Max's Restaurant Celebrates 77th Anniversary

     Max’s Restaurant, the iconic Filipino restaurant chain famous for its Sarap-to-the-Bones® Fried Chicken is celebrating its 77th anniversary this October 18. The brand looks back to where it all began amidst the ashes of the Post-World-War-2 era, when Stanford-educated teacher Maximo Gimenez would host his American GI friends for drinks in his home along Scout Tuazon, Quezon City—with his niece Ruby Trota giving birth to the signature fried chicken recipe, with its iconic pairing of Banana Ketchup and a tangy dash of Worcestershire Sauce to go with a hearty side of kamote fries and piping-hot dinner rolls.

     Since then, this home-crafted dish has grown to become a sentimental favorite among generations of Pinoy families, both in the Philippines and across such geographies as the United States of America, Canada, the Middle East, and Singapore, where Max’s has likewise spread through the decades to bring pride to Filipino cuisine. Thus, as a way to give thanks to both new and loyal fans, special deals and surprises are lined up throughout the entire month of October.

Max's Restaurant Celebrates 77th Anniversary

How to Cook Kinamatisang Manok for Your Family

     It has been more than 100 days since quarantine and for us who stayed at home for the longest time (unless we need to go outside for work or essentials), discovering a new hobby or skill became an achievement. I know some are not used to staying at home for three months but those who enjoyed this quarantine made a lot of bonding moments with their loved ones through baking or cooking. As we adapt to the new normal way of living, safety precaution must be observed at all times that's why in order to practice social distancing and minimize contact from the outside world, shopping online is still the best option when buying essentials.

     Did you know that you can purchase groceries via PayMaya online? Yes, that's how convenient to have a PayMaya app installed in your mobile phones especially now that we are avoiding the risk of cash handling. We do our weekly grocery of ingredients like fresh produce, meat, and other food items through online stores and use PayMaya as our payment method. Speaking of cooking, there's one recipe that we enjoyed cooking over and over again because it's made of simple ingredients, easy to cook, and healthy. Sharing the recipe of Kinamatisang Manok after the jump.

How to Cook Kinamatisang Manok for Your Family

Kuya J Restaurant Eastwood Now Open + A New Look and Menu

     Delectable food offerings, value for money, and homey ambiance sum up what I usually look for a decent restaurant. I must admit that Filipino food is the least cuisine that I opt whenever we go out for lunch or dinner because, in my head, I can eat those dishes they offer at home (hello, Pinoy Drunken Chef!), but boy I was wrong when I got to taste for the very first time Kuya J Resto's yummy in my tummy dishes.

     Last Friday, I was invited to the opening of its newest restaurant in City Walk Plaza in Eastwood City, Quezon City plus the unveiling of their brand new look and additional food items in their menu.  More about the launch after the jump!

Kuya J Restaurant Eastwood Now Open + A New Look
Kuya J Restaurants Filipino Menu

Feature: CEB Meals

     Our flight back to Manila was squeezed in between breakfast and lunch that’s why I decided to include pre-ordered meals which I booked together with our tickets. While browsing the website, I noticed that Cebu Pacific has new menu offerings, with vegetarian options and an array of snacks ad meals that include Asian cuisines. 

     Cebu Pacific showcases Asian Flavors in its new pre-ordered meals for snacks and meals that include Chinese, Japanese, and Korean delights. Each meal is offered P250 and upon seeing the selection, I was relieved that some viands are our favorites. Sharing CEB Meals viands we ate during our flight back home inside Cebu Pacific Aircraft. 

Feature: CEB Meals

Mang-Inasal Palabok Solb sa Busog Merienda Buddy

     Snack time na! What's for merienda? I'm the person who usually eats savory and filling snacks or meals to help me get through the day. As a stay-at-home mom, I still have house chores to do until midnight that's why I need to fuel this momma body for extra energy.

     It's a no-brainer in the fambam that I love Palabok- a satisfying Filipino snack made of noodles, shrimp, meat, eggs, and a special sauce. There's one place where I get my Palabok fix- at Mang Inasal. Great news! Merienda at Mang Inasal has become more exciting with the introduction of the new Palabok!

Mang-Inasal Palabok

Pork Spare Ribs Tinola Recipe + OPPO F1s Feature

     Hello dearies! I've been trying to cook for the past few months because we temporarily moved to a condo unit but I can't get the hang of it. Hahaha! Good thing I have a husband who loves to cook that's why he's the master of our kitchen.

     For this feature, I'm going to share with you our favorite dish- Tinola but we are not using the usual ingredient. Our default Tinola is made of Pork Spare Ribs. I find it tastier and the meat is tender after cooking it using a pressure cooker. To make this Filipino dish picture perfect, I used my OPPO F1s phone in taking the photo of the ingredients and the finished product. Scroll down to see the recipe and why I recommend OPPO F1s in taking foodstagram-worthy photos :)

Pork Spare Ribs Tinola Recipe  + OPPO F1s Feature

Feature: Sarsaya Oyster Sauce

     Weeks ago, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation organized a press conference to announce the launch of its newest product, Sarsaya  Oyster Sauce. The event was highly anticipated by bloggers and media guests who are fans of their celebrity endorser, Mr. Coco Martin.  My Instagram feed was full of Coco Martin's photo that day so I presumed that it was a very successful launch. 

     Sarsaya Oyster Sauce is concentrated from real oysters, complete with seasonings to provide a delicious blend of savory, sweet and salty taste to any dish. It has a unique brand of oyster sauce that is created to suit Filipino taste and preference, making many Filipino dishes like ginisang kangkong and adobo more flavorful and delicious. Know more about Sarsaya Oyster Sauce after the jump!

Feature: Sarsaya Oyster Sauce 

Jollibee Winnipeg Canada

     Jollibee opened its first store in Winnipeg, Canada, home to over 70,000 Filipinos last December 15. The inagural location was chosen because Winnipeg is home away from home for a lot of our countrymen, with Tagalog being the second-most common mother tongue language spoken. You have to visit this branch and see Jollibee in bonnet and scarf, cool beans!

     In typical Jollibee fashion, the store was welcomed by long cues with people lining up as early as 10:30 PM the night before. See highlights of the opening after the jump!

Jollibee Winnipeg Canada

Jollibee Chicago Illinois

     Raise your hands if you're one of our 'kababayans' there in the U.S. reading this blog post right now. I'm sure that most of the Filipinos residing in Chicago, Illinois waited for this and finally a Jollibee store opened recently and  I heard that it was a big success or should I say a blockbuster one!

     My relatives in Chicago were so excited to set foot inside Jollibee Chicago Illinois during the opening last month because they're missing Chicken Joy, Yum Burger, Jolly Spaghetti, and a lot more from the one and only Jollibee. Have you seen the video of the store opening, yet? If not, sharing with you some photos from my relatives and a video from Jollibee USA below :)

Jollibee Chicago Illinois

     I borrowed some of the photos which I saw at my Tito Van's Facebook wall. Of course I asked his permission to grab them and share it with you all :) Tito Van and Tita Alex- all smiles while ordering their faves but first, let them take a selfie :)

Jollibee Chicago Illinois
Tito Van and Tita Alex

     They're really excited and happy so after seeing those smiles despite the long queue during the opening day, I said to myself that Filipinos will always and forever be at home with Jollibee! I'm so happy for them especially when I saw them dining together inside the store. 

Jollibee Chicago Illinois
Tito Van with my pretty second cousins Czarina and Chelsea

     For more details on the opening, kindly watch the video below. 

You & Me Chicago
Thank you, You & Me Chicago!
To those who weren't able to catch the show, check out this clip of WCIU's top morning talk show, You & Me, featuring the hottest restaurant in the Chicago area, Jollibee Skokie!

https://www.facebook.com/JollibeeUS/videos/1108204619254280/

Good Times!~

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event

     Who here loves to cook? I know the basics of cooking, the ingredients and the procedure well because of google (haha) but I don't know how to cook dishes on my own. I know how to fry eggs, make pancake because there's an instruction in the packaging, and boil an egg but cooking dishes like adobo, sinigang, or other Filipino viands is

     That's why when there's a cooking event, I'm always excited yet nervous at the same time thinking that I will make a mess if there will be a live cooking class for the attendees. I feel that I'm not fit to cook because of my little to no experience preparing meals in the kitchen. Looks like I'll be brave enough this time to hang out in the kitchen after attending the Knorr #LutongNany event last weekend. Highlights of the event below :)

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event

     Knorr recently held another #LutongNanay event last August 12, 2016 at The Cookery Place in BGC, Taguig. This occasion was a follow-up event to further promote Knorr’s #LutongNanay campaign. Now on its 3rd year, Knorr Lutong Nanay continues to champion delicious, home cooked meals for the Filipino family, especially in this day and age of eating out and instant food. With such a goal and the progress that Knorr has attained, Knorr is visibly bringing back the passion for food as shown in home-cooked meals to the Filipino families.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event

     Mommy bloggers from Mommy Bloggers Philippines group participated in this event. I was lucky to join the chosen guests because most of the mommies invited are some of the ultimate foodie moms who are very much passionate about food and flavor. 

     Knorr’s #LutongNanay campaign according to Knorr’s Brand Manager for Bouillon and Seasonings, Dhiren Karnani aims to:

• Bring back the value behind home cooked meals especially since people choose to eat outside or even alone in this fast-paced world. 
• Knorr aims to help more moms bring the family together through the best flavors in their cooking.
• The Lutong Nanay campaign also helps busy and working moms find time to cook for her family by introducing simple, smart and great tasting dishes that the family will love through recipe inspiration. “Cooking is a force for good. When a mother cooks, it is often seen as a way for her to ensure her family’s well being – and through Knorr, moms can serve nutritious meals without sacrificing great flavor

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event
Knorr’s Brand Manager for Bouillon and Seasonings, Dhiren Karnani

     Louise Fandino-Santos, a Knorr Mom, hosted the event. It started with each mom introducing herself and sharing cooking stories, tips, family favorites, and their signature dishes with the group. After this, mommy bloggers were grouped into teams and made a short brand presentation on Knorr #LutongNanay with special focus on Sinigang, an all-time family, not to mention, kiddie favorite that makes everyone eat more rice, vegetables and soup.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event

     Chef Kai – a talented chef and a mother to two – did a cooking demonstration on various Sinigang recipes, afterwhich, the participants cooked and plated different Sinigang dishes.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event
Chef Kai prepping her sinigang

     Mommy bloggers were tasked to prepare four different Sinigang variations that day. The versions of Sinigang are as follows: Knorr Sinigang with Pakwan, Knorr Surf and Turf Sinigang, Knorr Sinigang na Liempo sa Sampaloc and Knorr Sizzling Sinigang.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event
Here are the Sinigang variations that each team prepared that day. 

     The exciting part of this event was the hands-on opportunity to experience cooking the Sinigang variations mentioned above. Our group cooked the Sizzling Sinigang. Yes, you read that right! It's not the usual Sinigang recipe and we are all curious about how the dish would turn out.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event
Here are the ingredients for Sizzling Sinigang

     Since we have a recipe to follow complete with ingredients and procedures, cooking Sizzling Sinigang became a breeze. A little boiling here, sauteing there, and voila! our Sizzling Sinigang was ready for plating in just thirty minutes (the meat was tenderized prior to the hands-on cooking to shorten the cooking time during the event) and everyone was pleased with the end dish.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event
Knorr Sizzling Sinigang

     Everyone's excited to see and taste the different variations of Sinigang each group had prepared that day. Well, it turned out soo good! We made our Sinigangs flavorful and yummy with the help of Knorr Sinigang mix. Cooking Sinigang is as easy as 1-2-3 because of Knorr.

Knorr #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore Event
Mommy Bloggers Philippines

     Thank you so much Knorr Philippines and Mommy Bloggers Philippines for having me. I had a blast during the event and never thought that cooking Sinigang is easy plus the fact that it can be cooked in different variants using Knorr Sinigang Mix. I'm sure that Sinigang lovers will also find their tummy happy in other Sinigang versions.

Mommies, have you tried cooking Sinigang in different variations? 

For more information on Knorr Philippines and their recipes,

Like them on Facebook: Knorr Philippines

Follow them on Twitter: @KnorrPH

Follow them on Instagram: @knorrph

#KnorrPH #LutongNanay #AsimKiligPaMore

Good Times!~