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.