Goulash Meets Caldereta...

Photography by Donna Samonte

Simply "beef stew" to all of us! Every country have their own version of beef stew, I've noticed that it would only be 1-2 herb and spice difference from one to the other. In some countries in Europe, it is called "goulash". I had my first taste of their dish in Budapest, Hungary. The spice sweet taste and aroma is almost the same with our "caldereta".

My family loves this dish, and I have created my own version. I made this for dinner last night.

Beef Stew ala Donne

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck,
1/2 cup liver spread or liver pate
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup seeded fresh tomato
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/8 tsp Hungarian paprika
2 pcs bay leaf
10 pcs peppercorn
2 tbs canola oil
2 cups of homemade beef stock
2 medium carrots, cut into cubes
3 medium potatoes, quartered
1 large green bell pepper, quartered
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Optional Ingredients:
1/4 cup pancetta, cut into cubes
1/2 cup pitted olives
1/4 button mushrooms

Directions:
Saute garlic until golden brown then add onions and soften. Add beef and pancetta (optional) continue sauteing until a little brown then add paprika and liver spread, let it simmer uncovered for 2 mins. Then add peppercorn, bay leaves, tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef stock. Cook in medium heat for about an hour or until meat is almost tender. Then add carrots, potatoes, bell peppers and other optional ingredients. Simmer for about 5 mins then add grated cheese. Season to taste.

Best serve with rice.

Fishy-fishy....

Photography by Donna Samonte

I once cooked this recipe for a catered lunch and a lady asked me, how I cooked the fish and what I seasoned it with... answer - salt, pepper and a dash of paprika. When cooking fish, it's very important to get a fresh one, nothing beats a good fresh fish!!

Broiled Salmon

Ingredients:
1 lb Salmon Fillet (2 pcs @ 1/2 each)
Salt
Pepper
Sweet Paprika

Directions:
Wash and pat dry the fish and set aside. Combine equal amounts of salt, pepper and paprika then rub it on the salmon fillet.

Heat griddle/grill/broil under high heat and cook each side for 3 or 4 minutes. Serve hot and garnish with chopped scallions.

Best served with steam vegetables.

Tip: Leftover broiled salmon can be used for salads too.

Yum..yum..Vaca Frita!!

Photography by Donna Samonte

Last February in one of my weekend get-aways in Miami, my friends brought me to dinner in an authentic Cuban restaurant (I can't remember the name) somewhere in Coconut Grove.

What in the world is vaca frita? Literally translates to "Fried Cow", it's yummy....addictive!!! This Cuban Shredded Beef recipe is simply a flank steak boiled with an onion, a bay leaf, peppercorn and sherry until tender, then shredded and sauteed with onions, lime juice and orange juice until crispy ( as far as I recall the taste of it).

It is usually served with rice, black bean soup and plantain...and here's my version.

Vaca Frita (Stir-Fried Beef)

Ingredients:

2 lbs Flank Steak
2 pcs Bay Leaf
10 Black Peppercorns
2 tbs Dry Sherry
1 Onion (Large-sliced)

2 tbs Olive Oil
1 Bell Pepper (Medium-diced)

1/2tbs Oregano

Seasoning rub:

2 tbs Lime Juice

2 tbs Lemon Juice

3 gloves Garlic (Finely minced)

½ tsp Ground Pepper
1 tsp Ground Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

2 tsp Salt

*1 Onion (Small-sliced) for sauteing

Directions:

In a covered pot, place all ingredients at the bottom of the steak. Boil the steak in a covered pot with 3 cups of water. Simmer until tender for about an hour. When cooked, allow steak to cool down and once cooled place meat in a glass bowl and add seasoning rub.

Mix all the ingredients and rub it on the steak. Then after, cut into 2-inch chunks, shred it using your fingers and fork, and place in a glass bowl. Allow to marinate and set aside for at least 1 hour to overnight.

Remove the meat from the marinade and squeeze out the excess liquid. Heat the olive oil in a skillet or griddle in heat the oil over medium-high heat until fragrant and cook the beef shreds, add the onions and cook until the beef is crisp.

Sprinkle with the parsley, serve over white rice and black beans.

Fish Me Oh Fish Me

Photography by Donna Samonte

One of my fave fish dishes, easy to prepare and tasty....light in the stomach too, great for those watching their weight!! ;D

Arctic Char in Pearl Onion and Sun-dried Tomato Saute

Ingredients:
1 lb Arctic Char Fillet
2tsp lemon juice
2tbs Olive Oil
2 gloves minced Garlic
1/c pearl white onions, peeled
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (preferably oil-packed), drained and diced
1 tbs fresh ground basil
salt and pepper


Directions:
Wash fish and pat dry. Rub lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Broil on high heat for 5mins or until top is golden brown.

While broiling, in a sauce pan, saute garlic until golden brown then add pearl onion, stir occasionally until onions slightly cooked. Add sun-dried tomatoes, basil then dash salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange/pour in sauce in a platter, put broiled fish on top and garnish with parsley and caramelized onions.

Best served with Steamed Broccoli.

Sweetie - fruity

Photography by Donna Samonte


My childhood friend asked me if I have a recipe for jams and jellies. Luckily, I still have the recipe in my mind that my HS teacher had thought us for strawberry jam.

I'm not so fond with jams and jellies but my kids are, most especially when added in peanut butter sandwich....mmmm....sounds yum! =)

And btw, one of the most yummiest jams I've ever tasted is made by Mariton's mother-in-law Shirley...wish I can have some more! Hehehe.....

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
4 cups sugar
1 pck dry pectin
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Wash and hull strawberries. Mix crushed strawberries with sugar, and let it stand for about 30 minutes.

Boil water in low heat, stir pectin into water for 1 minute. Pour and stir pectin mixture with strawberries, mixing it well.

Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken, stirring it occasionally.

Pour your fruit jam into storage bottles and let it stand for 24 hrs, covering the bottles with tight lids.

I rarely bake...

Photography by Donna Samonte

I'm not really good with baking to be really honest, I'm always fascinated when I see bakers knead breads, decorate a cake and what not. Sometimes, I'm gutsy to bake but just the simple ones and here's one of those. A strawberry cake, since I love strawberries...simple, yummy and not too sweet.

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:
12 pcs fresh plump strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1 bx cake mix
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 large kraft cool whip
1 bx confectioner's sugar

Directions:

Mash 8 pcs strawberries in pie plate with a potato masher, sprinkle with sugar and water then add strawberry jam and 2 pcs thinly sliced strawberries. Set aside, stirring occasionally to make juicy while preparing cake.

Bake white cake according to package directions. While cake is in the oven, combine confectioner's sugar and cool whip for the icing.

When cake is ready, let it cool down then turn layer out of pan onto cake dish with bottom side up. Spoon strawberry mixture onto cake allowing juice to seep into cake and add layer of strawberries. Then spoon icing over layer and smooth gently, do another layer with same procedure. Smooth icing on sides of cake, leaving remainder for top.

Refrigerate before serving.

Creamy and Soupie

Photography by Donna Samonte


Wanted some comfort food, ended up with the simple corn soup. Not much besides corn, shallots, butter, and basil simmered in water.....that easy.

Corn Soup

Ingredients:
6 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 stem fresh basil, plus a handful of extra leaves
2 cups creamy corn kernels
1/2 cup scallions (white part only) finely chopped, save green part
1/4 cup red bell pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a soup pot, melt the butter. Saute shallots then dash salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until the shallots are soft but not browned. Add chicken stock and stem of basil then bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and bell pepper, simmer for 5 minutes.

Using tongs, remove stem of basil from the pot. Add the handful of basil leaves and submerge them in the soup without cooking them.

Puree the soup in a blender until it is a coarse puree. Return to the pot, taste for seasoning, dash more salt and pepper according to taste.

Serve with scallion sprinkles.

De-boning a chicken?

One thing about buying chicken on the bone is, it's cheaper and the bones can be used to make homemade chicken stock. When deboning a chicken all you need is sharp knife and the know-how.

Nothing Beats Homemade Food!

Photography by Donna Samonte

Most often than not, when my family and friends ask for recipes, I always tell them to something new. I love experimenting my recipes, giving traditional food a new flavor but not losing the taste. Here's a traditional recipe with a zest.

Homemade Meatloaf

Ingredients:
6 lbs ground meat mix (beef, pork, veal or chicken and turkey)
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
3 tbs Tomato Sauce
2tbs BBQ Sauce (any kind but I prefer Bull's Eye brand)
2tbs Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp Pickle Relish
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 Eggs - medium
1tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp thyme (fresh minced)
1/4 tsp sage (fresh minced)
1 cup chopped onion/shallots
Ketchup and Maple Syrup

*1/2 cup dry slice of bread soaked in milk (optional)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven at 375'. In a bowl, combine and mix all dry ingredients. Add all other remaining ingredients then mix again. Put mixture in a meatloaf pan or in a baking sheet form mixture in loaf, poke hole all over and stripe with ketchup. Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. When done, spread maple syrup then broil for about 2 minutes.

Best serve with mashed potato, corn on the cob and your choice of veggie...

PS
For better taste result, set the mixture to stand about an hour before baking.

Quick and Easy!

Photography by Donna Samonte

It's always a rush, always on the run! At dinner I wanted to have just a quick and easy dinner..in short, a home-cooked dinner in pronto!

I love seafood, healthy and light in the tummy most especially at night when I really don't need to much energy.

Broiled Chilean Sea Bass

Ingredients:
1 lb Chilean Sea Bass (Tilapia Fillet is another choice)
1 tbs Soy Sauce
1 tbs Hoisin Sauce
1/2 minced garlic

Preparation:
Set oven to high broil. Wash and pat dry fish. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and rub unto fish. Set aside for about 10 minutes. Broil for 2 minutes on each side...

Can be served with your green salad or any veggie of your choice. Isn't that quick and easy?

PS.
Pan-broiling can also be use.

Aspa....aspagus!

Photography by Donna Samonte

Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamine. A member of the Lily family, has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.Asparagus is great for stir-fry, sauteing, baking indeed an all around veggie.

Keep fresh asparagus clean, cold and covered. To maintain freshness, wrap a moist paper towel around the stem ends, or stand upright in two inches of cold water.

You can also freeze it for longer storing, wash thoroughly then trim stem end slightly. Leave spears whole or cut in 2" lengths. Sort according to stalk thickness; small, medium and large then freeze.

Just a tip....


It's my birthday today!! =)

Calm me, Bake Clam...

Photography by Donna Samonte

A requested dinner, a clam-crab meat bake. This recipe is great! All of my friends and family have loved it. Instead of frying however, I bake for around 25 minutes. The recipe has a great taste that doesn't interfere with the crab meat. Try them and enjoy!

Bake Clam-Crab Meat Cake


Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 tbs biscuit baking mix
1 tbs dried parsley
2 tbs red bell pepper chopped
2 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs prepared mustard
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb crab meat
1/2 lb chopped clams (set aside shell for baking)
dash of salt and pepper


Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375'F.

Mix together Old Bay seasoning, baking mix, and parsley in a medium size mixing bowl. Stir mayonnaise, mustard, egg, and Worcestershire sauce into dry ingredients. Mix in crab meat and chopped clam meat gently. Form mixture into 6 to 8 balls and press on top of half clam shell and flatten with a spatula.

Put shells in baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.

Serve hot with your choice of veggies.

Dinner in 1-2-3!

Photography by Donna Samonte

We always want to have something really healthy to eat. But sometimes our schedules are just crazy to cope with everyday life. Cooking shouldn't be that hard, there's always some food that can be made as easy as 1-2-3 and yet healthy.

Pan-Broiled Lamb Chops

Ingredients:

4 pcs lamb chops about 1 1/4 lbs
3 tbs soy sauce
2 minced garlic
1/4 freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Wash and pat dry lamb chops, combine all ingredients in a bowl and rub unto steaks. marinate for about 10 minutes.

Heat heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the steaks and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side for medium-rare (depending on thickness), or until the steaks are nicely browned on the outside but still a bit soft to the touch. (If the steaks are super thick, you may want to cook them for a few minutes on each of the short sides as well.)

Best served with potatoes, corn and veggies.

Left-over Chicken?

Photography by Donna Samonte

I always look for new ways to create old things and when you'd a baked chicken and leftovers from roasting or simply nilaga, this is a perfect 2nd time around. In tagalog..."pang-gat" in a different style.

In a newspaper interview, 3 top NY chefs agreed on the characteristics of a fine cook: He/she could chop an onion, roast a chicken and creatively use up left-overs from a refrigerator. A left-over can be anything from a surplus of a bountiful serving.


Chicken Salad Spread

Ingredients:
2 c. chopped boiled chicken (or any left-over from roasting or nilaga)
1/4 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. chopped, scraped celery
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
3 tbs sliced scallions

Preparation:
Cook chicken in 1 cup water, adding a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Simmer until cooked. Then chop in small chunks.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except scallions and mix gently. Then sprinkle scallions on top. Serve with bread of your choice.

I like using french bread and even crackers! :P

Al Salmone Cabornara

I always love pasta, but I seldom eat 'em simply because it's to heavy on the belly. Most of the time, I cook pasta with seafood and always the best choice for me is with Salmon.

Al Salmone Carbornara

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillet
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp lime juice

Pasta
1 large egg
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp half and half
1/2 cup tomato chunks

Directions:

Wash and pat dry fillet, rub all the ingredients and set to broil until done, usually 2-3 minutes on each side then set aside.

Cook pasta until al dente. Beat eggs, pepper and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Pour in half and half. Set aside.

Heat pan in medium with olive oil . Mix in cooked pasta and tomato chunks, when tomatoes are half way done remove from heat and immediately stir in egg mixture. Toss in broiled Salmon fillet.

Garnish with parsley.

Soup stock

It's always great to have soup stock around the house. Homemade is always the best. Although there available ready made bullion cubes and soup packs in the supermarket, there are days that you can make one on your own and freeze for future use, or even on those days that you bought meat and discarding those bones....instead of throwing it in the garbage, you might as well put it into use.


Soup Stock

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef soup bones

6 qts cold water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, quartered
3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp salt
6 black peppercorns

Directions:
In a stockpot combine all ingredients putting beef soup bones last then add water. Cover pot and boil for about 15 minutes then remove scum and fat as they float to the top. Simmer for 1.5 hours. When cooked, strain broth. Refrigerate overnight. Skim fat from surface and discard.

You can it at once and/or store in the freezer for future use.

*For chicken soup, replace beef bones soup with chicken bones.

Simple Chicken Parmigiana

Photography by Donna Samonte

Here's another recipe to share. Very simple but delicious and yet can be served in either easy dinner and/or for fancy gathering.

Chicken Parmigiana

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast halves without skin
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
Dash of Oregano and Rosemary
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 jar (16 oz) spaghetti sauce, or 1 1/2 to 2 cups homemade
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Wash chicken and pat dry. Put chicken between pieces of wax paper, or in a food storage bag; pound gently to flatten for even cooking. Combine bread crumbs, oregano, rosemary, pepper and salt. Set aside.

Dip chicken into egg then into crumbs to coat. In skillet over medium heat, in hot butter, brown chicken on both sides. Add sauce then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and parsley. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, until cheese melts.

Can be serve with pasta.

Mother's Cooks Best

Once, I was talking to my eldest son Bien who was then 12, was on the phone and he asked a question. He asked if frozen food can be sent from the US to Manila, I answered yes, of course! He knew that my mother was about to go home in a couple of weeks then, so further asked if I can cook "Pininyahang Manok" and "Chicken Curry" freeze it to send home. The recipes are very common, I bet those who cook knows the recipe by heart. I asked my son what's the difference why he wanted my recipe, he simply....."Ma, their recipe is different!" So all being said...please let me share my simple recipe, with a difference. Originally, milk is used for "pininyahang manok" but my recipe is quite different... :)

As the saying goes, "Mother's cooks best!"

Pineappled Chicken (Pininyahang Manok)

Ingredients

2 lbs of Chicken ( breast or drumstick)
1 small can Reno Liver Spread
1 medium can Pineapple tidbits (Delmonte brand)
2 gloves of minced Garlic
1 small chopped Onions
1 tbs sliced ginger

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste, oil
1/2 cup bell pepper( red or green)

1/4 cup green peas (optional)

Preparation:

Drain pineapple tidbits and marinate chicken with pineapple syrup. Put oil in a skillet and saute ginger for 10 seconds then add garlic till golden brown and add onions When onion is silvery in color, add reno liver spread and marinated chicken (making sure syrup is added too), add water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add pineapple tidbits and season with salt and pepper according to your taste and cook for 4 minutes more. Garnish with bell pepper and green peas.

Back to cooking...

It's been a while since my last recipe post...errrr...i've been so involved with my photography.

Anyway, I'm sharing another easy recipe that you'll enjoy. Chicken is always easy to cook and kids love it. This is a very simple dish, made easy for moms who are busy.

Chicken Pastel

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut up into pieces
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 potatoes, cut in cubes
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 sm. can Vienna sausage, cut in half
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. butter
1 red pepper, cut in strips
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. water
1/2 c. milk
Salt to taste

Preparations:

Saute garlic and onions in oil until brown. Add chicken, soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper. Cook 5 minutes until chicken is half done. Add water. Let boil and add potatoes, Vienna sausage, butter and bell pepper. Cover until done. Add milk, cook a few minutes until sauce thickens. Serve hot.

Can be served with steamed peas and broccoli.

Beef Stroganoff in a Rush!

In a rush to make dinner, here's a recipe that's so easy as 1-2-3! I even love it after re-heating! I mean, left-over......good for the next day!!! Hahahah.....

This recipe is inspired from the recipe of my friend Jenny, who's Beef Stroganoff version taste heavenly...and I wonder where she is now....

Simple Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles, cooked and drained
6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 pounds lean ground beef
4 tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup sour cream
salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in boiling water until done, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet, saute garlic and onions in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until soft then add mushrooms; remove from pan. Using the same pan, melt remaining butter. Cook ground beef in melted butter until browned. Mix in flour. Stir in beef broth, and cook until slightly thickened. Add mushroom and onion mixture; stir in sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until sauce is hot, but not boiling.

Serve sauce over egg noodles.