Friday, November 30, 2018

Ukoy na Alamang at Kalabasa

Ukoy na Alamang at Kalabasa. During my visits at the Vigan public market, the fresh alamang or aramang in Ilocano caught my attention.  They were several vendors that were selling fresh alamang, the alamang were definitely very fresh judging from their color. My concern was, would it be possible to bring it back to Manila and maintain the freshness with just storing the alamang in a cool...

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Turon na Saging

Turon na Saging. I had some plantain banana or Saba that came from our farm in Laguna. I have already cooked some of as Nilagang Saging the other day some was was cooked as Minatamis na Saging with Kalamansi Zest. I was surprised, the bananas were extraordinarily sweet, probably because the fruits were harvested when they are about to ripen.                     I thought the remaini...

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Chicken Feet Arroz Caldo

Chicken Feet Arroz Caldo. What is the difference of Lugaw, Arroz Caldo and Goto? This is my own opinion you may have another description but this is how I find the difference of the three rice soup dishes. Let’s go back a couple of decades ago where food fusions were not as prevalent as today. And cooking was simpler during those times to understand what are the difference of the thre...

How to make a Felt Christmas Stocking Advent Calendar

I'm really looking forward to my baby's first Christmas and thinking of all sorts of ways I can make it special. I wanted to have a handmade keepsake of some sort that would hopefully be in our family for years, and I hit upon the idea of an advent calendar - consisting of little stockings, each numbered 1 to 24, that I can fill with all sorts of things year after year. Given that I haven't done any sewing in years and can't think of any...

Monday, November 26, 2018

Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 48

My husband is at home this week so I need to be a bit more creative with lunch ideas as I often just see what I can find in the fridge or cupboard when it's just me! On the plus side I should have a bit more time to make something for dinner or do some cooking for baby S with him to help look after her. Monday Breakfast for baby S porridge with fruit Lunch or dinner for baby S tinned tuna mixed with avocado and pitta Lunch for us full English breakfast as a treat as it's my husband's first day at home of what will be at least a few weeks Dinner...

Minatamis na Saging with Kalamansi Zest

Minatamis na Saging with Kalamansi Zest. I wanted to add a little zest to the traditional Minatamis na Saging. Minatamis na saging is very easy to cook, and definitely simply delicious, I mean simple to cook. By tweaking the recipe, by adding a rind of a kalamansi make a lot of difference to the already yummy Pinoy merienda. The addition of zest to the Minatamis na Saging makes it refreshin...

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Pansit Bihon with Vigan Bagnet

Pansit Bihon with Vigan Bagnet. Some of our regular readers may already know that I am from Vigan, I grew up in Vigan. And I strongly telling everyone, one of the must foods you must have while visiting Vigan is the Vigan Bagnet. Bagnet is the Ilocano version of lechon kawali in the simplest description. Large chunks of pork leimpo, belly or pork sides, deep fried for at least two times unt...

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 47

My little girl wasn't well last week - just a cough and cold but she was off her food and sleeping loads, so we went back to just milk rather than solids as she wasn't really up to sitting in a high chair eating a meal (she's only eight months so going back to milk is fine). Hopefully she will be back to her normal self this week! Monday Breakfast for baby S homemade carrot, courgette and apple muffin Lunch for me sandwich Lunch or dinner for baby S roast chicken, potato and vegetable from yesterday Dinner for us chicken curry Tuesday Breakfast...

Monday, November 12, 2018

Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 46

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Monday, November 5, 2018

Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 45

Monday Lunch for all three of us cheese on toast Dinner for baby S: chicken casserole from my freezer stash Dinner for us: pizza - I was going to make something else but the baby was crying and restless and I couldn't start cooking til 7.30 so frozen pizza it was! Tuesday Breakfast for baby S porridge with fruit Lunch or dinner for baby S:  chicken and sweet potato mash Lunch for me: frittata (ready made) with two leftover hotdogs from the weekend Dinner for us: fish pie for me, chicken pie for him Wednesday Breakfast for...

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie to use your leftover pumpkin

I was determined to use up my pumpkins in cooking this year and not just throw them away so as well as this pumpkin and gnocchi gratin I made a pumpkin pie. I've made a pumpkin cheesecake (vegan) before, and this chocolate pumpkin cheesecake, but I've never made an actual pumpkin pie before. I was spending the weekend with friends so a pie seemed like a nice thing to take; one friend is vegan so I needed to find a vegan recipe. I had a look online...

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Pumpkin and Gnocchi Gratin

Around eight million pumpkins are expected to be thrown away in the UK after Halloween this year - and according to this Guardian article, only a third of consumers will cook and eat any of them. I didn't get around to carving a pumpkin this year but did buy two, for some photos with my little girl! I then made use of them in various ways - soup, pie, and this pumpkin and gnocchi gratin. The recipe is from an old issue of Weightwatchers magazine;...

Insarabsab, Ilokano Broiled Pork Tossed with Ginger and Onion in Vinegar

Insarabsab is an Ilokano dish made up of quickly broiled or grilled pork strips, then sliced to serving pieces. The pork is then tossed with finely diced ginger and onion with Iloko vinegar. The dish is similar to dinakdakan another popular Ilokano dish except that dinakdakan is made up of grilled pre-boiled pork face and ears while insarabsab could be any other choice of pork cut but usual...