Cheers to Another Year

Our mini herb garden

Picking basil leaves for my birthday bash

Freshly harvested organic basil leaves

Shrimps for the seafood pasta

Marinara sauce for the seafood pasta

Breaded chicken breast fillets for the Chicken Parmigiana

Fried until golden brown

Flat noodles for the seafood pasta

Regular spaghetti noodles for the pesto pasta

The perfect Parmesan cheese for the Pesto Pasta and Chicken Parmigiana

The stars of the evening

Chicken Parmigiana topped with tomato sauce and melted Mozzarella cheese

The most requested Pesto Pasta

Sliced French Bread

Seafood Pasta

Curtain Call

Happy Birthday to me!

My relatives seemed to be clicking the “Like” button.

A month ago, I celebrated my birthday. For the nth time, we did what we do best, pasta and chicken. So, of course, pesto pasta took centerstage. Joining the limelight were Seafood Pasta (with lots of shrimps in it) and Chicken Parmigiana. The cast would not have been complete without the slices of French  Bread and herbed and spiced olive oil with balsamic vinegar. The Chicken Parmigiana which was also taught to us by our ever- generous and patient friend , Chef Bryan Jimenez , was made of chicken breast fillet, bread crumbs , especially concocted tomato sauce, Dijon mustard and mozzarella cheese. Modesty aside, it was a big hit among our guests, especially to my nephew Egan Sanchez, who kept on telling me, “That chicken is sooooo good!”  Indeed, it was an evening of good food, good company, good laughs, good memories. 

Pesto all the way

Birthday dinner with my grade school friends

Our homemade pesto pasta with Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, and parsley

Sliced French bread and some Nachos with ground beef, mushrooms, and drizzled with cheese

Dipping sauce for the French bread- Olive oil seasoned with “Scarborough Fair” herbs and spices and Balsamic Vinegar

Dipping sauce for the French bread- Olive oil seasoned with “Scarborough Fair” herbs and spices and Balsamic Vinegar

A feast for my birthday

     A year ago, I said goodbye to my teenage years and welcomed my adulthood with a get-together with my closest chums from grade school (Maquiling School Inc., UP Los Banos campus).  We had an intimate dinner at our garden. I requested my lovely sister to prepare our family’s favorite and her specialty – PESTO PASTA. Thanks to our good friend, Chef  Bryan for teaching her how to cook this.  Now, she makes the perfect homemade pesto that never ceases to delight us. I take this chance to share my sister's amazing Pesto Pasta made of fresh basil leaves (from our garden), nuts, Parmesan cheese, sliced tomatoes, parsley and olive oil. My mom paired the dish with sliced French bread and a dipping sauce of seasoned olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Along with the nonstop exchanges of childhood memories, love stories and future plans was the nonstop munching on nachos with ground beef, mushrooms, and cheese spread.

       Maybe I should do this every 10 years, or perhaps 5. Lemme think…