My friend Sab and I have lovingly put together a series of events for Viking Range Philippines. We only have three more events left before the end of the year, and planning each themed event is just as exciting as the one before. You see, Sab and I really love putting these events together so that we can share the joy of cooking and entertaining with some of our fellow mommas. We hope to inspire other mommas to get cooking in the kitchen because despite what many people think, it’s not that hard at all.
Mothers Who Brunch Goes Asian is actually an idea that came out of the fact that I have always found Asian flavors in my cooking a bit daunting. My comfort food is mostly American Italian and to have to throw something together with Asian flair used to be quite intimidating to me.
That is, until THE Nina Daza asked me to put together some recipes for Appetite Magazine. I think with anything that is a bit of a challenge, it’s the getting started that can sometimes hold us up. The challenge (at least for me) lies in getting over that initial hump or perception of something being difficult (even if only in my mind), because truth is, once I get started in the kitchen, I just have to look for my taste testers to inspire me to move on and improve.
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. This was one of the recipes that Gia and put together for the Appetite June issue.
Nina asked me to put together Asian inspired recipes for the June issue and while I was a bit nervous about it, all I had to do was bring along my best girl to the Viking Kitchen to find my way. Together we came up with some recipes that she not only loved, but has asked me to make again and again.
So this girl came to work with me today. We cooked up some goodness in the kitchen that will be published in Appetite soon. And just because we were in the kitchen, she wanted to play and experiment with some new cookies. @ninadp8 saw her cookies and asked if they could make it into the magazine as well! #takeyourdaughtertoworkday #ilovemyjob A photo posted by Michelle Aventajado (@mommanmanila) on
What was even more exciting about this day was the fact that Gia was featured in Buzzfeed for coming with me to work!
Check out the post here.
On the other hand, Asian flavors are very comfortable for Sab. She can handle an Asian menu with ease and still look pretty when everything is served. And once Sab and I got started in the kitchen…truth is, we are able to pull most everything off with ease. Back home, I would have my friends that I would cook with in the kitchen. We would flow…we would drink wine…we would have fun. It took me a while to find those kinds of friends here, but through my cookfests with yoga friends, and now having fun in the kitchen with Sabrina, I think I may have found some ladies who are just as happy being in the kitchen, as I am.
Photo Credit Sabrina Go
Sab and I enjoy putting these events together, conceptualizing, making mood boards and searching for pegs which exemplify the look and feel of what we want our guests and friends to experience when they come and have brunch with us. We prepare as much as we can before hand so that we can relax and enjoy our friends during the event, while still showcasing the cooking capability of the Viking appliances.
It was so easy to prepare and grill this Cedar Plank Salmon. From easy Marinade to easy Grilling. Click here for the recipe. Photo Credit Sabrina Go
We love collaborating with professionals like Steph and Lady of Boqueria Lifestyle Market because while we have the pegs and the ideas in our heads, they can set the atmosphere and the table in a way that is fresh, exciting, and of course Instagram worthy for our guests. Collaborating with Boqueria Lifestyle Market makes it easier for us to focus on the menu, the food we want to serve, and a fun activity for the moms to enjoy.
The ladies who braved the typhoon like weather to join us in the kitchen L-R T-B: Maggie, Jackie, Tin, Sab, Me, Em, Lady, Steph, Nicole, Helene, Kate, Nicole, Patty, and Vangie
Preparing everything in advance when you have guests (or in this case a cooking event that brings Moms together for some me time) is easy when you have the right tools. We enjoy the use of the tools in the kitchen to cook, and I also enjoy the time we spend in the kitchen before hand to bring everything together.
We just took the cover off the stockpot for the photo. But you can see how easily the Viking side by side refrigerator freezer can fit most anything.
Brining the pork belly was easy to do, because the huge stockpot that Sab had the meat in, easily fit in the Viking side by side refrigerator. Marinating the fish and the chicken in our Lee Kum Kee marinades was equally as easy to do in the GLAD zipper bags and using the Press & Seal food wrap. Preparing these dishes ahead of time, makes the actual cooking process on the following day for Mothers Who Brunch Goes Asian seamless.
Photo Credit Sabrina Go
Even the smaller sized GLAD plastic wrap is perfect for our bowls where we prepped the fresh ingredients for the spring rolls. Seriously, storing everything in the fridge is really gross when your flavors mix with the others. Like-you don’t want your mini leche flan brownies that are sponsored by Pastry Armoire tasting like salmon marinating in my oyster sauce marinade!
Marinating my salmon with my Lee Kum Kee Marinade was super easy. You can marinate this dish as early as 24 hours ahead or as little as 30 minutes. Of course the longer you can marinate, the more flavorful the salmon will be.
When it came time to set up everything on the day of our event, all we had to do was let our meats and fish rest from being in the refrigerator, grill or bake, and then serve!
Check out how lovely this gathering of women was last month.
Part of what Sabrina and I enjoy about getting together with the women who attend Mothers Who Brunch is being able to share a little something with them of ourselves. Besides being in the kitchen, both Sab and I enjoy making a house a home for our families and that includes more than just putting deliciously health prepared meals on the table.
For this event we were able to bring someone in to teach us Ikebana.
Add to the Ikebana lesson these beautiful vases sponsored by L’indochine, and it truly was a treat for our Mommas to learn something new and take home something pretty.
After our Ikebana lesson, we asked Chef Arnold to share his Gourmet Tinapa Rice recipe and demonstrate just how easy it is to throw together this quick and filling meal.
Chef Arnold and Sab are preparing for his demo, while I am wanting to sneak just one of the Matcha Blondies from Pastry Armoire.
One of the other facets to Mothers Who Brunch is our desire to share with the moms, not just kitchen tips, easy recipes, and fun new things to learn, but also tried and true products that are good for us, good for me time, and if we can bring in LOCAL businesses and factor that into the mix then we are even happier.
Besides sharing his easy to make Gourmet Tinapa Rice, Chef Arnold also shared that to bring out a smoky flavor in your citrus you can grill your lemon wedges before garnishing your Tinapa Rice.
It’s always a pleasure to get in the VIKING kitchen. As I’m writing this post, I’m imagining what my kitchen will be like when we start to build our new home. I get excited knowing that everything will be that much easier when I prepare a meal for my family…
But what I love even more, is sharing the ease with which all mommas can prepare meals for the families. It doesn’t have to be difficult, and no, everything doesn’t have to be home made. In fact when we use products like Lee Kum Kee, Deep Dips, and Glad, we make our lives easier in the kitchen. And as a momma…easy is good. EASY IS REAL GOOD.
Thank you to all of our generous sponsors who supported our desire to share with our mommas the very same products we love and enjoy using, ourselves. From the make up and skincare products, to the products that make our homes prettier and our lives easier in the kitchen. We are truly grateful.
Most of all thank you to Viking for encouraging Mommas to venture into the kitchen and explore new ways to prepare meals for our families.
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Thanks also to Jay Santos for capturing the essence of what Mothers Who Brunch is all about, not just with your photos but with this BTS video.
Love this Asian theme! Using Asian flavors is actually where I am most comfortable I think, and it is what we mostly cook at home 🙂 Whenever my Asian pantry items go low I already get nervous haha!
I also love what Boqueria did with the Asian theme here!!
p.s. omg Nicole! She helped organize my wedding in a typhoon!!
Joey!!! I guess I need to get a little more comfortable with the Asian flavors. I find inspiration in you and Sab so that’s coming a little easier to me! Thank goodness for friends who continue to inspire! Wait-you have to tell me about the wedding in a typhoon!
Thanks again for having me Mish! My family enjoyed some of the dishes from the brunch that I have prepared for them. 🙂 It’s always nice to be with ladies who love being moms and food 😀 Let’s catch up soon 🙂
I’m so happy that you enjoyed your time in the Viking Kitchen with Sab and I 🙂 Plus-you got to pick up some new dishes for your kitchen arsenal and we got to make chika 🙂 It’s always a win-win when we brunch!