Litson Manok (Roasted Chicken)

In Visayan, we call it Litson Manok, but it's commonly known as Lechon Manok in vast areas in Philippines.  This dish is very popular in our country.  You get to see them beautifully skewered and cooked before your eyes in big rotisserie in front of most Pinoy restaurants or diners.  When I was home few months ago, I had the opportunity to indulged them countless times.  Now, I'm back here in the US and my palate has been calling for the taste of it.  Preparing this chicken is almost the same as if you're roasting a whole chicken, except for few key steps and ingredients that are so vital to get the special flavor that this chicken stands out.  It requires marination for several hours, or best if left overnight in the fridge to get the maximum taste being submerged in the liquid marinade.  In here, I use two Cornish game hens.  They are smaller than regular chickens, hormone-free and cage-free.  It's just the kind of chicken we, as a family choose to consume.   However, you can use any regular whole chicken you may have.  I chose to put them in the oven instead in a rotisserie simply because I have two of them and my rotisserie is not quite big enough for them.  While baking them, the aroma of the lemon grass wonderfully fills the air in the entire house that it gives me such great anticipation for my meal to get my hands to that delectable chicken...yum!  Back home, this is best served with steamed rice and dipping sauce (2 tablespoons soy sauce + 1 tablespoon white vinegar, with small chili peppers *optional), or Mang Tomas Lechon sauce (can be found at some Asian grocery store).


Ingredients

1 2-3 pounds whole chicken, or 2 small Cornish game hens
1 8oz. sprite or 7up
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small size yellow onion, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced
1 to 2 stalks of lemon grass (tanglad)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
salt and freshly ground pepper


Mix Sprite or 7up, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, onions, pepper and sugar.  Add whole chicken.  If cooking on the same day, marinade the chicken for an hour or more, otherwise let it set in the fridge for overnight to get the best result, turning the chicken occasionally making sure to adhere all areas of the chicken to the marinade.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Stuffed the chicken cavity with lemon grass (tied together), garlic, bay leaves, peppers, some onion slices from the marinade.  Inject some of the marinade unto the inside of the chicken.  Rub chicken with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast the chicken for 1 hour or until the chicken is golden brown and internal temperature reads 165 degrees F, and juices run clear.  If the skin burns quickly before chicken is done, loosely cover the chicken with an aluminum foil.  Take out of heat, let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Wash hands (the way we, Filipinos eat this chicken) and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce!


Tip:  When roasting whole poultry, tuck the tips of the wings at the back of the breast to avoid burning.



*Recipe inspiration is from  Panlasang  Pinoy, with Sweetpea's slight modifications to suit our palate.

Pancit Canton Guisado

I have to confess, I have attempted making this dish several times before and not even once I ever got it perfect until today!  Okay, I exaggerated a bit but maybe almost perfect, I should say.   There are many different versions of making this dish.  The array of ingredients that you can use are endless!  In here, I integrated what I had in hand from pork meat (you can use chicken, or both) to carrots, cabbage and onions.  But you can definitely add more veggies like green beans, bell peppers or celery.  I think this recipe is spot on to my taste.  I use dried Canton noodles that I found at some Asian grocer.  My trick is cooking the noodles separately according to the box, then set it aside until ready to use.  I love making this dish for a number of reasons, it brings me back so much memories from home, and it's my hubby and daughter's favorite kind of noodles too!  I made this today and melted my heart seeing little Sweetpea having a big smile on her face as she saw it on the table for lunch coming home from school.  One of the reasons I get inspired to cook for my family simply because I know they appreciate it (regardless of my cooking skills, whether it turns out good or not), but when your little one wholeheartedly thanked you and say, "Mama, you're a good cooker!"(that's her grammar and I thought it's cute!)...that is enough for me to hear and put a smile on my face, too!


Ingredients:

1 pound dried Canton noodles (found in Asian grocery store)
1 pound pork or chicken, or a combination of both, cut into bite-sizes
2 cups green cabbage, chopped
2 medium sized organic carrots, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon wedges, to garnish (optional)


Cook canton noodles according to package instruction.  Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok on medium high heat.  Add meat until lightly browned.  Add onions and sherry wine.  Cook for few minutes until onions become soft.  Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  You might lower the heat to medium on this stage.  If it starts to dry up, do not hesitate to add a little bit of water, if necessary.   Adjust the flavor accordingly with a sprinkle of salt or a dash of soy sauce until you reach your desired taste.  Add carrots and cabbage, saute for few minutes until tender but not mushy.  Put in canton noodles, and mix gently with the rest, adjust the taste.  Take off from heat.  Squeeze a lemon wedge on a serving plate.  Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken Breast

One word for this baked chicken..."impressive!"  It was getting closer towards the end of the day and I still had no clue on what to cook for dinner.  The only meat I thawed out was a whole chicken.  I have several good chicken recipes but sometimes it's nice to explore something new.  Although time was ticking on me, I literally was not willing to give in to my old recipes.  After few minutes of recipe searching, here I was in the kitchen island butchering the whole chicken into serving pieces.  This recipe calls for chicken breasts but I had to work on what I had on hand.  To your convenience, by all means go ahead purchase the cut up ones if you can.  It makes life so much easier, unless you find doing the dirty job quite enjoyable (not me!).  This recipe turned out impressively good!  Both of my kiddos enjoyed to the last bite.  Chicken was so moist and tender in the inside with crispy skin on the outside (Sweetpea's favorite part of the chicken!) with a hint of garlic and lemon flavor that Andre liked.  But my personal favorite was the sauce that I drizzled over steamed rice....oh em gee!  I was scraping the sauce off the pan to the last drop!


Ingredients:

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
1 lemon


Preheat the oven to 400 degress.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown.  Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a baking dish.

Pat chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce.  Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper.  Cut the lemon in wedges and tuck in among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken, until the chicken is done and skin is lightly browned.  If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.  Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Serve hot with the pan juices. 

*I drizzle the pan juices over hot steamed rice...it's oh so good!!!



Yield: 4 servings
Recipe courtesy:  Foodnetwork, Barefoot Contessa

Chocolate Cupcake with Coffee-Cream Filling

Recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.  These are about to go in the hot oven!

This step, cupcakes are already baked, cooled and individually filled with delicious coffee-cream filling.  The sprinkles on top are Sweetpea's work and idea.  I gave her that little pleasure of enjoyment being my souz chez :) 

So, here it is... the frosting plays a big role!  I cheated on this one though, I cut the frosting recipe in half due to the butter and sugar that's called for, and spread thinly on 24 cupcakes.  Same great taste except less sugar and fats!  Honestly, we all deserve to indulge a little bit on the sweet side every once in a while, aren't we?

As you can see, the inside shows the coffee-cream filling that is finger-lickin' good!!!  Hands down...the best cupcake I've ever tasted...and made thus far!

So, here it is...one of our guilty pleasures!  After weeks of begging...and begging...I finally gave in to my dear hubby's requests.  I made these cupcakes specially for him of which he's been craving for in a long time.  I have to admit, this is not a quick recipe.  There are three steps into it which are baking, filling and frosting.  But I tell ya'...the work and the wait are soooo worth it!!!  You know why he loves this so much?  It's because it has his three favorite ingredients in the world....chocolate, coffee and kahlua.  If you're like him, then yes, you get to enjoy every bit of your bite into this little piece of heavenly, delightful cupcake!  Here's how it sums up, the cupcake itself is mixed with cocoa and coffee, the filling is made of Kahlua liquor and cream cheese, and the frosting is mixed with coffee, then garnished with chocolate-covered coffee bean!  Oh boy, if you are caffeine sensitive like me, you might as well avoid indulging them in the evening...I know I tried but it's difficult to abstain from these chocolatey delights.  Oh well, we all deserve some sweet indulgence every once in a while, aren't we?

Special equipments needed:

*piping bag or squeeze bottle with long narrow tip

*electric mixer

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
3 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coffee Cream Filling, recipe follows
Coffee Buttercream, recipe follows
Chocolate covered coffee beans, for garnish, optional

Coffee Buttercream Frosting: (I cut this recipe in half and spread thinly on 24 cupcakes)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee

Coffee Cream Filling:
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
1 (8-ounce) container frozen chocolate flavored whipped topping, thawed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add oil, coffee, and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.
Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, for 16 to 18 minutes. Let them cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.
Spoon Coffee Cream Filling into a squeeze bottle with a long narrow tip. Insert the tip into the top of cupcake and squeeze about 1 tablespoon of filling into center of each cupcake.
Spread the Coffee Butter cream frosting evenly over the cupcakes and garnish with chocolate covered coffee beans, if desired.


Coffee Cream Filling:
In a small bowl, whip the cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Slowly add the liqueur and fold in the whipped topping. Cover and chill.
Yield: 1 1/4 cups


Coffee Buttercream Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth, then beat in the coffee.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Yield: 24-30 cupcakes

Recipe courtesy: Paula Deen

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This is another working person's recipe.  Very quick and easy, delicious pot roast.  And in our household, a pot roast won't be compete without some crunchy steamed asparagus on the side.  This green, skinny, stick-like veggie happens to be our family's favorite!  We prefer them steamed, simple and healthy, and has a little bit crunch to it.  There are no perfect rules for the vegetables in this recipe.  Add any veggies you may wish, as many as you want.  Yet, the gravy is another winner, more so, a time saver.  Make some pasta or mashed potatoes alongside topped with the pot roast sauce, you'll have an instant gravy for a perfect delicious meal!


1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (0.5 oz) dry onion soup mix
3/4 cups water or beef broth
2 1/2 to 3 pounds pot roast
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
organic carrots, sliced
button mushrooms, quartered

Heat pan in medium high with olive oil.  Sear meat on all sides.  In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water or broth.  Place pot roast, carrots and mushrooms in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.  Cook on high setting for 3-4 hours, or on low setting for 8-9 hours.  Enjoy!


Yield:  5-6 servings

Recipe adaptation:  Allrecipes

Easy Curried Chicken Breast

This is my first time making chicken curry.  It's absolutely yummy!  This is a lovely, lemon-colored dish with nice and creamy gravy that is perfect over a bed of steamed rice.  You can add any vegetables you want but the recipe below is what I had in the fridge, which is by the way, a good way to use up what ever veggies you have in the house.  Super easy, another method of making it is simmering on the stove top but on here, I found the crockpot method as the easiest for my time and convenience.  Crockpot is my bestfriend during hectic days when I don't have much time to hang out in the kitchen.  Days when my daughter has school, gymnastics class, ballet class, running errands in town, etc.  I put everything in the crockpot, let it do its cooking, and by the end of the day all I want is to sit back, relax and have some yummy, wholesome, comfort food for dinner.  This dish is definitely perfect for it!


4 boneless chicken breast, sliced in two and seasoned with salt and pepper, to taste
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
2 organic carrots, julienne
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup white wine or water
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder

In a large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil.  Saute onions and garlic until soft, then remove from pan.  Add more oil to pan if needed and brown chicken on both sides.  Put all ingredients, including chicken breasts and sauteed onions in the crock pot, cover and set to low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is cooked and tender.



Yield: 8 servings

Recipe courtesy: Food.com