Fig, Prosciutto and Arugula Sandwich Wrap

Fresh figs from California were on sale the other day so I grabbed myself a box. It's unbelievable but it was my first time to actually taste fresh figs. Oh, it was so sweet and delicious! How could I not have tried this before?  Actually, it's because I've never really noticed fresh figs being sold much in the grocery where we lived previously. Perhaps, I didn't look hard enough and that could be true or perhaps I usually just found the dried ones. Since we don't have these in the Philippines, I am truly not very familiar with it and have never used them for anything.

Beef Mechado

Mechado.....mmmmm. Mechado masarap (too delicious!) is probably what you would hear a Filipino jokingly say when he tastes a really good Mechado dish. The expression is a play on the word "masyado" which means too much or over the top while "masarap" means, as you may have guessed, "delicious."

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Garlic Butter

Ever since I made my post on Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Bacon, my family and I have totally fallen-in-love with Brussels Sprouts. Who knew this mostly-maligned and snubbed vegetable can taste truly yummy and quite more-ish! If you learn how to cook Brussels Sprouts properly, you will truly be rewarded with a delicious side dish that doesn't taste bitter or yucky but actually quite yummy and a little nutty (not the crazy kind!). :)

Baked Chicken with Olives and Zucchini

Yay for Fall! That means the weather is cooler and we can finally turn our ovens on to bake and cook delicious meals for our family. When I make a savory dish for my family, I try to use simple recipes that I can easily prepare and do not require too much fuss. After all, when school season begins, there are tons of activities to attend to and oftentimes, there isn't a lot of time to make dinner.

Broccoli Bacon Salad with Raisins and Almonds

The first time I have ever had this wonderful American salad was in our church potluck. I wasn't much of a salad eater when I first came to the US. We only had one type of salad in the Philippines and that was always made with iceberg lettuce and always with a thousand island dressing. For us, vegetables were always cooked with meat so eating it raw (which is better really!) wasn't typical at all. It's only recently I believe that we've had more exposure to different types of salad, well at least for me.

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-fry

I got some firm Tofu from the grocery the other day. I don't remember now why I purchased it. Perhaps it was for Pad Thai or some other Asian dish I was planning to make but for some reason, I failed to make it. Yes, my days and times can truly be full of plans but sometimes they don't often materialize as I end up doing something else or sometimes not doing it at all. :)

Chicken with Mushrooms in Brown Sauce

I have made this Chinese-inspired chicken dish a few years ago and both hubby and I loved it. It such a flavorful dish that will satisfy anyone's palate especially those who love Chinese food. For some reason, I have forgotten about this recipe. I remembered it when I was browsing my online photo album and the photo of the dish suddenly appeared. I can now recall why I haven't shared this dish yet here. The first time I made it, though it was already great - we were missing a few ingredients that would make it even better.

Grilled Swordfish with Olives and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Now, if you love to eat fish, you'll love this recipe. It is so truly wonderful and the proof - I almost never got the chance to photograph this dish as the only one left of it was the smallest piece of swordfish steak after hubby and I happily ate the bigger meatier pieces. Hence, what you are seeing is the last remaining piece. In fact, I had second thoughts about posting this recipe because I wasn't very happy with the photo as the swordfish steak was quite small but then when I recalled how delish it is - I said, I'll post it anyway as I didn't want any of you to miss this recipe nor let it be buried in my pile and then completely forgotten.

Vegetarian Pansit

A few times I have been asked on our Facebook page if I have a vegetarian version of our country's famous noodle dish - Pansit. At that time, I actually have never tried it without meat. In the Philippines, we either use chicken or pork, sometimes shrimp and even Chinese sausage to add flavor to the Pancit. However, there is a first time for everything. Finally, I decided to make a vegetarian/meatless version of the Pansit for our friends who prefer that diet.

Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup (Yummy Recipe to help cure the Flu)

So my dear hubby has the flu.....I feel so sorry for him. I don't like it when he is unwell as it not only makes me sad, I don't like to see him suffer and look sick. But this is one of the hazards of winter that cannot always be prevented.

Being the resourceful person that he is, hubby researched for a more natural remedy to help cure the flu or at least hasten his recovery. He showed me this cooking video from a nutritionist who suggested that this is a wonderful cure for flu. I was skeptical but indulged my honey and watched the video anyway. I was of course intrigued. I like that all the ingredients are natural and for me has the potential of something flavorful.   Sweet potato, ginger, chili pepper and mushrooms to name a few - this concoction must at least taste nice and if it helps cure the flu, even better!

Hubby says, he did feel better after having some. He felt boosted though he's not completely recovered yet. Well, it's only been day 1 so perhaps tomorrow and the next day and a few more cups of this yummy soup then he'll be back to his full healthy self. At any rate, I am sharing this because I actually loved this soup, yes, I had some already - quite a thick one, almost like a puree - it's so flavorful and I agree with the nutritionist, this is a perfect curry base! I will definitely use this recipe for a curry next time. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 inch-ginger, finely chopped*
1 red chili pepper, with seeds*
1 large red Onion, chopped
1 large Sweet Potato, chopped
Shiitake Mushrooms (fresh - 4 oz / dry 1 oz), chopped*
Vegetable Stock or broth (32 oz)

*If you don't want it too gingery, you can just use the 2-inch one. That's how I measure my ginger, by it's length and not by tablespoons.

*Hubby only got 1 hot cherry pepper so that's all that I used but feel free to use your favorite hot pepper and adjust the heat to your taste.

*If using the dried Shiitake mushrooms, make sure to rehydrate them first. Just add them towards the end of cooking.

Procedure

Please watch the short video for the full instruction on how to make this flavorful soup. Hope you all feel healthy this winter!

Spinach and Cream Cheese Crostini

Crostinis consist of small pieces of toasted or grilled bread served with toppings. They are essentially Italian appetizers which are great for entertaining. I thought since the holidays would soon be with us, it would be great to share a recipe that's easy to make, elegant  enough to serve with company and most of all - delightfully delicious! This recipe for Spinach and Cream Cheese Crostini is all that! Make it this holiday season for your family and friends or as a quick and delectable lunch option! We love these these yummy toasted bread for lunch with our favorite salad! Enjoy! 

Delectable Chocolate Chili

Fall and winter calls for comfort food that will not only keep you warm but also make you feel really good - to help battle the winter blues! And we all know that kind of food has got to be Chili! I have already made a chicken version last year so I thought it's about time I make a beef one. I have seen some recipes that use unsweetened Cocoa powder to add more flavor to their Chilis and I thought it was a wonderful idea. So here's my version of a Chocolate Chili that uses cocoa powder to add more flavor to your regular Chili recipe.

Sautéed Green Beans and Yellow Squash with Italian Sausages

Saturday is Farmer's Market Day in our area so to give my hubby some peace and quiet while he works at home, the tots and myself often make a trip to the market. We love to look at all the lovely produce that the vendors have on offer though I think my kids are really after the freshly made donuts that I usually get for them when we get there. As for me, I am always on the look-out for fresh and preferably organic veggies that I can use for cooking.

Shepherd's Pie (Filipino-style)

I love Arroz a la Cubana! It's a Filipino classic comfort food that arrived in our country by way of Spain. The Philippine version typically consists of rice, ground beef sauteed with vegetables such as onions, garlic, tomatoes, diced potatoes (or bell peppers) and carrots and served with a fried egg and fried plantains on the side. The meat-vegetable mixture for Arroz a la Cubana is not only flavorful, it's quite versatile too as I can use it to make other dishes to give them a distinct Pinoy (Filipino) flair.

Fruity Kale Salad with Asian Vinaigrette

So many of us, I assume, already know the health benefits of Kale so I will not repeat all that information here. And if I am wrong in my assumption, it's quite easy to google it anyway, right? :-)

Sinigang na Baboy (Lemony Pork Soup with Asparagus and Spinach)

It's been so long since I made Sinigang na Baboy (Pork in Sour Soup). This is a true Tagalog dish that is quite special because families would make this usually just on Sundays much like a Sunday Roast here in the US and UK. It may be hot and humid in the Philippines but despite that nothing beats a hot bowl of this delicious Pork in Sour Soup to help you cope with the muggy weather. It is true comfort food for any Filipino!

Cheesy Baked Broccoli Fritters

One of our family members suffer from gluten intolerance so I often have to devise recipes or adapt them so that he can still enjoy the food that the rest of us can eat without any problem. Often, it's just a matter of replacing the flour or bread called for in the original recipe with a wheat-free alternative. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't so I am always delighted when the substitution works well and the food comes out amazingly good and truly enjoyable.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon (and Garlic)

My husband has always been a big fan of Brussels Sprouts and I wasn't. In fact, I have to confess I have never seen Brussels Sprouts until I went to England over a decade ago. I have never seen them in any of our groceries while growing up though perhaps nowadays with a more globalized market, they may already have arrived sometime ago.

Cavolfiore Fritto (Deep-fried Cauliflower)

When we went to Spain, in Barcelona to be precise, in 2010 hubby and I enjoyed the fried vegetables being sold at a vegetable fast food shop on La Rambla, a pedestrian street mall. We were there almost everyday while we were touring the city. It was just so good we kept on coming back. There was a variety of vegetables that they offer but our favorite was the cauliflower. And since then I really hoped that I could make it at home.

Easy Thai Red Chicken Curry

My husband is on quite a restrictive diet at the moment so we try to avoid big food groups such as dairy, wheat, soy, some nuts and anything fermented that may negatively impact his health. So, it has been quite a challenge to cook sometimes. I have to be creative so he can still enjoy his food despite all the restrictions. Thankfully, I can still make for him his ultimate favorite food - Chicken Curry!