i heart hearts........

I was having a nap when my phone rang. it was my mom asking me to go their house (30 minutes jeepney ride away) to get some stuff that my brother sent. I waited for my other brother to pick me up after work. the first thing that i noticed when we arrived at mom's house were the stack of magazines on the dining table.... wow! archi mags! hmmm.... then my mom told me that a box had my name on it. It was wrapped very well, i couldn't tell what it is. As I unwrapped it, I saw my name and the word... "artichoke"..... huwaw! ARTICHOKES! Em (my SIL) sent artichokes for me again!!! yipeeee!!!!



I thought, this couldn't be fresh for it would not survive a balikbayan box trip. but i was hoping fresh sana or frozen (the last time Em came home she brought me FRESH artichokes!)



As I opened the box, here's what greeted my eyes!!!!


carefully cushioned with peanut styros & inflated plastic bags...

a big, big bottle of artichoke hearts in oil!!!


all 1.8 kilos of hearts!





my mind was busy thinking of the dishes I could make out of these precious little hearts! - pasta with hearts ala mario batali (with balsamic vinegar and lemon), spinach artichoke dip (with lots of parmesan cheese! yummy with nachos), grilled vegetarian sandwich - eggplant, peppers, zucchini, hearts with balsamic vinegar & parmesan.... and the list goes on.... have to search for more artichoke heart recipes.... HUWAW!!!!

The first time I had artichokes was 10 years ago when we visited HM's sister in Illinois. Before that, sa cookbooks ko lang nakikita. I saw some fresh ones in the grocery and bought them. I just took off the outer leaves and cored the fuzz sa hearts and boiled them with some lemon and ate it plain (with a touch of butter). It was love at first bite. Since then, whenever I had the chance to get some canned ones (pag may extra 150 pesos ako; it cost 100++/can sa rustan's) i'd make spinach artichoke dip, or add it with pasta. Sa sobrang mahal nya, special treat sa kin to.


hay... can't wait to go cooking.... hayz.... kelan kaya? Busy ako this weekend.... ahahay....


To my brother marc & sister em..... super, super thanks! this bottle is the best one of all....
XOXO ;-)