Foot and Fire

This one of the easy-to-learn Filipino desserts. It is also very flexible as one can simply make it with coco milk, sugar and cornstarch only. This is a Maja Blanca Special because of its overloaded add-ons. 4 cups cornstarch, sifted 8 cups coconut milk 2 cans condensed milk 1 cup shredded buko or young coconut 1 can corn kernel, water included 100 gms salted peanut, crushed 100 gms raisins Prepare coconut milk by putting eight cups of water to grated coconut. Press between hands to get the juice. Repeat squeezing until all coconut is done. Strain the milk. In a casserole, place cornstarch and slowly add coconut milk while stirring constantly until lumps are dissolved. Add milk, shredded coconut, canned corn plus the water, half of the peanuts and all raisins. Put the casserole over fire, starting from high heat. Stir constantly preferrably using wooden laddle. When while stirring the laddle hits lumps at the bottom of the casserole, shift heat to medium. Continue stirring until lumps

1/2 cup butter 1 to 1-1/2 c brown sugar 2 large eggs, beaten 2 c flour, sifted 1/2 t baking powder 1/4 t iodized salt 1/2 c evaporated milk 1/2 t vanilla 3/4 t baking soda 6 medium size very ripe bananas, mashed/pureed 100 gms salted or plain peanut, crushed Pre-heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan or muffin tins. In a mixing bowl, cream the first three ingredients until well-blended. Set aside. Combine the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. In the mixing bowl of creamed ingredients, alternately add mixed flour and milk, a little at a time. Blending the mixture each time the ingredient is added in order to avoid lumps. Put together the last four ingredients and add to the mixture. Bake cake for 30 minutes if baking in 9 X 13 pan. Makes about 24 1-inch thick squares.

This tastes better than pinakbet, the dish we all knew. This is a favorite among Ilonggos as this vegetable mix brings back memories of home. Alugbati or vine spinach brings out the best in the beef soup. I believe some regions only considers alugbati as a horticultural plant and not one for the kitchen. Try this recipe and you'll know what i mean. 2T canola oil 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 250g ground beef salt, pepper and powdered oregano to taste 6-8 cups water 1/2 beef broth cube (optional) 2 chili pepper, tail pinched 2 cups squash, cubed 2 cups string beans, 1.5-inch long 1 cup eggplants, quartered and cut into 1.5-inch long 1 patola, cut into 1/4-inch round 1 bunch alugbati Saute garlic and onion. Add beef and season with salt, pepper and oregano. Stir-fry for a little while and add water. Add broth cube if desired. Bring to boil. Add all vegetables except alugbati. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Add alugbati and cover. Re

Soupy or Stir fried, this is the best way of enjoying patola, gourd or loofah in english. Here's the kitchen recipe we always have in our table: 2 cloves garlic 1 medium onion 3 medium ripe tomatoes 2 2-feet long patola, sliced round 1 T water (if stir-fried), 1 Cup water (if soupy) 2 T Hoisin sauce salt and pepper to taste In a pan, saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add tomatoes and mash until soupy. Add patola and stir fry until tender. Add water as desired. Add salt and pepper to taste and hoisin sauce. remove from fire and serve immediately on top of rice.

We have boiled pretty camote (sweet potatoes) this morning. It's so boring eating it up. I gathered my Mambucal Honey and some remnant peanut butter in the fridge and made some twists. 2 C honey 1/2 C peanut butter (1 C if desired) 1 C banana ketchup 1 C apple cider vinegar Combine all ingredients. If the peanut butter lumps, whip in a blender. Serve as dip for fried fish, chicken and french fries. Also, this can be a dressing to your favorite vegetable/fruit salad. Add hot chili pepper sauce, if desired.

It would be wonderful to have this at home. Two years from now, I will have a version of this here. I swear. i want some fresh garden herbs that are available whenever called for. :) Having some edible fish is also an enticing try. http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/imported-farm-in-a-box-ecoefficient-gardening-088466 We learned from our friends at Home Grown Evolution that Home Depot will soon be carrying Farm in a Box from Earth Systems. Farm in the Box is a combined fish tank/planter box with recirculating water system that grows vegetables on top of the box along with fish underneath. Waste from the fish circulates into the planter which provides fertilizer for the plants as well as removing nitrogen and ammonia from the water. The smaller boxes are designed to fit on a balcony, while the larger boxes are suitable to raise edible fish... http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/gardening/aquaponics-the-future-of-home-gardening-the-new-york-times-109331 http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/component

This is sinful; the cheese and the butter. This is my first home-cooked lasagna and I am not especially groovy about it; it's a bit dry and very creamy due to cheese and butter and next time, i will use part tomato paste and part tomato sauce.. Before,I was able to make a home-made lasagna noodle and vegetable, it was so good and tasty and not dry. i will share to you the vegetarian version later. 1 box lasagna (500 gms, about 20 pcs) -----------> Cook according to package direction. It says 1/2 of the 14 minutes but I boiled mine for 10 minutes. *** TOMATO SAUCE (I suggest to prepare this ahead of the bechamel sauce) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup butter 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 medium white onions, chopped 1/2 kilo ground beef 6 tbsp. white wine 1/4 t nutmeg 1/3 chopped oregano 4 T chopped basil leaves salt and black pepper to taste 1 cup beef broth 2 small cans or 300 gms tomato paste 1 cup ketchup (to temper tomato taste, use sweet style if desired) shredded cheddar cheese (one

Pre-prepared tomatoes One kilo ripe tomatoes 3 large white onions 6 cloves of garlic 2T Olive oil 2T water or chicken broth 2T Basil leaves salt and pepper to taste Prepare tomatoes by cutting into two and removing the core with seeds. Set aside the core. Cut flesh into cubes. Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil. Add the cut tomato flesh and water/broth until soft and saucy. Bring to boil and then simmer. Sprinkle the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from fire and Let Cool. To store, put in a canister and freeze for later use. *** Tomato Puree 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1T canola oil or olive oil 1 cup tomato puree 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup white wine (optional) Add dried Basil, salt and pepper to taste garnish with cheese To prepare the puree, strain the core of the tomatoes to get the juice (the ones set aside above). Mash or blender the core flesh. Add the flesh to the tomato juice. Sautee garlic and onions in oil. Add the tomato puree and let simmer.