Guacamole

A Mexican dish that will surely boost your appetite. Guacamole is an avocado dip and popular not only in Mexico where it originated but in many countries all over the globe. Creamy and yummy. I make this one a little chunky because that's how I like it, I do it also in a very simple and easy way. Have fun doing your guacamole!

Ingredients:

1 Ripe avocado
1 tomato
1 small onion ( finely chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lime juice or calamansi

Procedure:

1. Mash the avocado in a bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients then mix well.
2. Serve it with tortillas or as a dip  for fried meat or fish.( You can add chopped chilli and coriander)

Bicol Express With Patis

Mmmmmmmmm Spicy! The tongue biting flavor of the chilli makes you run expressly to look for a water to drink, originated in Bicol ( a region in the Philippines) that's where it got its name Bicol Express!. I postd bicol express before but this time I didn't use salt, instead I used fish sauce, one of Filipinos favorite condiments. The fish sauce makes the dish yummier. Try it!

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo pork or beef
1 onion
5 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup fish sauce (patis)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/4 kilo chilli (jalapeno or cayenne remove the seeds) Siling haba
1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper

Procedure:
1. Saute garlic and onion.
2. Add the meat, simmer then add the fish sauce (patis) and ground pepper simmer and stir ocassionally.
3.If the meat is already tender add the chili, simmer for 4 minutes
4.Add the coconut milk and if its already boiling turn off the heat, then serve it.

Yema Balls

I loved this dessert when I was younger but, I still love it until now. I make this popular dessert in the Philippines in a very simple and economical way. I omitted egg and sugar. Instead of rolling it over the sugar I used the toasted flour. So here is my way of making yema balls, have fun!

Ingredients:

1 big can condensed milk (395 grams)
1/4 cup flour ( toasted and set aside)

Procedure:

1. In a pan put the condensed milk, over medium heat, and bring it to boil.

2. Stirring constantly until the milk becomes mushy  like the picture below. If this is already the texture of the milk, turn off the heat, then transfer in a container and allow to cool.

3. Form into balls and roll over the toasted flour. ( Sorry I tasted the other half of it:D really yummy!)

4. Serve it  in your own style. To make it stay longer you can wrap it in water cellophane or keep it in a jar.

Simple Beef Mechado

Mechado can be cooked with fats or marinating sauce or both, this is different from menudo and caldereta because mechado's sauce is lighter compare to the other 2 dishes. This is just a simple beef mechado.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo beef ( marinate with 1/4 cup soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or calamnsi)
2 potatoes ( diced or cubed)
2 carrots ( diced or cubed)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
Spring onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic and onion, add the beef without the marinating sauce, saute for 2 minutes then cover and simmer for few minutes.
2. Add the marinating sauce and tomato sauce, simmer until the beef is tender. ( Add water if necessary)
3. Add the carrots and the potatoes, simmer for few minutes, check the taste then add salt and pepper if necessary. Cover until the vegetables are cooked.
4. Increase the heat then add the spring onion. After 30 seconds remove from heat. Do not cover to prevent the vegetable from discoloraion.
5. Serve it hot and with a smile :-).

Avocado Ice Cream

I am still trying to make different flavors of ice cream using natural fruits as a flavoring, and today the avocado ice cream is a big success!  Here is my recipe for it.

Ingredients:

500 grams all purpose cream ( Nestle, Alaska Crema, etc)
370 grams condensed milk 
1 cup evaporated milk
1 small avocado ( less half a kilo)

Procedure:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender, blend well.
2. Pour in a container and put in a freezer.  Mixing every 3 hours for 3 times then freeze until frozen.
3. Serve it with a smile :-).

Radish Salad

Just plain and simple radish salad but the taste is satisfying. I love this salad ever since I was young, my sister always wants me to make this for her specially if our viand is fried fish, really yummy!
 I have posted radish and tomato salad from my previous blog and that combination is also yummy. :-)

Ingredients:

1 medium size radish
1 onion (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 lime or 2 tablespoons vinegar
spring onion for garninshing

Procedure:

1. Slice the radish thinly then squeeze with salt until the juice will come out, remove it then set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
3. Serve it with a piece of meat or fish.

Ginger Tea with Oregano

My throat is itching today and I do not want to take medicine so I wanna go for something natural. My friend said that ginger is good for treating itchy throat or even cough. I read also in the internet about it. I like the taste and its even better with oregano. Here is how to do it.

Ingredients:

thumb size ginger (sliced thinly)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon oregano flakes ( if fresh oregano is available much better)

Procedure:

1. In a pan put 4 glasses of water then add the ginger and bring to a boil for 8 minutes.

2. Add the oregano flakes and turn off the heat after a minute.

3. By using a strainer, drain the tea and serve it warm. Really soothing!

Choco Milk Shake

I just feel like treating myself with this choco milk shake under the scorching heat of the sun. Refreshing myself  while listening to my favorite love songs. Simple and easy to do.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sweetened chocolate powder
1/4 cup fresh or evaporated milk
6 ice cubes
1 tablespoon sugar

Procedure:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender,  blend well until the texture is firm and smooth.
2. Put in a serving glass with a straw and serve it with a smile :-)

Ground Beef Fiesta

This is very economical and not too meaty because the amount of vegetables and ground beef are equal, and yet the savor of the dish is still excellent. I made it like this because during the time that I cooked it there some other meat dishes. So if you want this dish meatier just less the amount of carrots and potatoes.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo ground beef
1/2 kilo potatoes( small diced)
1/2 kilo carrots (small diced)
1 big onion
1/2 cup soy sauce
8 cloves garlic
5 bayleaf ( laurel)
4 hard boiled eggs( sliced into 5 parts each ) If egg slicer is available you can use it.
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute the garlic and onion, then add the ground beef and simmer for few minutes.
2.  Add the soy sauce, bay leaf, salt and pepper simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer until it is done.
4. Serve it, topped with sliced eggs and if spring onion is available you can sprinkle some too.

Roasted Tuna

I need to feed 6 friends so I decided to cook this for everyone, actually I really want to grill this but griller is not available so I just roasted it in the oven. Everybody wants it soft and juicy but well-cooked that's why I roast it in medium heat to avoid drying. It turned out good and I just wanna share.

Ingredients:

Tuna's tail
2 limes or 6 calamansi
1/4 cup soy sauce
salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Clean the fish properly and slit an inch apart like in the picture below

2. Marinate with lime juice, soy sauce, salt and pepper for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven at 170C, then roast each side for 40 minutes or until done.
4. Serve it hot.