Food from home: Filipino, Mexican and more comfort food

     As promised... I'm back. Since I have been missing in action, I thought of sharing my cooking for the past months. One of my goals for the year, to cook Filipino food. I admit to like a few dishes and added something else.

Mango salad

    Not sure if this should be called salad or salsa... but this turned out to be a perfect condiment which adds a refreshing feel. I used green mangoes, red onions (just added a bit since my family doesn't like raw onions), tomatoes, coriander, salt and pepper. 

Adobo

     One of our favorites. After looking at several recipes, I just cooked based on my gut feel. I marinade the chicken and pork for around 1-2 hours. The pork and chicken are fried, then simmered with the marinade until thick. Also it's a must to have chicken liver for flavor, which is added last. It tastes better the next day.

Bicol express

     If you like spicy, this is for you. This is made with pork, chili, coconut milk and bagoong (shrimp paste). Ironically I'm not a bagoong fan... but I love it!

Let's go international...

Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon

     Eggs Benedict is always a treat since I don't have it all the time. I always choose salmon to be healthier. I promised my sister, Nicole I'd make this for breakfast when she slept over at our place. Making the Hollandaise sauce will give you an arm workout since you whisk around 5-10 minutes until sauce is thick. However, making the eggs became easier because we have an egg poacher, wherein the egg is placed and immersed in boiling water. I tried garnishing it with dill and caviar... which one is better? :D

Huevos Rancheros

     A lot of times we get tired of the usual breakfast (usually oatmeal, grilled cheese, cereal, etc.) I came across this recipe online and tried my luck. Another breakfast idea... Yey!

Pico de gallo, chicken enchilada and chile relleno

     I've made pico de gallo and chicken enchilada several times and became a favorite. A light bulb moment came when the chile relleno came to mind. The recipe uses Poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in egg and fried. Since Poblano peppers aren't available in our local groceries, I just used the pointed green bell peppers. This is served with tomato sauce. Surprisingly it wasn't too rich or oily. 

DIY Burrito Bowl

     This was inspired from the Mexican restaurant, Chipotle, from our US trip. This was really the works... Chicken and beef marinaded with cumin, chili powder and lemon, Cilantro rice, caramelized onions, mushrooms, cheese, Pico de gallo, Guacamole and corn salsa (made with corn kernels, jalapeno, red onions, coriander, salt and pepper). 

Chocolate covered strawberries

I believe both are healthy as both have antioxidants (dark chocolate was used).

Fudge brownies with cashew nuts and chocolate chips

     I usually go for plain brownies but thought of adding cashews and chocolate chips to make it more exciting. ^_^