FoodTripping

A Surprising Reconnection

2012-02-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

Middle age has a way of blurring images of past, with such success actually, that vivid memories of our childhood are few. Sadly, what is left is simply a montage of faces and places. I, for one, have always been poor at recalling life events no matter how defining they may be...I need visual prompts like photos or videos to help me remember that things weren't made-up fantasies and that these actually took place. No, I'm nowhere near old age, but I very well may be with my horrible memory. Unfortunately, facebook and digital phones with high-resolution cameras have not been around during our younger years (you see, in the 70s and 80s, kids had to actually be with each other to communicate) and capturing memorable moments at that time was not as easy as it is nowadays. Despite these hazy images, I always knew though that I had a wonderful time as a child...the few pictures and memorabilia I have are indicators of how special it was for me.

So, news of my cousin making a side trip from her Las Vegas convention to San Francisco to stay with us for a few days was something I looked forward to! Let me tell you, this was especially exciting since she was the cousin I was closest to as a child. We were inseparable and had countless escapades together. Although I couldn't remember too many of these, those I did recall stood out as special....there were blind memories of laughter, shared secrets and sisterhood.

After living separate lives beginning our college days, we really haven't been able to catch up and interact with each other as adults. Her migrating to far away Australia and start her own family has further kept us apart, leaving our juvenile bond forgotten. This comes with the realization, of course, that change is inevitable and that while we were attached at the hip a long time ago, it was, well....a long time ago. With this thought in mind, I found it an unexpected surprise to have long lost memories flooding back the moment we hugged at the airport. It was like all at once seeing who we both were when life was simple and we were just the closest of friends without a care in the world. In the very short visit she made, we slowly unearthed buried childhood memories.

We couldn't stop talking and our blurry recollections of the past began to become clearer as we shared them with each other over a favorite dish my mom always served during our many sleepovers. Yes, it's the best tasting pork adobo recipe in the world, and this we ate plates of as we shared countless stories of pure fun and silliness. It was like revisiting ourselves at the very core, without pretenses and complications.

But more importantly, the years we've grown apart have now been bridged as we breathlessly updated each other on how life has gone on for each of us and who we have become. Probably, for the first time, we have started to see each other as adults and saw that despite life going on for both of us, nothing much has changed. We may both now be a llittle bit older, a tiny bit wiser and a tad more confident but ultimately have the same laughter and twinkle in our eyes that we had as children. Inside, we still enjoyed the simple things in life, like my mom's adobo... We were still the 2 giggling girls that we were... uncomplicated and true to ourselves.

My mom's adobo recipe: ( here's writing it down before I forget )

2 to 3 lbs pork butt

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1/4 cup chopped garlic

Ground black pepper

4 bay leaves

This dish is SO EASY to make and we have it at least once in 2 weeks. I always make a large batch so I can freeze it then just microwave a portion of it everytime we feel like having it. The more often you heat it, the tastier it becomes.

Put all ingredients together in a large pot with a sealed lid. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until very tender using low heat. Once tender, take off pan lid and mix. If substantial sauce is still present, let simmer using medium heat until sauce is reduced to thicker consistency. Transfer tender meat and remaining sauce in another container. Using same pan, saute about a tablespoon of chopped garlic until slightly browned. Return cooked meat in pan and mix for about 3-5 minutes. Add back the remaining sauce and cook for a couple more minutes until thoroughly heated.

Now you have an adobo dish to last you for the week :-)

CHRISTMAS...and what it really is

2011-12-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

It's a few days before christmas but personally, I haven't been feeling festive. Yes, i said it! The tree is up and the greeting cards have been sent out but the days are just as crazily-filled up as ever. The errands are still around and the holiday activities are only adding up to the chaos of everyday living. Aren't we supposed to be all jolly and merry this time of year? Makes me wonder... am I turning into the grinch or am I just about to have a nervous-breakdown? I suppose it IS natural to feel overwhelmed during this time given all the inevitable baking, panic-shopping, gift-wrapping and party-planning at the end of the year.

I have never been good at cloaking my emotions so my helplessness and exhaustion were obvious to my dearest ones. Hubby, who has just arrived from consecutive business trips, was very thoughtful and did the shuttling of the boys for most of the mornings despite a jetlag. Kids found time to do their assigned errands with less prompts (instead of several, about two yells did the trick...hahahah!) and the thought of school coming to an end for the christmas vacation just had to put a smile on my distraught face :-)

This Saturday evening, we planned to go visit San Jose's Christmas in the Park. We did this a few years back but couldn't for the life of us remember how it was...which is never a good sign. We were all sluggish after a hectic week of school pageants, parties, errands and just wanted to kick back and relax but knew we had to do something "christmasy" for the boys. Initially, it didn't seem like a good idea due to the volume of the crowd we knew would be there plus the lack of "wow-factor" and simplicity of the displays.

Once there, It didn't help to overhear another parent explain to her young daughter that "...not everything has to be exciting" . This almost made me turn around and head back to our cozy toasty home. Almost.

Ten minutes, however into our unimpressed trek, his squeal of delight made me glance at our five year old's face only to see an excitement in his eyes that has long been gone from mine...an enthusiasm i remember having but has since been replaced by practicality and cynicism. Here is my young boy seeing christmas for what it truly is...family, togetherness, love and the pleasure one derives from simple things in life. Well...the bobbing car ride with his dad probably tops his list though.

With this realization, the trees seemed a lot more colorful,

the yuletide hymns a tad more joyful

and the maddening crowd I actually welcomed ....for realz!

Christmas was after all, all around me and I was in the midst of it! I then knew it was going to be a christmas like no other...especially since we were headed to vietnamese food heaven after (at 19 Market, San Jose).

A very merry Christmas to all!!!

One Big Thanks!

2011-11-25T11:11:00.001-08:00

The holidays are upon us and this is kicked-off by celebrating a very special day...Thanksgiving! Adults and kids alike await this event for its very timely school and work break but more meaningfully, for its focus on family and friendship. I say, the timing is perfect since it's not quite the end of the year but is late enough for one to be able to look back and reflect on what the year brought in.
While I am very grateful for the tangible blessings that have come my way this year, i am personally much more in awe of the following invaluable gifts I've received in abundance:

Loads of laughter stemming from both new and older friendships
Priceless good health
Unconditional love
The gift of family and friendship.

In the past, I've always wondered why celebrations frequently involve a humongous main dish like the roast turkey or for more traditional Filipinos, the Lechon (or for me, a large batch of vanilla buttercream and capuccino cupcakes).

Now, equipped with more wisdom brought about by the years gone by (read: aging a little bit too quickly to author's own liking), I've realized that these dishes are actually supposed to be shared with a whole host of individuals who are special to you. Thanksgiving just isn't meant to be celebrated in solitude but should be spent with people who make our lives a little bit brighter....may these be your family or those you consider as family.

It's giving thanks for having them close to your heart this year and hopefully, for the years to come.

Fall-back food

2011-10-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

Whether you're a stay-at-home or a full-time working mom, a mother these days has her calendar bursting with appointments and to-do-lists. We are all faced with too many errands that have to be accomplished in unbelievably short days. Fortunately, each of us have our personal ways of coping. I, for one, hold on to my planner as if my life depended on it (and it probably does!)...since it's a convergence of the schedules of all my 3 boys plus all other stuff we can't seem to find time for. In a desperate attempt to stay on top of everything, I have made use of every app available, to keep me updated with my appointments, all of which are programmed to notify me through every gadget possible!

Sometime earlier in my life, I've made the realization that my personality borders on the obsessive-compulsive. My sanity is only maintained if I am able to control my surroundings and at the least, how my day goes... Certainty in my day-to -day activities ensure that everything's gonna be okay, right? But it takes no Einstein to figure out that no matter how organized one tries to be, juggling the lives of 1 freshman, 1 seventh grader and 1 kindergartener makes certainty a thing of the past. So now, while I still make an attempt at order, I find no shame to exhale with a big sigh of resignation when things go awry.....LIFE DOES HAPPEN.

Now you may be thinking, "Isn't this a food blog? Why is this not about food?" On the contrary, this IS about food (although, I admit, I am known to digress)! With all the confusion of making decisions regarding simple or complex tasks....there is a need to find comfort in things that make us feel whole. Family is the best grounding factor for every stressful situation (quite ironic, since it causes us the most stress too..hahahaha!). We always find the time to sit down and eat together as a family and find this as a venue to connect. Food is the medium we use to celebrate, share and interact as a unit. But let me tell you, the weekly outings pose some issues too....where and what to eat? It has become our habit to try different cuisines everytime, and this has proven to be educational and adventurous. But when we just want to relax and forget about the woes of the week that was, we revert to our fall-back food. Everyone has one. Ours is Japanese! What's yours? Happy start of the week everyone!

Thoughts of spring cleaning (and much more)...

2011-05-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

It's spring time (almost summer, even)...the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the heater has long been forgotten. Yay! Personally, I go for the warmer weather. Yes, yes, the winter does bring out the fashion savvy in everyone and I do enjoy wearing those dressy coats, lace up boots and beautiful scarves, but the chilly seep-through-the-bone weather isn't for me. Good thing I'm in sunny California! Hopefully, I never have to live where it actually snows during the winter (nope, hail doesn't count, hahahha!).

With the chill factor going down a notch, we find the time to move around the house and yes, actually clean-up, thus, spring cleaning! I've started this feat weeks ago and one kid's room took me over 2 days to do. Going through the piles of stuff which have been gathering dust for over a year, makes me wonder why I didn't throw them out long ago. The closets almost collapsing from too many clothes were a mystery too.....after laying them out and setting aside items that were too small for the boys, plus clothes I was hoping they would wear but never saw the light of day.....I actually had too much space left!

The way time works is just so unbelievably fast...a clear indication were the clothes that used to fit a season ago and now has to be either passed on to the next sibling or to be given away. Where have all my little boys gone? I hope I wasn't too busy to see them grow up. My eldest passed his HSPT with flying colors (which I never doubted he could do) and got into his preferred high school (okay, I must admit that I did get a little jittery about this later on, but initially had so much confidence in him that I had him apply to only that school without entertaining the possibility of a negative outcome). It was bittersweet the day we sat together and chose the courses he would be taking, him still thinking my opinion mattered, me hoping I'd continue to matter.

This kid used to shout "I love you mom!!!" at the top of his lungs for every aisle that we would pass when we did our grocery shopping...yes, the same boy who would have me kiss his boo-boo or cut-up his food for him in tiny bits so he could eat without pauses. Now I look at him and see a young man, with very strong principles, and a clear view of what's right and wrong. He's not like several other teens who couldn't wait to join the bandwagon and try to belong but is instead comfortable with his uniqueness and is not afraid to show his individuality. He sees no color nor gender and will never intentionally hurt anyone since he sees the value in everything. A young man, ready to take on the world....hopefully with one hand linked to mine.

So far, I think we've done pretty well.....

Over the Hill....

2011-02-28T21:49:00.000-08:00

A very wise man, in the person of Charles M. Schultz said, "Just remember, once you're over the hill, you begin to pick up speed." Really funny, huh? or as this generation might say...LOL( by the way, I still refuse to give in and join the acronym craze...a sure sign of aging!) This is because there actually is a lot of truth in it. Jokes bring out the guffaws and giggles in us just because they touch on topics that affect us greatly or express the very own thoughts we dare not speak out loud.

So yes, it's undeniably true....I am officially middle-aged! Over the hill, ancient, aged, elderly - a little too harsh? Okay, okay - wise, senior, mature...to make it easier on the ears.
I hear that most people are caught off-guard when this inevitable day arrives, but not me. I've been anticipating THE day and have taken the months prior to it as time to reflect on how life has treated me. As one of my favorite quotes from William Shakespeare goes, "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."....What can I say? The man is a genius!

I've led what you may call a very sheltered childhood. I was loved without boundaries by my parents and siblings and am eternally grateful for the bond we share. My family has instilled in me all the values I've always firmly believed in and upon reaching adulthood, I have since taken baby steps to fully realize that destiny has never been about leaving everything to chance, but is stepping out into the world and being the best that you can be, in order to BE the person you were destined to become. With faith in God to guide me, and prayers to give me strength...everything can be achieved. To this day, they've remained to be among the most important people in my life and I love them dearly.

I think, that I am by far, the luckiest 40 year old in the world....and do you know why? It's because I've chosen to be happy, to make the most out of anything - whether good or bad,

to appreciate the loving husband and 3 caring boys who bring out the best in me,

to keep close to my heart the wonderful people I've had the pleasure of being lifetime-friends with,

to fill my kitchen with the scent of freshly-baked cupcakes as often as I can (which I tell you, is quite often),

to stay strong and healthy, earning me the right to brag that I can finally do 10 consecutive push-ups if necessary (the keywords are "IF NECESSARY")...hahahhaha!

and finally...understanding that I can actually step on the brakes going downhill.

Revisiting simplicity...

2011-02-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Our recent trip to the Philippines was a homecoming of all sorts...Other than it being a plethora of family reunions and christmas parties, the visit was likewise a gastronomic deja vu for yours truly. The food, on most occassions, was simply good.
What is unique about Filipino fare is that, the food is generally prepared in its simplest form....presentation, then, does not take away from each dish the complex marriage of flavors which require an acute acquired taste for the unusual. In simpler terms, it's mostly us Filipinos who patronize Pinoy food. Who cares????!!!! I like 'em all!

Here are some dishes that I indulged on:

SIZZLING BANGUS BELLY
This dish was really one of my favorites. The "select" fish parts which were marinated in soy sauce, Philippine lemon and black pepper were served on a sizzling platter, topped with sweet onion rings.

SISIG
Talk about nasty stuff magically put together to create a masterpiece...I say nasty since I personally wouldn't go through all the trouble of tenderizing, crisping then chopping up non-mentionable pork parts to make sisig. But I would definitely travel 3 hours (yes, one-way) in bumper-to-bumper traffic to Tagaytay to get a taste of this delicacy...Which we actually did (note to self: Not to be repeated in the near future)!

FRESH LUMPIANG UBOD
Who doesn't love lumpia? This kind though is very much different from the more popular fried egg rolls. This fresh vegetable dish has a crepe-like wrap which is thin and delicate but is versatile enough to hold its contents together. Inside is an assortment of julienned vegetables, sauteed with shrimps and garlic. The clincher is the sweet, garlicky sauce which is drizzled generously on the lumpia. Topped with chopped peanuts, how can you go wrong?

TROPICAL HUT HAMBURGER

I know this photo makes the burger look quite unappetizing, but I was too much in a hurry to eat, that I didn't care if the picture came out blurry. It did disappoint to some extent since the bun was a tad soggy and the patty was falling apart, but the flavor of the meat couldn't be beat. The burger doesn't taste like it was made from an assembly line of fast food cooks but tasted like how a home-made sandwich should be. 0 for presentation, an 8 for taste!

(Note: hubby couldn't get past the soggy buns and probably rates this as a 5)

FRESH SEAFOOD

Couldn't get any better than having grilled prawns, squid and fish by the sea. This was just one of the delicious dishes we had at Boracay during our stay there. The fresh sweet taste of seafood, with the view of the ocean before you is just spectacular. Didn't mind a cocktail or two to down everything...hehehhe!

EVERYTHING GRILLED

Okay, okay, there IS some form of unique "food presentation" going on here. What can I say? I just had the ultimate Pinoy FoodTrip and have photos to remember all the food by. Till next time!

Memories of Boracay

2011-01-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

It's been almost 3 years since our last trip "home" and the anticipation of spending both Christmas and New Year's with our dearest ones was driving me to the edge. I had our luggages out and ready for packing a week before our scheduled departure, but up until flight day, we were rushing madly to make everything fit in the bags and even made crazy final trips to various shops for last-minute "bilins."
This i can say though, all the fuss was worth the trip. The holidays were how they should be and details will be in a separate post altogether. What I can't wait to tell you about though is how we capped this wonderful wonderful trip.

BORACAY....need I say more?

I know I don't need to, but I'll go ahead and gush about the "polvoron-like" sand,

beautiful sunsets,

clearest blue waters,

lazy but divine moments on the hammock (I could get used to this),

sub-zero san mig light with too much cholesterol-raising food,

and of course, the best company there is!

I could give more colorful details about our trip to this small strip of paradise but what happens in Boracay, stays in Boracay (hopefully).

The photos tell part of the story (yes, these have been edited for general patronage viewing...hahaha!) with the hope that you too will visi or re-visit it someday soon.

Pinoy Foodtripping....

2010-12-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

It's been ages since my last post. Don't get me wrong, I did make several attempts to write about anything, everything, something....but I was just too busy moving from one thing to the other. I've been diligent though with snapping photos and mentally taking note of every event worth writing about...now, if I could only find the time to write them all down...hahaha!

This specific post is an ode to my home...the Philippines! I'm having difficulty sleeping nowadays due to too much excitement....a couple of weeks to go before I see family and good friends! I definitely look forward to being with people dear to my heart and of course, spending the holidays the way I've always celebrated it....with lots and lots of good food! Just thinking about the adobo, caldereta, lechon, sugpo makes me want to pack my bags at this very moment.

I have the luxury of living in the bay area where Filipino fare is not difficult to get. Just about a month back, we've visited one of my favorite pinoy restos in the area. It's not a fancy place like those joints set-up to impress, nor does it feature any gourmet special for the snottier (yes, there is such a word) crowd but they sure do cook good Filipino food. It wasn't anyone's birthday and we weren't celebrating any wonderful milestone...we just decided to FoodTrip, pinoy-style.

This first dish is inihaw na liempo (grilled pork spareribs) smothered in brown gravy and would probably appeal only to us Filipinos. Yes, gravy here in the U.S. is paid for and doesn't automatically come as part of the entree unless you have mashed potatoes on the side (gasp!).

This next plate was what I had....my favorite daing na bangus (crispy fried milkfish marinated in vinegar & garlic) with lechon kawali on the side! This was super yum! All the dishes normally come with java rice but we opted to go for the white steamed rice.

And the motherlode, was of course, the crispy pata....just looking at this photo gives me a mild stroke! The skin was fried to a perfect crisp and the meat was tender and flavorful. This came with the perfect dipping sauce of vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, peppers and other spices.

For a taste of the Philippines in California, Toppings Too in Union City is the place to go.

Now...off to the real thing in a few days! Tata!!!

Zaru Soba - Home Edition

2010-08-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Intimidating as it may sound, Zaru Soba (cold soba noodles topped with shredded nori seaweed), is surprisingly easy to prepare. I must say the dish, which is normally served on a sieve-like bamboo tray, complemented with a bowl of dipping sauce called tsuyu (a mix of dark soy sauce, sugar and mirin) on the side, is simply beautiful. I would never have attempted to prepare this at home but one of hubby's goody bags from his recent trip to Tokyo included all the ingredients for the dish. Now, if that's not an obvious hint, I don't know what else is.....

Preparing the soba noodles is not unlike cooking Italian pasta. Just bring a pot of water to a boil minus the salt. As with spaghetti, ensure that these noodles don't stick together by carefully sprinkling them into the hot water in batches. I cooked mine in about 8 minutes...I had to taste about 5 strands at different times to avoid undercooking or overcooking it. Immediately drain and wash the noodles thoroughly with ice cold water to stop the cooking process and to strip the noodles of any starchy uncooked flavor. Drain well before serving. It would have been great to serve it on a weaved tray, but who cares, it still tasted great!

I didn't have to create the tsuyu from scratch since mine came from a bottle but it tasted even better when I added chopped green onions and a generous dollop of wasabi. It sure didn't hurt to have a tray of crispy shrimp tempura to complete our Japanese spread.

Our light, simple but flavorful meal ended with hot green tea using our new cute japanese tea set. What made it perfect was we didn't even have to get out of our PJs....

Chocolatey goodness....

2010-08-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I am a chocoholic...
Chocolate, in any form, lures me in and makes all attempts at self-discipline futile. In fact, during our last grocery shopping, I completely avoided the sweets section with the hope that "non-availability" of certain items in our pantry will save me... carelessly discounting the fact that occassional bouts of "creativity" pop up when my sweet-tooth strikes.

Yes, these cupcakes were baked out of desperation. It does serve one well to keep basic baking goods in the cupboard....

These are moist choco cupcakes, caramel-filled and topped with dark and white chocolate ganache.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups soft dark brown sugar

3 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsps. instant coffee granules

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Smuckers Sugar-free caramel sundae syrup (NO KIDDING!)

Add caption

First, beat the butter and sugar till smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift the dry ingredients into the butter mixture then add the vanilla, coffee and buttermilk slowly while beating.
Bake in oven at 330 degrees F for about 18 to 20 mins.

Once completely cooled, cut out center of the cupcake with a regular steak knife (saving the cut piece to cover the cupcake later) and fill hole with caramel goodness. No specific quantity...you can go crazy with this!
Cover cupcake hole with cut out piece and top cake with chocolate ganache (a blended mixture of heated heavy cream and chocolate).

TEXAS STYLE COUNTRY RIBS

2010-08-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

Don't you get all drooly when you see some program in Food Network doing an episode on Texas BBQ? The super tender fall-off the bone meat grilled for as long as 15 hours in custom-built smokers is the stuff of gastronomic dreams. I hardly touch our outdoor grill since it's not my turf (says the self-crowned "king of the grill" hubby I have) moreso attempt at replicating ribs rubbed with dry spices and slowly-cooked over indirect heat from either pecan or oak-wood.
All this changed when I was gifted by a good friend I visited in Houston just recently with a bag of Zach's Texas Style Bar-B-Que Rub. It was fool-proof and gave me an excuse to give the grill a try. I may be cooky at times but haven't lost my head entirely to slow cook meat on the grill for an entire day....this lady has things to do, you know. So I did the next best-thing and "modified". Yeah, I'm the queen of modification (the act of changing something to make it less extreme)....I do it all the time, with my work-out program, my diet and now, my ribs. A busy mom like me makes every minute count and thus, in goes the tray of dry-rubbed meat into my oven (covered tightly in foil) at 380 degrees F for 2 hours. I cooled it down and put the tray in my ref until the floating fat disguised as yummy juices solidify into yucky orange goo. I scrape all these off and move on to THE grill by the deck (which isn't even a charcoal grill). I char all sides of the meat for about 3 minutes each to give that smoky flavor and appealing camera ready look...hahhaha!

Surprise of all surprises, the meat turns out just as tender and dreamy (for a bbq rookie like me) as those in far away Texas! Yeehaw!!!

Chili...my way!

2010-08-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Like what pork adobo is to Pinoy fare, chili does for the mexican/spanish cuisine. It is difficult to pinpoint its "original" form though and has about a hundred variant recipes which only raise dispute among afficionados. Nope, I'm no fool to attempt an authentic version but have modified the dish to suit my family's specific tastes.

My hubby who frequents Mexico and has the priviledge to sample a more local taste of chili con carne seems to like the one I prepared from scratch (based on the number of servings he ate -- hahahha!). The oven-roasted golden potato wedges adds to its kid-appeal and had my boys going for seconds too.

Ingredients I used:

Ground beef (lean)

1 small can chili beans (drained)

tomato paste

red onion finely chopped

1 tbsp. dried chopped chili peppers

1/4 cup beer

1/4 cup chili powder

worcestershire sauce

minced garlic

fresh cilantro

dried oregano

roasted ground cumin

dried basil

salt

ground black pepper

cayenne pepper

paprika

brown sugar

After browning the beef and getting rid of the unhealthy oil, I lower the heat, incorporate the tomato paste and wait (read: long wait) for the sauce to render oil before adding all the other spices (which, you might have noticed, are quite a lot ---but the flavor produced in the end is enough justification). In goes the beer with the beans and I let it simmer with very low heat for about 1/2 an hour or until sauce thickens. Don't let the rest of the beer go to waste...enjoy it chilled or with ice while cooking :-) It makes the long cooking time a tad shorter.

Add a dollop of light sour cream before serving and garnish with some of the fresh cilantro.

Perfect Start!

2010-07-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

We're forever in a rush in the mornings and will grab just about anything to keep us going until lunch time. There's always the reliable whole grain cereal or the yummy nutella on toast. In fact, I may have also come up with one of the tastiest breakfast on-the-go shakes which is a favorite of the boys...why wouldn't it be when it has everything in it --- chocolate, fiber, banana, milk and yes, peanut butter. But that has to be in a later post. What I have today is something you don't have everyday. Not that it's sinfully tasty and could be dangerous to your health (which it very well might be if eaten on a daily basis...hahahhaha!) but because its preparation is more elaborate than your more common pop-in-the-microwave instant oatmeal.

One weekend morning, in my half-awake, half-asleep state, I attempted to prepare a traditional Pinoy breakfast for the family....and boy, did it wake us all up!

The fish is fried Mackerel Scad (Galunggong to us) which was marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, pepper and garlic. Of course, the longganisa (or philippine sausage) had to be on the table too since it's my youngest son's favorite food in the world :-) There were fried eggs on the side, a salad of tomatoes, onions and cilantro with fish sauce and lastly, the garlic rice.

I would normally hesitate to fry galunggong at home since I don't particularly like the fishy scent lingering for the next day or two, but since we had set up a portable camp stove at our deck this summer, it was even quite enjoyable cooking outdoors.

I know, the spread may be too much to look at but I did a cheat version of the fried rice. Since there was already too much frying going on with the fish and the sausages (which, simmered in H20 before they cooked in their own juices), I decided to just serve steamed white rice which i lightly salted and sprinkled with the great and wonderful pre-fried garlic I bought from our nearby filipino grocery. That should make everyone feel better! ;-)

Quick Fix

2010-07-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

While summer time may mean a break from the daily crazy morning rush to school and a pause from the onslaught of projects, homework and extra-curricular activities of our kids, it doesn't necessarily entail a break from the number of meals prepared in one's household. In fact, while PB & J sandwiches had to do for their school lunches, something more wholesome and homey is in order when dining together at home. I really enjoy preparing dishes that are flavorful and hearty but these often require a lot of time in the kitchen. Now, who would want to spend too much time indoors when the nice warm weather beckons you to the deck....probably a fruit shake on the side with a good book waiting to be read. Hmmm...Choices, choices.

Yes, a quick fix should always be at hand for beautiful days made for lounging outdoors. And I do have one I can rely on anytime. We pinoys love noodles and can't get enough of it. A testament to this is the numerous instant noodle options in the supermarket back home....even the Filipino groceries here in the U.S. have an entire aisle dedicated to these meals-in-a-bowl. Yes, this would indeed be a quick fix (the quickest fix, in fact, since all you need is to add hot water) but I have a heartier and healthier version which won't leave our summer appetitites wanting.

I buy pre-packed shrimp and pork dumplings (yes, frozen), a box of chicken broth, then I shred rotisserie chicken breast, chop up some green onions and separately pre-boil a pack of fresh chow mein noodles. Broth is prepared by quickly sauteeing garlic and onion then adding the rest of the ingredients except for the noodles and the green onions. To avoid soggy noodles, I only add the boiling broth once everyone is seated and ready to eat. Adding a few drops of chili sesame seed oil adds more flavor to this easy to prepare meal.

Note: For other quick fix ideas, visit http://cesanciano.net/spices/lasang-pinoy-sundays-quick-fix/

Turning Japanese

2010-06-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Healthy eating has a number of caveats....numero uno is not being able to eat your fave foods on a daily basis. What? You don't do that? Well, WE used to....

Each day has always been a celebration to me and my family. We don't need guests to bring out the china (in our case, the correlle plates given to us as wedding gifts) or roast the pig (lechon kawali!). Since our basic family unit is in itself a party of five (4 of the five having full-sized appetites), cooking is never a waste of time. Dishes that come out of the kitchen are well-appreciated (more often than not) and are received well. This encourages me to step up and try out different dishes all the time. Sitting down with the family to share good food play an important part in our lives and will always be something that will bring us together.

Since more than 2 months back though, we've started to shift to a healthier eating style and our past fave meals (read: fatty and rich, but always yummy) are now limited to the weekends or for special occasions. When we're not having our own little barbecue at our deck, we usually eat out at the end of the week and use this time to try out different cuisines. Recently, we've had Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and even Greek. Everytime, it has been exciting to our palates and an experience worth remembering.

About a few weekends back, my hubby suggested eating at a small Japanese fastfood resto chain serving Japanese ramen noodle soup dishes --- Ajisen Noodle in Fremont. It was unpretentious and the opposite of fancy but since it clearly had hubby salivating at the thought of bowlfuls of ramen goodness, then heck, we decided to try it!!!

Oh...and it didn't disappoint! Everything we ordered was reminiscent of the good ol' days (hmmm...about 2 months back?) when calorie-counting wasn't a family activity. We ordered the prime rib ramen and the heavenly "super tender pork rib ramen" which was hands-down, the best dish choice of the day. We also tried its hot version rightfully called "Volcano" (note: not for the faint of heart, nor the gastronomically-weak).

The photos we took aren't prize-winning since we were more concerned with eating the ramen as quickly as we could...but believe me, they were all delicious.

They also had this kid's meal that would put the standard chicken nuggets and soda combo to shame... My youngest two boys enjoyed their own full-course meals which included a bowl of piping hot ramen, sticky pork rice, a small serving of french fries, yogurt drink and sweet slices of oranges. Each one of us enjoyed immensely and decided that the Japanese resto was simply wonderful....So wonderfully delicious in fact, that we had a repeat of everything for lunch just today....It's never too soon to have a good thing, right?

Changing with the times

2010-05-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

While I used to be quite on the "healthy" side during the span of my childhood, I've outgrown the phase to be mostly reed-skinny from teen-age to my young adulthood years. Of course, I see this only now that I'm well into "maturity" (read: DON'T READ!#@%!) and the sluggish metabolism phase of life.

I remember the days of "Eat-All-You-Can" at Pizza Hut, KFC's 3-piece fried chicken with rice, mashed potatoes & gravy, macaroni side dish PLUS extra rice, Lapid's Chicharon, and a whole pint of Selecta Cookies & Creme Ice Cream in one sitting. No matter what I ate, a couple of skipped meals would put me back on track. Going to the gym wasn't even regularly required....my weight would always be within a few pounds' range. Of course, this worked well with me since I've always had a love-affair with food. I enjoy cooking and appreciate good food to the point of never making "substitutes"(read: non-fat, egg whites, whole grain etc...). Taste can never suffer for the sake of (horrors!) lower caloric intake.

But LIFE gets back at you in strange ways. Try eating the same stuff you've eaten 20 years ago at this point in time and we'll see if even a 5-hour daily run on your treadmill works wonders. Gone are the days of unalterable weight, unchanging dress sizes and exercise free weeks. Even doing Wii Fit for 5 days a week won't keep you at your regular size if your diet remains unchanged. I hate to admit it, but this realization is what Oprah would probably call an AHA moment! The diet HAS to change....Aaaaarrrggghhhh!
I've finally given in....For the past months, I've been very conscious about all the meals that come out of my kitchen and make sure that the calorie per serving is reasonable and does not require a climb on Mt. Everest to burn. One thing remains constant though....the food has to taste good. Luckily, I've come across several recipes that are both yummy and sensible eats.

Try this recipe and you'll probably have to do just a few hundred lunges to burn the guilt (just kidding, one serving only has about 250 calories and won't kill that figure).... It's blackened Tilapia and is quite flavorful (what do you expect...that single piece is smothered with smoked paprika, onion bits, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, ground peppercorns and a dash of sea salt---whew!). The side salad of romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, arugula and feta cheese drizzled with balsamic dressing counters the spice of the fish. Note the miniscule 1/2 cup of white steamed rice at the edge of the plate....almost as good as garlic fried rice. Cheat method: just sprinkle with a bit of fried garlic bits from a bottle!

Rotisserie Chicken...a busy mom's bestfriend

2010-04-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

We all know that chicken is versatile....that it can be cooked and eaten in so many ways. From the not so healthy, finger-lickin' fried chicken to the uber wholesome grilled & skinned chicken breast, it pleases most everyone to his own liking. But I've realized that when I'm pressed for time (read: single-mom mode), rotisserie chicken in particular is like my childhood bestfriend, who always has my back when I'm in a rut and will be there for me, no matter why or what. The analogy does not of course pertain to any physical semblance but is more of an affinity in the "reliability area" (peace!).
Just the other day, I took out from my refrigerator the trustworthy rotisserie chicken c/o our friendly grocery store to whip something up for dinner. I cubed most of the white meat which I used to make my Chicken Mac Bake. Seeing the rest of the chicken in such a pathetic state though, I decided to boil, debone then shred the rest to pre-make chicken noodle soup for the following night.

I was cooking like a deranged maniac, with both hands working the pans. Knowing, however, that I could just sit pretty the following evening and not worry about dinner was worth going bananas for a night.

It was a happy ending, with the Chicken Mac Bake well-received by my "test kitchen" (read: my 3 sons).

The following day, with left-over mediterranean bread sticks, we each had a bowl of piping hot chicken noodle soup. The best thing was I didn't even have to lift a muscle to prepare the meal. Well....I did lift one finger, that is, to press the reheat button in our microwave. Now that's what I call good eats!

Post-Easter Post

2010-04-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh....spring break!!!
I bet, it was much more of a break for the parents than for the kids. No waking up in the wee hours of the morning to make breakfast and prepare school snacks, no rushing to and fro to pick up the boys from school or to bring them to any other activity (well, except for their guitar and saxophone lessons), no homework to check, and absolutely no requisite early lights-out policy for everyone!!! I was wondering, though, if my rosy-colored recollection of last week was accurate or if I was, as very so often, in selective memory mode.
Of course, with all the kids home, there was no so-called free time for moi. I vaguely remember bustling about the entire time (mostly in the kitchen- preparing meals daily for what seemed to be an entire basketball team), in a trance most of the day but catching my breath by dinner time, and trying to stay up as late as I can to sneek in an hour or two to catch up on reading a few free kindle books I've downloaded months back...while propped up on my hubby's massage chair (yes, it does have a reading light too!).....hmmmmmmm....bliss!!!

Was it really a vacation for me or just a hazy made up fantasy ? Who cares....I was with the people I love most for the entire time. Now, how can you beat that?

These were some of the goodies I made in my trance-like state....

Nuts about cupcakes

2010-03-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why cupcakes are so popular? It's not difficult to see why.....They're literally these delicious, guilt-laden desserts BUT pre-portioned for individual consumption. Note, though, that one tends to eat more than the desired serving size of 1 piece depending on how yummy the cupcake is.
They're visually attractive and have endless possible flavors and designs. Very ideal for special occasions like christmas or birthdays and can be easily baked too for daily desserts.
If you've read my previous blogs, you would know that baking is not really one of my strengths....I tend to improvise which is frowned upon in the baking world. Exact measurements make a great cake. But with several (and I mean, A LOT) attempts at baking the simple cupcake, I am now hooked.
Throughout the past few months, I've had my share of baking these little goodies....

This was on my eldest son's 13th birthday...

Christmas...

Just one of those days...

My very first cupcakes from scratch...

My 2nd son's 11th birthday...

On a "must-have-chocolate" day....

Last week...

I don't intend to stop making these sweet delights anytime soon...They're just wonderful to make and a treat to eat!

Weekly burger creations

2010-03-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

Burgers are a dime a dozen and are now, literally, a dollar or less for each. Modest cost and the idea of keeping one's kitchen untouched and clean in exchange for a burger take-out is so tempting that we do give in every once in a while. It may be puzzling, but a McDonald's cheese burger has always been one of my favorite guilty pleasures....the soggy bun, thin patty and meager amount of diced onions, mustard and ketchup. Yum (?) However, after having a couple of these in a week's time, it does leave you wanting for something tastier and more worthy of a diet-breakdown.

Going the gourmet route though, does not only hurt the pocket, but requires unnecessary dressing up and prepping time to get the boys ready for a dine-in event.

So, as a family, we decided to have a "weekly burger night" in which we could think up custom ingredients and grill our very own little creations to our liking. Who am I kidding, THEY decided, I reluctantly agreed (#$%@!!).

The very first burger week involved sesame seed kaiser buns, slathered with a sun-dried tomato-mayo combo, medium seared sirloin burgers, grilled portobello mushrooms, a pile of fresh spinach, sweet white onion rings and manchego cheese. The meal was so yummy and filling that we vowed to continue with the custom menu for the weeks to come.

The following week, we decided to do a more conventional burger with whole wheat kaiser buns, mayo infused with some crushed garlic, sirloin patties, crisp bacon, gouda cheese, fried eggs (yes...over-easy) and grilled onion rings. It was just classic!

After a couple of weeks, we resolved to lay low on the burgers, mainly because, there was too much effort required to clean up the grilling pans after the meal (in addition, of course, to piling on the calories). But just last week, we decided to do the burger menu once more.

...Well, as they say, the third time's always a charm. Who cared about clean-up time, when the burgers we had were just great. The variation included a home-made creamy spinach artichoke dressing, our favorite manchego cheese and fresh spinach! Yum-O!

It's a HIT!

2010-03-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Filipino and non-Filipino boxing fans alike have looked forward to watching the diminutive but amazing Manny Pacquiao for the last couple of years, at least. The most recent fight occured last Saturday night, against Ghana pride, Clottey, a tough orthodox fighter who was former IBF welterweight champion. We were graciously invited to a viewing party by a small group of filipino families who make each Pacquiao fight an event to remember.....mostly due to the abundance of good food and entertaining company.
Popular among Filipinos is the pot-luck, with each unit bringing a special dish, usually lovingly prepared by the guests themselves and brought over to the host's place to be shared by everyone. Initially, I wanted to prepare paksiw na pata (sweet and savory pork hocks) which I was able to cook fairly well in the past. This dish, however, takes a whole lot of prep and cooking time and TIME was something I didn't have a lot of this weekend.
Not wanting to disappoint with a mediocre to-go , I remembered an unpretentious chinese resto just a few blocks from our place which cooks THE crispiest garlic fried chicken wings I've ever tasted. We've been a fan of it since we've stumbled across the place looking for appetizers for my son's birthday a couple of months ago. Hubby and I agreed that the wings would complement a Pacquiao viewing.

True enough, "fight-night" proved to be a culinary experience....There was crispy pata, chopsuey, sweet and sour fish, pancit palabok, lumpiang shanghai, dinuguan, veggie egg rolls and leche flan. The array of dishes were exciting and flavorful...and thankfully, all store-bought (redemption!!!). The chicken wings I brought seemed to be a hit too for both kids and adults since there was hardly any left at the end of the day.
Now, if only the fight we watched had been more exciting. But that's another story.
In the end, everything turned out well... Manny won (which could have been decided in round 1 anyway) and we were all gastronomically knocked-out.

Sunday Salt & Pepper Shrimps

2010-03-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

Our Sunday dinners usually include a hearty dish to tide us over the rest of the week. Hurried meals throughout the school days are inevitable with the kids' busy schedules which are topped off with the requisite earlier bedtime. So, as the weekend approaches, our family looks forward to heavier meals, involving mostly meat with thicker sauces and robust side dishes.
Anyone who cooks though, would know that a robust meal equals a substantial amount of preparation time. And this, I had a lack of, yesterday. I was so wrapped up in trying to perfect the triple chocolate cupcakes I was baking, that I lost track of time and realized that I had just an hour to get dinner ready.
With no ready menu on hand, I recalled a friend's recent invitation to participate in her very creative foodie event, called Lasang Pinoy, Sundays. This showcases a gallery of the FILIPINO TASTE focusing on food photography using a weekly-theme. This week was supposed to be "seafood" and gave me a pretty good idea for a light, flavorful dish that could be done in a jiffy.
Without the pre-planning, I had to make sure that I had all ingredients currently on hand, since any last minute grocery shopping was no longer an option. Shrimps: check, sea salt: check, black pepper: check, all purpose flour: check, soda water: check!!! Yay....
These turned out to be light, crisp and flavorful. It was a welcome variation to have shrimp without the complex sauces usually added to it. Of course, there had to be hot chili oil on the side for some dipping action.

I prepared a noodle dish to complement the seafood but it didn't turn out as successful. It, too, was light and easy to prepare, but I got a little carried away with the sea salt and unfortunately overseasoned it. I could tell...(hmmppphhh!)

Well........ Give the cook a break! The shrimps were good anyway, weren't they?

No flu-pass?

2010-02-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

I've never been REALLY sick! The only times I remember being rushed to the hospital was all for the same reason...to deliver a baby (of course, this happened on three separate occassions...and will NEVER happen again-hahahha!). Other than pregnancy related suffering (and it is really over-the-top), I've only had a few bouts of the sniffles, migraine headaches and tummy troubles. So when my youngest one came home from preschool with colds and cough, I did my mommy routine of giving everyone in the household their vitamin doses and supply of liquids. This did work for our toddler. My eldest wasn't so lucky though...had to skip school for a few days to nurse the flu. I felt extremely exhausted too, but disregarded it to do my share of errands and what-nots. To perk up the seemingly gloomy state of our household, I decided to cook Bulalo (Beef Bone Marrow Stew).

This comfort food, which is a popular dish in Batangas, is a flavorful soup made rich by cooking beef bone marrow in low heat for hours. While others prefer a simple stew of meat, onions, black pepper and salt, my version has in addition bok choy, sweet corn and potatoes.

What better way to introduce veggies to my boys' mostly green-free diet? This hearty dish, made even more flavorful with freshly squeezed lemon and fish sauce, was well-received for dinner.
Did it work though to drive the flu away? For the rest of my brood, it did work wonders but I was down for 2 weeks after the meal. I guess the cook doesn't get a pass.....

N.B. Feeling like a train-wreck for the past weeks is my excuse for my long absence in FoodTripping. It's good to be back....

Dental woes and shrimp scampi with linguine

2010-01-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

I have not met one person who looked forward to a dental appointment...and I'm definitely no exception. If I could move any of my dental visits to anytime in the far future, I would, but my strong principles on good health and respect for others (read: fresh minty breath) prevailed. I was thinking though...."Why suffer alone, when I can set appointments for the rest of my brood (evil smile)?" And so I did!
We had a group dental check-up with the usual cleaning and fillings and what-nots. It was not pretty, I tell you.... I was hoping for something good to come out of it and realized that there actually was! Yoplait meals!
Since everyone had a hard time speaking, much more, chewing...then I had the easy way out. They did accept the low calorie meal with glum acceptance for the next 2 meals but didn't show as much gusto when yogurt reappeared on the dinner table the following day. I guess there's a certain threshold for such snacks and everyone's big appetites got the better of each.

I was deep in thought, trying to figure out the best after-dentist meal to serve the bunch. We could have gone the way of the soup...but come to think of it, sensitivity to heat was an issue. The meal had to be good enough to make them forget about their dental woes but should not entail any chewing struggles (read: no steaks).

Shrimp scampi with linguine! Who could resist al dente pasta with sauteed shrimp in garlic, shallots and butter with white wine, lemon and red chili flakes? No one!

No exaggerations, the dish was wiped out in half an hour! Just about the same time I prepared it. It's a very quick dish to make and could never go wrong due to the easy steps and simple ingredients.

Wash, devein and peel shrimps then season with salt and pepper. Put aside.

Heat pan with 3 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsps butter. Saute chopped garlic (1/4 cup), shallots (2 tbsps) and dried red chili pepper (go crazy with this).

Add shrimps and cook just until they turn pink....in my case, it was just a couple of minutes. Take out the shrimps with tongs and set aside. This step is quite important since we don't want to overcook the shrimp to rubbery inedible things.

Add the wine (1/2 cup for cooking, 1 full glass for drinking), lemon (1/4 cup) and parsley and reduce the sauce for about 3-5 minutes. Add back the shrimps with the cooked al dente linguine. Mix in the pan in low heat just until the noodles are heated through.

Serve warm as is! In my case, I added crumbled goat cheese for that added yumminess!