Feta, Lemon & Dill Slather March 17, 2009

Feta, Lemon & Dill Slather

Ingredients:

250 g feta cheese, crumbled

3 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic clove, minced

finely grated peel of lemon

1 tbsp lemon juice

generous grinding black pepper

3 tbsp freshly chopped dill

2 tbsp snipped chives or 1 small green onion, thinly sliced

Place feta, oil, garlic, peel, juice and black pepper in a food processor. Whirl until it starts to blend togther but still has texture. Stir in dill and chives until mixed.

Serve with crackers, sliced baguette or use as a spread for sandwiches, wraps or burgers or as a filling for large cherry tomatoes or scooped out cucumber slices.

* I got this recipe from LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2009 magazine. It is Bulgarian feta is perfect for this recipe because of the moisture. It is a very refreshing dish. enJOY!

Source: http://www.lcbo.com/fooddrink/index.shtml

FINALLY-No Reservations PHILIPPINES!!!! March 2, 2009

Thank you Anthony Bourdain finally you made an episode for the Philippines and I’m exceptionally ecstatic they showed Cebu my hometown. The show hit the right notes, all the food was authentic Filipino dishes which I dearly miss a lot…the lechon, seaweed salad, kinilaw (ceviche), green mango…should I go on. Anthony Bourdain was right Cebu have the best lechon in the whole wide world. I got his blog to prove that. I just wish they are going to do another episode because there are still a lot food to be discoverd and show  the world the Filipino cuisine.

No Reservations Philippines Part 1 of  5

No Reservations Philippines Part 2 of  5

No Reservations Philippines Part 3 of  5

No Reservations Philippines Part 4 of  5

No Reservations Philippines Part 5 of  5

Source: anthony-bourdain-blog.travelchannel

youtube-user-ArcApex

Really Good Banana Bread by Gail O’Grady March 2, 2009

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. very ripe banana, mashed (4 bananas)

1 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. semi-chocolate chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine bananas, sugar, oil, buttermilk and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture gradually.  Lastly add the chocolate chunks. Pour into a greased 9×5 inch pan. Bake for 45 mins. or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

* I got this recipe from my co-worker and this is the best moist banana bread I ever had. I did not have buttermilk on hand so I substitute it with 1/2 c. 2% milk with 1/2 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon. It worked out perfectly.

Originally the recipe did not ask for chocolate chunks but my love for chocolate always prevails. Chocolate chunks works the best because when you pour it in the pan it settles in the bottom. It makes a layer and a different texture to it. enJOY!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies February 5, 2009

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. soya margarine

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. Semi-Sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven at 350 F.

Cream  softened margarine with brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gently stir in flour and baking soda. Stir in Semi-Sweet chocolate chips or chunks. Drop by heaping 1 tbsp. amounts onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time at 350F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.

Makes about 32 cookies.

*You can  substitute all purpose flour w/whole wheat flour and chocolate chip to pecans. enJOY!

Cider-Braised Ontario Pork Chops w/Apples and Garlic January 29, 2009

Cider-Braised Pork Chop w/Apples and Garlic

Ingredients:

4 Berkshire pork chops, cut 1″ thick

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

1 head garlic, broken into cloves unpeeled

1 c. hard dry cider

2 cooking apples, cored

12 fresh sage leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Pat pork chops dry and season w/salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium-high brown pork chops 2-3 mins. per side.

While the chops are browning, place the garlic cloves in a small sauce pan, pour in the cider, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 4 mins.

Cut each apple crosswise into 4 slices.

Place the apple slices in a baking dish and then place the browned chops on top. Remove the frying pan from the heat and pour in the garlic and cider, stirring to deglaze the pan. Pour this mixture over the chops; there should be just enough liquid to cover the bottom of the dish. Top the chops w/sage leaves and bake for 30-40 mins. or until the juices from the pork chops run clear.

Serve each chops w/ two apple slices, then spoon over the liquid w/3 sage leaves per chop and divide the garlic. To squeeze the garlic out of the skin just press w/fork.

*Side Dish

Butter Spinach with Garlic

2 tbsp. Soya butter

1 bunch fresh spinach

3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

Saute garlic with butter for 2 minute, then add spinach. Cook for 5 minutes or until wilted and spinach turns to dark green.

* I got this recipe from the LCBO magazine The Art of Entertaining Food & Drink Winter 2009 issue. I tried it my whole family loves it. The only thing I could not find hard dry cider.  So I checked online what to substitute, I found 1 c. apple cider and 2 tbsp. of cider vinegar.  It worked and it taste good. enJOY!

Hard Dry Cider-is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented  juice of apples mainly, though pears are also used;where the term cider almost exclusively refers to non-alcoholic apple juice (apple cider), the phrase hard cider is used to denote the fermented version.

Source: LCBO Food & Drink Magazine

Pineapple Upside Down Cake January 24, 2009

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 c.unsalted butter

3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 can pineapple sliced

1/2 c. unsalted butter

3/4 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. milk

Preheat oven 350 F. Place 1/4 c. butter in the bottom of 9 inch square baking dish. Place dish in oven until  butter is melted, about 3-4 mins. Sprinkle w/brown sugar.

Arrange pineapple on top of sugar mixture. Pack them closely.

For batter, cream 1/2 c. butter in a large bowl until light. Gradually beat granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In separate bowl, stir or sift together flour and baking powder. Add to butter mixture alternately w/milk, beginning and ending w/flour.

Spoon batter gently over the fruit.

Bake for 30 mins. Cool cake on a rack for 5 mins. Invert into serving tray. Serve warm or cold, w/ ice cream or whipped cream, optional.

*My co-worker gave this recipe to me, I thought this was hard to make but it’s so simple and easy. I substituted the butter w/soya margarine, it taste as good as the butter. You can use Granny Smith apples, peaches or plums, but you have to core and peel them before using. You can also add maraschino cherries cut in half, place 1/2 cherry on the middle of each pineapple ring. enJOY!

Mario Batali’s Linguine w/ Manila Clams, Pancetta and Hot Chiles December 26, 2008

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, minced

1/4 lbs pancetta, cut into 1/8 inch dice

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tsp. crushed red chiles

2 lbs Manila clams, scrubbed & rinsed

1 c. dry white wine

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 lb linguine

1/4 c.  Italian parsley, finely chopped

Bring 6 quarts water to boil; add 2 tbsp. salt. In a large pan, heat oil until just smoking, saute red onion, pancetta and garlic over medium heat until onion is very soft and pancetta is translucent in about 10 mins. Add hot chiles, clams, white wine and butter, bring to boil. Cook until all clams have opened, then set aside.

Boil linguine according to package instructions. Drain in a colander then toss into pan with the clams and stir gently to mix. This should still be a little broth like.

Add chopped parsley.

* I got this recipe from  Serious Eats Food Blog I love clams but you can also substitute it with mussels.

One way to check if the clams/mussels is fresh is if it’s partially open and you try to close it, if it does then it’s fresh if not just disregard it. enJOY!

Source: Serious Eats

Cassava Cake December 4, 2008

1 package frozen grated cassava

4 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

1 can condensed milk (sweetened milk)

1 jar of macapuno strings

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven 350 F. Deforst the frozen grated cassava, set aside. Beat eggs, then mix evaporated milk, 1/2 a can of the condensed milk, macapuno strings, vanilla and grated cassava. Mix well. Pour in a 9 inch pan. Cook for 1 hour, 10 minutes before its done pour 1/2 condensed milk over as a topping. It will caramelized with dark brown color then it is done.

* This a typical Filipino dessert and of course it’s my all time favorite. Cassava is a root crop found in tropical countries. It is a very good source of carbohydrate. All these ingredients you can buy in any  Filipino store or  Chinese supermarket. enJOY!

My Updates December 4, 2008

It’s been a long time I haven’t updated my blog. There are a few reasons why:

1. I got a new job
2. I got pregnant
3. I had a baby last September 15, 2008.

Now I’m on my maternity leave taking care of my sweet baby boy, I’ll try to juggle my time and I really want to continue my weblog. I still have lots of wonderful recipes to share….hoping you’ll enJOY with JOY!

Tuna Macaroni Salad March 6, 2008

Ingredients:

1 can Tuna in water, drained

3 cups elbow macaroni

2 cups Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayonnaise

1 cup carrots, minced

1 cup green pepper, minced

1 cup pineapple tidbits

1 cup Monterrey cheese, cubed

1/2 cup onion, minced

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook the macaroni as directed in the package. Let it cool and set aside. Mix all ingredients then chill.

*You can add more mayonnaise if desired and add salt if you want it to be a little bit salty. You can also substitute tuna w/chicken. enJOY!