How to Cook Sunny Side up Egg

I needed to cook 30 pieces of sunny side up eggs for breakfast, hmmmmm  I hope I will cook it right, after cooking I've said to myself " this i not perfect" but then I said to myself again " It's okay, sometimes the sun is not always bright, it's covered with clouds" then I smiled and confident, I needed that smile to face my guests who will be arriving by a bus very soon.

To cook the egg, it is better to use a non-stick frying pan, if it's not available then ordinary frying pan is just fine.
Make sure that the oil or butter is hot before putting the egg.
Once the oil is hot sprinkle some salt in the oil ( just enough to give flavor to the egg) crack the egg into the pan.
Cook the egg over low heat, then remove the egg when it is already cooked the way you like it.

Serve it with a sunny smile :)

Fried Rice a la Valenciana

An all in one savory fried rice with a touch of arroz valenciana, a very tasty dish that you can serve for the whole family.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
3 1/2  cups cooked rice
200 grams  pork
200 grams chicken
1 carrot ( dice)
1 green bell pepper ( diced)
1 tablespoon atsuete powder ( annatto )
3 cloves garlic
1/2 piece  onion
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the pork and chicken, stir well and simmer until the pinkish color is gone
2. Add the water, salt and pepper then simmer over low heat allowing the meat to be fully cooked.
3. Once the meat is cooked, add the atsuete powder and give a good stir, then add all the remaining ingredients and stir very well until fully combined, then simmer for few minutes until done.
4. Serve hot with any additional toppings that you want to put. Happy eating :-).

Yellow Corn Rice and its Calories

It was 25 years ago since I last ate this yellow corn rice, that's why when I saw this today at the market I bought half a kilo. I thought I will be wrong in my measurement of water but it was just right. I ate some with pork and chicken adobo, so delicious! Have you tasted this kind of rice?

Per 100 grams serving of cooked yellow corn rice  has only 86 calories while white rice has 130 calories.
That's why I switched to yellow corn rice, and I have been eating this for a week now. This is also easy to digest.

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow corn rice
2 cups water

 Procedure:
1. Boil the water, once boiling gradually add the rice,  mix then cover and simmer until dry over medium heat.
2. When it' already dry adjust the heat to low and simmer for few minutes until fully cooked, then serve.

Pandan Fruit Salad

A fragrant and delicious fruit salad

Ingredients for 6 servings:
1 medium size avocado ( diced)
2 banana (diced)
1 cup diced Peach
2 cups diced watermelon
1 1/2 cup condensed milk
1cup evaporated milk
1 cup all purpose cream or Nestle cream
1 pack green color powdered gelatine
10 pieces pandan leaves

Procedure:
1. Boil the pandan leaves with 4 cups of water, then cook the gelatine according to each packaging procedure, but instead of using tap water, use the water from the boiled pandan leaves. Let the gelatine set, then slice into dice.
2. Mix all the ingredients, refrigerate for few hours then serve.

Note: You can add a little sugar if you want it sweeter, or add more condensed milk.

Steamed Prawns

The very easy way to cook the prawns, but still delicious and succulent!

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo prawns
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1 lime
onion
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Dash the prawns with salt and pepper, then squeeze some lime or calamansi then set aside.
2. Prepare the steamer by putting the water, garlic, onion, peppercorn, the empty calamansi or lime fruit that we squeezed and butter, bring to a boil.
3. Steam the prawns until cooked ( 4 minutes each side ) cooking time depends upon the size.
4. Once cooked remove from the steamer, then serve with your favorite sauce.

I served mine with sauteed onion and a little oyster sauce.

Paksiw na Pata with Atsuete

 A delicious pork leg paksiw with the aroma of annatto or atsuete, will surely win the hearts of your loved ones. So serve this now :-).

Ingredients:
 1 kilo pork leg (pata)
 5 cloves garlic (crushed)
 1/2 cup atsuete syrup ( saoked 2 tablespoons of atuete seeds in 3/4 cup hot water then drain)
 3/4 cup vinegar
 3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon peppercorn ( pamintang buo)
  salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. In a pot put the garlic, pata, soy sauce,peppercorn,  vinegar,atsuete syrup, salt and pepper then allow to simmer for few minutes.
3. Add the water and bring to a boil, simmer until it is tender stirring occasionally, once tender, increase the heat to high, to make the water evaporate, making the paksiw saucy.
4.Serve it with rice :-)

Utan Bisaya (Visayan Vegetable Soup)

Pagkalami sa utan Bisaya nga gipada sa akoang pag-umangkon nga si Karen M. Milan, nag-asuaso pa sa kainit, kini ang lami nga higipon, pangpabaskog pa sa lawas.


Mga Sagol:
1/4 kilo Kalbasa
1 karlang
2 talong 
1 bugkos alugbati
1 tasa kamunggay
1 kamatis
1/2 sibuyas
2 lusok ahos
4 tasa tubig
isda nga pangsubak
asin

Mga sagol-ingredients

Pamaagi sa pagluto:
1. Ibutang sa kaldero ang tubig, isda ug mga lamas unya pabukalon, kung mobukal na ilunod ang kalbasa ug karlang, pabukalan sulod sa duha ka minuto.
2. Ilunod ang talong ug pabukalan hangtod mohumok, ilunod ang alugbati unya timplahan ug asin.
3. Ilunod ang kamunggay unya patyon dayon ang kalayo. ayaw taklubi para dili malata ang mga gulay.
4. Pwede na haunon ug ipakaon.

English translation:

Ingredients:
1/4 kilo squash
1 yam
2 eggplant
1 bundle Malabar spinach
1 cup horseradish
1 tomato
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
4 cups water
grilled or fried fish
salt


Procedure:
1.In a pot put the water, fish and spices and bring to a boil, once boiling add the squash and yam,then boil for two minutes.
2. Add the eggplant and boil until tender, add the malabar spinach and season with salt.
3.Add the horseradish then turn off the fire. Do not cover.
4.Ready to be served.

Recooked on September 17, 2014 added with string beans ang okra

Contributed by: Karen M. Millan

Mely's Kitchen Leche Flan

 Try this leche flan from my kitchen, the sweetness is just right. I hope you will like this.

Ingredients for 3  llanera:
1 big can condensed milk
1 big can Evaporated milk
8 egg yolks
6 tablespoon white sugar ( 2 tablespoons each oval mold or llanera)


Procedure:
1. Combine all the milk and yolks then mix well. Set aside.
2.Melt the sugar in a molder then caramelized it, let it cool.
3. Pour the milk and yolk mixture into the molder with caramelized sugar. Put in a steamer and steam for 45 minutes or until done.
4. When it is done, let it cool then refrigerate, remove from the molder then slice and serve.

Mely's kitchen Banana Split

A special sweet treat that is very easy to make.

Ingredients:
3 scoops Ice Cream ( any flavor of your choice )
1 Banana cut into halves
Chocolate syrup
whipped cream

Procedure:
1.In a boat bowl,put 3 scoops of ice cream, then put the split banana on both sides.

2. Topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

3. Serve with love :-).

Pampabata

Pampabata is a word used to describe a food that is not really good for health, they jokingly tell you " you will be forever young" because you will not grow old if you are always eating pampabata, it means you will die young, but some people can not resist because it is tempting and delicious! This dish is the official "pampabata" recipe from my kitchen. EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Ingredients:
1/4 kilo pork's fat
1 onion ( cut thinly into rings)
1/2 piece bell pepper ( cut into strips)
3 cloves garlic
2 pieces calamansi
1 tablespoon patis or soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1.Put the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the oil comes out, then continue cooking it with its own oil until brownish and crispy, then remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan with the oil from pork's fat, add the garlic and saute until brownish then add the onion and bell pepper, stir until soften.
3. Add the toasted fats, then stir, add the soy sauce or patis, squeeze the calamansi and mix well, add salt and pepper to taste then turn off the heat.
4. Serve and eat in moderation :-).

Condensed Milk Sandwich

Just wanna share my childhood favorite sandwich, have you tried this before? If yes, are you still making this even now? For me yes!, once in a while I craved for this. Try it if you have not eaten this yet. You will surely like this.

All we need are the following:
bread
condensed milk

Slice the bread then spread the condensed milk., then serve.

Take a bite! Yummy!

Macaroons with Cherry

 A delicious macaroons that is made more attractive with cherries, this will be a good attraction at the dessert table if you have parties or special gathering with your loved ones.


Ingredients for 18 -20 pieces macaroons:
100 grams dessicated coconut
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 egg beaten
3/4 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup corn syrup
10 pieces preserved cherries ( cut into halves)


20 pieces macaroons paper cups

Procedure:
1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C, for 10 minutes.
2. Combine all the milk, coconut, egg and butter then mix well, then spoon a portion into a macaroons paper cup up to 3/4 full.
3. Bake at 180C for 25 minutes or until done.
4. Once done, remove from the oven, top with 1 slice of cherry and top it with corn syrup so that the cherry will stay on top.
5. Serve with a smile :-).

Steak with Onion Peppercorn Sauce

I know my posts have only been about once a week right now. That is because I have been finishing my second book! I have good news! I finished the manuscript! Gourmet Cooking For Two will be coming to stores near you August of 2014. Cedar Fort publishing has picked up my contract and we are all things go! This has been quite the venture. There will be 75% new recipes and 25% of the favorites from this site. Each recipe comes with a romantic tip as well. Thank you guys for all your support!

Because I just finished my book, I thought it was time to review one. I recently had the chance to review "Great Meat".

Some people might be surprised, because I am not a meat lover, but my husband is. I was excited because having a good understanding of how to select, cut, and cook meat makes all of the difference in the final taste of a recipe, and this book gave me a chance to learn much more about meat. This book offers valuable information to meat lovers and serious home cooks who want to learn new and different preparation techniques. Learn how to identify and use different cuts, why and when free-range and grass-fed is better, the basics of home butchery, and much more with this informative book. You can get yours here: Great Meat.

I enjoyed learning about all the different cuts of meat and I really enjoyed going through all of the great recipes in this book. Here is one I adapted from the book. Enjoy! 

Steak with Onion Peppercorn Sauce
adapted from Great Meat

2 8 ounce portions of tri-tip or your favorite steak cut (hangar is recommended in the book but my butcher didn't have any)
1/8 cup grapeseed oil, or any other high heat oil
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 Tbsp pink peppercorns, coarsely cracked
1 Tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
1/4 cup red wine
1/8 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chicken stock

Gently tenderize your meat with a meat mallet and set aside. (ignore the 3rd fillet, I had to make 3 so I could get pictures).

Heat half the oil in a pan. Add the onion and garlic, and fry gently until softened. add the pink peppercorns, black pepper, and wine. 

Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cream, stock, and salt to taste. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Brush the steaks with the remaining oil and season with salt. When the pan is smoking, add the steak and fry for 1 1/2 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Fry the steak in batches if they cover more than half of the pan's surface. Remove the steak and allow to rest, covered, for 3 minutes.

Add the sauce to the meat pan and stir to deglaze the juices. Stir in any juices from the rested steak. Serve the steak with the sauce on top.

Hopiang Baboy

It's been a long time that I am looking forward to post a hopia recipe in my blog, because I have lots of friends who asked me a recipe for this, I do not know how to make it, so I talked to my friend who is an expert in hopia making, he has his own style of making it and it is consisted of 2 types of dough, the first part he called it PABALAT, the second part  he called it PALABO,  and here is his recipe.

Ingredients for Pabalat:
2 ¾ cups Bread flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup butter

Procedure for pabalat: Combine all the ingredients and knead until a good dough is formed. Set aside

Ingredients for Palabo:
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup corn starch
1/3 cup 3rd class flour

Procedure for Palabo: Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Ingredients for the Filling:

1 big onion
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vinegar
2 cups pork fat diced
2 cups kundol (cut into small dice)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup third class flour

Procedure:
1.Marinate pork fat in sugar. Heat the vegetable oil then saute the onion then add the marinated fat, vinegar and kundol then simmer over slow fire until thick.Add flour when the filling is almost cooked. Mix well until fully combined and dry. Let cool.

To make Hopia
1. Flatten the PABALAT and put PALABO at the center. Roll and form into a ball.
2. Form the dough into cylindrical shape. Cut into 10-g portions.
3. Flatten each cut and place the prepared filling at the center then form into a ball. Press to flatten the dough.
4. Place the prepared hopia on a greased cookie sheet and brush with egg yolk.
5. Bake at 200C for at least 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Contributed by: Mr. Alex Adora

Fusilli with Tomato Sauce

If you love spaghetti with tomato sauce, you will definitely love this corkscrew shaped pasta, don't worry it is smooth to chew :-).

Ingredients for 6 servings
1/2 kilo fusilli ( cooked according to its packaging procedure)
 1/4 kilo ground beef
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
1/2 cup sliced sweet ham
3 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Nestle Cream or all purpose cream
1/2 cup grated cheese


Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then add the ground beef and simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add the tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper then simmer for 3 minutes,  add the cheese and ham then simmer for 2  minutes.
3. Add the Nestle cream and simmer for a minute then add the fusilli and mix well.
4. Put in a serving plate and top with grated cheese before serving.

Sisig na Puso ng Saging

I already have various recipes of sisig and I want to add this banana blossom sisig ( sisig n apuso ng saging). It tastes like meat, so I hope you will try this and see it for yourself.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
1 medium size banana blossom (puso ng saging)-cleaned and remove the hard outer part
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon mayonaise ( optional)

Cleaned banana blossom

Procedure:
1. Slice the banana blossom then boil it until tender. Drain and allow to cool, then slice into bits and squeeze out the water.

2. Saute the garlic and onion then add the banana blossom and stir well.
3. Add the soy sauce and lemon juice then let simmer for 7 minutes over medium heat stirring every now and then.

4. Add salt and pepper then give it a good stir, make a well in the middle then crack the egg and turn off the heat after few seconds, allow to set then serve.

Paciencia Cookies

I love this cookies, crunchy and tastes like eggnog , yummy. Very easy to make.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla flavor (optional)

Procedure:
1. In a mixer, beat egg whites, then add the sugar little by little when they start to foam, continue to beat until meringue is glossy with stiff peaks.
2.Combine the flour and baking powder then fold into meringue, mix well.
3. Put the meringue batter into a plastic bag or piping bag, then pipe into round mounds on a greased pan. Make sure there is an inch space between the cookies.

4. Pre-heat the oven then bake for 10 minutes or until done at 200C. Happy baking.

Pork Belly Delight

Nice and yummy, but only once in a while :-) but really delightful.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
1/4 kilo pork belly (slice to your desired thickness)
2 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar ( or according to your taste)
1/2 cup soy suace
3 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Combine all the ingredients and mix well then marinate for an hour or overnight.
2. Cooked with the marinade over low heat and just allow to simmer until almost dry, then put a little oil and continue to cook until brownish or you attain your desired doneness and texture.
3. Serve with rice.

Note: If the meat is tough you can add a little water and let it simmer until tender, then just follow the same cooking instruction in the procedure.