Typical Saturday Lunch

The Saturday lunch is Family day for us. It has been mentioned several times in my previous posts that I have picky eaters and mostly like plain food, nothing too fancy or elaborate or without tomato sauce.

Bulalo soup with corn and chinese cabbage for Gilly. I separated the vegetables from the meat and soup because she only likes the ... what else? The meat and broth with rice! My other niece, Sophie, liked the "litid". I was not greedy and let my Ate and Tita have the marrow. Hahaha Normally I am, because the marrow is a prime commodity for us. I don't know how my Grandma did it but when we were younger, each of us would have our own bone with marrow as long as my forearm!

The boys, Butch and my Kuya Raul liked the corn.

I had the vegetables, they didn't touch it. I don't eat veggies often but if cooked in soup, I will.

Bulalo Soup

1 K. Beef Shanks with marrow

2 L. water

1 big white onion, quartered

10 black peppercorns

2 T. Magic Sarap

Patis, to taste

corn, cut into 3 inch length

leeks

chinese cabbage

Boil beef with onion and peppercorn until tender. Do not add salt while boiling the beef because it makes the meat tough, taking longer to cook. Add corn, season with patis and Magic Sarap. Wait until the kernels are tender then add the leeks and Chinese Cabbage, cook covered for 1 minute or until the chinese cabbage changes in color. Remove the vegetables from the soup. Serve separately if you wish.

My Ate Gina's and Tita Portia's request most of the time is anything with gata. For this weekend, my sister requested Bicol Express(recipe in one of my earlier posts).


From chunks of boiled pork skin,

I was able to make chicharon bits to add to the Bagoong Guisado(recipe in one of my earlier posts) ,


another request of my sister with green mangoes.


It is always safe to cook Inihaw na Liempo because all the adults like it.

Inihaw na Liempo

1 K. liempo, grill cut

1 T. rock salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 heads garlic, pounded

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. 7-Up

Marinate overnight and grill.

The menu for the Saturday lunch seemed so simple and yet the time spent with my family was truly precious and delicious.