Blue No More at “THE BLUE KITCHEN”

Blue No More at “THE BLUE KITCHEN”

“I get way too much happiness from good food.” ~Elizabeth Olsen~

Here’s some of the purchases I made when I last visited The Blue Kitchen at Shangri-la mall. I am usually overwhelmed getting here. I just had this need to share this with you. =)

My most favorite and have been consuming for the past years is their bottled fish. I pair it with tomato omelet and garlic rice. =)

Just recently, when the salted eggs chips made waves, my soul sis recommended that I’ll get one of the best from Blue Kitchen, she actually bought one for me and I must admit. It is truly exquisite. And instantly became my favorite. I had tried one from Market market & Bread & Broth but I always go back to Blue Kitchen’s.

I love their ube pastillas too. I am smitten by their display. They have Quick meals, condiments, cookies, desserts, spreads, even ice cream and vegan butter too.

Anything “ube”! ❤

I have been hooked to this artisanal brand for the longest time, they’re homemade, very Filipino.

Without a doubt, I’m sure you’ll find yourselves your own favorites and love their products too!

You can find them at following locations:
Power Plant Mall
Level P1, Power Plant Mall,
Rockwell Center, Makati City
+63 2 898 0931

Shangri-la Mall
Level 6, ShangriLa Plaza Mall
EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd.,
Mandaluyong City
+63 2 634 1335

Robinsons Magnolia
Level 3, Robinsons Magnolia,
Aurora Blvd. cor. Hemady St.,
New Manila, Quezon City
+63 2 734 5373

Uptown Place Mall
36th St., cor., 9th Ave.,
Bonifacio Global City,
Taguig City
+63 2 753 9203
+63 995 2349052

They have Partner Stores and they deliver too! =)

For more details, you can check their website:

Aglio Olio pasta…

Aglio Olio Pasta…

“Nothing brings people together like good food.”

I used to like this Aglio olio thing with pizzas. Then I learned, it can be done with pastas too.

So I tried making one at home. And it was a winner. It is healthy and for a change, we were able to veer away from the usual red sauce base kind of spaghetti.

My version!=)

This “for a change” menu is ideal for a family who loves pasta a lot. I can offer them variety. Carbonara, Marinara, the simple pasta we used to prepare when everyone is lazy to cook – sauteed tuna in olive oil and dried tomatoes, baked macaroni, lasagna and this one.

Below is the recipe:

Ingredients

– Salt & ground black pepper to taste
– 1 kilo spaghetti
– 1 bulb of garlic, all cloves minced
– 3/4 cup olive oil (or canola oil)
– 1 tablespoon of butter
– 1 bulb of white onions
– 1/2 kilo of black tiger prawns, medium size (remove the head)
– a pinch of red pepper flakes
– 2 tablespoon of chopped celery leaves
– 2 tablespoon of chopped celery stalks
– 2 tablespoon of chopped red and green bell pepper
– 1/2 cup of chopped button mushroom

Directions:

– Boil 2 liters of water and salt it
– Once it’s boiling, add the pasta, add 2 tablespoon of oil (just so not to allow them to go together once cooked)
– On the side, heat the remaining oil and butter
– Stir fry the prawn’s heads (for the juice) and remove them after the juice comes out
– Saute the garlic & onions, when the onions are already translucent add the rest of the ingredients
– This usually takes about 10 minutes to cook
– In a colander or big bowl, add the drained pasta and mix the sauce evenly
– Add freshly ground pepper before serving, it enhances the aroma
– Topping it with Parmesan cheese is an option

Isn’t it so easy? =)

Bon Appetit!

My Childhood Summer Cooler

My Childhood Summer cooler

“Who said that we have to grow-up?” ~Walt Disney~

I hailed from a family who loves to eat. Breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner meals plays a major part of the activities we do together as I am an only child. Once my mom or my dad took charge of a specific meal, expect that I am next to either of them. I volunteer to share some labor. Most of which were labor of love. It’s been a hefty meal most of the time.

However, preparing snacks between meals is another. Here’s one I thoughtfully remember as sweet and unique too. Kinda laborious but it’s all worth it.

Milky and sweet…

Just sharing…

Ingredients

– 2 whole grated coconut (juice extract that can yield a liter)
– 1/8 kg of washed sugar
– 3 pcs. native gelly (color of your choice/ i used green here). Or the easier one to prepare, Jell-o/ 30oz. or Mr. Gulaman (local brand) is good as well.
– 1 medium bowl of pinipig (rice crispies)

Procedure

1. Extract the juice or milk of the 2 coconut, set aside in a huge pitcher

2. Drop the gelatin cut in cubes

3. Stir and add sugar (depeding on how sweet you want it)

4. Pour in goblets or cute glasses (for presntation purposes)

5. Top with rice crispies.

Voila!

And hints of crunchiness too..

I looked up to summers for these kind of things. Childhood memories brought to adulthood it is. Loved by the next generations as well! Thank you papa!

Legacy of love…

Our version of EMBOTIDO!

OUR VERSION OF EMBOTIDO

“The best way to cheer yourself up, is to cheer up someone else.” 

Blogging got so addicting to me. I recently post something different. For a change. A recipe of my late father’s holiday dish. And now I craved to post another. This time. His embotido.

As a child, I have been very observant when my mom and dad are working together in the kitchen. I used to be in-charge to chop the ingredients placing them neatly in my mom’s Tupperware. It has several dividers for you to avoid mixing one ingredient from another. They call it “Lazy Susan”. Both of them are very organized.

Embotido is one dish that requires a lot of chopping. I am a bit amazed as a kid finding out that mixing a lot of different ingredients can result into a dish that tasted heavenly. Especially with steamed rice. I usually pair it with ketchup or sweet and sour sauce. Lots of it. I could not remember a kid that doesn’t like ketchup. And my dad can’t do without a soup to match his embotido. It is either mushroom or corn soup. Sometimes, macaroni soup.

Mama prefers her embotido baked in a tray, she lays it on banana leaf teaching me of its’ purpose. Telling me that it’s better to use banana leaves than using a foil to avoid the carcinogenic blah blah that might cause us to acquire the big C. It is a bit laborious, however, much to my surprise, I loved the scent of it when cooked. It gets more delicious with the aroma of the banana leaf.

Still I prefer the steamed one. Slicing it carefully into rounds and neatly arranging them on a plate. It is better to serve it cool. You can chill it for a few minutes, and easier to slice too and less messy. My dad would always remind me to slice them when it’s already cool. Because they will no longer fall off and my embotido rounds will be perfect. He was actually right.

Here’s our version of embotido:

INGREDIENTS:
-1 kg of ground pork
-1 big carrots (minced)
-1 big bell pepper (minced)
-2 mini box of Sunmaid raisins
-salt n pepper to taste
-1 cup of pickle relish
-5 slices of cheese (grated or minced will do)
-2 tbsp of chopped celery leaves
-12 pcs of eggs (beaten)
-2 soft loaves of bread(minced) note: you can add more if the mixture is still saucy, this extender will hold the mixture
-plastics used for ice
-foil

PROCEDURE:

-just mix everything with the beaten eggs
-place enough quantity to fill one plastic for ice, lock it
-secure with a foil and twist both ends to lock it
-repeat
-usual yield: 5 big rolls
-boil 1 liter of water (drizzle it with a magic sarap or salt) this was my moms’ idea for creating aroma and makes it taste better
-steam the rolls
-let it cook for 15 minutes and pierce a small part from time to time so the heat will reach the roll evenly
-you can check if it’s already cooked when upon piercing the egg, they’re no longer seen on your fork
-when cooked, let them cool before slicing
-slice and arrange on a plate

=)

My embotido..=)

voila!

It is best paired with catsup or sweet and sour sauce.

Happy eating!(–,)

My version of Classic Potato Salad…

My version of the Classic Potato Salad 

“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like.” ~Mark Twain~

Yum yum!

We take eating seriously. We do not just take it seriously. We enjoy it. We love it. If you can’t see it in my built, maybe because I’m naturally petite. And even if I don’t work-out nor exercise regularly. I walk a lot. I tend to our garden on my own. I clean our not so big house. And I keep a 7lbs. soft-weights on hand and lift it regularly. And… I dance a lot! Especially if no one is watching! Ahaha!

With all the food that my parents prepared during my childhood days, I can’t recall if they used to prepare potato salad. It’s either macaroni salad and/ or buko salad. Both of which I love as well. But potato salad, not even once. So having tried it (and loved it) from parties and restaurants. I tried to do it once and like with a magic wand, they loved it. I received a lot of fun feedbacks from my family, my friends my office mates. Some even asked for its’ recipe. These are inspirations that takes away the tiresomeness of preparing food. It makes the kitchen one of my favorite place in the house. The potato salad signatured by me became a “regular” in the house too.

Indulgence..

Sharing this to all foodies out there. My version of the classic potato salad (just making it easier and better):

Ingredients:

– 1 kg. russet (or better known as classic potato) potato (peeled/ cut in cubes/ bite-size)
– bacon (Purefoods/ 5000gms.)
– cheddar cheese (Magnolia or Kraft/250gms.)
– mayonnaise 470ml from Lady’s Choice
(Hellman is best in abroad)
– pineapple chunks (Del monte/ 227gms.)
– celery stalks (4 medium stalks/ 12 inches long)
– onions (1 medium size red onions)
– parsley (to top)
– Nestle All purpose cream (in pouch/ 250ml.)
– salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Boil the potato for less than 15 minutes or if you pierce it with a fork and the texture is already fluffy and each piece is soft to the bite, treat this a big deal as some results into a mashed potato if over-cooked (you don’t want it too mushy) and if not, the bites are too firm if under-cooked, you don’t want it crunchy. Make sure that the water is already boiling if you drop the potatoes.

Hint of over-cooked potatoes:
Granules are starting to be visible in the water

2. Fry the bacon (bits) – it is easier to slice them first while raw instead of slicing them when already fried
Note:
I put away half of it while frying to be tossed along the other ingredients. The other half that’s crunchier is for my bacon toppings

3. Cut cheese in cubes, prepare the chopped celery stalks, parsley and onions.

4. Drain the juice from the pineapple chunks.

5. When the potato is done. Put in a bowl, let it cool. Then pour the mayonnaise. Toss. Add the all-purpose cream. Toss. Make sure both are evenly distributed. Add the bacon, pineapple chunks. Toss. Add the onions, celery and cheese. Toss. Add iodized salt and ground pepper to taste. Toss.

6. Find a pretty bowl to serve it. Top with the crunchy bacon bits. The parsley is just for decorating purposes. Just so to enhance your presentation.

You can also use lettuce (iceberg variety) as base for your potato salad. Another tip to present it delightfully. It’s your call!

Happy eating!

Enjoy! =)