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!

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! 

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! 

Bulalo (Beef Shanks with Bone Marrow Soup)

The province of Batangas where my dad came from is known not only for the  famous Kapeng Barako (Batangas coffee) and its beautiful beaches, but also for this comforting beef dish called Bulalo. For many, Batangas is a favorite spot for swimming or scuba diving, and on the way to their destination, it’s always a must to stop at one of the many bulalo restaurants along the way. 

So what is Bulalo? Well, bulalo is actually the Filipino word for kneecap. It is use to refer to this very tasty soup which was originally made from beef shanks cut with the kneecap included and the bone marrow still intact (though nowadays, most bulalo are cooked without the kneecap). This dish is said to have originated in Batangas where the best grown cattle in the region can be found. Traditional Batangas bulalo is cooked with onions, garlic, corn cobs, cabbage and pechay and is usually served with fish sauce, calamansi (Filipino lime), and a kind of chili called siling labuyo. This dish is very similar to Beef Nilaga and the only difference lies in the use of beef shanks with bone marrow for the bulalo.

Bulalo has been a favorite soup of mine since I was a little girl...and when the cooler temperature comes or whenever any of my family member feels under the weather, this is my go-to dish. It has a very rich taste and satisfying broth that makes it very comforting! It takes time to cook, but I tell you, it's worth the wait!

Pork Sisig

I've made Pork Sisig a number of times already, but I always failed to take pictures. Either I didn't have time before I leave for the party that I had to bring it to or I was too excited to eat it to find time for a photo shoot. Though I love pork sisig, it's something I don't make on a regular basis mainly because of how wicked this dish is and also because of all the chopping involved. Thanks to this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge hosts, Jenn of Storm In My Kitchen and Frances of ISKAndals.com, I had the reason to make sisig again! And because I didn't have to bring it somewhere, I had time to take some photos to share with you before it was all gone!

For those of you who don't know what Sisig is, it is an appetizer which is traditionally made from pig's cheeks, ears and liver and has become every Filipino's favorite accompaniment for beer and other alcoholic beverages. For many, it is also a very appetizing dish to go with rice. According to our friend wiki, it originated from the province of Pampanga where the word sisig means "to snack on something sour", and is now used to refer to any dish made from chopped seafood or meat (like chicken and pork) seasoned with vinegar, calamansi juice, chopped onions and served in hot plates. Pork Sisig is the original and most popular version of sisig, and because of its popularity, several versions like chicken, tuna, bangus(milkfish), tahong(mussels), tokwa't baboy (tofu and pork) and mixed seafood have emerged. 

For this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Sisig Challenge, I decided to stick to the original version. I couldn't find pig cheeks though, so I used pork belly instead. It's equally good, I tell you! But I must warn you...Pork Sisig tastes really good but it is one fatty food, so be sure to eat it in moderation! ;)

Pork and Mushrooms in Teriyaki Sauce

So how's everyone doing? I've been busy with a lot of stuff lately that's why I haven't been on the blogosphere as much as I used to...and I am really sorry about that! One post a week is all I can do now...but hopefully, things will get better and I can get back to posting more recipes for you. Hope you will bear with me and continue to visit PiTCC despite my seldom posts. To all my blogger friends who I haven't visited for so long, my apologies! I promise to make it up to you one of these days! :)

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What I have for you today is something similar to the Teriyaki Pork Chops & Tofu that I shared here before. Unlike the Japanese Teriyaki wherein the meat is grilled, this dish doesn't require grilling. You just have to simmer the meat in teriyaki sauce until it's tender and the sauce is thick enough to give the meat the luster that's needed in teriyaki dishes. The hubs and my girls are big fans of this...and I am too! Though I know that teriyaki isn't really teriyaki without the grilling, I must say that this is such a good alternative! You should try it!

Sinampalukang Manok (Chicken in Tamarind Broth)

Just 3 more days and fall is officially here. I am really enjoying the weather! The temperature nowadays only stays in the mid 80's which is a big relief from the scorching 105°F! Though my family love soup all year round, it's during days like this when we enjoy it more....and Filipino soupy dishes like nilaga, sinabawan, sinigang and tinola are very often seen on our dinner table. 

This recipe that I have for you today is what many call the chicken version of sinigang. Sinigang (as some of you may know) refers to any dish with sour broth. The main ingredient that makes it sour can be tomatoes, guava or tamarind, though tamarind (or what is know in the Philippines as sampalok) is most commonly used. This dish here is one of those that make use of tamarind and it is called Sinampalukang Manok.

Unlike in other sinigang wherein only the tamarind fruit is used, in this dish, tamarind leaves plays an important part. Tamarind leaves have subtle tart flavor and is a good addition to this dish. It can be released by stripping them from the stems and then crushing them a little using mortar and pestle. Fresh tamarind leave aren't available here so I content myself with bottled pickled tamarind leaves. They're good enough when it comes to flavor...but they are bottled with the stems which are too hard to eat so I still have to remove them one by one. But that's all right! This delicious and comforting Sinampalukang Manok is worth the effort! ;)

Pork Afritada

In June of last year, I've featured a Filipino dish called Afritada. It is a tomato-based stew which is commonly cooked using chicken. This time, I'm sharing with you the pork version of the said dish...

The ingredients and the manner of cooking are the same with the chicken version...the only difference is the longer cooking time for Pork Afritada. For this dish, you may use whatever cut of pork you like. You can even use pork ribs. But if you are using boneless pork, be sure to cut it into cubes and not into thin strips so your dish won't be mistaken for Pork Menudo. Pork Afritada and Pork Menudo are both tomato based stews, and though the latter is cooked with liver, they may look similar at first glance. The way the meat is sliced: cube for afritada and strips for menudo, will make it easier to distinguish the dish from each other:

If you like pork, you should definitely try this dish! It's very delicious and comforting!

Sinabawang Isda

It's about to rain and the sky is all grey and gloomy here...so instead of following my original plan of posting another homemade ice cream recipe today, I thought of sharing with you a comforting fish and vegetable soup. It's called Sinabawang Isda. Sinabawan came from the root word "sabaw" which means soup. It's a dish I've first tried when I was in Davao, and is very similar to a dish I've featured before called Pesa. In both dishes, fish is cooked in boiling rice water with ginger and an assortment of vegetables. The only difference I know is that Sinabawang Isda has no onions and has less ginger compared to pesa and there's no sautéing involved. 

Sinabawang Isda is a dish that's very easy to prepare. Just put everything in a pot of boiling rice water (or plain water)...add some seasoning...wait for a few minutes and voila! You have a delicious, healthy and very comforting meal in no time!

Reine de Saba avec Glaçage au Chocolat: Chocolate Almond Cake

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”

― Julia Child, My Life in France

There are a lot of chefs that I admire...and Julia Child is one of them! She's the author, chef and TV personality who introduced the French Cuisine to the Americans. But that's not all that I admire about her...it's actually her being fearless to be herself, and the way she taught the public that cooking can be easy and fun! Julia taught a lot of people (especially those who have the passion for food and cooking), including me, that cooking can be tricky but the best way to deal with it is to never stop trying and embrace every mistake in the kitchen as part of the learning process.

August 15, 2012 would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday. To celebrate, we at Baking Partners, made Julia's Reine de Saba avec Glaçage au Chocolat...

This is  a chocolate almond cake with chocolate icing and I tell you, it is extremely good! The recipe calls for short time baking so that the center remains slightly underdone. When I checked it after 25 minutes, the center of the cake seemed kinda watery so I decided to bake it 3 minutes longer. Well, it ended up a bit overcooked, hence is not as soft as it should be...but it's still moist inside. I made my cake 2 layers, filled and covered it with chocolate-butter icing, and we didn't see any form of dryness at all. My hubby and daughters said, it's just perfect!

Check out the recipe and celebrate Julia Child's birthday with us...

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Like most kids, my daughters love meatballs! Whether it's beef, chicken, pork or turkey, they wouldn't say no to it! Well I love meatballs too...but I'm sure it's not just a "gene" thing. It's more of the easy-to-chew goodness that makes it a hit to everyone.

Aside from Spaghetti & Meatballs and Meatballs in Mushroom Sauce, this simple Sweet and Sour Meatballs is one of our family's favorite meatball dishes...

This is called Sweet and Sour Bola-bola(bola is the Filipino word for ball) in the Philippines and was my late mom's favorite. This is one of the first dishes that I learned to cook myself. I love the wonderful flavor of this dish. It may seem time consuming to prepare but it's all worth it. You can use store bought frozen meatballs, or you can make, cook and freeze the meatballs ahead of time for an easy meal. Clarise and Cherlin enjoy this a lot, that is why I always make lots of meatballs and just store it the freezer. When they ask for it, I'm always ready! :)

Bulanglang (Boiled Mixed Vegetables with Broiled Dried Fish)

I can say that my parents really did a pretty great job at introducing me to vegetables when I was little. Unlike most kids, I grew up eating my veggies and loving them. I still do. I enjoy all kinds of vegetable dishes - from blanched, sautéed and stir-fried to boiled, broiled or baked. But truth be told, there's one vegetable dish that I hated back then...and that is Bulanglang...a dish that's popular in the Philippines especially to those who have access to fresh vegetables. It's a mixture of different vegetables cooked in rice water seasoned with fish bagoong and then topped with broiled fish which gives its distinct bitter-burnt flavor. I really didn't like it when I was kid. I don't exactly remember why. All I remember is that my mom always served Bulanglang with fried fish, and everytime we have this duo for dinner, I would only eat fried fish. My parents didn't force me into eating the bulanglang, but they would always tell me how delicious and nutritious it is. I've always believed in the "nutritious" part. With all the vegetables in it, I'm sure it's packed with all the vitamins and minerals! But "delicious",  I always doubted it. How can boiled vegetables be delicious? I remember that I was already in high school when I decided to finally give it a try. Well, honestly, I was surprised with how good it is! It's different but my parents were right --- it's delicious! Since the first time I tried it until now, Bulanglang became a favorite Filipino vegetable dish of mine. You may think of it as bland because it's boiled, but I tell you, it's not! The combination of all the flavors from the vegetables plus the bagoong and the dried fish worked so well, making this dish extraordinary but really tasty and comforting. I'm sure you won't believe...but my daughters love this, though they don't eat the slimy okra. :)

The manner in which Bulanglang  is cooked varies from region to region. This one I'm sharing with you is my dad's version from Batangas. Though the vegetables I used for this recipe are what's available here in my side of the world and may be different from what's commonly used, the way of cooking is the same. 

I'm bringing this to you in connection to Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge. In the Philippines, Nutrition Month which focuses on the importance of eating vegetables is celebrated in the month of July. That is why Isabel of My Expat Mommy and Kai of Bucaio chose the theme "Pang-Habang-Buhay", and we're supposed to share a nutritious dish that contains either vegetables or fruits. Bulanglang is just perfect for that!

If you want to eat a "guilt free" meal, with no oil, no fats, no meat at all, Bulanglang is the answer! The best thing about this dish is that you can choose the vegetables according to your liking. Just be sure to know which vegetables should be added first. The hard vegetables like papaya and kalabasa should go first, and the soft and leafy vegetable should be added last.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Of all the kitchen gadgets I have, my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is one of my favorites, especially during the summer. I have it for more than a year now and I must say that I love it! It makes ice cream making at home a lot of fun for me and my daughters! Getting the right consistency of ice cream takes a fair amount of agitation and movement, and that is what you'll need an ice cream maker for. Though it's not a big necessity, making homemade ice cream is a lot convenient with it --- it makes the process of freezing the ingredients easier!

Check out this Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream that my daughters and I made using our Cuisinart Ice Crean Maker...

This is a non-custard version of the recipe I got from Just One Cookbook. Non-custard style ice cream is made without eggs and does not require cooking that's why I prefer it. All the ice cream I've been making are all non-custard, and I must say that there's very little difference in texture and they're as rich and tasty! You should try it! 

Worry, not because you can also make this even if you don't have an ice cream maker. You can find the instructions below...

Filipino Menudo

Like everyone else, Filipinos love stew! There are lots of stew varieties in the Philippines, which are mostly soy sauce or tomato sauce based. My parents prepare the best stew so I grew up loving all kinds of it...but I must admit that tomato-based ones appeal to me more. Among the tomato-based stews, there are three dishes which I was really fond of eating when I was little. Well, actually, until now. :) These are the Afritada, Caldereta (Kaldereta) and Menudo...

These three dishes have almost the same ingredients but they differ in the meat used. Originally, Afritada is cooked with chicken while Caldereta (Kaldereta) is cooked using beef or goat, and Menudo is cooked with pork. In all three dishes, meat is stewed in tomato sauce with vegetables like carrots, potatoes and bell pepper. I tell you, they are all so good. I guess that is why all of them have evolved into many variations which differ from region to region and even from family to family. Some use beef, chicken and pork  interchangeably in these dishes. I remember that when I was little, I would often get confused with what dish I am eating whenever we're attending fiestas, weddings or other parties. When I see a tomato-based pork stew, I would often ask my mom/dad if it's afritada, caldereta or menudo. My parents said it would be simple to distinguish the three dishes from each other if the the person who cooked the dish sliced the meat properly. My dad said that meat in Afritada and Caldereta is supposed to be cubed, about 1"x1" for Afritada and about 1.5"x1.5" for Caldereta..and for Menudo, meat should be cut into thin slices about 0.75"x2" in size. My parents said that the way the meat is sliced will help differentiate the three dishes from each other even if the same meat is used...and I totally agree with them. I know that many cooks slice the meat differently, but from where I grew up, that's how it is...cube for afritada and caldereta and thin strips for menudo. 

Today, I'm sharing with you my version of Filipino Menudo. By looking at the photo below, I'm sure you'll notice that this looks a little different from the other menudo you've seen on the web...

No-Bake Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

“I know I should let go, but it never really leaves me.
Every morning, I wake up and forget just for a second that it happened. 
But once my eyes open it buries me like a landslide of sharp, sad rocks.
Once my eyes open, I’m heavy, like there’s too much gravity pressing on my heart.”

― Sarah Ockler (Twenty Boy Summer)

Yesterday was really so hard for me to get through. "Why?", you might ask. You see, it was my Mom's death anniversary. She passed away 5 years ago, and it truly has left an emptiness in my life. Everyday, I miss her terribly. I think of her all the time and feel sad for every special event she has missed. There are so many situations in my life when I wonder what she'd do or how she'd handle it. But every July 19th, it's even harder for me...and yesterday was no exception, I felt too much grief as if it just happened. I woke up in extreme sadness! I called my Tatay (dad) in the Philippines, hoping that it would somehow ease the pain I feel. Oh well, it didn't! It just made me miss my mom even more. I knew I have to find something to do so I told the girls we'll go to the pool for a swim, but Cherlin said she didn't want to coz she's too tan already from our Florida vacay. (What??? A 6 yr-old concerned of how tan she is! Oh my!!!) She suggested that we just eat breakfast together and then watch something on Netflix, and maybe bake something. Clarise agreed saying that she'd rather stay home than go out and feel the intense Texas heat, 103°F that is. So that's what my daughters and I did...we stayed home, enjoyed some good family movies on Netflix and made this No-Bake Dulce de Leche Cheesecake in the afternoon...

With the help of my daughters, I managed to survive the day. But just by the amount of time I spent in the kitchen yesterday, my family could tell that it was not an ordinary day for me. On a regular summer day, I only cook for dinner, and sometimes when I'm too lazy, I just prepare Costco bought frozen dumplings or chicken wings, or simply heat up left-overs. But yesterday, I cooked seafood ramen for lunch, made the dulce de leche cheesecake in the afternoon and cooked stir-fried bean thread noodles with sardines for dinner. I was in the kitchen half of the day just to keep myself from sad thoughts. Just as always, it worked. Though I have that heavy feeling in my heart, I made it through the day without being too miserable. But I tell you, it was hard! The pain of losing my mother was bugging me the whole time...and at the end of the day, I realized that everything I cooked (the ramen, the stir-fried bean thread noodles and the cheesecake) kinda symbolize long life. As you know, noodles and round cakes in the Philippines are served for birthdays because they symbolize longevity. I guess at the back of my mind, I am really wishing that my mother is still with us and what happened on July 19, 2007 didn't actually happen. :(

Anyway, so much for that! It's Friday and I don't want to ruin your good mood, so let me go to the recipe now...

Kutsinta

Cherrie Moore of  Sweet Cherrie Pie & I are the hosts for this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge, and because June is the month when we celebrate Philippine Independence Day, we have decided to focus on our country's unique dishes.

As I've mentioned before, Filipino Cuisine is a mixture of many different cuisines from countries which have colonized the Philippines. But there are lots of dishes that we can call our own...dishes that can be found "ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES" and we thought that it would be good to share them with you. 

After checking my archive, I realized that I've already posted most of my favorite native Filipino dishes here on the blog. I was having a hard time thinking of what recipe to share when suddenly I thought of this favorite snack that I used to enjoy during my childhood days which is called Kutsinta...

Kutsinta is a brown (sometimes orange) and sticky cupcake which is made from rice flour, brown sugar, achuete (which is used to add color and flavor), water and a little lye water. It is cooked by steaming and is served with grated coconut.  It is a traditional Filipino snack that's very easy to make, and can be found almost anywhere. Kutsinta is my mom's favorite and she would always buy dozens of it everytime she goes to the market. She would also make it at home whenever she finds the time. 

For this month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge, I'm sharing with you my mom's kutsinta as I remember it. I think the only difference is I used annatto powder instead of achuete juice because I couldn't find achuete seeds here. The result, however, is basically the same except for the tiny particles of annato powder that settled in the bottom of the kutsinta. So if you can find achuete seeds, soak about 1 Tablespoon of it in 2 Tablespoon of water for about 10 minutes. Get ½ Tablespoon of that juice and add it to the kutsinta mixture instead of the annatto powder.

No-Bake Rocky Road Bars

My daughters are already on their 3rd week of summer vacation, and they are really loving it so far! Aside from swimming, going to the library, playing video games and watching Korean telenovelas, they have been helping out in the kitchen a lot. During the past two weeks, making homemade shakes and ice cream or baking cookies with me have been part of their daily routine, and last Friday, they made these...

 

They said they wanted to make something for their dad (Aren't they the sweetest???)...and because they know how much Ryan loves rocky road, they wanted to make another rocky road treat for him. They remembered that Ryan really enjoyed the No-Bake Rocky Road Bars that I made before, and since I just made Rocky Road Ice Cream last week, all the ingredients they needed were available in the pantry. With no second thoughts, they said they will make rocky road bars for their dad on their own...and guess what? They did it! All I did was prepare all the ingredients and take pictures. They did the rest, and I must say that they did a good job! Clarise and Cherlin's No-Bake Rocky Road Bars came out perfect and Ryan loved them!

I know that this is just a very easy and simple recipe, but I really find it so amazing for kids like my girls to take the effort in making something special for their parent/s. I am truly proud of how thoughtful and sweet they are, so I want to share this with you! :) 

These are yummy treats that you can make with your kids. I'm pretty sure that you will have fun making and eating these!

Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream for Two of the Best Dads I Know

"Anyone can be a father but it takes a REAL MAN to be a DAD."

Some men think that being a father is as simple as contributing to the genetic make up of a child. Little do they know that there's more to being a father, and that is making a total surrender of one's self to be a DAD. Not all fathers are responsible enough to take the "DAD" title. A dad is someone whom we can call a REAL MAN. He is someone who put his entire life to make a difference in a child's life (whether it's his biological child or not).

I feel so blessed that both my father and husband fall into the "REAL MAN" category. Both of them are responsible enough to be the best kind of dad anybody would be proud to have. They may not be a man of fame and fortune but they sure are two of the greatest men in the world for me!  
 
In celebration of Father's Day, I want to pay tribute to my very loving and responsible father, ERNESTO AGUILA FLORES, to the very kind and devoted father of my girls, RYAN MENDOZA DE GUZMAN, and to all the wonderful dads out there for all the sacrifices they make. HAPPY DAD'S DAY! I salute you all! May God continue to bless you and give you the strength to mold your children into intelligent and responsible individuals!

To all the daughters and sons out there who are blessed to have a dad figure in your lives, you should be proud and thankful! Be sure to thank your dad for all the love, care, guidance and support he gave you not just on Father's Day, but everyday!

Today, I bring you this Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream with both my loving dad and husband in mind. They both love chocolates and nuts so much...so this very chocolatey and nutty ice cream is so perfect for them! Tatay & Ryan, Happy Dad's Day to you both! Please know that I love you and I will always be thankful to God for giving me TWO OF HIS BEST CREATIONS!

If you want to make a special treat for your dads, you should try this! :)

Baked Rellenong Pusit

Next to shrimps and crabs, squid (or pusit in Filipino) is my favorite seafood...and though I love adobong pusit and calamares, this is how I enjoy it the most..

This is called Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid) in the Philippines. Relleno is a Spanish word which means filling, but Filipinos use it to refer to anything stuffed and is one of the many culinary influences that we got from Spain. Filipinos stuff almost anything --- from vegetables like eggplant and ampalaya to chicken and seafood like fish, squid, crabs and even mussels.

The traditional Rellenong Pusit is stuffed with sauteed ground pork and vegetables like carrots, celery and tomatoes, and then pan fried. But this one that I'm sharing with you today is a little different. Not only is it baked, the filling is also different. It's made of spinach and tofu(though it also has a little ground pork, just to be sure that my daughters will eat it)!

This is really a very appetizing and healthy way to enjoy squid. It may look a little complicated but it actually isn't. Just clean the squid, do a little sauteing and stuffing, and VOILA - a delicious Rellenong Pusit! Check it out...

Pastillas De Leche con Casuy (Milk Candies with Cashew Nuts)

Finally, I'm back after more than a week of being MIA! Thanks to everyone who sent emails to check how I'm doing...I really appreciate all the thoughtfulness and concern! Sorry if I got some of you worried. I'm totally fine! I have been really busy during the past weeks, so when my camera broke, I took it as a sign that I should take a break from blogging and focus on some important things that I have to do. I'm sure you all know how busy moms could be so I know you understand...but still, I would like to apologize for my absence in the blogosphere. To all my blogger friends, I'm sorry for not being able to visit...and to all PiTCC readers, my apologies for not being able to post new recipes. And though I am here today, summer vacation has started and I have to spend time with the girls, so I still wont be as active...but I will try to post recipes at least twice a week. Hope you will all bear with me!

What I have for you today is a no-cook dessert that my daughters and I enjoy making together. It's called Pastillas De Leche con Casuy...

Pastillas De Leche are milk candies which are traditionally made from carabao's milk. Carabao which is the Philippine's national animal is also known as water buffalo and is the farm animal of choice for pulling both a plow and the cart used to haul produce to the market. Carabao's milk which is richer, creamier and contains protein, fat, lactose, vitamins and minerals is what gives Pastillas De Leche that melt-in-your-mouth goodness. It is simmered with sugar under low heat until thick, rolled into small cylinders then coated with sugar and then wrapped in cellophane or Japanese paper.

Because carabao's milk is unavailable here in my side of the world, this version that I am sharing with you today makes use of condensed milk and powdered milk instead. It may differ a little in taste, but I assure you that you will love it! There's also no cooking involved in this one so what could be better than that? 

Try making these easy peasy treats with your kids...I'm pretty sure you'll all have a good time and will be pleased with how delicious the result will be!