Much delayed... truffles!

My life has been quite hectic lately, and I did not even notice how quickly this past week went by. For those of you who wondered if I missed my cooking weekend, nope I did not miss it. I did my now usual kitchen experiments as always, but I simply had a little time to sit down and write a blog. So here I am on a Saturday night, writing a blog entry not for this weekend but for the previous one. You will be glad to note that last weekend's recipes included truffles. That's right, yours truly gathered up all of his courage and ventured into the unknown waters of confectionery arts. The outcome? I'd say fairly decent milk chocolate truffles, complete with nuts and cocoa and even cereal.

Here are the recipes (and I promise, I will try to post this weekend's entry at the start of next week)...

Dish # 1 - GLAZED FRUIT BOWL

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min

2 (20 ounce) cans unsweetened pineapple chunks
2 (3 ounce) packages cook and serve vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups orange juice
1 small cantaloupe, cubed
3 1/2 cups cubed honeydew
2 cups fresh strawberries, halved
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups seedless grapes
2 medium firm bananas, sliced

Drain pineapple, reserving 1 cup juice; set pineapple aside. (Discard remaining juice or save for another use.) In a large saucepan, combine the pudding mix, pineapple juice and orange juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat; cool. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, melon, berries, grapes and bananas. Drizzle with pudding mixture. Refrigerate until serving.

My experience: OK, so those are the ingredients for the original recipe. I made quite a few changes though. I did not have any honeydew, blueberries or strawberries, and I'm pretty sure I've never heard of cantaloupe, and would not recognize it even if I were staring at it. So, in short, I had fewer ingredients. It worked nevertheless. Very yummy.
Our verdict: Delicious!

Dish # 2 - CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 50 min

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup carrots, chopped into small cubes
1/3 cup celery
1/3 cup onions
chicken bones of whole chicken
6 cups of water
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
cooked pasta noodles of your choice

In a large, heavy pan, heat olive oil and garlic together until soft but not brown in color. Add carrots, celery, and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. Place bones, water, bay leaf, salt and pepper and simmer covered for about 50 minutes. Check the seasoning and add the pasta right before serving to heat through.

My experience: I basically followed the recipe, except that instead of bones, I added chicken breasts.
Our verdict: Really nice and filling soup. Loved it!

Dish # 3 - SUNBURST CASSEROLE

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 10 min

1/2 cup bread crumbs from day old bread
2 medium sized potatoes
2 medium sized onions
4 medium sized fresh tomatoes
salt and pepper
1/3 block butter, cubed (healthy option: replace with 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil)
500 grams Bangus Belly
2 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Toast some leftover bread and pound with a mortar to create lovely golden crumbs. Cut potatoes into paper-thin rounds, then place in a bowl of water. Cut the onions and tomatoes into very thin rounds as well. In an 8 or 10-inch baking dish, arrange the first batch of sliced circles, as follows: potato, onion, tomato, until you have filled the surface of the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter half of the cubed butter. For the next layer, place the Bangus belly on top of the first layer of vegetables. For the final layer, do the same as the first layer, but finish with breadcrumbs and parsley. Bake in a 175C or 350F oven for 20 minutes.

My experience: Rather than bake, I fried bangus. Obviously, I could not do the layers as the recipe advised, but still, the resulting dish was really amazing.
Our verdict: You have to try this one. Very well done!

Dish # 4 - TRUFFLES

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min

1 cup milk chocolate (rough chopped baking bar)
2 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream

In a double boiler melt the milk chocolate, butter and cream stirring frequently until the consistency is soft and satin-like. Transfer rmixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 5 hours. To make truffles, scoop a tablesppon of chocolate mixture and form into a ball. Roll truffle in cocoa powder. Or dip truffle in melted chocolate and roll in coconut flakes, nuts, even cornflakes.

My experience: When it comes to desserts, I really value my kids' opinion. If they love it, then it's a success. So I was eager to see them try these truffles. Turns out, having chocolate formed into a ball shape, and then have it covered in nuts, seemed a bit odd for my toddlers. Still, it was an amazing feat on my part, I think.
Our verdict: Chocolate overdose! Yeaaaaah!

First Ever Ice Cream

Last weekend I did my very first ice cream. Before you start applauding me or call me Chef Extraordinaire , allow me to confess that the ice cream was unintentional. I was actually making a simple dessert with some mangoes and cream. Well, it was great, even though the pic below doesn't do it any justice. The thing is after we put it in the freezer, it turned into one of the best mango ice creams. Well, what do ya know! I did live up to the name of this dessert - Mango Fool. :)


The other thing really worth a mention is the fruit salad. Wow! You have got to make this one. Amazing! Our home was a riot over this salad, and I'm not kidding. So here we go...


Dish # 1 - Fruit Cabbage (or Lettuce) Salad

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 15 min


4 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium red apple, diced
1 medium firm banana, sliced
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons raisins
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste


In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients; set aside. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine mayonnaise, milk, sugar, lemon juice and salt if desired; shake well. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat.


My experience: Instead of cabbage, I used lettuce. I think it's a better choice.
Our verdict: By far, one of the best salads I've ever made. This one is bound to be on our table frequently.


Dish # 2 - Lemon Soup

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min Cooking Time 15 min


1/2 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
1 egg yolks
1 egg whites
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta


Pour chicken broth into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Add orzo pasta, and simmer for 10 minutes, until tender.
In a medium glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites to medium stiff peaks. Stir in egg yolks and lemon juice. When the pasta has finished cooking, Gradually ladle about 1 cup of the soup into the egg mixture while stirring gently. This will heat up the eggs so they will not be shocked by the boiling liquid. Pour the egg mixture into the soup pot, and stir until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.


My experience: The whole thing of separating egg yolk and egg whites is just too clever for my brains. I have no idea how to do. So Matet had to come to the rescue. I guess some things take longer to learn than others.
Our verdict: The soup tasted really well. However, it seemed a bit too watery. We think it lacked something substantial - like, veggies.


Dish # 3 - Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin

(sorry no pic - Matet took it, but Amber accidentally deleted it later)

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 20 min

1/2 kilo pork tenderloin fillets

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup all purpose flour

oil

1 cup red wine

1/2 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms

1 cn diced tomatoes

1/4 cup sliced green olives

Season pork with salt, pepper, cumin, and lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Dredge pork in flour then pan-fry in hot oil until brown on both sides. Set aside.

Deglaze pan with wine. Simmer for a few minutes then add mushrooms, tomatoes, and olives. Bring to a boil.

Add back the pork and cook until heated through and sauce is reduced. Season to taste. 

My experience: Regrettably, I did not use the red wine. I think I missed out on a whole different flavor with this one.

Our verdict: The meat tasted great, but yes, the red wine would have made the difference.

Dish # 4 - Mango Fool

Serves 6 Time to Prepare 1 hr

2 whole large mangoes, peeled and rounded with a baller

1 teaspoon calamansi juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 cup heavy all-purpose cream, chilled

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a pan, combine the mangoes, calamansi juice, sugar, and water. Place the pan on medium heat and cook the mixture while stirring frequently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Wait until the mixture thickens a bit and remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Place the bowl in a bigger bowl with ice and water and stir until the mixture becomes cold.

In another bowl, bet cream and powdered sugar until it reaches stiff peak. Fold in the vanilla extract. Fold in 1/4 of the cooked fruit sauce. Divide the flavored cream into bowls then top with the remaining fruit sauce.

My experience: The pic really doesn't do any justice to this dessert. It was really great. I would say freezing it before serving is better. It does taste better as an ice cream.

Our verdict: Woohoo! Mangoes rock!

Awesome Cake

Here is another entry of my cooking adventures. I just realized I've been doing this for four months already. Time flies so fast. It's good to note though, that I am learning something worthwhile along the way. This weekend I made a really nice soup that I highly recommend, a perfect pasta (Matet and I made sure there were no leftovers), a decent salad, and a heavenly no-bake cake. As I wrote the word "heavenly", my mouth got watery, longing for just one more serving of that cake. Mmmmm, it was so good and so easy to make.

Dish #1 - Potato and Crab Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

Serves 6 Time to Prepare 15 min Cooking Time 15 min

1 lb potatoes, boiled and diced

1 cup fresh asparagus, cut into 1" sticks and blanched

1 cup canned button mushrooms, quartered

1 cup canned young corn, cut into 1/2" pcs

1/3 lb crabsticks, quartered

1 pack cream

2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp mustard

salt and pepper

To make the dressing, mix cream, juice, honey and mustard in a bowl or blender until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper

Place vegetables and crabsticks in a bowl. Toss in dressing and chill before serving.

My experience: I substituted asparagus with broccoli, and boiled fresh young corn, instead of using canned young corn. Other than that, it was pretty straightforward.

Our verdict: Great salad. It's quite filling on its own though, as it has potatoes.

Dish # 2 - Chunky Potato Soup

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 20 min

2-1/4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup and 3 tablespoons chopped onion

5/8 small carrot, chopped

2 tablespoons and 3/4 teaspoon chopped celery

3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons chicken broth

1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons butter, cubed

1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1-1/3 cups and 2 tablespoons milk

1-3/4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon shredded Swiss cheese

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, onion, carrot, celery and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender; lightly mash. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir into potato mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted.

My experience: I think I'm getting the hang of making soups. Every time, the highlight for me is to watch my kids devour the soup with delight. They are small, but they are my biggest fans! :)
Our verdict: Yummy soup. Also, very filling on its own, as it has so many ingredients in it.

Dish # 3 - Creamy Tuna and Mushroom Pasta

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 15 min

1 tbsp butter

1/4 chopped onions

3 tbsp sliced garlic

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup quartered mushrooms

3 tbsp cubed red bell pepper

3 tbsp frozen peas

1 can tuna flakes in oil, drained and reserve oil

1/2 cup stock/water

1 tsp lemon rind

1 1/4 packs cream

salt and pepper

400 gms pasta, cooked according to package directions

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat tuna oil and butter in a pan. Add onions, garlic, and basil and saute for a few minutes. Add in vegetables and cook until heated through. Blend in drained tuna flakes and stock. Bring to a quick boil. Add cream and rind. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until vegetables are done. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over pasta and top with parmesan cheese. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

My experience: I used plain vegetable oil instead of tuna oil and I added quite a lot of cheese.

Our verdict: This is a fantastic recipe. We loved it. It's definitely one of the best pasta recipes we've ever had.

Dish # 4 - Strawberry Cheesecake

Serves 12 Time to Prepare 15 min

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups cream cheese

2/3 cup condensed milk

1 tbsp gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp hot water

1 pack cream chilled

2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and quartered

1/4 cup strawberry syrup

Blend crushed grahams, butter and sugar in a bowl. Press in a 9" springform /removable bottom pan and chill for at least 30 minutes. 

In another bowl, beat cheese with condensed milk and dissolved gelatin until smooth. Set aside. In a clean bowl, beat cream on high speed until it doubles its volume. Fold in cream cheese mixture and pour over prepared crust. Smoothen top and chill overnight or until it sets. Top with strawberries and syrup.

My experience: This was my very first cake. I tended to avoid cakes up to this point, as I consider cakes as something for the experts. But it turned out it was worth giving it a try. It's awesome and no baking whatsoever.

Our verdict: It's unbelievable, but this cake is well at par with those cheesecakes in our favorite coffee shops. Yummy!

Back on track

The much awaited latest entry of my cooking adventures is here. Sorry for the delay of a few days. I did the cooking as usual, but was so overwhelmed with my thesis that I had no time to write a blog entry. But that is all a matter of the past, and I am back on track. Just in case you were wondering, my thesis is going really well. I am really excited about it.


Last weekend's recipes were a mixture of Matet's choices, but the quesadilla recipe was offered by one of my biggest supporters in the US. You know who you are - huge huge thanks. We definitely loved it!


Dish # 1 - Summer Vegetable Salad

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min.


3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small green pepper, julienned
1 small red onion, sliced into rings
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

In a large bowl, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar if desired; mix well. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

My experience: I was not sure what to expect with this recipe. The original said 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar, 3 garlic cloves, etc. Just seemed too weird, so I decided to make a few changes in the quantities. We left the salad in the refrigerator overnight, and wow! This is an awesome salad!

Our verdict: Absolutely one of the best we've ever had. The flavors blended very well. We think this salad would be perfect with a grilled fish, but really it's great with anything.

Dish # 2 - Cabbage Beef Soup

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min Cooking Time 30 min

2-1/2 tsp vegetable oil

6 ounces ground beef

1/4 large onion chopped

2 cups chopped cabbage

3/4 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained

3/4 cup and 2 tsp water

9 oz tomato sauce

1-5/8 beef bouillon cubes

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add ground beef and onion, and cook until beef is well browned and crumbled. Drain fat, and transfer beef to a slow cooker. Add cabbage, kidney beans, water, tomato sauce, bouillon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to dissolve bouillon, and cover. Cook on low setting for 30 min. 

My experience: This is a very tasty soup, definitely worth a try. The original recipe advised to cook on high setting for 4 hours. Huh? How is that even possible with so little fluids in it? When I put all the ingredients in the pot, it did not seem like soup at all. So I ended up adding 4 glasses of water. 

Our verdict: Very good soup. We've had some better ones in the past, but this one is good too.

Dish # 3 - Cheese Quesadillas

Serves 4 Cooking Time 5 min

4 large tortillas

butter

Mexican cheese

oil

Take two flour tortillas. Spray a frying pan with spray butter, lay one down then fill it with Mexican cheese and lay the other on top. Let them get a little toasted and brown and flip it over and do the same. Cut them like a pizza and put it on a plate.

My experience: This recipe came from the US. I don't know what Mexican cheese is, so I used just regular processes cheese to make sure it melts quickly. As you can see in the photo, we served these quesadillas with some pineapples and watermelons. Awesome! The original said with potato fries, which I think is also wonderful.

Our verdict: Very simple to make and a great snack for parties.

Dish # 4 - Creamy Fruit Mold

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 15 min

1 (16 oz) can fruit cocktail

1 box unflavored gelatin

2 cups fresh milk

1/2 cup water

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp calamansi juice or lemon

1/2 heavy cream, plus additional for garnish

5-6 pcs lady fingers, plus additional for garnish

Peaches, cherries

Drain fruit cocktail and reserve syrup (about 1 1/2 cups)

Sprinkle gelatin in syrup drained from fruit cocktail. In a medium sauce pan heat milk and water.

Add gelatin mixture and sugar and cook until gelatin dissolves.

Stir in calamansi juice. Remove from heat. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes

Blend in cream and fruit cocktail. Let cool just at the point of setting. 

Pour gelatin mixture into a ring mold. Chill until set.

Run a spatula around the sides of the mold to loosen mixture and invert on a platter. Carefully ease out mold.

Garnish top with peaches, cherries, and additional cream and lady fingers, if desired.

My experience: Matet had to help me out with this one. Mixing fruits into the gelatin mixture is a great idea. Reminded me a lot of what my mother used to make in my childhood. I loved it. My son Nigel also enjoyed it, although I can't say that Amber enjoyed it at all.

Our verdict: We think it's great. Next time we would probably use some flavored gelatin instead. It would give a bit more taste to it. Still, this is great.