PAELLA

You Need

12 black mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
12 prawns, peeled and deveined
12 clams, scrubbed
125g scallops
200g white fish fillets, skinned and cut into chunks
Row Squid (calamari) rings
4 large Crab legs (optional)
100g Cherizo, sliced (if you do not find Cherizo or do not eat them, you can use good quality cheese filled hot dogs instead)
1 slice bacon, chopped
75g frozen peas
1 red capsicum, finely chopped
1 ripe tomato, skinned and roughly chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 red onion extra, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup medium grain rice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine, or extra chicken stock if not using wine
1/4 tsp or a pinch of good quality Saffron threads
a pinch of cayenne pepper
Finely chopped parsley for garnish

In a sauceapn, heat onions and wine or chicken stock if not using wine, once steaming add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Shake the pot twice throughout, instead of opening the lid and stirring. Remove the pan from heat, drain, reserving liquid, and discard closed mussels.

While this is cooking, blend the saffron with warm chicken stock, set aside.

In a paella pan or a braising pan, heat the olive oil, bacon, garlic and extra 1/2 red onion, add red capsicum and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chorizos and cayenne pepper. stir to coat. Season with salt & black pepper. Stir in the reserved liquid from cooking the mussels. Add the rice and spread around the pan.

Add the soaked saffron and stock and stir into the paella pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat, uncovered for 15 minutes. Do not stir at this point.

After 15 minutes are done, add peas, prawns, calamari rings, and push them in a little bit. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. When 5 minutes are done, uncover and turn the rice mixture over once. Cook till the rice is tender and the seafood is cooked through, do not over cook or seafood will turn out rubbery. if the rice still has a bite, add a little extra stock and cook for 5 minutes extra.
Add the mussels and Scallops in the last 5 minutes of the cooking.

Remove from heat, and let it rest for a few minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm...

ARROZ ALA VALENCIANA

ARROZ ALA VALENCIANA

3 cups cooked rice
4-5 cloves chopped garlic
1/3 cup chopped onion
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 small cans tomato sauce
2 lbs. chicken drumettes
½ red bell pepper, cut lengthwise
1 piece chorizo de Bilbao, sliced into thin rounds
¼ cup frozen green peas
2 hardboiled eggs, cut lengthwise
Salt to taste

1. Cook the rice in advance. You can combine the long grain with sticky rice by using 2 cups long grain and 1 cup sticky rice.

2. Hard boil the eggs. Set aside and let cool.

3. Heat up the olive oil in a big pan or wok on medium heat. Saute the garlic for about 20 seconds, add the onion and cook until glassy. Add the chicken and tomato sauce and cover the pan. Bring down the flame to, low to medium. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir everything around to cook the chicken evenly. Add the chorizo. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and salt to taste. Cover the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

4. Separate the chicken from the sauce. Pour the sauce into a heat resistant container. Add the rice to the pan a little at a time, alternately with the sauce until evenly coated.

5. Microwave the green peas for about 20 seconds or until thawed. Arrange the rice and chicken by layering them on a serving dish. Garnish with hard boiled eggs and green peas. Serve immediately.

http://www.theredgingham.com/2011/06/arroz-ala-valenciana.html

Vigan longganisa

Vigan Longanisa Recipe

Ingredients:

1 kilo ground pork pigue or ham
1/4 cup garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. onions, chopped
2& 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper, ground
1/3 cup soy sauce
2&1/4 Tbsp. vinegar
2 yds sausage casing
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. cooking oil

How to cook vigan longanisa:

In a bowl, mix thoroughly the first seven ingredients until well blended.
Stuff the mixture into casing and tie every 2 inches long with a string.
Hang under direct sunlight for about 4 hours to allow fat and liquid to drip and dry.
Heat a carajay and pour 1/2 cup water and 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil.
Put in the longanisa. Cover and cook over low heat until all of the water evaporates. Prick each with a fork.
When all liquid has evaporated, pan fry until brown.
Serve hot with fried rice, tomatoes and sliced salted eggs.

Philippine Halo halo

Best refresher during summer time is the halo halo.  This is the favorite snacks during hot days in the Philippines. Many people make halo halo for business during hot days in the Philippines.


Ingredients:
2 pc (small) Ripe Saba Banana (peeled and sliced)
⅓ cup Red Monggo Beans (cooked)
½ cup Sago (cooked, white or colored)
150 grams Melon Flesh (shredded)
½ cup All-Purpose Cream (chilled)
3 tbsp Condensed Milk (sweetened)
¼ to ⅓ cup Ube Halaya (softened)
½ cup Leche Flan (cubes, optional)
1 can (832 grams) Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail (drained, reserve syrup)
Cooking Instructions:
Cook saba and monggo beans in ½ cup water, fruit cocktail syrup and ¼ cup brown sugar for 7 minutes or until saba is cooked. Add sago. Allow to simmer.
Drain. Combine with DEL MONTE Fiesta Fruit Cocktail and melon.
Mix well all-purpose cream, condensed milk and ube. Combine with fruit cocktail mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Top with leche flan.
Makes 12 servings (4 cups)

Pork Menus

 Sizzling Pork
Sisig is one of my favorite Filipino foods especially when it is a little bit hot. I tried one time to make Sizzling salmon, the taste was so delicious. So I want to try Sizzling  pork this time. Here is the recipe . Enjoy your meal.

Sisig - Lutong Bahay

Ingredients:
1 Kilo Pork Belly
1/2 chicken liver
2-3 Tbsp Butter
2 Cloves Garlic chopped finely
2 Red Onion chopped finely  (separate at least half for garnishing)
1 Pack Chicharron (pork rind) crushed/powdered
5-7 tbsp Mayonnaise
3 pcs Green Chili Pepper (deseeded and chopped)
2 pcs Red Chili Pepper chopped (slightly spicy- you can omit if you don't like spicy)
2-3 tbsp Light soy sauce or Maggie Savor
Salt
Pepper
Oil
1/2 tbsp sugar
Lemon
Procedure:
Deep fry Tofu in oil until golden brown. Once cooked, remove from heat and drain oil. Set aside.
On another pan, sautee garlic and onion in butter. Once the garlic is slightly brown and onion is translucent, add in ground pork. Sautee for a few minutes until ground pork is cooked.
Drain oil
Mix in tofu cubes
Sprinkle salt, pepper, light soy sauce and sugar.
Add liver spread and mix thoroughly
Add in Green chili pepper and red chili pepper.
Turn of heat. Set aside to cool. Around  5 minutes.
Once cool, add in mayo and chopped onion. We want to make sure mayo won't be cooked and turn into oil.
Use strainer and squeeze calamansi juice on top
Mix it all to consistency
Garnish with crushed chicharron.

BICOL EXPRESS Recipe

Bicolanos favorite dish

Ingredients:

1 Kilo Pork Belly cut in small cubes
1  Pack Coconut Milk powder
3-4 Long Green Chillies , de-seeded and cut into squares
Ginger (thumb size - grated)
1 Red Onion (chopped finely)
1 Head Garlic (chopped finely)
1 Cup Bagoong alamang
1 and 1/2 tbsp sugar
3 Cups Water
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp dried basil
Salt

Pork Belly Marinate:

Marinate your pork to make it more flavourful. (optional)

2-3 tbsp Paprika (optional)
 Instructions:

1.  Sautee bagoong alamang with 1 tbsp garlic and onion for 6 mins or until color turns dark brown. Set aside.

2. In another clean pan with oil, saute garlic, onion and ginger respectively.

3. Add pork belly and cook for 8-10 mins.

4. Add bagoong and saute with pork for 2-3 mins.

5. Add sugar, to make it a mix of sweet and salty. But make sure not to over do it. Just a pinch of sugar sprinkled on the pork. Use low heat for 1-2 mins.

6. Add long chili

7. Add 3 cups water and boil

8. Add  Coconut Milk powder and dissolve and add dried basil.

9. Simmer for 30 mins. and stirring occasionally.

10. Add flour dissolve in water (around 6 tbsp water)

11. Simmer for few minutes or until sauce is cream. Serve hot with rice.

Filipino Foods

GUISADONG AMPALAYA (BITTERGOURD) WITH EGG

2 medium sized ampalaya
1 cup shrimp peeled and deveined
3 medium sized eggs, beaten
1 glove garlic, minced
1 medium sized onion, sliced
2 medium sized tomatoes, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of water or chicken stock
2 tbspoon cooking oil

Clean ampalaya, cut and remove seeds. Slice thinly and sprinkle with salt and mix well, to lessen the bitter taste. Put slice ampalaya in a bowl with hot water and set aside for a few minutes.

In a wok, heat cooking oil and saute garlic, onion and tomatoes. Add drained ampalaya and stir for 5 minutes. Add water or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until ampalaya is done. Add shrimps and stir for another 5 minutes. Add beaten eggs and cook for another 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with rice.

 CHICKEN POCHERO

Sangkap:

3 pounds chicken, cut into serving parts
3 saba bananas, peeled and halved
2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 bunch pechay, ends trimmed and leaves separated
½ napa cabbage, end trimmed and leaves halved
8 to 10 pieces green beans, ends trimmed
2 cups garbanzo beans
2 chorizo de bilbao, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 cup tomato sauce
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 cups water
vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Paraan:

1) Sa isang kawali magpa init ng manktika (MEDIUM HEAT). Ilagay ang banana at prituhin hanggang maging lightly browned. Hanguin mula sa kawali, drain ninyo sa paper towel. I prito ninyo rin ang patatas katulad ng saging na lightly browned. Hanguin at i drain sa paper towel.

2) Sa isang malaking kaldero, (MEDIUM heat), lagyan ng 1 tbsp mantika. Igisa ang sibuyas at bawang hanggang bumango. Idagdag ang manok at halu haluin hanggang mag brown ng bahagya. Maglagay ng patis at lutuin ng mga 2-3 minutes.

3) Ihalo ang tomato sauce at tubig at pakuluin. Tanggalin ang halagap o namumuong puting bula mula sa karne sa ibabaw ng sabaw. Hinaan ang apoy mga LOW. Takpan at simmer ninyo hanggang maluto ang manok mga 10-15 minutes. Timplahan ng asin at paminta ng naaayon sa inyong panlasa.

4) Idagdag ang prinitong patatas hanggang lumambot. Ihalo ang chorizo de bilbao, garbanzo beans at prinitong saging kanina. Lutuin ng mga 4-5 minutes. Idagdag ang green beans at napa cabbage at lutuin ngmga 2-3 minutes. Idagdag ang pechay at lutuin ng mga 1-2 minutes o hanggang lumambot ngunit crispy pa rin ang gulay. Serve na po ninyo ng mainit. Tapos!

adapted: kawalingpinoy

Tofu with Water Spinach Adobo

Ingredients:

3oz. extra firm tofu
1 bunch water spinach (kangkong)
2 tbsp. vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooking oil

Method:

Heat cooking oil in a pan. Fry the tofu in medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Turn off heat. Remove the tofu from the pan and let cool. Slice the fried tofu into small cubes. Set aside. On the same pan, remove excess cooking oil until about 1 tablespoon of oil is left. Sauté garlic, onions and tomato, then add the tofu. Add soy sauce and some pepper. Let simmer then add the vinegar. Do not stir for 5 minutes. Add the water spinach stalks first, cook for 1 minute then add water let boil, then put in the spinach leaves. Season with salt if needed. Continue cooking until the vegetable is done. Serve with steamed rice.

PANCIT MALABON

PANCIT MALABON INGREDIENTS:
1 kilo fresh rice noodles (thick and round, soaked for 10 minutes in water and drained)
6 tbsp achuete oil
6 cups shrimp juice
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

Garnishing:
1 cup pechay Baguio, sliced
1 cup chicharon, crushed
1 cup smoked tinapa, flakes
1 cup adobo oysters,
1 1/2 cup shrimps, cooked and peeled
1/2 kilo adobo squid
1 cup pork, cooked and cubed
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup spring onions, chopped finely
4 tbsp fried garlic
4-6 pcs calamansi, sliced

PANCIT MALABON PROCEDURES:
1. Dissolve 1 cup of flour in 1 cup of water. Set aside.
2. Heat achuete oil in a pan. Sautèe garlic, then add shrimp juice. Allow to boil. Pour in water with dissolved flour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. Boil water in a wok or large saucepan. Fill a luglugan or bamboo strainer with noodles, pechay Baguio.
4. Dip into the boiling water and drain. Put in a large bowl.
5. Add sauce, crushed chicharon, and tinapa flakes. Toss, then transfer to a plate.
6. Top with oysters, shrimps, squid, pork, egg slices, spring onions, and fried garlic. Serve with sliced calamansi.

*How to cook adobong talaba: add to 1 cup vinegar: 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and 3 cloves minced garlic. Boil for 3 minutes, then add fresh, shelled talaba. Let boil for 1 minutes. Do not overcooked or talaba would shrink into pea size.

*How to cook adobong pusit: Boil squid in a mixture of vinegar, pinch of salt, minced garlic, and pepper. After 5 minutes, separate squid and garlic from sauce. Heat a little oil in pan, fry squid and garlic. Stir for 5 minutes and add sauce again. Simmer another 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Note: In cleaning squids, be careful not to pierce its small "bag of ink" which gives the delicious flavor in the adobong pusit.

Leche Flan

Leche Flan Special is one of my favorite desserts. I love  also to put on the top of my ice cream. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

•    10 pieces of raw eggs
•    1 small can of condensed milk
•    1 cup of fresh or evaporated milk
•    ½ cup of white sugar
•    ½ tsp of vanilla extract

For the caramel:
•    1 cup of brown sugar
•    5 pieces of calamansi (optional)
•    3 tablespoon of water

Procedures:

1. Crack all the raw eggs and start separating the yolk from the egg white. Only the yolk will be used. Put the combined yolk into a bowl.

2. Carefully beat the egg yolks. Slowly add condensed milk and vanilla extract while beating. Then, add fresh milk and sugar, then continue to mix thoroughly. Keep on mixing until the desired consistency is achieved.

3. Use strainer while pouring the mixture into another bowl. This would help make sure the texture is ideal.

4.  Prepare the caramel by boiling a small amount of water in a saucepan. Lower heat when brown sugar is added. Continuously stir until sugar caramelizes. You may put calamansi to enhance flavor and taste (optional). Immediately pour the syrup into the llaneras.

5. Pour the egg and milk mixture into each llanera. Cover each with aluminum foil and cook using a steamer for about 30 minutes or until leche flan solidifies. Set aside to let cool before refrigerating.

SOURCE :Entrepreneur

Chicken creamy soup

For cold weather, it is very ideal to cook this very delicious chicken creamy soup

1 whole boneless chicken breast, baked or boiled and shredded
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Diced Onion
1/3 cup Diced Celery
1/3 cup Diced Carrots
1 whole Bay Leaf
½ teaspoon Dry Thyme
¼ cup Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth
2 cups Milk,
2 Tablespoons all purpose cream
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Chives, To Garnish

In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to foam. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook until they begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the bay leaf and the thyme and cook until the vegetables are soft, about six minutes more.

Add the flour and cook for two minutes, making sure that the flour is completely coated in the butter. Whisk in the chicken stock and milk then reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, until the soup thickens and begins to simmer, about twenty minutes.

Add the shredded chicken and cook for three minutes. Remove the bay leaf and turn the heat down to low. Stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste. Garnish the soup with some fresh chives.

Enjoy!

Adapted from: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/soups/cream-of-chicken soup

Ginataang Kalabasa Recipe

GINATAANG KALABASA

1 kilo squash, cut into cubes (1"x1")
1/4 kilo shrimp, shelled and deveined or
 1/2 kilo pork belly
 3pcs okra cut into 2
3pcs string beans, cut 1 inch
3 pieces tomatoes, diced
2 onions, chopped
1 head garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of ginger root, crushed and minced
4 tablespoons of cooking or olive oil
2 pieces long chili peppers
2 tablespoons of shrimp paste (bagoong)
2 cups coconut milk
1 cups coconut cream (katang gata)
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons of fish sauce (patis)

On a big pan, heat oil. Sauté garlic, onions until light brown then add ginger, cook until onions become translucent.
Add the tomatoes, squash, chicken stock, shrimp paste and the coconut milk. Let boil then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the squash becomes tender.
Add the coconut cream, long chili peppers and the shrimps. Bring again to a boil and simmer for a few more minutes.
Serve hot with plain rice.

Pinakbet Recipe, best ilocano vegetable dish

PINAKBET

8 pcs medium sized shrimp, cleaned/ de-veined (optional)
100 grams pork belly, sliced
1 onion, medium sized, chopped
2 tablespoon cooking oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, big, chopped
1 medium ampalaya (bitter gourd), seeds removed and sliced
1 eggplant, cut into pieces (diagonally)
1 1/2 cups squash, diced or sliced
7 pieces okra(lady finger), each sliced diagonally into 2 with both ends cut
5 pcs string beans, cut
2 tablespoons shrimp paste (bagoong) or more according to taste
1 cup water or broth from boiled shrimp shell/peeling

In a pan, heat the cooking oil, saute garlic, tomato slices and onion until onion is translucent . Add pork and cook until browned.

Add all other ingredients, except the shrimp, mix well while stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

5. Add water or broth and shrimp then cover and bring to a boil then simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

6.Serve with hot steamed rice.

I miss Filipino foods

Simple living is beautiful. Simple foods makes me craving, most especially Ilocano foods. Most Ilocano vegetable dishes cook or prepared with bagoong like pinakbet, salad na talbos, dinengdeng or inabraw. I could not cook the same way as Ilocono does because there is no bagoong available in the market. And I could not also cook even though I have bagoong, mostly given to me by Ilocano friends because it does not smell good, says my bf. So without bagoong in pinakbet and dinengdeng, the taste is very different. So sometimes I used other ingredients. I gathered some Ilocano vegetable foods in internet.   Here are some pictures of Filipino foods I am craving for.  I am sure most of my Ilocano friends miss these foods too. Hmmmmmm delicious  ( for some people who are not Ilocano or not Pinoy,  for them its not delicious )

Dinengdeng with Bangus

Pinakbet

Never Sick Again

            When I attended our Lenten Retreat last March 20, 2010 in Frankfurt, one of our sisters in Couples for Christ gave us a bond  paper with a drawing of human body and written  " Never Sick Again ",  written  are some of common sicknesses and the corresponding foods to eat. I tried some of these and it helps. Maybe its helps you too.
                                  "Never Sick Again"

• Headaches : Fish ( Protein ) :Eat lots of fish as fish oil helps to prevent headaches. So does ginger which reduces inflammation and pain.
• Hayfever : Yoghurt : Eat lots of yoghurt before pollen season.
• Strokes : Tea : Prevents buildup pf fatty deposit on artery walls with regular doses of tea.
• Insomia : Honey : Use honey as a tranquilizer and as a sedative.
• Asthma : Onions ( Red ):Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes
• Arthritis : Fish :Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis.
• Upset Stomach : Bananas, Ginger : Bananas will settle an upset stomach. ginger cures morning sickness and nausea.
• Bladder Infections Cranberry Juice : High acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.
• Bones Problems : Pineapple : Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in peneapple.
• PMS : Cornflakes : Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.
• Memory Problem : Oysters : Oysters help increase your mental functioning by supplying much needed zinc.
• Cough : Red Pepper : A substance similar to that found in cough syrup is found in hot red pepper.
• Breast Cancer : Wheat, Bran, Cabbage : Wheat bran and cabbage help maintain estrogen at healthy levels.
• Lung Cancer : Orange, Green Vegetables : A good antodote is beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in orange and green vegetables.
• Ulcers : Cabbage : Cabbage contains chemical that help heal ulcers.
• Diarrhea : Apples : Crate an apple with its skin. Let it turn brown and eat it to this condition.
• Clogged Arteries : Avocados : Mono-unsaturated fat in avocados lower cholesterol.
• High Blood Pressure : Olive Oil, Celery : Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure. Celery contains a chemical that lowers blood pressure too.

• Blood Sugar Imbalance : Brocolli, Peanuts : the chromium in brocolli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar. 

          You can copy this and attach to your refrigerator  door, wall or to your bulletin board for handy reference because........
                            " Health is Wealth "
         

My new Hobby...Baking

 I prepared a fruit cake and this is the result.....hmmmm yummy

Wanna try some?