Pork Pochero

This recipe that I am sharing with you today is one of the most loved pork recipes in the Philippines. It is popularly cooked for special occasions like weddings, fiesta and Christmas. Called Pochero, the name of this dish came from the Spanish word Puchero which means stewpot.

Pochero can be cooked using pork, beef, chicken and fish, but pork pochero is the most common version. The ingredients used for all versions and the manner of cooking may vary depending on the cook's preference. As for me, this is how I cook my Pork Pochero. Check it out and let me know what you think. You might also want to check the Fish Pochero I have posted before. 

Rellenong Talong (Stuffed Eggplant)

Called Rellenong Talong in the Philippines, this dish looks like an omelette but it's actually the Filipino version of stuffed eggplant. Unlike that of other cuisines where the eggplant is basically cut into half and then hollowed out and the eggplant flesh is cooked with the other filling ingredients, the Filipino stuffed eggplant is cooked differently. First, the eggplant is grilled then the skin is peeled off and after that, it is soaked in beaten egg, filled with meat mixture and then cooked like an omelette. There's another dish called "Tortang Talong" which is actually the Filipino eggplant omelette. The difference is that after grilling and peeling off the skin, the eggplant is just soaked in egg and cooked without the filling. Some steam the eggplant instead of grilling it, but I personally prefer the latter because of the added flavor that grilling brings and because grilled eggplant turns out less watery and mushy.

Rellenong Talong is one of my youngest daughter's favorite. Just like me and the hubs, she loves it with banana ketchup! Like the Rellenong Tahong, Rellenong Alimasag, Rellenong Pusit and Rellenong Okra that I have featured here on the blog before, Rellenong Talong is a bit time consuming to prepare, but I tell yah, it's all worth it! Definitely a must try!

Filipino Barbeque

For those who have been sending me requests for Filipino Barbeque recipe, your wait is over! I finally got the chance to make barbeque again and take some pix...so today I'm sharing with you how we make these yummy pork skewers...

Filipino barbecue is made of thinly sliced pork which is soaked overnight in a special marinade and then skewered on a bamboo stick and grilled over charcoal while basting. Though a little time consuming to prepare, the wait is worth it, and you won't regret making this Filipino favorite!

Want to know what the special marinade is? Check out the recipe...

Chicken Macaroni Soup

So how's 2014 treating y'all so far? For my family and I, the new year started really good...and I'm hoping it's the same with you and your loved ones! We welcome 2014 with so much joy in our hearts...and of course, lots of food! There's abundance, togetherness and love in our home, and there's nothing else we could ask for! The first week of the new year was spent bonding with my brother who was here with us for the holidays. The cold weather brought cough and colds to the hubs, the girls and my brother but thank God, it's nothing serious...they're all well now! The bro has left and it's just me, the hubs, the girls and our dog (Russ) again! I may say everything here is pretty much back to normal, except for the temperature which remains too low for Texas!

For the past week, I've been making soup to give us comfort and warmth. This recipe that I'm sharing with you today is one of our favorites. It's one of those we consider ultimate Filipino comfort food. It's an all-in-one meal in a bowl that has everything in it --- meat, veggies, milk and pasta! I've featured Macaroni Sopas here on the blog before but that one has ground pork. This time, it's Chicken Macaroni Sopas! 

This is a very easy to make comfort food that's definitely delicious and nutritious! Ground beef, as well as leftover ham or turkey will work well as a meat replacement. You should try it!

PiTCC's 25 Most Popular Recipes of 2013

Before we welcome 2014, let us all look back at our 25 Most Popular Recipes for 2013 based on number of visits. I noticed that most of the top recipes this year are on the sweet side! Hmmm...I guess many of you have a sweet tooth like me! :) 

25. Filipino Style Fruit Salad

24. Pan de Coco and Pan de Ube
23. Ice Candy
22. Daing na Bangus
21. Pandesal
20. Cassava Cake
19. Filipino Burger Steak
18. Kutsinta
17. Bibingkang Malagkit
16. Food for the Gods
15. Beef Caldereta
14. Halayang Ube
13. Biko
12. Polvoron
11. Maja Blanca
10. Filipino Style Chicken Macaroni Salad
 9. Mamon Espesyal
 8. Filipino Style Chicken Sandwich Spread
 7. Homemade Itlog Na Maalat
 6. Mango Cake with Mango Cream Frosting
 5. Siopao
 4. Shrimps in Whole Shabang Sauce
 3. Ensaymada
 2. Filipino Classic Egg Pie
 1. Ube Macapuno Cake

Did your favorite recipes make it to our Top 25? Eighteen of my personal faves did! The #1 most viewed recipe is my favorite cake! I'm glad to know that there's something our taste buds agree on. :)

As we bid adieu to 2013, I want to take this chance to thank each and everyone of you for your continued support. Even though I barely posted new recipes this year, I am truly grateful to all of you who remained loyal followers of PiTCC! I want you to know that your visit, comments and emails mean a lot to me --- THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! Hope you will stay and bear with me throughout the coming year!

Wishing you all A BLESSED NEW YEAR! May 2014 be a year of GOOD HEALTH, LOVE, PROSPERITY, SUCCESS & UNENDING JOY for all of you! 

Pritong Lumpiang Togue (Fried Mung Bean Sprouts Egg Rolls) with Vinegar Soy Sauce Dip

The weather was all gloomy last weekend, so we decided to just stay home all day. We watched TV/movies, played games, did some cleaning...and of course, lots of eating! The hubs and I were both craving for Lumpiang Prito (Fried Egg Rolls), so we made some. Uhmmm, to be honest, we made a lot! I guess we were craving for egg rolls that much that we even made two kinds...Vietnamese Egg Rolls and Filipino Mung Bean Sprouts Egg Rolls! We ate the Vietnamese Egg Rolls for snack and the Filipino Mung Bean Sprouts Egg Rolls for dinner. Egg roll overload hah! Well, at least we were able to satisfy our cravings...LOL. It's really good to always have spring roll wrappers in the freezer...they come in handy during times like this! :) As for the other ingredients, I just combined whatever's available in the refrigerator. I didn't have all the ingredients listed in my Vietnamese Egg Rolls recipe...but I have some veggies and vermicelli noodles, so they still came out great. As for the Mung Bean Sprouts Egg Rolls, I happened to have mung bean sprouts(known as togue in the Philippines) that I was supposed to use for another recipe, so I just combined it with some other veggies plus a little pork, dried shrimps and tofu...and Voilà!, very yummy Pritong Lumpiang Togue.

I'm pretty sure some of you are wondering what's the difference between Vietnamese Egg Rolls and Filipino Egg Rolls. Well, they're basically the same when it comes to filling. Both have vegetables and meat, the kind of which may vary depending on who is cooking. When it comes to size, Vietnamese Egg Rolls or what they call Cha Gio is bigger than Filipino Egg Rolls or what we call, Lumpiang Shanghai but are of the same size as our Pritong Lumpiang Togue/Gulay. I can say that the only big difference is the inclusion of vermicelli noodles in Cha Gio, and Cha Gio is dipped in sweet fish sauce and is often served with lettuce leaves and slices of fresh cucumbers and other garnish like fresh cilantro and basil leaves. So which is better? Well, honestly speaking, I love Vietnamese and Filipino Egg Rolls just the same! I really enjoy eating them because they're crunchy-munchy delicious! But it really depends on who's eating right? If you love meat filled egg rolls, then Lumpiang Shanghai is the winner for you. But if you love something with more veggies, I guess it will be a tie between Vietnamese Egg Rolls and Filipino Pritong Lumpiang Gulay/Togue.

Sauteed Ampalaya (Bitter Gourd) with Egg and Ground Pork

Honestly, I've never been a big fan of bitter gourd or what's called ampalaya in the Philippines. My mom who was diabetic used to cook it frequently when I was young...but she knew that my brother and I couldn't tolerate its bitterness so she didn't mind if we didn't eat much of it.  As I grew older, I got to understand and appreciate the health benefits of ampalaya...but I still can't make myself love it as much as I love other vegetables. I do eat it...but I don't find that much enjoyment in doing it as much as my husband does. He is an ampalaya fan, you know...and it's because of all its nutritional benefits. You see, behind its ribbed and wrinkled surface, ampalaya is a highly nutritious vegetable that is very low in sugar and fat, but high in fiber. It contains vitamins A, B1, B3, B6, C, E and K as well as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and also antioxidants. 

The hubs loves ampalaya in Paksiw na Bangus and  Pakbet, but this Sauteed Ampalaya with Egg and Ground Pork is his most favorite ampalaya dish. I usually cook it with lots of ground pork so my daughters will find enough reason to eat it. 

I learned from my mom that to get rid of the bitter taste, the white pith in the middle of the ampalaya should be completely removed. Dredging the ampalaya with generous amount of salt and leaving it for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly would also help. I have always followed the mentioned preparation techniques, and I must say it works. The only disadvantage of doing this is you also wash away some of the nutrients in the ampalaya with all the rinsing and soaking you do. But I guess getting rid of the bitterness and allowing you to enjoy a more delicious dish is all worth it! ;)

Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce

My daughters are vegetable loving kids...and I may say that they enjoy their veggies as much as they enjoy desserts. Both of them love most of the vegetables I use at home on regular basis like spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans and squash...but when it comes to eggplant, their attitude towards it really differs! The eldest says she hates eggplant while the youngest will eat it anyway I cook it...but whenever this Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce is on the table, both of them just couldn't resist. This is one of the two eggplant dishes they really love and enjoy eating...the other one is Eggplant Parmesan which I will share with you one of these days. ^.^

I remember Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce to be a favorite eggplant dish of mine back in the Philippines. My late mom loved cooking it because it's a very easy-to-prepare dish which requires very few ingredients. With just ground pork, eggplant, garlic and oyster sauce, you can already have a yummy and healthy "ulam"(viand) ready in about 30 minutes. The other ingredients in the recipe below are my addition which makes this dish even yummier and appealing to my family's taste buds. 

Hope you'll try and like it as much as we do. My daughter who says she hates eggplant loves this a lot...so I suggest you really give it a try! 

Coconut Macaroons

Finally a new post from me huh! Well, my family and I went on a trip to Missouri/Illinois that's why I was MIA for almost three weeks. We got back last Sunday...and after three days of sleeping in, unpacking, doing the laundry, uploading photos, cleaning up and attending to all those stuff that needs attention after a trip of any length, my daughters and I were finally able to bake something to share with you. It's nothing fancy actually...just a simple, easy to bake treat that's perfect for dessert or tea time especially to those coconut loving people out there. I'm talking about these Coconut Macaroons...

These treats are different from the Coconut Macaroons which are common here in the US. This kind of macaroons is what I may call the Filipino version and was the one I used to love when I was growing up. It's not the crispy cookie kind...it's the kind that's soft and chewy on the inside and a little crispy on the outside. In the Philippines, Coconut Macaroons are usually made and served during the holidays and other special occasions. They don't require much ingredients and are very easy to make. You basically just mix and bake. Sound easy enough? Well, try it and see for yourself. 

Langka (Jackfruit) Meringue Tarts

Summer vacation has started so it's that time of the year again when I am so busy keeping my two girls occupied. Whenever we're at home, I keep them busy with art projects, reading, math reviews...and of course, BAKING! As I've mentioned before, baking is one thing my daughters and I enjoy doing together. This Langka Meringue Tarts that I am sharing with you today were the first sweet treats we made this summer vacation...

It's another recipe from Goldilocks Bakebook, the ingredient measurements of which I tweaked to suit our taste buds. These tarts were made using canned langka (jackfruit), a large fruit native to Asian countries like the Philippines. Ripe jackfruit is sweet and has a distinct flavor and aroma which works well in desserts. Back home, jackfruit is commonly used as an added ingredient in turon (banana roll), halo-halo, saba con yelo and ginataang halo-halo. As a main ingredient, It is used in a Filipino ice cream called langkasuy, which is a combination of langka and kasuy (cashew)...and in langka tarts  which were made famous by Goldilocks Bakeshop.

I've long been wanting to try making langka tarts and finally I got the chance to do so with my daughters! Though we didn't follow the exact instructions in the bakebook, our langka tarts turned out wonderful. We enjoyed making them and we also had an awesome time eating them! They're so good, I tell yah! 

Mango Cake with Mango Cream Frosting

Summer is almost here...and do you know what that means? Mangoes are in season again! And yes, that makes my family and I sooooo happy! We love mangoes, you know. Though we enjoy eating it plain, we also love savouring this delicious fruit in different forms. We love making salad, ice cream, milk shakes and ice candy with it.  Indeed, the wonderful taste of ripe mangoes never fail to amaze our taste buds. 

Last weekend, I found a good deal and I decided to get more than 2 dozens of Ataulfo mangoes from the store. After making mango shake and popsicles, I thought of making something more special. I'm talking about this Mango Cake with Mango Cream Frosting...

Mango Cake has always been my favorite. Same with Ryan. When we were still in the Philippines, birthday celebrations and other special occasions won't be complete without Red Ribbon Bakeshop's Mango Cake --- a white chiffon cake layered with light mango cream filling and frosting with real mango bits, topped with fresh mango slices.  The fact that I miss it badly inspired me to make this cake the other day. Instead of a regular chiffon cake, I thought of tweaking the recipe in my Goldilocks Bakebook to make a chiffon mango cake. Mango overload you might think! Well, I tell you, the outcome was so good that the cake was gone in no time. Ryan and the girls loved it so much...and of course, I did too! The cake was so soft and mango-eey...and the mango cream frosting was amazing. It has the right amount of sweetness that complements the cake so well!

For the mango lovers out there, this is for you...You should definitely try it! 

Biko (Sticky Rice Cake with Fried Coconut Milk Curd Topping)

It's the first day of May...and in the Philippines, it's the start of the monthlong Flores De Mayo (Flowers of May). It is a religious celebration held in honor of the Virgin Mary, wherein devotees gather together every afternoon or evening to offer prayers, songs and flowers to Mary. After the ceremony, the Hermanos or Hermanas for the day will give away homemade delicacies and snacks to the participants. I remember that whenever my family was the Hermana, my mother would always make Biko, a sticky rice cake similar to Bibingkang Malagkit, but is brown in color and has latik (fried coconut milk curd) topping. Aside from being my mom's favorite kakanin, biko is also very economical to make, and I guess that's why she loved making it. With just glutinous rice, sugar and coconut, you'll have a yummy snack or dessert in no time. It's usually served during New Year, Christmas and other special occasions and (for my family back then), during Flores de Mayo. :)

Yesterday, the hubs was working from home and when he was drinking coffee during breakfast, he suddenly said he misses biko and wants me to make it. It's so good with coffee, and the hubs really like it. It has been a while since I last made it, so I immediately checked the pantry to see if I have the ingredients. Luckily I did, and I was able to accommodate what seemed like a simple and reasonable request. By around 3 p.m. yesterday, this yummy rice cake was ready...

...and the hubs enjoyed his afternoon coffee break! :) 

Biko is a favorite Filipino delicacy that has a very simple yet delightful taste. It requires very few ingredients and requires no baking unlike the Bibingkang Malagkit.If you love Filipino kakanin (sweet rice delicacies), you should try this!

Oxtail Kare-Kare

I honestly don't remember the last time I cooked Oxtail Kare-Kare. My daughters aren't fond of eating it, that's why. They prefer Seafood Kare-Kare so that's what I usually cook. But the hubs requested that we have the Oxtail version for Easter, and being the loving wife that I am, I gave in to his request. :)

For those of you who don't know what Kare-Kare is, it is an authentic Filipino stew traditionally made of oxtail cooked with vegetables like string beans, pechay, eggplant and puso ng saging(banana bud), with a sauce flavored and thickened with ground roasted peanuts and toasted rice flour, and usually served with bagoong alamang (shrimp paste). Tripe, beef, goat meat or pork leg can also be used as substitute for oxtail.

Today, let me share with you my version of Oxtail Kare-Kare...I didn't have string beans and banana bud so eggplant and pechay are the only vegetables in this recipe. But I tell yah, this is really good despite the missing ingredients! Check it out!

Sinaing na Tilapia

Growing up in a Filipino Catholic family, eating fish and vegetables on Lenten Fridays was a tradition for us. My brother and I were both in Catholic schools that time so we knew the importance of observing this tradition and we never complained about it. Sinigang na isda, paksiw na bangus, sarciadong isda, bulanglang, cardillong isda, daing na bangus, ginataang isda, escabeche, fish pochero, totsong isda, and pesang tilapia were among the dishes that my mom usually cooked during the Fridays of Lent. When she was busy and didn't have much time to prepare dinner, we'll find either fried fish served with itlog na maalat (salted egg) salad or Sinaing na Isda which was usually tulingan (baby skipjack tuna) on our table. Just like fried fish, Sinaing na Isda doesn't need too much time to prepare. You just season the fish with salt, put in a pot with water, dried kamias and fish sauce and cook "boiled style like that of rice" for 30 minutes. Despite the simplicity and mild flavor of this dish, it's something that I always enjoy eating. 

I rarely find tulingan here in my side of the world, so I often use tilapia whenever I cook Sinaing na Isda. I must say, it's nothing similar to the dish I grew up loving, but at least I get to satisfy my craving for this Batangueño dish. The last time I cooked it, I have some salted eggs so I served the Sinaing na Isda with salted eggs salad. 

Lengua De Gato

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, so I thought I'd bring you another Filipino favorite to sweeten your celebration. Known as Lengua De Gato, these thin buttery sugar cookies shaped like cat’s tongue can make a wonderful treat for the sweet ones in your life...

In the Philippines, Lenguas De Gato which are usually packed in a clear plastic jar with yellow lid, are a favorite “pasalubong” (homecoming gift), and you can find them in bus terminals, roadside pasalubong stalls and now, even in the mall and grocery stores. I haven't had these treats for years, so when I saw a recipe for Lengua De Gato in my new Goldilocks Bakebook, I was so anxious to try it! I immediately made two batches, one with the regular butter flavor...and the other one, with a hint of chocolate. They're really easy to make. The only thing I found difficulty with is making them into equal size cat's tongues. :) I also noticed that the plain butter ones didn't turn out as yellowish as they're supposed to be. I even added one egg yolk to the recipe, but they still turned out pale. But they are delicious and close enough to the Lengua De Gato I've always loved. Try it yourself...I'm sure that like me, you will love their melt-in-your-mouth goodness! 

Wishing you all a HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY!

Mamon Espesyal

With Valentine's Day coming up, I thought of sharing with you one of my favorite Filipino treats. It's not something chocolatey, but who says Valentine's Day is all about chocolates? It is a day to show our love and appreciation for those we care about, and I believe one of the perfect ways to do that is to give them homemade sweet treats (which doesn't necessarily mean something with chocolates!). Homemade treats never fail to show your thoughtfulness and for me, it's the simplest but sweetest way to say "I love you". The effort and time you spent in making them will never go to waste, I tell yah! But don't get me wrong...you don't have to spend the whole day in the kitchen. Neither do you need to be an experienced cook to make something lovely and yummy. Like these Mamon, for instance...

It only took me a little mixing and less than 30 minutes to make them! Mamon is the Filipino version of sponge cake which is really soft and tasty. What makes Mamon different from regular sponge cake is that they are baked in small molds which are good for individual servings. They are usually served for merienda (snack), and can be eaten plain or topped with butter and grated cheddar cheese. The ones with toppings are what you call Mamon Espesyal (Special Mamon). When I was growing up, only the regular Mamon was available. I was already in college when I first got to try the one with toppings. Well, I honestly love them both...and believe me, they make perfect gifts for any occasion.

Follow these easy steps (adapted from Goldilocks Bakebook) and enjoy Filipino-style mini sponge cakes yourself!

Puto Pao

If there's one Filipino snack that I didn't get to enjoy when I was little, it's Puto Pao. I was already in college when I first got to try it. They're so good and that made me wonder why my Nanay (mother) never made nor bought Puto Pao. 

So what is Puto Pao?  Well, it's a steamed rice cake like Puto with pork filling which makes it similar to Siopao. It is usually topped with slices of salted duck eggs and cheese. The hubs is a big fan of this yummy snack and so, making Puto Pao at home is a must. I've tried making it several times using the Puto recipe for the batter and the Asado Siopao filling recipe that I've posted before but the outcome was always not as spongy as the Puto Pao I remember eating back in the Philippines. 

There's this recipe that I found at Pinoy Business Ideas which requires the use of egg whites in the batter. I tried that and the result was better. Though still not as spongy as I think it should be, it's better than the previous ones I made without egg whites and I believe is worth sharing. My daughters don't like salted duck eggs so I just used cheese for topping, and added slices of hard boiled eggs in the filling.

Check out and try the recipe and let me know what you think!

Filipino Style Chicken Macaroni Salad

I've been receiving requests for Filipino Style Macaroni Salad...so here it is! 

Unlike the usual macaroni salad which is served as a side dish, Macaroni Salad in the Philippines is mildly sweet and is served as dessert especially during parties and special gatherings. Just like any other Filipino food, it varies from region to region...but there are three characteristics that remain consistent: it's creamy, a little sweet and a little sour and it has three basic ingredients: macaroni, mayonnaise and chicken.

This Filipino Style Macaroni Salad that I am sharing with you is my mom's version. I grew up with this very simple but really delicious macaroni salad which for me has a well-balanced creaminess, sweetness and sourness. For me, this is the perfect one! The combination of ingredients is just right and doesn't overpower the supposedly main star of the dish which is the macaroni! 

Paksiw na Lechon

How's the new year treating y'all so far? After two weeks of vacation, my daughters went back to school today...and so, I finally got the chance to make my first blog post for 2013! I know I've totally been slacking on blogging during the holidays...and I want to say thanks to everyone who sent emails to check how I was doing. All is well around here...the busy holiday season just took a toll on my blogging schedule. But I am back...and today, I am happy to bring you a favorite Filipino dish called Paksiw na Lechon.

In the Philippines, Paksiw refers to any stew cooked with vinegar and garlic. One Paksiw dish that I've already featured here on PiTCC is Paksiw na Bangus which is vinegar stewed bangus (milkfish) cooked with eggplant and bitter gourd. On the other hand, this dish that I have for you today is made from roast pork which we Filipinos call lechon. Serving lechon during the holidays and on special occasions has become a tradition in many Filipino homes. The whole roast pig is usually served with a liver-based sauce and is always placed in the center of the party table making it the center piece of the feast. Its crispy skin never fail to get the guests excited! Everyone wants get their share...but when there's no more crispy rinds left, the lechon doesn't get too much attention anymore. So what do Filipinos usually do with the leftovers??? Cooking it into pinaksiw like this is one of the most common ways of transforming the greasy leftover lechon into an appetizing dish...

Though you can also make sisig, adobo, siopao, lumpia and a lot more from leftover lechon, making paksiw from it is (for me) the best way to enjoy it. It doesn't require much ingredients and you don't have to put much time and effort. You literally just put everything into a pot and voilà!...you have a hearty dish that is even yummier as the roast pork itself. 

Sapin-Sapin

Just three more days before Christmas! Have you made up your mind on what to prepare for your Christmas feast??? I've shared an album of some Favorite Filipino Christmas Food on Facebook that you might want to add to your menu. :) And now, I have here another dessert that I'm sure you will like. This is popularly served in the Philippines on special occasions and during holiday feasts, and is called Sapin-Sapin. I've actually featured a variety of this dessert before which is almond and pandan flavored. This time, I decided to make a Christmas version of it. 

Sapin-Sapin which is the Filipino word for "layers” is a layered dessert made from rice flour, coconut milk, sugar and flavorings with coconut flakes or fried coconut milk curd sprinkled on top. The usual Sapin-Sapin has a deep purple colored bottom layer which is ube (purple yam) flavored, an egg- yolk yellow middle layer which is langka (jackfruit) flavored and a white top layer. To make this Sapin-Sapin Christmassy, I changed the purple color to red and green. I made the green layer pandan flavored, the white layer vanilla flavored, the yellow layer banana flavored and the red layer langka (jackfruit) flavored. I only added little flavorings on both the yellow and red layers so they won't overpower the flavor of vanilla and pandan. The result was amazing! I must say that the flavor combination gave a delicious twist to this Sapin-Sapin. The only problem I had was transferring it from the non-stick baking pan I used to the serving platter. I wanted my sapin-sapin to be round so I didn't use the square glass baking dish that I usually mold my sapin-sapin with. Now I know that if I want to use a metal one, I should really put banana leaves or parchment paper at the bottom so I could take it off the pan easily. :)