Turon ( Banana Rolls )

I was itching for something sweet and I had some plantain
bananas and spring roll wrappers available. So I decided to make this
simple but so tasty turon!!!

Quarter long bananas, by cutting them in half, then cut them lengthwise.
Dip them in water.
Mix a cup of brown sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon together and sprinkle over top wet bananas.
Wrap in spring roll wrapping.
(Optional) Tap some water on spring roll and sprinkle sugar mixture over top. This will create less "clean" but sugary tops.
Deep fry until golden and transfer to paper towel on a plate to absorb oil.
Serve while warm:)

Palitaw

What is palitaw? Palitaw is a native Filipino snack made with galapong-a soft dough or batter (depending on the amount of water) made with rice flour and water–cooked quickly in briskly boiling water, rolled in niyog (freshly grated coconut) and served with a mixture of white sugar and toasted linga (sesame seeds). The name is derived from the Filipino word litaw, literally to surface. The name is descriptive of the way palitaw is cooked–the dough is dropped in a casseroleor pot of boiling water and when it rises to the surface after about 30 seconds, it is fully cooked.


INGREDIENTS:
5 c of sweet rice flour
2-2 1/2 c. of water
1/3 c of linga (sesame seeds)
1 c of white sugar
3 c of niyog (freshly grated coconut)

COOKING PROCEDURE:
1) Boil about 8 c. of water in a large pot or casserole.

2) Toast the linga (sesame seeds) in a small skillet, stirring often to avoid burning. Cool completely before mixing with the white sugar. Otherwise, the sugar will melt.

3) Mix the rice flour with the 2-2 1/2 c. of water until a soft dough forms. Take a teaspoonful of the dough and flatten it with your hands. Drop in the briskly boiling water. Cook a few pieces at a time. As soon as the dough rises to the surface, lift it out with a slotted spoon and roll in niyog (grated coconut). Repeat until all the dough has been cooked. Serve with the sugar and linga mixture.


TIPS:
To prolong the life of the cooked palitaw, freeze the palitaw (rolled in niyog but without sugar) in an air-tight container. Steam to refresh.

Kimchi

What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean vegetable side dish. It is also spelled gimchi and kimchee. Kimchi is known as a banchan, or side dish in Korea. It is common, in Korean cuisine, to have many banchan served alongside a meal. Main courses may be accompanied by up to a dozen such side dishes. Kimchi, however, if the most popular of the lot.
Kimchi is made by fermenting seasoned cabbage and other vegetables. In addition to being served as a side dish, kimchi is also served with rice. Furthermore, kimchi is sometimes used as an ingredient in dishes such as kimchi jjigae (a kind of stew) and kimchi bokkeumbap (kimchi fried rice).
Because it has a very pleasing flavor and is also quite healthy, kimchi has recently gained popularity around the world. Although its popularity is growing and the dish is now served in many places outside of Japan, kimchi has been a part of Asian culinary history for a very long time. In fact, there is a reference to kimchi in the oldest book of Chinese poetry known to modern man. Such references to kimchi have lead historians to believe that Asian peoples were consuming the dish as long as 3,000 years ago.
It is believed that the earliest forms of kimchi were simply salted vegetables, and that it was not until the 12th century that people began to incorporate spices and other flavors into the dish. Kimchi underwent another a dramatic change in the 17th century when chili peppers were introduced to Korea. Kimchi made it chili peppers is now the most popular form of kimchi served the world over.
Napa cabbage is generally the main ingredient in kimchi, and the dish is usually fermented in brine with garlic, scallions, and ground pepper. However, there are many variations including other vegetables and spices. Other forms of kimchi offer different kinds of flavors. As vegetables are a seasonal food, the many forms of kimchi were developed based on what was in season and on hand.
Kimchi has been so important in Korean cuisine that there is an entire museum dedicated to it. The Kimchi Field Museum is located in Seoul. Historians at the museum have documented nearly 200 distinct forms of kimchi. In fact, there are some forms of kimchi that include seafood and resemble the Latin American dish ceviche. Source: Kimchi

Making Kimchi is an exercise in generating good energy and putting into your food. We used to make Kimchi when we we're in Korea...that sweet, spicy, salty and crunchy taste haunted me every time I see Korean store here in the U.S., like for today, after we went shopping we stopped by to one Korean store by our house and grab a jar of Kimchi, yumm!
Use kimchi as a side dish with any meal, have it with rice, or put it between two slices of toast and make a sandwich. Its great for you, however you eat it. Anyways, here's the recipe from my korean friend that I just wanna share to you guys:)


"Kimchi"

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Water
2 heads Napa cabbage, cut into quarters or 2-inch wedges, depending on size of cabbage
1 bulb garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 (2-inch) piece of ginger root
1/4 cup fish sauce or Korean salted shrimp
1 Asian radish, peeled and grated
1 bunch of green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup Korean chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds

PREPARATION:
1. Dissolve 1 cup salt in 1/2 gallon water. Soak cabbage in the salt water for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Combine garlic, ginger, and fish sauce or shrimp in food processor or blender until finely minced.

3. In large bowl, combine radish, green onions, mustard greens, garlic mixture, chili powder, 1 tablespoon salt and optional sugar. Toss gently but thoroughly. (If mixing with your hands, be sure to wear rubber gloves to avoid chili burn.)

4. Remove cabbage from water and rinse thoroughly. Drain cabbage in colander, squeezing as much water from the leaves as possible. Take cabbage and stuff radish mixture between leaves, working from outside in, starting with largest leaf to smallest. Do not overstuff, but make sure radish mixture adequately fills leaves. When entire cabbage is stuffed, take one of the larger leaves and wrap tightly around the rest of the cabbage. Divide cabbage among 4 (1-quart) jars or 1-gallon jar, pressing down firmly to remove any air bubbles.

5. Let sit for 2 to 3 days in a cool place before serving. Remove kimchi from jar and slice into 1-inch-length pieces. If serving before kimchi is fermented, sprinkle with a little bit of sesame oil and sesame seeds. Refrigerate after opening.

Note:
Kimchi will be good enough to eat straight for up to about 3 weeks. After about 4 weeks, once the kimchi gets too fermented to eat by itself, use it to make hot pots, flatcakes, dumplings, or just plain fried rice.


"Mat-itkae duseyo!"- thats korean for "Enjoy your food!"

Did you know? Using kimchi juice--heat up some rice, pour in some kimchi juice, add some extra sesame oil and seeds and voila! A meal to clear out your sinuses and arteries.

Simply Pizza

Sure I could have made the crust myself, but what’s easier than open a packet dumping it in a bowl and adding water!!!Pizza Crust Mix is that easy.

You will need:
any pizza crust mix
cup of pizza sauce
1 cup of Mozzarella cheese
1 cup of your additional toppings


To make the crust, just follow the crust mix instructions and add the toppings you want. Bake it for 12-17 minutes in 450F or 'till the crust is golden brown.

Bicol Express

For a delicious and spicy meal, I like my Bicol Express to be still saucy as I mix it in with my steaming rice...hot!hot!!!



INGREDIENTS:
4 cups siling labuyo (chili pepper), sliced and seeds removed
2 can coconut milk
1-2 cups alamang
1 lb pork, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced thinly
/4 tsp salt for soaking
salt to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Soak siling labuyo in water with 1/4 tsp salt for about 30 minutes. Rinse and drain. Set aside.

2) Combine coconut milk, pork, alamang, onion, garlic and salt in a skillet.
Allow to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

3) Add siling labuyo. Cook until some of sauce has dried up.

4) Cook until the dish become oily and serve with rice.

Notes:
If you use a siling labuyo (chili pepper) in a jar and you don't need to
soak it, just rinse and dry.

Sausage Breakfast Skillets

This recipe is so easy, a frugal and healthful. My family enjoy this once a week.




You will need:
1 (1 pound) package of any Original Recipe Sausage Roll
6 eggs
2 cups Frozen Hashbrowns
1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
1 tbsp cooking oil or non-stick spray
salt and pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Beat eggs in a small bowl and set aside.

2) Peheat large, non-stick skillet with 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat; then
pour the hashbrowns and cook it for 2-3 mins and add the onion, red and green peppers.

3) Heat with occasional stirring for 7 minutes, the push the mixture to one side
of the skillet and pour beaten eggs into the other half; scrable eggs 'till cooked
for 2-3 minutes.

4) Stir the scrambled eggs and mixture together until evenly blended, seasoned to taste and remove from heat and top with cheese. Serve immediately.

Pancit Bihon

What's for today? Me and my hubby are decided to make a Pansit for dinner and here it is, yum-o!!!...





My family's favorite and it is a huge hit with all my non-Filipino friends as well. All of the meats are interchangeable and optional. This recipe can be served alone or with rice.


INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. skinless chicken breast
1 lb. lean pork
1 lb. small shrimp, shelled
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cabbage, shredded
1/2 lb green beans or pea pods
3 carrots, thinly sliced into rectangular
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cup broth, from boiling chicken
1 lb. rice sticks, soaked in water for 15 minutes or until
softened then drained
1 bun scallions, finely chopped
Lime (optional)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
) Boil chicken and pork in 1 1/2 cups water. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; slice meat into small pieces. Reserve the broth.

2) Heat oil in a large, wide saute pan. Saute onions and garlic until onion is translucent.

3) Add sliced meat, shrimp, soy sauce and stir-fry 5 minutes. Over high heat, add cabbage, green beans or pea pods, carrots, celery, salt, pepper and 1 cup of broth. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Set aside 1 cup of mixture.

4) Reduce heat to low and add rice sticks, tossing gently with wooden spoons until cooked through and mixed with meat and vegetables, about 3 minutes.

5) If the mixture seems dry, add more broth.

6) Transfer to platter, garnish with chopped scallions.

7) Squeeze lime over each serving and sprinkle with additional garnishes.

Oven-Fried Chicken

I made this for dinner tonight and the extra effort took to make this recipe was worth it. This was delicious, juicy, well done through and through, crispy, and just what fried chicken should be and it's great for a crowd or just a nice family meal.



"Oven-Fried Chicken"

INGREDIENTS:
2 chickens (3 pounds each), cut in 8 serving pieces
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil or vegetable shortening

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3) Combine the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot to a depth of 1-inch and heat to 360 degrees F on a thermometer.

4) Working in batches, carefully place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to brown in the oven). Don't crowd the pieces. Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees F before frying the next batch. When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve hot.

Sauted Green Beans with Ground Beef

This recipe is one of my hubby's favorite...a decent homemade meal that we had for dinner. Originally, in the Philippines we usually use "sitaw" or string beans instead of green beans, but you know it's kinda hard to find that kind of vegetable here in the States. So, green beans is the great subtitutes for that. Adding 2 tbsp of banana kechup with tomato sauce is my way too.




"Sauted Green Beans with Ground Beef"

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef
1-1 1/2 lbs green beans
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium chopped onion
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 can of 8 oz Tomato Sauce
1/4 c water if needed
salt and pepper to taste


COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Saute garlic and onion in hot vegetable oil as usual.
2. Add the pork and stir until slightly brown
3. Add the green beans and keep stirring until coated with oil.
4. Add the tomato sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper.
5. Add 1/4 cup water if it dries up to prevent burning
6. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until green beans are tender but still crisp
7. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Champorado

Champorado (Tagalog: tsamporado) is a sweet chocolate rice porridge in Filipino cuisine. It is traditionally made by boiling sticky/sweet rice and cocoa powder giving it a distinctly brown color. However, dry champorado mixes, which may be found in some Asian food stores, are prepared by adding just boiling water. It can be served hot or cold and with milk and sugar to taste. It is served usually at breakfast and sometimes together with dried fish locally known as tuyo.

The pudding becomes very thick and the lighter milk helps to "loosen" it. It's almost like eating "chocolate oatmeal." It can be eaten as a snack or dessert as well. Sweet rice can be found in most Asian aisles of a grocery store.

This is a favorite Filipino recipe. I remember my Nanay used to make this for us all the time growing up.

"CHAMPORADO"

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup glutinous (sweet/sticky) rice
2 1/2 to 4 cups water (it depends how thick the soup you want)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup granulated sugar
sweetened condensed milk

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Cook Rice in a medium-size saucepan with water.

2) Stir constantly.

3) When rice is ready, rice should be somewhat transparent and it'll feel thicker as you stir.

4) add cocoa and sugar except milk.

5) Serve in bowls with swirls of milk on top.

My Best Cheesecake

Now we know the history of cheesecake, let's make this simple recipe of mine.
OK, I'm not gonna lie, my husband and daughter just love this creamy and delicious cheesecake:)


What You Need


1-3/4 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 cups sugar, divided
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling or any filling you want




BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:


PREHEAT oven to 325F if using a silver 8- or 9-inch springform pan. Mix graham cracker crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Press firmly onto bottom and 2-1/2 inches up side of pan; set aside.

BEAT cream cheese and the remaining 1 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour into crust.

BAKE 45 to 50 mins. or until the center is almost set. Turn your oven off and leave the cheesecake inside the for another hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool completely. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Loosen cheesecake from rim of pan; remove rim. Top cheesecake with pie filling just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.


Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 5 hr 25 min Makes: 16 servings, one slice each



CHEESECAKE TIPS AND IDEAS


1) A springform pan (with removable side and bottom) is the most commonly used pan for making cheesecakes.

2) Avoid over-beating the batter. Over-beating incorporates additional air and tends to cause cracking on the surface of the cheesecake.

3) For even marbling and the best distribution of added ingredients, such as chocolate chips or nuts, do not over-soften or over-beat the cream cheese.

4) Avoid over-baking: Cheesecake baking times are not always exact, due to variations in ovens. The cheesecake will continue to bake after it is removed from the oven. The center of the cheesecake should be just slightly moist when it is ready to be removed.

5) Upon removal from the oven, loosen the cake from the edge of the pan by running the tip of a knife or narrow spatula between the top edge of the cake and the side of the pan. This allows the cake to pull away freely from the pan as it cools.

6) Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack away from drafts.

7) After a cheesecake has cooled completely, gently loosen the entire side of the cheesecake from the pan with the tip of a knife while slowly releasing the springform pan clamp. Carefully remove the side of the pan.

8) Baked cheesecakes freeze well. Cool them completely and wrap them securely in heavy-duty foil or plastic wrap, but do not freeze cheesecakes with garnishes or toppings.

Hot Cocoa to warm you up!!!

Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups (1 qt.) milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream(optional)


Directions:
1. Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil.


2. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired. Five 8-oz. servings.


3. Enjoy!