Delicious No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake!

Not all Filipinos have an oven at home. Unlike in other countries, oven is one of the basic necessities. So, when I told a friend of mine that I made this delicious No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake, she's very excited and asked for the recipe immediately.

And for those who have their ovens, of course you can also bake your own cheesecake. But I absolutely recommend this one. You should try it also because this recipe is very easy and hassle-free. Absolutely without too much preparations. And who doesn't love cheesecake and oreo, right? This is a perfect dessert when you want a treat, without turning on your oven. :)

10 to 15-minute preparation, throw it in the fridge to set and boom! Enjoy every Oreo filled cheesecake bite!

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup crushed graham cracker

5 tablespoon unsalted butter(melted)

2tbsp sugar

Cheesecake: 2 cups heavy cream

8oz cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon iodized salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoon vanilla powder

¾ cups Oreo Cookies, crushed

3 tbsp gelatin powder (melted in water)

Instructions:

Crust:

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar.

2. Add melted butter and blend until combined.

3. Press into pan. Set aside.

Cheesecake:

1. Beat heavy cream until medium peaks form. Set aside.

2. Add cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla powder, gelatin, lemon juice to a bowl and beat with a paddle attachment until smooth. If you do not have a stand mixer or a paddle attachment, you can also use a hand beater.

3. Add cream cheese mixture to heavy cream and beat until combined.

4. Gently put-in Oreo cookies. ( I crumbled some oreos)

5. Fill chosen pan with a slight mound at the center, as the cheesecake will become slightly sunken at the center.

6. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set or overnight for best results.

7. Remove from refrigerator and smooth top to level with edges. Serve with whipping cream and garnish with mini Oreos.

I found small round chocolates (Goya) in the market and placed it on top of the cake.

ENjoy!

Read more »

Crispy BINAGOONGAN Recipe

Crispy Binagoongan is an original Filipino dish. It is also called as Crispy Pork in Shrimp Paste. One of the ingredients called bagoong (a Phillipine condiment made of fish or shrimps and salt) makes it unique. It makes this dish very tasty, distinctive and exquisite.

My neighbor and a good friend used to have a small business here in our small village. She used to have a small Sari-Sari Store (sari-sari means "variety") and sell different kinds of viands. I can say she cooks very well and without too much effort. I was actually one of her customers and her Binagoongan was such a hit! But then one day, I tried to cook my own version and it was really DELICIOUS. So now, let me now share it with you.

By the way, I added fresh tomatoes on top of it. It neutralizes the strong taste of bagoong. It is optional. :)

Ingredients:

- 1 Kilo of pork, cubed

- 1 medium head garlic, minced

- 1 big onion, minced

- 1 cup bagoong alamang (shrimp paste) I prefer Barrio Fiesta Bagoong Alamang

- 2 tomatoes, chopped

- 4 to 5tbsp brown sugar

- 4 green chili

- 1/2 cup vinegar

- 1/2 cup water

- All-in-one seasoning granules, salt and pepper to taste

- Cooking oil

COOKING PROCEDURES:

- In a casserole, pour-in water and put-in the pork. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Boil the pork until meat is tender.

- Drain the pork (it is better to drain it very well)

- In a seperate pan, deep fry the pork until brown. Set aside.

- saute garlic, onion and tomato.

- Add the shrimp paste, simmer for 5 minutes.

- Put-in the pork, water, vinegar and sugar. Mix. Simmer for 10 minutes.

- Add chili. Simmer for 3 minutes.

- Add seasoning granules, salt and pepper to taste.

ENJOY!! :)

Read more »

The Best PINAKBET

This is a very popular vegetable dish from the northern regions of the Philippines. Pinakbet or Pakbet is one of the most popular Ilokano dishes. The word is derived from the Ilokano word pinakebbet, meaning shrunk, contracted or shriveled.

It is made up of different vegetables with a touch of pork. And the reason why it is very tasty and unique is because of the shrimp paste and the taste of ampalaya (bitter melon). No wonder my mom loves this dish a lot. This is actually one of her favorites.

Here's how it's done. :)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb pork, cut into small pieces

1 medium-sized ampalaya (bitter melon). sliced

1 large egg plant, chopped

1/4 lb squash, chopped into cubes

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 piece onion, diced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

6 pieces okra

1 bunch string beans, cut in 3 inches length

4 tbsp shrimp paste

1 cup water

3 tbsp cooking oil

2 tbsp fish sauce

green chilli

salt and pepper, all in one seasoning granules to taste

COOKING PROCEDURES:

- In a casserole or a wok, saute the garlic, onion, ginger and tomato

- Add the pork and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until color turns light brown.

- Put-in the shrimp paste and cook for 2 minutes.

- Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until pork is tender

- Add squash and cook for 7 minutes or until texture becomes soft

- Add the remaining vegetables and mix with the other ingredients.

- Simmer for 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE VEGIES.

ENJOY! :)

Read more »

Lumpiang Sariwa

Lumpia means "spring rolls" and sariwa means "fresh". This dish is made up of stripped fresh vegetables accompanied by sweet and tasty sauce with crushed peanuts. As described, obviously, it is really healthy and yummy!

My grandma is such a fan of this dish. And actually, almost each and every older woman I know here in the Philippines loves this food. I don't know exactly why, maybe because everything is soft especially the wrapper, everything is very easy to eat and like what I've said, this one's so healthy knowing that it is filled with veggies.

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

1 medium sized cabbage (about 1/4 kilo or 250g), roughly shredded

2 cups baguio beans or string beans, chopped in half diagonally

2 cups sweet potato, roughly shredded

1 1/2 cup carrots, roughly shredded

1/2 cup water

8 pcs Lettuce leaves

1/8 kilo pork, thinly sliced

2 squares tokwa (tofu), sliced in strips

1 medium sized onions, chopped

3 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)

All in one seasoning granules (Maggi Macic Sarap)



Lumpiang Sariwa Wrapper Ingredients:

1 cup Wheat flour

Cornstarch – ¾ cup

2pcs Eggs (beaten)

1cup of milk

dash of salt

oil to grease the pan



Sauce ingredients:

Brown sugar – ½ cup

Water – 2 cups

Soy sauce – 2 tbsp.

Cornstarch – 4 tbsp.

Garlic (crushed) – ¼ cup

1/2 cup Peanuts (roasted & finely crushed)

Filling Directions:

- Heat frying pan, add cooking oil, saute’ garlic and onions.

- Add the pork and fry until color turns light brown.

- Add fish sauce and saute for 2 minutes

- add half cup of water then simmer until pork is tender, add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

- Add the tofu and cook for a few minutes then carrots and string beans then mix with the other ingredients.

- Add the cabbage, add all in one seasoning granules and cook it for 5 minutes and mix.

- Set aside

Wrapper direction:

- In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and make a well in the center.

- Gradually mix in egg, milk and oil. Stir until it forms a smooth batter.

- Pour onto a heated non-stick pan, approximately ¼ cup at a time.

- With the help of a ladle, form a thin round layer of batter and let cook until solid

- Turn once the wrapper and cook the other side for few seconds.



For the sauce:

- In a small pan, pour the water and bring to a boil

- Add the brown sugar and all in one seasoning granules

- Put some salt and soy sauce then mix well

- Dilute the cornstarch in water and pour in the saucepan.

- Cook until the sauce becomes thick. Set aside.



Dressing:

- Place the wrapper in a plate (flat surface) then place a lettuce leaf in the center, letting it overflow from one side.

- Spoon the filling and place in the middle of the wrapper (over the lettuce leaf)

- Close the wrapper by folding the lower part first then roll the sides until the filling is sealed.

- Align the rolls on a serving dish and pour all over the sauce.

- Top with garlic and peanuts to taste.

- ENjoy!! :)

Read more »

Adobong Pusit (Squid)

Here's another dish cooked using the popular Filipino cooking method, adobo. Honestly, I was not a fan of squid dishes before. I remember when I was a kid, I just really didn't like it. But when my uncle cooked adobong pusit, I absolutely asked for more. It was so tasty and delicious. And for me, it is really good with steamed rice. So obviously, this is my favorite squid dish.

One day, my father-in-law asked me to cook this one. He taught me how and I'm so hapy he did. And now. I want to share this recipe with you.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg medium-sized squid (should be cleaned very well and separate the ink)

1 piece large onion, diced

2 pieces medium sized tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup vinegar

1 cup water

5 cloves crushed garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

2 pcs bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small sachet od all-in-one seasong granules

3 tbsp cooking oil

COOKING PROCEDURES:

- Heat a cooking pot then pour-in soy sauce, vinegar, and water then bring to a boil. (do not mix)

- Add the squid and wait for the liquid to re-boil. Do not mix. Simmer for 5 minutes.

- Turn off the heat then separate the squid from the liquid. Set aside.

- On a separate pot, sauté the garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

- Put-in the squid then cook for a few seconds. (do not overcook the squid)

- Pour-in the soy sauce-vinegar-water mixture. Add bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

- Add the ink, salt, ground black pepper, and sugar then stir. Simmer for 3 minutes.

_ Serve and enjoy

Read more »

Tinolang Manok (Chicken Ginger Stew)

Tinolang Manok or chicken ginger stew is another Filipino classic dish. This is light and refreshing, best served during lunch or dinner, especially during rainy days.

The first time I tried to cook this dish, I used Sayote (Chayote). In the Philippines, it is grown mostly on mountainous part of the country such as Baguio City. It is used in many kinds of soup dishes, stir-fried veggies and chopsuey. But when my father-in-law saw me having Sayote in Tinolang Manok, he told me, "You should use green papaya instead of sayote. It is more tasty, makes the dish more delicious and papaya is healthier than sayote." From the moment he told me that, I kept that piece of advice in mind and now, I always use green papaya when cooking Tinolang Manok.

My kids love this dish. And I do know a lot of moms who always cook this viand for their children. You guys should try it, it is very easy to cook and really delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces (any part of your choice)

3 tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

2 tbs ginger, peeled, cut into strips

3 green papayas, peeled, seeded and sliced

1 cup dahong sili (chili leaves) *you can also use malunggay leaves* salt and pepper to taste

1 liter of water

2 tbs patis (fish sauce)

1 small sachet of all in one seasoning granules (optional) *as usual, Magic Sarap is my choice*

2 pieces of green chilli



COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. In a stock pot, heat oil and sauté garlic, onion and ginger.

2. Add the chicken. Sauté for 5 t0 7 minutes.

3. Add fish sauce, let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. Add water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Add papaya and chilli leaves and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Add the seasoning granules, salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add green chilli and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Read more »

THE BEST PORK ADOBO RECIPE

If there's any food that reminds everyone of the Philippines, it's probably Pork Adobo. Even famous foreign celebrities that are being interviewed here, they usually say how much they love this dish. It is actually considered as the national dish because of its popularity.

I want to share this recipe to all Overseas Filipino Workers around the world. I know it's really hard to work abroad and live far away from your family. But having this dish can help you find comfort and relief especially when you are longing for home.

This is very easy to prepare, has long storage life and keeps well without refrigiration. Every Filipino family has its own version of this dish. I want you to try this one and tell me what's on your mind.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo pork (I always use pork belly in Adobo), chopped

2 tbsp garlic, minced

6 pcs dried bay leaves

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup vinegar

1 cup water

1 tbsp whole peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon sugar

all in one seasoning granules (as usual, I used Maggi Magic Sarap)

hard boiled eggs (optional)



COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. Prepare the marinade of soy sauce, vinegar, water, peppercorns and bay leaves. (do not stir)

2. In a large saucepan combine meat and marinade, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until meat is tender. (Again, DO NOT STIR OR THE VINEGAR WILL HAVE A "RAW" TASTE. MAKE SURE YOU'RE COOKING OVER VERY LOW HEAT.)

3. Remove pork from the sauce. Set aside in two different bowls.

4. Heat up oil in a saucepan. Saute garlic. Cook the pork for about 3-5 minutes.

4. Pour the marinade and hard boiled eggs.

5. Add all in one seasoning granules and sugar to taste. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!! :)

Read more »

PORK ESTOFADO RECIPE

This dish might sound Spanish but this is an original Filipino dish. It was just given a Spanish name and the word "estofado" means stewed or pot-roasted. This is actually similar to Adobo.

Pork Estofado is made up of pork stewed in soy sauce and vinegar, mixed with plantains or saging na saba (a type of banana used in many savory dishes) that adds sweetness to it and really makes the dish more appetizing. Others add carrots and potatoes. Others used to fry the plantains first but I don't prefer doing that because for me, it'll just ruin the true flavour of the banana.

So, let's get down to it and I'm sure you'll love the idea of having plantains in some of your dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo pork, cubed

3 pieces dried bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole peppercorn

4-5 plantain, sliced diagonally into 1inch

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup water

5 tablespoons minced garlic

cooking oil

all in one seasoning granules



COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. Saute garlic in a cooking pot until it turns golden brown.

2. Add the pork and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.

3. Put-in soy sauce, water, dried bay leaves, whole peppercorns and vinegar then bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes or until meat is tender. (DO NOT STIR OR THE VINEGAR WILL HAVE A "RAW" TASTE. MAKE SURE YOU'RE COOKING OVER VERY LOW HEAT.)

4. Add sugar, all in one seasoning granules and bananas then simmer for 10 more minutes.

ENJOY!!

Read more »

LECHON KAWALI (Crispy Pork Belly) RECIPE

Some of you might get confused because there's this very famous food in the Philippines, which is also the national dish, called Lechon. It is cooked in a pit that is full of flamed charcoal. Unlike this one, Lechon Kawali, is cooked by just boiling and deep frying the pork in a pan. This is also called as pan-roasted pork or crispy pork belly.


I really love this dish although it is very high in cholesterol. It is just very irresistible and once you eat it, you'll surely ask for more.


For the sauce, you can use vinegar with soy sauce, onion and garlic. Others prefer using this famous lechon sauce, called Mang Tomas.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 kilo Liempo (pork belly)

- 2 tablespoon salt 

- 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns

- 4 cloves garlic; pounded

- 1 bottle soda, Sprite or 7Up (optional)

- Cooking oil

- Water, for boiling

COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. Boil water with salt, garlic, peppercorn, and soda. Add pork and continue boiling until meat is tender. Strain pork and let it cool down for a few minutes.

2. Spread 1 tbsp of salt on the meat, make sure to distribute it evenly on all sections. You can also use All-in-one seasoning granules.

3. Deep fry in hot cooking oil until golden brown and crispy.

4. Chop the lechon kawali. Serve it with lechon sauce or vinegar with soy sauce, garlic and onion.

Read more »

CALAMARES (Fried Breaded Squid) RECIPE

There's a dish in Mediterranean cuisine called Calamari. And now, I want to share with you the Filipino version of this dish. It is called, Calamares.


There's actually no big difference at all between the two, except for the spelling of course, and the dipping sauce. Calamari is sometimes dipped in tomato based sauce while Calamares is often dipped in soy sauce with calamansi (lemon). Others prefer spiced vinegar. Sometimes, I like it more with a mayonnaise based dressing. You can use mayo, a touch of mustard and some drops of calamansi or lemon, then stir. This is really famous in the Philippines either with rice or with ice cold beer.

INGREDIENTS: 


- 1kg medium-sized squid
- 2 raw eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 5 pcs calamansi or 1pc lemon
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup oil


COOKING PROCEDURES: 


1. Clean the squid very well, remove the head, ink sacs, discard the tentacles. Slice the squid into rings that are about 1/2 inch thick.


2. Combine squid, calamansi juice, salt and ground black pepper and then mix well. Let it stand for about 15 minutes.


3. Dip squid rings in beaten egg, dredge in flour and roll over breadcrumbs.


4. Deep-fry the squid for only 2 to 3 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. It will toughen the squid.


5. Remove the fried squid rings from the wok and drain on paper towels.


6. Serve with your prefered dipping sauce. (see introduction).

Read more »

BATCHOY RECIPE

This is my own simple version of Batchoy Tagalog. This recipe is a noodle soup made with sliced pork, liver and noodles. In this recipe, I used misua. It is a very thin chinese noodles made with wheat flour. And cooking this kind of noodles usually takes just 2 minutes.


This kind of batchoy is very similar to Batchoy Tagalog. This is actually more similar to Tinola in cooking method. Batchoy Tagalog is made up of pork and pork innards like kidney, liver and heart, even pork blood. On the other hand, my version is more simple and I only used sliced pork and liver. I always use pork belly and I always omit the pork blood and some innards because my two young kids like it more without those ingredients. But don't worry, this is still a very acceptable and delicious Batchoy Tagalog.

INGREDIENTS:


- 1 kilo pork belly, sliced
- 1/4 kilo pig liver, sliced into strips
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 head of garlic, minced
- 1 medium sized ginger, sliced into strips
- 7 cups water
- 2 small packs of misua
- 1 bundle dahon ng sili (chili leaves)
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- all in one seasoning granules
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar




COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. Saute garlic, onion and ginger in a casserole.
2. Add pork, cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add liver, cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add patis, simmer for 5 minutes.
5.Add water and cover. Let it boil and Cook for 15 minutes.
6. Add chili leaves and all in one seasoning granules. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Add miswa and cook for 2 minutes. 


Serve hot and enjoy. 

Read more »

KARE KARE RECIPE

Kare Kare is a famous Filipino stew. The most common cut of beef used is tail or leg. I just love it with round beef or sirloin cut. Others use oxtail, pork leg and others prefer adding tripe to be more traditional.


This is thickened in a peanut-based sauce and best partnered with shrimp paste on the side in order to be absolutely enjoyed. We, Filipinos, call this shrimp paste as Bagoong Alamang. It is salted and fermented. And for me, Kare Kare is not Kare Kare without bagoong on the side. I can't fully enjoy this dish without it. 


There are so many Filipinos around the world and Im sure all of them know this incredible dish. Im sure everyone has a lot to say about this one because this is really something else. 


I want you to try this recipe and tell me what's on your mind.

INGREDIENTS: 


- 1/2 kilo beef (round or sirloin) cut into cubes. For a more traditional kare kare, use tripe
- 1/2 kilo oxtail, cut into 2 inch long
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- 1 cup ground peanuts
- 1/4 cup grounded toasted rice
- 1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
- 2 pieces onions, diced
- 2 heads of garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp atsuete oil
- 4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
- 2 bundles of Pechay (Bok choy) cut into 2 pieces
- 1 bundle of string beans cut to 2inch long
- 1 banana bud, sliced 1 inch thick 
- 1/2 cup oil
- 8 cups of water
- Salt and pepper to taste






COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. In a large pot, boil beef and oxtails in water for an hour or until meat is tender. 
2. Transfer the meat into a bowl, keep the stock and set aside.
3. Heat a big pan or wok, heat oil and atsuete oil, saute garlic and onion.
4. Add meat and mix.
5. Pour in the stock, add ground peanuts and peanut butter and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the toasted ground rice and let it cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Add the eggplant, string beans, pechay and banana bud. Cook for 5 minutes. Do not overcook the vegetables.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve with bagoong on the side.


Enjoy!

Read more »

CRISPY PATA RECIPE

Crispy Pata is a famous Filipino dish consisting of deep fried uncut pork leg.  The "pata" or leg is made tender by boiling in water along with some spices and will be rubbed with seasonings and deep-fried until becomes very crunchy. It is best served with a soy-vinegar dip and many Filipinos love it with lots of onions and garlic.

It is also one of the famous dishes served in many restaurants in the Philippines. And also, we love this as a compliment to alcohol drinks especially beer. Although it is very very high in cholesterol, it is honestly irresistible and tempting because of the very crispy skin, soft and chewy meat, and of course, the sauce.

The procedure seems simple, yet it includes dangerous steps, so you guys need to be very careful. We all know that deep frying a whole leg, with lots of oil is not that safe. But don't worry, you just need extra caution and I assure you, all of your efforts will be worth it. You'll be in heaven like a kid eating a cotton candy while eating this crunchy, mouthwatering and luscious dish.

INGREDIENTS: 

- 1 whole pig’s leg, about 2 kilos, cleaned and knuckles removed

- 1 can soda (Sprite or 7Up, 12 oz size)

- 7 pieces dried bay leaves

- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorn

- 6 teaspoons salt

- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

- 10 to 12 cups water

- 12 cups cooking oil

- All in one seasoning granules

COOKING PROCEDURES: 

1. Clean the pork by removing all hair by scraping the skin with a knife. Wash thoroughly.

2. Pour water in a cooking pot then let boil.

3. Put-in dried bay leaves, whole peppercorn and salt.

4. Add the whole leg then simmer until the leg becomes tender (about 45 to 60 minutes)

5. Remove the pata from the pot, hang and allow it to dry until the temperature goes down. (Others usually hang it for 24 hours. Some just thoroughly drain the pork and refrigerate for a few hours.) My technique is, I just let the temperature goes down and fry it in low heat until it becomes very crispy.

6. Before pouring in the oil, rub the leg first with all in one seasoning granules, ground pepper and salt.

7. Heat a clean large pot with cover and pour-in cooking oil.

8. Deep fry the rubbed pork leg in low heat. Continue cooking until one side becomes crispy, and then flip it to crisp the other side of the leg. Please be careful while doing this step.

FOR THE DIP SAUCE:

Mix 3/4 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 head of diced large onion. Add a pinch of sugar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Read more »

PININYAHANG MANOK (Pineapple Chicken) RECIPE

Pininyahang Manok day is "cheat day!" I don't want to exaggerate but I can eat a lot, like 3 cups of rice, if this dish is on the table. And yes, there's a Filipino expression that best describes me, "I eat like a construction worker!"


This dish is one of my favorites because of the combination of sweet pinepapple and milk. And by the way, Pininyahang Manok literally translates to Pineapple Chicken.


There are some variations of this dish. Some use evaporated milk over coconut milk and vice versa. I would say that both alternatives will yield good results though I used evaporated milk in this recipe and I always do.


You should try this one especially if you have kids like me. They'll enjoy it, no left overs and they'll surely ask for more. So, let's get down to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS: 

- 1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces

- 1 can pineapple chunks, set aside the syrup

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped

- 1/2 cup evaporated milk

- 3tbsp fish sauce

- Pechay (bok choy)

- 1pc red bell pepper, cut into cubes

- 2 medium-sized potatoes

- 1 Tbsp oil

- salt and pepper to taste

- all in one seasoning granules

COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. Marinade the chicken with the pineapple syrup for a few minutes, atleast 10 minutes.

2. Pour the chicken with the marinade in a pot, cook until the marinade evaporates and the chicken is lightly brown. (Don't fry the chicken. You're just sealing in the juices.)

3. Remove the chicken and set aside.

4. Heat up oil, saute garlic and onion. Add the chicken and cook for about a minute.

5. Add fish sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

6. Pour the evaporated milk and pineapple chunks. Cook over low heat until meat is tender.

8. Add potatoes, simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Add bell pepper, pechay, granules, pepper and salt to taste. Cover and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

Read more »

The Best PORK ADOBO SA GATA (Pork Adobo w/ Coconut Milk) RECIPE

Adobo is one of the best Filipino viands of all time and even considered as the national dish. No Filipino will be tired of eating the usual adobo, whether it is pork or chicken. But many of us want to have something different sometimes. And this time, Adobo is made richer with coconut milk.


My husband works in Saudi Arabia. Everyone knows that eating pork in that country is strictly prohibited. So when his first vacay came, I was so excited to prepare different pork dishes. He was even more excited than me! He asked and requested specific dishes and Adobo was one of those. I surprised him with this one and he totally liked it. He even shared it to his friends and made it as their "pulutan" (Filipino term used to accompany with an alcohol drink). All of his friends were thrilled and had nice reactions. 

INGREDIENTS:



1 kilo pork belly, cut into pieces
1 head garlic; pounded 
1 small onion; chopped 
4 dried bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
1/2 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup vinegar 
1 cup water 
1/2 cup coconut milk
6 hard boiled eggs (optional), peeled
All in one seasoning granules (I always use Maggi Magic sarap. It really does make a huge difference!)
2tbsp sugar


COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. Prepare the marinade of garlic, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, water and bay leaves.


2. In a large saucepan combine meat and marinade, cover and simmer over low heat until meat is tender.


3. Remove pork from the sauce. Set aside in two different bowls.


4. Heat up oil in a saucepan. Saute garlic and onion. Cook the pork chunks for about 3-5 minutes.


4. Pour the marinade and coconut milk. Put the hard boiled eggs. Add all in one seasoning granules and sugar. Cover and simmer in low heat until sauce thickens.


Serve with rice and enjoy!

Read more »

NO-BAKE CITRUS CHEESECAKE RECIPE

This is No-Bake Citrus Cheesecake. I adore this dessert a lot. It's so easy and tastes heavenly. I totally recommend this one and you guys should try this at home.


The fact that this doesn't require an oven, I can say that this is absolutely addicting because of its scrumptious taste, creaminess and light flavors.

INGREDIENTS: 

- 250g biscuit crumbs (I used Graham Crackers)

- 175g melted butter

- 500g softened cream cheese

- 400g sweetened condensed milk

- 300ml all purpose cream

- 3 tbsp gelatine powder

- 1/4 cup lemon juice

PROCEDURES: 

1. Combine biscuit crumbs and butter, press into the base of a springform pan. Refrigirate.

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth.

3. Beat in condensed milk, all purpose cream and gelatine until smooth, then add lemon juice. Beat until smoothly combined.

4. Pour mixture into prepared base and refrigirate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Feel free to decorate your cake. Here, I simply used all purpose cream and put cherries on top

Read more »

PORK NILAGA WITH CORN RECIPE

This is a very easy dish."Nilaga" means boiled. You just throw everything in the pot and let it cook until tender. I highly recommend this dish to those who are learning how to cook because it takes almost no effort at all to prepare.

My mother-in-law taught me how to cook this one. That was 5 years ago. And honestly, I didn't expect it would be that easy. I mean easy, really easy. After she taught me the procedures, I was literally shocked and said, "that's it?". She just nodded, smiled and told me that cooking is not that hard like what others usually think.

Now, I consider this dish as a very special one eventhough it's very easy to make. It is special because this is the first dish that I learned and my mom-in-law was my teacher. She's actually one of my inspirations when it comes to cooking. I know she's smiling at me down here everytime she sees me cutting those onions!

INGREDIENTS:


- 1 kilo pork belly, cut into serving pieces
- 5-6 cups water
- 1 large size onion, quartered
- 1/4 tsp. peppercorn
- salt and all in one granules to taste
- 3 potatoes, quartered
- pechay (bok choy) or cabbage leaves
- 4 saba banana, divide into two
- 3 pieces sweet corn on cobs, divide into four each piece




COOKING PROCEDURES:


1. Combine water, pork, onion and peppercorn. Let it boil for about 30 minutes or until meat is almost tender. 
2. Add sweet corn and saba, let it boil for another 10 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and boil for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables, salt and all in one granules to taste.


Serve and Enjoy!

Read more »

PORK AFRITADA RECIPE

Afritada is a simple Filipino recipe, one of those tomato based dishes. This simply means “stewed pork in tomato sauce”, usually cooked with potatoes and carrots.

This is actually a well-known dish in the Philippines, from family gatherings to just simple family dinners. My youngest child loves this one because it is really tasty and I personally love it, too. Now let’s get down to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 lbs pork belly, chopped

- 1 big potato, cut into wedges

- 1 big carrot, cut into wedges

- 3 pieces dried bay leaves

- 2 cups tomato sauce

- 1 tsp ground black pepper

- 1 cup bell pepper, diced

- 1 tsp garlic, minced

- 1 cup onion, chopped

- 2 tbsp cooking oil

- 2 tbsp fish sauce

- salt to taste

- all in one seasoning granules

Cooking Procedure:

1. Heat the cooking oil in a pan and sauté the garlic and onions

2. Add the pork and sauté until the outer parts are cooked (approximately 5 minutes)

3. Add fish sauce and let it cook for 10 minutes with low heat

4. Add the bay leaves and tomato sauce then simmer for 5 minutes

5. Add the ground black pepper then pour-in the broth and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes (or until the meat is tender)

6. Put-in the potato and carrots then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes

7. Add the bell pepper

8. Add seasoning granules and salt to taste, simmer for 3 another minutes

(I sometimes add sugar together with the salt, I like it more and it really makes a difference. 1 tbsp is fine.)

Serve hot and enjoy!

Read more »

PORK STEAK RECIPE

PORK STEAK is an alteration of Bistek Tagalog. All the ingredients are the same, as well as the procedure; the only difference is the use of pork instead of beef. Here, I used pork chop, the best part to be used in this one. Though it’s hard to find this part in some countries, unlike here in the Philippines it’s in every market (with fats and skin attached), you can use any part as long as they are sliced properly.

This is one of the easiest dishes for me because it doesn’t require too much ingredients. With just soy sauce, lemon (kalamansi) and white onion, you’ll have an exquisite pork chop dish. With this one, I added green beans at the end to have healthier dish for my kids. So, let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS:

- 5 to 6 pieces pork chops
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 pieces lime or 1 piece lemon
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 2 medium white onions, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- Pepper to taste
- All in one seasoning granules

COOKING PROCEDURE:

1. Combine pork chops, soy sauce, lime juice and seasoning granules in a large bowl or any container. Marinade for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat a pan then pour-in cooking oil.
3. Pan-fry the marinated pork chops in medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
4. Remove excess oil. Pour-in the remaining marinade and water and let boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the pork is tender. (Note: Add water as needed.)
5. Add-in the sugar and pepper then stir.
6.Put-in the onions and cook for 3 minutes more.

Turn-off heat and transfer to a serving plate. This is best served with steamed rice.
Serve and enjoy!

Read more »