Food from home: Comfort food

     You can't go wrong with comfort food because it's something familiar to the stomach. It's definitely something everyone looks forward to at any time. ;)

Sole Meuniere

     Would you believe I got the idea for this from Be Careful With My Heart? :D If you're a fan of the show, do you remember Sabel convincing Doris to try her fish with lemon butter sauce? I thought this would be complicated but it's really simple to make. The lemon cuts the richness, perfect blend with the butter.

Pasta Pomodoro

     To help contrast something rich, something tomato based always helps. I saute onions, garlic and herbs with tomato sauce. I used canned stewed tomatoes and blend it. 

Cheesy garlic bread

     If you have pasta, then you should have bread too. I've made this before. I just used whatever bread we had available. This is best with french bread. 

Chocolate cake with custard filling

     This is an all time favorite cake. The last time I made chocolate cake was during college (not too long ago). The recipe I had that time was longer and harder. The chocolate frosting took 2-3 hours to make. Good thing I found a simpler and better recipe. ^_^ This was my first attempt for the custard filling. I always thought making custard was hard because eggs could easily turn into scrambled eggs, but thank goodness that didn't happen. :D

     Just to share the good news, The Bandana Baker chocolate cookies made it again to Spot.ph Top 10 Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies in Manila. Thank you Spot.ph! ^_^

Food from home: Korean festival 2

     Yup the Korean craze is still ongoing in our household. I'm happy there are several guinea pigs at home... Hehehe! :P Kidding aside, cooking all these is great and also a learning process.

Kimchi

     Since there was only little Kimchi left, I thought it was perfect to try out the Kimchi pancake, which is similar to Pajeon (green onion pancake).

Kimchi pancake

     Kimchi lovers will like this one... crispy outside, soft inside with that intense flavor. Just like the Pajeon, still have to work on the presentation. 

Mandu

     These are meat dumplings, similar to Japanese Gyoza. Good thing I was able to find Mandu wrappers (you may check my previous write up Food from home: Korean festival for a list of the Korean stores in the Makati and Fort area) or you could make your own. It was cooked in 2 ways...

Fried

Steamed

     Both were yummy but I prefer it steamed. My sister Nicole prefers fried. They say Mandu is good luck.  ^_^

Guilty pleasures

     I'm sure we all have at least one guilty pleasure. I have many. :D At some point, we just can't say no, like it's a now or never moment. I eat these occasionally, but I definitely don't feel guilty. As they say... live a little. ;)

McDonalds McSpicy

     McDonalds (or McDo as we Pinoys call it) has been an all time favorite! Since the buzz about the McSpicy has been ongoing, I decided to check it out. I bought the McSpicy meal because I love their fries! :D You can feel the slight kick. It reminds me of the KFC Zinger, but enjoyed it just the same. 

Now, the food from home...

Hot chocolate

     Chocolate is a constant craving. Since I don't take coffee that much now, I often look for chocolate for breakfast. Having a nice cup of hot chocolate first thing in the morning is heaven, especially with mini marshmallows on top. I love the American and Spanish (the thick one) type. To lessen the guilt, I use coconut sugar.

Pasta Carbonara

     Carbonara is one of my favorite pastas! Based on research, it was originally made with eggs, cheese and bacon. I tried making the original recipe, where I cooked the bacon and onions in olive oil. After, pasta and Parmesan cheese are added and mixed. I cooked the egg separately until I got the soft boiled consistency and mixed everything. I was pleasantly surprised... still creamy but not too rich.

Espresso Brownies

     The first time I encountered Espresso Brownies was in Sugarhouse and loved it! Since it's no longer available, it's a good thing I came across a recipe online and did it. The only difference is I used my old reliable brownie recipe and did the coffee glaze. Results were positive. #grateful ^_^

Food from home: Korean festival

     I have always loved Korean food! It's been a favorite since my teens. Korean food has intense flavors... mostly sweet and spicy. Yes, this is one of the few times I like to go spicy. :D Out of curiosity and my craving (what else is new?) for Korean food, I made this week a Korean festival. 

Kimchi

     This is a Korean staple made of chinese cabbage, chili powder, onions, garlic, raddish and ginger. I thought all along the ingredients are simply mixed but there's more to that. Our version of the chinese cabbage is baguio pechay.* This is soaked in salt water for fermentation for several minutes before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. When my niece Sofia and my helpers tried this, they all said their cold came out. :))

Pajeon (green onion pancake)

     This is one of the family's favorite dishes. I got the flavor but still have to work on the consistency which is supposed to be crispy.

Left: Seasoned green onion, Middle: Ssamjang (spicy paste), Right: Pajeon sauce

Grilled beef (Korean style)

This is eaten with the beef, green onion and Ssamjang wrapped in lettuce, taken in one bite. 

Bibimbap (mixed rice)

     This contains ground beef, vegetables and egg. Vegetables used were zucchini, carrots, spinach and bean sprouts. Ideally, this is placed in a stone pot bowl and egg is served raw. This is mixed with hot pepper paste (amount may vary depending on how spicy you wish).

Hot pepper paste

  

     This is my first attempt for Korean food. The preparation itself takes some time but enjoyed every moment. If some ingredients aren't available in local groceries, they should be available in Korean stores. Here are some in the Fort and Makati area...


Han Yang Mart
Unit 1-G Kensington Place Condo
29th street Corner 1st Avenue
*Near Burgos Circle
856-9430 / 557-5824

Wang Mart
37 Polaris Street
*Across Alba Restaurant
Bel-Air
Makati

Teppen Japanese-Korean grocery
Marvin Plaza Building
2153 Don Chino Roces Avenue corner VA Rufino Street
Makati City
*Near Little Tokyo

     The Korean festival doesn't end here. Watch out for part 2! ;)

baguio pechay -Chinese cabbage, also known as Bokchoy

Food from home: Snack time

     Looking for breakfast and merienda food can be a challenge.* As much as possible, I always look for healthy alternatives.

  Granola

     I found a granola tutorial in youtube, so out of curiosity, I wanted to try making it at home. I used coconut sugar and honey instead of brown sugar. Granola usually has raisins, but since I'm not a fan of raisins, I used dried mango and cranberries. This has been a staple, especially for breakfast with yogurt and honey for some of us: Mom, my sister Mitch, my brother in law Allan and I. It's a good thing this came out to be a big batch and gave one of my balikbayan friends Fox, which I'm pretty sure he won't find abroad (at least for this mix with dried mango).*

Polvoron

     This is a family favorite. My niece Sofia and my nephew Enzo spent the week with us so I decided to surprise them with a special treat. ;) This is a family recipe which has been around for decades. My sister Mitch was the polvoron maker before. Now this task was passed on to me and my niece Sofia. We used Klim before (If you're 30 and above, I'm sure you know this brand) but now it's Nido.

merienda -snack

balikbayan -Filipinos based abroad

Food from home: Eclectic again

     I went eclectic again for this week. I believe this gives the menu some spark since there's a variety of rich and light dishes. Let me share what I did for the week...

Mentaiko pasta

     I made this several times already. This time I sauteed the mentaiko with garlic and olive oil. It's more tasty and garlic isn't overpowering. I placed a touch of soy sauce and garnished it with nori for a  Japanese touch.

Sole fillet with Salsa Verde

     I learned this from Mom (Mom is a great cook and baker... when she cooks and bakes). This is perfect if you want something light and healthy. Salsa Verde is made of Parsley, onions, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice. Not to worry... I'll be sharing the recipe soon. ;)

Katsudon

     I said this before... Katsudon is one of my favorite Japanese dishes (Please see my previous post Food from home: Japanese, Italian, Pinoy). This is definitely comfort food because it's filling and familiar. In my first attempt, I used pork chop. Although I got the taste, the pork was tough. For this one, I used the butterfly cut and it was softer. Just to be sure, I'll try using the pork from a Japanese store and perhaps it will be more soft.

Coffee jelly

     Mom and I love coffee jelly! I've already made coffee jelly a couple of times and I make sure coffee is strong (Please see my previous post Itadakimasu). This time I placed it in our gelatine containers for a change. This is great with ice cream and whipped cream but I'll save that on a special occasion. I usually eat it with evaporated milk... which is just as yummy! ^_^

Sweet Corn Popsicle

     Sweet Corn is one of my favorite ice cream flavors. It seems I'm the only one in my family that enjoys it. When I offer some to my family, they always reply "No thanks, I don't want to be corny."

Food from home: Surprise, surprise!

     Two weeks ago was just one of those days where I just wanted to lie down all day. Thank goodness that was only a phase. This week was muffin week, so I made 2 kinds...

Blueberry Muffins

     We always use the packaged ones (sorry don't remember the brand). Dad and I have been looking for blueberry muffin mix for weeks and still no luck. I thought of surprising Dad by making the real thing. Believe me, it always makes a difference when you use fresh ingredients. I was surprised only 8 pcs came out, so will double the recipe next time. I was happy it turned out moist and yummy! I just love the burst of the blueberries inside! 

Chocolate Chip Muffins

     Since I was still in the muffin mood, why not make Chocolate Chip Muffins too? Just an excuse to give in to my constant chocolate craving. :P

     But wait... there's more! This is something I have been experimenting for quite some time but never got back to it. 

Creamy Parmesan Fish

     I have been looking for a good recipe for baked fish with creamy sauce. I saw in Facebook a picture of Baked Tilapia from my friend, Jenyh. It had creamy Parmesan sauce with potatoes and broccoli. It looked so good so I decided to make it for dinner. In my version, I used Sole Fillet and cooked the sauce with garlic for more flavor and lemon zest to cut the richness. It was a good result. Thank you so much, Jenyh!

Food from home: Strictly for Chocoholics

    Chocolate is a constant craving... especially for Mom, my sister Mitch, my nephew Enzo, my niece Sofia, my uncle Dan and auntie Lou, my cousins Mabel and Vicky and I. If you're a chocoholic, you will understand why chocolate is one of the best things in life. When Mom doesn't like a certain chocolate dessert, she'd say "doesn't taste chocolatey" or "doesn't taste like real chocolate". Of course I wonder how could that be possible when it's chocolate based? Mom replies "The taste has to be intense. I know my chocolate." So that leaves me even more puzzled how intense should it be?

Mega Chocolate Cookies

     The story of the Mega came about when Mom suggested I make a chocolate cookie similar to one from one of our favorite restaurants. It took time making several attempts and changes in the recipe. This chocolate cookie has semisweet chocolate and white chocolate. Names like Triple Chocolate or Chocolate Overload were too common. A light bulb moment came when I remembered my idol the Mega Star, Sharon Cuneta and thus came the name, Mega Chocolate Cookies. :D My nephew, Enzo requested for these and granted his request (please see The Bandana Baker page for details and orders). ;)

Chocolate Lollipops

     This is one of my favorites since childhood. I remember getting giddy every time I got these. Although my original plan was making cake pops, it turned out to be a flop after 3 attempts. Since I had chocolate left, I decided to make chocolate lollipops instead. It's really simple to make. All you need to do is melt the chocolate (best to use bittersweet for the dark one and white) in a double boiler, pour it in chocolate molds and insert the sticks, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Bring it out of the ref, remove it from the molds by pressing softly from outside. Place it in plastic, tie a ribbon around it and you're all set. Thank you to my chocoholic friend, Ruby for sharing tips in making these. ;) You may buy the chocolate molds, lollipop sticks and plastic wrappers in any baking store, here are the ones I go to. 

Sweet Craft 

Facebook

Love2Bake

website

Facebook

*They can ship orders, shipment fees apply. 

Carla's bakery and confectionery supply

Dr. A. Santos Avenue

Paranaque

826-9107

Ingrid's Sweet Haven

Facebook

Food from home: Eclectic!

     Since I started cooking, it has never stopped. Let me share some of these new items and again... these were taken at different times. ^_^

Mushroom Linguine with Truffle Cream 

     I love cream and truffle based pastas! Thank you to my Auntie Lou who gave me truffle oil when she learned I was making mushroom pasta. :D It's best to use fresh mushrooms... Believe me, it really makes a difference. I wanted to use Porcini mushrooms, but since they were not available, I used Button (white) and Shitake mushrooms. To be able to taste the truffle, drizzle the truffle oil on the pasta right before serving. ;)

Macaroni and cheese

     Macaroni and cheese... or simply mac and cheese has been a favorite since I was little (that wasn't a long time ago). The last time I made mac and cheese was during high school days. I used 3 cheeses for this one: Medium Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Mozzarella. They say it's best to use Sharp Cheddar, but you may go with your preference. Based on my research, former American President, Thomas Jefferson invented mac and cheese. ^_^

     I'm going Japanese again...

Oyakodon

     This is chicken and egg over rice. Although this is one of our household dishes, I wanted to try making it myself. The egg should have that silky texture. There's something about this dish that makes it comforting for the rainy weather. ;)

Chawanmushi

     Aka egg custard dish. If you're looking for something light, healthy and tasty... this is the dish for you. Also good for the rainy weather. 

Food from home: Japanese festival

     If you read this blog, you most probably notice how much I love Japanese and Italian food. When I cook, it's either one of these. Most of these recipes are found in YouTube. I always end up editing a recipe by either adding something or combining several recipes.

Mentaiko pasta

     Mentaiko is spicy roe of Polluck. I thought it was interesting when I saw it in YouTube. It's a good thing there was Mentaiko in New Hatchin, one of our favorite Japanese stores. It's not at all spicy. 

I made these 2 for lunch on the same day:

Gyudon

     It's a good thing we had beef at home and it happened to be Kobe beef. :D

Yakisoba

     This is Japanese stir fried noodles. I've never tried the real thing, only the packaged one. Based on experience, the flavor of the packaged one is always overpowering. I didn't realize this was simple to make. I saw in 1 tutorial, Japanese mayo was drizzled on top... which I followed. :D

Here's a list of Japanese items I want to make (I already made some of these items but want a replay): 

Okonomiyaki

Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki

Chawanmushi

Katsudon

Strawberry Shortcake

A green tea based dessert

Holy Week Special

     Every holy week, Mom always makes one of her specialties, Bacalao.* She makes a big batch (which is enough for around 15-20 persons) for the whole family. We all love the delicious and clean taste. It's definitely one of the best Bacalaos we've had (not being biased). This is served with potatoes and garlic bread. It's good with rice too. :D

Mom tried another version... Pimiento stuffed Bacalao.*

     Our main activity during holy week is Visita Iglesia in Manila.* Another activity we don't miss out is the Walkway, the stations of the cross in Bonifacio High Street. It was a good move they gave a modern and practical approach. I highly recommend everyone to partake in this activity which will be until Easter Sunday. You can be sure to feel blessed and inspired. 

Walkway by Church Simplified
Bonifacio High Street
BGC
Like them on Facebook
Visit their website

Bacalao -dried salted cod
Pimiento -red pepper
Visita Iglesia -A Catholic tradition during holy week wherein 7 churches are visited, usually done during Holy Thursday