Fun Snack Time with Pretzel Crisps

January 9, 2015 by

Crunchy. Crispy. Cheesy. Savory. Just about everything you need for a delightful snack!  And a “humongous” box of such treats was delivered to our home yesterday just before snack time.

photo PC4.jpg

Whoa! It’s Humongous!!! (kids’ reaction when they saw the box)

Jack ‘n Jill Pretzel Crisps puts a new spin on the all-time favorite pretzel by making it lighter and crispier.  It can get pretty confusing whether you’re eating pretzels or chips – either way, these Pretzel Crisps make snack time lotsa fun for my kids.  The little girl and I love the Cheese ‘n Garlic variant while the li’l boy (surprisingly) favors the Honey Mustard one.

photo PCsnack.jpg

It’s Pretzel Crisps Cheese ‘n Garlic for this li’l girl. Best eaten with a glass of cold milk! 😉

Pretzel Crisps aren’t just for kids though.  It’s for everyone of any age who loves fun and adventure.  It’s a really great snack to share with friends! The savory flavors and delightful crunch of Jack ‘n Jill Pretzel Crisps bring fun and excitement to life’s adventures.  What’s more, a pack costs less than 20 pesos which means there’ll always be plenty of Pretzel Crisps to share with everyone.

photo 1408135_PretzelsCri10F1E3F.jpg

Add more fun and excitement to life’s adventures with the delightful crunch of Jack ‘n Jill Pretzel Crisps.

Want a share of our loot?  Head on over to our Facebook Page to find out how. 😀

Filed Under: for DAD & MOM, for the KIDS, Products We Love Tagged With: , , ,

PAMORA FARM: Where Free-Range Chickens REALLY Roam Free and are Toxin-Free

May 21, 2013 by
photo pamorafriends_zpsa0a30d76.jpg

Mommies with the PA and MORA of PAMORA Farms, Mr. Gerard Papillon and Ms. Tina Morados. (photo courtesy of Mommy Jem of www.esupermommy.com)

A few weeks ago, we were treated to a fine lunch at Brasserie Ciçou in Annapolis Greenhills to sample the products of PAMORA Farm and to know more about their method of raising free-range chickens.  The pretty Sous Chef Summer prepared a menu that showcased the different products of PAMORA.

photo pamorawithchefsummer_zps0bc327f7.jpg

Traditional Home-made Pâtés

photo Pamorapates_zps64e708be.jpg

We started off with green salad drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette, pickles and mustard served with freshly baked bread and an assortment of PAMORA Pates.  These pates are manufactured the traditional way using old-fashioned recipes from the grandmother of Mr. Gerard Papillon.   Select parts of free-range chickens are seasoned with herbs, black pepper, and sea salt and blended into paste.  The paste is then sterilized in glass jars where it is preserved for a couple of years.  Pamora currently has six varieties of these home-made pates:  Chicken Liver Pâté, Chicken Breast & Liver Pâté, Chicken Gizzard Pâté, Chicken Liver & Gizzard Pâté, Chicken Breast Pâté, and Chicken Breast & Gizzard Pâté.  We were able to sample all six of them.  They all tasted great but, frankly, my untrained palate couldn’t distinguish the difference in their tastes.

The REAL Free-Range Chicken

photo Pamoraroastedchicken_zps397c6a64.jpg

For our main course, we were served Roasted Coquelet with Mashed Potato.  The chicken meat was very tender and flavourful.  To preserve the natural taste of the PAMORA free-range spring chicken, Chef Summer used only rosemary, garlic, sea salt and pepper to season it.  The chicken was then slow-cooked for hours and then roasted to a perfect golden brown right before serving.  What’s great about this chicken dish is that it isn’t only delicious but is also very healthy with less fat content and absolutely none of the chemicals found in commercially raised chickens.

PAMORA prides itself in being the home of REAL FREE-RANGE chickens.  By REAL we mean that chickens roam freely in their natural environment and feed only milled yellow corn and whatever organic food they find in the field.  Unlike commercial broilers which are grown abnormally fast in 28-35 days, PAMORA free-range chickens are grown at a minimum of 70 days to optimize taste and meat quality.  To keep the chickens healthy, PAMORA farm uses herbal medicines formulated from oregano, chilli, garlic, ginger, guava leaves and other herbs.  Expert veterinary and technical consultants also regularly visit to ensure that farming methods are at par with international standards.

REAL Free-Range Chicken Eggs

photo pamoracremebrulee_zps0b7a98e9.jpg

To cap off our lunch, we were served with a Trio of Creme Brulee consisting of Vanilla, Chocolate, and Green Tea.  I was about to dive into the Chocolate Creme Brulee when Mr. Papillon told us to start with the Green Tea, then the Vanilla, and save the Chocolate for last.  The Chocolate’s very strong taste would have drowned the taste of the other flavours.  The crème brulees were made from PAMORA’s free-range chicken eggs. These are REAL brown eggs laid by REAL free-range chickens.  I’m highlighting the word REAL due to the fact that some brown eggs sold by big brands are actually laid by commercial broilers whose feeds were infused with carotene to give their eggs that brown tinge.  Tsk, tsk!

With everything I learned over lunch about the difference between commercial broilers and free-range chickens, I’ll be feeding my family a lot less of the commercial ones and more of the chemical-free free-range ones.  Now I understand why my kids’ pediatrician recommends native chicken and brown eggs. Next time you go to the grocery, opt for the healthier choice and get free-range chicken instead.

photo pamorahomecookedmeals_zpscaff401b.jpg

My own home-cooked meals using PAMORA Free-range Chicken: Chicken Tinola, Chicken Burger Steak with Mashed Potato, and Roasted Rosemary Chicken. (Recipes and cooking tips to be posted soon on www.foodiemomster.com.)

ABOUT PAMORA FARM

PAMORA Farm is a free-range chicken farm located in Barangay Garreta, Pidigan, Abra.  Established by the husband and wife team of Gerard PApillon and Tina MORAdos in March 2000, Pamora Farm now produces thousands of dressed free-range chicken each month to meet the demand of the growing market.  It has also become an Eco-Agri Tourism Destination that gives guests an authentic farm experience and that promotes Abra’s tourist sites.  Visit http://www.pamorafarm.com to know more about what PAMORA offers.

photo pamoragiveaway_zpsbc8bdde2.jpg

WHERE TO BUY PAMORA PRODUCTS

Pamora Chickens, Eggs, & Pates are available at Santis delicatessen, Terry Selections, Rustan’s Supermarket, Shopwise, Metro Market!Market!, RFI Farm Outlet (Holy Spirit QC), Joji Berry (Crossroad 77 Mother Ignacia QC), NCCC – Davao, Champetre Restaurant (BGC), Brasserie Cicou (Greenhills), Resorts World Manila, Ilustrado Restaurant (Intramuros), El Nido Resorts, Amanpulo, Saturday Market, Ayala Alabang Village, and Golden Acres Farm, Inc.

Filed Under: Eat-Outs, Family Fun, for DAD & MOM, for the KIDS, Products We Love Tagged With: , , ,

Early Cooking Lessons with Mom and Sis

December 1, 2012 by

A few weeks ago, I got a care package from our eldest sister who sent over some of our favorite dishes that she used to prepare for us when we were in college.  It was a simple fare of Spaghetti in Puttanesca Sauce, Homemade Garlic Bread, Grilled Chicken, and Freshly Baked Mango Squares.  

As I take each bite of these flavorful and lovingly prepared dishes, I get transported back in time when my mom and my sisters would bond in the kitchen as we prepare meals for family gatherings.  It was then when I learned my first cooking lessons.  We have used a wide variety range cookers that grew and improved along with our cooking skills.  Here are some of the early cooking tips that I learned from my mom and our eldest sister.

On Cooking Pasta:  Pasta is best enjoyed when cooked Al dente, this means that the pasta is cooked with a soft yet firm consistency.  This means that you have to keep a close watch to your pasta as it gets close to the cooking time specified in the pasta label.  Once the pasta has expanded, take a piece of it from the pot and cool it for a few seconds before taking a bite.  It should be soft enough to bite through but firm enough to remain a bit chewy. Remove pasta from heat and drain water immediately once this consistency is achieved.  Leaving the pasta in the water even when the heat is turned off will lead to over cooking.

On Sautéing:  Heat pan first before putting the oil or butter in.  Add a little oil before placing the butter in so that it won’t get burned easily. Start with medium fire when heating the pan and turn it down to low when sautéing finely chopped vegetables. 

On Grilling:  Lightly brush the grill with oil before cooking to prevent of minimize sticking. Watch over the cooking temperature especially when using charcoal grills.  Temperatures can be adjusted by a sprinkle of water or moving the charcoal around to lower heat of fanning the flames to get more heat.  Marinating helps in tenderizing the meat you can marinate tough meat cuts longer to get the tenderness that you desire.

These are some of the first things I learned about cooking when I was young and it came handy when I had my own family and started preparing meals for them.  Until now, I still consult my mom and my sister whenever I am faced with difficult or tricky dishes to cook. 

Filed Under: Eat-Outs, Family Fun, Handy Tips, House Matters Tagged With: , , ,

FRABELLE FOODS: The Brand With A Promise

October 4, 2012 by



Hotdog, Bacon, Longganiza, Tocino and Tapa – ask any child, or adult for that matter, what his favourite food is and one or all of these would most probably be on top of his list.  Growing up, hubby’s fave ulam was tocino and mine was bacon.  Yes, I’m one of those who love to eat bacon with rice.  Actually, I can eat bacon with almost anything – bread, baked potatoes, pancakes, etcetera.

Our little ones, naturally, have the same liking for these food.  Good thing though that my little girl eats vegetables and fruits with more gusto than these meats so I  don’t mind serving them processed meats every now and then.  Moreover, we don’t just buy the cheapest available brand in the market.  We pay particular attention to quality and patronize select premium brands.

Just recently, we tried a fairly new brand in the processed food industry – Frabelle Foods.  I have seen the ad (shown below) on television but didn’t really pay much attention to it.  What prompted me to give Frabelle a try was when it was recommended by my kids’ school teacher. Also, the promo person of the leading competitor of Frabelle was pushing their product so hard at the grocery store that it seemed that they were really threatened when Frabelle entered the market.  Frabelle must be that good if it’s getting a fair share of the market from the leading brand.

Prior to receiving an offer to try the new products of Frabelle, we have already heard great feedback from friends who have tried their products.  So we included them in our grocery list, tried (and loved) their Yummy! Hotdogs, Yummy! Cheesedogs, Longganiza, and Pork Ham Tocino. It seemed to me that the Yummy! Hotdogs taste like those of the brand we’ve been patronizing for years but hubby’s more discerning taste said that Yummy! Hotdogs were sweeter and had a distinct flavor.  Suffice it to say that he prefers the Yummy! Hotdogs now.  The kids and I prefer Yummy! Cheesedogs though which definitely do not come cheap on the cheese. If you’re on a tight budget like us and can’t buy two different packs of hotdogs, you can still please everyone in the family with the Yummy! Combo pack where you can get both hotdogs and cheesedogs in one 250 gm pack for only P 40 per pack.

Photobucket

Little ones give Frabelle Longganiza Hamonado a thumbs up! That’s even if dear Mama overcooked the longganiza. 😛

I have mentioned that I received an offer to try products of Frabelle Foods and since we have already tried a few of their products, I accepted the offer.  It was through this offer that I got to know more about the brand and all their other products.

 

FRABELLE FOODS: The Brand With A Promise


Photobucket

Believing that every single meal must be made special, Frabelle Foods brings to us quality meats that taste a notch higher than other products in the market.  By providing consumers with fresh, premium quality products  that make every meal a fine experience,  Frabelle Foods endeavors to be a trusted name in every Filipino household.

Frabelle Foods products are deliberately made more delicious (Sadyang Pinasarap) with the use of premium meats, finest ingredients, and meticulous preparation of curing every product.  The Pork Ham Tocino is made from fresh pure lean ham leg, Honey Ham and Hickory Smoked bacon are cured with pure unadulterated honey, and the hotdogs and bacons are naturally smoked using imported woodchips.  All these give each product a distinct flavor that sets them above other products we have long been used to.

More than just providing us fine meat products, Frabelle Foods takes an extra mile and gives us new and healthier ways to serve them to our families through recipes created at The Frabelle Culinary Center.  It doesn’t always have to be hotdogsilog, longsilog, or tocilog that we serve on our table.  Try the Longganiza Hamonado Pasta Aglio Olio, the Macaroni Salad with Hickory Bacon and Rosemary, or the Honey Ham and Cheese Croquette and surprise your loved ones with fine delectable meals.  Visit http://frabelle.com for the recipes or leave your email address in the comment section below and I’ll send you a copy of a recipe booklet from Frabelle.

For more product info and promo updates, like Frabelle Foods on Facebook or visit their website.

Filed Under: Eat-Outs, Family Fun, for DAD & MOM, for the KIDS, Products We Love Tagged With: ,

MAGGI MAGIC MEALS – Bringing Homecooked Meals Back On The Dining Table

September 6, 2012 by

When I was growing up, it was imperative for everyone to be at the dining table come dinner time. My mother was a homemaker and always had time to prepare delectable dishes.  Since my sisters and I were in school the most part of the day, dinner time was the perfect time for the family to talk and share stories.  I’m certain those in my generation also have very fond memories of warm homecooked meals shared over conversations and laughter with the entire family.

Today’s fast-paced lifestyle has altered this family tradition though.  With the cost of living skyrocketing,  most families have both father and mother working  to provide for all the family’s needs.  Consequently,  dinners with the entire family has become more of a weekend affair.

Believing that cooking and eating at home is the foundation of many positive things for the family such as developing healthy food habits, strengthening family bond, and deepening family traditions, MAGGI continues to innovate products and offer services that enable homemakers to bring back the habit of cooking and eating together as a family.

One such innovative product is the recently launched MAGGI MAGIC MEALS which is an ideal solution for modern-day homemakers to provide healthy homecooked meals for the family without slaving for hours in the kitchen.

Last week, I was invited to experience a unique way of preparing dinner using Maggi Magic Meals.  Together with other bloggers, I found out what makes this new product really magical.

A MAGGI MAGIC MEALS pack comes with a Maggi Magic Recipe Mix and a Maggi Magic Cooking Bag that allows time-strapped homemakers to cook a saucy dish together with the rice IN A rice cooker.  Yup! You got that right. The “ulam” and the “kanin” can be cooked at the same time and in the same pot!

Photobucket

5 Simple Steps to A Delectably Saucy Filipino Dish
1. Place CHICKEN or PORK with THINLY SLICED VEGGIES
inside the MAGGI MAGIC COOKING BAG.
(Chicken has to be scored atleast 3 times per side, Pork sliced into thin strips, and veggies sliced as thin as a coin)
2. Add the MAGGI MAGIC RECIPE MIX.
3. Add 6 (six) tablespoons of WATER into the cooking bag.
(Use less water if you want a thicker sauce)
4. MASSAGE THE BAG GENTLY to dissolve the mix,
then seal the bag by tying a knot.
(Remove the air inside the bag but leave a tiny pocket
for air expansion during cooking)
5. Place the cooking bag flat on top of washed rice
then cook the rice as you normally would.
After 45 minutes, you’ll have both rice and “ulam” ready to serve.
(Don’t open the lid for the entire 45 minutes
to ensure that the meat is cooked thoroughly)

With such simple steps to follow, even your tweens and teens can prepare dinner themselves!  Really, even those who can’t cook can cook now.  Aside from the fuss-free way of cooking, what I like about MAGGI MAGIC MEALS is that I can prepare food that is healthy in less time and in an economical method.

Photobucket

HEALTHY MEALS.  With Maggi Magic Meals,  we have the freedom to choose which vegetables and meat to use.  Since we would also be preparing the ingredients ourselves, we can be certain that the meat and veggies are all fresh.  We only used carrots and potatoes in our Chicken Pastel dish during the event but we were told that we have the option to add more veggies.  Chili can also be added to the Bicol Express dish for those who like this gata-dish really spicy.

Photobucket

TIME-SAVING and EFFORTLESS.  There are really days when the laundry bins seem to be as high as mountains, or a deadline has to be met and you have no choice but to bring home papers to work on at night.  Maggi Magic Meals still allows you to prepare a saucy dish without requiring you to be in the kitchen for hours.  Apart from the few minutes it would take you to prepare the ingredients, the rest of the cooking is done with the rice in the rice cooker.  There’s no need to check on the stew to stir or season it.  All you have to do is wait for 45 minutes and you’ll have hot steaming rice and a delectable saucy dish laid out for dinner. That’s 45 precious minutes you can use to help your kids with their homework, to do some house chores, or to finish your work.

Photobucket

ECONOMICAL.  The Maggi Magic Recipe Mix that comes with the pack guarantees a complete and proper blend of flavors which means that you don’t need to use garlic, onion and other ingredients used for sauteing. Also, Maggi Magic Meals are cooked together with the rice in the same pot so this translates to great savings on gas or electricity.  Lastly, Maggi Magic Meals makes cleaning up easy.  Aside from the chopping boards and knives used to prepare the ingredients, there are no pans and pots to wash which lets you save on water and dishwashing soap.

You don’t have to be a chef to provide healthy and delicious food for your family and you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen as well.  Rediscover the magic of meals prepared at home, try all four variants of MAGGI MAGIC MEALS and surprise your loved ones with Bicol Express, Afritada, Lechon Paksiw, and Chicken Pastel.

Photobucket

######

MAGGI MAGIC MEALS are sold at 35 pesos per pack and are available in all branches of SM, Robinsons, Shopwise, Rustan, Waltermart, and Puregold Price Club & Jr.  They are also available in specific stores in the following areas:

GMA – Landmark, South, Llana’s, Ever, Cherry, Parco, Budgetlane, Pioneer Center, Isetann, Ng Chain, Tropical, Sta. Lucia and Hi Top.

Visayas – Metro Gaisano, Gaisano Grand & Capital, and Iloilo Supermarket

Mindanao – NCCC Mall & Main, Felcris Illustre, Gaisano Mall (Davao), and Gaisano Mall(Cagayan)

Filed Under: for DAD & MOM, for the HOUSE, for the KIDS, Handy Tips, House Matters, Products We Love Tagged With: , ,
Next Page »