Before anything else, I would like to say sorry for not being able to update much on this blog because of my daughter’s birthday party. I made a blog post about it in my main blog and hope you could visit it too: My Daughter’s Birthday Celebration. It was definitely a tiring day that it took me almost 2 days to cope up and regain my energy back, but I was glad the party was a blast, especially for my daughter. It was all worth the work.

There were lots of foods served and in line with that, I would like to share to you all some of the recipes. Although let me apologize that I was not able to take a lot of pictures during the preparation and cooking process.

Anyways, without further ado, let me share to you one of the easiest dessert that can be prepared for any occasion (or even though there’s no occasion) – Buko Salad.

Ingredients:
• Young coconut flesh
• Fruit cocktail
• Nata de Coco
• Kaong (fruit of the nipa palm tree)
• Cream
• Condensed milk
• Grated cheese (optional)
Note: Quantity would depend on how much you would make.

Procedures:
1. Mix ingredients in a bowl.
2. Chill before serving.

(Yes! It’s that easy-peasy!)

If you want to have a bonding moment with your little ones, you can make this with them while having fun in the kitchen at the same time!

Mama cooked one of my all-time favorite Filipino viand last Sunday – Tortang Talong! So even though I’m starting (again) another diet, I can’t help but got myself one.

Ingredients:
• Eggplants
• Eggs
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. Grill eggplants until skin is charred. Let it cool for few minutes then peel the skin off.
2. Beat eggs until frothy.
3. Flatten eggplants.
4. In a skillet (or frying pan), pour enough oil for frying.
5. Once oil is hot, put in an eggplant then pour beaten eggs until eggplant is covered. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Turn the eggplant to cook the other side then cook for another 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.

My share for this week’s:

Dinuguan is one of the Filipino favorites during special occasions. It comes from the Filipino word “dugo” which means blood. Yes. For all non-Filipino readers, this dish is made from meat (usually pork) and / or offal (usually intestines, stomach, ears, or snout) simmered in pork blood, with chili and vinegar. No worries, it’s actually really good, despite the thought that you are going to eat blood (think vampirism), and it goes very well with plain white rice or rice cake which we Filipinos call “puto”

Ingredients:
• 4 cups Pork blood
• 1 kilo Pork belly (cut into bite size pieces: usually around 1” x 2”)
• 250 g Pork intestines (cut into bite size pieces) – optional
• 250 g Pork liver (cut into bite size pieces) – optional
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 bulb Onion (sliced)
• 2 pcs Laurel leaves
• 1 cup Soy sauce
• Black pepper (crushed)
• 1/2 cup Vinegar
• Long green peppers

(Quantity is lessened compared to that of the one in the pictures since the amount of ingredients used in the picture is good for 10 – 20 persons)

Procedures:
1. Strain pork blood through a sieve making sure there are no lumps. Set aside.
Note: It’s best to ask if the pork blood that you are buying has already been seasoned with salt, that way you don’t need to add in salt later.
2. Sauté garlic and onion.
3. Add in pork meat, intestines, and liver. Don’t forget the laurel leaves. Season with crushed black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the meat turns a bit brown.
4. Pour in soy sauce and simmer until it boils and meat has absorbed almost all the liquid. Once cooked, transfer to a container then set aside.

5. Using the same pan, pour in the pork blood, while constantly stirring. You’ll notice that it would start to turn black, during that time, slowly add in the cooked meat (do not include the oil).
6. Add in vinegar, and simmer until it boils.
7. Serve hot.

I know this is quite a different way of cooking Dinuguan as it requires you to make “adobo” first, but I love how my mom makes it and it tastes really good!

A great afternoon snack for the kids and the kids-at-heart!

Ingredients:
• Lumpia wrapper
• Cheese cut in strips (you can go for any cheese you like)
• Cheese spread (you can opt to not put this if you don’t have one)
• Oil for frying

Procedures:
1. Put cheese strips in lumpia wrapper and put a little of cheese spread as well.
2. Seal the lumpia wrapper using water.
3. Fry until golden brown.
4. Serve with thousand island (or just mix ketchup and mayo).

This is one very, very easy afternoon treat. But you can eat this anytime you want! I was eating this as a midnight snack in front of the laptop. ;)

Enjoy!

I made this for my airsoft buds and I’m glad they liked it! It was actually my first time and I must say, it was quite a success!

I didn’t actually know how to make this and was not able to consult the almighty web before I even went to the groceries. As I arrived the chicken station, I just picked out my favorite chicken part which was thigh and good thing they had thigh fillets readily available. I got some oranges as well and a big bottle of orange juice (now it wouldn’t be “orange” chicken without oranges now would it? ;)) also got some packed chicken breadings too. Anyways, let me start the recipe:

This is my own version of orange chicken, and measurement can be adjusted according to your taste. :)

Ingredients:
• Half kilo chicken thigh fillet cut into cubes
• 2 pcs. big oranges
• 1 L of Tropicana orange juice
• Ginger sliced in strips
• 2 pcs. sliced red onion
• 4 cloves sliced garlic
• 2 pcs. eggs
• Breading
• Flour

Procedures:
1. Segment the oranges and save the juice. If you are not sure what “segmenting an orange” is, you can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQr9QQLtBU0

2. Mix the orange segments, half bottle of orange juice, ginger, onion, and garlic, and marinate the chicken. I left mine overnight.

3. After the marination, take the chicken pieces out but do not throw the marinade.

4. Heat oil (just enough to fry the chicken cubes). Beat eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, place the breading. Now your ready to fry those chicken up! :) Dip chicken pieces on to the egg then to the breading then fry until golden brown.

5. Using the same pan, pour most of the oil out until a very thin layer of oil is left (we’ll use the same pan to make the sauce, we don’t want to waste those tasty oil away. ;))

6. Pour in the marinade and add in the other half of the orange juice. Wait until it boils. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Mix a tablespoon of flour with water. Pour over the sauce and mix until thickens.

8. Lastly, mix in the fried chicken cubes and then serve with rice!

Enjoy!