Arroz Con Coliflor Y Brocoli Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 head garlic, crushed

2 medium onions, chopped

2 c California rice

4-5 c soup stock

1/4 kg cauliflower, divided into florets

1/2 c garbanzos, cooked

1-2 tsp curry powder

a pinch of saffron

salt and pepper, to taste

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

For the soup stock

Beef or Pork bones, or a combination

1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

1 large onion, quartered

1/2 tsp peppercorns

COOKING PROCEDURES:

1. In a casserole, put all the soup stock ingredients together and add enough water (at least 6 cups) to cover. Simmer over low fire for 2 hours. Strain the broth.

2. In a paellera or a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions. Add the rice and cook until it becomes opaque.

3. Add the soup stock. Arrange the cauliflower, broccoli, and garbanzos on top, sprinkle the curry powder and saffron, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the rice for about 20 minutes. Garnish with the sliced eggs. Makes 5 to 6 portions.

 Shared from Bake Me a Cake by Ginny Roces de Guzman


 

Angel Hair Pasta with Mushrooms and Ricotta Recipe

Angel Hair Pasta with Mushrooms and Ricotta Recipe is an Italian food which is light and taste good.

Ingredients:

6 oz angel hair pasta

8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt, to taste

1/2 C vegan ricotta

1/4 C toasted croutons, crushed

1/3 C flat-leaf parsley leaves

4 Tbs olive oil, divided

Ricotta:

14 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/3 C nutritional yeast

1/2 C to 1 C fresh basil leaves

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbs lemon juice

Croutons:

2-3 slices French bread, toasted, then chopped and crushed

Cooking Procedures:

 To make ricotta: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend well. You’ll only need about 1/3 to 1/2 C, so either refrigerate the rest for a few days for another meal, or freeze it.

Cook pasta according to package instructions; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain. Heat 2 Tbs of the olive oil and add the mushrooms; cook until browned. Add the leeks and garlic and cook about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt. Toss the pasta with the mushroom mixture, reserved pasta sauce and remaining 2Tbs of olive oil.

Top with little dollops of the ricotta and some parsley. Enjoy! 

Eggplant Omelette Recipe

Eggplant Omelette also called as "tortang talong" in Filipino.

Eggplant Omelet Ingredients:

3 eggplants (talong); grilled, broiled, steamed, or roasted
3 -4 eggs; well beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil

Cooking Procedures:

Grill the eggplant until wilted. When cooled, peel off skin (retain stem for handle).  Flatten eggplant using the back of the fork. Set aside.

Beat eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Submerge eggplants one at a time in eggs. In a pan, fry the omelet until golden brown on one side, then flip using a spatula and fry the other side. Put on a platter and serve. 

Cooking Tips:

You can add shredded cheese or ground beef or pork (sautéd with garlic and onion) or combination on top of the omelet before flipping.

Also, make sure to pour additional beaten eggs over the cheese or ground beef to cover before flipping and frying the other side of the omelet.

Pinakbet Recipe

Pinakbet Ingredients:

1/4 kilo pork ribs, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ginger root; cut in chunks and crushed
1 tomato; sliced
2 cups squash; cut in cubes
1 eggplant, sliced
1 ampalaya
5 okras
3 cups water
Bagoong isda
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

 

Cooking Procedures:

In a casserole, sauté garlic, and onion in oil. Add pork, then season with salt. Continue sauteing until edges of pork turns brown and renders fat. Add the ginger and tomatoes. Stir well for few minutes, then add water and bring to a boil. Add ampalaya, eggplants, okra, squash, and string beans. Season with bagoong according to taste. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked. Serve hot!

Ginataang Laing Recipe

TARO LEAVES IN COCONUT MILK

LAING INGREDIENTS:

25 taro (gabi) leaves; shredded
1/2 kilo pork; diced or thinly sliced
1 tablespoon garlic; minced
1 tablespoon onion; minced
1 tablespoon ginger; chopped
2 tablespoons shrimp paste
3 green chili pepper (siling haba)
1 can coconut milk


COOKING PROCEDURES:
Arrange the taro leaves in a casserole. Spread on top the pork, ginger, garlic, and onion. Add coconut milk but do not stir. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer until pork is tender. Add more coconut milk when mixture gets too dry or if necessary. Add shrimp paste and chilli pepper. Simmer, then remove from fire when little sauce is left. Serve hot!


COOKING TIPS:
Do not stir the ingredients while cooking so that itchiness of the taro will not spread on the dish, otherwise it will cause an itching sensation in your tongue when eating this cuisine.

Christmas Gift Giving in Kythe

     Christmas is in the air. A time of sharing and gift giving to children, elderly and to everyone. In the time of December most people were busy in buying special foods, dresses, luxuries and other for themselves and to their families. It is the regular and tradition of most people. But there are also people and groups, aside of this is to share their blessings to those children and people who are in needs most.

     And the time was come, we decided to look a foundation of a children and we chose the Kythe Foundation . This a non-profit, non-stock organization aimed towards improving the quality of life among hospitalized children with cancer and other chronic illness.

      It is a privileged to be a part of these foundation to share and to entertain the children which we know a pain felt in their body. A touch in our hearts to see them smiling.

     To entertain them, we considered 2 clowns to be the host of the program. We gave them snacks, foods, toys and giveaways.

    A one mission was accomplished this Christmas. We look forward to share more blessings and to give joy to everyone in the guidance of our Father.

     If you want also to share your blessings, you may visit their website http://www.kythe.org/ for further details.

Hot and Sour Shrimp Recipe

Hot and Sour Shrimp is cooked and served with watercress and walnuts.

Ingredients:

1 lb Large uncooked shrimp, -peeled, deveined, -butterflied

4 tb Dry Sherry

1 tb Grated peeled fresh ginger

1/2 c Chicken Stock or canned -broth

2 tb Soy sauce

2 tb Catsup.

1 tb Cornstarch

1 tb Rice vinegar or white wine -vinegar

1 tb Sugar

1 ts Oriental sesame oil

1/4 ts Cayenne pepper

6 tb Peanut oil

2 tb Chopped walnuts

3 bn Watercress, trimmed

2 md Bell peppers, cut into -1-inch squares

2 Garlic cloves, minced

8 Green onions, cut -diagonally into -1-inch-long pieces

Cooking Procedures:

A light marinade of Sherry and ginger flavors the shrimp, which are stir-fried with red bell peppers and green onions. Watercress makes a colorful bed for the shrimp. Combine shrimp, 2 tablespoons Sherry and grated ginger in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons Sherry, chicken stock, soy sauce, catsup, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add walnuts and stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer walnuts to plate using slotted spoon. Add watercress to wok and stir-fry until just wilted, about 1 minute. Divide watercress among plates. Add 2 teaspoons peanut oil, bell peppers and garlic to wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add remaining 2 teaspoons peanut oil, shrimp mixture and onions and stir- fry for 1 minute. Stir stock mixture, add to wok and cook sauce until clear and thick, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Spoon sauce and shrimp over watercress. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

Makes four servings; about 265 calories per serving.

 

Adobo Recipe

Adobo is the most famous food of the Filipino. It’s either pork, chicken or a mix of both. It is cooked in vinegar and soy sauce. String beans can also be used to make vegetable in adobo.

Adobo Ingredients:


1 cup distilled white vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons peeled and crushed garlic
2 teaspoons salt
2 pieces of bay leaves
half teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces, Chinese style
2 pounds pork butt, cut into cubes
soy sauce
oil




Cooking Procedures:


Add vinegar, water, garlic, salt, bay leaves and pepper into a large casserole. Bring to a boil.
Add the meat, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle liberally with soy sauce and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove meat and reduce sauce.
Remove sauce to a bowl. Put oil into the casserole and brown cooked meat.
Drain oil from the casserole, and return the reduced sauce back with the meat.
Serve with rice.

Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur

     Caramoan Islands are located at the tip of Caramoan Peninsula, a group of islands isolated from the rest of Camarines Sur. It is the perfect adventure for island hopping, rock climbing, caving or wading and swimming thru its fine white sand beaches.

     The municipality is situated between east longitude 124°59" and 13°46" north latitude. It covers approximately 27,741 square kilometers with approximately 71 kilometers of irregular coastline surrounded by the vast ocean, bay, seas and swamps. It is approximately 501 kilometers away from Metro Manila; 95 kilometers from the municipality of Pili, where the seat of the provincial government and the Pili Domestic Airport are located; and 110 kilometers away from Naga City, the heart of Bicol. Composed of 49 barangays, the municipality has a total of 134 sitios.

     Caramoan Islands were unknown to commercial tourism because of its remoteness. You will experience a bumpy ride and at least 1.5 hours boating from Sabang beach to Caramoan. Thus, its natural beauty was hidden and only few adventurers were go there. Although in recent years, Caramoan was already being visited by some foreign and locals, it was still not as jammed-packed as the Boracay Island, until “Koh-Lanta Caramoan 2008”, a French version of the reality show “Survivor”, had Caramoan Islands particularly the Gota Beach as their shooting location. That was an opportunity to recognized the Caramoan Islands as a Philippine island destination for foreign and local tourist that gives a high percentage of visitors every year until today.

Grotto of Our Lady of Peace

     Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Mother of Peace Grotto is located at the top of Caglago Mountain in Barangay Tabgon, Caramoan, Camarines Sur. It has 546 steps to the grotto leads to the 26-foot image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

    The construction of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Mother of Peace Grotto began in 1989 under the leadership of St. Dominic of Guzman parish priest Rev. Fr. Felix F. Barella. During its construction, the people of Caramoan had to climb Mt. Caglago to bring the materials. It was completed the following year through foreign and local funding. The grotto opened its door to the public in 20 May 1990 led by Archbishop of Caceres Most Reverend Leonardo Z. Legaspi OP. D.D.

    Here we go to take the 546 steps, you must bring water to drink and make sure you don't have any heavy bags.

     At the top, there is a small chapel. The Eucharist is celebrated in the Shrine every first Sunday of the month and other occasions such as the anniversary of the foundation of the image (20th of May), Triduum, and feast of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Mother of Peace (4th of October).

     When you reached on the top, you will see the beautiful views of the islands surrounded by the water. So nice and awesome.

Ibon Ebon (Bird Egg) Festival

    Ibon Ebon Festival was celebrated every year, in the month of February in Candaba, Pampanga. Ibon means "bird" and Ebon means "Egg". This festival makes the town a favorite destination for tourist and bird lovers from all over the world. It was started on February 1 and 2 in the year 1998.

     The festival participated of different schools in Candaba and for those who want to join the events. The events include harvest fest, trade fair and tiangge, jamming with "Ibon" dancers, grand street dancing parade and dragon boat race.

     The wetlands of Candaba Swamp in Pampanga is known as a sanctuary of nearly 17,000 registered migratory birds. It consists of more than 80 species from different parts of the world. The Candaba Swamp serves as the birds’ home and stop-over point as they migrate from point to point in Asia and other parts of the globe.


     The town of Candaba makes proud of this festival, as they introduce the migratory birds and own eggs industry.


Photography: Mr. Allan Borja

Island Hopping in Honda Bay

     Honda Bay is one of the Philippines' tourist destination in Palawan Island, also known as "The Last Frontier". It is comprised of several islets with shallow reefs bordering wonderful beaches which is the perfect place for swimming, snorkeling and diving destinations for local residents and tourist. It is a blue cool waters are scattered with islands that guarantee one of a pure-pleasure experience. From snorkeling in its clear waters to the more adventurous island hopping within its districts to simply having a picnic in the fine sand of its beach areas, Honda Bay is sure to leave a lasting impression on the visitor.

     You will enjoy the island hopping because you will see the different fishes, and precious corals under the water. We explore the two islands; Snake island, a curvaceous tongue shape like a snake and with a white sand beach noted for large and lovely shells and the Isla Pandan Resort. Before we went there, we experienced snorkelling on what they call the floating house. The corals and fishes are very lovely.

The island hopping takes whole day, so you will experience to eat lunch in the island. You can take the lunch at the Snake Island.

The last Island we explore is the Isla Pandan. Up to this island, snorkelling is so fantastic. Fishes and corals are still around.

     We enjoyed swimming and snorkelling on these islands. The adventures were exciting. It can't explain our feelings how our happiness was.