Jesus' Birthday Cake (Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake)

It's a tradition in our family every Christmas day to have a birthday cake for Jesus because He is the reason for this season.  This is something we started last year.  We've decided every year we can change up the flavor of the cake as long as we stay true to the meaning and significance of it.  This year, we made Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with few modifications.  This cake represents the following...

* The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born.
* The bottom (inner) layer is black to represent the sin in us, which is why Jesus came to the earth.
* The red coloring is Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross for our sin.
* The pure white frosting is the purity and righteousness of Christ.
* The red candle (not shown on picture) represents Jesus who came into the dark world to bring light and truth to all who are willing to receive it.

Ingredients

1 package (2 oz.) Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
1 package (6 oz. each) Baker's white chocolate (in this recipe I use white chocolate)
1 package (2 layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.9 oz) Jell-O chocolate instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup Breakstone's or Knudsen Greek-style sour cream and non-fat yogurt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip whipped topping.  Do not thaw.
2 tablespoons Planter's sliced almonds
small jar of Maraschino cherries (garnish)
red candle (garnish)
red sprinkles (optional)

HEAT oven to 350°F.

CHOP 2 oz. chocolate. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with mixer until blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into 2 (9-inch) round pans sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and remaining chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken.

STACK cake layers on plate, filling and frosting with COOL WHIP mixture. Sprinkle with nuts around it, garnish with cherries on top and a candle.

kraft kitchens tips

VARIATION

Prepare using 1 pkg. (1.4 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Pudding, BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream, and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

MAKE AHEAD

The fudge-like texture of this cake improves when it is stored overnight in the refrigerator.

HOW TO STORE

Keep refrigerated.   

Recipe Inspiration: Kraft

Baguette Magiques (Chocolate-Covered Breadsticks)

As we were vacationing in Disneyland Paris, France, we saw a Princess Recipe book at the Disney Store.  Who knew, right?!  Didn't know princesses actually cook in real life!  Well, being the foodie that we are, we took the book all the way home to Missouri.  Flipping through the pages, I realized it was written in French, but thank goodness we have our own translator no other than my French hubby!

"Baguette Magiques" is the first recipe that we tried.  They were very easy and fun to make.  Little Sweetpea took them to school for her "show and tell" and shared with her classmates- and they love them!  During their Christmas Party, we made them again only this time we changed some ingredients to commemorate the festivity.  Instead of using breadsticks we use pretzel sticks, and changed the colors of the sprinkles to red, white and green.  It's so versatile that you can play around, suits to any occasion and just have fun with it.

Chocolate covered breadsticks that Sweetpea took to school for "Show and Tell"

Chocolate covered pretzel sticks that Sweetpea took to her school Christmas party!

Ingredients

20 breadsticks or pretzel sticks, or more
150 grams (5.3 oz) dark, semi-sweet or white chocolate
Sprinkles (any colors or shapes), the idea is to have fun


Put chocolate in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir in wooden spoon, then heat 30 seconds more if you need to.  One at a time, dip and roll bread stick in the melted chocolate to cover half of it.  Lay chocolate covered bread stick on a parchment paper and drizzle the sprinkles around it by carefully rotating it.  Repeat the process.  Let it cool on a parchment paper.  Enjoy!


Recipe Courtesy: La Cuisine des Princesses

Caldo De Res (Beef Soup)

Caldo De Res is a traditional Mexican dish, very comforting and hearty.  For me, it's best served in cold, fall-like or wintry days.  I did not know much about this dish until I saw a post from a friend on facebook.  It was during one very cold day, while I was wearing my pj's curled up on the couch trying to get toasty in front of the fireplace, looking at the picture of Caldo de Res made me salivate as I could have just imagined the warmth and wonderful aroma of the soup thinking, "It could have been nice if I have one right now."  Weather in the Midwest continues to drop as winter is fast approaching, and instead of going to my usual "route" of making some soups and hearty dishes (i.e. Stew, Sinigang or Pot Roast), I decided to try a new one this time.  Needless to say, I got inspired to make the dish (Caldo De Res) even though I have not tried nor tasted one before but just the looks of it made me curious.  I tell ya', the picture doesn't do justice...this dish is a sure keeper and boy, was I glad I braved to make it because the whole family loved it!

Ingredients

2-3 pounds beef shank, bone-in beef chuck or beef ribs, cut into serving sizes
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 red potatoes, quartered
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 fresh corn in a cob, chopped
1/2 medium head cabbage, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, quartered
  salt to taste
2 cans beef broth or stock
5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 fresh limes (optional)

 
In a large pot over high heat, cover beef ribs with beef broth and add some water (about 3 cups) depending on the amount of your meat.  Sprinkle with salt and add onions, tomatoes and garlic.  Let it boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Uncover and skim off the foam and grease.  Add the rest of the ingredients except cabbage and 1 tablespoon of cilantro.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add cabbage, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked and tender.  Adjust seasoning (add salt if you have to), turn the heat off.   Serve hot in a bowl, served with lime wedges (optional) and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.  In our house, we pair it with tortilla chips but some people pair it with hot sauce and warm corn tortillas.  Enjoy!

Korean Beef

Looking for something quick and easy for dinner?  This one doesn't disappoint.  There are days that I don't feel like being enslaved in the kitchen, and just want something quick to throw together right before family comes home for dinner.  This recipe's ingredients are something we usually stock up in our pantry or freezer already (we call it the "basics").  It doesn't take very long to make this dish and the flavor is amazing.  My dear hubby devoured it like crazy!  He even suggested of using it as a filling for "lettuce wraps" which I think it's brilliant!  Definitely, will be using lettuce instead of rice next time for a change.


Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar (I use 1/4 cup instead, to cut back on sugar)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
salt and pepper
1 bunch of green onions, diced
Rice, cooked
Sweet peas, steamed (optional)


Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil.  Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers.  Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.  Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions, and steamed peas on the side.


Recipe courtesy:  Six Sisters' Stuff

Chocolate Berry Crisp

Who says you have to give up taste over nutrition when you can enjoy the best of both worlds from this delectable, chocolaty, berry dessert!  When my husband was training for the Chicago Marathon, this was his favorite recovery dessert.  The good news about training for a marathon is that it does leave you with a bit more caloric wiggle room for slightly indulgent treats. This chocolate berry crisp still has plenty of good-for-you nutritional value, including fiber from oats and inflammation reducing antioxidants from the berries and chocolate.  Runner or not, everyone can enjoy it including myself and Sweetpea.   And as some of you know, in our family we incorporate chocolate in our food whenever possible.  After all, they're good for ya'!

2 bags (12 oz. each) frozen mixed berries, such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, thawed and drained, or 5 cups fresh berries

2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips

Vanilla ice cream

chocolate syrup, preferably Ghirardelli brand (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a bowl, mix the berries and cornstarch.  (If using thawed frozen fruit, use the higher amount of cornstarch.)  Pour the fruit into an 8"x8" glass baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon, and almonds.  Spread over the berry mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and top evenly with the chocolate chips.  Return the dish to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is melter.  Serve warm topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle some chocolate syrup (if using).  Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy The Runner's World Cookbook, as reported in October 2013 Runner's World.

Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

With or without barbecue sauce (it's your choice), this roast beef sandwiches are delicious.  Super easy and yummy.  When I have a super hectic days ahead of me, this is one of my go-to recipes where I can just put everything in the crockpot and forget about it until dinnertime comes.  And of course, you'll never be able to escape from the wonderful aroma that will create in the house.  Enjoy!


4 pounds beef roast
1 (12 oz.) bottle balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix
Italian seasoning, to taste
buns or rolls

*I usually cut the recipe in half for my tiny family :)

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place roast in the bottom of slow cooker.  In a mixing bowl, combine dressing, soup mix and Italian seasoning.  Pour over roast and place lid on slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  After cooking, remove roast from slow cooker, shred and place back in juices.  Serve on rolls or buns.


Recipe Courtesy:  Six Sisters' Stuff

3 Ingredient Mini Nutella Cupcakes

If you ever tried Nutella, then you already know how delectable and addictive this is.  To some of you who are not familiar with, it's the brand name of a hazelnut chocolate spread.  There is not a single morning that we don't have Nutella in our breakfast table.  My dear hubby, who was born and raised in Europe introduced it to me since the day we got married.  If I could eat rice every morning for breakfast , Nutella and bread will be for him.  This is something very popular in his country (France), and being familiar with growing up.  After years of living together, sad to say I finally adapted to eat "his" breakfast over mine, although I have not completely abandoned my rice and most likely won't, but there's something about this delicious goodness that makes us excited for breakfast every morning, even for our little Sweetpea.  It's so good over toasted English Muffins (which we make our own versus store-bought) or sliced bread.  

I found this delightful Nutella dessert online and showed to dear hubby.  Sure enough, he jumped into the idea of making the dessert.  This is one of the easiest dessert I've ever made.  Only three ingredients needed.  If you have a Nutella-lover family, make sure to double the recipe as it flies off the table quick!

Ingredients 

1 cup  Nutella (divided in half)

1 large egg

5 Tbsp all purpose flour

(4th optional ingredient) Sea Salt for the top (we used sprinkles, Sweetpea's favorite garnish)

Directions

Heat oven to 350'

Line 9-10 cups of a mini muffin pan with liners (or about 5 reg size if you don't have a mini pan)

Mix together 1/2 cup of the Nutella & egg & whisk until smooth. Add flour and whisk until well blended.

Spoon batter into the muffin cups & bake until toothpick comes out pretty clean (about 11 to 12 minutes)

Let cool

Warm remaining Nutella 15-20 seconds in microwave  until warm & soft.

Dip tops of cupcakes into the Nutella & sprinkle with salt if desired.

Recipe Courtesy:  Six Sisters Stuff
Yield:  10-11 Mini Cupcakes

Roast Chicken Salad Sandwiches

If you like salad and sandwich, this one's for you!  This chicken sandwich is bursting with flavors.  Fresh, summery and scrumptious!  Incorporating chopped, crispy celery in it makes every bite a huge difference.  Eating a salad in a baguette is actually quite tasty!  The hint of parsley and tarragon make it fresh and herbaceous complementing the flavors together.   I'd never made mayonnaise from scratch before, looking at the recipe kind of intimidated me a bit.  I thought I'd cheat and go for the store-bought one but I'm glad I didn't, we would not know how easy and good it was, otherwise.

This became our go-to sandwich since the day my hubby discovered it online.  I, personally, am not a big fan of sandwiches but after making this one for the first time it changed my preferred taste bud.  No, I don't like it.  I actually love it that it found a spot in our regular menu list.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1 4-pound chicken (I use chicken breasts, baked)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon
3 sprigs parsley or tarragon

For the mayonnaise:
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt

For the salad:
2 stalks celery, diced, plus
2 tablespoons chopped leaves (didn't have the leaves)
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
2 baguettes, split open
Potato chips, for serving (optional)

Directions

Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse the chicken and pat dry; season generously inside and out with salt and black pepper. Stuff the lemon half and herb sprigs inside the cavity, then place the chicken in a baking dish. Roast until golden brown all over and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin, then pull the meat off the bones and chop or tear into bite-size pieces; refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Make the mayonnaise: Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until hot, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and gradually drizzle in the vegetable oil, whisking until thick and creamy. Whisk in 1 tablespoon water, the cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Make the salad: Add the celery and leaves, the shallot, parsley, chives, tarragon and chicken to the prepared mayonnaise. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Pull out some of the bread from the inside of the baguettes, then stuff with the chicken salad. Cut into sandwiches; serve with potato chips.

Recipe Courtesy: Food Network Magazine

Yield: 6 servings

Fraisier Cake

 

This is a gorgeous, very light, melt in your mouth, layered cake.  The fresh fruits make it perfect for summer and the chocolate cake topped with marzipan makes it perfect for a birthday girl who loves everything in it.  I lovingly made this cake for my dear sister-in-law whom for the first time was about to spend her special day with us.  I have to admit, this cake requires some intensive labor of love to put together, but I enjoyed every minute of it, keeping me challenged at the same time...and the end result was marvelous!  It is so gorgeous to the eyes but wait 'til you get a slice and take your first bite....a piece of heaven's delight!

This cake is so versatile that you can play around and incorporate any flavor and fruits that might hit your fancy.  On this one, I decided to make the chocolate cake and fresh strawberries, as our entire family is chocolate lovers and the freshness of sliced strawberries bring lightness and a hint of natural sweetness for a summer occasion.


Chocolate Chiffon Cake:

3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (4 gm) baking powder
3/4 cups (180 ml) (6 oz /170 gm) sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) (1½ gm) salt, preferably kosher
1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) vegetable oil
3 large egg yolks
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (3.17 fl oz/95 ml) water
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon (3¾ ml) (3 gm) lemon zest, grated
5 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon (1¼ ml) (1 gm) cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 325°F (160°C/gas mark 3).
2. Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) spring form pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan. (some found it better to split the cake batter between two 8 inch pans. to each their own) 
3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add in all but 3 tablespoons (45 ml.) of sugar, and all of the salt. Stir to combine.
4. In a small bowl combine the oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk thoroughly.
5. Combine with the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly for about one minute, or until very smooth.
6. Put the egg whites into a stand mixer, and beat on medium speed using a whisk attachment on a medium speed, until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat on a medium speed until the whites hold soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining sugar and beat on a medium-high speed until the whites hold firm and form shiny peaks.
7. Using a grease free rubber spatula, scoop about ⅓ of the whites into the yolk mixture and fold in gently. Gently fold in the remaining whites just until combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Removed the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack.
10. To unmold, run a knife around the sides to loosen the cake from the pan and remove the spring form sides. Invert the cake and peel off the parchment paper. Refrigerate for up to four days.

Pastry Cream Filling:

1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) whole milk
1/2 teaspoon (2½ ml) pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon (1/2 ml) (¼ gm) salt, preferably kosher
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (10 gm)cornstarch
1/4 cup (60 ml) (2 oz/55 gm) sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (1 oz/30 gm) unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon (3¾ ml) (4 gm) gelatin
1/2 tablespoon (7½ ml) water
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) heavy cream

1. Pour the milk, vanilla, and salt into a heavy sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat and scald, bringing it to a near boiling point. Stir occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer add the cornstarch and sugar. Whisk to combine
3. Add the eggs to the sugar and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
4. When the milk is ready, gently and slowly while the stand mixer is whisking, pour the heated milk down the side of the bowl into the egg mixture.
5. Pour the mixture back into the warm pot and continue to cook over a medium heat until the custard is thick, just about to boil and coats the back of a spoon.
6. Remove from heat and pass through a fine mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl. Allow to cool for ten minutes stirring occasionally.
7. Cut the butter into four pieces and whisk into the pastry cream a piece at a time until smooth.
8. Cover the cream with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap onto the top of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for up to five days.
9. In a small dish, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand for a few minutes to soften.
10. Put two inches (55 mm) of water into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
11. Measure 1/4 cup (2 oz/60 ml) of the chilled pastry cream into a small stainless steel bowl that will sit across the sauce pan with the simmering water, without touching the water.
12. Heat the cream until it is 120 F (48.8 °C). Add the gelatin and whisk until smooth. Remove from the water bath, and whisk the remaining cold pastry cream in to incorporate in two batches.
13. In a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Immediately fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream with a rubber spatula.

 Simple Syrup:

1/3 cup (2⅔ fl oz/80 ml) (2⅔ oz/75 gm) of sugar, flavored or white

1/3 cup (2⅔ fl oz/80 ml) of water

1. Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and let the sugar dissolve. Stirring is not necessary, but will not harm the syrup.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat and cool slightly.
4. Transfer syrup to a lidded container or jar that can be stored in the refrigerator. Simple syrup can be stored for up to one month.

 Fraisier Assembly:

1 baked 8 inch (20 cm) chiffon cake
1 recipe pastry cream filling
⅓ cup (80 ml) simple syrup or flavored syrup
2 lbs (900 g) strawberries
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
½ cup (120 ml) (5 oz/140 gm) almond paste

1. Line the sides of a 8-inch (20 cm) spring form pan with plastic wrap. Do not line the bottom of the pan.
2. Cut the cake in half horizontally to form two layers.
3. Fit the bottom layer into the prepared spring form pan. Moisten the layer evenly with the simple syrup. When the cake has absorbed enough syrup to resemble a squishy sponge, you have enough.
4. Hull and slice in half enough strawberries to arrange around the sides of the cake pan. Place the cut side of the strawberry against the sides of the pan, point side up forming a ring.
5. Pipe cream in-between strawberries and a thin layer across the top of the cake.
6. Hull and quarter your remaining strawberries and place them in the middle of the cake. Cover the strawberries and entirely with the all but 1 tbsp. (15 ml) of the pastry cream.
7. Place the second cake layer on top and moisten with the simple syrup.
8. Lightly dust a work surface with confectioners' sugar and roll out the almond paste to a 10-inch (25 cm) round 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pastry cream on the top of the cake and cover with the round of almond paste.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
10. To serve release the sides of the spring form pan and peel away the plastic wrap.
11. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Ganache (Sweetpea's addition):

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
sprinkles, garnish

Place chocolates in a heat-proof bowl.  Heat cream in a small sauce pan on stove top until hot but not boiling.  Pour cream over chocolates and let it sit for 30 seconds.  Slowly stir cream and chocolate mixture until fully incorporated and glossy.  Let it cool a little bit, then spread on top of marzipan cake and garnish with sprinkles.  This is the part my little sweetpea gets too much fun!


Recipe Courtesy: Cherry Tea Cakes Est. 2009

Steak with Quick Mushroom Risotto

Summer time is here!  Meaning, it's time to have some fun in the sun and that includes outdoor grilling with some good food.  In our family we do love to grill.  It is most definitely my dear hubby's job (since I don't like to mess with it) but I usually do the preparation.  This year's summer however is a different story.  It has been raining a lot lately, so the alternative of grilling outdoor will be at my cast-iron skillet and oven (indoor).  This recipe is one of our top scrumptious grilled foods that can be done indoor, rain or shine.

Quick Mushroom Risotto
Recipe adaptation: Real Simple

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup orzo

1/2 cup dry white wine

10 oz. mushrooms, sliced

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup grated parmesan (I recommend using a freshly grated cheese)  
freshly ground pepper, to taste
dash of dried rosemary


Heat oil on the pan over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and cook, 3 minutes.  Add the wine and cook until evaporated.  Add the orzo and chicken broth and simmer until broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan, rosemary and pepper.  Serve warm with steak and steamed asparagus.


Pan Seared Steak           

2 (1 1/2-inch thick) steaks (I personally prefer boneless rib-eye and filet mignon for hubby)
Olive oil to coat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (or seasoning of your choice)

Place 10 to 12 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and heat oven to 500 degrees.  Make sure your steak is in room temperature, brushed with olive oil both sides and seasoned with salt and pepper, or your favorite seasoning.

When oven reached its temperature, place cast iron skillet on the stove top over high heat temperature.  Cook steaks in the hot, dry pan without overcrowding and moving for 30 seconds.  Flip steaks with tong and cook for another 30 seconds then immediately put the pan back to the oven for 2 minutes (medium rare), flip steaks and cook for another 2 minutes.  If you prefer medium or medium well, add another minute or two on each side.

Remove steaks from pan, cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Crunchy Baked Chicken Wings

Say goodbye to your deep-fryer or make your doctor happy in this crunchy chicken wings.  It has a deep-fried taste and crunchiness minus the fat.  We are fried chicken lovers but due to its unhealthiness, we refrain ourselves from consuming them as often as we'd like to.  The other day, I just had a big craving for it.  I was in the verge of making them then the thought of the waist-deep vegetable oil that I'm about to pour in the fryer gave me a second thought and needless to say, I was starting to lose my appetite.  So I decided to put the chicken wings in the oven, instead.  At the beginning, I wasn't sure if it gets crunchy, or at least crunchy enough to our liking.  But to our surprise....it turned out beyond our expectations!


12 pieces chicken wings
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, except chicken wings.  Pour into a resealable ziplock bag, add the chicken wings and marinate for at least an hour, or overnight (recommended) turning the chicken wings every so often to coat every side of it.

Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Drain chicken wings from marinade and arrange in a foil-lined cookie sheet in a single layer making sure not to overcrowd them.  Bake for at least an hour or until golden brown (no need to turn them).  Serve warm.  If you're like us, we serve them with steamed white rice or some fresh cut-up carrots and celery with your favorite dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Pepper Steak

I had my first Pepper Steak at my sister's house in Louisiana.  It was a love at first bite.  Somehow, it's her specialty dish that I feel like nobody does it better than her.  She makes it from scratch and no "cheat sheet" being followed, meaning she has the recipe in her mind and most of the time "eye-balling" the ingredients without exact measurements and still comes out perfect every time!  I thought that takes some talents which she's literally being blessed with.  I have to confess, I'm in the very opposite side.  I, for the most part follow recipes to the T.  Although I have been cooking (being a housewife) for almost a decade now, yet I still find myself doubting my cooking skills at times, unfortunately.  Thank goodness I love and enjoy being in the kitchen, creating new things for my family otherwise, I could have given up cooking long time ago and settle for microwavable foods. When you know you're feeding your family something fresh, healthy and wholesome all your effort pays off with a sense of joy and accomplishment.  The other day, I had cravings for this dish and thought I'd give it a try with my own version.


1 pound flank steak (cut in thin strips)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons honey (I usually start with 1 tablespoon and add a little bit more later on until desired sweetness is reached)
salt and pepper, to taste


Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook onion and bell pepper until tender crisp, stirring frequently, halfway through add garlic (to avoid burning).  Set aside.
On the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook steak until brown.  Set aside.
On the same skillet, add soy sauce, red wine vinegar and honey and let it boil for 2 minutes.  Add cooked veggies and beef and mix altogether until heated through.  This is the time you can adjust the sweetness (add more honey), or add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot over steamed rice!


Yield: 3-4 servings

Garden Salad with Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Olive Garden (Italian Restaurant) is one of the restaurants in our area that we go a lot mainly because they have the best garden salad.  What ever salad dressing they drizzle on it, it's the best!  Every now and then, I personally crave for a taste of their crisp, refreshing salad.  If only, we can enjoy them at the comfort of our home whenever we feel like it without the hassle of driving to the restaurant would be great!  So why not bring them home?  After few searches...I found this recipe, although it's not the authentic one but close enough and the flavor does not disappoint, either.

Really, you can create your own salad mix however you prefer but I tried to put most of the ingredients together that they have in the restaurant to get the looks and flavor as close as I can to satiate that cravings. 


DRESSING:
1/2 cup  mayonnaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or one clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sugar (optional)

SALAD MIX:
heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped
Roma tomatoes, chopped
sliced red onions
sliced black olives
peperoncini
Parmesan cheese, shavings (optional)


Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed.  If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar.  Cover and store in the fridge for an hour or so to meld all the flavor.  Drizzle into your favorite salad mix. 
You can enjoy this Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator. 


Yield: serves 10
Recipe courtesy: CopyKat Recipes

Pork Butt Roast

As much as my dear hubby's love for pulled pork, believe it or not this is my first time making it from scratch.  We went grocery shopping together (which does not happen very often, by the way).  He picked this specific cut of meat and not even knowing what and how to make it.  Considering I'm the main chef at home being a homemaker, I started brainstorming on what to do with it.  And this is what I came up with....a super moist, flavorful pulled pork!  He couldn't even stop raving about how good it was while enjoying his meal, at the same time.  He made himself a "gourmet" (stacked beautifully to his heart and eyes' content) pulled pork sandwich out of it with his favorite barbecue sauce on the side and some homemade coleslaw.  And for little Sweetpea...she ate it carnivore-style!  I mean, just plain meat and nothing else...just the way she liked it!  Needless to say, I had one, very satisfied family with this dish.


1 (3-4) pounds pork butt roast
1 medium yellow onion, cut in rings
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 bay leaf
barbecue sauce of your choice,  optional

For the rub:
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Lemon & Pepper seasoning


Mix all ingredients for the rub in a shallow bowl.  Brush all sides of pork with liquid smoke.  Then sprinkle all sides with the seasoning mixture making sure to rub all over the pork.  Rubbing the seasoning onto the pork (giving a little TLC) with both hands add an extra flavor to the pork. 

On a stove top, heat a little oil in a cast-iron skillet or thick bottom pan on high.  Place pork and brown all sides.  Another option, would be to put pork in a shallow roasting pan and put under the broiler for few minutes on each side to brown (but you have to keep an eye on this making sure not to burn the pork).  This seals the juices in the meat and renders any excess fat.

Spread half of the sliced onions and bay leaf at the bottom of the crock pot.  Add pork, then place the rest of the onions on top of the pork, then pour the soy sauce on it.  Pour the water around the pork (this prevents pork from sticking).  Turn on crock pot in low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 5 hours.


Yield: 4 servings

Smothered Pork Chops

One of our best meals during our vacation in Europe were German dishes.  Even though, Disneyland is not known for their great foods but dining at King Ludwig's Castle at Disney was a great experience!  Glad we gave it a chance after contemplating the list of their menu for few minutes.  Another delicious dining experience we had was in Germany itself.  In fact, it was very good that we went back the following evening to try different dishes they offered.  The last one I had, which to this day is still vivid in my mind was a pork dish with creamy sauce.  Boy, it was delish!!!  I was mesmerized by the dish that I was unaware to jot down the name of it, unfortunately.

The recipe I'm sharing today reminds me of that German dish.  It may not be the exact recipe and it literally has a different name but it's close enough and the flavor is actually very good, as well.


Ingredients

4 bone-in pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 buttermilk
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (I used cilantro since it's what I had)


Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.  Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.

Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil.  When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings.  Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in.  Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.  Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce.  Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.


Yield: 4 servings

Recipe Courtesy: Tyler Florence, Food Network  (with Sweetpea's modification to suit our taste)

Ground Beef, Beans and Cheddar Cheese Taquitos with Salsa

To help keep the rolled taquito intact, you can also poke a toothpick at the edge of each tortilla.

This is what I love to do.  I dip the taquito in my salsa bowl, yum!!! (see salsa recipe below)

We just got back from Europe and I can't believe the first food  my husband requested for me to make is salsa and chips!  Even though,  he's not Hispanic descent but he can be one due to his fondness of Mexican dishes.  In fact, He's french and don't get me wrong we had the privileged of indulging some delicious European foods and delicacies while out there but to my surprise, he craved for some good Mexican flavor.  So, to pair with this salsa, I made some baked beef taquitos.  Adjusting from jetlag, I decided to make something easy, simple and healthy.  Although food were very delightful in Europe, it's almost nonsense to keep track of calorie intake all the time like we mostly do at home.  Well, honestly I think it's a crime to be on a diet or watching calories on what to eat while on vacation. That's what vacation is for!  Relax and relish every moment of it, be it food or scenery!


Ground Beef, Black Bean and Cheddar Cheese Taquitos
Recipe courtesy:  For the Love of Cooking

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb of lean ground beef 
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed (we prefer to omit the beans)
• Corn tortilla (we use flour tortilla)
• Cheddar  Cheese, shredded
• Cooking spray

*Serve with guacamole, salsa or sour cream

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break the meat into crumbles. Add the onion as well as the seasonings then cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained and rinsed can of black beans to the beef mixture then stir until well combined. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wrap 10 corn tortillas in damp paper towels for 1-2 minutes in the microwave to soften. Place a bit cheese in the center of the tortilla then top with a bit of ground beef mixture and roll. Place, seam side down, on a baking sheet that’s been coated with cooking spray. Finish rolling the rest of the taquitos, then spray each of them with cooking spray.

Place in the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes then turn over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.   Serve the taquitos immediately.  Enjoy!

Salsa

5 ripe Roma tomatoes
5 green onions
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Wash tomatoes and cut a small cross at the bottom of each one.  In a pot, boil enough water to cover the tomatoes.  Once the water starts boiling slowly submerge tomatoes and blanch for 30 seconds or when skin starts to crack.  Drain and submerge tomatoes in an ice cold water, peel each one.

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Blend until mixed together.  Put in a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to blend the flavor before serving.

Easy Beef Stew Recipe

I swear, we ate this dish twice this month already because the demands of it were rising in our household due to the cold weather.  This month alone we were hit by snow storms multiple times.  Weather like this, it's nice to just cuddle with Sweetpea, since school is being canceled, and do a movie marathon while smelling the aroma of this dish sitting on the stove top and when it's ready, just scoop out a bowl with a side of freshly baked, warm baguette... oh, it's so comforting and hearty!  Surprisingly enough, my French hubby loves it so much that he can eat this dish for two to three consecutive days.  He said, it reminds him of home (France).  I believe it's the red wine being integrated in it that gives its distinct flavor.


1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 (3 pound) boneless chuck roast
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, large dice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
4 fresh thyme springs (or I use 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
3 medium carrots
3 medum celery stalks
4 medium yukon gold potatoes
1 cup frozen peas


Place 1/4 cup of the flour and the measured salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.  Trim the roast of excess fat and sinew and cut it into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Place the meat in the flour mixture and toss to coat; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Shake off the excess flour from about one-third of the meat and add it to the pot.  Cook, stirring rarely, until browned all over, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Remove to a large bowl.  Repeat with the remaining meat in 2 more batches; set aside.

Add the onion to the pot and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the onion, and cook until the raw flavor has cooked off, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Sprinkle in the remaining tablespoon of flour and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raw flavor has cooked off, about 1 minute.  Pour in the wine, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and cook until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes.

Return the meat and any accumulated juices in the bowl to the pot.  Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme and stir to combine.  Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Immdeiately reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.

Cut the carrots, celery, and potatoes into large dice and add them to the pot.  Stir to combine, cover with a tight fitting lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables and meat are knife tender, about 1 hour more.

Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems.  Stir in the peas and simmer uncovered until warmed through, about 5 minutes.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.


Yield:  4 to 6 servings

Recipe Courtesy:  CHOW

Espresso Chocolate Mousse with Orange Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Today, I've decided to make this delicious, decadent chocolate dessert for my dearest husband.  It's one of his favorite homemade desserts that I oftentimes make on the very day he's coming home from a long trip as a surprise sweet treat for him.  But today, it's even more special than that because it's our 8th year anniversary sharing our lives into "one"!  Having God as the Rock of our foundation, there's nothing in life any couple cannot overcome in marriage obstacles.  It has been a wonderful journey!  God's immeasurable grace and the riches of love that He pours in our relationship is so overwhelming and humbling.  And I look forward to spend the rest of my life with this wonderful man and to all eternity!  Even if it means making lots...and lots...of these chocolate desserts!  From the core of my heart, Happy Anniversary Mahal!!!

To save time, you can buy a store-bought whip topping for garnish and it's still delicious!

top this beauty with your homemade or store-bought whip topping and dust off some chocolate powder right before serving

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 large egg whites


Cream:

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest


For the mousse:  In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the milk with the sugar and teh espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling, and the sugar is dissoved.  Place the chocolate chips in a blender.

Pour the hot milk over the chips.  Run the blender on high until combined, a few seconds.  Add the egg whited and runt he blender on high until light, about 1 minute.  Transfer the mousse to 4 serving cups.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

For the cream:  In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the mascarpone cheese and the orange juice until smooth.  Add the cream, powdered sugar, and orange zest.  Whip until the cream has soft peaks, about 1 minute.  Whip the cream just before serving the mousse or cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

*When blending hot liquids:  Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.  Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway.  If using a blender, release one corner of the lid.  This prevents the vacuum effect that create heat explosions.  Place a towel over the top of the  machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.


Yield:  4 servings

Recipe courtesy:  Giada De Laurentiis

Beef Steak (Filipino-Style)

Beef Steak is another popular dish in the Philippines, most especially in our region.  I still vividly remember my uncle (who's considered a great cook/chef in our family) makes this dish every time we have family parties and gatherings back home.  It's actually one of my favorite dishes from his menus.  Whenever I make this dish, it never fails to remind me of him and those sweet, wonderful memories with our big family togetherness!

This is a cut of tender beef (I use sirloin or New York strip steak) thinly sliced and marinated with lemon juice and soy sauce.  Very simple.  Very flavorful!

 Ingredients

2-3 pounds tender cut of beef (sirloin or New York strip steak), thinly sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash of garlic powder
dash of onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste


Mix lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper into the sliced beef, cover and marinate for an hour or overnight.

On a large non-stick skillet or pan, heat oil over high heat.  Remove beef from marinade, shake off excess liquid, add into the pan (do it in batches) and cook until lightly brown on all sides.  Add onions and garlic into the pan along with cooked beef and quickly stir-fry until onions slightly wilt but not all the way soft (we like our onions a little crunchy to bite, it's our preference but you can make yours softer if you like).  Do a taste test here, you might need to add a little bit of salt or sugar (it should be in a salty side with a hint of sweetness to it).  Take off from heat, serve immediately over steamed rice! 


Yield:  3-4 servings

Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli

A crock pot is every busy person's best friend as it makes busy life so much easier.  There are so many recipes we can make in it, be it desserts or main dishes.  Although, I feel blessed being a stay-at-home mom but that does not mean I don't get busy.  As a matter of fact, being at home makes you work 24/7 for the family that you love dearly.  So, kudos to all the busy homemakers out there!  

In my world, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the busiest days since I have to drive around my little one to her "after school" activities.  Meaning, they are my crock pot days!  I think this pasta recipe fits the bill.  An Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli version made in a crock pot.  Who knew?  Serve some green salad and bread sticks on the side, you'll have a gourmet dinner ready in minutes for the family!  And did I say, they loved them?

I cut the recipe in half, perfect for my small family

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained (I skipped this, to my preference)

1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans, drained

3 (10 oz) cans beef stock

3 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons pepper

5 teaspoons parsley

1 teaspoon tabasco sauce (optional)

1 (20 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

8 ounces pasta

Brown beef in a skillet.   Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.  Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.  During last 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.

Yield:  12 servings

Recipe courtesy:  Food.com

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs

BBQ Ribs are one of my husband's favorite foods.  These sticky, sweet and tangy pork ribs are such a staple in our family, next to pizza!  This definitely is something that I was not familiar with growing up in the island of Philippines.  Yes, we have pork ribs but certainly not cooked this way.  With my husband being such a lover of it, I myself had grown into it over the years that I actually crave for'em every now and then.

It has been a while since we last had some.  The weather lately in the Midwest has been so rugged considering we're in the middle of winter.  With that said, there's no way I'd be grilling outside.  So, what's the solution?  Crock Pot!!!  I love crock pot recipes when the temperature outside drops, the aroma of food envelops the house and brings so much warmth and comfort.  And yes, this version is so easy and surprisingly finger-licking delicious that I can even multitask doing other chores... Or you could sit back, relax, grab a book and let the crock pot do the cooking!

Ingredients

1 rack pork ribs
1- 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce of your choice (I use our favorite brand, Sweet Baby Ray's)
1-2 tablespoons ground mustard
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Divide ribs into four.  This helps fit into the crock pot and for perfect serving sizes.  Mix all seasonings in a bowl.  Gently rub seasonings onto the ribs (mostly on meaty side).  Put ribs into the crock pot on high for 4-6 hours.  Scoop out juices from the crock pot before adding the barbecue sauce (this will help the sauce stick on the ribs).  Add barbecue sauce, making sure all ribs are covered.  Continue cooking for another 1-2 hours.  Right before serving, I place the ribs on a cookie sheet lined with foil and place under the broiler for few minutes to make the sauce a little brownish on the outside.  The end result is mouth-watering!  Enjoy!


Yield:  4 servings

Recipe adaptation:  Six Sisters Stuff with SFA's slight modification

Fluffy Pancake

Most weekends, we love to cook some good hearty breakfast in our family.  A lot of times, "Papa" does the cooking, giving "Mama" more time to sleep in and cuddle with little Sweetpea.  I have to say, I'm very blessed to have a husband who can tackle anything in the kitchen whom I know for sure would survive when I'm not available.

Hubby is out of town, so meaning I'll be the one making breakfast.  I planned of making Sweetpea one of her favorite breakfast, and that is pancake!!!  This girl loves pancake so much and I have to embarrassingly admit that I've been feeding her the ready made ones out of the box.  Finally, my motherly guilt kicked in and thought if I can make anything from scratch, why not pancakes?!?  So here it is.....the fluffiest, delicious pancake topped with her choice of fresh raspberries!  And I have to agree with my daughter saying, "Mama, this is the best pancake ever!" as she devours hers.

A beauty for my Sweetpea!

Incorporate together the dry and liquid mixture and leave for at least 5 minutes to marry the flavor while grill is heating up.

Make sure to spray the griddle evenly with non stick cooking spray.

Carefully flip each pancake as they turn golden brown...

This I call...the stackable!!! Yum!!!

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
cooking spray


Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk.  Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated.  Note:  I try not to over mix them.  Make sure to let the mixture rest for at least 5 minutes before pouring onto the griddle. 

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray.  Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface.  Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.  Serve warm with your favorite pancake syrup and some fresh fruits on the side.  Enjoy!


Yield: 8 pancakes

Recipe adaptation:  allrecipes.com (with SFA's own twist)

Tortang Talong (Eggplant Fritters)

Tortang Talong is also called Eggplant Fritters.  It's an inexpensive, simple and flavorful dish that can be eaten as a side dish or main entree' along with steamed rice.  This dish reminds me so much of my childhood.  Growing up, my mom and dad had a huge vegetable garden in our backyard.  They planted all kinds of veggies and one of them are eggplants.  My mom has different variations of recipes for eggplants but this particular one is my favorite that up to this day, I crave for it every now and then.

I am trying to recreate my mom's recipe here as close to the wonderful flavor as I can remember back then.  Making this recipe takes some patience but the end result is worth it...


Ingredients

4 eggplants
3 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
olive oil for pan frying

 

 


First, you have to grill the eggplants:
Poke each side of the eggplant with fork and place on hot grill, turning it every now and then until skin blisters and separate from meat when pulled.  You can also put them under the broiler (for grilling option), making sure to keep an eye on them to prevent burning.

Once grilled and cooled, individually peel the skin off.  Place peeled eggplant in a flat platter and gently press it with fork until it flattens but not breaking it (keeping them intact is a key here).  In a shallow baking dish or bowl, beat eggs, onions, garlic powder, onion powder together.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper (you can adjust the flavor here).  Gently submerged an eggplant or two (if it fits) and soak into the liquid mixture. 

Heat olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) on a flat frying pan on a medium heat.  Gently place one or two soaked, flattened eggplant on the pan (depending on the size of your pan).  Drizzle some egg mixture on it (about 2-3 tablespoons) and let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until brown.  You may add a little bit more oil on the pan when it gets dry as the eggplant may tend to soak most of it.  Repeat the process with the remaining eggplants.  Best serve with steamed rice, enjoy!



Yield:  4 servings