Just this morning, I saw from our Facebook News Feed a post from Food Network page this recipe, Bacon and Broccoli Rice Bowl, I have heard this recipe months ago and it is really interesting to make.

So without hesitation (it’s my day off from work), I decided to cook this recipe. I checked the ingredients and procedures online and went to a grocery store to buy those.

So, for the sake of my readers, I will share the recipes and ingredients needed for this Bacon and Broccoli Rice bowl.

• 6 slices of chopped bacon
• 4 pieces of large eggs
• 3 tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups of white sushi rice, short grain rice is preferrable but anything will do
• 2 sliced scallions
• 2 tbsp of chopped jalapenos
• 2 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 head of broccoli, stems peeled and sliced and then the florets cut to pieces
• 1 and 1/2 tsp (teaspoon) of sesame oil
• Kosher salt

Procedures

1) Put the rice in a pan with 2 and one-half cups of water.
2) Cover the pan and then heat it with medium-high and then high-medium heat until the some water will be absorbed.
3) Minimize the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes more.
4) Take out the pan from heat and let it cool until you see that it’s ready to serve.
5) Cook the bacon for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a paper plate.
6) Pour 1 tbsp of bacon drippings from the pan and heat it to medium high.
7) Then add the broccoli, stir occasionally.
8) Add 3/4 of cup of water and sim until you will see that the broccoli becomes crispy for about 3 minutes.
9) Add the soy sauce and then one half teaspoon of sesame oil and then stir.
10) Drizzle with juices but you need to divide the rice and broccoli equally first.
11) Heat or cook the remaining seasame oil to a medium to high heat
12) Break the eggs, add salt and fry.
13) Add the fried egg to each bowl and top it with bacon.
14) Add in the topings the scallions, jalapenos and the cilantro.
15) Enjoy eating!

Author: Brian

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Eating low-cal is easy with this fresh broccoli and uncooked sweet potato into a salad in just 15 minutes.

Makes 1 – 2 servings

Ingredients

If it is freezing to grill outside, you can imitate the taste of barbecued chicken with your oven broiler. Between the great smoky spice rub and also the sweet-hot barbecue sauce, you’ll never miss out the barbecue grill.

Ingredients for the sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. mild unsulfured molasses
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. minced chipotle chiles (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Ingredients for the Chicken
1 Tbs. sweet smoked paprika
1 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 lb.), skinned
Vegetable oil, for brushing

Tip: Chicken skin tends to cause flare-ups in the broiler, so be sure to remove it.

Prepare the sauce
In a 1- to 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, maple syrup, molasses, vinegar, chipotles, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to meld the flavors. Set aside.

Prepare the chicken
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle powder, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Arrange the chicken on a platter or baking sheet, sprinkle both sides with the spice rub, and pat gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line the top rack of a broiler pan with foil and slit or puncture the foil at the openings to allow fat to drain.

Brush both sides of the chicken with oil and arrange skin side down on the pan. Broil for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken with tongs (rearranging them if the broiler heat isn’t even) and broil until they’re barely pink inside when cut into, 4 to 5 minutes. Brush the chicken with some of the sauce and broil until the sauce begins to caramelize, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and brush the chicken with more sauce; broil until they’re just cooked through (165°F), and the sauce is nicely caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a clean platter and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Ahead Tips:

The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

An extremely tasty Lasagna which is my comforting version that we all love! Its quite long preparation but definitely worth the effort!

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant, diced
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 large brown onion, diced
1 small green capsicum, chopped
1 small red capsicum, chopped
200g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
300ml vegetable stock
150g baby spinach leaves, chopped
50g butter
3 tablespoon plain flour
700ml milk
1 cup (120g) grated cheddar cheese
375g lasagne sheets
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

PREPARATION
Prep: 35 minutes | Cook: 45 minutes

1. Sprinkle eggplant with the salt, place in a colander and stand for 20 minutes. Rinse under water, pat dry with paper towel.

2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic, ginger, carrot and onion; cook, stirring, for 4-5 mins or until onion is soft. Add the eggplant and capsicums; cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the spinach thoroughly and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted.

4. For the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the flour and stir over a medium heat for 1 minute or until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from the heat; gradually whisk in the milk. Stir over a medium heat until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in the cheddar cheese and season to taste.

5. Pour a third of the cheese sauce over the base of a 6-cup oven-proof baking dish. Cover with a third of the pasta, then half the vegetable mixture. Repeat layers using vegetables and pasta.

6. Pour remaining cheese sauce over pasta layer, making sure all the pasta is covered. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Bake for 45-50 mins, or until the top is golden brown and the pasta is tender.

This is a delicious way of preparing Ginataang Gulay at Hipon.

Ingredients

1/4 kilo shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left
1/4 squash or kalabasa, sliced into cubes
1 bunch string beans about 3 cups then cut into 2 inch length
3 cups coconut milk
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 medium sized onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 piece siling Tagalog or birds eye chili
2 tablespoons Canola cooking oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional but recommended)
salt to taste

Instructions

• Pour Canola cooking oil in a large cooking pan, set it to medium heat.
• Saute garlic and onion then add fish sauce and coconut cream, let it boil.
• Add the ground black pepper, cook for 10 minutes in medium heat until the liquid reduces.
• Add the shrimp and stir well, simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Add the squash (kalabasa) and cook until the squash becomes a little soft.
• Add the string beans, stir, and cook for 3 minutes.
• Turn the heat off and transfer to a serving plate.
• Serve with rice.

I’ve been browsing online to see what’s the best to cook this morning for dessert. Anyways, I already had an idea to make a cake but which cake is best for today?

Until I found this Hummingbird Cake. By just looking at the picture you will see that this is really interesting and very sweet cake. So without a doubt, I checked all the recipes and bought them from a store. This cake really takes time but it’s worth it. Its very sweet and anyone will surely love it.

I made it for more than 2 hrs, yes 2 hours, seriously if you love cooking and this is really your passion 2 hours of cooking something special for yourself is nothing. Again,  it’s worth it.

So here are the recipes that you can buy from grocery store.

• 3 ripe bananas, chopped
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• Unsalted butter, for greasing

This cake requires frosting, so for Frosting you need to have the following:

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), at room temperature
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

So here are the steps you need to follow to create this super delicious hummingbird cake.

First part is to make the cake, here are the instructions on how to do it.

1. Pre heat the oven to 350 deg F.
2. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
3. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
4. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes.
5. Let it cool, then roughly chop.
6. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
7. Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
8. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes.
9. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
10. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter.
11. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
12. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.
13. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.

Second part is to make the frosting, follow the steps on how to do it.

• Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined.
• Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth.
• Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Finally, put one cake layer on a serving plate. and then about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. You also have to spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. In this simple recipe you will be able to ate your own hummingbird cake.

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Thank you to FoodNetwork for their recipes for my guide in cooking my hummingbird cake.

There are two methods on how to cook Sushi Rice or burned rice. Lots of Japanese love to eat this kind of rice.

First Method. Bring rice and water to boil on medium-high heat with the lid off, be careful that you do not leave the rice to boil over. With rice paddle, Stir and turn down the heat very low. Tubes with rice paddle, and turn the heat down very low. Place the lid on the pan. Cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes.

Second method. Bring rice and water to the boil on medium heat with the lid ON. As soon as you see that the rice begins to boil, lower the heat and cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes.

So how do you know when the rice is ready? Since it is your first or may be fifth time, don’t worry to take off the lid and taste the rice. Many website say that it is important to keep the lid closed all the way to the end, until 15-20 minutes pass, but how will you know if it is enough or not. The rice should not be dry inside, it should be soft. Only this way you will know how much more you do need to cook the rice.  If the rice is not ready yet, make sure that you put back the lid ON. If the rice is ready, turn off the heat and let the rice stay in the saucepan for about 10 to 20 minutes. I prefer to keep it for 10 minutes in the saucepan with the lid on and then open the lid and let it stay for three or four minutes without it. This strategy does not damage in any way the rice and the rice doesn’t lose anything whatever others may say.

The picture shows the burned side of rice. Here I already removed the cooked rice. As you can see, it is very easy to burn the rice. It shouldn’t be hard to separate burned and not burned rice.

Now, take out the cooked rice and put it into a large non-metallic bowl, I use plastic bowl.  (Wondering why non-metallic?) Now you will need Rice Vinegar. Forget all those recipes on the make it yourself; just buy a bottle of sushi rice vinegar. I use Mitsukan and just in case if it runs out I have Thai rice vinegar for back up.

Even though they are different, you won’t fill the difference. Sprinkle the rice vinegar over the rice.

IMPORTANT! Don’t put too much Vinegar.  Two to three tablespoons will be enough, four is MAX.  If you put too much, the rice will become sour and you will have to start over.

To spread the vinegar evenly through the rice, slide the rice paddle down the side of the bowl, lift and fold the rice.  Slowly cut through the rice with the edge of the paddle and fold the rice.

OK! OK! Here don’t overdo. Stop, when you will feel that the rice became harder to fold. It is important to do this process as soon as you have moved the rice from the saucepan to the bowl. When you are done; cover the bowl with a cotton towel and let the rice to cool to between body and room temperature.

Now you are ready to make sushi.

Key points Summary:

To prevent too much water evaporation; make sure the lid is tight when using a saucepan.

Carefully and accurately measure the rice and water ingredients.

Don’t overcook or undercook your rice.

When water begins to boil, turn the heat to low and keep the lid on.

In Japanese restaurants instead of plastic bowls they use a special flat bottomed wooden bowl called a Hangiri, as it soaks up any excess vinegar and assists in the rice cooling process.

So by some Japanese mystery it gives the rice something, some legendary taste, my guess. Anyway, fanning the rice while folding in the vinegar may give the rice a nice sheen, but anyway I can say when I have tried this rice showed no significant benefit.  However it is authentic and fun to do this.

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I’m a little old fashioned, a bit miserly and not the least concerned that pupil to eat decent food, so I make all the dinner food and fruit puree his own (with the exception of an occasional bag from Ella’s Kitchen when we are on tour). Here I will post some recipes on how I’ve chosen to do it from joining with porridge at the age of 3.5 months and until now he is 6.5 months.

Dinner:

To avoid having to create two full meals, you can do it easily by having the same vegetable base, nor freezing vegetables and fish / chicken / meat separately, that way you can freely combine as you like from day to day!
Vegetables with fish / chicken
5-6 carrots
6-7 potatoes
1 brokoli
1 cauliflower
Canola Oil
Boiled / steamed salmon and chicken

Cut all vegetables into small pieces and steam them tender. Damp while fish and chicken. Puree the vegetables and fish / chicken separately with spelling mixer. Put the water and oil to suit thickness of the vegetables. Have vegetables and fish / chicken into separate cups and chill in cold water before placing them in the freezer.

Fruit puree

With bulbs

3 bulbs

3 bananas

4-5 prunes

With mango

4 bananas

1 mango

2 apples

With berries

a few never frozen berries

1 banana

4-6 prunes

Sviskemos
A bag of prunes 
Water

Share everything into pieces, boil / steam grate. Turn over boiling water in another saucepan and mash the fruit with a stick blender. Dilute with decoction of suitable consistency. Cool in cold water and have over the cups or ice cube bags. Take care of decoction and have over the ice cube bags – perfect to mix with oatmeal or thaw to put in the drinking water for the porridge.

Tips:
- Is fruit puree too runny when you take it out of the freezer it can be advantageous smoothed with eg. instant oatmeal, etc. 
- Freeze like the parts of the portion of ice cubes to better use in porridge.

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How to make Homemade Cocoa

Easter is coming, and then appeal of homemade cocoa skiing.
Not difficult either, so to do this:
Boil the water and break the chocolate into pieces all fit. Remove the pan from the hot plate for a moment. Put the chocolate in it and stir until it has dissolved. Add the milk and sugar and warm gently. The cocoa is finished just before it boils. (NOTE milk boils over very easily!)
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream inside.

• 1 liter H-Milk
• 100 grams of cooking chocolate
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar (depends a little on the dark chocolate you use)

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Pork Adobo is considered as the best Pinoy dish. If you go to Philippines and eat in a restaurant, you will see lots of Adobo served. Just a tip, better eat in an Eat All You Can restaurant because surely you will ask for more.

Last December 2012, I had a visit in Cebu, considered as Queen City of the South. It was a great city by the way. I took a dinner in one of the restaurants in SM Mall (biggest mall in the city) and I was looking for this pork Adobo as lots of friends of mine recommended this to me.

Well, at first taste it impressed me. From that time, I keep on researching on how to cook pork Adobo and cook it on my own as I also love cooking.

So, here are short steps on how to cook pork Adobo from your home at your own self.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp whole pepper corn
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2 1/2 pieces dried bay leaves
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 lbs pork belly

Step by Step Procedure

1. First, combine the pork belly, garlic and soy sauce, then marinade for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Next, heat the pot or where you want to cook the pork and put the marinated pork belly then let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, add water to it, then the whole pepper corn, and put all the dried bay leaves then let it boil. You can let it boil for 30 to 40 minutes.
4. If it already boiled for 10 minutes, add the vinegar and boil it again for another 5 minutes.
5. Finally add a salt and make sure that it already tastes good.

It would be best if this pork Adobo is served hot.

This is not only for pork but also you can do this in chicken and obviously, it will be called as chicken Adobo  You can try these procedures at your home and feel free to comment below the taste of this dish.