Homemade Pizza

Pizza is one of the foods that you can go as imaginative as you can. You can top it with anything your heart desires and will never go wrong in satisfying your palate. I chose the toppings as seen in my photo just because I have them.

Ingredients:
For the Dough –
0.25 ounce envelope active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening

For the Sauce –
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 ounce tomato paste
6 fluid ounces water
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
pepperoni
olives
mozzarella cheese

Method:
1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy. This will take about 10 minutes.
2. In another large bowl, combine flour, salt and shortening. Stir in the yeast mixture. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion until tender. Stir in tomato paste and water. Season with sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, basil, oregano, marjoram, cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Divide dough in half, and spread onto pizza pans. Cover with sauce, and desired toppings (I topped mine with pepperoni, olives and mozzarella).
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Happy Baking 🙂

Grandma’s Morcon

I thought of grandma today, so I am making one of her specialties.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg of pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 hardboiled egg, shelled and sliced into 4 (for stuffing)
1 piece of Chorizo de Bilbao, cut into 4 strips (for stuffing)
4 strips of bacon (for stuffing)
50 grams of carrots, cut into 4 strips (for stuffing)
1 piece of whole pickles, cut into 4 strips (for stuffing)
50 grams of Cheddar cheese, cut into 4 strips (for stuffing)
1 small red pepper, cut into 4 strips (for stuffing)
80 grams of Del Monte tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of oil

Method:
1. Pound pork to flatten. Sprinkle with lime juice and soy sauce.
2. Starting on one end of the meat, arrange in alternate rows the stuffing until all are used up. Roll and tie with a string (crocheting thread). Sprinkle with flour then brown all sides in 2 tablespoons oil.
3. Transfer meat into saucepan, then add Del Monte tomato sauce and 1¼ cups water. Cover and let it simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove strings and slice.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Bread Pudding in Caramel Sauce

I have some left over French bread, so I thought of making bread pudding.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (a day old), cut into 1-inch squares
1 qt milk
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
fresh strawberries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place milk in a large mixing bowl and add the bread that has been cut into squares. Press the bread into the milk with your hands until all of the milk is absorbed.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over the bread and milk mixture. Add raisins and gently stir to combine.
3. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a baking pan. Coat the bottom and the sides of the pan well with the butter. Pour the bread milk and egg mixture into the baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes, until the liquid has set. The pudding is done when the edges start getting a bit brown and pull away from the edge of the pan.
4. While this is baking prepare the Strawberry Caramel Sauce. Over medium heat in heavy saucepan cook sugar and stir with wooden spoon. Continue cooking and stirring until sugar is melted and a deep amber color. This will take approximately 20 minutes. Stir in one cup of cream and the mixture will bubble. Add remaining cream and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until caramelized sugar is completely dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in strawberries. Top the bread pudding with this mixture.

Happy baking 🙂

Chicken Gallantina

Ingredients:
2 kgs of chicken breast, deboned
1kg ground pork
500 grams ground chicken
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup green bell pepper
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 can vienna sausage
1 egg
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1/4 cup pickles, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method:
1. Except for deboned chicken, mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Stuff cavity of chicken with mixture. Sew the chicken or use toothpicks to ensure that stuff will not burst while baking.
3. Place chicken on a bed of mirepoix (a combination of chopped carrots, celery and onions used to add flavor and aroma to the chicken, and to avoid the bird from sticking to pan when cooking).
4. Place in preheated oven with temperature of 338 Fahrenheit and cook for around 30 to 40 minutes.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Salted Egg Bun

This will make a filling snack :). Great with lemonade on a hot, sunny day.

Ingredients:
Filling-
3 salted duck eggs, fully cooked and shelled. Use egg yolks only
60 g unsalted butter, softened
50 g icing sugar
30 g custard powder
45 g dry milk powder
50 g cornflour
30 ml coconut milk

Dough-
280 g flour, preferably with 7-9% protein content
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
15 g sugar
1 tbsp. canola oil
125-140 ml water

Method:
For best results, you need to make the filling one day ahead.
1. With a fork, mash the salted duck egg yolks into fine crumbs. With a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, beat the butter and icing sugar in medium speed until combined. Reduce mixing speed then add the remaining ingredients and mix well till fully combined.
2. Refrigerate the filling until cold and firm. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out and divide the filling into 12 portions. Put these on a plate or container lined up with cling wrap for easy removal. Freeze overnight.
For the Dough
1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, salt, oil, water, flour and yeast. Knead to form a smooth dough. This will take you about 20 minutes of kneading. Let it rise for 1 hour.
2. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Meanwhile, set water to boil in a steamer.
3. Flatten the dough pieces with your hands. Place the frozen filling in the center. Pinch up the sides of the dough to completely enclose the filling.
4. Place the dough on each paper cup liner or a small piece of baking paper with its seam sides down. Rest the dough in warm mist for 10-15 minutes.
5. Steam the dough from 8 to 15 minutes.

Happy Steaming 🙂

Fresh Egg Yolk Carbonara

I am in the mood for pasta 🙂

Ingredients:
1 pound dry spaghetti (I always use Barilla)
4 large eggs, as fresh as possible
8 ounces slab bacon (Tulip is my brand), cubed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino
Freshly cracked black pepper
Sea salt

Method:
1. Bring about 6 quarts of generously salted water (it should taste like the ocean) to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. When the pasta is done, reserve 1/2 cup of the water, then drain.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the meat is crispy and golden and has rendered its fat. Turn off the heat.
3. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and the cheeses until well-combined.
4. Return the bacon pan to medium heat, and add half of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss in the spaghetti and agitate the pan over the heat for a few seconds until the bubbling subsides. Much of the water will evaporate.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture, stirring quickly until the eggs thicken. The residual heat will cook the eggs but work quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it out with a little bit more of the reserved pasta water.
6. Season liberally with freshly cracked black pepper.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Oreo Cream Cheese Cookies

Really sweet cravings of the day 🙂

Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup mini chocolate chips (by Hershey’s, of course :))
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and well-combined.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until the ingredients are well-combined. Add the flour and mix on low until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the mini chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
4. Place the Oreo cookie crumbs in a small bowl. Scoop the cookies into about 1½ to 2″ balls and then roll in the cookie crumbs. Place the cookie balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are slightly puffed.
5. Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Baking 🙂

Tofu with Bok Choy in Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce makes any food taste extra special.

Ingredients:
8 large bok choy stalks
14 ounces of firm tofu
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
3 shallots
4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce (I prefer Lee Kum Kee)
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Method:
1. Remove leaves from bok choy stems. Cut leaves into 2-inch pieces; cut stems into 1/4-inch diagonal slices (do not combine leaves and stems). Cut tofu into 1/4-inch slices. Coat tofu with cornstarch. Cut shallots into thin slices.
2. Heat wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; rotate wok to coat side. Add 2 pieces tofu; cook 1 minute, turning once. Repeat with remaining tofu, removing tofu as necessary. Return tofu to wok. Add oyster sauce; toss until tofu is evenly coated. Remove tofu from wok.
3. Heat wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; rotate wok to coat side. Add shallots; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add bok choy stems and salt; stir-fry 1 minute. Add tofu and bok choy leaves; cover and cook 1 minute.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Fried Tilapia Twist

Fried fish is so boring. Here’s a twist to make it exciting!

Ingredients:
1 large tilapia
1/4 cup canned salted black beans, discard the water. I use the brand, Lee Kum Kee
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch diluted in 1/2 cup water
cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Rub salt and pepper all over the tilapia. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 1 cup of cooking oil in a frying pan.
3. Pan-fry the tilapia in medium heat for about 5 minutes per side or until the color turns medium brown. Remove the fried tilapia and place in a plate lined with paper towel.
4. In a clean cooking pan, heat about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
5. Saute the garlic and onion.
6. When the onion softens,add the parsley and salted black beans.
7. Put the fried tilapia in the pan. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch diluted in water. Stir gently and let boil. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Add pepper to taste. Note: you can add more water to make it taste less salty.

Happy Cooking 🙂

Blue Crab in Spicy Coconut Milk Sauce

Ingredients:
Fresh Crabs
Fresh Coconut Milk, 1st squeezed only
Fish Sauce
Pepper
Garlic
Onions
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 large green chili, chopped

Method:
1. Sautee garlic and onions in a pan.
2. Put your crabs shell side down and add your coconut milk.
3. Simmer until the coconut milk’s natural oil comes out of it and your sauce thickens to your liking.
4. Add the green chili. Season with fish sauce and pepper.

Happy Cooking 🙂