Marie Analyn Real Living

25/01/2024

RECIPE 02 - January 25, 2024 (Thursday)

Here's a recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup:

Ingredients:

- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved vertically and seeds removed

- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling

- 1/2 cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot bulb)

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

- 1 teaspoon maple syrup

- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

- 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth, as needed

- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside. Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it's cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Transfer the contents to your blender.

4. Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into your blender. Discard the tough skin. Add the maple syrup, nutmeg, and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper to the blender. Pour in 3 cups of vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line.

5. Securely fasten the lid and blend on high until the soup is ultra creamy and warmed through. If you prefer a thinner consistency, stir in the remaining cup of broth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter, to taste, and blend well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

6. If your soup is piping hot from the blending process, you can pour it into serving bowls. If not, pour it back into your soup pot and warm the soup over medium heat, stirring often, until it's nice and steamy.
7. Serve the soup hot and enjoy!

Enjoy your delicious homemade squash soup! 🍲🙂😃

゚viralシ ゚

12/01/2024

RECIPE 01 - January 12, 2024 (Friday)

Here's a recipe for cooking Patatim:

Ingredients:
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) pork leg or knuckles
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Bok choy or pechay (Chinese cabbage) for serving

Instructions:
1. In a large pot, heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic until fragrant.

2. Add the pork leg or knuckles to the pot and brown all sides.

3. Pour in the soy sauce, pineapple juice, water, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.

4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 to 3 hours or until the pork is tender. You can also use a pressure cooker to cook the pork faster.

5. Once the pork is tender, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the sauce reduce until thickened.

6. While the sauce is reducing, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

7. Place the pork leg on a baking dish and brush it with the thickened sauce. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the skin is crispy.

8. While the pork is baking, strain the remaining sauce and return it to the pot. Bring it to a simmer and gradually add the dissolved cornstarch. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens.

9. Once the pork is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice the pork into serving pieces.

10. Serve the Patatim with blanched bok choy or pechay and steamed rice. Pour the thickened sauce over the pork and vegetables.

Enjoy your homemade Patatim! 😊

゚viralシ ゚

10/01/2024

Were you in trouble last year in terms of your financial needs?

It is now 2024, another year to start your budget system at work or home.

I will be glad to share with you my so-called BUDGET 101 secret for being a work from home mom who has limited resources than the regular working mothers or a professional career woman who has so many connections and opportunities along the way.

Budgeting is an essential skill for managing your finances effectively. Maybe, my few insights will help you on your budgeting system.Here are some steps to guide you to create and maintain a budget:

1. Track your income and expenses: Start by tracking your income and expenses for a month. This will give you a clear picture of where your money is coming from and where it's going. Make note of all your sources of income and track every expense, no matter how small.

2. Categorize your expenses: Categorize your expenses into different categories such as housing, transportation, groceries, entertainment, debt payments, and savings. This will help you understand your spending patterns and identify areas where you can potentially cut back.

3. Set financial goals: Determine your short-term and long-term financial goals. These could include paying off debt, saving for a down payment on a house, or building an emergency fund. Having clear goals will give you a sense of direction and motivation for budgeting.

4. Create a budget plan: Based on your income, expenses, and financial goals, create a budget plan. Allocate a specific amount of money to each expense category, ensuring that your total expenses do not exceed your income. Be realistic and flexible in your budgeting, allowing for unexpected expenses or changes in circumstances.

5. Prioritize savings: Make saving a priority in your budget. Aim to save a certain percentage of your income each month. Consider automating your savings by setting up automatic transfers to a separate savings account. This will help you build an emergency fund and work towards your long-term financial goals.

6. Track and review your budget: Regularly track your expenses and compare them to your budget plan. This will help you stay on track and identify any areas where you may be overspending. Review your budget periodically and make adjustments as needed to ensure it aligns with your financial goals.

7. Seek tools and resources: There are numerous budgeting tools and apps available that can help you track your expenses, set financial goals, and monitor your progress.

8. Be mindful of your spending habits: Cultivate mindful spending habits by distinguishing between needs and wants. Before making a purchase, ask yourself if it aligns with your budget and financial goals. Consider implementing a "waiting period" for non-essential purchases to avoid impulsive buying.

Remember, budgeting is a continuous process that requires discipline and commitment. It may take some time to find a budgeting system that works best for you. Be patient with yourself and stay motivated by focusing on the financial goals you want to achieve.

I hope these tips will help you get started with budgeting.

I am always here for you if you need someone to talk to or if there's anything else you'd like to discuss.

Good luck ....

Always,

Marie Analyn (a.k.a. Mommy A)

゚viralシ ゚

26/11/2023

Good evening ....

I've been out of reach for more than a week or more due to inevitable circumstances and personal reasons/errands done.

Today and onwards for at least three to five days, I will take a leap and have my ME time 😁🤪😀☺️🙂 either just at home or somewhere green and peaceful hideout♥️😋🥰😛

Hmmmppp, while lying on my bed, scrolling my file photos on my cellphone, I saw throwback photos... OMG!!! photographs and memories really haunt my past. Some made me laugh while others, made me realize that I am a better version of myself today based on my experiences. How wonderful life is!!!

You see, to become a better person, you need to stay true to yourself and your values. You also need to make sure you're doing what brings you a sense of happiness, purpose, and meaning. Being your best self isn't dependent on life being smooth or perfect — it's about what you can control. I am fortunate to be in my best self as I gracefully age.

It is not by having too many friends, going out often, being on top of everything, wanting more material things, professionally successful and among others, would make you happy... Instead, living a life which is simpler and peacefully content with what life will bring you without overthinking the future, but instead embracing the present with a positive mindset that living this life is enjoying the freedom and doing what you really wanted to do with joy and happiness....then, everything follows smoothly.

You learn along the way from your continuous journey. Thus, never stop reading, learning and improving yourself to become a better human being with a purpose and substance. You need to break in the clouds in order to survive every challenge, battle and unpleasant experiences along the way for you to cross and surpass each of them as every cloud has a silver lining.

An example of this is how you evolve yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially and even financially. From someone so weak to being strong and powerful... From an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan and from rugs to riches.

That is life on earth, while you still eventually breathe♥️♥️♥️

Therefore, be proud of what you accomplish, love yourself, continue to learn everyday and make every learning lesson, so as to improve yourself, which includes your earnings on both professional and personal growth.♥️♥️♥️

Just my two cents🤔🤔🤔
Namaste....

Photos: THEN (high school) and NOW

11/11/2023

30/08/2023

Motivation is most certainly one of the secrets to success in life. ... But aside from setting meaningful goals and carrying out all the other steps in the secret-to-success formula, in order to stay motivated, you need to focus on developing the willpower to follow through. Find things that inspire you everyday...