Ice Cream Cake

This was my mother-in-law's cake last Mother's Day. It was from Baskin-Robbins, and it was called "Delectable Designer Bag Cake." Aptly named, because it was delectable indeed!

 This was a made-to-order cake, and you can find several designs at the Baskin-Robbins website. You get to choose which cake and ice cream flavor you want. My mother-in-law's cake was devil's foodcake and the ice cream was Gold Medal Ribbon. You can also choose between blue or pink frosting. 

Cross-section of the cake

I remember eating the same "purse" for Mother's Day last year, but the handles back then were made of Twizzlers (which son devoured eagerly). This year, it was made of plastic which they coated with icing. Oh well. I still think it was cute. The dots were white chocolate drops. I think I plucked about 3 of them before even cutting the cake. ;-)

Price depends on the size. This cake was good for 8 people, and it was around $20 - $24. 

Read more »

Lemon-Broccoli Rice with Chicken

*This is NOT a sponsored post. I have never made a sponsored post.

I love trying out new products, especially if they are on sale! So when I chanced upon this new Philadelpia Cooking Creme at its introductory price (plus my coupon = I got it for about 75 cents!), I thought that I couldn't pass it up.

This recipe came with the container, and I immediately wanted to try it since it had lemons! I LOVE lemon in savory dishes - so long as it is not overpowering. The tangy kick of the lemon leaves you wanting for more! And of course, it is a complete meal already - protein, veggies and rice. What more could you ask for?



What you need: 

1 tablespoon Canola oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups hot cooked rice


What to do: 

Heat canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, garlic and pepper, cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. 

Add cooking creme and broccoli; cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon zest. Remove from heat. Serve over rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. If you want tangier sauce, spritz with some more lemon juice before serving.
2.Try it with beef instead of chicken.
3. Add other veggies like baby corn or carrots!

Read more »

Tuna-Vegetables Stir Fry

After salmon, tuna is probably my second favorite fish. Being a healthy alternative to pork, I try to incorporate seafood in our diet just to break the monotony of the usual meat dishes. 

Alton Brown featured tuna in an episode of Good Eats, where a trip to the "afterlife" made him realize the health benefits of tuna and referred to it as "the other red meat."  Not surprising, as tuna is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and is a good source of niacin and phosphorus. Too bad it is getting a bad rap nowadays, what with the radiation scare from Japan and all.

Anyway, I loved how the fish went very well with the dish. We will definitely be making more of this!


What you need: 

2 pieces tuna steaks (about 850 grams), cubed
8 oz portobello mushrooms, quartered
1 carrot, coined 
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts
1/4 yellow onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, coarsely minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
1 block of tofu
salt and pepper, to taste
canola oil for frying

For the sauce:

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon black bean sauce
1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar


What to do: 

Cut tofu into 1 inch blocks. Fry in canola oil until the edges start to form crusts. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside for later use.

In a wok, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil (I used the tofu oil!) over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, water chestnuts, and mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same wok, saute ginger, garlic and onions. Add the cubed tuna and cook for about a minute. Add in the carrot-mushroom mixture and the sauce. Season according to taste. Cook for around 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Cook tuna like you would a steak- medium. If you overcook it, the meat would be as hard as a brick. ;-)
2. Fry tofu to your desired doneness. However, keep in mind that you will cook it again when you mix it with the rest of the ingredients. 
3. Add a dash of red pepper flakes if you want it a bit spicy.
4. Don't like tuna? Try mahi-mahi, halibut, or any firm-fleshed fish.
5. Make sure you cut ingredients the same size for even cooking.

Read more »

5-Minute Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberries are in abundance! They are plump, juicy, sweet, and oh so cheap! By the way, did you know that strawberries are closely related to the rose family? So are blackberries, raspberries and boysenberries. So I guess this is a "flowery" dessert. ;-)

I wouldn't really call this a "recipe" since all I did was put ingredients together. It would take 5 minutes (or less!). Easy peasy. I love that the whipped cream was not so sweet, and it lessened the tartness of the strawberries. It was so good that I had it for breakfast! 

What you need: 

12 dessert shells
12 medium-sized strawberries
8 oz Cool Whip

What to do: 

Rinse the strawberries and dry with a paper towel. Slice into 1/4 inch thick slivers. Place on top of dessert shells and top with a dollop of Cool Whip. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Can't find dessert shells? Try it on pound cake!
2. Use other fruits - mango, blueberries, etc!
3. Drizzle with ice cream topping. Mmmmmmm!

Read more »

Penne-Chicken Soup

This for me, is truly comfort food. It's one of those dishes that I want to eat when I'm sad, or during bleak, rainy days. It wasn't really raining when I made this, I just wanted some hot, piping bowl of soupy goodness. 

On a side note, when my husband saw that I was adding evaporated milk to my bowl, he thought it was a bit strange. I tried to make him add milk to his bowl too, so he would know how good it would taste, and he did so but sparingly. Really, he missed out on a lot! The milk made the soup creamier and tastier. Do you add milk to your soup too? 


What you need: 

2 large chicken breasts
4 hotdogs, coined 
about 2 cups penne noodles
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic
1 large carrot, diced
2 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup evaporated milk (plus more for serving)
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
grated parmesan cheese (for garnish)


What to do: 

Boil the chicken in a pot with lightly salted water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool, then shred. Save the broth.

In a separate pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the garlic and onions. Add the carrots and shredded chicken, cook for about a minute, then pour in about 5 to 6 cups of the saved chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper, according to taste. Add the penne and coined hotdogs, lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is soft (not al dente). 

Remove from heat and add evaporated milk and dried parsley. Stir. Ladle to bowls and garnish with grated parmesan cheese and more milk. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. When boiling the chicken, make sure it is submerged completely in water.
2. Use pre-packaged chicken stock or water if you don't have enough saved from boiling the chicken.
3. Other types of pasta would also work for this dish.
4. I prefer the noodles a bit soft for this recipe. You may want yours al dente. If so, lessen the cooking time to about 9 minutes.
5. Add more evaporated milk for a yummier soup!

Read more »

Somen Noodles and Sausage

This dish is a classic example of "pacham" (pachamba-chamba or "by chance") because I just kinda' threw in all sorts of ingredients from my fridge that I thought would work well with the dish. Luckily, somen is hubby's favorite noodle and would devour anything cooked with it.

Truth be told, I wasn't disappointed myself. The dish had a good flavor, it was well-balanced (carbs, protein and veggies in one plate!), and the noodles offered a break from the usual steamed rice.


What you need: 

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into coins
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon black bean sauce
1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 bundles of somen noodles
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups Japanese Blend vegetables
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 Vidalia onion, sliced


What to do: 

Cook somen noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a wok over medium-high. Add the coined sausage and cook for about 2 minutes. In the same wok, saute the garlic and onion for about a minute, then add the rest of the veggies. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until veggies are crisp tender.

Add the soy sauce, black bean sauce and oyster sauce. Adjust taste by adding 2 tablespoons of water if it is too salty for you. Cook until heated through.

Ladle some noodles in a bowl and top with the veggies-sausage mix. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Too salty for you? Skip the soy sauce!
2. You can use other vegetables for this dish - carrots, celery, etc.
3. Try chicken if you don't have sausage available.
4. Any kind of firm noodle would work for this dish. Don't use misua! ;-)
5. You can steam your veggies beforehand, but it would be soggy when you add it to the noodles.

Read more »

Eggstravaganza 2011

Egg-shaped Easter candies!

As an Easter game, my mother-in-law hid 45 plastic Easter eggs in the backyard and sent us on a hunt. To spruce things up, she put a number inside each egg, and assigned three winning numbers. That way, it won't be just a mad dash for eggs and/or whoever gets the most wins. It was so much fun, and we enjoyed every minute of it. 

Easter eggs symbolize new life, a rebirth, just as Jesus rose from the dead after three days. It is so sad that the meaning of these eggs has been drowned by commercialism and other capitalist ventures. 

These eggs (below), by the way, are turkey eggs. A friend of mine gave them to me since they don't eat turkey eggs. I didn't too, until now. I wondered why we don't see a lot of turkey eggs for public consumption, and I found out that since turkeys only lay eggs every so often, their eggs are used to produce more turkeys. I guess there is a greater demand for turkey meat than eggs.

I noticed that the shell and membrane of the turkey egg is significantly harder to crack (in fact, I had to poke the membrane just to get the egg out). The yolk seemed to be twice as big as a regular chicken egg. They taste kinda' the same, but turkey egg has more flavor. It also has three times the amount of cholesterol found in a chicken egg. 

I love how turkey eggs look. They are spotted, which somewhat reminded me of quail or finch eggs. I almost didn't want to break them. The other eggs in the crate are from chickens. By the way, did you know that you don't need to refrigerate farm fresh eggs? Cool huh.

Happy Easter!

"I am the resurrection and the life." - John 11:25

Read more »

Spicy Buffalo Wings

Look closely and you'll see the dip at the end of the plate!

I was looking for a quick and simple recipe for buffalo wings when my search led me to (my favorite - of course!) Alton Brown's recipe. I was intrigued upon reading it because it called for steaming the chicken before putting it in the oven. Also, it only had 5 ingredients, which was very unlike Alton (see Thanksgiving turkey recipe). 

Later on, I found out that steaming the chicken and patting it dry with a paper towel would make for crispier skin, and a healthier version of buffalo wings since most of the fat has been rendered out. This recipe is really delicious, and the spice is toned down with the butter. Definitely one to make again and again! 

What you need:

12 pieces chicken wings
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sriracha
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


What to do:

Place chicken wings in a steamer and steam for about 10 minutes. Remove and pat dry using a paper towel. Lay the wings on a cooling rack lined with paper towels and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat your oven to 425°F.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the wings about an inch apart from one another. Roast on mid rack for about 15 to 20 minutes, then turn the wings over and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more.

While the skin is roasting, combine all the remaining ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. Remove wings from the oven, transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve with your favorite dip.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. As always, it is important to wash your hands, especially when handling chicken.
2. Use Tabasco if you don't have Sriracha available.
3. If using salted butter, skip the kosher salt.
4. Importance of the refrigeration part - the paper towels would absorb more liquid from the chicken and would make skin crispier!

Read more »

Pork Marsala

I got this recipe from the Italian issue (March 2011) of Food Network Magazine. Marsala wine comes from the southern region of Italy, particularly the coast of Sicily. The wine is better known for its culinary uses than for sipping. 

I was actually intrigued upon seeing the recipe, because it was the first time I saw marsala paired with pork. It is more often used with chicken or steak. So I gave it a try and was not disappointed! I loved the "kick" that the lemon gave to this dish. So yummy!


What you need: 

1 pound boneless pork loin
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry marsala wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried parsley
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper


What to do:

Cut the pork in bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork, remove from heat and let drain. Set aside.

Using the same skillet, saute the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt until mushrooms are golden brown. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the broth and marsala and bring to a boil. Add the heavy cream and boil until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. If using fresh parsley leaves, use 1/2 cup.
2. DO NOT skip the lemon. It makes a difference in this dish!
3. The original recipe called for cooking the (butterflied) pork in the oven. I didn't do it since I cut them in bite-size pieces.
4. Drizzle some more lemon juice in the sauce just before eating it. (Delish!)

Read more »

Count the Birds!

Click for larger image

How many birds can you find? ;-)

Read more »