Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner

Mango Cake with Mango Cream Frosting

2013-05-22T15:52:00.000-05:00

Summer is almost here...and do you know what that means? Mangoes are in season again! And yes, that makes my family and I sooooo happy! We love mangoes, you know. Though we enjoy eating it plain, we also love savouring this delicious fruit in different forms. We love making salad, ice cream, milk shakes and ice candy with it. Indeed, the wonderful taste of ripe mangoes never fail to amaze our taste buds.

Last weekend, I found a good deal and I decided to get more than 2 dozens of Ataulfo mangoes from the store. After making mango shake and popsicles, I thought of making something more special. I'm talking about this Mango Cake with Mango Cream Frosting...

Mango Cake has always been my favorite. Same with Ryan. When we were still in the Philippines, birthday celebrations and other special occasions won't be complete without Red Ribbon Bakeshop's Mango Cake --- a white chiffon cake layered with light mango cream filling and frosting with real mango bits, topped with fresh mango slices. The fact that I miss it badly inspired me to make this cake the other day. Instead of a regular chiffon cake, I thought of tweaking the recipe in my Goldilocks Bakebook to make a chiffon mango cake. Mango overload you might think! Well, I tell you, the outcome was so good that the cake was gone in no time. Ryan and the girls loved it so much...and of course, I did too! The cake was so soft and mango-eey...and the mango cream frosting was amazing. It has the right amount of sweetness that complements the cake so well!

For the mango lovers out there, this is for you...You should definitely try it!

Ingredients:

For the cake:
Makes two 9" round cakes

1 1/3 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 eggs, white and yolk separated
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup evaporated milk
½ cup mango puree (see recipe below for homemade mango puree)
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp butter, melted
¼ tsp cream of tartar
¼ cup fresh ripe mango bits (preferabley Ataulfo or Manila mango)

For the mango cream:

2 Tbsp mango puree
3 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar
1 cup fresh ripe mango bits (preferabley Ataulfo or Manila mango)

For the topping:

2 medium sized ripe mangoes (preferabley Ataulfo or Manila mango), peeled and sliced according to desired size and shape ( I usually make them into small balls)

Procedure:

For homemade Mango Puree:

Makes about 1½ cups

2 ripe mangoes (preferabley Ataulfo or Manila mango), peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp water
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

In a blender combine all ingredients and process to a smooth puree, about 30 seconds. Strain through a fine metal sieve set over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir and press the puree through the sieve. Discard solids.

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 9" round baking pans and then line with parchment paper.

2. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, combine egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla extract, mango puree, olive oil and butter in a bowl. Mix at low speed until well blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until batter is smooth.

3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at low speed until it forms soft peaks. Slowly add remaining sugar and continue beating at medium speed until stiff peaks form.

4. Fold beaten egg whites and mango bits in batter until well combined. Transfer to prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool down in the oven with the oven door slightly opened for about 15 minutes to avoid sinking. Remove from oven and allow to cool down in pan for 10 minutes before transferring onto wire racks to cool down completely.

For the mango cream:

In a bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and whisk some more until stiff peaks form. Separate about 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream for border. Fold in the mango bits and mango puree into the remaining cream. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble:

Place one cake on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about ¾ cup of mango cream. Put second cake on top then frost the whole cake with the remaining mango cream. Apply cake border on top and base of the cake using the reserved whipped cream. Arrange mango slices/balls as desired. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

New York Style Pizza: Cheese Stuffed Crust Bratwurst Onions Pizza and Spinach Anchovies Pizza

2013-05-15T11:52:00.004-05:00

Making pizza from scratch has always intimidated me. Thanks to Baking Partners, now I know that it's not that difficult!

New York Style Pizza is the chosen theme for this month's Baking Partners Challenge. Honestly, I was hesitant at first and was planning to just skip this one. But after giving it a serious thought, I decided to give it a try. There's nothing to lose anyway.

So what's New York Style Pizza? Well it is a type of pizza which originated in New York City in the early 1900's. It is large, about 14-18 inches in diameter and is characterized by having a puffy, bread-like, outer crust which quickly tapers down to a very thin, crisp middle. No pans are used in baking this kind of pizza. Instead, it is assembled on a pizza peel and then placed directly on the oven deck to cook. For commercial pizza, a pizza stone is used which draws moisture out of the crust and allows it to become crisp on the outside while remaining bread-like on the inside. I don't have a pizza peel nor a pizza stone, and I didn't want to buy those pizza making accessories just for this, so I simply used a parchment paper lined disposable aluminum pan. So how did it turn out? Great actually!

I was able to make two 16" pizzas with different toppings, one with Bratwurst, Onions and Jalapeño...and the other one with Anchovies and Spinach. I made the crust of the bratwurst one cheese stuffed like that of Pizza Hut. The hubs and the girls were totally amazed with how good both the pizzas turned out!

I used the recipe from seriouseats.com as suggested by Archana of Tangy Minds for both the crust and the sauce...and I tell you, it's awesome and so easy to follow. The only difficult part is waiting for the dough to proof...and that is 24 hrs! But it's really worth the wait! And besides, you can always prepare the dough ahead of time. By the way, I followed the exact procedure except for the part where I pre-baked the pizza crust for a few minutes before putting the toppings. I've read that this can help ensure that the pizza crust won't be too soft. And oh, I used fresh tomatoes for the sauce instead of canned ones as suggested in the recipe.

Making pizza at home is something you should try! Why buy pizza when the best can come from your own kitchen? Not only can you choose the exact toppings you want, you also won't have to worry about someone else's hairy knuckles kneading that dough! :)

To Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen, thank you for another wonderful challenge! This gave me the confidence I need to make pizza from scratch!

Ingredients

For the dough:
Makes two 16" pizza

4½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1½ Tbsp sugar
3 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp instant yeast
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (I didn't have EVOO when I was about to make the dough so I used Pure Olive Oil instead)
15 oz. lukewarm water

For the sauce:

6 medium fresh Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
1/8 cup water
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
a pinch of red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
2 six-inch sprigs fresh basil with leaves attached (I didn't have fresh basil so I just used 1 tsp dried basil)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and minced
1 tsp sugar

For the cheese filling:

8 pcs. string cheese per pizza

Toppings:
Pizza #1 (Spinach Anchovies):

1 cup grated Mozarella Cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
9 oz. bag fresh spinach
14 pcs. anchovies in oil (drained)
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Pizza # 2 (Bratwurst & Onions):

1 cup grated Mozarella Cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
4 pcs. Bratwurst, cooked accdg. to package directions and sliced
1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings
¼ cup pickled jalapeño, drained

Procedure:

For the dough:

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated. Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer.

2.Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. Divide dough into two even parts and place each in a covered container or in a ziplock freezer bag. Place in refrigerator and allow to rise at least one day.

3. At least two hours before baking, remove dough from refrigerator and shape into balls by gathering dough towards bottom and pinching shut. Flour well and place each one in a separate medium mixing bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at warm room temperature until roughly doubled in volume.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425F. Turn each dough ball out onto lightly floured surface.
For the cheese stuff crust: Gently stretch dough by draping over knuckles into an 18-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a lightly greased pizza pan, letting dough drape 2 in. over the edge. Place string cheese around edge of pan; fold dough over cheese and pinch to seal. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork. Bake in preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool down for about 5 minutes before putting toppings.

For regular crust: Gently stretch dough by draping over knuckles into an 16-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a lightly greased pizza pan. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork. Bake in preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Allow to cool down for about 5 minutes before putting toppings.

For the sauce:

1. Mix the tomatoes and water in a blender and puree. Puree doesn't have be completely smooth, but should have no chunks larger than 1/16 of an inch. Set tomatoes aside.

2. Combine butter and oil in medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, onions, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting (bubbles should barely be breaking the surface) and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 1/2, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and store in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For Spinach Anchovies Topping:
In a skillet over medium heat, saute garlic in olive oil until light brown. Add spinach and saute for a minute. Sprinkle with basil and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

To assemble:
Spread approximately 1/2 cup of sauce evenly over surface of crust, leaving 1/2 to 1-inch border along edge. Evenly spread toppings over sauce.
For the Spinach Anchovies Pizza: spread 2/3 of the cheese then the cooked spinach and the anchovies then the remaining cheese.

For the Bratwurst Onion Pizza: Spread 2/3 of the cheese then the Bratwurst slices, onions and the pickled Jalapeño then the remaining cheese. (Do this step quickly so that the dough will not have time to stick to the pan).

Put the pizza in the oven and bake until the crust is dark brown and somewhat charred, 12 to 15 minutes total. Transfer to cutting board, slice, and serve immediately.

Check out what other Baking Partners members have shared this month! I'm sure you'll love all the pizzas they made!!!

If you want to either share or enhance your baking skills, join us for a monthly baking adventure at Baking Partners!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2013-05-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

Of my two daughters, Cherlin (the youngest) is the one who shows more interest in both cooking and baking. Whenever she's at home, you'll see her helping me in the kitchen --- preparing/measuring/passing the ingredients, cracking eggs, mixing, stirring, sauteing and even slicing and chopping vegetables. Instead of reading story books, she prefers spending time looking at cookbooks and devouring its pages. Honestly, I am fine with that. I remember I was like her when I was little. The only difference is that, my mom didn't have as much cookbooks as I have now...and the cookbooks she had that time didn't have as much photos and were in black & white. :)

Last Monday, I saw her looking into my Goldilocks Bakebook. She was so quiet and seemed so engrossed flipping through the pages when out of the blue, she burst out "Hmmmm...I want to make this, mommy!". I was kinda surprised to see that she was referring to a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. She doesn't even like pineapple...she says it makes her tongue itchy, and now she wants to bake a Pineapple Cake??! I knew she hates pineapple and I was sure it's just the photo that she found appealing...so I asked her several times if she really wants it, and she kept saying YES. Well, I can't blame her --- the photo was mouthwatering indeed! To cut the story short, I gave in to her request. Yesterday, when she got home from school, we baked a Pineapple Upside Down Cake together...and this is how it turned out...

Does it look delicious to you? Well, it really is! And Cherlin (as well as the hubs and my eldest daughter) said, it looks even better than the one in the Goldilocks Cookbook. :)

What do you think?

I actually followed the exact recipe for the cake. We loved that it turned out so soft and moist. The only different thing I did was to use fresh pineapple instead of canned, and caramelized it before baking. Oh, there's one more thing...we didn't have cherries so we just used dried cranberries. But let me point out that this cake will taste amazing even without cherries or cranberries...it's just for added color. :)

I'm really glad that I gave in to Cherlin's request of baking this cake! Not only did we have a great bonding time, I also got to find the best Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe! I have tried a number of recipes for this classic cake. None were as perfect as this one. My aspiring chef who used to hate pineapple agreed! She even said this is her new favorite cake! (^o^)

Try it yourself and let me know what you think...

Yield one 9" round cake
Ingredients:
For the caramelized pineapple:

1 medium sized pineapple
¾ cup sugar
1/8 cup water
4 Tbsp unsalted butter

For the cake:

1¾ cake flour

½ tsp salt

1 Tbsp baking powder

¾ cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup evaporated milk

¼ cup cold water

dried cranberries, for topping (optional)

Procedure:

For the caramelized pineapple:

1. Peel and core the pineapple, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. I used pineapple corer/ slicer, which cores and slices an entire pineapple.

2. Mix the sugar and water in a a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, without stirring, for about 3 minutes or until bubbles start to appear and you see dark color syrup around the edge of the pan. Swirl the saucepan in a circular motion so the sugar caramelizes evenly. Keep swirling gently until the caramel is medium golden brown. Turn down the heat to the low and whisk in the 4 Tbsp. butter.

3. Add the pineapple and gently stir to cover with syrup. (You will notice that the syrup will harden after adding the pineapple...but it will be liquidy again.) Simmer for 10 minutes or until the pineapple slices turn golden brown. Transfer and arrange pineapple slices to a slightly greased 9" round baking pan. Continue to simmer syrup for about 3 minutes more or until thick. Pour on top of the pineapple slices. Arrange dried cranberries in the center of the pineapple slices. (optional) Set aside.

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl, sift all dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar at medium spped until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla extract, evaporated milk and butter. Continue mixing for about 1 1/2 minutes or until all ingredients are well blended. Turn speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 1 1/2 minutes.

2. Pour batter into pan with caramelized pineapple. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to completely cool down. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and then invert the cake onto a serving plate.

Biko (Sticky Rice Cake with Fried Coconut Milk Curd Topping)

2013-05-01T15:59:00.001-05:00

It's the first day of May...and in the Philippines, it's the start of the monthlong Flores De Mayo (Flowers of May). It is a religious celebration held in honor of the Virgin Mary, wherein devotees gather together every afternoon or evening to offer prayers, songs and flowers to Mary. After the ceremony, the Hermanos or Hermanas for the day will give away homemade delicacies and snacks to the participants. I remember that whenever my family was the Hermana, my mother would always make Biko, a sticky rice cake similar to Bibingkang Malagkit, but is brown in color and has latik (fried coconut milk curd) topping. Aside from being my mom's favorite kakanin, biko is also very economical to make, and I guess that's why she loved making it. With just glutinous rice, sugar and coconut, you'll have a yummy snack or dessert in no time. It's usually served during New Year, Christmas and other special occasions and (for my family back then), during Flores de Mayo. :)

Yesterday, the hubs was working from home and when he was drinking coffee during breakfast, he suddenly said he misses biko and wants me to make it. It's so good with coffee, and the hubs really like it. It has been a while since I last made it, so I immediately checked the pantry to see if I have the ingredients. Luckily I did, and I was able to accommodate what seemed like a simple and reasonable request. By around 3 p.m. yesterday, this yummy rice cake was ready...

...and the hubs enjoyed his afternoon coffee break! :)

Biko is a favorite Filipino delicacy that has a very simple yet delightful taste. It requires very few ingredients and requires no baking unlike the Bibingkang Malagkit.If you love Filipino kakanin (sweet rice delicacies), you should try this!

Ingredients:
Yield four 6" round biko, 1½" thick
For the rice cake:

3¾ cups malagkit (glutinous or sticky rice)
4 cups water
2 cups coconut milk (fresh or canned)
1½ cup brown sugar or more depending on how sweet you want it
2 Tbsp molasses
¼ cup salted butter plus 2 Tbsp for greasing

For the latik (fried coconut milk curd)

1 ½ cups fresh coconut cream or one 14oz. can coconut cream

Procedure:

For the latik:

1. In a saucepan, pour coconut cream. Bring to boil over medium high heat. When it boils, turn the heat down to low and simmer until all the liquid evaporates and only the curds and oil are left. The curds will start forming and you can start stirring to prevent uneven browning. Remove from heat when desired brown color is obtained. Drain from oil. Transfer to a small serving bowl or put in a sealed container for future use.

For the rice cake:

1. Lightly grease baking pan/dish with butter. (I used four 6" round aluminum pans.) Line with wilted banana leaves (if available).

2. Wash sticky rice three times then drain. Transfer to a pot or rice cooker. Add water and cook the same way you cook regular rice. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool down.

3. In a pan over medium heat, cook coconut milk, sugar and molasses with constant stirring until it starts to thicken. Reduce the fire to low then add the cooked glutinous rice. Mix until well incorporated. Continue cooking while stirring constantly until you can hardly stir it. Add butter and stir until well incorporated. Divide the rice mixture between the prepared baking pan/dish. Using a greased spoon, smooth the top until the surface is even. Allow to cool down.

4. Top with latik. Slice and serve.

Nutella Magic Cake

2013-04-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

I've been seeing a lot of Magic Cakes on the web since March...and honestly, I wasn't so interested. But when I found the Nutella Magic Cake at Kirbie's Cravings, I knew I have to try it! You see, we're big Nutella fans in this family. We eat it with toasts, bagels, pancakes, waffles, crepes, crackers, ice cream, strawberries, bananas, and even apples. We bake with it, make desserts with it, use it as a dip...and sometimes, we would just eat it plain on a spoon. It's just so good and addicting, you know! And the thought of how yummy a Nutella Magic Cake could be, was enough to make me jump on the Magic Cake bandwagon!

So what is so magical about this cake, you may ask. Well, if you can see in the photo above, the cake has three layers...i.e., sponge cake on top, custard in the middle and fudge at the bottom. But would you believe that it was made from a single batter? Yes, you read it right! This cake was made from one batter that magically turned into 3 layers while baking...and that is why it is called Magic Cake. Of course, there's no magic involved here at all. It's actually Science that made it happen. Though I am no scientist to explain it fully, I think density has something to do with the layering that took place. Being less dense, the part with the meringue (beaten egg whites) went to the top of the cake, the part with the egg yolks and milk which is more dense went to the middle and the Nutella part which is the most dense settled at the bottom. Oh well, no matter what the scientific explanation behind this Magic Cake is, I must say that it turned out really amazing...and in the eyes of my daughters, there really was magic in it! :)

I've read that some who have tried the original version think that it tastes like a chiffon cake lacking flavor...so I'm glad I made the Nutella version. At first, I was afraid that I will end up having only two layers as what happened to some. I was looking through the sides of the baking dish, and all I could see are two visible layers...but when I sliced it, there were indeed 3 layers! It was so awesome and beautiful to look at! And the best part is --- IT WAS SO DELICIOUS! You really can't go wrong with Nutella!

Ingredients:

4 eggs (white and yolk separated)
½ tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups milk, lukewarm
1 cup cake flour
1 ½ cups powdered sugar plus 2 Tbsp for dusting
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup Nutella

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8" x 8" baking dish.

2. Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in low speed until light in color. Beat in the vanilla extract, melted butter and Nutella until smooth. Add the flour into the batter and continue beating until free of lumps. Very slowly (so it won't splatter everywhere) add the milk and continue beating until everything is well incorporated. By the time you finish, your batter will be very liquidy.

4. Using a spatula, fold in the egg whites, 1/3 at a time, trying to mix in as much egg white as possible into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 55-60 minutes. When you move the cake, it should shake slightly from the custard layer. If it moves too much, then the custard is not yet set. If you aren't sure if the cake is completely finished, insert a knife or toothpick and pry a little slit into a small section of the cake until you can see the custard layer to check. Turn off the oven. Leave the cake in the oven for 10 minutes (with the oven door slightly opened) so that it can shrink slowly before you take it out.

5. Let cake cool completely (at least an hour) before cutting and serving. Sprinkle some powdered sugar after cake has cooled.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Roasted Pecans

2013-04-18T12:01:00.005-05:00

Green Cabbage is one of the vegetables that my daughters don't wanna eat. They say it smells awful. Whenever I make pancit, nilaga, chopsuey, vegetable stir-fry or even salad with green cabbage in it, they would eat everything else except the green cabbage. That is how much they hate this nutritious vegetable. They don't have a problem with red, napa and savoy cabbages, neither with bok choy...but with green cabbage and its miniature counterpart, Brussels Sprouts, it's totally a different story. My daughters will do everything to avoid eating them!

Unlike the green cabbage which I grew up eating, "Brussels Sprouts" is something I haven't heard of until I came to the US. The first time I saw Brussels Sprouts at the supermarket, I thought they are baby green cabbages. Well, they look exactly like green cabbage...and they taste the same too! They actually belong to the same family, but they are of different variety. Brussels Sprouts won't grow into big cabbage heads like what I first thought. They grow on a tall stalk and stay small (only 1"-1.6" in diameter) even when they are mature. But like cabbage, Brussels Sprouts is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C and K. They are also rich in protein, fiber and antioxidants...and also contain iron, copper, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. They are incredibly nutritious vegetables...but like cabbage, they have a strong unpleasant smell which my daughters don't like.

But this Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Roasted Pecans seems irresistible for them. My daughters love bacon...so I thought adding some in a Brussels Sprouts dish will definitely lure them to eat one of their most hated vegetables. Well, it worked! The first time I made this, they seemed so excited seeing all the bacon in it...though still a bit hesitant to try it. But Cherlin started digging in when she noticed that she could hardly smell the Brussels Sprouts...and then, Clarise followed. Since then, Brussels Sprouts is no longer a part of their "not-to-eat" list.

Thanks to ginger! You see, it's not just the bacon that makes my daughters love this. Ginger has something to do with it. Ginger helps partly eliminate any unwanted smell in food, so my daughters can hardly smell the Brussels Sprouts. Now, they enjoy it...and even cabbage too! Whenever I make stir-fries with cabbage in it, I see to it that I include some minced ginger. It really helps! (",)

If you have kids who don't like Brussels Sprouts, try making this Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Roasted Pecans. I'm sure you'll see a big change on how they see Brussels Sprouts. :) Next time, I'll share with you another Brussels Sprouts dish that they love...

Ingredients:

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
8 slices turkey or regular bacon
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ Tbsp minced garlic
½ Tbsp minced ginger
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup roasted pecans, chopped

Procedure:

1. In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook bacon for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally until crisp. Transfer bacon on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Let cool. Coarsely crumble.

2. Preheat oven to 425 F. Save about a tablespoon bacon dripping. Toss Brussels sprouts with drippings in skillet, olive oil, garlic, ginger, chopped onions, salt and pepper. Line a baking pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil and grease with olive oil or non-stick spray. Arrange sprouts in a single layer on the prepared pan, and roast 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally, or until sprouts are slightly crisp and golden brown on the edges.

3. Transfer to a serving bowl or plate and toss with Parmesan cheese, roasted pecans and crumbled bacon. Serve warm with grilled meat/fish.

Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake

2013-04-15T23:29:00.001-05:00

For this month's Baking Partners Challenge, we made cheesecake! We were given four recipes to choose from...all of which are really good, but I didn't have a hard time choosing which one to make. Aside from being the one that seems easy to do, the Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake is something that the hubs has been requesting me to bake for so long. He went to Japan a number of times before we got married, and it was there where he first tried this kind of cheesecake. He said it's very similar to the texture of Filipino Mamon and has a melt-in-your-mouth goodness that's so hard to resist. After seeing the recipe suggestion of Reeni, I knew it's about time I try making this Japanese Cheesecake, not just for Ryan but for the girls and I as well.

I read that many have encountered two common problems in baking Japanese Cheesecake. First, the top of the cheesecake cracks during or after baking and second, the cheesecake shrinks as it cools down. I wanted to avoid these problems so I followed some tips I found on the internet. I made sure that the cream cheese-butter-milk mixture was cool enough before mixing it with the yolk-flour butter. I also pour the cream cheese batter into the meringue in 3 small portions. I slightly opened the oven during the last 10 minutes of baking and I left the cheesecake in the oven for another 10 minutes (with the oven door slightly opened) so that it can shrink slowly before I take it out. Sad to say, even after doing all these, my cheesecake still cracked and sunk in the middle. I don't have an 8" spring-form pan which was suggested in the recipe, so I used a 7" one and 9 brioche molds...and guess what? All of them sunk and the top of the one baked using the spring-form pan cracked! Honestly, I wasn't happy about it! But after trying it, I realized that there's no reason for me to be sad! It tastes great and the inside seems to be perfect! And after seeing how Ryan and the girls enjoyed eating it despite it's imperfections, I was more relieved!

I would like to thank Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen for another wonderful challenge, and to Reeni of Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice for choosing this recipe! It didn't turn out perfect but it sure was very delicious and cotton soft indeed! I'll definitely be making this again and again until I achieve perfection! (^.^)

For those days when you want a dessert that's light and not too sweet, this cheesecake is the best option!

Ingredients:
Recipe from Diana's Desserts Yield one 8" cheesecake, 12 servings

5/8 cup fine granulated sugar

6 eggs, white and yolk separated

¼ tsp cream of tartar

¼ cup butter (½ stick)

9 oz. cream cheese

3/8 cup fresh milk

1 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ cup cake flour /superfine flour

1/8 cup cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

Procedure:

1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler on medium heat until well combined. (If you don't have a double boiler, you can just fill a small saucepan with about an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a bowl over the saucepan and melt cream cheese, butter and milk on it.) Remove from heat and allow to cool down.

2. Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease and then line the bottom and sides of an 8" round spring-form pan with parchment paper. All I have is a 7" round spring-form pan, so I had to use some brioche molds for the excess batter.

3. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice until egg yolks are well beaten. Add the cake flour, cornstarch and salt and continue whisking until well combined and free of lumps. Fold this into the cheese-butter-milk mixture until well combined.

4. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold the cheese batter in small amount to the egg white mixture and mix well until you've used up all the cheese batter. Pour into the prepared spring-form pan. Bake cheesecake in a water bath in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until set and golden brown. Slightly open the oven during the last 10 minutes of baking. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 10 minutes (with the oven door slightly opened) so that it can shrink slowly before you take it out.

Check out what other Baking Partners members have shared this month! I'm sure you'll learn a lot from them!

If you want to either share or enhance your baking skills, join us for a monthly baking adventure at Baking Partners!

National Soyfoods Month

2013-04-13T17:12:00.000-05:00

Did you know that April is National Soyfoods Month? Well, it is...and though we're already halfway through the month of April, it's not yet too late to learn about soyfoods and how they can be incorporated into our everyday meals. I'm certain that many are familiar with soy and eat soy products on a regular basis, but for sure, there are some who haven't even heard of it and its benefits.

Soy is a versatile bean native to East Asia that's known as "the meat of the field" because of its high protein content. It is also low in saturated fat and contains other essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, zinc, folate, fiber, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and several of the B vitamins. Soy can be eaten as a replacement for dairy and meat. Soy foods include soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soy flour, soy yogurt, miso, soy beans and soy nuts. Eating more soyfoods in place of animal-based protein sources lowers saturated fats, cholesterol, and calories in our diets which can help lower risk of hypertension and certain types of cancer.

The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) provides information about the health benefits and nutritional advantages of soy. SANA also offers fun recipes and convenient ways to incorporate soy into our everyday meals.

If you're thinking that soyfoods are only for vegetarians, you're wrong. You do not have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the health benefits of soyfoods. Try incorporating soy into your menus and you'll see that dishes made with soy are tasty, healthier and just as easy to make as other dishes containing conventional protein sources. If soyfoods are new to you, try one kind of soyfood a week.

You can start with soymilk which you can use in cereals, coffee, tea or smoothies. Look at this yummy looking Mixed Berry Smoothie. You can make it using the creamy and delicious WESTSOY Soymilk which is made from whole organic soybeans. If you love pancakes for breakfast, you can try making it using soy flour. You can also use soy flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour in baking your favorite treats. Later on, when you're already getting the hang of soyfoods, you can use tofu as an added ingredient to regular meat or vegetable dishes like this Shrimp Spring Roll, Pork with Black Beans in Oyster Sauce, Mussels in Paprika Sauce, String Beans Adobo and Kingfish in Oyster Sauce. Then later on, you can use it as a substitute for meat in recipes such as Lasagna Rolls, tacos, stuffed shells and burgers. It’s also great for tossing onto a salad or pureeing in soups!

If you need a snack, you can try a gluten-free SOYJOY bar or a small package of Honey Roasted Soy Nuts. I received samples of both products, and I am truly amazed of how good they are! My daughters said they both enjoyed the SOYJOY Dark Chocolate Cherry that I packed in their lunch boxes yesterday. They said they liked the taste --- it's not too sweet and the cherry flavor goes so well with dark chocolate. As for me, I tried the banana flavor and I liked that I can really taste the banana in it. It's not super yummy, but it's tasty enough. And though it's fairly small in size, it can give the boost you need until you get to your next meal. If you are looking for a healthy gluten-free snack, you should try SOYJOY Bars. They are baked with nutrient-rich whole soy and real fruit and can fit into a number of healthy diets including gluten-free, vegetarian and carbohydrate controlled eating plans.

As for the Honey Roasted Soy Nuts, well, I must say it's so addictive! After trying it, the hubs and I now prefer soy nuts over peanuts. It's a great snack especially when you want to eat healthy but still want to enjoy something "salty" and "sweet". It's something you won't feel guilty munching on! Try them and tell me if you agree!

If you want more ideas on how you can incorporate soyfoods in your everyday meals, be sure to visit Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA). There you'll find easy recipes to get you cooking with soy...

Explore the site for recipe ideas and ingredients, and don't forget to check SoyFoods Association on Twitter at @SocialSANA and on Facebook!

Disclaimer: This sponsorship is brought to you by the Soyfoods Association who PiTCC has partnered with for this promotion.

Sugar Crusted Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins

2013-04-11T11:48:00.000-05:00

It was my eldest daughter's 11th birthday last April 9, and she requested that I make these Sugar Crusted Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins which she really loves! Of course, I granted her request...

I baked a dozen thinking that it would be enough 'coz she only invited four of her close friends. But just a few minutes after I took them out of the oven, the hubs ate a piece, and then another. And when Clarise and Cherlin got home from school, both of them ate two pieces each for snack...and then Ryan ate another one. So, there were only 5 pieces left and the party hasn't even started yet. I didn't have time to make another batch so Clarise suggested that we just keep the remaining ones instead of serving them to her friends. Please, don't think that my daughter was being selfish...she just loves them so much! You know, these muffins are really good...so you just can't help coming back for more. I found the recipe for this over a year ago at Simply Scratch and I've been making it often since then. The sugary, crispy crust and the soft chocolatey texture inside made my whole family fall in love with these muffins! Too bad, Clarise's friends didn't get the chance to try them! Oh well, I also baked a chocolate chip cookie cake and regular size cookies per Clarise's request, so I guess that's more than enough chocolate chip treats for her friends! Besides, I noticed they weren't really concerned about the food. I think being able to spend time with each other chatting, playing and singing was all they really cared about.

I'll just make Sugar Crusted Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Muffins for them next time. (^.^)

Ingredients:

Yield 1 dozen muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp white sugar & 3 Tbsp brown sugar (for crust)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a bowl, sift together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, buttermilk, olive oil, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Slowly add the mixture into the sifted dry ingredients and fold until everything is well incorporated. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

3. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups. Mix the white sugar and brown sugar until well combined. Sprinkle on top of the batter in the muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes in preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven. Cool 5 minutes in the pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Clarise had so much fun on her 11th birthday! Not only did she get everything she asked for...she got to celebrate it with the people she loves the most. That for her is the best birthday present of all! She didn't have a big party, but I know how happy she was on her specia day. Her big smiles told me so!

Shrimps in "The Whole Sha-Bang" Sauce

2013-04-04T12:08:00.000-05:00

My family & I love trying out different restaurants. But I know you'll agree with me when I say that eating out can be really expensive...and the worst is there are times when the food we eat aren't worth the money we are paying! That for me is so disappointing! So to avoid this, we try to eat out less often. I cook most of the time and we just save eating out for Sundays and special occasions. And when there's a restaurant food that we really like, I try to recreate it at home. Doing that is a lot less expensive and definitely, a lot healthier! This recipe that I am sharing with you today is an example of that. You see, there's this restaurant here called The Boiling Crab where we've tasted the best Cajun Shrimp...but at $10 per pound (which is more than double the price for the jumbo prawns that we usually buy at El Rancho or the Asian store that we go to), the hubs & I both think that it's kinda expensive...and considering the long waiting time we have to go through before we get seated, we'd rather cook it at home. Besides, this dish is very easy to prepare. The only problem is knowing the exact spices that they use to make what they call "The Whole Sha-Bang Sauce" which they say is a combo of their rajun cajun, lemon pepper and garlic sauce. I've been trying to experiment on this for a year now...and finally, I am ready to share the recipe with you...

This is my version of The Boiling Crab's The Whole Sha-Bang Sauce. Let me make it clear that this is not The Boiling Crab's exact recipe. I might have missed or added some ingredients, but I must tell you that this tastes so close to the original!

Want to know if that's true? Try it yourself! ;)

Ingredients

1½ lb shrimps, head on

1 Tbsp cajun seasoning

½ - 2 Tbsp cayenne powder (depending on how "hot" you can tolerate)

½ - 2 Tbsp chili powder (depending on how "hot" you can tolerate)

2 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1/8 cup garlic powder

1 Tbsp lemon pepper

1 stick butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup water

4 medium sized potatoes, quartered or you can use 8-10 pcs. Russet baby potatoes

1 lemon, sliced

3 Tbsp minced garlic

Procedure:

1. In a pan over medium heat, mix all ingredients except shrimp, potatoes, sliced lemon and garlic. When adding the cayenne and chili powder, start with about ½ Tbsp each first. Simmer until all ingredients are incorporated. Do a taste test as you simmer. Adjust the amount of cayenne and chili powder according to your liking. Add potatoes and simmer while stirring for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

2. Once potatoes are cooked, add shrimps and stir for 3 minutes or until they are cooked. Turn off heat then add garlic and sliced lemon. Mix until well combined with other ingredients. Cover for 5 minutes before serving.

Oxtail Kare-Kare

2013-04-02T10:58:00.003-05:00

I honestly don't remember the last time I cooked Oxtail Kare-Kare. My daughters aren't fond of eating it, that's why. They prefer Seafood Kare-Kare so that's what I usually cook. But the hubs requested that we have the Oxtail version for Easter, and being the loving wife that I am, I gave in to his request. :)

For those of you who don't know what Kare-Kare is, it is an authentic Filipino stew traditionally made of oxtail cooked with vegetables like string beans, pechay, eggplant and puso ng saging(banana bud), with a sauce flavored and thickened with ground roasted peanuts and toasted rice flour, and usually served with bagoong alamang (shrimp paste). Tripe, beef, goat meat or pork leg can also be used as substitute for oxtail.

Today, let me share with you my version of Oxtail Kare-Kare...I didn't have string beans and banana bud so eggplant and pechay are the only vegetables in this recipe. But I tell yah, this is really good despite the missing ingredients! Check it out!

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 Oxtail, cut into serving pieces (about 4 lbs)

2 medium-sized eggplant, sliced diagonally (I couldn't find regular eggplant so I used 1 aubergine and cut it into wedges)

3 bundles pechay, trimmed

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium- sized onion, thinly sliced

½ cup finely ground peanuts (I used my coffee bean grinder for this)

½ cup finely ground toasted rice (I used my coffee bean grinder for this)

¼ cup peanut butter

1 Tbsp achuete soaked in 1/2 cup warm water

1 cup water

3 cups broth (used in boiling oxtail)

2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil (for sautéing)

salt and pepper to taste

ginisang bagoong alamang (sauteed shrimp paste) & lemon - (optional)

Procedure:

1. Place oxtail in a pot. Add enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil over medium heat until scum appears on the surface. Remove all the scum or brown bubbles that will form on top of the soup. Replace water and bring to a boil again. Add 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cover and simmer until tender, approximately 1½ - 2 hours. Test for tenderness. Add more water if necessary, i.e., if it has to be cooked longer. Remove extra broth from saucepan. Just keep about 3 cups.

2. In a skillet, sauté garlic and onion in oil until onion is almost translucent. Remove achuete from the water and discard. Pour achuete water and 1 cup water into the skillet and bring to a slight boil. Add ground peanuts, toasted rice and peanut butter. Mix until well combined. Pour into the saucepan with broth and oxtail. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add eggplant and simmer for 10 minutes or until eggplant is cooked. Add pechay and simmer for 3 more minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Serve hot with rice and shrimp paste with a sprinkle of lemon.

Tuna and Mushroom Torta/Frittata

2013-03-27T09:32:00.000-05:00

In the Philippines, what's known as Frittata to Italians is what we call Torta. I grew up with my mom cooking torta of all sorts....from chicken, fish, canned sardines, crabs, eggplant to the most common ground beef or pork and canned corned beef. Most of the time, she would cook it for breakfast to make use of dinner leftovers. During Holy Week, torta made with either canned sardines or tuna is what we could expect on our table. My brother and I loved eating it with lots of ketchup over a plate of hot fried rice. Hmmmm...that's so good! I love it more when my mom cooked the torta over banana leaves. For me, the added aroma from the banana leaves was heavenly! I remember asking her why she loves cooking it over banana leaves...well, she said she's just doing it to easily flip the torta. :)

Nowadays, when I cook Torta, I cook it more like the Italian Frittata-style...I add cheese to it, and to cook the top, I usually broil it in the oven for a few minutes instead of flipping it. I have had a bad experience with flipping torta, so broiling is the best option for me. :)

Just like me, my daughters were introduced to eating torta from an early age...and yes, they love it! This Tuna and Mushroom Torta is one of their faves. As I've mentioned before, they both love mushrooms...so this is something they just couldn't resist.

For this torta, I used canned tuna with vegetables (because that's all I had in the pantry) but you can use any canned tuna you have. Just drain it and it will work just fine. You can also use leftover fried or grilled tuna or any other fish. Just flake and use about a cup of it. If you are not a big fan of mushrooms, you can replace it with carots, peas, green beans, corn kernels or whatever will satisfy your taste buds. That's the best thing about torta / frittata you know! It will surely be tasty, no matter what you put in it! :)

Ingredients:
Yield one 10" frittata, 1.25" thick

2 cans tuna, drained
1½ cup mushrooms, chopped
½ cup onions, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
15 pcs. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese (You can also use Parmesan, Mozarella or even Cheddar Cheese)
6 eggs
1/3 cup fresh milk
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
Parsley flakes for garnish

Procedure:

1. Beat eggs then add milk, salt, ground black pepper and ½ cup of the cheese, and continue beating until well combined. Set aside.

2.In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic and mushrooms in 1 Tbsp olive oil for a minute. Add tuna and tomatoes. Saute until well combined with the other ingredients. Pour mixture into the beaten eggs and mix until well combined.

3. Pour egg-tuna mixture into a 10" skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sides of the frittata are set. Turn the heat to medium low and continue cooking for 20 minutes while occasionally running a spatula underneath the sides of the frittata so the uncooked eggs run to the underside. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese are melted. To finish off the frittata, you may invert it onto another skillet and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or place the skillet in a preheated oven at 400°F and broil for about 3 minutes or until well set and slightly golden brown. Remove from heat. Garnish with parsley.

Homemade Itlog na Maalat (Salted Eggs)

2013-03-25T18:44:00.003-05:00

Been wanting to make salted eggs since I started the blog, but I just couldn't find fresh duck eggs anywhere. Duck eggs are a lot better to use in making salted eggs because of their tough shells which give them a longer shelf life. They also have larger yolk to white ratio compared to chicken eggs. As you know, it's the yolk that matters most in salted eggs so the large duck egg yolks would be better...but I'm not sure if I will ever find duck eggs here, so I decided to just use chicken eggs. As expected, the yolk of my salted chicken egg didn't turn out as creamy, granular, and oily compared to that of store bought salted duck eggs...but I tell yah, my daughters who weren't so fond of eating salted eggs, love it! Why? Because they weren't too salty. That's actually the best thing about making your own salted eggs at home. You can always control how salty you want them to be by doing a taste test starting at the 21st day after soaking them in brine.

In the Philippines, the traditional way of making salted eggs is by the salted clay method, but using clay is a bit tricky, so I would not recommend that for homemade salted eggs. Brining method is more convenient and is the most commonly used way in making salted eggs at home. The only difficult part is waiting for 3-4 weeks to complete the brining process. I've read that Shao Hsing cooking wine could help produce brilliant colored yolk --- that, I gonna try next time. For now, I will enjoy the goodness of my homemade salted chicken eggs. Holy Week is here, so I could use some salted eggs to accompany the fish that we'll be eating the whole week. :)

Ingredients:

1 dozen chicken eggs (if available, duck eggs are better)
5 cups water
1 cup salt (I used canning salt)

Procedure:

1. Wash eggs then dry them using paper towels. Carefully place them in a clean large jar. In a pot over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add salt while stirring until water is already saturated and salt can no longer dissolve. Remove from heat. Allow the brine solution to completely cool down before pouring it in the jar. To help the eggs stay submerged, fill a small plastic bag with water, seal it and put it on top of the eggs before placing the jar lid.

2. Store the jar in room temperature for 21-25 days. Do a readiness test on the 21st day by boiling one egg. If you think it is salty enough for you, and the yolk is already dark yellow, then wash eggs then boil for 20 minutes or until fully cooked. Run the eggs under cold water then drain. If you think the eggs are not yet ready, leave them in the brine for 4 to 67 more days.
Hardboiled salted duck eggs can be used in recipes like this Shrimp and Salted Eggs Pasta, or serve with Sinaing na Tilapia or with fried fish or meat. You can store boiled salted eggs in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Chocolate Marble Bread Using Tangzhong Method

2013-03-21T11:07:00.001-05:00

Just as promised, here's the other bread that I made using tangzhong method. I actually used the same recipe as that of the Bacon and Cheese Bread which I posted the other day. The only difference is that I added more sugar and a chocolate layer to turn it into this yummy Chocolate Marble Bread...

Don't you love those swirls? Oh well, I know they aren't perfect, but my daughters said they look beautiful, so that's good enough for me! I followed a swirling technique I found on Jot the Tart Queen. It's pretty simple...I guess I'm just not that good with dough rolling! But it's ok...this Chocolate Marble Bread was so soft and tasty, and I think that's more than enough to make up for the imperfect swirls! :)

Ingredients:

2½ cups bread flour

6 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp + 1tsp milk powder

2 tsp instant yeast

½ of the tangzhong from this recipe

½ cup milk

3 Tbsp butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)

1½ Tbsp cocoa powder

1 Tbsp water

Egg wash:

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp milk

Procedure:

1. Place flour, 6 Tbsp sugar, salt, powdered milk, instant yeast and tangzhong into a mixer bowl. Using a dough hook, mix it at low speed. Gradually add in the milk until a soft dough is formed. Then, run the mixer for 10 minutes at speed 2. When the dough comes together, start adding the cubed butter and allow butter to be mixed into the dough at low speed. The dough should be smooth, elastic at this stage. Divide the dough into two (3/4 for one portion and 1/4 for the other portion). Knead in the cocoa powder, remaining 1 Tbsp sugar and water into the smaller portion until well-incorporated and evenly mixed.
2. Round the two doughs to form balls. Place each of the dough into separate floured bowls. Cover the bowls with cling wrap. Place it in a warm and dark corner of your kitchen. You can use your oven or microwave for this purpose. Let the dough ferment for about 1 hr or until about double in size. Take the dough out of the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back the air bubbles. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for about 10-15 minutes.

3. Using a rolling pin, roll out the chocolate dough into a rectangle, approximately 6 x 4 inches. Then, roll out the plain dough into a rectangle, approximately 14 x 6 inches. Place the chocolate dough in the center of the rolled out plain dough. Fold the plain dough, from both ends towards the center, to enclose the chocolate dough. Roll out this dough lengthwise into a neat rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough from both ends towards the center like before. Then, fold over another time. Roll it out lengthwise again, until about 1/2 inch thick.

4. Roll the dough up like you would with a swiss roll. It should look like a long log. Line a 7 inch non-stick loaf pan with baking parchment. Cut the log up into three portions. Line the dough side by side in the loaf pan. Proof the dough in a dark, warm place in your kitchen for about 1- 1.5 hrs until about double in size. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush the top of the bread dough with egg wash twice. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. You can cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil mid-way if the bread starts to turn too dark.

Bacon and Cheese Bread Using Tangzhong Method

2013-03-19T13:03:00.000-05:00

I must admit that I'm really not a big fan of bread making. Aside from the banana bread which I frequently make for the hubs and the girls, I very seldom make other types of bread. Though bread may be cheaper homemade, the time and hassle involved make store-bought ones more preferable for me. But everytime I make bread at home, the excitement I see on my daughters' faces as they wait for the bread to come out of the oven always makes me realize that homemade bread is still the best! In terms of flavor, freshness, and all-around quality, nothing beats homemade bread!

Just like for example, this Bacon and Cheese Bread which I made for this month's Baking Partners' Challenge...

It's so soft and truly so delicious! Though it took me several hours to make it, this bread is definitely worth the “homemade” effort! The best thing about it is being able to add the ingredients that we all like --- bacon and cheese! The whole family loved it and everyone requested that I make it again! It's priceless to see the big smiles this bread brought on the faces of my husband and daughters!

This month's Baking Partners' Challenge involves making bread using either the Asian method Tangzhong or the Scandinavian method of scalded flour. I opted to try the Tangzhong method and adapted a Japanese Style Bacon and Cheese Bread recipe from Christine's Recipes. The Tangzhong Method of making bread which was introduced by Yvonne Chen, author of the book "The 65º C Bread Doctor", is what's called the “secret ingredient” to make soft and bouncy bread. Tangzhong is a kind of “flour paste” that's very natural and handy to make. When tangzhong is added into other ingredients of the bread, the bread dough will be heightened and produces softer bread. I can attest to how soft it made my Bacon and Cheese Bread! I actually made another loaf of bread using tangzhong, and it also came out really soft in the inside. Don't worry, I'll be sharing it with you on my next post. :)

I would like to thank Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen for another wonderful challenge! This really helped me appreciate homemade bread! Not only is it cheaper, it's always tastier and healthier!

Ingredients:

For Tangzhong (good for two loaves of bread):

1/3 cup bread flour
1 cup water (could be replaced by milk, or 50/50 water and milk)

For Bacon & Cheese Bread (Yield 1 loaf of bread):

2½ cups bread flour
3 Tbsp+2tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 Tbsp+1tsp milk powder
2 tsp instant yeast
½ of the tangzhong from above
½ cup milk
3 Tbsp butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)
½ cup bacon bits and 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (for filling)

Egg wash:

1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. milk
a pinch of salt

Procedure: For tangzhong:

1. Mix flour in water well without any lumps. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon, whisk or spatula to prevent burning and sticking while you cook along the way.

2. The mixture becomes thicker and thicker. Once you notice some “lines” appear in the mixture for every stir you make with the spoon, it’s done. Remove from heat.

3. Transfer into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling wrap sticking onto the surface of tangzhong to prevent from drying up. Let cool. The tangzhong can be used straight away once it cools down to room temperature. Just measure out the amount you need. The leftover tangzhong can be stored in fridge up to a few days as long as it doesn't turn grey. If so, you need to discard and cook some more. (Note: The chilled tangzhong should return to room temperature before adding into other ingredients. )

For Bacon and Cheese Bread:

1. Place flour, sugar, salt, powdered milk, egg, instant yeast and tangzhong into a mixer bowl. Using a dough hook, mix it at low speed. Gradually add in the milk until a soft dough is formed. Then, run the mixer for 10 minutes at speed 2. When the dough comes together, start adding the cubed butter and allow butter to be mixed into the dough at low speed. The dough should be smooth, elastic at this stage.

2. Knead the dough into a ball shape. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it proof until it's double in size, about 40 minutes (Note: the time will vary and depends on the weather. The best temperature for proofing is 80°F. Transfer to a clean floured surface. Deflate and divide the dough into four equal portions. Knead into ball shapes. Cover with cling wrap, let rest for 15 minutes.

4. Roll out each portion of the dough with a rolling pin into an oval shape. Sprinkle bacon and cheese evenly as much as you like. Roll from the upper, shorter end down to the bottom (as picture shown). Flatten the dough with your rolling pin. Then roll once again. The seals face down.

5. Arrange the rolled-up dough in a greased or non-stick loaf tin. Leave it for the 2nd round of proofing, about 40 minutes, or until the dough rises up to 3/4 of the height of the tin inside. Brush egg wash on surface. Bake in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and tin. Transfer onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Slice to serve or place in an airtight plastic bag or container once it's thoroughly cooled.

Check out what other Baking Partners members have shared this month! I'm sure you'll learn a lot from them!

If you want to either share or enhance your baking skills, join us for a monthly baking adventure at Baking Partners!

Cheese Topped Shepherd's Pie

2013-03-17T13:22:00.001-05:00

It's March 17...and do you know what that means? It's St. Patrick's Day --- an Irish holiday in honor of St. Patrick who is the most recognized patron saint of Ireland. We're not Irish so we don't really celebrate it. :) But every year, my daughters would always request that I make something green which is the color associated with St. Patrick's Day celebration. This year, I opted not to. I told them that I'll just make something "Irish" that we can share and enjoy after church, and this is what I came up with...

...Shepherd's Pie --- a meat pie with a top crust made of mashed potatoes. I've read that St. Patrick's Day won't be complete without Shepherd's Pie, which was originally called "Cottage Pie" and originated in England but was adopted by the Irish people. Traditionally, the meat layer of a Shepherd's Pie is made of ground lamb, onions, carrots and peas. I honestly have never tried a traditional Shepherd's Pie. This one I am sharing with you today is an adaptation of a recipe I found at marthastewart.com years ago. It's made of ground beef, carrots, corn and celery...and has mashed potato and cheese topping. My family love this...and it's truly a big hit every time I make it.

Whether it's St. Patty's Day or not, I highly recommend that you try this! It's comfort food at its finest!

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes (about 4 big ones), peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 pcs. Knorr beef cubes
2 lbs ground beef
6 medium carrots, diced
1 can (16 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 cup whole milk
2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 Tbsp parsley flakes
Kosher salt and ground pepper

Procedure:

1.In a large skillet over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in olive oil until onion is almost translucent. Add beef cubes and beef and saute until beef turns brown. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add vegetables, flour and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup mozarella cheese. Mix until well combined. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place potatoes in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cover with water. Add about 1/2 Tbsp salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes well and return to saucepan placed over low heat. Add milk and 1 cup mozarella cheese. Season with a 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth.

3. Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Press using a spatula. Add the mashed potato on top and spread over filling. Sprinkle with remaining mozarella cheese, cheddar cheese and parsley flakes on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Salmon and Vegetables Frittata Cups

2013-03-14T09:32:00.000-05:00

Over a month ago, I saw Sandra's Easy Cooking's post on Frittata Cups and it caught my attention. Though I've made lots of frittata in the past, I have never tried making it into small servings. I've always made skillet sized ones, so I thought Frittata Cups like these look cute and will be more fun for my girls...

Just like omelet, I love making frittata to use up whatever leftovers we have in the refrigerator. Some of you might be wondering what's the difference between the two. Well, it's actually all about whether you fold the filling or not. Omelets have the egg mixture cooked and folded around the filling, while a frittata just mixes it all up and is cooked open faced. But both are very simple to throw together. You can use any meat, vegetable or cheese you have on hand.

For these Frittata Cups, I used leftover baked salmon and some vegetables, a combination that's Lenten Friday friendly. But feel free to use whatever filling seems satisfying for you. There's no rule for that, so just follow your own taste preference and enjoy! :)

Ingredients:
Yield 12 cups

1 cup fried or poached salmon, flaked
1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, green peas, corn)
½ cup onions, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pcs. Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese (You can also use Parmesan, Mozarella or even Cheddar Cheese)
3 eggs
¼ cup fresh milk
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp All-purpose flour
1 Tbsp olive oil

Procedure:

1. Preheat the over to 350°F. Slightly grease a cupcake pan. In a skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, and tomatoes in olive oil for a minute. Add mixed vegetables and bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes or until bell pepper is cooked but still crisp. Add salmon and saute until well combined with the vegetables.

2. Beat eggs then add milk, salt and ground black pepper and continue beating until well combined. Add all-purpose flour and mix until free of lumps. Add about 3 Tbsp of shredded cheese. Mix until well combined.

3. Divide the sauteed salmon and vegetables into the cups of the prepared cupcake pan. Pour the egg mixture over salmon and veggies in each cup. Mix with fork to get the egg mixture all around the salmon and veggies.

4. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown. Using a spatula, loosen the fritatas from the cupcake pan. Serve for breakfast and even for lunch or dinner.

Chocolate Mousse

2013-03-11T13:31:00.004-05:00

What I have for you today is a family favorite dessert that I'm sure you'll love. I'm talking about this irresistible Chocolate Mousse, the recipe of which I got from Laura Vitale. I must admit that I used to enjoy making the quick chocolate mousse version that uses gelatin as binder, but after I tried this recipe, there's no way I'm making the quick version again! This is the real thing, very light and airy just like how a real chocolate mousse should be. This has been part of every special dinner in our house since I found the recipe early last year. It tastes divine, I tell yah! Even those who say they don't like chocolates would definitely love this!

If making chocolate mousse intimidates you, I'm sure this will help you overcome that! Making chocolate mousse isn't difficult at all. The only difficult part is trying to keep yourself from eating it while it sets! :)

Have a lovely Monday everyone!

Ingredients:
Serves 4

2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate
2 Tbsp water
½ tsp instant coffee
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 egg yolk
2 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
confectioner's sugar and strawberries for garnishing

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks, set in the refrigerator while you work on the rest of the recipe. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until it becomes thick and pale in color and the sugar dissolves, set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, add about an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a bowl over the saucepan and add the chocolate, water, instant coffee and butter. Cook over low heat just until the chocolate melts.

3. Spoon ¼ of the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture and mix it just enough to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the bowl over the simmering water in the saucepan with the remaining chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla extract and stirring constantly, cook over low heat for a couple minutes or until the mixture thickens. Let it cool for a few minutes stirring frequently.

4. In a bowl, whisk the egg white until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the egg white in the cooled chocolate mixture. Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped heavy cream being careful not to over mix otherwise the heavy cream will lose its texture. Pour the mixture into cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours to set. (I usually make this the night before so it can set overnight. That gives it a better texture.) Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and top each cup with fresh strawberry.

Sinaing na Tilapia

2013-03-07T18:54:00.000-06:00

Growing up in a Filipino Catholic family, eating fish and vegetables on Lenten Fridays was a tradition for us. My brother and I were both in Catholic schools that time so we knew the importance of observing this tradition and we never complained about it. Sinigang na isda, paksiw na bangus, sarciadong isda, bulanglang, cardillong isda, daing na bangus, ginataang isda, escabeche, fish pochero, totsong isda, and pesang tilapia were among the dishes that my mom usually cooked during the Fridays of Lent. When she was busy and didn't have much time to prepare dinner, we'll find either fried fish served with itlog na maalat (salted egg) salad or Sinaing na Isda which was usually tulingan (baby skipjack tuna) on our table. Just like fried fish, Sinaing na Isda doesn't need too much time to prepare. You just season the fish with salt, put in a pot with water, dried kamias and fish sauce and cook "boiled style like that of rice" for 30 minutes. Despite the simplicity and mild flavor of this dish, it's something that I always enjoy eating.

I rarely find tulingan here in my side of the world, so I often use tilapia whenever I cook Sinaing na Isda. I must say, it's nothing similar to the dish I grew up loving, but at least I get to satisfy my craving for this Batangueño dish. The last time I cooked it, I have some salted eggs so I served the Sinaing na Isda with salted eggs salad.

Sinaing na Isda is usually cooked with pork fat for added flavor. But everytime I cooked this during Lent, I omit the pork and just substitute it with vegetable oil. While some cook it with soy sauce and vinegar, I prefer mine with kamias, garlic and fish sauce. This is how my family like it...you should give it a try!

Ingredients:

2 lbs tilapia, cut into serving pieces (Pompano will also work well. If Tulingan is available, that would be the best fish to use. )

6 cloves garlic, crushed

12 pcs. dried kamias (or more depending on how sour you want it)

2 cups water

2 Tbsp fish sauce

salt to taste

1/2 cup pork liempo, chopped (optional) or 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure:

1. Sprinkle fish with salt and let sit for about 15 minutes.

2. Arrange pork liempo (if using), half of the garlic and the dried kamias at the bottom of a saucepan. Arrange fish on top of it and then add the remaining garlic and kamias on top. Pour water, oil (if using) and fish sauce onto the fish. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Stir and season with salt if necessary. Remove from heat. Allow to cool down a little. Serve with steamed rice.

- Cooked with pork liempo strips -

Shredded Beef with Green Beans and Mushrooms in Bistek Sauce

2013-03-04T14:57:00.001-06:00

From the way they look to the things they like, my two daughters are indeed different in many ways like most siblings are. While my eldest got my natural curly hair, my youngest has straight hair like the hubs. My eldest got my fair complexion while my youngest got her dad's medium skin tone. While my eldest hates pink and girly girl stuff, my youngest is so into it! Though both of them love school, my eldest loves to curl up with a good book but hates Math, while my youngest can sit and do Math problems all day but gets upset when it's reading time. Unless told so, my eldest won't help in the kitchen while my youngest is always so eager to help and considers herself as my sous chef. When it comes to food, my eldest would rather stick to burgers, chicken nuggets, pizza, fried chicken and other food she's used to while my youngest would try anything I serve on our table. I can go on the whole day telling you how different they are from each other...but when it comes to how they are alike, I honestly can only think of a few. Aside from their being so sweet and loving, both of them love to sing and draw. They love dogs, playing at the park, flying kites together and building sand castles at the beach. And as far as food is concerned, both of them just couldn't resist anything with mushrooms! My eldest can be so picky but whenever I serve any dish with mushrooms in it, she can never say no! This Shredded Beef with Green Beans and Mushrooms is an example of that...

This is very much like the Bistek Tagalog that I've featured here on the blog before. But instead of using beef sirloin, I use the readily available shredded beef for carne picada that can be bought at supermarkets. Unlike the regular Bistek Tagalog with only onions in it, this has green beans and mushrooms which make it a whole lot interesting! My daughters love Bistek Tagalog, but I tell you, they love this even more! And if there's one thing that they agree on, it's how good this dish is! You should see for yourself...

Ingredients:

2 lbs. shredded beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sized onions, chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime extract (lemon or calamansi will work too)
½ cup soy sauce
½ Tbsp garlic powder (optional)
1 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch long
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, mix lime extract, soy sauce and garlic powder until well combined. Add shredded beef and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Drain and save the marinade.

2. Over medium heat, saute garlic in olive oil until light brown. Add the chopped onions, and saute until almost translucent. Add shredded beef and saute until juice starts to come out. Add marinade. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Add green beans and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. Simmer for 5 minutes more or until green beans and mushrooms are cooked.

3. Remove from heat. Serve with rice or rolls.

Shrimp, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Salted Duck Egg Pasta

2013-02-27T17:23:00.000-06:00

After a two-month break, Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge is back with a very interesting theme for the month of February...and that is "PULANG ITLOG" (Red Egg) or what's also known as Itlog na Maalat (Salted Eggs) in the Philippines.

Like other Filipinos, I really enjoy eating itlog na maalat. I love it as a filling for pandesal, as a topping for bibingka and large ensaymadas, and as an accompaniment to any fried fish. When I was young, I loved eating it with daing na bangus for breakfast. I remember my mom slicing the salted eggs into wedges and serving it with diced onions and tomatoes and the fried daing na bangus. Hmmmm...that was one simple meal that never failed to satisfy my tummy! Having that on our table would always make me eat more rice than I usually do!

For this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge, I decided to share a recipe that I created instead of the above mentioned ways that we Filipinos use salted eggs for. I call it Shrimp, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Salted Duck Egg Pasta. It's a simple pasta dish that uses itlog na maalat both in the sauce and topping, and that gives it an interesting texture.

Combined with cream, shrimps and roasted tomatoes, this brings the ordinary salted eggs into a new level that will surely satisfy your tummy! My family loved it! Even my daughters who hate the intense saltiness of the white part of salted eggs agreed with the hubs when he said that this is yummy! You should try it yourself! It's also quick to make except for the roasted tomatoes which takes about 20 minutes to roast. But you can always roast it while the pasta is cooking and while you are preparing the sauce, so the total cooking time will be just 30 minutes. (^.^)

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup shrimps, peeled and deveined
4 salted duck eggs, (2 diced and 2 mashed)
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 sprigs of thyme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
parsley flakes for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, toss cherry tomatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 sprig of thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven at 425°F for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. In a pan over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in 2 Tbsp olive oil until translucent. Toss the shrimps into the pan and saute for a few seconds. Add the cream and mashed salted duck eggs. Add the remaining thyme and season with salt and pepper. (The eggs are already salty so don't add too much salt.) Mix until well incorporated and let it simmer for two minutes.

4. Toss the cooked pasta in the pan and mix until the pasta is covered with sauce. Add the diced eggs, roasted tomatoes and remaining olive oil. Mix gently until well incorporated. Remove from heat.

5. Garnish with some grated Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes. Serve hot.

Be sure to check what other Kulinarya Cooking Club members came up with for this month's theme...

Easy Baked Chilean Sea Bass on Bed of Roasted Potatoes, Tomatoes and Onions

2013-02-25T13:00:00.001-06:00

After enjoying the wonderful Prime Angus Filet Mignon from Certified Steak and Seafood Company, I just couldn't wait to try the Chilean Sea Bass that was also sent to me. Chilean Sea Bass, as you know is a soft, smooth fish with a rich melt-in-your-mouth flavor that's popular in restaurants across America. But did you know that Chilean Sea Bass does not necessarily come from Chile and is certainly not a sea bass? It's actually just the marketing name for the fish called Patagonian Toothfish which is not always fished in the waters of Chile, but Chileans were the first to market it so the name just stuck.

Chilean Sea Bass is not listed as endangered species however, due to its premium value, it is subject to illegal fishing which depleted the population of this fish. In addition, the longlines commonly used to catch Chilean Sea Bass hook and drown thousands of endangered albatrosses and other seabirds each year. So whenever you purchase this fish, please make sure it comes from a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified market. Though I didn't see any certification mark on the Chilean Sea Bass that I received, the good quality that I've seen in each fish fillet, made me believe that all the products of Certified Steak and Seafood Company came from certified sources and their Chilean Sea Bass are harvested and processed under close inspection of the National Marine Fishery Service.

To keep the flavor of the fish, I prepared it in a very simple manner. By simple I mean simply sprinkling each fillet with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cajun seasoning...and baking it for 20 minutes! To make it a complete meal, I roasted potatoes, onions and tomatoes which I also sprinkled with the same seasoning as the fish, then I simply layered the fish on top of the roasted veggies...and VOILA!

If you're looking for a special yet simple way to cook fish, you should try this! With this recipe, you'll learn that it doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make a great meal! Salmon, Tilapia, White Sea Bass, Cod, Halibut, Mahi will also work well for this. If you don't have ready made Cajun Seasoning, just make your own by mixing together 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 1/4 tsp. oregano and 1 1/4 tsp. thyme and store the left-over in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

For the Baked Sea Bass:

4 Chilean sea bass fillets, 8 oz. each

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Garlic powder

1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

For the Potato, Onion and Tomato Bed:

1 large red onion, cut into one inch slices

24 pcs. cherry tomatoes, left whole

5 pcs. small potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch thickness

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

fresh cilantro

Procedure:

For the Baked Sea Bass:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Coat a baking dish with olive oil. Dry the fish fillet using a paper towel. Season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning.
3. Arrange fillets in baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.

For the Potato, Onion and Tomato Bed:

1. In a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, toss potatoes, onion and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Roast in a 425°F oven for 20-25 minutes.

2. When everything is cooked, place a steady layer of potatoes on a plate. Then pile onions and tomatoes on top. Top with fresh cilantro and then with the baked sea bass.

Want to try the goodness of Certified Steak and Seafood Company's Chilean Sea Bass yourself? Visit the Certified Steak & Seafood website and use coupon FBR125D to get $25 off your order. You still have four days to enjoy this great deal! Just like the Prime Angus Filet Mignon, I recommend Certified Steak and Seafood Company's Chilean Sea Bass...

* This sponsorship is brought to you by Certified Steak & Seafood Company who PiTCC has partnered with for this promotion.

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Balsamic Red Wine Sauce

2013-02-19T10:31:00.000-06:00

If you are following PiTCC on Facebook then you might have seen this gorgeous Filet Mignon plate on our page last Valentine's Day.

Rather than fighting the crowd to get an expensive meal at an overrated restaurant, I decided to just prepare a lovely dinner for my family using the Prime Angus Filet Mignon that was sent to me by Certified Steak and Seafood Company as part of their ongoing promotion.

I received four 8-oz. vacuum sealed Filet Mignon beautifully packaged in this box, which arrived in a big cooler box and was kept well frozen with the help of some dry ice.

With a delicate cut of beef like this, adding too much flavors will definitely take away its natural taste, so I decided to stick to our favorite Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon recipe which is totally simple and quick to prepare. All you need is just a little salt, freshly ground pepper and olive oil! If you want to make it a little fancy, top it with Balsamic Red Wine Sauce and add mashed potatoes or other vegetables like green beans, asparagus, or zucchini on the side! The result: a simple yet elegant and impressively delicious dinner! The awesome quality of the Prime Angus Filet Mignon from Certified Steak and Seafood Company made this meal even more satisfying!

I must admit that I didn't expect it to be that good! But after trying it, I must say that I was very satisfied! It was indeed tender and so flavorful as described on their website! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in enjoying a high quality filet mignon at home. Will I buy it with my own money? Surely, I would! Maybe not for regular weeknight dinner, but definitely for special occasions and family gatherings. $99.95 for four 8-oz Prime Angus Filet Mignon is a bit expensive but what do you expect? It's filet mignon! But I tell yah, with it's superb quality and the fact that you will have the freedom to make it the way you want it in the comfort of your own home, it's all worth it!

Ingredients:
For the steak and green beans:

4 (8 oz.) filet mignon steaks (about 1 1/2 inches thick)

1 Tbsp freshly and coarsely ground black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb green beans

Kosher salt

For the sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp minced red onion

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup red wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. honey

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Procedure:

1. If serving with mashed potatoes, recipe can be found here. Prepare and set aside until steaks are ready. Keep warm.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put the coarsely ground pepper on a plate. Sprinkle the steaks with salt then set the steaks atop the pepper and press, coating both sides and flattening the steaks slightly.

3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet on medium-high. Add the olive oil then add the steaks. Cook for about 6 minutes or until both sides and perimeters turn golden brown. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for until desired doneness is attained, about 3 minutes for medium-rare doneness. Transfer the steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.

4. Add the green beans to the same sauté pan and saute just until cooked but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Divide the green beans into 4 plates.

5. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent but not brown, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine, vinegar, honey, and thyme to the pan and simmer until reduced by half. Return the steaks to the pan and baste with the sauce. Put the steaks on the plates with green beans. Stir the butter into the sauce to blend. Pour sauce over the steak and green beans.

Want to try the goodness of Certified Steak and Seafood Company's Prime Angus Filet Mignon yourself? Visit the Certified Steak & Seafood website and use coupon FBR125D to get $25 off your order. It's definitely worth it, if you'd ask me.

* This sponsorship is brought to you by Certified Steak & Seafood Company who PiTCC has partnered with for this promotion.

French Macarons with Chocolate Ganache Filling

2013-02-16T20:22:00.000-06:00

Making French Macarons has been in my to-try list since I started blogging...but I've read so much about how finicky it is to make. I even remember reading in one article that "making French Macarons takes skill and is not advised for novice bakers". That intimidated me and I decided to just set aside my dream of being able to serve my daughters homemade French Macarons. I was already contented of just buying these treats from a nearby store at $1.50 per small piece (1 inch in diameter) or $12 per dozen...and I never thought I would ever dare to try making them myself! Thanks to my friends at Baking Partners, especially to Vidhya of A Portion to Share and Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen who chose the theme for this month's challenge. Because of them, I was inspired to turn a long time dream into a reality...and now I know that making French Macarons at home is totally do-able and actually not that hard! The troubleshooting guide from Foodnouveau and howtocookthat's YouTube video provided me everything a first timer French Macaron baker should know!

I followed a simple French Macaron recipe from Martha Stewart which only requires a few ingredients. I couldn't find almond flour so I decided to just make use of blanched slivered almonds and ground them myself. I've read before that grinding blanched almonds in a food processor won't work. They need to be ground in a special way that prevents them from becoming oily, so I thought I'd use a coffee grinder. Well, it worked well for me.

All the tutorials I've read suggested that to be more accurate, weighing the ingredients is better compared to just measuring them in cups. I stick to using cups though, but I see to it that everything is exactly measured. I must say that I really had a great first time experience in making French Macarons, and I've learned that if you just measure everything accurately and not over beat the meringue nor over mixed the batter, even the most novice baker can make good French Macarons! The only difficulty I had was shaping them into equal sizes. I even printed templates for 1 inch circles and put them between the cookie sheet and the non-stick parchment paper that I lined it with...but my macs still came out in different sizes. :) Oh well, you can't expect much from a first timer, right? But my daughters said my macs tasted a lot better compared to these ones they usually eat.

That's really so nice to hear! Now, I'm inspired to make French Macarons more often...and next time, I promise I'll do better! (^.^)

Ingredients:

Makes 14 pcs. 1 1/2-in French Macarons Sandwiches

For the Macarons:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup almond flour (I ground blanched slivered almonds)

2 large egg whites, room temperature

Pinch of cream of tartar

1/4 cup superfine sugar

gel food color of your choice (do not use liquid food color coz this will affect the consistency of the batter)

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped (preferably 70 percent cacao)

1/2 oz. (1 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

Procedure:

1. If grinding blanched slivered almonds like I did, be sure to grind them finely then sift it twice. Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour (or finely ground almonds) in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture 2 times.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add superfine sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Add gel food color and continue mixing for 1 more minute. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.

3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, dragging pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees. Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (If macarons stick, spray water underneath parchment on hot sheet. The steam will help release macarons.)

4. Prepare the chocolate ganache. Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add butter, then whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool, stirring often. Allow to set for about 10 minutes before using as filling.

5. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon filling. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Check out what other Baking Partners members have shared on French Macarons! I'm sure you'll learn a lot from them!

If you want to either share or enhance your baking skills, join us for a monthly baking adventure at Baking Partners!

Lengua De Gato

2013-02-13T11:29:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, so I thought I'd bring you another Filipino favorite to sweeten your celebration. Known as Lengua De Gato, these thin buttery sugar cookies shaped like cat’s tongue can make a wonderful treat for the sweet ones in your life...

In the Philippines, Lenguas De Gato which are usually packed in a clear plastic jar with yellow lid, are a favorite “pasalubong” (homecoming gift), and you can find them in bus terminals, roadside pasalubong stalls and now, even in the mall and grocery stores. I haven't had these treats for years, so when I saw a recipe for Lengua De Gato in my new Goldilocks Bakebook, I was so anxious to try it! I immediately made two batches, one with the regular butter flavor...and the other one, with a hint of chocolate. They're really easy to make. The only thing I found difficulty with is making them into equal size cat's tongues. :) I also noticed that the plain butter ones didn't turn out as yellowish as they're supposed to be. I even added one egg yolk to the recipe, but they still turned out pale. But they are delicious and close enough to the Lengua De Gato I've always loved. Try it yourself...I'm sure that like me, you will love their melt-in-your-mouth goodness!

Wishing you all a HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY!

Ingredients:

(Adapted from Goldilocks Bakebook)
Yield about 175 pcs.

1 cup salted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar + 1/3 cup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

1 2/3 cup cake flour

3 egg whites

If you want to try making chocolate Lengua De Gato, see the ingredients below to see the slight change in measurements:

Ingredients for Chocolate Lengua De Gato:

Yield about 175 pcs.

1 cup salted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar + 1/3 cup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 cup cake flour

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 egg whites

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Using a mixer on medium speed, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and egg yolk. Mix until well combined. Switch mixer to low speed and gradually add cake flour. Keep on mixing until all ingredients are well incorporated. In another bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.

3. Add egg white mixture into batter and mix on low speed until combined. Put batter in a piping bag with 1/4-inch round tip. Pipe batter into 2-1/2 inch long pencil thin strips on the prepared cookie sheets, at least one inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. (Be sure to watch them because they can easily burn.) Immediately remove from the pan and transfer to wire racks to cool down. Store in a cookie jar or any airtight container.