Easy Eggs Benedict for Family day

I first tasted Eggs Benedict when my girlfriends at Molson treated me for lunch. Yes, breakfast at lunch, hahaha. I liked it but when I asked them how to do the sauce, I intentionally forget about doing it. It was not easy.  Last Christmas, a friend gave me an egg cooker for microwave and it has a recipe for Eggs Benedict, it looked like the sauce was easy to do because I don't need to use the vinegar reduction but it was the short short cut version, using mayonnaise and mustard. I wanted to try the other short cut version where the ingredients are still natural but only skipping the rigorous whisking. I looked it up on the internet and I found the blender version. Here it is:


Easy Blender Hollandaise sauce for Eggs Benedict
(Courtesy to Elise- Thanks also for sharing the Classic Hollandaise sauce recipe)

• Yield: Makes about 1 cup of sauce, good for about 4-6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 egg yolks 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using salted butter, skip the added salt)

METHOD

1 Melt the butter slowly in a small pot. Try not to let it boil – you want the moisture in the butter to remain there and not steam away.

2 Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne (if using) into your blender. Blend the egg yolk mixture at a medium to medium high speed until it lightens in color, about 20-30 seconds. The friction generated by the blender blades will heat the yolks a bit. The blending action will also introduce a little air into them, making your hollandaise a bit lighter.

3 Once the yolks have lightened in color, turn the blender down to its lowest setting (if you only have one speed on your blender it will still work), and drizzle in the melted butter slowly, while the blender is going. Continue to buzz for another couple seconds after the butter is all incorporated.

4 Turn off the blender and taste the sauce. It should be buttery, lemony and just lightly salty. If it is not salty or lemony enough, you can add a little lemon juice or salt to taste. If you want a thinner consistency, add a little warm water. Pulse briefly to incorporate the ingredients one more time.

Here's How To do the Eggs Benedict:

1. Toast the English muffins. Cut into half.
2. Put a slice of ham or bacon on the muffin.
3. Put the egg next.
4. Top with Hollandaise sauce
5. Serve while still warm

Korean glass noodles

Happy birthday to me!

korean glass noodles – jap chae/chap chae recipe

Serves 4-6 as part of multicourse meal

1/2 pound dried Korean sweet potato noodles
2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 stalks green onions, cut into 1″ lengths
1/2 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced (shitake, wood ear)
1/2 lb spinach, washed well and drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Fill a large pot with water and boil. When water is boiling, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and toss with only 1 tsp of the sesame oil. Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into shorter pieces, about 8 inches in length. Set aside.

In bowl, mix soy sauce & sugar together. Add the cooking oil in a wok or large saute pan on high heat and swirl to coat. When the cooking oil is hot but not smoking, fry onions and carrots, until just softened, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, green onions and mushrooms, fry 30 seconds. Then add the spinach, soy sauce, sugar and the noodles. Fry 2-3 minutes until the noodles are cooked through. Turn off heat, toss with sesame seeds and the remaining 1 1/2 tsp of sesame oil.

*rehydrate your mushrooms if you are using dried

Pata Tim with Pineapple

I was craving for a Paksiw na Pata but I didn't have banana's heart so I ended up doing Pata Tim using pineapple juice and tidbits as added flavor. here's the recipe: Pata Tim Ingredients: 1 kilo pork’s leg (pata) 1/4 cup soy sauce 3/4 cup pineapple juice 3/4 cup oyster sauce 5 cloves garlic; crushed 1 tablespoon rice wine 1 tablespoon pepper corns 1 red onion; chopped 3 bay leaves Lettuce (fried in 2 minutes) Pata Tim Cooking Instructions: In a stock pot with enough water, simmer the pork pata with all the ingredients until fork tender.  Add hot water if necessary to replace the evaporated liquid. Drain and cut the meat from one side and separate the bones. Save 1 cup of broth. Place lettuce in a platter. Put the pata over the lettuce. Set aside. Pata Tim Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup broth of pata 5 tablespoons cornstarch Salt to taste Pata Tim Sauce Cooking Instructions: In a skillet, combine broth, cornstarch, and salt to taste. Bring to boil until sauce becomes thick.  Pour the sauce on top of the pata. Serve hot!

Doing Turkey Right The First Time

This is my very late Thanksgiving post and my only entry for the month of October. My parents returned home that's why I didn't have the time to do my online stuff. Anyway, I wanted to share here what I did to make our First Thanksgiving in our new home a very special one. My turkey turned out to be very delish according to our guests...here's how I did it:

First, I researched from the internet, asked around and prayed that my first bird will be a success. I combined all I got from google, and took the advice of my officemates to make my turkey moist and kilig to the bones tasty hahaha.

1. Brine - while the bird is being thawed (a day before you intend to roast it), prepare a brine - Put 1/2 cup salt in 8 to 10 cups water with slices of carrots, celery, onions and thyme (I used dried because that's only what I have but fresh thyme is better). Soak the bird for at least 2 hours but overnight is recommended.

2. Prepare the Turkey - Rinse in running water for 1 minute. Wipe with paper towel to remove excess water. Brush with Butter or Herb Paste (see recipe below) inside and outside the turkey. Put the bird in a roast pan with rack and include the carrots, celery and onions under the rack. Put the stuffer inside the Turkey. I used Stove Top Turkey stuffing. Tuck the wings and tie the legs to keep it intact and perfectly formed. Cover with aluminum foil.

3. Bake at 350F for 3-4 hours depending on the weight of the turkey. Baste every now and then. Basting means getting the juices and pouring it again on the turkey. On the last hour, remove the aluminum foil to make the skin golden brown until done. To test if the turkey is done, use a thermometer or check the meat by inserting a bbq stick or fork on the leg part. If the stick comes out clean and is not sticky, the turkey is done.

4. Prepare the Gravy - While the turkey is roasting, boil the neck, heart and liver in 4 cups of water with salt, peppercorn, bay leaf, onion and garlic. Simmer for 3-45 minutes then cool. Strain the broth. Puree the insides in food processor. Next, melt 1/2 cup of butter in a sauce pan and added 6 tbsp of flour, stirring to remove lumps. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the mixture turns light brown. Pour the broth little by little, stir continuously. Add water little by little until thick. Season with salt, pepper then add the pureed giblets and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

5. After the turkey is done. transfer to a serving platter and serve with gravy.

Herb Paste Recipe
3/4 cup butter
3 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp ground black pepper
salt

Pictures coming soon.

Lemon-Herb Marinated Steaks

We are preparing for the hot summer days and more outdoor dinners, so we tried our new BBQ with the Lemon-Herb marinated steaks today.



Here's the recipe:

1. Mix the ingredients first then put everything in ziploc:

4 pieces steaks
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 onion minced
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground pepper

2. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

3. Set the grill for 400'F

4. Sprinkle steak with garlic powder, salt and pepper while grilling.

5. Cook until "medium rare" or "well done" depending on your preference.

Bagoong and Pusit Recipes - time for smelly dishes

I woke up at 1 am to cook Pork Binagoongan (Pork sauteed in shrimp paste) because that's the only time the neighbors are sleeping. They will not bother to complain and report me to the superintendent. After 30 minutes, my dish is finished and the apartment smelled like shrimp paste LOL. For those who miss Filipino dishes, try to cook them at home even if the house smells - Langhap Sarap yun, YUMMY!

Here's some of the recipes of the smelly dishes I cooked:

Pork Binagoongan

Ingredients:

2 lbs Pork, cubed
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
5 tbsp vinegar
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 pc chili (banana pepper, jalapeno, or long chili pepper), sliced *
1/2 cup shrimp paste (*no need for chili,I used Barrio Fiesta Sauteed Shrimp Paste, Spicy)
3-5 pcs dried bay leaves
1 tbsp whole pepper corn
24 ounces water
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. In a pot, pour-in the water and bring to a boil
2. Put-in the pork, vinegar, and dried bay leaves and simmer for 35 minutes or until meat is tender
3. Remove the meat from the pot separating it from the liquid and other ingredients. set aside
4. In a separate pan, saute the garlic, onion, tomato
5. Add the shrimp paste and simmer for 5 minutes (more time is needed for raw shrimp paste)
6. Put the pork in and cook for 7 minutes. Be sure to mix all the ingredients well
7. Add the chili and simmer for 3 minutes
8. Add salt and pepper to taste
9. Serve hot. Share and Enjoy!

Filipino Adobong Pusit or squid in adobo sauce, is cooked along with the ink, so it resembles the spanish calamares en su tinta, but with a tangier flavour, especially when fresh chillies are added.
Serves 2 to 3 persons
Preparation and Cooking time: 30 to 45 mins

Ingredients:
3/4 kilo Small sized Pusit (Squid)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 small bay leaf
1/4 tsp. pepper
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp. cooking oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 pcs. Cayenne Chili sliced (optional)

Instructions:
1. Pull out head, tentacles, innards and transparent ribs from the body of the squid.
2. Cut off tentacles just above the eyes and discard innards and transparent ribs.
3. Wash and drain bodies and tentacles.
4. Combine salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, water, sugar and bay leaf.
5. Marinate squids in this mixture for 1 hour. Drain. Save marinade
6. Saute onions in hot oil.
7. Add drained squids, saute until the juices evaporates (about 10-12 minutes).
8. Strain marinade, add to sauted squids.
9. Let simmer for about 15 minutes.
10. Serve Hot with Rice.

Thanksgiving and chicken (not turkey)

I cannot let this week passed without saying anything about Thanksgiving. Canada is celebrating Thanksgiving every second Monday of October. This time of the year is the end of the harvests and time to give thanks. Thanksgiving is not just a holiday but an opportunity to reflect and thank God who provided all the blessings we received. My family is blessed to have come here to Canada to enjoy the life He gave us. We are forever thankful for continuously working in our lives.

Having planned to have a Niagara weekend holiday or an apple picking adventure, we later decided to stay at home and like the tradition enjoy a roasted Turkey, oops Chicken pala. Here’s the recipe of the Roasted Chicken I prepared for Thanksgiving. Enjoy it with chilled potato and salmon salad.

Roasted chicken with garlic and rosemary
The following ingredients are good for one chicken weighing a kilo or less. Double, triple or quadruple the ingredients if marinating more than one chicken.
4 cloves of garlic, finely grated
juice of one lemon
1 tbsp. of salt
as much ground pepper as you like
2 tbsps. of fresh rosemary (or 1 tbsp. dried)

Pierce the thickest parts of the chicken with a fork.

Place the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add the chicken to the bowl, rubbing the marinade into the meat. Scoop some into the chicken’s cavity. Place the chicken with the marinade in a resealable bag and keep in the fridge for at least 24 hours, turning the chicken every few hours or so.
Place in a roaster (you have to use a rack to allow the fat to drip off) and roast uncovered in the oven at 170oC for 45 to 55 minutes.

Craving for Cassava Cake

I saw in an Asian store flyer that the frozen grated cassava is on sale. It was an opportunity to make that Cassava Cake I've been craving for. Here's the recipe i followed from my churchmate, it's so easy to make, I can do it again and again.

Cassava Cake

You will need:

2 packs frozen grated cassava, thawed
2 eggs, beaten
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
4 tbsp butter
1 bottle macapuno strings
grated cheese

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400'C
2. Combine all ingredients.
3. Pour in a baking pan.
4. Put grated cheese on top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until top turns golden brown.

Serve while hot and enjoy.

Lex @18 months and Orange Honey Pork Glaze

Lex turned 18 months today. Another milestone few physical but more on emotional, social and mental developments. His teeth is still 8, 6 front teeth and 2 molars. He eats on his own, selecting his preferred food - likes veggies unlike his dad and brothers. Knows how to do the following signs - more, bath, play, eat, sleep. Nods and turns his head when he wants to say yes and no. He knows how to pray or acts like one. Clings more to his Dad (when his Dad arrives from the office, he stops what he's doing and go to him to be carried). Very mobile, runs around when he is not in the playpen or stroller. Sings or hums with his musical toys. Socializes with churchmates as long as there is food to bribe him haha! Points to some parts of his body, his favorite is his navel and private. He pretends to read and knows how to write/scribble - he wrote on our ref using a permanent ink pentel. He is babbling more, just like a broken tape recorder but Says - wee-wee, mama, dada, kai (short for Kyle - especially when he reports why he is crying (sumbong) LOL! He is very obedient. One time he ate lollies and I told him to brush his teeth actually telling his dad to do it but as I was talking to Lito, he went to the washroom and Lito found him gargling but the water in the tumbler came from the bowl LOL! My little baby is now a little boy - our star in the making. My Future matinee idol!

I baked brownies and cooked a special dish to celebrate. Miggy and Lex liked it but the other two who prefers salty food, didn't show much liking. Try this different flavor dish, it's easy to do:

Orange and Honey Pork Glaze

Serves 1 to 2, depending on the size of the pork cutlets.
Ingredients:
1 to 2 tbsps. of butter
2 to 3 pork cutlets (you can also use pork steaks or chops)
1 large onion, finely sliced
juice of 2 to 3 large oranges
salt
1/4 c. of honey or to taste
To garnish (optional):
orange slices
fresh tarragon sprigs
chopped roasted walnuts

1. Melt the butter in a pan. Over high heat, sear the pork, flipping them over when one side is nicely browned around the edges.
2. Right after flipping the pork, add the sliced onion, and cook until other side of the pork is also browned along the edges and the onion slices start to caramelize.
3. Season the pork with salt and pour in the orange juice. Lower the heat, cover and braise the pork in the orange juice until the liquid has almost dried and the onions are soft and brown. Should take 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Pour in the honey. Stir. If the sauce is too sticky, add a tablespoonful of water. Then, turn off the heat.
5. Serve the pork as is. Or, garnish with orange slices, tarragon sprigs and chopped roasted walnuts.

Holy Friday and Herb-coated Fish

Matthew 15:10-12 (New International Version)

10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "

12Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"

It's Good Friday and most of the people are either fasting or getting rid of meat. The passage above is a revelation. I know that most Filipinos reflect and read the bible on holy week and I hope that it will also be revealed that Jesus died but He rose again and is alive and is to rule in our hearts. Jesus wants us to celebrate and experience His love, His salvation everyday, not only on Holy Week and Easter. We just need to seek Him and accept Him as our Savior. We need not do anything foolish like carry the cross or be nailed to it. God already gave His Son and He died for our sins. All we need to do is believe that Jesus is the only way.

This is for those who still want to skip meat on this day. Any kind of fish will do, but I use basa or cod fillets.

Herb-coated Fish

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup crushed crackers
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 lb (500 g) fish fillets, cut into serving portions

Procedure:

1. Place butter in shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine crackers, cheese and seasonings. dip fillets in butter, then coat with the crumbs.

2. Place in greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Servings: 4

Mocha Frappuccino fix at home

I am so fond of Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino and I'm glad that I can still have my favorite drink at home anytime I please. This time not only tasting like the real thing but also looking like it.

Do-it-yourself Mocha Frappuccino

1. Pour the bottled Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino in a tall glass.
2. Top with vanilla whipped cream.
3. Then squeeze chocolate syrup on top.

4.Your Mocha Frap is ready to enjoy.

Time for a celebration and Baked Salmon

We are so blessed, God loves us so much He answered some of our prayers, the other one not yet materializing but I'm sure if it's for me, I'll get it. Anyway, we had a special dinner last night to celebrate. I got this recipe from Jocel and Tina who served us this dish when we went to their place after bringing us to Niagara Falls. It tastes good even my kids love it - one of their favorite fish dishes. It's also easy to do, I hope you'll try it too.

BAKED SALMON



Ingredients:

Salmon Fillet
Lemon
Salt and Pepper
Mrs. Dash
Dried Rosemary leaves
Mayonnaise

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350'F
2. Squeeze lemon over the fish. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
3. Lay the fish in a buttered baking dish.
4. Sprinkle Mrs. Dash.
5. Add Rosemary leaves.
6. Spread enough mayonnaise to cover the fish. Let it mix with the herbs and spices.
7. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
8. Bake for 40 minutes or more depending on the size of the fish.
9. Serve hot with mashed potatoes or plain rice.

Bread Pudding ala Leche Flan

My mom always makes this when we were younger, sometimes she also makes Squash Leche Flan and the real Leche Flan, only she uses a steamer. But since we have free electricity here, included in our monthly rent, why not maximize the oven. Here's the outcome of what I baked in the wee hours of the morning for my son Miggy's baon the next day. This is also what I'm going to bring to Joy's when we have our get-together on Valentine/CNY/Family Day long weekend:


Bread Pudding

4 cups bread, cut into small cubes
4 cups evaporated milk
1/3 cup sugar for caramelization (for the baking pan)
1-1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten with a fork (at room temperature)
2-1/2 tbsps. margarine, melted
1/4 tsp. vanilla (or more)
raisins or chopped candied fruit or some nuts

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
1. Soak the bread cubes in the milk mixture for at least one hour.
2. Caramelize the 1/3 cup sugar in 3/4 cup water. Boil for at least 10 minutes to get the right consistency, then pour into your pan.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the soaked bread mixture: sugar, eggs, melted margarine, vanilla, and raisins.
4. Pour the mixture into the “caramelized” pan.
5. Put the pan with the mixture in a baine marie in a pan of water.
6. Steam in a pre-heated over for an hour or until the toothpick test says it’s done.

My favorite Beef Salpicao

I remember my favorite in Appenzeller - my former employer's favorite venue for meetings and celebrations which is Beef Salpicao. This dish is so easy to do, I was able to whip it in less than 15 minutes. Now Lito has a new favorite, here's the recipe:

BEEF SALPICAO

Ingredients:
250 grams beef tenderloin (cut into chunk cubes)
2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
Pinch of salt & pepper
Pinch of paprika
6 tablespoons Lee & Perins worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
In a bowl marinate beef in salt & pepper, garlic, paprika and olive oil for a few minutes.
In a saute pan, heat oil in very high heat.
Put in beef and all marinade ingredients and toss very swiftly keeping the heat very high.
Add in the worcestershire sauce and soy sauce while tossing.
Finish with butter.
Serve with garlic rice.

Tilapia and Fried Chicken Recipes

I'm so glad Lito was able to buy Tilapia and I baked it this week. My sons who are all carnivorous liked this fish dish. I'm surprised because Miggy requested that he will bring the left-overs as his lunch the next day. Here's the recipe I got from Pinoycook.net:

Baked Tilapia

you will need:

Tilapia or Pla-pla
Fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp. calamansi or lemon juice
salt and pepper

For the sauce:
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 pc. green finger pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup light soy sauce (I used Lee Kum Yee)
1 tsp. sugar

Here's the procedure:
1. Rub the fish with salt and pepper
2. Fill the tummy with Cilantro leaves or just insert it in the aluminum foil
3. Place the fish in an aluminum foil.
4. Pour the lemon juice all over the fish. Then seal.
5. Baked for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the fish.

For the sauce:
1. Cook the minced garlic and sliced pepper in little oil for 30 seconds.
2. Dissolve the sugar in Soy sauce and add.
3. Simmer for a few minutes then pour in the baked fish while hot.

Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayonniase
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Here's how:

1. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Salt and Pepper then set aside.
2. Put Mayonnaise and chicken in a resealable plastic bag and coat.
3. Press the coated chicken into the mixture you prepared.
4. Deep fry in 8 minutes.

Try it, it taste good. I was not able to take pictures because it only took minutes and they were all gone.

Kyle turns 4

Today, Kyle turns 4 and I'm so grateful because my 2nd son is healthy and still looking good and grows fast. Even if he doesn't go to school yet, he knows the alphabet, how to write and read some of them, colors, numbers, shapes. Like Miggy, he likes to draw and his drawings are very nice, the type you would be proud to display in an art gallery (I guess all moms feel this way hehehe). He knows how to use the crayons within the borders and I like his color combination. Here's his drawing of an Ambulance, a Police Car and a Fire Truck. We always see them come one after another because these 3 arrive when you call 911.
I admit with the three children, I was not able to keep track of all of their milestones compared with my first born. Anyway, we had a little celebration. I didn't have much time to prepare everything at the same time because Lex was cranky and wants to be next to me all the time. When I'm at the kitchen he would play near the oven and I can't bake when he's around that's why Kyle's birthday cake (It's called Zebra Cake) was done after we had dinner and while Lito was chatting.

Our menu for today is Spaghetti, Shepherd's Pie and Zebra Cake. Two nights ago, we had Rib Eye Steak again with Mushroom Gravy Sauce and Mashed Potato. My kids and even Lito loved the Mashed Potato so I made another dish with it for Kyle`s special day.


Shepherd`s Pie

Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef
half cup Frozen Green Peas or Canned Corn Kernels
1-fourth cup carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. Onion Spring, chopped
1-2 tbsp Cream cheese
1-2 tbsp Milk
2-3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp veg oil
salt and pepper

Procedure:
1. Boil potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, saute garlic, onion in veg oil for 5 mins.
3. Add ground beef and saute for 10 mins or until no longer pink. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce and cook for 5 mins. Add carrots and frozen peas and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Mash hot potatoes and melt butter with them. Add milk, chopped onion springs and cream cheese. Mix them well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer cooked meat to a baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes.
6. Bake in 400F preheated oven for 30 minutes or until top is crisp.

I love Ferrero chocolates and yes, cupcakes!

My recent discovery is so delicious, I already ate 2 while still hot. I love Ferrero Rocher chocolates that's why I also loved this.
Nutella Cupcakes are self-frosting and the sweetness just right. I took a picture of my second with the Nutella still oozing from the top.
Because the yield is only 12, and we are 5, (my bunso liked it too) I wonder who eats the most? Sorry Faye and Irvin, they will be long gone before you get here. I'll just bake another batch when you're already here.

Making (or baking) my own Christmas gifts

Since I don't have a job and the privilege to go shopping for gifts, I just baked some cookies as our gifts to our friends this Christmas. I made this in the wee hours of Sunday to bring them on our party. I made Oatmeal Cookies - my kids favorite. I have baked these many, many times and trying different toppings. This time I used the Christmas colored ones, green, red and white M&Ms holiday pack. I didn't know that it was mint inside until I got to taste it. It really taste good. I got this recipe from Pinoycook.net. Actually, I made another batch because Kyle ate 2 rows of cookies while I was letting them cool.
Baked with love and packed in Holiday-themed tin cans, my cookies will surely be a hit to our friends.

Special Anniversary Dinner - Rib Eye Steak and more

We celebrated Lito's birthday and our 10th anniversary at home with a special dinner. For some it's like an ordinary dinner but since I prepared them all, with love and affection naks, it's already special for us. My morning and afternoon was spent in the kitchen. Good thing, our internet was not working, I was not disturbed by YM or skype hehehe.

I prepared the following. I know the lasagna doesn't match the rest but my kids wanted pasta and the noodles were leftover from miggy's project so I had to include it. Here's the menu:

Southwestern Corn Chowder
Rib-Eye Steak
Buttered Vegetables
Lasagna
Chocolate Cake

I am a stay-at-home mom now and I guess I have shifted careers from quality, information security incidents and environmental impacts as metrics to cooking, cleaning, taking care of the kids. What I'm doing in my previous careers is still applicable into what I'm doing now. I still have the Policies (Rules for the kids), Operating Procedures and Work Instructions which I have converted into lists to do, to buy, to cook and prepared the recipes as my WIs. My main process now is cooking and of course the KPI (Key Performance Indicator) would be how my kids and my husband like the food I prepared. Their reaction and how they would ask for more is my greatest achievement. Here are some of the WIs I am following for the dishes I prepared.

Southwestern Corn and Carrot Chowder

I wanted a soup that is nutricious and all my kids will love. At first, when I was looking at the recipe I found at Metro newspaper, I was hesitant to try because the ingredients are unfamiliar to me like Picante Sauce but later I found out the it's also a salsa. We still have Tostitos salsa as dip for the chips but I used it in this recipe. I have the knack for substituting ingredients and I was glad it still turned out good-tasting. I used Spam instead of the chicken breasts and used cheddar cheese because that's what we only have in our kitchen.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2 cm cubes
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. cumin powder
2 cans chicken broths (I used 2 chicken cubes dissolved in 800ml water)
1 pack frozen corn (I used fresh ones, scrape around 6 corns)
3 pcs carrots, chopped
3/4 cup Picante Sauce/Salsa
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in
2 tbsp water
shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Procedure:

1. In 3 qt pot, cook chicken and onion in oil until chicken juices run clear.
2. Stir in cumin. Add broth, corn, carrot and picante sauce; bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Stir in peppers and cilantro.
5. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to boil. cook and stir 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
6. Spoon into bowls and top with cheese.


Rib-Eye Steak

I haven't done any steak before, I just eat them. Rib Eye and other cut of beef is expensive in the Philippines. I had my festival of steaks when I was in Texas last year and I remember the saying that when you asked for A1 sauce that means the steak served is not good. My friends also told me that they only rub salt and pepper to the meat before they grill them. I researched a bit for a marinade because I want my kids to like the meat and the only way to do that is to make them tasty-tasty and not all-meat tasty. Here's what the Work I for the Rib Eye Steak (from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 pounds beef rib eye steaks
Directions
1.In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper. Add the steaks. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2.Drain and discard marinade. Grill steaks, uncovered, over medium-hot heat for 8-10 minutes or until the meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well-done, 170 degrees F).

Meat Lasagna

The recipe called for 3 different cheeses but I only used Parmesan and instead prepared a white sauce to be put on top of each layer of the meat. The white sauce is one small can of all-purpose cream and half of the Philadelphia light cheese that I found in our ref. My kids loved it. That's what they only ate that night and of, course the cake. They ate the steak the next day with rice.

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (1 ounce) envelope onion soup mix
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1.In a large saucepan, cook beef and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato sauce and paste, soup mix, oregano, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
2.Spoon 1/2 cup meat sauce into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and a third of the cottage cheese, mozzarella, meat sauce and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice.
3.Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Will post photos later.

Easy Embutido Surprise

While planning for our holiday menu, I came across this recipe from the tons of recipes I brought from the Philippines. Thanks to my mom who helped me collect them - her legacy to me and of course the love for cooking and baking. Although, I admit I'm not as good as her. I hope someday I maybe able to pass this on to one of my sons and for him to turn into a chef - my dream hehehe. I let them watch Ratatouille over and over again to be interested in cooking.

Anyway, here's the recipe for this version of the traditional Christmas fare - EMBUTIDO for your Noche Buena. I hope you like it.

EASY EMBUTIDO SURPRISE

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. ground pork
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup hotdog or SPAM, chopped
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup sandwich spread or mayonnaise and pickle relish
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. seasoning sauce (I only used 1 pork cube here as substitute)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
24 quail eggs, cooked

Procedure:
1. Combine ground pork, carrots, hotdog/SPAM, cheese and breadcrumbs.
2. Add sandwich spread/mayo, ketchup, seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Place mixture in muffin pans and make a hole at the center. Put quail eggs in the middle and cover with more mixture. Bake or steam for 35-40 minutes at 375'C.

For a traditional presentation, place half of the meat mixture in foil and shape into a roll. Arrange quail eggs at the center and cover with remaining meat mixture. Wrap securely in foil. Bake or steam for 30-40 minutes. Chill before slicing.
After baking, it looked like this:

and this:

It doesn't only look delicious, it also taste good. Try it. I'm sure your kids will also enjoy this.