When life gets too busy and crazy...

Hi everyone!

Good morning!

Been awhile huh? I am sorry, things are pretty crazy around here. I have a lot of things on my plate lately. Naku, sobrang daming pinagkakaabalahan talaga!

We are starting to move our things back to Nanay's place since husband will be leaving soon to work abroad and ang hirap kumuha ng kasama sa bahay sa panahon ngayon. Mahirap maglipat ng gamit buti na lang at hindi naman ganun kadami ang ililipat but still matrabaho pa din maglipat.

With work, andaming updates na kailangan i-absorb. Hindi pa naman ako sponge. (that was a joke, ako lang ata ang tumawa lols!)

Life is a series of never-ending changes.

 

Got this from Google.

And as for me, life is hard, so we should be tougher.

Have a great weekend!

Versions : Macaroni and Cheese

Hi everyone!


Good morning!

I was looking for a pasta dish on the net and thinking of something fast and easy to make and found this easy macaroni and cheese recipe.I will tag this as versions since I did not used all the ingredients stated in the recipe and used what's available in my pantry.


Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp                        butter
• 3 cloves                    garlic (minced)
• 400 gms                    SM Bonus macaroni  
• 1 bar                         SM Bonus Cheese
• 1 pouch                     Del Monte Cheese Magic
• 1 pack                       King Sue spiced ham (cut into small pieces)
• pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
2. Melt butter over low fire, add garlic cooking until the color turns brownish.
3. Add the ham cooking for 2 minutes, then add the macaroni stir until well-blended.
4. Mix in Del Monte Cheese Magic and grated cheese cook until cheese is melted.
5. Add pepper to taste, top with grated cheese.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Macaroni and Cheese

Food Trip of the Week : Spicy Eggplant

Hello everyone!


Good morning!


For the first time in months, naka-tiyempo din ako ng murang presyo ng talong!

Dahil sa sobrang pasok sa budget ko, I bought 1 kilo, (imagine na 3 lang kami kumakain 2 adult +1 baby) ang dami ko planong gawin na luto torta, isama sa pinakbet, ilaga lang tapos isawsaw sa bagoong.

Sa huli, ang ngyari eh naging spicy eggplant lang lahat. Actually, 2 batches ang nangyari. I originally planned to cook this with pork giniling kaso since wala ako fridge (yes, tama ang nabasa mo wala ako nyan kasi pinag-iipunan ko pa haha!) plain lang muna na spicy eggplant sa breakfast then nung gabi na I cooked it na may kasamang giniling.

Spicy Eggplant

Spicy Eggplant

Ingredients :

• 1/2 kg                  eggplant (cut into half, then sliced diagonally)
• 3 cloves               garlic (minced)
• 1 medium             onion (chopped)
• 2 tbsp                  Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce (add more if you want)
• 2 pcs                   siling haba, sliced diagonally (optional)
• 1 tsp                    oil 
• 1/2 tsp                 Lee Kum Kee Sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure :

1. Saute garlic until brown. Add onion and cook until soft
2. Add eggplant and cooked until soft.
3. Add Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce, season with salt and pepper according to taste.
4. Drizzle with sesame oil to add more flavor mixing once and then add the siling haba.
5. Serve with white rice.
6. Enjoy!

Food Trip of the Week : Steamed Banana Bread

Hi there!

Good morning!

I've been asking myself, why have I not posted any dessert on my blog?

Answer? I don't know how to do them.

True.

When it comes to baking or something similar to that I have no idea at all. So whenever there is a get together in our family be sure to find something from the bakeshop or grocery for dessert. It takes time and effort to bake, and this is something that someone should really worked on given that person have the time and patience to learn. 

I bought the necessary ingredients in making a banana cake/bread except for...guess what?!! The banana! Shoot.

I have watched enough videos on Youtube and searched for the recipe in Google so I think I'm good to go. I will try making this recipe, hopefully it will turned well. (Fingers crossed!)

Banana cake first try :)

The above image is my first try in making banana cake.I used the same mold the 2nd time but you can see the difference in texture. Although the first try was good in terms of taste but it's not yet fluffy mukhang matigas sya pero masarap na, kailangan pala ng konting baking powder para umalsa.


Banana Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces         overripe, lacatan banana (smashed)
• 2 cups           all-purpose flour
• 1 cup             brown sugar
• 1 tsp              baking soda
• 1 tsp              baking powder
• 1/4 tsp           salt
• 1 tsp              vanilla extract
• 1tsp               baking powder
• 1/2 bar           butter (melted)
• 2 medium       eggs 
• aluminum mold greased with oil.

 

Procedure:

1.  Prepare steamer with water.
2.  Greased individual molds and set aside.
3.  Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Use whisk to mix.
4.  In a separate bowl, add sugar to the melted butter and mix until well blended.
5.  In another bowl, mashed banana and add to the melted butter and sugar mixture. Then add to the flour mixture.
6.  Mix just to moisten and place in the grease pan.
7.  Steam for 45 minutes until inserted toothpick in the middle comes out clean.
8.  Set to cool for another 10 minutes.
9.  Serve and enjoy.

Banana Cake version 2

Food Trip of the week: Chicken Sopas

Hi everyone!


Rainy days are here again!

Tsk, tsk. hirap pa naman mag commute kapag ganitong panahon. Binabaha pa naman sa lugar namin. Hayy...ang daming worries agang aga di ba? Haha..

To lessen stress one should find ways : totally ignore or tawanan na lang. I chose both.

Anyway, since umuulan na naman ng madalas mapa-practice ko na naman ang skill ko sa paghabol ng mga jeep which reminds me of the my college days. Naku, if you are a student of PUP I'm sure na relate na relate ka sa mga patok na jeep na inaabangan mo pa para hindi ma-late sa first subject mo buti na ngayon may LRT 2 and aircon pa, hindi na hassle ang pagiintay ng matagal sa byahe yun nga lang sa sobrang dami ng pasahero during rush hour eh pipila ka din ng mahaba and matagal. I suggest na umalis na lang ng mas maaga para hindi malate. Kaso, paano kapag ganitong maulan? Aminin mo napakasarap matulog, naka 5 times na snooze na ang ginawa mo sa alarm humhirit ka pa ng 5 minutes. Akong ako lang ito, buti masipag ang taga gising ko hahaha! (Salamat Dad!)

At dahil maulan ang alam ko na isang masarap gawin bukod sa matulog? Alam na, kumain! Kaya I cooked this chicken sopas para mainitan ang tiyan namin.

 Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp        butter
• 3 cloves     garlic
• 1 medium   onion
• 2 pcs          hotdog, cut into small pieces (I used Purefoods TJ jumbo kids can tell :))
• 400g           SM Bonus (salad macaroni)
• 1 big can     Carnation Evap
• 200g           chicken breast, shreded
• 5 cups         water
• mixed vegetable     includes : carrot, beans, cabbage
• fish sauce and pepper according to taste
• 2 eggs for garnishing

Procedure:

1. In a pot, put 5 cups of water and bring to a boil with the chiken breast. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once cooked, let the chicken cool down and save broth.
2. In another pan, saute garlic and onion with butter until soft. Add hotdog cooking until brownish, add the shredded chicken. Cook for 3 minutes over low heat.
3. Add salad macaroni and cook for 4 minutes then dissolve to the broth and bring to a boil.
4. Check the macaroni if it is al dente then pour in the evaporated milk simmer for 2 minutes. Do not boil.
5. Add the vegetable, season with fish sauce and pepper.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!

As usual, I need to improve my plating :)

Food Trip of the Week : Vegetable Wrap

Hello everyone!


Good morning!

Having worked as an OFW in the Middle East, there are days that me and husband will crave for some Arabic food, but there is no restaurant near our place that serves authentic Arab food. I recall that my favorite includes machboos laham/dee-ay or machboos samach, kafayif, malfoof or should I say I love all of them? I would love to cook some biryani rice at home, but I am having a hard time finding the right spices and also I need to learn how to cook it haha! The other day, I had some ground pork and mixed vegetable left over and bought some tortilla wrap add some fresh lettuce and onion and although the it is not even close to an Arabic meal, it still reminds me of the good times I had in UAE and the warm people who accommodated me for 3 years.

Vegetable Wrap

To the people in Delma who were like a family to me...this food is for you.

Food Trip of the Week : Lomi

Hello everyone!


Good morning!


It's been raining for the last few days and we have to think of ways to warm ourselves with blankets and yes, food! Being born and raised in Batangas, lomi is one of those food that is so popular, makikita mo naman lahat halos ng karinderya, canteen, restaurant eh may ganyan sa menu. My husband loves lomi, and to be honest ayoko lutuin ito kasi I'm afraid na hindi maging masarap ang outcome. Pero I have to do this, una kasi gusto ko itry ulit magluto nito and para na din makuha ang approval ng asawa ko haha! I passed with flying colors kasi he posted it in his FB account. Yehey! Below is the recipe, try nyo din lalo na ngayon na maulan at malamig.

Ingredients:

1 pc.              chicken thigh (shred into pieces)
1 pack            kikiam
1/4 kg.            chicken liver
250 gms          lomi noodles
1 tbsp.            cooking oil
4 cloves          garlic
1 medium        onion
4 eggs             (3 hardboiled, 1 beaten)
2tsp.               cornstarch (dissolve in 1/2 cup water)
vegetables       carrots, cabbage, baguio beans (mixed/available at Savemore)
3 tbsp.             fish sauce
leek
pepper to taste



 Procedure:

1. Bring water to boil season with salt and pepper. Add chicken thigh and chicken liver cooking until done. Take out chicken and liver from the broth and let it cool. Set chicken broth aside.
2. Wash lomi noodles in cold running water. Drain. Set aside.
3. In a pan, saute garlic and onion. Next, cook kikiam and chicken thigh until both turn a bit brownish. Add the lomi noodles cooking for about 2 minutes.
4. Boil the broth adding more water if needed then add the noodles simmer for 5-7 minutes. Do not overcook.
5. Add vegetable cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Add the cornstarch and the beaten egg to the broth.
7. Garnish with hard boiled egg.
8. Serve hot and enjoy.
9. Goes well with soy sauce, kalamansi and chili.

My version of Batangas Lomi

Food Trip of the Week : Pancit Bihon

Hello everyone!


Good morning!

When the weather is like this, rainy,cold, blanket and bed worthy parang wala ka gusto gawin kundi ang magstay sa bahay and kumain. During weekends or walang pasok ang lagi namin problema is kung ano ang kakainin or lulutuing meryenda kahit kakatapos pa lang ng breakfast or lunch.That explains kung bakit malaki ako haha! Anyway, here is something na worth trying kapag nagugutom, kakasawa na din naman ang ready to cook na noodles di ba?


Ingredients :

1 pack         Vermicelli noodles
500 grams   chicken breast (cut into strips)
1 pack          kikiam
1 pack          squid balls
250 grams    chicken liver
3 cloves        garlic
1 medium     onion
1 medium     carrots
15 pieces      baguio beans
half head      cabbage
1 pack           snow peas (chicaro)
water            3-4 cups
3 tbsp           sauce  
2 tbsp           oyster sauce
ground pepper


Procedure:

1. Bring to a boil 3-4 cups of water. Add chicken breast and liver, seasoned with salt and pepper. turn off heat once the chicken turned white. Set aside, reserve broth.
2. In a pan, saute garlic, onion adding kikiam and squid balls. Cook until turns slight brown.
3. Add chicken strips cooking for 3 minutes. Once cooked, add carrots, beans, snow peas and cabbage. Do not overcook. Slowly add soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper.
4. On the reserve broth, cook the vermicelli noodles for 2-3 minutes and then drain.
5. Mix with the vegetable, adding the cook chicken liver.
6. Serve with fish sauce and kalamansi.
7. Enjoy!

Pancit bihon, still in kawali :)

Adventure : Mr. Kimbob Korean Healthy Food at SM Foodcourt

Hi everyone!


Good morning!


We had our usual visit to the nearest SM, and been seeing this new Korean food chain for awhile now. Finally, husband and I decided to try their food. Being a food lover, we find it pleasing that they have big servings plus the fact that they serve veggie on the side is a new thing. Normally, fast food offers fried everything , that is according to my observation. Plus the fact that the food costs P99 is really worth trying, right?


   We were undecided on which to order, good thing the crew offered their best seller --- the Bibimbob!

Bibimbob

    I was not in the mood for something spicy that day so I skipped the one with kimchi and ordered the one below :

Bulgogi Jabche Dubbob

    This is the same dish as the Bibimbob except for the japchae (it's the korean version of pancit). We also had this vegetable dumpling as side dish.

Vegetable dumpling

Our food for the day..

  

   My husband did love the food although he was asking for something more spicy with that being said he was looking forward to another eating marathon at Kimbob.On my part, I found the japchae too oily and the serving too big for me, like half pa lang ang nakakain ko gusto ko na mag give-up haha! But it was all worth it given the price. :)

Food trip of the week : Ginisang Pechay with Tokwa

Hello everyone!


Good morning!

On a weekly basis, you will find this food on our table. I consider myself being on a budget all the time, so I have to think of ways that I can bet my 100 pesos, challenge ito haha!

Ingredients :

1/2 kg          pechay (separate the stems from the leaves)
1/4 kg          pork giniling
4 pcs.          fried tokwa (I buy this cooked from the carinderia)
2 cloves       garlic (minced)
1 medium     onion (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Wash pechay thoroughly. Cut into serving pieces, separate the stems from the leaves.
2. In a pot, saute garlic until brown, add in onion cook until it turns white.
3. Add ground pork cooking until it turned brownish.
4. Add the tokwa cook for a minute.
5. Slowly add the pechay stems cook for 2 minutes. Do not overcooked to maintain the pechay's        crispiness, quickly add the leaves, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and turn off the heat.
6. Serve with steamed white rice.

Ginisang Pechay with Tokwa

Sorry the photo is not that clear, I've used mobile phone for easier uploading. :)

Food trip of the week : Lugaw (rice porridge)

Hi everyone!


Good morning!

Rainy days are here again, we officially say goodbye to summer.

I've been wanting to cook lugaw since the day it rained but have to delay it due to other stuffs to do but today no more excuses kasi nga it was raining for 2 days straight and it will feel good to have some hot soup to warm our tummy. :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup       malagkit (soaked in water for 30 minutes before cooking)

3 cloves        garlic
2 tbsp.           margarine
1 small          ginger  (crushed, cutting into strips)
1 medium      onion
1/2 kg           chicken (cut into small parts)
8 cups           water
pinch of pepper
fish sauce     according to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute' garlic,onion,ginger and chicken. Cook until the chicken meat turns white.
2. Season with pepper.
3. Drain the malagkit add to the chicken and garlic mixture cook for about 3 or 4 minutes.
4. Add 8 cups water, let it simmer for atleast 5 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid sticking to the     pan.
5. Cook the porridge until the malagkit is smooth.
6. Serve hot.

 Optional:

Garnish with toasted garlic and spring onion.
Serve with hard boiled egg.

My version of lugaw, sarapp!

Food trip of the week : Cheesy Spaghetti

Hi everyone!


Good morning!

My family loves pasta.

I recall my ate telling me that we can live in Italy because we can survive eating pizza and pasta everyday (or anywhere else that pizza and pasta is made).We still live here in Manila though but our love for any pasta dish never wears out.

Today, I cooked cheesy spaghetti. I just need to improve on my plating though, halimaw kasi ang servings eh haha plus according sa isang miron kulang daw sa greens. (as if naman kumakain sya ng veggie hehe!)


Ingredients:

1/2 kg           SM Bonus spaghetti
3 cloves        garlic
1 medium      onion
1/4 kg           ground pork or beef
1 pack          Del Monte Cheese Magic (200 grams)
1 pack          Clara Ole' Three-Cheese
1 pack          SM Bonus cheese
1 can            SM Bonus mushroom (pieces and stems)
pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Cook spaghetti according to package instruction.
2. Saute' garlic, onion and pork/beef until brown.
3. Add Clara Ole' Three-Cheese simmer for a minute then add Del Monte Cheese Magic.
4. Season with a dash of salt and pepper.
5. Serve in a plate and top with grated cheese.

Optional:

Serve with garlic toast.

How to make garlic toast:

1. Slice baguette (available in Save More/ 40 per piece discounted if you buy 3).
2. In low fire, melt butter in a pan. Make sure not to burn it.
3. Adding crushed garlic, cooking for a  minute still in low fire.
4. Dip the sliced baguette in the melted butter and garlic mixture.
5. Place in oven toaster for 3 minutes or until brownish.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Cheesy spaghetti with garlic toast.

Food trip of the week : Chicken nilaga

Hi everyone!


Good morning!

Today, I mistakenly bought chicken instead of pork and I planned to cook nilaga. Galing di ba? Surely, sign of aging. No doubt.

I'm sure it sounds weird since it's chicken nilaga. I mean pork nilaga and chicken tinola is common but chicken nilaga, hindi masyado di ba? So there, since I have paid for the chicken and no plans of spending more I told myself chicken nilaga? Why not, go!

Ingredients:

3 cloves        garlic
1 medium      onion
3/4 kg           chicken/adobo cut
5 cups           water
1/4 kg            potatoes
15 pcs.          baguio beans
1/4 kg            pechay
peppercorn
fish sauce     according to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute' garlic,onion and chicken cooking until brown.
2. Add 5 cups water, and the peppercorn. Let it boil for atleast 4 minutes.
3. Add potatoes, cook until tender.
4. Add baguio beans, add fish sauce according to taste. Simmer for a minute.
5. Add pechay, turn off heat so as not to overcook.
6. Serve hot.

Optional:

Serve with fish sauce, calamansi and chili.

Chicken Nilaga

Food trip of the week : Creamy penne in tuna and pesto sauce

Hi everyone!

Good morning!

One of the things that I really love doing is to cook, maybe it has something to do with my Batanguena roots? I don't know, but what I know is I love to eat, and I know good food!

Last weekend, I cooked this recipe I saw in the internet last month, The1st time I tried cooking this was on a weekend sleepover at my Nanay's place which turned out to be too oily, I guess I got a bit excited adding the olive oil.

This time, I tried to follow the steps and skip the olive oil.

Ingredients:

500g                 Ideal Penne pasta Gourmet Penne Macaroni
1 pouch            Clara Ole' Cheesy Pesto
1 can                Century tuna (in vegetable oil or hot and spicy)
1 can                SM Bonus mushroom (stems and pieces)
1 250ml            Nestle All Purpose Cream
1 head              garlic
1 medium         onion

Procedure:

1. Cook pasta according to package instruction. Drain. Set aside.
2. Heat pan, using tuna's oil saute' garlic until golden, add onion.
3. Add tuna, cook for a minute or two.
4. Add mushroom cook for about 2 minutes then add Clara Ole' Cheesy Pesto.
5. Mix in Nestle All Purpose Cream let it simmer for a minute.
6. Pour into pasta, mix and serve.
7. Makes 2-4 servings.

Optional:

Serve with garlic bread.

Creamy penne in tuna and pesto sauce