Basic Flour Tortilla

Basic Recipe (10 - 12 tortillas)

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (not bread flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

about 1-1/4 cup warm water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, shortening, or lard

Step #1 - Mixing the Dough

Stir dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, folding in the oil or lard. Gradually stir in enough warm water to form a stiff crumbly dough; knead the dough until it holds together, approximately 5-7 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a floured pastry board and again knead it until smooth (3-5 minutes). Once the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the pastry board, roll it into a "log" shape. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form each into a ball. Cover the dough balls with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.



Step #2 - Forming the Tortillas

Place a dough ball between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper and flatten by hand into a 4" or 5" patty. Use a rolling pin or tortilla pin and, working from the center out to the edges, roll into thin 8-9", round tortillas. Try not to roll over and off the edge of the tortilla as this will make the edges too thin. Turn the tortillas often as you roll. Stretch the dough slightly in your hands as the tortilla is carefully peel off the work surface. If the tortillas tear too easily to handle you may want to reknead the dough.











Step #3 - Cooking the Tortillas

Carefully place the tortillas, one at a time, onto a preheated (medium) dry comal or griddle. Within seconds, tiny blisters will appear in the surface of the tortilla. Flip and immediately press down on the tortilla with a wide spatula or flat wooden paddle, apply gentle but firm pressure all over the top. This will cause the tortilla to puff from the steam inside. Blisters will form over most of the tortilla surface as you press down. Turn the tortilla again and press the other side until the blisters turn a light golden brown; the tortilla should remain soft. If the tortillas stick to the comal or burn reduce the heat. The cooking time should be less than 1 minute. Do not overcook.


Stack the tortillas as they are cooked inside a cloth towel lined tupperware container or tortilla warmer. Make sure to seal the container so that they can "steam" while you finish cooking the rest of the batch. For the best taste, serve the tortillas while still warm and fresh.

I made a simple topping for my tortilla. I sauteed pork, green peppers, onions and mushrooms and added a bit of pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Consequences of Fear

I admittedly have spent majority of my life feeding those monsters called fear. As a kid, I feared embarrassment. Going to a private school and having classmates who were well off made me feel like my worth was lesser. Throughout my academic life I have been teased and taunted and I have cried.I was laughed at way back in elementary because the last minute, they all of the sudden decided to not include me in a dance presentation. I was called worthless by some boy scouts in high school. They called weak due to my migraine which caused fainting spells.  College I was told by a certain instructor that I didn't have the face needed to be in a pageant. I felt ashamed that time, I would have never screened if not for my classmates. My mom even sometimes accuses me of things that I would never do. A boy once said no one would ever love me again. Another one said I was a low class woman and that I was not worth his time. 

Going through all that made me think that living in the shadows was best. I was then almost consumed by those judgement that later on became seeds which bear countless fears. I only realized those fear were nothing. That I have power over them. It was then when I dared and defied my fears. Letting fear get the best of you robs away you right to be happy, your right to live the way you want. They say a bit of fear is good but too much of it is crippling.

Here below is a post by Wong Mei Ching

This post was taken from Mays Closet

Fear is one of the most adaptable human emotion, and can also have the longest lasting effects. It affect people physically and mentally, and can result in trauma that can take years of therapy to correct.

Many phobias are firmly rooted in irrational fear, which should not be confused with rational fear – which is a healthy survival tool. Emotions that have their root in fear include apprehension, terror, panic and dread.

Fear is a biological reaction that has been embedded into our system for self-preservation. We share it with animals. In human beings, however, the fear reaction develops into deeper levels of complexity and subtlety that engender a wide variety of downstream secondary emotions.

The following are the secondary derivative emotions of fear:

* Worry is a mechanism of our psyche that prompts us to do something. The prompting energy is fear – usually fear of some consequence. Because it is fear, the person tends to avoid thinking about it. Thus worry tends to perpetuate itself in a circular way – the fear causes non-action, and non-action further causes worry.

* Anxiety is a fear whose object is nonspecific or vague, whereas worry is about something specific and identified. Anxiety is the result of repeated unprocessed fears that have accumulated in one’s subconscious. It has become a vague feeling about an impending misfortune but which cannot be dealt with because it is unspecified. To resolve it, it must first be converted to specific worries, and then one can apply the guidelines on how to handle worry.

* Panic is an overwhelming fear that makes the person confused and unclear about what to do. This is the accumulated result of many fears, worries and anxieties that have not been resolved and not been handled well. It sometimes results in panic attacks, those inexplicable feelings that may not have any immediate cause but which just manifests in the person.

* Phobias are fear-reactions that are (a) out of proportion to the actual danger, such as jumping and shrieking at the sight of a rat or cockroach, or (b) irrational, such as trembling when seeing the photo of a spider.

* Trauma is a psychological “wound” that can still cause distress in a person. Strictly speaking, acquired fears are really traumas in varying degrees of intensity. But a trauma becomes pathological when it causes periodic distress such as nightmares, intense reactions to anything that reminds one of it, or it severely disturbs one’s daily life and work. .

* Envy is a more complex emotion, since it’s a mixture of a number of things: low self-esteem, resentment, and fear. We don’t envy the successes or achievements of those whom we can identify with, that is, those whom we love and care for. Their achievements are vicariously ours too. On the other hand, the achievements of those whom we cannot identify with, particularly those whom we resent, are felt as threats to our own self-esteem.

* Embarrassment involves a “loss of face” and being confused and perplexed at the same time. The embarrassment may not have been caused by anyone, as when one slips and falls down “disgracefully.” Hence there is no cause for anger toward anyone (except perhaps oneself). The action is withdrawal and hiding, not wanting to face people. At its root is the fear of what people might think or say. Shame is a similar feeling.

Fear not only engenders secondary or derivative emotions, but also certain psychological states or personality characteristics:

• Insecurity is a subtle and chronic psychological state of being unable to cope. It is rooted in fear, and is somewhat different from the felt flow of emotions like anxiety or panic. It is the outcome of the subconscious accumulation of fears. A person is hardly aware of the feelings connected with insecurity, but will nevertheless behave according to these fears. When the various forms of fear are resolved through self-awareness processing, however, the sense of insecurity disappears.
• Low Self-esteem is another state of being that is characterized by poor self-regard, insecurity, the desire to be loved and appreciated. It is no longer an emotion, but an attitude or psychological state. But it is rooted in distressful experiences that have not been properly processed, and which have sunk deeply into the subconscious.

So all in all…. FEAR is the mother of all negative emotions. Our first very important task, is to stop ourselves the next time we experience any negative emotion, and think – what’s the root to that fear, and if it that big a deal… before we go on a ramping rage destroying everything in sight.

I know… easier said than done. But let’s just at least try.

KRISIS KRINGLE

Cool breeze blowing through your hair, shorter days and longer nights, more happy songs played in radios and malls. It's that time of the year again. One thing that excites us are the gifts we receive during Christmastime. Since pre-school we have grown accustom to exchanging gifts. We use aliases, or just simply pick names from a bowl on who our Monito or Manita will be. And so we forge on a quest to find the perfect gift...

We have had our own share of weird gifts from  Kris Kringle. The common practice is to give a gift a day to your kris kringle, based on the agreed gift description and minimum price. People tend to be creative in coming up with the craziest kris kringle gift ideas at the lowest price.

The gifts we give often reflect on the personality of the giver or the receiver. For example, for something sweet. Some will give a piece of a cheap sweet candy. Others don’t give gifts at all. Filipinos come up with similar gift ideas when trying to meet a budget. There are common gift items during Kris Kringle and I bet you have received one of these things.

1. Figurines- They come in different designs. There was once a time when almost everyone wanted to collect Angel figurines. A popular gift for mothers and girls. It's a definite option for 'kuripot' givers since can buy them at Divisoria 4 pieces for 100.

2. Ballpoint pen-Anyone who has gone through school have this once in our academic life.  Some gifts fool you with intricate packaging only to find a pen or a set of pen inside it.  Some of the pens don't even work after you receive it.

3. Picture Frame- Since most of us nowadays take pictures, some would think this will be a good gift. It's one of those gifts that people think is a no-fail. The problem is when you receive it, you will have to just keep it away since most of your pictures are saved up in Facebook or in other social sites. Not unless you want to spend money for having you pictures printed out.

4. Alarm Clock - A gift given to people who usually come in late. It's somehow a way to mock you. After receiving this you need to tap it gently or else the next day it will not function again. If it's a cheap clock, it will only live for a few days.

5. Wallet - They come in different brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and then there's Seiko. We are excited to open it but viola! It's empty no cash. Plus you find out it's a knock off. The giver thinks that you have lots of money, that you badly need a wallet.

6. Calendars- Easy gift choice for businessman and politician givers who are on a budget. Plus it gives them free advertising.

7. T-shirt - Cute and functional, if only it fits. If it doesn't, the receiver will just probably  give this in another kris kringle or maybe to a younger family member.

8. Items with lights - The giver thinks that anything with lights is fascinating and elegant. Yes, lights are amusing but most of them don't have a purpose like those blinking necklace, the rubber ball with lights in them or even the glow in the dark set of planets and stars.

9. Handkerchief or towel - It's cheap and easy to wrap. Very useful especially when commuting or the giver may have seen you sweating a lot or sneezing. The most you can spend is probably 200 pesos depending on the quality. It comes cheaper if you don't buy it in malls. Most girls choose this as gift item for guys.

10. Mugs - If I'm not mistaken about 9 out of 10 people wouldn't appreciate this. Almost everyone already owns a mug but you still choose to buy this because it's cute and you think its functional. If you are the receiver, you can add another one to your collection of gift mugs. Lucky you!

Getting these gifts may not make us head over heels happy and probably will only disappoint us but think about it. They are not as bad as getting none at all. So for those still thinking of gifts to give please avoid giving these things and opt for more practical things or you can find more ways to make gift more meaningful. If you can't decide on what to give, do what my mother usually does and just give an envelope with money inside. As for me, if you want a cheap and practical gift that people will surely love, go for coupons. I'm not talking about the ones from malls or magazines. Make love coupons wherein you do certain favors for the receiver a.k.a IOU coupons. You can give it to your parents, friend and significant ones.

Real gifts don't really mean breaking the budget but if there is a certain amount,  my advice would be to start saving up. Wag maging kuripot as iba. It's really better to give than to receive.





  

KAMOTE FTW!!!

Kamote Cue! Kamote Chips! We always hear our local maglalako and street vendors selling this. In the market, we see kamote and we appreciate how cheap they are. For the ordinary Filipino, it's just a local crop that we turn into dessert treats. 

Yes, we are quite familiar with Kamote. Internationally it is called as sweet yam o sweet potato. For the scientists, they call it 'Ipomoea batatas'.  Way back during the Second World War, the Filipinos cultivated kamote when food was scarce and most have to rely on food that can easily ease their hunger and are easy to cultivate. So what's with this kamote? Well this kamote could be one of the ways wherein we can win over some of our country's problem on food and poverty.

Everyday we see people complaining about hunger and our government is finding different ways and means to eradicate this massive problem but I wonder, why do we still take kamote for granted?

If you are one of those Filipinos who are not yet informed of the benefits packed in this root crop, here they are:

1. Sweet potato is cheap. Even Secretary Domingo Panganiban of the National Antipoverty Commission (NAPC) adviced farmers to “grab the economic opportunity offered by the current food crisis to go back to their hometowns and farms to start planting camote and other crops to supply the needs of urban areas like Metro Manila where food costs continue to rise.” 

Planting these root crops will allow farmers to earn more than what most minimum-wage earners get, without the expense of daily commute to poor-paying jobs in the urban areas.

2. Sweet potato can be grown in a wide range of soils, from heavy to sandy. It thrives best in sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with pH ranging from 5.0-7.0 and in areas with uniform rainfall and good drainage.

3. The crop can be planted throughout the year but the ideal planting time for best varieties is at the onset of the rainy season or immediately after the rainy season. 

4. Kamote has multifarious uses besides being a food substitute for rice and corn, it can also be a potential source of raw materials for industrial uses and food delicacies. It can be processed into feeds, flour, starch and pectin for local and export markets. The flour can further be converted into fermented products such as soy sauce, and alcohol.  With the addition of saccharides, it can be made into wine, vinegar and nata.

5. All parts of the kamote plant, especially in the leaves and tips, ranked highest in nutritional value among other commercial vegetables. It contains protein, lipids, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins A and C, and other nutrients needed by our body.

 The nutritional values of a 3 oz baked kamote are: calories 90, fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbohydrate 21 g, protein 2 g, dietary fiber 3 g, sodium 36 mg, vitamin A 19,218 IU, folic acid 6 micrograms, pantothenic acid 1 mg, vitamin B6 <1 mg, vitamin C 20 mg, vitamin E 1 mg, calcium 38 mg, manganese 1 mg, carotenoids 11,552 mcg, potassium 475 mg and magnesium 45 mg. 

Compare that to a 100 g serving of white rice with: calories 361 kcal, water 10.2 g, total fat 0.8 g, dietary fiber 0.6 g, calcium 8 mg, phosphorous 87 mg, potassium 111 mg, sodium 31 mg, vitamin B1 0.07 mg, vitamin B2 0.02 mg, niacin 1.8 g, protein 6 g and carbohydrates 82 g.

6. Recent studies conducted by South Korea's Rural Development Administration shows that kamote contains antioxidants and nutrients that are best for our health. Among antioxidants found in kamote crops are: chlorogenic acid that slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal which contributes to the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; isoclorogenic acid; and caffeic acid shown to act as a carcinogenic inhibitor. 

Higher amount of antioxidants in kamote are found in the leaves than the tips, while the amount of antioxidants in the tips have higher amount than in the roots and petioles.    

These antioxidative compounds may protect the human body from oxidative stress that is associated with many diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.  

Rumors about kamote tops juice as a cure for dengue have circulated  recently, but there have been no further studies that can prove the claim. It is said to boost the platelet counts of dengue patients upon drinking the juice.

Even the North Carolina Stroke Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association have all endorsed the sweet potato for its disease prevention and healing qualities.

Americans and Koreans call the kamote a “super food that heals.” 

Progressive countries have praised this cheap root crop that we, Filipinos, just look down at. 


For us who have gone through school, everytime we would get bad grades we were  called “nangangamote” .  A term used for the losers, those who were thought to have no chance of a good future.  Nangangamote was telling the habitual flunker to “just go to the mountains and plant kamote.”

Kamote is not a incompetent plant  and we should for know how valuable this crop is. We go on and blame current economic situations even graft and corruption for malnutrition, poverty and unemployment but what we need to do is just look for alternatives. 

We, Filipinos have yet to learn how to harness more of what we have, to avoid under estimating our natural resources than complain on things that we do not possess.  

For even a simple root crop such as the kamote can prove to be a winner amongst other crops.

   

Of Beauty, Love and Fairytales

Wouldn't it be nice to be a princess? 

To live in a majestic castle...

To eat delicious meals...

Be clothed in exquisite garments... 

To have all the fame and fortune...

To be be loved by a handsome, kind, valiant and intelligent prince.

To possess captivating beauty, undeniable finesse, true kindness and great intelligence. 

Wouldn't you want to be all that?

That's why those kind of princesses exist only in fairy tales. In the real world, you cannot chose. You must accept what God has given to you. What you are now and what you have exists for a reason. We can want to be perfect but what is perfection if it would mean losing individuality? Would you still be happy living a life wherein everything is perfect? Fairy tales are there to help us dream more and not to fill us with false hopes. For in this world, it is not all about perfection. Real beauty lies within the imperfection.