Photo Friday: FOOD!

It’s been a long time since I updated this food blog of mine. You see, I got busy with my Physician Licensure Exam (August; 3 months prior, I was reviewing for it) and our wedding (October). But no worries, every restaurant and special food that I cooked for the past 6 months, I got pictures to show off! Hehe! ^_^ And to mark my return to my food blog, here’s the fruit (or is it a veggie?) that best describes Thanksgiving Day – pumpkin!! It’s food right?? LOL! You can join in the fun of sharing your photos HERE =)

And for those curious on how my exam, wedding and honeymoon went, you can check my other blogs below. Enjoy reading! A bit of warning: my blog posts are full of photos! Get ready for photo and text overload, hehe ;-)

http://www.solito-elbanbuena.info (For Better or Worse..) http://melissasolito.blogspot.com (yes, it’s ME!)

Chocolate Brownies

As promised, here's a sweets recipe for your chocolate cravings! =) This is a step by step video of making yummy chocolate brownies, and is so easy to follow. GO COOK GUYS!



P.S. Belated happy birthday Pa! =)

some pics from China French Gastronomy Show in HK

The show's a bit old (around 6 months ago) but I really like the foodie atmosphere the pictures project. I wonder when's the 2008 China French Gastronomy Show. If you know, feel free to comment! Thanks! =)

Venetian Seafood Stew

Being in New York is like being in different parts of the world. Why? Coz you have lots of dining choices! You want to eat a Parisian delicacy - check! A meat pie ala London - check! If you want lollies and yummy chocolate, there are lots of confectionaries in NY! Wanna feel like you're eating in romantic Venice? New York has a resto for that too! The only problem is there fancy restaurants are quite hard on the budget. So for us who's into saving mode, why not cook your own 5-star restaurant recipe at home? Presenting the Venetian Seafood Stew recipe from Osteria da Fiore in Venice! Go cook guys! ^_^ Next week, I'll give a recipe for sweets. Watch out for that!

Venetian Seafood Stew

Ingredients
8 ounces mussels, beards removed, scrubbed and well rinsed
8 ounces clams, scrubbed and well rinsed
8 ounces baby calamari, cleaned (if you can only fine large calamari, cut them in half)
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 ounces red mullet fillet, cut into 1-ince pieces
3 ounces sole fillet, cut into 1-ince pieces
3 ounces halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 ounces monkfish fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large scallops, halved crosswise

2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Leaves from 3 sprigs thyme
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 quarts simmering Fish Broth

Instructions
Place the mussels and clams in a medium saucepan. Add a cup of water, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until the shells are open, about 6 minutes. Discard any unopened shells. Let cool slightly, then remove the meat from the clams and mussels. Set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid.

In a large saucepan or braising pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes; do not allow the vegetables to brown. Add the tomato and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic cloves.

Add the baby calamari and cook, stirring here and there, for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp; cook for a minute. Season the red mullet, sole, halibut, and monkfish with salt. Add them to the pan along with the scallops. Gently move the fish around the pan to cook evenly. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the white wine and cook until it evaporates by half.

Add the reserved liquid from the clams and mussels; leave behind the bottom quarter of liquid, which will likely contain sand. Using a ladle, spoon in the simmering fish broth. Immediately remove the part from the heat. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve immediately, or cool quickly in an ice bath and serve, reheated, the next day. Serves 6.

KFC Cole Slaw!!! ^_^

I'm a HUGE fan of KFC products. I feel that their chicken, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and brownies are the best in the fastfood business! =) When I was in college, my roommate and I tried to make their cole slaw everytime we need the mayo fix. But of course, it never matched the yumminess of the orig KFC cole slaw. But guess what?? Found a KFC cole slaw recipe!!! Happy cooking! ^_^

Ingredients
4 1/2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
6 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 1/2 cups mayonnaise (Miracle Whip works well)
1 cup sugar
2 carrots
2 heads cabbage

Directions
- Mix oil, onions and sugar.
- Add Tarragon vinegar.
- Fold in mayonnaise.
- Pour over grated carrots and cabbage.
- Fold in well.
- Refrigerate overnight in an air-tight covered dish.

of wines and men =)

pizza and burgers!

Baguio Country Club cookies!

My parents had a company affair in Baguio City, our country's summer capital (coolest city), the other week. They stayed at the Baguio Country Club where gourmet cookies and other baked goodies are exclusively sold to club members and checked-in patrons. Yes, the country club is THAT snooty! LOL! But with a reason -- their cookies are to-die for and does not have that commercial taste. Super delish! =) Their cookies as gifts will surely will surely be a hit to the recipient.

Mama bought 3 types of cookies -- my forever favorite oatmeal and nuts cookies, yummy chocolate chips cookies, and double chocolate cookies. All are large (about 3 inches wide) and a pack of four costs P56. Way cheaper than Mrs. Fields cookies and just as delicious! The downside is, as I mentioned, you only get to buy it in Baguio Country Club. Yup, you really have to go to Baguio as they don't do cookie delivery. Unfortunately I have no photos of the famed goodies coz I demolished them all the moment Mama gave them to me. Yup, I'm a cookie monster!!! =)

cook with Wolfgang Puck for real!!!

Share your favorite recipes for a chance to win a grand-prize trip to HSN’s Florida studios to cook with Wolfgang Puck! Other delicious prizes include the ultimate Wolfgang kitchen set and gift packs from Gourmet magazine. Enter as many recipes as you like now through March 20, then come back April 1-5 and vote to determine the winner, announced on-air by Wolfgang on April 20.

To enter, submit an original recipe using an HSN product HERE no later than March 20, 2008. The entry must contain 1) the name of the recipe, 2) the HSN product used in the creation or presentation of the dish, 3) the complete listing of ingredients in standard U.S. measurements, 4) complete instructions, 5) cooking method, time and temperature 6) number of servings and 7) the category. Entries can be submitted in 14 categories:

Appetizers
Beverages & Cocktails
Breads
Breakfast
Brunch
Condiments
Desserts

Hors d’œuvres
Sandwiches
Side Dishes
Entrees
Salads
Soups/Stews/Chilis
Ice Cream and Sorbets

for PIZZA lovers! =)

A quick survey from dNeero! Go read!

.

we're getting married! =)

Read all about it HERE and check our wedding blog here: www.solito-elbanbuena.info =)

Oreo Cheesecake Recipe! YUM!

Cheesecake Factory's Oreo Cheesecake =)

INGREDIENTS

Crust
1 1/2 cups. Oreo Cookie Crumbs (about 23 Oreo cookies finely
chopped)
2 tablespoons. Melted Butter
9" Spring Form Pan (buttered on bottom and sides)

Filling
1 1/2 lbs. Cream Cheese
1 cup Sugar
5 Large Eggs
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 cup Flour
8 oz Sour Cream
5 Oreo Cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)
10 Coarsely Chopped Oreo Cookies for the Top of Cheese Cake

PREPARATION

Crust

Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in spring pan cover the bottom and 1 1/2" up the sides with crumbs, set aside.

Filling

>All Ingredients need to be at room temperature before beginning.
>Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
>Keep mixer on a low setting during the mixing and beating process.
>Add sugar gradually and continue beating cream cheese until mixed through.
>Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.

>Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth.
>Add the sour cream and beat well.
>Turn off the mixer and stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.

>Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on to of the cream mixture.
>Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees and bake for one hour and 15 minutes.
>When time is up prop the oven door open and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour.
>Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

24 hours?? It is worth the wait! Promise! =) A cheese cake should season. The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.

Privacy Policy

If you are running Google AdSense ads on your sites, be aware that Google has just changed their Terms of Service and are now requiring ad publishers to have a privacy policy. Mine is below. I snagged it from Blogging4Cash.com -- thanks Jason! =)

------------------

TongueTemptations.us is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should always check this page to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

What we collect
We may collect the following information: name, contact information including email address, etc.

What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons: to facilitate a specific request on our site, for example, to post a comment on our blog or to subscribe to our email feed. All emails or feed subscriptions from this site allow you to opt out of further mailings. We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so.

How we use cookies and web Beacons
A cookie is a small file placed on your computer’s hard drive which helps analyze web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. Third parties such as our advertisers may also place cookies on your browser in the course of serving ads to you.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer.

We also use third party advertisements on TongueTemptations.us to support our site. Some of these advertisers may use technology such as cookies and web beacons when they advertise on our site, which will also send these advertisers (such as Google through the Google AdSense program) information including your IP address, your ISP , the browser you used to visit our site, and in some cases, whether you have Flash installed. This is generally used for geotargeting purposes (showing New York real estate ads to someone in New York, for example) or showing certain ads based on specific sites visited (such as showing cooking ads to someone who frequents cooking sites).

How to disable Cookies
You can chose to disable or selectively turn off our cookies or third-party cookies in your browser settings, or by managing preferences in programs such as Norton Internet Security. However, this can affect how you are able to interact with our site as well as other websites. This could include the inability to login to services or programs, such as logging into forums or accounts.

Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide while visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

How to contact us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our privacy policy, please contact us at cutiealecx @ yahoo.com (do remove the spaces).

HAPPY VALENTINES! =)

AVENIDA got all my faves!

Talk about getting lucky.. My girlfriend who runs this blog was able to snag two spots in the 8th leg of the Davao Food Trip series organized by Blogie Robillo before registration was closed. The 8th food trip was in AVENIDA, a restaurant in the ground floor of Lispher Inn in Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City. We haven't heard of it yet so we were quite excited to try their food. And I grew more excited when my gf mentioned Avenida will serve their famous Beef Misono. And I must say I LOVE BEEF in all forms!

The presentation of their Beef Misono was simple (just served in a bowl like a rice topping; see photo below) but it was delicious! The beef was very tender and flavorful, and I was able to demolish my share in about 5 minutes. Hehe! There was no hint of a distinct Japanese taste though. Avenida's version must have been "filipinized" for the Pinoy taste buds..

Beef is my #1 favorite food, and bangus belly is a close second. And who would have thought that Avenida will serve that too?? As I said, I got lucky! Hehe! The bangus recipe was just plainly named Bangus Belly. The belly wasn't visible as it was topped with sauteed (??) kangkong leaves. The rest of the dish was composed of cucumber, tomatoes and onions. Given its plain name, I didn't thought it will have an Italian taste. Surprise suprise! I think the (fresh, sundried or marinated?) tomatoes had a lot to do with the Italian taste. Needless to say, I ate lots of belly, and never minded the bangus meat which was boneless (I think).

The last dish Avenida served was Sizzling Squid. And yes, squid is another favorite. Hehe! How lucky can I get?? My first food trip and I'm eating all my faves =) Unfortunately, my gf wasn't able to take a picture of the squid dish on the sizzling plate since steam is coming off it (it's a sizzling dish after all!) and keeps messing up the camera lens. Tsk! Anyway, the squid meat was diced and mixed with the usual trio of vegetables (carrot, peas, corn). The sauce was yellow but there was nothing distinct in its smell or taste (no saffron) so I don't know why it's yellow.. Still, it was yummy and was perfect with the tender diced squid meat. Below is a picture of the Sizzling Squid on the plate of my gf. The reddish-blaskish blob on the background is a piece of Bangus Belly. Looks all yummy to me!

ALL photos in this blog post were taken by Melissa Solito (my gf who runs this food blog) and I used them with permission -- of course! Hehe! ALL are unedited that's why there's no watermark of her name (she's procrastinating in editing, arghh) so if you use it, kindly link back or give her credit. Her "food review" on Avenida will be on this blog: Issa's Dollar Earners. Go check it out!

For those with short-term memory, AVENIDA is located in the ground floor of Lispher Inn in Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City. Contact number: (6382) 299-1610. You can also check them out at www.lispher.ph

wanna make an iSSa?? =)

LOL! Got this super fun "recipe" from Chikai. Thanks for sharing gurl! =)

The Recipe For iSSa

3 parts Charisma 2 parts Impishness 1 part Kindness Splash of Desire Finish off with whipped cream

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

Caramelized Onions!!!

I love onions! Call me bad breath grrrl but there's simply no way I'd give up eating onions (and garlic too!). My favorites are onion rings and caramelized onions. The latter is a classic "side dish" that adds a deep, rich flavor to everything from sandwiches to roasted meats. The trick in making it is slow, lengthy cooking -- so patience is required -- which I do not have! LOL! Here's a recipe from FoodPals.com ... Happy cooking! =)

1. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or half oil, half unsalted butter) in a heavy 10-inch skillet or pot over very low heat. Add 1 1/2 to 2 pounds sliced onions (1 pound of raw onions yields about 1 cup caramelized). The onions will be 2 to 3 inches deep; stir to coat with oil. Cover tightly and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes, until completely softened and beginning to brown.

2. Increase the heat to medium; remove the lid and add 1 cup liquid (water, wine, or broth), scraping the pan to loosen any browned bits on the pan's bottom. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the onions are a deep caramel brown color.

VARIATION: Quick Caramelized Onions
Cook sliced onions as in the preceding recipe, only increase the heat to medium or medium-high. Cover and stir often until the onions are softened and beginning to brown. Remove the lid; sprinkle the onions with 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, stirring to combine. Continue to cook until the onions are caramelized as desired.

VARIATION: Caramelized Onions Balsamico
Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar into the caramelized onions; cook until liquid evaporates.

are fastfood chicken sandwich safe?

Watch the video and find out! If you can't think of any fastfood chicken sandwich, think of KFC's yummy chicken burgers.. Mmmm good! *drooling saliva*

audio FOOD ads, anyone?

So, you noticed? I mean, the yummy visual FOOD ads I've put up in this blog. Hehe! In my money blog, I've been putting up ads like crazy, changing every now and then the companies I advertise. But here, in a food blog, delicious food ads rule! Hehe! Cheeses and jelly beans are my fave foods ever since I was young so these are the two ads I put up. If you love them too, go order! LOL! =) Anyway, my "real" subject for today (no recipe, sorry!) is the use of audio ads. If you're interested, read on! If not, hop on to my next post which has a delectable dish recipe for you to try =)

***
We all know that most of a blog or website's income come from ads (Google, TLA, Bidvertiser, etc). Affiliate marketing ads (my food ads belong here) are also the rage these days. Unfortunately, mature internet users now have "ad blindness" -- that is, they don't click on the ad because they know it's an ad. Unless they really want that cappuccino jelly beans or gourmet cheeses & chocolates on my ads, hehe! So, how will I earn from every visitor in my blog now? AUDIO ADS! Your visitor doesn't have to click anything, the ad just plays instantly if the visitor IP is valid. And the ads are unobtrusive, just 5sec! Interested? The go to AudioAdHosting.com =) You can also earn as an affiliate from them if you don't like to put audio ads in your sites.

super yummy sizzling squid in MACKY's!

If you're from Davao City, there's this not-so brand-new small restaurant in front JS Citimall (okay it's GS now but JS is more sosyal, lol!) along Ilustre St. named MACKY's. One lunch time, Labsie and I went in and ordered their super yummy Sizzling Squid (pictured above) and Grilled Porkchop. Our total bill? A measly P128! In other restos, that would just get you 1 squid order. MACKY's is truly light on the pocket and heavy on the tastebuds. Can't wait to come back! =) You can view their full menu HERE. If you'd like to cook your own sizzling squid, you need to have a grill (an electric or gas grill is fine), sizzling plate and super yummy sauce. Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 pc. big squid
2 slices ginger, julienned (cut into thin strips)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic
1tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. vinegar

STEPS

Combine salt, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic and sugar in a bowl.
Marinate squid in the mixture for half a day.
Grill to almost done, but not quite, basting regularly with the marinade.
Slice into rings. Transfer to a heated up sizzling plate.
Pour a little marinade over the grilled squid and serve.

YUMMY! =) If you have your own secret grilling sauce, you can use that actually. You can even use the gravy for steaks to make it really sizzle when you pour it on the squid. Remember, when you cook, it's all about experimentation and what works for you. Don't follow recipes to the letter -- improvise, innovate, experiment! =)

crunchy cereals!

I love eating cereals in the morning (my fave is the frosty cornflakes) but I hate it when the flakes turn soggy when I'm not finished eating yet. Ruins my day! And then today, I stumbled on Coolest-Gadgets.com the EatMeCrunchy Bowl (pictured above). It apparently solves your soggy cereals! Here's how it works:

The concept behind this revolutionary breakfast bowl is forehead-slappingly simple. A removable shelf covers 70% of the bowl’s base, holding the cereal above the milk. All you have to do is eat your cereal from the shelf-less section of the bowl where the cereal and milk meet, pushing the cereal in as required.

You can buy the EatMeCrunchy Bowl for $10.20 (£4.95) from Firebox =) Not so cheap eh? LOL! Still, if it makes my mornings happier..

Scrambled Eggs ala Microwave!

Full article HERE. Thought I'd share this helpful cooking how-to with you guys! I've been "frying" eggs by microwave so that I won't use oil (less cholesterol, definitely healthier!) but I haven't tried scrambled eggs until this how-to came along. Love it! =)

Ingredients

2 eggs per person
1 tablespoon of water or milk per egg
1 tablespoon of butter or cooking spray
salt and pepper

Steps

1. Spray or grease a microwave safe bowl with cooking spray or butter. If you do this, the egg batter will not stick to the bowl in the cooking process.

2. Crack eggs into the bowl. Whip them with a fork or whisk.

3. Place in the microwave and cook for 30 seconds. Remove, as they will be partially formed (see Warnings below). Use your fork and stir them gently, so that the uncooked blends in with the still loose egg. Set the eggs back in the microwave.

4. Microwave the eggs for about 10 seconds and check them. If they're not ready for your taste or are too liquidly, stir and break up the egg with a fork and place back in the microwave for a few more seconds.

5. Microwave for 10 second intervals until you get more solid egg than liquid. Be sure not to overcook or burn the eggs.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It's a brand-new year and I bet most of you want to have a happier life this 2008! My suggestion? Focus on “body mind spirit” – be healthy, be smart, be in touch with your soul! And within the first quarter of the year, I bet you'll be as a bunny hopping on the field =) Be healthy is easier said than done since you have to undo all the unhealthy habits you’ve been practicing for years. So let’s just start with the mind-be smart thing! After graduating from college, most of us didn’t go for higher education anymore (masteral, short-course diplomas, etc). Often, we just deal with work stuff and sometimes, with repetition, our mind stagnates.

For 2008, why not try to join programs aimed for self improvement or personal development? Who knows, you might gain a new talent and look at yourself with a new perspective. At the very least, your brain will be happy with the stimuli you gave it. Ergo, you’d be a happier person! =) As for the spirit, it doesn’t have to be religious. Do what your soul tells you to do. For me, meditation just right after waking up and going to sleep does it best =) And my last words? THROW OUT YOUR JUNKFOOD and start bingeing on fruits and vegetables. And if you can forego meat too, that'd be the best thing you can do to make your body happy. Ergo, you'll be happier! But then, these are all just suggestions. No violent reactions please ;-p