Cooking and Sewing With TPS: Filipiniana

Last Friday, Sharkteeth's school held the culmination activity for the Buwan ng Wika. From what I remember, it was only Linggo ng Wika before, but now, it's apparently a month-long affair that is combined with other Filipiniana activities.

Ang tagal ko nang tinatanong si S if she needs a Filipiniana costume, and wala naman daw sinasabi. Come Wednesday, "Mymy, I have bad news. We need a Filipiniana costume." Arrrggghh. "And Pinoy-themed food," she added. Arrrggghh. Arrrggghh. Kasalanan ko rin naman. Ever since she started school, lagi namang kailangan ng costume. Di ko na dapat hinintay pang i-announce. I initially thought of just buying a costume from the mall, but aside from the flimsy material and very common designs available, it's a bit expensive as well. An expense that is not only out of the budget but is also going to waste after the activity. Mag-re-rent sana ako sa Noelle West (a gown rental  boutique here in Visayas), but the remaining dresses are in black (di feel ni S ang color), green (same reason), or black and yellow (di ko feel ang color -- bubuyog ang peg?!). Idagdag pa ang Pinoy-themed food. I suggested we just purchase from Red Ribbon or Goldilocks, but S insisted I make pastillas. "But my classmates LOOOOOVVVEEED the pastillas you made last year." So I made pastillas. *Uto-uto* Hay, puro gastos. So I did what I'm good at -- improvise. I have a two-meter-long bolt of eyelet lace over sheer fabric that I was supposed to make into Roman blinds plus another cream fabric lying in my stash and turned them into this:

Not too shabby, right? I'd even dare and say that I did a good job sewing her Filipiniana dress. And I'm glad I did because nobody had a similar dress -- especially since S doesn't like having an outfit similar with others'.

Well done, me! *Hehehe, purihin na ang sarili. False humility what?!* 

Fountain Of Youth

Fair warning to vegetarians: Close the browser and visit another time. Maybe then we can be friends again. For the meantime, this post is for meatatarians.

Sorry, hindi maganda pagka-picture ko. Gutom na eh.

Ginaya ko lang kay Neri Naig yan. Madali lang lutuin. Oooopps. Wait. Madali as in easy, not quick. Mabuti nang klaruhin. Baka mamaya eh may uuwi na gutom na gutom and think na mabilis lang eto maluto. No.

Soooo...I modified Neri's recipe a bit. Instead of marinating the baby-back ribs for an hour in olive oil, salt, pepper, I prepared it in the morning and kept it in the ref for ~7 hours. I also added paprika and chili flakes. I baked it in low heat for ~2 hours then in high heat for ~15 minutes to properly crisp the skin.

It was very TENDER and JUICY and so FLAVORFUL. *Yes, kailangang all-caps.*

Isang bandehadong rice pa nga!

Easy And Filling Ham, Egg, And Cheese Bun

I'm a fan of the One-Pot Chef, and he inspired me to make these ham, egg, and cheese buns. I swear they're very easy to make.

1. You'll need some buns (something big and preferably crusty/flakey on the outside), ham slices, eggs, cheese (I used orange cheddar), pepper, and onion stalks (for garnish). I added a couple of pepperoni slices per bun (not in the picture, it was an afterthought).

Reese's Bread

With Sharkteeth home 24/7, I am constantly being badgered for food. As in kakatapos lang ng breakfast, "Mymy, do we have some spuds? Can you make me some chips?" "Mymy, what's for lunch?" "Mymy, Mymy, I'm so hungry na..." Kaya heto, ilabas ang talent sa improvisation. As always, I need something easy to cook or make. I saw this being featured online and instead of making something savory, I decided to make something sweet.

I sliced a batard, making a crisscut pattern. I then spread peanut butter between the slices and added chocolate chips. You can add as much choco chips as you want, I won't stop you. Heat in the oven at around 350°F till the chocolate chips soften. Boom panes!

Say bye-bye to the bewang!

Sorry, I haven't posted my flea market finds. Sharkteeth and I got cough and cold after we got back home and I wasn't feeling so good last week. I finished the book I was working on, and it really drained me. I spent the rest of the weekdays and the weekend resting. Hopefully, I can get on with it this week. For the meantime, feast your eyes on this delicious Reese's bread.

Easy and Fluffy Japanese Cheesecake

Oo, nasunog ko ang gilid. What can I do, I'm torch-happy.

I practically cheated when I made this cheesecake, I should rename it the almost-immoral cheesecake. You know why? Because I basically dumped all the ingredients, save one, in the rice cooker pot, mixed the batter, switched it on, and let the rice cooker do the job. Then I took the credit!

This is very easy to make. At the risk of sounding like an insufferable know-it-all, let me just clarify that this isn't like the New York cheesecake, which is dense and creamy. This one is fluffy and more cake-like, hence lighter and not quite as tummy-filling as the New York variety but just as delicious. 

 Ingredients:
1 usual box of cream cheese
40 g cake flour
40 g white sugar
200 ml milk (or cream, if you prefer it creamier)
3 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Mix everything except for the egg whites, which I beat until stiff and then folded into the cheesecake batter. (Actually, it is the batter that should be folded into the beaten egg whites. But whatever.) You don't have to separate the yolk from the white and just mix everything at once. But I did -- I'm a fancy baker that way. LOL!
2. Turn on the rice cooker. Trust the rice cooker with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Hehehe. When the light switches to "warm," do the toothpick test. If still uncooked, just turn the rice cooker back on.
3. Once cooked, remove the pot from the rice cooker and let it cool.
4. Place a plate on top of the cheesecake and flip it over.
5. To serve, you can eat it plain or with jam. I prefer to sprinkle some sugar, which I caramelize till it is golden.
 
Try not to cry when you see how beautiful, and taste how delicious, your cake turns out to be.

Love, 
TPS
Proponent of easy cooking and baking
"You lost me at the seventh ingredient."

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Why, hello there, gorgeous!

I got the recipe from Recipegirl , and I really didn't think I'd be able to pull off such a complicated-looking pancake. So it was a pleasant, and delicious, surprise when I managed to. Easily, I might add.

Alam ko naman most of us are busy. Busy with work. Present! With kids. Present! [Albeit only one.] With housework. Present! With spouse. Present! With pets. Present! Busy with life. Present na present! So hindi ko na kayo papahirapan na gagawa pa ng pancake from scratch. Bumili na lang kayo ng Maya or White King ready pancake mix. Huwag Magnolia – sobrang tamis ng kakalabasan ng pancake. Then just follow Recipegirl 's instructions and you should be off eating some glorious cinnamon roll pancakes in no time. It's very easy to do and the pancakes look gorgeous and like made by a pro.

Tips:
1. One pancake is enough for one person. Nakaka-umay pag marami.
2. Do not add any other syrup.
3. If you have diabetes and you cannot not eat this, have your medication ready, 'cause I tell you, your blood sugar will shoot up.

Everything in moderation. 

Enjoy!!!

Easy Cheesy Scallops

It's a Sunday yet I'm so busy catching up with work, kasi naman after nung Bacolod trip namin, nagka-gastroenteritis kami ni Sharkteeth and 2 days din akong out of commission, as in nanghina ako ng todo (bright side: I lost weight! hehehe!), then may client call nung Wednesday that I prepared for, so I only had Thursday and Friday left to get on with my work. I had a checkup yesterday, Saturday, and tons of home-mama responsibilities -- I tell you, ang hirap mag-freelance. So here I am, working on a Sunday, basically against the ten commandments, my work principles, mission-vision, so on and so forth. Hehehehe!


What's my point, you're asking? Well, my point is, I don't have much time left for cooking, and I want to avoid processed food like hotdogs and cold cuts, so I have to look for easy recipes that I can cook in 30 minutes or less.

Here's one easy and delicious recipe that you can cook in a pinch. 

Not yet baked

  Easy Cheesy Scallops

1/2 kg scallops (pre-cleaned; half kilogram yields about 15 medium-sized scallops)
3 tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp chili flakes
ground pepper
salt (konting-konti lang, maalat ang cheese)
1/2 cup of  grated cheese (I used cheddar)
1/2 cup panko
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Chopped green onion  stalks
 
1. Lay the scallops on a baking pan.
2. Mix the oil, chili flakes, ground pepper, and salt. Drizzle on the scallops.
3. Add grated cheese on top of the scallops.
4. Mix the panko with the Parmesan cheese and then add to the scallops.
5. Add some chopped green onion stalks.
6. Bake on a 350ºC oven. It will bubble a bit, and once the edges brown, it should be cooked in a minute or so.

Ang sarap! Kaya lang bitin. Akala ko marami na yung half kilo. I should have bought a kilogram na. Saka ang mahal naman kasi, PHP250 a kilo! Pero sulit naman sa taste department. I bought this sa Robinson's, but I bet it's cheaper sa wet market.

Naalala ko tuloy, when I go to the grocery and nagpapalinis ako ng fish or seafood, I just tell them how much I need, shop for the rest of the groceries, then come back for the cleaned fish. Eh minsan nakalimutan ko. So binalikan ko the following day. Obviously, the girl who cleaned the fish remembers me kasi nakasimangot sya when she saw me. When I asked for the fish, aba, parang galit yung tono nya sa akin, and she said, "itinapon ko na." WUUTTTT?! I understand that she might be pissed kasi di ko binalikan yung fish and I might have gotten her in hot water because of it, but why the heck would you throw a good pack of clean and fresh fish?

Waste not, want not.

Blake Lively Love

This is a relatively old video, but goodness, Blake, why are you like that? Beautiful, has a gorgeous smile, cooks (and appears to be good at it) -- I hate you already! [Summer kasi, mura ang ampalaya, hehehe]

Do watch Blake Lively bake Brie in puff pastry. Seems so delicious. And the way she generously uses alcohol in cooking? A girl after my own heart!!! Blake, let's be best friends. Please. *stalker*

Sharkteeth's First Pasta

Garlic Pasta with Hungarian Sausage

Sharkteeth doesn't like tomato-based pasta sauces, so I almost always use garlic+olive oil as base for my pasta sauce. Anyhoo, last weekend, I was inspired (read: gaya-gaya) by Leah's post and decided to cook some pasta for snacks, but I was so busy DIY-ing and asked S to mince the garlic for me (I didn't have the patience to roast the garlic anymore). She really likes peeling garlic and mincing them because, in her words, "the smell is heavenly." When she finished mincing the garlic, she asked if she can cook the garlic sauce, and since it's quite easy, I just let her. With minimum effort and instructions, she was able to cook her very first pasta sauce. It was delicious! And I'm not just saying that 'cause she's my [beloved]  daughter. Masarap talaga!

♥♥♥

Ingredients:
1 small packet of pasta (serves three)
6 tbsp olive oil (2 tbsp for the pasta and 2 tbsp for the sauce)
1 whole garlic (minced)
1 sausage (sliced)
feta cheese (the one we have at home has herbs and spices mixed in)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
chili flakes (optional)


1. Boil some water, salt, and olive oil. Add the pasta once the water is boiling. Stir. Once done, drain the hot water and "shock" it with cold water to arrest the heat. Add the feta cheese. Mix.
2. Heat the remaining olive oil (not too hot, okay?). Sauté the garlic. Add the sliced sausage. Add salt and pepper. If you like a bit of hotness, add some chili flakes. You can also add a bit of white wine -- it rounds off the flavor.
3. Add the pasta to the garlic sauce. Mix well. Add Parmesan if you like. As S says, "the cheesier, the better."

Try nyo eto. It's very easy to prepare, and the longest part is boiling the pasta.

Enjoy!

Oxymoron Diet Pasta

Bago ang lahat, easy recipe muna, emphasis on easy. Sa sobrang busy-busy-han, easy recipes lang talaga ang kaya kong gawin. Grabe, banner year yata sa trabaho ngayon. When I resigned back in 2010 in pursuit of a lighter work load to devote more time to the family, I mistakenly thought that freelancing is the answer. Apparently, it is the opposite, especially this year. I could rarely say no to a freelance job 'cause it looks to me that I'm saying no to money. And lest some people more sanctimonious than I am say that family should always come first, I am in fact doing this for the family. Ay naku, kung saan-saan na napunta ang soliloquy ko. LOL! Anyhooooo, so there, keywords: busy, easy recipes, daming files. Here is a delicious recipe that would take around 15-20 minutes.

 

    3 tbsp olive oil

    1 small onion

    5 cloves of garlic

    1 small tomato

    10 medium-sized shrimps (or 100, whatever, you can be as shrimpy as you want. Yes, shrimpy. I deem it a word now.)

    2 tbsp feta cheese 
    1 cup pasta

    2 tbsp sliced black olives

    salt, black pepper, and chili flakes, to taste

    3 large basil leaves (sweet basil, not lemon basil)

    4 cashew nuts, chopped

1. Boil pasta. Drain. Add feta cheese. Set aside.
2. Saute onions, garlic, and tomatoes in olive oil.
3. Add shrimps and black olives.
4. Add salt, black pepper, basil leaves, chili flakes, and cashew.
5. Toss the shrimp sauce with the cheese-pasta mixture.

Makes 2 servings



You can play with this recipe, using sliced cold cuts instead of shrimps. Or adding more garlic to make it the flavor base. Or slices of that leftover roast chicken no one wants to touch.

So pa'nong naging "diet pasta" eto? Simple lang: Isang small ramekin lang ang kinain ko. Hahahahaha! Sige na nga, magsasabi na ako ng totoo: kumuha ako dun sa pinabaon kong batch for TheHusband. Sarap eh. What can a starving girl do? LOL!

You know, I have lots of kwento, but alam naman nating lahat, November has been horrible. Short recap: We went to Baguio for our annual Baguio sojourn. So bitin!!! We left Manila on Friday midnight, reached Baguio on Saturday dawn, left on Sunday night. Dahil sa puyat and sunod-sunod na byahe, humina ang immunity ko, hayun, the ubo-sipon-lagnat trifecta. Saka ang lamig sa Baguio. Nangangatog ako sa loob ng sinehan. Although, possibly, hindi ako nangangatog and I was just kinikilig sa sobrang kagwapuhan ni Thor and ni Papa Loki. Hahahahaha! Kidding lang, TheHusband! Ikaw pa rin ang pinaka-pogi (ehem, malapit na Pasko).

Anyhoo, when we returned to Dumaguete, full-blown trifecta na. Adding to the aggravation is the fact that our part-time lavandera and cleaning lady couldn't launder or clean for us anymore 'cause she's taking care of her new grandkid. At syempre, si Yolanda. Far as we were from the eye of the storm, Yolanda changed my life. Nagkaroon ako ng takot sa bagyo. Saka lalo akong nabwisit sa mga politico and the so-called government leaders who unscrupulously and unethically used the tragedy to further their agenda before lifting a finger to help. Also, I had a D&C. The prep and paperwork for that D&C proved to be more difficult than the actual procedure. Hays...I'm not complaining though. Well, except for Yolanda/Haiyan. Still, I hope December will be a happier one.

Sardines a la Forbes*

I posted this picture in Facebook. I was a bit surprised that a few people commented, most of them saying na nakakatakam yung sardines. Must be the color of sauce, which contrasted well with the green sili leaves.

We had a late lunch last Saturday, and come 9 pm, just when I was contemplating on not cooking dinner anymore, TheHusband and Sharkteeth asked for one. Eto na yung pinakamabilis lutuin, and being the improvisation queen, I used whatever ingredient that I can find sa ref.

1. Chop an onion and two tomatoes. I made the bits a a little chunky. Lightly heat some olive oil. Sauté, putting the onions first and adding the tomatoes when the onion turned translucent.
2. I drained the oil from the can and added the sardines to the onion and tomatoes.
3. I added a squeeze of lemon juice, sili leaves, and freshly ground black pepper. 
4. I realized that the sliced black olives left from another recipe is nearing expiration date and I added them as well. And I'm glad I did. Napasarap pa nya lalo.

It was very simple and easy to do -- didn't take more than 10 minutes. And the olive oil and black olives gave another dimension (whoa! pretentiousness alert!) to the dish and lent a sweetish-salty flavor.


 *The name was suggested by a former officemate. I wouldn't know for sure if the altas even eat sardines.