Cleaning Up.

It's summer and I have a gazillion things to do in my list.  I do not feel that I have finished even half of it considering that it will be May soon.  May means summer is half done already.


I am, however, proud of one thing.  I cleaned up the house last Holy Week.  I must admit, though, that this is not really a big feat.  We just moved in September last year so the clutter has not accumulated in an alarming level yet.


First major target was my dresser.  It was a dresser, a filing cabinet, a laundry basket and a toy cabinet.  After an hour and a half of whisking away everything, see what's left...
It still looks the same after 3 weeks.  Hooray!


Next was the computer table / my nightside table.  It was a receiving tray, a toy cabinet, sometimes a laundry basket, other times a cellphone charging station.  After an hour of organizing and removing stuff, the table looked pristine.
At this moment (as I am writing this entry), the table is turning into a toy cabinet but the little boy now understands that the air-conditioning will be turned off if he will not  endeavor to keep his toys before sleeping.


Last clean up project was the family area.  This is where my two boys (hubby and the little one) break lose so imagine how "clean" it gets.  The major hurdle is how to control and keep the many, many toys that my little boy has collected.  For that, I searched for the best toy storage and found this at the True Value in the Powerplant.
I find it pricey at Php3,995 but it looks sturdy.  It would probably last several years.  Apart from that, the storage is very convenient for kids... it encourages fixing time after playing time.


Here's the storage complete with my son's toys.
So now, our house is cleaner than it used to be.  It has been 3 weeks and still no dramatic change.  I am giving myself a pat in the back for a job well done... so far.

Ginisang Saba Mackerel.

It is our househelp's birthday month and she decided to spend her birthday in her hometown.  Because of this, I am the official househelp for two weeks.

I have come to love cooking so on this aspect, I am not complaining.  I actually look forward to being the functioning queen of the kitchen again.

Ginisang Saba Mackerel (don't really know if this is the right name) was a recipe my Mom learned from somewhere.  The first time I tasted it, I surprisingly liked it and told myself that my next cooking opportunity would include this dish.

Here are the ingredients.

Saba Mackerel, the main ingredient.  Drain the oil/sauce and set it aside.

Potatoes.  Two medium sized potatoes will do.

Garlic, Onion and Tomato.  Your usual panggisa.

Onion leeks, chopped.

Laurel leaf and peppercorn.  For added flavor.

How to cook:

1. Boil the potatoes until cooked.  (Tip: While boiling, add a hint of Rosemary dried leaves for more flavor.)  After boiling, set aside.

2. Saute garlic, onion and tomato in cooking oil.

3. Put in the Saba Mackerel and saute for a while until the flavors blend.  Add the boiled potatoes.

4. Pour the Saba oil/sauce in, then, the laurel leaf and peppercorns.  Allow this to boil a bit before lowering the fire.

5. Add the onion leeks.  Continue until the leeks are cooked.

6. Serve and enjoy.

Goes well with hot rice and Coke!