Video: How To Wrap A Cat For Christmas

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Dogs Are Santa's Favorites

An AP-Petside.com Poll, conducted October 13-20, 2010, by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, found that 53 percent of pet owners plan to get their animals a present this holiday season. Of these, fifty-six percent of the dog owners say they'll buy their pets a gift this Christmas, but only 48 percent of the cat owners plan a gift.

Also interesting: women (56 percent) are somewhat more likely than men (49 percent) to buy their animals a gift. The poll also showed that renters (66 percent) are more apt to pamper their pets than homeowners (49 percent). And while fewer than half of those who attend religious services weekly or more often say they plan to buy their pets a gift, 60 percent of those who never attend services do.

And while we're talking about Christmas gifts for pets, don't forget to get yours, at i-pets.com.

We wish you Peace

Merry Christmas!

from Flickr, "Christmas Dogs" by twolittlemagpies

Merry Christmas!

(via USA Today)

Buko I (Five-Minute Coconut Salad)

What could be easier than a recipe that calls for only three ingredients? Look for lychees and canned coconut in Asian supermarkets.

3 (11-ounce) cans whole lychees, quartered
6 (3.5-ounce) cans canned grated coconut in syrup
1 cup heavy cream

Combine the lychees with the undrained coconut in a medium bowl. Fold in cream. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Yields 8 servings.

Coconut Salad
Buko II

Filipino ingredients are available in Asian supermarkets.
8 ounces frozen shredded buko (young coconut), thawed
8 ounces fruit cocktail
1 (15-ounce) jar mata de coco (coconut gel)
1 (12-ounce) jar kaong (palm fruit in syrup)
1 (8-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8-ounce) can Nestle cream (thick, sweet topping)
or 8 ounces vanilla yogurt

Drain the buko, fruit cocktail, mata de coco, and kaong thoroughly; combine in a medium bowl. Add the milk and cream, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Stir well before serving.
Yields 8 servings.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Midnight Feast)

Enjoy a few sample recipes from Karen's Filipino Christmas Eve menu for a flavorful evening!

Arroz Caldo Con Pollo Chicken Rice Soup with Ginger
Caldereta Hearty Beef Stew
Paksiw na Lechón Pork Pot Roast in Lechón Sauce
Hamon Chinese Ham
Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Buko Coconut Salad
Yema Egg Balls
Polvoron Powdered Milk Candy
Christmas Cookies
Tsokolate Rich Chocolate Drink
Tangerines
Roasted Chestnuts

Arroz Caldo Con Pollo

Make this comfort food a day ahead to allow the flavors to marry. Besides being traditional Christmas Eve fare, the soup is also a cold remedy.

1/2 cup minced garlic
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, coarsely chopped or squeezed through a garlic press
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 (2-pound) chicken, cut into serving-size pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or patis (fish sauce)
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Using a 3-quart pot, sauté 2 tablespoons garlic, the ginger, and onion in 2 tablespoons oil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the garlic is golden, and the onion is translucent. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add 10 cups water to the rice mixture. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat, add the chicken, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add the salt during the final 5 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, sauté the remaining garlic in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until the garlic is a golden brown.

Serve the soup in a preheated tureen. Garnish with the sautéed garlic, green onion rings, and black pepper.
Yields 4 servings.
Note: Patis is a fish sauce used for seasoning nearly every Filipino dish: chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, crabs, and other seafood. However, patis is an acquired taste. A good substitute is rock or iodized salt. Other substitutes for patis are a mixture of soy sauce and freshly squeezed lemon juice or soy sauce and kumquats. Patis is available in Asian supermarkets.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Christmas Quacker

from Flickr, "Santa Duck" by flaurella

Bibingka

Traditionally the batter for flat cakes was poured into a banana leaf–lined clay dish and baked over charcoal. The cheese was made from the milk of water buffalos. However, what an aluminum cake pan, electric oven, and prepackaged cheese lack in local color, they make up for in convenience. Coconut milk is available in Asian supermarkets.

1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups coconut milk
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup baking powder
1/2 cup grated Edam cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup grated coconut

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar with the coconut milk. Blend in the beaten eggs.

Combine the sifted flour, salt, and baking powder, and sift again. Fold in the egg mixture. Turn into a lightly greased 11 by 16-inch cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese, and bake for another 15 minutes, basting twice with the melted butter. Remove the cake from the oven, brush with the remaining butter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the coconut. Slice into squares, and serve.
Yields 15 to 20 squares.

Tip: Because of its versatility and availability, coconut is widely used in Filipino foods. Buko or fresh young coconut produces a refreshing juice and sweet white flesh, while the mature coconut or niyog is grated and squeezed with water to make coconut milk or gata.

The nine-day pre-Christmas novena ends with midnight mass on Christmas Eve. After mass comes the Noche Buena, or Midnight Feast, where the traditional meal is Arroz Caldo Con Pollo, Caldereta, Paksiw na Lechón, hot Tsokolate, a native chocolate drink, Buko salad (a misnomer), and an endless supply of Christmas cookies!

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet)

Serves 4

4 Philippine eggplants
l tablespoon minced garlic
l/4 cup diced onion
8 ounces ground pork
l medium potato, diced
l/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
4 eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Boil the eggplants for 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Remove the skins. Set aside and keep warm. Sauté the garlic, onion, ground pork, potato, and bell pepper until the vegetables are tender and the pork is thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm. Separate the egg whites from the yolks; beat the egg whites until stiff. Mix in the yolks. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/8 of the beaten egg mixture into the skillet, and let it cook until it forms a crusty bottom. Place an eggplant on top of the egg. Lightly spread the pulp and top with 1/4 of the pork-potato mixture. Add 1/8 of the beaten egg mixture to the skillet. Carefully turn over the omelet to cook the topside. Repeat with the remaining eggplants, pork-potato mixture, and eggs.

Salabat (Ginger Tea)

Serves 4

3 inches fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Heat 4 1/2 to 5 cups water with the ginger and brown sugar just until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add more water to weaken the tea. Strain and serve hot or cold.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Hoppy Christmas

(via Disapproving Rabbits)

Maligayang Pasko! (Merry Christmas!)

Spice up your Christmas the Filipino way by decorating and cooking up a festive menu provided to us by Karen Hulene Bartell! Karen says:

Christmas is Filipinos’ best-loved celebration. Star-shaped lanterns, called parols in the Filipino language Tagalog, signal the start of the Christmas season in the Philippines. As early as September, these five-pointed representations of the star of Bethlehem begin lighting up neighborhoods. Why so early? Filipinos associate the months’ suffix ber with Christmas, so September, October, November, and December are all considered holiday months.

Parols, the Filipino counterpart of Mexican piñatas, are beacons of hospitality hung outside doors and windows, so the cheerful light brightens the evenings and welcomes visitors. Originally the parols were used to light the way to the Misa de Gallo or the Mass of the Rooster, which is held early in the morning on Christmas Day, before the roosters crow.

Framed with bamboo or rattan, the lanterns’ sides are made of translucent rice paper, tissue, or colorful cellophane. To make a lantern, string together five long pieces of bamboo to form a star; make a second star. Place five twigs or small pieces of bamboo between the two stars, so that they bow apart but are joined at the points. Apply glue to the bamboo frame and cover with tissue. Tradition calls for a candle, but to be safe place a flashlight inside the lantern.

To prepare for the holiday, many people begin a novena on December 16, known as Misa de Aguinaldo. They attend nine consecutive days of outdoor masses held as early as four o'clock in the morning. After each mass, Filipinos gather for the traditional almusal or breakfast: salabat, local ginger tea, and bibingka or flat cakes served on banana leaves and topped with brown sugar and freshly grated coconut.

Breakfast for Four
(Misa de Gallo Almusal)
Experiment with only the traditional Bibingka and Salabat for a quick breakfast, or try all the recipes for an unforgettable Filipino holiday brunch. For a larger group, double the recipes!
Pan de Sal Fresh Breakfast Rolls
Tortang Talong Eggplant Omelet
Adobong Manok Chicken Adobo
Mango Papaya Fruit Salad
Bibingka Flat Cake
Champorrado Chocolate Rice Porridge
Salabat Ginger Tea
Barako Coffee

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Checking the stocking

"from Flickr, Hoggle_by_madflowr02" uploaded by madflowr

Bacalhau da Consoada (Christmas Eve Codfish)

The New York Times recently had an interesting article on the importance of salted cod to Portuguese Christmas dinners:

“Bacalhau, as the fish is called here, is to Christmas Eve in Portugal what turkey is to Thanksgiving in America. Treasured since the 16th century, when Portuguese fishermen first brought it back from, it bore the nickname fiel amigo — faithful friend. Its correct preparation is a source of pride, a sign of respect for family values."
"Every Portuguese, it seems, likes to boast that there are 1,000 recipes for bacalhau and that the people here eat more of it than do those anywhere else in the world.”

If you want to try celebrating this Christmas the Portuguese way, we recommend this traditional recipe from Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters, Expanded Edition. As the author Cherie Hamilton says about it:

Codfish prepared for the consoada (the traditional Christmas Eve dinner) is an alternative to the codfish cooks with todos (literally "all"), which is traditionally served for supper on December 25. This particular recipe, besides being very enticing, appeals to those who like their codfish served in large pieces. In some homes it is served as a second course, preceded by boiled crabs, shrimp, and lobster; and followed by roast turkey or Roast Suckling Pig (page 44) and the trimmings.

2 pounds thick salt cod fillets
6 medium onions, peeled
6 carrots, peeled
2 pounds medium white potatoes, peeled
3 pounds collard greens, stems removed
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, smashed
6 to 8 hard-boiled eggs (1 per person)

Soak the salt cold fillets in cold water to cover for 24 hours int he refrigerator, changing the water frequently.

Drain the salt cold and place in a large pot with the onions, carrots, potatoes, greens, and salt. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and saute the garlic cloves until lightly golden. Keep warm.

Arrange the codfish, onions, carrots, potatoes, collards, and eggs on a large platter or several platters. Serve the warm olive oil with garlic in a bowl on the side to drizzle over the fish and vegetables.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Christmas Lights

Merry Christmas!

To all our readers, friends and blog visitors ...

Merry Christmas!

Joke: A Puppy's Twelve Days of Christmas

A Puppy's Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my puppy gave to me The Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the second day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the third day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the fourth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the fifth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the sixth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Six yards of soggy ribbon Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the seventh day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Seven scraps of wrapping paper Six yards of soggy ribbon Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the eighth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Eight tiny reindeer fragments Seven scraps of wrapping paper Six yards of soggy ribbon Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the ninth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me My wreath in nine pieces Eight tiny reindeer fragments Seven scraps of wrapping paper Six yards of soggy ribbon Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the tenth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed My wreath in nine pieces Eight tiny reindeer fragments Seven scraps of wrapping paper Six yards of soggy ribbon Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the eleventh day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Eleven unwrapped presents Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed My wreath in nine pieces Eight tiny reindeer fragments Seven scraps of wrapping paper Six yards of soggy ribbon Five chewed-up stockings Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. On the twelfth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me A dozen puppy kisses And I forgot about the other eleven days.

(via)

Does Santa need help with the sleigh?

More on Brutus and Rufus at It's a Dog's Life

Jingle Bunny

"Jingle Jorge" uploaded by Archae-Chan

Joke: Holiday Etiquette for Dogs

Holiday Etiquette for Dogs

1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans. 2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours. 3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers. 4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: - - don't pee on the tree - - don't drink water in the container that holds the tree - - mind your tail when you are near the tree - - if there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don't rip them open - - don't chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree 5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part: - - not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans - - don't eat off the buffet table - - beg for goodies subtly - - be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa - - don't drink out of glasses that are left within your reach. 6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important: - -observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people's houses. - - respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house - - tolerate children - - turn on your charm big time. 7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON'T BITE HIM!!

(via)