Filipino salad US version

Sliced hardboiled eggs, blanched spinach leaves and diced tomatoes are the three primary ingredients in this simple side salad. I described it as a US version because the Filipino version we have back in Manila, makes use of our locally grown green leafy vegetables like "kangkong" (water spinach ) and "camote tops" or what we call "talbos ng kamote" in our language. These are actually the young leaf sprouts or shoots from the sweet potato plant. Both types sometimes just grow wild out there but are also commonly sold in the local markets. We also use salted duck eggs instead of hardboiled eggs. These salted eggs are an acquired taste. My husband, who's willing to try it, found them very salty for his taste. We also use locally grown tomatoes ( similar to heirloom or organic here ) and small native onions. The native onions are quite strong in flavor so a little goes a long way. We usually mix up a dip made from our local "calamansi" or Philippine lemon, a little fish sauce, sugar and pepper to taste. Both types of greens are not available in regular groceries here but may sometimes be found in Oriental stores selling fresh produce in the summertime. Substitutes work well though and in this case, the combination just works great.

sliced double yolk "itlog na maalat" or salted duck eggs

from my cousins from Canada

short ribs mechado

Mechado is another well known Filipino dish with Spanish influence. The main ingredient is supposed to be a chunk of pot roast beef which is braised for hours in a basic tomatoes, garlic and onion mixture seasoned with a little soy sauce, salt and pepper. In the Philippines, we would often ask our favorite meat vendor to prepare the beef for mechado for us. It has been traditional for mechado beef to have this strip of pork fat in the middle of the beef slab. What they would usually do is make a small incision all the way through the middle of the meat and thread a long piece of pork fat about an inch in diameter through the incision. They would refer to this process or technique as "micha" or wick as in a candle. For this mechado version, I tried using short ribs instead. Watching Paula Deen on her Food Network show where she made some kind of a braised barbecue short ribs gave me the idea to use them for the mechado. Inspirations in the kitchen come from many sources indeed. The short ribs mechado was no disappoinment, full of flavor and very tender. The only concern I had was it was swimming in fat which was no surprise because of the many layers of fat in the ribs, but the layers of fat is what makes them just melt in your mouth. I seared the short rib pieces in olive oil until browned on all sides, then I transferred and set them aside in a foil-covered tray. In the same skillet, I sauteed the minced garlic, sliced onions and cut up tomatoes for a few minutes. Then I returned the ribs to simmer for awhile before adding a little soy sauce, red wine vinegar, a little brown sugar, tomato sauce, bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Braised for hours until very tender when the meat was falling off the bone, this mechado dish may also be made in a slowcooker, something I have to try next time.

creme brulee

Another popular sweet and creamy dessert that's a delight to eat. I guess I may simply describe it as an elegant French version of the favorite Filipino "leche flan" or caramel flan. Cracking the caramelized sugar topping is the fun part of eating creme brulee. Some recipes ask for a special creme brulee sugar, but regular granulated sugar may be used. Researching more about it, I found a recipe which even suggested toasting the sugar in the oven then processing it until finer for faster and easier caramelizing. The smooth custard may be flavored with lemon, vanilla, espresso, ginger, but there's always room for some creativity when it comes to flavors. I've also had it with fresh fruit like pitted black cherries. This is a lovely dessert individually served in nice little ovenproof ramekins. The custard ingredients may vary, but consist mainly of eggs, heavy cream, sugar and flavoring. The custard filled ramekins are baked bain marie or in a pan of water. I also bake leche flans this way instead of the usual steamed method. After baking, let the creme brulees set and cool to room temperature before refrigerating. It's important for them to be well chilled and ready for the caramelized topping just before serving. Sprinkle with sugar and use a mini torch to caramelize the sugar. It must be served immediately to fully enjoy the crackly burnt topping.

famous pizza for lunch

One of the many highlights of our recent trip to Chicago was stopping for lunch at this famous Chicago pizza chain, Giordano's. I believe my cousin, who recently got married, once took me to another Giordano's branch in downtown Chicago on one of my earlier visits there. Arriving at the Midway airport, my husband and I planned to try a Greek restaurant right at the airport while waiting for my cousin to arrive on another flight, but dealing with our luggages and tight airport security prevented us from going back to the area where the restaurants are located. Fortunately, driving from the Midway airport, we saw this Giordano's so we decided to stop. It was the best decision we made that day. The wait seemed like over 30 minutes, too long for starving diners, but the deep dish and stuffed pizza was what we really wanted to try, so we just had to patiently wait for the best which was definitely worth it. Chicago has been famous for pizzas since the 1950's. Edwardo's is another popular and equally good pizza place I had the chance to try on one of my many visits. I read that Giordano's and Edwardo's opened in the 70's. Most of these noted Chicago pizzas are outstanding. The pizza crust stays crisp and not soggy at all. Prebaking the crust then layering the ingredients with the cheese on the bottom and the sauce on top makes a big difference. There's no way we will ever miss this treat the next time we come back to Chicago, it's something to look forward to.

thai fish cakes

Dining at our favorite Thai restaurant is always a treat. We've been frequenting this authentic restaurant since it opened for business more than a year ago. We used to go to an older and more established Thai place, but trying out this new one just proved which is better and we never went back to the other one.

We had a rather nice food-related experience at this restaurant. We were thinking about ordering desserts one time, and I casually asked the young lady server if they have sweet mangoes with sticky rice & coconut milk ( a traditional Thai dessert ) in their menu. Our very nice Thai lady server volunteered to make it for me from some mangoes she personally ordered from the owner. I couldn't say no to her offer, unaware that my husband wasn't so thrilled with the idea. He said the mango dessert wasn't really in the menu and he felt it wasn't right to impose. I must admit she was extra nice for going out of her way to make the dessert especially for me. I was apologetic when she came back but it was the best mango & sticky rice I've had in a long time. Of course there was the time when I went to Thailand with my cousins, but this is another story. Anyway, my husband made sure he doubled her tip ( with some extra for the cost of the mango ) for all her trouble and for her exceptional service. She recognizes us now so every time we would go back and as soon as I enter the restaurant, she would always remember to mention my favorite Thai dessert.

We tend to order a few standard appetizers like spring rolls and chicken satay but I must admit, these Thai fish cakes are something different and I never had anything like this before. Checking out one of the foodblogs in my list of favorites, Appon's Thai Food, I was so delighted to find the recipe for these particular fish cakes on her site. I used the easy & convenient frozen tilapia fillets for the fish ingredient. I made the dip or sauce like how they do it at the restaurant, using sweet chili sauce mixed with a little bit of the spicy kind ( just a personal preference ) and some additional sliced fresh tomatoes and sliced cucumbers. The tomatoes and cucumbers definitely add some texture and makes the dip more colorful and interesting. It has been awhile since we ate there, but we promised to take my cousin there when she returns. In the meantime, I can just look forward to our next Thai food treat.

simple desserts

Lately, our favorite grocery store which is also the closest to our home, has been having a promo and giving away freebies for every $25 dollars worth of purchase. Every week they feature and give away anything from potato chips, soda, crackers, etc. One recent freebie was this package of 6 mini angel food cakes. These are great for individual servings of strawberry shortcake, which was exactly what we did for dessert one night. I could have bought ready whip topping which was most convenient, instead I decided to get heavy whipping cream, definitely more work, but I think it's tastier and creamier than the ready whip kind or it may just be my imagination. Whipping the cream takes only a few minutes to do anyway, and the whipped cream stays fluffy and holds its shape until the next day in the fridge. The first dessert we did with the mini cakes were strawberry shortcakes. They were filled with some instant pudding ( I used cheesecake flavor ) before the sliced strawberries were arranged on top. Then they were topped with whipped cream. We used up only three of the mini cakes so for the leftovers, we did a peach shortcake version. For a different serving style, I dropped the mini cakes into small bowls this time, then filled them up with the same instant pudding before topping with the sliced peaches, whipped cream and fresh cherries. Both versions came out light and creamy. Nothing can beat the convenience of these store bought cakes, perfect for some quick and easy dessert ideas.

all lined up and ready to eat

grilled mustard chicken

A very flavorful dish marinated in a mustard and olive oil combination, this easy chicken recipe was a sure hit with my husband who just loves the flavor of any kind of mustard even by itself. A basic combination of olive oil, dijon & regular mustard and fresh or dried rosemary gave this chicken dish its signature taste. This was another great idea shared by my cousin from Manila. She was telling us that she got this recipe from a family friend who served this dish to them when they were visiting her in Boracay (one of the most popular beach destinations in the Philippines). Boneless chicken breast fillets were trimmed of excess fat, washed & drained. Then they were transferred to a ziploc bag with the marinade and placed in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight. We used a stovetop grill pan to cook the chicken pieces but next time I will try to grill them outdoors. The chicken pieces were grilled for about 5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of the breast fillets. The excess marinade was simmered until slightly thickened and used as a sauce for the grilled chicken. We decided to serve it with some whole wheat couscous, for a Mediterranean flair. Serve with a garnish of some fresh rosemary leaves. I will definitely add this to our list of favorite chicken dishes.

tomato & fresh rosemary garnish

asian lettuce wraps

the ground pork & tofu filling for the wraps

A tasty recipe idea from my cousin who's visiting from Manila. She regularly attends these cooking lessons held at the Nestle building where she gets lots of recipes, cooking tips, new product samples and ideas. Everytime she comes to the US to visit, she would share these new recipes with us. Likewise, everytime I get a chance to come back to Manila, she would take me and my sister-in-law to these Nestle cooking classes. Lately, these cooking lessons give her and my other cousin an opportunity to meet and enjoy each other's company. After the lessons, they sometimes go to a movie and have lunch together. This healthy dish uses tofu with ground pork and veggies like carrots, beansprouts, green onions and scrambled egg sliced into strips. The iceberg lettuce leaves replaced the usual springroll or tortilla wrapper for a healthier and lighter substitute. Ground pork may be substituted or mixed with ground turkey if preferred. Firm tofu were sliced into strips. Other ingredients are finely julienned carrots, chopped onions, garlic and beansprouts for some crunch. Top with the strips of scrambled egg. The lettuce leaves were then washed, dried and set aside on a serving plate. Saute the garlic and onions with the pork until fully cooked. Combine the rest of the ingredients adding the tofu and beansprouts last. Flavor the wrap filling with hoisin sauce, salt and pepper. To make your own wraps, spread a little bit of hoisin sauce on the lettuce leaves before filling. Fold the leaves over and serve. A good party idea and an easy dish or appetizer to serve, the guests can make their own wraps however they prefer them.

more wedding highlights

a wedding moment - the bride & groom offered

flowers & prayers to the Virgin Mary

romantic candlelit round tables

( above ) cute layered cookie wedding favors

made to look like the wedding cake

the elegant all white wedding cake

topped with a white floral bouquet

post-wedding brunch

A beautiful brunch spread all prepared by my aunt (with some plating assistance from family members) for Sunday brunch, the day after the wedding. From left to right: bowl of green seedless grapes & cherries, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, menudo (a Filipino dish with pork, carrots & potatoes), toasts with filling, hotdog "tulips" on sticks, cheese platter, meatloaf with bacon, homemade rolls, ham slices, a lovely fruit platter of cantaloupe and blackberries, the brunch table, close-up of tomato garnish. Some guests who were still in town, along with the groom's very nice family, all made it for the brunch. (You may click on the collage above to enlarge it).

a wedding experience

The most awaited event of the year in my mother's side of the family was my cousin's recent wedding, which turned out to be a successful family reunion as well. Cousins from Canada, her dad's family in California, an aunt from Wisconsin, a cousin from Manila, and us all flew to the Windy City to witness the event. Another uncle and his family, who all live close by, were all present as wedding participants as well. Simple but elegant is how I would describe it, made special with the combined efforts of family members who all helped to make the occasion a memorable one. My aunt ( the bride's mom ) did most of the one-of-a-kind accessories used for the wedding way ahead of time. My cousin, who came all the way from Manila, handmade some beautiful rosary bracelets as extra favors for the wedding guests. My family in Manila were particularly close to the bride and her older sister since we were neighbors when I was still there. Their family migrated to the US but we kept in touch by regularly exchanging letters, pictures and now by email. There was a particularly touching moment during the wedding when the bride & groom handed flowers to their parents as a token of their love, gratitude and respect. The reception which followed in an exclusive and cozy country club was well-organized with the presence of a live band, dancing, good company and good food. I chose fish among two other choices of beef & chicken. The fish entree was teriyaki salmon with a side of assorted veggies. The salmon was done right and flavorful. The beef, which my husband chose, was a prime rib steak. He said it was equally good. The chicken was cooked like beef wellington en croute in pastry, it looked delicious as well. We had an unforgettable wedding experience indeed.

a happy reunion

My cousin, who's visiting us from Manila, is finally here for a big & exciting event, my other cousin's wedding in Chicago ( soon to be my next topic and post ) which was held last Saturday, June 2. Among her many "pasalubongs" or gifts from Manila, is this bag of "pastillas" or milk candy. Very neatly wrapped in festive & colorful cellophane, these creamy candies are a favorite Filipino treat and a popular gift idea. Filipinos visiting from the US or other countries usually take back with them food items that are easy to pack and have a long shelf life to give to friends or relatives as "pasalubong" or gift and these pastillas are just one of the many favorites.

kabobs & a special dessert

Memorial weekend went by so fast. It was great to spend the long holiday weekend with family in my husband's hometown. Their grill was put to good use and with the family's expert griller, my sister-in-law ( she has been master of the grill since she was young ) turned out juicy hamburgers, bratwursts, chicken and beef shish kabobs and colorful mixed veggies, the entire weekend. Mom-in-law marinated these kabobs only for a few minutes and they turned out to be so flavorful. We had her special treat, a light dessert made of angel food cake, sliced bananas and vanilla ice cream with pureed apricot sauce. My cousin visiting from Manila came with us and she had the most memorable American holiday tradition of grilled picnic food. My in-laws' screened in porch was our daily venue and it was so refreshing and relaxing to have all our meals there. It was a fun weekend with good company & good food, a perfect combination.