Soft Oatmeal Cookies

I made these oatmeal cookies yesterday and took  pictures of it.  I just saw this recipe in the internet so thought of trying it.. and it's chewy and yummy :)

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups cooking oats
raisins (optional)

1.  In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar.  Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the creamed mixture.  Mix in oats.  Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

2.  Preheat the oven to 375F.  Grease cookie sheets.  Roll the dough into walnut sized balles, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.  Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.

3.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

One Of My Mom's Specialty... EMBUTIDO

Embutido is one of my mom's specialty.  She usually prepare it during holiday season and for other special occasions.  It is a Filipino style of Meatloaf. 

EMBUTIDO

1 kilo ground lean pork

1 can vienna sausage ( half mashed, half for garnishing )

6 pieces finely chopped onions

3 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons pickle relish, pepper, vetsin

2 raw eggs

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup flour

sliced cheese or cut into cubes

1/4 cup catsup

raisins and sinsal

3 hard boiled eggs

Mix pork, vienna sausage ( mashed ), oniona, salt, pepper, vetsin, pickle relish, flour, cornstarch, cheese (cut into cubes), raisins, catsup and raw eggs.  Spread 2 cups (well packed) mixture on marinated sinsal ( marinate sinsal with calamansi, toyo and seasoning ), or foil.

Arrange hard boiled eggs, sausage and cheese.  Roll and wrapped in tin foil if baked ot in cheese cloth if cooked by steaming.  Add Knorr sauce for seasoning.  Bake in hot oven 400F for 40 to 50 minutes.

Popcorn Trivia

Popcorn pops because water is stored in a small circle of soft starch in each kernel. As the kernel is heated, the water heats, the droplet of moisture turns to steam and the steam builds up pressure until the kernel finally explodes to many times its original volume.

Corn was first grown about 7000 years ago in the highlands of central Mexico, and by the first century B.C. was a staple crop of all the agricultural peoples in the Americas. One of the first uses of corn kernels was for popping.

The oldest ears of popping corn were discovered in a bat cave in New Mexico; they are over 5,500 years old.

A shortage of baking flours after World War II forced breadmakers to substitute up to 25% of wheat flour with ground popped popcorn. Over the years, popcorn also has been used as an ingredient in pudding, candy, soup, salad and entrees. 

Popcorn was actually the first food to be microwaved deliberately. In 1946 Dr. Percy Spencer of the Raytheon Corporation was experimenting with a magnetron (a new type of vacuum tube) when he noticed that the chocolate candy bar in his pocket had melted. He was curious, so he placed some popcorn kernels next to the magnetron and turned it on - the popcorn popped. After experimenting with various other food items (including an egg that exploded!), he and Ratheon realized they were on to something and continued on to develop the first microwave oven.

Threading popcorn onto a string is a very common Christmas tree decoration during tough times.

The world’s largest popcorn ball weighed 3,415 pounds and was 8 foot in diameter and 24.6 feet around. It was unveiled in October 2006 in Lake Forest, Illinois.

The “Popcorn Capital of the World” is claimed by at least six mid-western states in the United States, but the majority of popcorn is grown in Nebraska and Indiana. Texas production is on the rise.

The Chinese have another method for popping popcorn. The corn is placed into a large cast iron container and sealed. It is turned over a fire on a rotisserie. When the pressure gauge indicates its ready, they remove it from the fire, put a canvas sack over the lid and release the seal. It makes a huge boom as all of the popcorn explodes at once. (see video below)

Kernels that do not pop at the correct temperature where they should are known in the popcorn industry as “old maids”. A popped kernel is known a “flake”. The flakes come in two shapes. They are either ball-shaped cauliflower looking balls with few wings called mushrooms, or they are butterfly flakes where they have protruding wings or offshoots. The butterfly flakes have a better mouth feel, but because the mushroom flakes are sturdier, they are the ones manufacturers tend to use in packaged popcorn. One cob can produce both kinds of kernels, but they have also developed corn varieties that produce 100% of one variety.

In the same way that Girl Scouts are known for selling cookies, the Boy Scouts are known for selling popcorn as their big fundraiser.

Courtesy of Hubpages

Pizza Kit

We tried this Pizza Kit this morning..... Just have to make the crust, then the pizza sauce and you can just add anything for the toppings... We chose ham and cheese with onions for the toppings... Yummy!

My Mom's Fruit Cake

It is a nice gift to our loved ones this Christmas.  We always have Fruit Cake here at home during the Holiday Season.  Try it!



FRUIT CAKE

1 cup butter

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

5 whole eggs

3 tablespoons molasses

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon orange juice

3 tablespoons brandy

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup glazed fruits

Cream butter and add sugar gradually.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add molasses.  Add flour.  Add the fruits, nuts, raisin mixture previously soaked in brandy and dredge with little flour.  Add vanila extract then pour on mold lined fruit cake pan.  Bake with a pan of water until done.  Brush with brandy over a week.



Beef with Oyster Sauce

It's one of the recipes we tried in our Caregiver class.

Marinate 1/2 kilo sliced beef sirloin in 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon oil for 1 hour.  In a pan, heat 1/4 cup oil then saute 6 stalks sliced leeks and 4 slices ginger.  Set aside.  In the same pan, stir-fry the beef until half-done.  Put back the leeks and ginger.  Add in 1/4 cup oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice wine and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.  Simmer until beef is tender.

Preparation time:  20 minutes
Cooking time:  20-30 minutes
Yield:  4-6 servings

Iceeee Creaaaaammmm!

I tried this recipe long time ago then my mom decided to try it again yesterday.  It's an homemade chocolate ice cream! You can combine it with fruits, flavours and other ingredients if you want to. 

HOMEMADE  CHOCOLATE  ICE  CREAM

1/2 cup Hersheys Cocoa

3/4 cup milk

3 eggyolks, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

Combine cocoa and 3/4 cup sugar in small sauce pan.  Gradually blend in milk and eggyolks.  Cook, stirring constantly until mixture just approaches boiling.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla.

Refrigerator method:   Pour into refrigerator tray or 9 inch square pan.  Freeze until mushy for about 1 hour.  Whip cream in large mixer bowl, add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff.  Spoon chocolate mixture into small chilled mixer bowl, beat until smooth.  Fold into whipped cream.  Place bowl in freezer or pour into square pan.  Freeze for several hours until firm.  Stir occasionally during first hour.

Puto Pao

My mom loves to cook.... this is one of her favorite recipes... PUTO PAO!  She made some putos on November 1, 2010 for the All Saint's Day. We went to San Pedro Memorial Park with my other relatives to visit our departed loved ones.

PUTO PAO

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons baking powder

2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

2 cups evaporated milk

2 cups water

Cheese or salted eggs, optional

1.  Sift all dry ingredients together.

2.  Blend milk and water.  Slowly add to dry ingredients.  Blend thoroughly.

3.  Place 3/4 batter in puto molders.  Place molders uncovered and steam for 15 minutes.

Halloween Cupcakes...

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Whipped cream frosting


1.  Preheat oven to 375F.  Arrange paper cup liners into two large or 4 small muffin pans.  You should have enough for 24 individual cupcakes.


2.  In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs.


3.  In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add a little of the flour mixture to the sugar and butter mixture.  Mix well.  Pour in little of the milk.  Mix well again.  Continue adding alternately the flour mixture and the milk to the sugar and butter mixture.

4.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour into prepared muffin cups, about 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven to 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool completely then frost with the frosting.


For the frosting:

2 cups well chilled- all purpose cream
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 drops orange food color (optional)
chocolate chips


1.  In large bowl of electric mixer, beat all-purpose cream at medium speed until fluffy.  Gradually add sugar.

2.  If desired, add 3 to 4 drops orange food color.  Continue beating until sugar is incorporated into the cream and cream is stiff enough to spread.  Do not overbeat or the cream will liquefy.

3.  Use to frost cupcakes.  Decorate cupcakes with more chocolate chips if desired.

Champorado........ Chocolicious :)

Champorado or Tsamporado is a sweet chocolate rice porridge.  It is usually made by boiling sticky rice with cocoa powder, giving it distinctly brown color and usually with milk and sugar to make it taste sweeter .  You can use evaporated milk or powdered milk.... but I prefer powdered milk for myself.  It can be served hot or cold and it is mostly eaten during breakfast... but it can also be served during mid-afternoon snacks ( merienda ).  It is one of the favorite dish here in the Philippines. 

Ingredients:
8 tbsp cocoa powder (or about 4 pieces tableya)
1 cup glutinous rice (malagkit)  or you can use plain rice
1/2 cup sugar
3  1/2 cups water
evaporated milk or powdered milk
condensed milk (optional )

Cooking procedure:
1. Pour 2 1/2 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil
2. Put-in the glutinous rice and allow water to re-boil for a few minutes
3. Dilute the cocoa powder in 1 cup warm water then pour-in the pot. Stir continuously
4. Once the glutinous rice is cooked (about 12 to 18 minutes of cooking with constant stirring), add the sugar and cook for another 5 minutes or until the texture becomes thick.
5. Remove from the pot and place in a serving bowl.
6. Serve hot with a swirl of condensed milk, evaporated milk or powdered milk on top.