Don’t let the ingredients in this recipe limit your choices. Try to add other vegetables that suit your taste. For example, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and snap peas can be added to this dish.

I enjoy eating vegetarian pancit sotanghon during lunchtime. Since noodles provide energy due to carbohydrates, it is better to eat this dish early so that you’ll have the time to burn the carbs by the end of the day.

Try this Vegetarian Pancit Sotanghon recipe. Let me know what you think.

Vegetarian Pancit Sotanghon Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. vermicelli noodles
• 1 1/2 cup chopped celery stalk
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons annatto powder mixed with 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Procedure

1. Soak the noodles in a bowl of water until it becomes soft, but not soggy. Drain the water and set the noodles aside.
2. Heat the oil in a cooking pot.
3. Sauté the garlic, onion, and celery
4. Once the onion becomes soft, pour-in the vegetable broth and annatto water. Let boil.
5. Add the cabbage, carrot, and parsley. cover and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Put the noodles in the cooking pot. Toss until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve with lemon wedges or calamansi.
9. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 11 review(s)

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The texture of the meat is a big factor for the success of this dish. The meat should be as tender as possible. This can be done in 2 ways: simmer the meat for a long time or use a pressure cooker. Either way will work. However, I will go to the simmer route for this recipe.

Although this dish is really good, let me remind everyone to eat this in moderation. The fat from the pork can literally melt in your mouth if done the right way – as good as it might sound, try to control yourself though.

Try this Pata Hamonado Recipe. Let me know what you think.

Pata Hamonado Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ham hock (pata), sliced or whole
• 3 cups pineapple juice
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 pieces dried bay leaves
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon whole pepper corn
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking Procedure

1. Heat oil in a deep cooking pot
2. Sauté the garlic and onion
3. Add the whole peppercorn. Stir.
4. Put-in the pork hock. Cook all the sides for 5 minutes.
5. Pour-in pineapple juice and water. Let boil.
6. Add the soy sauce and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. Add water, if needed.
7. Put-in the brown sugar. Stir.
8. Add salt and then let the liquid evaporate until the sauce is thick enough.
9. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve.
10. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 23 review(s)

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I composed this recipe for the kids. Sure, Filipino spaghetti is good. However, not all kids (or even some adults) like having ketchup in their meal. This particular recipe only uses tomato sauce and tomato paste to prepare the base sauce.

What I like about developing a good pasta sauce (in general) is that you can apply it to any type of noodles. If my kids like to have the same dish every week, I usually use different kinds of pasta. This gives them the pleasure of enjoying the taste that they love in different forms.

Try this Sweet Chicken Spaghetti recipe. Let me know what you think.

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In most accredited institutions, you can expect to receive education and practical training in:

• Hospitality management
• Culinary arts
• Hotel and restaurant management
• Business diplomas
• Baking and Pastry

There are diplomas, certificates, associate degrees and bachelor degrees you can easily apply for. Admission, however, will depend on high school grades or in some cases, the years of work experience you have if you’re looking to extend your studies.

Some Iowa culinary schools are preferred over others and the most highly recommended are the following:

Iowa State University has credible courses that students can study in order to learn the necessary skills for working in and out of the kitchen. Graduates qualify to work as chefs, sous chefs, line chefs, bakers, caterers, managers, consultants and instructors.

Eastern Iowa Community College is another great alternative for aspiring chefs looking for great education and kitchen experience.

If Kirkwood is an area you would enjoy living, Kirkwood Community College is nearby and offers competent education for wanna-be professional cooks.

Other great training institutions include the Hamilton College, Hawkeye Community College and the North Iowa area Community College.

For courses that teach business skills as well as cooking, the American Institute of Commerce in Davenport can be the ideal place to earn your qualification.

The best course is always the one that meets your career ambitions. Some curriculum are more hands-on than others while other courses are for the business-minded. If you would like to work in managerial positions or own a restaurant, enrolling in institutes focused on commerce is advisable. Institutions that emphasize practical experience are more suitable for aspiring chefs, cooks, personal chefs and caterers. Regardless of what you decide to study, make sure that the program offers enough support through associations or advisory boards to help you jump-start your career.

When you’re admitted into a training program at one of the accredited Iowa culinary schools, you should also try to attend as many local festivals as possible. Some festivals and annual conferences include the much-loved Rib America and West point Sweet Corn festival. They are likely to be held in Des Moines, which is the culinary capital of Iowa. Once there, you can connect with industry experts and great chefs who can give you great tips on how to make it big as a culinary professional.

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Indiana is proud of the heritage of its cuisine. If you decide to study in this state, you can be there just in time for its fine festivals. Some of these festivals include the Brickyard Barbecue Festival, Vintage Indiana and the Pierogi festival. You are likely to meet a host of famous chefs and learn from their culinary expertise. This is a great place to get introduced to local culture, tastes and favourite dishes that your future customers and clients love.

Although getting acquainted with local cuisine is a good idea, your primary focus should be attaining education and training in order to join the industry and make a name for yourself in the culinary world. You can enrol for an associate degree, a bachelor’s or certificate. Each qualification improves your chances of employment after completion and will equip you with the skills you need to excel in your specialized field.

A decent culinary curriculum should include subjects in hospitality, culinary arts and food service but should be enhanced by:

• On-site restaurant practical training
• Internships or a form of practical work experience
• Well-equipped kitchens with equipment and procedures
• Experienced, well-trained cooks, chefs and instructors
• Career support after graduation
• Links to industry associations and ability to get discounted memberships for students

Among the best Indiana culinary schools available are:

The Art Institute of Indianapolis where students can study at respectable International Culinary schools for certificates and degrees.

Chef’s Academy hosts culinary programs that teach students to master every area of the industry in order to work as anything from personal chefs to restaurant owners.

Indiana Business College offers some of the best culinary and entrepreneurial courses in the state.

The Indiana State University is a great place to study and gain relevant qualifications within an active campus life.

Ivy Tech State college is a technical institute that offers practical work experience to apply and win entry-level jobs after completing the course.

Davenport college and Marian College also offer competitive programs that equip students to be chefs, line chefs, caterers, managers, instructors and restaurant owners.

It’s always a good idea to become a committed member of an association like the Indiana Restaurant association, Chefs of Northwest Indiana and Restaurant and Hospitality association of Indiana. Joining associations puts you in a position to know about opportunities as they come about, attend seminars that are not accessible to the general public, meet chefs from all over the world and experiment with new flavors to add to your menu.

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Some of the best Illinois culinary schools to apply to are:

Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, which offers the critically acclaimed Le Cordon Bleu program. This is a cooking curriculum formulated in France and is one of the few qualifications that could take you from being a culinary student to a chef in high demand. You can enrol and hopefully admitted to study for associate degrees in culinary and pastry and baking.

French Pastry School is a program that focuses on pastry chefs and teaches you how to master creating world-class desserts.

An organization with a great job placement record is the International Culinary schools that are branches of the Art Institute of Chicago. They offer bachelor and associate degrees in the culinary arts, culinary management, pastry and baking, and hospitality.

Other top Illinois culinary schools include:

• Illinois state university
• Chicago state university
• College of Lake County
• Loyola university
• Parkland college
• Elgin Community college
• North-Western business college
• South Illinois university
• Lexington college

When you have as many choices as you do in Illinois, it becomes more important to narrow them down according to different factors. Is the college you want to apply to recognised by the American Culinary Federation Accrediting Commission? What kind of facilities such as restaurants and kitchens are made available to students to hone their craft? What is the standard rate of job placement in that institution? Do curriculums balanced theory with practice? When can you work after your studies have ended? These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself before filling out an application form because the answers determine the kind of future you might have after you graduate.

Another question on your mind should be whether or not there are associations locally that you can become a member of and receive help in advancing your career. Fortunately, there are already associations like the Chicago Chefs of Cuisine, Illinois Restaurant Association and the Heart of Illinois Hospitality Association to give your career much-needed direction. It also would hurt if you took part in the Windy City festival, Chicago Gourmet and other annually held festivals, conferences and seminars to meet successful chefs, mingle with other students, gather tips for industry success, sample the state’s most loved dishes and volunteer to submit your own.

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This recipe can also be applied to other kinds of meat. In fact, the original piccata recipe uses veal. This also goes well with pork chop and tenderloins.

What is the best side for piccata? Since this dish has a sour sauce, I usually have this with salad and feta cheese. This can also go well with steamed asparagus. In terms of carbs, chicken piccata can be enjoyed with any type of pasta. You can cook spaghetti of fettuccine and place the chicken on top. Don’t forget to pour additional sauce.

Try this Chicken Piccata Recipe. Let me know what you think.

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Fish Tinola is usually eaten with white or brown rice. You can also have this as an appetizer. Preparing tinola is very easy and quick as well. Since we are dealing with fish, the cooking time is faster compared to pork or beef dishes.

I enjoy eating tinola because it gives me comfort. This is one of the soup dishes that I regularly cook during winter or cold weather because it keeps me warm.

I used salmon for this recipe. However, do not limit yourself with this type of fish. Use any kind of fish that you like whether it is fillet or not. I’m sure that you will love this dish.

Try this Fish Tinola recipe. Let me know what you think.

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The cut of the beef that you will use plays an important role in the success of this dish. Lean parts are good, but it is better to use cuts with marbles of fat. This will make the dish juicy and more enjoyable. As good as this might get, always remember to consume this dish in moderation.

Sometimes I get tired of using regular potato — be it of different variety. This is the reason why I used thick pre-cut potato fries for this recipe. You do not need to purchase this ingredient if it’s not in your freezer. Regular baking potato will do. It just happened that we have a bag of fries sitting in the freezer for the kids.

Try this Beef Asado Recipe. Let me know what you think.

Beef Asado Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. beef brisket or chuck, thinly sliced
• 1 cup uncooked thick potato fries
• 1 large yellow onion, minced
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 3 pieces dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Procedure

1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the olive oil.
2. Sauté the onion until it becomes soft.
3. Add the beef. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Put-in the garlic powder soy sauce, lemon juice, tomato sauce, and water. Stir and let boil.
5. Add the bay leaves and simmer for 40 to 60 minutes (add water as necessary).
6. Add the potato fries. Cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve!
9. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 6

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 27 review(s)

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This recipe is straightforward. Anyone can easily prepare the mixture. The issue might be on where to get the banana leaves, specifically the people outside of the Philippines. The good news is you can use the frozen banana leaves sold in Asian and Filipino stores. All I did was to wash them in warm water and cut individual pieces using a pair of scissors.

Cassava suman is best eaten with fruits such as ripe mango or peaches. Sometimes, I dip this with more brown or white sugar. It also works to have this for breakfast along with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. We want to hear from you. How do you eat suman? What food or dip do you eat this with?

Try this Cassava Suman recipe. Let me know what you think.

Cassava Suman Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. grated cassava
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut cream (or coconut milk)
• Banana leaves for wrapping, cut into 12 x 6 inch pieces

Cooking Procedure

1. Combine the cassava and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold until the ingredients are well distributed.
2. Add the coconut cream. Stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Scoop about 1/2 cup of mixture and arrange on one side of the banana leaf. Mold the mixture so that it appears to be cylindrical in shape, with the length of about 4 to 5 inches.
4. Roll the banana leaf to wrap the mixture. Make sure that the leaf is not loose so that the mixture can use it as a mold. Secure the top and bottom part of the leaf by folding it inward in the same direction.
5. Boil about 5 to 6 cups of water in a steamer.
6. Arrange the wrapped cassava suman on the steamer and then steam for 30 to 35 minutes or until the texture becomes firm.
7. Remove from the steamer and let the temperature cool down.
8. Serve. Share and enjoy!

Number of servings (yield): 6

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 12 review(s)

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