Happy 1st Anniversay to Lia's Food Journey

Happy Anniversary!!!   To me!   To my food blog!  Time really flies so fast ... who would have thought I've been writing about my food journey for a year now!!!  I am very happy with my accomplishment ... although my waistline is not that ecstatic about it.  It is struggle ... to diet .. or to cook and eat?  The latter always win but I never give up and try to diet and exercise.

I am surprised to know that I have readers from all over the world... from Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.  It makes my heart swell when friends and people I do not know write to thank and tell me that they followed my recipes and  turned out well.

I learned how to cook because people shared their recipes with me.  I do not understand why others refuse to share what they know.  Sometimes I would forget how to cook a certain dish and I could always count on the people who have learned from me to teach me in return.

I invited my friends to celebrate with me today.



I put them all to work... Celine sliced the baguette and shredded the sweet basil.  Mona chopped the tomatoes .... Jing was my assistant in the kitchen ... Sherman opened the bottle of wine and Corry put the ice in the glasses.

For the antipasto ... we had  Bruschetta.  I could "hear" everybody's MMMMmmmmm of approval.  I must admit, it was really delicious. 



The salad had sweet baby blends, seedless black grapes , candied walnuts and crumbled blue cheese with...



Honey-Cava Vinagirette

2 T. honey
2 T. Cava wine vinegar
4 T. Extra virgin olive oil
rock salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Put all ingredients in a clean bottle with cover and shake... shake... shake before using.

Italian Spaghetti



Tuyo Pasta...  This was more popular than the traditional red sauce spaghetti.



250 grams spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained but save 1 C pasta water.
1/4 C olive oil
1 head garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 t. pepper flakes
1 bottle tuyo, drained
juice of 10 calamansi
1/4 C. basil, shredded
grated parmesan cheese.

Heat oil, then saute the garlic until light brown in color.  Add chili flakes and tuyo.  Break the tuyo into small pieces as you saute.  Add the calamansi juice, then the pasta water.  Toss in the noodles and basil.  Serve with parmesan cheese on the side if you wish.

Jing and Sherman bought Butter Rum Cake from Cake Ave.



My friends loved the food!  They said it was really YUM!   They really liked the salad and the Tuyo Pasta... they came back for seconds and thirds.

I love blogging.... it gives me a sense of purpose... to share my recipes and to tell the whole world about my love and passion for cooking and of course.... the best part of all ......  to enjoy the food with very special people.