I enjoyed it plain or with blueberry sauce (made by cooking 2 pints blueberries with 1/4 cup water and as much sugar as I felt it needed, cooked until syrupy).
Store leftovers inside plastic ziploc bags refrigerated. Good even when cold. No need to reheat.
Ingredients: 2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, divided 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 1 egg, slightly beaten 3/4 cup sugar, divided 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Unroll 1 of the cans of crescent dough. Press onto bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan to form crust, firmly pressing seams together to seal.
BEAT cream cheese, vanilla, egg and 1/2 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread onto crust.
UNROLL remaining can of crescent dough onto large sheet of wax paper. Pat out dough to form 13x9-inch rectangle, pressing seams together to seal. Invert over cream cheese mixture to form top crust; discard wax paper.
BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until golden brown. Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over squares before cutting.
No embellishments except for salt and pepper to taste, and the olive oil used to grease the pan for frying. Although hubby likes pork tocino, he also loves the pure pork taste, ONLY when it is home-raised pork. He never likes the ones coming from the grocery store except when it is the smoked pork chops.
Easy to prepare, I sprinkled the salt and pepper to both sides of the pork chops, let them sit on a plate while I heated the pan up.
I heated the griddle on medium (#6) for about 5 minutes then sprayed with olive oil and placed the chops. I cooked one side for 2 minutes, flipped, turned heat to medium low (#4), covered the chops and cooked for 3-4 minutes more (or until juices run clear).
I served them to hubby with boiled potatoes and broccoli. He savored every bite with his eyes closed.
I ate mine with fried rice, and dipped in vinegar with garlic and jalapeno pepper. (drool!)
When I was still in college, chicken a la king was one favorite lunch I ordered in the cafeteria. I don't recall where I had it served in a bread bowl.
Two days before I cooked this, we had roast chicken (per hubby's request, on a day I was going on a night duty...whew! I put in a frozen un-brined chicken into the oven and baked for 3-1/2 hrs, with 1/2-hr nap while baking). Since hubby and stepd only eat a portion of one breast, and the boys and I eat other parts, we had enough breast meat for another meal (I used the rest of the meat for arroz caldo). A favorite dish I prepare for leftover breast meat is chicken alfredo. This is the first time I tried chicken a la king, and hubby loved it (needless to say, everyone else did). The boys had fun slicing off the tops of the bread and hollowing them out.
I only checked out one recipe for chicken a la king...basically creating a cream of chicken plus mushrooms and bell peppers. Instead of making cream, I decided to use condensed cream of both chicken and mushroom. Yummy!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter 2 cups cooked diced chicken 1/2 cup diced red and green bell peppers (I used frozen) 1 can mushrooms, drained (you may use sliced button mushrooms if you want. I had straw mushrooms at the time) 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup water as needed salt and pepper as needed
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add chicken, mushrooms and bell peppers and stir about 1-2 minutes. Add the condensed soups and some water to desired consistency. Let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, taking care to add water ans stir from time to time to avoid scorching. Serve in bread bowls. (Or you can serve it over plain rice or pasta.)
Smoked Pork Chops is the only pork I buy from the grocery store (if you have been reading my blog for quite some time now, you know that we raise our own pig). This is because my husband loves this stuff. We all do, actually. We get the Smithfield brand, which has 5 thin pieces. During those days when I am on duty and not having anything cooking in the slow cooker, smoked pork chops served with green peas and potatoes or rice is one easy meal I can prepare within 10-15 minutes, as long as I remember to tell the kids to cook rice before I come home (or I tell them to do so while on my way). I wash a potato or two (for hubby and/or stepd), sprinkle with salt, cover with wet paper towel then cling wrap and microwave (each takes about 4 minutes). I start the peas and start heating up the pan. I butter the pan and cook each side of chop for about 4 minutes or until nicely browned.
Just like when I made my puto, I don't always try to make things from scratch. If there's a way to easily make them without making a two-hour trip to an Asian store, or without making a trip all the way back to the Philippines, I will try to find that way.
Well, this quick-fix taho was actually an idea from my good friend Ana.
My only problem is that I have not really learned how to cook sago the right way, without a hard uncooked middle, even for the larger ones. Can anyone teach me how???
I cooked the sago first (still unsuccessful to come up with fully cooked sago). Then I spooned out some tofu, placed in a small ramekin, added maple syrup and sago, then microwaved in increments of 30 seconds until I was satisfied with the hotness. Expect to see more water as you heat up. I just scooped out as much of this excess water as I could, just like the magtataho used to do when serving me taho (I was a loyal customer from childhood to adulthood).
UPDATE 2/22/09 I would like to post here what Ria (of Sweden) does for her taho fix. Maybe others can do the same:
hi manang! this ria, your reader from sweden. dito walang silken tofu, plus hubby and the children love it kaya ang ginagawa ko to have our taho fix is buy soya milk (no calcium) and add a little tofu coagulator (food grade gypsum) that i bought from an online wholistic store and some cassava starch. i love using dark muscovado for my arnibal and small tapioca pearls. for the small tapioca pearls, i cook them first and after the water boils, i let them sit for about 10 minutes with pot cover on (hindi sa stove top). after they sit i boil them again and let them sit again for 10 minutes....voila, they're done after that.
Thanks for the info, Ria!
UPDATE 8/02/09: For those who might be interested in the procedure, I have these recipes below which I saved a long time ago from the DOST tecknotulong website (which now seems gone). I myself have never tried to make them, but I am posting here for the benefit of those who ask. Please do not ask me any further questions regarding these recipes because I would not know anything beyond posting them here.:
TAHO FROM SOYBEAN
Materials: 3 cups mature and newly harvested soybeans 2 bars white gulaman 3 cups brown sugar strainer (muslin or nylon cloth)
Procedure:
1. Soak soybeans overnight in water 3 times its volume.
2. Remove outer covering, grind; add water little by little (at least 6 cups) while grinding.
3. Dissolve 2 bars gulaman in boiling water (7 cups).
4. Pour the ground soybean in boiling gulaman for 7 minutes or until the odor of grains is removed.
5. Set aside until it coagulates.
6. Serve with syrup.
Syrup is prepared as follows:
3 cups sugar is dissolved in 3 cups water. The sugar may be caramelized to improve color and flavor.
Source: The Philippine Recommends for Soybean PCARRD 1991
TAHO FROM COCONUT MILK
Instead of soybeans, coconut milk may be used with gulaman in making taho.
Procedure:
1. Mix pure coconut milk with equal volume of water and heat.
2. In a container, dissolve 1/4 gulaman bar in water, boil.
3. Strain the dissolved gulaman and coconut milk. Heat and stir continuously for at least 20 minutes.
4. Pour into molds and allow to cool and harden.
To make syrup:
Dissolve 2 cups brown sugar in one cup water. Heat until thick.
I don't have an authentic recipe for puto to share with you. What I am showing here is puto that I made to go with the dinuguan that I usually serve during the Filipino gatherings. Although I want some authentic recipes and actually found some online, I simply do not have the time to make it. Since I have been working and have less time now to cook and bake, I want a quick-fix, so I resort to the following: Ingredients: 1 box classic white cake mix (I used Pillsbury) egg whites, oil and water as directed on the package (optional toppings: cheese or salted egg)
Procedure: Prepare your steamer (will post about this later) and make sure the water level is low enough so it does not touch your puto, yet high enough not to get dried up before your puto is done.
Mix the dry with the wet ingredients ONLY when your steamer's water is boiling briskly already. Spoon the mix into muffin cups supported by silicone cups (or other small cups that fit in your steamer). (This is a good time to place slices of salted egg on top if using.) If you have two layers of muffins, steam for 10 minutes then exchange the top with the bottom and steam for further 2 minutes. Remove cover and let steam for further 2-3 minutes. (This is a good time to put cheese topping if using).
This is traditionally served with dinuguan.
A bonus surprise was that hubby and all the kids loved this puto! So, although this is not an authentic puto recipe, who cares? What matters is it gets eaten, especially by the family, right?
For those looking for puto molds, a good substitute would be the tartlet pan on the right, which are like shorter muffin tin cups without the ridges. As mentioned on amazon,com, "SPECS: Diameter 2 1/2", height 5/8", pack of 25 - Description: Made of tin-plate. "
Ever gone to your workplace smelling like restaurant because you cooked steaks or stir-fries? Well, I have. I know its just stupidity the spontaneity and lack of planning, cooking supper in a spur-of-the-moment decision. You see, I work night shifts, and I leave home around 6pm. I take my showers around 3 pm to give enough time for my hair to dry (then straighten with an iron) before I leave. I start cooking supper around 4 or 4:30 for the quick-to-prep suppers. (I do sometimes plan ahead and have something in the slow cooker or oven, but that is not always the case.) Well, one time I was working and could smell my restaurant scent, I thought, "hmmm...I have two more consecutive nights to work. Better think of menus that will allow me to go to work smelling clean and fresh." This meatloaf is one of those. I really have no recipe to share here. I named this McMeatloaf because I used McCormick meatloaf mix to quick-fix this classic dish.
Ingredients: 1 pkg. McCormick® Meat Loaf Seasoning Mix 2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs OR 1 cup soft bread crumbs (2 slices bread) 1/2 cup ketchup, chili sauce or tomato sauce (optional)
MIX all ingredients except ketchup, in large bowl until well blended.
SHAPE meat mixture into a loaf. Place in foil-lined baking pan or 9x5-inch loaf pan. Top with ketchup, if desired.
BAKE in 375° F oven 1 hour or until cooked through.
We ate this with potatoes cooked in microwave using another McCormick product, Italian Herb Potato Steamer, and pre-cut salad greens.
I should get paid by McCormick for promoting their products...
"Honey, you make the best chili." My reply: "Thanks to McCormick."
I like preparing chili when I have to go to work (night shift). I usually start thawing 2 lbs ground beef at night. Then in the morning, I prepare it as directed on the package of McCormick Chili seasoning. By suppertime, I just have to have shredded cheddar cheese (or 4-cheese mexican shredded cheese) available as topping (I add chopped onions for myself). Ingredients: 2 pound lean ground beef 2 packages McCormick® Chili Seasoning Mix, Original or 1 package McCormick® Chili Seasoning Mix 30% Less Sodium 2 cans (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 2 cans (8 ounces) tomato sauce
Instructions:: 1. Cook ground beef in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain fat.
2. Place in 3-qt slow cooker. Stir in Seasoning Mix and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onion, if desired.
this type of dish which his ex used to cook, and told me (He had the nerve to tell me!) he should ask her for the recipe. Of course he (the typical man that he is) forgot about it, but I went ahead and groped my way through making my own recipe. Very simple and easy, we all love it. He basically spoon-fed to me the ingredients: chicken, broccoli florets, Velveeta cheese. I just added what I felt I had to, and cooked it the way I imagined it. This is one of my favorite dish to prepare if I am going to work. I am posting while having a slow time at work, so I am guessing at the proportions as I try to recall how much I use. Make sure you use a baking dish deep enough for this.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil 1-1/2 lb chicken breasts (or 1 lb, depending on how many are eating; this is for 5 people) cut into bite-size 1 lb frozen broccoli florets (Please take a look at the photo for the sizes of the cans) 1 can Cream of Chicken 1 can Broccoli Cheese condensed soup 1 package of stuffing prepared as directed on label Sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese 1/4 oz (?- kindly check the lines on the foil wrap, just one small block/line) Velveeta cheese, cut into small pieces Sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Heat oil and brown chicken then place in the baking dish. Add broccoli florets, cream of chicken, and broccoli cheese condensed soup; mix well. Scatter the Velveeta pieces; top with stuffing and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
