Aglio Olio with Prawns

While I am fond of rich pasta like creamy pesto, baked mac and  lasagna, I am also partial to basic pasta preparation. 

If you'll notice, most of my posts about pasta here are basic and simple. The main reason is that I have very little time to cook now that Reese is on her toddler years and need to be supervised all the time. I also make it a point to share quick and easy ways to cook food that the whole family can enjoy.

Aglio Olio is basically a pasta dish using Garlic and Oil as its name suggests.  To add a twist, I used large shrimp or prawns to infuse the seafood flavor as opposed to the usual anchovy fillets.

Ingredients

400 grams spaghetti, cooked al dente

1/2 cup olive oil

1 whole garlic, minced

300 grams prawns, peeled and halved 

1 tsp Chili flakes

Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped or 1 tbsp. dried

Procedure

Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the prawns  by peeling each without taking the tail. Cut the shrimp lengthwise. Season with salt (about a teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon).

Heat up the olive oil and immediately throw in the garlic and chili flakes. Saute for one minute. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.

Turn the heat to low and add the pasta. Make sure to mix throroughly such that every noodle has been coated with the sauce. Check the taste and add salt, pepper and chili flakes as needed. Add the basil cook for at least 1 minute more while mixing everything thoroughly.

Serve with parmesan cheese on top.

Egg-Mayo Sandwich

I used to go to Deli France now known as Cafe France for my sandwich fix. Egg-Mayo on croissants is a sure fire mood booster alongside some hot soup (nothing in particular) or pasta. 

Two days ago, h's cousin gave us 2 dozens of extra large eggs. Some of them even had 2 yolks. Can you beat that? 

Thinking of what else to do with so many eggs in the pantry, I boiled a couple to make an egg salad for breakfast.

Ingredients:

2 extra large eggs or 3 large eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 tsp salt

Dash of pepper

A handful of shredded lettuce or any greens of your choice (arugula is my first choice)

Chili flakes (optional)

Procedure

Make hard boiled eggs by simmering eggs in salted water for 7-10 minutes depending on their size.

Once the eggs have cooled, peel off the shell and mash the eggs.

Add salt, pepper and mayo. Mix until well blended.

Lay shredded greens on a plate and top with the egg mixture. Add chili flakes if using. 

Serve with toasted bread. 

It's so yummy with pan de sal!

7.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Philippines

The Philippines was rocked by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 intensity near the eastern part of Sulangan, Samar at 8:45 p.m. Philippine Time according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

As a result of the earthquake, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a tsunami warning for the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea and other islands around the Pacific.

Stay tuned for more updates.

I Love Chicken Bon Chon!

Okay, this is rather a late post... not because this happened a long time ago but because Chicken Bon Chon has been in Manila for like 2 years already.

Anyway, I digress. We've been meaning to try Bon Chon every time we happened to be in the malls, however, our cravings for mexican, american, italian, mediterranean, greek, japanese or chinese would always prevail.  Two weeks ago though, that was before Habagat came, we were in SM North Edsa Annex  to meet a friend. Papsi planned to eat at Amici but when we arrived at the restaurant's stall, we were surprised that it wasn't there anymore. We were already hungry and too tired to look for another place to eat so we kind of settled with Bon Chon. And boy we are glad we did!

Medium Chicken Leg and Wing combination in Soy-Garlic sauce

Japchae

Fish fillet also in Soy-Garlic

We also had fries (for Reese) and Kimchi Coleslaw (which was surprisingly delish) as sidings.

Everything we ordered was satisfying, in tagalog, sulit! See their happy faces?

Now, I can't get over my Bon Chon addiction. I think I can eat Bon Chon everyday!

Tribute to Sec. Jesse Robredo - Danggit

Just like my tribute to Mang Dolphy, I'm dedicating this post to honor one of the very few dedicated yet low-profile public servant in the the Philippines, Sec. Jesse Robredo.

Nursing Licensure Exam Results June 2012

The results of the Nursing Licensure Examination Results held last  JUNE 30 & JULY 1, 2012 is finally out.

Body of Sec. Jesse Robredo Found

Today, August 21, we commemorate the death of Benigno Aquino Jr.

This is also a sad day as we mourn the loss of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. The office of the President through Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, has confirmed that technical/foreign divers were able to recover the body of Robredo at 8:15 am today.

Habagat - The Aftermath

Just because you're a flood victim too doesn't mean you cannot help others. Your own share of disaster should never be a hindrance to stewardship or generosity or any act of goodwill. 

Pasta Marinara

Marinara sauce, for me,  is the most versatile pasta sauce that I can prepare at anytime. Still haven't gotten over from Habagat's disaster, I cooked spaghetti in Marinara plain and simple. Most of my cooking tools were submerged in the flood since they are kept at the bottom part of my buffet cabinet, of course I wouldn't want to jeopardize the health of my family so with a pain in my heart, I tossed everything out in the trash. 

Habagat Flood - The Experience

The past week had been very stressful. Since Typhoon Gener, we have not been getting any sleep for fear of flash floods as we are residing near a creek that connects to Tullahan River where water from La Mesa Dam automatically goes once it reaches spilling level.

McDonald's Coca-Cola Olympics Glasses 2012

It's the year of the Olympics, and once again, McDonald's and Coke teamed-up for the biggest sports event to take place in London.

Quick-Fix Series - Corned Beef

The blog has been silent the past days. I got the flu bug first and then everyone in the household followed. My sweet baby was not spared and is still has occasional cough.

Monday Agenda: SONA 2012 and Razon's of Guagua

Today marks the 3rd State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III.

We were on the mall earlier for some grocery shopping. Afterwards we went to Razon's of Guagua for snacks. Ordered this:

Pancit Luglog

Rainy Day Comfort Food: Suman sa Lihiya and Hot Chocolate

A good friend from Calapan came over this week to Manila and gave us a bag of Suman sa Lihiya among other pasalubong.

Anti-Cancer Fruits

There are so many good things that come with technology and modernization but sadly, the same are also responsible for a lot of diseases that only our generation has witnessed.

I have been an advocate of healthy lifestyle after recovering from bouts with illnesses in our family a few years back. We try to avoid food that are known to be bad or unhealthy like sodas, chips, processed and the likes.

Abstaining from these types of food is not enough to be considered healthy. We also need to consume and eat food that would help our body to combat illnesses.

Lately, I've been hearing one sad story after another that concerns the big C. Cancer is becoming prevalent and all the more we should take steps to avoid it.

While there is no guarantee that a certain diet will cure or prevent Cancer, it's still wiser to be aware of what scientists or dietitians say about the food we serve on our table. After all, eating healthy is a choice.

Eat Bulaga Launches Franchise In Indonesia

In what could be considered as another historical feat, Eat Bulaga, our favorite lunch companion, now has an official Indonesian counterpart with Uya Kuya, Nardji, Reza Bukan and Farid Aja as lead hosts.

This comes after Indonesia's SCTV Network bought Eat Bulaga franchise from TAPE. The latter said in its announcement last Monday, "Today marks another milestone for Eat Bulaga as th e first international franchise of our show will be launched at 4 p.m. in Indonesia. Eat Bulaga, Indonesia in SCTV".

Congratulations to our dear dabarkads for this new milestone.


Lunch Products

Tropical Fruit Shake

It's rainy season now in the Philippines and why am I writing about fruit shake?  Blame it on the weird weather but this rainy season is awfully driving us to the extremes.

Expect the rains to come by in the evening if not late afternoon. But mind you, you'll be enduring the sweltering heat during morning until around noon time. 


So, for refreshment and to quench our thirst, we've been having fruit shakes twice in a day. One during breakfast or mid-morning snack and another one in the afternoon for merienda. 


This is a healthier alternative to ice cream, I suppose. And of course, to sodas. I still love coca-cola but I have been consciously trying to evade it to minimize my sugar intake.


Here's a refreshing fruit shake concoction that you can try doing at home.

Bangus Belly Steak Filipino Style

Bangus or Milkfish is the Philippines' National Fish. This fish has a unique taste which I can only describe in one word:  delicious. Bangus can be cooked in different ways from the most complicated Relleno to the simplest Fried or Prito. Somewhere in between are paksiw, sinigang, totso, lumpia (yes, you can make lumpia out of the fish' flesh), and a lot more.

In our family, we all love the belly and head part and it's a good thing that we can buy boneless belly in groceries now. A pack is enough for about 4 servings so we can buy only the choice cuts in bulk instead of wasting the tail part. This sells much higher than the regular fresh Bangus but the hassle free experience is all worth it.

One of the most requested  recipe of Bangus that I always get is belly steak, pinoy style. The fish is cooked ala bistek Tagalog or Filipino beef steak using kalamansi and soy sauce and topped with lots of onion rings. This dish is very easy to prepare and I highly recommend this to kitchen newbies. Just be careful though when frying bangus, the oil will splatter to no end so you must lower the heat before turning the fish over to cook the other side. And always, always, use a pan lid to avoid skin burns and messy clothes. 

What's in my Pantry? - Ragú Pasta Sauce

I'm starting a series of "What's in my Pantry?" to let you readers get a glimpse of the ingredients or products I use for cooking. On a similar note, I plan to have another series of the tools or appliances that I find invaluable in my gastronomic adventures. Earlier in my blog post, I have featured Tefal Actifry which has proven to help minimize the need for oil in fried foods that I prepare.

Going back to this post's featured product, Ragú, which is the favorite pasta sauce brand in our home. According to Ragú's website, the brand has been in the market for 75 years and is currently the most preferred pasta sauce in the U.S.

Tribute to Mang Dolphy

The most memorable trivia I remember about Dolphy is his love for women and food.

In one interview, if my memory serves me right, it was with Arnold Clavio, Dolphy told an anecdote about his favorite food of all time, Kare-Kare. He even cared to emphasize with "maanghang-anghang na bagoong".

Cran-Grape: Cranberry or Grape Juice for UTI?

If you are Googling for UTI or Urinary Tract Infection home remedy, chances are you will come across Cranberry or Grapes as the recommended solution.

Cranberries have long been regarded as a good source of vitamin C. The fruit's high acidity combined with its natural proanthocyanidin content prevents bacteria to linger on the linings of our urinary tract. In this acidic environment, bacterias cannot multiply and eventually die until they are completely eliminated.

In addition, cranberries are considered rich in anti-oxidants that helps prevent cancer and other illnesses. They also have anti-inflammatory properties which hastens recovery from infection.

The same goes to grapes, the purple variety in particular. These small rounded fruits also contain anti-inflamatory substances and are said to work better than cranberries (although this is still debatable) since grapes can somehow make the urine less acidic and therefore helps bladder to recover fast from an infection.

RIP Dolphy

Dolphy, Rodolfo Vera Quizon in real life, passed away at the age of 83 tonight while being confined at Makati Medical Center (MMC).

Heralded as the Philippines' King of Comedy, Quizon has been confined in the said hospital for several weeks due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In its official statement, MMC said, "We would like to inform you that Mr. Rodolfo "Dolphy" Quizon passed away at 20:34 due to multiple organ failure secondary to complications brought about by severe pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute renal failure."

RIP Dolphy. Thank you for bringing laughter in our lives.


Photo credit: wikipedia

Sinigang na Hipon sa Sampalok (Shrimp in Tamarind Soup)

I have yet to hear of a true-blooded pinoy who dislikes sinigang (sour soup). In fact, based on my personal survey, there would be one or two in a household who love sinigang to no end. Meaning,  sinigang is a must  in their weekly menu. 

Sinigang takes so many styles and variation. There's pork sinigang, fish sinigang, beef sinigang, shrimp sinigang and chicken which is differently called as sinampalukang manok. In addition, the souring agent also varies such that different fruits or vegetables are used to make the soup sour like kamias/kalamias, kalamansi, miso, guava (bayabas in filipino) and the most popular sampalok or tamarind.

Portuguese Inspiration: Peri-Peri Chicken

We are constantly on a lookout for ways to prepare or serve chicken to our family and guests. Here in the Philippines, the most common Filipino recipe for chicken would be Chicken Adobo or Adobong Manok, Chicken Tinola, Chicken Afritada, and of course, the all time favorite Fried Chicken. 

To give chicken a new twist, I made Peri-Peri Grilled Chicken. Peri-Peri or Peli-Peli is a  Portuguese specialty which is very flavorful and considered to be the counterpart of Pinoy Lechon Manok. The difference is mainly in the marinade since both require to be grilled over flame for that smoky effect.

Serena Williams Bags Her 5th Wimbledon Title

I'm not really the sporty type nor do I watch sports on TV a lot. But I follow Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Twitter and I saw her tweet:

This was after beating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland with scores 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.

Serena proved that passion and dedication with hard work really pay off. Nobody expected that this champion will rise again after her life threatening medical condition a couple of years ago.

Congratulations Serena! 

Photo credit: Reuters

P. S. Follow me on Twitter : @disisdang

Thor is Trending on Twitter and Facebook

Can't help it but the Thor thing has quite reached a disturbing level. For the past two days or so we've been seeing a LOT of Thor jokes going around social media.

So, you may ask, "What's Thor got to do with food?" ... Well, take a look at these:

Thor version of the yummy Turon Saging

My nephew's favorite Tortang Talong or Eggplant Omelette

One of our comfort food - the spicy Granny Goose Tortillos

 The star in every Thanksgiving dinner...WITW???

Enough Thoready!

Hot News: Anderson Cooper Admits He's Gay

One of my favorite TV Personality is Anderson Cooper.

The guy is a self-confessed picky eater.

He now admits being gay. But hey, didn't we all know that before? Straight or not, we still love you Andy!

Source

Mango Cake

In the Philippines, where I live,  sweet and juicy mangoes are abundant almost all year round. I feel  very lucky that I can buy mangoes from the grocery any time I crave for the taste of it.

Last week I got to browse through my old cookbook and found a recipe for Mango Cake. Honestly, this is the first time for me to try it out and I did! And I'm so glad with the result.  

Quick-Fix Series - Spam

It has been said that  breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Waking-up later than planned makes a lot of us skip this meal. But if it'll take an hour or two more before you can have something to eat for lunch, you need to grab a sandwich and take a few bites.

Good thing I always have a spare Spam on the pantry. Less sodium is a healthier alternative than the original.

Did I say Desserts?

Life is sweet.

Fudgy Black and White Cupcakes

Creamy Avocado Ice Cream

After that hiatus, I'm back to writing about food again. Those photos above show what I've been up to the past months. Actually, they're just "icings on the cake" ;-) I could not count the number of my recipe additions and experiments. But I'll try to make up for the lost times! Welcome once again!