Puto Bumbong Brings Back Memories

Just yesterday, as we were about to go to the Sunday Mass after our review class, I grew hungry and saw the fishball stand. While Alex and I were waiting for the fish balls to fry, I spotted a cookware I used to see during the wee hours of the morning, back then when I was a kid, attending Simbang Gabi with my mom and lola. It was so nice to have something like this way before the holiday...

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PERFECT CHEESECAKE TRICK

I love any kind of cheesecake. It doesn't make much difference, to me, whether it is perfectly baked or if it has a big old crack in the middle of it ... I will enjoy it just as much. HOWEVER, there ARE those special occasions where you want your cheesecake to impress company, so here is a trick that has not failed me yet: bake your cheesecake at a super low temperature for a longer time. It will...

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Dad's, Saisaki, and Kamayan: Eat All You Can Buffet

As I have mentioned in my last Friday's post, I made a promise to Alex that if he keeps his grades up for the rest of our summer class, I would treat him to an eat-all-you-can lunch over at Dad's, Saisaki, and Kamayan in SM Megamall. Seeing how well he does in each of our evaluation exams and how compliant he is on the diet I made for him, I decided to give him the treat. I learned in ...

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PINEAPPLE CHEESECAKE

Last week, Julie over at Better than Hamburgers, posted a great recipe for pineapple cheesecake bars. Hubby loves anything pineapple, so I knew I had to try them. I'm here to tell you they were a big hit!!  The only problem with them is that they are so darn good, we ate way too many!!!Julie's recipe is baked in a sheet pan, but I opted for mini-cheesecakes which Hubby likes better.The recipe...

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When I'm Not a Chef

You know what's funny? It's simply hilarious to think how much of a socialite Filipinos can be. We have previously dominated Friendster and every single social network out there, and now we have taken over Facebook. I know, it can be pretty addicting, especially when you can get updates from everyone in your huge network of friends.I am admittedly a huge fan of Facebook. Actually, I use it...

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SWEDISH PANCAKES

Monica, over at  Lick the Bowl Good, recently posted a recipe for Swedish pancakes that caught my eye for a couple of reasons. Not only did they look tasty, but the recipe made a modest amount of batter... just the right amount for two or three hungry people (most pancake recipes feed an army).Monica's pancakes were petite little beauties, but I knew that wouldn't go over too well with Hubby,...

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Almond Oatmeal Cookies with Prunes

When you have a boyfriend who is totally nuts about oatmeal cookies, you are sometimes obliged to bake a batch of some good ol' homemade ones to give him rewards for a job well done. We have been having summer classes, and so far his evaluation grades shot up from really low to the 4th place in the top ten, of course with a little bribing and a promise of an eat all you can buffet dinner at...

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PECAN PIE MINI-MUFFINS

These little gems taste just like a Pecan Tassie. They are made out of 6 every day ingredients and are great with a morning cup of tea, or the lunch box or a long car ride (not at all messy). These are Hubby's "new" favorite snack. Store covered. 1 cup light brown sugar½ cup flour2 eggs2/3 cup soft butter½ teaspoon vanilla1 cup chopped pecansPreheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a mini muffin...

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Alokon: Birch Flowers

Having Ilocano parents means eating a lot of native dishes from Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Vigan. Oh, and a lot of vegetable dishes that have just entered the mainstream cuisine here in the metro. It has been a while before my dad cooked a dish from Alokon, more commonly known as birch tree flowers. Despite the similarity in appearance to the birch family, it is actually not a relative of...

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CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR MY BIRTHDAY

Can it be my birthday again, already? They seem to come every six months lately. I usually treat myself to a baked goody on my birthday; come to think of it, it almost always involves chocolate, big surprise!! This is my favorite chocolate frosting, it is quick, easy, deliciously smooth on the tongue and it pipes beautifully!!! ¼ cup butter (warm but not melted)½ cup baking cocoa8 ounces cream cheese...

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MOCK PECAN PIE

I know it is hard to imagine a pecan pie without pecans, right? Well, whether you have nut allergies, or you are like me and find it harder and harder to pay nearly $10 a pound for pecans, you might give this fun, quick and easy recipe a try. This recipe uses plain old rolled oats instead of pecans. Sounds strange, I know, but the oats soak in the butter and sugars and bake into a golden brown...

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Army Navy Burgers

Oh, I know I'm not supposed to be addicted to burgers from fast foods, no matter how big, juicy, and tasty they are, but I just can't help it. Army Navy's burgers really hit the spot and has become my instant favorite in the burger joints across the metro. Of course, there's Crave Burger and others, but that's a different story. :)Whenever we pass by Army Navy in Taft Avenue, I always...

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CLASSIC JELLY ROLL CAKE

This is an old classic recipe. I see variations of it online (with a whipped cream filling) however, this recipe holds true to its name JELLY roll, and was filled with jam. It is definitely a crowd pleaser. This one is made with my raspberry preserves and it is one of Picky Picky Hubbies favorites.3 eggs1 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon butter extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/3 cup of...

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Better Than Ice Cream: Fro-yo for more than a decade

I have known frozen yogurt for more than a decade already, way back before those fro-yo shops and gelato stands became popular here in the Philippines. Although I must admit that I was addiced to every single  fro-yo shop that set up in the past few years, I can never forget how, as a 6-year-old child, I came to love and crave for pistachio ice cream.I remember that it's inside...

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Southern Style Fried Chicken Wings

This style of cooking chicken was supposedly from the South American regions, and there's a lot of versions regarding the authentic way of cooking it. But from what I understand, it is a battered or floured chicken deep fried to golden perfection. Oh, and the outer coating is really crisp and it has that sounding crunch.What I love doing is that I soak the chicken pieces in salted milk for h...

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SWEET & SAVORY RICE

I'm the kind of person who likes lots of "extra stuff" in my rice; Picky-Picky Hubby is not. He likes plain white rice...period!! So, when I created this dish, I designed it for ME...rice, apples, golden raisins, toasted pecans...yum. You can imagine my shock when Hubby (with cheeks packed full) exclaimed "this is excellent!!" I almost fell off of my chair!! .2 ¼ cups chicken broth1 tablespoon butter1...

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