Homecoming

My friends and I held a get together for our US based classmates, Lisa, Barbie and Paz, last night at my house.



As usual, we had so much fun and laughed so hard to the point of tears!



We reminisced about all the silly and crazy things we did in high school, who our seatmates were and talked about our classmates who did not want to lend us their Touch and Go liquid corrector nor let us copy from their notes.

We only prepared Filipino Food as requested by the Balikbayans.

The number one favorite of the night was the Fishballs with Sauce!






I set up the deep fryer and it was a fry your own fishballs affair.



The secret to plump fishballs: you should not freeze it.



I asked Hermie to buy Shanghai Fishballs at Guadalupe market and just stored it in the fridge, not in the freezer.

I made my own sauce too.

Fishballs Sauce

1 small bottle of Pepsi (337 ml.?)
1/4 C. vinegar
1/2 C. white sugar
1-2 T. soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch diluted in 2 T. water

Combine Pepsi, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce  in  a pan.  Adjust according to taste.  Let it boil then add the cornstarch.  For a spicier version, mash a few pieces of siling labuyo.

I also cooked the request of Lisa, Baby Adobong Pusit.  http://liasfoodjourney.blogspot.com/2010/10/adobong-pusit.html



Kare Kare from scratch. http://liasfoodjourney.blogspot.com/2010/04/easy-kare-kare-from-scratch.html





I had to cook my own food and shared it with everybody.  They liked it and asked me to post the recipe.

Vegan Fresh Lumpiang Hubad



6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
2 pcs. tokwa (firm tofu), cubed
orange and yellow sweet potatoes, julienned
sayote, julienned
carrots, julienned
green beans, sliced diagonally
bean sprouts
cabbage, shredded
1 can Molinera Garbanzos, rinsed, drained and skin removed
1 bunch kinchay, chopped
Soy sauce
salt
pepper
sugar
msg (optional but not for me)

Saute garlic and onions in a little oil.  Then add the tokwa, mash it while sauteing. Season with a little soy sauce.

Next, the sweet potatoes, carrots and sayote. Add about 1 cup of water, salt, pepper, sugar and msg. When half done, the green beans can be added.  After a minute or two, add the bean sprouts, garbanzos and cabbage.  Adjust according to taste.  Transfer onto a serving platter lined with Green Ice lettuce leaves and sprinkle ground Happy Peanuts mixed with a little white sugar on top.  Serve with Lumpia Sauce.

Lumpia Sauce (Philippine Fiesta Recipes cookbook)

1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. Datu Puti soy sauce
2 C. water
3 T. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 C. water
msg
garlic, pounded

Heat 2 C. water, sugar and soy sauce.  When it boils, add the cornstarch mixture. Top with garlic.

Tricia, Mico and Jodie ordered pork barbeque and crispy pata from Ambers.



Mylene brought Pixies Bangus



Serla got us the Kikiam from the Rockwell Chinese Food Fair.



Mona cooked Chicken Adobo with liver and she also made burong mangga.



Tin brought Napoleones.



Catherine got us the Ube cake from Red Ribbon.



It was the birthday of our 2 US friends, Paz (yesterday) and Barbie (January 13).

And  lastly ...... Michelle brought 4 BIG bags of freshly cooked chicharon from Lapid!!!!!!!!



It made me commit a sin! I cheated!!!! I had 3 pieces!!!! OMG and I do not even like chicharon!   I am going to make restitution for my sin.

Barbie gave me 2 boxes of Twinkies! My favorite!



I kept them in my private pantry.

My BFF Lisa gave loot bags to everybody but mine was the most special, of course.



She was so excited when she handed me the little box and said.... open it!!!



It was an ipod nano!



But me .... being so un-techie asked, what is an ipod nano????  LOL  All the kids said... Tita Lia! Give it to me if you do not know what it is!!!!

No!!! It is mine!

Thank you so much, Lisa!!!



I am so glad you are home for a visit! I have many plans for you!  See you when you get back from Bangkok with your parents and siblings.