Double Chocolate Walnut Brownie

There are times when you have to choose between following standards and going with your hobby-tual instincts, most often the latter is way much convenient and exciting. So tonight, I made this brownie from recipes which I combined and edited for my convenience of course =), no more lengthy procedures just pour, or drop then mix!

Lumpiang Sariwa

It's been months since we had lumpiang sariwa in the house.  There is this one food that Hubby discovered-- its called popiah (pȯh-piá ) a fresh spring roll known to Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia and Thailand which is very similar to our lumpiang sariwa. It tastes good except for its wrapper which we can equate with our fried lumpia wrapper but I am more inclined to a soft and smooth crepelike wrap. Actually lumpiang sariwa is more like a crepe without the sweet taste and on my bias opinion tastes even better than popiah!


LS is basically made of stir fried vegetables and meat.  I even tasted one with buko (young coconut) strips though the buko made its stand on the texture but not the taste and adding one would be a bonus.  I was suppose to include this into my recipe but due to buko grabbing today,  non of it exist in the store nearby {sigh}.


But the good thing about cooking or baking, you can have alternatives. If one ingre is missing, go for the alternatives and you will be surprised on its outcome.

Peanut Sauce

PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp Superior Light Sauce **
3/4 pork cube
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 garlic head, crushed and minced

** you may adjust to your preference

Method:
Mix all the ingredients (except the peanut butter) and simmer with constant stirring over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and transparent. Add peanut butter and whisk to thoroughly incorporate the butter. Cool and set aside.

Lumpia Sariwa Wrapper

What is healthy and what is not? Let's not attempt to debate on the subjectivity of this matter. For all we know food is food! =)

Fresh lumpia or lumpiang sariwa, as a few may claim,  is a healthy way of eating rolls as compared with the fried  ones -- lumpiang gulay (fried spring roll) and the lumpia shanghai (fried meat roll) as we call it.  But I love the crunchiness of fried foods, so if you argue with me about oils?... that's inevitable.  Healthy?... well, how about--- let's eat and not talk about it {wink, wink}. 

The thing is, you can't even assure that what you are having outside the confines of your home is presumably healthy -- unless you cook it yourself, right?  The ingredients and the method is always in question.  BUT, there is no harm in trying several things, in fact-- varieties make the world very interesting so why not explore and taste everything for a start. And, when you build a liking to it then its time for reflections.  

Wait, before you do that let me share this recipe first.

Chocolate Eclair Bars

I have been wanting to make eclairs but I still have slices of chocolate cake from our kids monthly birthday and fridge is still packed with ingredients.... tsk, tsk, tsk...

But wait! Small slice won't hurt.  Let me give justice to these cakes (nom, nom, nom). Now, cakes are out and eclair is in!  Yey! So again, here is another day of dessert--ing.

Vanilla Pudding

There are times when instant ingredients are not readily available when you needed them those kinda " boxed " type of rescuers but thanks to the conventionals that never fade, I can still make and remake recipes. Use your creativity and you'll never know your's is even better. You can actually use instant pudding by Jell-o, but i want to share this recipe in case you are into the same predicament as I am now =D.

Slow Cook Chicken Mustard

Recently our daughter Paige and son Kai is exhibiting the liking for good food. This means good for them but a challenge for me and daddy Bart. But I would rather look at this in a beneficial way rather than with pessimism... wink!

I remember way back home: our kitchen is my favorite hang out, the pans are my desired gadgets and food is my hobby, I turned our humble abode into a small resto where members of our family had a say on the days menu from breakfast down to midnight snack. On some occasions, our brother will call me from the hospital asking "what's for lunch? or please bring me food" or requesting for potluck while the other siblings order theirs or simply says "kahit ano, kung anong meron."  On gatherings, I can't call it party since this is a huge word for us we would rather call it "Salu-salo" as our frequent event.  It's like fiesta in one roof!  Aside from getting my hand dirty,  my favourite part is when I get to go with our Mamang or our sibling sponsoring the salu-salo for marketing. It's like a whole package for me! Everyday is a food adventure without me knowing it.  Eventually, I was exposed to greater food, posh dining and eclectic gatherings further widening my horizons. And I love every single moment of it! =)

Now, it's our children's era... things are not different. Paige is like living in a resto, she orders her meal and snacks, sometimes she has a hand on it.  Lucky for her ingredients come in handy so she always gets what she desires.  As for me, here I am... still enjoying my sanctuary with my very own family. =)

So from my kitchen to yours here's good food...

Vanilla Crepe

I was never a fan of crepe until we tasted one along Patong Beach in Phuket, just outside our hotel is a man with a big round crepe pan slowly levelling a white batter with its wooden tool. I admired his grace as he slowly turning the wooden tool from the center of the pan going outward, evenly flattening the crepe batter without even lifting or circling his arms around it. Crepe vendors there  are distinct, none of them are alike in style of cooking, tastes of crepe, flavors of syrups and presentations. Its like a pottery machine with your hands still allowing the machine to circle around it, but the outcome rely on one's graceful hands. I seldom saw such a beautiful skill and grace as I would reiterate .

UBE MAKAPUNO ENSAYMADA

Having two jars of Ube Halaya with me which my SIL bought from Market Market, Fort Bonifacio, Global City (Philippines) and a freshly cooked makapuno, my first project will be ensaymada. This is very appropriate for this season of Lent. So without much story telling here it is...

Using my  ensaymada  and the makapuno  recipe all I need to do is to assemble. Just a note, I have so much left over butter and i felt like experimenting a bit, so I added generous amount of butter to the dough while beating it up... and the result... deliciously soft! 

MAKAPUNO

This is one of the usual delicacies at home especially nearing summer.  Papang (our father) always surprises us with makapuno ( "mutant coconut ") and i kept asking him why it is called makapuno?  and How this fruit is made?  They say every coconut tree bears only 1 makapuno in its fruit time, its like a gem, so you are very lucky when you find one. 

Makapuno the real thing, this is how it looks like: soft & meaty

Broccoli Fried Rice

Tired of having plain egg and plain rice every morning?, Let's make a twist.  I have few of the ingredients in the fridge and I'm going to make use of it.  Come join me...


BROCCOLI FRIED RICE
serve 4 to 6 depends on your servings...

Ingredients:

1 medium size onion, minced
1 smal head broccoli, sliced into small florets
5 cups cooked rice
300 g bacon rashers
2 eggs, scrambled or chopped into small pieces
oil for sautéing
2 tbsp oyster sauce, more if you prefer
pinch of salt
dash of black pepper
drizzle of sesame oil

Procedure:

1. Prepare the ingredients.
2. heat pan and add oil.
3. Saute onion and bacon rashers.
4. Add broccoli and stir fry for about a minute.
5. Add rice and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add oyster sauce and cook stir until rice is heated up thoroughly and broccoli is done.
7. Add egg then drizzle the sesame oil.
8. Stir and serve hot with hot tea, coffee of chocolate milk.

Enjoy!