Daily devotional, Feb 23, 2024 Sunset

"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land." 
Psalm 37:8-9

Sunsets are always an amazing sight. It tells us that whether our day turned out good, or turned out bad, it is still bound to end. It is a reminder that no matter how the Sun can lord it over the universe, there is a set time for it to go down from its throne. And that after a long period of darkness, it can and will still shine.

As followers of Jesus, the setting sun is also a reminder for us to forget about the anger we felt that day. In his letter to the Ephesian Church, St. Paul the Apostle reminded early Christians to not let the day pass without reconciling with the person we had a misunderstanding with.

"Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil." Ephesians 4:26-27

When we let our anger sit overnight, we tend to turn into hatred. And when we hate others, we are automatically breaking one of the commandments of the Lord. This was emphasized by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew:

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hellof fire." 
Matthew 5:21-22

The above passage was followed by Jesus’ instruction for us to prioritize reconciling with those whom we are angry with, before facing Him.

"So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" 
Matthew 5:23-24

So when we see sunsets, let us call to mind the Lord’s reminder that He desires mercy more than sacrifice. That He commands us to love one another, and forgive one another just as He has done for us.

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32

And while it is not easy to forgive and forget, let us always remember that we are called to obey the Lord. That all of His commands have our best interests at heart. And if our hearts are truly enraged at the wrong we have suffered and the offense that we incurred, then let us offer our feelings to the Lord and hold on to the promise that He will fight for us:

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

Let us allow sunsets to be physical reminders that everything comes to an end. The hurts and the pains that were inflicted to us should go down in the day just like the sun,  because it is good for us to forget about it. That there is no use holding on to anger, and letting it dominate our thoughts, spoken words and actions because it will just lead us to sinning.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Ephesians 4:25-32 and Matthew 5:21-26 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you let the sun go down on your anger?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for loving us enough to protect us from the natural consequences of anger. Give me the confidence to fully abide in you so that we will be free from hatred in our hearts, and fully follow you. Amen

The post Daily devotional: Sunset appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." Rev 20:12

One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Notebook.” It is based on a novel written by Nicholas Sparks. The tearjerker was entitled as such because in the film, an elderly man was reading an old love story written on a notebook.

A well-known Bible character who also recorded notes was Moses. He recorded the Ten Commandments, took note of their journey from Egypt to the threshold of the Promised Land, and in effect authored the first five books of the Old Testament. 

“Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting places.” Numbers 33:2

If there is one thing, we present day people can learn about Moses’ note taking habit, it is his intentional resolve to edit out unneeded details of the story. He no longer recorded non-essential things that weighed him down and just took note of joyful and positive memories.

“And they set out from Marah and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.” Numbers 33:9

In the above passage, Bible commentators pointed out that Moses no longer included the Israelites’ grumbling in the wilderness. However he noted the refreshing stops in their journey towards Canaan. Such attitude is consistent with the Lord’s character of forgetting about the sins He has previously pardoned.

"Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back." 
Isaiah 38:17

And as we continue with our Christian walk, we should continue focusing on growing in Christ-likeness. That by journeying with our Lord Jesus, we can be assured that our names will be noted in the Book of Remembrance.

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of  remembrance was written before him of those who feared the  LORD and esteemed his name.  “They shall be mine, says the  LORD of hosts, in the day whenI make up my treasured possession, and I will spare  them as a man spares  his  son who serves him. Then once more you shall see  the distinction between the  righteous and the wicked,  between one who serves God and one who does not serve him." Malachi 3:16-18

In the above passage, we can rest on the thought that as we strive to uphold righteousness in our lives, our Lord takes note of our efforts. 
And  to remain on the right track to eternal life, we should note in the journals of our heart, the words of our God Almighty.

"Great peace have those who  love your law; nothing can make them   stumble." Psalms 119:165

Let us continue abiding by the Lord and taking comfort, that at the end of our lives our names will be written in that one book that will separate those who will spend eternity with the Lord and those who will perish in the lake of fire.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 119:33-40 and Revelation 20:11-15 to dig deeper on today’s topic. 

Reflection question: Can you take confort in knowing that your name is written in the Book of Life?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for being merciful and taling note of all our efforts to grow in Christlikeness. Please allow me to stay faithful to you so that my name could be found in your books. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: The notebook appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, December 11, 2023 The Surplus

"Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10

Christmas is a time of giving, and so most charity groups appeal to the generosity of people and conduct donation drives during December. And while these are usually received with enthusiasm, majority of givers remain in the mindset of giving from their excesses. Surpluses after all are unneeded things in our home, items we have too much of, or we no longer appreciate.

Giving from our extras is almost the default way of giving because it is a way of ensuring our own security when it comes to provisions. Unfortunately, this mindset is not limited to what we offer to others, it also becomes the default way of giving when we offer our time, talent and treasure to the Lord. When it comes to time, the Lord is not our top priority for the day, and sadly even on Sundays. For some, worship time depends on what we are planning to do and where we plan to go.

This should not be so, because our God deserves only the best from us. In the Book of Numbers, the firstborn of every livestock. and first fruit of the crops are required as an offering before the Lord. According to biblical scholars this kind of giving is an act of faith since there is a possibility that the livestock or the crops would not yield as much the next time. But offering still means that we put our God into our highest priority.

"You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’" 
Numbers 18:29

To those who submit to this premise, the Lord has an even more bountiful promise. And truly, as they say, we humans can never outgive our provident and generous God:

"The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow." 
Deuteronomy 28:12

The message of the above passage was echoed in the Book of the Prophet Malachi with a promise of overwhelming blessing:

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." Malachi 3:10

Apart from tithes and personal donations, the New Testament tells us that we give to the Lord when we share our blessings to others:

"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.’" 
Matthew 25:37-40

The most important thing in giving though, as St. Paul reminds us, is that we should give with a happy heart. That we do not grumble as we share to the church and to our fellowmen:

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Giving is also God’s way of keeping us from being too materialistic and guarding our hearts from greed (Matthew 6:21). When we give to the Lord and to others, we also celebrate being alive, we celebrate our being blessed. Just as we throw victory parties and milestone celebrations, let our every day act of giving be our celebration of God’s presence and blessings in our own life.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 25:35-40 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What is your mindset in giving to the church and to others? Do you have to make an adjustment following the above verses?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me. Please give me a cheerful giving heart, and a mind that realizes that everything comes from you. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: The surplus appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, Dec 9, 2023 The fruit basket

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." 
John 15:7-8

One of the best gifts to give and receive this Christmas season are fruit baskets. In a tropical country like ours, fruits are abundant, fresh and delicious so sharing a healthy package of sweet goodness is one of the best ways to show our love for relatives and family friends.

As Christians, it is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who makes us fruitful. When we abide in Him, and live under his reign, our lives become fruitful spiritually, and outwardly.
As an attempt to quell the rebellion of the Israelites prior to their entry to Canaan, the Lord performed a miracle that involved His high priest Aaron. He asked Moses to gather every tribe leader’s rod, including that of Aaron to show whom He has chosen to be the Israelites’ High Priest. According to the Lord, the rod that will sprout will be that of his chosen one.

"The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. " 
Numbers 17:8

Biblical scholars explain that the sprouting alludes to the fruitfulness of the lives of God’s chosen ones. It shows that with God’s love, healing, and mercy — a rod, which is essentially made of dead wood— can still bear good fruit. God alone can restore our dead sinful souls into fruitful and spiritually productive spirits:

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." 
Isaiah 43:18-19

We have to remember that for us to continue to be fruitful, we have to stay close to our Heavenly Father. Just as the Lord asked Moses to keep Aaron’s fruitful rod near the Tent, Jesus Christ reminds us to stay connected to Him because only then can we bear fruit:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Jesus Christ says, when we are living apart from Him we are just like dead wood that is best thrown into the fire (John 15:6). He indeed never liked unproductive fruit trees. In the Gospel of Mark, our Lord and Savior cursed a barren fig tree, which bible scholars interpret as Him denouncing spiritually bankrupt Christians:

"And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it." Mark 11:13-14

So what do unfruitful Christians are like? St. Paul the Apostle explained to the Galatians that those who do not abide by the Holy Spirit are those who pursue worldly things:

"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy,drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who dosuch things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21

So how do we know if we are bearing fruit? How do we know if we are indeed connected to Jesus Christ? How will we know if our connection to our Lord and Savior can be seen by others in our life? St. Paul has answered these questions in the same letter to the Galatian church:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." 
Galatians 5:22-24

If the fruits of the spirit can be seen and felt by others from you, then your life indeed is comparable to the abundant, sweet, and generous helping of fresh produce in a Christmas Basket that is meant to be shared and enjoyed with others!

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Numbers 17:1-11 and John 15:1-11 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How is your Christian life so far? Can you say that you are bearing fruit?

Conversation with the Lord:  Lord Jesus Christ, I praise and thank you for giving me the chance to bear fruit. For restoring me, and renewing my purpose, so that I could be fruitful and live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen.

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Daily Devotional, Nov 21, 2023 Customer Care

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

One of the foremost Christian virtues you must possess as a customer care professional is patience. You have to be willing to wait for inquiries and complaints to end, you have to be patient to respond to each of them, and be humble enough to apologize.

A local industry professional said that for customer relationship to flourish, the customer representative has to listen to the concern no matter how small or big, because in the eyes of the client, his concern is of utmost importance.

Our Lord Jesus Christ sees our day-to-day issues the same way. When we come to Him to say our worries and fears, we can rest assure that there is no problem too big for Him to handle. The book of Zephaniah states:

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17

When we come to him for guidance on a life changing decision or even day-to-day life we can be certain that He will listen and light our path. James, the brother of Jesus assures that when we ask in faith, the Lord will guide us:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5

More importantly, there is no sin that is too big for His mercy. In the scriptures, as long as we ask for forgiveness, repent, and start abiding in Him, He has assured us that He will forget about our sins, cover them, and give us a brand new start. This is aptly stated in the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel:

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

Once we have developed an intimate relationship with the Lord, we get to rest in the knowledge that He longs to hears from us. That whatever trivial thing we may have in mind, or little event we are getting anxious of, he could handle it. Likewise, He appreciates it when we come to Him to thank Him for any of the many blessings He has showered upon us. The book of Isaiah captures this thought:

"Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." Isaiah 30:18

So how do we get to talk to the Lord and “hear” His voice? Well, it is when:

1. We have fully accepted Him as our personal Lord and Savior

2. Surrendered our life to Him

3. Asked for His forgiveness and repent. Abide by Him. Intentionally spend time to pray to Him and study His words.

We will hear His voice when we seek Him daily, and prioritize our relationship with Him above everything. When He is the center of our life not just on Sundays, but every day, we get to live in His midst. The Gospel of John quoted our Lord and savior saying:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27-28

Having the spiritual discipline to put God above else, will give us the tranquility that only our Creator can give. No, it is not a life without problems, but it is a life where you are at peace amidst the chaos of your daily existence. You manage to remain calm because you know someone will fight battles for you; that everything happens for your own good; that your life is lived in purpose and service to others; and that you will always be safe in His hands. 

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Colossians 1:19-14  and Psalm 73:23-26 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you think the Lord hears you? Can you in turn hear His voice too?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father we praise and thank you for your wonderful blessings. Allow me to nurture an intimate relationship with you as I endeavor to intentionally put You and Your will at the center of my life. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Customer Care appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Hello everyone! I am here again to give you ideas for budget ulam recipes for the week. In this series which we started last month (Check out past posts here), we aim to provide nutritious yet affordable recipes that could hopefully ease your burden of planning for meals, thinking about the ulam for the day, market and grocery shopping, and ensuring that the budget is followed.

As mothers we are blessed to have been given the responsibility to choose and prepare nourishing meals for our families. In provers 31:27-28 it says “She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…” So to aid us in planning budget-friendly and nourishing meals, allow me to offer you our suggested recipes for the week:

Cooking nutritious yet affordable meals for the family

Like the past week, the recipes in this list can all be cooked for a budget of Php150.00 to 200.00 and could produce about four-adult portioned sizes. These ulam ideas are also easy to prepare. SOme may require two steps but nothing really complicated.

If ever there will be other ingredients like seasonings, most are pantry staples. If ever they are not in your pantry then consider buying a pack as an investment. Anyway, if you divide your use into the next couple of days or weeks, then the amount shall redound to our target of more or less Php200.00 per main dish. So without further ado, here is our list of budget ulam recipes.

List of budget meal ulam ideas for the week 2023

1. Chicken binagoongan. This is a very easy and affordable recipe to prepare. Just pre-fry two medium sized eggplants. Saute onion, tomato and garlic. Add the bagoong and a teaspoon of sugar. You may also add sliced siling pansigang at this point if you want it a bit spicy. Add the chicken pieces and ensure that the chicken is cooked through. Add 1/4 cup of water and simmer unti;l the bagoong or shrimp paste gets a bit oily. You can then add the cooked eggplants and adjust seasoning to taste.
2. Ginataang Tilapia. This one is easy and nutritious! Fry two to three pieces of sliced tilapia. You may slice the fish into three or half, depending on your preference. Set aside. In the same pan, saute onion, garlic and ginger. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cracked pepper, plus one piece of chicken cube. Once boiling add the fried tilapia pieces and bring to a boil. Simmer for about five minutes and then adjust seasoning to taste. Patis is a good choice when it comes to seasoning coconut milk based dishes. You can also add in siling pansigang at this point. Serve with a smile!
3. Chicken Arroz Caldo. Arroz Caldo can be eaten in our house as a whole day meal! It can be eaten as lunch, the left over as merienda, and then the next day, it can be eaten as breakfast. Even your babies who are beyond 6 months can eat this (more baby and toddler food ideas can be found here)! Extra money saved for its budget can be used to buy Tokwa for a soy-tofu side dish mala “tokwang walang baboy” Here is an easy recipe I previously posted.
4. Tuna spaghetti. Let us take a break from rice and use our favorite pasta in making this super easy dish: Tuna Spaghetti. Just sauté your favorite can of tuna in onion and garlic. If you are feeling generous you can add all purpose cream to make the dish creamy but if not then the oil from the pasta should be enough. Season with salt and pepper, and if you have Basil at home then add some shakes of it.
5. Bangus a la Pobre. This is another budget friendly yet nutritious recipe that could feed a family of four or five. Even kids will be happy to eat this especially when the Bangus is boneless. Here is an easy recipe to follow.
6. Pork Sinigang using sinigang cut. Sinigang cut of pork is less expensive compared to the liempo cut, so one can easily go ahead and make use of it as a dinner or lunch ulam. Just make sure to add kangkong, labanos and gabi to fill up the recipe. Of course encourage the kids to eat up their veggies too!
7. Chicken Liver and Gizzard Adobo. This is an easy and super yummy recipe that will ensure that you will reach out for more rice. It may take a bit more time to cook, but the effort is worth it. Plus left-overs can be easily frozen! Here is a good recipe that I have tried.

So there goes our list for the week. I hope you come back again next week for our fresh list of suggested ulam ideas.

Food for the soul

At this point, I hope you can allow me to share one of my favorite bible verses, this time from the Gospel of St. Matthew:

“But he answered, “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Thank you for stopping by and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post Seven Budget Ulam Ideas for this week 2023 appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

WE ARE OUR KIDS’ TOUR GUIDE IN THIS UNFAMILIAR WORLD

Good morning ladies! Flexing the love letter slash artwork I received from my eldest. She said these are chamomile flowers I feel so blessed to receive letters like this. It reminds me that children love us with unconditional love!

There are times when we are not at our best. Maybe we lack sleep or are too tired, or anxious about a lot of things. We snap, we forget about playtime, we serve up what is easy to prepare, and we cannot manage all the chaos and mess. But our kids still look upon us with love. We are still their heroes and safe place no matter what. Knowing that should help fuel us to try again each morning to be at our best

Kids love us unconditionally

May their unconditional love inspire us all to love more and be more patient with the kids as they become more and more inquisitive, ever-energetic, and super makulit.

We are their tour guide

In those days they test our patience, let us remember that God assigned us to be their TOUR GUIDE in this unfamiliar world. Hence we have to answer thousands of questions, explain so many things, and give so many reminders for them to be good people with bright futures.

More importantly, let us draw strength from our Almighty Father and the scriptures He gave us:

NEHEMIAH 9:17

“But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”

Have a lovely, happy and peaceful Tuesday ladies!

Thanks for stopping by and till next post! A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post We are our kids’ tour guide in this unfamiliar world appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Are you worrying about something today? Answer this question — do you intinctively know what your kid might be needing when he or she cries? What she wants at a certain time of the day (or evening)? What could possibly be bothering him or her when you cannot see that sunshiny smile on your baby’s face?

If you said yes to any of these questions then you can trust that all your worries are taken cared of too. If we, human moms are so instinctive that we KNOW AND RESPOND to what our child/ren needs even before they tell it to us, what more our Heavenly Father?

Rest in the thought that He will never leave nor forsake us. He calls us as His own. And He calls us by our name.

Cast your anxieties on Him. He will always be there for us 

Sharing with you one of my middle child’s favorite memory verse. Personally it reminds me to rest in Jesus no matter what!

Have a lovely and peaceful day ladies! Shalom 

The post Enjoying motherhood and resting in Jesus 💙 appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

I have always liked eating Japchae  I love it and even my children like it. When I decided to try making some at home, I discovered that it is not as easy as procuring the ingredients from a supermarket. There’s presoaking involved, and there are a lot of ingredients to slice, chop, and prepare. What is a buy mom of three to do?

Enter the Instant Pot and all those worries of too much prep and waiting time are over! And the best news is I will be sharing with you this secret.  

25-minute japchae recipe

Just a word of caution though, this is the MOST BASIC Japchae, and it is not as elaborate as the one being sold in your favorite Korean resto. This is the “I am craving for japchae and I want it now” version. If you want more easy to cook recipes you may find some here.    

Fastest Japchae ever? Yes, it is possible to make Japchae in less than 25 minutes. So let us not waste time and get started!

Ingredients for a quick and easy japchae

First prepare all your ingredients. If you could get the pre-cut dangmyeon or japchae noodles then that will save you even more time. The only special equipment you will ever need is your Instant Pot!

Ingredients:

180 grams dangmyeon or japchae noodles either pre-cut or cut to fit the diameter of the instant pot

1 carrot thinly sliced

½ bulb of onion, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper sliced thinly-sliced

shitake mushroom (about half a cup)

Baby spinach (as much as you like)

OPTIONAL: PRE-COOKED sliced beef or ground beef, or chicken, or lean pork (about half a cup)

Sauce: (pre-mix this in a bowl)

1 cup water

1.5 tbsp Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Garnish: Sliced leeks and sesame seeds

Procedure in cooking Japchae

Now we will proceed to the cooking part. This is going to be so easy, especially when the ingredients have all been prepared prior to assembly.

Layer the Dangmyeon in criss-cross fashion so that they will not clump together. Add in the carrots, onion, shitake and pre-cooked meat if you are adding some. Pour in the pre-mixed sauce and set to 4 minutes high pressure.

Once pressure cooking is done, do a quick release, and reset into sauté mode. Add in the bell pepper slices and baby spinach plus the onion leeks and sauté for about two minutes.

If the noodles seem clumpy, then add in a tablespoon of water or two and try to unstick the noodles that got clumped together. Remove from heat and drizzle the sesame seeds and serve!   

Thank you for stopping by and till next post!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

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It has been a while since my last post and I ask you mommies to pardon me for it.

To make up for the lost time, I am sharing with you today a recipe that is super easy to make and would guarantee fun netflix marathons with the whole family!

Easy mojo potato recipe

Mojo potatoes are one of our favorite appetizers to order in a Pizza Place we are all familiar with. And like any family, we could never get enough of it. It was puzzling for me before on how they could manage to cook potatoes that usually take seven to eight minutes to fry without burning the breading.

After a bit of research and trial, I have come to realize that the potatoes were precooked and that it only needed a quick frying in order to fully cook the breading. No deep frying needed at all. It was so easy!

DIY Mojo Potatoes

Yes you are right ladies, no need to order in. No need to order the frozen cook at home version. No need to spend so much more and of course you can cook as much as the kids like!

All you need to do is to buy a kilo or more of potatoes (or as many as you like), scrub them clean (no need to peel) and steam them all for about 12 to 15 minutes depending on the size. (My instant pot can cook medium sized potatoes for like 15 minutes).

Let the potatoes cool down or you could even cook them the next day if you guys can wait. Slice the potatoes and dredge them in flour.

Dip them in eggwash, and dredge them this time on your favorite seasoned flour mixture or those ready to use breading mixes in the grocery. Although the latter may contain MSG, so make sure to use these products sparingly or just make your own.

Fry in medium heat for 1 minute per side. Place in a cooling rack or paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve with tomato ketchup or ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Reciper Run Down: Unli mojos at home

Ingredients:

Potatoes 6 medium sized pieces

Half cup of flour

1 XL egg or more

Ready breading mox or your own breading (mixture of flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic powder)

Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Steam the potatoes for 15 minutes and once done, cool it for at least an hour (to overnight or eveb two days in the ref).

2. Once ready to cook, slice the potatoes (no need to peel). Dredge in flour, dip in beaten eggeash, and then dredge again in the breading mix.

3. Fry in hot oil with medium heat for a minute per side. Drain excess oil in paper towel and serve with favorite dipping sauce.

Hope you enjoyed this recipe mommies and till my next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

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Tummy aches are a common occurrence among children, and they are usually not a cause for concern. The pain mostly comes from constipation, gas, indigestion, or a stomach bug. Unless your child is suffering from severe pain or the discomfort is accompanied by high fever and excessive vomiting or diarrhea, their sakit sa tyan or stomach ache is most likely harmless and does not require a visit to your pediatrician.

Mild abdominal pain often goes away after resting for some time. Nonetheless, you may want to speed up the recovery process so that your little one can go back to playing and laughing. Here are several home remedies for bellyaches that you can try to help your child feel better:

Warm Compress

One of the safest and most soothing home remedies you can try to relieve your kid’s tummy ache is by applying a warm compress on the belly area. The heat will help relax the abdominal muscles and increase blood flow, thereby providing quick and calming relief.

You can use a heating pad or make a warm compress using uncooked rice and a clean, long sock. Just fill the foot part of the sock with rice, then tie the top to secure it. Place the sock in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to warm it up. Whether you use a heating pad or a homemade compress, make sure that your child can handle the heat to prevent paso or burns. 

Engage in Physical Activities

Constipation is a common cause of abdominal pain among children, especially if they do not get enough water and fiber in their diet or tend to resist the urge to go to the toilet. If your precious one is suffering from constipation, it is best to bring them outdoors so that they can play and keep moving instead of lying down.

Besides taking their mind off the pain, physical activities can help with the movement of food in the gastro intestinal tract. Just make sure that they do not engage in “tummy twirling” activities that could intensify their discomfort, such as tumbling or hanging on monkey bars.

Yogurt

If your toddler can already eat solid foods, you may want to let them snack on yogurt since it is known to help alleviate basic stomach pains. Yogurt, like other probiotic foods, is packed with good bacteria that support a healthy gut. Try mixing slices of bananas in the yogurt to make it tastier. Besides being rich in potassium, bananas are also easily digestible and known to relieve indigestion and bellyache.

Ginger Tea

Ginger is one of nature’s most effective remedies for an upset stomach and digestive cramping. This root vegetable hastens the passing of food through the gastrointestinal tract and reduces gas and bloating. Although ginger is undoubtedly safe for children, its slightly spicy flavor may not sit well with your little one. To make it more palatable, you may want to add lemon and honey to the tea.

Preparing ginger tea or salabat is easy. You need about a teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger, a cup of water, two slices of lemon, and honey to taste. Just mix the first three ingredients in a pot and boil for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes. Strain and add honey to sweeten.

If your child is less than a year old, use brown sugar instead of honey. Take note that honey or any processed foods containing honey are not recommended for babies younger than 12 months to prevent infant botulism.

Tummy Rub

Perhaps the easiest and safest home remedy to relieve stomach pain among children is an abdominal massage. A good belly rub supports healthy digestion, reduces gastric upset, and soothes the organs connected to the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. You may not realize it, but your mere touch has healing powers.

When the skin of your hands touches the skin of your baby’s tummy, their body responds by increasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps alleviate pain and promote relaxation. Physical contact or touch also reduces cortisol or stress hormones.  As such, you should never discount the benefits of a gentle and loving massage.

To massage your child’s tummy, make a circular motion in a clockwise direction around the belly button area using your palms and fingers. Making repeated downward strokes from the chin to the lower part of the tummy may also help ease the discomfort.

While the home remedies discussed above have been proven safe and effective for most stomach aches, you should never let your guard down. If your child’s condition is not improving despite trying any of these methods, it is best to seek medical attention. You may also want to keep a diary of tummy aches with details of what they ate, the appearance of their stool, and the level of discomfort if your little one suffers from recurrent stomach pains. This information can significantly help your pediatrician in figuring out the issue and planning the best type of care.

Thank you for reading up mommies, hope your little one will feel better soon, and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

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Artworks and letters from the brood

They are just too adorable and heartfelt to dispose. Children’s letters and artworks are treasures to any parents’ heart and they are just too hard to let go, at least for me.

I usually keep the cards, but when my three children start giving me love letters almost everyday, my collection of love letters have gotten so big. Then the artworks that they do, both in home school and during their free time. they pile up too. I decided to frame some, but now, I could not even choose which ones to frame. I sure hope I am not alone in this dilemma.

Can I just keep them all?

Lately, what works for me is to have a binder for each of the kids. I file all their nice artworks there. I take photos of these artworks too. For those that do not seem to make the cut, I take pictures of them as well, and tuck them away in our recycling box (away from the sight of little ones whose feelings get hurt when their letters are placed in the recycling bin). By having photos of the letters and artworks, I could have something to look at when parenting / motherhood gets tough.

I tell myself I will organize all these once they are all in high school? Hahaha! Anyway as the years go by I think I would receive less letters and artworks, unlike now when writing, painting, drawing, cutting and crafts are their pastime.

Love letters from your own children are the sweetest!

As for the letters, I keep them in another binder. Hopefully, Ill sort that out when they leave the nest. I think the letters would be like a time capsule for me by that time. I will get to relive the wonderful memories of the most tiring yet happiest season of my life.

But for now, I will just file, collect, and take pictures of the artworks and letters that they painstakingly worked hard for and wholeheartedly give me. I will have a lot of time to organize all these when they have all grown up. For now, I will enjoy the snuggles, and the kulits, and answering endless questions, and the feeling that I am their most loved person in the world.

Yes, I will enjoy this season of motherhood, and I know that I will not regret doing so

Till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

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It may not be too easy to enjoy this season of motherhood. The worries about the pandemic, our livelihood, the impact of being cooped up at home has on the kids…

But we moms, at some point have prayed for that SLOW button. That God would give us a chance to savor the babyhood, toddlerhood and childhood of our kids. They grow up way too fast and these lockdowns have apparently become the PAUSE or the SLOW MO button of our otherwise fast-paced lives.

Before this global health issue, we hurry our school aged kids to get to school/homeschool work; we hurry the toddlers to finish what they are eating; we are getting worried about the time it takes for our infant to finally doze off in our arms so that we can lay them on their cribs. But now that COVID19 happened, we seemed to have found extra time. Let us not waste it on anxieties and worries because the children grow up way too fast.

Try to scroll down your phone gallery right now. 500 pictures down and you’ll see how tiny they were 500 pictures ago? I bet they have grown up a bit and got heavier. These lockdowns gives us a chance to savor them while they are still in our nest.

Because when they leave…

Our house will be cleaner, way too quiet, and we will have all the time to do what we have wanted to do, BUT AT THE BACK OF OUR MINDS WE WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING TO TRAVEL BACK IN TIME 

Cheer up and be happy. God is all-knowing, and we are exactly where He wants us to be

Have a great Tuesday ahead mommies!

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I may not hail from this province, but am truly a fan of Pampango cuisine! I have an aunt who married into a Kapampangan and she has perfected this recipe. Was not able to ask her how she cooks it, so I just researched. nothing beats hers though, but this one will make you reach out for the rice platter a second time!

Anyway, I have been meaning to cook Kapampangan Asado and finally had the courage! Amoy palang ulam na.

Easy Kapampangan Asado

For newbie cooking mamas who would like to cook the recipe here is a simple procedure:

CHICKEN ASADONG KAPAMPANGAN

1. Marinate your choice chicken cuts in soy sauce and kalamansi mixture. Best of overnight in the ref but three to four hours would be fine already. Make sure to marinate the chicken in the refrigerator. 

2. In a pan, pour a bit of olive oil and about two tbsps of butter. Sear the chicken pieces until brownish — this will take about 5 – 6 minutes on low heat depending on the size of the chicken cut.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan. Meanwhile, saute in the same pan a medium sized onions, six pieces of chopped tomatoes, 3 cloves of minced garlic and bay leaves.

4. Make sure that the tomatoes are overly cooked. Add a bit of soy sauce again and some brown sugar. Simmer and adjust to taste. 

5. Once the taste is fine with you, put the chicken back on the pan, and simmer it for about 12 minutes on low heat.

6. Drizzle some atsuete oil before turning off the heat! Serve with steaming hot rice! Yum!

Kain na po tayo!

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Simple coloring on big papers like cartolina sheets

Our screenfree activity suggestion for the week is simple coloring in huge papers like a cartolina. It gives kids some kind of freedom in coloring as they get a bigger space to work on.

This is actually like hitting two birds with one stone for me. The littles get to help me out with my CVC reading drill material for my homeschooling while they learn and get busy. My little guy gets more familiar with letters, colors and coloring in general, while my other child can check out the Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) words that I will be teaching her for this week .

It doubles up as a happy screen free activity for them to do while I meal prep! In my kid’s case, they were busy for less than 30 minutes, which is just enough time for me to prepare an easy yet nutritious meal (for more easy and healthy recipe ideas, hope you can check out our recipes section).

Anyway, I have realized that indeed, time flies by so fast. Last year our homeschooling lessons were all about introducing letters and their sounds and now my not so little middle child is starting to read! It really is an amazing and humbling experience at the same time. Amazing because from not knowing any of the letters, and then reading syllables, and now knowing slowly how to read three-letter words, is just fantastic! Humbling because phonics need a lot of consistency and patience.

Because of this pandemic, I am sure that more parents will be embarking on home learning. Even if you feel you cannot do it, or you do not have the patience, believe me your maternal instinct to teach will soon kick in and make you teach your littles. In my experience, patience, perseverance and consistency is the key.

For more screen-free parenting activities please browse through the rest of the album, check out the activities section of our website happypinaymommy.com, check out our Pinterest pandemic parenting board, or follow us over at Instagram! Hope you are all healthy, happy and safe mommies. God bless!

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Suddenly craved for tokwa’t baboy while I was tenderizing and precooking the meat deliveries. It turned out so easy to do because I already have fried tokwa in the refrigerator.

But even if you do not have readily fried tokwa or tofu in the refrigerator, this dish will still come easy. All you have to do is wash the tofu or tokwa block. fry it in a bit of oil in a non stick pan on the two wider sides. Once both sides are golden brown, you can now the drain the oil and cut the little tokwa into cubes. set aside.

You can then boil the pork belly. make sure to season the water wqith salt and pepper, and laurel if you like. Some add garlic and onions in the boil, but I do not bother doing that anymore 20 minutes. After that, slice it alongside the other recados like the onion and the siling haba.

The next uncomplicated procedure is making the epic sauce of just vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and then some more siling labuyo if you prefer it spicy.

For newbie cooking mamas who would like to try this quick and super easy tokwa’t baboy that doesn’t use the traditional pork ears, here’s the full recipe:

Easy Tokwat Baboy Recipe

Ingredients:

4 pcs of tokwa

2 pcs siling haba, sliced diagonally

onion minced

Pork belly slice

vinegar

sugar

soy sauce

pepper

siling labuyo is optional

Cooking procedure for simple Tokwa’t Baboy

1. Boil a strip of liempo with salt and pepper. Once cooked, chop into thin slices and set aside. 
2. Fry tokwa blocks. Slice into small cubes once cooked. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl mix vinegar, toyo, sugar. Taste the sauce mixture and adjust according to your liking.
4. Add in sliced siling haba and finely chopped onions. 5. Add the tokwa and the baboy and toss well. Serve with palabok or any lugaw (congee) recipe. Kain na po tayo

For more easy to cook recipes please check our FB easy recipes album, visit the recipes and meal plans section of our website happypinaymommy.com, browse our Pinterest recipe board, or look through our IG feed. Thanks and stay safe!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy

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My suggested screen-free activity for the week is donut decorating. Kids will have so much fun decorating donuts , as it also doubles up as a pretend activity for them.

These are easy to bake donuts that I have made ahead of time. I will be sharing the recipe soon, but you can check out Lutong Tinapay’s post on Choco Wacko donuts here https://youtu.be/yx5TiSPRu4g because her tutorial is eacy to follow for homebakers like me.

You just need some sprinkles on hand which can be bought from the baking aisles in your favorite grocery, any bakestore, or online. These are really affordable too.

Screenfree activities for kids under lockdown

So it had been another happy and messy afternoon in our household. I baked some chocolate cake donuts for the first time and the littles were thrilled to decorate them!!
Sprinkles upon sprinkles of fun colors that got them all entertained! A happy screenfree activity that gets everyone busy and happy, and at the same time it satisifies the cravings. 
I haven’t summoned the courage to buy donuts since the lockdown. I figured I could just bake some and hit two birds with one stone: fill tummies and keep kids busy!

But if you do not have the time or the ingredients to bake donuts on your own, then ring up a trusted baker for delivery, heat the donuts in the oven as an extra safety precaution, before handing it over to the kids to decorate and eat. For more take out food safety you may want to check out this past article >> https://happypinaymommy.com/2020/06/17/how-to-worry-less-about-food-delivery-during-this-pandemic/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-worry-less-about-food-delivery-during-this-pandemic

Thanks for stopping by. Hope everyone in your family is healthy, happy, and safe. God bless!

For more happy recipes and screen-free activities for children please check out our website happypinaymommy.com, browse our FB Pandemic Parenting album and screen-free activities, check out our Pinterest Board or scroll through our Instagram feed. 

A Happy Homemaker is A Happy Pinay Mommy!

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Sharing my labor of love brunch Sandwich for the hero of our life, the best papa in the house! Here is a Basic BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato) with Gruyere slices and some Kewpie mayo, plus my homebaked hoagie na trying hard maging subway roll.

Our #irondad loved it and gave it a two thumbs up! Here’s the recipe for the hoagie roll adpated from justapinch.com:

Hoagie Roll Recipe (Hotdog Bun)

1 cup and 3 tbsp warm water

1/3 cup neutral oil

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar or any granular sugar substitute like erythritol

2 tbsp yeast

1 medium egg beaten

3 1/3 Cup bread flour

1 tsp iodized salt

Procedure:

1. Proof the yeast and add oil. Leave for about 15 minutes.

2. Sift flour and salt. Make a well and add the yeast solution plus the beaten egg.

3. Knead the dough for a bit until it can be rolled into a log. Roll the dough into a log and divide into about 10 pieces. Make hoagie or hotdog bun shapes out of it (it would look small but it will grow as the dough rises).

4. Position in a pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with melted butter and let rise for at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 400F, and bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool in wire racks. This can be frozen for later use. Happy Baking!

For more Recipes, hope you can check out our recipes section, browse our Facebook albums, follow our Pinterest board, or check out our Instagram feed! Till next post!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Sharing this lovely no bake recipe of Korean Sweet Pancakes or Hotteok: https://happypinaymommy.com/2020/06/06/how-to-cook-hotteok-sweet-korean-pancakes/

The post Hoagie Roll (hotdog bun) Recipe appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Sharing with you ladies this very apt quote for today, from Clarence Kelland:

“My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.”

Clarence Buddington Kelland

I feel so blessed by the Lord as i have been given the privilege to be raised by the most wonderful man I have met. Daddy was my safe place, the best role model in life and career, and the beacon that continues to guide me until now. Salamat Dad, and miss na miss na kita

Much gratitude to God

Equally, much gratitude to our Heavenly Father for giving my little ones a great yet humble and loving man to call PAPA.

Truly i have been gifted with men who exude so much strength and kindness. Salamat po Lord. Hoping that my little chico will be a great dad too when the time comes.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, let us find time to thank Father God today for His immense blessings. Personally, thanking Papa Jesus for giving me a wonderful dad, and then an exceptional father to my kids. Thanks also for all the father figures Ive come across in my Earthly journey: RRRJCMVG you know who you all are, and you are all God’s angels!

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to you, your dad, your husband, FIL, ninongs, and every dad and father figure in your life!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

For more articles on parenting hope you can check out the mom reflections section of our website, browse our Facebook albums, follow our Pinterest Parenting reflections board, and check out our Instagram feed. https://happypinaymommy.com/mommy-thoughts/

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Sharing a recipe of easy to prep butterflied and baked chicken! This is super duper simple friends! Sorry about the photo, could not focus much because was too hungry and excited to eat. Sharing the quick recipe below:

Butterflied baked chicken recipe

1. Butterfly the chicken by cutting its spine and neck off its body using kitchen shears. Gently break the breastbone.
2. Prepare a simple marinade of Soy Sauce, Calamansi, salt and pepper. Yes those are just what you need friends. Marinate for at least 3 hours in your refrigerator. 

3. Line your baking pan with foil and put your butterflied chicken in there. Preheat the oven to 350F
4. Prepare a basting solution made of atsuete oil, melted butter, and Knorr liquid seasoning. Baste the inner and outer portion of the chicken. 

5. Bake the chicken for 50 minutes or until the internal temp hits 180F. You may baste the chicken half way through the baking time.

6. Serve with a big bowl of salad and rice! Kain na po tayo.
For more recipes hope you can check out our FB album, our website happypinaymommy.com recipe section, or our Pinterest recipe board. See you around!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy

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