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.