American Style Spaghetti

My childhood bestfriend migrated to the US with her family 2 years ago. She had a short vacation in the Philippines last February-July 2014, and she cooked this recipe for our mini get-together. Everyone agreed that her American-style spaghetti is a winner. She taught me how to cook this amazing recipe and as expected, everybody in my family was impressed. This is very easy to prepare, and you can easily find the ingredients in your local grocery store. Experience the taste of expensive American restaurants at the comfort of your home with this easy-to-make spaghetti.


Ingredients:
1 kilo spaghetti Pasta
1 kilo Spaghetti Sauce
3/4 kilo Ground Beef
1 400g can Crushed Tomatoes (can be substituted by 250g Tomato Sauce)
1 400g can Sliced Mushroom
1 150g small jar Green Olives (pitted)
1 tbsp. Basil
1 tsp. Rosemary
1 tsp. Thyme
4 tbsp. Sugar
Garlic
Onion
Salt
Ground Pepper
1 block Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Procedure:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Set aside.
2. In a deep casserole, heat oil and saute garlic and onion. Add the ground beef and cook until brown.
3. Pour the spaghetti sauce and crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce if not available) and simmer for 5 minutes in medium heat.
4. Pour the mushroom and green olives (do not drain these two, include the water).
5. Add the sugar, basil, thyme, rosemary. Put some salt (about 2 teaspoons) and ground pepper to taste. You can add more sugar if you think it's too sour, or more salt if you think it's bland, but don't add too much.
6. Add the grated cheddar cheese (you can set aside some of the grated cheddar for toppings). Cover the casserole and simmer for another 5 minutes in medium heat.
7. Turn off the heat. Prepare pasta in a plate and pour some of the sauce on top. Top with the remaining grated cheddar and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.


Contributed by: Maye Rianne Javier

Sago Delight

A delicious sago dish that you can serve anytime of the day for everybody. Simple and easy to prepare but the taste is priceless! Try it.

 Ingredients:
1/2 kilo white small sago ( cooked and drained)
1  can fruit cocktail ( 836 grams)
450ml condensed milk ( 1 1/2 big can)
1 (300 grams) can  Nestle cream or any all purpose cream
1 big can evaporated milk or add if needed

uncooked white sago (small)

Procedure :
1. Combine all the ingredients then mix well and refrigerate for few hours.
2. Serve when ready.

Macaroni Sago Salad

I am spending time with my nephews and nieces for few weeks now and I am happy preparing their after school snacks, and since they loved colorful ingredients, I've decided to put colored sago in one of their favorite macaroni salad. Oh they loved it so much!

Ingredients for 18 servings:
1/2 kilo elbow macaroni (cook according to its packaging procedure)
1 cup colored sago ( cooked then drained)
836 grams fruit cocktail
300 grams All purpose cream ( Nestle or any brand)
220 ml Mayonaise
1 ( 390 ml) can condensed milk ( add if you want the taste sweeter)
1 (370 ml) can evaporated milk

Procedure:
1. Combine all the ingredients then refrigerate for few hours.
2. Serve with a smile :-).

Ginataang Sigarilyas

I picked some winged beans or sigarilyas from my sister's garden today, it's so fresh that's why I was tempted to picked it but of course I asked her permission. I cooked it and gave her some and she said it's yummy. 
Carabansos in Visayan dialect.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
1/2 kilo winged beans ( sliced and cleaned)
1 small onion
1 teaspoon ginger strips
1 1/2 cup thin coconut milk
3/4 cup pure coconut milk
1 tablespoon shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)
salt if needed

winged beans-sigarilyas

Procedure:
1. In a pan put the thin coconut milk, onion, ginger and shrimp paste then bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. When boiling add the winged beans (sigarilyas) then stir and simmer until half cooked. Add salt  if needed, then add the pure coconut milk and simmer until done.

3. Serve it hot with rice and enjoy.

Putong Puti with Cheese

My friend who has a catering services gave me her recipe for putong puti, this is my shortcut version of the recipe I will try the original procedure soon so that I can compare which one is whiter. I am not contented with the whiteness of the finished product but it is still delicious and whiter than puto cheese that I made for my previous posts.
To those who have problems where to use the egg whites after making leche flan , this is the solution. Enjoy cooking.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 cup white sugar
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cup fresh milk
1 teaspoon butter (soften)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
slices of cheddar cheese ( I used Eden)

Procedure:
1.Combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder then sift it.
2. In a mixing bowl combine together the sifted ingredients, egg white, butter and milk then mix very well until the batter is smooth in texture.
3. Fill the puto molder with the batter around 3/4 full then top the cheese and steam for 8 minutes or until done.

Baked Macaroni Filipino Style

Baked macaroni is easy to prepare because the ingredients are easy to find, with elbow macaroni as its base ingredient. This is good for your special gatherings because it is affordable and delicious.

Ingredients for 20-25 servings:

1 kilo macaroni elbow ( cook according to its packaging procedure)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1 onion (minced)

400 grams ground pork or beef

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 kilo tomato sauce

2 cups sweet banana ketchup

4 tablespoons sugar

salt and pepper to taste

250 ml all purpose cream ( Nestle or any brand)

2 cups quick melt cheese or Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Procedure:

1. Saute Garlic and onion then add the ground meat and saute until pinkish color of the meat is gone. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper then simmer for a minute.

2. Add the tomato sauce, banana ketchup and sugar then simmer for 10 minutes stirring every now and then over low fire.

3. Add the all purpose cream, cheddar cheese then check if it needs more salt and pepper to taste. simmer for a minute then remove from heat.

4. Add the cooked macaroni  into the meat sauce  then toss until it is mixed well. Then put in a baking dish then lastly put the quick melt or Mozarella cheese.

5.Pre-heat oven to 180C then bake the macaroni for 20 minutes or until done.

6. Remove from the oven, let cool before serving.

Sinugbang Baboy

Lami kaayo ang sinugba nga baboy maong pinakapaborito gyud ni nako ug sa akong mga igsoon, labi  na kung ang sawsawan lami pud kaayo unya halang halang.
Simple lang ang sinugba sa among lugar huluman lang ug limonsito, toyo, asin ug paminta ang karne sa baboy, dayon sugbahon hangtod maluto. Inig kaluto na, hiwaon ug ihaon dayon uban ang lami nga sawsawan. Kaon na ta!
Sa mga Bisaya nga nakasabot, itaas lang ang kamot :-). Malipayong pagpangaon mga kabayan.

To those who do not understand Visayan dialect, I am sorry.I need to write in Visayan because this is a challenge from some of my friends who are eager to learn my dialect, and they want me to write about this grilled pork or Sinugbang baboy in my dialect.

For the recipe:

Ingredients:
pork
lime or calamansi juice
soy  sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Mix all the ingredients and marinate it for an hour. Grill until cooked.
2. Chop it and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.