A Kare-kare First

A relative went to the market yesterday and mistakenly bought 2 kilos of tripe.  Yes, you read it right.  TWO KILOS.  I was like, what the heck are we going to do with this much tripe?!

So, I made some lugaw and after the guilty relative pressure cooked the tripe, I added some to the congee.  We had the lugaw for breakfast and then breakfast the following day.  But we still had a lot of tripe left.  Then it hit me. Why not make kare-kare?  I never made kare-kare though so I was a bit apprehensive.  I checked out some recipes and they didn't seem too bad since the longest part of making kare-kare was softening the meat and tripe.  So I told myself: "it's time to make kare-kare."

I decided to use kare-kare mix to lessen the chance of botching up the most important part of the dish.  Here's what I did:

1. Soften the meats (oxtail, tripe, etc).  My relative did this for me.  Using a pressure cooker saves a whole lot of time and gas.  Keep the broth.  You'll use it later.

2. Pre-cook the vegetables (sitaw, eggplant and pechay - in that order.  I forgot to buy banana blossom.) My mother-in-law makes kare-kare.  More often than not, the eggplant is still hard come serving time.  I didn't want that to happen to my kare-kare.   I saw in a website that pre-cooking the vegetables was advisable and I thought that was a good idea.  It's best to pre-cook the vegetables in the broth that was used to soften the meat to make them flavorful. I simply half-cooked the veggies which only took a few minutes.  Set aside.

3. In a saucepan, saute chopped garlic and then some sliced onions in some oil. Add the softened meats and stir-fry for a few minutes.  Dissolve 1 pack kare-kare mix in 1 cup broth and add to the pan.  I then added another cup of broth to make sure the sauce won't dry up after it thickens.  I added one beef cube and let the sauce simmer.

4.  After a few minutes, I added 2 tbsp peanut butter because I simply love the smell and peanut-ty taste of kare-kare.  I added the vegetables and let it simmer for a few minutes.

5. All done!  Serve with yummy bagoong and rice!

Easy, right?  I never thought that it would be that easy!  Again, the toughest part of preparing kare-kare is softening the meats.  After that, it's all good.  Now I wonder why I was so afraid to make kare-kare before!  

MELON

Last night, Enzo tried melon for the first time. I gave him a small one to taste and at first he made a face but later on, he attacked the melon with gusto! He was so cute trying to drain the piece of melon of all its juice. We just had to take photos and a video of him! I hope when he's bigger he'd get to eat a variety of food. Nikki and Ethan are quite picky, Ethan most especially and it's just so difficult getting him to eat rice - of all things! Anyway, we hope that Enzo will be eating vegetables. When that happens, it'd be a dream come true. :D

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The weather has been absolutely great these past days. So cool and breezy and just relaxing. There are times when I find myself dozing off while breastfeeding, which is not too good for my widening girth. Sigh. Gotta get up, up ,up and going! Gotta lose all these extra pounds!

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I can't wait for Glee to begin airing again! I've been watching past episodes and I really wish they'd bring back the Season 1 appeal. Season 2, for me, has been all about themes (Rocky Horror, etc.) although I did enjoy the Britney episode but only because Brittany was such an amazing dancer! I just wish, for this season, they'd make the songs revolve around the story rather than the other way around, like it used to be in the first season. Anyway, I still can't wait to watch it!! :D

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Found this chocolate fondue recipe here. Decided to keep it for future use. :D

1 bag milk choco. chips

1/4 C. evaporated milk

2 T. butter

3 cups mini marshmallows

Put all ingredients in a bowl and microwave in one minute intervals.

CHURROS WITH HOT CHOCOLATE

from Filipino Snacks and Sweets cookbook

serves 6
preparation time: 30 mins
cooking time: 20 mins

Fritters:
1 C water
1/4 tsp salt
1 C sifted flour, plus additional for dusting
1 C oil

Hot chocolate:
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 1/2 C fresh milk

To make the fritters, combine water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a brisk boil. Put the flour in a large heatproof bowl. As soon as the water boils, pour it over the flour. Stir until a smooth dough is formed and the flour separates from the sides of the bowl.
Spoon the dough into a pastry bag with a large tip. Pipe into 15 cm strips on a greased and floured baking tray, or pipe into U-shaped strips.
Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the dough strips until golden yellow. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
To make the hot chocolate, combine sugar and cocoa in a saucepan. Pour in the milk. Stir well to partly dissolve the cocoa and sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Continue simmering, stirring constantly until liquid becomes very thick, 5-10 minutes. Pour into a cup and serve with the fritters. The fritters can be dipped in the hot chocolate when eaten.

If the leftover hot chocolate is too thick, add 1/4 C milk and simmer over low heat before pouring into cups.

SWEET POTATO CHIPS

SWEET POTATO CHIPS (Camote Chips) - from Filipino Snacks and Sweets cookbook
serves 6-8
preparation time: 10 mins. + 30 mins for soaking
cooking time: 20 mins.

2-3 large sweet potatoes
4 C iced water
1 C oil
3 tbsp sugar

Peel the sweet potato and cut into very thin slices. Soak the sweet potato slices in iced water for about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside on paper towels to dry. Heat the oil until very hot. Deep-fry the sweet potato slices until they turn golden yellow and are firm and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Dust lightly with sugar before serving.



CRUNCHY ANCHOVY FRITTERS - from Filipino Snacks and Sweets cookbook
serves 6
preparation time: 35 mins.
cooking time: 25-30 mins.

200 g dried anchovies
2 C warm water for soaking
1/2 C dark brown sugar or palm sugar
3/4 C flour
3/4 C cornflour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C oil

Soak anchovies in warm water for about 30 minutes to rehydrate and remove some of the saltiness. Drain anchovies on paper towels. Put anchovies in a bowl and mash with the dark brown sugar or palm sugar.
In a bowl, combine flour, cornflour, salt, pepper and baking powder. Coat the anchovies in the cornflour mixture. Dip in eggs then coat again in the corn-flour mixture.
Heat oil in a wok and fry the anchovies in batches until coating turns golden brown and anchovies are crunchy, about 1-2 minutes. Remove each batch from wok and drain on paper towels before serving.

SWEET POTATO FRITTERS

SWEET POTATO FRITTERS (Maruyang Camote) from Filipino Snacks and Sweets cookbook
serves 8-10
cooking time: 20 mins

2 1/4 C flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar, adding extra as needed for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 C fresh milk
1-2 large sweet potatoes, grated (about 3 cups)
1 C oil

Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
Combine the egg and milk in a separate bowl. Beat into the flour mixture to form a smooth batter. Blend in the grated sweet potatoes.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Scoop out about 1/4 C of the batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Dust with sugar if desired.

BUNUELOS

BUNUELOS (Quick and Tasty Egg Doughnuts) - from Filipino Snacks and Sweets cookbook
serves 6
preparation time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 20 mins

1/4 C solid vegetable shortening
1/4 C butter
1 C water
1 C sifted flour
5 eggs
1 C oil
1/4 C powdered sugar for dusting

Put shortening, butter, and water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. When water is briskly boiling, stir in the flour. Continue stirring until mixture is smooth and separates from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes at room temperature.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter, adding extra oil if necessary. Drain cooked doughnuts on paper towels then dust lightly with sugar before serving.

LONGGANISA

This is a longganisa recipe from pinoycook.net. Keeping it here for easy access. :)

SKINLESS LONGGANISA

Ingredients :

500 g. of ground lean pork
3 tbsps. of finely minced garlic
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps. of tomato paste
2 tbsps. of rice vinegar
2 tbsps. of soy paste
1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of pepper
4 tbsps. of dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. of fine unsweetened bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 c. of cooking oil
12-15 pcs. of kitchen wax paper, 6″ x 6″ in size

How to :

Mix together all the ingredients except the cooking oil and the wax paper. Divide into 12 to 15 portions, depending on the size you prefer. Form each portion into a log about 1″ to 1-1/3″ thick. Place on a piece of wax paper and roll firmly and as tightly as you can. Repeat for the remaining portions. Stack on a covered container and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Heat the cooking oil in a wide skillet or wok until it starts to smoke. Fry the longganisa in hot oil until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve with fried eggs and garlic fried rice.

STILL NO STOVE

Well, Ruther's officemate, Yuko-san came over yesterday and checked the stove. Both hot plates are definitely problematic. She said she'll have maintenance come over to have it fixed. Just not sure when though. But I'm not worried. The boys and I have come up with a lot of creative ways in preparing our meals. We still have the rice cooker, the oven toaster and the microwave oven at least. We could prepare a lot of meals there. So yesterday, I researched some recipes especially made for the microwave oven and there were some good ones. I will share some of them here. :)

(http://www.sachikocooking.com/english/en0009.htm)
Baked Potatoes

4 servings
cooking time: 15 minutes

4 potatoes (1 1/2 lb.), washed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Puncture the potato skin with a fork 3 times to prevent it from bursting.
2. Place a bacon rack on the turn table. Arrange the potatoes on the bacon rack, opposite each other leaving the center empty. (There is no need for a cover. The potato skin is a natural wrap.)
3. Cook on HIGH (1200W) for 7 – 8 minutes or until a fork penetrates easily.
4. Cut a cross on top and pinch both ends toward each other to open the potato. Sprinkle with salt and place the cheese on the opening. Cook another minute or until the cheese melts.


Steamed Prawn with Chinese Wine
A low calorie and delicious hors d'oeuvre

4 servings
cooking time: 5 minutes

1/2 pound frozen unshelled shrimp (about a dozen)
2 tablespoons Chinese wine
4 thin slices unpeeled gingerroot
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1 sprig cilantro

1. Semi-defrost the shrimp in a bowl of cold water. The shrimp will turn dark if exposed to air. Dry the shrimp on paper towels. Cut the shells down the back with sharp kitchen scissors and de-vein.
2. Arrange the shrimp in a circle on the edge of a microwave-safe plate, with the tail-ends pointing to the center. Place the ginger slices in the center of the plate and sprinkle wine over all. Cover with a microwave lid.
3. Cook on HIGH(1200W) for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn off the microwave when the shrimp begins to crackle. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and serve.


Donburi Chicken, Egg & Oyako Sauce
Rice bowl dish with chicken and eggs

4 servings
cooking time: 20 minutes

4 cups warm steamed rice
1 pound chicken breast, skinless, boneless and cut into 2-inch strips
2 cups onion, sliced in 1/2 inch chunks
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut in half moon shapes
1 cup mushroom, sliced in half
2 cups watercress sprigs, cut 1 inch long
4 eggs, beaten
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1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon white wine

1. Mix the ingredients in a 3-quart casserole, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and mushrooms and place the chicken slices on top. Spoon the Oyako Sauce over the vegetables and chicken.
3. Cover with a vented microwave lid.* Cook on HIGH (1200W) for 9 - 10 minutes.
4. When the chicken is cooked, pour the beaten eggs over the top and cover.
5. Cook on HIGH (1200W) for another 2 - 3 minutes or until the eggs are done.
6. Take the casserole out and add the watercress. In serving bowls, spoon in the rice and spoon the Oyako mix on top.


Fried Rice Donburi with Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Corned Beef
Healthy fried rice with minimum use of oil

4 servings
cooking time: 20 minutes

4 cups steamed rice
1 can (12 oz.) corned beef, cut into 8 pieces (1/2 inch wide)
16 shrimp, shelled and de-veined
2 cups tomatoes, cored and coarsely diced
1/2 cup green peas, canned
1 cup leek, cut 1/3 inches long

4 cups steamed rice
1 can (12 oz.) corned beef, cut into 8 pieces (1/2 inch wide)
16 shrimp, shelled and de-veined
2 cups tomatoes, cored and coarsely diced
1/2 cup green peas, canned
1 cup leek, cut 1/3 inches long

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1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water

1. Combine the ingredients and mix with the steamed rice.
2. Divide the rice equally into 4, 1-pint casseroles or small bowls.
3. Place the corned beef, shrimp, tomatoes, green peas, and leek on top.
4. Place the bowls on the turn table, leaving the middle empty and cover with a vented microwave lid. Cook on HIGH (1200W) for 10 – 12 minutes.

COLESLAW

This is my recipe but I adjust the ingredients according to taste and preference.

shredded cabbage
julienned or grated carrots
minced onions
julienned apple slices
grated cheese
pepper
mayonnaise
sugar

Mix all the ingredients well. Season according to taste. Chill before serving.

INIHAW NA PUSIT (GRILLED SQUID)

1 kilo squid
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 head garlic (minced)
1/2 tablespoon ginger (minced)
1 teaspoon hot chili pepper (minced)
2 teaspoons salt

Wash and clean squid well.Take out the black ink. Take out the skin and film. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients and marinate the squid for 1 hour.Grill squid for about 4 minutes on each side.Heat remaining marinade mixture for sauce. Serve with sauce.

PEPPER STEAK STIR-FRY

beef.betterrecipes.com

1 large piece of sirloin steak
1 large onion
1 large green pepper
Sliced fresh mushrooms
Fresh garlic
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Sugar

Slice steak into thin strips. Saute in olive oil and add fresh garlic. Add pepper, onion and mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce, 3 drops of Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of sugar. Salt & pepper to taste, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Serve over white rice.
Number of servings: 4

"GROWN UP" GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

from foodnetwork.com

1 loaf Italian bread such as ciabatta
1 pound Teleme or Brie cheese
1 pound sliced smoked ham (applewood if available)
Butter
3 to 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup roasted red peppers

Cut loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Top the bottom bread slice with the Teleme cheese, then the smoked ham, distributing it evenly. Place top of bread on sandwich and brush with butter.
Heat a sandwich grill until hot. Set sandwich, butter side down in grill. Butter top side of bread. Place a heavy pan on top of entire sandwich to evenly distribute weight and cook until nicely browned and the cheese is melted, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Transfer the sandwich to a work surface and remove the top slice of bread. Spread the underside of the bread with mustard, and add roasted peppers, if desired.
Replace the top slice of bread, cut the sandwiches into slices, and serve immediately.

ASIAN BEEF WITH SNOW PEAS

from family.go.com

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
8 ounces snow peas

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until evenly browned. Add the snow peas and stir-fry for an additional 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth. Serve immediately.

4 servings

MAC AND CHEESE

from cookinglight.com

Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon black pepper object
3 ounces sourdough bread, torn into pieces
1 teaspoon butter, melted
12 ounces large elbow macaroni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 375°.
Place tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
While tomatoes cook, place bread in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until crumbly. Toss crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle the crumbs on a baking sheet, and bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
Cook macaroni in boiling water 7 minutes; drain. Return macaroni to pan; place over medium-low heat. Add cheese and remaining ingredients; cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle each serving with about 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs.

8 servings

HERO SANDWICH

from recipezaar.com

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1 dash garlic powder
4 drops Tabasco sauce
1 sesame baguette, split
1 lb assorted deli turkey or deli roast beef or deli ham
sliced swiss cheese
softened butter
1 tablespoon honey dijon mustard
lettuce leaves
thinly-sliced pickles
sliced pimento stuffed olives
sliced tomatoes

Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and Tabasco.
Butter baguette- this acts as a seal to prevent the sandwich from getting soggy, and it tastes good too.
Spread with mustard.
Layer deli meats, cheese, lettuce, pickles, olives and tomatoes.
Season tomatoes lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Spread mayonnaise over.
Cut baguette into 6 sandwiches, on the diagonal.

CHICKEN BALLS

2 cup ground chicken
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup onion (minced)
2 tbsp. ground garlic
1 cup celery (minced)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt (or less if the cheese is the salty kind)
1/2 C grated Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup crumbs of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder


Mix all except the last three ingredients very well. Form into small balls.
Roll in breadcrumbs or flour mixed with one teaspoon baking powder.
Fry in hot oil or bake. Serve with desired sauce. Serve hot.
Good for 6 persons.

PAKSIW NA ISDA

1 1/2 lbs bangus or white fish fillets, dressed
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 inch ginger, crushed
2 pieces banana peppers
1/2 cup bitter melons (ampalaya)
1/2 cup eggplants, sliced

Cut fish into 4 slices.
Place fish in a teflon or porcelain coated skillet.
Add all other ingredients, except ampalaya and eggplant, cover and bring to a boil.
Let simmer about 10 minutes, turning fish once to cook evenly.
Transfer to a covered dish and store in the refrigerator to"age" for 2 days.
Reheat over moderate heat just until heated enough before serving.
Add ampalaya and eggplant during the last five minutes of cooking.

SOTANGHON SOUP

1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp minced onion
1/2 C flaked cooked chicken
2 C chicken broth
1 C soaked sotanghon nooodles
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
1/4 C chopped green onion

Heat oil and saute garlic, onions and chicken. Stir fry for a few minutes until chicken changes color. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil then add soaked sotanghon. Season to taste. Add chopped green onion.

BANANA CAKE

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed. Grease and flour a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 deg F for 45 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

from Cooking For Two

BREAD PUDDING

The secret to really good bread pudding is to let the bread soak in the custard mixture well before it is baked. - Vicky Barrera

1 egg
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 C leftover bread, torn into small pieces
1/2 C raisins or chocolate chips

Beat together the egg, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Add the bread and mix well so that the bread is well moistened with the custard. Stir in the raisins or chocolate chips. Pour the bread pudding into a small ovenproof casserole and bake at 350 deg F for about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.