Pancit Palabok

Pancit Palabok

(Shorcut version)

Pancit palabok and pancit luglug are essentially the same dish, the difference being primarily in the noodles used in the recipe. Luglug uses a thicker noodle than the traditional bihon of a pancit palabok. Both pancit dishes use a round rice noodle (often specifically labeled for pancit luglug or palabok) smothered with a thick, golden shrimp sauce or other flavored sauce, and topped with:

• Shrimp, (the size and shell-on or shell-off depending on preference)
• Crushed or ground pork rind
• Hard-boiled egg (sliced into disks or quartered lengthwise or chopped)
• Tinapa (smoked fish) flakes
• Freshly minced green onion

Pancit palabok/pancit luglog and pancit canton are communal comfort food, and can be found at nearly all Filipino potluck parties. They are best made and eaten in batches for they are easily consumed.
(source:p: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancit)

I love Pancit Bihon, Pancit Canton, and even this Pancit Palabok. I made this a couple days ago and it was delicious, I would say my next favorite pancit recipe next to pancit bihon. Exciting news!!! I found a way to make the shrimp sauce even faster and stress free. Last week, I noticed this packet sauce at Asian store and I was smiling...BOOM! I didn't know about this until last week, but I believe it was already out on the market long time ago..the good thing about this, there is directions on the back of the package that's very simple follow. So, next time when you go to the market, look for those shrimp packet sauce for pancit palabok and try it at home. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to make Pancit Palabok for whole family. In this recipe, I made my own twist by adding some ground pork and my favorite garnishes but you can totally rock this out by making your own twist. Lets have some Pancit this week! and I'm beyond excited to share this recipe with you guys! check out the recipe below and try it on your next potluck get together..wink:)
Have fun cooking!

Shrimp Sauce:
Note:
- I used the store bought shrimp sauce packet, but if you have a good sauce recipe for Pancit Palabok feel free to make it homemade.
- Taste according to your preference.
- Add your favorite garnish for Pancit Palabok.

Ingredients for making the sauce:
1 lbs. ground pork
1 package of store bought shrimp sauce
2 cups water

Directions for making the sauce:
1.) Put the ground pork on the skillet and let it brown. Add 2 cups of water bring it to boil.
2.) Add the store bought shrimp sauce or Pancit Palabok sauce. Simmer until it thicken the sauce.
3.) Set aside. Pour it over to the cooked rice noodles and add your favorite garnish.

Pancit Palabok:


Ingredients:

Bihon/ Rice noodles

Shrimp sauce

Boiled Eggs- Sliced

Chopped green onion

Directions:
1.) In large pot. Bring water to boil. Add the bihon/ rice noodles let it cook for couple minutes. Drain; set aside.

2.) Pour the sauce into the cooked and drained rice noodles. Mix well

3.) Serve with rice and top it off with variety of garnish. I like mine with boiled eggs and green onion.

( delish! lunch at work)

Iced Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Let's get ready for Autumn! Shall we? Don't you get excited to those bright orange color popping everywhere, leaves color are changing, pumpkin carvings, Halloween,Thanksgiving and the smell of pumpkin pie all over the house. I DO!!! I'm in the mood for some pumpkins right now. C'mon lets hang out in my kitchen and bake some Iced Pumpkin cookies... Before we start mixing up ingredients for this delightful snack. I'm taking you back to the history of the Pumpkins, little bits and pieces of  information I gathered from internet..wink:)

"The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin"Pumpkins, like other squash, are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 BC, were found in Mexico "(source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_cultivation)


"Pumpkins are popular at Halloween when they are carved into Jack-o'-lanterns. The practice was brought to the United States by Irish immigrants who originally carved turnips into Jack-o'-lanterns. In America, pumpkins were more plentiful and cheaper than turnips, and so came about the switch from turnips to pumpkins. "(source:http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/pumpkinhistory.htm)

I'm in-love with Pumpkin flavor, I remembered my first pumpkin pie and it was divine! This time of the year, pumpkins pretty popular and they are inexpensive... Perfect way to bake some sweet treat for the whole family to enjoy, The sweet thing about this, I got the easiest recipe to share with you! I found this recipe at Allrecipes.com , As you know Me!, I only use ingredient I have on hand, being said that, I omit few ingredients on the original source. The pumpkin cookie turn out really good to my family liking and the store bought cream cheese icing is just perfect addition. The perfect way to end our Chili dinner.. (wink)
Below is my simplified Ice Pumpkin Cookie recipe. Check this out and let me know what you think.:) C'mon lets start baking!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup flour
1 cup  can pumpkin puree
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla

 To Make Glaze: Combine 2 cups of confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoon milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside;
2.) In a medium bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla, pumpkin puree and egg, beat until creamy.
3.) Slowly add the dry ingredients onto the wet ingredients. Mix well. Put tablespoon of cookie batter onto sprayed cookie sheet, flatten slightly.
4.) Bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool and then iced the cookies.
5.) Share and Enjoy!

 

Notes
- I used the can pumpkin puree on this recipe, feel free to used homemade pumpkin puree if you have some.
-I used store bought cream cheese icing to ice the cookies but  I do have some recipe for homemade icing as well if you want to try. ( Posted below the Ingredients)
- cooking time varies depending on the oven your using, adjust the cooking time if needed.
- Enjoy and just have FUN at the kitchen.:)

Sauteed Kale with Sausage

Sauteed Kale with Sausage

 We are officially move in to our new place called- HOME! nothing feel sweeter than this..It does take a lot of work to moved luckily for us we got some help from family and friend that makes work easier and faster for us. It took me 3 days to settled down into our new place, putting all the stuff away and cleaning. We still have a lot of stuff to do but we have forever to do it, little bit a time.

Moving forward! what you gonna say about KALE this week for dinner? Honestly, I haven't tried kale before, I just little intrigue about it when my co-worker talked about how she loved kale, the next thing I know, I found myself buying kale the next day...(hahah) that just typical me, I'd like to explore the flavor behind food. Thinking about adding some green onto our diet... So, here I am preparing Sauteed Kale with Sausage for dinner. It just happened that we have left over sausage from breakfast the other day but you can totally replaced the sausage with the meat of your choice or just leave it as simple as it is. I wasn't sure if my kids gonna liked it, So, I was smiling looking at at their faces when they took the first bite.. I surprised myself, they liked them..:) I also loved them too, I think it taste good..:) Try this Kale recipe on your next meal or vegetable stir fry.

Below is the recipe for Sauteed Kale with Sausage proven and tested on my own kitchen. Cmon lets start for your next family dinner favorite..(wink)

-

How to find fresh Kale and keep it fresh?
 -To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color.

-Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator. 

 ( source:http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale)

Ingredients:
8 ounces sausage
1 bunch Kale
1/2 cup beans- optional
Salt n Pepper- to taste
onion
garlic
2tsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. butter

Directions:
1.) Put water in large pot, around 4-5 cups. Let it boil; Meantime, Remove the tough center stalk of the kale then roughly chopped. Throw the chopped Kale onto the boiling water and let it boil for like 2 minute. Remove from the pot and drained.
2.) Meanwhile, put the oil and butter together in the skillet. Add the sausage let it cooked until golden brown. Add the onion and garlic sauteed until translucent.
3.) Add the Kale and beans; salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add little water if it dry out.
4.) Remove from the heat. Best served when its hot. Enjoy!

Notes:
- taste according to your preference.
- Add your choice of meat and your favorite seasonings.
- Beans is optional so you can totally replaced it with something you like.

(my dinner plate)

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

 Today's recipe inspiration comes from my bags of Apples untouched since I bought it 3 days ago, I bought few other fruits and I'm kinda left the apple behind chilling on my fridge. This recipe so perfect if you got apples on your fridge and don't know what to do with it. The popular recipe I could think of that made of apples are pies but I'm not really into rolling some pie crust right now. So, while searching on the internet, I came across with this Easy Apple Crisp at cooks.com . The recipe and ingredients are mostly can be find at your very own kitchen, and the process of making it super easy. I follow the direction on the recipe, but I only used 4 apples on mine, just the way I liked it. This is also good way to make your house smell so gooood...

I love how everything turn out and it was delicious. The only thing missing is vanilla ice cream and whip cream. Highly recommended to those who love apple crisp or apple pie.. I would definitely be making more of this in the future, super easy and very less ingredient. Try my version of apple crisp or you can totally follow the recipe from the source .:) Check out the recipe below and let me know what you think..:)

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar- I used granulated sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 large apples- peeled and sliced

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1.) Combine 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, water and cinnamon in a bowl.

2.)  Add the peeled and sliced apple into the mixture. Mix well; transfer the mixture into baking dish- I used pie round 8x8 inches dish but you can totally used whatever you have on hand.

3.)Blend the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt and butter until crumbly texture. Spread over the apples and pat smooth.

4.) Bake at preheated oven 375 degrees, 40-50 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is brown.

5.) Share and Enjoy!

Notes:

-cut the apples the way you like it.
- double the recipe if your having company over.:)
- You can totally used the crisp recipe for other sweet good toppings.

 

Bitter Melon Sauteed with Eggs

Bitter Melon Sauteed with Eggs

(Ginisang Ampalaya na may Itlog)

Ampalaya, also known as Bitter Melon, is a crawling vine that grows well in tropical countries, particularly in the Philippines. The term Ampalaya refers to both the plant and its fruit, which is elongated, green and has a rough and rumpled skin. Known for its bitter taste, the Ampalaya is at once a staple ingredient in Filipino and Asian cuisine and a reliable home remedy for various illnesses, particularly diabetes. ( source: http://www.charantia.com/about-ampalaya/)

Today, I'm so inspired to share the recipe that I hated back when I was a kid and ended up falling in-love eating it growing up. My parents loved to plant fruit and vegetable and one of them is Ampalaya or also known as Bitter Melon. My Mom loved to cook this dish and always served during breakfast before going to school and often she packed this for school lunch as well. I don't really like Ampalaya because of its notorious bitter taste, I ended up eating the eggs and left the slice Ampalaya behind on my plate. Nowadays, I can't find it so often at grocery store but if I do, I'll make sure that I grab some and make this dish. I just simply loved it, I think... it taste better and better once you get used to it. My kids tried them and of course!!... they don't like it, they just ate the eggs and left the bitter melon behind..(hahahha) It's kinda funny that I used to do same thing when I was a kid..wink

Below is my version of Bitter Melon sauteed with Eggs recipe, please feel free to do your own twist and style of cooking. Enjoy and have fun cooking!!

* How to get rid of bitterness of Ampalaya

- Sliced the Ampalaya lengthwise, remove the seed by running the spoon inside the seed cavity.

- Put the thinly sliced Ampalaya in a big bowl, sprinkle with some salt.

-Let it set for couple minutes, then squeezed the ampalaya until all the liquid comes out.

* My Mom practiced this method every time she made this dish; It works out great. Also don't over cooked the Ampalaya to avoid the super bitter taste. 

Ingredients:

1 medium size bitter-melon/ampalaya- thinly sliced

3 eggs- beaten

1 small onion- chopped

1 garlic- minced

1 tomato- slice

Salt and Pepper- to taste

2 tsp. cooking oil

Directions:

1.) Put oil into the large skillet. Sauteed the onion,garlic and tomato until translucent;

2.) Add the slice bitter-melon ans let it cook for like 5-8 minutes.

3.) Add the beaten eggs into the skillet; Salt and pepper to taste. Let it set for 2 minutes or until the eggs is cooked.

4.) Best serve with hot rice. Enjoy!

Notes:

-Taste according to your preference.

- Used whatever method you know to get rid of bitterness of Ampalaya.

- Shrimp paste is great addition to this recipe, feel free to add some if you have it on hand.