Nestie's New Bag

My friend Nestie & I roam around the mall the whole Sunday afternoon... She got this bag from Artworks...

mag-aaral ako ng mabuti ( i will study hard )

She said she will take that statement seriously... well.. I know she will! (i hope I'm right...peace nestie!) *wink*

Ginataang Labong (Bamboo Shoots in Coconut Milk)

There's so many ways on how to prepare a dish with bamboo shoots.

Here's one of my family's favorite.

the ingredients:

1/2 kl bamboo shoots
1/4 kl ground pork
1 cup coconut milk
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium size onion, chopped
cooking oil
salt & pepper
spring onions (optional)

here's how:

Saute garlic and onion in oil.
Add ground pork, stir constantly until the pork is cooked.
Add salt and pepper.
Add bamboo shoots, mix well.
Pour in coconut milk
Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the bamboo shoots are cooked and the sauce thickens.
Transfer to a serving dish and top with spring onions.

Did you know that...

Bamboo is a member of the grass family. Bamboo shoots are young, new canes that are harvested for food before they are two weeks old or one-foot tall.

Commercially canned bamboo shoots are common, however, fresh, locally grown bamboo has far better flavor and texture.

know more about bamboos at
www.moso.us

Warm...

My parents' favorite song...

They will be celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary this coming November and I'm so excited... I'm planning to sing this song for them... wish I could find a videoke version of this.

Warm by Johnny Mathis
from the Album:
The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection

Pasta in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

In search for easy pasta dishes, here's one i got from an online pal.
A recipe from LordCarl, he's a fresh graduate from De La Salle-Lipa, with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

the ingredients:

500 grams pasta of your choice
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can button mushrooms, drained & sliced thinly
1 cup cooked ham, cut into strips
1 cup green peas, thawed
3 cups all purpose cream
1 cup grated cheese
salt & pepper to taste

here's how...

1. cook pasta according to package direction, set aside.
2. melt butter on a large pan, saute onion, garlic and mushrooms.
3. add cooked ham and green peas, stir occasionally for
about 3 minutes.
4. pour the all purpose cream and stir until all the ingredients
are thoroughly mixed.
5. season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes
or just long enough to blend the flavors.
6. remove pan from heat. add the cooked pasta and toss gently
to mix.
7. transfer to serving dish. top with grated cheese.

***you can also top it with toasted ham for more flavor
and color.

Tip of the Day!

Pasta should be cooked as close to serving time as possible because it cools down quite rapidly. Serve the pasta on a heated plate or in a heated bowl to help keep it warm.

for more pasta tips and tecniques,
check out www.recipetips.com

coffee please!

I just love drinking coffee... whether at home or at the coffee shops.

My coffee mug... Isn't it cute? *wink*

This is my friend Nadine... a coffee lover as well.

This was during our coffee drinking buddy Nestie's birthday. Since Nestie is out of the country that time, we just took pictures and sent it to her. We celebrated it at Starbucks, SM City Batangas... loved their chocolate cream chip, cinnamon roll & oreo cheese cake. Yummy!

... and this is Nestie... she also sent us her photo having her dose of Starbucks coffee at King Faisal Hospital, KSA.

Twix

my most favorite
chocolate bar!
yummy!

Avocado Con Leche

Since avocado is in season, here's one easy dessert I want to share with you guys.

Simply scoop out the avocado meat with a spoon or you can have it diced, gently toss with condensed milk then chill.


You can also make an avocado shake, just add ice cubes in a blender and process until smooth.


Add more condensed milk if you want it to be sweeter.

Did you know that...

Avocados must reach full maturity before they are picked, however, they do not soften on the tree. The tree can actually be used as a storage unit by keeping the fruit on the tree for many months after maturing.

know more about avocados

Bistek ala Kuting

Here's my version of Bistek Tagalog. Inspired by my inay's recipe of course! S^_^S

Ingredients

1/2 kilo beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup calamansi juice
1 teaspoon sugar
5 cloves garlic minced
2 medium size onions cut into rings
Ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat some oil in the pan, sauté garlic and half of the onion rings. Add in the beef and stir fry till brown. Add the soy sauce, calamasi juice, sugar and a pinch of black pepper. Stir to blend well. Simmer for about 30 mins or until the beef is tender. Add the rest of the onions; let the heat wilt the onions a bit, then serve with steamed rice.

***The measurement of the seasonings depends on your taste.

Tip of the day!

You can use meat mallet for tenderizing the beef. Beat the beef steak before cooking to soften the fibers. This can lessen the cooking time and also makes the beef easier to chew.

Fresh Tomato Pasta

I really love pasta dishes. I am always searching for easy to prepare but delectable pasta recipes. Here's the easiest pasta recipe that i like.

ingredients:

4-6 tomatoes, seeded & chopped
3 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound linguine pasta (or any pasta of your choice)

preparation:

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, EVOO, basil, salt & pepper. Mix gently.

Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain.

Immediately toss with the tomato mixture; serve at once.

Seems easy? Give it a try!