RECIPE: Tofu Sisig

Ever wished eating sisig without the guilt? Here's a very delicious yet healthy recipe of sisig. I thought of using tofu for a much healthier alternative rather than using pork which contains more fat and cholesterol. We can't get enough of this tofu sisig that's why I cook this twice a week for my family. My sister is actually addicted to this sisig and told me she can eat this every single day. Serve this with hot steaming rice or just simply serve this as "pulutan" paired with cold beer.


SISIG TOFU
4-6 servings


Ingredients:

2 packs firm japanese tofu, cut into small cubes
1 whole onion, chopped
1 whole green bell pepper, chopped
1 whole green chillies (sili pansigang), seeded and sliced
1 pc red siling labuyo, chopped
4 Tbsp Knorr liquid seasoning
2 Tbsp Calamansi juice
3 Tbsp Real mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying

Procedures:

1. Deep fry the tofu cubes until light brown. Set aside.
2. In a pan, saute the onions, green bell pepper, green chillies until cooked. Add in the tofu and stir well.
3. Add the liquid seasoning, calamansi juice and the siling labuyo. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Just before serving, add in the mayonnaise and mix well.
5. Serve hot.

RECIPE: Baked Almond Crusted Cream Dory with Potatoes

I first served this dish at home. We haven't had time to go to the grocery yet, so I had to improvise. I had limited cooking supplies in the pantry and I made use of the available ingredients. I had almonds in the cupboard and a pack of frozen cream dory in the freezer, some potatoes and cream. I thought of creating a dish that is healthy and really delicious.

I used Nestle's Cream D' Lite for the white sauce, the healthy version of all purpose cream that made use of soy. I seared the crusted fish in oil to release the nutty aroma of the almonds and to make the fish crispy. Substituting the cooking oil with olive oil/canola oil can up the healthy factor. I then added sliced potatoes to give texture to the dish. Serve this dish on your table and it will surely be a big hit, it was at ours, it definitely will be at yours.


BAKED ALMOND CRUSTED CREAM DORY WITH POTATOES

4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 pcs Cream dory fillet
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 ½ c Almonds, chopped
• 3 c Japanese breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying
• 2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
• 2 c Flour
• 2 pcs Egg, beated
• 4 Tbsp Parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 4 pcs large potatoes, sliced thinly (with skin on)
• Mozzarella cheese (or quickmelt cheese), grated
• Cayenne Pepper
  

For the white sauce:

• 2 Tbsp Light margarine
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1 pc Chicken cube
• 1 pack All purpose cream (for a healtier version, use cream d’ lite (soy-based cream)
• Salt and pepper

Procedures:

For the fish:

1. Marinate the fish with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine the almonds, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Dredge the fish with flour, dip in beaten eggs and the almond-breadcrumbs mixture. Sear the fish with little oil for 30 seconds per side. Just to form a crust. Set aside.

For the white sauce:

1. In a saucepan, melt the margarine. Add the flour and the chicken cubes and stir using a wire whisk to avoid any lumps.
2. Mix in the cream and let it thicken. Do not let it boil. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:

1. In a baking dish, spread a little white sauce at the bottom to avoid the potatoes to stick. Arrange the sliced potatoes. Add half of the white sauce.
2. Place the fish on top of the potatoes. Spread the remaining white sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parsley.
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven, 400 ° F for 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper upon serving.

RECIPE: Seafood Paella

Paella, is a dish that originated from Spain specifically the Valencian region. Paella has 3 known varieties; Paella Valenciana, Paella Marisco (seafood paella), and Paella Mixta (mixed paella). The recipe I am sharing with you is a Paella Marisco with a Filipino twist. As you might notice I replaced saffron with annatto powder more commonly known as 'achuete'. Saffron is a spice that is derived from a flower, is used as a seasoning and as a coloring agent which gives of a golden-yellow hue. Saffron is pretty hard to find and very expensive, 'achuete' on the other hand is relatively cheaper and readily available. Without further adieu, here is the recipe.
Buen Apetito!

Seafood Paella
4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp oil
• 1 cup Spanish sausage (chorizo bilbao), diagonally cut
• 2 medium size bell pepper (1 red and 1 green ), cubed
• ½ cup green peas
• ¼ kg squid cleaned w/o head, slice into rings
• ¼ kg clams cleaned (soak the clams with salt to remove the sand inside the clams)
• ¼ kg shrimps deveined and clean with head intact and skin
• ¼ kg mussels, cleaned
• 2 cups Jasmine rice (or you can use Japanese rice)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 whole onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp annatto powder
• 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

1 pc. Boiled egg, cut into circles or wedges
Lemon wedge

Procedures:

1. In a paellera or cast iron pan, heat oil with the annatto powder. Saute the garlic, onion, chorizo , green peas and the bell pepper. Add in the tomato sauce and soysauce.
2. Let it simmer for a minute then add the rice. Let the rice coat evenly with the tomato sauce mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add in the squid, mussels, clams and shrimp. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue cooking in a pre-heated oven, 350°F for 30-45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
4. Garnish with egg slices and lemon wedges.

You can also add other seafoods like fish fillet or crabs.
You can also add chicken and pork for Paella Valenciana/Mixta.

REVIEW: Gone Greek!

The Greek gods have descended and decided to give Greek food for the masses. Go Greek! is a Greek/Mediterranean food stall located at the Glorietta 4 Food Choices near Savory at the far/back side of Food Choices, the first and only branch in the Philippines. With the emergence of Greek Restaurants in the Philippines (Mano's Greek Taverna, Cyma) Go Greek! is one of the more affordable of the lot, being a food stall and all. But that doesn't mean that food doesn't taste good.

Go Greek! offers the usual food you can find in the Greek restaurant menu. Kebabs, the slow roasted meat on a stick with tomatoes and onions; Gyros, the Greek version of the shawarma, by the way is is read as gee-rows, if you thought it was guy-rows then you are not alone. What is a Greek menu without lamb, Go Greek! also offers lamb and you can have it in many ways (Gyros, kebabs or chops).

If it is your first time eating here, ordering is a breeze, you can try out the Greek Kebabs or the Platters on the Menu. You can have the Greek Kebabs in chicken, lamb, seafood, pork, steak or vegetarian, it comes with 2 pieces of pita cut up into 4 a piece and a salad, 2 salad dressings are available the Greek and Caesar dressing the Greek salad dressing is definitely a must try! The real kicker is they add feta cheese to your salad at no extra cost. Feta cheese or more commonly known as goat's cheese is one of the more expensive of the cheese varieties and is most definitely delicious with the salad. The Platters is also a good way to start. Comes in Kebab Platters, Gyro Platter, a Lemon Chicken Platter is also available. The Platters come with Potatoes or Rice, instead of the Pita bread, and it still comes with the salad. Haven't tried any of the Gyros, definitely going back to try it the next time. The Lemon Chicken platter is also a must try, the tangy-ness of the lemon definitely stands out on this dish.

Hummous! I love hummous. Mashed chickpeas/garbanzos is what it is made off. Acts as a dip or spread for pita bread. I don't have a photo of it though, the time when I brought my camera they were out of hummous. Tried the Eggplant dip this one time, when they were also out of hummous, no photo of it again though, but what a surprise that was. The Eggplant dip proved to be quite delicious. Don't try to pronounce the Greek name though it starts with Met...something, didn't bother using its Greek name, just use Eggplant dip to order. Haven 't tried a lot on the menu though, desserts, pies, yogurt shakes, other kebabs. Off course we are going back to try everything out.



The verdict:

Price: Very Affordable, Greek Kebabs go for about a Php 115 to 125; The Platter around Php 150+, The dips are less than Php 100 and already come with the pita bread.

Food: If you like Greek food and are on a budget, this is the place to eat at. If you haven't tried Greek food, a perfect place to start before you go and eat at the more expensive Greek restaurants. For the price the food exceeds expectations. Talk about a healthy choice, if you constantly watch what you eat Go Greek! is perfect for you, everything is roasted and is cooked in olive oil, extra virgin olive oil. For the Platters, you can choose potato instead of rice. Who would think you can find this in a food court.

RECIPE:Barbeque Buffalo Wings with Ranch Dip

Here's another recipe that will surely be a hit when served to your family and friends. Buffalo wings are usually served at restaurants like TGI Fridays and Chilli's and are quite expensive. You can have the same delicious buffalo wings at home. The truth is my buffalo wings recipe is so easy to make and is not expensive at all. Most of the ingredients are found in your kitchen cupboards. You can serve this during parties as appetizers or as an entree. Or you can just serve this at home during weekends. Serve this with different dips like, ranch, garlic parmesan, blue cheese dip, etc. You can also assemble the chicken wings with nachos, mozzarella sticks, potato wedges, fried calamari and vegetable sticks as an appetizer platter. The buffalo sauce in my recipe is quite spicy but you can adjust it by omitting the cayenne pepper or by adding more, depending on your taste. So try this recipe now and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

* For blue cheese dip, add crumbled blue cheese on your ranch dressing.
* For garlic parmesan cheese, add parmesan cheese on your ranch dressing.


SPICY BARBEQUE BUFFALO WINGS


WINGS

Ingredients:

12 pcs Chicken wings, cut at the joint (*you should have 2 pieces)
3 Tbsp Calamansi juice
1 pack Chicken Breading
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying

Procedures:

1. In a bowl, marinade the chicken wings with calamansi juice, salt and pepper. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in the frying pan. Dredge the chicken wings with the chicken breading. Fry until golden brown. Drain in paper towels and set aside.


SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp Vinegar
1 cup BBQ sauce, bottled
2 Tbsp Sugar

Procedures:

1. In a sauce pan, melt the butter. Saute the garlic until light brown. Add in the cayenne pepper, vinegar, bbq sauce and sugar. Blend well.
2. Let it simmer. Add in the wings. Make sure to coat the sauce well with the chicken. Serve with ranch dressing.

RANCH DRESSING:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Evaporated milk
1/4 cup White vinegar
1 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
220 ml Real mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:

1. In a bowl, combine the evaporated milk and the vinegar until it curdles.
2. Add the mayonnaise and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

RECIPE:Easy Banana Cream Pie

I am going to share to you a very easy yet delicious recipe of Banana Cream Pie. The ingredients used in this recipe is readily available. You can give this as a gift for christmas or you can just make this as a dessert for your weekend gatherings. I guarantee you that this recipe is very simple and delicious. Everytime I make this pie, everybody asks for second servings. Try this recipe now!


BANANA CREAM PIE

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 pack (300 g) Crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1/2 cup Melted butter

Procedures:

1. Combine all the ingredients until well incorporated.
2. Press the graham mixture on the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
3. Refrigerate it and set aside.

FILLING

1 pack Banana Cream Pie Pudding (Jello)
1 pack All Purpose Cream, chilled
1 can (320 ml) Condensed milk
1 tsp (sachet) Unflavored gelatin (Knox or Ferna brand)
5 pcs Banana, sliced (Cavendish or Lakatan Variety) * slice the banana's just before using it to prevent it from browning. Or you can soak the banana's in water.


TOPPING

1 pack All Purpose Cream, chilled
1 Tbsp Granulated sugar
Caramel or chocolate syrup

Procedures:


1.For the filling, prepare the banana cream pie pudding according to the box directions. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the all purpose cream and sugar. Using a mixer, whip the cream, until stiff. Set aside.
3. For the gelatin, follow package directions for 1 sachet of gelatin. Set aside.
4.Combine the pudding, condensed milk and gelatin. Fold in the whipped cream and blend well. Add the banana slices on top of the crust. Pour the banana cream mixture into your pie crust. Refrigerate it for 4-5 hours or until set.
5. For the topping, combine the all purpose cream and the sugar. Whip the cream until stiff. Spread the cream on top of the pie. Drizzle with caramel or chocolate syrup.

* If desired, you can also add nuts and chocolate shavings.

RECIPE: Meringue Icing (Boiled Icing)

Decorating cakes is my passion. I will share to you a very versatile icing that is very easy to follow. I've been searching cookbooks and the internet for a perfect boiled icing recipe. But most of the recipes I got from the internet and some of the cookbooks does not work. Luckily, I was able to find a recipe that has the perfect flavor and texture.This icing can go with any cake that you desire. From chocolate cake to butter cake and from pound cake to chiffon cake. The texture of boiled icing is very manageable because of its fluffiness and lightness. This icing is not too sweet compared to other icings like buttercream, fondant and royal icing. I always use this icing recipe on most of my cakes and I will guarantee you that this recipe is very easy and kitchen tested.


Meringue Icing (Boiled Icing)

Ingredients:

7 pcs. eggwhites (about 1 cup)
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup water


Procedures:

1. Put eggwhites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer, with wire whisk attachment.
2. Place sugar and water in a small, thick saucepan. Stir.
3. Clip candy thermometer on the side of the saucepan. Cook sugar and water over medium fire. When temperature reaches 255 degrees celsius , start beating the eggwhites at high speed. Do not remove syrup in the saucepan.
4. Continue cooking syrup until the temperature reaches at 260 degrees celsius (hard ball texture). Remove from fire.
5. Pour half of the syrup on eggwhites and beat at medium speed. Incerease speed to high for 10 counts. Then lower speed to medium and pour the remaining syrup.
6. Put speed back to high and continue beating until it forms soft peaks and is of spreading consistency.
7. Frost on your desired cake.