.
Roll the dough to whatever thickness you want your noodles to be. I usually roll my dough From 1/2 inch to paper thin. Like me, my hubby like thinner noodles but wider. So it’s really your choice.
I used pizza cutter to cut my dough. If you don’t have one just use a sharp knife or a sharp cutter, it will do. Try to cut as evenly as possible so that its easier to cook.
Lay cut noodles on a drying rack for air dry. Noodles can be used immediately or allowed to dry completely. Stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 month until ready to use.
When cooking the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt to the water. Boil the noodles until tender to bite (cooking really varies depending on the thickness of your noodles). Fresh noodles that’s never been dried, lesser time to cook. Drain and add butter.
You can mix the noodles to soup, casserole, chili, stew, stir fry and many more. Enjoy!

August 11, 2015 by feyma 2 Comments

The 30th Kadayawan Festival celebration 2015!

In a week it’s going to be a Kadayawan festival here in Davao City. Kadayawan is an annual festival in the city. “Dayaw” means good, valuable, superior or beautiful. The festival is really a thanksgiving for bountiful harvest. It’s one of the favorite festival here I think because you can really see different kinds of freshly harvest fruits and other bountiful products that’s produces here.

Displayed fruits @ SM stall parking lot!

Like right now, while I was walking at the parking lot at SM, some part of their parking lot there were already divided for stalls for vendors who wants to sell plants, seedlings, fruit trees, flowers (different kinds), orchids, pots and few fruit vendors, and many others. The fruit that were displayed there are so fresh looking. It’s just too early, the sales people were still sleeping. Lol. The other part of that parking lot later will be use I’m sure for those TV shows from Manila. They will have live telecast of their noon time shows here. Plenty of those performers locally and from Manila will have shows here.

Some of the stalls that sells plants @ SM parking lot!

Fruits right now will be cheaper and fresher. It’s almost season for every fruit that grows here in the country. Our fave is mangosteen, during the beginning of the year if you can find mangosteen anywhere here the price was just so high. Right now mangosteen per kilo might be less than 50 pesos. If you’re a durian eater, right now is a good time to be buying too. During the festival they usually have eat all you can for durian for 100 pesos. It’s just not for me, I’m not a durian eater though. I’m a marang & jackfruit eater, if they have eat all you can for those sign me in. I’ll be there. 🙂

Here’s the official Schedule of Activities of the 30th Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival 2015:

Aug. 13 – 16 | The Great Kadayawan Trade Fair and Bazaar @ Davao Convention & Trade Center
Aug. 14 – 23 6pm Onwards | Hudyakaan sa Kadayawan @ Roxas Ave
Aug. 15 – 23 | Hulagway sa Kadayawan Photo Contest @ Around Davao City
Aug. 17 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm | Ecumenical Mass @ Roxas Ave
Aug. 17 6 pm – 8 pm | Pagbukas: Opening of 30th Kadayawan Festival @ San Pedro Square
Aug. 17 8 pm – 12 am | Kadayawan Street Party (Opening) @ San Pedro Square
Aug. 18 8 am- 5 pm | Sayaw Mindanaw (Prelim) @ Davao City Recreation Center
Aug. 18 6 pm – 12 am | Tunog Mindanaw @ San Pedro Square
Aug. 19 6 pm – 10 pm | Sayaw Mindanaw (Finals) @ Davao City Recreation Center
Aug. 20 8 am – 5 pm | Lumadnong Dula: Davao Tribal Sports @ People’s Park
Aug.20 6 pm – 12 am | Kadayawan Street Party @ San Pedro Square
Aug. 21 7 am – 9 am | Davao River Festival @ Tionko Field
Aug. 21 9 am- 12 pm| Panagtagbo @ Tionko Field
Aug. 21 2 pm – 5 pm | Lumadnong Bantawan @ Rizal Park
Aug. 21 6 pm – 10 pm | Hiyas sa Kadayawan @ Davao City Recreation Center
Aug. 22 8 am – 5 pm | Indak – Indak sa Kadalanan @ Roxas Ave to San Pedro St
Aug. 23 8 am- 12 pm | Pamulak Kadayawan @ Magsaysay Ave to San Pedro St
Aug. 23 5 pm – 12 am | Pahalipay Concert @ San Pedro Square

So if you have free time and wants to see some of the activities, just take a look at the schedule above. Be ready also for the heavy traffic and plenty of street closure. If you want to see the parade, try to be early and study the route. Bring along with you plenty of water and a nice hat or umbrella that covers your face. It’s going to be hot. It might rain during night time, at least it’s cooler then.

Have fun and Happy Kadayawan!!!

July 9, 2015 by feyma

If accidentally burned in the Philippines!

I am writing about this subject for the awareness of some of our readers here. Not sure if everyone knows that there are not so many burn centers here in the Philippines. As far as I know only one burn center in Mindanao. Only here in Davao City (Davao Medical Center or DMC).

Why do I know that there is just one in Mindanao? A few years ago, when my nephew got an accident in school in General Santos City. He fell in the hole with a fire burning. He almost lost his feet. Luckily they were saved. He was brought here to Davao and was at the Davao Medical Center for almost 2 months if I remember. Whenever I visited him there, I saw lots of people in the hallway sleeping. I asked my brother and one of my nephews why too many people there. They told me that a lot of those people there where from other places here in Mindanao. One of the nurses confirmed that too. I saw some patients from Agusan, some area near Cagayan De Oro, near Zamboanga, near Isulan and many more. Can you imagine being the patient and you will wait for a long time to be transported to Davao City? That’s a long journey.

As I’m typing this, my left hand, some of my fingers have blisters. I just got an accident a few days ago. I accidentally burned by a boiling water. 4 of my fingers have pretty good size blisters. It’s really painful. Luckily we almost always have burn ointment/cream here in the house. I did apply right away. Then I also put some aloe vera in it. We have plants of aloe vera here in our yard. Thank God for that. Bob was asking me if I want to go to the hospital, I said no. It’s not really that bad.

To be honest I’m not going to complain. My injuries are not even a tenth of my nephew and my helper’s injuries. Our helper when she was about 6 years old she got burned by a lugaw (rice porridge). The whole pan tipped over part of her chest and tummy. She showed me her scars and its really bad. She told me that she really suffered for long hours because they lived in the mountain and they’re far from a hospital. Luckily the hospital in their area managed to take care of her. Just hearing from her story, she’s lucky that she survived that ordeal. Watching my nephew suffer it’s really hard on our family. Seeing him in pain really was hard to see. Hearing him cry finding out that he lost some of his toes was heartbreaking.

I’m hoping that none of us will ever need the facility in the future. But I guess for prevention. For a start try to plant lots of aloe vera plant in your yard. It’s really soothing and helpful, I know that for sure. Have cream or ointment in your house always. The most important of all, know where the location of the burn facility in your area.

Stay safe and God bless!

June 4, 2015 by feyma

Married At First Sight; TV show in the US!

We are watching a new show right now that got me intrigued. The name of the show is “Married At First Sight”. It is really an interesting show for us anyway. For me it’s kind of similar to the way we got married, but the good thing for ours, at least we did know the name of the person we are writing with. At that time no internet yet, at least we are writing letters a few times a month, some even for years. Now with the internet, meeting someone through chatting. Then email, then talk through skype or any other kind of social media communication, then meet up in person later, then it develops from there.

Well, on the TV show (Married at first sight), the couple will not know the name or see the person they’re about to marry. It’s really like a blind date (I mean blind marriage. Lol). You will meet the person you’re about to marry at the wedding ceremony. The family of the bride-to be will meet the groom first while the groom waits for his bride in the altar. The anticipation is a killer. Even us watching we are also a bit tense waiting for the couple if they will be liking each other seeing one another for the first time. Really it’s kind of intense.

On the show they had 3 couples who were selected by the experts of psychologist, sexologist, spiritual adviser and a sociologist. Those participants had to undergo a lot of questions and answers, one on one interview, and also a home visit from the expert to check the house. Bob and I, we’ve been shocked that the expert that will visit the house she really checked out inside the closets and also what’s inside the refrigerator. Wow, that’s really thorough checking. LOL. I guess to sign up for that show you have to clean up every corner of your house. Ha ha ha, they will find out later if the person is messy anyway.

We just got done watching the first season. First they had to be married for 5 weeks. Then the experts will question the couple if they still want to be married or get divorced after 5 weeks. Then the couple will be filmed for 6 moths of how they lived their lives. Then the one year anniversary of wedding. Out of the 3 matched couple, 2 were successful so far. The one that was divorced, it’s a bit shocking to see them go their separate ways, because they’re the one that were so at ease with each other after seeing for the first time and during the first few days. Just watching the couple, they seem like they hit it off. It just sad that it didn’t work out good for them.

For one of the couples, the bride was just crying because she’s just not attracted with her groom. But she married her anyway, her family told her to give it some time. She’s lucky to have that guy, because he has been patient with her. The bride really had problems growing up. It’s not small stuff. The groom was just there to help her and try to encourage her to do what she felt like doing in her own time. They stayed together after 5 weeks. Then she feel in love with her husband. Then during 6 months to 1 year, she’s even talking about having babies with her hubby. The husband, he is just not ready that time.

The other couple they’re also good. They hit it off good. You can see the attraction between the 2 of them by just watching them. It’s just sad that the family of the bride didn’t accept that kind of marriage so they did not attend the wedding. The mom of the groom did not attend the wedding either. Her reasoned was valid though, she was in chemo during the time of the wedding. She’s just too weak to attend. Few weeks after the wedding the mom of the groom died.

Honestly, I’m hoping for the success of each of the marriages on that show. It would be a good story to tell to their kids, grand-kids and to their offspring later. For me in every relationship both parties has to work hard on nurturing it. We’ve known people that married their childhood sweetheart but later they still get separated/divorced. Some people married and they’ve known each other for ages and still go their separate ways. I’ve known a few in our neighboring town, the husband and wife were arranged by their parents to be married, they just met in the church during the wedding and almost 40 years later they’re still together.

If you’ve seen the show, let me know what you think? For those that didn’t see the show, try to see it. Feel free to drop a note here.

A few good quotes that I saw on the net:

“Make your marriage Your Own. Don’t look at other marriages and wish you had something else. WORK to shape your marriage so that it is satisfying for both of you.”

“Don’t worry when I fight with you, worry when I stop because it means there’s nothing for us left to fight for.”

MABUHAY!!!

May 21, 2015 by feyma

Dear Feyma: Needs advice on cheating husband!

Dear Feyma - Got a Problem? Ask Feyma! — Dear Feyma – Got a Problem? Ask Feyma!

Hi readers I got this email from a reader on my other blog. She emailed me privately and asking some advice for her niece’s problem. To be honest I just don’t know what to tell her. I am asking you guys’ advice on what to tell her. I’ve seen and heard too many stories of cheating spouses. I want you guys’ input to what I should advise and tell this lady on what to do. Some of the words in the emails were written in Tagalog. I tried to interpret in English as good and as accurate as possible.

Dear Feyma, I’m a reader of some of your blog. You don’t know me. But I will introduce my self. My name is Mindy. My family lives in Northern Luzon. I am an OFW in Kuwait. I am writing and needing advice for my niece. She lives there in the Philippines. She has been married to her husband for over 5 years now. They had a baby last year. Her husband is a seaman. He travels abroad, works on a ship.

My niece was shocked when her husband came home last March 2015. He didn’t give any money to my niece. He told my niece that he wants to separate. My niece asked him to just stay for their daughter’s sake. The husband don’t want to be married anymore. My niece told me that when her husband started going abroad his family said bad things about my niece. Her husband got help in going abroad financially from the parents of my niece. When my niece give birth to her baby the Papa & Mama of my niece paid the hospital and other bills, until now the husband did not pay them. After the husband went abroad many times, they bought house and car. My niece wants to sell the house and car and all the other properties now that he wants to separate. The husband told my niece that she won’t get anything. He even get all the jewelries and electronics gadgets that he gave to my niece.

It turns out now that the husband is having a relationship with the working student that was helping my niece while she was pregnant. That working student was sent by the parents of the husband. My niece found out the relationship when she accidentally open the private email of the husband because they share a laptop. The husband forget to log out. My niece saw all the emails. He denied but my niece showed him the email. He still denies. The husband abandoned the baby now.

My niece was just so shocked that she doesn’t know what to do. What should my niece do? Salamat sa payo (advice). I will just wait for your reply. Sincerely, Mindy.

Honestly I’ve been hearing too many stories like this. It even happened to our neighbor before it’s the lady that works abroad, similar situation the lady went abroad to work in the Middle East. When she gets home the husband already had someone on the side, so they separate went back abroad and later the lady end up marrying an OFW that she met there in the Middle East. Others too, the lady who works abroad found someone there (abroad) and later the lady will separate to the husband here and she moves in later to her lover abroad.

Too many stories that probably you hear or it happens to someone you know. I want to hear what would you guys advice if it happens to someone you know? I will pass you guys message to Mindy.

I really appreciate any advice given to Mindy or to those readers that were just shy to share here.