Gourmet Goodies

ROMANTIC FOOD IDEAS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

2012-02-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

It's the time of the year again when everyone is feeling romantic. I know, I should've posted this last week to give you guys time to prepare for the ingredients but I guess, last minute grocery shopping today is not too late. If there is any time of the year to get corny, mushy, or brave, it's now so go ahead and take this opportunity! :-)

Here' are some food ideas to make your loved ones feel special on the day of hearts.

Treat a loved one to breakfast in bed... Serve this heart shaped french toast with crisp bacon and maple syrup. This is fairly easy to make. You just need a heart shaped cutter to cut the bread. You may serve this with a side of eggs... I like mine over easy. Then, make some good coffee or tea, or hot chocolate then top with a heart shaped marshmallow or spray whipped cream -heart shape of course.

Here's the recipe below:

FRENCH TOAST WITH BACON AND MAPLE SYRUP

Recipe By: AAA

Ingredients:

1 piece egg

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1-2 tablespoons

3 pieces slice bread cut into heart shape

1 tablespoon butter

3 strips bacon, cooked 'til crisp

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

1. Combine eggs, milk and sugar in a dish. Mix well until combined.

2. On medium heat, melt about 1-2 tsps. of butter on a non-stick griddle or saute pan.

3. Dip bread on the egg mixture making sure that all sides are coated but don't soak too long as they will become soggy.

4. Heat the griddle to medium high heat. Melt some butter, then add the bread. Cook for about 1 minute per side or until golden in color.

5. Place bacon strips diagonally on a plate, then top with the french toast. Drizzle with maple syrup. Serve warm.

Here are some scones, use the heart shaped cookie cutter as well for this. You may also serve this for breakfast or for tea time with friends in the afternoon. Serve with clotted cream and an assortment of jams. This is best eaten as soon as they're baked, though, you may always reheat them in the toaster oven.

Ok, for this one, these are almond cookie crisps or wafer thins... I turned them into ice cream sandwiches for some lasting dessert impressions.

For your main entree, you may make this... Easy Pork Chops with Cranberry Sauce. This is fairly easy to make. It cooks in less than 30 minutes. With something as easy as this, there's time to think of other more important things on this special day.

PORK CHOPS WITH ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE
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Recipe By: AAA

Ingredients:

2 pieces pork chops
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
SAUCE
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tablespoon orange marmalade
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper.

2.  Heat olive oil in a saute pan on high heat.  Sear pork chops 3-5 minutes per side.

3.  Remove from heat and transfer in a plate.

4.  Meanwhile, lower the heat to medium.  On the same saute pan, gradually add the orange juice and marmalade.  Add the  cranberry sauce.  Bring to a slow simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.

5.  Remove sauce from heat and pour over the pork chops before serving.  Serve with mashed potatoes or herbed rice.

To start off the dinner, you may serve this...Cream of Asparagus soup with heart shaped croutons. It's actually the garnish that makes this very presentable and appropriate for this occasion but here's a bit of information...Asparagus as a vegetable is in the aphrodisiac list :-)

Other ideas that have a hint of red that you can make to eat with the family or give to a loved one is this... Raspberry Almond Meringue Bars and this next one...

Red velvet cupcakes...instead of putting the silver dragees, you may sprinkle these with heart shape candy sprinkles or pipe an XOXO on top of the cupcakes. Both recipes may be found in the Home Cafe cookbook.

Ok, hope these ideas have been helpful. Do let me know if you have questions. Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!

NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

2012-01-29T19:23:00.000-08:00

After a lovely day in Phuket, we hurriedly dressed up for our New Year's Ever dinner at the ship.

Here's Sabrina with her cousin Sophie all dressed up and ready for the festivities.

Here's the menu for the special dinner.

Here's the hat to greet the new year!

I liked the bread that they had that evening. Cranberry bread and corn bread. Both freshly baked!

Here's the family. I had no idea that most of us decided to wear red hahaha.

Here's the first glass of bubbly for me!

Sabrina's pasta...again...

Here's my soup with wonton.

Salad with artichoke hearts, grapefruit and walnuts.

Surf and Turf

Mother and daughter in our New Year head bands

Dessert...Chocolate cake with white chocolate mousse.

Here's Sabrina and Sophie partying with the other guests. Dancing to mamma mia!

Balloons, waiting to be dropped after the countdown.

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1! Happy New Year! Happy 2012.

Sabrina and I had so much fun in the cruise. I think we will do this again!!!

CRUISE 2011 DAY 4 - PHUKET

2012-01-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

Day 4 is Phuket Day! I love Thailand and I love Phuket! Sabrina loves it too. So, here she is, ready with her straw hat. She says first stop should be the elephant ride.

Still waiting for our group to be called to get out of the ship, Sabrina poses with her Mamita.

After at 10 minute boat ride, we're finally on land. There's the ship...a few hundred meters away.

The kids wanted to swim already but we said we'll take them to the see the elephants first.

While the kids rode the elephant, I waited by this area and spend a few hundreds to see what the elephant can do.

Hoola hoops for this elephant.

Of course, after she performed, I had to give her some treat...sugar cane. Ok, by this time I'm so liking this elephant and I'm wishing that I had her as my pet.

After feeding her plenty sugar cane, here she is...she kisses me with her trunk to say thank you!

This is the area where the ride starts and ends.

Here's baby zoe feeding the elephant also.

There's this restaurant we told the driver to take us. It's called Lotus. He took us to this place instead. The quality is nothing compared to the Lotus at all...but what can we do, we're here already.

This is my view from my seat.

This is the menu...

Here's the food...soft shell crabs with garlic,

Stir fried squid with vegetables,

Fried calamari with garlic,

Seafood fried rice,

Shrimp with red curry,

Pad thai, not really good for Thailand standards,

This one was good. Steamed fish with chillies and lime.

After the lunch, we headed to a shop where they sold cashew and other Thai food products.

Here's how they get to crack the shell open and still keep the nut whole.

Here are shelves of cashew products that they were selling at the store.

After the cashew store and before heading to the big buddha, we went to the Jim Thompson store. Of course, we bought our cute bags, hats, cosmetic cases etc. Ok, after that, we headed to the Big Buddha.

This Big Buddha is made of marble. There's a walkway to go up to the buddha but I personally decided to not to walk up to it. it was too hot that day. Even the cats slept due to the heat.

We wish we had more time in the island to explore but we needed to head back to the ship already. We had to get ready for the new year's eve dinner. Time to get ready for the count down!

CRUISE 2011 DAY 3 - LAGKAWI

2012-01-19T19:32:00.000-08:00

Day 3, we dock at Langkawi. We woke up early so we could get out of the ship early.

As soon as we got out, we hired a van to take us to the dock where we can take a boat ride to see the mangroves.

Here's the port where we stopped to ride the boats.

The weather was nice...cool, breezy and sunny.

This is me...with my hat, shades and vest.

We saw some monkeys waiting for us to throw them some food.

Here we are, about to enter the crocodile cave.

Here's a floating restaurant along the banks.

This is Sabrina in the bat cave. It was cold, creepy and stinky but we still went in.

Here we are, posing outside the cave.

After the bat cave, we headed to a floating restaurant that served Thai food. Don't ask me why I'm eating Thai food while in Malaysia.

While waiting for the food, the kids walked around to look at the fish that they had in the pond.

On our way back to the ship, we stopped by a chocolate store where we bought some chocolates, hot cocoa mix and coffee.

Then, time for dinner. It was an Italian night so I had the antipasto platter for my appetizer.

Then I had my lamb shank. It was very good...flavorful and tender.

Here's Sabrina with her favorite head waiter... Sashko.

For dessert, molten chocolate cake. After dinner, I was too tired to watch the show so I let Sabrina watch the magic show along with her cousins and I just stayed in the room to rest. It will be another early day tomorrow. Next stop is Phuket.

CRUISE 2011 DAY 2 - PORT KLANG MALAYSIA

2012-01-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

This is day 2. We docked at Port Klang in Malaysia. We went out early because we needed to be back in the ship by 2:30 pm.

From the port, we hired 3 cabs to take us to the Kuala Lumpur. We made a few stops along the way.

First stop was this one. Istana Negara. The king's palace.

Here's Sabrina and Sophie posing by the flowers in the garden.

Look at how huge this place is. This structure you're seeing is just the gate.

Read more about it here on this link I found. It's very interesting.

http://www.malaysian-explorer.com/istanaNegara.html

After the palace, we went around the city. Look at all the architectural designs of these buildings!

Here's the famous Petronas Twin Towers. What a beautiful building!

After going around the city for some sight seeing, we stopped at the Pavilion mall to have our lunch and for some shopping. Immediately after, we had to go back to the port. wish we had more time to see more of Kuala Lumpur.

Back at the ship, we took a nap in the afternoon before going to our formal dinner. We got dressed and headed to the main dining room. Sabrina ordered her favorite pasta with tomato and basil.

I was glad that they had this on the menu...escargot with garlic, butter and parsley.

This was my lobster bisque.

I got this fish fillet with some sauce...I forgot the name. It was not bad but I was full already so I just ate the veggies.

My sister Vivian ordered this. Tenderloin with mushroom sauce.

After dinner, we went to watch the show in the main theater. When we got back to our cabin, Sabrina got this. Our steward made it for her. Cute right? Tomorrow, we dock in Langkawi.

FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN SINGAPORE

2012-01-16T00:17:00.000-08:00

There's a restaurant in Singapore that my friend Evita took us to last year. I loved the peking duck so much that during this trip, we had to schedule a lunch the day after we arrived. The name is Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck Restaurant. It's on the 5th floor of Paragon. Reservations are required.

While waiting for the others to arrive, I munched on the nuts. I didn't eat breakfast anymore because I knew we were eating at this place.

I browsed through the menu to see the other items that they had to offer but I already knew what I wanted.

Here's what I ordered... Fried beans with minced pork,

Stir fried noodles with beef,

Yang chow fried rice,

Sweet and sour pork for the kids,

Peking duck...2 ways.... rolled in pancake wrapper,

Second way was deep fried with salt and pepper.

Why do I love the Peking duck here so much? Well, it's because the skin is so crisp, it doesn't have that much fat in it, the meat is really tender and flavorful. I would say...it was one of the best I've ever tried. I'm already missing it just looking at the photos now. I'll have to schedule another trip to eat here again.

HOMEMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS BOOK LAUNCH

2011-12-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

Here are the photos from the book launch last November 9. To our family, good friends and sponsors, thanks so much for your support!

WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS NOVEMBER!

2011-11-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! Many things are happening this November!!! First, my S'mores Pie is on the front cover for the November issue of Yummy Magazine. I'm so happy that it came out so pretty on the cover!

It's also the dessert that is being featured in the Christmas Collection in Deal Grocer and it will run for 2 weeks for a discounted rate. Aside from the S'mores Pie,

there's also the Holiday Apple Pie,

the White Toblerone Cheesecake, assorted cookies, and assorted bars. Check out the Christmas Collection of Goodies N' Sweets at https://dealgrocer.com

Last Wednesday, we launched my new book with Angelo Comsti. I can't believe it actually got done on time. I'm glad that a lot of companies supported us. The book launch was held at National Bookstore Glorietta 5.

We thank the following for their support: Marshall Cavendish Pte. Ltd., Summit Media, The Food Barn, Goodies N' Sweets, Gastro Chef, Yummy Magazine, Masflex, Pfescorp, Fortessa, Pino Kitchen Studio, My Heavenly Desserts, Magnolia Queso De Bola, Magnolia Cream Cheese, Magnolia Butterlicious, Purefoods Coned Beef, Purefoods Luncheon Meat, Delmonte Food Service, Dusit Thani, Imarflex, Philips Saeco, Cuisinart.

Here's the cover of the book. It's exclusively sold at all National Bookstores and Powerbooks. Get your copies now!!!

Below are some photos that we featured in the book....

Concord Cake

Seasoned Salts,

Spiced Rubs,

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes,

Hot Cocoa Mix with Homemade Marshmallows,

Raspberry Vinaigrette,

Macarron,

Smoked Salmon spread

Get ready! It's going to be a Merry, Merry Christmas!!! Will post photos from the book launch in a few days!

BRERA DELICATESSEN AT YAKAL ST.

2011-09-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I went to visit a friend in Makati. I've been planning for ages and finally had the chance to schedule it already. Her office is in Yakal St....a place I have not gone to in ages. I was excited though to visit because she opened a delicatessen where they feature all the items that they sell and supply to restaurants and cafes.

The name is Brera Delicatessen...

It's open from Mondays to Saturdays, 10 am-7 pm

Here's what you'll find in their store... different kinds of mustards,

Olive oils, Balsamic vinegars, Red wine vinegars, white wine vinegars,

Cake and dessert mixes such as... fruit cake mix, panna cotta pudding, tiramisu, catalan cream dessert.

They also have... a variety of olives, canned tomatoes, canned beans, jams, cocktail syrups, juices, liquors, wines,

bottled tomato sauces, coffees, duck confit, pates, different kinds of noodles, etc...

This is my favorite section in the store... the cheese and cold cuts section!

Liezel made us try a couple of new cheeses that were pretty good so I ended up buying some to eat at home. I got a Dutch Gouda with Pesto Sauce, and the other one with Red Pesto.

Here's the section for the cold cuts. They have hamon Serrano, chorizo pamplona, a variety of sausages, pancetta, etc.

They also sell Austalian beef and Lamb. The prices are very reasonable and I wish they had a store closer to where I live. One good thing though is that they can deliver with a minimum quantity.

Here's the address so you can visit and check their stuff....

S&L Fine Foods Building.

135 Yakal St. San Antonio Village

Makati

Tel no: 843-2997, 836-7714, 887-0285, 844-9460

It was definitely worth the visit. I think I'll be going back there again soon. See you again Liezel!!!

CHORIZO AND GARLIC PASTA

2011-09-05T01:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and easy pasta that I made last Saturday for an impromptu dinner here at my place for a hungry pack.

If you want it the dry type, just increase qty for the olive oil, and add tomato paste, about 2-3 tbsp instead of the crushed tomatoes.

CHORIZO AND GARLIC PASTA
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Recipe By: AAA

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 piece onion, minced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 pieces green chili pepper, siling tagalog

200 grams chorizo rioja - chopped

28 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup parsley
salt
pepper
parmesan cheese, grated
400 grams spaghetti noodles - cook according to packet instructions

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic. Do not brown. Cook just until fragrant.
2. Add the green chilli, then the chorizo. Stir to break up the lumps. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes
4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. To serve: Toss noodles in the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.

6. Add the parsley and grated parmesan cheese before serving.

HONG KONG FOOD TRIP day 4

2011-07-18T18:34:00.001-07:00

DAY 4!!! Lunch today was at China Club. We were invited by Shy and Dawn, our need foodie friends in Hong Kong. We were glad that they took the time to meet us for lunch.

China Club is at the 13th floor of the Old China Bank Building along Queen's Road Central. We got there at around 12:30. I made sure I didn't eat much for breakfast. I actually just had coffee for breakfast because I knew we were eating good food for lunch.

When we got there, Shy and Dawn were already there. The place was really nice. It was like it took me back in time...like the old Hong Kong. As soon as we sat down, the waiter poured tea for us and gave us the menu.

Here's the menu but I didn't really look at it. We made Shy do the ordering since she's the one who knows what they served best.

In this photo, check out the lovely lamps all over the place.

Here's a group photo before the food arrived...me,Shy, Dawn, Cathy and my sister Vivian.

Here's what we had...Char siu pork...the best I've tasted! Shy wasn't kidding when she said that it was the best in Hong Kong. It was very tender, sticky and sweet.

Rice roll with some veggies and shrimp, also good.

Our veggie for the day...eggplant with tofu with some sweet soy sauce.

This dish, I also liked. Angus beef with some fried garlic flakes. It was really tender and I loved the sauce.

Deep fried shrimp in duck egg batter. Very good too.

Here's their version of the pork siomai with goji berry.

After all that food, we still had space for dessert. We just decided to get a little bit of different things so we can all try the sweet stuff. We got mango with tapioca, egg tarts, hot red bean soup, and some mochi looking rice cake balls.

After dessert, before we got the bill, they gave us these...

Fortune cookies. I think this is the only place where I got served fortune cookies. I actually forgot what I read in my fortune but I remember that it was good!

After lunch, Shy took us around the place. We went up to check out the bar. On the way up to the bar were tons of interesting paintings on the walls. The place was like a mini museum.

I love this lamp! I wanted to take it home. According to Shy, the place gets full after work hours. This is where they hang out.

Here's another group photo by the bar.

This is the door of the bar.

Beside the bar is the library. I love the old leather seats.

Here's another outdoor bar where people go after work.

I love the view from up here!

Here's busy Honk Kong !

Mind your head...the sign says.

More paintings...

After the wonderful tour of China Club, we said our goodbyes to Shy and Dawn and promised to do another food trip when we get back. We headed to Pacific Place to do some shopping.

We walked and walked and when we got tired, we looked for a place where we could sit and have coffee.

We ended up in this place by the lower ground that served tea time stuff. We ordered this one...

Blueberry cheesecake with a scoop of chocolate ice cream. It was like a set that came with any kind of coffee or tea.

Here's what I ordered with Cathy. A sampler. 9 kinds of assorted savory and sweet items.

These were the two things that I particularly liked...chocolate mousse cake,

and the fresh fruit tart.

Later in the evening, since this was our last dinner, we decided to go to Peking Garden. Of course we just ordered the Peking Duck again. This was definitely better than the one in Spring Deer. The skin was evenly cooked and it was crispy, the meat was tender and was seasoned well.

Here we are waiting for the food.

Here's the first way, nicely presented.

Second way...this time minced served in lettuce cups. We wanted the deep fried one but the waiter didn't quite understand what we wanted. It was still good though.

We didn't finish our food. We were so full. No more space for dessert.

HONG KONG FOOD TRIP DAY 3

2011-07-11T00:27:00.000-07:00

Day 3 was an easy day. We left the hotel at around 1 pm to go to Elements Mall. We had lunch there at Lei Garden. The restaurant was nice. We had to ask them if they could seat us because it was almost 2:30 already...which was the time for last order. They were nice enough to accommodate our request.

We just had dimsum. Here are the spring rolls with some shredded taro,

Taro puff with minced pork,

Turnip cake with Chinese sausage,

Xiao Long Bao,

BBQ Pork Buns,

Rice Roll with shrimp,

Chrysamthemum tea.

We walked around the mall for a few hours. We headed to the cafe to take a break and decided to have coffee. Here's what we had...

Cappuccino with Bailey's...nice stencil! I should do something like this for Goodies :-)

and here's what came with one of our Caffe Americano, a 7 inch pepperoni pizza with a salad on the side and banana bread. Not bad for HK98.00

Dinner was at this hole in a wall... Mac Mee's noodle joint. We heard that they had good wanton noodle soup so we walked several blocks to get to the place. Along the way, we shopped in the small stores and got ourselves some pretty clothes.

The walk to the place was worthwhile. The beef noodle soup was good and then we tried 2 types of wonton. One with the shrimp and one with the mushrooms. For dessert, we discovered this small store called Crumbs... they served frozen yoghurt with fresh berries and granola or you can opt to get the crumbs...that look like crushed graham crackers or cookie crumbs. They also sold scones in the store. They gave out samples for tasting. I wanted to buy one but they said I had to buy a minimum of 3 so I didn't buy anymore.

We walked back to the hotel. The walk did us good. By the time we got to the room, we weren't so full anymore.

HONG KONG FOOD TRIP day 2

2011-07-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was an easy day. We went walking in Ocean Terminal. We had to get a watch there so we ended hanging out there checking out the different stores. Again, we found a City Super that sold the good belgian waffles that look like hotdogs so we bought 1 each for our snack before going for our late lunch.

We saw a long line at Crystal Jade. We didn't know how long it would take us to get a table but we signed up nevertheless. We could've eaten somewhere with less people but I think that day wanted to be part of the chaos. We waited for about 30 minutes to an hour to get a table.

Here's what we ordered...

Seafood soup with green vegetables

Crispy tofu skin with mushroom filling,

Pork spareribs with some red sauce...I forgot the name but it was sticky, sweet and yummy.

the best seller, Crispy eel

Stir fried noodles with pork and mushrooms.

We didn't have room for dessert anymore so we decided to walk around for a few hours before heading to Cova. Here's what we tried there...

Cafe Latte,

Chestnut tart,

Chocolate banana cake

Mango Napoleon,

Cappuccino,

Ok, here's the verdict...the coffee was good but the cakes were not that great. The good thing about it was the place. the ambiance was really nice. I felt like I was in Europe. The price too felt like I was in Europe as well. We spent about HK$600 for 3 cakes and 3 coffee drinks. If you ask me though if I will go back there again, I think I would. I just won't eat there everyday but it would be a nice place to have a treat.

Next stop was Spring Deer over at Mody Road for dinner. Since we still full from our late afternoon snack, we just wanted to try the Peking Duck to see if it was still any good. We had it 2 ways. The second way was deep fried with garlic and chillies, salt and pepper

When this came to the table, everyone beside us looked and checked what it was. I don't think it was common to have this as the second way here but we usually do it this way even in Manila. I loved it with black vinegar. Of course, we didn't finish our food. We just loved it that we got to taste the Peking duck. It was still good but I think I've tasted better. For the price, it was very reasonable.

Day 3 is up next...

HONG KONG FOOD TRIP day 1

2011-07-07T03:04:00.000-07:00

This is just day one of my Hong Kong food trip over the weekend. We went there mainly to celebrate the 40th birthday of a good friend Noli Reyes. We decided to go last minute and so...here we are...the first good dinner for this trip.

We met Anna, Noli and Ique at Hunan Garden over at Time's Square. Reservations was at 6:30. We got to the area an hour early so we decided to go shopping first.

Of course, I had to go to City Super to check out the food court. Guess what I discovered?... these belgian waffles shaped like hotdogs freshly baked in the waffle iron. They were being sold for HK$ 13.00 and so I went to buy one. As soon as I tried it, I had to make Vivian and Cathy try it too. They couldn't get enough of it because it was so good, they had to buy again so they can have one for themselves. I also bought a pack of cranberry scones. They looked so pretty! Unfortunately, the pretty look didn't match the taste. The scones weren't so flaky and it tasted like it had parmesan cheese...so, that was a disappointment. It stayed in the hotel for days and ended in the trash can on the last day.

Going back to our dinner...we went up to the 13th floor at 6:30 pm. Scroll down to see what we had...

Here's a group photo with all the good food.

Jasmine tea was the choice for the evening.

This is my cute plate...

I particularly liked the sauteed peppers on the left. They were really good! I think it was sauteed with garlic, chili oil and the sliced chili peppers

For appetizers, we had Spring rolls with vegetables,

Steamed vegetable dumplings,

Steamed pork dumplings,

Then this soup...I truly loved...it's chicken soup...sort of like a chicken consomme with some ground chicken on top. It was really flavorful and served just the way I like it...piping hot.

This is an interesting fried rice. It had sliced smoked sausage.

This was also good...Steamed shrimp with garlic.

And of course, the birthday noodles for long life.

I think this was the best dish for the evening. Smoked duck. I enjoyed the crispy skin and smokey flavor of the duck meat. It was really really good. I heard that it takes about 45 minutes to prepare this so, you have to order this in advance.

Here's the photo of the girls after dinner, on the way back to the Crown Plaza for dessert.

I had to take this photo. The view from where we were was truly amazing!

Drinks and desserts at Club 28...of course, on the 28th floor of the hotel overlooking the pool on the left and the well lit buildings on the right.

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH CAPERS AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE

2011-06-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe I did recently for Women's Health Magazine...something healthy, using five ingredients or less... excluding salt and pepper.

Below were the questions they asked me about this dish...

What makes this dish healthy? Well, first, it's fish...healthier than red meat. Also, salmon is loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which helps fight against heart disease, it also promotes healthy skin and joints. It is also high in protein.

The sauce is a lemon vinaigrette and it is made with extra virgin oil which is rich with monounsaturated fat...it helps lower the rate of heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and asthma.

How did I come up with this dish?... I wanted a dish that was easy to make (cooks in less than 10 mins), need only 5 ingredients and it is packed with nutrients.

flavor profile - fresh tasting, light and refreshing

Now, here's the recipe:

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH CAPERS AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE
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Recipe By: AAA

Ingredients:

150 grams salmon fillet
salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, drained, chopped
LEMON VINAIGRETTE
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 piece lemon, get zest and juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat.

2. Season salmon fillet with salt and pepper.

3. Sear fish 3 minutes per side.

4. Once fish is cooked, remove from pan and place on a serving plate. Add a little more oil in the pan if needed then saute the chopped capers for 1 min. or until slightly crisp.

5. Spoon the capers over the fish.

6. To make the lemon vinaigrette: Combine mustard, lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl. Gradually pour the olive oil, and mix using a wire whisk. Set aside until ready to use.

7. Serve salmon with some mixed greens on the side and with some lemon vinaigrette.

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

2011-06-22T01:25:00.000-07:00

Here's what's cooking in my kitchen now! Hainanese Chicken Rice. I learned this when I attended a cooking class in Singapore a couple of years ago. I like it because it's a complete meal. It has soup, chicken, and rice. The condiments can be purchased in the grocery if you don't have time to make it from scratch. This is my comfort food for the moment. Hope you can try making this easy recipe in your own homes too. Enjoy!

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE

1 1/2 kilograms whole chicken

20 cups water

1 ounce fresh young ginger -- peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic -- peeled

1 bunch spring onions -- washed

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

slice cucumber -- for garnish

cliantro leaves -- for garnish

condiment

chilli sauce

grated ginger

sweet thick soy sauce

1. Wash chicken and remove knobs of fat on either side of the buttocks.

2. Smash the ginger and garlic and tie the spring onions into a knot.

3. Stuff the chicken with salt, garlic, ginger and spring onions.

4. Boil 20 cups of water in a large pot. Add chicken, breast side down first, submerging completely.

5. Let water boil, then turn the heat down to very low heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, uncovering once to turn chicken turn over.

6. Remove the chicken and drain liquid from the body cavity. Retain liquid for later use.

7. Wash under tap water for about 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and to tighten the skin.

8. Drain, rub some vegetable oil over and let the chicken cool to room temperature.

9. Chop the ckicken into bite-sized pieces and serve garnished with sliced cucumbers. Then top with cilantro leaves.

FOR CONDIMENTS:

1. chilli sauce can be purchased in the grocery.

2. for the grated ginger...

1/4 c. grated ginger

3 T. vegetable oil

salt and white pepper to taste

heat oil in a sautepan. add ginger and cook until juices are slightly reduced. season with salt and white pepper to taste.

3. sweet thick soy sauce can be purchased in the grocery. If not available, you may use soy sauce.

FOR THE RICE

12 ounces long grain rice

5 cloves garlic -- minced

5 pieces shallots -- minced

3 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Wash rice and drain in a colander for 10 minutes.

2. Heat 3 T oil over high heat in a wok. Add shallots and stir fry until fragrant. Add garlic and stir fry for one minute.

3. Add the rice grains and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

4. Transfer to a saucepan or rice cooker and add the chicken broth and salt. Boil over high heat and lower down the heat to steam the rice when the water level reaches the level of the rice grains and steam holes appear. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the rice is cooked.

HAWKER FOOD IN MALAYSIA

2011-05-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

I went to Malaysia last April to attend classes at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy. We arrived late at night and so upon reaching our hotel, everybody was hungry. We walked around the area and looked for places where we could eat and we ended up eating here in this area...

This was like a strip of small stores that serve different kinds of foods from bbq chicken wings, char kway teow, congee, grilled shrimp etc.

Here's what we ordered. The chicken wings right on the center, some char kway teo on the left, hainanese chicken with ric, satay chicken and beef, some iced honey dew melon with coconut milk, congee and some barley tea.

This one came last. Stingray sambal... It's really good!!! even if we were so full, we had to eat it...and we finished it. What was good about it too is that it was so cheap. Each of us paid about 20 ringgit , that's about 300 pesos in Philippine money so that's not bad considering we ordered a lot.

Will post some more good food that we had in a few days.

UNI IN CALATAGAN!

2011-04-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

Holy week was spent in Calatagan with Marivic and JV. I was so happy that we got there in the afternoon after having a fun lunch in Sta. Rosa.

We headed down to the beach and decided to make the kids play in the sand. While walking around, we saw sea urchins...a ton of them. I got so excited!!! I remembered when we were younger, Marivic and I used to get them during low tide and bring them back to the house to serve them as sashimi for appetizers. That was several years ago and I was kinda glad that the sea life in Calatagan in alive again!

Scroll down so you can see what I'm talking about... Of course, we had to choose the big sea urchins and let go of the smaller ones.

Here I am with a rake... which I borrowed from the kids. I had to disrupt them from finishing their sandcastle. For me, getting the uni was more important haha.

Here it is. The sea urchin is cracked in half, then...

The meat is scooped out...the yellow part.

This what we got from a bucket of sea urchins, almost 3/4 of a bowl of uni

To serve, we drain the excess liquid.

This is Ari's creation...uni on top of sushi rice...with wasabi and soy...Yum!!!

SUMMER COOKING CLASSES!

2011-03-28T01:43:00.000-07:00

This April, I'll be holding summer classes for kids. Feel free to call or email me at goodiesnsweets@gmail.com for inquiries...

FOOD FINDS!

2011-03-16T01:31:00.000-07:00

I went out today right after lunch to go get some chocolate for a Yummy shoot tomorrow. I tried a recipe of a chocolate croissant pudding. I wasn't so happy with it. I wanted more chocolate in the pudding...so I had to go out to get some more dark chocolate. While at the store, I saw some items that I found interesting so I grabbed them as well. Here's what I got...

Caramel Fudge and Chocolate Fudge...something to top your ice cream with or make other great desserts with. I have to buy some vanilla ice cream and try it out tomorrow.

Then I saw this pack of Cocoa Tablea... not bad for the price. I wonder if it's any good. I'll actually try some after I write this...

Then I saw these vanilla sticks. It's 3 in a pack. I intend to use one stick to dunk in my bowl of sugar. I'm thinking, it would smell so good to use that sugar for my coffee or tea... I'll have to wait for about a week for the vanilla scent to infuse in the sugar...I'll let you know if it's any good.

Here's the label for the vanilla sticks...it's organically grown in Papua New Guinea...

I headed to Terry's in Podium to get other stuff... here's what I found... cheese with cranberries, and Manchego marinated in red wine...perfect for after dinner get togethers.

This brand of truffle oil, I encountered when I went to Italy years ago. We actually went to see the factory where it was made. I had to get a bottle. This time, I got the white truffle oil instead of the black. Now I have to plan to make the pasta with truffle cream sauce to try the oil out. The price was a bit reasonable considering the size of the bottle but comparing it to say like the price of a gallon of olive oil, this one becomes very expensive...oh but as they say...life is short so the food you eat should have some quality also... for you only eat three times a day. Every meal should be memorable...

Lastly, I had them slice me some chorizo pamplona. They were out of stock the last time. I'll probably make a panini sandwich with it tomorrow. Ok, that's all for now. Got to head back in the kitchen to make another batch of chocolate croissant pudding...You should smell my kitchen now...it smells heavenly!!!

MARCH MMS CONTENT

2011-02-28T19:34:00.000-08:00

Here's what's up for March...starting tomorrow!

Arancini...Risotto balls with mozzarella cheese...really yummy best with a creamy pesto dip or with a simple tomato sauce. Then, beef bolognese on spaghetti noodles. There's also Asparagus and Prosciutto Rolls...perfect for cocktails

Scroll below and see the other photos that will be featured this March...

Crispy Ham and Chesse Balls

Spaghettini with Crab Meat in Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce

Panna Cotta

I'm so excited. March will be filled with a lot of good food! Enjoy!!!

RUM RAISIN LOAF

2011-02-27T21:55:00.000-08:00

This is what I'm baking today. I'm actually waiting for it to come out of the oven and I'll be ready for merienda.

I had a batch of raisins that I soaked in rum last month. I did this recipe for my MMS Service a couple of months ago and I'm missing it. I'm pairing it with my English Breakfast tea by Dilmah with some milk and sugar.

Since I've been snacking every single day, I try to eat smaller meals for lunch and dinner. Then I run and go to the gym at least 4-5 times a week just to make sure I get to burn all the sweet stuff I'm taking in.

Anyway, here's the recipe....Enjoy!

RUM RAISIN LOAF

Ingredients:

2 cups raisins
2/3 cup rum
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 pieces eggs
1 tablespoon rum flavored extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Soak raisins in rum for about an hour or overnight is better.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 2 7x4 inch loaf pans 1 10 inch bundt pan

3. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs one at a time, then add the rum extract.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

6. Reduce speed of mixer to low. Gradually add 1/3 of flour mixture to the batter. Alternately add the half of the sour cream. Repeat process ending with flour mixture. Mix batter well.

7. Add the rum soaked raisins ( do not drain). Fold into the batter.

8. Transfer to baking pans. Bake for 30-35 mins for loaves and 55-60 minutes for bundt.

YUMMY PHOTO SHOOT AND OTHER STUFF

2011-01-26T21:45:00.000-08:00

Last week, We had a Yummy shoot for the March cover. Becky made me do three items...beef lasagna, sticky chicken wings, and two way adobo. I think all tasted good but what I enjoyed the most was seeing the team at work and getting creative on how to make the food look really YUMMY!

Then two days after that, I finished my photos for my MMS service for February...here are the other stuff that you will have for February...

Fettuccine Alfredo

Seared pork chops with orange cranberry sauce

Beef pot roast with mashed potatoes

Here's the Sticky chicken wings from the YUMMY shoot

Two way adobo served with red egg

beef lasagna

I so badly want to post the lasagna recipe already but I have to wait 'til the issue comes out so...that will be in March...

Meanwhile, here's a pasta recipe that I'm sure you'll love as well...

BAKED ZITTI WITH FRESH SAUSAGE AND HERBS

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pieces fresh pork sausage, skins removed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
400 grams tomato puree
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons basil , chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
300 grams ziti noodles, cooked as directed
1 cup all purpose cream
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Cook the sausage.

2. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add the red pepper flakes.

3. Add the tomato puree. Allow to simmer for 7-10 minutes. Add the herbs.

4. Add the cooked zitti noodles. Stir until well combined with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Place mixture in a baking dish. Pour cream over the noodles then top with mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven. allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

VALENTINE FOOD!

2011-01-26T20:51:00.000-08:00

I just finished making my MMS content for the month of February. Here are some cute ideas to make this month of love more interesting...

Again, you can download my recipes on your mobile phone! Just text CHEF to 2346 and you'll receive my recipes 3 times a week. It's P20 per recipe on Globe, and P15 on Smart and Sun. Or you can log on to http://chefaileen.com on your WAP browser. Again that's CHEF to 2346. For MMS phones only.

Asparagus soup with heart crostini

Cranberry scones

French toast with bacon and maple syrup

bocca di nonna ice cream sandwich

2011-01-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

This is the first time I'm writing for this year. I got so busy over the last two months that I didn't have time to post some stories. I will start posting them soon though.

Anyway, here's what I've discovered last week... I had breakfast at this place along Makati Avenue called Paris Delice. What sets this apart from the others is that their bread dough and pastries are imported from France...Yes, France. I want you to try their stuff so you can taste for yourself and notice the difference. I must admit, I enjoyed every bite of everything that they made me try... scroll down...

Paris Delice is located at 1 Juno St. Cor Makati Avenue, Makati City and they are open daily from 7 a.m. - 10 pm.

This is their version of the hot chocolate.

This is the counter where you place your order. It's best to have them toast your pastry for you...

Showcase of the different pastries available

Salad bar with some fruit juices, and some desserts like panna cotta.

Triangle aux Amandes - pastry filled with almond filling.

Hot crousti - Sausage in a baguette with melted cheese on top...yummy!

Chouquette - this is like a cream puff...soft and ender on the inside with a little crunch on the outside.

One of their best sellers ...L' Atlantic - smoked salmon with herb dressing and onions on a baguette

Croissant aux Apricots or apricot croissant

Torsade au Chocolate -chocolate twist...probably my favorite

Le Lillois - chicken with bacon, mayonnaise, tomatoes and lettuce on a baguette

Croissant - really good...flaky and buttery

Chausson aux Pommes - apple turnover

Chocolate beignet - donut filled with nutella!

Quiche Lorraine

Jams that they sell in the store

TOBLERONE CHEESECAKE

2010-11-04T23:43:00.000-07:00

I know, I haven't posted anything in months. I've been busy with life...organizing a surprise party for my mom, celebrating friends and family birthdays, celebrating my birthday etc. I'm also fixing my Christmas items for the store.

Here's a recipe that I always make during the Holidays. I love that it's easy to make and it tastes sooo rich and creamy...Let me know what you think...

Will be sharing more recipes in a few days for Holiday entertaining...Enjoy!

Toblerone Cheesecake

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese - room temp
1/3 cup white sugar
2 pcs egg
1 tspn vanilla flavor
5 portion white or milk or dark Toblerone chocolate - roughly chopped

Crust:
5 oz graham crackers
¼ cup white sugar
2 tbspn melted butter

Icing:
½ cup pastry topping

Instruction:
1. Put aluminum foil at the bottom of the molder. Set aside.
2. Grind graham crackers and mix with white sugar. Place in a bowl and add in the melted butter
3. Cover the bottom of the molder with crust. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 250F.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed. Gradually add sugar. Mix until well blended.
6. Add eggs one at a time followed by vanilla. Mix well.
7. To assemble, put 1 scoop of the batter in each mold. Place the roughly chopped Toblerone over the batter then place another scoop of mixture over the molds. Use spatula to level off the batter.
8. Bake for about 30 – 45 mins. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely inside the oven with the door open.
9. To decorate, top with shaved white Toblerone shavings.

Yield = 5 individual molds, or 1 6-inch spring form pan.
Prep time - 20 minutes
Baking time - 30-45 mins.

tips: make sure to bring cream cheese to room temp to avoid lump. you may strain batter to make sure that it will be smooth and free of lumps.

OCTOBER MENU FOR MMS

2010-09-26T00:09:00.000-07:00

Here's what's coming out this October. For the first half of this month, I have some comfort food lined up. Then from mid month 'til end, it's all about fun, ideas for tricks and treats. Halloween is coming soon so here are some items that you can serve at your halloween party party...Enjoy!

You can download these recipes through your mobile phones. Just text CHEF to 2346 and receive these wonderful recipes 3 times a week. You can also log onto http://chefaileen.com on your WAP browser.

Deviled Wings with blue cheese dip

Bruschetta with tomato, garlic and basil

Spinach cappuccino soup or you can also call it swamp soup

Baby greens with pears, blue cheese with honey balsamic vinaigrette

Bloody mary tomato soup

Halloween spooky cookies

MENU FOR SEPTEMBER ON MMS

2010-08-31T03:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, is already September! Whew time really flies too fast. I'm excited for the new menu for September. Here's what we will feature this month...

Hummus, Greek Salad, Moussaka Lemon Oregano Chicken, French Onion Soup, Spinach and Ricotta Canneloni, Fresh Fruit Pavlova and many more.

Scroll down and see how you can download them using your cel phones... Enjoy!

SIAM OCEAN WORLD BANGKOK

2010-08-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

I had this on my drafts folder and forgot to post it. This was from my last trip...

I can't believe I went back to Bangkok again for the long weekend. This time I went with the family and of course, my daughter Sabrina.

In between the shopping and the eating, we did things that the kids would enjoy. One day, we took them to Siam Ocean World. It's conveniently located at Siam Paragon and is a few minutes away from our hotel. The place is pretty new and it's clean.

Sabrina had so much fun. She felt like she was Ariel, the little mermaid, visiting her fishy friends.

Here are some of the sea creatures that we said hello to...

Lionfish

I forgot what this is... :-)

pineapple fish

This is me with Sabrina

Sharks swimming around...waiting for food

Here are the divers waiting to feed the sharks...there's the manta ray swimming on the right.

Here are the sharks trying to open the box with food. They're hungry already!

There was a section in the ocean world where they had the different types of jelly fish.

This is an interesting photo of a grouper... about 3 ft. long. There were about three of these in the aquarium. What I was thinking was after I saw it was... sweet and sour lapu lapu!

Well, you'll probably spend about 1-2 hours inside. There were shows as well and tours on how they care for the sea creatures. It's very educational.

GREAT FOOD IS JUST A TEXT AWAY!

2010-08-24T06:28:00.000-07:00

To all the foodies out there...here's a great way to get tried and tested recipes three times a week or go to http://chefaileen.com on your WAP browser so you can choose what you want to download!

Yesterday's recipe was Paad Thai. Tomorrow's recipe is Deep fried prawns wrapped in vermicelli and on Saturday, it will be Fish fillet with garlic and basil - Thai style.

Enjoy!

MMS MENU FOR THIS WEEK...AUGUST 16-22

2010-08-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, here's what you can download this week through MMS...scroll down to see the photos...

Here's how you can download the recipes again...Just text CHEF to 2346 and you'll receive my recipes 3 times a week. It's P20 per recipe on Globe, and P15 on Smart and Sun. Or you can log on to http://chefaileen.com on your WAP browser. Again that's CHEF to 2346. Text na! For MMS phones only."

Pomelo Salad

Crispy Catfish and Green Mango Salad

Chicken in Pandan Leaves

BARISTA COMPETITION AT THE WOFEX

2010-08-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this quickly because I need to head out to SMX for the Barista Competition. It's the finals today and I can't wait to see what the finalists will be making for their signature drink. I hope I'll be surprised in a good way.

Yesterday, we had 20 semi-finalists, each doing an espresso and a cappuccino.

Here are the barista's waiting and hoping for their names to be called.

Here's the group that made it on the list...1 lady is missing. I think we got the right ones for the final round. Good luck to all the finalists and I hope to see your best this afternoon!

AUGUST MENU AND RECIPES FOR MMS DOWNLOADS PART 1

2010-08-02T20:43:00.001-07:00

Here's what you'll get this August for MMS. The theme is Asian for this month. I wanted to do the Filipino theme but I think this will be better as everybody knows how to cook Filipino food anyway.

Here's how you can download the recipes.... Just text CHEF to 2346 and you'll receive my recipes 3 times a week. It's P20 per recipe on Globe, and P15 on Smart and Sun. Or you can log on to http://chefaileen.com on your WAP browser. Again that's CHEF to 2346. Text na! For MMS phones only."

Browse below and see what's on the menu...

Crab and corn soup, on August 2

Spring onion pancakes on August 4,

Five spice crispy fried squid on August 7,

Asian fried spring rolls on August 9,

Silk tofu with chili and cilantro on August 11,

Sherbet with coconut milk and pinipig on August 14.

A WEEKEND IN BANGKOK

2010-07-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, I went on a trip with my girlfriends in Bangkok. It was our first real trip going in and out of the country on the same flight and same hotel. Usually, we just meet up in a certain city and hang out for dinner or drinks or for a few hours of shopping. This time, we were 24/7 together.

In the plane, while seated together, we were already planning which malls to hit first and what foods to eat. As soon as we landed, we headed to the hotel, unpacked some of our stuff then headed out for a late lunch.

First destination - Siam Paragon. There's a cafe at the basement where the food court is called the 9th Cafe. It's one of my favorites. The food here is always good and very consistent. The girls were very hungry already because it was almost 3 pm then so we ordered the quick food.

Here we are, the girls at the 9th. From left to right Chris, me, Pinky, Val, and Marie.

Thai tea for me and Chris,

Crispy catfish with green mango salad,

The house specialty that became everyone's favorite dish too - soft shell crabs with mixed greens and lime vinaigrette.

Chicken satay,

and the famous paad thai. For dessert, we couldn't resist ordering the lemon meringue pie. It was freshly baked. The crust was flaky, the lemon filling was tart and not too sweet then the meringue had a crisp top with a marshmallow fluff in the center.

After that heavy meal, we decided to walk and check the stores in Siam Paragon. They had a good mix of signature brands there and the department store had a lot to offer as well.

Right beside Paragon was Siam Center where they have the local brands...

This is the Tango store. They were on Sale, 80% off so we checked it out. I was able to buy a cute pair of sandals.

Here are the other stores and their displays.

Upon leaving Siam Paragon, we had to wait 20-30 minutes by the taxi stand for a cab. We had to bribe a cab driver to take us to the restaurant where we were going to have our dinner. The restaurant was quite near from the mall but it took us a while to get there due to heavy traffic. We arrived at our destination - Baan Kanitha at around 8 pm.

Personally, I wasn't really hungry due to the heavy lunch we had but still decided to order a lot anyway.

Appetizer before the main dishes,

Hot water for me. Love the tea pot and cup. We actually wanted to buy some but didn't find any in the ceramic stores.

Here's the food... Pomelo Salad with shirmp and shredded chicken,

Crispy rice cakes with pork curry sauce,

Stir fried chicken with chillies and cashews

Vegetable spring rolls,

Shrimp cakes, I was told that it tasted better before but it was alright.

Prawn in red curry, really a good one. For dessert, we ordered the mango with sticky rice, and the tub tim krob - water chestnut in tapoica starch with coconut milk and crushed ice.

The next day, we woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel. Then headed out to the malls by 10 am. We went to Central Department Store. I couldn't resist, I had to get some Jo Malone Cologne. Muji was there too so I got some containers for the home and for traveling.

The girls were mainly by the shoe department buying their pumps and sandals. After Central, we headed to Geysorn Plaza to check the signature brands. Note, we only looked but didn't buy....because we had a plan...:-)

Late lunch was a this place called Senses, on the third level I believe in Geysorn, right beside the Longchamp store.

Here's what we ordered. Soft shell crab salad with lime dressing again. A different version, more spicy dressing but still yummy. I dont' think we can ever get tired of this dish.

Shrimp tempura, we were forced to order this because we needed one more entree. The menu was limited so ok, we went for the safe one.

Another paad thai, nicely presented in a fried rice paper basket topped with fish roe.

Then we had green chicken curry. We decided not to have dessert anymore because we were running out of time.

Next stop was shopping in this secret place. :-) You can email me if you want to find out where. If you're nice, I'll tell you where it is. :-) They have local brands and they have really good deals. The girls and I decided to split up so we can go shopping on our own then meet at a specific time ( more like the closing time of the mall) When we saw each other, we were all laughing because all of us had really big plastic bags filled with stuff. We knew it was time to go home.

Back at the hotel, the girls, except for me, tried on their new buys. I was too tired and so I just watched them model their stuff. We rested for a while then headed out to the mall to shop again before dinner.

Late dinner was at The Loft, a food court type of place with different restaurants...name it, they have it. We ordered chicken rice, beef pho, duck curry, char kway teow, cantaloupe with sago, and the mango with sticky rice again.

Writing this is making me hungry already. Anyway, I had such a great time with the girls. I wish I can go back there again soon for another food trip because I'm missing it already. I will post some easy Thai recipes next time for you to try. 'Til then...

DINNER AT TAO YUAN

2010-07-11T00:39:00.000-07:00

Last week, I went to Manila for dinner to have Laksa. We decided to go to Tao Yuan. It was my first time there. I actually heard a lot of good things about it but never got the opportunity to visit until last week.

The menu reminded me of the food that my friend Daniel serves in his restaurant in Singapore. I was craving for seafood so I had to try the Chili crab. Here are the other items that we ordered...

The fried buns or man tau, meant to be eaten with the sauce of the Chili crab...really my favorite.

Char kway teow, cooked pretty well but I didn't get to eat much of it. I was too much into the crabs!

Cereal prawns,

Seafood laksa, it was ok, i wanted it to be more spicy and I found it to have too much coconut milk but it wasn't bad.

Hainanese Chicken and Rice, good! specially with the rice. I just wish they had the thick sweet soy sauce to go with it.

here's the sauce for the Hainanese chicken,

Sweet and sour pork, the kids loved this one. It got wiped out before I could try it.

Fried green beans with pork and tofu, this is what I order when it's available in the menu. I always ordered this when I was in Shanghai.

Sambal Kangkong, Spicy but good.

Seafood hofun, this was good too but I think my friend Daniel can make it better.

And Chinese beefsteak with special sauce, this one was so tender! Oh and by the way, dessert was for free. They served black gulaman. We also tried the mango sago and it was good too.

If I lived in Manila, I'd probably eat here every week. I hope they'll open a branch somewhere in Makati area or Ortigas so It's not that far. The next time I go back, I'll order their pepper crab.

Here's the address of Tao Yuan 508-512 Gen. Malvar St. Cor Mabini Malate Manila. It right across the side of Pan Pacific Hotel. Here's the phone number +632 522 7009. Reservations required.

MOIST BROWNIES FOR A COOKING CLASS

2010-06-26T23:40:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited for tomorrow. I'll be having a cooking class with the kids and we will be holding it in my place instead. It will be a 3-day workshop so it will be very exciting.

Here's what we'll be making. It's a combination of the 2 summer cooking classes I did before in Living Well and compressed it for 3 days.

DAY 1:

a. Blueberry Pancakes
b. Buttermilk Waffles
c. Potato and Onion Fritata
d. Strawberry Smoothie
e. Spanish Hot Chocolate

DAY 2

a. Artichoke and Spinach Dip
b. Pumpkin Soup
c. Spaghetti and Meatballs
d. Cheesy Garlic Bread
e. Bananas Foster

DAY 3.

a. Nacho Chips with Cheese Dip and Tomato Salsa
b. Chicken Quesadilla
c. Beef Tacos
d. Moist Brownies
e. Chocolate Chip Cookies

On day 3, this is theMoist Brownies that we will be baking. I'm posting the recipe so I can share it with you too.

MOIST BROWNIES

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, cubed
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
2 pieces eggs
1 teaspoon vanila extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and line an 8x8 inch square pan.

2. Place butter and sugar in a saucepan. Cook on low heat until melted and smooth.

3. Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time.

4. Add the vanilla.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt.

6. Gradually add the flour mixture in the egg mixture. Whisk just until combined.

7. Pour batter onto prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

8. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

RECIPES FOR JULY 2010

2010-06-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

Here's what's coming this July....recipes that you can download three times a week on your mobile phone. It took quite a while to set this up but here it is! It's been up and running since April but for those who have not heard yet, here's how you can download them.

Just text CHEF to 2346 and you'll receive my recipes 3 times a week. It's P20 per recipe on Globe, and P15 on Smart and Sun. Or you can log on to http://chefaileen.com on your WAP browser. Again that's CHEF to 2346. Text na! For MMS phones only."

So for july, here are some of the recipes that I will be sharing...scroll down and check out the photos. I'm also posting a sample recipe of Pasta Alla Vongole so you have an idea what you'll be getting. Enjoy!

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Bread and Butter Pudding with Caramelized Apples

Farfalle with Pesto Cream Sauce

Beef and Beans Chili

Southern Fried Chicken

Baked Macaroni, Bacon and Cheese

Cinnamon Rolls

PASTA ALLA VONGOLE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
250 grams fresh clams
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
100 grams linguini, cooked accdg to packet instructions
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a saute pan. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.

2. Add the clams, then the wine. Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes or until shells open up. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the noodles, toss in butter, then the parsley. Adjust the seasoning as necessary. Sprinkle additonal chopped parsley on the pasta before serving.

NEW COOKING CLASS AT LIVING WELL STARTS THIS MONDAY!

2010-05-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

On Monday, May 17, we will be starting with our Cooking Classes for kids part 2. We have a new menu that the kids will surely love. Hope you can join us too!

MY FOOD IN THE U.S.

2010-05-08T00:17:00.000-07:00

Since I got back, today is the only day that I finally got to sit down and spend time to fix this. Scroll down and check out some of the items that we tried and tasted.

Here's a restaurant that we tried at the basement of San Francisco Shopping Center . It's called Out the Door www.outthedoors.com A Vietnamese Restaurant that serves Vietnamese street food placed in a very nice and modern atmosphere.

Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Really good, the broth was full with flavor and the beef was tender. I think this is the perfect dish on a cold weather.

Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. This is low fat and healthy. The sauce was good too. It tasted like a sate sauce with peanuts....perfect as a snack or an appetizer.

Here I am with friends Krissy, Anna, Enrique and my little girl Sabrina. We were taking photos while waiting for our food and thinking of a game plan on how to eat our meal and be done in 20 minutes to make it for my haircut appointment at 2:30 with Jay.

This one was taken in Portland....our first meal there. We ate at Mc Cormick and Schmicks. This is the crab seafood chowder. Looks really rich and yes it's rich but it's really good!

Cheese burger...one of the better one's I've tasted. It's juicy and grilled perfectly.

This is what I had...grilled salmon with grilled vegetables and a raspberry reduction. Yummy...

Sabrina's meal...fish and chips. What a big serving and this is from their kiddie menu.

On another night, we had dinner at ClarkLewis www.clarklewispdx.com It was right across the school and it could not have been more convenient haha. I've eaten here the fist time I visited Portland. It was one place I promised to visit again the next time I'm in Portland. So, we went with my mom, Tita Zeny, Ate Jelly and Sabrina. Here's a cheese platter with the cheeses made in the area.

This is Sabrina's special request. It wasn't in the menu and the chef gladly made it for her. Spaghetti with butter and cheese. It was sooo good that I kept picking on Sabrina's plate haha.

Here's a fish dish... grilled hallibut with morrel mushrooms, roasted garlic and a puree of herbs for the sauce.

Orechiette with mussels and clams

Back in California, we headed one day to Monterey to take Sabrina to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We decided to have lunch there at the Portola Restaurant.

This is my seafood cioppino. It was ok. Not bad but I've tasted better.

This is the clam chowder that my mom ordered. It looks like baby food but I also tried this and it was actually good!

Tita Zeny ordered this. Caesar salad with crisp herbed crostini.

Here's Sabrina's favorite fish and chips.

This is Kuya Rollie's grilled chicken sandwich

Then on the way back, Kuya Rollie drove by Moss Landing to grab dinner to go. It's called Phil's Fish Market. He told me that they have the best Cioppino so I was game to try it.

This is the back area from the beach. During the summer, people actually go and eat then head out to the beach...then they go back in to eat again.

The restaurant is huge and it get's pack every single day.

When in Moss Landing, go look for this sign. If you get lost, just ask around. They know where to direct you.

This is our packed dinner... grilled sourdough garlic bread,

the best seafood cioppino, some mixed greens with ranch dressing, and frozen banana for dessert.

Now that I'm home, all I can do now is dream about it and hope that I get to visit again soon.