my special chicken macaroni salad

i have been so busy lately...busy wasting my time on things i don't need in my life...okay, the so-called mid-life angst has set in again. but what the heck...it happens to almost everyone at my age. and i'm glad to be back..maybe not 100% yet ...... but i am..... and i'm blogging again. :)

aside from donuts, my other comfort food is chicken macaroni salad (cms). (there was a time, at the height of my anemia, i craved crazily for persian cucumbers, the small ones. i've outgrown those.) whenever i want to feel good, i prepare cms whenever i can..and i've "converted" my kids to liking it. i guess the fondness for this food started when i was a kid. i always thought that my mom cooked the best cms.....i'd like to share with you my recipe as inspired by my mom's (request na rin by my good friend, libay lim) . here it is :

Ingredients

• 2 cups elbow macaroni. for texture, i use half macaroni and half spaghetti pasta cut in half
  
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 5 teaspoons pickle relish or chopped pickles
  
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup nestle cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast
  
• 1 /2 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• 1 can pineapple tidbits
• 1/2 up shredded or cubed cheese (cheddar is better)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup apple cut in small cubes (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots (optional)
  

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni (and spaghetti), and cook until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. place under running cold water in a drainer. drain very well..
2. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Stir in pasta until well blended. Add more mayonnaise, if needed. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The longer, the tastier it becomes. Serve cold.
   

pancit lomi - my simple version

Sonny, my "boyfriend", loves both pancit and soup...so what better way to satisfy his love for both than to serve him pancit lomi...i am writing up this recipe also for my good friend, Libby, who saw a posting of the picture on my fb album called foodS-i-cook, and says "gusto ko ito". :)

1 lb. of pancit miki or thick fresh noodles, washed well and drained
1/2 lb. meatballs, cooked
2 pcs kikiam, sliced and lightly fried (optional)
i tsp garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 - 2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 sticks celery, chopped
1/4 cabbage, shredded
4 - 6 cups of chicken or pork broth
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsps patis (fish sauce)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsps. of cooking oil


In a pot or deep pan, saute the garlic and onion. Add the carrot and stir for 30 seconds. Add the meatballs and kikiam and continue cooking over high heat for another 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken/pork broth and bring to a boil. Add the egg noodles and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with patis, salt and pepper. Add the celery. Pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream, letting it set a little then stirring continuously. Add the cabbage and let simmer for 1 minute. Serve hot.

lumpia x 2 (lumpiang gulay recipe)

This morning, i cooked 2 kinds of lumpia for my daughter, Inna's party in school - lumpiang shanghai and lumpiang gulay. For some reason, she takes pride in sharing those home-cooked food with her friends and classmates.. This is not the first time she brought some for them. Each time she does, it's a "sold-out". Here is my super simple recipe for lumpiang gulay (i have posted my lumpiang shanghai recipe earlier)

Lumpiang gulay:

2 cubes tofu (use the firm kind)
2 lbs bean sprouts
1 large sweet potato (kamote) cut in strips
2 cups carrots- cut in strips
1/2 cup minced cilantro/kintsay (optional)
1 tbs salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced or crushed garlic
1 big onion, thinly sliced
spring onions - chopped
lumpia wrapper

saute the following in order:
onion, garlic, carrots , sweet potatoes, tofu
when carrots and sweet potatoes are half cooked, add the bean sprouts and spring onion, salt, black pepper, cilantro.

mix for 1 minute or less then turn off the stove. you dont want to overcook the bean sprouts

wrap in lumpia wrapper (as in picture)
deep fry until the lumpia is golden brown, strain excess oil.
serve with sweet and sour sauce or spiced vinegar.

Enjoy! :)

zon's ginataang halo halo

my sister, zon, whose family is now based in new zealand, is one of the best cooks in the family..her style is so practical and simple without sacrificing the taste of the finished product....i guess her almost 20 years in the food business paid off ( ~ being a Jollibee manager, although she finished a double degree in psychology). here is her ginatang halo halo recipe in her own words (remember, she was giving the instructions to me :) )

hatiin mo lang maliliit ang mga sangkap...kamote , saging, gabi, langka

bilugin ang bilo bilo...glutinous rice flour lang yon

pero isang kilo na kamote e madami na. damihan mo ang bilo bilo at sago

tapos, magboil ka ng mga 4 na cans ng coco cream with 4 baso ng water din

pag nakulo na, ilagay mo ang pinakamatigas na ingredient..gabi o taro ang 1st then, pag mejo malambot ng konti lang...ilagay mo na ang kamote, saging

pero kong nasa bote ang saging at langka e kahit kasabay na ng bilo bilo yon, meaning later pa.

pati maliliit na sago isama mo na rin.. ihahalo mo sa ginatan ang hilaw na maliliit na sago after ng gabi or kasabay ng kamote

halo ng halo para di dikit sa ilalim

pag mejo malapot, add more water.

lagyan mo na rin ng mga 1. 1/2 baso na sugar na white

pag lumutang na ang bilo bilo e oks na yan..

dapat di masyado malapot kasi habang tumatagal e lalapot pa yan kahit luto na

how to make bilobilo:

isang plastic ng gLUtinUos rice flour

lagay mo sa bowl, then lagyan mo ng water paUnti Unti para malaman mo pag dry e dagdagan mo ng gLUtinoUs rice floUr til mabilog mo yan....remember to use gLUtinoUs rice floUr and not rice floUr lang ha?

maglagay ka ng paunti unting glUtinoUs rice floUr sa bowl at lagyan mo ng paunti unting water till ok na mabilog mo...

dapat bago ka mag start magluto e gawa na ang bilo bilo mo sa tray..isa isa ang bilog

ang pagluto e sUnod sUnod lang at halo ng halo..

RECAP:

1st combine 4 cans coco cream, then 4 cans water...then let it boil...

add gabi, then, after 5 to 8 mins, kamote at sago naman,

dito na start ang halo ng halo pag me sago na...

pag malambot lambot na gabi e next na ang bilo bilo... at saging, langka, etc.

halo ng halo...then asukal na puti mga 1.5 c or 2 c...depends on how sweet you want it.

enjoy this sweet pinoy snack :)

my beef caldereta

my mom cooks the best caldereta. mine is just a simplified version of hers. but my youngest daughter, micky, loves it! here's how i do it :


1 kilo beef cubed
1/2 cup chicken liver, boiled and mashed
2 medium size red bell pepper, cut into 1” square
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese or feta cheese
1/2 tsp. ground peppercorns
2 medium size onion, chopped
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 cup green olives
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce
3 bay leaf
salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup raisins
2 large potatoes cubed
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 cup water.

all i do is put them all together in the slow cooker and cook high for 4-5 hours or until tender. mix from time to time and add water as needed.

the other way of doing it is saute the garlic, onions and beef (in that order) in olive oil. then add all the liquid and seasoning. when meat is already cooked, add the potatoes, olives, carrots, liver paste, cheese and raisins, etc. cook until meat is tender. add water as needed.

doughnuts ~ donuts ~ whatever

According to Wikipedia, a doughnut or donut ( /ˈdoʊnət/ or /ˈdoʊnʌt/) is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet (or occasionally savory) snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets. They are usually sweet, deep-fried from a flour dough, and shaped in rings or flattened spheres that sometimes contain fillings. Other types of dough such as potato can also be used as well as other batters, and various toppings and flavorings are used for different types.

Donuts (yes, i prefer this spelling) have been a long time comfort food for me..it all started when i was in college. ....but as a kid, i hated them...i remember walking by dunkin donuts on mabini st near Malate Catholic School (my high school alma mater) and not a single time didn't i feel nauseated by the smell of the donuts... there were even times that i couldnt stand the thought of smelling THAT smell so i would choose to go around and walk an extra block to avoid the store. ...but things changed (i dont recall how and why) and i had a sudden change of heart toward this thing that, during college, i frequented this ordinary bakery in Baclaran (Phils) which sold the deep- fried, sugar-coated type ones....oh well, i didnt care if i had to walk half a kilometer more just to get those "ordinary" donuts... and now, after 20 + years, i still crave for and find comfort in this sweet...now, i'm so thankful that we have Krispy Kreme, Winchell's donuts and even those that are freshly sold in supermarket bakeries. ...at least twice a week, i would drop by Ralph's or Von's to get some for breakfast... and at least once a month, i would drop by Krispy Kreme or Winchell's to get a dozen or two for my family....oh and yes, the yummiest ones i've recently tasted were those that my co-worker, Tetet, would get on her way to work... she started getting me some (sugar-coated at 3 for $2 according to her) upon learning that i loved donuts.....thanks Tetet! ...now, stop wondering how i got this size haha!.....

I find donuts best consumed with black coffee....hmmnm.....yes, donuts and coffee, the unbeatable team! :)

Here is a recipe for donuts which i downloaded from the internet..nope, i haven't tried doing it but im posting one just for the sake of having a recipe in this write-up :

Doughnuts
1 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour (about)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
Fat (for deep-fat frying)

Sift together sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour.

Beat eggs thoroughly, then stir into dry ingredients. Add the milk and melted butter. Roll about 1/2 inch thick on a floured board and cut with a doughnut cutter. Fry several at a time in 375 degrees F fat until nicely browned. Drain on paper towels. Dust with granulated or confectioners' sugar.

Makes 24.

Ready to try making some? Let us, together!! :)

tarcs' kenji talong (eggplant)

my best friend, tarcs (rip), taught me this recipe. he said that it was his manang julie's and was named after a japanese friend named kenji.

2 large eggplants sliced 1cm thick

olive oil

3 tbs soy sauce

1/2 lb meat cut into small pcs (pork, beef or chicken)

2 tsps minced garlic

1 onion - sliced thinly

dash of black pepper

fry the meat in olive oil until crisp..then add in and saute the onions and garlic. add the eggplant slices. when cooked, pour in the soy sauce and black pepper. simmer for a few minutes.

enjoy tarcs' talong :)

pancit sotanghon (a borrowed recipe)

pancit sotanghon

(a borrowed recipe)

im not really into pansit although i cook different varietes for my family... they love all kinds of noodles....

you won't find me ordering a plate of this dish at any restaurant. but if served in front of me, i dig right in hehe :)

here is another "borrowed" recipe....(accuse me of plagiarism...jk) :D


pancit sotanghon

ingredients:
1 kilo of sotanghon
1 kilo pork liempo
fish balls –cut into quarters
3 gloves of garlic – crushed
2 white onions – finely chopped
1 carrot – sliced into small sticks
green beans – cut into 1 ½ inches
coriander or cilantro
soy sauce
ground pepper
chicken stock or chicken powder

1. Cut pork liempo into small pieces. Boil in the pot until they fry in own oil, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking/burning, until crisp. Scoop out from oil. Set aside. (This takes the longest time as you should keep the heat in control to evenly crisp the pork)
2. Remove excess oil from the pot. Fry in the fish balls. Scoop out and set aside.
3. On the pot with oil, put crushed garlic until golden brown.
4. Add onions until tender.
5. Add soy sauce (about 6 full ladles)
6. Add coriander/cilantro (about 10 stalks)
7. Add chicken stock (or water and about 6 heaving tablespoons of chicken powder).
8. Add ground pepper (about half a teaspoon).
9. Continue boiling.
10. Wash sotanghon. Cut them with scissors (at least a foot long). Set aside.
11. Add the crisp pork and fried fish balls into the soup.
12. Add carrots.
13. Add green beans.
14. With a strainer, scoop out the pork, fishballs and vegetables. Set aside.
15. Add the sotanghon and stir to evenly absorb the soup stock.
16. Add back the pork, fishballs and vegetable. Stir.
17. Garnish with coriander/cilantro and serve.

embutido

here is another requested recipe from my cousin in Utah, Mhai. (note: the picture is not my own..i just "borrowed" it from somewhere so you can see how it should look like)

as with lumpiang shanghai, i never liked embutido as a kid hehe...but now, i love preparing it simply because it is so easy to make and my kids like it (what's new? haha)

ingredients:

2 lbs ground pork (or you may combine with beef)

1 luncheon meat cut in small cubes

6 pcs hotdogs, cut in half lengthwise (optional)

3 pcs hard boiled eggs, sliced lengthwise in quarters

1/2 cup green or black olives, sliced thinly

1/3 cup tomato sauce or catsup

2 raw eggs

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

2 cup red and green bell pepper, minced

2 cups raisins

1 cup carrots, minced

1 cup onion, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except for the hotdog and hard boiled eggs very well. Wrap in cut foil (cylindrical shape) depending on the size you prefer putting the hard boiled egg slices and hotdog strips in the center. Lock the edges of the aluminum foil. The wider the diameter, the more time you need to cook it. Steam for 1 hour or bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 mins. (steaming is better but i prefer baking it for convenience) Check one piece if already cooked before turning off the oven. In both cases, let it cool before slicing. You may store in the refrigerator for later or the freezer if you intend to consume the embutido after more than 3 days. Serve with banana catsup.

lumpiang shanghai

Per my cousin, Mhai's request, I am posting my own lumpiang shanghai recipe.

As with other kids, mine love lumpiang shanghai a lot...however, i grew up not liking the dish. i preferred (and still do) lumpia vegetables especially toge (bean sprouts). My lumpiang shanghai can have anything and everything in it...it could be ground pork, ground beef, ground chicken or even turkey...i also grind and add any vegetable that is available in my refrigerator. but most of the time i use carrots and/or potatoes and celery.

ingredients:

2 lbs ground pork/beef/chicken/turkey or combination

½ cup green onions

1 cup carrots - ground or minced

i cup potatoes - ground or minced (optional)

1/2 cup celery - ground or minced

minced or chopped kintsay or cilantro (optional)

1 cup onion - chopped finely

1 egg as binder

1 tbs salt

2 tsp ground black pepper

Lumpia wrapper (Spring roll skin)

Mix all ingredients very well. Wrap in lumpia wrapper folding the edges. If you are not cooking the lumpia right away, line them up in a sealed container placing wax paper in between layers then freeze. You don't have to thaw the lumpia before cooking it. Deep fry making sure that all sides are cooked. I use low to medium heat to avoid burning and to make sure that the inside is well cooked. Drain in paper towels before cutting them into 3- inch pieces. Serve with sweet and sour sauce or spiced vinegar.

If you are making your own sweet and sour sauce, combine 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 3 tsps cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tsp catsup, 3 tsps sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Make sure that the cornstarch is melted with no lumps before simmering. Boil/simmer stirring the mixture until you've reached the right consistency.

Enjoy.

Taho (tofu)

Ang Taho (bow)

taho is one of my favorite street foods....as kids, my sisters and i would wait for the taho vendor every morning during summer . one time, we fought over a cup of taho so as punishment, my mom bought us a "bucket" each and made us consume it in one sitting...grabe, nahilo ata ako dun haha....then when i was already working at ssi in legaspi village, makati, that became my favorite breakfast.

nothing beats the taho sold on the streets but since we dont have that here in LA, i just try to duplicate it using soft tofu sold in supermarkets...i dont remember where or who i learned it from but thanks whoever you are..(was it you Lenie?)...here is how i do it:

• soft tofu sliced thinly


• put in boiling brown sugar melted in water. use the amount of brown sugar depending on how sweet you want it.


• dont cook the tofu too long as it will harden.


• add sago...i buy the ones in can because i simply don't know how to cook sago. i tried at least twice but they came out bad.

i prepare the brown sugar syrup first. then pag boiling and ready na, i just add the soft tofu then turn off the stove after one minute. basta mainit na yung tofu, pwede na. then add cooked sago. and some vanilla or banana extract if you wish. enjoyyyyy!!

longanisa -my own blend

i love longanisa since i was a young kid...sadly, my mom would seldom buy some because of the preservatives associated with it...i see that my kids share the same liking for this dish so i thought, why not make my own...i usually like it spicy, garlicky and sweet. so here is how i prepare the simplest longanisa in town:





longanisa recado y hamonado



ground pork,

lots of minced garlic,

black pepper,

finely chopped onions,

and sugar if you want it sweet

....mix all of the ingredients..then mold in the shape and size you prefer. i like them flat because they cook easier that way...keep in freezer-safe sealed container arranged in between wax sheets...thaw first before you fry. serve with spiced vinegar. enjoy!!!!

crispy chicken wings

this is really not my own recipe. a good friend shared it with me upon my request... he kindly obliged...i've tried doing it a couple of times and in both times they turned out so good that i'd like to share the recipe with you too...im sure he wouldnt mind. so here it is:

crispy chicken wings

“actually i used split chicken wings kasi madali maging crisp sa oven. i marinate the wings overnight sa ref (with toyo, lemon juice, little ground pepper and crushed garlic - enough to soak the wings). tapos ihahalera ko sila sa mesh over a tray (para saluhin yung manitka). i pre-heat the oven to about 350 degrees and put the tray in the middle. let it bake for about 15-20 minutes (you'll see the skin tightening and oil dripping), then turn the wings over para yung kabilang side naman for about 7-10 minutes and then turn it again to get the skin really super thin crisp. dahil sa toyo, nagiging brown yung color ng chicken. you have to wait a few minutes bago baligtarin kasi nakadikit pa yung skin sa tray. pag nag cool down a bit, kusang humihiwalay sa pagkadikit para di masugat yung skin. nilalagyan ko din ng water yung tray sa ilalim para di mahirap linisin pagkatapos. it's nice kasi malutong yung skin natanggal pa yung oil." and he added "yung crispy wings ko, dapat kainin agad pagkaluto, otherwise nawawala yung crispness." and yeah, sabi din nya:

carla,
sa broil mo i-set hindi sa bake para nasa itaas ang heat (kaya ko nga binabaligtad baligtad) silip silipin mo lang para hindi ma-burn ng maaga (depende kasi sa mga oven yung heat)

try this recipe..madali lang naman...for sure you will like it too :)

pata tim (using pork belly instead of pata)

this is so far the most requested recipe i have...probably because of the picture eh:

Pata tim (using pork belly)

3 pounds pork belly 1 pc. Star anise ½ cup Soy sauce

1 cup Brown sugar 2 cups Root beer

1 tsp Sesame oil

2 tsp Corn starch dissolved in ½ cup of water

1 pc Medium size Chinese cabbage or pechay

6 to 8 pcs Shitake medium mushrooms soaked in hot water for 10, minutes then drained

1 pc. large carrot, cubed

1. Boil the pork for about 30 mins in salted water. Drain and let cool.

2. Deep fry intil golden brown. Let it cool

3. Place the fried pata in a casserole. Add about six (6) cups of water and the two (2) cups of root beer.

4. Add the star anise, soysauce and brown sugar.

5. Place in high fire until it boils then reduce the fire to low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the pork is very t ender. add the carrots and shitake mushrooms after 30 minutes of simmering.

6. Add the cornstarch and water mixture. Simmer until the sauce thickens. 7. Add the Chinese cabbage and simmer until it is tender. Add the sesame oil.

enjoy friends!

My Nanay Belen's Paella Recipe

I guess it is most perfect to start with my lola's paella recipe. I grew up watching her cook this special dish and amongst all her apo (grandchildren), i guess there are only two of us who learned this. Mine will never match Nanay Belen's paella but i take pride in the fact that my family and a lot of friends say that mine is the best paella they've tasted. hmm talk about kind persons giving kind comments......Here it is:

simple lang ang paella ko, pinoy style:

Chicken – cut into small pieces (boneless is fine but I prefer bone ins)

Shrimps - as many pcs as you want

Crabs (alimasag) – cut into 4

Tahong in shell

Hotdogs – cut into 1-inch pcs (others use chorizo)

3 tomatoes – chopped finely

2 tsps minced garlic black pepper and salt bell peppers – strips or squares 2 small or 1 large onion – chopped finely

minced siling labuyo or dried crushed pepper if you want it spicy

3 cups tomato sauce (or more)

1 can tomato paste cooked rice (buhaghag rice is better vs sticky, use less water because of the sauce)

Cook all the meat and seafoods first. What I do is - in a pan, I cook the shrimps first (no water) then the crabs. Set aside. Then in the same pan (walang hugasan), boil the chiken until almost done then add the tahong and hotdogs. Cook until all are done/cooked.

In a large kawa, heat 1/2 cup of oil (olive, better). Sauté the onions, garlic, tomatoes. Add the bell peppers and minced sili. Add 3 cups broth from the tahong/chicken/hotdogs mix. Add in the tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil while stirring then add all the meat and seafoods mixing them for 5 mins to blend all flavors.

Set aside in a large bowl leaving only the sauce in the kawa. Then add to the sauce your cooked rice (you may do this in portions para hindi mahirap maghalo). Blend very well until the rice has a uniform color (red orange). Then add back all the other ingredients. Mix mix mix.

Taste then adjust as needed by adding salt / garlic salt and pepper.

Warning: sasakit ang kilikili ninyo the following day sa kakahalo hehehe. But it's worth it..feel free to omit any or add other ingredients as you wish..

Enjoy your paella!

bonus: a friend who supposedly cooks equally yummy paella (but which i havent tasted yet) added:

1. wala akong minced sili at hotdog (i used chorizo sa pinas pero wala kasi dito sa toronto)

2. i use as plenty of white onion as i can (kasi it thickens the sauce)

3. i put baby clams (canned but should be washed) to add texture (pag humalo sa rice).

4. i try to put all colors of pepper (red, green, orange and yellow) para masayang tingnan :)

5. i try to add other seafoods (aside from the required shrimps and tahong) esp.kung walang crab such as baby cuttlefish, scallops, calamari.

totoo, mahirap maghalo but the guests are always happy :) and the paella taste better the day after (kung merong matira)

and I said: "my lola used to put lots of onions din...at super grated din para daw mas masarap. sabi ko na mas matiyaga ka sa akin....ang daming sahog at detalye..gotta taste your paella in the future. i wonder how..:)"

try doing this recipe, folks, then let me know how it turns out...:)

Why does Carla Millet cook?

I cook mainly for my family, which is why we're all 'healthy.' haha I also love feeding my friends. And yeah, I cook because I can and I'm pretty good at it. I guess... No. It most definitely runs in the family: from Nanay Belen, my lola (grandmother) to my mother and father. Yes, both of them that's why all my siblings are good cooks, too. I hope that my love for food and cooking will be passed on to my daughters. Chuchai (my eldest) and Micky (my youngest) are already showing promise/future at it. Si Inna at Bea (the middle ones) na lang. Hopefully, you too, friends. Enjoy!

Things to remember:

• -Mostly, I cook simple, everyday Filipino food. No offense. :)


• -These foods are prepared in the easiest ways possible because I'm lazy, easily bored and kulang sa time (aren't most of us?).


• -My entries will mostly depend on your requests. I'm a lazy writer, too. (Coming up with new content is exhausting for a non-writer material like me. haha)