FRUITY SANGRIA

Description:
This simple sangria requires some patience, but minimal effort. If served at a party, guests will delight in nibbling on the wine-flavored apple and pear chunks remaining in their cups after their sangria has vanished.

Ingredients:
• 8 cups (64 fl. oz) dry red wine
• 8 cups (64 fl. oz) apple juice
• 1 small grapefruit, cut into eights
• 1 medium orange, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 medium lemon, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 small pear, diced
• 1 medium apple, diced

Directions:
Combine the wine, apple juice, and grapefruit pieces in a large pitcher. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.
The following day, add the orange and lemon slices to the wine. Refrigerate for a further 3 hours.
Add the pear and apple to the mixture, then allow to stand for a further 1 hour to absorb the flavor fully. Mix well and serve over ice.

STRONG SANGRIA RECIPE

Description:
For those who like their liquor strong, this powerful sangria recipe aims to please. Fortified with wine, vodka, and gin, this recipe will strip you from your everyday worries (and perhaps, your memory as well).

Ingredients:
• 3 1/4 cups ( 26 fl. oz) dry red wine
• 2 cups (16 fl. oz) sparkling apple juice
• 4 tablespoons gin
• 4 tablespoons citron-flavored vodka
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Juice of 1 large orange
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 small orange, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 small lemon, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 small lime, sliced thin crosswise

Directions:
Pour all the ingredients into a large pitcher, mix well, and refrigerate. Serve chilled over ice.

BASIC SANGRIA RECIPE

Description:
A very simple, basic sangria recipe. While this sangria is delicious as is, this recipe intentionally leaves ample room for improvisation and additions, and should therefore be used as a springboard to create your own unique sangria recipes. The unaltered basic sangria recipe below, however would meet with the approval of strict sangria traditionalists.

Ingredients:
• 3 1/4 cups ( 26 fl. oz) dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Juice of 1 large orange
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 large orange, sliced thin crosswise
• 1 large lemon, sliced thin crosswise
• 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
• 1 cup (8 fl. oz) club soda


Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except for the club soda in a large punch bowl or serving pitcher, mixing well. Refrigerate overnight. Immediately before serving, mix in the club soda for added fizz. Ladle into cups with ice cubes.

CHICKEN and SHRIMP PAELLA

Description:
An efficient and delicious way to feed a hungry family, this paella relies on condensed soup for its creamy flavor. The chicken and shrimp contrast nicely with the sweet bell peppers, and the delicately balanced herbs ensure that this paella will become an easy family favorite. (Recipe from http://www.spain-recipes.com/chicken-shrimp-paella.html)

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz) of olive oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 can (about 10 oz) condensed onion soup
• 1 can (about 10 oz) condensed tomato soup
• 3 cups (24 fl oz) water
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups (16 oz) rice
• 32 oz uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (6 oz) roasted sweet red bell pepper, in strips
• 18 (6 oz) mild green canned chiles
• 1 cup (8 oz) stuffed olives, sliced


Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a paella pan. Add the chicken, and cook until browned on all sides.
Add the onion and tomato soups, water, garlic, oregano, turmeric, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, covered for 15 minutes.
Mix in the rice, shrimp, bell peppers, roasted red bell peppers, and olives and cook, covered, for 25 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed, the shrimp are cooked, and the chicken and rice are tender. Uncover, allow the paella to cool, and serve.
An efficient and delicious way to feed a hungry family, this paella relies on condensed soup for its creamy flavor. The chicken and shrimp contrast nicely with the sweet bell peppers, and the delicately balanced herbs ensure that this paella will become an easy family favorite.

FABADA ASTURIANA

Description:
Fabada is probably the second most famous Spanish dish after Paella. Fabada Asturiana, often simply known as Fabada, is a rich Spanish bean stew, originally from and most commonly found in the autonomous community of Asturias, but widely available throughout the whole of Spain and in Spanish restaurants worldwide. Fabada is a heavy dish and for that reason is most commonly eaten during the largest meal of the day, lunch (normally as a starter before the 'main' course of meat). It is usually served with crusty bread, and with Asturian cider or a red wine.(Recipe from http://www.batista.org/fabada.html)

Ingredients:
• 6 cans of large Butter beans, (soaked lima beans) which in Spain are called Fabas
• 6 oz cooked ham
• 6 oz Chorizo
• 6 oz Morcilla
• 6 oz Bacon
• 1 cup Chicken stock
• 2 tbs Olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1 ts saffron (azafrán)


Directions:
Pre-cooking:
• Cut the onion and bell pepper in half
• Cut the ham, bacon, chorizo and morzilla in bite size chunks
• Reserve 4-5 pieces of chorizo and morcilla, mush them
• Take half a can worth of beans, and mush them into a paste
Cooking:
• Set tall frying pan in mid-high heat
• Add the olive oil to frying pan
• Fry the half onion and bell pepper for 2 minutes
• Add 4 cans of beans with their stock
• Add saffron and stir
• If at any time the beans are over the stock, add some chicken stock
• Once hot, lower the heat to mid-low
• Add the chorizo, morcilla and ham
• Add the mashed chorizo and morcilla, stir carefully
• Boil until the beans are really soft
• If the sauce is to watery add some of the bean paste made earlier to thicken the sauce and boil for a couple more minutes
• Remove the onion and bell pepper before serving

ashley's first christmas

merry christmas from the tekton staff

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

the different faces of ashley mari

meet the latest addition to our family--ashley mari!

tingnan ang iba't-ibang ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha sa halos araw-araw na kinunan litrato ng kanyang doting lolah. mwahaha!

I'm Starting A Countdown

It's the 3rd day of November.  And somehow, I've spotted a pattern.  What the pattern is, I wouldn't share yet.  I'll figure it out first.  However, I believe it would take a long time for me to put the pieces of the puzzle together.  I'll just take it one day at a time.  I'll chronicle everything, though, just so I won't miss anything. 

Let's just say I sense that the Lord is telling me something.  When I finally figure it out, I'll post my journal here, and in my other blogs.

Until then...