Ingredients
    3 cups glutinous rice flour (get the pre-packed type from the supermarket instead of getting your rice flour milled in Carbon. It will save you a lot of time!)
    3/4 cup water
    Toasted sesame seeds
    White Sugar

Instructions
    Mix glutinous rice flour and water until it forms into a dough.
    Using your hands, make small dough balls and flatten them into patties.
    In batches, cook patties in a pot of boiling water.
    Once they float to the top, fish them out with a metal strainer.
    Cover patties with grated coconut.
    Sprinkle sugar on top.
    Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
    Serve warm or chilled.

And you are done! How easy was that? You can get a printable copy of the Palitaw Recipe here.

Jhanis V. - Top 10 Blogs Voice Boks Comedy Edition, featured on BlogHer.com, HumorWriters.org, Bloggys 2015 - Finalist, Family and Relationships Category, ESCooped -Cebu's Top Family Blogger 2016. She blogs at The Vanilla Housewife and The Cebu Gazette.

It's almost All Soul's Day and All Saint's Day! And for us Filipinos, it means time with family, visiting the graves of our loved ones in the cemetery and of course food, right? 

When Filipino families gather together, it usually means cooking in large batches so that the entire family will not be left wanting. 

One of the desserts that I remember my mom makes whenever there's a family gathering is the Maja Blanca. I love it so much that I asked her to teach me how to do it. I have made this several times for my family and the only problem is that no matter how many batches I make, it's always not enough for them! 

If you want to make Maja Blanca for your family this All Soul's Day or All Saint's Day, below is an easy recipe that you can follow. 

Ingredients
4 cups kakang gata
3/4 cup of corn starch
3/4 cup of condensed milk
3/4 cup of fresh milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 small can of whole sweet corn kernels

Instructions
Boil your coconut milk in a large pan.
Add your condensed milk, sugar and corn kernels.
Simmer for for 8-10 minutes over low heat.
Mix fresh milk and cornstarch,make sure there are no lumps left.
Pour your milk and cornstarch mixture into the pan and mix well.
Stir consistently until it turns thick.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with toasted grated coconut if you want.
Set aside to cool then pop it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Do you have a different way of cooking Maja Blanca con Maiz?

Share them in the comments!

Jhanis V. - Top 10 Blogs Voice Boks Comedy Edition, featured on BlogHer.com, HumorWriters.org, Bloggys 2015 - Finalist, Family and Relationships Category, ESCooped -Cebu's Top Family Blogger 2016. She blogs at The Vanilla Housewife and The Cebu Gazette.

I called St. Therese Parish in Lahug to check if they have a list of approved wedding songs and I was informed that they do not have such list but non-secular love songs and instrumental music for the wedding march are fine (just not rock music!) but as soon as the ceremony has started until it ends, all songs need to be liturgical.

If you plan to use a non-secular song for your wedding march, it is still best to contact the parish or church where your wedding will be held if they also follow the same guideline just to make sure. 

Now let's talk about the wedding march. When my husband and I were still planning our wedding, it took me two weeks to finalize what song I'll be walking down the aisle to. There are just too many beautiful songs! I carefully listened to the lyrics of the ones that I shortlisted and after consulting with my then groom-to-be, "You're Still You" by Josh Groban just had to be it. We both loved the melody and the lyrics just felt right to both of us. I suggest that you speak with your partner too and decide together, it is both your day, after all. 

To help you get started, I have listed down 50 beautiful songs (both old school and alternative) that you can use for your wedding march. I hope this will help you narrow down your choices. 

A tip for the bride, on your wedding day please remember to WALK SLOWLY as you move towards your waiting groom! Take your time. This is coming from someone who once looked like she was doing a marathon down the aisle on her wedding day. Remember my You're Still You wedding march? I was already in front of the altar before the singer had the chance to finish the first stanza. So much for 2 weeks hard decision-making, huh?

Processional Songs for your Wedding Day
Song Title-Artist
​
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman-Carole King
Ave Maria-Franz Schubert
Ave Maria virgo serena-Josquin des Prez
Bridal March-Jonathan Cain
Can’t Help Falling in Love-Ingrid Michaelson
Cannon in D-Johann Pachelbel
Covenant Hymn-Rory Cooney
Do You Realize?-The Flaming Lips
Everlasting Love-Carl Carlton
Falling in Love at a Coffeeshop-Landon Pigg
God is Love-David Haas
Grow Old With Me-John Lennon
Halo (Beyonce Cover)-One Republic
Household of Faith-Steve Green
How Beautiful-Twila Paris
I Believe in a Thing Called Love-The Darkness
I Choose You-Sara Bareilles
I Love NYE-Badly Drawn Boy
I Will Be Here-Steven Curtis Chapman
I Will Choose Christ-Tom Booth
In Love We Choose to Live-Jeanne Cotter
In This Very Room-Ron & Carol Harris
Longing to Belong-Eddie Veder
Love Will Be Our Home-Steven Curtis Chapman
May God Bless You-George Van Grieken
May the Light of Christ/A Marriage Blessing-James Chepponis
Parent’s Prayer-Steven Curtis Chapman
Perhaps Love - John Denver
Reign of Love-Coldplay
Rose of My Heart-Johnny Cash
She-Elvis Costello
Somewhere Over the Rainbow-Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Stolen-Dashboard Confessional
Surely the Presence-Laney Wolf
The Gift of Love-Hal Hobson
The Servant Song-Richard Gillard
The Wind Beneath My Wings-Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar
Theme From Ice Castles-Melissa Manchester
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)-Natalie Cole
Through the Eyes of Love-Melissa Manchester
Today and Tomorrow-Lori True
When Love Is Found-David Haas and Jeanne Cotter
When This Day Is Done-Liam Lawton
Where Love is Found-Dan Schutte
Where There is Love-David Haas
Wherever You Go-Gregory Norbett
Whither Thou Goest-Guy Singer
You Raise Me Up-Josh Groban
You're Still You-Josh Groban

Do you see anything you like? What other wedding songs do you have in mind? Share them in the comments!

Jhanis V. - Top 10 Blogs Voice Boks Comedy Edition, featured on BlogHer.com, HumorWriters.org, Bloggys 2015 - Finalist, Family and Relationships Category, ESCooped -Cebu's Top Family Blogger 2016. She blogs at The Vanilla Housewife and The Cebu Gazette.