In Our Kitchen

Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:12:00 +0000

Whenever my daughter gets sick, she asks for soup. She loves most types of soup but she especially loves soups with noodles and without meat. I am always concerned that she gets enough vegetables though so I always try to sneak them in whenever I can.

The last time she got sick she was also afflicted with a very sore throat and lost her appetite for most things. That is, until I made this soup which is a cross of everything she had and everything that is good for her.

The soup base contains all the usual ingredients for Filipino chicken soup called Tinola and since I didn't plan on using any chicken, I used chicken broth for the soup.

The recipe starts by sauteeing garlic, onions and garlic in about a tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken broth and let it come to a boil. Then add (as in this case) mustard greens, turnip root and rice noodles. Cook until the turnip and noodles are tender at which point the greens should be too. This should take about 8-10 minutes. If your chicken broth is not seasoned already, season the soup with salt and pepper.

I didn't put any proportions because it all depends on how much soup you're making. By adjusting the proportions to your taste, you can make this soup for two or two hundred :)

Pancit - My Comfort Food

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:30:00 +0000

This is one of my many comfort food but it's a favorite. I have to have my pansit fix at least once a month, especially on birthdays and holidays.

I cook this dish so often that it's also becoming a fast favorite for my friends and in-laws too. My brother-in-law in particular never fails to request pansit whenever I ask what I can bring for potluck.

The photo above is what I fix myself when the craving for noodles hit. It's the simplest version with just the rice noodles, carrots, celery, cabbage and slices of pork. It's real easy and can be prepared in less than an hour. Perfect for working people like me, and it's still healthy for you.

Of course, this dish is so versatile that you can add more vegetables and protein to dress it up a bit more.

The basic pancit recipe is posted on Cooked from the Heart if you'd like to try it out.

So what's your comfort food?

Facebook Live Cooking

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:41:00 +0000

I felt like I was live blogging on Facebook today as I was attempting a Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake while facebooking at the same time. So I thought I'd share some of my food related updates here too. My first FB post about this:

BAKERS/COOKS WANTED TO SOLVE PROBLEM IN THE KITCHEN. I used an 8 inch springform pan instead of a 10 inch one so now I have a cake that is way too tall to add additional mousse layers to. Should I.... 1) split the cake and spread it out on a 10 inch pan then put the layers on top of it or 2) make a tall collar to accommodate the 2 mousse layers and have a towering cake (with risk of it being too tall and possibly falling over when cut) WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

That's right, what I assumed to be a 10 inch pan turned out to be 8. It happens. Next time just make sure to read the label on the pan itself rather than guessing at the size especially when you have spacial acuity problems. How would you have solved this problem? Here's how I did it (on my next FB status update):

Lesson for the day: IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, EAT IT
My too tall cake in the too small pan problem was solved by me cutting the top off and eating it. I made room for the mousse layers and I didn't have to dirty up another pan. You all know how I hate washing dishes :) To my friends who are baking pros, yes, I know I suck at folding. I need to practice my technique. The white spots are where the meringue was not quite incorporated into the chocolate.

Pink Together Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Prize Pack:

A 16 oz. box of Total cereal
VIP coupons valid for one box of Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios cereal and one cup of Yoplait yogurt
Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook Pink Together Edition, which includes a collection of more than 150 delicious recipes with complete nutrition information and a 32-page Pink Together Survivor Ambassador bonus section that shares inspirational personal stories of survival as well as recipes
Water bottle and removable silicone awareness bracelet
Drawstring sport backpack
Rhinestone ear buds

Win this Pink Together Giftpack by entering the giveaway. Click here for details on how to enter the Pink Together Giveaway.

Fun Da-Middles Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Would you like to win the prize package above? The Betty Crocker Fun Da-middles Giveaway is now on Cooked From the Heart and you have many chances to win. The number of entries are low and the contest will end next Friday.

So get on over there to enter the giveaway! Click on the links or the photo to enter the giveaway.

The prize pack contains:

One sample of new Betty Crocker Fun da-middles cupcake mix
One cupcake pan
One oven mitt
One package of cupcake liners
One box of cupcake gift notes

You can make your own junk food at home, cheaper!

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Frugality is something that I try to adhere to in general. We do have three daughters to support, and two of them are now in college. My husband and I, of course, have been finding ways to earn money in addition to cutting back on unnecessary expenses.

At my house, the biggest chunk of our expenses go to food, largely consisting of the groceries we buy and the food that we eat out.

With us trying to save more money, when we buy convenience food, I have noticed that we tend to go for fast food rather than restaurant food. However, with the recent talks about fast food and prepared foods in general, we have been cutting down a lot on eating out. Especially junk food.

A few months ago, I read this article on the Simple Dollar referring to the revelation that Taco Bell (one of favorite go-to fast food chains) is not using 100% beef in their products as we would assume. But they are not alone in that. It is a common practice in most fast-food places and I'm sure even in some restaurants.

The following is an excerpt from the Simple Dollar (one of my favorite blogs for being frugal and healthy) about making your own convenience food at home.

Over the past week, the fast food restaurant chain Taco Bell was sued for claiming that the taco mixture used in their products was actually beef. According to USDA standards, a beef mixture served by businesses must contain at least 40% beef in ordered to be labeled as such, and the lawsuit alleges (with some evidence) that their taco mixture only contains 36% beef., not the 88% beef that they claim.

Taco Bell themselves list ingredients in their “meat filling products” that include “water, isolated oat product, wheat oats, maltodrextrin, soy lecithin, maltodrextrin, anti-dusting agent, autolyzed yeast extract, modified corn starch, sodium phosphate and silicon dioxide.”

Silicon dioxide?

Here’s the thing: the lawsuit itself isn’t really all that important. It’s the broader issue that scares me. Consider that the USDA only requires that something contain 40% meat to be called “meat,” whether at Taco Bell or anywhere else you might buy a “meat product.” ~ The Simple Dollar

As mentioned in the article, it's just as easy to make your own "fast food" at home rather than subjecting your family's health to subpar ingredients and toxic additives. The Simple Dollar, by the way is a personal finance blog that gives practical advice and solutions to financial problems that we all encounter. While he advises on ways to increase your income stream, he is not one of those sites that promote make money online schemes so THEY can make money online. The topics he discusses and the advice he doles out are all practical and sensible for everyday folks like us. I also like it that he talks about the meals that they prepare in their family, meals that are healthy but also frugal.

What is Miso?

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:40:00 +0000

My daughter loves miso soup. You know, the kind they give you at the Japanese restaurant that usually has cubes of tofu and slivers of seaweed? Well my daughter who swears to hate anything seafood loves miso soup. She tolerates the seaweed or just picks them out when she sees them. But I haven't told her that the stock base for miso soup is made of fish stock. Or rather, flavored with dried bonito flakes. Did you know that?

Did you also know that the main ingredient of the soup, MISO, is made of fermented soy beans? My daughter does not mind this so much. She loves edamame! Salt and koji fungus are also added to fascilitate the fermentation process along.

The final product that I buy is a tub like the one pictured below at the Asian market. It's usually in the refrigerated section.

It is a thick paste, golden in color, has a slightly sour, fermented smell and very salty. I have been buying it mainly to make my daughter's miso soup. Then a few weeks ago, I ran across this recipe for Miso Dip, and I just fell in love with it!

MISO DIP

It's so simple, I don't know why I never thought of doing it before. The dip, which is really more of a condiment that you can use to accompany a variety of dishes, is simply miso paste sauteed with garlic, onions and tomatoes. Nothing could be simpler! But oh the possibilities of using this condiment is endless!

So far, we've used it as a flavor enhancer for soups, a dip for fried fish and pork chops, added it to curried dishes, and my favorite, as a pasta sauce!

I'll post more photos and recipes of miso dip inspired dishes as I get to them.
Now if you would like to learn more specific and detailed information about Miso, check out this page about Hatcho Miso for some very interesting facts.

Food Quote: TORTILLA

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:56:00 +0000

"Tita knew through her own flesh how fire transforms the elements, how a lump of corn flour is changed into a tortilla, how a soul that hasn't been warmed by the fire of love is lifeless, like a useless ball of corn flour."
— Laura Esquivel (Like Water for Chocolate)

Food Quote: VEGETARIAN

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:24:00 +0000

"Vegetarian: an old Indian word for bad hunter"

Food Quote: SOUP

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:05:00 +0000

"There ain't a body, be it mouse or man, that ain't made better by a little soup."
— Kate DiCamillo (The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread)

Food Quote - CREAM

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:31:00 +0000

"If you're afraid of butter, use cream" ~ Julia Child

Food Network Star Returns!

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:29:00 +0000

Loving food and anything related to food, it's inevitable that I am also loving all the cooking shows on tv especially the Food Network. For me, the Food Network and the Travel Channel make having cable so worth it. I love watching the celebrity chefs but I also love watching 'real life' cooks. That's why I'm excited to hear that Food Network Star Returns In June! It will premier again on June 5 at 9PM ET/PT.

15 finalists will be cooking their way towards their very own Food Network show and we'll be voting for our favorites. I love this show because they not only have to be able to cook well, they also have to be personable enough to present what they've cooked. For tv, personality is everything after all. I mean look at Rachel Ray. LOVE HER! A lot of 'serious' cooks and foodies deride her but the girl is just so darn cute and personable, you can't help but like her. The girl's got charisma! I'm sure the judges for Food Network Star will be on the lookout for the contestant with charisma.

A great example of this charisma thing is one previous winner, Aarti Sequeira who now is host of Aarti Paarti on the Food Network. She is is just adorable! You can't help but like her. She's got a beautiful smile and makes Indian food seem easy to cook!

Food Network Star

Food Quote: LEFTOVERS

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:25:00 +0000

"Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart" ~ Thomas Fuller

What wines to give for a birthday?

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:55:00 +0000

What wines to give for a birthday?
A good wine can make a great gift but people’s taste in wine can be difficult to work out if you are not in a position to discuss it with them. However, there are a few rough guidelines you can follow to increase the chances of your present being a big hit.

When buying wine for people whose taste you know very little about, go for a bottle that you are confident would please the majority of your friends if you served it at a dinner party. Perhaps your wine won’t be a life-changing experience for the receiver, but you want to make sure you at least do not offend their palette!

Merlot and Cabernet are considered to be universally loved wines, so if you’re seeking a bottle of red wine to buy your boss or a long lost family member, these two options represent reasonably safe bets.

If your friend’s birthday is in autumn or winter, a bottle of Pinot Noir is likely to go down a treat with most people. White wine is more commonly served in warm weather, so if the birthday party is a spring gathering or a summer barbecue, a bottle of Pinot Grigio will make you a popular guest.

Champagne is the classic celebration wine and you will rarely get anything less than a positive reaction when buying it as a gift. Even wine drinkers who don’t have a particular affection for champagne will enjoy having a bottle around for that special occasion or celebration.

If you can ascertain the kind of food being served at a birthday party you’re attending, you can always bring the gift of a great wine to accompany the meal.

If the birthday dinner is likely to be a hearty dish of red meat, casserole or pie, then a good, full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon will compliment it well. If fish, pasta or salads are on the menu, go for a white wine such as Rombauer Chardonnay. Alternatively, if spicy Mexican or Indian food is on the agenda, a wine with more of a zesty kick to it might work well, such as a Shiraz.

The price and size of your birthday gift are, unfortunately, things to keep in mind. A standard bottle of wine brought as a gift to be served at a table of 20 people might be a gesture that creates a bit of a problem for the host when everyone wants to try your perfectly matched wine with their meal. Ask your local wine merchant for a magnum if you know the wine will be passed around a lot.

Equally, don’t scrimp on birthday wines. Imagine your friend or relative’s face when they sit down to enjoy their present, only to find upon tasting that you picked up a cheap, bottom-of-the-barrel bargain from your local corner shop! When it comes to wine, price generally reflects quality, so while there is no need to break the bank, let the price of your wine guide you to a good gift.

Food Quote: Apple

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:49:00 +0000

"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed."
~ Robert H. Schuller

GIVEAWAY - Olivari Kitchen Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:51:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to try out Olivari Extra Virgin Olive oil recently and liked it so much that I asked them if they would like to sponsor a giveaway on my blog. I was a bit surprised when they agreed! So here's your chance to try out this great product too. All you have to do is visit the giveaway post on Cooked from the Heart by clicking on the image above. Follow the instructions on that post on how to enter the giveaway - you just have to leave me a comment - and that's it! Hurry on over there, the giveaway ends at the end of the month on the 28th.

New Beginnings for the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:17:00 +0000

So the new year is well underway, another holiday under our belt with the passing of Valentine's Day. The year is flying by and everyone in the blogging world seem to have gone on a major overhaul mode. Several of the blogs I visit, I notice, have given themselves new looks, with new blog designs.

Another trend I've been noticing is that everyone is getting a lot of marketing materials made. Business cards are being ordered, giveaway items with a blog's logo is also becoming popular lately. T-shirts, of course, are always popular giveaway items. I would love to have one made for my food blog.

There is one place I found where, if you're interested in making any of these customized marketing materials, you run a test run and just order a few for yourself, or put your design out there for your fans to order. It's called Cafe Press. You've probably heard of it. Some of the new bands that my daughter follows have their t-shirts for sale from the site, that's how I found out about them.

They actually have a great selection of designs on their site, not just the custom designed ones although, personally, I think those are the best ones.

With St. Patrick's Day coming round the corner fast, I'm sure Irish T Shirts will featured on the site soon. Som of the other themed designs available are Racing T Shirts, T shirts with slogans, or T shirts with funny themes, with pets, or holiday themed. You can find just about anything there.

So I'm getting away from myself again. What I'm actually considering is having my daughter design a logo for the food blog and submit it to Cafe Press for printing. Our fans can order whether they want the logo on t-shirts, or other items like mugs, magnets and such that are also offered from the site. What do you think? Have you used them before? What are your thoughts? Please let me know.

So Very Nice Chicken Soup with Rice

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:59:00 +0000

The weather has turned cold in the Carolinas alright! We even got snow on Christmas day! Amazing. That was the first snow on Christmas we've had since moving here 16 years ago. Actually, the whole area hadn't seen snow since 1947!

So what's good when there's snow and it's cold outside? Why soup of course! And what better soup to stave off the cold than something that sticks to the bones like this chicken soup with rice!

Click here for the recipe for Arroz Caldo or Chicken Soup with Rice

Visit our other blogs:
Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 20:16:00 +0000

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
One of favorite gifts to give away at Christmas are goodies that we make ourselves. Our friends love them too, especially these awesome sugar cookies. Some of our family and friends have come to expect them now and are disappointed when we don't give them any.

These sugar cookies are really easy to make too and you get tons of it. Check them out:
Spritjes - the very best sugar cookies made with egg yolks
Katte Tongen - a delicate sugar cookie made with egg whites

Very convenient to make these two recipes at once as one uses up only egg yolks and the other only egg whites.

Visit our other blogs:
Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

Mozaik Dinner Ware Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:16:00 +0000

I am giving away the Mozaik prize package above on Cooked from the Heart and the giveaway ends tomorrow. I invite you to enter the giveaway and win this fabulous prize!

Click here to enter the Mozaik Prize Pack Giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment!

Visit our other blogs:Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

"There are a lot of dishes in hell"

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:20:00 +0000

Because burned onions and moments of high frustration notwithstanding, our food is good and nourishing, and our kitchen is the heart of our home.

Nicole Montesano says in this article that cooking is always worthwhile whether it's fun or not. It pretty much sums up how I've been feeling about cooking lately.

We have fallen into a cooking routine that is not necessarily bad. It just gets boring after a while. I cook the same dishes on a regular basis: pork chops, roast beef, fried chicken, with the occasional stirfry and soup thrown in between. I realized, and my daughters have noticed it too, that I have just been too tired to be interested in food. I no longer try to search out different cuts of meat than the usual stuff at the grocery store. It's been a while since I shopped at a foodie market. I hardly even visited the farmer's market this year! No wonder my cooking has been in a rut!

This passage in the article says all that I have been feeling about cooking:

I like to cook. Some people have been known to interpret this to mean I would like to cook at every possible opportunity.

That interpretation is wrong.

Cooking when I'm tired, in a hurry and/or stressed doesn't have much appeal for me, either. Sometimes it's soothing and calming. Sometimes it isn't, and everything you heat burns, you keep tripping over the dog, you forget the salt and spill things, and you wind up highly frustrated.

Not long ago, we ate completely unseasoned spaghetti sauce. It wasn't bad, with salt sprinkled on top ... .

Some nights, I cook not for joy, but so that we can eat.

Lately, I've been preheating cast iron pans and then forgetting to use them, and letting the teakettle boil dry after forgetting I was intending to make tea. This may be a sign. Possibly that we should buy another fire extinguisher, at the rate I seem to be going.

All of which is meant to say, that just because I like to cook does not make every moment in the kitchen an eternity of bliss.

Occasionally, it's a glimpse through the gates of hell.

There are a lot of dirty dishes in hell.

And you can never find a potholder when you need one.

So if cooking is not your thing, take heart. Some days, it isn't anybody's thing.

Visit our other blogs:
Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

Do you like getting these?

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Everyone loves receiving gourmet treats as gifts, don't they? I sure do! These Hickory Farms gift baskets are terrific for giving and receiving. The summer sausages and cheeses on these packs are truly delicious. My family and I enjoy them with hot chocolate especially now that the weather has turned cold again.

We had the opportunity to try out this Hickory Farms Party Planner Gift Box as part of a blog tour and for some reason they taste even better! Is it 'cause they're free? I wonder. lol!

Visit our other blogs:
Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

Cassava Rice Cake

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:57:00 +0000

One of the earliest posts, if not the first, on this blog is for a Cassave Cake Recipe (which I just realized we spelled with a K lol!). This is a more updated version of the same cake and with the added glutinous rice flour in the mix, it has a much lighter and 'cakey' texture.

This cake would be a perfect addition to any holiday party and it's so easy to put together, you can literally throw the ingredients together in the morning, bake it while youre dressing and garner the compliments when you get to the office :)

Click here for the recipe to Cassava Rice Cake otherwise known as Bibingkang Kamoteng Kahoy in Pilipino.

Visit our other blogs:Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

Veterans Eat Free at Chili's NOV 11

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:09:00 +0000

If you're a veteran or in active military service, Chili's will buy you lunch this Thursday, November 11 for Veterans Day. All you have to do is show proof of service like your military ID and you can choose from a selected menu and your meal is free.

Here is the Veteran's Day Menu of free meals.

Visit our other blogs:
Amoores.com
Cooked from the Heart - our new food blog
Our New Backyard - garden & photo blog
Found Not Lost - about all the things we 'find' worth talking about

Farm Fresh Recipe Contest

noreply@blogger.com (JMom) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:32:00 +0000

You could win a $1,000 grand prize!

Do you enjoy cooking with fresh, local ingredients? Share your market inspirations by entering your favorite original farm-fresh recipe in Epicurius' contest. In addition to awarding the grand prize, they will feature recipes from ten finalists in a special-edition TasteBook.