M A R U J A

mErRy cHriStMaS!!!

THIS IS MY 2nd time to cook lasagna but i consider this as kinda "successful" coz my picky-eater son Kevin love it. He seem can’t get enough of it. sarap daw. hehehe! so am posting the recipe i took from internet kasi memorable na to sa akin eh.

cream sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 piece chicken broth cube,dissolved in 1 cup water
1 cup water
1 170 g. can cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, for layering

meat sauce:
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 cloves garlic. finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chooped
1 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely shredded
1/2 kg chicken breast, cooked, diced
1 760 g. can sausage, masshed
2 pieces chicken broth cube, crushed
1 6 oz can tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp liquid seasoning
1 8 oz lasagna pasta, about 10 pieces, cooked al dente (tender and firm)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil, saute’ garlic, onion, celery and carrot until soft. Stir in chicken and saisgae; cook for a few minutes, then add chicken broth cubes, 2 cups water, tomato paste and seasoning. Heat to boiling and let simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside and prepare cream sauce.
2. Heat butter over low heat until melted. Blend in flour and salt. Stir in broth and cream; cook  until thick stirring continously to prevent lumps.
3. Layer 1 cup meat sauce, lasgna, cream sauce and cheese alternately, leaving the most meat sauce, cream sauce and cheese for bottom and top layers.
4. Bake in a preheated oven, at 325 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until dish is bubbly and cheese melts. Serve with garlic bread or bread sticks.

Just as the sea ever beats at the shore,
My heart will yearn for you, ever more.
As the sun arises, each brand new day,
In my heart and mind, you always relay.
Just as the darkness, of nights creeps in,
Cold dreams of you haunt me, time again.
When I look in a mirror, I see you there,
A trick an illusion in a mind of despair.
Should I go to a shop, I still buy for two,
A habit I can’t break, what am I to do?
In my head. my heart, thought and all,
Images of you, still painfully, ever fall.
In bed this is darkest, so cold and alone,
Dreams ever haunt me, as I lie on my own,
If within my heart, I could rid of me of you,
Maybe I could move on, bitter but true.
If I could tear my heart, out of my being,
I swear I would die, images of you seeing,
Emotional heart ache way too much to bear
I miss you so much, by my side right there.

"It’s a lot like that in ordinary things, as well. You could have a boyfriend you love, a boyfriend who would do anything for you. He’d be someone you’d  be willing to do anything for. But what happens if the relationship ends? What if one day, he disappears? It’s hard to keep relying on people for your happiness."
"When people try to tear you down, it’s vital that you’re strong enough to handle it. Nobody else can handle it for you."  - Heart Evangelista, COSMOPOLITAN, December 2005

It’s christmas time again. 9 days more to go and I still haven’t bought a single gift. In the current issue of my fave magazine is an article of Christmas Shopping Tips.
Tip No. 1 says: Organize a list.
Well, I am able to grab a notebook, and grab a pen. It’s time for me to get serious about my christmas shopping by making my list (and checking it twice) for the people I’ll be buying gift for this year.

Tip No. 2 says: Shop Early.

Susmaryosep, masyado akong engrossed sa kalilista eh naalala ko…wala pala akong pera o budget sa gift-giving sa pasko na to. LOLz! Kala ko may 13th month pay ako o cash bonus na matatanggap gaya sa pinamimigay sa mga empleyado ng gobyerno o pribado. Eh ano nga ba ang natatanggap na benepisyo ng mga stay-home-single-moms like me?   
Pero gaya nung pamosong kasabihan sa pamimigay ng regalo, “It’s the thought that counts” daw. The thought is the key to the art of gift giving. So I decided na kahit zero-penny ako gawa na lang ako ng mga minatamis. I’ll make use na lang my talent and creativity. Kahit papano eh ma-appreciate naman siguro ng pagbibigyan ko ng Haleyang Ube at Macapuno. Maganda rin naman siempre yung personalized mo ang regalo - making the receiver feel as if you put time, effort, and affection into selecting the present kahit inexpensively.

So since crisis ako sa datung (as usual), instead of heading out to the mall this year to experience the usual holiday rush para magpanic buying with my shopping list ready, eh dito na lang ako sa kusina ko magpapaka-panic minus the buying. Di naman kasi pwedeng I-postpone ang pasko eh. Lolz!

Missed him today when I was in the mood for quite conversation. Just when I found myself with some free time and wanted someone to spend it with… just when I have something I wanted to share with someone special. Missed him more each time I thought of him, and I’ve been thinking about him all day. When I look back on our times together, he’s such an important part of my memories that I don’t even want to think about what my life would have been like without him. We’ve laughed and shared and been special allies.

But then i need to realize i can’t “make everything all right”. I have no bag of religious tricks to make everything turn out well for us. There are times in life when I feel as if the earth has opened up and swallowed me whole. And all i can do is survive, one hour at a time, then one day at a time. Until now there are some things I can’t understand. I probably pray to the wrong gods.

She’s faced the hardest times you could imagine.
And many times her eyes fought back the tears.
And when her youthful world was about to fall in
Each time her slender shoulders,
Bore the weight of all her fears.
And the sorrow no one hears,
Still rings in midnight silence
In her ears…

Let her cry, for she’s a lady
Let her dream, for she’s a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She’s a free and gentle flower, growing wild

And if by chance that i should hold her,
Let me hold her for a time
And if allowed but one possession,
I will pick her from the garden to be mine
Mine….

Be careful how you touch her, for she’ll awaken
And sleeps the only freedom that she knows
And when you walk into her eyes, you won’t believe
The way she’s always paying,
For a debt she never owes
And the silent wind still blows, that only she can hear,
And so she goes….

"Before Sunset" is the sequel to "Before Sunrise", a wonderful little film from 1995. I was carrying heavy my daughter when I saw “Before Sunrise” movie in HBO way back 1995. My daughter is 9 years old now at last week  napanood ko ang sequel movie na “Before Sunset” sa DVD and much to my surprise “Before Sunset" takes place 9 years later din pala. Jesse and Celine (played by Ethan Hawke ang Julie Delpy) meet by chance in Paris. Parang kelan lang kasi nung napanood ko yung prequel eh. 9 years na pala ang nakakalipas. Di ko kasi makalimutan ang pelikulang Before Sunrise kasi ibang iba ang dating sa akin. Minimalist. Very relaxing. I cant help to become so immersed in the conversations of the two main characters. Some may found the two movies boring or otherwise unappealing, but I never felt that way when I saw it. In fact I just love it.  The two films share a lot in common: an overwhelming focus on the two main characters, lots of good dialogue, and a very sweet love story. Kaso nakakabitin talaga ang ending. Nakakainis nga kasi kelangan mo pa manghula o kaya mag imagine kung ano kaya ang mangyayari sa susunod. You will wonder if they were truly meant to be with each other.
I like the french girl Celine played by Julie Delpy..she’s so vulnerable but opinionated. I realized from the flick that it’s so rare in life to find someone with whom you truly connect, and if you let them go, it’s even more rare to get a second chance with them later. This is simply the best movie you are ever likely to see if you have ever decided to take one path and not another in life.

In the final scene of “Before Sunset”, the song playing on Celine’s stereo is called "Just in Time" performed by Nina Simone. Eto ang lyrics… ganda.

"Just in time
I found you just in time
before you came, my time was running low
I was lost
the losing dice were tossed
my bridges all crossed
nowhere to go
Now you’re here and now I know just where I’m going
no more doubt or fear
I’ve found my way
For love came just in time
you found me just in time
and changed my lonely life."

Movie quote:  Jesse: "Life’s hard. It’s supposed to be. If we didn’t suffer, we’d never learn anything."