MY MOM'S 70TH BIRTHDAY DINNER PARTY

My Mom just turned 70 years old and besides having a family breakfast (GLORIA MARIS) and dinner (MAMOU TOO) to celebrate her birthday, we also planned to have an intimate dinner party for such a lovely lady! We only invited our very close relatives and her best friend to share this special evening with us because we want everything to be just for HER. It was great too that the people who joined us were the ones who truly mattered and we really appreciated their presence. They made my Mom so happy that night!

Normally when we have parties, it is my Mom who is chief of the kitchen. This time, we told her to just sit back, relax, and enjoy this dinner -- her children and grandchildren were in charge. And we cannot be more excited about it. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!

My Kuya Jon is an animator and drew this caricature of my Mom. 

I asked my Mom what she wanted for me to cook for her PARTY and she requested her usual favorites:

1) Garden Salad with Catalina dressing

1) Iberian Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

2) Gamberetti Pasta.

A main ingredient of my dishes for MOMMY'S PARTY is garlic. And I HAD lots of it peeled and ready for chopping.

These are 2 of the 3 chickens I stuffed with lots of garlic then massaged with secret herbs and spices for MOMMY'S PARTY!

I also included some cut up carrots, potatoes, and onions that were tossed in olive oil, garlic, and spices once more. He he he he he he he! Since I felt the chicken for MOMMY'S PARTY did not have enough garlic, I cut up a whole head of garlic in half and topped with salt and pepper. 

There it goes in our electric oven.

After stuffing the chickens, I worked on the garden salad.

My brother also organized the tables and chairs outside.

We only have 2 long tables since we did not really invite a lot of guests for MOMMY'S PARTY. 

My sister, besides planning the whole event, was going to make baked salmon for MOMMY'S PARTY.

Our "assistants" in cooking!

Eeep! My Mommy kept checking on us. She wasn't comfortable letting others do the cooking when she's around. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Since I had some spare time before cooking the spaghetti for MOMMY'S PARTY, I whipped up some spanish sardine pate to be served with melba toasts.

Boo! My Brother found my Iberian Chicken a bit bland and added some more salt plus other spices.

Chef was wincing because I reeked of garlic... Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

For MOMMY'S PARTY giveaways, I got some goodies from Chef Anna of PINK WASABI. She gave me such a good deal with her profiteroles and we were all excited to taste it later on.

By the way, Chef Anna supplied the bridal shower givaways for Marian Rivera....

Ahem ahem... Not that I'm saying that I'm at the same level of Marian's popularity but..... 

What the heck, I think I am!!!! BWA HA HA HA HA!

A little bit later it's PARTY TIME!

Our guests are here!

My Mom with Tito George, Tita Saling, Prince Andrei, Tita Luming, and Tita Fer.

Standing were Ate Weng, my Mom, Tita Neneng, and my Ate Jit!

Mommy's best friend Tita Flor and hub!

Tita Dina and Tito Clemen!

After the opening prayer (by yours truly, of course, nobody took a picture of me!), my Mom made an early thank you to everyone who came.

Somehow I'm touched with all the smiles from our relatives.

And it's TIME TO EAT at MOMMY'S PARTY!

Our spread!

My Spanish Sardine Pate with Melba Toast!

The pate was very creamy with a hint of lemon and spice!

My garden salad! It may not be obvious but underneath all that ham are arugula, carrots, onions, and cheese!

I got the recipe for the catalina dressing from my sister in law Karen. It's sweet from the mayo but had a bite from the apple cider vinegar.

One of my Mom's favorite from my pasta creations is the Gamberetti Pasta. I first had a taste of this in Cucina Victoria and I loved it so much that I hacked it. Ha ha ha ha ha!

I guess my relatives loved the taste of  my pasta too because some requested for the recipe. He he he he! Sorry it's a secret. But I promised to cook some for them again. 

My sister's baked salmon also got a lot of raves from MOMMY'S PARTY because it was so cheesy and creamy with the kick of garlic too!

My Iberian Chicken with Roasted Vegetables!

I was not able to take a picture of the whole chicken when it came out of the oven. Here's the cut up version. He he he he he!

I based my Iberian Chicken the way they do it in BARCINO restaurant. He he he he he! I guess my family likes it because this has been a regular "order" for special events.

Like I said, my Mom cannot just sit down and not do anything while there's a family party. So she made some Sweet and Sour Lapu Lapu.

And because we cannot NOT have enough prawns, she also had a kilo fried with garlic and butter. 

This is such a favorite from guests when we have other parties.

My Dad requested some paella for MOMMY'S PARTY so we just ordered from Las Paellas since it was one of his favorites as well.

One of my aunts gave us home made Pansit Malabon. Yey! That means long-er life for my Mom! 

Haba haba... baalllllllll pen!

Oldies know this joke. Tee hee!

And of course, we cannot have MOMMY'S PARTY without lechon!

 Here's our crispy pig to be "carved" by our long time employee Joseph!

Tita Dina was first in line! Yeaaah... Get some of mah pasta!

What the...

For somebody who was missing the whole day, I suddenly see Mati in the buffet line. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

My Ninang Saling, for baptismal and wedding, helped herself to some lechon. He he he he he he!

My Mom with Tita Meldy, Tita Fer, Ninang Saling, my niece Elaine, and her parents Tita Vicky and Tito Ely.

My health buff of an aunt is suddenly carbo loading. Ha ha ha ha ha!

My sister got the services of these 3 musicians to serenade us during the party. They mostly played old songs which made the Seniors head bang in delight. He he he he he!

THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR NOT READING MY BLOG!!!!!

Seriously though, I loved it too since I find songs from the 50's and 60's more soothing.

Yub lined up ASAP because he wanted a LOT of the lechon's crispy skin!

Yey! Dear Mati loved my spaghetti!

The little foodie also picked out all the oysters and mussels from the Paella. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Mommy with Tita Dina and Tito Clemen!

My Dad and Mom! 

Later on my grumpy Dad joined in on the fun and started singing a Frank Sinatra song dedicated to the birthday celebrant.

The choice from OUR Chairman of the Board?

"The Shadow of Your Smile". Naks!

My Mom joined him in the middle of the song. I wonder if she felt all kilig to the ribs inside?

My Kuya Jon with cousins Mati and Rocio. Little Andrei was hiding since it was time to eat. Typical.

I forgot to mention that Sophie Hunter was invited to my Mom's birthday. 

Yep. That hussy is a long lost friend of my Mom. Congratulations on your engagement by the way to that guy. I forgot his name.

Check out the kids having SO MUCH FUN. He he he he! 

By the way, sayang my sister in law, Kuya Jay's wife, was not able to attend MOMMY'S PARTY. I think my brother took home some food for her.

Some of our long time staff....

Some of our long time staff with MOMMY!

The last parts of my Iberian Chicken!

The massacred fish!

Hmmm... I'm in the mood to scrape those cheesy edges.

Yub and Mati going for another round. 

My eldest son wore his current favorite shirt. Yup! Like his Daddy, he adored Michael Jordan.

Kuya Jon asking for more lechon. I'm not sure if my Mom was there to stop him. High Blood!

Or maybe she's saving it for paksiw tomorrow. Joke!!!!!

Kuya Jay and Eric drinking up with Atty. Anthony and my cousin Rogee.

Finally I see Andrei!

Sophie Hunter helped herself to some of my pasta, chicken, and salad.

Pshh... Whattapig.

Her plate! Her very messy and full plate!

Yeesh.... Helping herself to some lechon skin in MOMMY'S PARTY. Whattapig part 2.

She had the nerve to get a second serving of food. Tsk... tsk...

We later went inside to light up the MOMMY'S birthday cake. 

Of course, the candles won't just be on ONE cake.

Aren't the lighted candles pretty? I love the effect of having a lot of it to blow during birthdays.

Yeeesh. There's that Sophie Turner again. Such a pathetic show off.

By the way, cutie pie Andrei was tasked to give Mommy the flowers.

We surprised Mommy with a lot of cakes to blow on!

Heave a long one Mommy and make a wish!!!!!!

There you go!

My tita Luming also celebrated her birthday in October and my sweet sister gave her a cake with candles as well.

The same goes for my Tita Neneng. Happy Birthday!

My sister and Mommy believe that sharing is caring.

Naks!

Later on my Dad made a toast for the celebrant in MOMMY'S PARTY.

He he he he! Sorry... we ran out of wine glasses.

My Mom proceeded to cut the cake from Costa Brava.

When she finished, Andrei shyly asked to have a picture with her. Awww my sweet boy.

He later took this picture of the lookalikes. He he he he he!

I later caught Andrei zoinking one of the long candles in MOMMY'S PARTY and blowing on it.

Food is almost done in MOMMY'S PARTY.

We did good!

Andrei later on handed our MOMMY'S PARTY thank you tokens to guests.

Mati wrote on each box card from PINK WASABI a little Thank You note.

Inside were two pieces of profiteroles in assorted flavors. I got the dulce de leche and berry ones. They were so perfect with my coffee!

I love that each PINK WASABI Profiterole had a light flaky "puff"! That dulce de leche filling was divine!

The fruity berry filling was so luscious and fruity too!!! Me want some more!

So me got some!

Everybody stayed in their seats talking and eating the night away at MOMMY'S PARTY!

Of course, the night was made more special by the enchanting voice of our singer!

Nobody wanted to stand up!

Well except for pictures. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Happy Birthday Mommy!!!!

Even my Daddy's Ate was so impressed with our live music for the night! Really! It made the MOMMY'S PARTY more special!

We asked for an encore from the pianist and we were just blown away by his baritone voice! He's a College student from UST!

He sang one of my Mom and Dad's favorite... "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. He he he he he!

Mommy's sisters and brother sang along.

We loved his voice so much that we screamed our lungs out in applause and threw flowers at him. Ha ha ha ha ha! Sorry Mommy. We got roses from your birthday bouquet. H aha ha ha ha ha ha!

Thanks Ate Jojit for shouldering our music for the night! They were awesome! Please get them again for our Christmas party! He he he he he he!

Sibling lovin' for our MOMMY! Sayang our Dad went inside na. 

Kuya Jay and Mommy with my Dad's sisters!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY! We love you!!!! 

It may not be obvious but poor Andrei was very nervous in this photo. He's very scared of my eldest brother. Ha ha ha ha ha!

After cleaning up, Tita Meldy, Mommy, that witch Sophie Hunter, our angel Annalyn, and Ate Jojit toasted a very successful and blessed night.

My Mom is super loved talaga!!! She is the MOST beautiful person I know inside and out. Everyone who knows her will definitely agree.

Thank you for EVERYTHING Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!