Cooking it up with Chef Vicky Pacheco

My love for cooking is something that will always stay in my heart.  I think I got this interest since I was a child. I would always sneak to the kitchen just to watch my Dad do his cooking.  My favorite Aunt also encouraged me to try cooking.  She inspired me a lot, that I should cook with your heart.

I may be a Super Mom as what my daughter calls me, but when not in the mood for cooking…my answer is to eat out! Exploring different restaurants is actually one of my favorite things. I get to eat new food and at the same time, I also get ideas of what to serve my family.  

I got so excited upon receiving an invitation from my former schoolmate, blogger friend Joy Mendiola of www.occassionsofjoy.com .  A cooking demo at The Maya Kitchen, the one located at the 8^th floor of Liberty Bldg. Arnaiz Ave., San Lorenzo, Makati City.

The cooking demo by Chef Vicky was so light and informative. I could say that she’s the Speed Chef! Why?  She moves swiftly! Can you imagine, showing five dishes in just 2 hours. That is something so amazing for me.

I learned five new recipes from Chef Vicky today.  And to name it, Flatiron Brisket, Manhattan Fish Chowder, Pizzaiola Pasta, Pomelo Orzo Salad and Chicken Piccata. Everything’s so good to my tummy. And seemed so easy to cook!

POMELO ORZO SALAD

The Food Tasting Plate

 Pizzaiola Pasta &  Chicken Piccata

"Urban Comfort Food, Hot Off The Griddle"

          Chef Vicky Pacheco is the Executive Chef and COO of 1771 Group of Restaurants

MOTT'S 100% Apple Juice : Trusted by Moms!

Mott's 100% Original Apple Juice 

It is not only great-tasting, it's nutritious too!

To juice or not to juice?

A good question for busy people.

Yes, an apple a day does keep the doctor away! The apple, that shiny, beautiful red fruit which teased its way into Eve's heart and lured Snow White into an enchanting sleep, is packed with all sorts of nutritional benefits. Not only does it boost your immune system, it also cleanses your liver, prevents cataracts, controls weight, and contributes to a healthy heart.(1) It's no wonder then that the folks over at Mott's love working with this luscious fruit!

It all started with S.R. Mott, who has been growing apples in New York since 1842. Using techniques he learned from his grandfather, Mott perfected advanced pasteurization and filtration techniques at his mill, resulting in the popularity of his products.

Every eight-ounce serving of Mott's 100% Original Apple Juice
provides 120% Daily Value Vitamin C.

Mott's 100% Original Apple Juice offers nurturing goodness for the entire family. It's not only great-tasting and nutritious, it is also rooted in the fine tradition of making the most of the goodness of the lovely apple. Through the years, Mott's has proven to be the expert when it comes to apples by offering delicious products of consistently high quality. Generations of mothers have trusted Mott's for its venerable heritage.

Every eight-ounce serving of Mott's 100% Original Apple Juice provides your family with two servings of fruit and 120% Daily Value Vitamin C. That's not just 100% juice, that's also 100% delicious!

Apple juice is great in so many healthy ways. Just one serving of apple juice already gives your body a nice boost of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It's got vitamin C and polyphenol antioxidants which work to improve your overall health and well-being. It also has loads of potassium to keep your heart healthy and strong.

Mott's 100% Original Apple Juice comes in two sizes, 32oz and 64oz.

LUCKY RAINBOW HONGKONG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

It's here in Makati City!

I got so excited with this invitation to have an intimate dinner with my fellow foodie bloggers. It's my first time to visit this restaurant that I never thought exist just close to our place. My family and I are a big fan of Chinese food. And discovering this find is a relief. No need to go far Binondo or Quezon City area, which is  a threat because of the notorious traffic you have to go through just to get there.

At this point, I just want to share my Lucky Rainbow experience....

SIAO LONG PAO @ 168/6pcs

This is the best sioa long pao I've ever tasted! I had the success of not spilling the soup inside going straight to my spoon! I guess it's the good quality of the wrapper. Best eaten right after being served on the table. You just need to be careful because it's also hot. That's where the challenge is. Eat it without breaking the wrapper so you can enjoy the  piping hot meaty soup inside.

HA KAW @ P108/4pcs

I can have dimsum-all- you -can with this fresh Ha Kaw! 

SIOMAi @ P98/4pcs

You'll never go wrong with the all-time- favorite Siomai when it comes to dimsum. NO extender, just pure meat and shrimp with mushroom bits! 

PEKING DUCK
WHOLE -@ P 2,400
HALF -@ P 1,200

My favorite part of the meal is the 2-way Peking Duck adventure! See the beautiful and obviously flavorful half PD! Once it's skinned and minced, you will never thought that it all came from this piece of meat.

1ST  WAY SKINNING

It is the skin of the peking duck wrapped in a crepe with a little spread of sauce and onion stem or leaves, how would you call it? Anyway, this is a real yum! You better eat the right amount of this if you are already in your late years..if you know what I am saying. It is so tempting to eat this one without having guilt feelings. I want to eat more but I can't...

2ND WAY MINCED DUCK WITH LETTUCE

Another way to eat the peking duck is to have it saute with minced vegetables. You put a good amount on your fresh lettuce, put a little sauce, wrap it and eat it! The crunchy lettuce can give you a reason to eat more, anyways, it has veggies in it!  I really love this! 

MY WAY!

LECHON MACAU COLD CUTS COMBINATION
S-  P600
M- P1,050
L- P1,500

The Lechon Macau is amazing! It doesn't seem to have any fats at all. The thin pork skin and its texture is so perfect! The rest of the cold cuts combination are all good. 

FRIED GARLIC CHICKEN WINGS @ P280/3pcs

The chicken lovers will not get enough of this! I don't know how it's done...but this chicken is so good to be true! Crispy and tender! Like you can eat it to the bone. No need for sauce or gravy. You can enjoy it plain and simple! This fried chicken can stand alone without anything on the side.

FRIED LAPU LAPU SPECIAL MANGO SAUCE @ P1,320/700G

An extra ordinary way to serve a fried lapu lapu. My first time to have this with a mango sauce to compliment the freshly caught fish.

FRIED PORK BELLY WITH SPECIAL SAUCE@ P280/3pcsS-  P380
M- P580 
L- P980

My husband would definitely love this dish. He's a carnivore... He can finish an order of this one, and that's for sure! Thin sliced belly, fried and mixed with the special sauce. I also like this one! It's caramelized with the secret sauce. 

SALT AND PEPPER FRIED SPARERIBS
S-  P320
M- P480 
L- P800

Need I say more? This dish is of course, another favorite of my family. 

SQUID WITH XO SAUCE
S-  P420
M- P630 
L- P1,050

The squid is heavenly! It's cooked the right way!

FRIED SUAHE WITH SALTED EGG YOLK
300G- P450
600G- P900
1KILO- P1,350

Have you ever experienced eating shrimp with a different twist? This one is epic! Dipped with salted egg yolk batter and deep fried until crunchy! One of my new fave!  Best eaten with plain rice because it's no doubt flavorful. And if you like it with another twist, you may dip it in a vinegar sauce that is served along with it.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK
S-  P320
M- P480 
L- P800

A perfect taste of sweet and sour pork is served here! Not too sweet, not too sour, just perfect! Another fave of my hubby. Whenever we dine in a Chinese resto, this is a must have on the table. I got this in my doggy bag! My hubby tasted it and was impressed and he liked it so much that he even asked me the following day if we still have any left-over in the fridge.

AUSTRALIAN ABALONE CHICKEN FRIED RICE
S-  P480
M- P720 
L- P1,200

My young lady loved this rice! The time we reached home, I asked her what was her favorite finds in our dining, and she mentioned this one. She even regret not eating enough of it and thought that I brought home some... Just told her that we'll definitely go back to Lucky Rainbow so she  can eat more abalone fried rice.  This is actually a complete meal to best describe it.

MIXED FRUIT PLATTER
S-  P420
M- P630 
L- P1,050

What's for dessert? 
We had this huge platter of fresh fruits! 


5 REASONS WHY COME BACK here!

1. FOOD *****
The food are great! Everything I tasted tonight gives me reason to include this restaurant from my list of favorites. Even my daughter enjoyed their food! A true authentic Chinese cuisine in the heart of Makati City. I'm so happy to have this restaurant in our area!

2.THE AMBIANCE*****
It's a fine dining restaurant. The interior design is so classy and elegant. Would love to bring my visitor friends if they will crave for something Chinese. Most importantly, their air conditioning system is well maintained. It's hard to enjoy a meal if you're eating hot food in a hot place.

3. LOCATION *****
It's perfect, I can go there even commuting. It's just a ride of jeep from our place. So easy to find, just across Citimotors Makati near Don Bosco school. They have parking spaces if you'll bring a ride.

4. PRICE ****
Honestly, the price is worth it!  I believe it's affordable. But if you are in a tight budget, you would consider saving some amount first before visiting this restaurant. You might regret going there without trying their signature dishes. Their price is reasonable enough for everything that you can experience here. They also offer portions from small, medium and large serving where you can choose from.

5.SERVICE*****
The staff and crew are friendly and efficient. They made our dining experience, an unforgettable one. 

What's my favorite here? Almost everything! My best choice of course is the Two-Way Peking Duck!

Where to find it?

See the nice table settings and rooms that you can reserve for a small group or big family meal. Each room has flat screen television and sound system for your entertainment or meeting purposes. It's so cozy, relaxing place to enjoy food and company.

At the 3rd floor, they have a big space for gathering people together and celebrate any special events. My group and I was able to join the late night party they are having during our visit. The spacious and elegant design captured my eyes.  I really like high ceiling events place!

Lucky Rainbow Makati is now the third branch established late last year. You can find the first branch in Binondo Manila and the second branch in Banawe Quezon City.  The owners are not in any food background but they love to eat!  Luckily, they got the best chefs in town.  Lucky Rainbow is definitely growing and will continue to expand in the near future.

Bring your family and friends for great food and excellent dining experience!

ATC : FISH OIL! It's the heart that matters!

We definitely know what is good to our health, the next step is to do something about it. This Fish oil is an agent that is good for our heart.

During the ancient times, people are not aware of what is within their bodies and whenever they feel a strong emotion, they feel it from their chests. That is one of the reasons the ancient people associate heart with love and life. But nowadays, science progresses more and more and humans discover a lot of things about the human anatomy. Whenever we feel like there is something throbbing in our chests, it may or may not be love, but sometimes, it may also be a heart disorder triggering. These times, we can never be so sure. 

That’s the very reason why we need to take care of our hearts and that can be easily done with the help of ATC Fish Oil. ATC Healthcare International Corp. sought out the best known ingredients to aid in caring for the heart and packed it into a natural supplement called ATC Fish Oil. ATC Fish Oil has Omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA which are essential nutrients for a healthier heart. These awesome twosome for the heart helps lower blood pressure, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels. 
EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid, and DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, are nutrients extracted from cold water fishes and these are also beneficial for the brain and eyes for they assist in slowing-down age related vision diseases. With ATC Fish Oil, you can protect yourself against life-threatening diseases such as heart attack, stroke and other heart problems. Apart from its useful benefits for the heart, Fish Oil, found in ATC Fish Oil, is also known to aid in fighting back the risk of having Cancer. Its Omega-3 component has properties that are helpful in preventing one dreading symptom of Arthristis which is Inflammation of specific body parts.
With ATC Fish Oil, you can protect yourself against life-threatening diseases such as heart attack, stroke and other heart problems.  
ATC Fish Oil must be taken twice or thrice a day and is best taken with warm water. For just SRP P6.00 per capsule, take 

ATC Fish Oil every day for all-out protection for your heart. ATC Fish Oil is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide.