Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Randy's Graduation Dinner
I can hardly believe I'm saying this but Randy is almost done with residency! 16 days, 19 hours and 1 minute to go, but who's counting?! To say that it has been a long trying road for the both of us is an understatement. This is the culmination of 8 years of post-undergraduate schooling/training, during which we also got married, bought a house, lost my mother and had two kids...phew! It has truly been a roller coaster, but somehow we weathered the ups and downs of that crazy ride and came through together in the end. On Friday, June 15, Highland Hospital Resident's Graduation Dinner was held at the Bellevue Club in Oakland. It was a great celebration for Randy, his fellow residents and the teaching staff for all their hard work and outstanding patient care.
These are Randy's co-residents in the Internal Medicine program (minus Allison). They are a great group of caring, compassionate individuals - and in some cases, super moms!
Randy, Lucas, Nancy and Sean
Handsome Cruz
Lucas in his dress duds!
Cruz and his buddy Ryan (Natalia's son) having a blast on the dance floor
Lucas mesmerized by the disco ball and lights
Randy and his advisor (and more babies!)
The Villanueva family
Dr. Randy Villanueva, D.O. We are so proud of him!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Mom's Corn Soup
With summer officially here I'm ready to partake in the season's bounties like fresh berries, cherries, stone fruit and my personal favorite, corn! Growing up my mom would make a delicious corn soup at least twice every summer and I could never get enough. It's so simple but yet so tasty. A lot of people have asked me how to make it, so when I made it for the first time this season (fittingly, it was Mother's Day)I snapped pictures of each step along the way. Here we go:
Of course, the star of the show is fresh corn. For a big 5-qt pot I used about 10 ears.
Using a box grater, I grated the corn cobs into a large bowl.
It will look like this when you're done - kind of a chunky consistency and a bit of liquid.
You will also need half of a yellow onion, diced, and 4 cloves of minced garlic. These are pretty much the building blocks of every dish my mom ever cooked, and sometimes there was also a diced tomato.
For the protein I added 1/2 lb of diced pork shoulder and 1/2 lb of peeled, deveined shrimp.
First step is to brown your pork. In the pot over medium high heat, I add the pork and about 2 Tb of water. I let the pork simmer in the water which will eventually evaporate and the meat will begin to brown. As soon as the water is gone, I add 1 Tb of vegetable oil to the pot and quickly fry the pork just until it's golden brown. I add a quick "squirt" of fish sauce for seasoning, but you can also use plain salt if you prefer. Remove the pork to a bowl and set aside.
To the pot add your onion and garlic, saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure not to burn the garlic!
Next add your grated corn.
To make up the rest of the soup volume, add low-sodium chicken broth - for this size pot, I used about 4 cups. Partially cover the pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt (I use kosher) and a little bit of fresh cracked black pepper. Once the soup is seasoned to your liking, add the cooked pork and raw shrimp to the pot.
And the last guest to the party is 2 bunches of washed, fresh spinach. Add the veggies to the pot once the shrimp is cooked (should only take 2-3 minutes).
Voila! Now you have a steaming pot of sweet, savory corn soup, complete with protein and veggies. It's a one pot meal!
Now that my mom is no longer here, this is one of the many dishes that she taught me how to cook and now bring back so many wonderful memories of her. Just seeing and smelling the soup makes me feel like she's still here. Cruz happens to love this soup and I can't help but feel like I'm sharing a little bit of my mom with him. Bon appetit!
Using a box grater, I grated the corn cobs into a large bowl.
It will look like this when you're done - kind of a chunky consistency and a bit of liquid.
You will also need half of a yellow onion, diced, and 4 cloves of minced garlic. These are pretty much the building blocks of every dish my mom ever cooked, and sometimes there was also a diced tomato.
For the protein I added 1/2 lb of diced pork shoulder and 1/2 lb of peeled, deveined shrimp.
First step is to brown your pork. In the pot over medium high heat, I add the pork and about 2 Tb of water. I let the pork simmer in the water which will eventually evaporate and the meat will begin to brown. As soon as the water is gone, I add 1 Tb of vegetable oil to the pot and quickly fry the pork just until it's golden brown. I add a quick "squirt" of fish sauce for seasoning, but you can also use plain salt if you prefer. Remove the pork to a bowl and set aside.
To the pot add your onion and garlic, saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure not to burn the garlic!
Next add your grated corn.
To make up the rest of the soup volume, add low-sodium chicken broth - for this size pot, I used about 4 cups. Partially cover the pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt (I use kosher) and a little bit of fresh cracked black pepper. Once the soup is seasoned to your liking, add the cooked pork and raw shrimp to the pot.
And the last guest to the party is 2 bunches of washed, fresh spinach. Add the veggies to the pot once the shrimp is cooked (should only take 2-3 minutes).
Voila! Now you have a steaming pot of sweet, savory corn soup, complete with protein and veggies. It's a one pot meal!
Now that my mom is no longer here, this is one of the many dishes that she taught me how to cook and now bring back so many wonderful memories of her. Just seeing and smelling the soup makes me feel like she's still here. Cruz happens to love this soup and I can't help but feel like I'm sharing a little bit of my mom with him. Bon appetit!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
The Green Mountain State
I spent this past weekend in the Green Mountain State of Vermont, attending my cousin Jude's graduation. While some people may think that's an awful long way to go for a cousin's graduation, Jude (and his brother Justin) is more like a brother to me. I distinctly remember carrying him in my arms as a rosy-cheeked toddler with an easy smile; I surely wasn't going to miss out seeing him accept his Master's degree from the University of Vermont.
This was my first visit to New England and it was an awesome introduction to the region. I was blown away by the natural beauty of the state. The rolling green hills, verdant pastures and lush foliage invoked feelings of peace, tranquility and an awe of nature. There is a simplicity to life here, and I found myself slowing down, taking deep breaths of the crisp air and soaking it all in. I have been to beautiful places before and for some reason Vermont, in all it's quiet grandeur, took my breath away at times.
We were only here for 2 full days and tried to make the most of it without over-extending ourselves. The first day was mostly devoted to Jude's graduation. It was a pleasant ceremony highlighted by Jude's speech as Vice President) and a speech by former Governor Madeleine Kunin. After the ceremony we spent time walking through the UVM campus and taking pictures with the graduate.
Later that evening we dined at Blue Paddle Bistro in the tiny town of South Hero, in a renovated house. It was so quaint and charming. We feasted on so much yummy food: coffee barbecue rib eye steaks, tiger shrimp, lobster ravioli and duck breast spring rolls to name a few. The delicious food paired with great company and laughter made for a wonderful evening.
Afterwards we headed to downtown Burlington for some scoops of Vermont's claim to fame - Ben & Jerry's ice cream of course. A sweet ending to a busy day.
The following day was our true sightseeing day and boy did we get a lot in. After a typical filipino breakfast at Jude's apartment, Ate, Justin, the girls and I, headed off to the Ben & Jerry's Factory in Waterbury (or as I like to call it, "The Mother Ship").
There we learned about the eponymous founders, the company's history and their current endeavors. We toured the factory and sampled the flavor of the day - Strawberry Bliss - not yet out in stores.
One of the coolest features of the factory tour is the Flavor Graveyard, where flavors that have flopped go to rest in peace! Complete with tombstones, it is such a fun and clever thing to see.
After the tour we returned to our hotel where we met up with Tito Bing, Auntie Paula and Jude for a quick lunch of sandwiches and mini cupcakes. Then we sped off to Shelburne Farms, a picturesque agricultural estate that is a working/teaching farm where they also make award-winning cheese from their stable of Swiss brown cows. It was unlike any place I've visited before - I was overcome by the serenity and pastoral beauty.
The tour finished off with a cheese tasting, led by our cheerful guide Carol. The cheeses were delicious and we all had our personal favorites.
The third and final attraction of the day was a cruise aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen on lovely Lake Champlain. The weather that day was unseasonably warm in the mid-80's so it was a refreshing reprieve to sail along, wind blowing through our hair as we enjoyed the gorgeous view.
After the cruise we strolled along famous Church Street, people-watching and soaking up the last rays of warm sun. After working up an appetite (never difficult for our family!), we settled on Bluebird Tavern for dinner. The restaurant features a seasonal menu, cooking with locally sourced ingredients from Vermont and the New England area. I had a yummy dish of Atlantic cod.
It was a good choice for our last true Vermont meal. And last but not least, we made one final stop at Ben & Jerry's for our last Vermont dessert!
All in all it was a wonderful trip. Although I missed my boys sorely, I also enjoyed some "me time" while also spending quality time with my extended family and creating new memories. The state of Vermont exceeded my expectations and even stole a little piece of my heart. I look forward to returning to this beautiful state one day with Cruz, Lucas and Randy.
This was my first visit to New England and it was an awesome introduction to the region. I was blown away by the natural beauty of the state. The rolling green hills, verdant pastures and lush foliage invoked feelings of peace, tranquility and an awe of nature. There is a simplicity to life here, and I found myself slowing down, taking deep breaths of the crisp air and soaking it all in. I have been to beautiful places before and for some reason Vermont, in all it's quiet grandeur, took my breath away at times. 
We were only here for 2 full days and tried to make the most of it without over-extending ourselves. The first day was mostly devoted to Jude's graduation. It was a pleasant ceremony highlighted by Jude's speech as Vice President) and a speech by former Governor Madeleine Kunin. After the ceremony we spent time walking through the UVM campus and taking pictures with the graduate.
Later that evening we dined at Blue Paddle Bistro in the tiny town of South Hero, in a renovated house. It was so quaint and charming. We feasted on so much yummy food: coffee barbecue rib eye steaks, tiger shrimp, lobster ravioli and duck breast spring rolls to name a few. The delicious food paired with great company and laughter made for a wonderful evening.
Afterwards we headed to downtown Burlington for some scoops of Vermont's claim to fame - Ben & Jerry's ice cream of course. A sweet ending to a busy day.
The following day was our true sightseeing day and boy did we get a lot in. After a typical filipino breakfast at Jude's apartment, Ate, Justin, the girls and I, headed off to the Ben & Jerry's Factory in Waterbury (or as I like to call it, "The Mother Ship").
There we learned about the eponymous founders, the company's history and their current endeavors. We toured the factory and sampled the flavor of the day - Strawberry Bliss - not yet out in stores.
One of the coolest features of the factory tour is the Flavor Graveyard, where flavors that have flopped go to rest in peace! Complete with tombstones, it is such a fun and clever thing to see.
After the tour we returned to our hotel where we met up with Tito Bing, Auntie Paula and Jude for a quick lunch of sandwiches and mini cupcakes. Then we sped off to Shelburne Farms, a picturesque agricultural estate that is a working/teaching farm where they also make award-winning cheese from their stable of Swiss brown cows. It was unlike any place I've visited before - I was overcome by the serenity and pastoral beauty.
The tour finished off with a cheese tasting, led by our cheerful guide Carol. The cheeses were delicious and we all had our personal favorites.
The third and final attraction of the day was a cruise aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen on lovely Lake Champlain. The weather that day was unseasonably warm in the mid-80's so it was a refreshing reprieve to sail along, wind blowing through our hair as we enjoyed the gorgeous view.
After the cruise we strolled along famous Church Street, people-watching and soaking up the last rays of warm sun. After working up an appetite (never difficult for our family!), we settled on Bluebird Tavern for dinner. The restaurant features a seasonal menu, cooking with locally sourced ingredients from Vermont and the New England area. I had a yummy dish of Atlantic cod.
It was a good choice for our last true Vermont meal. And last but not least, we made one final stop at Ben & Jerry's for our last Vermont dessert!
All in all it was a wonderful trip. Although I missed my boys sorely, I also enjoyed some "me time" while also spending quality time with my extended family and creating new memories. The state of Vermont exceeded my expectations and even stole a little piece of my heart. I look forward to returning to this beautiful state one day with Cruz, Lucas and Randy.
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