I have an adorable niece about 5 months old, who I haven’t seen in person yet.  I had the pleasure of video conferencing with my brother and his family just about now. She was stunning just turned 5 months and already crawling. We don’t get to have many of these occasions due to time difference and life engagement. But when we do it’s like a reunion for me.

This is one of many reason’s that I’m grateful for internet. If this was 20years ago, I would have to wait to for her picture in mail. God knows how long would that be then.

There many families like us, as I call Long distant family, who are living in different countries or in our case different continent. I think because of internet our quality of family bonding and family life is better and stronger. I know my brother is just an e-mail away or my nice a video conference away.

This is not as good as the real thing, beinig able to hold her and play with her. But I take what I get. And I hope all long distance families out there use the power of internet to get closer and enjoy their lives together.

Until Later,

Dough Ingredients:

2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 package of active dry yeast

1 cup water 

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 table spoon vegetable oil

Mix 1 1/4 cup of flour, yeast, salt and oil with electric mixer until all wet and incorporated. Then with a wooden spoon or hand try to add as much flour as possible. The amount of flour is different due to humidity, but at the end the dough should be dry but elastic. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes by just grabbing and throwing it on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes covered with a tea towel. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m not a big fan of leftovers. I cook once a day for tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch. It was very difficult for me to handle leftovers. My family won’t eat leftovers easily. Looking for a solution, I figured out that leftovers look better and tastier with a different and refreshed look.

Here comes the good part. I bought the Griddler Express by Cuisinart, which I use to grill meat, or make Panini. Now I turn leftovers to finger licking sandwiches.

The key is to stock up of tortilla breads and mozzarella cheese. It’s easy, you can just cut up whatever you have add some kind of sauce, salt and pepper and cheese. Fold the bread and grill it. Immediatley you have a new and appealing meal to enjoy. If my leftover is dry I spread some butter on the bread otherwise just cheese and sauce. For Sauce, I use ketchup, or salad dressing, hot sauce, or simply mayonesa.

You don’t have to have panini maker to make this, my mom makes it in the oven. This technique helped me create a new meal with leftovers and enjoy it too. I hope this tip help you enjoy your leftovers too.

Until later,

I guess I’m used to google’s page layout. I have to get used to the  Cuil.com page layout. I actually liked that they had more information on each website, the fact that they have pictures on each block of information was a plus to me. But following the information was not easy to the eye.

The question in everyone’s mind is if Cuil.com will survive the G factor. I think with some creativity and good management why not. They have to create a new use for search engines, something unique to be able to get people to use their website for that tool. Google is a brand that anyone who knows how to work a keyboard works with it in some point or another.  Its a brand that worked it’s way in our vocabulary, we use it as a verb in our sentences. It’s not easy to compete with this brand but not impossible, we have been suprised by the web world before !!

Until later,

I normally don’t offer ketchup to my kids except if we are eating out. They got to know we have ketchup at home when we had guests over that their daughter wouldn’t touch her food without ketchup. So now they get to have it with certain foods.

Something very creative and funny happened last night. May be creative and funny in my eyes!

We had burger for dinner so obviously, ketchup was on the table, both kids behaved very well ate and we cleaned. So far so good  I was working in the garden and my husband was cleaning the deck when I heard him calling my son in an emergency voice. ” Oh no don’t even dare .. ” then the sound of both kids crying and him saying: ” come upstairs I need your help” Read the rest of this entry »