Sweet Tooth

I don't really have a sweet tooth, but there are just times when you crave for something sweet to neutralize your taste buds. And speaking of which, I happen to remember a personal favorite, and my daughter's - Char! Cupcakes. Well, I maybe a little bias here since the owner and the baker herself, is a close friend of mine. But not just for that reason, her cupcakes and cinnamon rolls are just heavenly! This is not a paid ad, mind you. :-)

The story behind her cupcakes was, should I say, funny, having been able to officially use the gay lingo "Char!" as the brand name. If you want to know more about what I'm talking about, and get a taste of these cupcakes (and other goodies), you can contact her at 0917-814-CHAR (2427) or 09162362624. Or YM: charm8217 / charcupcakesgalore and skype:charcupcakesgalore.

Mushroom and Cucumber Soup

If you want to go oriental, you can try this tasty soup, taken from one of my reliable cook books. This is a light, refreshing clear soup of mushrooms, cucumber and small pieces of rice noodles, flavored with soy sauce and a touch of garlic. I have added celery, to give it a more crunchy taste.

INGREDIENTS:

200 gms. flat or open-cap mushrooms

1 pc. small cucumber

1 stalk celery, sliced (optional)

1 pc. medium onion, sliced

3 pcs. garlic cloves, sliced

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

100 g. chinese rice noodles

3/4 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1. Wash mushrooms, slice thinly and pat dry on paper towels.

2. Halve the cucumber lengthways. Scoop out the seeds using a teaspoon, and slice thinly.

3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok.

4. Add onions and garlic and stir-fry until soft. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

5. Stir in 4-5 cups water. Break noodles into short pieces and add to the soup. bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the cucumber slices, salt and soy sauce, let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

7. Serve in warmed bowls, distributing the noodles and vegetables evenly.

Top 10 Pinoy Expats Blog Search

I was blog hopping on the Filipino Community of Blog Catalog when I happen to see Mrs. Thoughtskoto's entry in the Forum. She was looking for possible judges for the Top 10 Pinoy Expats Blog Search, so I offered. This is also a chance for me to get viewers on my own site. :-)

Anyway, the search is open to all Pinoy Expats and OFW's who are into blogging. Whether you are a Pinoy living abroad or you are married to different nationalities, you are welcome to join. This is a great apportunity to acknowledge these fellow Pinoys who are living outside of the country, or even those who are permanently staying here and still practice the Filipino culture. So if you know a friend or a relative who you think is qualified for the search, spread the news.

For more details regarding the search, qualifications and requirements, please click here.

Fried Pork and Mushroom

Opened a can of button mushrooms and decided to do something with the butterfly chops. One can use any meaty part of the pork meat, just remove the fat.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 kilo pork, cubed

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

2 tbsp. oil

2-3 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. vinegar

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. sesame seeds

pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry meat until lightly browned. Remove meat and set aside.

2. In the same pan, add butter and sautee onions until soft. Add mushrooms and pan-fry for 2 minutes.

3. Add in meat and continue pan-frying while adding soy sauce and vinegar. Adjust soy sauce according to taste.

4. Lastly add sesame seeds and pepper to taste.

5. Serve in shallow dish.

Travel to 7 Continents

I was blog hopping when I found this. Got this tag from http://www.myimaginarytravels.com/ and would just like to try it. My first time to add a tag to my site. :-)



~Begin Copy~
Rules :1. Start Copy from "Begin Copy" until "End Copy".
2. Put your blog's name and url write in which continent you live, add the country you live in. Example : My Imaginary Travels (Netherlands)
3. Leave your url post in here and I'll add you to the Master List.
4. Please help spread this tag by tagging your friends as much as you can.
5. Don't play unfair! If you have more than 1 blog, you can participate all your blogs for this tag. BUT you will have to post this tag to all your blogs as well. So, please. Don't cheat!
6. Please come back again to copy the update of the master list, often. This process will help new participants to get the same gains as the first participants.
7. Don't forget to use the banner at your post, you can save as or you can just copy the code in here.
Master List :
A. Asia : 1. Moms... Check Nyo (Philippines) 2. Aeirin's Collections (Philippines) 3. Jenny and Belle(Philippines) 4. Hailey's Beats and Bits (Philippines) 5. Appleofmyeyes(Saudi Arabia) 6. Deranged Insanity (Philippines) 7. PROJECT HEAVY TRAFFIC (Singapore) 8. Rooms of My Heart (Indonesia) 9. Blessings and Beyond (Philippines) 10. lancerlord (Singapore) 11. allinkorea (Korea) 12. kimchiland (Korea) 13. korean food (Korea) 14. idealpinkrose (Korea) 15. Pinay Mommy Online (Philippines) 16. Momhood Moments (Philippines) 17. Business Mars (Philippines) 18. Maiylah’s Snippets (Philippines) 19. Picture Clusters (Philippines) 20. My Wanderings (Philippines) 21. Hit-or-Miss (Philippines) 22. Life Quest (Philippines) 23. FunFierceFabulous (Phils) 24. and Life Goes On for... (Philippines) 25. Moments of Colours (Philippines) 26. Making sense… (somehow) (Philippines) 27. Day To Day (Philippines) 28. My Happy Place 29. Me and Mine (Japan) 30. Little Peanut (Japan) 31. Creative In Me (Japan) 32. Pea in a Pod (Japan) 33. A Slice of Life (Phils) 34. Jenny Said So (Phils) 35. Live it Up... (Philippines) 36. A Sweet Taste Of Life (Philippines) 37. Through The Rain (Philippines) 38. Sugarmagnolias (Japan) 39. ParentZine育兒好好玩 (Singapore) 40. We are Family (PH) 41. Reference Notes (Hong Kong) 42. The Sweet Life 43. A Great Pleasure (Malaysia) 44. Lalaine's World ( Thailand) 45. Proud Mommy (Philippines) 46. Petty Ramblings of a Petty Queen(Malaysia) 47. The Real Deal (Malaysia) 48. My Sweet Escape (Malaysia) 49. Mommy Earns Money Online (Philippines) 50. Pexlinks Triple Love (Philippines) 51. OnlineBiz and Resources (Philippines) 52. LadyJava's Lounge (Malaysia) 53. LadyJava Life's Pages (Malaysia) 54. Being Woman (Malaysia), 55. Cat Tales (Malaysia) 56. Make Money Online (Malaysia) 57. LadyJava's Food Paradise (Malaysia) 58. Lourdes' Mia (Philippines) 59. Miss Write (Philippines) 60. Me, Myself+2 (Phils) 61. Moments of My Life 62. My Deepest & Honest Thoughts (Malaysia) 63. Crissy's Haven 64. Strangely Out of Place (Philippines) 65. Frozen Moments (India) 66. NER: Never Ending Resolve (Philippines) 67. Mindjuice in Full Throttle 68. Straight from the Heart 69. Creative Thoughts (Philippines) 70. Emila’s Illustrated Blog 71. WilStop (Philippines), 72. Alanzain-home decor world (Malaysia) 73. Let's talk-everything in one space (Malaysia) 74. Tiklaton (Pilipinas) 75. Digiscraptology (Philippines) 76. A Life in Bloom (Philippines) 77. Because Life is a Blessing (Philippines) 78. Day to Day Miracles 79. Budget Traveler 80. The Success (Indonesia) 81. Lets Travel Philippines (Philippines) 82. enlaceré. tordu. (Singapore) 83.Blessings in Life (Philippines) 84. Tere’s World (Philippines) 85. Journey in Life (Philippines) 86. Thoughts and Beyond (Philippines) 87. Geng's Journal (Philippines) 88. e-Shopping (India) 89. Tippy-Tips 90. Life and Me (Singapore) 91. Xploring Asia ( Singapore) 92. Baboyita (Philippines) 93. A Place Of Being (Philippines) 94. Bits and Pieces (Philippines) 95. Asian Mutt International (Malaysia) 96. An Anonymous Journal (Malaysia) 97. WebGeek Journal (Philippines) 98. BlogScope (Philippines) 99. The Mind The Heart The Lines (Malaysia) 100.BoBo the Bimbo (Singapore) 101.Sjtl (Philippines) 102. Crissy's Zone (PHIL) 103. [S]hiphire [D]ominion (Malaysia) 104. All about your children (Singapore) 105. Hardy Chen Power Blog (Indonesia) 106. Rien Mais Tout, Nothing But All (Malaysia) 107. A Nice Thought (Philippines) 108. Choc Mint Girl (Malaysia) 109. KaDusMama (Malaysia) 110. Chorva (Philippines) 111. Geek Chic Guru (Philippines) 112. Erlinda's Wandering Thoughts (Philippines) 113. LZmommy(Singapore) 114. Free VB Tools (Indonesia) 115. Bloggerbin ( Malaysia) 116. Love Is Colorful (Malaysia) 117. Liangmui 38 Zone (Malaysia) 118. Pinay Heart Wanderings and Musings (Philippines) 119. Me, the islands and the world (Philippines) 120. i Share (India) 121. RamblingMoo (Malaysia) 122. Watchamacallit! (Philippines) 123. Nellypie's Chatterbox (Philippines) 124. Emjei Says (Philippines) 125. Solo-Flight (Philippines) 126. iAM-MAi (Philippines) 127. BlackNickel (Philippines) 128. Neuropatch (Philippines) 129. Express For Free (Philippines) 130. My Favorite Hang Out (Philippines) 131. Nishas World and baby Alisha (India) 132. In My Home (UAE) 133. It's My Party (UAE) 134. My daily thoughts and moods 135. BaReFooTeD Me (Philippines) 136. Memoirs of G (Philippines) 137. G Corner (Philippines) 138. dHomemaker (Philippines) 139. your turn
B. Australia : 1. Reflexes (Australia) 2. Emcee 3. Outback-Pinay 4. Collect and Connect (Australia) 5. Stand My Ground (Australia) 6. Alive (Australia) 7. your turnC. Afrika : 1. Doudy Sketche Watercolor Paintings 2. Optimizing for Search Engines 3. Painting Artworks 4. Pictures in Egypt 5. your turn
D. North Amerika : 1. Simple Life, Simply Me (USA) 2. Pinaymama's Diary (USA) 3. 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires (United States) 4.Traipsey Turvey (USA) 5. Dabawenyako (USA) 6. Icelog (USA) 6. The Misadventures of an Ordinary Housewife (USA) 7. It Is Nap Time (US) 8.A Mother's Journal (USA) 9. Journey And Journal [USA] 10. Life is good and beautiful (USA) 11. Tasteful Voyage (USA) 12. Jenny's Wandering Thoughts (USA) 13. Mom Knows Everything (Canada) 14. Filipino love stories (USA) 15. A Mom's Note (USA) 16. Life with the Two Crazy Dogs 17. BLOGSILOG (USA) 18. Juliana’s World ( New York, USA) 19. My Daily Discourse (USA) 20. My Point Of View 21. My Blog Entry (USA) 22. This Side of Eternity (MI, USA) 23. The Paper Vision (USA) 24.Beyond Being A Mom(USA) 25.My So called life(USA) 26. Blogging By Sandee (USA) 27. Comedy Plus (USA) 28. My Life... My Journey!(USA) 29. Your Fun Family (USA) 30. Big Money List (Canada) 31. Life Expressions (USA) 32. DOTBLOGGER 33. Nita's Random Thoughts (USA) 34. Thomas Travel Tales (USA) 35. Nita Corner (USA) 36. Thomas Web Links (USA) 37. Great Finds and Deals (USA) 38. Filipino Online Community (USA) 39. Batuananons (USA) 40. Bohol Paradise (USA) 41. Living or Surviving (USA) 42. Welcome To Our Homeschool Adventures(USA) 43. See. Draw. Share. (USA) 44. Usa'Wifey 45. your turn
E. South Amerika : 1. Oscar Luiz (Brazil) 2. dibujandoarte (Argentina) 3. Lavanderia Virtual (Brasil) 4. Chronicles & Tales Unlimited (RED) 5. NORTE (Brasil) 6. Ai, meus sais! (Brasil) 7. Planet Web (Brasil) 8. Inxinet (Brasil) 9. Viajando no blog (Brasil)10. your turn
F. Europe : 1. My Imaginary Travels (Netherlands) 2. Juliana's Site (Netherlands) 3. Picturing of Life (Netherlands) 4. SuperMae (Portugal) 5. The Callalily Space (The Netherlands) 6. Portia (UK) 7. Daily Grind (Germany) 8. Amel's Realm (Finland) 9. Mummy Diaries (England) 10. Mirage as Usual (Austria) 11. Say Cheese (DE) 12. Ramblings of an ad hoc doctor (United Kingdom) 13. Love Defies All (England) 14. Breather 15. MAX (Portugal) 16. your turn
G. Antarctica : 1. your turn
~ End Copy ~

Easy French Toast

I got home feeling starved from the traffic. Saw a pack of sliced bread and decided to toast it the French way, instead of just spread and butter. This is the quicker and the easier way, so you can do this when your tummy just can't wait for too long.

INGREDIENTS:
6 slices bread, white or wheat
3 pcs. egg
1 cup milk (optional)
1 tbsp. white sugar
cinnamon powder
butter
maple syrup or honey

1. Break eggs in a shallow bowl, beat with a fork. Mix sugar and cinnamon powder.
2. Dip bread in mixture, making sure all sides are properly coated.
3. In a low fire, heat skillet with 1 tsp. butter and fry both sides until golden brown. Do same procedure 3 for each of the breads.
4. Serve hot with maple syrup or honey.

Saba and Okra Medley

This is another classic from my Mama. A sweet-veggie taste, even kids will surely love. "Saba" is a banana variety for cooking, which is used for the famous banana-cues.

INGREDIENTS:
6 pcs. ripe saba, cut in half
6 pcs. okra, cut in half
3-4 cloves garlic, minced and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups water
salt to taste

1. In a deep pan, boil okra until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a separate pan, heat oil and sautee garlic and onion. Add banana and water, let it simmer until cooked.
3. Add salt according to taste.
4. Lastly add okra and simmer for another 2 minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Fish Escabeche

I came home finding an extra fried tilapia from their lunch earlier. Tilapia (St. Peter's fish) is an ideal fish for frying, because of its meaty nature. So I decided to put on a sweet and sour taste dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pcs. medium fish
1 pc. medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
2-inch ginger, cut into strips
4-5 garlic, crushed and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp. corn starch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 cup brown sugar

1. Fry fish in a separate pan. Set aside, keep warm.
2. In a pan, sautee garlic, onion, ginger and bell pepper until soft.
3. Add soy sauce and vinegar, let it simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add corn starch, then follow brown sugar until dissolved. Simmer for another 2 minutes.
5. Prepare fish in a shallow dish. Pour sauce over, place spices on top.

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Paksiw

One of the Filipino favorites, paksiw. “Paksiw” is a Filipino culinary term for any Philippine cuisine cooked in considerable amount of vinegar, giving it a subtle sour taste that tickles the taste buds for more servings. My Mama bought a half kilo of yellow fin tuna this morning and this is a good fish for this dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 kilo fish of your choice, sliced
2 pcs. medium eggplants, sliced diagonally
1 pc. small ampalaya (bitter melon), sliced diagonally
1 pc. medium onion, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced
1-inch ginger, crushed and sliced
2-3 pcs. green chili
1 tsp. ground pepper
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water

1. In a deep pan, mix fish with all the ingredients.
2. Cover pan and set to a medium flame until boiling. Avoid stirring concoction.
3. Adjust to low flame and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes.
4. Arrange in a dish and serve hot. Can be served with patis (fish sauce) and kalamansi dip.

Stir-Fried Veggies

This is my version of my hubby's favorite Yasai Itame. Yes, it's a japanese recipe usually with some added meat and basically the same ingredients. I wanted to go plain veggies this time, but you can always add in beef or pork cutlets. Since it's stir-fry, you don't need too much cooking time till you get it to the dining table.

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 cups bean sprouts (togue)

1 medium carrot, cut into thin strips

3 leaves cabbage/chinese cabbage, cut into strips

1 medium white onion, sliced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. butter

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat butter in a pan. Sautee garlic and onion.

2. Add in carrots and follow togue and cabbage. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and adjust according to taste.

4. Let it simmer for a minute and transfer to a serving plate.

Pork Cooked in Milk

I have chatted with a couple of friends last night and one of them requested something with 'gata', saying she's into anything with coconut milk. So I decided to feature this recipe, but since I can't get a fresh coconut milk, I opted to use cooking milk instead. If you can't find smoked bacon, you can just use the ordinary kind. So here it is C, take note... :-)

INGREDIENTS:

500-750 gms. whole pork leg or belly, deboned
1 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup smoked bacon, chopped

5 cups milk (evaporated)

2 tsp. peppercorns, crushed

2 pcs. bay leaves (laurel)

2 tsp. thyme

salt to taste

1. Using a sharp knife, remove fat from the meat. Shape meat into a neat form, trying it in place with a string.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic and bacon to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the pork to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until it is browned all over.

4. Pour the milk over, add the peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme and cook over a low heat for about 1 hour or until tender. Add salt according to taste.

Watch the liquid carefully because it tends to reduce very quickly and can burn. If the liquid reduces and meat is still not tender, add another 1/2 cup milk and continue cooking. Reserve the cooking liquid.

5. Remove the pork from the pan. Using a sharp knife, cut meat into slices and remove string. Transfer the pork slices to a serving plate and serve with the cooking liquid.

Tomato

"Kamatis", as what it is called in the Philippines, is a herbaceous, usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. I have read a little history of this round, plump vegetable about how the Spanish distributed the tomato throughout their colonies in the Caribbean, after the Spanish colonization of the Americas. They also took it to the Philippines, whence it moved to southeast Asia and then the entire Asian continent. Reason why we always see tomato plants sprawling just about anywhere - in our backyard, the plant box and even on vacant lots, growing with other plants and grass.

Whether it's eaten raw or cooked, tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other things. Taken from Wikipedia, "Lycopene, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, is present in tomatoes, and, especially when tomatoes are cooked, has been found beneficial in preventing prostate cancer. However, other research contradicts this claim. Tomato extract branded as Lycomato is now also being promoted for treatment of high blood pressure. Though it is botanically a berry, a subset of fruit, the tomato is nutritionally categorized as a vegetable. Since "vegetable" is not a botanical term, there is no contradiction in a plant part being a fruit botanically while still being considered a vegetable."

Cubed fresh tomatoes is ideal as partner for grilled dips and mostly salads. Also goes well with almost anything with soup. The dried variety also is a great ingredient for pasta dishes.

Garlic

Garlic, called "bawang" or "ajos" in the Philippines, is known for both its culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. It is a fundamental component not just in Philippine and Asian cuisines but also in the other parts of the world. We often pair it with onion and tomatoes, a good pair for sautee.
Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood sugar levels. Oh, I remember my grandmother eating a whole bunch of this pungent spice, that is why.

With mortar and pestle, one can crush it into pieces. But what I usually do is first separate it into cloves, cut the harder tip and peel the skin. I then slice it into preferred size. Easy.

Ginger

"Luya" or "luy-a", a fragrant spice of a root crop family, has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. Ginger contains up to 3% of an essential oil that causes the fragrance of the spice. "Salabat", the Filipino version of the powdered ginger tea is said to be a good help to common cough and colds, and a relief to hoarseness. In addition to its medicinal uses, ginger continues to be valued around the world as an important cooking spice and is believed to help the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and even painful menstrual periods.

You can just wash the ginger in cold water before using it without even peeling it, especially if you are just gonna need a minimal ginger flavor. You can crush it, add it to the concoction and can just remove it after about 2-3 minutes. But if you are using it together with the dish, here is one tip that you can use. It's fairly hard to peel a ginger, admit it. What you can do is just to slowly slide the knife on its skin, not to "really" peel it. A peeler can come in handy but you might find it a little hard to do the curves. So just slide the knife from top to tip putting a little pressure, then just slice it to your preferred size. One can crush it for a more fragrant and spicy taste.

String Beans

"Sitaw" as what we fondly call it, is a long string of beans, that is where it derived its name "string beans". An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. Plus green beans are very good source of vitamin A (notably through their concentration of carotenoids including beta-carotene), dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. Sitaw mixes well with almost any vegetable. It goes well with squash and malunggay leaves, with coconut milk as its base. One famous dish is the Adobo, a soy sauce-vinegar concoction.

To prepare string beans, wash it first with running water. Remove the tips and just using your hand, bend it till it snaps. If you notice a string clinging to its end, just slide it off until it is removed. Others prefer just using the beans alone, so you can just open the slit and remove the beans inside.

Potato

"Patatas" is the world's most widely grown tuber crop, and the fourth largest food crop in terms of fresh produce — after rice, wheat, and corn. Known for its carbohydrate content, potato is a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. We simply love french fries, mashed and baked potatoes. It also mixes well with casseroles, soups and even just a simple side dish on any cuisine.

The easiest way to peel it is with the use of your ever-handy peeler. Or the harder way, peel it manually with the knife, just be careful not to slip it on your hand. Before cooking, you may soak peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water, to avoid discoloration.

Carrot

Carrots, also known as the same in the Philippines, is a good source of vitamin A, for good eyesight. It can be eaten in a variety of ways, raw or cooked. It can be fried or steamed, cooked with soups and stews, as well as baby and pet food. I remember preparing carrots when my daughter was still on the first stage of eating solid food. I prepare a few slices and toss it in boling water for a few minutes until tender. I then mix it with the porridge, adding a little salt to taste. Carrot juice is also widely advertised, especially as a health drink, either stand-alone or blended with fruits and other vegetables. Steamed strips of carrots can be used as a side-dish or a finger food itself, dipped in mayonnaise.

Bell Pepper

Derived from its 'bell' shape, "sili" is a type of large mild chili pepper that is considered by many to be without heat. It is mostly considered a vegetable rather than a spice because of its mild chili taste, though some people also find it slightly hot. Bell peppers are green while developing and then ripen to a variety of colours, of which red and yellow are the most common but purple and orange are also found.

Placing bell peppers in a preheated broiler or griller can add a distinctive smokey flavor. Bell peppers are commonly added to pizza, stir-fry, and sweet and sour. They can also be opened at the top and deseeded, then stuffed and baked. To prepare bell peppers, slice it horizontally in half, deseed it and slice it to preferred size.

Egg Misua Soup

Soup is somewhat an important part of the Filipinos' meal, admit it or not. This is my version of the chinese Kim Lo soup. So easy to follow recipe, with only a few ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:
3 pcs. medium egg
100 gm. misua noodles
1 small carrot, cut into strips
2 pcs. cabbage or pechay leaves, cut into strips
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3-4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and sautee garlic, onion and tomato until soft, then follow the carrots.
2. Add water and let it boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper according to taste.
3. Slowly crack each egg on boiling soup, then add cabbage/pechay leaves. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
4. Prepare soup in a bowl and serve while hot.

Bread - anyone?

I have always been a big fan of breads. Name it - white, wheat, whole grain, stuffed, sweet, savory, plain, etc... That I can live a whole week eating with just bread. Weird, huh? Find it interesting also, so I manage to search on the net on the healthy benefits of breads. Read on...

" For centuries, bread has been regarded and respected as the staff of life and a vital part of healthy nutrition. But new research demonstrates that many consumers may be making nutritional decisions related to bread without understanding its proven health benefits as part of a long-term, balanced diet, including the role that whole grains serve in reducing cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

The research, conducted by Schapiro Research Group of Atlanta, reveals the dietary attitudes, preferences and knowledge surrounding bread and reduced carbohydrate diets of 1,000 adults aged 18 and over. The research also indicates that a significant number of those who do reduce bread consumption may be making dietary decisions without understanding the proven health benefits of bread. While breads, particularly whole grain options, are among the healthiest carbs to choose, few consumers are aware of how its benefits stack up against other popular carbohydrates. In fact, when evaluating the perceived health benefits of carbohydrates in their diets, bread is not top of mind with consumers. The misperception of bread as less healthy by many consumers is of particular concern to health professionals.

Only 17 percent of consumers correctly identified that breads and other grains are the base of the Food Guide Pyramid, meaning more servings should be eaten each day as part of a healthy diet than any other food group."

With the benefits mentioned above, no matter what kind of bread there is, I love it more! :-)

Saturday Night Dinner

This is somewhat part 2 of my Petra & Pilar post, not having a lot of luck on a Saturday night. Why you ask? After spending the whole day malling, we decided to finally visit Petra & Pilar for dinner. Off we go, quite sure where it is now, but found the facade poorly lit with 2 guards chatting outside and dining chairs all upside down. Oh well... Sad to say, the resto-carinderia is closed on Saturdays. Hmmm... wonder why. Better luck next time.

Then we decided for an alternative, Racks. That puts a smile on my face. :-)

We ordered the house specialties - a full slab of the Baby Back Ribs and a half rack of beef ribs.

We had baked beans, baked potatoes and mac & cheese for side dish. Even ordered an extra mac & cheese for my daughter, who just loves it! The barbecue sauce botlle was full when we got to our table on the 2nd floor, and just laughed it out when we left it half empty on our way out. The best barbecue sauce there is. I'm not just so sure if they still sell it, like before. But getting it for like P250 is all worth it, I tell you. That made my hubby ask for an extra rice... :-)

Another happy dinner...

Racks

South Park Plaza

Paseo de Magallanes Commercial Center

(632) 854-6622

Binagoongan (Pork w/ Fermented Shrimp Paste)

I was already in the kitchen but just can't figure out what to do with the liempo cuts (pork belly) I thawed. We just had grilled pork chops the other day, so grilling is not a perfect idea for lunch today. I looked inside the ref and found a sealed pack of bagoong alamang.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 kilo pork belly, cubed
3/4 cup bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste)
5-6 cloves garlic, sliced
2-3 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
1-2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. vinegar

1. In a preheated pan, add oil and sautee garlic, onion and tomatoes until soft.
2. Add in pork and let it boil for 8-10 minutes. Make sure there is enough liquid to cook meat. Can add a minimal amount of water if it dries up.
3. Add bagoong then follow brown sugar and vinegar, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
4. Serve meat in a plate and pour over bagoong sauce.

(Instant) Noodle Soup

We were doing the groceries last weekend and my hubby happened to stumble upon an instant Pho Vietnamese Noodle Soup. I found a better way to cook instant noodles, so I toss it to our cart. This is also a good way of using your left-over meat.
I would suggest you try the rice or egg noodle variety. To give it a more distinct taste aside from just pouring hot water and adding the seasoning in it, give an additional 5-minute cooking time and you'll get it for what it's worth. Prepare ingredients in advance.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pack instant noodles of your choice
1-2 cups left-over pork, chicken or beef, deboned and sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
1 small onion, sliced
1 small carrot, cut into strips
3 leaves chinese cabbage, sliced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4-5 cups water

1. In a deep pan, heat oil and sautee garlic and onion until tender.
2. Follow meat then add water, let it boil for 2 minutes.
3. Add in noodle seasoning, then the carrots and cabbage.
4. Let it simmer for another 2 minutes and lastly add the noodles.
5. Prepare in a bowl and serve while still hot.

Bam-i (Pansit Guisado)

It's my Mama's birthday today and as tradition says, serve pansit or noodles for long life. :-)
Check this classic recipe from my Mama's memory recipe book.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 kilo dried canton noodles
1/4 kilo sotanghon (vermicelli) noodles, dipped in water before cooking
1/2 chicken backbone, chopped
8-10 pcs. baguio beans, sliced diagonally
8-10 pcs. sweet peas, tips removed
2 pcs. medium carrots, sliced into strips
3-4 cabbage leaves, sliced into strips
1-2 medium onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2- cups water for chicken stock
kalamansi (optional)
salt to taste

1. In a pan, place chicken and add water, bring to a boil until tender. Set chicken aside, save the liquid separately for use later.
2. Add oil in the pan and sautee garlic and onion. Add in chicken and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add in salt, depending to taste.
3. Add in vegetables, then the chicken stock and follow sotanghon and canton noodles. Mix well and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
4. Serve in a plate. Sprinkle with kalamansi juice for added taste.

Pic Pac II

Just purchased myself a digicam, thank goodness I am now able to upload photos. :-) First off, the picture on my home page. Yep, it was taken from my Cybershot. Looks good, huh?
I was also able to take a photo of my Neapolitan Pork Chop, which we ate for dinner. Looks good on the photo, but definitely tastes better.
So watch out for my new posts these coming days, will surely have a load of photos to share. Ciao!

Marinating Tips

We usually make marinade as preparation for grilling and even frying. Here's one good thing to remember:
Make sure you marinate raw meat, fish, and poultry in a glass dish in the refrigerator--not on the counter. If you plan to use some of the marinate as a dip or basting sauce later, set aside a portion before adding raw meat or poultry to it. Don't re-use the marinade from raw meat unless you boil it for several minutes to destroy any bacteria from the raw meat.

Cleaning Cutting Boards

It's just ideal to keep kitchen utensils clean. Especially our cutting boards. Jut imagine cutting almost anything on the board, sometimes leaving smell and color. I have found this simple tip on how to clean it. Using lemon juice. Or substitute it with our local kalamansi.
Lemon juice can help clean and restore wood cutting boards. Let juice soak into the entire board and let sit for 30-45 minutes. Add a little bit of baking soda and scrub clean with a cloth. Allow to completely dry before using.

Chicken Teriyaki

I was preparing lunch earlier and due to time constraint, I was thinking of a quick dish. I remember still having a pack of chicken breast fillet in the ref, so I came up with this easy Chicken Teriyaki recipe. This dish tastes better if grilled, that if you have all the time to prepare. You have an option to marinate it for at least 1 hour, or even left overnight in the ref. You can then just follow the steps to make the sauce.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 kilo chicken fillet, breast or thigh
1 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. corn starch dissolved in water
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. sesame seeds
dash of ground pepper
1/2-inch ginger, sliced (optional)

1. In a pan, combine water and soy sauce and a dash of ground pepper. Put on a medium heat and let it boil for 15-20 minutes until meat is tender.
2. Remove meat and place in a shallow dish. Set aside.
3. With the remaining sauce in the pan, add sesame seeds, leaving a pinch for garnish.
4. Add brown sugar and let it simmer for a minute, then add the dissolved corn starch while stirring.
5. Remove from fire and pour sauce on the chicken. Sprinkle remaining sesame seeds and sliced ginger, if using.
6. Serve while it's hot. Can also be added as topping on a steaming hot rice.

Eggplant Salad

This is a classic. A Filipino version of the Eggplant Salad. As far as I can remember, my Mama has been preparing this dish since I was still a kid. Easy-to-follow steps:

INGREDIENTS:
4 pcs. medium eggplant, sliced 3" diagonally
2-3 pcs. medium tomatoes, cubed
1 pc. small onion, chopped
1-inch ginger, thinly sliced
4 tbsp. vinegar
salt or bagoong to taste

1. In a sauce pan, boil about 3 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and add in eggplant until tender. Remove and drain.
OR
Pinch in fork on each eggplant to give way for air. Grill whole eggplants until soft. Remove charred skin.

2. Place in a bowl and mix all ingredients. Add salt or bagoong according to taste.

Setting Up II

One step at a time...
I have successfully been added to The Foodie Blogroll, Top Blogs and Blog Catalog. The others I'm still waiting for confirmation. In the next few days, I will also be adding some recommended sites and blogs, as well as some of my friends'. And that should cover almost anything under the sun, e.g. food, travel, lifestyle, entertainment, business, and a lot more...
I'll keep you guys posted. :-)

Setting Up

I spent almost all day today setting up my site, adding ads (;-)) and getting into blog communities. I have submitted requests to The Foodie BlogRoll, FoodblogBlog, Chef's Blog and have received confirmation but still waiting to be included in their roll.. hopefully soon... I was also able to register in Jamie (Oliver's) forum, and I'm just so excited to share recipes and tips with other bloggers.
Oh well, one thing that I need now is a digicam for me to be able to get good shots of my recipes. Hope I can get one this weekend... (lemme check my wallet)... :-)
Till then...