Sunday, September 16, 2012

One Tortilla Dinner Sunday

It's one of those family Sundays.

There are some weekends where we just decide to cook something extra-ordinary when we don't have a scheduled family brunch with my brothers and their families. Got started with going to the grocery to get ingredients for home-made tortilla.

The recipe I followed for basic tortilla:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder
1 T shortening (we used canola oil)
1/2 cup water


Mix dry ingredients in a stainless bowl followed by your shortening, then slowly add water. We tripled the recipe and sa totoo lang, didn't keep track of the oil and water that we used heheh. After mixing, we left it covered in the bowl for about 15 minutes, before we emptied a wine bottle (yup, my rolling pin decided to hide himself), that we used for rolling.  Andee helped in dusting the table with flour and rolling the tortilla dough before I 'cooked' it in a heated frying pan.  We made about 22 pieces of tortilla.


I cooked the ground beef as usual, parang pang-spaghetti lang, Although I also added Chili con Carne mix (McCormick's ata yun).  Sometimes I use Taco Mix, other wise, you can season it with cumin, basil and Italian seasoning (Italian seasoning?!? so much for mexican flair).  And as usual, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, white onions and grated cheese.  We can't find sour cream, and we even forgot to make do with mayonnaise with garlic.  Ok pa rin.  Swak na swak!







Sunday, September 02, 2012

It's a TVI World

September 1, 2012.

Today I'm going back to the hospital for a follow-up and (at last) get my 'fit to'work' from my doctor. More than 2 weeks ago, I was sent home from the office due to conjunctivitis. Four days later, I was confined, diagnosed with systemic viral infection.  To make the long story short, 2 1/2 weeks out of work is such a burden for someone like me: a solo parent of 10 years, with a 14 year old daughter, now 2nd year high school,  and a 10 year old son, who now stays at home and is out of school.

 I was getting ready at 8am to go to the hospital when I overheard Nanay talking about travelling and discounts at hotel and resorts.

With the new 'It's more fun in the Philippines' DOT campaign, nakaka-enganyo talagang magtravel and go visit and experience other places locally.  Being a bit of a wanderlust, having to join a travel club at my former work, enjoying team building activities and trips, as well as having to go on road trips with the bf,  the idea of getting discounts struck me.

"Uy, ano yan, Nanay?"
"Ah.  ito yung dinala ako ni Tita Sandy mo last night sa Mcdo dyan sa highway."
"Ano yung discounts?"
"Travel club siya na pag member ka, may mga discounts ka sa hotels and resorts dito pati abroad.  And saya nga ng orientation eh.  Ngayon lang ako naka-attend ng ganong klase na masaya."
"Talaga? May membership fee?"
"Oo, 16k ata yun. Pero lifetime na."
"Lifetime? parang nag Palawan lang ako ng 3D/2N ah?!? Gusto ko yan.  Kelan ulit seminar?"
"Meron ata mamayang hapon sa Masinag 2:30pm."
"Sige, sige.  Gusto ko yan! Samahan mo ako, Nanay, ha? Ha? Ha? Hintaying mo ko pag ko uwi galing hospital."

And that was it.

The bf fetched me from the hospital and I asked him if we could attend this seminar with Nanay. He, being very skeptical in things like memberships, or sales, or networking, had no other choice but to tag along.

The speaker who talked about TVI at that time was (I'm so sorry, I forgot his name) a Commissary Manager from Jolibee.  With his explanation about the membership and the bonus vacations, solve na ako.  Then came Pam Apostol, who talked about the business side.  I was totally dumb-founded. Was this too good to be true? Oyen Redondo came next and talked about her experience.  Wow.  Yun lang a ng masasabi ko. WOW.

"Sali tayo."
Huh? I was surprised when the bf whispered suddenly. "Sali tayo." Talaga? Mr. Skeptical wants to join? This must mean something!

Yup! It's going to be more fun in the Philippines. Gorabels TVI!

Visit My TVI World by Andriego as I document my journey with TVI.