Lifechanging Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Happy Valentine's Day!!! 

Since I missed out on posting anything in the last few months and wasn't able to give you my warmest greetings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, well it goes without saying that I am in time (okay a couple of few weeks early) for Valentine's Day! LOL

Now that the Princess is in Kindergarten, life has just been busier.  (And she is just in Kinder! LOL) 

I've mentioned to you in my last post about being a parent classroom volunteer in her school once a week AND I am happy to share with you that I am now doing part time work (I am on call) for the school district! So yep, I guess life just got busier!  And I will tell you more about this in another post (abangan ang susunod na kabanata!)

I haven't been able to try out new recipes as much as I want to but this recipe that I tried a few days ago deserves to be shared.  I tried this recipe out of necessity actually, haha.

My sister in law brought home pints of cherry tomatoes and I don't know what to do with them.  And since they are organic, I had to act fast!  But being the procrastinator that I am (I am putting this AGAIN in my New Year's Resolution!  HAHA), I did wait for a few days and in the process had to throw "let go" (haha) of some of them.

What is the best way (read: fast and easy) to deal with all of these tomatoes?!  ROAST THEM!

And since I love sundried tomatoes, roasting them makes more sense.

There are so many recipes online but I chose to do Rachael Ray's version because it has Balsamic Vinegar in it.  I love balsamic vinegar!  Besides, it's about time to open that bottle of balsamic vinegar which has just been sitting in the pantry, haha!

This recipe is simple, quick, easy to follow, healthy and tastyyyy!!!

LIFE CHANGING.

For the complete recipe, please click on this link

*The original recipe doesn't include garlic but hey, in my book, GARLIC (like butter!) just makes everything better!

*Adjust salt to suit your taste.   

All you need is right here in the picture: Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic, Kosher salt and pepper!

Roast them at 425C for 20 minutes or more (if you like them a bit more dried up)

You can enjoy oven roasted tomatoes in different ways!  You can enjoy them as they are, put them in your salad, Bruschetta (with your favorite cheese) or put them in your bowl of pasta (which I did).

Pesto and Oven Roasted Tomatoes are a match made in heaven!

Happy Roasting and Happy Eating!

My favorite recipe for Stuffed Jalapeños

I looooove Jalapeños!  I don't remember exactly when or how it started but I love them! (but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to try Cheetos' Cheesy Jalapeño, haha!)  I usually put them in my sandwiches (burgers or Subway subs).  But thanks to Guy Fieri (of Food Network), I found another way!  I love his recipe for Italian-stuffed Jalapeños!

One time, I had leftover peppers from cooking Sinigang.  I thought of Guy's recipe but had to make most of what I have in the pantry.  I am glad I had some Italian sausages sitting in the fridge. The recipe calls for some mascarpone cheese (which I don't have) so I used cream cheese!     

So thank you Guy!  I was inspired by your recipe!  

(For the exact recipe, please click on this link to go to Food Network's site.)

*Sorry, I don't have any measurements for the ingredients, I just eyeballed everything.

Ingredients:
Jalapeños or any Chile peppers, cut in half, seeded and de-veined
Italian sausage, remove the meat from the casing
Garlic, chopped
Onion, chopped
Bell pepper, chopped
Cream cheese
Cheddar Cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Pre heat your oven to 350F and roast them for 10  mins.  (or you may use toaster too, I tried it once and it worked naman)

2. For the filling, sauté the Italian sausage meat in garlic and onion.  After a few minutes, add the bell pepper and let it soften up a bit.  Add salt or pepper if needed.  After sautéing the filling, let it cool to room temperature, then add spoonfuls of cream cheese (depends on the consistency you like).

3. Put some filling on your peppers and top it with grated cheese.

4. Put them in the oven (or toaster) and broil until the cheese melts.

5. Don't forget the Ranch dip!  It brings everything together, haha!  

I loved how this turned out that this has been my go to recipe for anything that is stuffed vegetables, haha!

Happy Cooking!

How I prepare my Tsokolate de Batirol

I woke up to a chilly morning today that a having cup of hot chocolate sounds like a good idea over my usual (3-in-1 instant) coffee.  And I wanted to have the "real thing", not the Swiss Miss kind! I am talking about making hot chocolate using tablea (it is a Spanish word which means tablet), which are chunky chocolate discs/blocks that are made from pure cacao beans.  

Back home, we actually use the chocolate "paste" kind that comes in bottles.  I think that the one that we use has ground peanuts too besides the cacao.  I say this because there was one time, when I was a little girl, I remember seeing my dad grind some peanuts (using a stone mill) to be used for the chocolate paste. What makes this chocolate drink (we call it tsokolate de batirol) unique is how it is prepared.  

My mom uses a wooden molinillo (all these years I thought it was called a batidor!) to whisk together the chocolate, milk and water in a pitcher-like vessel made of brass called . . .batidor! (so this is the batidor!  If you're like me who didn't know too, well, isn't it nice that we learned something new today?!  Haha)  I just learned about these things today while writing this post.  Thanks to Chocolate de Batirol's website!

Image from Chocolate de Batirol's website

I haven't tried preparing this kind hot chocolate on my own (because my Mom or Ate Fely were always there to do it, teehee) until I moved to LA.  Armed with the chocolate tablea my Aunt gave me and the things I remember from the many times I've seen it being prepared at home, I tried my best to make one and hoped that its taste would be close to what I had at home. 

I used the following ingredients:

2 pcs of tablea

1 cup of water

Evaporated milk - depends on how milky you want your drink

2 tbsp of white sugar

1 tbsp peanut butter - Yes, you read that right!  Peanut Butter!

* Since I don't have a molinillo and bitador.  I just used a wire whisk and a saucepan.

Boil the water over medium heat and add the tablea pieces.  Using a wire whisk, stir the mixture continuously until the tablea completely dissolves.  Add sugar and evaporated milk and stir.  Over low hear, simmer for a few  minutes. 

Then add the ingredient that makes this hot chocolate simply the best. . . .peanut butter!

Whisk and stir until the peanuts butter blends with the mixture. 

The peanut butter gives this hot chocolate a really nice nutty flavor and a thick consistency which I am looking for.

I am so, sooooo happy how my cup turned out!  

Was it good?

What I can tell you is. . . . I was home. 

No to Food Waste! (Repurposing bread trimmings)

Growing up, one of the most valuable lessons my parents taught me was not to waste food.  Their most favorite line when we were seated at the dining table? "Finish your food".  They meant ALL of it, including each grain of rice.  Oh and it didn't stop there.  They end that statement with . . . "You are blessed because there are kids who don't have anything to eat".   I think this is why I didn't become a picky eater.  I wasn't picky AT ALL . . . that they had to control me, haha!

This morning, I didn't have the heart to throw the bread trimmings we got from the cookie cutter sandwiches I made for the Princess.

A sample of the bread trimmings (this one had Nutella in it so I ate it as it is)

I had some that didn't have any spread so I thought of turning them to croutons since we are having some Cream of Broccoli soup for lunch (NOT homemade, thank you Campbell's!).  I love putting croutons in creamy soups for that added crunch and texture.

So I made some using a non-stick pan and it is easy as 1-2-3.

1. Chop the bread into small pieces.

2. Coat your pan with butter and then put your bread cubes

3. Over medium heat, toss them frequently until they get toasted (the way you like them) and crunchy.  By the way, I seasoned them with a little bit of salt and garlic powder too for some flavor.

They are just what I need to make our bowl of soup, (though it was from a can) a little bit more special.  

Say NO to food waste!

Corned Beef "Muffin"

I actually don't know what to call this breakfast dish I made, haha!  So I called it Corned Beef Muffin because I baked the corned beef with egg in a muffin pan, haha!

We have some corned beef that has been in the fridge for 5 days! If I was a corned beef lover, this won't be a problem at all, haha!  I eat corned beef but it is not something I would look or crave for. . . unless it's Delimondo's (one thing I really miss from home!).  I blogged about it here.   

So I've given this 5-day old corned beef a "makeover" and was inspired by an article I saw about cooking bacon and eggs which were cooked/baked in a muffin pan.

I just sauteed the corned beef again with white onion and green bell peppers (leftover) to add more flavor.  (Whenever I make breakfast, I try to look for leftovers and see if I can make something out of them.)

In a separate bowl, I mixed the eggs, salt, pepper and a little bit of milk (for fluffy eggs).

I sprayed the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and then put a spoonful of corned beef in each muffin cup.  Then, I poured the egg mixture and baked them for 15 mins (pre-heated the oven at 350C).  At the tail end of it, I added shredded sharp cheddar cheese for added goodness!

Hubby loved them that he ate 4 in one sitting!  I will definitely be making these again (not only with corned beef)!

How it looks like at the bottom

But I have taken note to shorten the baking time and to put a spoonful of egg mixture before putting the corned beef to keep this from happening (in spite of using a non-stick spray!).  

It took me a couple of days to clean it, haha!

Happy Tummy!

Filipino Chicken Curry

Sometimes, I get sudden cravings for curry.  And when this strikes, I just cook Chicken Curry (Filipino Style).  I have to put Filipino style because there are also curry dishes in Indian, Japanese, Thai cuisine.  I am not a food expert so I can't answer what makes Filipino chicken curry. . . well Filipino, haha!  But if my taste buds serve me right, I think the Filipino style is milder in taste.

Here is an easy and "tried and tested" Filipino Chicken Curry recipe from Panlasang Pinoy. 

I hope you like it as much as I do. =)

Happy Cooking!

WARNING:  If you are in a "no carb, no rice diet", this recipe is not for you, haha!  Because I can't imagine eating this WITHOUT any carbs! 

And for those who are not on diet, you may need more than one cup of rice! =)

Personal recipe Notes:
- Before I fried the chicken pieces, I rubbed some salt on them.
- Instead of using 1 cup of water, I used 1 cup of canned chicken stock and 1/2 cup of water
- I added some green peas because I have some sitting in the fridge (you can add your favorite veggies too) 


Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 1 big potato, chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2 inches length
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 thumb ginger, cut into strips
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Pan-fry the potato and set aside
2. Pan-fry the chicken and set aside
3. In the pan where the chicken was pan-fried, sauté the garlic, onion and ginger
4. Add the pan-fried chicken, fish sauce, and curry powder
5. Add water and simmer until the chicken is tender
6. Put-in the red bell pepper, celery, and pan fried-potato then simmer for 5 minutes
7. Add the coconut milk and mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes

An Easy Bean Sprouts Recipe

Do you like bean sprouts? (I do!)

If you do, here is a fast, simple and healthy vegetable dish which you can try at home.

If you don't, here is a fast, simple and healthy vegetable dish you can try at home! (Haha!)  

Kidding aside, you might want to try this recipe and give bean sprouts a chance. =)

Somebody else cooked this for lunch yesterday.  But I liked it so much (I can eat it as it is, even without rice) that I thought of sharing this simple recipe with you.

* Sorry, I don't have measurement for the ingredients =)

Ingredients:
Squid (or any seafood/meat you like)
Butter (I know, I said it's a healthy dish, but a little bit of butter won't hurt, haha)
Garlic
Onion
Oyster Sauce
Bell Pepper, chopped
Cabbage, shredded
Carrots, julienned
Bean Sprouts
A little bit of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Boil the squid until it becomes tender. (We minimize our salt intake at home so no salt was added to it.)  Cut the squid to bite size pieces and set it aside.
2. Blanch the bean sprouts and set them aside.
3. Saute garlic and onion in butter.  Add the oyster sauce and  a little bit of water.  Simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add the squid and all the vegetables.
6. Stir fry everything and add salt and pepper, if needed.

And that's it!

So simple, fast and yummy =)

Happy Cooking!

Recipes from HERSHEY'S

If you are a chocolate lover, a newbie baker (in search of basic recipes) or if you're bored looking for something to do (heehee), here are some simple and quick dessert recipes from a HERSHEY'S booklet (which came with the Chocolate Chips I bought) I got hold of.  I haven't gotten the chance to try them out though.  But they look easy to do (something that would appeal to non-bakers like me, haha!) so I'm posting them in this blog to share with everyone else. 

Happy Baking!


Double Chip Brownies

Image from the HERSHEY'S booklet

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips
1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350deg F.  Grease 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter.
    Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens.
    Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth.
    Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend thoroughly.
   Stir in milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
   Spread in prepared pan.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.
    Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
    Cut into squares.  About 36 brownies.



Doubly Chocolate Cookies

Image from the HERSHEY'S booklet

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ox pkg)
        HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips
        HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        or 2  cups (11.5 oz pkg) HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350deg F

2. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
    Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy.
    Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.
    Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired.
   Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or just until set.
    Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
    Cool completely.  About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

Bonjour!

I don't know why it has taken me so long to make my first FRENCH TOAST!  Not sure if the word "French" has something to do with it, haha!  (I think French cooking is just so refined, filled with techniques and is an art on its own.) 

Got this basic French Toast recipe from Food.com (Thanks to my friend M who shared this recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar

6 slices stale bread

Directions:

1. Beat eggs in a shallow bowl.  Add milk, vanilla and cinnamon sugar and beat until frothy.

2. Soak each slice of bread in the egg mixture, first on one side, then the other.

3.Cook both sides in a greased non-stick skillet until golden.

I didn't have any cinnamon sugar on hand so I just used sugar and added a pinch of salt (just because I saw it in some recipes).  While the French Toast tasted good (everybody liked it!), I am sure it would taste better with some cinnamon in it! Also, I like my French Toast thick so I got some thick slices for this recipe.

They weren't kidding when they said thick-cut slices, haha!

Oh and what is French cooking without butter?!!!  I used butter to grease the non-stick pan =)

After a few minutes. . .this is what's for breakfast. . . Tadahhhh!

Serve it with maple syrup or if you want it to be fancy, 

sprinkle some Confectioner's sugar and add fresh fruits.

Have a good day everyone!

TO COOK: CROCK POT SESAME CHICKEN

Hubby and I have been thinking of getting a crock pot or a Dutch Oven last year but never did anything about it.  I want to get one because after watching the movie, "Julie and Julia", I want to try cooking Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon (as they say, when you dream, dream big!  Haha!)

But seriously, I want one because I like the idea of "slow cooking" . . . throwing everything in a pot, let it simmer for quite some time and just let the recipe's ingredients marry one another and let the flavor come around. 

I saw this recipe in my cousin's FB wall (Thanks Ate P for sharing!) and since I don't know when I'll be able to cook it (and I don't have a crock pot), I thought of posting this in the blog to make sure I won't lose the recipe, haha!  (I think I'll start doing this for future recipes that I will see!)

But I won't wait until I have a crock pot to try this recipe!  I'll see if I can do this with whatever pots we have at home.  

This recipe (and photo) is from the FB page of The Recipe Graveyard.

Happy Cooking!

CROCK POT SESAME CHICKEN

1 1/2 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dried onion
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Put chicken into crock pot.
Combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, and garlic. Pour over chicken.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.
Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces and return to crock pot - can leave chicken in and simmer on low or serve.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Checking out this Chicken Inasal

If you have been following this blog, you must have noticed that I have a particular liking for ready-made sauces.  I do because they make life easier . . .because I don't have to go and look for some special ingredients, haha!  Here's another proof that I am. . . Mama Sita's Insasal mix!

"Inasal" means roasted and is a kind of Filipino barbecue which originates from Bacolod, a city in the South of Philippines.  (If I don't have the right info, please feel free to correct me)  Though I know that Iloilo (another city in the South) also has their Inasal version.  Inasal has a more savory taste (its marinade consists of coconut vinegar, lemongrass, ginger, garlic to name a few)  as compared to the traditional Filipino barbecue which is sweeter since the marinade has sugar and banana catsup.  

For this super easy and super quick to prepare recipe, you only need a kilo of chicken and Mama Sita's Inasal mix (175 ml/pouch).  Marinade the chicken in the Mix, for at least three hours or best, if you let it sit on it overnight.

Make a few slits on the meat so the seasoning gets absorbed by the meat

You will also need achuete (annatto) oil to baste your chicken while grilling it.  Please click on this link to learn how to prepare the annatto oil.  Thank you Panlasang Pinoy!

Never thought I'll be able to prepare my own atsuete oil =)  It's really easy!

Set-up your grill and it's barbecue time!  

In manning the grill, Patience is a virtue, haha!

Looking good!

I know, I know. . . it's quite charred!  Haha!

Serve the chicken with rice, drizzle some annatto oil in it and top it with fried garlic bits!   Yum!  Oh and don't forget the dipping sauce. . . we used calamansi and toyo.  The other dipping sauce that is also paired with Inasal is vinegar with garlic, shallots and ginger.   

I am so happy with Mama Sita's Inasal Mix that I have already bought again! 

BUT there is a Chicken Inasal recipe I saw (by Panlasang Pinoy) which I want to try . . . and I will, as long as I find lemon grass and coconut vinegar!  Heehee

My "Sort of" Homemade Cooking Series: Singapore Chicken Curry

I've mentioned in an earlier post about my love for any kind of curry and of Asian Home Gourmet's instant sauce mixes!  What's so nice about these instant mixes is they recreate the flavors of various Asian Cuisine we love so we can prepare and enjoy them at home.  

Because I miss Singapore, we had this . . . 

FOR LUNCH!

This is another fast and easy recipe to cook.  

For the ingredients, you will need the following:

Cooking oil

Garlic, chopped

Onion, chopped

1 kilo of Sliced Chicken

Potatoes

1 packet of Singapore Chicken Curry paste

2 cups of coconut milk or milk (I used coconut milk)

Cooking Directions:

The directions found at the packet of the mix actually calls for you to mix the paste and the coconut milk, let it simmer and put the rest of the ingredients.  But I thought it would make the dish more seasoned if I saute some garlic and onion first =) .

1. Saute garlic and onion.  Add the paste and stir fry for a few minutes.

2. Add the chicken and potatoes.

3. Add the coconut milk and let it boil.

Then let it simmer for at least 20 minutes

Until the chicken and potatoes get tender.

Or until it looks good enough to eat!  Haha!

Here's a prettier picture, thanks to Instagram, haha!

This is so flavorful that it's hard to just have one cup of rice!  Yes, it was another Happy Tummy, Happy Mommy moment =) 

P.S.  I still want to go to Singapore for some food tripping!  Haha!  As they say, nothing beats the real thing!

Our Favorite Pancake Mix

Pancakes (also called "hotcakes" or "flapjacks") are one of my favorite breakfast food.  It has become the Little Miss' fave as well.  We have tried so many brands before (both local and imported) but I found the pancakes to be dry and bland . . .the thing that made them good?  Butter and maple syrup, haha!  But I'm happy to say, our search for a good pancake mix is over.  

Thanks to . . . 

I am not a pancake expert and I'm sure there are better mixes and recipes out there.  Just saying that this is the best among all the mixes we've tried.  

The pancakes did turn out fluffy and tasty.  One thing I like about this brand is each box contains two- 250 gram packs of the mix.  You can make 6-8 pancakes in each pack.  Directions for preparing the pancake is found at the box.  However, I tweaked their recipe a little bit since the pancakes were a little bit thick to our liking.  Instead of adding 3/4 cup of water, I used 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of evaporated milk.  Another thing I like about it?  Among all the mixes I've tried, Maya gave me the prettiest homemade pancakes, heehee.

    

Since I love sharing my finds to friends, I told a group of friends about the Maya mix and lo and behold, they know about it and that they actually grew up eating this!  So yes, for this particular find, I am the last to know,  hahaha!

But as they say, better late than never! 

And yep, it's going to be pancakes for breakfast tomorrow!!!

I  

Easy Italian Sausage Pasta

The Little One prefers to eat the tangy Italian spaghetti over our Pinoy sweet spaghetti (where we use banana catsup as an ingredient!).  When we were in LA, this tomato-based pasta recipe has been one of her faves (she also loves her Papa's Adobo and Ginisang Sayote) that I always cook this for her almost every week.  (Now that we're back in the Philippines, I haven't cooked as much as I want.) 

This has become a fave of mine too because it is fast and easy to prepare.  The use of Italian sausage definitely gives additional flavor to the pasta sauce (flavors like Italian seasoning, garlic powder, fennel seeds, paprika)

For this pasta recipe, you will need:

Spaghetti noodles
Italian Sausage
Olive oil (preferably)
Garlic, chopped
Onion, chopped
A bottle of your favorite marinara sauce (a personal fave is the Barilla brand)
Cheddar cheese singles
Salt and Pepper
Sugar (optional) - Pinoy talaga! haha!

Let's start cooking . . .

Cook the pasta noodles according to its direction.

1. Remove the sausage meat from its casing and cook it until it turns brown. 

2. In the same pan, set aside the sausage and saute the garlic and onion.

3. Add the Marinara sauce, let it boil and simmer for a few minutes.

4.  Add the Cheddar slices, let it melt.  Season the sauce with
with salt, pepper and a little bit of sugar (according to your taste).
Stir the sauce and let it simmer for a at least 10 minutes.  I noticed
that simmering the sauce slowly and for a little bit longer
enhances the flavor of the sauce.

After tasting the sauce and you got that smile on your face which makes you say "Perfect!", 

toss in your cooked spaghetti noodles and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese

(which I didn't have when I cooked this pasta, haha!).

Buon Appetito!

Okay, it actually tastes better than it looks!
I am blaming this on a) the bad lighting or b) the Iphone's camera, Haha!

I keep this pasta dish simple for the Little One but feel free to add your favorite veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers or olives. . . and if you want a fancier pasta dish. . .throw in some fresh basil leaves!  Ooohhh and some toasted garlic bread on the side!  Yuuummm!  (Now I'm craving for some Italian food!)

If you're having a lazy weekend at home, and you plan to wear your PJs the whole day . . .but would love to eat some pasta,  you might just want to cook and eat at home.  

Hope you're having a fantastic weekend!  =)

Easy Peasy Cheese Pimiento Spread

We had some Queso de Bola (also known as Edam Cheese)  left from the Holidays.  One thing that my Mom makes out of it is her Cheese Pimiento spread.  (There are several kinds of Queso de Bola in the Market but we prefer the Marca Pato or Marca Pina brand from Holland --- which for me are the authentic Queso de Bola because of their tangy, salty and nutty taste.)

You may find this recipe rich (and sinful!) but a simple breakfast of toasted bread and this spread (together with your favorite breakfast drink) is actually filling. . . it always hits the spot for me.

Ingredients:
Mayonnaise
Butter, softened
Queso de bola, grated
Canned red pimientos, drained and chopped
 *sorry, my Mom doesn't measure when she makes something, she just does everything by eyeball, teehee

What to do:  Just mix everything in a bowl and adjust the saltiness if necessary =)

There are variations for this recipe which I saw in the Net.  Some recipes use cream cheese and some even put a little bit of sugar in it.  (Yes, we Filipinos put sugar in our cooking . . . like in our spaghetti!)  While the American cheese pimiento has one or more these seasonings:  hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, dill pickles, onion or garlic. (Source: Wikipedia) 

One of my favorite breakfast eats!

Yes, you can say I started my day right!  Haha!  

Wishing everyone a great day ahead!

Bangus Ala Poor . . .Pobre

Pobre in Spanish means "poor".  But when it comes to food, when I hear "a la pobre", that means the food has garlic in it, haha!  I don't know if it this is just a Filipino thing or if there's a food history from Spain about a la pobre dishes.  But as I prepared Bangus (milkfish) a la Pobre for dinner last night, I thought, it must have been called "a la pobre" because it is a dish which uses simple ingredients that are affordable.

I saw two recipes for Bangus ala Pobre (from Philippines' Appetite Magazine and Casa Veneracion).  I like something from each of them so I got those and here's my take on this fish recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless bangus

7 pcs of calamansi

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1/2 cup of water

1 head of garlic, chopped

1 onion, cut into rings

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp water

garlic powder

salt and pepper

 * you may adjust measurements to your liking

Cooking Directions:

 

1. Season the fish with garlic powder, salt and pepper and fry it.  Set it aside.

2. Brown the chopped garlic and set it aside as well. (It will be used as toppings for the dish)

3. In the same pan, sauté the onions until transluscent.

4. Mix the juice of the calamansi, soy sauce and water and let it simmer for 5-10 minute onions.

5. Mix the cornstarch and water to thicken the sauce.  Then put the fried fish and let it simmer with the sauce for a few minutes. 

6. Serve it hot and top it with the brown garlic bits.  Don't forget the rice! LOTS of it!  Haha! =)

If you like fish and garlic, this is your dish! =)

Hope you like it the same way we did =)