Double Delight

If you've been faithfully following my blog, you know that I skipped one week. Well, actually, I did cook last week, it's just that I never got around to posting it on the blog. So this week you are getting a double treat - not four recipes as usual, but eight! My fingers shiver at the thought of how much typing that's gonna involve, but oh well... The cool thing is now you have eight recipes to choose from! :)

Dish # 1 - Simple Japanese Salad

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min

1 small pack crabsticks
1 cucumber
1 ripe mango
Japanese mayonnaise
fish eggs or roe (optional)
1 bag mixed greens

Cut crabsticks, cucumber and mango into chunks. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise and with a little fish roe. Arrange salad greens on a platter or bowl. Top with chunks of crabsticks, cucumber and mango. Drizzle with the mayonnaise mixture. Top with more fish roe for garnish.

My experience: I did a few changes to this recipe. I used regular mayonnaise, instead of Japanese, and omitted the fish roe. I think it would have been more authentic if I included them though. Still, a really nice salad.
Our verdict: Mango in a salad is always delightful. We love it.

Dish # 2 - Chicken and Orange Salad

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min

1 stalk spring onion, sliced finely
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. sour cream
1 cup shredded roast chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 pack mixed salad greens
1 orange, segmented and cut into chunks
2 tbsp. chopped candied pili nuts

In a bowl, combine spring onions, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and a sour cream. Blend well. If the mixture is too thick, add some warm water. Add the shredded chicken and mix well with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange salad greens on a bowl. Top with the chicken mixture. Garnish with orange chunks and chopped pili nuts before serving.

My experience: To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about using an orange in this salad. I had doubts. So I was really grinning when Matet's eyes doubled after tasting it (doubled in a good way).
Our verdict: Another great salad, and no leftovers :)

Dish # 3 - Pumpkin Curry Soup

Serves 3 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 15 min

2 tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp. curry powder
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups chopped pumpkin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Heat butter in a saucepan then saute onion and garlic. Add curry powder and cook for a minute. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add pumpkin and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in milk. Cook for a minute more. Cool, then transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth.

My experience: I have never cooked anything that included pumpkin, so I was not sure of the outcome. In fact, I don't really like pumpkin (maybe it's a Halloween thing?). The secret weapon turned out to be the blender! It's a soup I will do over and over again!
Our verdict: Fantastic soup! One of the best ever!

Dish # 4 - Easy Mushroom Soup

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 20 min

1 3/4 cups Beef Broth
1 3/4 cups Chicken Broth
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tablespoon sliced green onion

Heat the broth, black pepper, rosemary, mushrooms, carrots, onion, celery and peas in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the green onion. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

My experience: Some cutting, some chopping. Throw it all into a pot and witness the magic.
Our verdict: A warming, traditional soup recipe that is really tasty. Spices add a very nice flavor here.

Dish # 5 - Quick Pork Stir-Fry

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min Cooking Time 20 min

1 lb pork stir-fry strips
2 tsp. cornflour
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
12 oz pack frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 cup bottled stir-fry sauce

In a bowl, combine pork strips with cornflour and soy sauce. Cover and let it stand for 10 min. Heat wok to very hot. Pour oil and stir-fry pork until brown all over. Remove pork, add some more oil and frozen vegetables. Stir-fry for 3-5 min until cooked but still crisp. Return pork to the wok and toss to combine. Pour in the sauce and continue to toss until all ingredients are coated and heated through.

My experience: This was really fun to make. Instead of frozen vegetables, I used fresh, and it still worked well.
Our verdict: Stir-fry food is one of favorites. Loved this dish.

Dish # 6 - Creamy Beef Rice Topping

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 7 min Cooking Time 10 min

1 lb tenderloin tips, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 pack brown gravy mix
1 cup cold water
1 can button mushrooms, sliced or halved
4 tbsp. sour cream
chopped parsley

Stir-fry beef for 2 min or until almost tender. Add garlic. When beef is cooked, remove from fire and season to taste with salt and pepper. Put cooked beef over rice. Put gravy mix in the same pan used for cooking beef. Add water, mushrooms, and sour cream. Cook until thick. Pour over beef and rice. Top with parsley.

My experience: I really looked forward to making this dish for some time. I guess I have a thing for creamy gravy (???).  It all worked really well, and I'm very proud of making this one. In fact, since I cooked it, Matet has already made it 2-3 times on other days, so this one is definitely a winner.
Our verdict: Hearty and teeming with mouth-watering gravy. Mmmmm!

Dish # 7 - Nutty Mango Cups

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min

2 large ripe mangoes
peanut brittle
1 pint vanilla ice cream

Slice the mangoes to get 4 cheeks and cut them into chunks. Put mango chunks in individual bowls. Sprinkle crumbled peanut brittle over mangoes then top them with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with caramel syrup and top off with more peanut brittle.

My experience: Sometimes, having fresh fruits with ice cream is so much better than just eating fruit-flavored ice cream. It was so easy to put things together, and the taste is incredible.
Our verdict: YUUUUUUM!

Dish # 8 - Caramelized Banana Panini

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min Cooking Time 10 min

2 large bananas, peeled
6 tablespoons sugar
6 slices sourdough or Italian bread  (1/2-inch-thick)
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 container (16 ounces) premium pineapple coconut ice cream  or your favorite flavor ice cream

Cut the bananas in half crosswise then into 3 slices lengthwise, making 12 slices in all. Place 4 tablespoons sugar onto a plate.  Coat the bread slices with the sugar.  Lightly press 2 slices banana onto each bread slice. Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Add the sandwiches in batches, banana-side down, and cook for 5 minutes or until the sugar is caramelized, turning the sandwiches over carefully once halfway through cooking.  Remove the sandwiches from the skillet and keep warm. Stir the remaining sugar, butter and the lime juice in the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens.  Top the sandwiches with the ice cream and drizzle with the sauce.

My experience: This one was a bit weird. Getting the whole caramelization of sugar wasn't easy. So I had to call in Matet for help.
Our verdict: Hmmm, it's very sweet... A bit too much, but other than that, it's quite an interesting experiment.

World Cup Glory

As some of you may know, this week marked the start of the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Over the next month, hundreds of millions of people will be glued to their TV sets in every single country on the planet. It is after all, the most watched sports event globally. Guess what happens when people sit in front of their TV's for hours... yup, that's right - they drink tons of beer and munch gazillions of chips. Well, food doesn't have to be unhealthy. So here is my deal: when the champion country is announced, that week my dishes will feature that country's cuisine... (I'm hoping it will be something familiar, like Spain or England, and not, for example, Nigeria or some other unknown to me country).


This past weekend, as already customary, had its ups and downs for me. Some dishes worked well, and some did not. So let's review...


Dish # 1 - Jello Fun

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 15 min Cooking Time 5 min


2 cups all purpose cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups fresh milk
1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
chocolate syrup


Pour milk in a bowl and add gelatin. Set aside to bloom. In a saucepan, combine cream, vanilla powder, sugar and then heat. Remove from heat for 30 min to infuse flavor. Bring the cream mixture back to heat and put in the gelatin mixture. Stir constantly. Chill to set. Top with chocolate syrup.


My experience: There were three attempts in making this dish! The first two just would not set in the fridge. So for the third attempt, I had to add some more gelatin, and then it worked. 
Our verdict: Yummy!


Dish # 2 - Red Kidney Beans Soup

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 1 hour

8 oz. large red kidney beans

6 cups water

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 green peppers, deseeded and chopped

1 large can plum tomatoes and juice, finely chopped

2 tbsp. fresh garden herbs, finely chopped (basil, parsley)

1 large bay leaf

1 large clove elephant garlic, crushed

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Bring water to a boil in a deep pan. Add beans, onion, green peppers, plum tomatoes, garden herbs, bay leaf, elephant garlic , salt and black pepper. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes until frothy. Remove froth with a spoon and discard. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until smooth. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve red hot with buttered bagels.

My experience: This is a really easy to make soup, although it takes quite a bit to wait for it.

Our verdict: A very good soup recipe. We loved it.

Dish # 3 - Quick Paella

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 15 min Cooking Time 10 min

1/4 cup corn oil

1 tsp annatto powder

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 cup onions, chopped

1/2 piece red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 piece green bell pepper, sliced

3 pieces chorizo Bilbao, sliced

1 cup chicken breast meat, cubed

1/4 tsp Spanish paprika

2 pieces chicken broth cubes

1 1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground pepper

3 cups cooked rice

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add annatto powder and garlic, and cook. Add in onions, red and green bell peppers - cook until aromatic. Put in sliced chorizo, chicken, paprika, and chicken cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in cooked rice and toss completely until color has blended. 

My experience: A lot of chopping and slicing, but oh so worth it!

Our verdict: Really great recipe. We love paella, and any fried rice combinations. This is awesome.

Dish # 4 - Pineapple Slushy 

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min

1 can pineapple chunks

1 cup of milk

12 oz. pineapple juice drink

ice cubes

Blend all the ingredients.

My experience: This is my comfort drink. When things just don't go too well in the kitchen, recipes like this one are a life saver. Just drop everything in the blender, and you are done.

Our verdict: A refreshing drink, even though we were a bit apprehensive about mixing pineapple and milk... But there were no runs to the bathroom as a result, so I guess it worked ok.

On basketball and kitchen failures

My favorite NBA team (Cavs) crashed out, and yet again failed to reach the Finals, despite yet again, having the best regular season record. I was sad and frustrated. One minute it seems your team could play anyone anywhere and still win by a good margin, and the next thing you know, the season is over way too early. I hate going from a high to a low.

This past week I had the pleasure of watching two live games of Filipino collegiate basketball. The team I support is young and inexperienced. Consistency is still lacking, but the spirit is there, so hopefully they will improve over time. The first game I watched, they were absolutely horrible. I thought to myself, "Wow, this team needs a major makeover - coaching staff, roster, everything! And ASAP!!!" But then tonight they were a complete opposite. They played amazing defense, dove for every lose ball, and punished their opponents for most of the game. From a miserable blowout loss to a fantastic blowout victory - all in less than a week. I'm impressed. Sure, there were still plenty of flaws in the game, but the change in attitude was obvious, and it bore fruit.

Why am I sharing this basketball stuff in a culinary blog? To me, the connection is obvious. Just like the college basketball team, I am inexperienced in what I do in the kitchen. There are weeks when it seems like whatever I do with those ingredients, it would turn out a sure winner dish. And when I close my eyes, I picture myself receiving a trophy as The Chef of the Year. So if you ever wonder what it is that I daydream about, let me tell you right now - in those fuzzy moments I prepare my trophy acceptance speech. Trouble is, when I'm done and I open up my eyes again, I'm faced with a reality that is at times utterly miserable.

Take this week, for example. Everything seemed to be going perfectly well... until I started making the Cafe Mocha Cupcakes. The full story of how badly I screwed it up can be found below.

Dish # 1 - Mango Black Bean Salsa

Serves 6 Time to Prepare 15 min

4 medium-sized tomatoes, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
1 fresh chili, finely diced
4 cheeks of mangoes, (yes, you guessed it right - finely diced too)
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons cilantro, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoon salted black beans, washed and drained
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon rind of lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour.

My experience: I like any recipe that just says "mix ingredients and refrigerate". Doesn't get much easier than that. But this one is definitely a winner. I loved how the mangoes blended with the taste of other ingredients. Really nice salsa! Except that I forgot to add the beans! Oops!
Our verdict: Yes, yes, yes, and a hundred times more - yes!

Dish # 2 - Hearty Vegetable Soup

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Cooking Time 30 min

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pound boneless beef sirloin steak OR
beef top round steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups V8® 100% Vegetable Juice
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Beef Broth  (Regular, Lower Sodium or Certified Organic)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium potato, cut into cubes (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, thickly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until it's well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat. Stir the vegetable juice, broth, thyme, pepper, potato, carrot, onion and celery in the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

My experience: This is a really-easy-to-make soup. I think I should have worked the beef a bit longer, as it was slightly (but tolerably) chewy.
Our verdict: A very good, traditional soup.

Dish # 3 - Sesame Chicken Nuggets

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 5 min Cooking Time 30 min

8 chicken breast fillets
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup white sugar
3 slices ginger
barbeque sticks
toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cut each chicken breast fillet into 3 pieces each and set aside. Mix soy sauce, sugar and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 5 min, or until the sauce thickens into a light syrup. Lower the heat and drop the chicken pieces into the sauce. Cook for 10 min. Take the chicken pieces out and let them cool for 5 min on a plate. Skewer 3 pieces per bamboo stick and roll lightly across a plate of toasted sesame seeds to coat. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water. Remove the ginger slices from the remaining sauce and pour cornstarch mixture into the pan. Stir on low heat until the sauce thickens. Serve on side with the chicken skewers.

My experience: I am so glad we picked this recipe. I love chicken. But this recipe made me go "Mmmm!"
Our verdict: Awesome recipe, we will do this again for sure!

And now (drumroll for the pathetic cupcakes please! The picture says it all)...

Dish # 4 - Cafe Mocha Cupcakes

Serves 4 Time to Prepare 10 min Ready in 3 hrs

Chocolate Crust:
30 pieces chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreo), ground
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose cream
extra softened butter for brushing sides of a pie plate or a cupcake pan

Combine ground chocolate cookies and sugar in a bowl. Add in the melted butter and cream, and combine well. Brush sides of the cupcake pan or pie plate with butter. Pour in the cookie mixture and press into the sides and bottom of the pie plate or each cupcake slot of the pan. Place the crusts in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

Coffee Filling:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee
2 eggs
2 cups chilled whipped cream
chocolate chips or curls (M&M's or Kisses can also be used)

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Combine cocoa powder and coffee and fold this into the creamed butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, folding each egg well every time. Place this filling on top of your frozen crusts. Level the mixture. Freeze again for at least 2 hours. Right before serving, generously place whipped cream on top and decorate with chocolate pieces.

My experience: Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong! Grrrrr! First off, the recipe doesn't say this, but shouldn't you place those paper thingies into the cupcake slots before pouring the stuff into them??? Or else, how on earth would you remove your cupcake from the cupcake slot??? The picture obviously shows, I was not able to figure that out. So we had to eat them from those cupcake slots. It looked bad. Worst of all, the taste was not good either. It was just too much of everything - too much coffee, too much cocoa powder. All that mixed with chocolate cookies, butter and sugar - and you get an overdose. My kids refused eating it, and I don't blame them. Matet and I tried it, and it was awful!
Taking a hint from the basketball experience during the week, I would like to think I have learned some valuable lessons, and will do better next time, but boy, this was bad!
Our verdict: It's gross all around!