Sauteed Bamboo Shoots (Ginisang Labong)

Rich in fiber and very easy to cook, I have chosen this for my menu last Sunday ( June 16,2013) I'm happy that the person that I prepared this dish liked it.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo bamboo shoots
1/4 kilo shrimps ( cleaned and deshelled)
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
Spring onion

Procedure:
1.Slice the bamboo shoots into strips. Boil until half cooked then drain and set aside.

2. Saute the garlic and onion then add the shrimps and simmer for a minute.

3. Then add the bamboo shoots, salt and pepper then stir and simmer until cooked.

4. Serve hot.

Shrimps with Tomato Chunks

A very easy and quick cooking shrimp dish loaded with a rich taste from fresh tomatoes. Mmmmm you will really like it.

Ingredients:
1/4 kilo shrimps ( clean and remove the heads)
3 cloves garlic
2 big tomatoes cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste
spring onion

Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic then add the tomato chunks and continue to saute until tomatoes are soft then add the shrimps and simmer for 3 minutes.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste then simmer for a minute and turn off the heat.
3. Sprinkle the spring onion then serve it hot.

Avocado Refrigerator Cake

This is very simple and easy to make, I've got the idea of this from mango float, this is very delicious and a perfect treat for the whole family.

Ingredients:
1 big avocado
1 pack chocolate biscuits (graham is popular for this )
2 cups condensed milk
2 cups nestle cream or any all purpose cream

Procedure:
1.Crushed the biscuits until powderized or you can use a blender to turn it into powder

2.  Combine well until evenly mixed the cream and milk.

3.Slice the avocado thinly.

4. In a container where you are going to make this, put alternately the powdered biscuit, avocado and the cream and milk mixture until all the ingredients are finished.

5.Refrigerate for few hours then serve with a smile :-)

Salad na Talbos ng Kamote

One of the best dishes that you can do with sweet potato tops or talbos ng camote. This dish is good for blood flow and digestive system, so try it.

Ingredients:
1 bunch talbos ng kamote
2 tomatoes
1/2 piece onion
2 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Blanch theSweet potato tops or talbos ng camote then drain and set aside.
2. Slice the onion thinly and dice the tomatoes.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients then serve with love and a smile :-).

Halabos na Alimasag

Halabos is a cooking method in the Philippines wherein you cook the base ingredients with its own juice. This cooking procedure mostly applies to shrimps and crabs because these seafoods do not require a lot of time in cooking.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo alimasag ( crabs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic

Procedure:
1. Wash the crabs thoroughly then put in a pan together with the salt and garlic.
2. Cook over medium heat until the natural juice comes out, stirring occasionally until done.
3. Serve hot .

Humba na Pata

This dish resembles adobo but it has its own identity from adobo, its sweetness! Humba taste sweet  and many likes the sweet taste of humba specially in the Visayas and Mindanao regions of Philippines. Try this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 kilo pata ( pork hocks)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce      
5 cloves garlic ) crushed)
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup Sprite
1/2 cup vinegar
Star of anise ( can be replaced with luarel or dahon ng paminta)

Procedure:
1. In a pot put all the ingredients then bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Once boiling reduce the heat to low and let simmer until tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Once cooked, serve hot with rice and do not forget to smile :-).

Fish Lumpia

Crispy, yummy and low in calories, that is what I liked in this recipe, low in calories because I used fish instead of ground meat, any fish of your choice can be used for this recipe, I used salmon for this because I have leftover from yesterday :-).

Ingredients:
20 lumpia wrappers (spring roll wrappers)
2 cups shredded fish
8 cloves garlic ( minced)
2 onion (minced)
2 carrots ( minced or shredded)
1 small red bell pepper (minced)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil for frying

Procedure:
1. Fried the fish then shred it and set aside.
2.  Mix all the ingredients, except the wrapper and oil for frying.

3. After mixing evenly spoon a portion and wrap with spring roll wrappers.

4. Deep fry until golden brown. Remove and put in a paper towel to remove excess oil.

5. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Bagnet Salad

Bagnet is a crispied pork in the Ilocos region of Philippines, they have a process in making it and I will post that soon, but for this recipe I used the simplest way. I hope you will try this delicious recipe.

Ingredients:
1/4 kilo pork belly
1 piece cucumber
1 onion ( sliced thinly)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chili pepper ( chopped)
1 tablespoon lemon or calamansi juice

Procedure:
1.Slice the pork belly into bits then put in a pan and wait until its oil comes out then stir until golden brown and crispy, this is what the Ilocanos called "bagnet". Remove from the oil then set aside.

2. Slice the cucumber then mix all the ingredients properly.

3. Serve with a smile :-) .

Four Cheese Penne

Simple pasta recipe that I like a lot, the blending of the cheese flavors are excellent! Try it.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo Penne Pasta ( cooked according to packaging procedure)
1 cup Kraft quick melt cheese(grated)
1/2 cup   muzarella cheese ( grated)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
 1 cup cheddar Cheese ( grated)
1 1/2 cup evaporated or fresh milk
1/2 cup diced sweet ham
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. After cooking the pasta drain and place it in a pan then put the butter, muzarella cheese, quick melt cheese, cheddar cheese and milk then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, once simmering adjust the heat to low, then simmer for few minutes until all the cheese are melted and well blended.
2. Add the diced sweet ham, salt and pepper to taste then simmer until done.
3. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then serve or bake in a pre-heated oven at 180º for 15 minutes until the top is golden and crispy. Serve hot.

You can adjust all the ingredients according to your taste.

Kutsinta

Kutsinta is one of the most popular dainties (kakanin) in the Philippines and this is one of my favorite too. Very simple and easy to cook. In this photo one in orange has annato or atsuete powder the transparent one has no atsuete powder or coloring.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1 cup  sugar
1 tsp annatto powder ( atsuete)
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon lye water


Procedure:
1. Sift all the dry ingredients then combine everything and pour into molders and steam for 15-20 minutes or until done.
2. Remove from steamer then allow few minutes to cool before removing from the molders then serve with or without grated coconut.

To save time, prepare the steamer while you are preparing the kutsinta mixture, so that the water is already boiling after the preparation and you can steam right away.

If rice flour is not available you can cook kutsinta using all purpose flour only

OPTION #1
Kutsinta without lye water 

OPTION#2
 Kutsinta without lye water 2