I Want Those Knives

Er...what is that knife for? Haha like I want to slit someone's neck, or do I? Seriously I don't wanna waste my time. Those knives are actually in my Wish List. Uh-huh I want to own that before I die. I don't want any ordinary knife especially now that I get to taste some sort of a culinary experience. Yep it must be the knife, those julienne cut are so accurate, haha!

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Queen of the Kitchen

I'm not really into baking and stuff, but lately I want to learn how to bake. I've done cookies, but that's about it. Last night, I tried my hand at making banana pineapple bread, a recipe from my Mom. I enjoyed doing it especially that it turned out ok. Yeah it's my first time to make it and I can say that I was pretty successful. The hubs had it for breakfast, and the verdict? He said it was yummy. Now I am inspired to try my hand at baking other cakes or perhaps some cupcakes which is the favorite of my daughter. But the thing is, I don't have the necessary pans and all. I started looking for one and I found this circulon steel elite really impressive. It's a non-stick bakeware. Now I want to own all the bakeware, and the roaster included since I roast chicken all the time. Oh now I'm getting excited, I love the smell of baked goodies. The kids would be happy I know, and this time it would be wonderful to hear them say, "My Mom bakes well." It would be nice to hear that in addition to the "My Mom cooks good food." Or to borrow my son's dialogue, "I am not fat, I am just well fed."

While browsing their website, I also found these art and cook utensils. Goodness, I want to have it all too. They have a wide range of unique designs and it's really beautiful. It's like state-of-the-art utensils. Who says art and cooking do not go together. I will be inspired to cook more if I have these beautiful yet functional kitchen utensils

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My Version of Pumpkin Soup

I wish I knew how to make pumpkin soup when the kids were still small. Wearing eyeglasses could have been avoided. I started doing it only a few months ago and they love it. Every now and then they request me to make this soup for them. I don't use pumpkin though but squash. If you ask me the difference between the two, I'm sorry but I don't know. What I know is that they are different varieties of a winter squash, I think ^_^ .

Here's how I did it. I boiled the squash with garlic and onions. You are supposed to use chicken broth, but if you don't have one, Knorr Chicken Cubes will do. I blended it to become puree. Put back in the pan, if you need more stock, you can use the water where you boiled the squash from. Add cream, basil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. That's it!

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My Own Version

It's my first time to actually prepare it. As usual I first tasted this at a japanese restaurant I frequent. I was like, mayo spaghetti? How does it taste? Out of curiosity, I tried it, and boy was it yummy! I actually do not know how to make it step by step nor the ingredients. I made a wild guess though when I made my own version. My ingredients included japanese mayo, nestle cream, olive oil, bacon, asparagus and garlic. That is the most I can come up with. Of course they won't be telling their trade secret, so it's up to me to discover. So far, so good, coz my family really loved it. And that's what matters most.

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Sizzling Plates

It's been my dream to purchase at least 10 sets of sizzling plates. I actually do not know where to buy it so I had to ask my MIL where. She told me that it's available in Quiapo. So off we went to Quiapo and was able to purchase it. I already used it trying to copy the recipe we had at one of the food chains. The kids said that it was close to what we had. Of course the food chain will not share their secret, it's up to me to discover.

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Salad for Lunch

That's what I had 3 days ago, with a piece of meat to go with it. I didn't have rice, just that. And what do you know, after 5 minutes I went hungry, came down and gulped a glass of milk. I wonder if I can still go back to the days when all I eat for lunch and supper is just a plate of salad. Yeah I did that for 2 straight weeks and I lost weight. Oh I have to get used to it again. For lunch I again had salad with fried chicken on the side. Again I didn't eat rice, but this time I didn't drink milk either, haha success! I wish to do away with the bulging tummy in time for another dance recital. I hope I can do it.

It's actually very easy to prepare a salad. Here I used 2 kinds of lettuce, apples, oranges, black olives and bacon bits. And here's how I made the dressing. Mix together olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add sugar and salt. That's it. You can add ground black pepper to your salad if you wish.

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Something New to Feed the Family

I think I have a family that is most hard to feed. I have to come up with something new, if possible everyday. I think I need to enroll in some Culinary Arts School or something, but that is just soooo expensive. I will just settle with the recipes I find in the internet. I must say that it is really very helpful, but the thing is, not all ingreadients are readily available. When this kind of thing is happening, I do my best to just modify making sure that it will taste good.

I've been serving the family with different kinds of chicken recipes, and the newest is my version of grilled chicken. You can view the recipe here. Promise, it's very easy to prepare.

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No Offense Meant

“No offense meant for Moms”, he said. He was referring to mothers who did rice porridge for the first time but didn’t quite get it. Lately my son has been eating chicken arroz caldo (rice porridge) in school. He requested me to cook my version of rice porridge. Well it’s not actually my own version but that of the internet and recipe book. I too did not have an idea on how to make a rice porridge although my Mom has been feeding us with that when we were still young. I searched and searched and found one in the internet and incorporated it with the one in the recipe book. They all loved it!

Ingredients: (Rice Porridge w/ Chicken)

10 pcs. chicken (drumstick)
7 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
garlic (finely minced)
onions
ginger (match sized)
knorr chicken cube
olive oil
patis (fish sauce)
black pepper

Procedure:
Saute ginger, onion and garlic in olive oil and season with black pepper. Include chicken cube (I didn’t have enough chicken stock) and patis (fish sauce). Put the chicken and cook until it’s half done. Set aside the chicken. Put the uncooked rice and mix it with the flavor coming from the ginger, onion and garlic. Pour chicken stock and put back the chicken. Wait til rice softens stirring occasionally. Add more patis according to taste.

**I forgot to take a pic of my rice porridge, I was excited to let the family taste ^_^**

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Beef Teppanyaki

I made this recipe by again copying from a japanese restaurant where we ate with my daughter Ish after our belly dancing class. Well it said it was Beef Teppanyaki, so I’ll call it beef teppanyaki too ^_^. The ingredients are not listed this time, but according to my taste buds here it is:

Ingredients:

beef sirloin cut into small cubes
bean sprout
carrots (cut into matchstick size)
green bell pepper (cut into squares)
onion (sliced in rings)
garlic (minced)
kikkoman soy sauce
black pepper
sugar
red wine (i just added this for that certain kick)
knorr liquid seasoning
olive oil

Procedure:

Marinate the beef in soy sauce, black pepper, sugar and red wine at least an hour before you pan fry. Put olive oil in pan only once so the beef will not stick, after which you can pan fry beef right away. I do it in portions so it will not get overcooked. Meat gets hard once you over cook it. I cook it medium well, that’s about 2 minutes each side.

In a another pan, saute the onion and garlic followed by carrots, green bell pepper and finally the bean sprouts. Season with salt and pepper, and if you wish you can add this mixture, kikkoman soy and sugar.

That’s it. It’s actually very simple to cook especially if you’re in a hurry. Btw, Ish decided to use this recipe for her Home Economics class tomorrow. I’ll help her with the marinade later when she arrives from school.

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Spicy Chicken Wings

I am inspired to post the few recipes that I usually make for the family especially when someone appreciates it. She prepared this recipe, and her husband loved it. I promised to post the recipe of Spicy Chicken Wings, so here it is:

Ingredients:

Tomato Catsup
Nutmeg
Rice Wine
Thyme
White Vinegar
Paprika
Worcestorshire Sauce
Cayenne Powder
Honey
Black Pepper
Basil
Flour
Sage

Coat chicken wings with flour, salt and pepper combined. Deep Fry. Set Aside. Combine all ingredients except flour. Adjust measurement of cayenne powder for desired spicyness. Pour mixture in the pan (let simmer for a few seconds) then put back the fried chicken wings. Let it stay until it dries up a bit. Best served with celery sticks and blue cheese dip. Yum!

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Leftover Pasta

This is what I had for dinner, a leftover from Saturday's dinner ^_^. I actually planned to do Puttanesca, but ended up doing this instead. I actually do not know what it's called, but the family loved it. Good thing I had a number of different noodles in the pantry so I could shift what I'm cooking anytime. Anyway, here's how I did it.



Ingredients:
noodles (Penne)
fresh ripe tomatoes
finely minced onions
finely minced garlic
1 tetra brick Magnolia all purpose cream
Mozzarella Cheese
Kraft Cheddar Cheese
Kraft Parmessan Cheese
Basil
Oregano
Sage
3 tbsps red wine
salt
pepper
1 can anchovies in olive oil
unsalted butter

Here's how to do it:

Before boiling the tomatoes, put a + at the top so it would be easy to peel the tomatoes after you put it in boiling water. Take away the seeds and finely mince the tomatoes.

Melt butter in pan, cook onions until translucent. Add in garlic, tomatoes, anchovies, and season with salt and pepper. Put a dash of basil, oregano and sage. Add the red wine. Stir in all purpose cream, add the shredded cheeses. Follow the directions on how to cook the penne pasta. That's it, sorry I really suck at instructions =(

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Happy Tummy *burp*

Here's what I prepared for dinner. They requested me to do this since it is very expensive if you eat this at diners. They said it tasted good (as usual, I'd go on strike if they say otherwise, harhar) and can compare to the ones being served at Fridays. Hmmmm, my lovedones know how to make me happy. Anyway, here's the recipe, sorry but no measurements again, I usually taste the marinade, and from there I adjust according to my taste.

Baked Beef Ribs

beef ribs

marinade:
white vinegar
dark soy sauce
honey
worcestorshire sauce
A1 steak sauce
Hickory Smoked Sauce
sugar
thyme
catsup
mustard

Baste beef ribs with marinade and put in the freezer overnight. If you can wrap it individually with foil, the better. Make another set of marinade when you are ready to bake the ribs. Saute onions and garlic in butter, then pour the marinade and let boil for a while. This is what I used for basting every 15 minutes while baking. You can use this as sauce too. For the 1st hour, I baked the ribs wrapped in foil and the remaining 1 hour without the foil. Serve with garlic rice. YUM!

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I was a Success In The Kitchen Today

I am just running out of recipes to cook, I don’t know what to feed the family anymore. When I looked at the freezer last night, there was still enough for the week’s supply, but I didn’t know what to do with it. There’s beef brisket, sirloin, pork belly, squid, bangus belly, lapu-lapu, but my mind was just blank. Anyway, I woke up early to search the internet for some recipes. I wanted to do BBQ Beef Brisket, but what is a liquid smoke anyway? This is the first time I’ve heard about it plus I don’t have the time to go to the grocery or deli whatever, to get one. I ended up cooking braised beef instead. This is the first time that I cooked this so I was kinda worried that they may not like it. Same thing happened tonight. I had to call my Mom to ask for the recipe of her adobong pusit which is really good. But when I went down, I had a different squid, and not the ones my Mom uses. But still I followed her recipe. When we were at the table, Ish praised my cooking, both for lunch and dinner. She said it was yummy. Both N and Josh loved the adobong pusit too. See I’m a happy Momma, I tell you, this family is hard to feed.

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Creamy Chicken With Mushrooms

I was out on a Tuesday night to go with N to a client call. The children are not really used to not seeing me home when they get back from school. My daughter sent me an SMS asking where I was so I called her. She had actually nothing to say but, "Mom, the chicken was really sooooooooooooooo good", yes, with a very long O. That's what I like about Ish, she appreciates my cooking always with a very long O when she says sooooooooooo.

So here goes the recipe:

salt and pepper
flour
cooking oil - I use canola oil for frying
1 can button mushrooms
1 tetrabrick nestle all purpose cream
1 small can alpine evaporated milk
chicken broth
red wine
parmessan cheese
thyme
dried oregano
chicken

1. sprinkle chicken strips with salt and pepper then coat with flour and fry until golden brown. Remove excess oil leaving about 1 tsp just enough to cook the mushroom.

2. Heat chicken broth, cream and milk, put a dash of pepper, thyme, dried oregano, and about 2 tbsp of red wine. Add parmessan cheese.

3. Put chicken and mushroom and simmer until tender.

**you can either serve it with rice or pasta**

Note: No pictures taken, I was already running late with my date with fave bff Cuz Marie.

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Thank You Rica!

Saturday is my day off, I mean from cooking and all. I normally get to sleep until 11 in the morning and not worry about having nothing to eat. Afternoons are spent either going to the malls or watching a movie. Well I did not do that today, but instead allowed my 3 helpers to watch a movie. They were in a hurry to leave that they forgot about putting out meat from the freezer for dinner. It was already late that I realized we had nothing for dinner.

Good thing I remembered the pasta my girlfriend Rica told me about yesterday. So I went downstairs and started making it. Good thing I had all the ingredients, oh except for the olive oil which was not enough, so I just added unsalted butter. I didn't have fresh basil so I used the dried ones. And I made a little variation ^_^

Pasta with Shitake Mushroom:

angel hair pasta
olive oil
shitake mushroom (finely sliced)
lots and lots of fine minced garlic
fresh basil (can use dried)
anchovies (optional, for added flavor)
salt and pepper to taste
chili peppers (for Josh and Me)

So there! That's what we had for dinner! I didn't expect the kids to like it, but they did. My son even said "Mom, you make very good pasta!"

**Do you watch Celebrity Duets on GMA7? it's fun, my first time to watch and I pretty much enjoyed.**

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The Steak That They All Love

If you ask the members of my family what they want for lunch or dinner, they would all recite in unison "STEAK". Whenever we eat out, the first thing they look for in the menu is steak. Yes, they don't get tired of eating steak. So I thought, why not learn how to do steak right at my own home. So I did. I usually buy it (tenderloin, sometimes ribeye) from Monterey. But today we are lucky, my SIL arrived from the States and she brought us some. Yippee! And here's how to do it.

Continue reading HERE.

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Beef Asparagus

I've been meaning to cook Asparagus wrapped in Beef for a long time now. This is one of our favorites everytime me and Cuz Marie eat at Teriyaki Boy. Yes i'm a copycat when it comes to food, coz my kids are sick and tired don't like to eat the usual food that my "angels" prepare.

Continue reading HERE .

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.:: My First...and they LOVED it! .::

Remember they made me the official cook? Since then, I have never stopped searching for new recipes to feed them. This is the first time I did Sweet and Sour Fish, and I'm glad they loved it! They usually do not go for tomato based recipes, and I was surprised they all went "it's yummy Mom!" I love cooking for the family coz they really appreciate my inferior cooking skills...don't worry I'm on my way to become a good cook for you guys! Meantime, just enjoy all the experiments ^_^ I do for you.

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He Says I'm a SuperMom

Nelson's all praises, he says i'm a super mom! Having to wake up at 5 in the morning, assist the kids as they prepare for school, bring them to school, come home to prepare food for lunch, bring lunch to school, come home to cook dinner, be at school by 4 in the afternoon to fetch them and bring them to their chinese tutor. Well, that has been my life for 10 days now. I thought I couldn't manage just by the thought of it, I thought i'm gonna lose some weight, but heck no! in fact I think I've added a pound or two, I thought I wouldn't have time to blog, but here I am posting at least every other day ^_^ I think it's just proper time management, and how you look at things. I did not do all these with a heavy heart, but of course I'm counting the days until my "angels" arrive, and it seems like eternity already, harhar!

The joys of being a mother...

I think I know the reason why I am enjoying right now despite not having my 2 yayas (nanny) with me. I don't really know how to cook (filipino dishes), yeah sue me...and I will bribe you with pasta dishes and cookies. Those are my two specialties. But I tried my best really with the aid of a cookbook (3 different ones) and the internet and of course my Mom. I was able to whip some "gourmet" treats to feed the family. I call it treats because I cook only on special occassions like Christmas and New Year. My kids including N enjoyed everything I prepared for them, I got never ending "Mom, it really really tastes good! Can you cook it again next week?" Of course hearing all these, I couldn't help but feel elated! Yes, I'm flying high! ... and will be flying low soon...the bottomline, they want me to be the official cook in this house! Bwaaaaaahhhhhh.... ^_^

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How I Spent My Week

We normally spend Holy Week at home...it's all you can sleep time (without feeling guilty, without feeling like a bum), anyone can be LAZY, anyone can stay LATE at night each doing his/her own thing.

1. I was able to cook pasta (Tomato, Cream & Cheese and Puttanesca Sauces) and they loved it.
2. I thought I finished the series Gilmore Girls. The season 7 dvd contained only 10 episodes...bummer!
3. Watched Memoirs of Geisha (don't have anything to do)
4. Had dinner at my in-laws, brought my version of chicken inasal for them to taste, and cooked garlic rice to go with the chicken.
5. Had our usual Good Friday Coffee Night at starbucks with the gang.
6. Attended Easter Service, then had Easter lunch over at my parents' house.
7. Was suppose to watch a movie to culminate the week, but lazy bones still =(

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