FOOD SHOOT

NOT SO RED VELVET CUPCAKES

2012-02-24T01:10:00.007+08:00

On October 21, 2011, we welcomed a new member to our family, Jinnie! We couldn't have rushed over there any quicker to see the two proud parents and their new baby girl. Mom and Dad made the first trip that same week the baby was born. I had to take a later trip when my job permitted it - Boo. I flew solo a month ago and stayed a few weeks. Though I was immensely jealous that I couldn't see my niece earlier, I couldn't have picked a better time to visit. I was just in time for Jinnie's 100th day! This is apparently a big thing in Korea and I was just ecstatic to be there. I'd love to gush about how SOOO CUTE and awesome my niece is, but then you woudnt be able to shut me up.

Let me just share with you what I baked for her on her special day. You could say this is a semi-healthy version of the traditional red velvet cupcake, since I had to work with the ingredients available in the market. Considering I was in a country that places much emphasis on healthy eating, I was in for a challenge. Baking ingredients were scarce, but we managed to collect all the essentials, i.e. their organic versions, and ohh minus the red food dye.

Not So Red Velvet Cupcakes

(Based on Paula Deen's recipe)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

2 cups organic sugar

1 cup softened butter

1 teaspoon butter vanilla

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups organic flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar (buttermilk substitute)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda + 1 tbsp vinegar

Icing

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

*sprinkles and other decorations

Directions:

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Blend the sugar, butter, vanilla, cocoa powder and eggs in a large bowl.

3. Mix the milk and vinegar in a separate small bowl and let the milk curdle.

4. Gradually add the flour and milk/vinegar mixture to the large bowl. Mix until smooth.

5. Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a separate small bowl, then add to the batter.

6. Ladel the mixture into the liners of the cupcake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

7. Cool on a rack when done.

Icing

1. Blend all the ingredients together.

2. Spread on the cooled cupcakes.

*Optional: Decorate with candy sprinkles. I also used something called a Choco Pen for the pretty fine detailing. Get creative!

Food Photo Details: Olympus E-PL2, Auto Mode

Makes 18 cupcakes.

-D

CABBAGE AND SPINACH LASAGNA

2012-01-01T10:27:00.005+08:00

With all the rich and delicious holiday foods, I thought I’d try to lessen the carb-load of at least one dish that I wanted to prepare – lasagna. I found a cabbage lasagna recipe in the book that I’m currently reading, “Protein Power” by the doctors Michael and Mary Dan Eades; the cabbage leaves serve as the pasta. I prepared my usual lasagna recipe (which has spinach) and used the cabbage leaves instead of lasagna noodles. So with this healthy lower-carb dish, I can consume more of the desserts (like the yummy leche flan that my daughter made)!

Ingredients:

1 medium to large head of cabbage

1 pound ground beef

1 jar (about 28 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup water

16 ounces ricotta cheese (you can also use cottage or crumbled white cheese)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (you can also use cheddar or quickmelt cheese)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups chopped spinach (previously boiled, then squeeze out water and chop)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons chopped oregano

2 teaspoons chopped basil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash the cabbage and cut in quarters. Remove the tough outer leaves and the hard “core”. Carefully peel back the leaves and arrange the individual leaves on a steamer basket. Steam until nearly tender (about 3-5 minutes) Set aside.

2. In large skillet, brown meat; drain.

3. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 10 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 350°F.

5. In large bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, spinach, eggs, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.

6. Spread about 1/3 cup meat sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Arrange cabbage leaves over the sauce, overlapping edges. Spread one-third cheese mixture over pasta; spread with about 3/4 cup meat sauce.

7. Repeat layers, beginning and ending with cabbage leaves. Top with remaining meat sauce; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

8. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer, or until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
- M

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Nikkor 18-55mm, ISO 200, F10, 1/160, SB600 1/2 Power
-D

BEST LECHE FLAN EVER

2011-12-31T12:32:00.005+08:00

When the holiday season rolls in, so does all the yummy food. This is when inspiration to cook and feed people (and yourself) is at its peak. I guess it's also the most forgiving time of the year cuz you must forgive yourself for all the sugar and fat you will stuff your faces with.

More often than not, I'm unofficially in charge of the dessert when Mom takes on the main course. Though there are times we both feel up to making both the dessert and main course, so we end up with twice the food! One of the sweets I whipped up this year was the Filipino classic leche flan. YUM! My previous attempts at this dessert were ehh "good," but this batch of leche flan turned out AMAZING! YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY if I should say so myself! So here you go - a must try, really!

Ingredients:

10 egg yolks (no whites, please!)

390 grams evaporated milk

390 grams condensed milk

about 1/2 cup of sugar (I used white, but brown will work, too.)

Directions:

1. Carefully separate the egg yolks from the whites (for super creamy flan!). Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Store the egg whites for future use (a killer healthy omelet maybe).

2. Gently break up the egg yolks. You want to avoid creating bubbles when you do this.

3. Stir in the evaporated and condensed milk. Again no bubbles here! Pop any that you see. Set the mixture aside.

4. Get 6 individual serve round aluminum molds and sprinkle about 2 tbsp. of sugar into each of them. Make sure the sugar is spread evenly to cover the bottoms of the molds.

5. Place the molds in an over toaster for about 3 minutes or until the sugar caramelizes (not burns!).

6. Remove the molds from the oven toaster and cool for about 5 minutes or until the sugar solidifies.

7. Using a sieve to filter out any impurity, pour the mixture into each mold.

8. Steam for 20-30 minutes. I did mine in a steamer on the stove top.

9. Remove from the steamer and chill for about an hour.
10. Using a knife, loosen the edges of the flan from the molds.
11. Flip over onto plates and wiggle the flan out.

11. Serve and devour!

Servings: 6

Happy holidays, everyone! ^_^

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Nikkor 18-55mm, ISO 200, F10, 1/160 SB600 1/4 Power, white reflector

Inspired by: Filipino Recipes

- D

VIETNAMESE FINE-DINING EXPERIENCE

2011-10-09T16:02:00.008+08:00

When we went to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, my daughter was in charge of planning our itinerary and boy did she pack a full schedule! We were not brave enough to see the city’s sights riding on a motorbike so we walked (a lot!).

We wanted to experience Vietnamese fine-dining and sought out Hoa Tuc. It was lunch time and we had been walking quite a distance (we had been to a park, a museum, a lacquerware factory) so when we got to the restaurant, we were ready get out of the heat and humidity. Though the outdoor seating was very nice, we chose to go into the restaurant’s cool interior. It was a good decision because as soon as we had taken our seats, the rain started pouring.

Everything we ordered looked delicious; we had passion fruit juice, shrimp chips, barbeque filet of snapper and a vegetarian omelet which was served with a plate of greens and dipping sauce.

As we started to eat, we noticed that the head waiter watching us; he soon approached our table. He politely asked if I was familiar with the omelet dish. I thought to myself, it’s an omelet, of course I’ve had omelet before. He then asked (politely, of course) if I wanted to be shown how the omelet dish was to be eaten. (I thought, how else do you eat an omelet?) Aloud I said “yes, please”. He then showed me how I was to take a piece of the omelet, put it in the center of a leaf, wrap the leaf around it then dip the whole thing in the sauce before popping it into my mouth. Oh, okay; that way was much more exciting.

For dessert, we had passion fruit custard and sticky rice balls soup; coconut milk was poured over the rice balls. The meal was simply delicious!

By the time we had finished, the rain had stopped and the sun was out again. We headed out for more walking and sightseeing.

(Note: Hoa Tuc also offers Vietnamese-cooking classes.)
- M

Food Photo Details: Auto, Baby! NEW Olympus E-PL2 - This is my point and shoot. :)
- D

MINI CHEESECAKES

2011-09-04T13:47:00.004+08:00

Hello! It’s been a while since I last posted. I’ve been away some and even after I got back, I was always preoccupied with my new hobby – quilting! (but that’s another story). Anyway, my daughter has been bugging me to post something . . .

This is a quick way to make cheesecake. You don’t need to make the crust; just use whole Graham cracker squares. It’s also very convenient since you end up with cheesecake that’s ready to serve, no slicing necessary! Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

2-8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened)

2 eggs

¾ c sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

Graham crackers

Fruit topping (pie filling)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Line the muffin pan with baking cup liners.

3. Trim the corners of Graham cracker squares so that it fits into the lined muffin cups.

4. Beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until fluffy and smooth.

5. Fill the lined cups with the cream cheese mixture to about 2/3 full.

6. Bake in the 375 degree oven for about 15 min or until set. Cool.

7. Top with desired fruit topping/pie filling. Chill.

Variation: You can also use vanilla drop cookies as the “crust”. Depending on the size of the cookies, you may need to use a mini-muffin pan.

Servings: about 24 mini cheesecakes

-M

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/200, F8, ISO 200, SB600 1/2 Power bounced off white wall

-D

TOO MUCH SALAD: CHICKEN CAESAR

2011-06-04T22:31:00.001+08:00

It's been too long since we last posted. Mom's been travelling and I've been swamped with work. Funny how much I've worked and how little money I have left. Hahaha actually not so funny!

Previously I mentioned I've been assigned to shoot A LOT of food. This time around, SALADS were on the menu and in turn my real menu. I couldn't just throw the stuff out after I had finished shooting it. With the help of my friends, brother and father (grudgingly!) we ate it... all of it. It was good, yes, but too much is just too much sometimes. Let's just say it took adept maximizing and stacking Tupperware skills to make it all fit in the fridge.

Here's one of the first salads I made: Chicken Caesar Salad. Feel free to check out the recipe I followed here.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/250, F10, 50mm, SB600 at 1/2 Power

- D

Caesar Salad

LANGKA CUPCAKE FOR MOM

2011-05-09T09:13:00.003+08:00

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! Though you are VERY far away, your family wishes you happiness and love on your day! ♥

In honor of you and your brilliance in recipe innovation, your son and I decided to whip up something totally new - just like the invention test on Junior Masterchef Australia. :p This is called "Langka Cupcake for Mom." We hope you like it.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar (preferably brown)

2 eggs

4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 cups flour

1 cup non-fat milk

4 cups pureed or chopped langka

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Cream the butter, sugar and eggs.

3. Mix in the baking soda and salt.

4. Alternately add the flour and milk.

5. Puree or chop up the langka. Fold this in the batter.

6. Line the cupcake pan.

7. Pour in the mixture to about 3/4 full per cup.

8. Bake for 45 minutes.

*Makes 2 dozens.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/250, F9, SB600 at 1/2 Power, Reflector

- D

Cupcake

MINI TORTILLA PIZZA

2011-05-06T00:14:00.002+08:00

If I had to live on just one recipe of Mom's, it'd be this. In our family, pizza is a staple. We've been pizza aficionados as far as I can remember, but it was only until recently we started on the homemade stuff. I guess the tediousness of rolling our own dough has always been a turn off. I don't know how Mom came up with the ingenious idea of using tortillas for the pizza crust, but she did and we're all loving it!

Ingredients:

8-inch tortillas (as many as you can eat)

tomato sauce

grated cheese

pepperoni

sliced tomatoes

fresh basil

hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Spread some tomato sauce evenly on the tortilla. Try not to make it too thick.

2. Add some grated cheese.

3. Pile on the pepperoni.

4. Pile on the tomatoes.

5. Pile on the basil. (You can chop this up if preferred.)

6. Top with MORE cheese.

7. Place the tortilla in a frying pan on medium heat until the cheese melts and the tortilla gets a little toasty on the bottom.

8. Drown it with hot sauce (This is how I eat mine!), slice it up and serve.

*12-inch tortillas can also be used, so long as they fit in your frying pan. ^_^

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, ISO 200, 1/200, F8, SB600 at 1/2 Power

- D

Pizza

INSTANT SISIG!

2011-04-28T13:25:00.003+08:00

I just love a good sisig and I'm SURE I'm not the only one. The only downside about sisig is it's packed with everything evil - pork cheeks, pork tongue, pork heart, pork liver, pork ears - PORK. It's definitely not something you should eat everyday. Thankfully a healthier version exists, so that's what I tried out for lunch today. Life gets even better when you've got Mama Sita and her instant food mixes available. :) There were actually instructions on the back of the packet, but I put my own spin on it. Try it out:

Ingredients:

1 pack Mama Sita's Capangpangan Sisig Citrus Pepper Spice Mix

Saranggani Bay Boneless Milkfish Fillet 500g

2 red onions (chopped)

1 egg

1/2 cup water

Hot Sauce

(optional) Beer

Directions:

1. Mix 1 pack of sisig mix and 1/4 cup of water. Set aside.

2. Chop up the the red onions. Set aside.

3. Slice the milkfish into chunks and pan fry for about 5 minutes or until pretty much cooked (haha does that make sense?).

3. Add the chopped onions. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the egg and the mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.

5. Remove from heat. Add some hot sauce. Serve with beer!

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, ISO 400, 1/30, F4.5, Natural Lighting

- D

EASTER LEMON/LIME PIE

2011-04-27T14:00:00.003+08:00

Happy Easter! Since it's a special day, I felt it only appropriate to make something special, too. Sifting through Paula Deen's recipes, I stopped when I came across Key Lime Pie. Unfortunately for me, it's rare to find Dayap (a.k.a. Philippine lime) around my town. BUT it isn't hard to find lemon, so I decided to substitute lemon for lime. It was uncanny that I actually found a green variety of lemon. I guess you can call this Lemon/Lime Pie. Taste-wise I'm not sure how different this is, but it is nonetheless TASTY. ^_^

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Pie:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 (12-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cups key lime juice (OR Lemon!)
1 tablespoon key lime zest (OR Lemon!)
1 pint half-and-half
Fresh lime slices. for garnish (OR Lemon!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch spring form pan. Bake for 8 minutes and let the crust cool completely before spreading the pie filling over it.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream until slightly thickened. Gradually add the sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Add condensed milk and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in lime juice, lime zest, and half-and-half. Once the mixture as reached desired flavor and consistency, gently spread pie filling over cooled crust. Cover and freeze for 4 to 6 hours or until firm. Cut into wedges and garnish with fresh lime slices, serve cold.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/250, F8, SB600 1/2 Power

- D

Lemons

BREAD PUDDING

2011-04-16T12:08:00.002+08:00

I remember my grandmother making bread pudding whenever we had stale bread. I would watch her tear the old bread into small pieces then add eggs, milk, and sugar; sometimes she would add raisins or pineapple chunks. She mixed the ingredients with her hands until everything was wet and mushy. Then she would transfer the mixture into a baking pan and pop it into the oven. The sweet aroma of baking bread would soon permeate the house and my cousins and I would eagerly be waiting for the fresh, hot bread pudding as it came out of the oven, just in time for merienda.

I was trying to clear out “forgotten” food from the refrigerator and found “old” bread as well as several pieces of “failed” banana muffins (my daughter did not get the proportions of flour and baking powder right). I hate to see food go to waste so I decided to make bread pudding. It tasted good!

Here’s a recipe that you can follow

Old Fashion Bread Pudding

Food Photo Details:

Nikon Coolpix S210; Auto 1/63, F3.1; Natural Window Lighting

- M

TIRAMISU BUZZ

2011-04-14T19:59:00.001+08:00

I've never really fancied rum cake, fruit cake and other kinds of cake with alcohol. To me alcohol was meant to be drunk hard and straight! *hick* Since I'd been baking almost everyday lately, I was bound to bake with alcohol someday. That day finally came when I had to bake Tiramisu yesterday. The recipe was surprisingly simple and I didn't really have high expectations on taste 'cause it seemed like a plain refrigerator cake. I was wrong! Man oh man it was an explosion in my mouth. ^_^ Just had another slice and I've got a good buzzzzz going on. Haha. Now I LOVE alcohol in cakes. I thank the Barefoot Contessa for this.

Ingredients

6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature*

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup good dark rum, divided

1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided

16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese

30 Italian ladyfingers, or savoiardi

Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated

Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup rum, 1/4 cup espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger in the espresso/rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 by 12 by 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip 1 side of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/200, F8, SB600 1/2 Power from back left, Reflector up front.

- D

Quick Tiramisu

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

2011-04-11T10:39:00.002+08:00

I was at the “Baking needs” aisle in the supermarket and I spotted a box that said “Real cheesecake dessert”. It was a Jell-o No Bake cheesecake! Always on the lookout for shortcuts (the box said “15 minute prep”!), I was eager to try this faster cheesecake recipe! Well, at least in terms of preparation anyway; you still have to wait during the chilling period.

The box had two packages, one for the crust and the other for the filling. Directions were so easy to follow! You just had to mix the crust mix with melted butter and sugar and press the crumb mixture onto the pie plate. For the filling, you simply had to mix in some milk and beat until the mixture thickens. Then spoon the filling onto the crust and (this is the hard part) refrigerate for an hour. Top with your favorite fruit topping.

Along the same aisle were several canned fruit toppings; my daughter chose strawberry. The topping tasted quite good; there were lots of whole strawberries in it. I just wasn’t too keen about the (too) red color.

This cheesecake was lighter than the previous one I made (see cheesecake). So I now have two ways by which I can have my cheesecake and eat it too.
- M

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/200 F7.1, SB600 1/2 Power
- D

CHEESECAKE

2011-04-11T10:07:00.001+08:00

Once in a while I have a craving for cheesecake and satisfying that craving would depend on where I was at that moment. I have had cheesecakes that were good, some that were so-so, many were just disappointing. I guess the best cheesecake that I have tasted so far was the one from The Cheesecake Factory in Chicago. My aunt and I went with a group for a day trip into Chicago and close to the time that we were supposed to head back to our bus from the trip back, I spotted The Cheesecake Factory shop with a long queue outside. I just had to taste their cheesecake so I fell in line intending to order one to go. The Dutch Apple Caramel Streusel I brought back was just to-die-for; it was well worth the time I spent queuing.

So when I saw a friend post a photo of cheesecake that she had made, I decided to try and make one too. I had to tweak my friend’s recipe according to the ingredients that I had on hand. Here’s the recipe I followed for my cheesecake.

Crust

1 cup crushed Graham crackers

½ cup melted butter

Combine the crushed Graham crackers and melted butter until the crackers are thoroughly wet. Spread the crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate, pressing evenly. Chill for 10 minutes.

Filling

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese (softened)

1 8-oz pkg heavy cream

¾ cup sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

3 eggs

Mix and cream the cream cheese and cream. Add sugar and cornstarch. Beat the eggs into the mixture. Pour over the pie crust. Bake at 350-degrees F for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Top with your favorite fruit topping. I used a mixed berry topping. Chill (if you can stand the waiting); otherwise just enjoy!
- M

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/40, F5.3, Natural Window Lighting
- D

FRENCH TOAST BREAKFAST

2011-04-09T21:04:00.002+08:00

When I woke up today, I was surprised it was still dark out. Turns out it was 5:30 in the morning! WTF I don't remember the last time I was up that early. Well they say that 'the early bird catches the worm' and I caught that worm REAL good.

5:30-6AM Checked my blogs, email, FB, Twitter and other online blah blah blahs.

6-6:20AM Ate a quick energy booster (while waiting for the rain to stop).

6:20-7:30AM Walked, jogged, bought some bread and pulled some weeds (For real! For this.) with Mom.

7:30-8AM Did Chalean Extreme.

8-8:30AM Drove my dad to the mechanic.

8:30-9AM Made french toast for everyone. I just used sugar, eggs, non-fat milk, wheat bread and honey for this. :) Some people like to add flour, but I've yet to try that version out.

I just love it when you get to start your day off right.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/200, F8, SB600 1/2 Power

- D

French Toast

CREAM PUFFS

2011-04-08T17:51:00.006+08:00

I made my first batch of cream puffs when I was in fifth grade, under the guidance of my godmother (ninang) who was a home economics teacher. So she gave me tips on how to properly whip the batter for the shell until it left the sides of the pan and formed into a ball and also how to temper the egg mixture so that I don’t end up with scrambled egg.

Fast forward to the present (some 45 years later!). I saw my friend post pictures, on her facebook wall, of the cream puffs that she had made and suddenly I had the urge to make some myself.

Here’s the recipe and procedure I used to make my cream puffs, including tips that I had learned from my ninang.

Cream Puff Shells

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Butter or margarine

1 cup All Purpose Flour

4 Eggs

Heat the oven to 400-degrees.

Heat the water and butter to a rolling boil.

Stir in the flour all at once flour. Stir vigorously over low heat for 1 minute or until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball in the center.

Remove from heat. Allow to cool for a while.

Beat in eggs one at one time using a spoon until the dough is smooth and glossy.

Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. The shells should be puffed high.

Remove from the baking pan and allow to cool.

Cut off the upper half and fill the hollow center with custard filling (see recipe below); replace the tops.

Instead of pouring caramelized sugar on top of each cream puff, I opted for honey. You may also just sprinkle the tops with confectioner’s sugar.

Custard filling

2 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg yolks

Mix the sugar, flour and cornstarch.

Warm the milk and add the sugar mixture.

Beat the egg yolks. Add a little of the hot milk mixture to the eggs then add the mixture back to the rest of the milk. (Note: this will prevent the eggs from being cooked suddenly by the hot milk).

Keep stirring and cook until the mixture coats the spoon. Remove from heat.

Stir in the vanilla.

Allow the custard to cool before filling the cream puff shells. Stir occasionally while cooling to prevent a “crust” from forming on the surface.

- M

Food Photo Details: Nikon Coolpix S210, Natural Window Lighting

- D

You may want also want to try making eclairs. See below. - M

Eclairs And Cream Puffs

YUMMY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

2011-04-07T13:59:00.003+08:00

My job definitely has its perks. My new client demands that I cook, shoot and write! It's pretty much what I do for this blog, so it doesn't feel like work at all. :) His first assignment was "Peanut Butter Cookies." I was definitely psyched to whip this up, since I'm a HUGE peanut butter fan.

Here's a simple recipe you can try out:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

METHOD

1. Cream the butter for 2 minutes. Add the sugars, cream for 2 more minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir into the sugar butter mixture.

2. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 3 hours. (I just left mine in for an hour and it turned out great! ^_^)

3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake until light brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

For chewier cookies, bake at 300°F for 15 minutes.

SOURCE

Photo Details: Nikon D50, 1/160, F5.6, Sigma 18-50mm, SB600 1/2 Power with shoot through umbrella on right, Reflector on left

- D

Peanut Butter

CHINATOWN FASTFOOD FEAST

2011-04-01T18:14:00.001+08:00

My daughter and I were on a mission to Divisoria; we were going to buy craft materials. We decided to commute and the jeepney’s route took us into Chinatown. It was around lunchtime and we were caught in the usual traffic gridlock just a few blocks from our destination. Get off now and have a bite to eat before hitting the shops or get to Divisoria first, get the task done, then eat? Of course, our stomachs decided for us. We had already passed the street where there was this famous fastfood place that served Chinese food so we had to walk back.

They gave us complementary hot tea and we feasted on vegetarian dumplings, siomai, siopao and steamed tofu. To finish off the meal, we had almond jelly. So having fortified ourselves, we bravely hit the crowded streets of Divisoria.

Food Photo Details: 3 megapixel Nokia camera phone!

- M

HUMMUS AND CARROT STICKS

2011-03-29T22:11:00.003+08:00

Sometimes you've got to eat the gross stuff. You'll be surprised how many of those "unappealing" dishes actually turn out to be really gooood. It's like how I used to gag when I saw isaw, diniguan, balot etc. (ooh should do a Filipino food post!) - now I just HAVE to have 'em when I see 'em. Even durian! Haha just kidding, durian still makes me sick - this is beside the point.

Anyway, I used to think hummus was just mashed potatoes gone bad, but when I actually tasted it, I thought YUM. I've got a soft spot for anything tangy - who would've thought hummus was just that!

I've found out that there are essentially two ways you can make hummus, but since not all ingredients in the Middle East are available in the Philippines, we made ours the third way (no pun intended :p).

HUMMUS WITH TAHINI (source)

Ingredients:

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
1. Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

2. Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

3. Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

4. Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

HUMMUS WITHOUT TAHINI (source)

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:
1.In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve immediately with pita bread, pita chips, or veggies.

3. Store in a airtight container for up to three days.

Our version was just the garbanzos, olive oil and lemon juice with carrot sticks for dipping. ^_^

Food Photo Details: Nikon Coolpix S210 - Auto, Tungsten Lamp

- D

Hummus

HOTDOG IN A BUN

2011-03-24T21:57:00.003+08:00

It was just one of those days when all we could think about was stuffing our faces with junk food. Thankfully this "junk" is usually the easiest to prepare. I think we got this ready (and into our tummies... and maybe even digested) in under 10 minutes!

Our Perfect Hotdog in a Bun:
Fried Cheesedogs (none of 'em blood red ones)
Hotdog Buns (white bread!)
Mustard
Ketchup
Pickle Relish

Mmm... Admit it. You want some now. :)

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/100, F5.6., 50mm, Cloudy

- D

Hot Dog

PANCAKES AND CREPES

2011-03-22T20:49:00.013+08:00

There are mornings when I wake up with a craving for pancakes. No worries, I always have a box of pancake mix in my cupboard. I usually tweak the directions at the back of the box tho. To make pancakes, I like to add another egg to the basic recipe and I always use butter instead of oil. I also put in yogurt (or milk) instead of water. So why is it that the first pancake doesn’t look nice? I always get the first pancake and the last (this one is always bigger than the rest). The toppings I use vary depending on my craving. I have used butter and honey, butter and fruit preserves, butter and condensed milk, and even butter and yogurt (weird?).

By the way, during a recent grocery shopping trip, I found a new pancake mix made from whole wheat.

Trying to get more veggies into your diet? Try this healthy pancake recipe; it has zucchini and is made from wholewheat and buckwheat.

Zucchini Buckwheat Pancakes

To make crepes, I use 3-4 eggs for a 250 g pack of pancake mix, and add milk (or yogurt) instead of water. Crepe batter is thinner than pancake batter so I add more of the milk (or yogurt), about 1 ½ cups. The batter spreads to the edges of the pan and you can tilt the pan to get a nice round shape. The choice of filling (or topping) is really up to your taste buds. Crepes can be sweet or savory; you can use fruits, vegetables, meat, or seafoods. The crepes can be rolled or folded.

If you want to try making crepes from scratch, here’s a good link

Regular Crepes

Food Photo Details:

Nikon Coolpix S210; Auto 1/63, F3.1; Natural Window Lighting

- M

WATERMELON-YOGURT SMOOTHIE

2011-03-16T21:42:00.001+08:00

Summer in the Philippines is fast approaching and my mother and I are ready! Arming ourselves with tactics and remedies to cool down in the heat, we decided to test out this refreshing smoothie recipe I found online. We tweaked it as usual, so this is our version. ^_^

Watermelon-Yogurt Smoothie

1) Pulse the following ingredients in a blender. Make sure not to overdo it, else you'll end up with just sweet water. :p

2 cups chopped yellow watermelon (Red Watermelon can also be used.)

1 cup non-fat yogurt (Homemade baby!)

2 tbsp honey

2) Pour the finished smoothie into fancy glasses and serve.

*Makes 3 servings.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Nikkor 55-200mm, 1/200, F7.1, Natural Lighting, Cloudy

- D

Smoothies

QUICK-FIX MEALS: SIOMAI AND LUMPIA

2011-03-15T18:40:00.005+08:00

No time to cook? Don’t feel like cooking? Here are two food items that have gotten me through hunger on several occasions. I buy them from food stalls that abound near our home; and they’re affordable too!

SIOMAI

Siomai is a traditional Chinese dumpling served in dim sum. There are many varieties; the siomai that I purchase (pictured here) is made from ground pork. I don’t know the exact recipe they use at the place I buy it from but here’s a basic recipe for siomai. The dipping sauce made from soy sauce, calamansi, and hot pepper paste, and sprinkled with fried garlic bits.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped shrimps

1/4 cup ground pork

1 cup chopped singkamas

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 onion, finely chopped

1egg, beaten

1 teaspoon soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 pack siomai wrapper

oil for brushing

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except siomai wrapper and oil. Blend well. Separate wrappers then put 2 tablespoons of the filling into each wrapper. Form into bonnet-like shapes. Transfer to a lightly greased steamer then brush tops with oil. Steam for about 30 minutes or until done. Serve with a dipping sauce of kalamansi and soy sauce.

SOURCE

Chinese Dimsum Recipes

FRIED VEGETABLE LUMPIA

Lumpia is a pastry of Chinese origin similar to spring rolls; they can come in fresh or fried versions. Finely cut vegetables are sautéed and then wrapped in a lumpia wrapper (a very thin pancake made from flour and water) and then deep-fried. From what I can discern, the fried lumpia that I buy (pictured here) consists of camote (sweet potato), turnips, green beans, carrots and sayote (or maybe green papaya?). The dipping sauce consists of vinegar, chopped garlic, and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Here’s a recipe for fried lumpia.

Ingredients:

2 cups equivalent diagonally sliced green beans

2 cups equivalent diagonally sliced carrots

2 cups equivalent diagonally sliced celery

2 cups equivalent diagonally sliced sweet potatoes or kamote

2 cups equivalent shredded cabbage

1/2 pound pork or chicken or shrimp, cut thinly and in bite size pieces

1/2 cup chicken broth, unsalted

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons ground pepper

2 tablespoons cooking oil for sauteing

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups cooking oil for frying

spring roll (lumpia) wrappers

Instructions:

1. Saute the garlic and onion, add the pork or chicken and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes and 1/2 of the chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let the veggies cook for 3 more minutes.

3. Add the rest of the veggies, except the cabbage and the rest of the broth, then season with salt and pepper.

4. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.

5. Turn the heat off, then mix in the cabbage. Residual heat will partially cook the cabbage. Strain, then set aside and let it cool down.

6. Mix in one beaten egg and 2 tablespoons flour in the cooled veggies.

7. Lay a piece of spring roll, put 2 tablespoons cooked vegetables and roll, tucking both sides in. Finish wrapping all the vegetables and prepare to fry.

8. Heat up the pan with the 2 cups cooking oil, and fry the lumpia until golden brown.

9. Serve with a vinegar dip on the side.

SOURCE

If you want to try to make your own lumpia wrappers, follow this link:

Lumpia With Sweet Potatoes

- M

Food Photo Details:

Photo 1 - Nikon Coolpix S210; Auto 1/33, F3.1, Under Shade

Photo 2 - Nikon Coolpix S210; Auto 1/63, F3.1; Natural Window Lighting

- D

HOMEMADE SALSA CHEESE DIP

2011-03-14T23:51:00.002+08:00

Homemade dip takes a little practice to get the recipe perfect - not too salty, not too watery, but just right. Lucky for us, we happened to create the perfect dip by accident. I think it was actually our very first attempt at "Salsa Cheese Dip" when we got it right (by throwing in whatever we could think of... Bwahaha)! Ever since then, I've memorized the recipe by heart, so anytime my bag of chips needs some company, I can whip up a batch in a jiffy.

It's simple enough for anyone to try out. ^_^

Salsa Cheese Dip

1) Mix the following ingredients in a bowl:

1 Can Tomato Chunks, 400 grams

1/8 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

1/4 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese (or whatever kind you prefer)

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tsp Salt (or any amount to taste)

1/4 Tsp Crushed Peppercorn (or any amount to taste; hot sauce is also a great alternative)

2) Pop the mix in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

3) Serve with a bag of your favorite corn chips.

Food Photo Details: Nikon D50, Sigma 18-50mm, 1/125, F5.6, ISO 200, SB600 1/4 Power bounced on white wall behind

- D

Salsa

SHAWARMA AND FROYO

2011-03-13T22:43:00.004+08:00

So at the mall we were set off course our Sunday errands by the strong spices of newly cooked FOOD... mmmm. How could you possibly ignore that?! Detour - we head straight for the shawarma! I had "Shawarma Rice" and Mom, "Spicy Beef Shawarma." From a lot of the cooking shows I've seen, I've learned that in case you want to recreate a dish without a recipe on your own, you can always dissect its ingredients (given that you have a highly experienced palette!). I forget what these real chefs call it, but they say it's a pretty good skill to build, especially for us wannabes. Haha. Here's what we found out about shawarma:

Shawarma Rice (Left):

Rice

Beef

Cabbage

Carrots

Peas

Corn

Egg (Malasado!!)

Garlic Sauce

Spicy Beef Shawarma (Right):

Tortilla

Beef

Cucumber

Cabbage

Carrots

Hot Sauce

Garlic Sauce

In my opinion, you can mix it up when you make shawarma and really just add anything you want, so long as you put in beef, tortilla/rice and garlic sauce (man the garlic sauce!! *drool*).

Oh and for dessert we had some Froyo (98% fat free!) - mine, with bluberries, Mom's, plain. We didn't bother to dissect this much. ^_^
Why is froyo good for you?

Food Photo Details: 3 megapixel Nokia camera phone! (decided to try something different and it turned out pretty okay ^_^)

- D