Corn and Green Peas Appetizer

A simple salad combination that's really delicious.

Ingredients for 6 servings:
1 cup corn
1 cup green peas
1 cup seedless olives
1 cup cherry tomato
2 tablespoons olive oil ( Extra Virgin)
salt to taste

Procedure:
1. Combine all the ingredients and mix well then serve.

White Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a crop grain originated in the Andes region of  Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia. It has been called a superfood due to its nutritional value. High in protein, essential amino acids and a good source of other vitamins and minerals. The time when I learned how nutritious Quinoa is, I fell in love with it and made it a part of my nutritious food list, a little expensive but its worth it :-).  Try it.

Ingredients for 5 servings:
1/2 cup white Quinoa
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup cherry or grape tomato
1/2 cup green peas
1/2  cup corn 
2 tablespoons olive oil (Extra Virgin)
salt to taste

Procedure:
1. In a pot, put the quinoa and the water then cook the same way as rice over medium heat. When it is done set aside to cool.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine everything then serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Value of uncooked Quinoa

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,539 kJ (368 kcal)
Carbohydrates	64 g
Dietary fibre	7 g
Fat	6 g
Saturated	0.7 g
Monounsaturated	0.1.6 g
Polyunsaturated	3.3 g
Protein	14 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.	(0%) 1 μg
Thiamine (B1)	(31%) 0.36 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(27%) 0.32 mg
Niacin (B3)	(10%) 1.52 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(15%) 0.77 mg
Vitamin B6	(38%) 0.49 mg
Folate (B9)	(46%) 184 μg
Vitamin B12	(0%) 0 μg
Choline	(14%) 70.2 mg
Vitamin C	(0%) 0 mg
Vitamin E	(16%) 2.44 mg
Vitamin K	(0%) 0 μg
Trace metals
Calcium	(5%) 47 mg
Iron	(35%) 4.6 mg
Magnesium	(55%) 197 mg
Phosphorus	(65%) 457 mg
Potassium	(12%) 563 mg
Zinc	(33%) 3.1 mg

Source :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

Quick Buttered Veggies

This vegetable dish is a perfect side dish for your meat or seafood dishes, it is very easy to prepare and tastes really good. So I hope that your next meal you will prepare this to your loved ones :-) .

Ingredients:
5 Potatoes (sliced to your desired size)
3 carrots (sliced to your desired size)
1 head broccoli
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Boil separately the potatoes, carrots and broccoli until tender. ( I did mine for potatoes 12 minutes, for carrots 8 minutes for broccoli 2 minutes) the doneness of the vegetables depend upon your taste.
2. In a pan melt the butter, when it's hot put the vegetables ( if it's a lot you can cook it in 2 batches) increase the heat to attain a nice brown color and toss the veggies every now and then to cook evenly, sprinkle with salt and pepper according to your taste and continue cooking until done.
3. Now you have a delicious  buttered veggies, serve it and enjoy.

Grilled Smoky Salsa

Recently our Queen Bee bought a new Traeger Grill for our test kitchen - we have been in a grilling frenzy ever since.  If you don't know about Traeger grills, they are a grill and smoker - entirely temperature controlled and they make grilling fun and easy.  They use pellets instead of gas or charcoal.

This recipe is adapted from their website.  If you don't have a Traeger simply add a dash of liquid smoke to the recipe.

ingredients

•            2 large tomatoes, halved

•            2 10 ounce cans original Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies

•            1 medium sweet onion(Vidalia or Maui)

•            2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

•            1 or 2 jalapenos (to taste), seeded & halved

•            1 tablespoon Pastamoré Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar

•            2 teaspoons honey

•            1 teaspoons salt

•            1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

•            large handful cilantro

•            juice of 2 limes

•            1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional if not using smoker)

Start your grill.  Set the temperature to High (450°F) and preheat, lid closed (10-15 minutes). 

While your grill is heating up, cut the onion into thick slices. Once preheated, place tomatoes, jalapenos and onion cut side down directly on the grate and grill for 5-10 minutes.

After grilling, put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is the desired consistency. Adjust for seasoning. Serve with chips or over tacos.

Makes one large bowl. 

Ginataang Tulingan

Ingredients for 6 servings:
1/2 kilo pirit
3 cloves garlic ( crushed)
thumb size ginger ( sliced)
1 onion (sliced)
1 onion ( sliced)
2 cups coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
3 finger chili  (siling haba)
salt to taste


Procedure:
1. Sauté the  ginger, garlic and onion, then add 1 cup coconut milk, salt, ground pepper then bring to a boil and simmer for a minute.
2. Add the fish then simmer until cooked,  add the rest of the coconut milk and chili, simmer for a minute then turn off the heat.
3. Serve hot with rice and enjoy.

Herbed Shrimps

Simply cooked with herbs.

Ingredients for 2 servings:
1/4 kilo shrimps ( de-shelled )
1/2 teaspoon oregano flakes
1 bay leaf /laurel
3 basil leaves
3 mint leaves
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Chop finely or Pound together the oregano, mint, basil and laurel, then sprinkle the de-shelled shrimps with the herbs and  add salt and pepper both sides until done then serve on a bed of salad.

Potato and Carrot Salad

This easy to prepare and budget friendly recipe will surely make your loved ones satisfied.A perfect appetizer.  Try it.

Ingredients:
1 kilo potato (diced)
1/4 kilo carrots (diced)
3 hard boiled eggs ( diced)
1/4 cup parsley ( chopped)
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup all purpose cream
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Boil the carrots and potatoes until soft (around 8-10 minutes) drain after boiling and set aside until cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, then chill and serve.

Scotch Egg Filipino Style

 Scotch egg, originated in London in 1738. It's my friend from London who told me about this recipe. After we talked about the Scotch egg, I was so eager to make it, because I can imagine how easy it is. I tried some and it was a success! Here is how to do it. I made mine into Filipino version by adding calamansi juice

Ingredients:

3  hard boiled eggs (remove the shell)
300 grams ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
1 beaten egg
1 cup bread crumbs 

2 calamansi

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1.Combine the ground beef, flour, calamansi juice salt and pepper. Mix it well.
2.Divide the meat mixture into three parts . Wrap each egg.
3.Make sure that the coating is even all around the egg.
4.Roll it in beaten egg then on bread crumbs.
5. Deep Fry it until golden brown.
6. Cut it into halves  and serve it with your favorite side dish. 

This is great for family gatherings because it is easy to prepare and so affordable. 

You can replace ground beef with ground pork if you want.

Fried Chicken

I think everybody loves fried chicken (that's my opinion). I belong to a big family and fried
 chicken is one of the favorites, buying it from KFC, McDonalds or Jollibee, will be too expensive if we will order 50 pieces for  family gatherings. The cheapest way is to buy chicken meat and cook it.  Here is my family's traditional way of cooking it. 

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken
1 lemon or 5 calamansi
2 tablespoons Nestle Cream
1 egg ( beaten)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Mix the chicken,  lemon, salt and pepper. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Put the all purpose cream, mix well
3. Add the beaten egg, mix well
4. Roll over the breading.
5. Deep fry it until golden brown.
6. Serve it hot.

 

For Breading:

Mix the flour and cornstarch.

Pechay Guisado

Pechay can be grown easily in the backyard. My friends harvested their pechay today and shared some to me so I cooked it for our lunch, it's very yummy.


Ingredients for 3 servings:
1/2 kilo pechay
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 piece onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then increase the heat and add the pechay and soy sauce,  give a good stir to mix evenly.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste then stir until done and serve it hot.