Pinoy Pork Menudo

Normally I use beef in Menudo but this time I decided to use pork for a change.  I remember when we I was still in High School, Menudo is one of the best seller of the small canteen across the then Sun Theatre in Hagonoy.  It was operated by my classmate's cousin.  Both students from the boys' school and the girls' school would always go there for lunch or hang-out just before they go home in the afternoon after eating saba con yelo....

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Yummy Churros

I remember eating churros in Miriam College Grade School on one school fair.  The churros were put in paper cups and drizzled with  chocolate dip.  They're quite yummy but a bit pricey though.  Churros are long pastry dough that are deep fried.  Two countries claim for this pastry's origin -  Spain and Portugal.  One story said that originally the Portuguese got this dough recipe from China but did not actually...

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Easy to Make Chocolate Dip

Ingredients 300 g chocolate chips 1 c heavy cream Procedure Melt the chocolates together with the cream in a double boiler. A comment or two will be appreciated...

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My Baked Macaroni Experiment

Baked macaroni is just so lovely!  It's my husband's first taste of it and he certainly loved it so I might have to bake this again sometime.  A little bit of trivia --- I didn't know that there's a legend that Marco Polo found this macaroni in China and brought it to Europe!  but then again, it's just a legend...if you want to read more about it and some macaroni info, you can go to this http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/50/ Ingredients 500...

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Easy Bechamel Sauce

I thought making bechamel sauce would be a big job but it was not as difficult as I thought it would be.  Most recipes don't usually ask you to add salt and pepper but I'd rather add these things so that the sauce would have more flavour in it. Bechamel is actually white sauce and it is said to be the mother of all sauces in French Cuisine and is used in Italian recipes.  It was named after "marquis de Bechamel"  who was a financier and held the title of chief steward to Louix XIV(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9chamel_sauce). ...

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Fried Squid w/ Onions and Tomatoes and Herbs

One of my favorites that I would always love to eat.  We always do this in Sagrada when we were still there.  This time I just made a little twist to it and add more herbs to make it more yummy.  The result is such amazing taste.  Try it for yourself. Ingredients 4 large squid (insides cleaned) 3 large tomatoes, chopped 2 large onions, chopped 1 tsp basil 1 tsp parsley salt and pepper to taste Procedure Mix all the...

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The Ever Fudgy Chocolate Carrot Cake w/ Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

  One excuse to eat chocolate cakes is to add carrots!  My daughters love carrots so everytime I cook something for them, I would always make sure as much as it can possibly done, to add carrots to it.  Carrots.  I am happy that they can get lots of nutrients from eating the carrots. I was reading an article last night about carrots and I've realized that eating them has so many benefits.  If you are interested in reading...

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Honey - Creamcheese Frosting

Ingredients 1/2 c creamcheese 2 tbsp honey 1/4 c icing sugar Procedure Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and a little bit stiff. Pour or spread on top of your cake or muffin. A comment or two will be appreciated...

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Eggless Fudgy Cake with Almonds and Dates

 For this yummy cake, I used the recipe for the other Fudgy Chocolate cake I baked which you can also find in my Foodblog.  Just click this Fudgy Chocolate Cake.  Then follow the recipe below for the Part 2 to finish the prep process. Ingredients Toasted Almond Flakes (just enough to cover the top. 1 c chocolate chips 1/2 chopped dates Procedure After the fudgy chocolate batter is prepared.  Fold in the chopped...

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Ginataang Hipon w/ a Twist (Prawns cooked in coconut milk)

This is really a different kind of dish that I am sure you will be happy with when you try it.  Bicolanos are known for dishes cooked with coconut milk/cream and lots of chillis.  This ginataang hipon is somewhat similar to the ones they cook except that I try to balance the hotness with the sweetness of the pinapple and zuchinni.  Instead of using the usual small red chilli peppers or labuyo, I used the chilli flakes that you can...

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My Yummy Garlic Buttered Prawns

I guess this one is one of my hubby's favourite dish because he ate a lot of rice with it and it took a bit of time for him to finish eating.  I would have to agree with him because even I, loved this dish so much that I could not stop eating. Try it and enjoy. Ingredients 14 king prawns 1 c lemonade 1/2 c butter (125 g) 2 tbsp garlic, minced 1 medium onions, minced 1 tsp parsley salt and pepper to taste Procedure Marinate the prawns...

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Mocha Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting

This is a basic cake recipe I have been using eversince I can remember.  I got this from my Maya Kitchen Cake and Pastries Cookbook.  If you know this recipe by heart, you can go a looong way.  Just use your creativity and experiment with adding different flavours to it.  In this particular cake recipe, I would just add coffee since I want a mocha cake to match my Dulce de Leche frosting.  The result was really good! ...

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Dulce de Leche

I have always wonder what dulce de leche is or why is it called such name.  I've found out that the term means "caramelised milk" and has its origin in Spain which means, it is one of the dishes that Filipinos learned during the time of the Spanish conquistadores.  As the name suggests, the process is to caramelise milk --- condensed milk to be particular, until it becomes really sticky and thick and a bit brown in colour.  The consistency...

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Eggless Fudgy Chocolate Cake

This is one cake recipe for those who have egg allergy.  The one doing the job for the eggs here is the vinegar.  When I baked this for my family in Australia, they were so surprised when my hubby told them that there's no egg in the cake but there's vinegar in it.  They said there's no vinegar taste in the cake...as in none at all!  The cake is quite fudgy because I added a cup of chocolate chips and this made the cake even...

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My Family Homemade Pizza

Ordering pizza is a great and easy way to have a quick meal without all the fuss of prep and baking.  On the other hand, making you own homemade pizza with your family is fun!   Here is a very easy pizza prep that you and your family can do together. Ingredients Pizza Dough 2 c plain flour 1 sachet of dry yeast 1 tsp caster sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 3/4 c warm water My homemade pizza sauce 1 c tomato sauce 2 tsp...

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Pinoy Crispy Chicken Adobo Flakes

Adobo is considered to be the national dish of the Philippines.  I believe that all Filipinos have their own versions of this wonderful and very versatile dish.  This time, I tried cooking Crispy Chicken Adobo Flakes.  This recipe is one of my Adobo Series that I could say that I am really proud of not only because my husband loved it but also because it is really yummy to the max!  It could be eaten as is or you can add sliced...

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Braided Coconut Bread

This bread has somewhat similar taste with the pan de coco that we are used to.  This time I just mix together dessicated coconut, butter and caster sugar. Dough Choose among the different basic dough recipes in my foodblog. Click view. You can also opt to use the dough recipe I used for the cinnamon Filling 1/2 c dessicated coconut 1/4 c butter or margarine, softened 1/2 c caster sugar Procedure Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl. Set...

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Yummy Custard Bun

 I had first had a taste of custard bread in Bread Top, a Chinese bakeshope which has quite a number of branch here in Australia.  They offer freshly baked pastries, bread and cakes at reasonable prices.  Unfortunately, although I have been here for a number of years, I only go to a branch in Brisbane CBD at Myers Building. I wonder where are the other 11 branches here in QLD. I wanted to try if I could at least copy the...

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Strawberry & Rosewater Gateau

This recipe is from one of the cookbook series that my husband subscribed for me.  We went to IGA to buy some supplies and I saw fresh strawberries and I remember that I had a recipe asking for them so I ended up buying them too.  Ingredients 175 g butter, softened 175 g caster sugar 3 eggs, lightly beaten 175 g self-raising flour 3 tbsp Rosewater 150 ml cream 225 g strawberries icing sugar to dust Procedure Cream butter...

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Easy Pan de Coco

Pan de Coco has always been a favourite of many Filipinos.  It brings back a lot of memories to most people.  It's like going back to childhood when you were walking to your school and stop at a small store to buy your baon which would usually be a pan de coco or a simple monay.  Either one would make your tummy filled up just until it's time for you to go home again to eat lunch. Ingredients Choose any of the recipe for dough. beaten...

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Pinoy Polvoron

Who would not love eating polvoron?  When I was still in the Primary School, I would always buy them in a store near the school.  They were always wrapped in colorful plastics.  Flavours could be pinipig and peanuts.  Today, you can even buy them commercially at Goldilocks with flavours like oreos and cashews.  Polvoron is of Spanish origin (wikipedia).  Polvo (pulbo) is a Spanish term for powder.  The original...

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Easy and Simple Corned Beef Spaghetti

When my husband asked me what's for tea tonight, I told him ---Spaghetti honey!  Then he replied, "the sweet pinoy spaghetti?"  I said, "nope, just a bit of this and that kind of spaghetti" hehehhehe.  Although, he eats pinoy style spaghetti, I know he finds it sweet to his liking so this time I tried a different approach.  I had tins that I can use for the sauce...although no hotdogs.  He certainly fell in love with this...

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Salmon Benedict by Denise M.

Salmon Benedict is a variation of the Eggs Benedict dish which originated in the US.  According to www.foodreference.com, there are two stories of the origin of this dish.  One is when honeymooners, Mr. and Mrs. Benedict, requested a new dish for breakfast at Delmonico's Restaurant in New York of which they are loyal patrons.  After discussing what they want to the maitre d' hotel, they came up with this dish.  The other story...

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Different Basic Dough Recipes

1.  Basic Bread Dough Recipe Ingredients 450g (3 cups) plain bread flour (see note) 1 tbs (12g/2 sachets) dried yeast 2 tsp caster sugar 1/2 tsp salt 250ml (1 cup) warm milk 2 tbs melted butter Procedure Combine flour, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in salt. Make a well in the centre. Add milk and butter. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until well combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Brush...

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The Controversial Pan de Regla

When I posted in Facebook that I was baking Pan de Regla, I received comments immediately!  Some were curious and intrigued and the others started remembering what this bread is.  It's amazing to read their reactions to the name of this bread.  They began searching for pics and one of my friends and a former collegue even posted them on her FB wall.  They also shared the bread's different names --- kalihim, kabukiran, pan...

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Adobong Pusit

Living far from the coast here in Australia means finding fresh seafood in the market would be difficult.  Being in the entrance of the outback makes it worst too.  How I wish I could buy fresh ones...just like the prawns, crabs, alamang, fish, squids etc. which you can find at the Hagonoy Market.  In our barrio, Sagrada, we would often just buy from those who would come to the house and sell u s freshly caught seafoods and at a...

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Cream Cheese Covered Brownies

Brownies are our family's fave anytime, anywhere and that's why it's nice to experiment each time you bake them.  This time I tried to dillute the sweetness of the brownies with the cream cheese mixture and it did work!  The marriage between the two made this goodies yummier. Cream Cheese Mixture 3/4 c cream cheese, softened (easier if you use the one in jar) 45 g butter, softened 1/3 c granulated sugar 2 large eggs 3 tbsp plain flour 1...

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Choco-Banana-Walnut Loaf

What do I do with the over riped bananas? That's always a problem in our house.  My husband would always buy bananas but forget eating them...$4+ a kilo goodness!  Wish I were in the Philippines!  We definitely have better bananas and at a cheap price too...hehe! Ohh how I miss the binutuan, senyorita and lakatan. Anyway, this recipe calls for cocoa.  Since I have two girls who are a bit picky with bread and cake, I decided...

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Humba

One dish that my father would love to cook if he's still around is humbang pata ng baboy or carabeef that we buy in Malolos Market at the early hours of the morning so as not to lose the chance of buying the last piece.  My father would always tell me to buy the unahan or the front hock not the hind ones since the first has most of the meat than the latter.  I was always amazed on how he would gently and patiently tenderise the meat without...

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Tuna Pesto Penne Rigatto w/ Black Olives

I've found out that my former student, Jana (thank you for the photo). cooked tuna pasta with her home made pesto so I asked her if she could give me her recipe.  However just like me, she would sometimes cook using taste method...in short no particular rule in measurements of ingredients.  Anyway, that's what make us different and more at home with our cooking.  Here is a good recipe in making this dish.  Trial and error...

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Ginataang Pakpak at Atay ng Manok (Chicken Wings and Liver Braised in Coconut Cream)

I have always loved coconut cream in my dish.  The aromatic flavour coming from it just makes me hungry.  They say the best meat that would really absorb this wonderful flavour would be chicken.  I have proven it true in this dish.  You can really taste the coconut cream in the chicken meat.  The herbs that I have added as an experiment worked wonderful with them too. Ingredients 1/2 K chicken wings (tips removed) 1/2...

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