Monday, December 24, 2007



A day before Christmas and I did something that extends beyond my regular December 24's. Unlike the previous Christmas eve's wherein I'd waste my time watching movies and sleeping, this time I hit the kitchen. My Mom used to forbid me to enter when she is "at work" in our newly renovated kitchen-- of which she claims, "my corner." Her corner served her craving for cooking, baking and by all means, satisfied her when she just wants to make her favorites: oatmeal cookies. Trust me, she makes dozens of them when she's happy and in the mood. However, this time, I guess she considered me mature enough to enter her corner, mature enough to help her through every bit of her planned meals for this evening's traditional Noche Buena with her in-laws. So, in I went and armed I was, my hair tied up and I was every bit neat, I entered her corner and she handed me a bowl of fruit cocktail with additional peaches and grapes of which I still had to slice. Carefully, I sliced each, trying to make them look equal in size. Then, I beat the cream with a dash of confectioner's sugar. Soon, it was off to the refridgerator to chill. For a break, I took hold of yesterday's newspaper, however, she spotted me almost immediately that the next thing I knew, I was slicing boiled chicken into bits mixing it in her favorite mixing bowl with mayonnaise, celery, salt, red onion and her secret ingredient, Karo (Pancake) syrup. Once finished, I was assigned another task. I had to marinate her chicken wings and distribute them equally into two bowls. It took a while for me to take hold of the uncooked chicken but since I was dirty and messy, I decided to dig in and go for it. Afterall, it's all soft and gooey-- just like holding slimey green toys that my sister used to bring home.

As it was all done, we topped the noon of cooking with Chicken Mayo Sandwiches with Wheat Bread and served with a glass of Sparkling White Grape Juice. It was a sweaty-tiring half-day of cooking but I can say it was all worth it. Well, Mom still has her Paella in the oven, I hope she gets it out just in time.