Yuletide Breakfast In a Package

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shells
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/3 cup chopped green pepper


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cooked crumbled sausage in a large mixing bowl. Fold in both cheeses.  Place one pie shell in a pie plate.  Place half the sausage mixture in the pie shell. Place the other pie shell in a pie plate.  Pour rest of the sausage mixture in the shell.   Whisk eggs, milk, onion and both peppers in a separate bowl, making sure eggs are blended in well.  Pour half the egg mixture over the first pie shell and mixture.  Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the other pie shell.  Bake one hour or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

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Creamy Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes

This mashed potato recipe certainly isn’t low fat, but definitely delicious. In our house it’s reserved for holidays only :)

Serves 6, double or triple quantities as necessary.
Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks.
¼ cup cream
¼ cup real butter
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
3 peeled cloves of garlic (optional)
Chopped fresh chives of parsley (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water, add a little salt and peeled whole garlic cloves if using.  Bring to a boil and cook over medium or high heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, discard garlic and return to pan.

Add the milk and beat potatoes with electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add a little of each of the ingredients and keep mixing.  Depending on your preference you may want to add a little extra or less sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Finally add the chopped chives or parsley if using and stir well.  Serve immediately.

Note:  For roasted garlic potatoes use the same recipe as above but do not add garlic cloves to potatoes while boiling.  Instead crush the garlic cloves and sauté for about 1 minute over very low heat in a little olive oil.  Add mixture to potatoes once cooked and mix with all other ingredients.

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Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

This recipe only takes a couple minutes to put together and costs less than buying pre-packaged taco seasoning. It also has less salt and no artificial additives or preservatives.

Ingredients:
       
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons garlic powder
.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container and shake well to combine. Use 2 - 3 tablespoons per pound of ground beef (use more or less according to individual taste preferences).

This recipe can also be made in larger batches. Store unused amounts in an air tight container for up to 6 months.

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The Four Natural Enemies of Olive Oil

A high-quality extra virgin olive oil is a must-have staple in many kitchens, partly because its delicious flavor and versatile nature allow it to be used in countless ways. For starters, extra virgin olive oil is perfect in homemade salad dressings, on roasted vegetables and as a key ingredient in a wide range of recipes.

In addition to tasting great, olive oil is also good for you. Naturally low in saturated fat, it is a healthy alternative to butter, margarine and many other oils. Versatility, great taste and a healthy profile make it easy to see why many cooks and chefs always have a bottle close at hand.

What many people do not realize about olive oil, however, is that it is actually a perishable fruit juice with some finicky preferences. This mean proper care and precautions must be taken in order to keep your olive tasting and smelling the way it should.

The Four Natural Enemies of Olive Oil

1. Time. Because it is a perishable fruit juice, olive does not have an unlimited shelf life. Try to choose bottles with a clearly marked “harvest date” and make sure that date occurred within the last 18 months to 2 years. It is also recommended that you only buy as much olive oil as you can use within 15 – 30 days of opening.

2. Temperature. Heat will cause olive oil to degrade quickly. Therefore, do not store your olive oil near your oven or cooktop because the higher ambient heat in those areas will cause it to break down faster.

3. Oxygen. Like a fine wine, exposure to oxygen for any length of time will cause your olive oil to turn rancid. To prevent this, store your olive oil in an airtight container with the lid securely fasten whenever it is not in use.

4. Light. Exposure to light will also cause olive oil to degrade more quickly. Avoid storing your olive in clear bottles or out on your counter tops. Dark green bottles are the best for blocking out sunlight, but other dark bottles will also work. Storing bottles inside a cabinet when not in use can also prolong the life of your olive oil. A cool, dark place is your best bet to prolong the life of your oil.

Avoiding the four natural enemies of olive oil will keep it fresh and full of flavor for a longer period of time. With a little bit of effort, you can preserve the delicious natural flavors of your quality olive oils.

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White Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 can green chills, drained and minced
4 cans white beans, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups rotisserie chicken meat, shredded
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Add olive oil, onion and garlic to large, unheated soup pot or dutch oven. Turn to medium heat and sauté onion and garlic until soft (about 10 - 15 minutes).

Add cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and stir well. Add green chills, chicken broth, shredded chicken, and 2.5 cans of beans. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree remaining 1.5 cans of undrained beans in blender or food processor. Add to soup to thicken. Simmer 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Serve warm with crusty french bread.

NOTE: If you are watching your sodium intake, drain and rinse beans thoroughly. Replace discarded liquid with an equal amount of water. Another option is to not add additional salt to the recipe.

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Kitchen Seasonings: A Quick World Tour

Herbs, spices and other seasonings are a natural and healthy way to add a lot of flavor to your recipes without adding a lot of extra calories. With a little practice, you can create an endless variety of delicious recipes, such as Mediterranean-inspired favorites bursting with the fresh flavors of lemon, garlic and rosemary and spicy Mexican dishes featuring cilantro, cumin and chili powder.

Of course, your options won’t end there. A wide range of herbs, spices and seasonings are used throughout the world to make food taste better, and in some cases, last longer. Over time, certain flavors have come to represent the culinary identity of the areas where they originated. In large part, the seasonings you choose will define the direction of your own culinary development, as well.

With a little creativity, you can put a fresh spin on some of your favorite tried-and-true recipes by simply swapping out the herbs, spices and seasonings you use. For example, if you add fresh or dried basil or oregano to diced tomatoes, chopped onion and finely minced garlic, you have the makings of a wonderful red Italian pasta sauce. On the other hand, if you replace the basil and oregano with cilantro and lime juice, those same ingredients become the foundation for a fabulous homemade salsa recipe.

To help inspire you, the following chart shows some of the most popular culinary ingredients based on geographic region.

Most Popular Kitchen Seasonings From Around the World

Cuisine: Popular Herbs, Spices & Seasonings

Italian
basil, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, parsley

French
thyme, French tarragon, rosemary, basil, sage, mint, marjoram

Greek
dill, lemon, oregano, fennel

Spanish
saffron, smoked and regular paprika, rosemary, thyme

German
mustard, rye, caraway seeds, borage

Mexican
cilantro, chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano

Indian
curry powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric

Chinese
five-spice powder, star anise, fennel seed, cloves, cinnamon, ginger

Thai
Thai basil, cumin, turmeric, lemon grass, cinnamon

Of course, this chart is far from comprehensive, but it can serve as a good reference point for assembling your own collection of must-have herbs, spices and seasonings.

Keep in mind, some herbs, spices and seasonings, such as salt, black pepper and garlic, have an almost universal appeal that isn't limited by geographic borders. Chances are you will notice those items popping up in recipes from all over the world. As a result, you may want to keep an adequate supply of these basic ingredients in your own pantry or spice rack.

You will also see a lot of crossover among dishes from countries that border one another. For example, French, Italian, Greek and Spanish dishes often feature many of the same herbs, such as basil, rosemary, oregano and thyme. Of course, this isn't surprising when you consider how these populations interacted with and melded together over the course of history. Depending on your personal tastes and cooking habits, these ingredients may be good to keep on hand, as well.

While assembling your own collection of herbs, spices and seasonings from around the world, remember you can save money by growing your own. Fresh herbs are super easy to grow from seed or from cuttings in your own garden and many can be brought indoors for year-round enjoyment. However, if growing fresh herbs isn’t your thing, many popular fresh and dried varieties are readily available. Dried herbs can be a great alternative to fresh, but take note of expiration dates and suggested storage methods. Dried herbs, spices and seasonings can be quite expensive, so buy smaller amounts at one time if you won’t be using them often.

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Easy Basic Pizza Dough

This versatile recipe is great for pizza, pepperoni rolls or breadsticks for dipping.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups very warm water (110˚F)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Add warm water, then yeast and brown sugar to large bowl. Let sit for 10 - 12 minutes.

Add salt and oil to the bowl, then slowly mix in 2 1/2 cups of flour while stirring constantly with a fork.

Empty dough onto a well-floured surface and knead in more flour until it no longer sticks to your hands.
Shape dough into a ball and add to a clean bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover bowl with a towel and let sit for approximately one hour in a warm place.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425˚.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with your first and reshape into a ball.

After a couple minutes, roll the dough out on a clean, well-floured surface, Place rolled out dough on a pizza pan or stone and brush edges with olive oil.

Top dough with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese and crust are a nice golden brown.

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Broiled Angel Food Cake with Fresh Whipped Cream and Berries

1 angel food cake, (store bought, from a mix or homemade)
4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1 container blueberries
1 high-quality dark chocolate bar (optional)
Fresh mint sprigs (option)

Cut angel food cake into evenly sized slices. Do not cut into wedges around the center of the cake as they will not brown evenly under the broiler.

Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of angel food cake slices with melted butter. Place on a metal baking sheet and place under broiler. Toast until golden brown. (Watch carefully because this will occur quickly). Remove from oven and turn slices to toast other side. Remove from oven.

In a glass mixing bowl, mix heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract with electric mixer. Beat until soft peaks form.

To serve, top two slices of toasted angel food cake with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. Top with shaved dark chocolate and/or sprigs of fresh mint, if desired.

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How to Make Beer Can Chicken

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Yuletide Breakfast In a Package

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shells
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/3 cup chopped green pepper


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cooked crumbled sausage in a large mixing bowl. Fold in both cheeses.  Place one pie shell in a pie plate.  Place half the sausage mixture in the pie shell. Place the other pie shell in a pie plate.  Pour rest of the sausage mixture in the shell.   Whisk eggs, milk, onion and both peppers in a separate bowl, making sure eggs are blended in well.  Pour half the egg mixture over the first pie shell and mixture.  Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the other pie shell.  Bake one hour or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.   

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Kilawin na Talaba (Oyster)

Ingredients

1          cup       fresh oyster meat

½         cup       vinegar

3          cloves   garlic, crushed

4-5                   native onions (sibuyas-tagalog)

½         tsp        peppercorns (coarsely pounded)

½         tsp        salt

Procedure

Slice onions into thin rings. Add garlic, salt and pepper to vinegar. Add oysters. Let stand for 2-3 hours.

Note: If you are planning to serve it 5 hours later or more, bring to a boil over a high heat but remove immediately or the oysters meat would be reduced to pea size.

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HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PANCAKES

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Quick and Easy Recipe Dishes for Daily Cooking

Every time we wake up in the morning we start to think about what the day will bring. Among the things that you will think about is work, your job, the commute to the office, your deadlines, and what to eat for breakfast. Yup, food is one of things that come to mind. It is only natural. You need something to fire you up for the rest of the day. There are several quick and easy dishes intended for daily cooking that you should learn yourself if you want to become independent from the unhealthy breakfasts beings served in fast food joints.

Let’s begin with some easy breakfast dishes. If you have several leftover potatoes from your dinner the previous day, you can eat if for your breakfast. What you do is pan fry the potatoes after you have already chopped them into bite sized pieces. You should add onions and some pepper to taste. Allow the potatoes to fry until a little crisp on the sides. This is a good, full breakfast meal. You can side it off with a serving of side salad and being washed down by a fruit shake or smoothie.

Or create your own sandwich. You can experiment with whatever slices of ham, sausages, or even leftover chicken or turkey. You can try using English muffins as your sandwich bread to make it a little different. Add egg and cheese to your filling including some tomatoes, romaine, mayo, mustard and ketchup. If this breakfast sandwich won’t keep you going the whole day, or just until the next meal which is lunch.

Beef pitas can be quite good for a lunch meal. Get some ground beef out of your fridge. You mix it with some yogurt, mustard, and bell pepper. You stuffed your pita with this mixture and you’re done. You can pack and bring this to your office.

If you’re fed up with sandwiches and even pitas for lunch, you can always go with some ramen. You can cook it in a microwave. It is fast and quite tasty. To make it heavier, you can always add some chicken, turkey or beef leftovers in it. And to have a healthier approach, avoid using the seasonings provided in the package. Try to make your own. You can easily make something out from lemon pepper and/or chili powder. Some soy sauce or even oyster sauce might do the trick.

If you’re a little bit weight conscious, you can pack some tuna pasta or tuna salads. All you need are some greens, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, olive oil, and maybe some nuts or cranberries, and tuna. Just mix everything up, add some pepper if you like it and munch away. You can replace tuna with turkey or chicken. You have a good and fulfilling lunch right there.

You can have pasta as well. Prepare a sauce from pesto add some cheese and spicy Italian sausages and voila. Combine with some bread and you’ll survive until dinner.

If you have time before you go to work, you can already prepare some burger patties for a dinner meal. Your patties can be made from pork, turkey, or chicken mixed with breadcrumbs. Add some salt and pepper to taste and you’ll have pretty tasty burgers on your plate. Grill or broil the patties and serve with sauce, mustard or ketchup.

You see if you know some quick and easy recipes for daily cooking, you won’t go hungry. Plus you will have variety and you and your family will enjoy more of your every day meals.

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Homemade Sardines (Bangus)

Ing.
1 kg bangus(milkfish), fresh and small
(about 6 to 8 pieces)
½ c tomato sauce
½ c cooking oil*
2 c water
1 tbsp salt, iodized
2 pcs laurel leaves
1 tbsp pepper corn, black
2 pcs chilli pepper
* if intended to be stored in the chiller, substitute with corn oil or olive oil to prevent from solidifying

Instruction
1. Clean bangus. Cut into serving pieces.
2. Arrange bangus pieces in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
3. Add all other ingredients.
4. Cook for 45 minutes.

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Easy Peanut Sauce

Truly authentic peanut sauce is made from fresh peanuts, but you can still get that authentic taste without all that hard work and time. Here’s a simple recipe that can be ready within minutes.

Ingredients

•    1 cup crunchy peanut butter
•    3 tbsp brown sugar
•    2 cloves crushed garlic
•    1/2  cup water
•    2 tsp vinegar
•    2 tsp sesame oil
•    1/4 tbsp soy sauce

This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of peanut sauce. 

Preparation

Simply add all the ingredients into a bowl. Use a bowl with an airtight lid if you are going to be storing your sauce.

At first, it may look like the ingredients won’t mix together thorough, but with a little elbow grease, it will come out smooth and creamy.

Serve with satay, Vietnamese salad rolls and more. Store any unused portions in the fridge. Just stir well when you’re ready to serve it again.

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Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls

Salad rolls look fancy, but they’re really not that complicated. They use simple and mostly inexpensive ingredients and are served cold, so you can take them with you to enjoy on the road. The trick is in the rolling of the rice papers, but with some practice, it gets a whole lot easier. We’re still working on our technique, but no matter how the folding goes, the results are always delicious.

Ingredients

•    8 oz package of rice vermicelli noodles
•    ½ pound of cooked shrimp
•    1 julienned carrot
•    Iceberg lettuce
•    8 rice papers

This recipe makes 8 salad rolls.

Preparation

Cook the vermicelli according to the package directions. Then rinse with cold water and strain.

Peel and remove the tails from the shrimp. Then cut them in half lengthwise, so you have a flat bottom to each piece.

Get your julienned carrots and lettuce pieces ready.

Now fill a large skillet or dish with a few inches of water. The skillet or dish needs to be large enough to put the rice paper in as the water will soften the paper, so you can make your roll. Dip the rice paper into the water for a few seconds to soften. Don’t wait too long or the paper will be too soft and will break. After a few tries, you’ll know exactly how long you should dip the papers.

Put the wet paper onto a rolling surface (a cutting board works well) and top with vermicelli, lettuce, shrimp and carrots.

Take the sides of each wrapper and fold them inward.

Then take the bottom and fold it upward.

Then roll the wrapper closed. Serve with peanut sauce and enjoy.

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Beef with Oyster Sauce

Ingredients

1 ½      cups     beef sirloin, pounded with the back of a knife and cut into strips
1  soy sauce
1          cup       chicharo (snow peas)
2          tbsp      cooking oil
1          tbsp      garlic, crushed
1 ½      tsp        ginger, minced
1          pc        onion, sliced thinly
2          tbsp      oyster sauce
1          tsp        gin
2          tbsp      water

Procedure

1.     Marinate beef in soy sauce for about 30 minutes.
2.     Stir-fry chicharo in 1 tbsp cooking oil until golden brown.
3.     In the same pan, sauté garlic in the remaining cooking oil until golden brown.
4.     Add the ginger. Stir-fry.
5.     Add the onion and cook until transparent.
6.     Add the beef and cook until slightly brown. Add oyster sauce and gin. If the mixture seems to be sticking to the bottom of the pan, add 2 tbsp water.
7.     Add the reserved chicharo. Stir and serve hot.

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Fried Rice

Ingredients
4-5             Cups    cooked rice
¼         kl         ground pork
1          med      sized egg
1                      large onion
4          cloves garlic, minced
1          tsp        vetsin
salt to taste
3          tbsp      atchuete oil
1                      red bell pepper, chopped
2          tbsp      chopped spring onions

Procedure
Beat egg, add a little salt. Heat a lite oil in frying pan, spread beaten egg thinly and fry. Slice into thin strips. Set aside.
Sauté garlic till brown in atchuete oil. Add onion, when wilted add pork. Stir in 3 minutes. Season with salt and vetsin. Cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in rice and egg strips. Mix well. Fry for 10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with chopped spring onions.

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Basic Tempura Dipping Sauce

One of the best parts of tempura is the dipping sauce and it’s a good thing that it’s very easy to make.

Ingredients

•    1 cup water
•    ¼ cup mirin
•    ¼ cup soy sauce

This recipe makes about about 1 ½ cups dipping sauce and can be stored for later use.

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and serve with prepared tempura vegetables or seafood.

Sweet Potato Tempura

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Bamboo Shoots with Coconut Cream (Ginataang Labong)

Ingredients

2 cup strips pf bamboo shoots (labong)
1 big coconut, grated
100 grams small fresh shrimps, shelled
100 grams pork belly, cut into small cubes
 2 pcs long green peppers
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp vetsin (monosodium glutamate)
salt to taste  

Procedure

1. Soak labong in water for 1 hour. Drain. Squeeze out water. Set aside.
2. Add 1 cup lukewarm water to grated coconut, extract thick cream. Set aside.
3. Add ½ more lukewarm water to coconut; squeeze again. Put this 2^nd extraction immediately in a pan.
4. Add ginger, garlic, onion, pork, shrimps, pepper, and seasoning. Bring to a boil while stirring gently. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add thick cream, simmer until labong is done and sauce thickens.
6. Mince the green pepper if you want a hot and spicy dish.

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Kangkong Balls

Here’s another inexpensive yet nutritious and delicious recipe. I’m sure your kids are going to love this.

Ingredients:
2 bundle kangkong stems, finely chopped
2 pcs tokwa (tofu), shredded
1 pc onion, finely chopped
1 pc carrot, finely chopped
7 pcs kinchay, finely chopped
2 pcs egg
1 cup flour
½ tsp iodized salt
1 cup cooking oil

Procedure
1. Wash kangkong and drain.
2. Mix all the ingredients except the oil.
3. Take 1 tsp of the mixture and roll into a ball.
4. Fry in oil.
5. Serve with sauce or catsup.

Don’t throw the leaves. Use it in other recipes like Crispy Kangkong or for your sinigang.

Kangkong is also known as river or water spinach, swamp cabbage and water glorybind in English. Filipinos used kangkong as an alternative to spinach.

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Sweet Potato Tempura

This recipe is demonstrated with sweet potato, but you can substitute other vegetables like onion, carrot, beans, mushrooms and more. You can even do seafood like shrimp, carb and fish. Try a variety batch to see what you like best.

Ingredients

    Enough vegetable oil for deep frying
    2 sweet potatoes

Batter:

    1 egg
    1 cup flour
    ½ teaspoon baking soda
    ¾ cup ice water

This recipe makes about 6-8 servings.

Preparation

Fill your pan or deep fryer with vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 375 F.

In the meantime, peel and slice the sweet potato into ½ thick pieces.

Mix the batter ingredients in a large bowl, whisking until well combined. The batter should be fairly runny, but add more flour or water if you need to adjust the consistency.

Dip the potatoes into the batter and let the excess run off.

Carefully place the potatoes in the oil with a fork or tongs. Hold the potatoes above the bottom of the pan for a few seconds to prevent them from sticking. Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oil and allow them to drain on a paper towel. Serve with tempura dipping sauce and enjoy.

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Thai Chicken Satay with Curry

Satay is a traditional dish that consists of marinated meat on a skewer that is grilled and then served with sauce. It originated in Indonesia, but is served in a number of different countries. Here’s a delicious Thai version with curry that you can serve with peanut sauce.

This recipe includes lemon grass, which is used often in Thai cooking and gives a lemon scent and flavor to dishes. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
• 1 tablespoon curry
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 stalks lemon grass

This recipe makes about 12 large skewers.

Preparation

Cut the boneless chicken into 1 inch thick strips. Set aside.

In a large bowl with an air-tight lid, add the curry, garlic, vegetable oil, soy sauce, fish sauce and lemon grass. NOTE: To prepare remove the tough outer layers to get to the softer inside. Then cut the bulb off the bottom end. Then you can cut it into thin slices. You can use a food processor or chopper to cut it more finely to ensure the flavor gets into the chicken. 

Place the chicken in the mixture and allow it to marinate for 2 hours or overnight. 

If you are going to use wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. This will keep them from burning.

When you’re ready to start cooking, preheat your grill to medium. While the grill is preheating, carefully thread the chicken onto the skewers.

Place them on the grill, away from direct flame to prevent the marinade from burning.

Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked all the way through. Serve with peanut or another favorite sauce. 

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Vegetable Chop Suey

Chop suey is another dish that you can make into just about whatever you want. You can add meat like pork, chicken or beef. You can also mix and  match vegetables to your own unique tastes. This is quite a simple recipe, so modify it to your heart’s content.
This recipe makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup diced onion
• 4 chopped carrots
• 4 chopped stalks of celery
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower
• 1 ½ cups chopped broccoli
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup bean sprouts

Sauce:

• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:
Heat the shortening in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery.

Sauté until softened slightly. Add the cauliflower, broccoli and the 1 cup of water.

 

 Place a lid on your pan and bring to a boil. Then simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add the bean sprouts, cooking for a few minutes more.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 2/3 cup water, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar. Add it to the vegetable mix and stir until thickened. Allow to simmer for a few minutes more or until the vegetables are at your desired softness.

Serve with rice or alongside your favorite Chinese dish.

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Lumpiang Isda / Fish Lumpia

This recipe is one of my children’s favourites. This is originally done with ground pork or beef and was called ‘Lumpiang Shanghai’ but here’s a little twist…

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic, chopped
¼ c onions
1 can tuna flakes in brine, drained*
¼ c carrots, chopped
1 stalk kinchay, chopped
½ tsp salt
1 pc egg
¼ tsp pepper, black, ground
1 pc chilli pepper, chopped (optional)
12 pcs lumpia wrapper, small
1 c oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil.
2. Sauté garlic and onions.
3. Add tuna flakes.
4. In a bowl, mix sautéed tuna, carrots, kinchay, salt, egg, pepper and chilli pepper.
5. Put a tablespoon of fish filling on each wrapper. Roll and seal ends with water. ( can also use egg white for much secure seal).
6. Deep fry.
7. Put in a paper lined platter to drain off excess oil.
8. Cut off ends and cut into serving pieces.
9. Serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce or catsup.

*May replace tuna flakes with less expensive fish or any fish in season. I’ll always do this with galunggong.
For the sauce:
Sweet and Sour Sauce:

Ing:

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp banana catsup
3 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp sugar, white
½ c water
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp onions, sliced thinly
½ pc green pepper, sliced finely lengthwise

Procedure:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, except onions and green pepper.
2. When blended well, put over low fire.
3. Do not stir until sauce starts to simmer.
4. Cook until sauce turns transparent or when cornstarch thickens.
5. Add onions and green pepper.

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