Best Friends: 10 years & counting. ^_^

"Best friends are those who, through all the new friends, new 
hobbies, new jobs, rough times, high school, college, and distance, 
are always there for each other, no matter how busy they become."

Four years ago when my family left Manila and decided to stay for good here in Davao, I remember how I feel so regretful for having very few photo mementos that I have with my best friend. We weren't the kind of best friends seen clinging to each other all time back in high school, so there are small chances for moments to capture. We're neighbors, had our classrooms side-by-side, yet we were rarely seen by others together. Way back then, I guess that's uniquely us — the type of best friends who only bonds together on rare occasions and had heart-to-heart talks once in awhile; yet despite that, we both know deep in our hearts, at the end of each day, that we have each other. It's like an unspoken pledge between the two of us. It proves to me one thing — "best friends" is not a label, it is a promise.

Then came the sudden twist-of-fate, my family arrived here in Davao, and my best friend and I started our separate lives in college; hers at University of Santo Tomas in Manila, while mine at Ateneo de Davao University. What others might think as the end of our story, turned out ironically as a start of a better chapter for the two of us. Through the help of social media technologies, my best friend and I maintained a constant communication. We became closer and had more hearty conversations. Even it was only through text messages and Facebook, we were always there for each other.


We had the same hopes; of her coming to visit me here in Davao, and of me being able to go back to Manila. Last summer of 2011, the once-was-only-dreamed plan of ours came to reality, she arrived here in Davao for a 10-day vacation. With even more luck for me, I was able to return to Manila last October 2011, and just recently, last April 2012. Before we knew it, we had overflowing photos that captured our best moments together.



This is a photo-collection of our "best-friendship". I am not an expert when it comes to creating AV presentations, like this one... But I have been wanting to try it, and I thought — as a way of showing my feelings for my one and only best friend, why not give it a chance? :) And so here it is, it may seem very elementary, given how little experience I have with Windows Movie Maker, but hey, this is the best that I can do so far. ^_^

PS: Karen, this one is for you, my sister from another mother. :)

I love you, Bes! ♥


~ingrid dl

Like Branches of a Tree

"Like branches of a tree

we grow in different directions,

yet our roots remain as one.

Each of our lives will always be

a special part of the other's." 

---Anonymous

My very own Chocolate Revel Bar: a sinful delight! ^_^

Image from DessertComesFirst

I have always shown interest in culinary arts, though I am not the one you can call an expert at it. I never had training through cooking classes and mostly do trial and errors with all the things that I cook or bake. With that, Chocolate Revel Bar is one of the many desserts that I really want to try baking. It is a rich, chewy chocolate-oatmeal bar-type cookies loaded with fudgy filling — an all time family favorite! ^_^ 

Since I have a lot of vacant time now, I decided to try it out. I used this recipe guide from AllRecipes and I can say that this one hit the shot! :)

Ingredients

• Oat mixture
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate filling

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
4. Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top, and dot with remaining oat mixture.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars.

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This is my finished product! ^_^

Instead of using walnuts, I used toasted local peanuts since it is cheaper and more readily available in the market. I really like the results and the oat mixture is just perfect! Though I would like to adjust the salt in the chocolate filling because it tastes a bit too salty for me. I think 1/4 tsp of salt will do just fine, or no salt at all for those who are "sweet tooth". Aside from that, I would probably decrease the thickness of the base oat mixture to around 1 cm, not that the thickness matters, it simply is my preference. :)

I am gonna try baking more of this in the future until I can perfect it. By that time, it will be a perfect gift idea for my family and friends.

~ingrid dl