October 2009

Updates on the Hope for Gavin Card Drive

October 20, 2009

First off, friends who I haven’t seen or talked to in a while have asked which of my two siblings is Gavin’s parent. Gavin is actually my cousin’s firstborn son and the first grandchild of my mom’s eldest brother.

Gavin’s family is one of only two known cases in Southern California who are living with Tay-Sachs Disease. He has a younger sister, less than a year old, who is a carrier of Tay-Sachs but very fortunately doesn’t have the disease.

Gavin in 2008.

I want to thank all those who are volunteering their time, talent, and resources to make handmade Christmas cards for this very important and worthwhile cause. We have generous people donating cards from all over the world. Not only that, I am very grateful to those who are sharing Gavin’s cause to friends and family and promoting awareness about Tay-Sachs. I see that my cousins’ friends continue to support Gavin’s family by joining and promoting this card drive. My friends also didn’t fail to show their support – thank you so much. Even more touching is that people who don’t even know Gavin are helping out and extending their prayers. (Blog entries such as this just make me teary-eyed – and I read them in the morning!)

I must admit that the satisfaction I’m getting from this fundraiser is priceless – aside from being able to help my nephew, the responses I get from kind souls from different countries make me happy all the time and continuously remind me that the world is good. (And please take note, this is not just my project anymore – this is all of our project.) – Oh! And it also teaches my kids compassion and selfless giving. I tell you, priceless!

One very important announcement: The handmade Christmas cards are now available for pre-order. Many have asked how they can buy the cards. I’m selling them online and making them available for pre-order now lest you guys forget that you promised to buy some. *wink

My deepest thanks to everybody who made this fundraiser possible – those who donated Christmas cards, those who donated money, and those who bought the cards. I am truly grateful. We have raised a little over a thousand dollars – not bad, in my opinion – a good enough reason to consider this fundraiser a success. Thanks again so much. In our own little way, we have all helped Gavin. (December 11, 2009)

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These are not the Droids you are Looking for

October 16, 2009

Mica: Aaaawww. Are you Little Red Riding Hood?
Rinoa: No.
Rinoa: I am Master Jedi!
(Haha! Obviously, we’ve been watching a lot of Star Wars lately.)

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Banana Pudding

October 15, 2009

I had the chance to try Magnolia Bakery’s famous banana pudding when I was in New York – thanks to my sister-in-law who bought some. It was heavenly! Imagine my delight when I found out that the original owner of the bakery released the recipe so I didn’t have to guess how it was done.

The first time I made the pudding, I reserved some for my neighbor, but my family enjoyed it so much that they even ate the neighbor’s share. Then a few weeks ago, I helped Troy whip up a batch to share with his coworkers.

Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding
(edited)

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups heavy cream
1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers
4 cups sliced ripe bananas

1. Mix the sweetened condensed milk and water in a large bowl until well combined. Add the pudding mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before continuing. (It is very important to allow the pudding mixture to set properly.)

2. Whip the heavy cream in an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.

3. To assemble the dessert, arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of a large wide bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering two more times. (Although here, I used a Pyrex casserole dish.) Garnish the top with wafer crumbs. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving. (I think the longer you wait, the yummier it gets.)

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