FOODTECH204

2009-03-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

SUMMER PUNCH

A light, refreshing tea and citrus drink spiced with fragrant apples.

4 cups water
2 1/2 tbsp. instant tea
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup calamansi juice
4 cans clear soft drinks(sprite)
diced apples(optional)
ice cubes

How to Prepare:

In a large sauce pan boil water. Dissolve tea in water. Stir in sugar, orange juice, calamansi juice and soft drinks. Let cool a few minutes. Transfer to a punch bowl and add diced apples and ice cubes. Stir well then serve.

2009-03-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

SQUID BALLS WITH MUSHROOMS

I tried this simple yet tasty recipe of FOOD MAGAZINE. It can be served as a main dish with rice or as topping for pancit canton.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. cooking oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup button mushrooms, drained and halved
2 heaping cups squid balls, halved
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/3 cup chopped celery stalks
salt to taste

How to Prepare:

In a large pan, heat oil and saute onion and garlic over medium heat.
Add mushrooms and squid balls. Stir in water, oyster sauce and celery. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes; squid balls will become enlarged.
Season with salt to taste. Serve warm.

2009-03-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

MEALS FOR BOX

Attention, busy moms! I have yummy lunch box meals you can make ahead of time.

TUNA POTATO PATTIES

Ingredients:
3/4 kilo potato (boiled and peeled)
2 cans tuna in water (drained)
1/2 cup cream
1 cup flour
2 eggs beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
oil for frying

How to Prepare:

In a bowl, mash the potatoes. Add the tuna and cream. Mix until well combined.
Season with some salt and pepper. Form into patties and freeze for 10 minutes.
Dredge patties in flour, dip in beaten eggs, and then coat with breadcrumbs.
Chill for another 10 to 15 minutes before frying in hot oil.

note: you can replace the tuna with cooked chicken, ground beef, or ham.
you can prepare the patties the day before, wrapping them and keeping them in the freezer. Just fry when needed so they are freshly cooked and crisp.

2009-02-28T23:07:00.000-08:00

SUPER FOODS THAT ARE SUPER CHEAP

Easily available, these will give you more health benefits than you can imagine.

TOMATOES

This Mediterranean diet's secret weapon is a source of vitamins C and E, is rich in potassium, and contains lycopene, which has disease-fighting antioxidants. It is best to cook the tomatoes with olive oil and before other ingredients. Tomatoes protect you against heart disease and lowers your risk of strokes, so continue whipping up afritada and caldereta, as well as marinara and pomodoro pasta sauces.

GARLIC

One of the most common ingredients in Pinoy cooking, garlic is also one of the oldest foods in the world. When garlic is crushed or chopped, a chemical called allicin is released. This encourages the elimination of cholesterol from the body, which is good for us Filipinos-- we love garlic and we use it for a lot of our dishes.

ORANGES

Oranges are a source of vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid, fiber, and 60 flavonoids that strengthen capillary walls. Best eaten fresh and raw. Fresh OJ is beneficial for heart disease, high blood pressure, and fluid retention. Its peelings can lower bad cholesterol levels.

2009-02-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

Coco Cream Paella

A traditional holiday favorite with a modern twist the family will love. I try to cooked this paella when my youngest son celebrate his first birthday last January 31, we also celebrate our 5th year anniversary that day.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup atchuete oil
2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 pcs chinese sausage
100g pork,cut into cubes
100g chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 chicken broth cubes
4 cups steamed rice, i used "malagkit with regular rice"
1 can coco evap
2 pcs red bell pepper,cubed
1/4 cup green peas
2 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 kg shrimp or mussels
pepper to taste

Procedure:

Saute garlic and onion in atchuete oil until limp. Add chinese sausage and cook for 30 seconds.
Add pork and chicken and cook until meats turn white in color. Season with chicken broth cubes and pepper before stirring in rice. Mix well.
Pour coco evap and toss to coat all ingredients with sauce.
Add bell pepper and green peas. Cook while constantly stirring for another 5 minutes or until rice is dry and lumpy.
Serve with slices of boiled eggs.

Good Health

2009-02-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

Did you know that canned tomatoes are Healthier?

Canned tomatoes can be more nutritious than fresh tomatoes because they're picked red and ripe and processed in a manner that helps retain all its goodness.

Packaged, heat-processed tomato products can deliver over 6 times more lycopene, the most potent of all antioxidants, than the equivalent amount of fresh tomatoes. That's because the heat used during processing breaks down tomato cell walls allowing the lycopene to be absorbed by the body better, particularly in the digestive tract. Aside from lycopene, tomatoes are also rich in vitamin C an B-Complex and minerals such as iron and potassium.

my credible source: Health Magazine

2009-01-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

My Weekend Menu
During weekend I used to prepare foods for my family. Simple, yet nutritious and delicious.

Meatballs with Misua

Ingredients:

garlic, chopped
onion, chopped
misua
oil
meatballs
water

for meatballs:

1/4 ground pork
1 medium onion, minced
spring onion, minced
1 egg
cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients for meatballs. Mix well. Form every 1 tbsp of mixture into balls. Set aside.
Heat oil in pan on medium heat, saute garlic and onion until golden brown.
Pour water in a pan, allow to simmer. Put meatballs one by one, simmer for another 10 minutes or until meatballs cooked.
Add misua and spring onions(optional)
Remove from heat and serve while hot.

Pork Liver with Bell Pepper

Ingredients:

1/4 kg pork liver, cut into strips
1 medium bell pepper, strips
garlic, chopped
onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
soy sauce
cornstarch, mix in water with soy sauce and sugar
1/2 cup water

To Prepare:

Saute garlic and onion, add pork liver.
Add water and simmer. Put a little bit of ground pepper and soy sauce.
Add bell pepper and salt to taste, then put the cornstarch mixture, simmer until it thickens.
Serve with steam rice.

Note: You can add pork(cut into strips) if you want.

Fried Rice (from leftovers)

Ingredients:

Cooked rice
ham and bacon leftovers, chopped
garlic, chopped
salt to taste
oil
spring onion,chopped

To Prepare:

Heat oil, saute garlic together with salt(so that the taste would be even).
Put the cooked rice and mix with ham and bacon.
Top with spring onions. Serve..

2009-01-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went to grocery to buy milk for our kids. I noticed this pack of seasoning together with recipes inside. For those who did not get the copy, grab this in my site.

Chicken Tapsilog

Ingredients:

1/2 kg chicken breast fillet, sliced into very thin strips
2 tbsp maggi savor, garlic
1 sachet(8g) maggi magic sarap
2 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil

Procedure:

Marinate chicken strips in maggi savor, maggi magic sarap, garlic and sugar for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Stir fry in hot oil. Serve with siningag and fried egg.
To prepare sinangag, fry 4 cups of cooked rice with 1 sachet(8g) of magic sarap.

This is best for all health-conscious, compared to pork and beef, white meat like chicken has less cholesterol.

Tinolang Manok with Corn

Ingredients:

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 pc thumb-size ginger, sliced
1/2 cup onion, sliced
500g chicken breasts boiled and flaked
1 can corn kernel, drained liquid, reserved
1 pc sayote, cubed
2 sachet (8g) magic sarap
1 liter water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sili leaves

Procedure:

Heat cooking oil. Saute garlic, ginger and onion until limp. Stir in chicken and corn kernel.
Add sayote and cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in reserved corn kernel liquid. Season with magic sarap.
Add in water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Add sili leaves and remove from heat. Serve hot.

2009-01-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

Summer is here, hunger of thirst is uplifting!! try this, excellent source of vitamin C--helps fight common infections..

Watermelon Slush

Ingredients:

1 can fruit cocktail, chilled
400 grams watermelon pulp, seeds removed, then chilled
7 tbsp sugar
6 pc ice cubes

Procedures:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve at once.

Healthy Variety: Easy to Prepare

2009-01-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

Short Ribs Sweet Style

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef short ribs
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tbsps spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsps toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp ground balck pepper

Procedure:

Before marinating your beef short ribs, score an "x" in the meat portion, cutting almost to the bone. To prepare the marinade, combine all ingredients and mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over ribs, turning them occasionally to coat them evenly. Marinate for at least two hours before cooking.

Grill ribs over coals or broil until done as desired. Baste with the marinade, once or twice on each side while cooking.

Chicken Adobo in Coconut Cream

Ingredients:

500 gm chicken cut ups
3 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 pc. onion, chopped
1/2 cup cane vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 cup coconut cream
1 pc finger pepper

Procedure:

Heat oil in a pan. Saute garlic and onions. Add chicken pieces and cook until color changes. Add vinegar, salt and peppercorn and cook over moderate heat until sauce is reduced to half its original amount. Do not stir until mixture boils. Add coconut cream and finger pepper and let simmer for 10 minutes over low heat, until sauce slightly thickens. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Simple Recipe

2009-01-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

Polvoron

*Makes 25-30 pieces*

What you need:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter

What to do:

In a pan on medium heat, toast flour for about 15 minutes or until light brown. Transfer to a big bowl.
Add powdered milk, sugar and salt. Toss until well combined.
Add melted butter and mix well. Shape the mixture using a polvoron mold.
Place polvoron in a tray and chill until firm, then wrap polvoron individually using colored cellophane.

Choco-Pinipig

*Makes 4-5 cups*

What you need:
2 cups pinipig (pounded rice kernel)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 tbsps. butter

What to do:

In a pan on medium heat, toast 1 cup of pinipig until lightly browned and crisp. Transfer to a big bowl and set aside.
In a double boiler, melt semisweet chocolate chips and half of the butter. Mix until smooth.
Pour melted chocolate over pinipig and combine well. Drop spoonfulls of the chocolate-pinipig mixture onto a lightly greased baking sheet and cool. Repeat using white chocolate.

source: total girl magazine

2008-12-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

Ways of Keeping Food Fresh

After these holidays, summer season in our country will come, and next is the rainy days again. Be prepare by preserving foods like this.

Here are some tips as to how we can naturally keep our food fresh and preserve them for the rainy days.

Sugar-- This method is mainly used for candied fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, candied nuts, marmalades and sauces, bringing out a more concentrated flavor. Another good advantage is that bacteria does not grow in sugar.
Pickling-- It is the process of submerging your food in acid, particularly vinegar, for a long period of time. Since bacteria doesn't thrive in acid, thus gives us this benefit. Pickling can be done with vegetables such as cucumbers or green papayas, since they are kept and crunchy. Consider the 1, 2, 3 approach- combine 1 part sugar, 2 parts vinegar and 3 parts water and let simmer. Pour into your choice of vegetable and keep for a few days before consuming. My mother did this when we were young, she used "kamias". It's yummy.
Freezing-- This is by far the most common and widely used method. You can freeze almost anything. Freezing also doesn't change the taste and texture of the food, as long as it is properly handled. Freezing can be done in meats, breads and seafood. Wrap items in portions based on your requirements to prevent freeze-thawing.
Salting-- This method also goes in tandem with drying, especially for fish and other seafood. Salting has been done for centuries and the use of salt removes the moisture from the food thus reducing bacterial growth. This method however will still require refrigeration. Salting allows your food to last for a very long time.
Bottling and Canning-- There are two types of methods; Boiling water canning and pressure canning. Boiling water canning is the most basic method because you simply place the canned/bottled food product in a pan submerged in water, then allow it to boil continuously. Pressure canning, on the other hand, is the most used method but requires a pressure canner. This equipment allows you to heat food submerged in water to temperatures of 24 degrees-25 degrees to kill bacteria such as botulinum spores. The cans will be cooked under pressure, killing and reducing bacterial growth. Examples of such products are corned beef, sausages, luncheon meats, pork and beans, home made mushrooms, etc. Canned goods are best store in dry dark places that are relatively cool. This helps preserve vitamins and taste and minimizes spoilage. Avoid opening and consuming canned items that have bumps on dent on the can as this may be a result of spoilage snd bacterial growth.