Tongue Temptations

Happy Thanksgiving!! ^_^

2009-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

In most parts of our country, Thanksgiving (that the US celebrates every fourth Thursday of November) is not a known event. Needless to say, we don't celebrate it. But with the advent of online shopping, we became more aware of this event because of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. The former happens the next day after Thanksgiving and the latter, on the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend. Both, of course, have retailers offer massive discounts and deals to consumers and signal the start of the holiday shopping season ^_^

This year, I decided that we'll celebrate Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and I wanna glorify the Lord's uber-goodness with my cooking =) But no, we won't be having a turkey, (it's too big for the 3 of us!) just roasted chicken and some stuffing plus other dishes to go with it. For this Thanksgiving post, I'm sharing recipes from RecipeSecrets.net and a video on how to properly carve a turkey (or chicken in our case). Now, let's get on with the cooking!!

Southwestern Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients
4 chorizo sausages
2 cups yellow corn meal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tps baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
4 lrg eggs
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
2 cups canned cream style corn
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cans (4 oz. size) diced peeled green chilies
2 sml onions, grated
1/2 cup minced fresh coriander

Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Cook chorizos in small heavy skillet until brown on all sides, then cut into 1/4 inch slices.
2. Mix corn meal, salt, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl. Stir chorizo chunks and remaining ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly blended. Add the corn meal mixture and mix well. Divide batter between two well-seasoned 10" cast-iron skillets (or bake in 2 batches).
3. Bake the cornbread until brown on top and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack then crumble coarsely for stuffing.

Blueberry Cheesecake Pie (not really a traditional Thanksgiving dessert but hubby adores this so much!)

Crust
1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter

1. Mix the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a nine inch pie pan or spring form pan. Mix until the crumbs have absorbed the butter and the mixture is uniform.
2. Press the crumbs across the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
3. Bake for ten minutes at 350 degrees.
Note: This is a crumb crust that will tend to burn during baking. To reduce the chances of burning, use a ceramic pan or a bright silver pan. A ceramic pan will tend to insulate the crust and a silver pan reflects heat.

Filling
2 8-ounce packets of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 21-ounce can of blueberry pie filling

1. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Add the eggs one at a time and the extract. Continue beating until smooth.
3. Pour into the pie shell and bake at 325 deg until the center of pie no longer jiggles.
4. Cool on a wire rack. Spoon the prepared pie filling over the cheese filling.

healthy chimichangas!

2009-10-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

Mexican food always get the bad rap of being unhealthy -- it's too oily, high in cholesterol, etc, etc. But I love Mexican cuisine and I just couldn't bear not eating my favorite empanadas, tortillas, chimichangas and burritos for "health" reasons! Thank god I stumbled on a copycat recipe of Chi−Chi’s famous healthy Baked Chicken Chimichangas. Nomnomnom! =) You can use ground pork or beef for this recipe but that would defeat the purpose of eating healthy so try to use chicken or turkey or any white meat. Me, I use leftover chicken -- no skin of course!

photo credit: Janet is Hungry

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chicken, cooked, shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
16 ounces salsa
1/2 teaspoon cumin
pinch of salt
6 − 10 inch flour tortillas
1 cup refried beans
Olive oil (for basting)
Sour Cream
Guacamole

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in chili powder, salsa, and cumin. Stir in shredded chicken. Let cool.
3. Grease rimmed 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan.
4. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon a heaping tablespoon of beans down center of each tortilla. Top with a scant 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture.
5. Fold up the bottom, top and sides of tortilla; secure with wooden toothpicks if necessary.
6. Place chimichangas in greased baking pan, seam side down. Brush all sides with the oil.
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning every 5 minutes.
8. Serve with sour cream and guacamole. This recipe has 8-10 servings.

who loves garlic???

2009-09-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

I DO! And I love onions too! In fact, I love eating spices and stuff that makes your breathe smell foul after, hehe! :p Today's recipe is Garlic Sauce -- perfect as bread or pizza dip! I also added some tips from SecretRecipes.net in using garlic to flavor your cooking. Enjoy!

GARLIC SAUCE

Ingredients:
1/4 - 1/2 stick margarine or butter
1/2 Tablespoon Garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:
Melt butter in the microwave (about 30 seconds).
Put in salt and garlic powder (to taste).
Microwave for 5 seconds longer.

GARLIC COOKING TIPS

- ONE finely minced or pressed raw garlic clove releases MORE flavor than a dozen cooked whole cloves. So always chop your garlic!

- If you want a sweet, almost nutty flavor (perfect for pastries & ice cream) from garlic with no pungency whatsoever, cook the cloves whole. Don't mince!

- When sauteing garlic, be very careful not to burn it. The flavor will be intensely bitter and you'll have to start over.

Obama Family Chili Recipe

2009-08-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

This recipe would not be possible if it weren't for Good Morning America! =) So, to their website updaters, thank you for putting this up. I hope you don't mind me sharing this to my readers.. We just adore chili!! ^_^

Obama Family Chili Recipe

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans

Procedure:
Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add ground meat and brown.
Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat.
Add red wine vinegar.
Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.
Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.
Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese,onions and sour cream.

Chili Cooking Tips
1. If your chili is too thick, use chicken or beef broth to dilute it. Don't use water!
2. If your chili is too thin, try adding tomato paste in small amounts to thicken it to your desire. If the tomato paste doesn't work, try a small amount of cornstarch or flour. Some people say a tablespoon or two of instant mashed potatoes work to thicken a chili.

tips for soft, chewy cookies

2009-06-17T01:51:00.000-07:00

Last time, I shared Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Cookies recipe and it seems that a lot of you were wondering how to make it softer and more melt in your mouth. Well, here are the tips to help you make chewy cookies (and maintain it that way) that we all love!

- VERY IMPORTANT: Do not over mix the dough or use too much flour.

- Bake cookies the minimum amount of time, even though the center may look slightly underbaked. Let cookies stand on baking sheet for one to three minutes to continue to bake, then remove to cooling rack.

- Store soft cookies in an airtight container.

- Do not store soft chewy cookies with crisp type cookies.

- Use shiny aluminum cookie sheets, not dark colored ones.

Source: RecipeSecrets.net ^_^

Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Cookies!! =)

2009-06-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to have finally found the recipe to Mrs. Fields' oatmeal cookies!! ^_^ I can't get enough of these stuff and I can't wait to bake these cookies when I have the chance! This recipe will make 48 cookies. Enjoy and happy cooking!

Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Quick oats (not instant)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Cloves
2 teaspoons Grated lemon zest
1 cup Dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup Butter
1 large Egg
1/2 cup Honey
1 cup Raisins

Topping:
1/2 cup Quick oats

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
-In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, salt, soda, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside.
-Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
-Add the egg and honey and beat at medium speed until smooth.
-Add the flour mixture and raisins, and blend at low speed until just combined. The dough will be quite soft.
-Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. If you wish, sprinkle the cookies with oats.
-Bake the cookies for 23-25 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. ENJOY eating!! ^_^

healthy quiche!

2009-06-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

I have one yummy recipe for you today that uses whey protein to help you build strong, lean muscles and facilitate weight loss =)

“Low Carb” Quiche
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed
4 slices Bacon, cooked and chopped
1 – 10 oz package Spinach, frozen, thawed and drained
1 – 4oz can Mushrooms, drained
¼ cup Onion, chopped
½ cup Swiss Cheese, shredded
½ cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
¼ cup Whey Protein Isolate
1/8 tsp Pepper
½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ cup Water
4 Eggs, large

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F
2. Grease 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.
3. Sprinkle ham, bacon, spinach, mushrooms, onions and cheeses in bottom of pie plate.
4. Stir together whey protein isolate and pepper in mixing bowl. Add cream, water and eggs. Mix until well blended. Pour over ingredients in pie plate.
5. Bake quiche for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

And voila! A lovely, delicious quiche that’s uber-healthy! BTW, you can buy whey protein in health food stores anywhere.

free foodstuff & win grocery coupons

2009-05-16T03:15:00.000-07:00

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summer cookout tips!

2009-05-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Of course we all know that summer won't be complete without the barbecue cookout -- yum-my! I won't be sharing recipes today, instead I'll be giving tips to ensure that your summer cookout will be a success. Read on and let's get ready to chow!!

1. Choose the menu with care. Aside from the usual hotdogs and burgers, serve another crowd pleaser: chicken wings!! =)

2. Preheat a gas grill for 10 minutes before cooking. For charcoal grills, wait 20-30 minutes for the charcoal to turn to a light gray.

3. Use long-handled tongs or a spatula to turn food. Do not pierce the food while cooking. Piercing lets all the juices out = dried out meats! Not good!

it's officially summer! ^_^

2009-04-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

And to welcome the hottest season of the globe, here's a "Jamba Juice Banana Berry Smoothie" recipe for you! Perfect to cool you and your homies after some fun under the sun ^_^ The smoothie is very easy to make (it only has one step, LOL) and will definitely quench anybody's thirst! And it's very healthy too so go and make some!

Ingredients:

1 scoop fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt

1 scoop of raspberry sherbet

3/4 cup strawberry nectar

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup apple juice

1 cup of ice

1 banana

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a blend and blend until smooth. Makes 1 24-ounce smoothie. EASY!

Source: The Secret Recipe Forum

Your Lunch is on the House from Italianni's!

2009-04-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

YEAH!! FREEBIES!! ^_^ I just received an email from Yehey! Dispatch today announcing Italianni's latest promo. And yep, there's a FREE meal to be had! If you buy one of their "Small Price for a Big Lunch" meals and get a second one of same or lesser value, it's for FREE! So whoever said "There's no such thing as a free lunch." haven't been to Italianni's! LOL! =) This promo is valid until May 31, 2009 so hurry -- you only have 45 days to enjoy it!

eat vegetables! some are aphrodisiacs ;-)

2009-03-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

I know Valentines Say is over and there's no use for aphrodisiacs anymore. But hey, who said you can't be libidinous on other days? LOL! And eating healthy veggies at that! So, without further ado, here are the surprising vegetables "slash" aphrodisiacs:

Asparagus boosts histamine production, helping both sexes to achieve orgasm. The spears are also rich in folic acid and vitamin B6, which can boost arousal and orgasm.

Celery contains the male hormone androsterone that stimulates sexual arousal. The Romans were hip to celery’s sensual side: They dedicated it to Pluto, the god of sex.

Chilies contain capsaicin, a chemical that can induce the release of endorphins to create a temporary euphoria. Capsaicin also increases circulation and sensation in the genital area.

Licorice is potent in taste and smell. Black licorice was also shown to increase blood flow to the genitals, leading to improved erection in men.

Tex Mex Salmon!

2009-03-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Love Mexican food but is now trying to eat healthy? Good news! Today we have a recipe guaranteed to squash your Mexican food cravings but won't make your cholesterol and fat blood levels soar ;-) Presenting to you -- Tex Mex Salmon! Yup, salmon as in fish. That's what make this "Mexican" recipe healthy. Plus the fact we won't be frying anything in oil or lard. But, don't push it and eat as much as you can -- that's still unhealthy! :p Anyway, happy cooking and always, always eat moderately!

Ingredients (6 servings)

1 7 oz. package of Ortega taco chips/shells

2 lbs. salmon fillets in pieces (you can actually use any fish you want)

1/2 cup olive oil (or any healthy oil you want)

Taco sauce (optional)

Instructions

Heat taco shells/chips according to package directions.

In food processor or blender, finely crush shells. Blend in Taco seasoning.

Dip fish in olive oil. Coat with crumbs.

Arrange in shallow baking dish.

Bake in preheated 425 degrees F oven for half hour or until fish flakes easily when macerated with a fork.

Serve with Taco sauce (optional).

eat healthy - GRILL FOOD!

2009-03-03T09:51:00.000-08:00

And the best food to grill? Vegetables! Now that's doubly healthy eh? =) A word of warning though, GRILL LIGHTLY -- don't char the food being grilled. If ever charred, remove the blackened portion (don't eat!) coz that's carcinogenic =( Also, use OLIVE OIL and other healthy oils to toss your veggies. Anyway here are tips for grilling vegetables. Stay healthy and always, always eat moderately!

GREEN BEANS OR HARICOTS VERTS

Trim the ends and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over direct high heat 3 to 5 minutes.

SWEET POTATOES

Peel and slice into 1/2" thick wedges before tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over direct medium heat, turning often 15 to 20 minutes.

SUMMER SQUASH

Bias slice into 1/2" thick planks, then toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over direct high heat 5 to 7 minutes.

WHOLE BABY ZUCCHINI

Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper then grill over direct high heat 7 to 10 minutes.

ASPARAGUS

Trim off woody ends then toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over direct high heat 3 to 5 minutes.

CORN ON THE COB

Shuck ears, trim ends and halve crosswise. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over direst high heat 10 to 15 minutes turning often.

GRILLED BAKED POTATOES

Wash and dry russet potatoes (8-10 oz. each) then rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over indirect heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

tips in using chicken

2009-02-24T02:26:00.000-08:00

We all know that when improperly handled and cooked, chicken dishes can give us a bad case of food poisoning. Often the culprit is Salmonella, which is also prevalent in improperly cooked dairy products and eggs. To prevent food poisoning from chicken, simply follow the tips below PRIOR to cooking. Learn it, don't forget it, always SAFE FOOD first!

- Refrigerate raw chicken promptly. Never leave it on countertop at room temperature.

- Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not to be used within 2 days.

- If properly packaged, frozen chicken will maintain top quality in a home freezer for up to 1 year.

- Thaw chicken in the refrigerator -- not on the countertop -- or in cold water. It takes about 24 hours to thaw a 4-pound chicken in the refrigerator. Cut-up parts, 3 to 9 hours.

- Always wash hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other utensils used in preparing raw chicken with soapy water before they come in contact with other raw or cooked foods.

- When shopping, buy groceries last. Never leave chicken in a hot car. Refrigerate immediately on reaching home.

make pancakes with a twist! =)

2009-02-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

Bob Evans Stuffed Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Pancakes

Pancakes with pecans and sliced fresh bananas, covered in a warm, caramel sauce.

Ingredients:
prepared pancake batter for 2 pancakes

2 cups prepared vanilla pudding
2 cups cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey roasted pecans
1 banana sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon powdered sugar whipped topping

Caramel sauce

Make Vanilla Cream Cheese mixture:

Mix vanilla pudding with cream cheese until well blended and creamy (no lumps). Cover and refrigerate immediately. This mixture will store (covered) in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Procedure: (serves 1)

Prepare pancake batter and preheat griddle. Ladle batter onto hot griddle and sprinkle evenly with pecans and banana slices. When they bubble and edges are dry, flip to cook second side.

When done, place pancake on plate, top with 4 tablespoons Vanilla Cream Cheese mixture and top with second pancake. Ladle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with whipped topping.

Tips:

- Be sure to let the pecans and bananas show for a nice presentation.

- For a more intense flavor, use a banana-flavored pudding in lace of vanilla.

- For a completely different variation, add chocolate chips and serve with chocolate or fudge topping.

Source: "America's Secret Recipes" by Ron Douglas

Aphrodisiacs for Valentines Day ;-)

2009-02-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is fast approaching and if you haven't had any plans yet, why not have an aphrodisiac picnic somewhere dark? Hehe! Here's some yummy foods that will put love and romance in the air.. ;-)

Avocado: The Aztecs called the avocado tree Ahuacuatl, which translated means "testicle tree." The ancients thought the fruit hanging in pairs on the tree resembled the male's testicles. This is a delicious fruit with a sensuous texture.

Chocolate: "Love," someone said, "is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." The Aztecs referred to chocolate "nourishment of the gods." Chocolate contains chemicals thought to effect neurotransmitters in the brain and a related substance to caffeine called theobromine. It was actually banned from some monasteries centuries ago.

Honey: Many medicines in Egyptian times were based on honey including cures for sterility and impotence. Medieval seducers plied their partners with Mead, a fermented drink made from honey. Lovers on their "honeymoon" drank mead and it was thought to "sweeten" the marriage.

Durian: It smells like hell but tastes like heaven. In Indonesia, the Javanese impose a strict set of rules on what may or may not be consumed with it or shortly thereafter. A saying "Durian jatuh sarung naik" ("The durians fall and the sarungs come up) refers to this belief. The warnings against the supposed lecherous quality of this fruit soon spread to the West, the Swedenborgian philosopher Herman Vetterling commented on so-called "erotic properties" of the durian in the early 20th century.

Garlic: The "heat" in garlic is said to stir sexual desires. Make sure you and your partner share it together. Garlic has been used for centuries to cure everything from the common cold to heart ailments. This is a good time for moderation.

Oyster: Oysters were documented as an aphrodisiac food by the Romans in the second century A.D as mentioned in a satire by Juvenal. He described the wanton ways of women after ingesting wine and eating "giant oysters." An additional theory is that the oyster resembles the "female" genitals. In reality, oysters are a very nutritious and high in protein. Raw oysters are very high in zinc which raises sperm and testosterone production.

More of the aphrodisiacs HERE --> it's my source article actually. Hehe! What I listed above are just my fave aphrodisiacs =) For Valentines gift ideas and gift tips, click HERE. Good luck! =)

earn $$$ from TWITTER!

2009-02-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

The reason why I finally joined Twitter are here: http://twurl.nl/1f4xx8 and http://twurl.nl/u7i4oj ^_^

And yes, it's all about the money baby! Hehe!

Follow me on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/cutieissa ) to stay updated on ways to earn $$$ online =)

win bazillion of EC credits and some $$$!

2009-02-06T05:42:00.000-08:00

To win the smashing stuff, all you have to do is blog about this contest and link back toMira's Blog. Make sure you copy all the prizes and sponsors as seen below. Mira is doing this contest as she celebrates one great year of blogging. Twelve lucky bloggers will win so there's a good chance it might be YOU! =) You can read all about the contest HERE.

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the perfect Superbowl XLIII snack! =)

2009-01-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

If you ask my husband what's my favorite food, he'd say anything potato. And he's right! I love potato foods -- from the usual fries and potato salad to gourmet baked potatos and Shakey's Mojos =) For this this week, here's a TGI Friday's potato snack recipe (serves 2-4) -- the perfect companion as you watch Superbowl XLIII this Sunday. Happy cooking!

TGI Friday's Baked Potato Skins

5 baked potato skins, cut in half (empty of most of the potato)
1 tablespoon melted butter
seasoning salt
1 green onion, diced
1/2 cup crispy fried bacon, diced (about 5 strips)
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

Procedure:
1. Heat oven to 375F.
2. Brush potato shells with melted butter and sprinkle seasoning salt to taste.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp but not dry and hard.
4. Remove and sprinkle with cheese, bacon and onion, place back in oven until cheese is melted.
5. Serve with sour cream and chives. You can also Ranch dressing or honey mustard.

Photo Friday: FOOD!

2008-11-22T17:40:00.000-08:00

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

2008-04-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

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!!! ^_^

2008-04-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

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 =)

2008-03-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

pizza and burgers!

2008-03-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

Baguio Country Club cookies!

2008-03-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2008-03-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

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! =)

2008-03-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

A quick survey from dNeero! Go read!

we're getting married! =)

2008-02-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

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

Oreo Cheesecake Recipe! YUM!

2008-02-21T01:44:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-17T07:19:00.000-08:00

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! =)

2008-02-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

AVENIDA got all my faves!

2008-02-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

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?? =)

2008-02-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2008-01-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

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?

2008-01-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

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?

2008-01-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2008-01-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

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

STICKY Christmas Countdown!

2007-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

christmas bonus!!!

2007-12-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

And 13th month pays are in! Woohoo! Surely, even if you spend a lot during Christmas, all these bonuses from your employer will tide you over til the next payday. Right? RIGHT?? No? Oh well, you can always do cash advance or get a payday loan right? I sure hope so! It won't be cool if you get in debt during Christmas. That's just sad! =( As for me, I'm unemployed in real life but because of blogging, I have more than enough money to celebrate the holidays with style! Hehe! Also, my boyfriend got his Christmas bonus early and we went shopping for gifts. We even finished Christmas shopping for our family first week of December! Anyhoo, I still have gifts to buy -- this time online and of course, it's gonna be FOOD! This is a food blog after all. Hehe! Take a load of these delectable gift goodies from DelightfulDeliveries.com --

Imagine giving a food basket worth more than $100!!! Man, aren't you a big spender?? LOL! But that expensive gift basket contains premium baked stuff, some imported wine, and lots of gorgeous food blings. I certainly wouldn't mind receiving it! But I would certainly mind giving it, hahaha! I'm sure I'd get in debt if I send $100 gift baskets to all my friends I care about =) Still, no worries, there are payday loans to tide me over til next year if ever it will come to that horrible situation. Hehe!

want FREE recipes??

2007-12-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

I got one! And it's another cookie recipe, hehe! This time you need to BAKE, so for those averse to cooking, you can scroll down to the bottom where there's more FREE stuff. Promise, it's not a recipe! LOL! =) Anyway, I got this recipe from the Recipe Secrets e-book where they compiled copycat recipes from famous restaurants and food products. The one I'm gonna share today is "Copycat Mrs. Fields Black and White Cookies" ... I love Mrs. Fields' cookies!!! And I miss it already! Ever since Subway closed about 5 years ago, the only place I can eat her cookies is in Manila. Sniff! Anyway, that's gonna change now coz I can bake her cookies with this copycat recipe. Muhahaha! Here goes:

COPYCAT MRS. FIELDS BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Dark brown sugar
packed 3/4 cup White sugar
1 cup Salted butter
soft 3 large Eggs
2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
5 1/4 oz Semisweet chocolate bar - chopped coarsely
5 1/4 oz White chocolate bar - chopped coarsely

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.
Blend sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed.
Add butter and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add eggs and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until smooth.
Add the flour mixture and chocolates, and mix at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake about 25 minutes.
Transfer cookies immediately to a cooling rack.

Yield: 3 dozen (36) cookies.

For those who scrolled down to this part, i.e. those who don't like to cook, here's my freebie tip to you: FREE CHAT if you follow the link! Yes dears, you can yak on the phone for hours with your relatives and girlfriends you won't be seeing this Christmas =) The site that offers this service was made for teen chat and chat lines, but who cares?? You can chat for free so would you pass that up?? Me? I couldn't resist a freebie to save my life! Lol! Enjoy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2007-12-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

It’s Christmas time again! And in our home, it means it’s time for baking gourmet cookies and making fruitcakes! Mmm good! My mother is the queen of our kitchen, and I expect to eat her yummy baked goodies anytime soon. Actually, I’ve been pestering her many days now to start baking already. Hehe! For those who love to cook, here’s a simple and delicious recipe for Christmas cookies that you can whip up anytime. This is NO BAKE! Enjoy and have fun cooking!

CORNFLAKE WREATH COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp green food color
4 cups corn flakes
red hot candies
silver dragées

Melt butter, add marshmallows, stirring until all marshmallows are melted. Add extracts and food coloring; stir until it is a uniform green color. When mixture is smooth, add corn flakes; mix well but gently so as not to crush the cornflakes. Form into wreath shapes on sheets of waxed paper, decorate with red cinnamon candies and silver dragées. Let cool.

For those who don’t have the time to cook (or don’t have the inclination to do so), you can buy baked goodies online. One of my favorite “bakeshops” is the San Francisco Cookie Company. I love browsing their site, and the moment they’ll ship internationally, I would surely buy their award-winning all natural cookies. They use whole grains, heart healthy oats, and organic dairy in their cookies. The result? This is what they claim: “A cookie beyond the ordinary -- the traditional taste that you've been looking for but haven't found in all of those "other" cookies.” Now, that sounds GOOD! =)

October is...

2007-10-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

...Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So, to all bloggers out there, THINK PINK! =) Our family is lucky coz we have no history of breast cancer (so far). We have breast lumps but histopath results have all revealed benign changes. Other wives, mothers and sisters are not so lucky. The sad thing is that Breast Cancer is preventable and it is curable if caught early. So guys, let's amplify the awareness campaign! Who knows, the life (and breasts) you save might be your own. Here's a yummy food photo to inspire all of you! =)

credits: Eleni's Breast Cancer Awareness Cookies

P.S. I'm not still through transferring my blog. So much stuff is going on in my offline life, lol!

my desktop freeVIEW

2007-09-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

Cherry Rose tagged me to show my desktop -- and here it is! Yeah, I'm bitten by the love bug until now, lol! Anyway I forgot where I got this digiscrap calendar layout. If you know the creator, pls msg me so I can credit it to her. Thanks! =)

Note: Copy Starts Here!

My Desktop Free View Instruction:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. You can do a screen capture by:

1. Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Screen key (located on the right side of the F12 key).

2. Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).

3. If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of Icons, things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

~ I am tagging high school friends Sophia and Pia, Genny, Kookie & Byotipol ;p

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

iRonnie - I Set No Corner
Thess - Thesserie
Rebecca - Skippy Heart
Knoizki - A Dialogue with K
Beng - Kauderwelch
- domlawrenceOSB
- bluepanjeet™ OTWOMD™
Marie @ Vanidosa Marie and Vanidosa at blogspot
Ems @ Just Let Go and Pieces of Me
Tere @ Journey in Life
Nita @ Nita’s Random Thoughts
JennyL Simply Jen and This and That
Caryl @ Mother’s Horizon
Lovely @ Lovely Ruth’s Blog
Chikai @ BLOGSILOG & Thinking Out Loud
iSSa @ Tongue Temptations & Issa's Dollar Earners

transferring my food blog!

2007-09-25T01:47:00.000-07:00

The new home of Tongue Temptations is almost finished! I'm so happy that my food blog finally has its own domain name. And that's because of Kitty! She had this contest and luckily, I was one of the winners of a free domain name. My contest entry is here. THANK YOU SO MUCH KITTY! You are so generous! =)

I'm still in the process of transferring my old posts from Tongue Temptations' old home here so pardon the dust. The old blog has been renamed Quick Bytes.. (..for a better online life!) and will be my personal blog. From now on, the new url of my food blog is TongueTemptations.us ..Do bookmark it and visit me in the next few days! Hopefully all old posts have been transferred and I have a new foodie post for you to drool over =)

tongue temptations

2007-09-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

Will be transferring my food blog here. Watch out for it! =)

Introducing – GAC fruit!

2007-09-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

Yeah I know, the fruit’s name is kinda weird. Sort of an acronym but it really doesn’t mean anything, it’s just GAC. Hehe! Gac is a Southeast Asian fruit, a relative of the bitter gourd or ampalaya. Its scientific name is Momordia Cochinchinemis Spreng. Gac is also known as Baby Jackfruit, Spiny Bitter Gourd, Sweet Gourd, or Cochinchin Gourd. So why I am interested with Gac? Coz I just recently knew that it is high in lycopene content – contains up to 70 times the lycopene found in tomatoes! Can you beat that?? It has also been found to contain up to 10 times the beta-carotene in carrots or sweet potatoes. I’m loving this exotic fruit more and more.. But that’s not all! The carotenoids present in Gac are bound to long-chain fatty acids so the carotenoids are said to be in a more bioavailable form. Meaning, our body can easily use it. Other potential benefit of Gac is that it contains a protein that may inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. That would be cool if proven by research!

Thus, it came to no one’s surprise that GAC would be used as a nutritional supplement. There are Gac nutrient juices and capsules out in the market already, but the product I love most from Gac is the R.G. Skin Revitalizer. Given that Gac is high in carotenoids and other antioxidants, it would make a great skin protector and assist in the skin’s cellular rejuvenation process. The result? A younger-looking, healthy skin! Who wouldn't want that?? Certainly not I! =)

Bubur Asyura

2007-09-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

This food post is dedicated to my friend Rehana who’s gonna be leaving for Saudi Arabia this Friday. She’s a Muslim, and in case you don’t know, their holy season of Ramadan has just begun. To all my Muslim friends and classmates out there, check this recipe out! Guaranteed to keep you going the whole day while you fast =) To all the others, Bubur Asyura (a savoury congee rich in carbohydrates and protein) will make a great breakfast meal coz it will fill you right up. No need to eat fattening snacks before lunch! Ain’t that a great way to stay trim?? Here are the ingredients:

2 cups of jasmine rice, washed and drained
2 large onions, sliced
10 shallots
3 pcs garlic, chopped and minced
2 cm of fresh ginger, thinly shredded
2 cm cinnamon stick
6 cloves, 4 star anise, 4 cardamon
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup yellow dhal
300 gms of freshly peeled prawns
½ cup cup of fried dried shrimps, pounded coarsely
10 cups of coconut milk, extracted from one coconut
½ cup of fried dessicated coconut, pounded
1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves
4 stalks of spring onions, thinly sliced
pandan leaves, lemongrass
fresh black peppercorn, pounded
salt to taste
sufficient water for the congee

Whew! That was quite a long list of ingredients, hehe! And it’s mostly herbs you can just forego if you don’t like spices that much. You can just season the food to your taste, much like the way we eat our “lugaw” or congee. Some cook it like our light-colored arroz caldo (see it here), while others cook it dark (it's here). By the way, I got this recipe from the Asian Food Channel so I get they modified it already. And now, to cook our Bubur Asyura:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot, and fry the onions, shallots, garlic, ginger, spices, pandan leaves and lemongrass until golden brown.

2. Add the rice and dhal, and slowly fry for three minutes before adding sufficient water to boil the rice. This will take about 20 minutes, or until the entire mixture starts to thicken in consistency.

3. Add the coconut milk, prawns, dried shrimps and the rest of the ingredients, and simmer the congee gently over slow heat. Remember to stir the congee from time to time to avoid burning it. And we’re finished! =) Serve the savoury porridge while still hot ok? Bon appetit!

BWFE post#1: Pinoy Salo-Salo!

2007-09-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

What’s BWFE? That’s Birthday Week Food Extravaganza! If you remember my post about my fantastic birthday week ages ago, I said that I would blog about the 5 foodie fests I’ve been to that week. Unfortunately, PayPerPost and ReviewMe snookered me into commercial blogging in my other blog. Really sorry guys! But if I tell you I made $140 from PayPerPost and $40 from ReviewMe, would you be happy for me? I hope so! LOL! =) So if you have a blog more than 90 days old, I suggest you start earning from them. ReviewMe is the easiest to get into, almost instantaneous approval of your blog if you meet the requirements. And finally, after my shameless plugging, here’s BWFE part1!

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

The first foodfest I’ve been to during my birthday week was my deceased paternal grandfather’s birthday celebration. His birthday was July 13 and we went home to Kidapawan, our hometown, on July 14. He’s already dead for 3-4 years now yet my paternal Lola always remember to have a little salo-salo on his birthday. This year my Lola was having second thoughts to celebrate Lolo’s birthday. However, a few days before July 13, Lolo appeared in her dreams. Lola shared that she thought Lolo appeared to remind her of his birthday salo-salo. Hehe! And thus, Labsie and I found ourselves going to Kidapawan with my parents on July 14. Here we are hamming it up at the backseat. Papa was driving and Mama was in the front passenger seat.

It was an uneventful trip until we were about five minutes from our “ancestral” home. For the first time in more than a decade, our vehicle died in the middle of a one-lane road! And it was just before lunch so traffic was heavy. Boy, were the cars behind us pissed! LOL! So we all got out of the vehicle and pushed it towards the sidewalk. Mind you, it was nearly noon so it was very hot! Mama and me were under the umbrella most of the time while Papa and Labsie sweated it out. Here are my parents (Mama with umbrella of course, hehe) trying to figure out what went wrong with the engine, lol!

After nearly 30 minutes under the sizzling sun without progress in resolving the engine trouble, I asked permission to go ahead to Lola’s house. I hate the noontime sun and I couldn’t take the heat any longer! So Mama and I rode a tricycle to Lola’s house. Papa and Labsie were left behind to fix the vehicle. After 15 minutes of arriving at Lola’s, the two men arrived, the vehicle apparently fixed. And so Lolo’s birthday salo-salo was on! Here’s the centerpiece, I admit it’s meager than our usual handaan fare. There is no lechon (roasted pig) which is the norm; according to Lola, she’s saving the pig for Christmas. Yesss!!! =)

In lieu of the roasted pig, we have the roasted chicken or litson manok at the foreground (above pic). We had about 6 viands all in all, and they were all cooked by Lola and my aunts in their appetizing Ilocano way. Mmmm, my saliva’s starting to drool just thinking of the salo-salo food! =) Below are the pics of the freshly grilled milkfish or sinugbang bangus (left) and the super yummy kilayin (right). I don’t know what’s the English for kilayin but it’s like a savory stew consisting of pork slices, green peas, pork liver cuts and some pork entrails. Delicioso! Below the two pics is the photo of the beef spareribs cooked the Solito way, hehe! Another certified lip-smacking goody coz Labsie finished nearly 10 pieces of it. Glutton! Joke lang labs, I understand coz the ribs were really scrumptious. Thus its very prominent photo, lol! The ribs were very soft and tasty inside, crunchy and still tasty outside.. Mmmm, I can almost taste it! =)

Not seen in the pictures are the roasted goat meat and papait, an Ilocano delicacy consisting of goat entrails and bile. The word “pait” means bitter and it is the bile that gives it the bitter taste. This dish might sound yucky but the way my Lola cooks it, you wouldn’t even know you’re eating entrails. Sigh.. Lola is such a very good cook! If only I can live with her and learn the secrets of the Ilocano’s art of cooking, heaven! The following photos are pictures of people having their fill of Lola’s gustatory delights, hehe =)

Lola, Papa (facing the camera) and an uncle ready to dig in the feast!

Papa, Labsie and an aunt; the feast has begun! =)

More aunts (they’re the ones who cooked!) and the uncle from photo #1.

My cousins and Labsie eating in the living room.

There’s no photos of me coz I’m the unofficial photographer. Sigh.. Here ends my rather longish first post for the BWFE series. I hope you enjoyed the Filipino food pics guys! I adore Filipino food and I will always promote it =) If you’re not into Filipino food, stay tuned for BWFE post#2, it’s all about European delights. YUM!

i'm going on a diet! lol

2007-09-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

My lifestyle recently underwent a very drastic change. For the past two years, I have been going on 24-hour hospital duties that are sometimes so hectic and busy. Often, I’m unable to eat on time and I lack sleep. Coupled with a very active lifestyle, my weight just hovers the below normal range. I may look thin to some but my body mass index or bmi is still within normal limits. If you wanna check your own bmi, here’s a free bmi calculator for you.

Anyway, last June I decided to go on hiatus from the medical field. So now, for the past two months, I’ve been a bum at home. No more 24-hour duties, no more running around the hospital hallways, no more missed meals and sleep deprivation. My life has become sedentary, save for gardening activities and doing household chores. I just bet my basal metabolic rate or bmr has decreased, which is the starting point in gaining weight. Wahh, that’d be nightmare!!! If you’re as health conscious as me, you can check your bmr with this free bmr calculator. Hope your bmr is way better than mine, hehe! :p

Aside from my life going sedentary, yummy food is available to me 24/7! Goodness! My low bmr and increased food intake will definitely equal to weight gain, huhu! =( I don’t wanna gain weight coz it won’t match my petite figure. Thus, starting today, I promise to watch what I eat and count the calories. And of course, I promise to be active again. No more sitting in front the pc for hours. Gotta move baby! =) The pics above show my lunch for today -- spiced ham sandwich with lettuce. HEALTHY!!!

Snackaroos 4: Jolleepies!!

2007-07-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

Nope, the title is NOT a wrong spelling of a popular fastfood chain’s yummy Jolly Pies (I adore their pizza and tuna flavors which is often not in stock, why oh why??). Jolleepies by Goby is a Davao homegrown pastry product which we discovered just last week. Labsie and I were going out NCCC Mall’s main entrance when we caught a whiff of pizza. Our noses led us to an ongoing food expo in the mall’s atrium. And there it was, a free sampling of delicious looking savory mini-pies! I tasted one piece and whoa!! I fell in love immediately with the flavor – pizza underneath, creamy cheese and a hint of beef on top.

Labsie felt the same and decided on the spot to buy 1 box. He loves the pies, no doubt about it! I eagerly asked the salesgirl how much is 1 box and she said it was P42 for beef and chicken pies. It contains 6 pieces and I calculated, P6 for 1 mini-pie?? A pie that was just 1.5-2inches in diameter with about 1cm of delicious filling? Hmm.. Undecided, I popped another free piece and that sealed my decision. We bought 1 box of beef savory pies, still warm and smelling oh-so yummy! There it is, 6 pieces of mini-heaven in a bite!

The pies don’t look much but trust me when I say they are worth the price. With 2 pieces, you’d feel full but still wanting more. The crust is good but lacking the buttery taste that I have come to associate with excellent soft piecrusts. Yesterday, Labsie and I introduced Mama to the Jolleepies. She bought 2 boxes. What can I say? She loved it! My brother also loved the pies and demolished 1 box that Mama bought but, like me, he also balked at the P6 apiece tag. Let’s just say being a cheapskate runs in our blood. We’re Chinese after all, hehe!

As you can see, the pie boxes can also serve as gift boxes if you wish to give it to someone. The box has a To & From tag and is colored red, perfect for any occasions! In our country, red is a lucky color and we often wear red clothes during our birthdays and other important occasions. Anyway, Jolleepies also come in other flavors. For those who have sweet tooth, they have durian, buko, buko pandan, crema de fruta, choco cream, ube, ube macapuno and mango pies. Labsie and I didn’t try any of it, we don’t crave sweets unlike most Pinoys. Other savory flavors (aside from beef and chicken) include tuna, sisig, garden fresh beef (with vegetables), and garden fresh chicken pies. Yum!! Can’t wait to try all the savory flavors! =)

One last peek of the super-delicious Jolleepies! Mmm good! Buy now and spread the word guys! It’s still available in the NCCC Mall atrium but I don’t know for how long. You can also get it in the following places:
>Main: #11 Circumferential Road, Marfori Heights, Davao City (082-3031332, 0910-3858441)
>Matina Highway Branch (082-2971289)
>San Pedro College Branch
>San Pedro St. Branch (besides Lachmi)

Birthday Week Food Extravaganza!

2007-07-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last July 18 I celebrated my 26th (wahhh) birthday but the celebration did not start and end on that day. In fact, the birthday foodfest started last July 14 in Kidapawan and ended last July 22 still in Kidapawan. But, there were foodfests in Davao in-between those days too, yeah! =) Of course these foodfests are NOT solely because of my birthday. The one in July 14 was my paternal grandfather’s birthday (July 13) celebration albeit he’s already dead for 3-4 years now. Yeah, weird huh? Just watch out for my full post on this and you’ll understand why my paternal Lola decided to have a typical Pinoy handaan for him. Here's Lola with my father beside her and the small feast. No lechon for the first time! LOL

The one in July 21 and 22 was my maternal grandmother’s 75th birthday celebration. Her birthday was July 19, just next to mine, and we typically combine our celebrations to save money on my parents’ part. But, often, my relatives forget it’s my birthday too, hehe! It’s ok though, my maternal Lola totally deserve all the adulation she receives during these times as she single-handedly raised her 10 children (!!!) when my maternal grandfather died. My Lola is a strong woman but you wouldn’t know it if you see her coz she’s very small, frail and looks meek as a mouse =) There she is (in red) with her sisters:

In between the Kidapawan foodfests were my and Labsie’s 93rd Monthsary celebration in a new European café called The Farm (July 17), my mini-birthday dinner at home (only two viands that’s why it’s called mini! hehe) on July 18, and my dinner-out birthday celebration in Zakoya Japanese Buffet (July 19). That’s three straight days of pigging out!!! But, hell, it’s my birthday! Time to let go of my strict diet. Hahaha! ;p Here are sneak peeks of my gastronomic adventures last week –-

Watch out next week for my 5-part Birthday Week posts. All of the things I mentioned above will have their own FULL posts with lots of pictures and some videos =) I’m really excited to do this coz it’s the first time I truly enjoyed my birthday without any worries that I’ll be late for school the next day, that I have to study for exams (coz often, its prelims week on my birthday, sigh), that I have to treat my classmates and friends, etc, etc. I’m very glad that I made the decision to NOT take the medical board exam this August. Coz if I will take it, I’m sure I would be buried in books during my birthday. I would worry endlessly of time “wasted” while pigging out and will not enjoy my birthday week at all. I would have missed Lola’s 75th birthday and hanging out with my not-so-little cousins. Most of them were in college already! Migod, time flew so fast! While I was busy in medical school and 24-hour duties, the kids I loved were growing up. I’m just so happy that I was able to reconnect with them. Thank you Lord! And thank you also for giving me parents who understood my need to rest and regroup before taking the medical board exam. Hehe! HAPPY ME! =)

TINOMOK ba kamo??

2007-07-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

What the heck is tinomok?? Well, I also asked that question to our waiter in Gerry’s Grill (in Gaisano Mall) and he said it is one of their special dishes. In fact, in their menu it was proudly written that tinomok was reviewed by a prestigious food magazine and was given a thumbs-up sign. To quote the menu: "A bit like laing, only better.This is good. it was featured in a magazine." Nice! =)

Above (at left) is an UNappetizing picture of tinomok which does not do justice to its deliciousness! Looks like a mishmash of something green eh? Gakk! I’m really sorry but that’s what I get for forgetting the 5mp digicam and just using labsie’s fonecam. To top it off, the interiors in Gerry’s Grill are dim, very nice for dates but not good in taking pics, tsk! But as u can see at right, there's a GREAT photo of tinomok with the white gata sauce and silis clearly shown , yum! *drooling saliva*

It was our second time in Gerry’s Grill. The first time was with my family and we ordered most of the house specialties (grilled sizzling squid, crispy pata, beef casserole [beef, cheese, mashed potato & garlic, yum!] and sizzling sisig) pictured at left and they didn’t disappoint! All were heavenly and were gone in less than 30min, no thanks to the 4 guys with me and mama! =) Anyhow, labsie and I decided to order something different this time, something adventurous. Thus, we ordered tinomok which in their menu looked like green gabi leaves rolled into “balls” and drizzled with ginataan sauce. Mmm, I love gata! I thought it may be laing just served exotically. However the waiter refuted this and said that the gabi leaves were actually a covering for the meatball mixture inside. Ooh meat! (see the first pics above) That decided labsie to order it though I was still a bit apprehensive, what if we won’t like it?? There goes P150 down the drain, tsk! To be sure we still had viands if we won’t like tinomok, we ordered chopsuey (vegetables, yum!) and chicken kebabs. We also told the waiter to make our tinomok not so spicy coz I hate hot stuff. After 15-30min (we actually finished reading a local daily!) the food arrived. Here's the chopsuey (my dim pix at left and great pix at right, notice how similar they look!) --

I egged on labsie to take the first bite of tinomok and his face contorted! My heart sank, it’s not good but labsie suddenly laughed and spoonfed me a bite. Mmmmmm good! It was truly gabi + meat + unknown veggies with gata, kinda like laing but not hot. The tinomok was demolished in 15min! And even up to now, we still have dreams of going back to Gerry’s Grill and ordering it. The chopsuey was also delicious, the vegetables crispy and there were lots of seafood and meat mixed in. It was at par with Ahfat’s chopsuey =) The chicken kebabs, however, were just so-so. The chicken cubes were tender and succulent but for the price, it was not worth it. I could probably make a more savoury one at a cheaper price, tsk! It was interspersed with chunky onions, bell peppers and some button mushrooms. After the eye-opening dinner (or is it stomach-opening-to-tinomok dinner?), labsie and I were all big smiles. We were satiated and very happy to discover a new pinoy foodie find. Welcome to our hearts tinomok! =)

gaga over frittata - round 2!

2007-06-26T03:05:00.000-07:00

I made frittata again today, this time with different stuff. I used mixed vegetables (corn, carrots & peas) and beef steak with the usual mozzarella. This post is mostly for foodporn purposes, i.e. watch out for loads of unedited pictures!! Teehee!

Ready to start cookin'! Can u see all the colorful stuff I've added??

A closer view.. Looks like a very creamy soup eh? Mmmm!
.
. after 10min -->
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It became fluffy! Looks so yummy! I think it's the melted mozzarella rising.

A closer view.. Parang puto cheese ni mama! Only with veggies instead of cheese.
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. after another 10min -->
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It's all done! Perfectly baked and browned! This is my bro's portion and --

-- this is mine! My lovely breakfast for today with cup frittatas =)

A closer view.. Is it blurry? Sorry, I'm just using our Jurassic 1.2mp digicam eh!
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. and the last, but not the least -->
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The UBE HALAYA! Or ube jam, if that's what you prefer. It's from the Good Sheperd nuns in Baguio City. It's absolutely heavenly that it'll have it's own post soon. Watch for it! =)

healthy FOODbits

2007-06-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

I am an avid reader of everything! From classic obscure stuff (mimsy were the borgroves!) to popular fiction (Harry Potter!!!), from medical books to cookbooks and architecture manuals, from sexy Cosmolitan and FHM to mainstream Reader’s Digest and Time Magazine. Comics, food labels, graphic novels-- name it and I most likely have read it; barring perhaps old poems that are not about love, hehe! Seriously, since the start of the year, I have read across a lot of stuff which have influenced my life for the past 6 months. Medical updates and healthy living tidbits are the most common ones I applied on my life. Others are about love and how to deal effectively with other people. In this, the 10-year anniv mag of Cosmo is a must-have!!! I have learned so much from their thickest issue ever! =) Anyway since this is a food blog, what I’d share is of course related to food. Most of these were new to me so I’d guess they might be new to you too. Read on and be enlightened!

We have been taught from the beginning that canned goods are bad for us due to a lot of preservatives. But did you know that canned stuff can be good for you? According to the British Nutrition Foundation, the following canned goods can boost your diet with essential nutrients--

Canned apricots and gooseberries provide more vitamin C than their fresh counterparts.
Tinned and canned tomatoes are composed of tomatoes that have been cooked in small amounts of oil and fat, and our body absorbs the lycopene better this way. Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes.
Canned chickpeas in water – just 5 tablespoons of this will provide 6 grams of your recommended daily fibre intake of 18 grams. That’s already 1/3! Nice! However I haven’t found this in the supermarkets here in Davao. Tsk! The pix at right shows canned chickpeas. Make sure you wash the peas thoroughly before eating or cooking.

Filipinos are fond of eating rice and it is rare to see bread in the dining table except during breakfast (which is incomplete without pandesal!). But more and more Filipinos are shifting to bread thinking it is healthier. But not all bread is created equal. If you are seeking for a healthy loaf, check the label of the bread for: (Source: British Dietetic Association)

The word “whole” before the first mention of grain of flour in the ingredient list. Our family usually buys the “whole wheat” variety which adds a lot of fiber to our diet and texture for cooking purposes. Click the pix for more info.
Two grams of fiber per slice – fiber is the magic word if you wanna go healthy.
Added seeds and nuts – even though the fat and calorie content will increase, seeds and nuts provide phytochemicals (and proteins to keep you fuller!) which help fight disease.

Our grandmothers are known to use “vetsin” in most of their dishes. They swear it makes the food tastier, and this is backed by a Japansese claim that the vetsin taste is the 5th basic one and is called “umame”. But then it is the Japanese company Ajinomoto that made vetsin use ubiquitious so I can’t really trust the Japanese on the umame claim, can I? Hehe! Vetsin is more popularly known as MSG (monosodium glutamate) to the younger generations who grew up influenced by media that MSG = cancer. They seem loathe to use vetsin in cooking but you see them happily munching on junkfoods which is full of MSG and other preservatives. Others proudly claim they only buy food labeled “no MSG”. Unfortunately for them, foods stating “no MSG” may contain another flavour enhancer known as the “new MSG” – disodium 5’-ribonucleotides 635. When I first read about this, I was shocked as I’m one of the people who avoid MSG as much as I can. I’m not eating the old-MSG but was I was pigging out on the new-MSG?? Oh God, the thought of it! Ignorance is truly a bliss! Now I’m wondering what could this new-MSG cause in the long-term. Cancer?? Spare me! As a consequence, I’m reading food labels a lot more closely than ever before. No MSG? Still not safe! READ MORE CLOSELY. And google stuff you find suspicious. Let the new era of food-enhancer paranoia begin!

gaga over frittata!

2007-06-19T02:32:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I never, ever skip it if possible and I usually eat large amounts during this meal. Early morning is also the time I'm most inspired to cook and invent yummy meals. So if you want a taste of my cooking, better visit me during breakfast time for you will be surprised with my delish creations =)

For the past few days, I've been surfing food blogs and I came upon Lunch in a Box's entry about mini-frittata (yellow stuff in cupcake tin) and I was enamored with it! I longed to cook it and I finally did today, yum! Now, you ask, what's a frittata? Here is a definition from one of Labsie's fave sites, WIKIPEDIA: "It is a type of Italian omelette that frequently features fillings such as meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Like a normal omelette, a frittata is prepared in a skillet. However, whereas a normal omelette is cooked on a stovetop and served folded, a frittata is first partially cooked on a stovetop but then finished under the grill and served open-faced." Hmmm, I really think it's the pinoy version of the ubiquitous scrambled egg with lots of fillings but NOT fried. Right on!

I won't blog on how to make a frittata, just click the link I provided above as it has excellent instructions. I made 3 frittatas, each with different fillings. The pix on the left shows the browning frittatas inside our tough-as-nails turbo boiler oven. The one on top has a heart-shaped pork tocino piece (this is breakfast after all!) which is not seen, the one on left has cheesedog bits and the one on right has beefsteak strips. All 3 had delicious mozzarella cheese, yum! =) Notice they look like cupcakes or macaroons. At one time, they were even bubbling like crazy! Must be the milk and cheese that I included. After cooking (in pan & oven, about 20mins) and cooling, I ate the one with tocino. Super super super yummy! I wanted to eat the other 2 but since my youngest bro had classes today (thus he needs protein), I left it for him and he promptly demolished it. I think he loved it too, hehe =) Here is my finished *first attempt* frittatas. I would certainly make this again! Next time with other fillings and in bigger servings. One cupcake-size is definitely NOT enough!

OKONOMIYAKI

2007-06-16T02:21:00.000-07:00

Who loves takoyaki guys? I do! My labsie does, my brothers, my parents, everybody in my world does! =) Now, what does takoyaki have to do with okonomiyaki? If you love the taste of the former, triple it in size + more flavors = okonomiyaki! According to the resto where we first had this dish, it's the japanese version of a pizza. However, I later learned that it's more of a pancake, i.e. what you cook is batter (pancake) and not dough (pizza). If you want more info about this yummy food and how to cook it, check the following sites:
http://markun.cs.shinshu-u.ac.jp/hobby/okonomi/index-e.html
http://visualrecipes.com/recipe-details/recipe_id/120/Okonomiyaki-aka-Japanese-Pizza/
http://greggman.com/japan/okonomiyaki/okonomiyaki.htm

Okonomiyaki means "whatever you like/favorites, grilled in Japanese". After making the basic batter, you put all your favorite foods on top and cook it. Me, I imagine squid rings, shrimps, some fish flakes and japanese mayo. Simply superb! =) We first encountered this delish food last November 2006 in Gaisano Mall. But owing to my super-busy medical life, it is only now that I am able to blog about it, teehee!

Labsie and I were looking for a new place to eat and there it was -- Effort Junko's Japanese Curry with baduy heart-shaped pink and blue neon lights inviting curious us to view their menu. There was, of course, the japanese curry and the typical katsudon and gyudon meals. And by the corner, we see something round named okonomiyaki. We asked the waiter what it was and he said it is japanese pizza, and we would certainly like it. So we ordered it plus our usual rice meals. When it finally came, we were like "Is this it??" coz it's really not much to look at (as you can see in the pix below with 1/4 already eaten, lol). Plus it took sooo long for the order to arrive! We were nearly halfway our rice meals before it came. BUT, when we took our first bite of the okonomiyaki -- heaven!! It was definitely worth the wait =) The different flavors just meshed and the "crust", oohhh, very flavorful! And the price? About P75 which is good for two so very cheap for snacking! So if you're in GMall and is in a patient mood, look for this crazy-named store in the food section of Gmall's 3rd floor (I think.. haven't been to Gmall or any malls for that matter recently, hehe). By the way, Effort Junko also sells 2nd-hand laptops from Japan so check that out too. All in all, the resto is a good place to eat if you're not in a hoity-toity sosyalera mood. Good food, good price and with good company = good time! =)