Monday, April 22, 2013

Cinnamon Rolls


April 20, 2013

I was supposed to take a jog yesterday but unfortunately, the oval wasn't available since it was publicly closed for the city's foundation day, or should I say the oval was closed due to the campaign of the different candidates for the upcoming elections?

I was really upset because I only have one day in a week to do some exercise (and I'm also excited to do some power abs after a looooong loooong time) after eating A LOT every minute and every second of the day - and this means that I eat for two to three persons per meal. Haha! That's why I really needed to burn and convert those "unused fats" into energy. As a result of my anger and frustration, I decided to try to bake some Cinnamon rolls! I actually found this recipe on the website "Joy of Baking".

Here are the listed inrgedients:

For the dough:
4 1/2 - 5 cups (590 - 660 grams) all-purpose flour
1 package (1/4 ounce) (7 grams) (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast (remember, its active dry!) =)
1 cup (240 ml) milk ( I used full cream fresh milk)
1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) salt
3 large eggs

For the filling:
3/4 cup (160 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (35 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cold (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup (120 ml) raisins or currants (optional)
Half-and-half (or light cream)*

For the glaze: (Optional)
1/2 cup (58 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons half-and-half(light cream)

*I used this substitute for half and half:
7/8 cup (210 ml) whole milk plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) melted unsalted butter
This would make 1 cup of half-and-half =)

Procedure:

Hulog ng Langit

April 21, 2013

Eto nga pala yung ibon na nakita ng tatay ko kaninang umaga. Nagulat ako kasi akala ko may burak o kung anumang wirdong bagay siyang hawak sa kamay niya. Yun pala, isang inakay ng ibon na nahulog daw galing sa bubong sa itaas na palapag ng bahay namin. Tila may isang maliit sa sugat ito sa ulo. 

Siyempre, nung binigay sa akin, parang sa akin na pina-alagaan ng tatay ko yung ibon na nahulog. Kumuha agad ako ng magsisilbing nest ng munting ibon.

Yung totoo, gustong gusto ko talagang matulungan itong maliit na nilalang na ito pero hindi ko alam kung paano ko sisimulan. Una, isa itong ibon, at hindi mammal. Ang ibig sabihin ay hindi ito sumususo sa ina, ibon nga kasi. Wala akong ideya kung paano ko bibigyan ng protina itong inakay na ito. Paano nga ba? Pero, binigyan ko pa rin siya ng gatas ngunit hindi naman nito magawang buksan ang sariling tuka. 

Ilang oras lamang ay napansin namin na nagsimula itong gumawa ng maliliit na tunog ng isang ibong kaya nilabas ko ito kung saan malaki ang posibilidad na makita ito ng iba pang mga ibon. Ano nga ba ang iniisip ko? Baka kasi sakaling may ibon na kumuha dito at sila na ang mag-aruga. Hindi ko na talaga alam kung anong gagawin ko. Tila hinang-hina na siya.

Ilang oras, binalikan ko ulit ang ibon. Sa kasamaang palad ay wala ng buhay ang dumadaloy sa katawan nito. Ang nakaka-awa pa ay nanatili itong nakatingin ito sa itaas, hindi ko alam kung bakit. Hindi ko alam kung may hinahanap ba ito o hanggang sa huli ay gumagawa pa rin ito ng maliit ng tunog upang mapansin ng ibang ibon. At wala akong nagawa.

Siguro, kung mabilis akong umaksyon at humanap ng paraan ay buhay pa rin ito ngayon. Ang tanging iniisip ko na lamang ay sana naging maayos at mapayapa ang pag-alis nito.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33146679@N04/8669075854/
Ito ang itsura ng ibon ilang oras pagkatapos namin itong makita. 

Friday, April 5, 2013

The Bridge (a short story)



Once there was a bridge that can grant someone’s wish if they manage to cross the other side of it.

First, a photographer appeared and was amazed on how the bridge was built and the landscape surrounding it. But he has a problem – how can he get the perfect angle of the bridge without falling?
The bridge heard him and gave the photographer an illusion so that he may cross the other end of the bridge and therefore grant his wish.

In the photographer’s illusion, he knew that he was only dreaming, but the bridge manipulated him to get the right angle and right timing to get the perfect picture. When he came back to his normal consciousness, he found out he wasn’t dreaming.

The bridge, who was desperate to find someone to talk to, talked to him. But the photographer was overwhelmed with emotions and became terrified by the incident. He quickly ran away and never went back to the bridge again.

Next, a musician found the bridge at the midst of his loneliness and wanted to rekindle the flame that he had with his girlfriend. He wished that time that this could be the perfect place that he can use to serenade his girl so that they could reconcile. The bridge heard his thoughts while the man was strolling up to the end of the bridge. When the man looked back, he noticed that he was already at the middle of the bridge, singing songs to her long lost girlfriend. Along with his romantic gesture is the perfect ambiance – a starry night and miraculously, they were seeing an Aurora in the night sky. Right after their celebration, the man asked his girl for her hand. She gleefully agreed to become his wife and left the bridge.