Nicole's Big Idea

The “Real Aftermath” of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda

2013-12-18T14:10:00.002-05:00

Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda:Filipino name) left thousands of Filipino families homeless (Herman Lumanog/Dreamstime)

PHILIPPINES -- Back in 1995, Typhoon Rosing's destructive nature, caused power outages all over the Philippines which lasted almost two months or so. Fast forward -- I moved to New York and experienced the wrath of Hurricane Sandy. The damages were devastating, and I thought I would never see anything like it again. Imagine the shock and horror I felt when I heard about Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

Its aftermath truly left Filipinos helpless but hopeful that help is on its way. I really admire these families for withstanding the storm, but I admire them more for withstanding the "real aftermath". Thousands of families are now homeless and most of them lost a loved one, but yet, the real aftermath that is truly affecting them, is the lack of full government assistance.

CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper reported live the terrible situation of the Filipino people in Tacloban city. In his live report, he mentioned the government's shortcomings to make them aware of what should be done to help the victims. Instead of receiving compliments, ABS-CBN's broadcast journalist, Korina Sanchez (wife of Senator Mar Roxas), bashed him and mentioned a "blind item" in her radio show pertaining to Anderson Cooper. She said that a reporter from CNN doesn't know what he is taking about -- she even mentioned that he is blond. What a shame! They care about how they look to the public, but they don't really care as much about the victims' unfortunate mishaps.

A few weeks ago, photos of relief goods with stickers of Vice President Jejomar Binay's logo circulated on facebook. These photos were submitted to CNN iReport and people have been sharing it to most social media sites. I was horrified and speechless. I don't understand why politicians have to do these preposterous things. Binay's spokesman, Joey Salgado, defended the vice president and mentioned that the circulated photos were "recycled" from a different event. He pointed out that the stickers was donated by Engineer Nelson Golez from Iloilo. I'm not sure if I believe it, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. In the midst of calamities, some take advantage and use it as an excuse to put themselves in the spotlight. Haiyan/Yolanda, being the most powerful cyclone, received a lot of media attention. That being said, the exposure is slowly uncovering some of the wretched ways of the Philippine Government. The leaders are being criticized greatly, not just by the Filipino people, but everyone else worldwide.

My heart is aching for the victims' loss, but, my heart is aching more because I feel that the Philippine government hasn't fully extended their helping hand to the victims of Haiyan/Yolanda. It is not my intention to point fingers, but I would like the government to know and acknowledge, that in times like this, the Filipino people need them the most. Haiyan/Yolanda's aftermath is devastating, but the devastation is heightened due to the lack of government support. My husband and I donated money through UNICEF and Red Cross with the hope that my efforts would reach my distant relatives and all other victims, I hope you do too.

2013-07-13T23:24:00.001-04:00

Shepherd's Pie

It has been a long time since I've updated my blog. My life has been very hectic for the past few months. I just had a newborn baby 7 weeks ago, and taking care of a newborn is a full time job (no joke) -- so now, I have a total of 3 kiddies at home to take care of. Nowadays, I have been cooking simple, quick but delicious dishes for this exact reason (I was already doing this when I still had 2 kids).

Today, after we did our chores, my husband suggested that I should make shepherd's pie which is originally an English dish which resembles a casserole. It has cooked meat and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes, then baked.

Ingredients

1/2 lbs ground round beef
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped baby corn
1 cup frozen vegetables - carrots, peas, broccoli
3 big potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Seasoning salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice (paprika, parsley flakes, dill weed)
Oil

1. Quarter potatoes and boil in water until for about 20-25 minutes until it is tender.

2. In another pan, saute the onions in oil until it's translucent. Add the frozen vegetables, baby corn and the ground beef. When the vegetables and the ground beef has initially cooked, add the mushrooms.

3. Add seasoning salt, pepper, soy sauce and other seasonings of choice. Once, it is cooked (if meat is no longer pink), set aside.

4. Mash potatoes in a bowl, add butter, salt and pepper to taste.

5. Place cooked beef in a round baking dish. Put the mashed potatoes on top and distribute. Use a fork to rough up the mashed potatoes to create peaks.

6. Cook in a 390 degree oven until peaks are golden brown (about 30-35 minutes).

7. Serve and enjoy.

Panko-Crusted Lemon Cod Fillets

2012-06-29T20:37:00.003-04:00

I'm a typical meat-lover, and like any other meat-lovers, I will always pick pork or chicken over fish. I personally do not like fish that much, but as an exception, I'll eat it if it's fried! Anyway, we had a whole pack of untouched cod fillets in the fridge and we ran out of meat..oh well! So I decided to cook the cod fillets. Luckily, I was being lazy (as always) that day that I've decided to make this recipe super simple. Hope you guys will enjoy.

Panko-Crusted Lemon Cod Fillets

- 2 cod fillets
- 2 tbsp lemon pepper powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of Japanese panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp of dried parsley

1. Cut the cod fillets into smaller pieces to yield about 8 smaller cod fillet pieces.
2. Add the lemon pepper powder on the cod fillets and let it marinate for about 15-20 minutes.
3. Add the egg on the cod fillets and coat it evenly.
4. On a separate bowl, mix the dried parsley and the panko bread crumbs.
5. Drop the fillets on the mixture and coat it evenly with the panko and parsley mixture.
6. Fry the fillets for about 2 minutes (or less depending on the thickness) in a deep fryer at 350.
7. Serve hot and enjoy. You can also serve it with fried zucchini with an Asian mayo dip.
8. Asian Mayo Dip: 1/4 cup Asian mayo, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Mix all the ingredients. The dip can be used for both the cod fillets and fried zucchini.

Chocolate Brownies Recipe

2012-06-08T09:03:00.002-04:00

I love desserts -- but I'm really not a big fan of making it so to speak. I usually make it once in awhile and I always make it simple as much as possible. I haven't really posted dessert recipes since I've started my blog site. My friend, Marian Standiford, had sent me a facebook message awhile back, asking for dessert recipes. It took me awhile to write this recipe -- not because it is hard -- but more so because of my constant busy schedule (and laziness). So Punkz, this recipe is for you. I hope you'll like it.

Chocolate Brownie Recipe

- 2/3 cup unsweetened butter

- 5 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate

- 1 3/4 cups light brown sugar

- 2 tsp vanilla

- 3 regular sized eggs

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 1 cup chopped almonds

Chocolate glaze

- 5 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate

- 1/2 cup unsweetened butter

- 3 tbsp half and half

Optional: 1 scoop of coffee ice cream

1. Mix all the ingredients for the brownie and make sure that the mixture is smooth and that there are no lumps.
2. Put the mixture in a 9' x 13" baking pan.
3. Bake brownie in a 350degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the brownie is baked all the way.
4. In a separate pot, melt butter and baking chocolate in very low heat then add half an half.
5. Once everything is melted, and the chocolate glaze becomes chocolatey and velvety, turn off the heat and let it cool.
6. Once the brownie is done, take it out of the oven. Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes and add the chocolate glaze.
7. In a small plate, cut a small square piece of brownie and add a scoop of coffee ice cream on the side.
8. Enjoy!

Pork Ribs Stew: My Version

2012-03-28T11:32:00.005-04:00

I received a text message last night from a former classmate and a friend, Paula Kennison, who now lives in Oklahoma with her husband and two kids. She asked me to send her my blog site which I did, and I promised her that I will write this recipe for her. So here you go Pau, I hope you will like it. LOL.

Pork Ribs Stew

- 1lb pork ribs

- 1 1/2 cups potatoes (cubed)

- 1 cup carrots (cubed)

- 1/2 cup minced onions

- 3 tbsp of sweet pickle relish

- 2 cans pineapple chunks (8 ounces)

- 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)

- 1 cup water

- 2 tsp salt and pepper

- 1 cup sugar (add more if you want it sweeter)

1. In a medium sized pot, boil the pork ribs and onions for about 30 minutes or until tender in water and pineapple juice including the pineapple chunks.

2. Add the potatoes, carrots and tomato sauce then continue to simmer until the sauce is thick.

3. Once the sauce is thick, add the sweet pickle relish, salt, pepper and sugar.

4. Stir and mix everything until everything is well incorporated. If you want the stew to be a little bit sweeter, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar. Likewise for a little bit of kick, add a 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper.

5. Serve hot and enjoy.

Broiled Lemon Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Fried Spinach Dinner

2012-03-16T20:09:00.004-04:00

Who doesn't want a very sophisticated and restaurant like dinner? I bet every does. Restaurant dinner does not have to be complicated. All you need is a little bit of creativity and some semi home made recipes and voilah! You have got an awesome dinner on the way.

BROILED LEMON CHICKEN

- 1 lb chicken wings

- 2 1/2 tbsp lemon pepper powder

- 1/4 cup oil

1. Sprinkle the lemon pepper powder on the chicken and marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Smother the oil all over the chicken. Put the chicken in a baking pan and broil it on low for about 20 minutes.

3. After 20 minutes change the broiling setting to high, and broil the chicken for about 5 to 6 more minutes.

4. Take the chicken out and set aside for plating.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

- 2 medium sized potatoes, cubed (yukon gold)

- 1 cup water

- 1 tbsp butter

- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 tbsp garlic powder

- 1 tsp salt and pepper

- 2 tbsp minced scallions

- 1/4 minced mushrooms

1. Boil the potatoes in water. You can add water if potatoes are not fully submerged.

2. When the potatoes are soft, take off the excess water and add butter and milk.

3. Mash the potatoes with a masher until there are no lumps left and until the consistency is smooth.

4. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, mushrooms and scallions. Simmer until mashed potatoes is thick (about 3 minutes or so).

5. Turn off the heat. Set aside for plating.

FRIED SPINACH

- Bag of fresh spinach

- Salt and pepper

1. Deep fry or shallow fry spinach in oil at 350 for about 3 minutes or until all the spinach are translucent and crispy.

2. Shake off excess oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

***Put all the components in a plate just like in the photo or however you may want to arrange it on the plate. Be creative. Serve hot and enjoy.

Seafood Cakes: My Version

2012-03-13T11:54:00.013-04:00

Back in the Philippines, canned tuna is probably one of the most popular staple foods. It is very cheap, tasty and it can be found in any supermarket there is. My mother used to buy it everytime we go to Robinson's Mall. I cook with it all the time because it is a very versatile ingredient. It can be mixed to something else or can also stand on its own. Here is a recipe of my version of seafood cakes. This recipe can be tweaked according to the seafood that you wish to add. I normally use canned clams and fake crab meat.

SEAFOOD CAKES: MY VERSION RECIPE

- 3 - 4 canned tuna

- 2 canned clams (6.5 oz)

- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chopped fake crab meat

- 1/3 cup of minced carrots

- 1/3 cup of minced onions

- 1/3 cup of minced scallions

- 2 tsps salt

- 1 tsp pepper

- 2 regular sized eggs

- 1/3 cup bread crumbs

- 1 cup of flour (for breading the seafood cakes)

- oil

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the 1 cup of flour. Save the flour for breading the seafood cakes.

2. Make sure that all the ingredients are well mixed and well incorporated.

3. Take a handful of the mixture (approximately 1/4 cup) and form it into round

balls.

4. Roll the balled up mixture in flour and flatten the top and the bottom of the balls until it looks like a thick mini patty.

5. Shallow fry or deep fry the seafood cakes in hot oil until it is golden brown.

6. For a quick dip, mix 1/2 cup of mayo, 3 1/2 tbsp of vinegar, 1 tsp of salt and pepper, 2 tbsp of garlic powder and 1 tsp of minced cilantro. The dip can be tweaked according to your taste.

7. Serve the seafood cakes with the dip on a serving platter and enjoy.

Lumpiang Shanghai Recipe

2012-02-28T17:36:00.006-05:00

Lumpiang shanghai (spring rolls) is a traditional Filipino dish usually served on Festivals or sometimes just on ordinary days. Most Filipinos (even Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai) have their own versions of making spring rolls. There are versions that utilize ground pork or chicken with some minced vegetables. Likewise, other versions are consist of glass noodles and some vegetables. Below is my version of spring roll. I use few simple ingredients that are readily available in the supermarket. I hope you guys will enjoy it.

LUMPIANG SHANGHAI RECIPE

-Spring roll wrappers (Spring Home Brand 150mm x 150m)

-1 lb ground turkey

-3/4 cup minced onions

-3/4 cup minced carrots

-3/4 cup minced scallions

-3/4 cup sweet pickle relish

-1 egg

-2 tsp salt

-2 tsp pepper

-Oil

1. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the spring roll

wrappers. For an ideal consistency, put onions, carrots and scallions in the food processor before mixing it with the other ingredients.

2. Take one spring roll wrapper and spread it on a clean flat surface (chopping board can work). Place a tablespoon of the mixture on the middle - left side of the wrapper. Fold the upper and lower part of the wrapper in such a way wherein the ends would meet and overlap each other a little. Make sure that the filling is at least an inch in

length

so that the wrappers can overlap, if not you can take out a little bit of the filling

3. Hold the center and roll the wrapper starting from the left side where the filling is. Try to roll it neatly and tightly. Put a little bit of water on the edge of the right side of the wrapper to seal

it.

4. Deep fry or pan fry the lumpiang shanghai (around 350 degrees) for about 4 minutes or until the wrapper turns golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy.

Empanada Recipe: My Version

2012-02-11T20:22:00.011-05:00

I have written a blog about how I love empanadas a few months ago but I did not include the exact recipe. Thus, I have decided to write another one. This time, it is the exact recipe of how I make my own empanadas. This version is totally different from traditional empanadas. I hope you guys will like it.

EMPANADA RECIPE

- 1 pack of Goya discos grande dough

Filling:

- 1/4 lb of ground turkey

- 1 tsp minced garlic

- 2 tsp minced onions

- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms

- 2 tsp minced scallions

- 1/2 cup of ragu

- 1 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 3 tbsp sugar

- 3 tbsp sour cream

- 1/2 cup of shredded mexican cheese

- oil

1. Saute the garlic and onions. Add

ground turkey and cook for around 15 minutes.

2. When the turkey is almost cooked, add the mushrooms, ragu, salt, pepper and sugar. Let it simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes and add the scallions.

3. Turn of off the heat and mix sour cream in the empanada filling.

4. Take one sheet of the empanada dough and put 2 heaping spoonfuls of the filling in the center. Add a some shredded Mexican cheese on top of the filling.

5. Fold the dough in half holding the filling inside to make sure it won't fall out. (the dough stretches so do not be scared to this step. dough should look like a half moon)

6. Seal the open sides by pressing it with a fork.

7. Deep fry the empanadas in hot oil (around 350 degrees) for about 3 minutes or until the dough is brown and crispy

8. Serve hot and enjoy.

Dinuguan Recipe

2012-02-08T21:07:00.003-05:00

A relative recently sent me a message on facebook asking for a recipe for my version of dinuguan. I was extremely happy with her message, thus, I wanted to extend my gratitude to her by posting this recipe. Dinuguan is one of my favorite Filipino dishes. Its unique taste, texture and flavor makes it a very prominent traditional Filipino dish. There are different versions but the concept is pretty much the same. All versions practically have the same basic ingredients, pork blood and vinegar. To Marie Beth, I hope you would like this version of dinuguan. I tried to keep it simple for you.

DINUGUAN RECIPE

-1/2 lb pork loin (cut into small cubes)

-1/2 lb pork belly (cut into small cubes...you can choose to use just one part of the park)

-1/4 cup minced onions

-2 tbsp minced garlic

-1 cup water

-1 tbsp fish sauce (if this is not available, you can substitute with 1 pork broth cube)

-2 cups pork blood

-1 cup vinegar

-2 tsp salt

-2 tsp sugar

-1 tsp pepper

-4 pieces of long green chili

-3 tbsp oil

1. Add oil in a pot. Saute minced garlic and minced onions.

2. Add pork loin and pork belly in the pot. Brown the pork a little for about 4 minutes then add water, fish sauce and a teaspoon of salt.

3. Boil the pork until it is tender and until almost all the liquid evaporates.

4. Add the vinegar, remaining teaspoon of salt, sugar and pepper. Let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Do not stir.

5. Add pork blood and long green chili. Let is simmer for about 10-12 minutes. Keep stirring at this point to avoid curdling. Once the blood is thick, turn of the heat and enjoy.

***I do not have an original picture for dinuguan since the last time I had cooked this recipe was almost 5 years ago. Likewise, it is difficult to find a place where I can buy clean pork blood in Peekskill. :-)

Pork Roulade Recipe

2012-02-04T18:23:00.006-05:00

Pork loin can be really dry if it is not cooked right. When I was in high school, my parents started going on a diet and they have prevented themselves (including my siblings and I) from buying and eating fatty pieces of pork and they totally stopped buying beef as well. I used to hate it when my mother buys pork loin from the wet market and uses it for sinigang. I just tend to crave for those fatty pieces because it is so flavorful.(I know, it's really bad!). On the other hand, because I started eating a little healthier when I was growing up, I developed this cravings for chicken cordon bleu so I figured maybe it will work with pork loin too. Here is my version of pork cordon bleu.

PORK ROULADE RECIPE

- 1 lb pork loin

- 5 pieces turkey deli slices (this can be substituted with regular or turkey bacon)

- 5 american cheese slices

- 1 cup sliced mushrooms

- 1/4 cup scallions

- 2 tsps salt

- 1 tsp pepper

1. Put a plastic wrap on top of the pork loin and lightly pound the pork (1/2 inch thick).

2. Season the pork loin with salt and pepper.

3. Spread out the pounded pork loin and arrange the deli slices in such a way wherein it covers the whole pork loin surface.

4. Arrange the cheese slices on top of the deli slices.

5. Add the slices of mushrooms and scallions.

6. Roll the pork loin. Hold all the components together and make sure it is tight.

7. Close the ends of the loin by securing it with toothpicks. (cooking strings can be used as well)

8. Place the rolled pork loin in a baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 25 - 30 minutes.

9. After baking, high broil the loin for about 5 - 7 minutes.

10. Once the outside is a little crispy, take the pork loin out of the baking dish and remove all the toothpicks. Slice the pork loin into serving pieces (around an inch thick) and enjoy.

Baked Macaroni Recipe

2012-01-27T17:01:00.001-05:00

If I was closer to New Jersey where Goldilocks is located, I will always order baked macaroni. In my opinion, aside from their cakes, their baked macaroni is also one of the most sought dishes. This recipe is my version of Goldilocks' baked macaroni

BAKED MACARONI RECIPE
Bechamel Sauce:
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp of sugar\
- pepper

Sauce:
- 1 lb cooked pasta (elbow macaroni, ziti or penne)
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 pack mushrooms (sliced thinly)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup minced onions
- 1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
- 4 cups ragu
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tbps salt
- pepper according to taste
- 2 cups shredded smoked gouda cheese
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Bechamel:
1. On a separate pan, melt butter. When it is melted, add the flour (make sure you are doing this over low heat).
2. Mix the flour thoroughly until it forms a roux.
3. Slowly add the milk while constantly stirring. Once the mixture is thick, add the salt, sugar and pepper. Set aside.

Sauce:
1. On another pan, saute garlic and onions in hot oil.
2. Add the mushrooms and ground turkey. Let the ground turkey brown a little.
3. Add ragu, water, salt, sugar and pepper.
4. Let the sauce boil for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Add the minced bell pepper, 1 cup gouda cheese and 3 cups cheddar cheese and let it simmer more.
6. When the sauce is thick enough, turn off the heat.

Putting the baked macaroni together:
1. Mix the pasta in the sauce and put it in a rectangular baking pan (9" x13").
2. Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the pasta. Make sure that it is evenly distributed.
3. Add the remaining gouda cheese and cheddar cheese then add the mozzarella cheese on top.
4. Bake the macaroni at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Beef Tapa Recipe

2012-01-14T12:51:00.000-05:00

I have been in America for about 5 years now and of course I miss Filipino food a lot. Most of the time, my family would go to the Filipino store (which is a total rip off by the way) or at the Asian store to buy some Filipino food like tocino, longanisa and beef tapa. It is sort of affordable if you buy it at the Asian store but comparatively more expensive as compared to buying bacon or regular hotdogs at BJ's or Shoprite. But hey, I am only human and I have weird cravings for the food I grew up with. Times are tough and I thought maybe it is cheaper to make my own tocino, longanisa and beef tapa. It actually was cheaper since you can purchase cheap meats at BJ's or Shoprite or whichever grocery store you prefer. All the spices, sauces and dips can also be purchased at a cheaper price in a regular grocery store. Below is my original version of beef tapa. This recipe is very easy and quick to follow.

Beef Tapa with Fried Rice -- A typical Filipino breakfast

BEEF TAPA

*** 1/2 lb of flank steak, beef rounds or rib eye (cut into thin slices)
***Oil

Marinade:
-1 cup of soy sauce
-1 cup of vinegar
-1/4 cup of granulated sugar (add 2tbsps of sugar if you want it a little sweeter)
-2 tsps of pepper

1.) From the thin slices of beef, cut the beef into smaller pieces (around 1 x 1 squares as much as possible)
2.) Pound the small thin slices of beef until it is almost paper thin. Make sure that the beef is just almost paper thin but not exactly as thin because the beef will be tough when you cook it.
3.) Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and pour it on the beef. Marinade the beef overnight.
4.) Heat the pan and add some oil.
5.) Fry each piece of beef until it is dark brown on both sides (it tends to get dark brown because of the marinade)
6.) Beef tapa is served best with garlic fried rice and sunny side up eggs.
7.) Serve hot and enjoy.

Grilled Ribs/Pork Belly Recipe

2012-01-13T23:22:00.000-05:00

Back in the Philippines, my family and relatives used to have a BBQ Saturday. My father would grill some pork belly and I would usually make salad out of fresh tomatoes and salted eggs. Then, we would eat on a table with banana leaves using our hands. That is exactly what family time means to us, good food, funny stories and family bonding. When I started cooking, I took over the responsibility of grilling the pork and my father makes the salad. I started experimenting with the marinades for the pork and I came up with two perfect marinades that suits my taste. All the ingredients are readily available in almost all grocery stores and this is what I love about these recipes.

Grilled Pork Belly

MARINADE 1

** Ribs or Pork belly (when you buy the pork, you can request to have it cut specifically for grilling)

Marinade:
-1 cup of soy sauce
-1 cup of vinegar
-1 cup of ketchup
-2 tsps of salt
-2 tsps of pepper
-1 cup of minced onions

1.) Combine all ingredients and marinade the pork for at least 4 hours. Marinating it overnight is ideal.
2.) Grill the pork belly and when it is done, cut it into smaller pieces and enjoy.

Grilled Pork Spare Ribs

MARINADE 2

** Ribs or Pork belly (when you buy the pork, you can request to have it cut specifically for grilling)

Marinade:
-1 cup of soy sauce
-1 cup of vinegar
-1/2 cup of oyster sauce (preferably Mama Sita'oyster sauce)
-2 tsps of pepper
-1/2 cup of minced garlic (more garlic is better)

**Follow the same procedures for marinade 1.

You can tweak and play around with the recipe according to your taste. With marinade 1, you can even add some calamansi to heighten the flavor of the marinade. I hope you enjoy these recipes. :-)

My Versions of Chicken/Pork Adobo

2012-01-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

Adobo is probably one of the most popular Filipino dishes. Adobo originated from the Spanish term "adobo" which means seasoning or marinade. Even though the term was not originally from the Philippines, the cooking process is very unique thus, the coined term remained as it is and stood separately from Filipino adobo. The traditional adobo is usually made of pork or chicken slowly boiled in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns and onions. This is the adobo that I loved and grew up with. As I grew older, I tried experimenting with the method of cooking of adobo. I have come across with two methods that I have seen on cooking shows and I tweaked the recipe according to my taste.

CHINESE ADOBO

Chinese Adobo

*1 lb chicken or pork (you have the option to mix both)
*1 cup vinegar
*1 cup soy sauce
*1 cup water
*5 tbps oyster sauce
*1/2 cup minced onions
*1/4 cup minced garlic
*1/2 cup of sugar
*Bay leaves and peppercorns
*Oil
*Hard boiled eggs(optional)

1. Saute minced garlic and minced onions in oil.
2. Add the pork and chicken and brown both sides.
3. Once the meat is brown, add vinegar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water, bay leaves and peppercorns. Boil the meat until it is tender and the sauce is fully reduced and thick.
4. Add hard boiled eggs and let it boil for a few more minutes.
5. Serve hot and enjoy.

Adobo sa Suka

ADOBO SA SUKA (VINEGAR)

*1 lb of pork ribs (chicken can be used but I prefer pork for this recipe)
* 1 1/2 to 2 cups of vinegar (I'd say 2 cups because I love the taste of vinegar)
*1 cup water
*1/2 cups minced onions
*Pepper
*Bay leaves
*4 tsps salt
*1/2 cup oil

1.Boil pork ribs in vinegar, water, salt, bay leaves, mince onions and pepper until the meat is very tender.
2. Once the boiling liquid evaporates fully, add the oil and brown the pork ribs until it is a little crispy on the outside. Make sure that it is not fried fully as this will make the meat tough.
3. Serve hot and enjoy.

Crispy Tamarind Fried Chicken

2012-01-02T21:55:00.000-05:00

If there is anyone in the world who can eat fried chicken everyday, that would be ME! I love fried chicken..Yes, I know it is so unhealthy and kind of greasy, but hey, each and everyone of us has some kind of addiction. Ever wonder how Popeye's or KFC make their fried chicken? Same here! Wouldn't it be amazing if we can all make the same crispy and savory chicken at home? Oh well, I guess some recipes are hard to imitate so I just came up with my own. Hope you all enjoy.

CRISPY TAMARIND FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE:

1 lb chicken wings

Crispy Tamarind Fried Chicken

Boiling Liquid

1 1/2 cups of water
1 pack of tamarind powder (this can be purchased from the Asian store)
Salt
Pepper

Breading

Flour
2 eggs
Panko Breading
1 tbsp parsley flakes

1. Boil all the pieces of chicken wings in the boiling liquid in a pot. Boil until all the liquid evaporates.

2. Strain the chicken and let it cool down for about 5 minutes.

3. Bread each piece of chicken wings. Dip in flour, eggs and panko breading with parsley flakes, consecutively.
4. Deep fry the chicken pieces in a regular pan or a deep fryer.

5. Make sure the temperature is 350 degrees if using a deep fryer. This may be a little tricky when using a regular pan. (I usually splash some water in the oil when I think the oil is hot enough. When it sizzles, that's how I know the oil is ready. It's weird I know but it's just my style ).

6. Once the chicken pieces are golden brown and crispy, take out from fryer/pan and place in a platter with paper towels. Serve hot and enjoy.

Morcon Recipe

2011-12-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

Many people love beef because of its rich flavor and unique texture. Personally, I am not too much of a beef fan because I am more of a pork person. With that said, there are specific beef recipes that makes me want to convert myself into a beef person. Here is a recipe that I want to share with everyone. Morcon is a traditional Filipino dish which is usually served during the holidays. Most of the time it is served on Christmas eve (Noche Buena) and especially on New Year's eve (Media Noche). Morcon is made of marinated thin beef sheets, hard boiled eggs, celery, cheese, sausage or ham. Many people have different versions of this dish and so do I. Happy Holidays and I hope you will enjoy my recipe.

Morcon

MORCON RECIPE:

Beef prepping
*1 lb beef round cut into 3/4 inches thick
*1/2 cup soy sauce
*4 tbsp of lime juice
* pepper
*cooking string

Filling
*4 hard boiled eggs
*6 pieces of baby carrots
*6 pieces of dill pickles
*8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese (cut cheese into 6 sticks)
*Sausage or ham (optional)

Sauce
*2 cups of ragu or tomato sauce
*1 can of pineapple chunks
*2 cups of sugar
*1 tsp of salt
*pepper

1. Marinate the thin slices of beef in soy sauce, lime juice and pepper for at least 2 hours.
2. After the beef has been marinated, place the filling on one side of the beef.
3. Roll the beef while holding all the filling inside firmly.
4. Use the cooking string to secure the beef and to make sure that it will not open up while it is being boiled.
5. Boil (boil it low and slow) the beef roulade for about 2 1/2 hours in the sauce mixture until it is soft and tender.
6. Once the beef is ready, cut and remove the string. Slice the beef into serving pieces (around an inch thick). 7. Add some of the remaining sauce on the platter. Serve and enjoy the morcon.

True meaning of Christmas

2011-12-27T12:39:00.000-05:00

Christmas Feast

What does Christmas mean to you? I'm quite sure that Christmas means differently to each and everyone of us, so I do know that the answer will be very unique. Whatever the reason is, it all has a specific reason, purpose and value for you, me and the rest of the world.

I am a mother of two, and a wife to a great husband (though we are not yet technically married...will be soon). For me, Christmas means love, giving, sharing and spending time with your family. I am a simpleton and I do not have a very complicated meaning in mind. Spending time with family is the essence of Christmas. Likewise, spending time with family everyday is the true essence of life. It has been a tradition that Christmas is a time wherein you get to spend time with your family, friends and relatives whom you have not seen in a while. Thus, during this season, most of us tend to have specific special celebrations. In the Philippines, we have family gatherings. One of our relatives would usually invite all of us and they serve all kinds of Filipino food. Some Christmases, we are the ones who would invite our relatives and I would cook whatever they request me to make for them. I'm known for being an "unorthodox home cook" amongst my relatives so it just adds an element of surprise when they come over for Christmas lunch and dinner. This Christmas, I prepared a mixed Filipino and American lunch. As shown in the photo above, I cooked morcon, bacon wrapped shrimps, mini empanadas, lumpiang shang hai, garlic fried rice and beef tapa. It wouldn't be complete without wine which we actually forgot to bring at the party LOL. I do miss the Philippine Christmas celebrations though. I feel that it is more festive because of all the colorful Christmas lights, parols and not to mention the Christmas carols from all the children in our neighborhood. Aww such beautiful memories, it is making me feel so nostalgic.

In contrary, even though I miss these festivities, I am absolutely contented and happy with celebrating Christmas and other holidays with my family and relatives here in America. It is the spirit of Christmas that really matters and not the way it was celebrated. Moreover, this Christmas was actually special for me because it was my first Christmas celebrating in Westchester with Brian, Sabrina, Kyle, Trish, Tracey, Grandma, Kevin, Giselle, Tommy and Arista. It was more special because Brian gave me a guitar for Christmas, which is by the way my very first own guitar! It was such a surprise (yes it was, even though my daughter already told me that Brian bought a guitar for me for Christmas. Hey I don't really know what it looked like LOL)!

In addition, the kids really had a fun time opening their gifts. The reaction on their faces are indeed remarkable. It is amusing that they get so excited with their gifts that they tend to forget to eat. The adults (that includes me) often care more about the food and not too much of the gifts. This is a picture of the kids while finally trying to relax and watch cartoons after a long day of fun and gift opening. Christmas is indeed a season that we all celebrate differently based on how we see it as, what the meaning is and what the purpose and value are. Whether you are a kid or an adult, ask yourself this, what does Christmas mean to you?

My Love for Curry

2011-12-24T23:51:00.000-05:00

Seafood Curry

Why do I love curry? My answer would be, I do not really know, all I know is I love it! I have been asking that question since I learned how to cook. I was introduced to curry back when I was in the Philippines. I would not say that my version of curry is similar to Indian curry because mine is a little bit sweeter and it is not as spicy as Indian curry. I can still remember the time how I learned how to make curry. It was May 1996, my mother hired her friend to cater food for us because the Los Banos fiesta was fast approaching. She used to be a cook in a restaurant in UPLB. She saw my interest in cooking when she saw me trying to cut vegetables with proper knife skills which I saw on TV in one episode of "Cooking with the Dazas". She decided to show me how to cook curry, probably because she figured since I was too young, the steps and procedures will be easy for me to pick up. Indeed it was! The picture on the left is something I cooked a year ago. This is the closest to what my mom's friend made. She inspired me to cook and experiment with food. Especially because everything in the Philippines is quite expensive. As much as possible we have to be practical and we have learn how to substitute ingredients. Likewise, we need to learn how to make something out of what we have in the pantry.

As I grew older, I have become an experimental home cook. I love to experiment with different flavors and I'm always curious as to how something would taste if two or more non traditional ingredients are mixed together. As my love for curry developed, I started to explore more and I realized that I love fried chicken as my much as I love curry so why not combine them . It was a perfect match! The skin of the chicken absorbs the curry flavors and it penetrates deep within yet still keeping the skin crispy. This dish is actually one of my fiance's favorite.

Chicken Curry -- with a Filipino twist

Another dish that I experimented with is seafood curry. The first time I had this dish is at Aji Sai restaurant in Manhattan. The moment I started eating it, I felt so overjoyed. It was phenomenal and from them on, I never stopped thinking about it and then finally I made my own version of it for my fiance after valentine's day. The dish is consists of all the seafood that I love like scallops, shrimps, mussels and calamari. It was very easy to make and it really worked well with the curry sauce. Needless to say, it's official, I love curry! :-)

Obsession with Fried Empanadas

2011-11-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

Empanadas

As I was walking to work, I passed by a Spanish restaurant, one block away from our building. I didn't really mind until I smelled an aroma that tingled my nostrils. I said to myself, that's it! I have 15 minutes to spare and I will go check it out. I went inside, and by the window I saw some empanadas displayed in a glass container. I haven't eaten empanadas for a very long time since I moved to America. These emapanadas looked slightly different than the ones I'm used to back in the Philippines. These empanadas were fried and it looked more yummy. I couldn't help myself and I finally decided to buy one. They give you three options: beef, chicken or cheese. I bought beef empanada just to give it a try. I paid the cashier and I walked away with a smile on my face. I opened the brown paper bag and the aroma was very compelling that I couldn't help but to take a bite. I took a small bite and I felt happy! It was really tasty and savory. The next day, I came back to the restaurant and I bought the chicken empanada. To my surprise, it gave me the same exact effect when I took my first bite on the beef empanada. I said to myself, I think I'm starting to love fried empanadas!

I decided to make my own version of the fried empanadas. I've seen some recipes online but I really want to make it my own. So here goes...all you need are goya frozen emapanda dough (semi-homemade cooking is the best - cuts cooking time in half), ground turkey, mushrooms, s

Empanada Filling

callions, onions, garlic, ragu, sour cream, sugar, salt and pepper. Saute some minced garlic and onions. Add the ground turkey and mushrooms until the ground turkey is cooked. Then, add some salt, pepper, ragu, a little bit of sour cream and scallions. Once the filling is done, fill the empanada dough and add some shredded pepper jack cheese. Fold the dough in half and close the ends with a fork by lightly pressing the ends. Heat the oil to 350 degrees and once it reaches this temperature, drop the empanadas one by one. Fry the empanadas until it is golden brown. Take it off the pan or the fryer and serve. All that is left to do is ENJOY!!! :-)

Quick Fix Meals

2011-09-05T19:28:00.000-04:00

Being sick for 2 weeks is really not a pretty scene. We didn't have time to replenish our pantry and we are almost out of everything except for eggs, mixed vegetables, canned tuna, turkey bacon, green beans, mushrooms and some other food ingredients. In times like this, I have to improvise and be resourceful. With a few ingredients, I woke up on Saturday morning and decided to make omelet with crabs and shredded mozzarella cheese, buttered vegetables and canned tuna with oyster sauce. It's simple, quick and yummy. I arranged everything in such a way wherein everything seems like it's stacked together. Good food should look good right?

The next morning, I decided to make garlic fried rice with mushrooms, sunny side up eggs and turkey bacon. Thank God we have a few stuff in the fridge that I can use to put something together or else we're screwed LOL. I sauteed some minced garlic and I added the green beans, mushrooms and eggs. I mixed everything together and I added the rice. I added some garlic salt and pepper to taste. On a separate pan, I cooked some sunny side up eggs and turkey bacon. It's a fairly simple dish but it can be really classy when you try to make it look pretty. :-)

Another dish that's always a hit in our households is my tuna cakes. I used to sleep over at my fiance's house over the weekend. He didn't really shop and I was left with a whole bunch of canned tuna, flour, eggs, carrots and scallions. Back in the Philippines, I used to make tuna patties and tuna cakes out of canned tuna. I decided to make tuna cakes and this time I included minced carrots, minced onions and carrots. I added some eggs and flour and mixed everything together. I formed some balls out of the mixture, rolled it in flour and made some small cakes. I fried each caked on the pan, and voilah! tuna cakes are done. Food does not have to be complicated..it's not rocket science so just enjoy making some good food.

Lumpiang Gulay

2011-08-20T12:37:00.000-04:00

As a Filipino immigrant in America, I have been trying to recreate the food that I grew up with. traditional Filipino food can be very subtle, savory, spicy or sour. I realized it wasn't really that difficult because Asian and Filipino stores are all over the place. If I can't find a specific ingredient, I normally substitute it with something else. For instance, when I cook Sinigang, I use kangkong as my leafy vegetable. It is quite hard to find kangkong, thus, I substitute it with bok choy.

A traditional Filipino food that I really love to recreate is Lumpia, especially the Lumpiang Shanghai. Another form of Lumpia which I love is Lumpiang Gulay. I use a mixture of cabbage, julienned carrots, mushrooms, tofu, rice stick noodles and hard boiled eggs. Sometimes, I add baby corn for a little bit of sweetness. It really depends on your taste and preference. You can put anything you want as long as it will not overwhelm the flavors of the other ingredients.

For the Lumpia wrapper, you can either use Spring Roll wrappers or Egg Roll wrappers. I prefer to use Egg Roll wrappers more for Lumpiang Gulay. Before I even start preparing the filling, I boil some eggs in a separate pot. In a frying pan, fry some cubed tofu and set aside. In the same pan, saute some garlic and onions. Once the garlic is golden brown and the onions are soft and almost clear, add the julienned carrots since this takes longer than other ingredients to cook. Then add the baby corn, mushrooms, cabbage and some rice stick noodles that were pre-soaked in water. Add some black peppers and about 4 tbps of oyster sauce to taste. Mix all the ingredients until the oyster sauce is well incorporated in the rice stick noodles. Lastly, add the fried tofu and set aside the filling.

Take one wrapper and lay it on a plate or a chopping board. On one edge of the wrapper, place some of the filling and top it with some sliced hard boiled eggs. Roll the wrapper making sure that the top and bottom of the wrapper are folded to hold the filling together. Fry the Lumpiang Gulay, once it is crispy on both sides, set aside. Now if you are like me who loves dipping sauce, you can easily whip up a sweet and sour sauce using vinegar, ketchup, salt, pepper, sugar and cilantro. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients and voila! you're dipping sauce is ready.

Arrange the Lumpiang Gulay in a platter with the dipping sauce. Make the plate look pretty and appetizing and you're all set for lunch or for dinner. Enjoy! :-)

Dinner Ideas

2011-08-18T21:56:00.000-04:00

Brian, my fiance, called me at 7pm last Wednesday to ask what I was going to cook for dinner since he will be home late. I responded and said "Hmmm good question..we only have pork and shrimp in the fridge". He told me to go ahead and cook whatever I felt like cooking. He's not a big fan of pork so I figured I have to cook shrimps for dinner. At this point, I was already so tired from work and of course I still had to tend to our children's never ending needs. I needed to cook something quick. He really loves the taste of Indian curry. But, curry is a little time consuming to make and prepare especially when you have kids to look after. So I decided to fry some breaded shrimps with curry sauce. I took some of the frozen shrimps and placed it in a bowl with hot water to thaw it faster. When it was ready, I dipped it in flour, eggs and bread crumbs consecutively and fried it in my deep fryer. In 3 minutes the shrimps were done. In a separate pan, I added some butter and flour and made a roux out of it. Then, I added some milk, curry powder, salt and pepper. In 5 minutes, the curry sauce is ready. I served the shrimps on a plate with the curry sauce with some cilantro on the middle. He has a thing with making food look pretty.

The next day, I came home holding a Filipino recipe book from my co-worker who used to be a chef at Purple Yam (formerly Cendrillon). Brian was looking at the book and he saw the picture and recipe of Sinigang. He loves Sinigang but I don't cook it all the time because we do not buy as much leafy vegetables as we should. Leafy vegetables go bad really quick unless you know that you will use it in 3 days. Therefore, to satisfy his cravings, we decided to stop by Stop and Shop to get some leeks, bok choy, scallions and string beans.We have shrimps in the fridge so I decided to use shrimps as my "meat" for the Sinigang. Likewise, we have some left over tamarind powder that we bought from the Asian Store at White Plains so making Sinigang would not be a problem. That same night, his throat was sore and he claimed that after he ate the soup, he felt much better. It's almost like having chicken soup when you are sick, except you're having shrimps and the broth of Sinigang is salty and sour. :-)

Philippine Fiesta

2011-08-16T21:16:00.000-04:00

The Philippines is a country rich in traditions and cultures. One of the traditions that always entices people through good times and bad times is the Fiesta. As people say it "The show must go on".Every barrio (town) or city have their own fiesta and they have their own way of celebrating it. Even though some households could not afford to prepare food, they still try to celebrate and prepare something affordable without sacrificing the taste.

In the Philippines, I used to live in a province called Laguna, specifically in a town called Los Banos. We have our own fiesta which is called Banamos. This festival is a week long celebration packed with multiple activities. The festival ends in a street dancing which the people from the town and other towns enjoy.

During the actual fiesta, my mom and I prepare Filipino food for our friends and relatives, at least 25 people. This is sort of our little gathering because we rarely see some of our relatives. Some of the Filipino dishes that we cook are Pancit Bihon, Lumpiang Shanghai (Spring Rolls) and Fried Calamari.

Pancit Bihon means noodles. It originated from different Asian cuisines which is why it has several variations. Likewise, Chinese cuisine has more influence on this dish. A lot of Filipinos serve Pancit Bihon in almost all occasions especially birthdays. According to Filipino traditions and culture, serving Pancit Bihon will give the birthday celebrant more years to live. On the other hand, Lumpiang Shanghai is a Filipino variation of Spring Rolls. Lumpiang Shanghai also originated from Chinese cuisine. It is usually made with ground pork or beef with minced onions, carrots and other ingredients. Personally, I prefer to use ground chicken or ground turkey. It has the same taste and it is leaner and cheaper. I also add my own twist in Lumpiang Shanghai by adding scallions and sweet relish. Lumpiang Shanghai pairs well with Pancit Bihon and you will normally see this pairing in almost all occasions including Christmas and New Year.Lastly, Fried Calamari is also a big hit in Fiestas. During gatherings, people eat Fried Calamari while drinking beer. It is almost like an appetizer or what we call it in the Philippines as "pulutan". It is very light and savory that's is why it has been a favorite "pulutan" dish.

It has been 4 years and I really miss the Philippines. If given a chance, I would definitely visit and reminisce all the good times I've had. Now that I am in America, my way of reminiscing and remembering my Filipino roots, is by cooking Filipino dishes. I'm a Filipino at heart, and always will be. :-)