Bolognese recipe

A friend of mine served Spaghetti last week during our weekly playdate and I just couldn't stop raving about it. She was kind enough to wrap some up for us to take home after the playdate. It was the sweet Jolly Spaghetti-type yummy. I loved it. Bud loved it too. He ate it for dinner that night and lunch the next day.

I was inspired to come up with my own version of Bolognese to add to Bud's repertoire of meals. After checking the pantry, I realized we were out of tomato paste and we don't have any bottled spaghetti sauce. It was P who pointed out that we still have some canned tomatoes and i could use that. My though balloon was: "Hmmm... a culinary challenge! Let's see if all those hours spent on watching food network will be put to good use."

Well, indeed it was. The Bolognese turned out quite yummy if I may so myself. Here are the readily available ingredients from our pantry that i used:

1/2 lb ground round beef
1/2 onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small carrot minced
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp butter
1 tbsp Ketchup (substitute for tomato paste)
1/2 can whole tomatoes
3/4 can campbells condensed tomato soup (substitute for tomato sauce)
1 slice american cheese
salt
sugar

Procedure:
1. Saute onion, garlic, and carrots in olive oil and butter until soft
2. Add the seasoned ground beef to the sauteed vegetables. Cook until brown and fat has been rendered. Take out all extra oil from the pan.
3. Add ketchup and diced canned tomatoes (this is the substitute for the tomato paste)
4. Add the condensed tomato soup and the juice from the canned tomatoes (this is the substitute for the tomato sauce)
5. Add cheese. Add salt and sugar to taste. Let mixture simmer until sauce has reduced to your desired consistency and flavor.

Disappointing news

Just got a reply from Uniqlo that the jersey jacket is out of stock in my size. I guess it's not meant to be. I was actually half hoping they wouldn't have it in my size because i wanted to spend the money on another pair of shoes instead of the jacket. I realized there's really no need for another jacket since i find it a nuisance having to carry my jacket around when it's too warm indoors.

Side story... last Saturday i walked from the parking to the mall without a jacket. P already told me i was going to regret not bringing my jacket. It wasn't so bad at first but after 5 mins and we were still outdoors i began to feel the chill in my bones. I thought i was going to have pneumonia! I didn't realize the walk was going to be that long. Another lesson learned.

Underwater Adventures

Every weekend we make it a point to go out and explore Minnesota. Contrary to what others may think, Minnesota has so much more to offer other than farmland and livestock. It may not be as fashion forward as NYC or as paparazzi-infested as LA but it's an interesting place nonetheless.

Last Saturday we really wanted to visit the Minnesota zoo but decided to postpone it to another weekend when the weather is warmer. Instead, we spent the afternoon at the Underwater Adventures Aquarium in Mall of America. I was really curious about it's marine life display. According to its website, Discovery Channel calls it the World's Best Shark Encounter.

Was it? Well, I've always been a big fan of giant aquariums and the underwater tunnels never fail to fascinate me and leave me mesmerized. I wouldn't say it's the world's best but what impressed me was the fact that we were 14ft underwater inside a mall! This was also the first time we brought Bud to an aquarium so it made the experience even more memorable. He seemed to be as enthralled as i was looking at the different marine life. Funny story, we encouraged him to reach out to the fish and touch the glass. One time, P caught Bud touching and stroking the sweater of the girl beside him! Hehehehe...

Going back to the Underwater Adventures...what sets this apart from the other aquariums is it's one long aquarium where you can view all the different river, reef and deep sea creatures all from a tunnel 14ft beneath the surface. The tunnel starts with the wild Amazon where you can revel at the Catfish, Gar, Piranha and giant Arapaima. Then it transitions to the deep sea with all the Sharks and Stingrays. It ends with the Rainbow Reef where you can find all the colorful and playful little fish. I enjoyed the Wild Amazon the most bec it's the first time I've seen Amazon display from an underwater tunnel.

The fee is P19 for adults and the pass is good for the whole day. So if you want to stay the whole day or come back to unwind and relax after shopping, you can! Not bad, right?

We only spent an hour inside because i had another agenda in MOA. I got my Sophie shoes from Vans! Yes, it was what i expected it to be. It was sleek and very comfortable. P says they look like golf shoes. Can't wait for the weekend to wear my new shoes.

Spring jacket

Another item i want to add to my closet for spring - a tailored jersey jacket. Thanks to a post i read from MFO (http://www.manilafashionobserver.com/2010/03/currently-obsessing-on.html)! I already emailed Uniqlo if they still have the gray tailored jersey jacket in my size. Now i just have to wait 72 hours for a response. Haven't decided yet if i want it in gray or black. I guess it will depend on what's available. According to MFOs post, the gray jackets were already out of stock in the Soho store.

http://www.uniqlo.com/us/explorer.html#/code:061566-000-03/

Spring shoes

Since we came here in November with only 100lbs worth of personal effects each, i only managed to bring shoes and clothes for winter. I'm not complaining though as it turned out to work to my advantage. It gave me a good excuse to go shopping!

Thanks to Gap and Old Navy, I've been able to build up my spring wardrobe without breaking the bank. What's more, i still have some leftover money from my shopping budget for another pair or 2 of shoes!

I already got a pair of white sneakers from Gap and a pair of purple flats from Kenneth Cole. Somehow these 2 pairs still don't satisfy my shoe fetish. I feel there's still something missing in my shoe arsenal. Wedges? Oxfords? Booties? After weeks of online surfing and deliberation, i finally decided that a pair of Vans oxfords would complete my ensemble. It's just what i need - chic and comfortable. It would go well with my boyfriend chinos, skinnies and jeggings. Plus it's something i can walk around in for hours especially on weekends when we're always outdoors. Kenneth Cole Slip On By

I can't wait to go to Mall of America tom to get my own pair of Sophie.... crossing my fingers that it would be all that I'm expecting it to be.

Vans Sophie

2 years later...

Guess where we are now....in Minnesota, USA! I can't believe it's been 2 years since my last post. How time flies! What happened in between now and my last post you may ask. Well, motherhood happened! Yes, i am now a mother to a 1 year old boy. I am officially outnumbered in our household. I share a bed with two guys who both sweat when they sleep (even during the freezing winter months).

Will be posting more soon...