What's for dinner?

After weeks of not working in the kitchen, I'm so glad that I was able to prepare dinner for my nephews & nieces. By the way this is the first time that I have tried cooking sarciado... I guess I over cooked the egg! *lol*

Fish Sarciado

(Sarciadong Tilapia)

the ingredients

1 large tilapia (or any fish with white meat)

3 pieces medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, julienned (optional)

2 medium eggs, slightly beaten

seasoning granules or salt and pepper

1/2 cup water

cooking oil

here's how

Rub fish with the seasoning granules/salt.

Fry under medium heat. Drain excess oil, set aside.

On a large pan, saute garlic & onion.

Add the tomatoes and carrots, cook over low heat for about a minute.

Pour the egg, stir continously.

Add the water and some seasoning.

Add the fried tilapia, cover the pan and simmer for a minute.

Flip fish on the other side and cook for another minute.

Serve hot!

From My Kitchen...

This is my very first entry for Mommy Dharlz meme... (sorry mommy for the delay *smile*)

I'm now serving Adobong Binakbakan!

I have already posted the recipe of this dish a year ago. I just want my favorite ulam to be my first entry... hope you'll like it! *wink*

A Kare-Kare Dinner with Kate

Last Wednesday, my roomamate Kate & I had dinner at Landmark's Food Center. We tried Barrio Fiesta's Kare-Kare.

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from peanut sauce with a variety ofvegetables, stewed oxtail, beef, and occasionally offal or tripe. Meat variants may include goat meat or (rarely) chicken. It is often eaten with bagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced with chili, and sprinkled with calamansi lime juice. Traditionally, any Filipino fiesta (particularly in the Tagalog region) is not complete without kare-kare. In some Filipino-American versions of the dish, oxtail is exclusively used as the meat. wikipedia.org

Kare-Kare

Lechon Kawali

Barrio Fiesta's Kare-Kare Combo

(kare-kare, lechon kawali and plain rice)

Php85.00 or approx. $2

Want to try cooking Kare-kare? Try this kare-kare recipe from Manong Ken's collection...

sweet come back...

Hello everyone! I've been quite busy with my new job that I wasn't able to do updates here... and I'm so sorry... But now I'm back and hoping that will give you updates atleast one a week *fingers crossed*

Now let me welcome myself back with something sweet... *big grin*

Kuting's Graham Ref Cake

the ingredients

1 200 g pack Grahams Honey

1 300g can Nestle cream (chilled)

3/4 cup condensed milk

1 small can crushed pineapple

(sliced mangoes, peaches and fruit cocktail will do)

marshmallows (optional)

Crushed Grahams (optional)

the preparation

Mix condensed milk and nestle cream on a bowl.

Then on a reactagular dish, pour some cream mixture until the bottom is covered.

Lay Graham Crackers on top of the cream.

Pour another layer of cream and sprinkle some crushed pineapple.

Repeat the process to make 2 or 3 layers.

Then on the last layer, top with more crushed pineapple, marshmallows and crushed graham.

Chill and serve!

It's my nephew G-Boy's request that I make Ref Cake for his birthday, that's why I thought of putting some mashmallows! *big grin*

Cakes Galore!

An afternoon at Red Ribbon with Nadine & Nestie!

Cakes... I've got my slice of s'mores chocolate cake, Nestie ordered the choco mocha crunch and Nadine with something like stawberry cake... which she didn't like. *big grin* 

Cool drinks! 

Here's what makes me so full... aside from that delicious s'mores, i also got my cheesy lasagna! *yumyum*

... and now I am craving for S'mores! I guess I'll have one slice tomorrow! *smiles*

Dinner at Flavours of China

I always love meeting up friends, especially those whom I haven't seen often. My friend Ice and I have been friends since High School. We rarely see each other after college and got our respective jobs. So when she called me and asked me to visit her new apartment, I immediately said yes! After hangging out at her place all afternoon, we decided to go to SM Lipa and have dinner at Flavours of China.

My friend Ice and her hubby Jay

And my all time favorite on Flavours of China Menu :

Flavours Seafood Fried Rice and Spicy Squid Head

Happy Easter!

My sister, Ate Gina and my nephew G-boy designed these Easter Eggs.

So cute!

Happy Easter Everyone!

God Bless!

Hotdog & Corned Beef Spaghetti

It's Black Saturday and I'm staying at home in front of my laptop almost all day. Oh well not until I got hungry *big grin*.

Saw this pack of pasta in the kitchen and thought of cooking spaghetti. I asked my nephews if they want it also and they happily said yes!

Here's Gohan helping me out in the kitchen. When I was his age, my mother also allows me to do some small stuffs in the kitchen. I guess that's why I have this heart for cooking...

We don't have ground pork on the fridge so I just settled for hotdogs and corned beef.

the ingredients for my spaghetti are as follows :

400 g spaghetti noodles (cooked per package diractions)

500 g sweet style spaghetti sauce

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups sliced hotdogs

1 can corned beef

1/2 cup grated cheese

3/4 cup water (or pork broth)

salt & pepper

cooking oil

and here's how...

Saute garlic and onion. Add the hotdogs and corned beef. Stir until cooked. Pour in spaghetti sauce and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, lower down to medium heat. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add the grated cheese and stir continiously for about half a minute.

Pour the sauce over the cooked spaghetti noodles. Toss. Serve with grated cheese on top.

Enjoy!

Inihaw ng Pusit (Grilled Sqiud)

On our way Agdangan, Quezon where we are going to visit the Luminous Cross of Grace Sanctuary, we were captured by this very beautiful scenery behind this restaurant called Vista Playa. So after our commemoration of the Way of the Cross at the Sanctuary, we decided to have our lunch on the said resto.

the view from...

and this is what I've got for lunch...

Super yummy grilled squid!

Please visit http://www.kutingsden.blogspot.com/ as I share my unforgettable Lenten experience at Luminous Cross of Grace Sanctuary.

If you do guys remember my post about my sisters' recipe collection. This time it's the recipe itself that I am going to share with you...

From my Ate Glenn's Recipe Collection

Chicken A la King

1/3 cup mushrooms (2 oz can)

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup butter1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup cream (20% butterfat)

1 cup diced cooked chicken

1/4 cup chopped pimiento

Saute mushroom and green pepper in butter. Blend in flour & seasonings. Cook over low heat. Stirring until mixture is smooth, bubbly. REmove from heat. Slowly stir in broth and cream. Bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Add chicken and pimiento. Continue cooking until meat is heated through. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Ginisang Gulay (Sauteed Vegetables)

I just noticed that I've been eating out alot lately, and wasn't able to share with you guys some recipes.  Well, here's what I've got for lunch just the other day... 

I love vegetables and I guess this is one simple yet very delicious dish. *wink*

the ingredients

1/2 kl ground pork

1/4 kl baguio beans, cut diagonally into half-inch lenghts

1 large sweet potato, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 /2  head cabbage, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

cooking oil

here's how

Heat oil on a large pan. 

Saute garlic and onion.

When the onion is already transparent, add the ground pork.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook until brown.

Add all the vegetables except the cabbage.

Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Cook for about 3 minutes.

Stir in the cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve hot!

You can also use this as a lumpia filling!

Bonding Over Pizza

Just this afternoon, my Ate Gina asked if I could go with her to the mall. I immediately said yes, since I don't have anything important to do.

After checking out almost all the racks at the depatment store and bought some stuffs, my sister and I headed to Greenwich to have some pizza.  She ordered Greenwich Special Thin Crust Pizza for us. 

I do always look forward on moments like this. Doing things that we both love, shopping and eating! *smiles*

Snackwich

My sister-in-law brought this home especially for me! So sweet! *big grin* Well, that's one of the things I love being the bunso (youngest). *wink*

This is the first time that I have tasted this sandwich from Mister Donut.  Snackwich as it is called, is the counterpart of Dunkin Donuts' Bunwich. 

Just like the typical sandwiches, this one has ham slices, a slice of tomatoe and cucumber, cheese and mayonaise. 

Wordless Wednesday

Minindal

Minindal as I remember, is how my late grandmother call our merienda. Just this afternoon this is what I had for my minindal...



I love the coco jam from Pan de Manila... it's not too sweet and not too oily, just right... *yummy*
...and not to forget my cup of coffee! A perfect minindal! *big smile*

what's for dinner?

This is the first time that I've tried cooking this dish... and my nephews and nieces love it! *big smile*

Tuna 'n Spag

the ingredients:

1 pack (450 grams) spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions
4 cans (180 grams) century tuna flakes in vegetable oil,separate the oil from the flakes
2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
grated cheese
cooking oil
salt



here's how

Saute garlic and onion.
Add the diced red bell pepper, sprinkle some salt*.
Stir, cook for about a minute.
Add the tuna flakes. Mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Pour the vegetable oil (from the tuna), simmer for 5 minutes.
Toss with the cooked spaghetti noodles.
Serve with grated cheese on top.



Happy eating!

Halo-Halo

A sweet way to end the love month and to welcome summer is to eat halo-halo (mix-mix? *big grin*)

Halo is the Filipino term for mix and this popular dessert/snack is a mixture of different sweets such as tapioca/sago pearls, gulaman (jellies), purple yam (ube), sweetened kamote (sweet potato), sweetened plantain banana and shredded melon. Well those are what's in the halo-halo that I've got this afternoon. *wink*

Top with shaved ice swirled with evaporated milk... *yummy*

My cousins enjoying Ate Mayeth's Halo-Halo, she usually sells barbeque's but during summer she also have Halo-Halo.

And for a halo-halo all year round... Chowking serves special halo-halo with various boiled sweet beans, sugar palm fruit (kaong), leche flan and rice crisp aside from the usual ingredients. You can also have it topped with ice cream.

Enjoy the summer guys!

chocolate shake!

Had this one last Valentine's Day... and now I'm craving for one!

Chocolate Shake @ Jenina's Place

a sweet music video...

Just this morning I was able to watch this video on MYX (a music channel) and good thing it is already uploaded on youtube.com *big grin*. I've seen the making of this music video and I am really looking forward to see the final video... and I am not disappointed! The MV is simple yet I find it very sweet. Watching Sarah Geronimo's eyes glowing while singing makes me also feel the song... I hope you guys love it as much as I do!

Sarah Geronimo widget by 6L & Daxii

Originally sung by Janie Fricke but I first heard this song from the Filipino group called "The Company", and i have come to love it since then.

Minatamis na Saging

Since it is the Love Month... I decided that all my post for this month will be about something sweet... *wink*

Let me start with...

Minatamis na Saging
(Sweetened Bananas)



the ingredients:

10 pcs ripe plantain bananas (saba), sliced
2 cups sugar
4 cups water

here's how:

On a casserole, dissolve sugar in water under medium heat. Bring to boil. Add the sliced banana. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the bananas are tender and the syrup thickens.
(When simmering, stir once in a while so that the bananas will not stick on the bottom of the casserole.)

Simple right? *big smile* Then why not try banana con yelo this summer?

All you need is sweetened banana, crushed ice and evaporated milk.

on as small serving bowl, place about 8 pcs. of sliced sweetedned banana, add crushed ice and drizzle with evaporated milk and sweetened banana syrup.

Now i'm craving for one!!! :P~

My Parents' Golden Wedding Anniversary

There have been so many events last December and I've been to busy that I wasn't able to share it with you guys...That's why I will try to post some of the special occasions last year. *wink*

Last November 23,2008 was my parents Golden Wedding Anniversary. But we celebrated it last December 20,2008 because we have to wait for my siblings and other relatives who are out of the country.



The food was catered by N. Baustista Catering Services. We got their service for a couple of events in our family and we're still very much satisfied. They have wide array of dishes to choose from.

For my parents' anniversary we got: molo soup, beef caldereta, grilled tanigue (fish), chicken cordon bleu, pork pastel, baked macaroni and sliced fresh fruits for dessert.



We're very much thankful for these blessings...



...wish I will be able to celebrate my own golden wedding anniversary *wink*

Cafe de Lipa

Batangas is known for its coffee... the Barako... and being Batangueñas we love to drink kapeng barako! *big grin*

Cafe de Lipa is one of the famous brand of Kapeng Barako. They have their own coffee shop at Lipa City near Robinsons Place Lipa. And just this afternoon, my friends and I meet up there. This is the first time that I have tried their coffee...


Vanessa and Baby... been friends since we were kids.

decadent tableya and barako mocha

Decadent Tableya is their version of Chocolate cake drizzled with caramel. I love it! *wink*
Love their coffee too!

Sinigang na Isda

After the holidays, I am craving for something different, something without pork, beef or chicken. *big grin*

So here's the answer for my craving! *wink*

Sinigang na Isda
(Fish in Sour Soup)

ingredients

1 kl Maya-Maya fish
4 medium tomatoes, cut into halves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, sliced
10 pcs pechay leaves
4 pcs small eggplant
6 pcs small okra
tamarind base mix (any souring agent)
salt
10 cups rice washing (hugas bigas) or water

here's how

On a pot, bring rice washing, garlic, onion and tomatoes to a boil.
Lower down the heat before adding the eggplant and okra.
Season with salt and tamarind base mix.
Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the fish and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
Add the pechay leaves. Turn off heat.
Serve hot!

Tips! Tips! Tips!

* You can use other kinds of fish which has talakitok, tilapia, bangus (milkfish) or even tuna.
* Other vegetables can also be added. Like Gabi (taro), sigarillas (kalamismis here in Batangas), sitaw (long beans) and labanos (raddish)

Happy New Year!

Whew! I guess my greetings' a couple a days late now. But then I still want to wish everyone of us a happy and prosperous 2009! *big smile!*

Aside from the firecrackers, I know that people gets busy preparing for their media noche (new year's eve midnight meal). Here's what we've got...

we really do love pansit! (isn't that obvious? *big grin*)
and for dessert... I made leche flan (the filipino style egg & milk custard). One of the Filipino's favorite. Want to try this?



the ingredients

10 medium sized eggs
2 cans (300 ml) condensed milk
1 can (370 ml) evaporated milk

***for the caramel
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

here's how

On a large bowl, crack all the eggs. Using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, stir until the egg yolks and egg whites are well blended. I suggest not to use blender or egg beater to avoid bubbles. Add the condensed and evaporated milk. Continue stirring until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
On a sauce pan, caramelized 1 cup of sugar. Do not over cook the caramel to avoid burnt taste.
Pour the caramelized sugar on aluminum molds. Make sure that the bottom of the mold is well covered with the caramelized sugar.
Get the milk & egg mixture. Pour the mixture on the aluminum mold. About 3/4 inch thick. Cover with aluminum foil.
Steam on a low fire for about 45 minutes. Extend the steaming time if needed until the mixture sets.
To serve the leche flan, run a knife on the edge of the mold, then invert it on a serving dish.
enjoy the sweets!



again... happy new year every one!!!