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Comfort food and home cooked meals
What a year 2008 had been! And what a year 2009 will be. The biggest news was the global financial recession following the collapse of big corporations in America. Individuals and entities engaged in the food business are reeling along with the rest but, if they’re smart, they’ll see the inevitable trend for 2009 — home cooking is going to make a big comeback as people will eat out less often to save money. Fancy and gourmet ingredients and food items will take a back seat as the wise home cooks go back to the basics — less processed and more fresh meat and seafood, more vegetables and fruits, and hearty soups and desserts that can be made at home. Recycling leftovers is likely to be elevated to art form as home cooks rise up to the challenge of being less wasteful yet more creative and inventive. What can I say? The financial scares make some mope and gripe but for others it is an opportunity to reassess spending priorities and eating habits.
But let’s look back at 2008. I’ve had some kitchen disasters but, all in all, there are some dishes that I am mighty proud of: smoked salmon and cream cheese canapés (a lesson in how to stretch expensive smoked salmon to satisfy a lot of guests); salmon and tomato soup (made with fish heads that a lot of Westerners think aren’t fit for human consumption); chicken, mushrooms and potato salad (a very low-fat meal that even serious carnivores can’t find fault with); the complete salad (made with leftover lechon manok); crispy catfish and green mango salad (because I am now a huge fan of Thai cooking); and chicken, pesto and yogurt salad (cut down on the mayo and substitute fruit-flavored yogurt). [ Keep reading → ]
January 5, 2009 · Asia & beyond, Chicken, duck & turkey, Healthy veggies, Oh so sweet!
Bubbling hot
Cooking with leftover turkey
The New Year’s Eve party and family reunion suffered a setback. We had the garden all laid out for an all-day and all-night party but it rained the entire day and we had to move everything indoors. All the barbecuing we had planned took place on the stove top grill instead. It was still great though. Lunch was a potluck affair with chicken pastel,... [ Read the rest → ]
January 2, 2009
Smoked salmon and cream cheese canapés
Thinking of easy to prepare but delicious and memorable canapes for a cocktail party on New Year’s Eve? Try spreading this filling made with smoked salmon and cream cheese on wheat crackers. Or use it as a sandwich filling, cut up the sandwiches and serve as mini sandwiches. I love smoked salmon. So when I saw three different versions of this... [ Read the rest → ]
December 29, 2008
Banana walnut cake
(Updated) Moist but not dense, this banana cake is light, not excessively sweet and there’s the added pleasure of getting some crunch from the walnuts and the streusel topping. Based on a recipe from the web site of Sylvia Reynoso Gala, I substituted melted butter for the cooking oil because, in my experience, using cooking oil in cakes leaves... [ Read the rest → ]
December 28, 2008
Nice & warm
Bowls and platters
(Updated) Back from the sickbed. I caught some bug two days before Christmas and I didn’t start feeling better until a few hours before Christmas Day ended. My husband did the cooking but you know how it is when you’re not feeling well — nothing just tastes right. He’s still in charge of the meals but I felt well enough to bake... [ Read the rest → ]
December 28, 2008
Strawberry pancake syrup
Due to a strange twist of fate, I’m on cooking vacation from now until the New Year. My husband, Speedy, will be doing ALL of the cooking although I am not sure if that includes the dishes for the New Year’s Eve family reunion. Of course, it’s going to be a man-in-the-kitchen kind of menu, pork chops and rib-eye steaks are on the list,... [ Read the rest → ]
December 24, 2008
Fresh strawberries
Most of the strawberries in Philippine markets come from the La Trinidad Valley strawberry farms just outside Baguio City. Strawberry season usually starts in November and ends in May. Ergo, during the Christmas season, it is not unusual to find strawberry laden desserts. The first time I made strawberry streusel cake was on a December and, over the... [ Read the rest → ]
December 24, 2008
In the archive
Roast pork with baked potatoes
Cut the kitchen labor and cooking time by cooking a side dish of baked potatoes together with your roast pork. And the best thing about this short cut is how the potatoes actually catch the flavorful drippings from the pork. I must warn you though that if the meat you’re roasting needs more than an hour to cook, there is a chance that the potatoes... [ Read the rest → ]
December 22, 2008
Roast pork belly with black pepper
Almost like lechon kawali (although I cook my lechon kawali in the oven) but this recipe does not require that the pork be parboiled prior to roasting. Inspired by a peasant dish featured in the Spice Trails episode of Planet Food (over Discovery & Living Channel), this roast pork is seasoned with salt and cracked black pepper hours before cooking.... [ Read the rest → ]
December 20, 2008
Vietnamese beef stew
Five out of the ten times we ate at Pho Hoa Restaurant, my husband ordered the beef stew served with buttered French bread (see photo). I’ve tasted it, liked it, and promised him that, someday, I’d cook Vietnamese beef stew at home. My husband, Speedy, was away for three days on a planning workshop and he’s coming back tonight. I thought... [ Read the rest → ]
December 19, 2008
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