Classic Macaroni Salad

I grew up with this recipe, my older sisters loved to prepare this everytime they go home at the farm once a month from their schools at the city. During that time macaroni salad is already special for us, I always observing them everytime they are making macaroni salad, I was still young that time, maybe they do not know that I already memorize how to do it :-) its a colorful classic macaroni salad, there were green and red preserved sugar plums (kaong) I love to chew those things, so sad its not available here in my place making my salad looked plain but it's okey it is still yummy.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo elbow macaroni
250ml nestle cream or light cream
1 cup cheese (diced)
1 cup pineapple tidbits
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup condensed milk
1 pack mayonaise (200 or 250 grams)

Procedure:
1. Cook the elbow macaroni according to its packaging procedure. Drained and set aside.
2. Mix all the ingredients.
3. Chill or put in the refrigerator before serving it.

Mixed salad

A healthy platter of salad for a lovely Friday. Preparing for a busy weekend? Well, we need an energy giving food and this salad is a good one to include in your meal. Lettuce alone is already full of nutrients that our body needs.  Have a happy weekend everyone :-).

Ingredients:

1 cup cubed watermelon
3/4 cup olives
1/4 kilo Lettuce
some cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Procedure:

1.  In a bowl mix the lettuce, vinegar and olive oil. Mix well
2. In a platter arrange all the ingredients and serve.

Simple Cassava cake

Cassava cake is one of the most popular Filipino delicacies. I'm glad that I was able to find ingredients for cassava cake in my place whewww!! It's been a long time that I am wanting to cook this, because of some friends' request. At last here it is! Simple and easy.

Ingredients:

3 glasses shredded cassava
1 glass coconut milk
1 glass condensed milk

Cassava

 for toppings:
1/2 cup shredded cheese.
1/2 cup condensed milk

Procedure:

1. Mix all the ingredients except the ones for toppings.
2. Preheat the oven at 200 C for 7 minutes, after 7 minutes reduce the heat at 180 C
3. Grease the baking pan with cooking oil before pouring the cassava cake mixture.

4. Bake it at 180 C  for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
5. When it is cooked, remove from oven and put the toppings , milk first then the cheese.

6. Bake for another few minutes until golden brown. ( around 5-10 minutes)

7. Serve it with your favorite drinks. :-)

Overstuffed potato

I tried this jacket potato without baking, the result is almost the same as baked ones, the only difference is... the potato skin on baked ones are crispy, it makes the potato skin easy to eat, but the taste is still the same, so to all my friends who do not have an oven you can try this one, it is yummy.

Ingredients:

4 big size potatoes
1/4 kilo ground beef
1 hotdog ( sliced)
1 small size bell pepper
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

 For the filling:

1. Saute the garlic and onion, put the ground beef simmer for few minutes
2.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until it is done.
3. Set aside.

For jacket potato:
1. Boil the potatoes until it is cooked, let it dry and set aside, or you can microwave it for 10-15 minutes or until it is cooked. ( Prick the potato skin with fork  before cooking it so that it will not pop)
2. Cut in the middle, just make a space for stuffing the filling
3. Put the filling and serve it , you can put grated cheese on top.

Pork hocks with Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin Sauce is a Chinise dipping sauce that can be used in cooking various meats and vegetables. Hoisin means seafood in Chinese. This sauce makes the meat and vegetables more flavorful, that is why I tried this recipe, and it really tastes good, you will ask for more. :-)

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork hocks ( pata)
3 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
5 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups pork broth ( soup from softened pork hocks)
spring onion for garnishing

Procedure:
1. Put the pork hocks in a pot and put enough water, bring to boil until the meat is tender. Drain and set aside. Do not forget to get 2 cups of broth.
2.  In a pan saute the garlic and onion then add the tender pork hocks, soy sauce and hoisin sauce simmer for few minutes.
3. Add the pork broth  and simmer until the sauce thickens.
4. Garnish it with spring onion and serve with rice.

Chow Mein with shiitake mushrooms

Chow mien is a Chinese term for stir fried noodles. Although it is of Chinese origin, chow mein is well known to different countries all over the world. It is the second most popular fast food in Nepal. There are different versions of Chow Mein, American Chinese cuisine has two versions, Canadian Chinese cuisine has three different versions and in different countries there are different versions, this one that I am sharing with you is the common version, I like this better than the crispy version, although crispy version is also yummy. It is easy to prepare, I hope you will like it.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo egg noodles (pre-cooked with plain water and drained)
1 cup shiitake mushrooms  (sliced)
1/4 kilo shrimps ( cleaned and shelled)
1 small size onion
3 cloves garlic
1/4 kilo cabbage
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

 Procedure:
1. Saute garlic and onion
2. Add the shrimps and shiitake mushrooms simmer for 1 minute
3. Add the soy sauce simmer for another minute then add the water and ground pepper
4. Increase the heat and add the noodles and cabbage, stir fry it until it is done.
5. Serve it hot.

Toasted Dilis=Dried Anchovies

Toasted dilis or dried anchovies is a common item in Filipino breakfast table. Once you tasted it, you will get addicted (^_^). It is one of my mom's favorites and always prepare this with fried rice and fried egg, now that really sounds yummy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried anchovies ( toasted)
1 big size tomato ( diced)
1 small size onion (diced)
2 tablespoons vinegar

Procedure:

1.  Mix all the ingredients :-)
2. Serve it with your favorite breakfast partner.

Simple macaroons

I do not have plans of cooking macaroons today, but my best friend Malley, encourage me to cook with him, so I tried and it was a success! Thanks Malley for sharing this recipe. It is my first time to cook this, I recommend this recipe for all the beginners in cooking because this is so easy I am sure you can do it right

Ingredients:

100 grams dessicated coconut
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs

Procedure:

1.  Beat the eggs well.
2. Stir in the coconut and sugar until firm, and let it stand for 15 minutes.
3. Grease the baking tray and line  up the lump of macaroons to your desired size
4. Bake at 180 C until golden brown  ( around 15-20 minutes)
5. Let it cool and serve.

Garlic Fried Rice

A healthy fried rice for breakfast to start your day.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
8 cloves garlic (minced)
olive oil

Procedure:

1. Heat the olive oil and toast the garlic until golden brown.
2. Stir in the rice and sprinkle with salt,  mix well until it's done.
3. Serve it hot.

Cucumber and pineapple salad

I am just curious if this two combination will taste good together so I tried, and the result is two thumbs up! :-) Try it!

Ingredients:

1 cucumber ( sliced)
1 cup pineapple tidbits
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
oregano flakes
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Serve it with fried fish or meat, or eat it as it is.