Affirmation

I was visiting my mother last week in Cebu and I thought it would be fun to touch base again with some high school classmates. Seven of us had agreed to have lunch on a blistering hot day. Lately, it has become a pleasant habit to get-together with these dear friends. And the number of friends who do show up have increased. I credit celphones and Facebook for making this possible. One text or email message can spread like wildfire and before you know it, you’ve got a boisterous reunion on your hands.

At first, there were the usual topics—nothing of the personal nature. No reunion would be complete without the retelling of embarrassing high school experiences; the crushes; the wicked teachers; and, the fashion then. But with friends I practically spent my formative years with, the stories quickly evolved naturally to very personal experiences-- no inhibitions and voices sincerely speaking from the heart. The hurts, the heartaches; the triumphs and the joy. The peaks and valleys of our lives since we last graduated.

Anyone looking at our table would see seven matrons happily exchanging stories. I saw more. These were women who shared in the belief of the goodness of a God. These were women who each dealt with what life dished out and laughed. The laughter we shared was the affirmation of that belief. And laugh we did until late into the afternoon.



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High school soirees were never complete without STC: Spaghetti, Tasty(sliced bread) and Coke. With very limited allowances, this was the perfect party food combination that hit the spot. And with all that dancing, the carbohydrate loaded fare ensured that everyone had the energy to dance until curfew time.

Below is my mother’s more substantial version of this pasta dish. This dish has been a favorite in many happy gatherings.

Baked Chicken Macaroni = Successful Party

Boil 350-450grams of elbow or salad macaroni as directed by instructions on package. (about 3-4 cups of cooked macaroni) Set Aside.



In about 2 tablespoon of oil, saute the following:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium size or 1 1/2 large onion, chopped
1 small can of pre-chopped mushrooms, drained
about 1/2 to 1 c chopped ham
2 cups shreded boiled chicken breast (500grams)
1-2 bay leaves (optional)

Add:
1 c tomato sauce
1 1/2 c chicken broth



Let simmer so flavours can blend. Cover and continue to simmer for about 15-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add the cooked macaroni to the meat mixture. Blend, season with salt and pepper and set aside.



Prepare the mushroom sauce topping by:
Sauting 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1 T of minced onion in a little oil.
Pour the contents of 1 can cream of mushroom soup plus 1/2 cup of milk. Season with a little salt and pepper. Use a whisk to smoothen out the sauce. Set aside.

Grate about 1 cup of cheese. Set aside.

To assemble:

In a pyrex dish, pour the macaroni mixture. Top with the mushroom sauce and spread the grated cheese on top.



Put in a hot oven (350 degrees) and bake until the top is a nice brown and bubbly.

Carefully remove from the oven and be ready to Par-tee : )