Homemade Pimiento Cheese

- ramosontheroad

I have no excuse for not writing. NO EXCUSE AT ALL!  I was half lazy and half busy to take decent food shots, curate the photos to my desired mix, and write an equally passable entry. My goals of posting consistently has failed, and I feel remorseful. I should do better (here I go again). AND I WILL.

The other day, I played around with cheese that was lying around in our refrigerator for a time. I rushed to a nearby grocery to buy Pimiento and made my self a fresh serving of Pimiento Cheese spread. It was late in the afternoon and I made myself a cup of coffee to go with my merienda. The moment I indulged on my concoction with toasted bread, I knew I would say good bye to its store-bought counterpart. 

The cheese actually reminded me of my grandmother. My dad told me how his mom made everything from scratch, even their ketchup! Now how awesome was that? She even made Atis ice cream when she had the time! I figured I should create my own too (with Star Apple since it’s my favorite) haha! I will let you know how that goes in the future. 

I missed writing. I actually do. 

Just to add an update this photo was taken two Saturdays ago. So, this is my husband’s side of the family! His nephew just celebrated his first birthday and we came there to paaartyyy. I daydreamed what my future kid’s first fête would be like – will it also be in Shakey’s? (to continue the Ramos tradition of Shakey’s parties) I just pray God will bless us with one soon, I guess that is what matters for now. My crazy desires have gone wild and we still do not have a child to celebrate it with hahaha. In time. In God’s time. 🙂 

 

Homemade Pimiento Cheese
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Ingredients
  1. 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
  2. 4 oz. cream cheese
  3. 4 oz. pimiento
  4. 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  5. 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  6. 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
  1. Grate the cheddar cheese and slice the cream cheese. Put all the ingredients in a mixer and combine altogether. Add seasonings and adjust to your liking.
  2. Take a spoonful and enjoy with bread or crackers! hihi
  3. Keep refrigerated.
Ramos On The Road http://ramosontheroad.com/

-Lica

The Silog I love

- ramosontheroad

I have a new source of amusement! a washing machine haha. We just bought one and I have been thrilled to pieces just trying to work my way through laundry. I have been hand washing our clothes since we got back from our honeymoon (six months ago)! My hands need a rest, they have been dry as ever! wrinkles and all. 🙁 However, towards the middle of me sorting out the buttons, I realized how much of a noob I was! haha oh well.

ANYWAY.

Tomorrow is another holiday! Eid al Fitr, which is a special religious holiday celebrated by the Muslims; but Andre decided not to go to work today as well by reason of being down with flu.The rains have somewhat subsided but the atmosphere still bear shades of grey and gloom. It has been particularly hard to get up each day during the previous waking hours since I am wrapped up by such perfect bed weather. Part of me wished the coziness of it all will be unrelenting, yet the rains have caused enough damage already. Maybe it’s time for sun-shining days.

So…on to what’s for breakfast, because I have not been posting as regular as I should.

We Filipinos love our Silog meals and we have a variety of them for proof! Si for Sinangag (garlic fried rice) and Log for itlog (fried egg). The one I prepared for Andre happens to be my favorite, well next to the very famous Tapsilog. This combination of food is usually a breakfast meal but we do not limit ourselves to that time of the day only; we can actually relish them all day long!

Our fascination for the silog craze is a reflection of our creativity and prudence. Originally, sinangag is leftover rice from last night’s dinner which we re-cook again with garlic and maybe butter. We throw in meat (hotdog, longganisa, tocino or tapa) that we have in our refrigerator and finish it off with a nice, sunny-side up egg! Perfection!

Voila!

The Longanisa we had was a bit frozen so I had to break it down so I can cook it better (aka Longanisang hubad).

A silog meal is usually best taken with vinegar! Actually we eat a lot of dishes with vinegar! We even pair barbecues with it.

What is your favorite Silog meal? 🙂

 

Classic French Toast

- ramosontheroad

Yay for the holiday! This is one of those rare occasions that I get to sleep longer and wake up to prepare quality breakfast. Thankfully, French Toasts are really fuss free alternatives to pancakes, since I was craving for one. I just wish I had fresh fruits on hand! The site where I got this recipe from looked enticing with all the berries on the side of her plate. Delish! But oh well, this will do for now! 

Classic French Toast
Serves 4
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Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 eggs
  2. 1/3 cup milk
  3. 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
  4. 1/8 cup granulated sugar
  5. 1/8 teaspoon salt
  6. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  7. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  8. 4 thick slices bread
Instructions
  1. Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F or or heat a skillet over medium heat. Grease well with butter.
  2. Add all ingredients, except the bread, to a blender or to a shallow dish and whisk well to combine. If whisking by hand, it's okay if the flour doesn't mix in completely smooth.
  3. Dip bread slices into the egg mixture, dredging them well on both sides, and place on hot, greased griddle or skillet.
  4. Cook for a few minutes, until the bottom of the breads starts to get golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side the same.
  5. Remove to a plate. Serve warm, with syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch
Adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch
Ramos On The Road http://ramosontheroad.com/

Lica 

A Concept of Freedom

- ramosontheroad

I know this will be a hard entry to swallow, but I just want to get it out there.

Today we celebrate Independence Day! For a country that has been colonized three times, it is a big deal to commemorate the very moment we liberated ourselves from foreign captivity. We are physically free as a nation – free to think, speak, feel – but are we internally free as individual beings? Or are we in bondage to our own human flesh? These carnal desires control our innermost thoughts and emotions that other people will never know; but God knows. We can try so hard to exhibit a perfect life on social media, but we can never hide ourselves from the Lord.

So are we truly free? Can we be who we are without guilt or fear?

The better question I think we should ask is, what are we a slave to?

Because as long as we are living in this world, we will always be subject to something – wealth, relationships, career, friends – and that something will have utmost control, one way or another. These worldly things leave us unstable and insecure if we feed on them for this society is ever-changing and it is impossible to keep up with it. But one thing never changes, our security in Christ, if we choose Him.

In modern day Christianity, it is almost offensive to use the word “slave” because churches emphasize heavily on liberation, the “you are free to be you!” mentality – God wants a good life for you; He loves you unconditionally and He wants you to live your best life ever. It is always about us, is it? We even have gospel tracks for that. It explains how God loves you and wants you to have a personal relationship with Him. But what does it mean to have a personal relationship with the Lord? What is our relationship with Christ?

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”(Matthew 6:26, ESV)

“For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.”(1 Corinthians 7:22-23, ESV)

Bondservant came from the greek word, doulos (pronounced doo’-los)

from 1210; a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency):–bond(-man), servant.

There is always a choice. There is no such thing as absolute freedom.

With this in mind, the gospel is not so much an invitation to having a personal relationship with Christ – it is an invitation to freedom from sin and becoming a slave to Him. Changes everything right? If we select the Lord over the world, He is not like an ordinary acquaintance to whom we have an option whether or not we want to follow Him today and neglect Him tomorrow; if we give our lives to Him wholeheartedly, then we choose to submit to Him unconditionally.

Someone once told me that she thinks she can do whatever immoral thing she can think of because she believes God wants her to be happy. If God loves her, she has a choice to be carefree. How many times have we used this excuse? Even I did. It may seem like this belief makes life less complicated, until we are faced with the consequences of our decision. 

We have abused the concept of freedom by inculcating certain attributes to God to fit our needs. But God is a holy and just God, as He is also merciful and He will not tolerate the days and months that we choose to be willfully sinful. He cannot accept it because He is perfect. If He has set us free from sin, we must choose to live a life that is unbound to it.

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, ESV).

“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16, ESV).

We are unchained, Paul says, but if we are truly in Christ and we have accepted the grace that we do not deserve, we have been transformed and are at liberty to do God’s will. We will never be faultless as He is, but our desire will ultimately be geared towards such flawlessness.

“Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)

On a day such as this, I praise the Lord that I am independent as a Filipino citizen, but more than that, I revel in my freedom from sin and rejoice in Christ’s ownership of my life.

A Mug Cake + Tales from the Weekend

- ramosontheroad

Hellooooo, sweater weather!

Two causes for a celebration!

I made my dad’s blog site work! I have been toiling all morning to fix his new domain and it took me quite awhile to figure things out (more like four hours). Since I have more time in my hands the past few days, I have been experimenting and teaching myself how to do new things. One of my latest contributions to my accomplishment collection is the ability to put up a site via wordpress.org (aka ramosontheroad.com). Recently, I was able to replace a bulb in our lighting fixture that went kaput! (yay haha small sources of joy). And, last but not the least, one of my biggest proud moments is being able to bake a cake (a rather small one haha)!

I eternally suck at baking, mainly because I really do not have patience in following instructions to a tee. But, I guess (and I hope) that will all change starting today when I created my first mug cake! SO THAT IS CAUSE FOR A CELEBRATION REASON NUMBER TWO.

Fudgy Chocolate Mug Cake
Serves 2
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Prep Time
3 min
Total Time
5 min
Prep Time
3 min
Total Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  2. 1/4 cup chocolate chips
  3. 1/4 cup buttermilk
  4. 3 tablespoons sugar
  5. 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  6. 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
  7. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  8. 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
  9. 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Butter the inside of a mug, or prepare with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, melt the butter by microwaving it for about 50-60 seconds.
  3. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the chocolate chips. Microwave the chocolate and butter mixture in 10-second increments, stirring the mixture every 10 seconds, until combined.
  4. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool for about 30 seconds. Add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Whisk together until smooth.
  5. Add the flour and stir until just combined.
  6. Pour the batter into the mug(s). Make sure you do not fill the mug more than halfway, or it will overflow in the microwave.
  7. Microwave the mug cake for 60-90 seconds. When you mug cake is done the top will appear dry, and it will be springy but firm. If you are using 2 smaller 8-ounce mugs, cook them for 30-50 seconds.
Adapted from Danielle Zimmerman
Adapted from Danielle Zimmerman
Ramos On The Road http://ramosontheroad.com/
Thank you to bestdessertrecipes.com for this recipe! It really was a dessert extraordinaire in a cup! Super perfect for a rainy weather such as today. 🙂 I remember shrieking to my heart’s content when I took out my mug from the microwave! wow, following procedure really does wonders, no? Who knew this cake would come out firm and moist at the same time! Yay!

And, some snippets from the weekend! since I have not been posting.

  1. We went to a Toy Con! and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! HURRAY!
  2. My dad posing with some zombies at the convention.
  3. Some of the toys on display!
  4. Andre, Lloyd (Andre’s best friend) and I taking a night cap in Starbucks last Saturday, after attending one of their friend’s celebratory dinner for passing the bar exam.
  5. Still from Starbucks. That was interesting night though, the rains poured as we exchanged the most random of conversations.
  6. Our drinks! I took a photo for the baristas rarely get my name right.
  7. My glasses haha I have no idea why I took a photo of that, perhaps I was feeling artsy (cringe).
  8. Hihi hello from this sweet lady (aka mom of bar passer and host of dinner) whom I met at the party. She happens to be my mom’s batchmate from high school. I was truly floored at her amusement when she saw me, it may have been a blast from the past for her…and I as well.  IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL!
  9. Sunday driving with my husband! we were on our way to church.
  10. Honorary selfie with Andre. We looked like a carrot that day! I was wearing a green cardigan and he was doning his orange hypebeast jacket.
  11. Honorary selfie 2
  12. Honorary selfie 3 (boy, we are on a roll here!)
  13. Hello from the vegetable basket! my dad wore violet that day and I referred to him as the eggplant of the group.

Sorry for the lomo effect of the photos! I just discovered a new app and went crazy! 🤪 click, click, click.

Stay dry!

Lica

Burgers + Random Banter

- ramosontheroad

I love my husband more than burgers! But burgers vyed for my attention as well and so today they got it. Chooomp!

The thing that I was most grateful for tonight was that André took me out for dinner! There was a time when weekend dates ranged from highly unlikely to non-existent because of church festivities. So when an opportunity came that we got to spend time together, I took it with arms wide open!

I threw a question at him at random, I asked if we were not doing any church activity (say we were not even committed Christians serving the Lord at all) what would we be doing? where would we be? and what kind of fun would we engage ourselves in? Such a scary thought, no? I prayed that my husband and I would always find a joy in doing things for God even if it was inconvenient.

So, 8 Cuts it was! Same order, as always.

A friend of mine first introduced me to 8 Cuts onion rings and since then I have never ordered any other side dish to a perfect junk meal! Even though André has always been an unwavering fan of french fries whichever establishment we found ourselves in, we shared the same love for the same variety of burger – the cheeseburger. 

As we bit off calories from our meals, my husband described to me the immensity of God haha such a weird combination, I know; but I loved how he shared with me his thoughts and learnings as he spent more time reading God’s Word. He was narrating to me what he told his bible study group last night – the greatness of God did not only refer to His distinction as who He was, but also His magnificent ability in supplying all of our considerable needs.

In this day and age, it is so easy to forget about His faithfulness in our lives. We fail to remember His Presence when things go well, and we also drown in unbelief when circumstances challenge us.

Hihi, such a simple and sweet night this was! Me, André and our beloved meal. I wished our lives would always be like this, but we were also discussing over dinner that we will go wherever God leads us, even if He asks us to jump off our boats and walk on water! But for now…this is how it has been for us.

-Lica

Clay Pot Chicken

- ramosontheroad

Thursday = bible study and Chinese food! 

I feel like doing a Sheldon (from Big Bang Theory) and declaring tonight as Chinese Food night! Minus the junk that comes with take out grub, since they eat their nosh from boxes.

Andre usually holds his d-group (bible study group) at our house during Thursdays and it is such a challenge to whip up something different each time. I am just so grateful that it is so easy to feed boys haha. As long as its edible, then it is good to go! (Right?) 

I love love love having guests over! Sometimes it just gets too quiet at home, even for me to sustain. So people over is always a terrific idea. 

 

 

Clay Pot Chicken
Serves 3
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 6 pieces chicken thighs
  2. 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  3. 2 tbsp ginger, minced
  4. 2 tbsp sesame oil
  5. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  6. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  8. 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  9. 1 tbsp corn syrup
  10. salt and pepper to taste
for modification
  1. 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (it is preferred to use Chinese mushrooms, but I used Shitake. Still awesome)
  2. 4 pieces baby corn
  3. 1/2 cup tofu, cubed
Instructions
  1. Clean the cut up chicken thighs and rub them pepper, salt and garlic powder. Set them aside as you do your mise-en-place for the different ingredients.
  2. Heat a clay pot and add vegetable oil. Stir-fry minced garlic and ginger for a few minutes then add the chicken. Wait for 3 minutes until you turn each chicken upside down. Add the mushrooms and the baby corn. Then mix in the soy sauce, oyster sauce and corn syrup. You could water down your mixture by adding 1/4 cup of water if you want your clay pot chicken to be less salty.
  3. Cover the chicken, lower the heat and simmer for around 10 minutes. To serve, you can add a bit of parsley on top as garnish. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Ramos On The Road http://ramosontheroad.com/

-Lica