Bleeding Love for Family Visits

Last April 22 my family visited me here in Cebu. Yay! Well, actually they came here to enroll my brother in college. He will be taking up Civil Engineering, so proud of him! My mujer, as I would fondly call my mom, checked us in at Marriott Hotel because my studio room can't handle all of us comfortably. Oh nights at the pool with my brother are just priceless, he still jumps and dives at me like how we played when we were younger.

It was a day, as how I felt, of convergence. My sister arrived from Manila earlier that day whilst my mujer and brother arrived later in the afternoon  from Ormoc. Oh yes, my older sister, my Ate Gikah was already in Cebu chilling the entire weekend with her high school classmates. 

I was too happy that Ganna decided to fly earlier so we had time to shop!

This is me and my soul sister/ sister best friend being all too sweet as we always are.

Before mujer arrives and before we get too busy, we decided to shop.

Look how happy she is, like a kid in a candy store!

Looking for pretty things in Rustan's.

After shopping, we met with our cousin Antone Codilla to lend him a book.

We had a good conversation filled with laughter over dimsum. Then we head off to Waterfront to meet up with Ganna's accessory supplier, Sugar Kissed. 

Oh oh oh, perfect timing, we had the comfort room all to ourselves!

Red Dress from Topshop| Belt from Promod| Bag from Louis Vuitton

This dress deserves a little back shot and this bag deserves a spotlight. 

I just love the shape of the bag and the length of the sling!

Right after our vanity shots, mujer and Khryss were already on their way to the hotel and so we head off as fast as we could because it always pisses our mujer when we are late! (I got that being time-consciuos from her, although I'm a worse version because I'm a time-freak!)

Here's my kind and nice brother acting all cool like he's some bad boy. Haha

And my sister being so sweet to Mujer. 

I think she'll be asking for some shopping credits again!haha

And here's me trying to look matured. Pwede na?

After they changed and freshened up, we went to Ayala for dinner. We went to Ganna's favorite, Cyma. We treated Khryss's friends too, so ahmm, I dined with varsity-boys! Kids.haha

Cyma's Lemonade

For our appetizer, Pita Bread and Hummus. Oh I love hummus, but this one just lacks seasoning. 

This one tasted better than the prior. This is Pita and Tatziki. Really refreshing!

As usual, me and my sister's favorite-- Plank Grilled Salmon.

For the boys!

This had some fancy Greek name which I forgot, however this is just Grilled Porkchops.

And for SOME of the boys, Half Slab of Ribs!

Bleeding Love for Dark Chocolate Pot Roast

School year's almost over and by June I shall be graduate! For our second to the last subject, we are taking up Dish Development. The first to develop a dish is my young and jolly classmate,Winea. She chose to develop Yankee Pot Roast, a braised beef with Port Wine to flavor the sauce. I volunteered to help Winea prep and cook her first version, Dark Chocolate Pot Roast. The second development was Asian-inspired, Coconut and Pineapple Pot Roast.

For the first development, the main flavor of the sauce will be brought about by the chocolate chips. I think it's exciting and if I put this in my menu, I bet kids will be ordering this. So here's what you have to mise en place if you want to give this dish a try.

Mise en place the mirepoix- onion,garlic, celery and carrots. 

The carrots in this photo will be for the garnish, mirepoix not in the photo.

Tie the beef nice and clean. 

Tourneed potatoes for garnish. 

Ready to begin the cooking process now! 

Ooops,wait! I forgot to take a photo of the olive oil, beef stock and the tomato paste.

 Just don't forget those important ingredients. 

Tourneed Turnips for garnish.

Good old Celery.

Onions.

The star of the dish, Chocolate Chips.

Baby Carrots for garnish.

Garlic.

Bouquet Garnit- Bay Leaf, Thyme and Parsley Sprigs.

Port Wine to deglaze.

Flour to singer.

Here's the blanched baby carrots, tourneed potatoes and turnips. 

This will be added later to the sauce.

It's our first day in the kitchen after the Holy Week break so we took a photo. 

I love my batchmates! 

First Development: Dark Chocolate Pot Roast.

Original: Yankee Pot Roast.

Second Development: Coconut and Pineapple Pot Roast.